Disclaimer: I own nothing

Prologue

Time waits for no man. This is a rule that all mortals have to live with. Each person has set amount of time that he or she has to spend. While the time each individual has differs, eventually the clock will run out for everyone. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

For this reason, men and women have tried desperately to gain more time. Every person does it. Most people try to extend their live by trying to remain healthy. They eat right and exercise to keep their weak physical bodies from deteriorating. This method is actually valid. Taking better care of themselves will extend their lives.

Others try to make an impact of the world so they will be remembered. Reproduction is the usual method to making a legacy. Children are the future of mankind and by making them, you are elongating your influence past your own lifetime. In fact, this method seems far too easy at times. Harder methods of remembrance can include creating a work of art, inventing a useful machine, or doing something that will go in the history books.

Like anyone really cares.

Some men, however, try find a more….. permanent solution. They try to become immortal.

Yeah, it sounds ridiculous.

These men dream of eternal youth. These men desire an invulnerable body. These men lust after the idea of never dying. Such people obsess over the thought of never facing the consequences of taking risks during their lives. To make this dream a reality they are willing to give up their very souls.

They are fools.

The very idea of a mortal body never dying is absurd. Every normal vessel will grow old. All mere physical bodies are vulnerable to injury. No matter what every human will die. As long as a man is still a man, he will run out of time.

Nevertheless, people still try. They will spend their precious time trying to find a method to gain more time. The only thing these idiots accomplish is wasting their lives on a fairytale dream. Despite their efforts, they die without making any real accomplishments. It is the ultimate irony.

And yet….

The idea is a very pleasurable thing to think about. It would be nice to never feel yourself grow weak. Never experiencing the agony of injury is a wonderful thought. Even if such things can never exist, they are a fantastic dream. To gain what you want most out of life, to never leave it.

But it should be left at that, a mere dream.

Seeking immortality will only waste your life. In addition, consider what would happen if you actually attained eternal youth. Time would continue to flow. People would continue to die. Life would go on without you. And you would never change.

Scary thought, is it not?

Everything you know and love would disappear around you. And nothing you do will change that. You would forever be alone. No friends or family can comfort you through your hard times. No rivals would arrive to give meaning to your hard work. No enemies would come to bring excitement to your life. But you would be alive, right. And that is what matters.

Wrong

Those who can fear death want to live. A person who cannot fear death, however, what does he want? What does a person who does not need to eat or drink to live desire? What does a person who no longer needs money to provide for themselves want? What does a man who cannot die want? The answer is simple.

He wants to die

What! That is ridiculous! Who in their right mind would want to die if they have what every mortal wants! It must be a lie right?

No, it's not

This concept of desiring death seems insane because it is. Just like the concept of eternal youth, immortality, and invincibility, no person can truly understand it because it is forever out of his reach. And this is where it should stay.

To actually gain immortality would be a curse. Not that the gods would ever admit it. They always act like living forever guarantees happiness.

Liars

They grow tired and bored all the time. That is why they use humans for their own amusement. They promise great gifts to men if they complete impossible tasks. Promises of wealth, power, and pleasure are given to men just for a bit of entertainment.

Most people curse the gods for their actions. Men think that they would be just if they were gods. Women think that they would be merciful and kind if they were godesess.

Hypocrites

If they were in the gods' place they would be far worse than any of the Olympians.

As such, no one can blame the gods if they gave men a hopless chance stay young forever. The whole idea was funny. Men would try desperately to beat the trials of the gods only to lose the time they have left. They knew that sucess on such a quest would be impossible.

This is why they were shocked to see a mere child overcome tasks that had broken the strongest men in the world.

It was a joke of a quest. The gods knew it. The humans knew it. Hell, everyone knew it. The only one who did'nt know the truth was that young boy.

The child was meant to die. That was the point. To avoid unnecessary ricks in the future the young hero had to die.

In the end, however, he was justed cursed. Instead of the peace of the afterlife he was given eternal earthly suffering.

At this, the gods actually pitied him. They would not have wished this fate unto their worst enemies.

That young man was cursed to walk the face of the earth until the end of time.