Unison (The Spheral) (18 page)

I passed through many parishes and cities, exploring ruins from the forgotten times. Fractured buildings and crumbling walls filled a landscape of overgrown weeds and cracked cement, reminiscent of my visions during my coma. Ancient roads still in existence were filled with vehicles that didn’t require tracks. These haunting locations of the forgotten times told the desperate tale of civilization coming to an abrupt halt as people went about their daily activities. Time’s passage turned their remains to dust, but each vehicle told its own unique story. The ghosts within these rusted metallic shrines shared the same ending. It disturbed me to think about what went on in the minds of the population in their final moments, but witnessing the truth freed me from the Unitian lies.

I took hundreds of pictures and traveled many days, but I refused to keep track of how many during this incarnation. Not following a schedule was liberating. Each day passed into the next, and I had no idea when I’d arrive until I saw New Athenia in the far distance, recognizable by the Ancient’s marble palace on top of the Acropolis. I fell to my knees when I recognized the large edifice beneath it. It was the seven-circuit labyrinth I envisioned while in a coma.

NEW ATHENIA

S
mall villages lined the outskirts of New Athenia with new ones still being erected, but most immigrants first tried to gain residence within the labyrinth. According to historical record, an eccentric Ancient, Callias Zane, built the impressive structure shortly before the final war of the forgotten times. The enemy was formidable and came from a planet of demons that were a cross between feline and human. God freed Callias, who was held captive in a dark dungeon. He instructed Callias to collect all of humankind’s knowledge and journey to New Athenia with his family. At the foot of the Acropolis, he was to spill a bottle of God’s blood on to this sacred ground and wait for a miracle to happen. Callias did as instructed, and New Athenia miraculously arose from the puddle of blood. When the felineoid demons arrived for their final assault, God transmitted his golden shield from the heavens, and New Athenia was saved. I don’t believe the historical record, but it doesn’t make the story any less fascinating to hear, especially when it’s acted out on Foundation Day.

The labyrinth is twelve kilometers in diameter with four entranceways that are well-guarded. The material used in its construction, makes it sparkle like an opal on a sunny day. When I ran my hand across the surface, it was so smooth that it almost felt as though I was touching air. Like the tunnel, the material was indestructible. Many first-time travelers to the city conduct their own experiments, either out of disbelief or keeping up with the New Athenian tradition of testing the claim out for themselves. Not too long before my arrival, a man started a fire near the south gate. All it managed to do was scare a few people who were waiting to enter the city. The Athenian authorities didn’t appreciate his curiosity and denied him entry.

I had to relinquish my plazer to be allowed inside the city, but I was free to reclaim it after I left. Two guards escorted me to a room where they found a translator who spoke my language. I was granted a visitation pass for three days after answering some questions about where I was from, and what brought me to New Athenia.

When I first entered the gate, I felt as though I could experience the whole world within New Athenia’s borders. The people who lived and visited here came from different races, some of which I had never seen before. Their skin color was a mix of various shades of brown, tan, gold, and red—even their eyes were varied in shape.

Athenians live within the wall of the labyrinth and speak Knosian, a robust language invented by Callias Zane. He wanted a neutral language to unite the various cultures that came to live here. A rooftop multi-passenger crailway system circumnavigates the city. Gardens and parks decorate the winding paths that lead to restaurants and cafes on the western side of the labyrinth. In the center sits the Alexandrian Repository that houses the history and art of the Ancients. It was modeled after a library that originated in an Ancient land called Egypt. The colonnade in front of the entrance serves as a stage for weekly concerts and plays. A large amphitheater arcs around the repository and is typically filled for every performance. On the top floor is an observatory that’s open to the public on weekends.

On my first night, I made the ascent to the Acropolis and marveled at the Parthenon, a temple built to honor the gods of the Ancient Greeks. As I hadn’t yet learned Knosian, I observed and listened to the rhythm and cadence of New Athenian life. By my third night, I decided to stay longer and applied for a residence pass. I had to offer a service with a vacancy as there was only a limited number of passes made available. Wanting nothing more to do with psychological engineering, I tried out for the New Athenian Orchestra.

I auditioned for Maestro Manolis. He was a flamboyant man who used dramatic hand gestures when he spoke. I had to take a step back a few times when his fingertips got a little too close to my eyes. The maestro remained indifferent towards me until I played him one of my favorite original pieces of music. He was so impressed that he sat at the piano and accompanied me as though we played together before.

Maestro Manolis awarded me a chair in his orchestra and assigned me to work in the music library, which was located within the Alexandrian Repository. I spent most of my free time downloading Ancient music and books into my holologue. I spent hours listening to the symphonic music of the Ancients and connected to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Like him, I was considered a prodigy in my youth and like him, I also played the violin. When I listened to one of his sonatas, I understood why Manolis played so well with me. My original composition sounded almost exactly like the first movement of
Mozart’s Violin Sonata No. 22 in A Major
. Was any of the music I wrote my own? I had no way of knowing for sure. If COR allowed me to see into the future, did it also allow me to peek into the past? Everything I accomplished in my life would have to be questioned. I could never again assume my work was authentic. I could never again assume anything.

