Journey of the Worlds-Part 15
Thank you for all of the suggestions and comments. Many of you wrote to say not to kill Nick off... we'll see......... stonewolf@angelfire.com
Chapter One:
Renaissance touched down on the runway in Athens just as the sun came over the horizon. Nick was still sleeping, but Jonathan had not really slept. Once more during the flight they had made love tenderly, each almost lost in the emotion. Jonathan had looked into Nick's mind and taken them away to an indescribable place of beauty, inside a lost portion of the universe none had seen. Colors, solids, objects, solid and transparent fused with their beings expanding them causing them to feel their orgasms beyond the reaches of the normal mind.
Jonathan now got two cups of coffee and walked into the front bedroom.
"Hey baby" he said softly. "Wake up we're here"
Nick rolled over on his back and looked up at Jonathan. "You're so beautiful"
"You ain't so bad yourself baby" said Jonathan. "Here'
"Damn that's hot" said Nick, spilling some on his chest. Jonathan bent down and licked it up and then kissed the skin.
"All better" he said.
"What happens now?" asked Nick as he got out of bed and stretched.
"Well, for starters I'm gonna fuck you again if you don't get that beautiful bod dressed" said Jonathan coming over to rub his hands over the solid chest and abs, taking the time to pinch the ultra sensitive nipples.
"I'm out of energy for that babe" said Nick, "I think we set a personal record in the past 3 days"
"Probably" said Jonathan kissing the back of his neck. "You still want to do this?"
"Yea" said Nick going into the bathroom. "I'm gonna grab a shower. How about some food then tell me what's gonna happen"
"OK" said Jonathan. He reached for the phone and called the galley for steak and eggs, toast, and juice to be delivered upstairs. He stuck his head back into the bathroom. "Upstairs 10 minutes baby"
"Got it" said Nick.
Jonathan was playing with Sebastian in the upstairs lounge when Nick came up in a sweatshirt and jeans. Together they sat and ate breakfast, neither saying much; knowing that everything had been said. When they finished, Jonathan called Danny up.
"OK" he said. "You're not going to like this"
"Probably not if you're telling me I won't" said Danny getting a cup of coffee.
"You're not going to be able to come with us" said Jonathan. "I won't need you there anyway. Only people there will be the immortals and from what I understand it will be no where near anyone else"
"You're right" said Danny "I don't like it, but I figured as much."
"I'm not sure how long we will be" said Jonathan. "I know it will at least be 36 hours from the time we leave. Longer most likely."
"OK" said Danny. "I'll be here babysitting the plane. Any special orders?"
"No" said Jonathan. Keep an eye on the crew if they want to go somewhere. Make sure we can locate them on notice."
"As always" said Danny. He turned to Nick. "I haven't been good at words usually, but Good Luck. You got some pretty big balls to try this. I get paid to play with death, but you're doing it on your own"
"Thanks man" said Nick. "I'll be back don't worry"
Danny nodded at them and went downstairs.
"You about ready?" asked Jonathan.
"In a minute" said Nick. We walked out into the upper lounge and picked up Sebastian. Scratching his ears he held him close. Sebastian purred and nuzzled his neck. Nick kissed the top of his head and put him down on the couch. He turned to Jonathan.
"Let's do it" said Nick.
Jonathan took Nick's hand and opened his mind. "Kristian" he thought. The cabin was filled with a blueish white light. The two disappeared.
Chapter Two:
Nick and Jonathan looked around at their surroundings. They stood on what appeared to be a plateau on a mountain. It was surrounded by other peaks and valleys.
"Where are we" asked Nick.
"Where it begins and ends" said Kristian.
They turned to see him and a large group of people behind him. Kristian was dressed in a white robe. They walked over. Kristian looked over at Nick. "Are you sure? This is your last chance to withdraw"
Nick first looked at Jonathan, squeezing his hand then back at Kristian. "Yes"
"Stay here for a minute Joanthan" said Kristian. He took Nick and brought him to another immortal standing in front of an enormous flat stone alter. "This is Sardant. He is the oldest living immortal on the planet. He is so old he doesn't even remember his age"
"I will be the first to infuse you mortal" came the ancient voice. Despite looking no older then about 50, Nick could hear the centuries in his voice.
