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Zanda had been suspended in midair, rotating in a lotus position above Lake Wanaka, in Zealand, for the past couple of hours, trying to meditate. The early morning light bathed the landscape in gold and pink, a serene backdrop that belied the turmoil twisting within her. Clad in a merkabah, a thin as skin crystal armor gifted to her by the Superior Gevurah during her Ceremonia the night before, she floated effortlessly.

Despite the continuous attempts at emptying her mind, Zanda felt an unease settling within her, disrupting her usual calm and making an automatic process a challenge to achieve.

“Ridiculous.”

Surrendering to the futile attempt, she unwrapped her limbs, stretching them outwards as a soft aura of a light blue tone emanated from her pores like flames.

At twenty-five years old, Zanda had chosen the path of the Gevurah, the fifth branch of expression in her home planet, embracing a sea of possibilities and uncertainty that invigorated her desire to explore the unknown. The chilling sensation creeping at the back of her neck was a reminder of the accumulated stress she sought to release as the panorama of multicolored hues heralded the dawn of a new day.

The sun rose on the horizon, its warm light bathing the surroundings and nourishing Zanda's body with Vis energy, the force that binds the physical world together. Her merkabah, a sophisticated defense system, connected her mind, body, and Vis, together, in a fluent dance of energies and frequencies.

Designed with crystaphene and completed with her Translucent Helmet of Intelligent Crybine, T.H.I.C., Zanda’s new armor was a testament to the advanced technology of Malkuth, her planet, providing her with unparalleled abilities to protect and defend life as she had vowed to do so during her Ceremonia. As a representative of the branch of expression that defended justice and law, the suit granted her jurisdiction wherever she went in Malkuth and its colonies.

The young graduate had experimented with various models of merkabah in the past, but those were now obsolete compared to her latest one. The new crystal armor had become an extension of her thoughts, a non-organic organ that would enable her with the ability to fly at incredible speeds, endure the harshest temperatures and pressures with its unparalleled strength, allowing her to dream with the possibilities of exploring the depths of oceans, float at the heart of volcanoes and explore the space outside her world.

Her armor, no thicker than two layers of skin was a marvel of engineering. Made of the crystaphene, her bodyarmor, also called Armis, housed millions of nano cells—'nanites'— that could lay dormant within Zanda's fat cells, ready to spring to her defense and envelope her completly. The people of Malkuth had designed the merkabahs not merely as armor but as a symbol of office for members of the Sephirot—each design meticulously crafted to represent its wearer's duties and powers. Zanda's, which contained the latest advancements for the Gevurah, underscored her role as both protector and enforcer of the Edictum Vitae, Malkuth’s law.

Yesterday marked the culmination of five years of training as she completed all levels of Asporto, the school created for astral and terrestrial training in her field. It was her first day as a gevurah, and a myriad of thoughts ran through her mind.

As she hovered above the lake, last night's Ceremonia echoed in her mind—the vows she took before the Fifth Sephirah and Superior Gevurah, surrounded by her parents, mentor Refius, and friends Ninari and Danika, all under a multidimensional floating temple."

"I am a gevurah," she murmured aloud to affirm her newfound identity, finding solace in the sound of her own voice. "I am a gevurah," she repeated, the words resonating within her, breaking her voice with pride.

Zanda had aspired to become one since she comprehended the structure of The Sephirot and their duty to Malkuth twenty years prior. The Fifth Sephirah resonated with her ideals and passions at an early age, and, after years of dedication, she could claim the title with her head up.

“I'M A GEVURAH!” She yelled with all her strength, stating a goal that had taken most of her life to achieve.

Zanda’s emotions stirred, intensifying the aura surrounding her in a vortex of Vis energy, a Naadi, tinted with shades of green and blue. Swamped by emotions provoked by the realization of her dream after years of separation from her loved ones, she allowed tears of joy to flow freely.

For the first time in decades, no path lay clearly before her, and the sudden absence of direction felt as daunting as any challenge she had faced. She was free to chart her course, bound by her commitment to safeguard life within Malkuth and the colonies, uphold the Edictum Vitae, and strive towards becoming a Senior Gevurah, the next level on her Sephirah, with the liberty to gather experience and reputation across the Milky Way to ensure a comfortable life as she aged.

