Italia

2,597 years since initial death
⭅━━━━━━━━━━ ⍦ ━━━━━━━━━━⭆

There's a moment in everyone's life that renders them as paralyzed, speechless statues.

When you're faced with a sight so magnificent and simultaneously terrifying that you're forced to stand still and stare back.

Watching the pillars of smoke emerge from the peak of Vesuvius seemed to have that effect on everyone. This included the immortal man who has witnessed the impossible over the course of daunting centuries.

But seeing that sinister downfall of utter blackness seep from the top of the volcano brought a horrible thought to mind. Especially when the Immortal's eyes darted down to the city that laid hopelessly within nature's path of destruction. Most importantly, he then thought of who resided within that population.

The thought of losing his family now was enough to snap him back to reality. While some were still mesmerized in awe, Markus started sprinting towards the nearest ship. He abandoned the merchant ship and ran for the Roman Bireme instead. Coincidentally, it was captained by Gaius' uncle, Pliny the Elder. Upon witnessing the massive eruption, they both had the same idea of attempting a rescue.

Several soldiers onboard the ship were hesitant about this idea, fearing it could lead to their deaths. The Romans weren't trained to deal with volcanic disasters. But they knew what disastrous consequences would await them if they abandon their duties in providing aid to the helpless.

Because Markus had previously served the Roman Empire, he was allowed access to the ship. They were off to a slow start, none of the crew onboard were prepared for this drastic turn of events. That was until the ship's commander restored their bravery.

"Have you idiots forgotten what it means to be a Roman?!" Pliny the Elder screamed out to his crew. "Move it, hoist the sails, we make way for Pompeii! Remember that fortune favors the bold!"

The bireme's size was large enough to rescue dozens of civilians, and its speed allowed it to reach the city before any merchant ship ever could. With the sea already rough to navigate through, they still persevered nonetheless. Pliny the Elder, also known as Gaius Plinius, had another reason to make the dangerous trip to Pompeii. Like Markus, he had family in the city he could not bear to lose. No amount of danger would persuade them to turn back now.

It took them over half an hour to reach the city docks. By the time they made it, hundreds of people were running for their lives outside. Markus made a run for it the moment the ship had docked. He couldn't see his family, instead he knew Camilla must have been waiting for him at home. She would never leave without him, it's not like her to do so.

Reaching the city was tough on foot, with the constant rush of people knocking him out of the way. By the time he reached the main road, it was impossible to see anything. Rocks and debris were falling from the sky, crashing into the buildings and hitting fleeing civilians. Even the tiles on rooftops were shaking and falling to the ground.

It was pointless to scream Camilla's name, there were far too many people already panicking during the chaos. All he could think about was making it back home, but it's unlikely that he'd ever reach it at this pace. Running through the crowds would surely just slow him down or get himself trampled.

Before he could attempt to run, he heard a massive crash behind him followed by agonizing screams. The ship he had arrived on alongside Pliny the Elder was completely destroyed by falling debris and ash. It erupted into flames as portions of it began to sink into the sea below. Fortunately, Gaius Plinius was still alive as he had escaped the ship before its destruction.

However, due to his old age, he was in no condition to run through these crowds and find his family. As he tried to avoid the falling debris, he suffered a heart attack that stopped him dead in his tracks. It was over for him just as it was for countless other people all around him. Death had already plagued this city far worse than any other disaster.

In an instant, Markus made up his mind. The streets were too crowded to navigate, but the rooftops were empty. Although debris was falling all over the area, it was still worth the risk. It was the only chance he had to make it back home on time. Finding a horse here wouldn't even be enough to help him as it would surely get slowed down by the horde.

Running around the closest building, he noticed some scaffolding leading to the roof. On a normal basis, it would take him nearly an hour just to walk through the crowded streets from his home to the docks. It's impossible for him to reach his home just by running across rooftops and he would most likely encounter a dead end. However, there wasn't time to plan it over, his chance was now.

By the time he reached the roof, tiles around him were violently shaking while others cracked and combusted from overwhelming pressure. He ran as fast as he could, avoiding slipping on the tiles as he continued. The temperature was unbearably hot, but his time traversing through the humid deserts of Egypt somewhat prepared him for this moment.

