Apotheosis of the Immortal

by Joshua A. Chaudry

  Over the cliff? Is this man crazy? William crept across the large flat rock constituting the top of the cliff and slowly made his way to the edge. Being afraid of heights, he nearly fainted when he looked over and saw the jagged rocks below.

  “Not afraid of heights, are you?” Roman was laughing. “Oh, come on, it’s not that far.” He was now roaring with laughter.

  “Are you asking me to jump off of this cliff? I’ll die.” William was shocked and frightened.

  “Not always.” Roman seemed to be speaking from experience. “Well, there is another way. You can just take the path that leads around the cliff. It will also take you to the bottom.” Roman was grinning once more as he pointed across the cliff to a small, trampled path cutting through the dense underbrush.

  William ran over to the path, filled with relief. For a moment he’d wondered if he had made a terrible decision, following this crazy man. The path through the jungle wasn’t a cliff that fell over onto jagged rocks that seemed something like tearing teeth as the waves crashed against them, but it wasn’t a stroll through the valley around Rothber Castle, either. William was beginning to despise the way this crazy man pressed through the thick jungle like it was nothing, going over and under, but mostly just straight through.

  Stinging sensations raked across his body as he tore his way through more than one nasty thorn bush. This trail was barely a trail at all. Ducking under a large, overhanging tree limb, he was glad to see Roman had finally stopped. He was resting against a large tree growing on the side of a ledge. The tree was so close to the edge, its roots were hanging out.

  “Where to now?” William was tired and he was beyond ready to acquire his promised power.

  Roman said nothing, he just pointed over the ledge.

  “Is this another joke?” William was tired of this man’s jokes.

  “No joke. That is the only way down from here.” He grinned obnoxiously.

  William took another look over the ledge. It wasn’t so bad. The fall would be roughly twice the length of a man, and the dirt at the bottom looked soft enough.

  Desperate to find an end to this tiresome journey, William leapt over without another word. His feet hit the ground first, followed instantaneously by a loud cracking sound. William collapsed, grasping his left ankle and moaning wildly.

  “Stop crying, boy!” William looked up in time to see Roman leap over the edge and land on his feet with ease; he seemed just to glide through the air. “Lord Adol is just inside, and if he hears you, you won’t have a chance. So muster some grit and let’s get moving.” The man moved on without giving William even a moment to catch his breath and get used to the pain.

  William wanted to scream at the condescendingly clever bastard, but knew it would only hurt his cause. Grabbing a nearby limb, he pulled himself to his feet, and, placing nearly all his weight on his right leg, he hobbled after Roman.

  For the first time in a few days, he thought about home and how much he would love to feel Esmeralda’s warm embrace. His son, Elijah, had broken his arm once falling out of a tree. He had been so brave. The thought heartened William and gave him a new strength.

  “It’s just up ahead.” William could see the sharp, teeth-like rocks, but nothing else except the side of a cliff. What now? he thought.

  “There is nothing here.” William exclaimed as they reached the very bottom of the cliff.

  “Is that so?” Roman walked to the cliff face as he spoke and slammed his fist mightily against the rocky surface. A large, square piece of the cliff side slid back nearly two paces, leaving openings on either side.

  William followed Roman through the crack on the right.

  Chapter 37

  William couldn’t see much. There were a few torches along the wall that seemed to cast more shadows than light. They seemed to be in a cave. Roman took down one of the torches and touched the flame to a small gutter that jutted out from the cave wall.

  The gutter quickly caught fire, racing in both directions around the space. The fire revealed the true nature of the cavern, and William gaped. The space around them was nothing like the caves or caverns he’d seen before.

  It didn’t even smell like a cave. The air was fresh and dry. The cavern was completely lit now, and it was huge. There was no dust or dirt; the place was immaculate.

  They were standing on a foyer of sorts, a landing atop a large staircase hewn from rock. It was spectacular. William had never seen anything that compared. At the four corners of the staircase were enormous columns. Each was different; each had a unique shape and different carvings.

  The carvings were beautiful and intricate, portraying all sorts of horned and vicious-looking creatures—most of which William had never seen or heard of. The rest of the cavern, if you could call it that, was no less amazing. On the floor were carvings and statues that seemed part human and part beast. Intricately designed patterns and pictures covered the walls and ceiling.

  “Impressive, isn’t it?” Roman muttered, seeming pleased with himself, though William doubted he had much to do with any of it.

  “It certainly is.” William was still astounded; he took time to examine each piece.

  “Come on, we don’t have time for all of this right now.” Roman’s voice was stern as he strode to the back of the cavern. William quickly fell in behind him; if there was more to this place, he definitely wanted to see it.

  There was a huge archway at the back, opposite the stairs. It opened up into a large corridor. There were similar archways on each side of the corridor, but each was sealed with a large stone. It actually appeared as if the archways were just carved into the wall.

  At the end of the corridor was another archway. It was also sealed, but it was different from the others. It was covered in etchings of symbols William didn’t recognize, and was beautifully designed. Roman slammed his fist hard against the stone, and it slid backwards, just like the other one had.

  William could see light flooding in from both sides of the recessed rock.

