The Examination

After an unknown time has passed.

"Hello, are you awake?"

Ethan White seemed to hear a distant voice. His head hurts. Disorientated, Ethan White slowly opened his eyes, but a blinding light made him close them again.

"Slow... take it slow."

Ethan White heard a voice again. He tried to move, but he could not feel any of his limbs. An awful ache went through his body each time he tried to move.

"Hold on, I will ask for help. Don't move!"

The voice appeared to be more distant this time, similar to an ant talking to him from a faraway place.

'Ethan White, think! Focus and think! Where am I?! Where was I before?!' Ethan White tried to remember.

'Focus! What was I doing before turning unconscious?!' A sharp pain in his head tormented him, but Ethan White could not give up. He did not know what happened to him, but he could be in danger.

'Now! Now I remember! I was training in one of the special installations of my parent's company! But how did I turn like this?!'

'A... voice? Yes! I heard a voice in my head! What was that...? It was scary!' The pain was numbing his senses, but bit by bit, Ethan White began to remember.

'I can not feel my body. My head hurts, and thinking is becoming harder. Don't fall asleep, Ethan White! Focus!'

'The voice... was talking directly to me... No! There were two voices! One was saying something about a gateway. It was loud and was shaking my brain. While the other voice was calm and pure as if it was whispering in my ear...'

'Remember Ethan White! What was the other voice saying?!' while trying to remember, an enormous mighty presence descended. Ethan White's eyes turned golden while his hair turned white, a majestuous aura showing up from his body. His injuries started to heal, and his body became lighter.

Unconsciously opening his jaws, an ethereal voice appeared.

"A child born in a remote place,

A paramount being,

Not belonging to this existence,

Reigns supreme."

After Ethan White heard these words, his mind collapsed and descended into darkness.

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'A white ceiling, I am lying down in a white bed... Am I in the hospital?' Ethan White regained consciousness.

"I am telling you! If the beloved son of the White family doesn't wake up, this hospital will fall into ruins!"

"Please, calm down. We are doing everything in our hands to help Ethan White. You can communicate to your superiors that they can rest assured. Ethan White will wake up in no time." said a nurse to an angry bodyguard.

Ethan White could see his muscular figure. He recognized him as a bodyguard his family hired to ensure his security. Ethan White heard he got Ascended recently, with an earth ability. A perfect match for his physique and personality.

"There is no need. I can talk to my father myself." exclaimed a voice. With a surprised face, the nurse and the bodyguard turned to face Ethan White's bed, like they did not even expect to hear his voice so soon.

"How... How is it possible?" said the nurse, shocked to the bones.

"Did you not say he was in a coma? Explain this then!" urged the bodyguard, indignant for having been lied.

"In a coma? Hold on! What are you talking about, Eric?" said Ethan White to Eric, his bodyguard.

"Ethan White, you passed out a week ago while you were in the training room. After one of the workers told us about your condition, we rushed there. We found you lying on the floor, your hair and eyes changed, and you were in a coma." explained Eric, while the nurse went away to look for the doctor.

Ethan White panicked after hearing what happened to him. Eric noticed Ethan White's stressed state and handed him his phone. What Ethan White saw shocked him! On his 17 years old face, two shining suns replaced his previous brown irises while his hair had a mixture between gray and white.

'I have become an Ascended!' this was the first thought that Ethan White had.

It was the only possible cause of the changes in his body. He had finally overcome his human limits and rose to the sky, becoming an Ascended!

'What is my ability? Shapeshifter? It would explain the reason for the changes in my physical appearance. Maybe I can shapeshift into an angel!' thought Ethan White while feeling very emotional.

Ethan White could not help but let his mind stray even when the doctor came to check his condition. His focus on the changes he was noticing.

'I feel a little bit stronger than before, and I can see a purple mist floating around the air. Did every Ascended feel like this? I never heard about any Ascended mentioning a purple fog." noticed Ethan White.

After the discharge from the hospital, instead of going to his house to see his parents, Ethan White searched for the nearest Ascended Center on Gaaglo Maps and took a train in its direction. After 30 minutes, a tall skyscraper welcomed his sight.

This skyscraper was the official Ascended Center in this city. From its up-tech technology to the high number of facilities, it was thoroughly prepared to face and support the thousands of Ascenders living in this city.

After Ethan White entered the building, a big spacious hall greeted him. By the circled table in the middle were the receptionists, government public workers. You could see dozens of people cramming the stairs at the front, some of them wearing a jacket suit.

Ethan White headed to the reception, where a beautiful and gracious lady received him.

"Hello, welcome to the Ascended Center. How could I help you? If you want to request using any of our training rooms, I would need to verify your Ascended Card. A charge will be counted based on the amount of time you spent in the chamber." said the receptionist while looking strangely at him.

"Hello. I did not come here for these services. I want to register myself as an Ascended." exclaimed Ethan White with excitement in his eyes.

"Oh, did you just become Ascended? Alright. Fill in these papers. After you finish, let me know, and we will take you to one of our licensed rooms to check your ability."

"Miss, I have a problem. I can fill in the documents, but I do not know what my ability is. I got Ascended before falling into a short coma. I came here just after leaving the hospital." said Ethan White while being worried that he might be misunderstood.

"Oh? It is not common for an Ascended to not know his ability, but you are not the first case. Leave it to us! We have a way to awaken your ability." blinked the beautiful and young receptionist.

After Ethan White filled out the documents with all his personal information, he also had to sign a few papers about safety measures and conscription. After waiting for a long time, a skinny man called for him.

This man presented himself as Thor and had a constant electric flow around him. Thor led Ethan White to the stairs and headed to the fourth floor.

Ethan White was amazed about Thor's ability, and while daydreaming of having a similar power, he reached room 12. An area as spacious as his whole house greeted him.

"I heard from Katarina that you do not know what your ability is. Usually, Ascenders with an unknown ability are the most dangerous ones, if you know what I mean." said Thor while taking some devices from a table.

"I also had some trouble awakening my ability, so I understand you. I remember when I was in this same room, and a fatty examiner was complaining about me. He called me worthless Ascended! Me! Hahahahaha!"

"I still remember his face when my ability got awakened. Hey, little guy, what are you still doing there? Move your ass to the middle. I do not want to get roasted if your ability turns out to be fire."

"Senior, what happened to that fatty examiner?" asked Ethan White while taking his position.

"Oh, not much. I think that fatty is still in the hospital. Before you ask me, it was not my fault. Who was the genius that awakened my power while touching me? So, I found a job, and he got a quick lesson about how electricity works. A win-win situation." exclaimed Thor while adding some patches to Ethan White's body.

"I feel that you are tense, little guy. Just chill down. In theory, giving a stimulus to a Heart Core is enough to get your ability to awaken. I am going to use my electric shocks to do the stimulation and slowly increase the strength until you manifest your power. Are you ready? Don't wet your pants, eh!" explained Thor while taking a seat next to a square device. The device was connected to the patches on Ethan White's body by thin wires.

"I am ready!"