Plethora Unraveled

Chapter 12: Into Immortality

Liam

Plethora Spring 2030

Finally! We made it through our training; King Zais and Queen Lovely finally decided that collectively we were ready to baptize all of us into immortality. Because we are getting baptized, we will be considered adults soon, me at the ripe age of twenty-one and Adrienne at the age of twenty. 

We were advised throughout our training to prepare our bodies as we would want them once we were immortal because everything would remain the same. With that in mind, the Plethorian men weight-trained throughout the years. I decided to shave my body clean and keep my hair long because It's Adrienne's preference, as I found out by eavesdropping in on a conversation between her and Ava.

This will be monumental for us. Not only will everything change for us, but we will be the last generation to be baptized on Plethora. We will start to develop powers and our job duties may or may not change based on those said powers. We will eventually get fitted for armstations, get our very own suites, and get the opportunity to work.

We have been excited for days with the excitement peaking this morning. However, some of that excitement died down after we couldn't visit the women. We wanted to go see the young women so that we could pre-celebrate and rejoice with them, but we aren't allowed to. Michael wants to call his twin sisters Asia and Hope, but he's not even allowed to give them a call. Our ceremony is unfortunately held separately from the women, as it has also been in Plethora since the tradition began. We are not allowed to attend their coming-of-age ceremony nor they ours. 

Their ceremony will be tomorrow.

*****

The ceremony time has officially arrived; we're escorted to Yokar Cave. A stage is set up near the cave, facing rows of white chairs. Gavin motioned for us to sit in the first row directly in front of the stage. King Zais approaches the podium to speak. As we clap and cheer for him, he raises his hand to hush us. He begins his speech.

I can't wait until this is over and we can celebrate. I'm ready to be immortal. I'm ready to meet an immortal Adrienne. I wonder what she is doing right now. Probably getting ready for tomorrow.

Darn, ouch; I look at Drew who mouths to me, "Pay attention."

He did not have to elbow me in my ribs. Let me pay attention to the King's speech.

"If you're given the opportunity to have a High Queen, love her above all."

High Queen, what is he talking about? To my knowledge, Plethora has never had and will ever have a High Queen. It's simply impossible, given death is the end result of any type of Waldemars-Chevaliers relationship. The highest positions we will ever have are that of King and Queen.

Drew pokes me in the rib again and uses his eye to signal toward the stage. Rolling my eye at him I focus on what the King is saying.

"Young men of Plethora, please stand and join me at the cave's mouth."

I lead the line to Yokar Cave. Once inside we follow King Johan through the flame. From the surface the flame appears yellow, but once inside colors of pink, red, blue, green, purple, orange, and yellow bounce around in the flame at various angles, creating un-before-seen shapes. This is truly a magical flame as it does not burn at all. It almost feels like nothing to the touch, yet it feels like a cool mist going through my body, tingling my surface skin, running through my blood, and tingling my inside organs. It feels amazing. Ethan, Queen Lovely's healer guides me to my spot as I watch my brothers go through the flame. Drew looks just as excited as I am as he goes through, smiling the entire time; however, he's plagued with the same hard-to-comprehend look he's been having for a while. Something is off with him. Michael smiles as he passes through the flame, but he also has that same sadness in his eyes that never left him since Jessica died. Edison's next, he's happy but also serious. One by one I continue to watch everyone begin their transition.