  “Come in.” The voice coming from behind the stone was deep and loud, and it seemed to make the walls around him shake. He feared the place might collapse on top of him as he followed Roman past the stone and into another opening, not quite as large as the main hall. To William’s surprise, it was a library of sorts.

  Every wall was carved out to make bookcases at least fifteen feet high. The shelves were completely filled. Much like the main hall, this room was filled with odd but beautiful artwork. Near the back center of the room was a huge, throne-like chair carved out of stone.

  In the chair towered a man, much like Odam, except he had pale skin and light gray eyes. He wore a silk robe that left most of his body visible, and his skin was covered with some of the same symbols and markings William had seen in different places throughout the cavern. They seemed to have been carved into his body. At his feet were two naked women with olive skin and long, dark hair. The women were on their knees at either side of him. Bent over, they were massaging olive oil into his feet with their hair.

  “What do you ask of me?” his voice thundered. William couldn’t speak; he stood frozen, in awe. His entire belief system had been turned upside down. It seemed everything he thought was real was a fiction and everything he had never imagined could ever be was right in front of him, here and now.

  William had been raised to believe in the Roman gods, but he never really believed. Now, in the last few days, he had met two gods and had no idea what else might be out there. He was overwhelmed.

  “I am Adol. Why have you come? Speak!” The towering being’s voice grew even louder and fiercer.

  “Forgive me, please. It’s just that I recently met a man much like you, but his skin was solid black and eyes snow white.” William was almost trembling as he spoke.

  “He is no man!” Adol shouted. “He is my brother, Odam. My brothers and I appear in this world as we see ourselves.” He was speaking now in a more gentle tone. “I believe you have come to me to ac
quire what you could not from my brother. I might be offended by that, but I know my brother can be a bit difficult with his ideals and philosophies.” As he spoke, Adol scratched at the stone arm of his throne.

  “Yes, you are right. I want power.” William’s eagerness now outweighed his fear, and he spoke boldly to the giant before him.

  “And what would I receive in return, if I gave you this power you are searching for?” Adol’s voice was a deep, resonant whisper.

  “I am sorry, sir, but I have nothing,” William replied, burning with fear.

  “You come to me with nothing and expect me to give you priceless gifts?” His tone was patronizing, if not condemning. “Surely you have something. Do you have a family?” The question struck fear in William’s heart.

  “Yes, but you could not possibly be interested in such ordinary people?” William’s voice was shaking.

  “That all depends on how much you want this power you speak of.” Adol laughed, a deep, hollow laugh that chilled William to the bone. “Sacrifice, that is how power is unleashed upon mortal men.” Adol’s tone was now deeper and more serious.

  William shivered as a deep foreboding overcame him and he suddenly wished he had never come here. He wanted more than ever to simply be home with his wife and sons.

  “Are you saying I have to kill my family before I can be like you?” William feared the answer to his question.

  “Be like me? You are just a man; you could never be like me, but you can become very powerful. You wouldn’t have to kill your entire family, just the one you love the most. That will be sacrifice enough.” Adol’s voice was taunting; he was obviously enjoying this very much.

  “I could never do that; there must be another way!”

  “There might be one other way. Many centuries past, my brother created a nasty race of immortals. They are truly vicious and fearsome creatures. He only created a handful, and they are difficult to locate. The creatures are both man and beast, changing from one form to the other at will. Find one of these rare bloodlines, beast or beast kin, and eat its heart. Know this is an impossible challenge, but if you accomplish it, I will surely imbue you with even greater power.” Adol smiled as he continued clawing at his throne.

  “Is that it, just find and kill a powerful immortal or his kin and eat his heart?” William’s tone was sarcastic, but a flicker of hope lit deep within him. William had knowledge this god obviously did not. He could find a bloodline; he was certain of it.

  “Yes, that is all. I am Adol, God of Death, and Lord of Endings. I give you my word, if you kill one of my brother’s immortals or its kin and eat its heart, you will be more powerful than you have ever imagined. But, as I said, it is an impossible task. You should just kill the one you love most, your wife or child, perhaps, and eat their heart. That would be much easier, and I would be just as satisfied.” The big god smiled and laughed another deep and hollow laugh.

  “You mean this is all just a test to see if I’m worthy? You could give me the power right now if you wanted?” William was appalled as the words leapt from his lips.

  “This is no test.” Adol snapped back as he loomed up from his chair and stared threateningly at William. “Who are you to question me? You are pitiful creations, unworthy of anything from me. This is for my amusement, and I only make you this offer because, if you succeed, I will use you as I see fit. You will be mine. Now go; leave this place and don’t come back until you are an immortal.” His voice was dark and vicious.

  William turned and headed for the opening in the stone. He was more than happy to flee this place. Adol’s presence was awesome, but terrifying.

  “Wait! There is one more thing.” William turned back around to face Adol. “Have you ever killed a man?” Adol asked as he gently rubbed the side of his scarred face.

  “No, I have not,” William answered honestly.

  “For some reason, it seems to be a trying task for most men, but I hear it gets easier.” He now spoke in a monotone voice, his face expressionless. “I’m going to help you get started.” He pushed his left foot forward as he spoke, and catapulted a girl onto the ground in front of William. “Kill her.” The god’s sinister voice was demanding.

