Chapter LXIV
The Last Straw
Velaniz’s infectious laughter filled the air as they ran through the store, finding an exit. Outside, they took a moment to catch their breath, puzzled by the sudden sprint they had embarked on with no warning.
"What’s going on?" Adriaas asked, gasping for some air. They had sprinted nonstop on a few levels without her knowing the reason. "Why are you running from your father?"
"Because he doesn’t approve of me spending time with girls I like," Velaniz confessed, aware of the weight of her words. "If you don’t want to run with me, that’s okay—"
Before she could finish, Adriaas kissed her on an impulse. The gesture was met with passion and urgency as the girl she just met kissed her back. Was that supposed to be how big love stories begin?
"Your father is coming!" Velaniz’s kabbalah alerted her.
They broke their kiss and ran. People stepped aside to let them cross as they sprinted, creating a distance between themselves and the store. Hand in hand, they laughed as they dashed away.
Minutes later, they boarded a levitator. As it descended to the lower levels of the wooden structure, two handles emerged for them to hold onto. Having eluded Velaniz’s father was a success, they landed on the third level near a waterfall without any urgency to continue running. Velaniz gazed at Adriaas with her large brown eyes, a smile playing on her lips.
“Thank you for keeping up with me,” she said, glancing around nervously.
Adriaas, captivated by Velaniz’s tender vulnerability, kissed her again without warning. They were alone, without interruptions or spectators, maintaining a low profile as their lips danced together.
After the kiss, they blushed and locked eyes, knowing they had to continue their escape. They clasped hands once more and resumed running, but their sprint was abruptly cut short by an imposing figure blocking their path—Velaniz’s father.
“I can see where your kabbalah is, you know that!” he exclaimed, pointing to the crystasleeve on his left arm. “What are you playing at? Who are you kid and why are you taking my daughter?”
Adriaas, taken aback, responded, “Adriaas Ancariis, Sir.”
As if fuel had been added to a fire, Velaniz’s father exploded in anger, his ire directed at his daughter. “What are you doing with one of them?” he seethed, gripping her arms tightly.
Adriaas turned to see Velaniz’s reaction. Confused and vulnerable, she surrendered to her father.
“I’m sorry,” she cried, tears welling up. “She didn’t tell me her last name.”
“Show me your kabbalah,” he demanded forcefully.
Velaniz complied, allowing him access to her companion. He connected to his own kabbalah, observing footage and data through a holoscreen. Moments later, he released his grip on his daughter, his understanding clear.
“Let’s go,” he said, casting a disgusted look at Adriaas. “Tell your father he should do everyone in Malkuth a favor and leave the third dimension already. His physical death is long overdue.”
Stunned and heartbroken, Adriaas stood as the whirlwind of events unfolded. The connection had been profound, magnetic and turbulent, thrilling yet frightening. Was Velaniz the love of her life? Losing such an intense connection so swiftly was excruciating. It wasn’t just Velaniz’s father tearing them apart; Velaniz herself had transformed under her father’s wrath.
Lost in thought, Adriaas didn’t notice the passing time until Ginebra touched her shoulder, startling her. Concern was etched on her mother’s face.
“What happened?” she asked, searching Adriaas’s for her glassy eyes.
Tears formed in Adriaas’s eyes as she recounted the events, her anger palpable. “We’re going back to Epeculum,” she declared with resolve. “I forgot something important.”
“Tell your father to send it by mail!” Ginebra protested.
“It’s not something material,” Adriaas said, hiding her true intentions.
“Well then, I’ll—” Ginebra began, but Adriaas interrupted.
“Come with me,” she said, taking her hand. “I might need your help.”
Despite her mother's barrage of questions, Adriaas brushed them off. Soon, they were at a landing bay of that stagnum.
“I can’t tell you!” Adriaas exclaimed with excitement as they boarded a fishtank. “Trust me, you won’t have to wait long once we reach Epeculum.”
Her mother followed reluctantly, sensing the day had worsened. Meanwhile, Adriaas’s determination shone bright. She knew this time they would listen to her, despite their reservations.
“Ion, inform my father that I need to see him immediately at his apartment. I don’t care what he’s doing,” Adriaas stated with unwavering resolve.
Guided by her Kabbalah, they returned to Malkuth’s capital in twenty minutes. Despite the shifting light, the cloudy skies remained unchanged. With determined strides, they traversed the mirrored halls and arrived at the wall concealing Annevan’s home.
Upon entering, Adriaas’s agitation grew, her breaths heavy with adrenaline. The distinct scent of her father’s lotion filled the air, signaling his presence. She searched the apartment frantically: the kitchen, living room, patio, and pool, but Annevan was nowhere to be found.
“What is happening?” her mother asked urgently.
“I can’t tell you,” Adriaas replied, her voice resolute. “Please sit down. There are matters I must attend to.”