"Yessir" said Nick.
"Remove your clothes and prepare yourself" said Sardant.
Nick removed his clothes and stood naked before the alter.
"You are in excellent shape" said Sardant. "That will help. You do know what lays ahead?"
"I do" said Nick.
"Lie down and let it begin then" said Sardant.
Nick lay down on the cold stone and shivered briefly. His arms were tied to the stone as were his legs. Reaching down Sardant brought a slender flexible reed about three feet long and laid it next to Nick's arm. Next to that he placed a short piece of rope and a knife.
"From the beginning of our existence," he began "this has only been attempted a few times. Usually in matters that required the attempt. I do not know if this will succeed or fail. That will be up to your body. You must remain awake as long as possible. Fight the coming of death. Do you understand?"
"Yes" said Nick.
"It has begun" said Sardant.
Reaching down he tied off Nick's arm to raise an artery. Finding one, he lay the point of the knife by it with the reed directly under the knife point. Pushing downwards the knife lay open the artery with a small gash and the reed slipped into it. Nick's blood started to pump back out of the hollow reed until it was turned to face down his arm and the suction of his own blood pressure kept the blood in. Sardant put the knife onto his own arm and sliced into his arm forcing the opposite end into his own body. Slowly the blood entered the reed and was put into Nick's arm.
Nick's body shuddered and broke out in sweat as the knife was thrust into his arm. The point of contact soon went numb as the first of the immortal blood entered his body. He knew it would get worse.
Kristian walked away to get Jonathan." Do you want to come up"
"Yeah I do" he said. He followed Kristian up to the alter and stood looking at Nick. He didn't seem to be in pain or discomfort, although he could see the sweat on his body.
"You OK babe" he asked.
"Yeah I'm doing" said Nick. "My arm feels funny"
Jonathan brushed his forehead. "Hang in there"
Sardant removed the reed from his arm and pointed to the next immortal. He came forward and piercing his arm, pushed the reed in allowing his blood to flow into Nick. Immortal after Immortal came and repeated the process. About two hours into it, Nick was not looking so good. The sweat was flowing from his body. Jonathan kept swabbing the sweat from his face encouraging him.
"It hurts man" said Nick. "God it hurts"
"Where" asked Kristian
"All over" said Nick, gasping as a contraction of pain it him. "I can't feel my hands"
"It is the blood" said Kristian looking down at the swollen hands. "Now you are ready for the second part."
Sardant had returned as if summoned. Taking the knife once more, he placed it on the inside of Nick's thigh and traced two lines down to his ankles. He repeated the process on his other leg, then his arm not taken by the transfer. This produced a volley of language from Nick that echoed off the mountains. His body pulled against the restraints. Blood flowed freely from the wounds. A second reed was produced and placed in the other arm and now two immortals were placing blood into Nick at the same time. Hour after hour, blood flowed in an out of Nick. Channels that had been cut into the stone carried off the blood that was flowing at a copious rate out of Nick. Jonathan grimaced at the pain and sweat that showed plainly on Nick's face. By the 12th hour, Nick was screaming as pain racked his body. Looking at him, he could see that circulation to his outer extremities was reduced. He could only offer words of encouragement to Nick.
Eighteen hours into the transformation, Nick's voice was reduced to a raspy growl. His blood volume had been reduced to half of what it was. He was pale. Jonathan could no longer look at him, the pain to great. He walked to the end of the alter to talk to Kristian over the whimpers of pain coming from Nick.
"I can't let him do this" said Jonathan. "It is killing him"
"If he stops now, he will die" said Kristian. "His own body is rejecting the immortal blood. It is too soon. The blood is killing him yet keeping him alive."
