With my sense of time distorted, being alone in a white room was starting to take its toll on my sanity, I could only suppose it was the end of the third day. I had a gut feeling that being there much longer wasn't an option, so the last thing I wanted to do before opening the door was to attempt to use the simple magic I discovered to better my equipment.

Apart from having a heavy mana toll for every use, the problem with the magic until now was its fight potential. Maybe it could be used as distraction at best, but that would not help me in a sudden encounter.

So the best way I thought I could exploit it was to, or at least attempt to, coat all the surface of my item in a diamond-like carbon film. I had the idea while sharpening the knife blade and the tip of the spear, from all the article that I remember reading, it should help immensely the hardness and resistance of the coated surface.

That would also be a test to see if the "Magic" skill had some influence on the expected result. I tried to first coat the spear, hopeful it was going to be okay, but preparing for the worse even a failed coating should leave a useful pointy end.

Concentrating on all the aspect needed, like my previous attempts, was a little bit easier,but I honestly didn't know if it was the magic skill or I was imagining it. A shiny transparent patch started to grow, albeit slowly, and enclosed the spear head. Calmly turning the spear, to even the layer, while still focusing was really hard but the final result made it worth the pain.

Consulting the status I discovered that the mp consumption was much less than before, so maybe the magic skill influenced the mana cost more than other things. Still another experiment to add on the list.

I repeated the coating process on the knife, vest and the shield, and that took all my remaining mana. After gripping the spear and shield I finally gripped the door's handle.

- So it's time to see who's behind door number one... A quick glance to see if it's all ok...

NameRaceAverageHuman IHPMP1120/120AtkDefDexWis11+1411+161111Exp60/180

What greeted me behind the door wasn't a life form of any kind or another white area. No, a seemingly endless darkness enveloped me as soon I took a step out of the door.

It didn't feel like the time I talked with the voice at the beginning, it was like sinking in a black endless ocean. In the same moment I started panicking due to the inability to move or see anything, a feeble light appeared in front of me. The increasing brightness and dimension of the light gave me a vague idea of the speed it was travelling.

- Or maybe I'm the one travelling...

That would explain the sensation of free-falling I started to perceive more clearly when the light become as big as a fist. More detail came into view with the passing seconds. A strange calmness permeated me while observed what I was starting to be fairly sure was a star.

Also what at the beginning was a dark spot on the surface of the star revealed to be a planet orbiting it. With another object for reference I started to marvel at my speed and also if I was really going to end either crashed on the planet, or burned in the star.

- Well the fact that I can talk surely means that it's again only a trick and I'm not really moving through space, or I'm being protect by some kind of "bubble"?

- No tricks, you're travelling through my protection. And what you're witnessing it's #001 your new world.

- Com'on, really?! You reappear like that and expect me to accept this?

- No, I don't, but when you will believe me you will remember it.

- Right... Anyway what kind of people call their planet #001 are the naming sense taken a trip for a while or taken testimony protection program?

- It will all make sense after a while I can't say anything more. Rather than this good luck for your landing!

Looking again showed me that my vision was filled with the planet, with the star hidden behind it the surface was dark for the night. I was able to take a glimpse of an ocean and various islands before all become crimson from the enveloping fire that created from my entry in the atmosphere.

My sight was dyed red for the longest seconds of my life, sure I didn't feel the heat or vibration that I expected, but that served only to fuel my doubts. I still felt more calm than I should have, but I was starting to think my sense of what was normal and what wasn't was irreparably damaged.

Still I had to admit, once forgetting the feeling of the approaching death, free falling was really exhilarating. The night sky was almost free of clouds, and the ocean below dotted with islands, was mesmerizing.

Even if I couldn't see the thing that surrounded and protected me, from the few movement my eyes strained to do, I still felt a change in it. Just when I was trying to think of a reason for the sensation, my falling speed started decreasing visibly.

With a much slower approach to the surface of the planet, details of the islands and oceans were more clear. Three were the bigger land masses and I started losing count of the smaller one.

- It sure isn't Earth... I'm surely not a geography enthusiast, but not even one coastlines matches my memory...

The decreasing speed also showed me what could be the destination of this uncontrollable trip. A group of three lone islands in the middle of the ocean, almost at equal distance from the continents, seemed my landing point.

After a while, my lack of any kind watch was killing me, I felt like I had memorized all the various coastlines and relative position of what I could see. With all the menu function blocked, and my lack of mobility, I started to reflect more seriously on my current situation. Overthinking like usual.

- Sure, I have to admit, all this excitement is fun and all... But the lack of all the reaction, and sensation, I should have felt before... It's disturbing...

Maybe it's true that memories define one-self, bur never like than I thought I understood. All of that, new body, photographic memory, hud etc., was slowly eroding my original personality.

- Sigh... Why I always overthink, why?!

Outburst apart my prominent tracts seemed intact, so it was better for my mental health to start to imagine all that like a game. Also the strange skydiving experience was reaching its conclusion.

The islands were now filling my view and, guessing my trajectory, I was going to land on the bigger of the three. If it was really another planet I should haven't applied Earth standards, but judging by position alone they should have tropical climate. All the greenery I could see also showed that it was a fertile land.

When I started slowing down more and more my doubts on my landing destination started to clear. A plateau on top of a inactive volcano was the only place that was illuminated, and that made click something inside my mind. Of all the place I've seen, while in the atmosphere, there were no visible lights.

- Please, please somebody say it's only because I couldn't see them... I fear all the other implication...