Her mother's discontent was tangible, but Adriaas paid it no heed. Leaving her in the living room, she took the levitator to her room. There, the teenager took a moment to collect herself and plan her next steps, standing by the window that offered both wonder and symmetry. The apartment, nestled among thousands within Epeculum’s buildings, was part of a complex that moved too subtly for casual observation. The reflections formed enigmatic patterns, captivating Adriaas with their incomprehensible beauty. Her panoramic view encompassed other buildings in shape of shards with intricate designs that mirrored the sky and the ethereal moonlight.
Decided, Adriaas drew in a deep breath and set her plan into motion. Though her father was absent, she proceeded, albeit with less dramatic flair as she had intended. With a surge of energy, she expanded a polytex basket, typically used for trash. Adriaas began filling it with clothes she had accumulated over the years—shoes, pants, leotards, gowns, onesies, skirts. Everything went inside. Beneath a cornered skylight revealing more of Epeculum’s mesmerizing structure, she reached her Vis station, crafted from a squared black base made of onixamun and reduced it's size, throwing it inside the basket. This device channeled energy for her Kabbalah and facilitated her meditative practice, a task she had always struggled with. Connecting with nature had never been her forte, as she had spent most of her life in Ingravitas cities across the skies, her home since her earliest memories.
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Neither of her parents had business on the surface of Malkuth; they had lived in Stagnums during their time together. After their paths diverged, each found new homes, even farther from the surface of Malkuth. The sprawling sustainable hubs and crowded cities remained in the skies, preserving the planet’s integrity.
Adriaas gathered personal items and mementos. Posters displaying scenes from her favorite immersive experience, ‘A Thousand Cuts Before Midnight,’ featuring Milary Sundinel, her first crush, adorned her room. Several knitted symbols representing sacred geometry, the female figure and moving pictures decorated the walls. She added her father’s ingravitas skates, a holoscreen, a virtualis, and two bouncing gellispheres for stress relief. Having collected everything essential, she moved to the spacious bathroom, gathering her bath clothes and other belongings.
As if reliving that very afternoon, Adriaas heard her parents’ voices from the lower floor. This time, they weren’t arguing. Aware that their presence revolved around her, she steeled herself and descended in the levitator.
They had been conversing, as her mother no longer wore a bewildered expression. Annevan comprehended the situation the moment he laid eyes on the basket and its contents.
“Sooner than expected,” he remarked, acknowledging his prior contemplation.
His words ignited the flames of fury within Adriaas, who abandoned the basket on the floor and approached him with determined strides, ready to release years of pent-up emotions.
“Having you as a father is the worst thing that could have happened to me!” she declared, the words rehearsed countless times in her mind. “Wherever I go, there you are—your fame, your ego. People either love you or hate you, and it all falls on your children, on me! I didn’t ask for the privileges and disadvantages of being related to you!”
Annevan, taken aback by the intensity of her outburst, sought to understand. “What happened? Did someone hurt you?”
Adriaas let out a sarcastic laugh, recalling the times she had been ridiculed for being his daughter. The recent encounter with Velaniz had been the tipping point in a series of incidents. Strangers either expressed their adoration or vehement dislike, as she had experienced that day.
“Since before I could even speak, my existence has revolved around your life, your followers, your haters, your mistakes, and all your furkan triumphs!” she continued, her tone unyielding. “Most of the time, they don’t even remember my name; it’s the family name that holds significance! Being polite to them is tiring when you've been absent for years. I spent the entire week here and saw you for two hours! I’m done. Starting today, I’m moving to Treinta y Tres with Mom, full time. She’s the one who has provided me with empathy and care. You don’t give a furk about anyone other than yourself.”
Adriaas glanced at her mother through teary eyes, seeking affirmation.
“If you’ll have me, of course,” her voice tinged with a plea. “I’m sorry for not telling you—”
“I would have stopped you, but it was the right choice. If that’s how you feel, there will always be a permanent place for you in the domus,” Ginebra said, drawing her near and caressing her hair with tenderness.
Adriaas, needing to move on, no longer desired to be pacified like a child seeking solace.
“Is there anything you want to say?” she asked her father defiantly. Throughout the episode, he had remained calm, refusing to break character, which only fueled her internal anger further. “This is your last chance.”
Before she could retrieve the basket from the ground, her father spoke.
“My apologies have been offered many times in response to these unfortunate events. Be mature enough to understand that I cannot control people or change their opinions of me, or yours,” he said, raising a hand to halt her interruption. “Since the moment you were born, I have provided you with the best of Malkuth, just as I have with your siblings. Those clothes, the crystacrete beneath your feet, the levitator you descended on, even the Kabbalah that accompanies you! They are all part of what we, as your parents, have provided for you. Your focus is misplaced, clouded by raw emotions. This moment is insignificant in the grand scheme of your incredible life. Take a moment to breathe and regain clarity before making rash decisions.”
