Curse of Asclepius

[CodexGigas]

Important people in the past did important things on important dates. Russell, a pre-med major, couldn't care less. World Civ was a stupid requirement for a future doctor. When the hell would he need to know the difference between the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms of Egypt? Who cared? Not his future patients, that's for sure.

Dr. Bernstein, Russell's World Civ professor, looked like he was competing for stereotype of the year award. He had a plaid bow-tie, a jacket with elbow pads, and coke-bottle glasses. Russel even thought he might have seen Dr. Bernstein smoking a pipe around campus. He had probably worn tweed diapers as a baby.

Russell sighed and zoned out while Dr. Bernstein went on and on about the importance of the historical method.

"Dr. Bernstein, that's great and all, but I really just came to your office hours to get your recommendation on a paper topic. Ideally something that would be useful to a pre-med major?"

Dr. Bernstein harrumphed and took off his glasses to clean them. "Well, Mr. Perot, perhaps something on the history of medicine? The Greeks or the Egyptians perhaps? How about a paper on Asclepius?"

"Asclepius? Isn't that, like, mythology?"

"So you were paying attention in that last lecture," Dr. Bernstein said. "Anyways, Asclepius was probably based on a historical figure. You should talk to a reference librarian. They know everything."

"Yeah. Sure. Great. I'll get started on that," Russell grabbed his bag and got out of Dr. Bernstein's office as quickly as possible.

------------------------------

"What the hell is microfish?" Russell wondered to himself as he looked over the resource list the librarian had given him.

"Uh, that's probably 'microfiche,' dude," a guy said as he walked into the lounge. "Hey, mind if I change the channel?"

Russell sighed. He probably wanted to watch the football game. The guy was clearly one of the corn-fed jock types that dominated the rural campus. Backwards baseball cap, "property of athletic department" t-shirt, and a shaggy frat-boy haircut.

"Whatever, just keep the volume down. I'm working on a paper."

"Sure thing, bro," the jock grabbed the remote and started flipping channels.

"And the categories are…"

Russell looked up at the t.v. "Are you...are you watching Jeopardy?"

"Dude, I got to get my daily trivia fix!"

"Trivia?"

"Yeah bro! I was my high school's quiz bowl captain. Made it all the way to state."

"Uh…"

"Oh! Panama! Panama!" the jock shouted at the screen. "Score!" He pumped his fist in the air.

Russell shook his head and went back to checking his resources list.

-------------------------------

Russell twisted the dials until the microfilm came into focus. The plastic sleeve laid on the table nearby, neatly labelled "The Scroll of Asclepius." Russell wasn't sure if microfilm could yellow with age--it was definitely the color of parchment. Weirder, the ink was an iridescent beetle-green. And it was in Greek or something. How did the librarian expect him to read this?

Then, the words started to blur on the screen. Russell frowned and tried to adjust the focus. A painful spark of green static arcing across his fingers, made him pull back.

The words twisted and flexed on the glowing screen.

SON OF ASCLEPIUS

"What the hell?"

RECEIVE YOUR BIRTHRIGHT

The screen grew brighter, the words knotting themselves into illegible tangles. The lights in the room dimmed, flickered, and went out, leaving only the phosphorescent green glow of the microfiche reader's screen.

Russell bolted up, chair clattering to the ground behind him. As he turned to run, he was struck full in the back by a heavy, writhing mass, knocking him over the fallen chair.

As Russell tumbled towards the concrete floor, he felt something pressing against the base of his neck and his forehead, squeezing tighter the closer he got to impact. When Russell's head cracked against the ground the pressure grew, pushing between the jagged edges of pain.

------------------------

"We're going to keep you a few more hours for observation," the doctor said as he looked over Russell's chart. "Symptoms of a concussion are usually all resolved within three weeks, so I'll see you again then."

"Will the headache go away before then?" Russell groaned as he screwed his eyes shut and tried to ignore the throbbing. It felt like something was worming its way around inside his head, coiling around his thoughts, pushing painfully deep. The doctor was already gone when Russell opened his eyes.

<Son of Asclepius>

Russell was bright enough to not say anything out loud when he heard the voice in his head. The last thing he needed was to give the doctor a reason to keep him longer.

What are you? I mean, who... Russel felt a smooth ripple pass through his head.

<I am the Ophion>

Okay, Ophion. What exactly are you?

<The Ophion>

Great. And what do you do?

<I consume thoughts and birth potential>

So I think of something, you eat it and make it happen?

<I merely transmute the thought into potential | You are the agent of change>

Let's say, hypothetically, I wanted to make myself into a superman or something. Could I do that? Russell felt a twitch inside his mind.

<Show me what you desire, Son of Asclepius>

Russell had a weakness for comic books, not that he would ever admit it. He yearned to have one of the impossible heroic physiques on display in every page, bulging and rippling impressively. Intimidatingly. No body ever picked on superheroes. He could be stronger, faster, more resilient that any of his peers. Russell's heart was pounding, palms sweating as he whispered, "Yes."

The picture sprung up bright and clear in his mind's eye only to be snuffed out in a terrifying blackness. Russell's mind went totally blank, his world reduced to something writhing and coiling around his hidden thoughts. Digesting them. Transmuting them.

Light bloomed behind Russell's eyes.

<It is done> Ophidion's voice reverberated through Russell's mind, sounding like two voices where there had been one. There was a painful tightness almost as bad as the initial headache, accompanied by a disconcerting slithering sensation.

[Proteus]

Very interested to see where this goes.

[cutlerfan]

Please continue..I am intrigued!

[Faust2001]

Yeah, please keep this going. Neat mechanism for growth. I'd love to see how far Russel takes it.

