Necromancer System: Children of Kynar - 12 Great Kingdom of Hoogpor

Just like Mathras from the north, the Great Kingdom of Hoogport bordered the Black Lands, too. But, it bordered it from the eastern region of the Skyhaven. It was a kingdom created thousands of years ago, by the only female among the four surviving Great Magus, named Atelia. She named it Hoogport because of the port found at the northern part of the kingdom, and Hoog was the name of a special wood the kingdom exported to other parts of the continent. They could only grow and harvest this tree within the great kingdom of Hoogport. Unlike the Tiodon which was a small kingdom in the grand scale of the continent, the Great Kingdom of Hoogport was second only to the Black Lands in land mass. It was a thriving kingdom for those who belonged to the path of light, albeit a human only territory. Its population numbered in the billions, and just like the Tiodon kingdom it operated a monarchy system. It had seven cities within its territory, with each city ten times bigger than the whole Tiodon Kingdom. Its streets were more lavish and bustling than that of the Tiodon Kingdom, with several armored soldiers found on every street corner. The flags of the Great Kingdom had the emblem of a roaring Lion, which represented the insignia of Atelia. She had the nickname – Roaring Lion.

Because of the land mass of the Hoogport, depending on the city one found himself, they would either experience night or day. Like Mathras, one could observe a divergent weather in the various cities of the kingdom. Some places where covered in lush grasses while snow fell all year long in other areas. In some cities, it rained all year long while others were akin to a desert. Because it was a Human only territory, other races regarded Hoogport as the Human capital city of the world.

Apart from being the largest of the great kingdoms, Hoogport was also the richest in terms of natural resources. Being the human capital of the world, it also had some of the greatest human minds within its lands. In terms of the quantity of warriors and sorcerers belonging to great kingdoms, the Great Kingdom of Hoogport was ahead of the others. In fact, most of the talents of humans had the lifelong goal of serving under the illustrious banner of Hoogport.

Since its formation, it had never experienced war nor internal strife. Owing to the status and might of its Royal Family. Although certain factions from the Black Lands attempted to cause internal strife on various occasions, the Royal Family foiled their plots on each occasion. While crushing the instigators behind the rebellion. On the Continent of Skyhaven, most people would think twice before them attacked a citizen of Hoogport. Not to talk of a member of the Royal Family or the military. Three factions made up the spine of Hoogport. The Royal Family, its military, and its Hall of Wisdom.

Haveme City, Great Kingdom of Hoogport.

The City of Haven was one of the seven cities in Hoogport, and Its total population numbered in the millions. They built the city in a valley amid various mountains which towered into the skies. Unlike other cities in Hoogport, the weather was fair. Because of this, most people referred to it as the third best city in Hoogport. Its major export was a rare ore minded from the surrounding mountains called Olahyme. Thousands of people trooped into the city each day because they wanted to buy this rear ore. Because, it had a myriad of uses. Although the major occupation in the city was mining, Haveme looked nothing like a mining city. Beautiful structures of varying shapes and height lined its busy streets. The strange thing about most of these structures, was the material used in their construction. Most of the buildings glistered as if made from a precious gem. Such a sight would leave most tourist awed. It even mesmerized the citizens of the city on various occasions.

Apart from mining, Haveme had one of the biggest organized and underground markets on Skyhaven. No matter what an individual sought, they would find it in the Haveme markets. Since Hoogport operated under a monarchy, a prince governed its affairs. One of the three arms considered being the spine of Hoogport had its headquarters in Haveme, too. It was another reason most people considered it the third best city.

In a certain part of Haveme, Dustan stood in a beautiful garden. While assuming a pensive his demeanor. Three weeks had rapidly gone by since the events that took place in the Tiodon Kingdom. Standing beside him was an old man, who looked as if he had been alive for countless eons. Unlike Dustan who dressed in plain clothes, the old man wore a blue mage’s robes which had several garish colors on the chest region of the robes. As the gentle wind blew, it tousled their hairs while carrying the fragrance of several flowers to their nose. Although they stood in such a beautiful scenery, which had several mountain peaks in the background. The duo had solemn expressions on their faces as they discussed in a soft tone of voice.

“Great sage, is there any change to marigold’s condition?” Dustan asked. His eyes had a tinge of regret in them while his lips trembled a little. Dustan’s reaction and question caused the old man to sigh while shaking his head. “Dustan, don’t trouble yourself with matters concerning Marigold. I know you mean well for her, but you must let her weather this storm herself. She can still find fortune from this disaster. I’ll convey your messages to her when she steps out from her training, but I must warn you. After her recent experience, it might not be the same Marigold of yesteryear,” the great sage said. Just like Dustan, his aged eyes had a tinge of regret in them. But, unlike Dustan, he maintained a calm demeanor.

