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This is the part about how the story could have gone. The alternative.
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Yes, when I started this whole thing, I didn't expect it to turn out this way. But on the other hand, I'm more than happy with the way things have turned out.
On my orders, the unlucky Chimeras are now rampaging the streets, wiping out the population. These two dozen more advanced, but capable, chimeras are out there somewhere, rounding up the remaining survivors and bringing them to the palace grounds for the final stage of my plan.
Ever since we started creating successful chimeras, the thought had never left me: Why not borrow an idea from a homunculus. It occurred to me that this city, with its circular layout and stone walls, could be that alchemical circle. And its inhabitants...they were to be the raw material for the new red stone.
For months now, I've been secretly sending out my chimeras, instructing them to inscribe the necessary symbols in specific locations throughout the city. The circle is nearly complete. The boundaries are perfect, the walls serving as natural landmarks for the transformation that is about to take place. Once the alchemical process begins, the inhabitants will fuel the alchemical process and their souls will be transformed into the perfect philosopher's stone. The very thought of it gives me a shiver of anticipation.
And Rachit... Well, I have a plan for him. His touching devotion to Artain, to the principles they shared before I enlightened them both, is holding him back. Artain is no longer there to protect him - he is now one of my creations, relegated to the level of a mere instrument in this grand orchestra.
"Let's see if you're ready to take part in changing the world, Rahit," I whispered
Rahit, constrained by his own sense of entitlement, spat out his usual nonsense. "You're a monster, Dorian. Far more disgusting than your creations! One day God will punish you for your sins. - His voice trembled with fear and anger. - Mark my words, Dorian. You will not escape judgment.
I couldn't resist a quiet chuckle. How many times had I heard that? How many times had someone - human, chimera or otherwise - tried to appeal to the morality they so desperately clung to? Rachitus was no exception.
"God, punishment, sin... Blah, blah, blah... I already know what awaits me at the end of life's journey. The same is true for all of us who dare to step into the realm of alchemy - on the other side of the gate. The only real question is what price I will pay before the guardian of Truth. But those thoughts... that's for another time. Right now, there's work to be done."
I turned away from the ranting Rahit, my gaze stopping on Artein, a once brilliant mind now transformed into a chimera, docile and soulless. He stood there, his eyes glazed but still flickering with a faint, detached curiosity. Deep down, the old "Artist" was still out there somewhere, striving to understand what he could never understand in his human form.
- Get ready," I said, glancing over my shoulder at Rahit. - You are about to witness the true process of creating the red stone. You may hate me now, but before you die, you will realize the magnitude of what is happening here.
Artein moved slightly, and his monstrous figure became more visible. His transformation had been one of my best works-a fusion of man and dog, I thought, to be in keeping with his morale, and yet his mind still retained some semblance of its former intelligence. He, too, wanted to see this final act.
Outside, the chimeras were already hard at work. The streets of the city were being cleared, and the inhabitants were being herded like cattle into the designated parts of the alchemical circle. Each symbol, carefully applied over months of planning, was almost ready to be activated. Soon they would all gather on the palace grounds - the final piece of the puzzle.
The first perfect chimera, a huge reptilian figure, slid into the room. This chimera, with its cold, unblinking eyes, was the herald of my success. Its appearance meant only one thing: everything was ready. The time had come.
I couldn't contain the smile that touched the corners of my lips. I had been carefully preparing for this moment. Not only would I now create the Philosopher's Stone, but I would also test my newest development, a failed experiment remade into something more... exciting.
My original intent was to create an alchemical circle that would act as a stable vessel for souls that could replenish its supply, different from the properties of the Philosopher's Stone. This would have created a constant supply of raw alchemical energy that was not tied to the abilities of the alchemist. But the theory proved impractical, and I abandoned it. However, it was replaced by a new idea: the possibility of attaching a person's soul to a material object, binding them together forever. And for that, Rahit would serve as the perfect test subject.
