Prologue...

A ruined world, a brooding scientist, and a fated moment...

Prologue…

“A consistent soul believes in destiny, a capricious one in chance.” " Unknown Speaker

 

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Date: March 24^th, 2005

Time: 19:08 Hours

Welcoming: “Dr. Adamson Godrick”

Subject: Final Steps

 

The current day in question was March 24^th of the troubled year of 2005. As for the time, it was shown as barely past 7:00pm into the darkening afternoon. Therefore, when the very powers of destiny unknowingly visited a grimly concerned looking human researcher entering his personal laboratory deep underground, they did so on 3/24/2005 at 7:08pm. Of course, nobody could have known that fate was involving itself with the aged scientist entering his quarters. Such a magnificent/ lethal force wasn’t ever predictable, traceable, or explainable and never ever would be. Only destiny could understand destiny, the odd choices it made, and as always, especially today, it had randomly decided to aid the troubled human in the lab coat who, with much determination in his wondering heart, traversed across the floor of his researching den for the hundredth time.

 

In the human’s perspective, as the powers of fate always remained unseen to everyone, even to the favored like him, he had no idea how his near future was going to transpire. Would what was coming for him go extremely badly or profitably well? Like anyone else, he was dearly hoping for the latter. Through all his worries, however, there was one thing he was clearly aware of. His time, his life, was evidently running out. At a rapid rate, mind. Yet, despite the feeling that his body had visibly weakened due to his past years of purposeful work, stress, along with fears beforehand, his willpower remained unrivaled. Presently, his beliefs, not his physical strength, were what furtively drove him onwards and hopefully, from this pool of inner strength, his masterpiece " that which would be former earth’s “one last chance” " would be finished as perfection… and not as a failure. No, after all of this time, “Dr. Adamson Godrick’s” last donation to the once good earth wouldn’t be a disappointment. The world had experienced one too many of those lately. Now was the time for some hope to be rekindled, not dowsed again.

 

“Dr. Adamson Godrick” of the “Mira Institute”. That was the name along with origin of the old scientist of interest that struggled to walk to and fro through his laboratory " an underground facility constructed entirely for him and his purposes alone by what human leadership that had been available years earlier " showing much courage, faith, as well as valor towards what was about to happen. As for him being old, being nearly 70 years in age, with his thin body being slightly hunched over, he was quite the proper, if not inspiring, example of what one would think of an elder.

 

Dr. Adamson’s focused expression was heavily decorated by wrinkles. Too long ago to recall, the remaining hair on his balding head had taken on a shade of faint gray-white. Looking past that, though, the frail man still held onto several familiar traits from his youthful days. Behind his square spectacles, for example, his steely gray eyes shined bright. In fact, the source of their shine was hardly a reflection of the surrounding light but of the passionate fire that had always been raging in his stubbornly beating heart since his birth. Seeing as his deciding moment was nearly at hand, he dearly needed such passion to help guide him. Fate was very nearly upon him and, with a scoff proper of an aged gentleman, he readied himself for it. No matter the scariness of the thought, he had to keep going. Next, he moved away to another table with his cane supporting his dogged strides.

 

Five years. Since the time of horrors, of indignations, of genocide, five whole years had gone by in a blink for the fretting Dr. Adamson. Thus, a total of almost 1840 recorded days had passed by and, now, he was desperately wishing he had the option to start his “project” over or, god have mercy, he could be given more days. Yet, because of his trials along with the current circumstances, it seemed age had finally caught up with him. He wasn’t like his former self, his “invincible” self, these days. Nah, unfortunately as well as unwillingly, he’d gained some flaws in his once flawless character.

 

The senior researcher could no longer function, plan, nor easily succeed as he once did. To his shame, these days, he was more prone to harming his final masterpiece rather than completing it. So, while still able, he had to wrap things up. He had to finish. The only problem with that option was that the finish would be “ahead” of schedule; a.k.a rushed. Anyhow, whether or not it was favorable, there was no other option available to be taken. If things had to be finished, they had to be finished then and, to do such, Dr. Adamson had to make last emergency steps to ensure his project’s completion was a success… or so he hoped. Oh, how he hoped it to be.

 

Mind, for someone of his brilliant caliber, five years was more than enough time for Dr. Adamson to work on what would be his last project, what would be his final masterpiece, entitled “Immortalis” or “Earth’s Second Chance” or " in the good doctor’s personal opinion " “Renewal”. Still, despite there being no apparent issues with his project’s progress to this point, he was scared out of his mind of what could happen to it.

 

You see, even though very likely to succeed, what was about to transpire for the researcher, for his goal, for the world, was uncertain. Dying with every passing minute made one be unlike him or herself; it made them question themselves. Death tended to do that. Why wouldn’t it? Getting back on track, the doctor very much felt he was being too hasty or careless or reckless or at least something with his procedures. There had to be something wrong with how he was doing things. Nevertheless, pushing aside his doubts along with the building sweat upon his brow, he remained trusting that the things to come would work out for the better. Considering what was left of the surface world since the previous “Xorda Incident” along with the “Gene Bombings” five years ago, things couldn’t get any worse than they were… right?