Meanwhile, Dustan’s heart sank in helplessness. He could not help but feel dejected. The scene of James jumping though the portal kept on playing over and over in his mind. Since the incident, he held himself responsible for James’s escape. He berated himself for not doing better. The massacre carried out in the Dumin household also made him scared of the future casualties that would arise from James’s escape. Most of all, he hated that he could not apprehend the person who shattered the reunion of his friend.

Noticing the saddened expression on Dustan face, the Great sage patted him lightly on the back, “Dustan, do not let the events of that day trouble you. That Blay De Tovar character hid himself relatively well. Even our Clairvoyants could not detect something like this would occur. If fate wills it, you will meet him again,” the great sage said. It was his attempt to console and motivate Dustan.

Meanwhile, Dustan nodded his head as he heard these words. But, his face still had the same expression. Seconds later, a certain thought flashed through his mind.

“Great sage, what is the status of the grandfather and granddaughter duo?” Dustan asked.

The old man furrowed his brows upon hearing Dustan’s question while assuming a serious demeanor.

“The two of them are recovering better than I had expected. If they had arrived a day or two later, they would have died a gruesome death. The young lass is also someone shrouded in mystery. Although she is only a human, I can sense she is not someone normal. I want her to recover first before I test my theories. If they are right, then she can become a pillar within Kingdom,” the Great Sage said.

Listening to the manner in which the Great Sage praised Daisy, Dustan had a stunned expression on his face. Because he knew the status of the old man. Considering the number of talents in Hoogport, if someone like him could praise Daisy so much, he could not imagine how frightening she could become.

‘Hmm… The Great Sage is not one to speak words carelessly. If the consultant to the Royal Military says; she can develop into a pillar for the Kingdom. Who am I not to believe? If that girl grows into another pillar for us, it will be our gain. Whoever placed that nasty curse would never have expected this…’ Dustan mused.

“Great sage, does that mean you will take her as a disciple?” Dustan asked after overcoming his initial surprise.

“Yes! A talent like her should not remain in the mundane world of mortals. I only hope she will accept me as a Master,” The Great sage said.

“It is her great fortune to have you as a Master. I’m sure she will be glad to have you as a master, Sir,” Dustan said. He felt as if the great sage was joking when he said he hoped Daisy would take him as a Master. From his point of view, in the whole of Hoogport, who would dare turn down such an offer? The title of Great sage was not for show. Only those who had accumulated hundreds of years’ worth of experience in their respective occupations had a chance of being given the title. Even ten thousand libraries could not compare to one Great sage.

Hearing Dustan words, the Great sage could not help but chuckle. At that same moment, Dustan continued his statement, “Sir, did either of them mention anything about this Blay De Tovar? From the investigation carried out in the Tiodon Kingdom, we found out he was posing as the adoptive son of Lord Dumin, James Dumin.”

“Although they did not know his identity back then, the trio contacted each other. The description in your report matched that of the duo. So, I assumed it was the same person. They mentioned they came in contact with him at a cemetery. Apparently, since the day they made contact, the young lass condition became worse. Although the grandfather was suspicious, it was the handwork of James Dumin, he reasoned that it was impossible. Because, he detected Blay De Tovar was only a weak apprentice mage. I’ve read the reports from the interrogation of those Halflings. Apparently, they three of them are from The Order. It is really not surprising when you consider their history. But, how they went unnoticed for several months is a source of worry for all Kingdoms.” The Great Sage said with a solemn look on his face.

“lest I forget, the young lass also mentioned something about purple and red things floating beside Blay De Tovar. Although I’m uncertain, but from her description, she might have seen damned souls. But, I’ve never heard or seen anything like a purple damned soul,” the Great Sage added.

As if a lightning bolt struck him, Dustan remembered all the damned souls he saw at the Iroko walkway and the Tiodon Kingdom. He did not report it earlier because he felt it was impossible for damned souls to appear that way. Even though he was not a necromancer, it was common knowledge for those who practiced soul related sorcery that Damned souls were red. A purple damned souls was unheard off, not to talk of an active sighting.

“Sir, I’m sorry for not mentioning this earlier, but I also saw those purple damned souls. Even though I was certain I was not under any illusion, I could not believe such a thing exists,” Dustan said while lowering his head in apology.

