Aetheran Child (13 page)

A lightning flashed and pierced the darkness. A rumble louder than a space shuttle lifting off the planet blew everyone away. The winds picked up and the music started up again. Lexan, startled, froze for a moment before dancing again. Bloo had already started dancing to the new beat. The beat, the music, now, resembled a storm, with deep dark bass, and a screech now and then that signified the intrusion of a lightning. Somewhere behind all of that, the boy heard the ocean with its large waves smashing against tall cliffs.

Another lightning flashed.

The beat picked up on speed, again, sending the dancers into a frenzy. An electric current sliced through the air, and energized everyone. Lexan's hair stood straight up, his body covered in goose bumps. He became infatuated with the music. The visualization resumed with an enormous blue and black ocean whose waves swirled. The water and waves descended upon the dancers, flowing all around. The boy felt the water, as if it was real.

The Music Master yelled out at everyone, “How is everyone's evening?” A deafly roar followed, “This is the moment you've all been waiting for!” Another roar, “The climax of the evening, ladies and gentlemen.” His voice drowned out by the crowd. Lexan did not even listen, he swirled in the waters with Bloo. Her eyes were closed, she was one with everything. He was one with everything, “For those that do not know, I am the Music Master Jacque.” he paused, “It's nice to meet you.”

“Now, let me introduce you to the greatest singer in the whole of this brilliant sector, Nivua!” The people screamed loudly, louder than before. The dancers jumped up and down with happiness.

“Nivua,” Bloo turned to Lexan who seemed to ignore Jacque's speech, “She is the most well-known and beautiful girl in the sector. Parties all the time, no boyfriends or anything.”

“Is she a good singer?” he asked and Bloo nodded toward the stage where Jacque stood.

A dark haired girl appeared next to the man and came up in front of the mixer machine. She smiled sincerely and the crowd screamed for her. The music played loudly but after the last roar, the crowd fell silent. The waves crashed against them and lightning flashed in the background. Thunders
 
reverberated in the spherical structures around. Nivua's hair came down to her waist, beautifully black. Her curving body moved left and right to the beat, twisting slightly. Her avatar wore jean-like black pants with two white stripes running down the length of them on the side, her tight white shirt gently complimented her figure.

“Let us wait!” Jacque mightily announced.

“Wait for what?” Lexan whispered to Bloo next to him, she shushed him and stared ahead at Nivua.

They all waited, all of the students that herded onto the garden to listen to good music and dance the night away. The music softened so that it was barely audible. The rhythm was still perceptible but not as distinct anymore. Thunders roared through the quiet skies. A lightning flashed every few seconds. That was not the sign, he thought, it must be something else. Tiny rays of light danced across the skies. Water droplets started to form and gently flow. The energy in the air rose,everyone waited for the climax of the party. For the sign that would let them go loose and dance. A lightning flashed a few more times, hitting the Spheres around, each one echoing the thunder with the sound of their party. Heavy rain started hitting the solid structures.

Nivua turned to Jacque who nodded. She tapped her foot three times and the music picked up from its peaceful slumber. The bass seemed to disappear and the sound rolled through the crowds the way the waves had, changing colours but retaining their natural force. The people followed suit by waving with the visuals and the rhythm. Everyone watched Nivua who sang along with the flow of the sounds.

When I sing, I feel free,

I'm sure all of you agree.

The rain beats hard,

just like my heart.

Hold me tight, hold me close,

hold me as if I had no clothes.

And when we close our eyes,

won't have to say our goodbyes.

The people watched quietly, swaying. There was no more screaming, no more yelling. People danced, and Nivua sang louder and louder. Her voice penetrated their hearts.
 

