Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2001 23:08:29 -0500
From: Jon  Bennett <stonewolf@angelfire.com>
Subject: journey of the worlds

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....