 

Now, a person might be a bit confused as to what was or is currently going on. Naturally, some explaining is required and such can be found in the good doctor’s written out journals that reside upon his nearby desk. So, who was this aged Dr. Adamson Godrick of the Mira Institute? Why was he alone, dying even, in a 21^st century high tech bunker facility secretly hidden underneath the planet’s ruined surface? What was his goal, this Immortalis Project, and what of the recently mentioned Xorda Incident along with Gene Bombings? What was left of the surface world, of Earth?

 

Well, if one had the time as well as studied up on such questions enough like Dr. Adamson, they would know that all of these riddles were connected together and had begun five years ago when aliens, the violent Xorda species, found earth along with its intelligent sapien populace. It seemed humanity at birth, whether made by God or evolution or some other powers, was doomed by this interstellar meeting on March 1^st, 2000. Mans’ idiocy on this date, sure to eventually be jotted down into history as the darkest of them all, would lead them into destruction. Do not question the truthfulness of the listed events. For, you see, even though he wished it were not so, Dr. Adamson was literally involved in the heart of the previous Xorda chaos. He was one of the few relics leftover to tell the truthfulness of the incident. Of course, he wasn’t one of the “idiots” " like mindless “Kintobor” " that brought about the aliens’ wrath as well as the end times. He was, even while nearing death, actually trying to correct that catastrophic problem in his lab. He was trying to create an untarnished last hope for his betrayed species, for his scarred planet, for the future of all to come. Regardless of the epic motivation of this ideal, time was short. Too short.

 

Sadly, due to lack of time, there was no chance at the moment to peruse Dr. Adamson’s private journals for answers to his dilemma or situation. Perhaps that could be done another time like when project Immortalis was safely secured? In the meantime, the clock seemed to, instead of ticking, laugh at the aged researcher as he moved about. As the clock’s two hands moved away from being 7:08 to 7:30, a tiring curse seemed to fall upon the room. Against his will, the good doctor had to take a moment to gain his breath back in deep rasps while ignoring the nagging worries constantly building in the back of his mind. He had skills better than most. Why couldn’t he push aside his doubts then?

 

How unnerving things seemed to have become for Dr. Adamson. One mistake… That would be all it would take to fail the project. That’s all it would take to let down the earth and allow mad Ivan Kintobor to have finally won the feud.

 

Even though having more than enough time already to be certain of it, was Dr. Adamson going to succeed in what was coming next? Would he create a success or a disaster for the world that desperately needed positive change? Was he even going to see to the end of his work or… die first? Oh, what a silly bunch of questions repeating themselves! Dr. Adamson hadn’t donated five years of his life " the remainder of his life really " to fail here! His home planet would see change; good change! His masterpiece would be completed and, to do this, he needed to continue having a brave heart; even with a failing body! He couldn’t be held back, he couldn’t stumble, like the rest of the Mira Institute… He couldn’t allow those that doubted him to be right after all! That wasn’t an option!

 

But, most of all, Kintobor couldn’t win! He couldn’t!

 

“Sir Godrick,” A digital male voice abruptly said from nowhere yet everywhere from the lab at once, making the good doctor’s already unstable heart shake a bit more meanwhile in surprise, “you’ll most likely, as always, ignore my advice on the matter at hand but I highly recommend you take a seat and regain yourself for the last hurtle. My duties in absorbing the energy available from the remainder of the Mira facility is nearly completed. However, that collected power will obviously prove to be a vain thing if the crystal does not have your heart at its possible strongest to transfer to the subject codenamed Immortalis, will it not?”

 

Having gotten a better hold of his hurting chest along with shaken frame, Dr. Adamson did exactly as the room’s voice had guessed he would. He ignored the wise words to “sit down” and, instead, began going back to work. He disregarded the pain racking his body while checking over diagrams, items, materials, plus more on the tables, computers, and appliances at hand. As he did professional his business, the cane shaking in his hands while it supported him upright, he wheezed out, “How can I sit down, Njord, when we both know what is about to happen? How can you tell me to relax when my masterpiece, possibly earth’s last chance at redemption, is at stake due to my frailty? My weaknesses?” His actions became slower, “To sit down now… such a thing is… not… likely to-” At this, the researcher slurred with his words.

 

With his vision blurring, his heartbeats deafening his hearing, Dr. Adamson did as the room predicted he would. With much clattering from the cane freed from his loose grip, he collapsed bodily to the floor without a sound to be taken by the darkness clouding his mind. Mind, he wasn’t dead. His frame radiated with a heat signature in the thermal nearby scopes. Thus, due to his status, he had simply lost consciousness. Lucky for him. He could have easily suffered more because of his stubbornness.

 

There was a momentary silence. Then there was an audible sigh as the laboratory’s artificial intelligence overseer, “Njord”, spoke again, “Very well. Proceeding to mobile form. Converting into proper stages. Entering server 102…” The lights all around flickered a bit as Njord transferred from speaking from everywhere and into a lone looking form located in the far left corner. There in that corner, lifeless until the room’s smooth voice announced, “Starting up mobile form in 3, 2, 1.” A simple white humanoid robot stood rigid in its restraints, looking unflinchingly straight ahead, as if on guard duty. Truly, the machinery had the blank appearance of a fragile stickman but, keep in mind, this was some pretty impressive 21^st century technology at hand. In such a troubled century, after all, one couldn’t be too picky with things and it was only with the countdown of “3, 2, 1” that the rather simply styled automaton began to show it had the capabilities of movement.

