Immortals: Slovenia

Zal

My name is Zal, and I am immortal. I have lived for thousands of years, witnessing the rise and fall of civilizations, the birth and death of stars, the evolution and extinction of species. I have seen wonders and horrors beyond imagination, and I have learned secrets and mysteries beyond comprehension. But I have never found the answer to the question that haunts me: why am I immortal?

I was born in the time of prehistory, when humans were still hunter-gatherers, living in small bands, roaming the land in search of food and shelter. I was born in the region that is now called Slovenia, near the river Ljubljanica, where the city of Ljubljana stands today. I was born with a mark on my chest, a spiral of red and black, that set me apart from the others. I was born different.

I realized I was immortal when I survived a saber-toothed tiger attack. I was hunting with my tribe, when the beast leaped out of the bushes and pounced on me. It tore my flesh with its fangs and claws, and I felt the pain and the blood. But I did not die. I healed. The wounds closed, the scars faded, and I was whole again. I was alive.

My tribe was amazed and afraid. They thought I was blessed by the spirits, or cursed by the demons. They did not know what to make of me. They called me Zal, which means "the one who lives". They treated me with awe and respect, but also with fear and suspicion. They kept me at a distance, and I felt lonely.

I left my tribe when I was twenty years old. I wanted to see the world, to explore and learn, to find others like me, to find the meaning of my immortality. I wandered across the lands, crossing mountains and rivers, forests and deserts, oceans and islands. I met many people, of different cultures and languages, religions and beliefs, arts and sciences. I learned from them, and I taught them. I made friends, and I made enemies. I loved, and I lost. I lived.

I have lived through the ages, adapting to the changes, blending in with the societies, hiding my true nature. I have lived under many names, many identities, many roles. I have been a warrior, a healer, a scholar, a merchant, a poet, a king, a beggar, a spy, a rebel, a hero, a villain. I have lived many lives, but I have never found my purpose.

I am now living in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, the place where I was born. I am living as a writer, a storyteller, a chronicler of history. I am living as an old man, with a beard and a cane, a disguise that conceals my youth and vigor. I am living in a modern world, full of technology and progress, but also of conflict and crisis. I am living in a world that I barely recognize, and that barely recognizes me.

I am living, but I am not alive. I am immortal, but I am not eternal. I am weary, but I cannot rest. I am lonely, but I cannot die. I am Zal, the one who lives, but I do not know why.