I played my first performance twelve weeks after my arrival, and Manolis personally sponsored me for a residence pass. I enjoyed all the benefits of an Athenian, and I had the option to become a citizen. Having been a Unitian for so long, I was reluctant to commit to another oath. New Athenia was impressive, but it was still structured and with its own set of rules and regulations. I had one year to decide after the offer was made. If I opted out, I’d have to relinquish my residence pass since space was limited in the city. When the deadline neared, I wanted to explore the ancient territories further east and decided to leave.

Shortly before my departure, I encountered Holly, who walked over and sat next to me at a crail stop. Her curly red hair, milky skin, and freckles made her stand out in Unity and did so as well in New Athenia. She recognized me and got up to leave.

“You can reconnect your body to the bench now. I’m no longer a Unitian.”

She sat down. “I know you.” She pointed her finger at me. “You’re Damon…Flora’s friend.”

“She talked about me?”

“All the slocking time.” She rolled her eyes.

“Hope she didn’t reveal any of my less-flattering qualities.”

“Several, but I forgot most of them.”

I raised one of my brows. “What brought you to New Athenia?”

“A new life.”

“This is the place to find one. When did you arrive?”

“Been here four weeks.” She smiled. “ I don’t like staying in one place for too long.”

“Unity will do that to you,” I said.

“Boredom and me don’t mix well either.”

“I’ll be playing my final performance tonight with the New Athenian Orchestra. Come as my guest, and I promise you won’t be bored.”

“My ex-boyfriend told me the same thing when he took me to see them. I fell asleep.”

“Are you sure
he
wasn’t the one who put you to sleep?”

“Maybe.” Holly smiled. “I’ll have to go tonight to be sure. If I doze off, I’ll have my answer.”

“If you manage to remain awake, the Maestro is throwing me a going-away party afterwards. You can come to that as well, but I can’t guarantee you won’t fall asleep there. He isn’t famous for his parties.”

“Why are you leaving?”

“Boredom.”

We both laughed, and Holly took a crail with me to the amphitheater. When we got out, I clasped her hand and ran inside.

“What’s the hurry?” Holly asked.

“I’m a little late.”

“Not because of me, I hope.”

“It is, but don’t worry. The Maestro and I are like brothers.”

I led Holly to a seat in the first row. “I feel privileged.”

“If you don’t mind…choose a different word.”

She smiled. “Unlearning old habits is difficult.”

“I haven’t unlearned mine yet either.”

I headed over to the stage, and Manolis was agitated that I showed up only moments before the performance. “Just because this is your last day doesn’t give you the right to demonstrate such unprofessionalism.”

“I’m going to miss you.” I embraced Manolis, and he patted my back.

“Me too.” He pushed me. “Now get to your chair before I throw it at you.”

He thrust his index finger at me, and I jumped back almost falling onto the lap of a flute player. A couple of my friends laughed as I sat on my chair. I shot them a friendly little Athenian gesture with my middle finger and quickly rosined my bow. Manolis crossed his arms, waiting for me to finish.

I played my best that night. Maybe it was because I thought it was my last performance or that Holly was watching. It was probably a little of both. Manolis and I ended the night with
Mozart’s Violin Sonata No. 22
.

The ballroom was filled with friends and fans waiting to say goodbye to me. As I was talking to three female admirers, Manolis showed up with two glasses filled with champagne. He handed one to me, and we shared a toast.

“I’ll miss our duets. Very few people can keep up with me,” I said.

“Yes, it’s hard to keep up with your self-glorification.” He took a sip of his champagne, and the three women giggled. Manolis raised a glass to them. “Damon seems to think
he’s
the Maestro.”

“There’s only one Maestro, and you’re looking at him right here, ladies.” I raised my glass to Manolis as Holly entered.

“Are you sure you won’t reconsider?” Manolis eyed Holly and then me.

“I’m never sure about anything anymore.” I excused myself and walked over to her.

Holly and I talked all night, and I stayed for an extra day to hear about how she escaped Unity with Flora’s help. She couldn’t tell me the identity of the Striker who led her out of Unity because she was also knocked unconscious. Once they were out of the city, the Striker wore a mask to not compromise his or her identity.

The rest of the night Holly talked about her travels to the Ancient cities of Rome and Cairo, and I filled her in about Flora. Being with Holly made me feel less lonely. I stayed an extra week, which turned into another week, and I ended up accepting citizenship to stay with her. We soon got married and things never got boring again. Less then a year later, Holly became pregnant with twins. The news came as a great surprise to us both, but it reawakened my anger over how the women in Unity were deprived of motherhood. The towers transmit a special frequency to the implant that prevents conception. In the early spring the transmission is halted for eight weeks, so that females can conceive. When the
twenty-eight day
cleansing cycle
ceases, pregnant women believe they’re suffering from female blight and obediently report to the hospital to be
cured
. The fertilized eggs are removed from the wombs of unsuspecting pregnant females and placed into gestation vessels. Ten weeks later, the fetuses are moved to the standard incubation tanks.