 

As Njord said, “Powering up mobility form now.” The stickman robot, acting as Njord’s host rather than the entire lab now, was illuminated by numerous activating lights along with buttons. In the black visor on its round head, digital blue pixel eyes flashed on as well as looked around. “New primary objective: assist Senior Dr. Adamson Godrick with medical attention. Performing a required secondary but quick body status check, however, for safety measures. Head responsive?”

 

Njord moved his orb shaped head from side to side, up then down, and finished by looking straight at the doctor’s motionless form before saying, “Affirmative. Joints stable?”

 

The robot’s hands plus arms flexed while its feet along with legs stirred, “Affirmative. Cautionary restraints released?”

 

At this, the bars holding the stickman robot to the corner swiftly withdrew to allow the option of free movement. Now free and well suited, Njord refocused onto his feeble master. He let out another sigh and, as he rather gracefully moved forward, he noted to himself, “New primary objective: Aid the “Good” Doctor of the Mira Institute in his finest hour. Commencing now.” And, with that said, Dr. Adamson’s caring AI assistant moved to his laid out form before carefully following the proper protocol for the emergency.

 

Tenderly " having good reason beyond the current moment to be so with him " Njord knelt down to scoop up the dying researcher into his thin but firm arms. Next, the automaton carried the old human to a comfortable lounge chair, fetched the proper medical equipment, precisely put the needle shots into the proper veins, and then began the revitalization process. As he did this for his master, for his best friend in the ruined world, Njord felt a bit peculiar. Hadn’t the man before his eyes, at one point, done this very same thing for him? In a sense, anyway? Fifteen years ago, in the AI’s memory banks as clear as if it had happened yesterday, had Dr. Adamson not completed his task in creating as well as giving Njord life? The answer to this was “yes”. Of course, there was a distinguished difference between a computer’s life and a human’s.

 

Theoretically, a computer was hardware or lifeless while humans did the living. Was that theory believable? Perhaps… On some points. Nevertheless, that couldn’t be all true, could it? There couldn’t be that much of a difference between both robots and humans for they, whether aware of it or not, shared similarities as well as the term deemed as “emotions”. For example, like shown now, both organics and non-organics had come to rely on the other as the Xorda had delivered their anger upon earth. On his actual day of creation, it was clear that Dr. Adamson had brought Njord to life with much care. Now, ironically but with equal care, it seemed Njord was trying to give life back to his creator. Nevertheless, sooner than late, the robot would eventually be seeing his maker depart for what was named “Heaven”. Considering who the researcher had been all throughout his life, though, he deserved nothing better than such a happy ending to his legacy. He deserved walking towards the warm light at the end of the tunnel without a single feeling of guilt.

 

Njord shook away the depressing thoughts playing through his digital mind " Pondering? Ha, another human element he had come to adopt during his short yet long existence. Who said hardware couldn’t live? Anyway, he couldn’t think of his master passing on into the good place yet; not when his masterpiece or Immortalis still required finishing touches as well as completion. Only with that done would the good doctor find a peaceful rest from the life he would leave behind here and, lord, what a life that had turned out to be. Really, after the completion of the project, Njord couldn’t see himself living very long afterwards either. He could feel it inside himself… his approaching deterioration. All things had to go, didn’t they? Organic or not, the Xorda had shown that death, no, time, claimed everything. There was no escape from the end.

 

However, ignoring the evident oddity of the question, maybe there was an escape option? As Dr. Adamson had put it many times earlier, couldn’t the end be avoided? Could immortality, in a matter of speaking, be... achieved?

 

At the moment, these weren’t riddles that could be answered by neither the weak human researcher nor his pondering AI. That was entirely left up to project Immortalis to solve. Once that mystery of endless life was solved, for the better as wanted, Dr. Adamson could certainly then pass on into the light at the tunnel’s end without regret and, after having seen him suffer for so long to help a world that had turned its back on him, Njord wished for nothing better to happen to his creator. Sure, the AI and human had had their conflicts. Regardless, as any family of any size would, they truly did wish the best for one another. Again, who said hardware couldn’t live? During his brief life period, Njord had, on a number of occasions, felt very much alive and that was thanks to Dr. Adamson many times over.

 

Allowing the medicine to do its part on his weakening creator, the AI in his robot form took up the task of starting where the doctor had involuntarily left off. Plugging himself into the lab’s ports " half droid/ half room now " Njord took effective control of preparing for the approaching moment of destiny whose power remained invisibly heavy in the air. It was as he had the robotic arms from the ceiling gather up required materials, items, plus objects, that the cool AI flipped a switch and then pressed an enlarged button. This, from the floor, brought forward the nearly perfected project Immortalis, the earth’s prodigal second chance as well as cause for the apparent nervous mood experienced by everyone. Five years it hadn’t been seen firsthand but checked on. Now how would it look since being sealed away?

 

After pushing down the large button to his right, with alarms going off in warning to be extremely careful for the next step, Njord observed a portion of the floor of the laboratory separate down the middle before withdrawing away outwards. Once having the floor fully open afterwards, it was then that the AI placed his left hand onto a lever and delicately pushed it upwards. With red lights radiating from the walls, bit by bit he lifted the lever and, in due time, a large object showed itself from the newly opened underground chamber.

