I looked at him with a cocked eyebrow for a moment before he responded.
"You don't believe me?" He asked with abored look.
"Nope." I said. My grandfather had died when my father was young. Long before I was born. I knew his name of course. But just because he has a name like my grandfather didn't make him my grandfather.
"Understandable. You father was a... unique child. Never gave others the benefit of the doubt nor did your mother for that matter. Though I suppose they told you I died ages before you were born eh?"
"Were they supposed to tell me otherwise?" I responded with my arms crossed.
He chuckled a little.
"I suppose not. I was considered the nutjob of the family. I was studying medieval and ancient alchemy for decades. And when my wife bore a son I suddenly had a breakthrough. Though it came rather suddenly and without warning." He started rummaging through a desk as he spoke. It's parchment and quills clattering and flying across the room as he unceremoniously threw things about before pulling out a gold stone the size of a fist. It's rough surface lined with crimson vein like lines.
"I... after centuries of alchemists attempting and studying the arts and secrets of the world... was the first one to make a philosophers stone. The epitome of alchemy. The stone of flowing gold. The cornerstone of immortality. Such are it's titles. But one title I didn't know it had was "The Gateway". A multiversal travel power."
His aged hand trembled as he held the stone. His eyes seemed tired of looking at the thing before him. Bored might even be a better word for it.
"Little did I realize that at the moment I created it that a gate would open sucking me through the cosmos and into a different world. One that was not peaceful, or civilized for that matter." He said placing it down on his desk where it sat glowing with ethereal energy.
"I spent years mastering that world's secrets to make another one so I could return home. But the process though similar didn't give me the results I wanted. Every stone I've made has forced me to a different world. Forced me to live Millenia when I should've died a hundred times over. All for the sake of getting home." He looked over at the stone beside him.
"Tomorrow marks 6'384 years since I've seen my wife's face. Since I've started my long journey. And so I would like to offer a trade. I will give you the stone. In return, I wish to either be allowed to go home where I can see my home one last time. Or finally rest eternally." He said as he gave a very tired gesture toward the stone beside him.
I couldn't help but be skeptical. This guy had found the source of immortality for humans. He could even claim the Ultimate Alchemist title for repeatedly making them. But instead he wanted to die?
"Why do you no longer wish to live?" I asked. "You have seen countless worlds and lived where no man could possibly imagine. Yet you seek death where you could seek fame and fortune from your discovery. Why?"
His tired eyes met mine. "It's not that I don't wish to live. It's that I know when I should have died long ago. I simply wasn't allowed to. I have lived against my will in this frail shell for over 4000 years. With no way out and no way to die. All because of that stone." He pointed at the glowing rock on his desk with his thumb.
"It gave me immortality. But it never stopped me from aging. Just stopped me from dying. I am a mummy of what I once was. A husk of a human with his soul and mind intact. Though I've gone insane multiple times. But the stone pulled me back every time. Every slit wrist or rope I've hung from has been for naught. I've burnt myself to ash and cemented myself beneath the crushing weight of mountains yet it pulled me out and put me back together without fault or missing pieces or scars. It has been a hell I would not wish on any man, woman, or child who stumbles upon it. The only being it would make no difference to. Would be a being it cannot influence as they are immortal anyway. A god." He said as his arm came to rest once more on the arm of his chair.
I couldn't help but see the truth to his words as I nodded. "Very well. I will seek a way to return you home so you can experience one last sunset. In return I will take the stone so noone will ever feel it's harmful power." I said as I closed my eyes and connected my mind to the world. It stretched into the sky and the ground. Through the oceans waves and the molten rocks.
I soon felt a response from one of the gods. "The boyo is awake!!!" Aed's voice echoed through my head. I smiled a bit as the powers of multiple gods rose together to greet mine and a small mental conference began.
I found myself in the midst of another mental scape. A broad gold and white room with 6 chairs surrounding a single table. Aed sat beside an empty chair with Kukulkan beside him. Vara sat in frost covered chair. Next to them was a gold chair that sat empty and then there was mine. A rainbow coloured chair covered in vines and made of all sorts of different things. So many it was hard enough to focus on the color.
Aed stood and spread his arms wide. "Come sit with us! It's been some time since we've talked." I nodded bowed slightly to the group before taking my seat. Despite the looks and the mix of things it was surprisingly comfortable.
"Now a lot has happened since you slept kid. So we'll need to catch you up on a few things. First-" I cut him off by raising my hand. And he gave me a raised eyebrow of questioning.
"As much as I missed you. I'm here for a different reason." I said as I forcefully pulled the philosophers stone to the table.
Vara and the others backed away from it visibly disturbed by it. "Get that damned thing away! It reeks of human magic!" Vara hissed as Kukulkan audibly growled.
I frowned lightly before continuing. "I met a man who would like to return to earth one last time before he dies. But this stone is keeping him from returning. So I wanted to know if we could make that happen." I said resting my hands on either side of the rock.
The others stayed standing. Except kook. He kept himself afloat in the air.
Aed make a small grimace before he lifted up a piece of brick sized piece of burnt charcoal. "Let me make a call." He said as he held the charcoal in front of him and concentrated.
Within moment I felt space distort and twist before a tall woman in business dress came out. "Persephone. It's been some time." I grinned a little at her which she gave me a business smile before her eyes locked onto the stone in front of me. "Aw... Hell... No..." I closed my eyes at her response and tried to keep a laugh in... I failed miserably. "Pfft. Hahahaha! No need to worry about the stone. I can handle this. But I need some help regarding an old man who wishes to return to earth. He was forced to travel between the world's for a very long time. Now he wants to see earth one last time before he dies. Is there any way we can make a deal to do that." I said as I grasped the stone in my hand. Visibly holding it where everybody could see.
Persephone swallowed a little before she answered. "I could make that work... He'd have to die before. But we can let him see the world one last time before he continues his rebirth cycle. Just keep the Daemon Lapis away from me and I can sort it all out."
I raised an eyebrow. "Demon Stone... What exactly is it about this rock that you all are so scared of?" I said as I tossed it in the air like a pebble. Every time they grimaced when it smacked my palm.
"Laddie. You best be careful with that thing. You're essentially holding a Nuke of the gods in your hands." Aed said.
I immediately stopped. "Hold on... A WHAT!?" I said as I gently placed the stone on the table and backed off.