The tension in the room crackled like water hitting boiling oil, each drip echoing Adriaas’s mounting apprehension. Her mother, who had been observing from the sidelines, now shifted in her seat, poised to intervene. Determined to say what she thought, Adriaas reclaimed control of the conversation.
"I've been disgusted by your warped notion of family, purpose, and love ever since Zeban and I uncovered your lies," Adriaas declared, her voice brimming with conviction. "I was young and naive, ill-prepared to grasp the depth of your manipulation. My father is nothing more than a parasite, a testament to why Aequiteism needs to evolve. You shouldn't be allowed to wield such power over so many Sephirots for so long. You belong with the Yesod."
Annevan, ready to interject, was silenced by Adriaas's commanding hand gesture, imitating him. She continued, her words slicing through the air with precision. "I will speak as long as necessary, Annevan. I'm not concerned about a century from now. What matters is today, and your actions are a blatant misuse of power. Accept your age and step aside for the good of Malkuth. It's time for new blood and a shift in power. Your generation has let things spiral out of control!"
Every assertion Adriaas made resonated as truth. She had pored over records and listened to the grievances of those who despised her father. To her surprise, she found herself empathizing with their complaints more than expected. Annevan wasn't the sole culprit, but his image had become a symbol of tyranny among minorities in Malkuthian populace, his life a public spectacle for centuries before Adriaas's birth.
"You sound just like them!" Annevan retorted sarcastically. "Let me enlighten you. This isn't my first teenage rebellion. Some of your siblings experienced similar phases. It strained our relationships, but over time, they realized their views were immature and self-centered. I'm telling you this to spare you from inevitable regret."
Reaching her breaking point, Adriaas had no patience left for Annevan's excuses. She chose her next words carefully, aware they might be her last to her father until significant changes were made. "I once dreamed of becoming a Binah, thinking they were the best of them all," she seethed. "But your overwhelming presence and inflated ego destroyed that dream. I've spent years intentionally steering clear of your path, making deliberate choices to carve my own. Don't take me for granted, Annevan, I’m not like your other hundred children. In my eyes, you're a dreadful person and an even worse father. If you want to be in my life, a lot needs to change." With finality, she lifted her basket from the ground. "Starting tomorrow, I'm filing a request to drop 'Ancaris' from my name.”
Adriaas glanced at her mother, who nodded in understanding and followed her lead toward the exit. Annevan called out, "I would have known, you know? If it were your fate to join the Third Sephirot, I wouldn't have overlooked it."
His words only reinforced everything Adriaas had articulated. Determined not to squander more time, she turned toward the exit and began walking, with Ion trailing behind.
"You can't resist responding, can you?" she heard her mother say to Annevan before departing. "The day you learn to be silent and listen will mark a new beginning for our society."
Adriaas resisted the urge to look back, but inside, she swelled with pride for her mother's fortitude. Once outside, away from prying ears, she could no longer hold back her emotions.
"That was the perfect closing remark," she said, a smile unfurling across her face.
"It would have been better with preparation, but it's okay. I understand why you acted as you did. It was important for you to express yourself without restrain," Ginebra reassured her, placing a comforting hand on Adriaas's back. "You spoke eloquently, and it made me proud to see how much you've matured."
Adriaas didn't voice her thanks, but Ginebra's words were exactly what she needed.
"I am a product of his actions," Adriaas muttered, her tone laced with bitterness. "His lies."
Ginebra's voice softened with compassion. "You're shaped by the world around you, influenced by this era, your surroundings, and yes, your family. But we're only a fraction of what makes you, you. Don't credit your father for the incredible person you've become. Despite his errors, at least you've learned from them."
Adriaas absorbed the truth in her mother's words, feeling a profound connection. Taking Ginebra's arm, they walked together toward another fishtank that would take them to Epeculum’s Porterum once more, poised for a new destination.
"Shall we stick to our planned itinerary?" Ginebra inquired as they entered a hexagonal vehicle. "There's a place I'd like to take you."
"I didn't mess up our plans, did I?" Adriaas asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
"Not at all," Ginebra assured her, providing relief. "Unless you want to go back, we can head to La Cuna de la Luna."
At that moment, everything else faded away. Ginebra had uttered the magic words—La Cuna de la Luna—another symbol of their bond. They hadn’t visited as often as they would have liked since her mother parted ways with Annevan. He had been the key to easy access, but now they avoided seeking his favors.
"How long have you been planning this, Mom?" Adriaas asked, her curiosity awakened.
Ginebra smiled, her eyes twinkling with anticipation. "A few months, it’s been almost fout years since we last visited La Cuna de la Luna," she revealed. "It's about time we returned."
As they soared towards the nearest Porterum, Adriaas felt as though a part of her remained behind. Shedding the bitterness of her clash with Annevan, she and her mother embarked on a journey, liberated and ready to savor a weekend of exploration and enjoyment in one of their favorite cities worldwide.