The Party of the Gods

Rejinal stood tensely outside the Locks Eye operation room. The introductory week at the school was over. Now it was time for normal Humans to metamorphose into special beings. The Master Conduits had thoroughly briefed them on the procedure they would all undergo. Now the students faced it with varying degrees of anxiety and anticipation. No one could forget that it was unpleasant, even dangerous. A student had died once in the operation room. There had been extenuating circumstances, but still ….

Rejinal, not normally one to fuss over danger, was more worried than he cared to admit ‑‑ but for different reasons than his classmates. As he’d learned, he’d become more and more curious about how he could already have the power. He had also concluded it would be extremely dangerous for him to undergo the procedure, and end up with a double dose. He knocked on the door.

Ulyx opened it, and Rejinal asked “How’s Davish?”

“Oh, fine. You’re a little early, but come in. Sit down and relax.”

Instead of sitting, Rejinal went over to see Davish. His friend was sitting on a bench with a quizzical look on his face. A rainbow of light shone directly on him from a large sunny window. Not a normal window, Rejinal knew, but a large separator crystal that made the all-important blue rays useable. There was a tube running from a vial to Davish’s wrist, and the solution slowly trickled into his bloodstream. His other wrist was attached to a tank of red indicator fluid.

Ulyx watched the solution level closely. “Stand back now, Rejinal, this is the vital part.” Ulyx put a clamp on the solution tube so only a drop at a time flowed through. The instant the indicator turned orange, Ulyx stopped the flow. “How do you feel?” he asked Davish.

“Fine. Never better.”

“Good. You are now one energy level higher.” Ulyx grabbed a ceiling mounted magnifier and swung it around until it concentrated the blue rays. “Slide over until you’re in the middle of the blue light. Then all you have to do is wait.” Davish did so.

“I’m glad you found a better way to do this than scraping away skin to expose blood vessels,” Davish said.

“Yes,” Ulyx said. “It takes quite a bit longer, but it doesn’t leave scars.”

It did seem to take a long time, but suddenly a strange, startled expression came over Davish’s face. He turned his head. “I’m blue. Wow, I have the Power. I feel wonderful!

”

Ulyx smiled with pleasure, pulling out Davish’s needles and tubes. To finish off, he wrapped alcohol-soaked bandages around Davish’s wrists. “All right, get out of the way then. Go start learning to use it.”

Davish nodded to Rejinal as he got up. “I’ll see you later and we can compare experiences.”

“Sure,” Rejinal said, preoccupied.

Ulyx was saying to him “All right, take off your shoes and stand on the weigh scale. He did so, putting off telling his secret. “All right, sit on the bench under the light.”

Rejinal sat down. “Ulyx, I can’t take the operation.” Ulyx stared hard at him. “I wouldn’t have expected you of all people say that.” He rolled up Rejinal’s sleeve and started rubbing alcohol on it.

Rejinal pulled his hand away. “I’m serious.”

Disgusted, Ulyx went away for a minute and picked up the solutions.

“I already have the Power, Ulyx.”

Ulyx stopped in mid-stride, staring at him. “What do you mean?”

Rejinal raised his right arm and shot a blue bolt into the air. “I mean I already have the Power.”

Ulyx dropped the flasks and they smashed into little pieces.