1 The immortal alchemist

Long ago, there was a man who sought meaning in his life, his name was Nicolas Flammio. Nicolas Flammio was the greatest alchemist of his time. He devoted his life to the search for the elixir of life, the potion that would grant him immortality. He believed that this was his divine purpose, his legacy for mankind. He did not care about anything else, not even his wife, Perenelle Flammio, who loved him deeply and supported him in his studies.

After many years of studies and experiments, Nicolas finally managed to create the potion that would grant him immortality. He was radiant with joy and pride. Nicolas had in his hands the greatest treasure that anyone could wish for. But he did not want to live forever alone.

He had a wife, who was his only love, his faithful companion, his loyal confidant. Nicolas wanted to share with her his triumph and his destiny. He wanted her to also drink the elixir and become immortal like him. He went to her with the flask in his hands and told her about his discovery. Nicolas offered her the elixir with enthusiasm and affection.

He expected her to be as happy and excited as he was. But she was not. She was shocked and horrified. She refused the offer of immortality firmly and sadly. She said she did not want to live forever, that this was against the natural order of things, that this was an offense to the gods.

She said she wanted to live her time normally, age with dignity and die in peace. He did not understand her reaction. He thought she was crazy or confused.

Nicolas tried everything to change her mind. He begged, cried, screamed, threatened. It was in vain. She stood firm and walked away from him. She said she could no longer live with him, that he had become a monster, a heretic, a sinner.

She said he had lost his soul, his humanity, his love. She said he had condemned himself to eternal curse. She left home and never came back. He never heard from her again. He was devastated by the loss. She was his only love, his reason for living.

No other woman could arouse his interest or his desire. No friend could fill the void she left. No cause could motivate him to fight or to engage. No pleasure could amuse him or distract him. He became a bitter, isolated and bored man. He hated his condition of immortal, but he had no way to reverse it.

He tried to end his own life in various ways, but always failed. Nothing could defeat him or free him. He wandered the world aimlessly, purposelessly, hopelessly. He witnessed the birth and fall of civilizations, the transformation and degradation of nature, the evolution and corruption of humanity.

None of this mattered or touched him. He longed for death, but he knew it would never come. Nicolas was doomed to exist forever in a world that was not his own, that did not interest him, that did not bring him happiness.

Until one day, he found a clue. He was in an old library, looking for some book that could distract him for a few moments. He came across a dusty and torn volume, that caught his attention by the title: "The Secret of Death". He opened the book with curiosity and began to read.

It was a treatise on the various ways of dying and their consequences for the soul. It was a dark and macabre work, written by an unknown author. But there was a part that interested him especially: a chapter on the death of immortals.

The author claimed that there was a way for an immortal to die, but that it was extremely difficult and dangerous. He said that it was necessary to find a place called "The Threshold of Death", a portal that led to a realm beyond life and death.

This portal only opened on certain occasions and in certain places, and was guarded by terrible and powerful beings. The author did not know how to locate the portal, but gave some clues about the signs that indicated its presence.

He also warned that entering the portal was an irreversible decision and that no one knew what was on the other side. He said it was a choice between eternity and the unknown, between existence and nonexistence.

Nicolas was fascinated by the book. He felt a glimmer of hope for the first time in centuries. He decided that he would look for the portal and try to cross it. He did not care about the risks or the consequences. He just wanted to end his suffering and find peace. He took the book with him and left the library.

After that, through hundreds of years that passed, the bards sang legends about Nicolas Flammio and the tragic story with his wife, Perenelle Flammio. They say that the wandering immortal left in his writings hints on how to make the elixir of immortality, and the books he wrote became guides for all the alchemists who followed after his disappearance.

He began his search for the Threshold of Death. He traveled the world, following the clues from the book. He faced dangers, challenges and enemies. He saw horrible and wonderful things. He learned new and old things. He was surprised, scared, moved for the first time in a long time, which made him think about the meaning of his own existence.

But he never gave up on his goal. He was determined to find the portal and die. After many years of searching, he finally found the portal. It was in a dark and deep cave, in the middle of an icy mountain.

The portal was a black rift in the air, that emitted a strange and frightening sound. Around the portal, there were several skeletons of creatures that tried to enter it and failed. The protagonist felt a chill in his spine, but did not hesitate. He approached the portal and prepared to enter.

Before taking the final step, he looked at the book in his hands. He thought about everything he had lived and everything he would leave behind. He thought about the woman he loved and the death he sought. He felt a mixture of fear, sadness, relief and curiosity. He took a deep breath and said goodbye to the world. He entered the portal.

He died.

Or maybe not.

He did not know.

He did not feel anything.

He was nothing.

He was at the Threshold of Death.

Until then

He felt an intense pain and a blinding light. He heard a sharp scream and a faint cry. He felt a cold and a heat. He felt a hand holding his entire body, which terrified him, he felt a cold metal cut something in his belly.

He tried to open his eyes, but a dazzling light made it painful to do so. Suddenly, he felt a strong impact on his back, being unbearable to endure the pain that consumed his entire existence, so he screamed at the top of his lungs.

He heard a female voice that said something he did not understand. He felt a strange and confused emotion. He did not know what existence was holding him, nor who he was.

He did not know where he was, nor what was happening. He did not remember anything from his past, nor his future. He only knew that he was alive. And that he was a baby.