As I ran after the smoke, the system screen pulled up in front of me.
[---Soul and Mental Synchronization complete: 100%---]
[---Memory Synchronization: 10%---]
[---Current Identity: Akai Varn (Side Character)---]
[---Death "Chapter:" 35---]
[---Current "Chapter:" 2---]
«---REMINDER---»
[---Main Plot Event: "The Massacre" begins in 10 minutes.---]
I ignored the screen and kept running, keeping a steady pace behind the smoke until it stopped at a tall tree on a hill near my home.
"What the hell are you doing?" Noel asked, slapping me right across the face "I thought you said…" Noel was cut short as the smoke began to morph into something that could only be described as "non-human," as it had a body, it had a "face," but everything else looked bizarre and out of place, until the smoke settled, finally assuming the form of a demon with horns and wings.
"What are you?" I asked, trying to pretend as well as I could so that the creature didn't get suspicious of me. But behind my calm demeanour outside, my internals were not in such a good state.[1]
"Akai, please take over. You don't know the details about what this thing is, so you'll be the best fit for this situation." I paused and continued "Since you don't know what will happen next, instead of acting clueless like I am, you will actually be clueless. Please, do this for us."
"Great question… I don't know the answer though." as soon as I had that thought, the system came in clutch and showed him a notification
[---Skill: {DUAL SOUL(PASSIVE)} has detected a will to swap souls---]
[---Do You Agree To The Soul Swap?---]
[---Once you agree to the soul swap, Skill: {DUAL SOUL(PASSIVE)} Will become{DUAL SOUL(ACTIVE)} for a limited amount of time---]
[---Do You Agree?---(Y/N)---]
"Yes, I agree." I responded. Once I answered, I felt a surge of pain throughout my body, it felt like needles were stinging every single part of my body, and after 5 seconds that felt like 5 years, the pain stopped and I lost control of the body.
*Akai's POV*
I took over the body and said to the smoke demon "You haven't answered my question. What the hell are you?" while glaring at the system screen.
[---Body Ownership Has Been Transferred To Akai Varn---]
[---DUAL SOUL | TIME LEFT: 20MINS]
It laughed, a sound like crackling leaves. "A fallen. Once, I served Krandar. As Krandar is the Entity of Ethereal Light, I am Rael, the Entity of Hindering Smoke… Well, you could say I was. Now? I'm just a fallen, my powers reduced to a mere half of what it was."
"So, why did you fall?" Nez asked, an intrigued, childish smile playing across his face, meanwhile, I carefully glanced at the system screen.
[---Conversation Has Been Detected---]
[---Memory Synchronization will be put on hold---]
[---Memory Synchronization: 85%---]
Rael looked at me carefully, then continued "I once served under Krandar, until He and Vieldar had their battle. As the strongest Entities in existence, the shockwave from their battle destroyed about 35% of the Entity Realm, turning some of the existing Entities into Fallen, and birthing a few new Entities." Rael paused.
"I am one of the Fallen, but I and some others held no grudge against Krandar and Vieldar, because we knew it was what had to be done. However, a large portion of the Fallen, as well as some other Entities whose brothers and sisters "fell" did not take on the same view as some of us did, and are coming to your world to kill Krandar and Vieldar as we speak now."
"But I thought the battle between Krandar and Vieldar ended over 4 centuries ago? Why haven't they reached yet?" Noel asked, trying to make the conversation go as swimmingly as possible, meanwhile, I sneaked another glance at the system screen.
[---DUAL SOUL | 10MINS---]
"The Entity of Space-Time is holding them in place, but his shield won't last longer than it already has. Some of the Fallen on the side of Krandar and Vieldar have started to come down to your world to choose worthy vessels for their power." Rael answered.
"They are coming for the humans with the densest amounts of mana, and only I am the fallen entity that has reached Thera now. I would have liked to give this warning to Krandar and Vieldar directly, but I do not have enough mana. I am looking for a host to assist in the battle against the unholy Fallen, so I will follow you to gauge if you are a good vessel for my power."
Cautiously, I backed off, cautiously looking at Rael. "What do you want?" Rael transformed into a crow before responding "Nothing but to assist this world in the battle against the fallen"
[---Skill: {DUAL SOUL(ACTIVE)} will now go back to PASSIVE mode---]
[---Body Ownership Will Return to Daniel Hayes---]
[---No Conversation Detected, Memory Synchronization will resume---]
[Memory Synchronization: 96%]
*Daniel's POV*
*Sigh*
"Fine, you can follow us around…" suddenly, Rael's "expression" crumpled, and turned soggy. "A Fallen's Vestige is here, but that one vestige is a lot of trouble. The Unholy Fallen also seek humans with dense mana reserves, even if it's dormant."
"Young ones, do your parents have a large amount of mana?" Rael aksed us, glaring at us with a dangerous gaze.
"They once served as the royal guard for the Bleak family, and their mana scale is A+. They're the highest ranked warriors in this town and are highly respected." Noel responded proudly.
"Then they're probably gonna be the first to die in this town, and there will be more to…" Before Rael could finish his sentence, Akai, Noel, and Nez ran at full speed to their house, but before they could even reach their house, they witnessed one of the worst things ever.
The streets were a bloody mess, the entire city was cleared out, and not a single soul was alive. Gritting their teeth and running forward, they reached their house, and they witnessed something even worse.
A man in a black cloak hummed as he arranged hearts on the floor. Nez's cake was now a pedestal.
For their hearts.
"Where's the rest of them?!" I screamed.
The man turned, his grin splitting his face like a wound. "Oh, I claimed them all. Even the cat."The last sound was mom's choked gasp before her head hit the floor.
"Who… no, what are you?" Noel asked, rage evident in her eyes.
"I am the First Vestige of the Entity of Chaos and Violence, Hao Jun," he said, bowing "You can also call me the Heart Harvester."
[1] Daniel is the one in control of the body