[nicotico]

Awesome! Please continue!

[muscl4life]

I love this kind of story, you have built a very great start of tale.

[nnnrg]

Oooh, danger Will Robinson. The thing CONSUMES them - does that remove them?

Because he wants to be superhuman, and will he want to once he is? Or will he regret it, or simply not care??

[msclundylvr]

Wow. Great premise! Can't wait to see what is next!

[theseventhwave]

Nice start. Interesting premise. Thanks!

[benroc]

I questioned to my self who is this Asclepius? Google searched and found:

Asclepius was a Greek hero who later become the Greek god of medicine and healing. The son of Apollo and Coronis, Asclepius had five daughters, Aceso, Iaso, Panacea, Aglaea and Hygieia. He was worshipped throughout the Greek world but his most famous sanctuary was located in Epidaurus which is situated in the northeastern Peloponnese. The main attribute of Asclepius is a physician's staff with an Asclepian snake wrapped around it; this is how he was distinguished in the art of healing, and his attribute still survives to this day as the symbol of the modern medical profession. The cock was also sacred to Asclepius and was the bird they sacrificed as his altar.

Thought this would be helpful for others. For me it has helped me become more intrigued

Please continue!

[CodexGigas]

Short chapter, but I'll hopefully have more to post soon.

-----------------------------------------------------

Russell was still in pain as he made his way back to the dorms, although it was more bearable than before. It had faded to the dull pressure of a sinus headache, where before it had been as agonizing as a migraine. All Russell wanted to do was crash for the night, but it was a Friday. The dorms were guaranteed to be loud. Russell stopped at a water fountain and popped one of the pills the doctor had given him, hoping it would numb the pain and knock him out so he could get some sleep.

The smell of sweat and booze and cheap perfumes washing across Russell when he walked into the dorm. It was even noisier than he had expected, parties spilling out into the dim hallways, intoxicated students humping and grinding to the repetitive thudding beat of pop music.

When Russell got back to the lounge though, there were only a few guys in their boxer-briefs playing videogames.

"Hey, Russell!" It was the Jeopardy jock. "Come play some Smash Brothers with us, dude!"

Russell, desperate to escape social interaction, glanced around the room, looking for an excuse to just go to bed. "Uh, sounds fun, but there aren't enough controllers."

"Shit! You're right, bro! Help me up and I'll go get one from my room real quick," the jock reached out a broad hand toward Russell. Russell sighed and grabbed the outstretched hand. There was a brief swelling inside Russell's head, followed by the sensation of something twining down his arm and bursting painfully from his palm. Russell yelled something incomprehensible as he snatched back his hand.

The jock crashed back down to the carpet with a grunt, the other guys roaring with laughter.

"Dude, it felt like something just bit me!" the jock said as he massaged his hand. "That was some static shock, huh?"

"Yeah, sorry," Russell said, attempting an apologetic laugh. "Hey, I've had a really long day, maybe I'll just hit the hay for now."

"Okay man, some other time then," the jock said as he picked up his controller.

[CodexGigas]

Russell could barely keep his eyes open as he made his way into his room. He peeled off his jeans and slid on pajama pants as he stumbled towards the bunk bed. The painkiller must have started working. In addition to the sudden exhaustion, Russell's headache had faded away to almost nothing.

<The change has begun, Son of Asclepius> Ophion said, curling about Russell's tired thoughts. A smile drifted across Russell's face as he slipped into a deep and dreamless sleep.

The sun was barely up when Russell practically leapt out of bed, a manic grin plastered across his face. He felt good. Better than he had in a long time. The coffeemaker on the dresser clicked as the timer hit 6:00, but Russell didn't wait for his cup of coffee. He ran to the bathroom, imagining the amazed stares of students if they had been awake to see his graceful sprint. Russell hadn't even broken a sweat by the time he pushed open the bathroom door.

As expected, the bathroom was deserted this early on a Saturday morning. Russell made his way over to the nearest sink, heart pounding with anticipation as he faced the mirror. He looked terrible.

The reflection staring back looked even thinner than it had yesterday. Gaunt, sallow-cheeked, bags under cloudy eyes. Russell ran his hand through his tangled hair and then across his patchy stubble. His heart was still beating fast, but not from excitement, from exertion. He was out of breath, and his knees ached. Russell trudged back to his room to get shower supplies.

Coffee was waiting for Russell when he got back to his room. He needed it. The vapors of steam coiled around Russell as he took his first gulp of the life-giving drink.

<Truly, this 'coffee' is the drink of the gods> Ophion said in a languid tone.

Why the hell haven't I changed? I feel worse than I did yesterday, and I had a concussion yesterday!

Russell felt the shrug of heavy coils in his mind. <I am not the agent of change>

Yeah, so how do I start this change? Russell thought with mounting irritation at Ophion's evasive answers.

<It has already begun | The body is prepared>

My body?

<The one who received the ophidion you created>

Russell gripped the coffee mug until his knuckles turned white, barely keeping his frustration under control. And what is an ophidion?

<A thought that has been transmuted into potential>

Russell paced across his tiny room, taking angry sips of coffee. So you're saying that I gave the potential to become a superhuman to someone else?

<That is correct | The ophidion merely awaits your touch>

Russel froze as a shudder ran through his body. I...I...can't The thundering realization that he might unleash a superhuman terror on the world if he shook hands with the wrong person was paralyzing.

Wait...that shock the other day when I tried to help that corn-fed jock up...did I give this ophidion thing to *that* guy?

Ophion coiled tight inside Russell's head before replying.

<Indeed, Son of Asclepius>

[imfit]

The story has started with an interesting premise. He thoughts take form but not in the way he intended. How will he activate the corn-fed jock into superhero-stature?