Ethereal Ascendance: A Journey of Transformation

Just as I walked out of the bathroom, I almost bumped into someone.

This person was dressed very strangely. I looked at his face for a long time before I could barely remember his name: "Soren?"

"Flynn! Where have you been, I haven't seen you at all!"

It took me a long time, but he called out my name immediately. I couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed.

"Well...I had to work overtime at the company tonight, so I came a little late and just got here." I had prepared an excuse for being late, so I could easily deal with it.

"But you..."

Looking at Soren's outfit, I suddenly didn't know what to say. If it wasn't for his clothes, I probably wouldn't have taken so long to remember his name.

"Are you wearing...a priest's robe?" I flipped through all the impressions in my mind, and the only thing that could match was the people in those divine assemblyes that I often saw on TV and in movies.

A long black robe that reached his ankles, with a shawl-like garment over his shoulders, and a thick book in his hand. In this outfit, it was difficult to associate him with his high school self. The change was too drastic.

"Did you join that divine assembly?"

"That's exactly what they've all been asking me several times!" Soren looked very proud.

"Of course, I recently passed the trials and became a glorious priest. From now on I will devote my whole life to the great Lord!"

"Congratulations to you then..." It was really unexpected. I used to be quite close with Soren in high school. I remember he really liked anime in high school, and I would sometimes borrow manga from him. I never imagined that this kinda guy would one day embark on a religious path.

Although this priest outfit didn't seem to match him, I still couldn't help twitching at the corners of my mouth. I just couldn't associate him with those devout clergymen. The other classmates who saw him probably thought the same.

"So you wore this to the reunion too?" I still couldn't adapt to Soren's change. It was rare to encounter someone from the divine assembly in daily life, let alone see someone dressed like this. But I just happened to run into it at this high school reunion.

"Not necessarily." He scratched his head. "Mainly because I just attended a requiem mass before coming here. I didn't have time to change."

"I'm talking about you not having casual clothes..."

"How could I! If I don't often wear the clothes bestowed upon me by God, wouldn't that be disrespectful to the Lord!" How scary. I actually saw a hint of fanaticism in his eyes. What had this guy experienced in the past few years?

"Okay, suit yourself." I conceded defeat and didn't want to dwell on it anymore. Just as I was about to leave, Soren grabbed me. "Wait, classmate Flynn! What do you think of our divine assembly? Are you interested in coming to our cathedral sometime to learn more?"

Damn, he's soliciting already? That was fast. Why are you so skilled? I shook my head. Of course I wouldn't be interested in that church of his, so I firmly refused.

"But I feel you have quite some affinity with the Lord. A chance encounter is fate. Our meeting here today is a heavenly arrangement. I can feel your wisdom." Soren was obviously not ready to give up, but what was with this tactic? It clearly felt wrong. Were these the words of the divine assembly?

"No need, go find someone else!" Without hesitation, I shook off his hand and hurried back into the suite's lounge.

"Why not reconsider? Come on~"

Soren's last plea came from behind. I almost slipped and fell.

When I entered the suite again, I checked the situation around me again. My classmates were still in high spirits gathering together everywhere. My original seat was still empty there, but because it was too close to Quinn, I felt it was better not to go back there.

In the end, I chose to avoid it.

Someone had picked a song playing on the lounge's speakers. You could hear the sound of cheering and excited screams everywhere. But in a small corner I noticed an empty seat. Next to it sat a girl quietly reading a book, completely unaffected by the high spirits in the room.

I could recognize that girl with one glance. She was Reed, the top student of our class back then.

I quietly walked over and sat in the empty seat, glancing at her curiously. She seemed to be reading a physics-related book. Oh right, I remembered hearing before that Reed got into a prestigious university, Eclat University, and later graduated early with a direct PhD enrollment, in a physics-related major too. She was still so awesome. Ever since high school, she steadily took first place in every exam, almost never losing even once. She was entirely deserving of the title of study queen.

No, not necessarily! In my opinion, it would not be excessive to call her a study goddess now.

"Um..."

I couldn't help asking, "Why don't you play with them? It's a rare reunion and everyone's together."

Hearing me ask her, Reed silently looked up from her book and glanced at me, uttering two words in a flat tone: "No interest."

