Necromancer System: Children of Kynar

The exact moment the mountain breeze carried away the remains of the old man, a portal opened by the side of the gorge. Seconds later, it ejected the mangled corpse of a youth. Because of nasty burn marks on the face of the corpse, it was not possible to determine its identity or gender. But, from its miserable appearance, one could tell the gruesome torture it suffered when alive.

Meanwhile, James continued to fall at a frightening speed. As the wind assaulted his face, it distorted the livid expression he had on his face. Since the gorge was pitch black, the system activated the night-mode. To Jame's surprise, he saw nothing. He only felt the strong winds on his body, and its loud howling sound ringed in his ears. The walls of the mountain seemed to have magically disappeared, and it caused a chill to run down his spine. He felt as if he had been through into the nothingness of the abyss. Since the old man did not remove the barrier restricting his Mana, he fell like a ragged doll.

'If I survive this fall, that bastard better pray I don't find him alive! System, what are my chances of survival?' James mused.

Although he was still angry that the system did not aid him with the old man, he knew he had no choice but to ask for its help.

<Ding>

Scanning…

Scanning Completed!

Warning! Warning! Warning!

Estimated time till impact:???

I have updated the user's Status.

{Status}

Mana Restriction forcefully enabled (Temporary).

Estimated time till effects wear off: 45 minutes.

Someone has placed unknown Mana in the user's body.

Effects: Mana can forcefully teleport the user.

Limitation: Teleportation can only happen once.

The user's Level is too low to expel this Mana.

<Ding>

'What?! So, that bastard placed his Mana in my body. Forcefully teleport the user? Is that even possible, what sort of sorcery is that?' James mused. Since the wind distorted his facial appearance, it covered the stunned expression on his face.

'System, why can't you determine the estimated time until impact?' James asked. A theory brewed in his mind, but he prayed he was wrong.

<Ding>

I cannot detect any end to the gorge…

The user might fall for a considerable amount of time, estimated at 45 minutes; or, will continue to fall forever!

<Ding>

Asan's heart sank after he heard the system's response. It confirmed his ominous thoughts. The seriousness of his situation dawned on him, and he regretted he was powerless in front of the old man.

'System, why is there a great disparity between the time estimates?' James asked. Although his situation looked grim, he noticed the shocking difference in time estimates.

<Ding>

I can detect the feint undulations of a barrier thousands of miles below. Because of the user's Level, I can't confirm its presence.

<Ding>

James's heart sunk for the second time. He knew what the system meant by its earlier response. If the faint barrier turned out to be a dud, then he would fall forever in the gorge.

'I can't accept this! There has to be a way to escape. I can't fall for the rest of live. So… that bastard wanted to torture for the rest of life,' James mused as he continued falling.

'System, can you detect the barrier when we get closer?' James asked.

<Ding>

If the barrier exists, I'll detect it when the user approaches its perimeter.

Warning! Warning! Warning!

If the barrier exceeds the user's Level, the user could end up with fatal injuries. Death is also a possibility.

<Ding>

James was tired of being surprised with bad news. The more questions he asked, the grimmer his situation looked.

'Well, since I can't do anything, I might as well expect the worse while hoping for the best. Maybe, I would have gained control of my Mana before we reached the barrier,' James mused. All he could do at this point was hope for the best. Unlike most people, James neither screamed nor cried as he fell. He only closed his eyes while racking his brain to find a solution to the imminent disaster. While he did this, the howling winds ceased, and only James's clothes flapped as he fell.

Because of the presence of Mana and the Necromancer System in his body, one could not regard James could as a normal or regular human. Although he stood above mortal men, he suffered the same symptoms as those who fell from a great height and at a frightening speed. Although he did not vomit or anything of the likes, he became muddle head because of the random manner in which he fell. Although he tried his best to think of a solution to his predicament, he did not think of any workable solutions, and it infuriated him.

The best idea that drifted into his head, was to summon the dead bodies of the Moonlight Wolves. He wanted to use them to break his fall. But, the moment he attempted to summon one from his Inventory; he felt a splitting headache greater than that caused by the Hell-Fire Manipulation from back in the cemetery. Unlike before, when blood only trickled out of his nose when he tried to use his Mana. James felt blood rising from his throat towards his mouth while his eyes became bloodshot red and his ears made a strange ringing sound. At that moment, the system told him he would suffer permanent damage to his body if he continued.

