By this time, the pathway for the Ascension Road began to flicker and figures began to manifest slowly in the church. It looked as if they were being rebuilt molecule by molecule, which technically was exactly what was happening right now.
The Ascension Road experience differed wildly between NPCs and players. Ascension had to be dramatic to signify the milestone it represented, making all those who had managed to climb to the peak of Rank 7 feel that their efforts were worthwhile after toiling for so long on the Main Plane.
In comparison, when an NPC entered the Ascension Road, there was no test prepared for them. It was a straight passage from the Mortal Plane to the Divine Realm, where they would be able to integrate into the realm either as workers, civilians, warriors or whatever else was needed of them.
unedited