Meanwhile, there were no changes in the Great sage’s old face as he listened to Dustan’s words. It was impossible to determine if he was angry or not at Dustan for that slight oversight.

“Don’t bother yourself with such mundane issues. If I were in your shoes, I would have being skeptical, too,” The Great sage said with a slight smile which caused Dustan to have a relived expression on his face. A few seconds later, his voice echoed again, “What is the current situation at the border? What of the other Great Kingdoms?”

“Sir, everything is chaotic at the moment. According to our people at the border, the armies of two of the successors are making subtle movements. War looks inevitable at this moment, the only problem is when they will strike. According to our strategists and spies, it is likely they will strike seven to ten years from now. Although it is not a long time, it is not a short time, too. We can only do our best to prepare for the inevitable. As for matters concerning the other Great Kingdoms, preparations are still being made,” Dustan explained.

“Hmmm… The successors of the Man of Darkness are about to throw this word into chaos again,” The Great sage said in a helpless manner while shaking his head.

“Sir, unlike ten thousand years ago, we will not allow those from the path of Darkness to do as they please. We will not let the peace our ancestors fought for to end in this generation,” Dustan said. His facial appearance also carried the same confidence as his voice. Noticing this, the Great sage nodded his end in an approving manner.

“I like your confidence Dustan, but I’ll advise you not to be too overconfident. In your generation, hardly will you find anyone who can rival you and other – four kings. But, the next few years will see the rise and fall of several heroes and villains. I might not have the gift of clairvoyance, but even I can foresee war and bloodshed covering the lands of Skyhaven. Whether the path of light or that of Darkness prevails, is unknown. Who knows if Skyhaven remain the same? Only the heavens know,” the Great Sage said.

Dustan had a solemn look on his face as he digested the Great Sage’s words. Just as he wanted to respond, the Great sage interrupted him, “Your men are on their way here. Visit me in my quarters when you have the time, I’ve something important to discuss with you. I believe the same people who placed the curse on the young lass have something to do with the Dragonsites.”

The moment the Great sage finished speaking, he disappeared from the garden like a puff of smoke. Meanwhile, Dustan had a stern expression on his face which showed traces of surprise, anger, and fear. The word Dragonsites stirred his emotion, causing an involuntary chill to go down his spine.

“After all these years, the Dragonsites are becoming active again. It seems they will drown the next few years in bloodshed and chaos,” Dustan muttered while sighing. Just as he finished his statement, the silhouette of five armored guards appeared within the garden. After discussing briefly with each other, Dustan and the five armored guards disappeared from the beautiful garden.

Meanwhile, in another part of the Great Kingdom of Hoogport. Hundreds of the top military officials gathered in a secret chamber which acted as a war room. Within the slightly rowdy room, various maps of the entire Kingdom of Hoogport floated in midair. Because of various magical runes found at different corners of the room. On each of the maps, it was possible to see various military positions of the armies of the Great Kingdom.

Inspecting the individuals found in the room, one would notice that they were of two categories – based on their dressing. Half of them wore the familiar armor of the great kingdom while other half wore a gray scholarly robe which had several star-shaped embroideries on the sleeves. Those clad in armor were from the military branch of the great kingdom while the others were from a branch called the Hall of Wisdom. One could say the Hall of Wisdom was the military backbone ofHoogport. While the main military groomed monsters in the art of war, the Hall of Knowledge groomed the brightest minds.

With hundreds of people found in the war room, the atmosphere was a little tensed, which was because both sides of the military were in a heated argument.

“Gentlemen, we can no longer underestimate the threat the Black Lands poses. If we don’t act now! We may as well be inviting a disaster by folding our hands,” A burly man clad in military armor said.

“General Thoa, we all know the threat the Black lands poses, but it will be injudicious to wage war against them right now. We neither have the numbers nor the resources to wage war against as of now. Please don’t act rashly,” a scholarly looking old man retorted. General Thoa’s words displeased him.

With a sneer on his lips, General Thoa spoke to the scholarly old man, “Master Kane, what the hell do you know about the Black Lands?! Do you think because you have read a thousand or two thousands tomes you are qualified to speak about the black lands?”

Master Kane could not help but cackle when he heard General Thoa’s words, he knew he had hit a sore spot.

“Whether I have read a hundred or a thousand scriptures is none of your business. As a representative of the Hall of Wisdom, it is my responsibility to act in the best interest of the Kingdom and his majesty. We are not like you lots from the Military,” Master Kane said.

Just as he finished his statement, there was deafening booming sound within the war room. Because, General Thoa smashed a small table into smithereens.