Then she went back to reading her book intently, not even taking 5 seconds in between. It was as if I didn't exist at all.

Still so hard to get along with... Familiar taste, familiar formula.

I patted my little heart comfortingly. Finally, I met a classmate who hadn't changed much. The mental shock Soren gave me earlier was simply too great. Even now I could still feel the cold sweat running down my back.

"Oh, isn't that Flynn...you came but didn't...didn't tell me!"

Suddenly an intermittent voice came. I turned to look. Only to see Henderson hugging a bottle of wine, swaying unsteadily, with a strong smell of alcohol coming towards me. He was clearly drunk, and not just a little drunk.

"Hehehe...you...you're not being fair like this! We used to be such good...good friends!"

Indeed he and I were quite close classmates in high school. In fact, he and I shared a lot of similar hobbies. But after going to university, our contact lessened a lot. Another classmate was now worriedly propping him up, afraid he might accidentally fall down at any moment, but unable to persuade him to stop.

"Sorry, work kept me and I came late." I stood up and explained apologetically. But Henderson just shoved the bottle in his hand into my arms when he heard me.

"Then don't say any more! Come...drink! You say yourself how many...penalty drinks?" As expected, so direct. What had to come still came. I looked at his classmate next to him, who gently shook his head at me.

"Then...three drinks! How's that? I'll do it myself."

Three drinks was pushing it for me, as I don't have great alcohol tolerance. But looking at him, I also felt bad saying too few. So I took three cups and poured them full of alcohol.

"Okay...then I'll...I'll drink first!" He grabbed a cup and was about to pour it into his mouth.

"Hey, stop stop!" I grabbed his wrist, and the other classmates forcibly took the cup from his palm too. "You shouldn't drink anymore. I'll do the three drinks."

I downed the three drinks in one go. Seeing the three empty cups, Henderson finally smiled contentedly. "That's...enough brotherhood!" Then he hugged the nearly empty bottle and staggered drunkenly towards the others.

"Phew..." I let out a long breath. Fortunately, it was just beer, without too high alcohol content. I felt a slight bloating in my stomach. Reed beside me was still quietly reading her book, completely unaffected, as if no one had come by at all.

A true superior! I wiped my sweat.

"Oh, hurry, hurry!"

Several female voices suddenly cried out from the center of the room.

"Reilly, isn't this the song you picked? Where's the mic? Hurry up and give it to him!"

In the commotion, Reilly finally got the mic in time and stood up on stage.

"Now, let me present a song to you all, 'Fairytale', I hope you like it!"

Not only an opening speech, Reilly also bowed pretentiously to the crowd before slowly starting his singing as he looked at the big screen.

"Forgot how long ago..."

"Since I last heard you..."

"Tell me, your favorite story..."

"I've thought for a long time..."

"I'm starting to panic..."

"Did I do something wrong again..."

...

I had to admit, Reilly's singing voice was still very nice to listen to. The familiar old song flowed out in an emotional voice. From a certain perspective, his singing was already very close to the original by Mickle Wong.

Looking at that tall figure, accompanied by the screams and occasional applause from the female students below, I couldn't help burping from the alcohol at this inappropriate timing. It seemed the effects of the alcohol were starting to hit me.

My gaze looking at the stage seemed to become blurred and start seeing double...

I shook my head vigorously. It was just three glasses of beer, how could the aftereffects be so strong? But come to think of it, my alcohol tolerance was at best a bottle plus some beer. So it didn't seem weird after all.

I could only try my best to keep awake, staring wide-eyed at the front.

...

"I want to become the angel..."

"That you loved in the fairytale..."

"Spread open my arms..."

"Turn them into wings to protect you..."

"You have to believe..."

"Happiness and joy are the ending..."

...

The song reached its climax. The reactions below grew more and more heated. I felt I couldn't hold on, a sudden dizzy spell hit me.

Subconsciously I glanced up at the ceiling. The rotating light on the ceiling of the suite seemed to spin faster and faster as the atmosphere stirred it up, shining brighter and brighter. My entire field of vision spun into a patch of white in the spinning.

The pleasing singing echoing in my ears also seemed to stop abruptly at the same time. The surroundings suddenly became deathly silent, with only the karaoke background music still playing slowly...

...