Ascension

Chapter Three

5,034,038,022 BC

OCTOBER 18TH

07:32 AM

LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIA

OLYMPIA

The Library of the Great Alexandria...

One of the biggest libraries to ever be created, people have gotten lost in the building for days and come out having finished an interesting read. I on the other hand went to the library to study or use it as an excuse to get away from the prying eyes of my father for a little while, at times he could be overbearing and not understand that young adults needed their parents to respect their boundaries. Every time I stepped into the building, I felt free, I also was hit with the scent of old books, cleaning products, and burning candles. Though the main reason I went to the library was for the regulars, one of them being my good friend named Abaddon, Don for short

Don was six-foot tall, dark curly-haired male with tanned skin and possessed a selection of ink seared into his skin, he was seen as being very visually attractive even though I at the time never considered his physical appearance. By human standards, he would be described as an Asian cisgendered bisexual male, not that I think anyone can be explained in a list of poorly conceived labels... I knew him as someone who was kind, considerate, and understanding, he was the kind of guy that made it hard to be angry with him after a disagreement or some form of joke. Many would call him a jester, a prankster, or a delinquent, he was a lot more rebellious than I as he had the confidence to back up his actions.

He was my friend...

As I entered the library lobby I turned to the right and saw Don sitting at a table in the corner of the main area, feet propped up on the wood and leaning back in his chair with his nose in a book. He had a weird smirk that he always got when he was planning some sort of elaborate prank and with our graduation ceremony only around the corner there was a high chance, he already had an idea. I was about to walk over to him when something caught my eye...

In the corner of my eye, I saw a figure, a tall shadowy shape that made me feel uneasy and when I turned my head to see who they were all I saw was an empty hallway that led to a door labelled storage room. I realised at a young age I had inherited my father's paranoia, there was no escaping it, and the feeling that everyone was out it get me sat in the back of my mind. I was never able to tell if I really could sense something or if I was imagining things...

"Apollo!" A voice called out and when I turned around to see who it was, I was practically attacked... Well, by I attacked I mean they forced a tight embrace upon me and when they pulled back, I realised it was Halcyon. I looked into his swirling sapphire blue eyes, perfect smile, and up at short brown hair, he was my other close male friend and one of four in my original friendship group... Yes, I know how childish it was to refer to our group as a friendship group, but there is no point in trying to skirt around the term.

"Hale, what the hell are you doing here!" I responded almost as loudly; I had completely forgotten my library etiquette. It was nice to see him overjoyed to come across me randomly...

"I needed to pick up a book for... It doesn't matter. What were you staring out, you looked like you were in a trance?" He asked, in all honesty, I was hoping that he wouldn't bring it up as I felt a little silly even being distracted by an illusion, most likely a trick of the light. Being that beams of light would constantly creep through cracks in the building and the giant stained-glass windows that seemed to be surrounding us. Light can be quite fascinating by it how it can form, but that's a conversation for another day...

"I thought I saw something... But you know how it is, sometimes you think you see things that aren't actually there..." I responded quickly with an uncomfortable snort laugh that soon turned into my silence, sporting a bright red face.