Ascension

Prologue

In the present, an Asharian called Pip is a genius who loves a good mystery. He would often take jobs to solve crime, mysteries and most often, asset protection such as keeping an important person safe or guarding a property.
Often, the jobs were quite simple and didn't require much effort. Sure, he was tasked to protect someone, but the most that would ever happen was perhaps someone throwing an egg at the person. This time, however, is different. Pip tends to find work himself, rather than let work come to him. Unusually for him, he is contacted by a man named Grom, who claims to be Sunderer. This so called "Sunderer" wants Pip to help his corporation with a new invention that may be able to bring the Earth back to its former glory. This sounded quite superficial to Pip, so he decided to find out for himself. He agreed to meet the "man" at his laboratory to better understand the technology they are working with.
The Sunderer had a rather unusual appearance. He had a long, skinny neck and a very thin and long head. His nose was short and almost non-existent, and he had a tiny mouth that was barely noticeable. His ears were quite large and his skin was a very dark shade of brown. His eyes were completely white, and there was not a pupil in sight. It was like looking at the sun. His hands were the strangest of all, though. He had one thumb and three fingers that were almost 5 times longer than the average human finger. The rest of his body was covered by a large, black robe, so it was hard to tell if his entire body was that shape.
His voice was very raspy and high pitched, and had a strong, unnatural accent to it. He seemed to enjoy being cryptic and was not the most forthcoming person. Despite this, he did seem genuine and had no intention of doing Pip or his world any harm.
"So you are the Asharian boy many have spoke about before. Lovely to meet you... Pip was it?", the alien speaks with his raspy voice. "I shall not waste any more time. Let me explain my thoughts. Which carrying out my research on the nature of humans and aliens, I learnt that despite my race's inability to reproduce, Asharians and Sunderers has avidly maintained relationships between themselves.", he says before turning around and gesturing for Pip to take a seat. "This puzzled me for quite a while. You see, without the ability to reproduce, the Sunderers have been granted immortality. Yet immortality is our greatest blessing and our worst curse. Once our Asharian lovers will die, we are left alone and empty. Without the ability to reproduce, the human race is also doomed, since they would be unable to survive and produce offspring.", he says as, despite having blank white eyes, Pip feels his eyes begin to shift towards a door behind him.
As Pip was about to speak, the alien interrupts him and begins walking towards the door.
Grom begins talking, his voice echoing off the walls, "I had been wondering, how can I create an infinite universe with the means that we have available today? I came to the conclusion that we should not create a new universe, we should instead bring the infinite to us. My plan is to bring immortality to the Asharian people. With the help of the Sunderers, the human race will thrive once again, and with the need for reproduction replaced, the world will see a new light. With the help of a few scientists and engineers, we will create a divinity crystal that will be able to harness the power of life itself and allow humanity to live indefinitely. We will have the time to grow and learn from the world. It will not be easy, and there are a lot of risks involved. If anything goes wrong, then we would lose our immortality as well. We could all die and possibly, the universe could be cease to exist entirely. That is why I need you. You are the best investigator and the best fighter on the planet. I need someone who can keep this secret from the government and protect it. You are perfect for the job.", he completes with a deathly serious tone. "But first, I require your assistance in a more menial task. I require you aid to protect my daughter. She is one of our lead scientists in this project, but just like when I was her age, she has gotten herself into some bad company, just in hopes to prove her intellectual superiority. Some people don't like being told they are inferior." He chuckles slightly but then return to his regular cold expression. Pip takes a moment to process all of the information he has just been provided. Immortality wouldn't solve humanity's problems. It would only prolong them. "Pardon me sir, but I thought Sunderers could not reproduce... how do you have a daughter then?" Pip asks, curiosity figuratively spilling from his mouth. The alien takes a second before replying, "adoptive daughter. Found her trying to pickpocket some people. I took her in 2 years after I lost my wife on the battle field during the last war, 20 years ago. My daughter understood my pain. She was there for me when I needed her the most.  Pip nods. He knew he shouldn't have asked that. He is no stranger to loss and war. He too, lost his mother in the war, and he knows all too well how terrible the experience was for his father.

The Sunderer begins to walk toward the exit, but stops in his tracks. He looks back and stares into the void. The void stares back, and he speaks once more.
"Before you decide to join us, you must understand the risk. Your life and the lives of everyone on the planet is on the line. If this experiment goes wrong, you will be killed, as will every living creature on the planet." He turns his gaze to Pip. "But if it goes right... the possibilities are endless."
Pip sits quietly for a moment, pondering the offer. He thinks to himself, 'Immortality. A new beginning. An end to all suffering. What if this is our only chance to save the planet?'
He looks up at the Sunderer, and nods slowly. "Where can I fine her"
Grom smiles softly.
"She is currently at my house and needs a bodyguard while she travels. This bodyguard job will be used as a cover up while you work at the lab. We are glad to have you, Pip."
And with that, they shake hands, as Grom then proceeds to leave.
Pip is left alone in the lab, with the promise of a new life, and a new adventure ahead of him.