The Old Soul (3)

[Warning! Your soul is in danger! Find a suitable body!]

As the system prompted, I instinctively began to move my "body" towards the teenagers in front of me. My head felt like it was in a half-insane state as I begged for their help.

"Help...! Please..."

Unbeknownst to me, time felt fleeting as I began to murder the teenagers in front of me. I didn't know how to stop. First it was the teenager named Laura.

[Analyzing the chosen body's apparition...

Found Apparition: Butterfly

Invalid! Ejecting Host!]

The system prompted again as Laura's guts swelled up which exploded her body, blood and pieces of flesh scattered around.

I could not think clearly about the madness of the situation as my "body" immediately jumped to the next person, Anna.

[Analyzing the chosen body's apparition...

Found Apparition: Snake

Invalid! Ejecting Host!]

Even with her momentary attempt of her struggle, it amounted to nothing as the veins on Anna's head popped out and exploded, her entire face which was filled with the fear of a living being awhile ago, now became that of a lifeless corpse.

I glanced towards the two others who were trying to escape, but my body couldn't take any more movements as I fell to the ground and watched them make their escape. I sweeped my eyes around the darkness of the building as I called out to them from a distance.

[Warning! In a few seconds, your soul will shatter!]

"Help... Please... I need a body...!" I uttered weakly.

Perhaps some god was looking at me with pity, or perhaps the devil in the dark was intrigued, as the shadows began to move around the building. They swayed as though my command was their way of living.

[Your ???, Outsider, has listened to your dark thoughts]

Suddenly, the shadows silently but quickly rushed towards the red haired teenager who was being dragged. Rafael wanted to scream but before he could do so, he was engulfed within the darkness.

Basir hadn't noticed because at the same time, they had just arrived at the door which lead to the outside. As the red haired boy was being covered by the shadows, Basir was too distracted to notice as he dashed through the door which was forcefully opened with his strength.

The afternoon sunlight filled his figure as he suddenly felt that his hands were empty, the red haired teenager disappeared from his hands. His eyes widened as he immediately tried to sprint towards the door.

However, the shadows seemed to sense his attempt. Through the dark, a faint sound whispered in an ancient tone that brought about the tides of time, as though the shadows came together to sound itself to the blond boy— "Sleep."

Suddenly, Basir could feel his senses shut down. He felt as though his body wanted to obey, and it did. He collapsed on the ground without preparation, his eyes closed in deep slumber.

...

Inside the building

[Analyizing chosen body's apparition...

Found Apparition: Cat

Suitable body has been found.]

The "old soul's" figure could be seen blending inside the red haired boy's body, their flesh merging into one. Their veins seemingly interconnecting with each other, and their organs mashing itself into one.

[Human form currently repairing, forcefully transforming into apparition form...

Due to the ???, Outsider, your apparition form has been adjusted!]

The system prompted once again with its annoying tone, I couldn't make out the words at all as my body began to let out thin mist. I began shrinking, black fur started growing out of my skin, and I felt something similar to a tail growing out of me— my body was being restructured.

I wanted to let out a noise as I attempted to open my mouth. I succeeded but what was let out was something I didn't expect to come out of me— "Meow."

A weak mutter sounded out, as my eyes closed weakly, seemingly losing my thoughts.

[Warning! Due to repair, host is losing consciousness!]

If someone could witness this scene, they'd be able to see a cat sleeping in the darkness... No, it seemed more like the darkness was carrying the cat somewhere.

It dragged the cat's body into an alley near the building before suddenly stopping. At this point, it just seemed like an ordinary cat taking a nap. But if you looked closely, you could see the shadows around it "blending" the cat to its surroundings and hiding its presence.

...

In an unknown office, with a long table made to fit numerous people, people in different masks spoke to one another. The place was dark with dimness that seemed to form a mood of secrecy.

"Let us end this meeting for today" the man seated in front of them with a mask that had outlines of metallic paint stood up and said in a hoarse voice.

He said, and suddenly the members took 5 minute intervals each as they left one at a time.

The last one to leave was another man with a mask that outlined the ocean, he stood up as he glanced at the person who ended the meeting earlier. "I'm about to take in an apprentice, I might not be here next week as preparation." He said casually.

The metallic masked man just nodded his head in acknowledge. And with that, the ocean masked man left the office. He moved through a hidden window outside and jumped out, then passed through an alley that was rarely seen.

He was about to walk through his normal route like he usually would when his senses suddenly shot up. He glanced to the right side of his vision and his eyebrows creased, he saw a cat that was being blended by the shadows.

"Another apparition user?" If it weren't for him being a rank 7 of the snake path and being blessed with the ability to detect things that were hidden, he wouldn't have detected it.

"No.. apparition users don't have this kind of aura, apparition users have artificial animal bodies... This is...!" Suddenly his eyes shot up as he immediately went to the cat to pick it up.

"An animal spirit!" He exclaimed feeling as though it was his lucky day.

Animal spirits were different from apparition users. Apparition users were humans who were blessed with a certain animal path, but animal spirits were directly from the animal path's consciousness themselves.

They were special as they were born with special abilities that didn't fit their animal path. For example, apparitions of the snake path involved deception and tricks, however snake spirits could have powers involving sunlight or perhaps lightning, which were totally incompatible with the abilities of their path.

"This cat seems to be able to control the shadows around it to blend itself really well..." The ocean masked guy muttered to himself.

He really was lucky! Animal spirits could be tamed as they were highly intelligent, and they often stuck to only one owner for the rest of their lives. The fact that this spirit cat was here sleeping and hiding meant that it probably had no owner yet!

The man smiled, feeling blessed.

"Hello there cat spirit, you can call me Dalek..."

He said, handling the cat gently in his arms, seemingly afraid to disturb its sleep.