“What the hell do you mean by that?! Are you trying to pick a fight with the main military?!” General Thoa said, he looked ready for a fight.

With their general acting out, the other members of the main military in the room all stood of their feet while staring at daggers at the members of the Hall of Wisdom. A faint glow covered their bodies while they had a bloodthirsty look in their eyes. Meanwhile, the scholars from the Hall of Wisdom also stood on their feet’s while preparing to meet their counterparts in battle. Although most people regarded them as scholars, it did not mean they were not proficient in sorcery or other battle arts.

With tensions rising within the room, a slight snort suddenly reverberated within the room. Followed by a hoarse a voice, “Impudence! You dare act this way in the crown prince presence?!”

While this intimidating voice echoed, an overwhelming aura assaulted everyone within the room. At that moment, the soldiers and scholars felt as if someone poured a bucket of cold water over their heads. They did not know the crown prince had made his way into the war room; they knew the voice from earlier was that of one of his trusted aides.

With the tensed atmosphere abating, they could hear the refined voice of a young man, “Gentlemen, there is no reason for you to be at each other’s throats. Our enemies are those vile beings from the Black Lands and all those who seek to throw the world into chaos. What’s the point of fighting each other when you’re part of the same faction? Do you think, his Royal Majesty will approval of your actions?”

Fear distorted the face of General Thoa and Master Kane as they heard the words of the young man, who had yet to reveal himself to the group. They knew that if word of their actions got to the King’s ears, they would suffer severe punishment.

“I apologize for my rude behavior and that of my men, your highness,” Both men said unison.

The moment they finished apologizing, they could hear again the hoarse voice again, “You can leave now! General Thoa, Master Kane, stay behind!”

With no form of delay, the over hundred men within the room disappeared within seconds. They did not dare to utter any word of complaints because they knew the identity of the man behind the command. Just as they vacated the room, a loud whooshing sound echoed in the war room, which coincided with the appearance of eight men. Four wore the robes of the Hall of Wisdom while the other four wore the armor of the main military.

General Thoa and Master Kane both had surprised expressions on their faces the moment they saw these individuals. Because, they were the highest decision makers in Hoogport. Other than the Royal Family.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice, you all honor me,” The crown prince said.

At a certain corner of the war room, the figure of a neatly dressed young man who looked only twenty-nine years old emerged from the darkness. He had a sturdy-looking body, which showed he was no stranger to physical activities. His blue eyes were sharp as an eagle’s, which contrasted with the black hair he had on his head. He was a relatively handsome man, who exuded an aura of confidence and superiority, while also having the look of someone who is gentle and humble. Flanking him on both positions were two heavily armored men, who had a black mask covering their face. They wore the familiar armor of the Great Kingdom of Hoogport, but their armor was pitch black. Compared to the prince who looked only 6ft 3inches tall, both men were over 9ft tall, and they looked more menacing than the crown prince. The most frightening aspect about the duo, was the bloodthirsty aura they exuded from their bodies.

Apart from General Thoa and Master Kane, none of the other men flinched at the sight of the two giants. They all had relaxed expression on their faces as if the bloodlust did not bother them.

“Your Majesty, you flatter us. It good to see you’re in good health. Pardon me for asking, but why have you summoned us?” A middle-aged man said in an unhurried, gentle and flattering voice while having a warm and gentle smile on his face. It was easy to assume this man was a normal, friendly middle-aged man. But those who truly knew him, knew that behind the gentle smile on his calm face, was a mind that loved to cause chaos.

Just as the crown prince was about to respond to his words, they could hear another voice within the war room.

“General Tiasho, are you trying to tell the crown prince what to do?” An elderly man retorted. Unlike General Tiasho, the old man belonged to the Hall of Wisdom. Even though it looked like he had one foot in the grave, he still exuded an aura akin to a youth in the prime of his life.

With a slight chuckle, Tiasho retorted “Grandmaster Bern, how can I tell his Majesty what to do? Who am I? Who do you think you are to interrupt his Majesty, huh?”

Grandmaster Bern sneered at Tiasho’s words, because he knew the lunatic was trying to invoke the wrath of the crown prince on him. Just like the strife between the lower ranked members of the military, the top echelon also battled against each other, albeit in a more subtle and refined manner.

“Tiasho, shut the hell up. What are you trying to do right now? Who gave a brat like you the right to talk in the first place?!”

Instead of Grandmaster Bern responding, the oldest-looking man among the eight men shouted on General Taisho.

