Ascension

Kieren drunkenly stumbled into his apartment building, the slightly dim hallway lights spun slightly in his vision. He fumbled with his keys, trying to insert them into his room but he continuously failed. After what it felt like to Kieren to be an eternity of carelessly putting it in and out, it finally went in.

He pushed the door open and stumbled in, mumbling something under his breath before he shut the door close and collapsed on to his bed.

I'm such a miserable excuse of an older brother. Kieren couldn't help think to himself. After all his excuse was just pathetic, in the end he couldn't even at the very least apologize.

The combination of his memories slowly coming back to him, the splitting headache as well as the feeling of being overcome with regret and guilt did not leave him in a good mental state. He decided to leave it for tomorrow, right now he just needed rest.

As the sun rose, Kieren did not, he stayed in his bed after waking up. He had lost all of his motivation to do anything, after all what could an elf like him even do? Kieren felt lost, like he had no purpose.

*********************

Ludger approached James who was sat reading a newspaper.

"Get up. We have been assigned a new task." He said to James, with his usual tone.

James glanced at Ludger, he sighed and folded his newspaper. "Can't you let a man finish reading?"

Ludger studied James for a few seconds before he spoke. "Kieren Rosevell is being recruited."

James fell out of his chair, he rubbed his head. "What?!"

Ludger tsked, "It's the mission that Spirit Medium Evangeline directly assigned us."

James got up and coughed, "I take it you're not too happy about it?"

Ludger looked at James, and walked away.

James quickly got up and tried to keep up as they walked outside a café.

********************

Kieren bid the landlord farewell as he glanced at his wallet, before he sighed. "I have a pound remaining after paying rent... and getting drunk."

He shut his door close, before he could collapse on his bed another knock came.

Kieren rolled his eyes, and opened his door, yawning as he asked with an unfriendly tone. "What now? I already paid rent!"

When he opened his eyes two familiar figures were standing still. They were the two officers who had greeted him when he woke up in his room!

Kieren asked with a puzzled tone, "Why are you here?"

The officer with glasses spoke with a cold tone. "We need you to come with us." Without waiting for a response he turned around and walked down the stairs, opening the door to the apartment building.

The tall one looked at Kieren and gestured him to follow by moving his head. Kieren sighed and reluctantly followed the officer with glasses, whilst the tall one walked behind him.

Kieren inwardly prayed to the Twilight Goddess that the officers wouldn't take him to an alleyway and then stab him to death, he felt this way because of the sudden visit. He suspected that they thought that Kieren had found something that he shouldn't have, like those theatre plays that he used to enjoy.

Eventually they entered inside of an ordinary coffee shop, Kieren was perplexed. Did the officers take a detour to drink coffee? Kieren came to a logical conclusion.

They walked up to the waitress waiting behind a counter, without any words being exchanged the waitress nodded abruptly before letting them pass without batting an eye.

Kieren felt as if he had been invited into a secret cult, even a secret organization! No way a secret organization would be hid inside of a coffee shop! Kieren shook his head as he followed the officer with glasses, who walked downstairs, as Kieren descended down the steps he gulped.

This might be my last day. He thought to himself, once he finished descending he set foot on white marble floor. The basement wasn't old and creaky, as he would've thought it to be. Instead, it was quite luxurious and expansive. There were other officers playing cards on a table, they looked curiously at Kieren and waved at him with smiles on their faces. Meanwhile Kieren had a horrified look on his face. Oh my Goddess! I'm going to be their lunch!

Kieren's heart started to beat faster and faster as they approached an ornate door. Once they had stopped by the door, there was no need for them to push it open, or even knock. It just opened on its own!

Inside was a dimly lit lamp on the ceiling, it looked as if a glowing ball of light was trapped inside the lamp. There a bookshelf behind a desk, and behind a desk was a stunning woman. her beautiful ocean-blue eyes lit up the entire room. Her obsidian, black hair flowed all the way down on to the chair she was sat on. Her lips curled up as her eyes locked on to Kieren's.

The two officers looked at her, and then nodded before they left the room. She's a vampire isn't she? I'm going to have my blood sucked by a vampire! 

''My name is Evangeline, I apologize for having brought you here on short notice.'' Her voice was otherworldly, echoing through out the entire office. 

Kieren took in a deep breath before he spoke, ''May I ask why I have been brought here? And where I am?'' 

Evangeline chuckled, ''All you men are so direct. Ahh...'' just then a flying ball of light flew to her, carrying a bottle of wine! Kieren's eyes widened, She's Awakened! 

Evangeline took a sip of the wine before her gaze settled on Kieren. With a smile she explained, ''I am Awakened. Where you are, is a secret organization, which is hid by the Church of the Twilight Goddess. We are The Order,'' She took another sip of wine. ''As for why you've been brought here, as you may or may not be aware... you are also, undergoing the process of Awakening.''

Kieren coughed, ''Me? No, I think you've got the wrong guy!'' He swiftly denied the idea, after all he knew better than to get involved with secret organizations!

Evangeline suddenly asked, ''You see those orbs right?'' Kieren nodded.

''They are what we call, 'Spirits' and only those that are Awakening can truly see them.'' She chuckled softly, ''When someone Awakens, they are granted the path of the god they worship. In your case, since you revere the Twilight Goddess, you'll gradually gain the abilities tied to her path.''

Kieren listened intently. He understood all the core concepts, even after he lost most of his memories, the memory of Awakened being's remained.

''I believe you have alterations in your vision, haven't you? The strange feeling... as if everything has become clearer?'' Evangeline asked, her tone amused.

Kieren recalled back when the officers had met him for the first time, he did feel a strange sensation, shortly after he had a headache. It also happened after his weird dream! With a nod he spoke. ''Yes I have. How did you know?'' He asked curiously.

''I am also like you. I am just at a higher stage of 'Ascension' though.'' 

Upon hearing this Kieren leaned forward slightly, ''Ascension?'' Kieren couldn't help ask.

Evangeline studied Kieren before she smiled. ''There are stages to being 'Awakened' and right now you are only Awakening. After Awakening you become truly Awakened, and that's when you gain more abilities. The stages go as followed: Awakening, Awakened, Ascending, Ascended, and finally, Ascension.''

She paused thoughtfully before she quickly added, ''There are three more stages beyond these, for those who reach demi-godhood. Transcending is the phase where you prepare your body and enhance all your abilities to demi-god level. Transcended is when you truly evolve to become a Demi-god. And Transcension is when you evolve into a being close to a God.''