Ascension by Christopher De Sousa Read Free Book Online Page A

had quickly acted to appease him through the offer of this position.
    â€œIt’s never really made much sense to me why they’d let him stay upon their bench,” he said. “Especially when the organisation we’re charged to hunt down is likely the product of this supposed ‘ Illuminati’ . Clearly lord Namtar doesn’t care, so why should I?”
    â€œBecause we don’t want to act in excess of our assignment,” Lilith huffed, glaring back at him. “And we don’t need to draw their ire, for we have no idea how they might respond. As for our lord, he exists upon a different level in both power and wisdom, and thus he can afford to have little concern. We on the other hand, have no such security.”
    Rabisu flexed his wings and parted the office window open. “You might not, but I’m confident I could hang with the best of them.”
    â€œThere is a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and you tend to cross it at each and every turn,” Alu grunted.
    â€œWhat you see in me is arrogance, but what I see is confidence,” he replied. “And when it comes to the pursuit of my ambition, I shall require them both. For if arrogance is a quality that shall serve to bring me up, and in turn bring you down, then this will be sufficient for my plans. Because when I inevitably rule, I will need those like you to remain submissive. Like you are now, content to stand in Namtar’s shadow, never willing to grow.”

Chapter 4
    Once they finally reached Anabasis High, the beaten and battered Jeep slowly pulled up alongside the curb.
    â€œNice wheels Mr Munroe,” boomed an obnoxious voice that echoed about the space as quickly had the vehicle parked.
    Katherine glanced outside the window, her eyes coming to rest upon the stocky build of a young man wearing a red and gold basketball singlet, and with a sport cap of the same colours on back to front. She watched as he crept past the jeep, spun round to face her and stuck out his tongue in a mocking fashion.
    â€œWill that boy ever grow up?” asked Duncan through a wry smile.
    â€œNot likely,” she said as she leapt out of the jeep. “After all, this is Albert Foster we’re talking about.”
    â€œVery true…okay honey, have a good day. And please try to pay attention in class,” called Duncan, as he departed back along the road.”
    Still within earshot and having heard her father say this, Albert burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. A group of his peers also showed up in the distance, and proceeded to lend their support to his childish escapades. Along with Albert, they all sung a crude song at her expense, and followed in the rear as she made her way across the pavement and toward the school’s front atrium.
    At this point her cheeks were bright red, yet she refrained from offering a reaction to their taunting and jeering. She couldn’t exactly even make out what they were singing about, but she did hear the name Justin Ellis uttered frequently within the odd verse. What had also become more noticeable, and despite the fact she’d often find herself the subject of this young man’s teasing, was the evolving of his relentless and condescending pursuits. It took all her concentration and self-control to block this from her thoughts the closer she drew to the school’s front archways. She sought to focus her attention on trying to rationalize what she’d just witnessed. For Katherine believed she’d seen a Gryphon of all things, or at least that is how it had seemed. With the imposing body of a lion, and the proud head and powerful wings of an eagle, this creature had stood there in some suburban yard, and restlessly gazed in her general direction. She found it difficult enough tackling the trials and tribulations of being a teenager. Now she questioned her own sanity.
    With this all on her mind, consumed with her own thoughts and in