Apart for my crawling doubts, the structure that seemed the source of the light came into view. A truncated cone was the best description I could use at the moment. The top part, that was as bright as a thousands light bulbs, was centered into my sight so I suppose it was time to land on it.

The roof of the structure gave off the same white light of the room's ceiling I was in before. Sure is was vastly more powerful, but the cold hue and the way it was uniform was the same.

When I was at maybe the same height of a five-storey building, and almost dead-center on the roof, I felt like passing through a membrane. At the same time of the the break through sensation, I regained my mobility and my landing speed slowed even more than before.

- So it seems in the end I will not have to try to mimic the safe landing technique I remember from videos...

The moment my feet touched the surface, quite cold actually, of the roof the light disappeared except for six rings. One was under myself and the other five were in front of me in a semi-circle formation.

From the five rings of light five square, pillar-like, thing grew out. The light was to strong to see all the details but it became much more weaker at the time the five "obelisk" stopped to arise out of the roof. I called them obelisk because, with the much more acceptable light, I was able to see their surface was full of engraving, etching that resembled more a circuit board than written language.

When the light under the central, and taller, obelisk started flashing lightly a voice come out of it.

- Welcome to Imlaren traveler, we were waiting for you since our creation, and finally as predicted you have come... Why are you in dismay o' mighty traveler?

- It's called face-palming and I'm doing it because of this whole situation... Really?! Now you go all lore-master on me after three days like that?! And even if the voice is different I have a strong feeling we chatted before, haven't we?

- You really continue to smash all of my expectations, from your data I assumed you would like a more "classic" approach now that your new life beginning.

- You really got smarter but not quite there are you? Like I said before you should have this approach from the start if you want me to listen to... Wait a minute... What's the "now" new life, bit about?

- You accepted all of this crossing that door, so this is your new life now. Congratulation?!

With my right eyelid twitching uncontrollably, I sat down to fight the increasing desperation and rage, strange mix I know...

- What the @#%& you mean I accepted?! When do you piece of £$?*# asked me anything?! An you can take your congratulation and...

- To think you're so lively even now is comforting you know? But if you want to file questions about the selecting and activating criteria, I believe you will have no more luck than me contacting the Creators.

- Why you continue to casually drop bombshell like this when I'm already full and on the verge of exploding?! Wait... Do you say this thing believing I will not listen and remember? You son of a microchip...

- From where that did came from?

- Well seeing the pattern on the obelisk coupled to the synthetic-voice, it came naturally... Don't try to derail the conversation and answer me!

- To answer your question the system not only select a free matrix, after searching for the pre-set parameters, but also test its compatibility with #001, or Imlaren if you want to use the local name. To fail the test you needed only to resist the implanted compulsion and do nothing productive until the end of it.

- So you really messed with my mind... What about the Creators part?

- ... ... To put is simply I'm "only" #001 manager, I'm in charge of all the new matrixes but otherwise I've limited power. I lay dormant until activation, and you're the first that the system selected since the beginning. So when I started the processing I tried to contact the Creators but no answer came.

- Let me guess, all the time when you "disappeared" you were trying to contact them?

- Yes exactly, I'm supposed to evolve with each external interaction, but having only you as a sample brought unexpected reaction. Like repeatedly trying to contact every single free moment.

- Welcome to the anxiety club... I'm inclined to consider us even if I really gave you an imprint of my reactions and emotions... So what I'm supposed to do now?

- Now we wait for your avatar's synchronization with the new environment, meanwhile we can finally do a q&a session.

- After three days... Just like that... Breathe in, breathe out... ...

- Well normally new matrix's avatars would have to listen to the lore introduction and should consult each obelisk for instruction. But I believe we exceeded normal parameters by far, so now you can simply ask.

- I'm starting to have a migraine, is that even possible with this body? Anyway how much time I have for asking questions?

- I think your headache is only psychological origin, you shouldn't have physical feedback until the end of the synchronization sequence. And you can ask for all the time you want.

- Care to explain this "feedback" thing?

- When, a few more minutes actually, the sequence will end you will have again the full control and feedback of your avatar. Obviously complete of the upgrade you obtained until now.

- Obviously... Just so I can understand better, what will change from before, and I mean from my original body, from the time in the room and now?

- Your original body's stat and skill are unknown to me the system came in contact with your matrix only after you separated from it, I could only glimpse at the last instant of your original life but not enough data to extrapolate significant results.

- Wait a minute! You said I was going to get cremated... did you lie to me?

- From the relative time between the end of you original body, the system's search and the memories of your last will, I estimated the moment your original body would be cremated.

- Estimated, estimated... How sure you're of your calculation?

- From the data I have, a 2.3 seconds of estimated error.

- Sigh... I have no way to check it anyway, so let's say I believe you, what are the difference I should expect from the white room and now?

- I think that thanks to your intuition you will be able to pick the change immediately, but to answer your question in the testing room you were on a slight compulsion to "do something", your avatar grow-rate was doubled and no other basic biological function were activated.

- Such as?

- Hunger and thirst are the more prominent, the full list I'm not authorized to disclose. And I believe it would be fairly boring.

- Yeah, because you worry about my entertainment right?... Will I be free of compulsion now?

- Yes, like I said before, no external interference is permitted on the matrix after it pass the test...

While it was talking, I was assaulted by a feeling comparable to plunging, my whole body, in ice water after a day under the scorching sun. My skin felt first hot and than cold, no wonder I started shivering like a new-born lamb.

- The synchronization seems complete, I think in a few hour you will start to feel all the others change. What you feel now is the feedback from the avatar's settings to the new atmosphere, gravity and so on.