He turned once more to Nick. Tears flowed from Jonathan as he watched Nick's body writhe in pain. He felt helpless knowing there was nothing that he could do. Twenty-four then Twenty-eight hours passed. Jonathan stood as a stone statue at the foot of the alter; watching the procession of Immortals. Watching Nick's body collapse upon itself. Deep in his heart he knew. Knew it wasn't working. Knew his selfishness at wanting Nick with him forever had and was destroying Nick. Finally after thirty hours he could stand no more of the emotional distress he was feeling and the sheer enormity of the physical pain Nick was going through. He turned away from the alter and walked down the steps. He walked to the edge of the mountain top and looked at the world
"Why" he whispered, halt to himself, half to the universe.
The Final Chapter:
The 36th hour had arrived. Nick's body lay naked on the stone alter, his pain raked face showing the results of the passage of the time spent there. Three fingers, six toes were greenish black from the lack of blood flow to his extremities. His body lay near death from his own body shutting down because of the rejection of the immortal blood. The body lay there, shrunken from dehydration; almost 40 pounds less then when he had started this. Muscle, sinew, beautiful skin all lay to waste now.
Kristian stood at the head of the stone and looked down at the near dead body on the alter. More pain then the entire 900 years of his life crossed his face. He knew that this wasn't going to work. Nick's body had regressed too much. It was over. Now it had to end before this man, this child really he thought suffered any more. He turned away and walked down to the end of the stone steps leading to the alter. Jonathan lay there sleeping. With a deep breath and sigh, Kristian woke Jonathan. Jonathan woke groggily.
"Wha" he said.
"It is time." said Kristian. He held his hand out to help Jonathan up from the ground.
"How is he?" Jonathan asked.
"Very close to death" said Kristian simply. "You need to finish this"
"Will he cross over?" asked Jonathan as they walked up the steps.
"I don't know" said Kristian. "Here"
As they arrived at the stone alter Jonathan looked down at the dying body of Nick. "Oh baby" he said softly, tears forming in his eyes. "I'm so sorry to have done this to you"
Even through the haze of intense pain, Nick opened one eye. "Not only your choice" he croaked. "I wanted this too."
"It will be over soon" said Jonathan, brushing the hair off Nick's forehead.
"Good, you're gonna owe me a long weekend in bed" whispered Nick, slipping back into semi-consciousness. The eyes closed, dark circles ringing them.
"You need to do this Jonathan." said Kristian. "The hour is here. Either way, it is time to end the suffering."
As Jonathan turned, Kristian handed him a knife. The knife of his family. Jonathan looked at it. The leather wrapped handle topped a blade of over eleven inches. Steel encrusted with gold and a few jewels. He looked up at Kristian. "What is this?"
"It has been in my family for over 2000 years." he said. "It was the knife that brought me over, and every immortal in my line. Maybe, who knows, for luck"
"Thanks man" said Jonathan.
He looked once more at the knife and turned to Nick. The once magnificent chest, lay shrunken, barely rising. It looked like Nick's body was collapsing upon itself. Jonathan closed his eyes, his knuckles white holding the knife. "I'm sorry babe" he whispered. With tears flowing from his eyes, he did it. In one sweep his arm raised and then thrust the dagger down; carving deeply into the center of Nick's chest. Blood, tissue, and bits of bone were forcibly thrown from the body as the aorta ruptured. As the tip of the blade stopped on the stone underneath Nick's, body, Jonathan twisted the knife severing the heart in two. All movement stopped. Nick was dead.
Jonathan collapsed onto the bloody body. Tears flowed freely from the emotional pain of losing Nick a second time. This time in control of it. This time his own hand stilled the life-force that had become a part of him. Slowly he withdrew the dagger from the shattered chest. The Earth seemed to cry from its' bowels as the anger, fury, rage, and emotion fountainheaded from the most powerful immortal on the planet. As Kristian, and a dozen others watched Jonathan's body shook racked with sobs. Suddenly, a white hot light erupted from the alter; emanating from Jonathan. As Jonathan raised his arms a howl of pure primordial fury erupted from the center of the light and exploded. Jonathan's body was thrown from the center of the light; lifeless from the energy release. Around him immortals were thrown to the ground, their bodies equally shattered and lifeless. Even Kristian had been thrown clear across the grounds to land lifeless over 100 feet away. Not one thing remained living on the mountain....