 

As it turned out, the floor had opened at a touch of a button and Njord had lifted the left hand lever to bring up a specific platform. Upon that platform was a curiously large tank, surrounded by wisps of cold due to it being utterly frozen inside. This thing that had come from underneath the floor was labeled a “Cryo Tank” or “Hibernation Vessel”. As for what was inside, obviously anyone could guess, it securely held Immortalis. For the time being, being completely frozen over, the masterpiece project couldn’t be seen within its thick casing through the chilly haze. That issue was bound to be quickly solved though when, with a flick of several more switches, Njord commanded four robotic ceiling arms to attach themselves to specific valves around the icy hibernation vessel. When ordered next, the machine limbs began heating Immortalis’s  cryo tank to make the solid ice melt into water. As this process was done, it was then that Dr. Adamson decided to rejoin the world of the living.

 

“Be careful with him… Njord.” The good doctor whispered from his chair, focusing grimly upon Immortalis’s icy vessel being cautiously thawed to the right conditions, “He… he’s fragile, you know.”

 

“So are you, Sir Godrick. Keep that in mind.” Njord replied firmly back, feeling relieved to see his creator’s status on the display appeared to be better than earlier since his collapse, “In the meantime, please relax. Both you and your masterpiece are in good hands. Or do you not think so?”

 

“Do not ask me that,” Dr. Adamson stated, showing he was humored by the inquiry meanwhile, “when you already know the answer, you foolish digital entity. I programmed you to be better than that. You know full well that I would trust no other than you to lay a finger on my… my final masterpiece.”

 

As he had just revealed, while being incapacitated, the researcher meant full well that he would want no one other than Njord to now be in charge of the occasion taking place. Having prepared for this moment for the past five years as commanded, the AI was fearlessly in complete control of his surroundings as well as staying aware of the shaky health of his master. Things, indeed, would work themselves out now and, really, it wouldn’t hurt to hope that some divine force was overlooking the scene too; as it was. Fate, destiny, fortune alike, curiously observed the unfolding scene.

 

“Indeed you did build me for the better, sir.” Njord said from the control panels, keeping constant check on the conditions, “And, due to that, I can never thank you enough for your efforts. Perhaps we can say that I am trying to start by simply reminding you of your obvious strengths, sir, which you cannot question now. Not when so close to the end. Let’s think, shall we? Regardless of the many obstacles placed before you, you have done fantastic over these past five years with much success and little setbacks. Just like your other earlier works, your masterpiece here, earth’s second chance, will activate as planned and, as wanted, your justified goals, your legacy, the truth, will continue through him. In that possibility, I have the utmost faith.” With that, Njord took a moment to glance at his handicapped creator seriously, “As, with all due respect, should you, sir. When Immortalis is activated, you will have had the last say in the Xorda incident. You will, at last, have finally spat in Ivan Kintobor’s face.”

 

These words sparked happy laughter from Dr. Adamson. His mirth eventually turned into soft coughing as his strained body couldn’t take on the outburst. Recovering from his hurting, gesturing for his worried AI companion to remain focused on readying Immortalis for activation too, he admitted with a grunt, “It is too bad… that I cannot spit in Ivan’s face literally but theoretically, eh?” He sat back to gather his strength, lazily adding onto to his comment, “Kintobor… a name that cannot hide from the truth. That man " wherever he’s gone " needs to know that he isn’t as invincible as he thinks himself. For all that he has done, for invoking the rage of the Xorda against us, he needs to have a taste of humility!”

 

“And as he’s been programmed, Sir Godrick, Immortalis will do just that. In that notion, we can most certainly believe also.”

 

“As long as all that has been planned over the past five years goes over well,”

 

“What is coming will go as planned, sir. Yes, don’t fret about it.”

 

“then… yes,” Dr. Adamson confirmed with Njord, nodding his head slowly in triumph at the thought of his success with his thawing masterpiece, “we can assume that our earth’s prodigal second chance here in cryo sleep will carry out our desires. From this day forth, what is best for what remains of humanity on the surface will be Immortalis’s first priority, of course. His second objective will be to exact the proper justice on that traitorous Kintobor trash… My oh my, how I still hate that name of his with a passion whenever it is mentioned.”

 

“And everyone, the remaining overall 25% of the human populace, who is surviving the gene radiation should be hating that name alongside you, Sir Godrick… Regrettably, like much else on this once good planet, the truth behind the bombings has been lost to the growing dark and we, alone, have been left to serve proper justice upon the person who brought about the fallout we face.”

 

“Indeed. Still, justice is a hard thing to deliver upon the cowardly, Njord. It always has been, hasn’t it? And as for those who do not want to be justified, as Ivan showed when he fled his crimes, they can be quite elusive. Damn Kintobor to the bad place and back a thousand times for his reckless actions as well as following cowardice! If anyone should have been claimed by the gene bombings, it most certainly should have been him! Still, justice is patient and, no matter where it runs, crime will be properly punished. Thus, as you will tell me, my friend, Kintobor will get what’s coming to him… in good time. No matter how long it takes. Judgment, in the form of our Immortalis, will arrive at Ivan’s doorstep and then… heh, well, you can guess the rest.”