I approached the circle, holding the red stone in my hand. Inside the intricate set of symbols, Rahit sat in trembling silence, his eyes widened with horror at what he probably assumed was about to happen. In his lap I placed the book, the vessel into which I would transfer his soul.
- Let's begin," I whispered, the air around me thickening with the importance of the moment.
The stone in my hand pulsed, glowing with the deep, blood-like hue of countless stolen souls. When I touched the alchemical circle with it, the lines drawn on the floor flashed with a bright, blinding light. The very ground beneath us seemed to hum with otherworldly energy, a vibration that reverberated through the palace.
I watched as the alchemical symbols began to change, crawling across the floor like living creatures, surrounding Rahit. His breathing became ragged, and I saw the terror in his eyes as he fully realized what was happening.
"No... No!" Rahit's voice trailed off in despair. But it was too late.
The very air itself swirled, wrapping around Rahit's body. His body arched violently, as if an invisible force was tugging at the very core of his being. The alchemical transmutation had begun.
I felt the power of the stone surge through me as I channeled it into the circle. The symbols glowed brighter, and then the thing I'd been waiting for happened. A pale light, like unearthly smoke, began to pour out of Rahit's chest. His soul. It tensed in his body, trying to stay attached, but the force of the transformation was too great.
His scream echoed through the room, but it wasn't just a sound-it was a raw, primal scream of his very essence being torn from his flesh. His body convulsed, eyes bulging, mouth wide open in a silent plea for mercy that would never come. The soul, a glowing mass of translucent light, finally burst from its mortal body.
I watched mesmerized as Rahit's soul wiggled through the air like an energy thread, reaching for the book in his lap. The symbols in the circle changed again, guiding the soul to its new prison.
The book absorbed the light, its pages fluttering as if in a sudden gust of wind. The glow of the soul faded, sinking deeper and deeper into the pages until only a faint, residual flicker remained.
Rahit's body collapsed, lifeless and desolate, his eyes staring blankly into the void. But the book-the book pulsed, faintly lit from within, now containing the very essence of the man who had once dared to call me a monster.
I bent down and took the book from Rahit's cold lap. I felt the faint hum of his soul contained within it, a barely perceptible vibration in my hand. The alchemical transmutation had worked. His essence, his consciousness was now bound to this material object - forever.
"Well, Rachit," I said quietly, leafing through the pages. "It seems you have been granted eternal life after all. Though perhaps not in the way you imagined."
The red stone in my hand faded, its power slightly weakened. But it didn't matter. And soon the entire city would fall, its inhabitants feeding the stone, their souls forever bound.
As I walked up the stairs, leaving the dimly lit alchemy room, my thoughts were preoccupied with the final phase of my plan-the creation of the perfect red stone. The process had been meticulously prepared for months, and now all the pieces were in place. Artein and the chimera lizard accompanied me, to the location, I also brought the book-Rahit with me.
I made my way to the upper floors of the palace and ascended to the majestic observation deck that had once served as Lord Valdaric's platform to address his people. Ironically, this place, once a symbol of order and power, was now the epicenter of the city's destruction and alchemical transmutation.
Below me, the city spread out like a vast alchemical circle, its streets and walls forming intricate lines and symbols. The townspeople were gathered exactly where they were supposed to be-my chimeras had herded them into the center of the city-the palace grounds.
From my seat I could see the horror frozen on their faces, their bodies trembling with fear as they awaited their fate. They had witnessed the atrocities committed by my creatures - the brutal extermination of their friends, neighbors, and loved ones. The weight of their collective horror hung in the air like a thick fog.
Among them, at the front of the crowd, stood Lord Valdaric himself. His once regal countenance shook, and his face contorted with rage and distrust when he spotted me on the platform above. Without hesitation, he began to shout, his voice hoarse and desperate.
"Dorian! What have you done!!! What kind of madness is this?!" His words echoed through the hall. "You're going to regret this! I'll take care of it! Why ... why is my army of creatures killing my people! Answer me!"
His eyes were frantic, searching for some semblance of an explanation. But I had no need to indulge him. He was but a footnote in this grand experiment.
