Page 269 of The Ascended
We have a chance now—a chance to make something of ourselves. To live.
Don’t speak too soon. We still have to survive today.
The universe can’t get rid of the Morvaren twins that easily.He pulled me into a hug.
The resonant tone of a ceremonial bell cut through the chamber, silencing the crowd. Olinthar's scribes appeared, clothed in white and gold, their faces serene masks as they directed us to our positions. They looked so much like the priests from Saltcrest. I tried my hardest not to wince.
We should join the others,I sent finally.They're calling for us to take our positions.
Thatcher nodded, squeezing my hand once before releasing it. "When this is over, we'll talk properly. About everything."
"Right," I agreed.
My legs felt heavier with each step toward the pedestals. This was the moment everything changed. Succeed or fail. Live or die. Become divine or be consumed by divinity.
I took my place on the cold marble, suddenly aware of thousands of immortal eyes fixed upon us. Marx stood on the pedestal beside mine, her face composed but her fingers tapping restlessly against her thigh. Across from us stood Thatcher and Vance. If he was scared, he didn't show it.
A hush fell over the chamber as the main doors swung open once more. Olinthar entered, and the very air seemed to bend around him.
Light seemed to bleed from him.
My father. The bastard who had cost me everything and would soon pay for it. But in reality, how soon was soon? In the face of eternity, how long would we be waiting to take him down? I regretted not asking that.
I forced myself to look directly at him as he took his seat, refusing to cower even as hatred burned so hot in my chest I feared it might show on my skin. His perfect features were arranged in an expression of benevolent command that made me want to scream.
"Welcome," he intoned, his voice resonating throughout the chamber without effort. "Today, we witness the culmination of the Trials of Ascension. These four mortals—" his gaze swept over us, "—have proven themselves worthy of consideration for our divine ranks."
As if this were some great honor he bestowed.
"Ascension is not merely a reward," Olinthar continued, his perfect hands gesturing gracefully as he spoke. "It is a sacred duty, a divine purpose that transcends mortal understanding. Those who join us take on the burden of shaping the very fabric of existence."
"The final trial is not a test of skill or strength or cunning," he explained, his voice dropping to a more solemn tone. "It is the divine forging itself. Each contestant will be bathed in the pure light ofSundralis, which will burn away their mortality and reveal what lies beneath."
A murmur ran through the crowd. I glanced at Thatcher, drawing strength from the resolute set of his jaw, the unwavering determination in his eyes. Together. At least we were together.
"Let us begin," Olinthar announced, rising from his throne. He raised his arms toward the crystal dome above us. The shards of glass began to retract, sections sliding away to reveal the blinding sky above. The crowd fell silent, the tension in the air thick enough to choke on.
For one breathless moment, nothing happened.
Then the world exploded into light.
The beam struck me without warning, driving me to my knees. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. The burning light threatened to tear me apart from within. Energy crashed through me, a tidal wave shattering every barrier, flooding every cell.
I tried to scream, but no sound emerged. My fingers clawed desperately at the marble pedestal, seeking an anchor in a storm that threatened to erase me completely.
I hadn't prepared for this level of agony.
The light burned. Gods, how it burned. Not just my skin, but deeper—muscle, bone, the very core of me scorched under its blinding assault. Each heartbeat pumped liquid fire through my veins. Each breath filled my lungs with searing heat.
Then, my own power responded. It coiled and twisted, rising to meet the challenge. Violet spirals burst from my skin, meeting gold.
The two forces slithered against each other, thrashing, biting, drinking the other in.
My vision narrowed to a single point of blinding white. I couldn't see the chamber anymore. Couldn't see Thatcher. There was only the light.
A searing slash focused behind my eyes, drilling into my skull. The pressure built until I was certain my head would shatter.Something was changing. My vision flooded crimson, then violet, before plunging me into merciful darkness.
In that darkness, I felt myself coming undone. Unraveling. My essence scattered across the cosmos. I was everywhere and nowhere, stretched across an infinity I couldn't comprehend.