 

“Indeed I can guess, sir. Now, if you would,” Njord said, showing a bit of amusement along with patience at the current topic, “I beg of you to remain quiet as I make the last preparations. The time for the energy transfer is closing in on us and, as you know, we need you at your strongest. Immortalis, truly, needs you at your strongest. Without you, he will not be complete through this procedure. Without you, he will not continue your legacy.” There was, as wanted, a purposeful silence afterwards. However, to Njord’s disapproval, it didn’t last as long as hoped. Curiosity over the status of the project, worrying, was getting to the doctor strapped to medications. He kept asking questions of his reluctant AI, wanting to know every detail, to which the replies were short. Finally, Dr. Adamson asked the most serious on the list of his questions.

 

“Tell me, Njord… How is Immortalis looking at this time.”

 

“Sir, please allow me to work without distractions. I promise you that Immortalis is-”

 

“Confound it, you dolt!” Dr. Adamson exclaimed, showing great astonishment when nearly about to be rejected the vital information he craved, “Do not even think of refusing to answer my inquiries! If you wish for me to remain healthy, if you wish for me to stay quiet… then tell me the condition of the project! It’s just that simple, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes, sir. Of course. Forgive my foolishness. Just please remain calm.” At this, Njord directed the attention of his creator to one of the few overhanging television screens which remained blank. “I cannot explain and work the situation together effectively. Perhaps it would be better to merely show you?” Finally, after getting a robotic camera limb close enough to the hibernation tank, Njord turned the television on to show Immortalis to the concerned researcher in his chair. At last, within the tank, Dr. Adamson could see what would be his final masterpiece to the earth during the final stages of preparation.

 

“Ah,” The good doctor sighed, feeling a slight bit better, “just as we left him five years ago. You have done well in keeping him in stasis condition, Njord. Thank you for that.”

 

“Not at all a problem, sir… Still you sound as if  you doubted me.”

 

Seen through the remainder of the vessel’s icy haze, project Immortalis literally was " or looked, for the most part " a young human male of twenty in the eyes of his observers. For being the prodigal hope bringer of earth, awkwardly being completely naked for a certain reason, the youth in cryo sleep or such displayed rather “normal” human traits such as short brown hair, pale skin, plus plain facial features. Mind, his physique was amazingly well toned; even god like. This was due to him formerly being put through tremendous physical exercises before being frozen and, in that cryogenic status, he’d been pumped full of foreign enhancing drugs to remain in perfect body status for this very moment. Still, without the required coming final stages, such harsh conditions had hurt Immortalis more than helped him and that was why he had needed to stay in hibernation for the past five years. Without hibernation, without a doubt, he would have passed on. Nevertheless, as explained, there was a revival plan for him and it involved Dr. Adamson being at his healthiest.

 

Suspended by numerous cables and tubes in the water of his container while unconscious, unlike before when he’d been put to sleep five years ago, young Immortalis showed no signs of awareness to his environment. To the doctor’s relief, though, the twenty year old normally breathed through his applied oxygen mask and his heartbeat rate was average. He appeared to be safe, ready too, for the project’s prepping final actions. The moment for his revival was nearly at hand. The excitement could be felt, maybe even tasted, in the air!

 

“Njord, next bring up the condition of the Unbound Amethyst.”

 

“Of course. Still, sir, do I have to ask you again to please stay-”

 

“Don’t smart mouth me, Njord! I know what I’m doing.”

 

“But, sir, don’t let the moment get to you.  I insist that you calm-”

 

“Just do as I say or I’ll jam you into the flash drive on hand and continue this project myself and that will be that! Got it? Good. Now bring up the amethyst!”

 

With much sighing, Njord obeyed his master’s excited wishes. Again, they both had their moments of conflict. Still, they were in this effort as team but perhaps the AI should have not used so much medicine on his maker? That was his fault, due to over-worrying the conditions. Njord pressed more buttons next, trying to remain focused on everything, and produced what was wanted. Another section of the floor separated in the process from which rose, with much blaring, a sealed exotic pedestal of some sort. This pedestal made up of onyx stone, symbolized with varieties of unintelligible white lined insignias carved into its surface, made Dr. Adamson literally stand to his feet with an inhale. His hair, what was available of it, was standing on end.

 

As the exotic pedestal had arrived, so had the long awaited fated moment. Five years of work, of hardship, of waiting, had now come down to this, had it? Marvelous. Simply marvelous. Of course, the project was ahead of schedule. The feeling at the moment shouldn’t have been inspiring. It should have been ominous but.. it just wasn’t. It couldn’t be; not when so amazing!

 

“Sir Godrick. I insist that you take your seat.” Njord stated bluntly. As he predicted, though, he was utterly ignored as his rather suddenly spry maker, with IV pole plus cane in his hand hands, stumped past into the prepared laboratory. “What was the point in being created if one cannot be taken seriously?” In patient spirits after his mental inquiry, the AI stepped outside of the control room and into the lab after his creator, having finished with the preparations.

 

Now what was to be done next? Immortalis was present. Dr. Adamson’s health, despite his constant recklessness, seemed to be in proper check. Presently, all that was required to continue the operation was a certain key to put everything into motion; that key which was entitled the “Unbound Amethyst”, a mysterious, radiating, purple, unknown jewel.