Ruler Igrand's face contorted with rage, but he could only watch as I took my place in the center of the circle, at the point from which the entire alchemical transmutation was to begin.
- You see, Lord Valdaric, strength does not come from lording it over others. True power comes from understanding the essence of life itself, from surrendering the laws of nature to your will. And now. you and your people will be the fuel to create the greatest of all things Alchemy.
The symbols carved into the streets of the city began to glow with a bright pulsing red light.
The glow intensified, spreading from the palace grounds and spreading through the city like a wave of dark red energy. The air grew heavy with the growing hum of alchemical power, and the very ground beneath us began to vibrate.
The townspeople below screamed in terror as they felt the pressure on their very natures, the energy spilling into the air and drawing out their very life essence. Valdaric's indignant screams were replaced by cries of horror as he realized the magnitude of what was happening. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground, clutching his chest as his strength began to leave him.
- Stop it! - he shouted in a broken voice. But I remained unfazed. It was the culmination of everything I had worked for-the absolute fusion of alchemy and life itself. I could feel the power spilling over me as the alchemical circle reached its peak, the souls of the people pouring into the stone, increasing its power with each passing second.
And as the screams of the city echoed in my ears, I closed my eyes and smiled. Creating the Philosopher's Stone...
As I held the newly created Philosopher's Stone in my hand, the size and shape of a finger but radiating an overwhelming presence, I felt a surge of triumph. This unique gem, in which the essence of several tens of thousands of lives pulsed, was a testament to my labors.
The chaos and bloodshed that had occurred in the city were now only echoes in my mind. My chimeras, who served as both tools and companions, stood nearby, their eyes wide with fear and confusion. Except for Artein, who watched me with a mixture of admiration and apprehension, as if the remnants of his dreaming heart clung to the belief that greatness could be found even in monstrosity.
Just as I was about to contemplate my next steps, a familiar voice cut through the silence. It was Rahit, his consciousness abruptly returned from the abyss of oblivion.
"What is it!" - he shouted, panic audible in his voice. "Why... why am I a book? What happened!"
His words came in a flood as he began to comprehend the horrific scene before him - bodies strewn about the palace grounds, remnants of the once vibrant life of the city, now laid bare, plunged into silence and immobility. Rahit looked around, noting the desolation and despair that had prevailed in his absence.
"You did this! You monster!" - he wailed, raising his voice.
"Don't you see, Rahit?" I replied in a calm and adamant voice. "That is the price of knowledge of alchemy. This city, its people-they were merely a means to an end. The Philosopher's Stone is the key to a new era of alchemy."
Rahit's shouts faded, replaced by stunned silence as he digested my words. He was trapped in this new reality, and there was nothing he could do to change it.
"But at what cost, Dorian?" he whispered, a note of sadness now audible in his voice. "At what cost?"
- Burn it to the ground," I ordered in a firm and determined voice. "Leave no trace of what happened here. This city must be erased from history."
The once vibrant streets were filled with the smell of smoke and cinders. Meanwhile, my unlucky chimera specimens were enjoying the chaos, devouring the bodies strewn across the ground. I watched them with a mixture of contempt and amusement; they were nothing more than instruments of destruction. They too would soon meet their end.
"Let them burn with the city. They have accomplished their task and are no longer of any use to me."
As the fire raged, devouring the past and destroying my former life, I turned my attention to my masterpieces. Twenty-four chimeras, each one a testament to my skill, were ready to follow me into the unknown, rather forced. They were the embodiment of my will, "Prepare yourselves," I commanded in a quiet but commanding voice. "We are not done yet. The world holds secrets yet to be revealed - alchemical truths hidden in the shadows of history. We will set out and find them, unraveling the secrets that have eluded us for so long."
With a slight movement of my hand, I pointed to the horizon. "Our journey begins now. The ashes of this city will mark the beginning of a new era in the history of our lives."
So, the stage was set for the next chapter of my alchemical journey.