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This is wilkravitz. It's all coming from me tonight. Tomas fixed it up. He wants a moment by moment account. And he has enough abilities of his own to arrange it. So I think. I speak in my head and it appears on the screen. I don't even have the laptop with me. I don't even know where it is. Probably somewhere back in the 'mews' house. But here'
what's going on now....
Francis and Miranda ushered us into a fairly spacious, neo-classical entry hall. Black and white marble tiles on the floor. White, plastered walls. Niches with Greco-Roman busts. Just right for this type of house, I'm told. And it was quiet. So quiet. Yet I could hear... no, not hear...'feel' the presence of other souls deep within the building, as if the interior was bigger than the exterior.... a difficult transformation to achieve....At least I know that now.
A man came out to greet us. And you know who he looked like?... Like Adam Sandler with curly hair and a curly beard.... just like in Don't Mess With The Zohan. For real. I mean it. I kid you not ... To quote Jack Paar, who I'm told was also somewhere deep inside there too. ...!!! How do I know how Jack Paar sounded? He was before my time. But I know. I've 'seen' it. I know things!!!???
The bearded one approached and Francis said - 'Divinity,' I'd like to present my esteemed friend, the venerable life-eater, Jonathon ben Macabi and his entourage, late of the New World city of Philadelphia....... The one time Roman emperor acknowledged our leader's presence with a raised eyebrow and a nod. Mr. Spock, upon the bridge of The Star Ship Enterprise could not have done any better..... With that we entered a small, though comfortable sitting room adjacent to the clean, spare hall. The Imperial One sat down first, right by the fire, I must add, and we found chairs nearby.
For perhaps twelve heartbeats no one spoke. The emperor adjusted the crease in his trousers (Hugo Boss... Sarah told me). Annie stared at a fine collection of small pieces of Egyptian funerary art running the length of the mantle piece. The rest of us just looked at the floor, waiting to be addressed. This man commanded the Praetorian Guard, after all. And no one wanted to be thrown to the lion.
He turned to Jonathon (also known as Tomas) and said - Ben Macabi, Judean, am I right? ..... Our leader said - Of that line, at least originally, Eminence, though with a fair admixture of Visigoth and Celt-Iberian, since I hail from what was once, your western province of Hispania, though born to this world some eight hundred and fifty years later.
Four heartbeats later he turned from Tomas (also known as Jonathon) to question Francis. And in the voice of a trained orator asked - Why are they here?.... To taste magic, my lord. To be sure, they've seen it many times in the past. Indeed, some stem from the one known as 'Papa.' - said Francis. But they've never seen the source. They know not stoic wisdom and... (Francis would have said more, but the noble Roman held up his hand, so the dapper Brit demurred).
The Great Aurelius said - I am a philosopher. Perhaps you know my 'Meditations?..... We all nodded. Who would have done otherwise?.... And he continued - A 'stoic,' such as I, strives to control passion. We value calm, clear logic. We learn from nature and do what has to be done.
Then he lapsed back into silence. We all just sat there. Annie sighed. She was bored. The emperor saw. She smiled at him. He smiled at her, revealing his small, sharp fangs...... He spoke once more and said - I sit here in this place today, because of a gift received long ago in the trans-alpine city of Vindabona (ancient Vienna). I was near death at the time and so... it was necessary.... Of course you know there are gradations... of magic, I mean. First you learn what 'is.' Then you learn to manipulate. Last comes understanding..... I suppose you could say we follow some of the Hermetic Order... but Hermes didn't know everything.
He addressed Miranda and asked - Will they be here for the spring equinox? ...... I think not, Divinity. - she said...... He pondered a moment, whispering - Then we'll have to provide them a varied assortment of treats....
The emperor stood up. We all did like wise and followed him through a door into another place. I looked up and beheld the Great Dome of The Pantheon in Rome, bathed in a warm, golden light streaming in through the high, round opening, known as 'the occulus.'
That, in itself was more than enough. But when I looked down, I saw that my friends were all children.... Sarah, Baylah,Tomas, Edith...all of them, giggling with a simple, innocent joy, each dressed in the clothes of their youth.
Only Annie, already in the body of perhaps a seven year old, remained unchanged.
And doves flew 'round our heads....
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