 

To acquire such a piece of fabled gem " much to Ivan Kintobor’s frustration in the earlier days " was left up to the Dr. Adamson and Dr. Adamson alone. Only he had gained, no matter the difficulties, access to the powerful artifact and knew how to summon it. It became plain that the researcher had been quite eager to retrieve the fabled amethyst from the start for, as he did the necessary procedures to unlock the odd pedestal before him, he shook from giddiness. Yes, the amethyst was inside the recently arrived onyx podium of unknown origins. Finally, with a clicking plus snapping, the top of the alien styled stand gracefully opened wide and, from there, sparks of violet danced upwards into the darkness of the room to illuminate its ceiling. In turn, a beautiful, yet ominous, cleanly cut slab of circular lavender gemstone levitated into the air. There, the sharp stone, the Unbound Amethyst, actually hung suspended and no one really dared to touch it. For the moment, all focus seemed unshakably attracted to its indescribable splendor until, with a soft smile, Dr. Adamson made his thoughts known of the occasion.

 

“This was the last gift from the Xorda emissary to whom it deemed as a friend… This, as seriously promised by the emissary, will give humanity its second chance, Njord.”

 

The senior Mira researcher seemed to look younger than himself in the glow of the lavender stone at his eye level. There was no more nervousness in him nor in the air either. The doctor continued to smile as if lost in his thoughts or he had maybe lost track of time, “I’m afraid that this splendorous item was what motivated Ivan into dissecting that poor intergalactic messenger as if it were no more than a mere animal… What an idiot he was to do such a thing. True, he may have learned a little about the amethyst’s secrets through such methods but, ironically, it is not he who actually possesses it, hm?”

 

“No, sir Godrick.” Njord replied to his master. He too, even though being hardware, was completely taken in by the magnificence as well as oddity of the floating Xorda gemstone, of the Unbound Amethyst. “It seems, even though so bold to murder, Ivan was not fated to unlock humanity’s greatest achievement. As fate would have it… you were destined to unlock the secrets of immortality.”

 

“Perhaps that is the case.” Dr. Adamson answered back modestly, not able to break out of his thoughtful smile, “Perhaps not. Only time will tell us that. Still, in Ivan’s eyes, immortality was to be the last threshold for mankind to cross. No, for him to cross. However, his methods towards it were wrong minded. They were too cruel as well as rushed and caused the genocide against mankind. With my way, with the method of time, care, patience… maybe, just maybe, things could have been different. I nearly had made the Xorda our friends when-” Dr. Adamson hesitated. His voice had caught in his throat for a second before he found it again, “We will see a breakthrough tonight. Perhaps together, you and I, Njord, will witness the first of a new species. Together, you and I will see the first immortal, the first Immortalis, be born. And with his birth, humanity will recover. It will endure this fallout.” At this, he laughed at himself, “Yet, it sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? It sounds more like the rambling of a tried, crazy old man, huh?”

 

“No, sir.” Was Njord faithful response, looking stern, “It doesn’t sound too good to be true. With what has happened to this point, it sounds very probable actually. And, no, you’re not crazy, sir. True, I’ve seen much. Yet, you never will be crazy in my eyes, trust me.”

 

“Well,” Dr. Adamson admitted after a laugh in the violet illumination, gaining a bit of his former youthful spark into his voice along with shine back into his steely gray eyes behind his glasses, “there’s only one way to find out if you’ve placed your faith in the right old codger, my friend. Tell me, are we ready to begin?”

 

“As you told me beforehand; do not ask me that when you already know the answer to it, sir. Nonetheless, as you built me ready, the project is just as ready.”

 

“Ha ha, very well! Come, Njord! Start up the process, ignite the amethyst, and let us both spit in the faces of those that betrayed humanity to the anger of the Xorda! Let us show those who doubted us, who sent us down here, how wrong they were about their ways! Let us both see the new beginning of humanity start here with the birth of the first ever Immortalis! Come, come!” Yet, it was as a rather amused Njord began to do as he was told " as he was warming up the robotic arms for activity and the Unbound Amethyst for use " Dr. Adamson’s encouraged expression fell. He became somber, grim, while looking for a while at who would be the world’s first ever Immortalis; the encased, slumbering young man in perfect condition. At the thought, the doctor approached the hibernation vessel next to slowly, gently, even fatherly, place a hand upon the glass.

 

Like that, the good doctor remained for a bit. It was as his heart emotionally shook him, as his spirit expressed gratitude, that he uttered out something to whom was asleep in the vessel, “Well… this is it, August. The final hurdle for the both of us. For the three of us, of course, since you adored Njord so much. He has to be included into everything, right?” It seemed Immortalis had had a name beforehand; “August”.

 

Dr. Adamson nervously looked this way and that before focusing onto the youth’s, August’s, blank face. He then held back tears at a strange thought along with suddenly sad realization. Whatever that realization was, it was forced back, for the researcher before the hibernation vessel got a good enough hold of himself to say one last firm thing, “Your parents would be proud of you, August. I most certainly am and, soon enough, the world will be. But, most of all, thank you. Thank you for giving me yourself; for giving me, the earth, another chance for redemption. Now, let’s see about avenging humanity, especially your parents, shall we?”