The only reason he did not pass out from his futile attempts, was because of his high - Endurance stat. Coupled with the strong mentality he got from experiencing physical and mental pain from his past life as a soldier and a royal prince. If any other person in his Level had attempted to do what he did, they would have passed out on the spot while their seven orifices bled out like a fountain. With his attempts ending in failure, James had no choice but to wait for the inevitable. Although he was no stranger to pain, this did not mean he welcomed it with open arms.

'System, how long has it been, and can you detect the barrier?' James asked. He lost his sense of time since he entered the gorge.

<Ding>

The user has been falling for 35 minutes. I cannot detect a barrier. The user's Level is too low.

<Ding>

James did not flinch after the system's response. He was already expecting the worse, so more bad news meant nothing to him. Seconds after the system's response, a sudden turn of events occurred. Since he entered the gorge, he fell at a constant but frightening speed. But from nowhere, the velocity of fall tripled. Before, James could complain. The system's notification rang in his mind like an alarm.

<Ding>

Warning! Warning! Warning!

The user's body has entered a Dumat Region!

Effects: it amplifies the speed of the user's body.

Limitations: None!

<Ding>

'What?! This is not good! If it amplifies my speed…'That means certain death for me,' James said within his mind. He had never heard of anything like the Dumat Region. He wondered how such a thing existed. The imminent fall could end up being more fatal than he had expected. With his situation delicate, James did not have the luxury to choose whether he wanted pain. He could only prepare himself for what was coming.

With his situation dicey, James's mind seemed to slow down while his brain worked on overdrive. Because of this, he remembered the statement of the old man. Saying that, he would only break a few bones or lose one or both arms as he fell. He did not know why he remembered such words at such a critical moment, but it infuriated him it was the only thing that occupied his mind.

<Ding>

Warning! Warning! Warning!

I have detected a barrier.

Estimated time until impact: 5 minutes.

The user has a 0.0012% chance of survival!

<DIng>

For the first time since he closed his eyes, James opened them to look at the barrier which could end his life. There was no sign of fury, hatred, or regret within them. Instead, it looked like the eyes of someone who had come to terms with their death.

Even though five minutes separated him from the barrier, James felt and saw nothing. With his mind prepared for the inevitable, he controlled his breathing while purging all negative thoughts away from his mind. Although he looked like someone who had lost all hope of survival, he hoped for a miracle within the depths of his mind.

<Ding>

The user is 30 seconds away from impact!

<Ding>

With both of his eyes closed and his hands across his chest, James listened to the system's countdown within his mind.

By the time the system said there was only five seconds left, his body involuntarily tensed up as cold sweat formed all over his body. By the time the system announced that it was only three seconds remaining, something extraordinary happened to James's body. At that moment, a gray light shot out from his head and opened a portal below the approaching James. Since he closed his eyes, he did not see this strange phenomenon. But, he felt as if something lifted a weight off his shoulders. Before he could react, his tensed up body entered the opened portal. The moment he went through the portal, the portal also disappeared from the emptiness of the gorge.

The same moment James disappeared, something opened another portal on the floor of an illuminated room. On closer inspection, the room looked as if it spanned more than a hundred meters on either side. The walls of the room, however, were identical to each other. In the sense that, they had a radiant white gemstone embedded in it. Which served as the illumination source for the room. In the room, the bodies of several unconscious youths littered the floor. From the appearances of these children and the clothes they wore, one could tell they came from different places within the Continent of Skyhaven.

The moment the portal opened on the floor, James's figure emerged a minute later. And, the portal disappeared in the same mysterious manner it appeared. Meanwhile, James still had his eyes closed. But, he sported a wry smile on his face. His chest heaved up and down while different parts of his body twitched. He had flirted with death, and he did not like it at all.

'So, that old man played me for a fool till the end. Who would have believed he spoke the truth? His Mana saved my life… I don't think I would have survived that…' James said within his mind. He did not believe the old man earlier that was the reason he did not expect the portal to emerge. From his point of view, the old man did it on purpose.

As James laid on the ground, the sound of the system's notification echoed in his mind.

<Ding>

Mana Restriction disabled!

No foreign Mana is in the user's body!

Scanning...

Scanning Completed!

The user is amid several Targets whose Level's range from: Level 18-28.

Number of Targets: 230!

Occupation: Sorcerers! Warriors!

Path: Light (170), Darkness (160).

Odds of the user eliminating the weakest target: 90%

Odds of the user eliminating the strongest target: 9%

Warning! Warning! Warning!