  Chapter 38

  He saw the naked girl at his feet was very young, probably not more than fifteen years old.

  “I can’t kill her!” The words burst forth; William was horrified.

  “Oh, I think you can. You do want power, don’t you? Roman, give him your blade.” He turned and gestured to Roman as he spoke. Roman appeared from behind William holding out a small dagger. William had forgotten Roman was even there.

  “Here, take it.” Roman extended his hand, holding the dagger by the blade. William took it from his hand and looked down at the girl. She looked scared, but she didn’t make a sound. She looked up and met his gaze as she pushed herself off the floor and onto her knees.

  The girl was beautiful, young, and innocent. For a moment, their souls seemed to merge into one. He thought about his children at home, about the power he could have, and about how killing this young girl would change him forever. He might receive all the power in the world, but his soul would surely be forever damned.

  “This is the only way?” He looked back up at Adol. His voice was now steady; he was composed.

  “It is.” Adol was uncompromising. William looked back down at the girl, catching her gaze once again. She looked at him for only a second and then closed her eyes as if she knew what was coming. A small tear welled in the corner of her left eye and rolled down her cheek.

  William was now consumed with the desire for power; nothing else seemed to matter anymore. He took one step towards the girl and thrust the blade forward with his right hand, first through her chest and then her neck. The girl’s screams were both thrilling and chilling at the same time. Now William knew power; what could be more powerful than the power over life and death? It was beautiful, and he wouldn’t stop; his hunger for more would rage on.

  The girl fell to her back; her screams were only whimpers and gurgles now as blood flowed from her wounds and spilled from her mouth.

  William was overcome with an exhilaration such as he had never known. He fell on top of the girl and continued stabbing through her flesh with the bloodied blade as Adol laughed uncontrollably. He stabbed her over and over again, in the chest, stomach, neck and face until she was completely unrecognizable.

  When he had finished, he could barely lift his right arm. He collapsed on the floor beside her. He was exhausted; he was reborn. He had been more alive in the last five minutes than in his entire life before. He was a new man.

  “Now you can go.” Adol smiled a grim, knowing smile.

  William picked himself up. Although covered in blood, he was eager to move on. He knew what he needed to do and was more than ready to get started.

  For years he had heard stories of immortal men who took the forms of beasts; he had married into those stories. He knew where to begin his search. At home.

  “Roman. Go with him; keep him on task,” Adol instructed as Roman ushered in a new girl to sit at his feet.

  William had no need for someone to keep him on task. He was now aching with the desire for power, however it came. He didn’t really care for the awkward man who had led him here, but his talents might come in handy along the way, especially if it came down to killing another immortal.

  William bowed graciously towards the morbid god before him and then turned and followed Roman back through the corridor and into the main hall. He lingered there for a few moments, once again studying all the expertly crafted artwork around him.

  “Who did all this?” William was awed by the intricacies of the designs and carvings.

  “Adol, who do you think? He is mighty and powerful, but even the gods want things they can never have.”

  “What do you mean?” Roman’s odd comment had sparked William’s curiosity.

  “Adol has the power to destroy anything, perhaps even his brothers
. He is unimaginably strong, but death is his curse. In his heart he is an artist, a creator, not a destroyer. That is why he envies his brother so. His brother can create worlds and creatures with just the spark of his imagination, while Adol is forced to use his brother’s creations to craft his art.” Roman was smiling as if he thought the situation was hilarious.

  “Still it’s amazing, Adol’s work. I have never seen anything like it.” William rubbed his hand over the smooth surface of a carving that almost seemed to pull itself out of the wall.

  “Yes, you fool, but don’t you understand it’s nothing in his eyes? It’s man’s work. Adol fashions rocks into beautiful-looking rocks, while his brother paints and fashions the heavens. Adol sees that as a god’s work, the making of life. So, in his jealousy, he destroys everything his brother creates. Eventually he’ll even get around to destroying you and me.”

  Roman’s tone was more serious now and William was impressed with his knowledge and understanding of the situation. Perhaps he had misjudged the man. “I still don’t understand; if Odam is so busy creating worlds and universes and all that, why did I see him chiseling rocks?” William was confused.

  “It’s not Odam, you simple man, it’s his other brother, Mikal. He has a place on this island as well, but it’s very doubtful you would find him there. He stays very busy with his work.” Roman was speaking sarcastically.

  “So what power does Odam have?”

  “What do you mean? He is a god.” Roman’s words were frustrating William and making him feel stupid.

  “You know what I mean. If Mikal creates and Adol destroys, what does Odam do?” Having last spoken to the strange god only a day ago, William was very curious.

  “Odam abides. He is pretentious and self-righteous. Power doesn’t mean to him what it means to the rest of the world. I don’t know what powers he has, but I don’t believe he really uses any. He looks down on both of his brothers, sneering at the suffering they have inflicted on the world. Some say he helps mankind through its toils and troubles, but the truth is that he hates his brother for how they create and take away life. They say he hates the suffering Mikal’s flawed creation brings to the created, but I think he is just as jealous as Adol.”