Kael's heart skipped a beat. The white mist? That was... karma. The very essence of his existence, swirling around him in an ethereal haze.
It was part of him. It was his. "Wait... why do you need that?" Kael asked, suspicion lacing his voice. "Since it's karma, isn't it something that affects living beings? I thought it didn't work on you."
The old ghost chuckled again, shaking his head as if Kael had asked the silliest question in the world. "Oh, kid, you really are new to this, huh?
Karma's not gonna do anything to me. It's just a bunch of... well, nothing to me." He waved his hand dismissively.
"I've been around too long for it to have any effect. But you? Well, karma's a big part of you.
And you'll need to learn how to move properly in your state, or that wraith will make a quick snack out of you...
Trust me, I'm doing this for your good."
Kael's suspicion grew heavier, like a weight in his chest. Something about this felt off.
He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was a scam, he was sure of it. His soul—his very essence—was tied to that white mist.
Giving any of it up... felt wrong. But if he didn't, if he didn't learn to move as a soul, the wraith would find him.
Still, his resistance flared. He hesitated. "Why do you need it? What exactly is it that you want from me?"
The old ghost's eyes twinkled with amusement. "You're a smart one, but you're also desperate. Desperate souls make bad decisions.
All I need is a little of that white mist you've got swirling around you, and I'll help you move like you're meant to." He leaned closer, his voice a conspiratorial whisper.
"But don't take too long thinking about it, kid. Time's not on your side."
Kael gritted his teeth, feeling the weight of his predicament pressing on him like an iron chain.
He could feel his soul dimming, the white mist beginning to thin just from the mere thought of giving it away.
The very thing that made him whole—the thing that tied him to his existence—was about to be chipped away.
Kael paced in the confined space of the peach, weighing his options. Every second felt like it could be his last.
Finally, he looked up at the old ghost, his frustration boiling over. "How long is that soul wraith gonna wait out there?" His voice was tight with tension.
The old ghost's grin deepened, his eyes glittering with mischief. "Oh, it's not just waiting anymore, kid. It's already caught another soul.
It's stronger now, so... I guess that means the payment for your training just went up." He chuckled darkly, his voice growing colder.
"Better think fast. You're in a race against time, and that wraith's got a taste for souls now."
Kael felt the pressure tighten around him. It was a game of survival now—every moment counted.
The soul wraith was growing stronger by the second, and Kael had to make a decision.
Could he afford to give up a piece of his soul, or would that make him too weak to fight back?
"Fine," Kael said through clenched teeth, his voice barely a whisper. "Do it. Take it."
The old ghost's laugh rang out once more, a triumphant sound, as Kael felt the weight of his decision sink in.
The old ghost had him, and he knew it. But for now, he had no choice. His survival depended on it.
The mist swirled and twisted, dimming as it flowed away from Kael's soul and into the ghost's waiting hands.
Kael could feel a part of himself being drained, the very essence of his existence thinning with each passing second.
But as the transaction finished, Kael couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he'd just made a deal with the devil. The weight of the old ghost's words echoed in his mind as he tried to steady his breathing.
"Good," the old ghost said, his tone dripping with satisfaction. "Now let's get moving. That wraith's not gonna wait forever, and you've still got a lot to learn."