Ash covered the rooftops in a white layer, and it was terribly hard to breathe. It didn't stop Markus from continuing to run, eventually making the jump from one roof to another as most of the buildings were built close together. Then, he heard the distant roar of another explosion. More smoke emerged from the volcano as debris continued to demolish everything in its path.

The scenery of this destruction only taunted his mind. He's going to lose everything. Every memory he's made here, every happy moment, every street he's walked; everything he's known was about to be erased.

How would it feel to lose his family? He's lost one before, but he was spared the sight of watching their demise. The first time he's remarried in his life and to have a child of his own; how would it feel to watch them die instead?

It was at this moment that he felt like this was happening for a reason. Whether he was being tested or punished for his actions, he knew something here was simply unnatural. A part of him already felt that he deserved it as memories of his brutal actions against those in war or those that simply angered him flashed in his head.

He deserves to die here. He deserves to lose it all. Maybe with Pompeii's destruction, he can start again from scratch. That's what he believed but feared just as well. But even if that is his destiny, he'll be damned if he doesn't go down without a fight.

Frustration swam through his boiling blood as his anger was slowly overtaking his consciousness. His legs continued the hussle, forcing him to sprint through the apocalypse. 

Volcanic rocks struck inches away from Markus as he made it through. It was difficult, but he had to ignore the sounds all around him as people continued to scream below. His eyes teared up as he made another jump from building to building. Meanwhile, a fire broke out in the central part of the city and began to spread around. If the heat wasn't already devastating enough, it only got worse.

A few of the structures Markus ran over started to catch on fire. Already, his exhaustion had caught up to him. Despite the rage of losing his livelihood keeping his adrenaline pumped, his legs were giving up. He may be immortal, but he could still become weak and lack the strength to continue.

It didn't seem to matter as the next gap ahead was far too wide for any human being to cross. He was left trapped on the roof. However, when he looked up, the gap became the least of his worries. There it was, a boulder hurling down from the very heavens on a collision course into the very building he stood on. The impact initiated a massive shockwave, violently launching Markus off the roof.

His fall was broken by hanging tents beneath him. Still ripping through them in the process, he fell towards the ground. Luckily, he managed to stand back up with minimal injuries. But his body was bleeding all over as cuts and bruises covered him from head to toe. The constant ash made it difficult for him to relax and catch his breath.

He was still far from home and the crowds were as rampant as ever. Suddenly, he heard the neighs of horses. Despite what he thought of earlier, he was in no condition to keep on running. Immediately, he stumbled forward for the closest one. The animal was terrified of the events unfolding, but Markus knew just how to soothe it down.

Using every amount of effort he could muster, he mounted the horse and carefully rubbed its neck. His hands gently brushed its hair, causing the animal to settle down slowly. With no more time to waste, Markus suddenly whistled loudly. His mount understood the message and quickly sped off galloping as fast as it could. There was barely enough room to move beside the horde of people. But they still found a way, and they were making good progress.

Nearby boulders struck into the sides of buildings, causing wreckage to fly out and impale a few civilians. Markus was lucky to avoid them, although the smoke and ash forced him to cough for most of the time. Thankfully, he was getting closer to his home as the horse proved to be fairly fast. A half-hour long walk was shortened into a five minute gallop, and considering they were already close to begin with, he made it home in no time.

There it was, just a hundred meters away in the distance. He leapt off the horse once he reached closer and arrived at the locked door. Hastily knocking it, he had completely ran out of patience. His knocking turned into banging as he began kicking the door with his feet. All the while, he screamed his wife's name repeatedly until he managed to completely bust the door down.

As luck would have it, Camilla was still inside, holding on to Felix tightly. She was a mess, fear had forced her to stay indoors and look after her infant son. The moment she laid eyes on Markus however, hope had finally begun to reappear.

They had no time to talk or grab any valuables. With a tight hug, they all rejoiced being together once more. "Listen to me, you're going to be alright, I promise you." Markus held his wife close, looking back outside. "We'll run towards the harbor. If there isn't already a ship, we can escape on foot. Our story is not destined to end here, I will make sure of it."

By the time they ran back outside, the roof of their house had caught fire and started to collapse. Ash surrounded them as the fog lifted, making it difficult to see clearly. The horse Markus had arrived on was crushed by a falling wall, forcing them to make the final journey entirely on foot. They managed to stick to the road, following it behind the crowds of people. Others around them were still trying to evacuate, but already most of them were lying dead on the ground.

