Vanessa and Jonah merged into the line that entered the building, still arm in arm after their stroll. As the line slowly surged forward, they saw and spoke to many friends and acquaintances that had attended the Accession Ball as well. Each couple was immaculately dressed, and bubbled with enthusiasm. Some couples seemed much the same age, as did Jonah and Vanessa, and some appeared to have a large variance in age. So far, Vanessa noted to herself, that no one appeared to have the skin splotch enhancement that she and Jonah had laughed about earlier, and she was thankful that that particular enhancement had not caught on.
“Jonah!” A voice called from behind them.
“Frederick!” Jonah turned and saw the tall black man with bright red hair as he waived at him. He called back. “Where’s Nancy?”
“Right here!” Frederick replied, as she stepped to the side and let his small statured wife step up beside him. She smiled and waved, the sleeves of her flowing dress falling back to reveal the familiar suture marks of her recent skin rejuvenation.
“Hey, guys!” Juanita said as she waved. “Wait up!” Vanessa and Jonah stepped aside and allowed a few couples behind them to pass by, until Frederick and Juanita had caught up with them.
“You look fabulous, darling!” Vanessa said to Juanita. “Turn around!” Juanita pirouetted, her dress fanned up as she spun. “Wow! So when did you have it done?”
“Just, last week.” She pulled her sleeve up to show them the suture marks. “That’s why you can still see these.” She spun again. “Isn’t it amazing?” She asked.
“Beautiful. Just, beautiful.” Vanessa responded.
“And check out Frederick’s new hair!” She said, as she grabbed her husband by the shoulder and pulled him down towards her. She began to run her hands through his red locks.
“Amazing!” Jonah exclaimed.
“You’re a natural redhead?” Asked Vanessa, as she laughed.
“Oh no!” Exclaimed Juanita.
“No, blonde actually.” Frederick answered, and then laughed. “Well most recently…grey. Thought I’d try something different this time. You like?” He asked Vanessa.
“Love it!” She replied, and ran her own hands through the hair on the side of his head. “You’re a bit taller too, aren’t you?” He laughed.
“Just a bit. Very perceptive.” He said.
“Did you have both done at the same time?” Jonah asked.
“Sure did. Nothing like one stop shopping.” Frederick replied as he laughed. Their place in line had almost reached the building’s entrance. Vanessa stepped through the doorway as she followed the line in front of them. They walked a short bit in a narrow hallway that gradually became smokier as they approached the end. Each of them breathed deeply of the bluish mist that jetted into the hallway from the edges of the doorway at the end, and instantly their hearts began to beat a bit faster, and their senses began to heighten. A feeling of well being and excitement rolled over them in waves, and they began to hear the sounds of music as it blared from within the building ahead. Finally they stepped through the last doorway, and the mist began to clear.
Multicolored beams of light danced in time with the heavy beat, and Jonah felt a bit light headed from the mist he had inhaled. He held firmly to Vanessa’s arm to both steady himself, and make sure he did not lose her in the crowd. His vision cleared a bit and as his focus returned he could see the sea of bodies as they danced in rhythm with the music across the great hall. Each of the walls of the great hall had live images of dancers from the floor, blown up ten times life size, as some of them elegantly danced in time, and some violently moved with the beat. Solid light beams appeared to pulse from wall to wall, across the vast vaulted dome ceiling. Multicolored bursts of light seemed to emanate from all over the room. Occasional showers of mist came from the ceiling, and drifted down into the crowd. Music surrounded and engulfed them from every direction.
“Now this is an Accession Ball!” Juanita yelled to Vanessa, as Frederick came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, his eyes reflected the effects of the mist.
“Let’s go girl!” He yelled, as he released his hug, and grabbed her hand to lead her into the sea of writhing bodies. She let herself be led, and turned back briefly.
“See you guys later!” She yelled as they were swallowed by the crowd.
“Excuse us.” Came a voice from behind Jonah. He turned to see the couple behind them emerge from the mist, hand in hand. He moved to the side and allowed them to pass as he still held tightly to Vanessa. He wrapped his other arm around her and bent close.
“A drink?” He asked.
“Absolutely, my dear.” She responded, and turned to lead the way to the banquet area. They wove their way through those couples that were not dancing at the fringe of the throng, and came to and passed through a shimmering wall of air, and suddenly the loud music became a muted hum. On this side of the shimmering curtain, revelers were relatively quiet as they moved through a coordinated maze of tables. As they passed, there were piles of food in every color and flavor. Jonah grabbed a piece of white meat and began to nibble, as Vanessa grabbed a red sweet bun, and took a bite or two before she tossed it into the slot in the floor next to the table. Jonah’s partially eaten white meat went into the same slot, as he reached for a piece of brown meat. Vanessa snatched an elaborately decorated piece of cake, took a bite and offered it to Jonah.
“Not now. The sparkle water is just ahead.” He said as he eyed the first of the sparkle water fountains. Well taller than either of them, each multilayered fountain had streams of colored liquid that poured from layer to layer, as it foamed into the bottom and was lit up from within. The light pulsed in time with the muted hum of the music from the main hall. As they approached they each grabbed a glass from the table’s edge, and partially filled their glasses from adjacent streams. Jonah took the first taste. A sip at first, then he drained his glass.