The young woman’s thoughts drifted to High Pristina in Kosovo, her birthplace, a floating city that had witnessed her growth. She yearned to return to her family and friends, to revisit the old faces and familiar voices that would remind her of the past before submerging into the future. As a new gevurah, she had never contemplated life beyond the school of Asporto. The experiences and people there had become her normality. She, along with her fellow gevuritah—students of the fifth branch—had devised ways to overcome and navigate the tasks presented to them year after year. Yet now, she found herself adrift, her mind a blank canvas with no clear vision of what lay ahead.

There was a freedom to travel anywhere within the Solar System. She considered wandering in Malkuth before venturing to other planets and moons. There was a global anticipation in hope that the collective efforts of the Nine Sephirot would bestow knowledge to enable travel beyond the confines of the galaxy. In the coming years, even if decades away, thrilling adventures into the unknown awaited her generation.

Zanda paused her forward thinking to anchor herself in the present. Eyes closed and going back to her levitating lotus position above the lake, she tried to meditate once more, channeling and harmonizing with the Vis around her. This process amplified her own vitality, powered her merkabah, and charged its nanites with weeks worth of energy.

When Zanda focused on reaching a higher state of being and even with her eyes closed, she perceived energy vibrating at diverse frequencies. With a deep inhalation, she engaged her pituitary gland, awakening her third eye. The action allowed her soul to climb into higher dimensions and perceive a spectrum from gamma rays to sonic vibrations, witnessing energy waves and reactions, quantum entanglements, and the entropic dance of protons and electrons—symbols of life’s constant movement and cycles of evolution, and adaptation.

Below her, as the world stirred from slumber, Zanda performed a sequence of fluid movements, each aligning with the rising sun. The crisp morning air, carrying the scent of thawing earth mixed with pine, invigorated her senses. Birdsongs, chaotic yet serene, seemed to synchronize with her motions, forming a symphony that echoed the rhythm of her energy flows.

Her trance was interrupted by a pulsating glow on her left wrist; a bracelet of quartz crystaphene signaling an incoming message. She initially dismissed it, but a persistent vibration demanded her attention.

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“Hey, you busy?”

Gia, her kabbalah, spoke. In Malkuth, everyone had a kabbalah—a bio-digital consciousness that served as a companion and mentor, pushing Homo Synthesicus, her species, towards self-improving, helping them discover knowledge and exploit its potential.

Although her companion knew the importance of uninterrupted trance, it insisted, “Tabitha Ancaris needs to speak with you; she’s been adamant I break your meditation.”

“Tabitha?” Zanda draw in a calming breath. "I didn't expect to meet her today, my plan was to reunite with mom and dad before talking to anyone else."

Focusing her thoughts, Zanda absorbed her naadi—the aura was a mutation unique to Malkuthians that bridged emotions and the physical realm, a doubled-edged gift from the Synthesis, an accidental event where humans and technology merged, propelling humanity into an evolutionary jump that gave birth to Homo Synthesicus. She had mastered the art of concealing her aura with her mother's help during her early days of training, years before being accepted in the levitating island of Asporto.

“Let her in,” The gevurah consented, reflecting on her past.

Gia projected a holographic image of Tabitha into thin air, creating the illusion that the woman was sitting beside Zanda, silently admiring the majestic mountains. The gevurah's analytical gaze sized her up in an instant.

At a hundred and ninety-three, Tabitha defied her years, appearing no older than forty-five. She cradled a cup of warm tea, her silver nightgown catching the moonlight of her location, giving her an ethereal, out of place mystique.

"If only I could give you a hug right now..." Tabitha turned, her smile a beacon of warmth, reaching out as if to bridge the virtual gap.

For Zanda, who had been disconnected from her past, the moment swelled with longing—until shock took over as she felt Tabitha's touch. "You're here!"

"No, I'm not," The elder woman countered, her brow furrowing. "I'm at home in Santorini!"

"I felt you," Zanda insisted, her voice a mix of wonder and disbelief. "Your touch was real."

Gia detached from the merkabah suit, as a swarm of a millions purple quartz nanites coalescing into its brand new form, updated the night before.

"Your merkabah's has innovative ventos, software allowing the frequencies of holograms to carry texture and form. The sensations are replicated by your merkabah," explained her floating cuboctahedron crafted from quartz crybine, its facets catching the light.

As sunlight sparkled on the water below, Zanda laughed—a sound of pure relief.

"That's quite the update," Tabitha said, embracing her. Years ago, she had nudged Zanda onto the path of the Fifth Sephirah, teaching her that pursuing her dreams was worth the leap of faith away from home.

"I'm not surprised to find you here, in contemplation. You've always been introspective," Tabitha observed, pride shining in her eyes. "You look remarkable."

