Bearer of bad news

Leon awoke, feeling groggy and miserable, his face smeared with drool. "I've slept away the entire Saturday, which is quite disappointing," he grumbled.

Determined to shake off the haze, he opted for a shower. After stepping out and drying himself with a towel, he headed back to his room, clad in a black tee-shirt, blue jeans, socks, and a pair of old Adidas sneakers he selected from his closet. He couldn't help but notice his mom's absence—it had been a whole day since she left, and she still hadn't returned.

Today, Leon had plans. He intended to experiment with his newfound powers. First on the list was spirit vision, a skill he remembered from the novel. With spirit vision, he could peer into the non-physical aspects of a person, observing their Ether Body and auras. These perceptions allowed him to detect the presence of beings with Spirit Bodies. By analyzing their intensity, brightness, and color, he could deduce their health and emotions, as well as glean insights into their mental state.

He recalled the colors associated with emotions: red for passion and excitement, orange for warmth and contentment, yellow for happiness and extroversion, green for tranquility and peace, blue for introspection and contemplation, white for brightness and enthusiasm, and dark shades for worry, sorrow, and silence. Purple indicated a growing spiritual influence.

Resolving to begin testing this power in the safety of his room, Leon focused his gaze on an empty space beyond his hands, then slowly moved his fingers while maintaining his position. This action triggered a fiery-red hue between his fingers.

"This is the initial stage of spirit vision," he realized.

Surveying his room with amazement, he deactivated the ability. However, the murmurings he'd experienced earlier resurfaced: "Apprentice... pathway, sequence... power... bestowment... corruption... madness."

Despite the chaos in his mind, Leon had a plan. Employing a technique called cogitation, he used an imaginary pencil to redirect his attention and inwardly quell the mental turmoil. As the murmurs subsided, he assessed his reflection in the mirror.

His recent use of cogitation had helped to calm his mental frenzy, part of the process of mastering his powers. As he converged his abilities through Cogitation, his brown eyes darkened to a shade almost black, revealing depth and mystery. The color reverted to its normal brown after the cogitation.

Leaving his house, he ventured into the bustling streets of New York and found a park bench. Activating his spirit vision, he observed people walking by, witnessing a spectrum of colors—yellows, reds, whites, oranges, and even darker shades. This experiment provided valuable insights into his abilities.

Resolving to test his other powers, he visited a store to purchase a 50-cent bag of potato chips before returning home. Approaching his house, he noticed two police officers at the front door. With curiosity, he asked, "Hey, do you guys need anything?"

Startled by his voice, the officers turned toward him. "Who are you?" they inquired.

"I'm Leon; I live here."

"Ah, you're her son," they responded. "We're Officers David Kilian and John Daylen of the NYPD. We have something to tell you."

Sensing seriousness, Leon inquired, "Should I sit down?"

"Your mother, Cara Pentance, has unfortunately passed away."

As the news settled in, Leon remained silent, which the officers interpreted as shock. Internally, he was incredulous—he hadn't even met his mother yet, and she was gone. The officers' sympathetic gazes remained on him as they continued to explain that she, along with six coworkers, had been victims of a fatal accident involving steel beams.

"What caused the accident?" Leon asked, his face marked by distress.

"Steel beams fell and crushed them," one officer shared with compassion. "The incident is under investigation. You could press charges or file a lawsuit for negligence."

"Thank you for coming. Is there anything else?" Leon inquired.

"We're done here. Take care."

After their departure, Leon mulled over the situation. It struck him as too much of a coincidence—his transmigration into this body and his mother's death occurring in close succession. He contemplated his lack of relatives and the freedom it afforded him from maintaining a facade. Although he had memories of his mother, he had never met her, making it difficult for him to feel a deep emotional connection. Yet, he decided to arrange a funeral for her.

As he settled on the couch, he delved into his memories to gain insights into his mother's personality. She had been kind yet strict, shaping the character of the previous Leon after his father's example. With a tinge of sadness, he thought back to her delicious lasagna and the humorous note she'd left.

As days passed, Leon skipped school to handle funeral arrangements. Colleagues and acquaintances came to pay their respects. He chose to have his mother cremated and secured permission to continue living alone; after all, he was still seventeen. His mother left behind $80,000 in savings. Although he wouldn't inherit it until he turned 18, he could receive a basic allowance from it.

Eventually, the investigation into the deaths concluded that they were the result of foul play, a realization that bewildered and concerned him. Who was behind this act? Was his mother entangled in something sinister, or was it an arbitrary act of violence?