An Item is hypnotizing all the Targets.

Name: White Rose Light.

Rank: Good

Effects: Light from these flowers can force the user into a coma-like state.

The user will enter a hypnotic dream.

Excessive exposure will lead to the user developing a faulty brain.

Limitations: Existence with no means of light absorption are immune to its effects.

Title - Grim Reaper, is immune to its effects.

Item - Damned souls, is immune to its effect.

Warning! Warning! Warning!

The user will fall into a coma-like state in approximately: 5 minutes.

Will the user like to use the Item - Damned souls, to deflect the hypnotic effects?

Warning! Warning! Warning!

It will destroy item - Damned souls, if summoned.

The user can still transfer the effects to the Item within the Inventory.

Will the user like to use the Item - Damned souls, to deflect the hypnotic effects?

<Ding>

'Yes!' James said. The new development frustrated him. He had jumped from the frying pan to the fire. Not only was he placed in a room full of sorcerers who were stronger than him, someone could gather all of them in one place made him uneasy. As for the hypnotic White Rose, he already knew about it through Blay De Tovar's memories. If not that it would destroy his damned souls, James had the intention of turning everyone in the room into his personal Exp farm.

'System, can you detect anything or anyone outside this room?' James asked.

<Ding>

Scanning…

Scanning Completed!

A similar barrier to that of the gorge is covering the room. Because of the user's Level, I cannot detect anything beyond the barrier!

<Ding>

James could only sigh in defeat. His Level has been the source of most of his troubles, and he could not wait to level up to the next rank. Although he was not under the effects of the White Rose, he played along, and laid on the floor like the others. He was 100% certain someone gathered everyone in the room for a purpose, and if they could subdue people stronger him, he would look for trouble if he stood out. With this thought in mind, James laid on the floor like a log of wood. He did not dare to open his eyes to check his surroundings because he did not know if someone or something observed the room.

About 30 minutes later, the radiant white light within the room dimmed. At that moment, an annoying ringing sound reverberated. A few seconds later, the bodies of the youths except James's, shook as if they were going into shock. While some of them muttered gibberish, too.

'System, what the hell is happening?!' James asked.

<Ding>

The targets are recovering from the effects of the White Rose.

The targets are trembling because their bodies is trying to adjust to reality from the hypnotic dream.

Some users will utter gibberish, too, because they believe they are dying in their dreams.

Estimated time until they regain consciousness: 3 minutes!

<Ding>

'I can't be the odd one out. Whose knows if someone or something is watching this freak show,' James mused. As this thought entered his mind, he opened his eyes a little, and mimicked the actions of those nearby. His acting was not exaggerated or forced, he looked no different from the other youths.

A few minutes later, the youths woke up one after the other, and they each had a disoriented look on their faces. James who was still lying on the ground, opened one of his eyes to observe what was happening in the room. The moment he saw that the youths were awake, he assumed a sitting position. While having a dazed expression on his face, but he used his eyes to scan everyone in the room, hoping to find out what was going on. While all this was going on, the ringing sound continued to echo. By the time 90% of the hypnotized youths were awake, a silver glow assaulted their eyes. It came from the ceiling of the room. Because of the intensity of the light, most of them squinted their eyes in response.

They were not to be blame too because they had been asleep for a considerable amount of time. Some youths suffered mild headaches from the sudden illumination. To James's surprise, none of them had said a word to each other since they woke up. He did not know it was part of the symptoms of White Rose. Because, Blay De Tovar was clueless about it, too.

'System, does the light have any negative side effects?' James asked.

<Ding>

Scanning…

Scanning Completed!

Light is from a normal Illumination rock! It has no effect on the user!

<Ding>

'That's good. I thought my shitty luck would… Huh?' while this thought drifted into his mind, a loud rumbling sound reverberated within the room. Drawing the attention of the youths, and they all stared at the same direction. In this section of the room, the wall rumbled while slowly shifting to the side. As the wall moved, the ringing sound in the room ceased.

Everyone within the room had cautious and curious looks on their faces while they maintained a safe distance from the parting walls. Although they attempted to see what was on the other side, the radiant silver glow prevented them from doing so. Unlike them, James could see what was behind the wall.

'Is that… Wow! What sort of place did that bastard send me to?' James mused with his brows furrowed.

Seconds later, a melodious voice drifted into the ears of everyone within the room, "Young ones, I welcome you to Kynar."