The hungry shadow

As soon as the kill order was issued, system's anxious tone sounded in Rio's head. [Host, something's wrong.]

'Good guess, how'd you know.' Rio joked, staring at an army coming at him.

System ignored it's host's teasing tone and explained what it found.

[...They don't have a soul now. I mean even before their soul was shrouded in that green cocoon but now they've lost it whole...If before they were just hypnotized, then now they're full-on puppets. Much like how a necromancer controls dead soldiers.]

'Can you track who's controlling them?'

[Who else but that tree.]

'Can you find out what that is?'

[It's __ confidential information. System level requirements not met. Host lacks authority.]

'What the fuck???'

[Well, we can't do nothing about that. Just be careful when you're facing it.]

[Sayonara host. See you outside.]

'Hey system, what do you mean see you outside, where'd you go you fucker, answer me… .'