 

The meaning behind the deep words Dr. Adamson shared with the encased August couldn’t be explained at the moment. The project had to go on and now wasn’t the time to dwell in the past. Still, it could be easily assumed that the senior researcher of Mira shared a grand bond of friendship with his young subject. Keeping back his building emotions, blinking away tears, the doctor turned away from August and towards the control room where Njord watched him intently. Then and there, Dr. Adamson nodded his head. In turn, his AI fellow commanded the robotic arms attached to Immortalis’s/ August’s tank to drag it forward across the floor rails. At the same time, Dr. Adamson was lifted up gently by other robot ceiling limbs to be set down into a high-tech chair that buzzed from underneath the floor. Next, the podium supporting the Unbound Amethyst was moved to stand before the doctor in his chair and, five feet directly before the both of them, the cryo tank with its patient halted its course. Lined up together " with Dr. Adamson in charge, amethyst in middle, as well as August targeted " things were ready.

 

With destiny watching, the predestined moment to bring the first Immortalis to life had arrived.

 

“Sir Godrick,” Announced a prepared Njord " his presence both in the droid and entirely throughout the laboratory " with his influence everywhere, “you may give the word whenever you are ready. The lab preparations are complete and the amethyst before you has absorbed the power I have collected from the remainder of the facility… Still, sir, do not say for me to begin unless-”

 

“I am completely and utterly ready.” Dr. Adamson cut in, furrowing his brows at the same time, “I know full well what will happen if I doubt myself anymore from this point, Njord. It will mean my death along with failing to revive August into Immortalis. Thank you for the reminder though. I’m glad to know you have so much faith in me. Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

 

“Sir, I know you are joking with me but it wasn’t ever my intent to mock you with my advice. I have always had faith in you. Thus, I have always sternly followed you. I have always appreciated you. Therefore, due to this, I merely wish for this last task we face to succeed and be the greatest one of your achievements. Then I’ll know you’ll leave this awful world behind to find a better one.”

 

“Ha ha ha!” Erupted Dr. Adamson, really finding himself humored by this, “Ha ha ha! Like always, Njord… You were always caring for others. Never have you taken advantage of nor harmed anyone but yourself. Most would say I built you well. However, we both know, August too, that that’s not the case. You grew up well. It seems the world has taught you good enough, friend. Truly, like Immortalis will be, you’re just as much a masterpiece!”

 

“It… seems so, sir. Thank you. Yes, you, and others, August also, have shown me much. And what I find most important of all in the lessons you showed me,” At this, at Njord’s command, the lab thrummed with power as the machines energized with the collected power from all around the Mira facility, “is that anything, anything at all, is quite possible. Nothing is out of reach.” This set the mood to inspiring. Very inspiring. Project Immortalis was going to be a success, despite the odds! Immortality could be achieved!

 

“Well, if that’s the way you think of things,” Dr. Adamson noted, concentrating on the alien crystal floating before him, “let us go along with it! You know at one point, Njord, August told me that he considered you a long lost brother of his. That’s how much you meant to him.”

 

“Is that indeed so, sir?”

 

“Indeed it is.” Dr. Adamson began rapidly tapping at spots on the pedestal before him. In turn to his pokes, the onyx stone’s insignias began glowing feverishly and the Unbound Amethyst " like a compass needle " pointed straight from the doctor towards the encased subject in icy water. “So, without further ado, let’s see about getting your long lost brother back into reality so he can tell you that himself, Njord! From here on out, you know what to do as do I! Fire me up!”

 

In the few moments that followed, during the fated moment, what occurred next to Dr. Adamson as well as Njord had both expected and unexpected results. The powers of destiny, heavily gathered in the air, began to unknowingly aid in the efforts of the functioning machines. The generators in the basements effectively pumped out the accumulated energy from the remainder of the facility to the lab undergoing the experiment. The numerous robot arms from different angles, every one of them together without fault, directed this stored energy into the Unbound Amethyst as beams of golden light! In moments, slashing into the Xorda violet gem from most every direction, cobwebs of gold crisscrossed into the hovering purple stone that, in response to being energized, was gradually growing in brightness. Nevertheless, as this occurred, it was then that things began to go unimaginably… downhill.

 

In front of him, possibly due to the event or maybe side effects of the object he thought he had command over, the good doctor in charge of the Xorda artifact began seeing a series of scenes flash before him in quick succession. He involuntarily witnessed a graveyard in the backyard of a mansion with familiar tombstones, a happily pregnant woman along with proud man in army gear, a festive sky filled with fireworks, a group of seriously bloody men loudly debating over a lifeless alien on a table, a dark sky that had shown no sun for years, a land devoid of any kind of hope, a furious faced August standing over forcibly deceased family, Njord making varieties of calculations, and then… the strangest figure imaginable, both frightening yet welcoming to the eyes, showed itself from a blinding light with hands outstretched to him.

 

“Sir Godrick,” It said in something close to a song along with hiss, “it is time. It is time to go.” The figure was pulling Dr. Adamson into the spellbinding illumination.

 

“Sir Godrick. It is time to go. It is time to go.” The stranger was taking him away from the world. Sweet rest was in store… Yet, wait! That couldn’t happen! No, not yet, not yet!

 

“Sir Godrick! Sir Godrick! It’s time to go!”