A lightning flashed, the final sign, and it struck the Sphere. It came down from the skies above, forcing itself down toward the garden, branching off and discharging into the air. The main trunk of the lightning tree struck the largest group of people on the top floor of the garden. It branched out again, passing through each student, who in turn transform into his or her Aetheric form. The electricity reached every single dancer. Hard pellets that the rain drops have become beat down on everyone. The crowd shifted and moved as a single organism. Switching to Aetheri and back, the dancers started to jump to the beats. Rain drops seemed to fly around from everywhere as the dancers' vigor splashed anyone nearby. It was an unbelievable event.

Jacque created a special channel for his music as the music from other Spheres picked up as well.

The music, however, washed away through the rain. Only Nivua's voice could be heard clearly.

And I sang my last song to you,

who'll hold me last if not you.

If you can think of anyone better,

then look at this stormy weather:

The rain soaks my body and yours,

we may fly with the way the air flows.

The heavy beats and drums returned at Jacque's command as Nivua finished the last lyrics. The dancers snapped out of the trance though their eyes lingered on the beautiful singer. The rain soaked and drenched all their clothes, or at least, the simulation made it seem like it soaked the avatars' clothes. Little circles formed within the mass around exceptional dancers that performed flips and tricks.

Bloo danced aggressively, spraying water on others, looking exhilarated with a huge smile on her face.

“Come on! This is the best part of the party!” She yelled at Lexan who stood still, trying to figure out the bizarre behaviour of the other dancers.

People turned to Aetheri and back as their energies peaked and were exhausted. Lightnings were attracted by these energy conversions, hitting the crowd ceaselessly. Waves of highly charged particles spread among the dancers.

The party went on all night.

VIII

Lexan woke up thoroughly refreshed the next morning. He slept deeply, something he has not done for some time. For five galactic hours, which equaled to eight Eartly hours, he slept. I guess meditation was not enough for last night’s tiring party, he thought.

It was the last day of the month, August 20th, 20—on Earth but 30th NonusMensis, 205 since the beginning of the Third Era. Each Era is the beginning of something new. This current Era was named “Earth-independent” Era. It is the era where the galactic governments united into a singular action to restrict the Earth-related dealings. All the agents on the planet have been pulled out, and every influence withdrawn. The step overturned millennia old policies and beliefs.

The boy looked at the information his view provided him and saw that it was decimusday. The next day would be the first school day. He was excited, very excited. He liked learning already on Earth, but now, he would be presented with views and information that no other Earthling has been presented with for over two hundred years. He would also get a new chance at a new school, new world, new planet, new everything really. The culture of this alien world amazed him and he knew a thirst for knowledge will make him the perfect student. Teachers will like him, he smile. His line of thought diverted, is it possible that such a civil world could tolerate physical punishment

“I’ve never seen anyone sleep so intensely,” Jacque pronounced thoughtlessly while lying down in his bed. He pulled his arms behind his head and stared in front of him, mentally controlling and editing a video of the previous night, “Outside the sleeping period, at least,” he turned his head to look at Lexan.

“Yeah, I guess,” the boy yawned and stretched. He sat up in his bed and looked around, still sleepy and groggy.

“You must be from a sector really far away from the United Republics, even the United Galacted Nations, maybe you’re from the Outlaw Allience, am I right?” He asked curiously.

“Yeah, really far, believe me,” He shook his head, still trying to completely wake up. He mentally ordered Bran to flood his body with light stimulants.

“Really now? Where are you from?” Jacque turned off the floating screen and propped himself up on his elbow and awaited an answer.

“I am from the Cardinal Regions.

Jacque chuckled, “What a coincidence. You know that Shun that danced with you last night? Bloo? Well, apparently, she’s from there, too.”

Lexan stared him. It was probably not a common conversational topic for her, he thought.

“I am from a different planet. My planet consists mostly of humans, no other Shuns.”

“Well, never mind. You should meditate and regain your energy for tomorrow,” Jacque answered and turned back to the holographic screen.

