"The Ancients - physiologically they were similar enough to humans, yeah. More advanced, which is why I always needed another one's help." One corner of his mouth ticks faintly upward, rueful and self-deprecating. "Went the same way both times. I was dying, so one of them helped me Ascend."

His projection appears to study the ground for a moment, dark crease notching into the brow that doesn't really exist. He doesn't have a shadow. He can't remember how to form the semblance of one.

"I don't know what it was - cosmic happenstance or chance or whatever else." He hadn't seen what there was about him that was worthy, hadn't been able to look back at his life and see anything aside from a string of failures. He'd learned, gradually, to not dictate himself by that, and he's still not sure if that was really the right choice on his part. He's not ever sure if Ascension is the right choice. It's not for humans most of the time, and that's for good reason.

He might have just cheated his way out of what was meant to be his time, again. By way of a celestial escape hatch that was never meant to be abused. Again.

The manifestation looks up again, his frown deeper.

"I guess some of them thought I was 'worthy' to join them, until I wasn't." The smile slides from the face that isn't real. "I wouldn't stop interfering."