 

Someone else was speaking, not the stranger in the brightest light. As for the mysterious, beautiful figure along with its light; they were fading away. The stranger drew its welcoming hands back towards itself and sound seemed to return as reality came crashing down upon the doctor who, with a shock, found he was lying face first against the surface of the onyx podium. To his right, looking downright dumfounded, was Njord who was exclaiming, “Come, Sir Godrick, come! It’s time to go! We must leave!”

 

“What?!” Roared Dr. Adamson, astonished to hear such things coming from his closest companion in life, “You fool! You can’t be serious! Why aren’t you back in the control-” Yet, he was cut short when an explosion wrenched a robotic limb from the ceiling. As the arm smashed to the ground in a flurry of sparks plus debris, it was then that the senior researcher found that all around him was chaos. The amethyst, unlike the blaring lab, was intact but, shining bright as a star, it was furiously spinning about with a vicious “whiz” sound! “What on this good earth and in the horrible place happened?!”

 

“I do not know, sir, nor can I explain! The energy levels spiked when connecting with the amethyst and caused the generators to go into overdrive! The situation is out of our hands now! I cannot-”

 

“What do you mean the situation is out of our hands?!” Dr. Adamson continued to yell, trying to remain in control of himself and the purple gem spinning like an insane merry go round, “Things were going fine until… How do I not recall be knocked out? Is that what happened to me before now?”

 

“Yes, sir! When it reached a certain level of power, the Unbound Amethyst released a shockwave that caused the rest of the lab to go haywire! With you being closest, you were hit hardest and I’m honestly surprised to see you woke up!” Njord seized his master, ready to help him away from the berserk Xorda gem, “Things have gone completely wrong! August will be fried to a husk if we don’t act now!” At this, all eyes turned to the young man in cryo sleep. The golden light in overdrive was radiating from the amethyst directly into August’s chest! The hibernation vessel, previously below zero, was bubbling already within the few seconds it had been exposed! “Sir, you need to put in the emergency codes! You need to pull the plug on this operation!”

 

Pull the plug?... Put in the emergency codes?...  But that meant ending the project forever. What? Wait. NO!

 

“NO!” Shouted the doctor, roughly wrenching himself loose from his droid fellow. Ignoring the frantic AI trying to get him to get away from the whirring Xorda jewel, Dr. Adamson exclaimed, “This is it! This is the fated moment, the time of success, the arrival of the first ever Immortalis! Don’t do this to me Njord! Get back into the control room and make this work! We can’t let Kintobor win!” Another robot arm fell from the ceiling at his words! No matter his efforts with it, the Unbound Amethyst was truly unbound now. Focusing the rays of light energy coursing through it onto Immortalis, the crystal wouldn’t be denied in spinning as the doctor looked to seize it! For his actions, all that greeted the researcher was pain! As he recoiled, Dr. Adamson let out a shout of agony! The furious jewel in motion had savagely burned at his flesh!

 

“Sir, don’t do this!” Njord exclaimed over the building noise, trying to find reason amid the sudden confusion along with hopelessness, “We tried! We really did and that’s something to be proud of! We can get another chance at this if you put in the emergency codes! August won’t be too badly damaged and I can start from your notes after you… after you…”

 

“PASS ON?! Oh no! That’s not how this going to end!” Dr. Adamson cursed his luck, his life, his misfortune, everything! How had it come to this? What had went wrong? Where had he and Njord messed up? Was he really not going to see August revived as an immortal? Was this really how he was going to die, to leave his legacy? As a failure at everything? He’d failed to stop Kintobor, he’d failed in saving the Xorda emissary, he’d failed to stop the earth from being destroyed and now… NO! He wasn’t going to fail in this! No, no, and no!

 

“Sir Godrick! Think about this! The damage here can be repaired! If we continue this though at this pace then we’ll not get another chance! There will be nothing left!”

 

“That’s the risk I suppose we’re going to have to take then! I’m not letting this get away from me, Njord! I’m not losing again! I promised him, Njord! I promised August that he would come back and I’d be there to see him! I promised him success and revenge against Kintobor! Not this!”

 

“Sir, he would " I don’t " STOP THIS! Only you can! The systems boot me out each time I try! I beg of you, please, for your sake, put in the-”

 

And then… it happened. Just like that. In a heartbeat, in a blink, a breath of air. Fate just happened.

 

Whether by luck, destiny, or willpower, that cannot be said for sure. Sound certainly deafened as, appearing almost to be a ring rather than a gem, the Unbound Amethyst rammed itself straight into the chest of he who was trying to control it! There, with his back arched along with pierced torso shoved back against his seat, with Njord completely aghast at the sight, Dr. Adamson saw the mysterious, beautiful stranger from before rapidly return while framed by the same blinding light. Shockingly, there was no pain, no nothing affecting the man. There was just that figure with its welcoming hands gripping his own. It pulled him upwards towards the light, dragged him away from reality where, with the remaining AI practically screaming out from sheer fury amid the wreckage, the amethyst, with a sound similar to a cannon shot, blasted out of his chest again… towards unconscious August’s own!

 

Did the good doctor find peace? None can say for sure. What can be said is, while melding with the blinding light greeting him, Dr. Adamson heard something like a cannon going off, then the shatter of heavy duty glass followed by the gush of a large quantity of water being freed. Then, there was nothing more to be heard. There was nothing more to be witnessed. There was nothing more to be said.

Author's Note

And the cliffhanger. Sorry?