"Thank you. And you, timeless as ever," Zanda replied, her admiration genuine. If she could mirror Tabitha's grace at ninety, she'd consider it a blessing.

"Oh, to wish," Tabitha chuckled, her joy radiant. "I can't escape the wrinkles forever..."

Zanda shifted from her lotus position to sit on the crafted illusion of a bench.

"You're in awe of your new merkabah, aren't you?"

"Without a doubt," Zanda mused, affection for her suit evident. "It's an extension of myself, it’s hard to grasp all its capabilities.”

"It's a powerful tool, safe in capable hands. Cherish it, for it will protect you," Tabitha counseled.

“It’s an honor…’

Tabitha rose from the bench and circled in the space around Zanda, walking on nothingness. "And you've earned it. After I embraced the Hod, over a hundred and thirty years ago, I ventured to South America for weeks. The psychotropics there led me on a journey of discovery that proved critical to my research."

“So, should I consider a spiritual quest in Brazil next?” Zanda teased, her tone light, trying not to undermine the depth of Tabitha's revelation.

Her aunt’s laughter was infectious. "No, my dear, your path is uniquely yours. Yet, brace for pivotal decisions. Trust your instincts; they are your truest guide in the weeks to come."

Zanda remained silent, lost in contemplation.

"I know I wasn't who you expected to see post-Asporto, and I apologize. I've spoken with your parents; they understood my need to reach you."

"What's the urgency? What's happening?" Zanda needed clarity more than anything, her mind racing with possible scenarios.

Her mother's lifelong friend fixed her with a grave look. "Firstly, this conversation stays between us, and secondly, there's a developing situation in Sectum. The Senior and Superior Gevurah are voting on who will manage it, and your name keeps being tossed into the mix."

"Sectum!" The word alone sent a jolt of fear through her spine.

"I know it’s unheard of..."

Tabitha's composure added to Zanda's unease, suspecting that revelation was planned from the conversation's onset.

"When has a rookie ever been assigned to Sectum?"

The gevurah felt unprepared, her anxiety brewing. Refius had been clear on his last trainings—no assignments for three months post-Ceremonia. Her hands fidgeted as she voiced her concerns.

"I'm supposed to go home tonight... Kosovo can't wait."

Tabitha's voice was soothing, "I understand it's sudden, but your return home will be all the more rewarding. Trust me."

Zanda's mind was a whirlwind of doubt as silence enveloped her.

"Embrace this fear; be humble with your abilities, yes. Remember, you're regarded as one of the brightest of your generation," Tabitha reassured her before locking eyes with Zanda. "If they've chosen you for this, means there’s faith in your readiness. It's your time you prove yourself to Malkuth and the Sephirot.”

The weight of expectations loomed over. Was this assignment to Sectum rash?

"I've dedicated five years to proving my worth to my sephirah but I'm not prepared to go there."

“But you are, remember? You are now a gevurah—an outstanding one at that," Tabitha interjected with fervor, her belief in Zanda unwavering.

“How do you know that? There’s gevurah more qualified than me!”

Her thoughts still tethered to the prospect of home.

"Forget qualifications; this is the field's test, about to be decreed by the Superior Sephirot themselves. If they do choose you, they'll reach out shortly after." Tabitha stated, her presence commanding. "It’s time I follow with my path and leave you, dear. Forgive the disruption, but I felt you needed the heads up. Use this knowledge to prepare your mind for what could be ahead.” She said, extending her hand in farewell. "Benediximus.”

"Tabitha, my assignment in Sectum—what is it?" Zanda's persistence held firm.

"That information lies with the Table of Nine. Patience." The woman advised before turning towards the burgeoning daylight, her silhouette fading against the moon's lingering caress over the Aegean Sea. Her soft parting whisper, "Aequitas, Zanda Effenzi," lingered in the air.

Now equals in the Sephirot, Zanda echoed, "Aequitas." As the projection dissipated, the word 'Sectum' echoed in her mind. Taking a deep, steadying breath, her naadi glowed with a resolute dark green tone while a holomap appeared before her eyes, following her thoughts.

“Gia, set a course to Civitas Permacolae in Tasmania,” her translucent helmet reemerged as she thought about it. The connection between her brain and the merkabah was instantaneous. Regulating her heart beat, Zanda readied herself to soar into her new reality as gevurah and the possibility of confronting her first solo mission in the next few hours.

****

That's it for Chapter I!

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Thank you for your time, see ya along the road!

Aequitas and much love,

Indigo Sapiens.

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