Test Subjects

Far above the coliseum, in the pitch black skies hidden by the false noon sun, and unknown to anyone below. Three figures dressed in an odd but identical mage's robes watched the battle below with varying interest. Red and white lightning danced through the air. Devouring everything in its path. However, the three mage's nonchalantly gazed at the battle in silence. No matter how much the lightning raged, it couldn't harm them. In fact, the lightning fazed through their bodies as if intangible.

"What do you think?" A chill would run down the spine of those who heard the wraith like voice. It was impossible to know who among the three had spoken.

"Far too weak."

"Not worth mentioning." The other two gave their assessment.

The trio shared a similar voice, albeit varying in tone. The figure in the middle nodded. He agreed with the assessment of his companions. "He can't be blamed. He has spent less than a year in this world. With time, he would become someone worthy of the power given to him."

The figure to the left retorted, "How long will it take for him to get there? The time of restoration is fast approaching. We need him to have mastered the mantra by then."

"If he can't open the gates during the restoration hour, we will have to wait another ten thousand years." The figure on the right added.

"I know. But we can't rush his development. If we fail, then so be it. We will wait another ten thousand years if we have to. Our time will surely come." The figure in the middle said.

The trio suddenly fell silent. Only the rumbling of thunder echoed in their surrounding.

"Let's depart. We must prepare for the opening of the Crimson Pool."

Saying nothing further, the trio disappeared into thin air.

***

James sat on an uninspiring wooden chair while observing the abstract paintings on the walls surrounding him. The room only had a single furniture, two doors at opposite ends, and the dozens of paintings on the walls. Two caretakers who didn't utter a word throughout ushered him through different hallways before arriving at his current location. Although curious, James didn't bother to ask them anything either. He was confident that whoever set him up to lose his rights would make an appearance.

Warning! Warning Warning!

Call of a Siren detected!

Name: Siren's Call.

Effects: Ability to cause the user to lose all forms of rational thinking.

The user's brain will become compromised if exposed to the Siren's Call for a prolonged period.

The user will enter a trance-like state, while also losing control of all body functions.

System's recommendation: The user's hearing organs will be temporarily deactivated to counter the effects of the Siren's Call.

Would the user like to deactivate their hearing organs?

Name: Cry of the Beloved (mimicry).

Rank: Good.

Path: Light.

Effects: Voice from the 'Pure Soul', used in soothing a raging and tense mind.

The user will lose control of Item - Damned Souls, if subjected to the Skill.

Item - Army of the Fallen will become purified if subjected to the Skill.

Limitation: Because it is a mimicry, the user has a 20% chance of stopping the purification process.

'System? You're back?' The system's sudden notification surprised James. Different thoughts quickly flooded his mind. However, he quickly regained his calm. Since the system had sent a warning message, he didn't dare grow negligent. James studied the system's notification, and his expression changed. At that same moment, the plain door in front of his seat opened, and three individuals walked into the room.

"Congratulations on such a fantastic showing Kaleb. You really surprised all of us." Piri wore a sweet smile as she met James's dazed eyes. She twirled her index and forefinger on her left hand slightly, while pointing to a painting. A startling change followed. The painting which depicted odd multicolored brooms swirled while unleashing a low hymn. The uninspiring room expanded by over ten times its previous size, spanning over seven hundred square feet. Dozens of furniture, including bookshelves stacked with hundreds of books, appeared in neatly arranged rows. Silver rugs, skinned from moonlight wolves, lined various sections of the expanded room, and two brilliant crystal chandeliers illuminated the once barely lit room.

Piri nodded in satisfaction. The room's previous state was too mundane for her taste. She approached a golden armchair opposite James's, before taking her seat. A slight smile graced her lips while her fingers drummed on the oak table separating them.

"Can I see that mask of yours? Where did you get it and what is it made of?" Piri asked in quick succession. With James under her voice, he would very much heed her demands. Although she had warned the executioner and caretakers not to covert James's mask, she couldn't stop herself. She had seen and read about thousands, if not ten of thousands of ores. However, she had never seen or heard about anything like the Mask of the Dead. She believed it would be a shame if she didn't study it while she had the chance. As she expected, the Mask of the Dead appeared on James's face.

"I'm sorry, Headmaster. I know nothing about its origin." James replied matter-of-factly.

Piri knitted her brows. 'Is he lying?' She slowly shook her head, discarding the thought. It was impossible for someone on James's level to break free from her voice, she believed.

"Then how did you get it? Hand it over." Piri instructed.

Contrary to her expectations, James remained motionless.

'Did he really break free?' Piri's suspicion heightened, and a golden radiance flickered in her eyes. She couldn't allow a soldier who could nullify the effects of her ability to live. No matter who they were.

The executioners behind her became agitated. This was the first time someone disobeyed Piri's orders under the double effects of the cry of the beloved and Siren's call.

Before Piri could make her move, she heard James's hesitant voice. "I was kidnapped by two men three years ago. They took me to an unknown temple where the mask occupied. They tasked myself and twenty other children with retrieving the mask. However, the mask chose me before the battle even started. I lost consciousness after. When I woke up, I was already in another location. I really know nothing about the mask." James paused. "Headmaster, I really can't hand it over to you."

"Why is that?" Piri was more curious than angry. The golden radiance in her eyes dimmed.

"Anyone who holds the mask apart from me will die," James said solemnly.

Both executioners glanced at each other. With their connections and experiences, they knew about many strange items in Skyhaven. They had no reason to doubt James's words on the origin of the mask. However, they didn't believe James's last statement. How powerful could a mask be to kill anyone who holds it apart from its owner? Their doubts grew.

Piri remained silent. Her fingers drummed on the surface of the table while staring at James with a slight smile. No one could decipher her thoughts from her calm expression.