Unsurprisingly, he belonged to the Hall of Wisdom. The manner in which he talked to General Tiasho was that of an adult scolding a young child. However, General Tiasho did not dare retort the old man’s words, instead he smiled while bowing his head to apologize.

Meanwhile, Grandmaster Bern had a delighted expression on his face. But, his expression soon turned pale when the ancient-looking eyes of the old man fell on him. Like an obedient child, he lowered his head.

“Ryan, why have you sent for us? Don’t waste my time, I’ve other things that need my attention,” The old man said to the crown prince. If it were any other person, their head would have left their necks for calling the crown prince by his name. But, the crown prince had an apologetic look on his face as he listened to the old man’s words. The old man looked older than the Great Sage, Dustan discussed with in the garden. It was impossible to determine how many dusk and dawns he had witnessed.

Before Ryan could explain himself, he heard the voice of the old man again, “You two get out from here. How many times do I have to tell you not to release that foul smelling Mana in my presence?”

Like a meek sheep, the two masked giants disappeared from the room. They did not even wait for Ryan to dismiss them because they did not want to irritate the old man further.

With a humble and submissive look on his face, Ryan bowed slightly to the old man, “Great Sage, I apologize on behalf of my men. Please bear no grievances towards them. The reason I summoned you all, relates to the activation of a new Dragonsite.”

The moment they heard his words, the indifferent and calm expressions on the faces of the men changed. This was especially so for General Taisho.

With an ugly expression on his face, Master Kane’s voice echoed, “Your Majesty, how is this possible? We destroyed all the Dragonsites ten years ago. How can a new one appear in only ten years?”

His words expressed the sentiments of the other men within the room.

“This news came from our S-class spies in the Black Lands. I can vouch that 80% of this news is reliable. According to the Intel we received, there was not only three Dragonsites back then. Instead, there were four Dragonsites. But, we only destroyed three with the help of the unified army,” Ryan explained with a somewhat helpless expression on his face.

The scholars and military personnel had a stern expression on their faces as they heard his words. Because, they knew the gravity of the words they had just heard. An uncomfortable and tensed silence soon developed within the room.

“Ryan, what is the name of this Dragonsite? Was its location given in the report?” Old man called the Great sage asked.

“We don’t know its name or where its location yet. But, our spies said something about The Order being involved,” Ryan said in a solemn voice.

A sudden realization dawned on one grandmaster, which did not go unnoticed by the others within the room.

“Grandmaster Sparrow, what is it? Did you remember something?” the Great Sage asked.

The man called Sparrow looked like he was in his early fifties, but still maintained the aura of one in their late thirties. He had a slightly hunched back, with a bland facial features.

“Great Sage, I’ve read several reports of missing youths in the last couple of weeks…” Grandmaster Sparrow stopped as he got to this point while conjuring a blue orb on his palm. The moment the orb appeared, it illuminated the room, and projected several names into midair. Meanwhile, everyone within the room had stern expressions on their faces as they read the hovering names. Because, it numbered in the thousands.

“Grandmaster Sparrow, you mean they were all taking by Dragonsite?” General Taisho asked in a solemn voice. Which caused Grandmaster Sparrow to nod his head, “I am at least 70% confident they were taking to this new Dragonite. The number of missing youths has been on the increase in the last eight years. The Hall of Wisdom, initially thought it was the work of heretics from the path of Darkness. Now, it seems a greater evil is responsible. We all know that the Dragonsites have been responsible for breeding some of the most dangerous sorcerers known to man. With the appearance of the successors of the Man of Darkness, I don’t think it’s a coincidence they have activated a new Dragonsite,” Grandmaster Sparrow said.

The eyes of the Great Sage had a bloodthirsty look in it for a moment as he heard the words – Man of Darkness. His reaction made everyone in the room shiver uncontrollably.

A short while later, they could hear the voice of the Great Sage, “This is not a matter we can discuss among ourselves. We have to inform the king of the latest developments. I will discuss with the other Great Sages. Mete, you handle the affairs in the main military. Inform those old bastards we may have a future crisis on our hands. Ryan, I’ll ask you to inform the other Great Kingdoms of this discovery. We have to find and exterminate this Dragonsite before it grooms a new catastrophe for the world.”

The moment he finished speaking, he disappeared from the room. It was also the same for the remaining men, except Ryan. He had a stern look on his face as he gazed at the hovering names from the blue orb.

“I wonder if Dustan has heard about the new Dragonsite. It’s already been ten years, but it seems the past still hunts him,” Ryan muttered.

The moment he finished speaking, he also disappeared from the room in a flash. In the now empty war room, only the fading lights of the blue orb remained.