“Ah.” He said, and exhaled. “Good stuff.” He exclaimed, and refilled his glass at once. She sipped at hers as she gazed around the room. She took another sip, tossed the glass into the slot beside the table, and moved ahead to the next table. Jonah followed. He drained his glass again, and tossed it into the slot. They each grabbed another glass, and filled it from separate streams with the brightly colored red liquid from the next table.
“Nessa!” A voice called from further up the line. Vanessa looked up to see a scantily clad young woman as she frantically waved at her. An elderly man stood at her side looking stately in his white tunic. She waved back, and turned to Jonah.
“It’s Lily and Alonzo.” She said. “Let’s go say hi.” He followed as she walked around the couples ahead of them, careful to dodge their glasses as they swayed, and sloshed sparkle water as they went.
“Vanessa! A beauty, as always.” Alonzo said, as he bent to kiss her hand.
“Oh Alonzo, always such the romantic.” Vanessa exclaimed. Lily wrapped herself provocatively around Jonah, and kissed him on the cheek. Awkwardly, he held his hands at his side, and looked to Vanessa for help. “Easy girl. He’s an honoree tonight. You don’t want to get him flustered on his big night.” Vanessa said. Lily unwrapped herself, and then warmly embraced her.
“Oh, Nessa. Relax!” She said, as she kissed both of her cheeks. “Just a little hello, between friends.” She said, and turned and winked back at Jonah.
Suddenly the low hum of music from the other room ceased. Jonah looked from Lily to the shimmering curtain of air that separated the main hall as it disappeared. He could see that the light show had ended, and the video walls had all changed to show a muted and ever changing series of patterns.
“Ladies, and Gentleman.” A voice boomed and echoed throughout, as the crowd went silent. Pomp and circumstance like music, like multiple brass horns blaring, played briefly. “Presenting, your Lordship!” Again the music sounded. “The Master of these ceremonies.” Again the music sounded. “Your beloved, Premier!
” The music sounded again, as heavy drum beats joined in. The lights went completely out. Then a single pinpoint of light from the center of the vaulted ceiling pierced the darkness, and illuminated a robed figure high in the balcony. The video walls suddenly changed to show larger than life images of the illuminated figure. His crown sparkled in the spotlight. His face was a landscape of composure. The music ended, and for a few seconds, there was absolute silence.
“Gentle peoples of New Sebastian.” Roger began. Though he spoke softly, his voice could be heard clearly and seemed to come from everywhere in the great hall. “Today we celebrate life.” He began to glance around the great hall slowly. “We celebrate our continued existence in peace and harmony. We come together again this year to be thankful for all that we have, and all that we can have, and all that we will have in the coming year, and years after that.” He grasped the balcony railing with one hand, and raised his other above his head. “Today!” He spoke louder, as his voice now resonated. “Today, we rejoice!” The crowd cheered. “We rejoice in life!” The crowd cheered again. “We rejoice in rejuvenation!” He exclaimed, as the crowd cheered again. “We embrace renewed life!” Again they cheered. “We embrace our right!” They cheered. “To be born again!” He boomed, and the crowd cheered louder than before. Continuously the waves of cheers reverberated around the room.
Some of the video walls began to show glimpses of the attendees as they cheered. The images only paused for a few seconds before they switched to other parts of the crowd. Roger’s expression went from serious to elated, as a large smile formed. He raised his other hand, both high above his head.
“The Accession Ball is begun!” He bellowed, and the crowd made even more noise than before. The lights began to pulse once again. The spotlight on Roger faded, as did his image on the video walls. The music began again, and the crowd began to dance again. And the shimmering curtain of air once again appeared, and suddenly muted the sounds from the great hall.
“Quite the showman.” Vanessa said, turned back to Jonah.
“That he is. That he is.” Jonah replied.
“You may wish to head backstage, Jonah.” Alonzo said. “Being an honoree, and all.”
“Yes dear. You should go.” Vanessa agreed.
“Maybe I’ll go with him.” Lily said with a devilish grin, and reached towards Jonah.
“Oh no you won’t, my little nymph. You’ll stay right here with your Alonzo.” Alonzo said, as he wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her back towards him.
“Mmm.” She said as he kissed her. “Maybe I will.” She said, as she looked into Alonzo’s eyes, and softly touched his cheek with her hand. Jonah hugged then kissed Vanessa, and lingered as he took one last look at her.
“You’ll be grand, darling.” She said, and kissed him back. “Now go. Hurry!” She said as she made a shooing motion, and smiled as he turned and walked away. She turned back to Lily. “A little frisky tonight, my dear?” She asked, a smile on her face, though her eyes did not carry the same easiness that her voice did. Lily and Alonzo laughed.
“A little libido upgrade.” She said, and gave Vanessa a wink.
“She’s killing me.” Alonzo said, laughingly. “But I love it!” He said, as he bent and kissed Lily passionately. Vanessa nodded, as she still smiled, turned back to the great room, and took a long sip from her glass.
Chapter 18
Immortal Page 17