"Bring two test subjects." Piri whispered.

Saying nothing, both executioners disappeared from the room. James and Piri remained. Neither shared a word.

Ten minutes later, the executioners returned with a young man and woman. The young man's clothes were full of holes and stained with unidentifiable liquids. One could see his yellowish gray skin underneath. It was obvious he was a regular human slave. Meanwhile, the young lady wore a leather armor which only covered the sensitive areas of her body. Despite their contrasting looks, they shared an impassive, slight absentminded expression.

"Take off the mask." Piri lazily instructed.

Without hesitation, James removed the mask. Before placing it on the table. He shared a similar absentminded visage. Piri nodded in satisfaction. Without turning, she pointed towards the young man. "Wear it."

The young man said nothing. He wobbled towards the mask while stretching his right arm. Piri and the executioners watched with keen interest. If nothing happened to the young man, they would know James lied to them, and would reveal his conciousness. James wasn't in the clear though, even if something happened to him. They knew the mask could transform into various forms and weapons. Hence, they watched keenly. If the mask made any transformations, it would only deepen their suspicion.

Under the watchful gaze of the anxious observers, the young man reached for the mask, before placing it on his face. Seconds piled up, yet nothing happened. A minute passed, yet the young man remained standing. The countenance of the executioners turned unsightly underneath their masks. They each glared at James with undisguised rage. Meanwhile, Piri's visage remained impassive. However, the golden radiance had slowly engulfed her eyes. James still maintained the same expression. One couldn't tell whether or not he faked it.

"Tell me, Kaleb. Do I look like someone merciful?" Piri broke the silence in the room. There wasn't a hint of anger in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Headmaster. But I don't quite understand what you mean." James retorted without pause.

Piri's brows shot up. She stared at James with a sweet smile. "Didn't you say only you can hold the mask?"

"Indeed. I said that." James retorted blankly. Piri's lips curved. She pointed lazily to the young man, as she said, "Does he look dead to you?"

This time, James fell silent. For the first time, he turned towards the young man. He stared at him for a moment, before facing Piri once more. "Of course. He died the moment he held the mask."

The executioner to Piri's right couldn't remain calm anymore. He believed James was toying with them. "How dare…?" His words trialed off as he saw Piri's raised hand. He didn't dare to continue. Meanwhile, James's expression remained unchanged. Devoid to the fury of both executioners.

An icy stare had replaced Piri's amiable demeanor. She had been monitoring the vitals of the young man since he wore the mask, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. For James to claim he had already died, under her nose at that, was a direct insult to her face. 'How did he break free from the siren's call? Does that mean he was awake throughout the selection?' She was certain that James wasn't under her control anymore, and the only reason she hadn't killed him was because she didn't know his plans. She knew the ramifications if her conjecture turned out right.

"Why do you think he's already dead?" Piri asked in a low voice. Since James wanted to play a game, she would entertain him. "All his vitals show he's still alive. So how is he dead?" She added.

James had become the focus of the room. Although Piri's demeanor portrayed nonchalance. She was ready to execute James if his response didn't satisfy her curiosity.

"Tell him to remove the mask." James said nothing more.

Piri's curiosity deepened. She turned towards the young man, saying, "Take off the mask."

Silence followed. The young man remained motionless. Piri's brows furrowed. "I said take off the mask." Piri's voice carried the full might of the siren's call. However, the young man completely ignored her.

At that moment, the expressions of the executioners changed underneath their masks. Meanwhile, Piri turned towards the young lady. "Take off the mask."

Without hesitation, the young lady walked towards the man before removing the mask from his face. The moment face and mask parted, the young man collapsed to the ground. His visage remained the same as when he was alive. The signs of life he showed a few moments earlier disappeared. Both executioners rushed towards the corpse, and a bluish gelatinous slime covered their hands. They covered the corpse with the slime while chanting an archaic spell. The slime penetrated into the corpses while the duo chanted without pause. A moment later, the slime poured out of the nose of the corpse before returning towards the executioners. They stopped their chants and returned to Piri's side.

"Did it rain on him?" Piri asked.

"His passing is off the baby goat. A hundred years of solitude." The executioners replied in unison.

Piri sharply stared at James. She couldn't hide her incredulity. The golden radiance in her eyes had long disappeared. She took in three deep breaths. She then turned towards the young lady. "Wear the mask."

Without hesitation, she did as instructed. Piri then turned towards James. "You can take back your mask."

James remained seated. However, he clicked his fingers twice, and the mask of the dead vanished. At that same moment, the young lady collapsed on the ground. She had also departed from the world of the living. The two executioners repeated the same examination on her corpse before returning to Piri's side.

���Her passing is off the noon rain. Lacking the desire for change." They reported.

Piri couldn't stop herself from laughing. A dazzling, seductive smile graced her lips. She turned towards James. "It's been a while since something made me so ignorant." She paused. She suddenly turned towards the two executioners. "Take them away. There's no need to return. I want to discuss with him for a while."

Both executioners nodded. They grabbed the two corpses before disappearing from the room. Meanwhile, Piri turned towards James once more. "You can wake up now." Her voice differed from how she spoke earlier. Although largely the same, it lacked the same presence as before.

James shuddered slightly. His dazed visaged slowly warped, and light soon returned to his blank eyes. "What the hell hap…?" James suddenly stood up before backing away. He guardedly stared at Piri while observing his strange surroundings.

Piri chuckled. She reclined in her seat. 'I honestly can't tell if he's faking it or not.' She believed James's reaction was a little too exaggerated.

"Take a seat, Kaleb. Since you won the contest, it's only fair I reward you, right?" Piri gestured towards the empty seat. "Let me warn you. Don't expect to reclaim your rights. That will never happen. At least not until you become a Senior Journeyman."