There was no alternative route for them to take. Fire and wreckage had blocked off every access point. Time was running out but they still continued to run through the street, avoiding collision as they neared the markets. Another layer of ash covered them as more continued to die. The fires engulfed the surrounding area, as the maintaining smoke made it nearly impossible to breathe.

As they ran, a flaming boulder crashed into the rooftops above, sending debris to the streets below. The trajectory of the debris was precise, aiming directly for Markus. His leg became impaled by a wooden stake as more rocks crashed on top of him. Chunks of concrete fell over his lower half and had him pinned to the ground, unable to move.

The pain was insufferable. When Camilla tried to pull him out of the rubble, he could barely yell back at her. "Camilla no! Leave me here!"

She kept shaking her head as she cried. "You expect me to leave you behind?! Markus, I can't do that!"

"I swear to you, I will survive. But you won't if you continue to stay here, don't risk your life for mine. Save yourself and our baby boy, so run Camilla!" His eyes had already teared up as it became harder to see. Ash had also begun to enter his mouth, causing him to slowly suffocate.

Camilla continued to sob but slowly backed away. "Don't look back. Just keep running, run until you're free. Don't let our story end here." Markus struggled to say his last line as he continued to choke.

Kneeling in front of him, Camilla kissed his forehead as her tears flowed. Finally, she started to run with Felix. Markus watched them until they disappeared within the crowds of countless souls. Much like he had done to his family over two thousand years ago in Egypt, they ran, never to look back.

Somehow, he was still alive. But he still couldn't stand or crawl, he was permanently stuck with his lower body crushed and impaled. Before he closed his eyes, he wanted to take a good and long look at his loved ones escape with their lives.

A part of him felt that this was the end. He was never going to see them again. Even if they survive, how could he show his face again? He should be dead, and that's what he'll have them believe.

He closed his eyes and listened as people continued to scream around him. After what felt like hours, the screaming slowly began to soften before coming to a stop. The entire city was coated in a white layer of ash. Bodies laid scattered throughout the streets and in homes.

Long before the city had settled, Camilla had already escaped with Felix. Everyone around her were dropping like flies, either from exhaustion, suffocation, or getting struck by pumice and other rocks. She even witnessed one man become crushed as a large boulder plummeted from the sky and landed over him. Half of his body was flattened underneath the rock, leaving only his legs on the outside.

Most of the citizens that tried to escape Pompeii were killed. The disaster was merciless, ending almost every life without hesitation. Those who did escape by foot wouldn't be able to outrun the volcano's area of effect in time. The only ones lucky enough to survive were those who escaped by ship, or those who were already outside the city before the eruption.

Hours passed. Markus remained in his position, unable to move or speak. By now, he became immune to the pain, continuing to endure the surrounding heat and ash. The wooden stake lodged in his leg had eventually caught fire, setting the rest of him ablaze. It didn't kill nor hurt him, and he didn't know why.

His body was entirely hardened, even blinking was hard. He was not the only one to succumb to this fate as countless others were left hardened. Their bodies literally turned to stone.

He only had one emotion, and it wasn't sadness or regret. Rather, he was enraged. He accepted this upcoming death, willing to wait for his next regeneration. There was no way he would let this destruction slide, someone had to be blamed for this, and he knew exactly who is at fault here. 

He just needed to wait for this nightmare to end before he can lash out at those responsible for it. One way or another, they will feel his wrath.

With his entire self covered in white ash and turned to rock, Markus was finally granted a temporary death.

⭅━━━━━━━━━━ ⍦ ━━━━━━━━━━⭆
Historical Notes:

Pliny the Elder was a massively influential Roman author, lawyer, natural philosopher and a Roman army commander. He has been involved in countless events, often giving his own personal view on several subjects. Traveling around several parts of the Mediterranean and Europe, he's seen and witnessed more than the average human in that time.

Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus)

The initial eruption released thermal energy 100,000 times those of both atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Pompeii should not have been affected by the eruption of Vesuvius. The wind typically blew away from the city. But on this fateful day, the wind blew against the city, guiding the eruption towards Pompeii.

⭅━━━━━━━━━━ ⍦ ━━━━━━━━━━⭆