“Thank you, I will,” Lexan stretched and crossed his legs. He dove deeply into his subconscious, letting his body rest while consciously regulating the energy within. There, in his subconscious, he floated and swam, like a psychonaut so to speak. He analyzed nothing but thought thoughtlessly about Bloo and the Cardinal Regions. He thought about his past and the difference now. Silently, he slipped away from reality altogether with only a faint part of his mind focusing on his breathing and other rhythms within his body.

I

A soft beeping sliced through the complete silence. Lexan opened his eyes and emerged from his meditation. His visor unshielded and he saw the inside of his dorm. It was primitusday, the first day of the metric week.

“Bran. Turn on all of my sensors. First day of school is here.”

“Your senses will slowly return.”

When he looked around, he saw Jacque sitting still, meditating, on his bed. The volume of sound started to come back and Lexan recognized some of the outside sounds of people walking by. Those were first year students, this dormitory sphere. Some though, such as Jacque, were not and had the choice to enjoy a little more time off before their first class of the day.

As a student, Lexan had the obligation to report to the Grand Hall. Twenty-five thousand other students from this dorm-sphere alone will sit with him and watch the GrandMaster talk. There were a thousand students from this dorm-sphere alone. The whole planet hosted over four billion staff and students combined that were split into four thousand sectors, then further into dormitory spheres. Each then split into individual rooms.

Lexan read about the Grand Halls. Bran pulled up the schematics to show an airport-sized space

He walked outside of the room and followed a crowd of Students. His eyes mindlessly searched for Bloo, the only person he knew. He thought she lived in his sector but it was a waste of time, he found out. He walked on toward the ceremony that would start within an hour.

He walked through the halls into the central sphere that contained all the transportation net-points. People jumped and walked into the white clouds of nothingness and disappeared with it.

“Alexander, Miss Bloo is trying to communicate with you. Do you wish to open a channel?” Bran announced. Lexan mentally requested she no longer called him Alexander and agreed to the open channel. He saw Bloo’s avatar appear in front of him, slightly transparent to indicate it was simply a projection.

“Hey Lexan! Sorry to bother you but I was thinking that you could sit with me at a table in the Hall, if you want.” She asked a bit nervously but excitedly at the same time.

“Yeah, I can do that,” He did not wish to be alone now especially at such a large, confusing event.

“Just wait for me at your dorm-sphere,” she said and disappeared.

Bran informed Lexan, promptly, that he did not turn on the Degree I vision, a special type of vision filter that showed holographic images and people’s avatars. Instead, he simply saw figures in silver suits walking around quietly. He did not bother learning about the different filters and let Bran switch them as was needed.

Some filters, she taught him, showed extreme colours, labels to specific things, and other such visuals. While other filters, showed secondary avatar images, directions to places, and an exhaustive list of other features. Again, he did not bother to learn them or try them. Bran automatically defaulted, then, a Degree I vision for all normal activities and a Degree II vision when in unfamiliar settings, which provided Lexan with the necessary labels of objects, and information he could mentally access.

II

Lexan met up with Bloo and they traveled to the Grand Hall in their sector. The Grand Hall could hold the entire population of a sector, which numbered to one million people. Today, though, the Grand Hall will hold only a fraction of that population.

The boy noticed the value of Bloo’s calming presence. In a world with no friends, her company proved to be priceless. Without her, he would have been terribly concerned and nervous about the event.

When they entered the Hall, they lost each other, unfortunately, in the large crowds. They held onto each other by their hands but too many people passed them and split them apart. No matter, he thought, and left to find a seat, without his companion. He looked around and found out that people still sat with their own particular cliques, just as was the habit on Earth. Outsiders and new people who did not know anyone were forced to mix in with people of other groups or else they would suffer isolation.

The Hall’s layout featured at least a hundred long tables next to each other, disappearing into the far vastness of the building. Each table had chairs on each side facing a hovering screen. The tables were made out of the same material as the rest of the facility, a dull white plastic, it seemed, with ridges that glowed in different colors.