Immortals: Civil War III - The Unfinished Story

Simon Callow would have made a great Captain Watt.

What you are about to read is the prologue to the fourth story of Civil War III, a story titled "Immortals". The idea was to look at the history of the Immortals, characters "borrowed" from the Highlander film and television series and used in the Anglo-Force/Valkyrie Chronicles universe, how they came to be, and why they fought for the ultimate prize in the Gathering.

That story was never written. I never added to the Civil War story that I had begun four years before in 1996. By the time this prologue was written in 2000 work commitments, and the beginning of The Two Sheds Review wrestling column online meant that the story was never written.

It's taken me since over five years to get all of my old stories online. The purchase of a new scanner and the advent of AI apps sped up the process no end in the past few months. I've enjoyed going over what was a very creative part of my life, and it's reminded me of the grand plans I had for Civil War.

So is there anything else I could add to Civil War? Will there be any more stories? All I will say is never say never.

Here's the prologue of "Immortals" for you.

As Saruman the White strode to the centre chair, he saw the other six members of the Istari waiting for him. Out of respect they stood until Saruman seated himself.

Saruman watched as the large crowd began to enter the Great Hall of Istarix. Thousands upon thousands entered, men and women who had yet to be born, men and women who would play a pivotal role in the history of mankind. As the last few entered Saruman rose and raised his arms aloft.

“To all of you, I bid you welcome! For today is the start of your lives, even though many of you will not be born for hundreds of years! You will all be given the gift of immortality! And you will use your gift to help mankind, to take them to a higher plain, to advance them, and to help them through the difficult centuries to come! Now go! Be born! And take your places in the history of mortal man!”

The wizards watched as the men and women began to get younger and younger. Adults became teenagers, teenagers became children, children became babies, and then they vanished, each to specific moments in human history, to help mankind.

But one of the Istari had other plans.