Chapter 3: A Lost Soul

Dolan's senses were all jarbled. He felt sick in his stomach. For some reason, this teleportation felt different. He quickly surveyed his surroundings. But Dolan's sense of urgency disappeared when he saw where he was. He stood in the middle of a flowing field of tall grass. The sun was shining brightly above, and there was a slight breeze blowing from the East. Dolan just inhaled deeply, basking in the peaceful moment. After his moment of peace, he prepared himself to take off in flight, but when he tried, he was unable. Confused, he tried again. "What's going on?" He thought. "I'ma spirit. I should be able to fly around."

As he was processing why he could no longer float and fly around, he noticed his hands. His hands were no longer ghastly images of a subtle blue hue. They were his actual arms. His physical arms he had in his past life. And it wasn't just his arms. His legs, feet, head and torso had all become fully tangible. "I don't wanna complain, but holy guacamole. I thought I was dead. What's going on?" Just then his body began to reverberate, his arms and torso began to flicker between existing and returning to it's normal ghastly blue hue. Dolan just shook his head. "Let me just find the spirit here. That'll solve these problems."

As he began to run, he felt the pressure of running on his legs. It felt good, he thought. Smiling, he picked up his pace. Quickly he ran out of breath. "Jeez. I'm out of shape." He said huffing air. While he ran around in no particular direction, he smelled the smell of food. "Barbeque? We'll." He said walking towards the smell. "Don't mind if I do." As he topped the hill he saw a quaint little house resting atop a small mountain peak overlooking a large green valley. All throughout the valley below were cows and horses freely eating the grass to their heart's content.

Dolan slowly walked up to the door of the cottage. It was a pretty cottage. Sort of old school. The roof was made of a sort of yellow straw, but it looked as sturdy as concrete. The walls were made of entire logs of oak. The house had a few windows but they looked to be foggy. Knocking upon the door, Dolan folded his hands behind his back. Then Dolan thought to himself, "Did I really just knock?" Then he went to walk through the door, but smacked his head straight into the door. "Never mind I guess." He said rubbing his forehead.

As the door to the house opened, Dolan was greeted by a tall middle aged man with short scruffy hair. He wore a green shirt, and a pair of blue jeans. He had a very defined build, but not to the point of bulkiness, just fit. "Who are you?" the stranger's voice came out scruffy and commanding.

With a little hiccup, Dolan said, "Dolan. I'm actually here because I sensed a sou-" WACK! Dolan staggered backwards collapsing into the wall of the house.

The man grabbed Dolan by his collar and held him up against the wall of the house. "Who are you? Who the hell sent you here? How did you find this place?"

Coughing Dolan choked out, "The spirit king, *cough* he- he sent me."

"The bastard!" The man shouted, turning away from Dolan. Quickly looking back at him, he tightened his grip by placing his other throat around Dolan's neck. "How did he send you here? He should be running out of spirit power by now! How is that bastard still alive?"

Dolan shook his head, "I don't- I don't know what you are talking about. Emilia told me to come. The king fell down and I just chanted the same spell I always do. How can you see me? Are you not almost dead?"

The man gave Dolan a confused look. "Emilia? She's still alive?" His face was that of utter shock. "I should have snapped her neck when I had the chance. I can tell you aren't fully spirit." He looked at Dolan's humanized parts and his faded ghastly parts. Then his face dawned with understanding. "He ate your soul too."

Dolan, very confused explained, "I don't know what you are talking about man. All I know is that I've been collecting souls for the spirit king for the last three years. I died on the battlefield back in my own time period and dimension. I don't know what you are talking about 'ate my soul'." As those words left Dolan's mouth, his eyes widened.

The man released Dolan and began to talk, "You've been fooled kid. I can see it in your eyes. You're from the spirit realm right?" Dolan shook his head. "That's what I thought. That bastard, Vulga, or rather the 'spirit king' probably ate your soul and has manifested a facet of your spirit to do his bidding. But now that his power is waning and you aren't fully consumed, the rest of your being is returning to your body."

"I'm super confused here dude." Dolan said standing up. "How do you know these things? You sound as if you know Emilia and the King."

The man scoffed. "Know them? I fought them."

"Fought them? What? Wait! Are you the one who attacked the kingdom and caused all the other spirit people to disappear?"

The man crossed his arms and sighed. "Sit down kid." He said pointing to a chair at his kitchen table. "I'm making some duck. I'll explain everything over a bowl." Sitting down at the table they began to eat. "How old are you?" The man asked.

"Well, I was 16 when I died, so I guess I'm 19."

"No. Your body hasn't aged since technically it's been consumed and hasn't existed. You still have the body of a 16 year old."

Dolan scrunched up his face. Then looking down at his pants, he pulled back the liner of his underwear. "Aww man. I haven't grown at all. You aren't joking with me are you?"

The man crossed his arms. "No. Listen. Just listen for a bit. My name is Edgar. I used to be a resident of the spirit world." Dolan's mouth opened and he began to speak but Edgar cut him off, "Shh. Let me talk. Lord boy. Yes. I was a resident of the spirit world. I'm a spirit who has manifested a physical body. That's how all the residents of the spirit world were."

Dolan squeezed a few sentences in, "Ok. Makes sense. But what about everyone else? How are you the only one who escaped or got out? I mean, don't get me wrong. Everything you said makes sense. Although it's only been three years of dealing with insanity, I've learned my past reasoning is irrelevant. I mean, sometimes things are so outrageous I still think I'm dreaming. But anyway, if what you said is true, then what about Emilia and the spirit king? And everyone else? What happened to them?"

Edgar's lips pursed. "They were devoured."

"Devoured?" Dolan jumped out of his seat.

"Yes. Look, I'm sure you have traveled to different regions and areas gathering souls for Vulga, but when you have a specific task like that you don't really see the world or the powers that are in it. Throughout time and space there are different levels of power.

"Of course. Mages reigned supreme in my time."

"Then you understand where I'm coming from. But let me finish. Throughout the ages there has been a set distinct list of power levels of beings. Obviously at the top being gods and demons. Below them being monsters, mages, humans, and the like. The list goes on infinitely for all different sorts of powers in this world."

"Yeah. That makes sense. But what does this have to do with anything we are talking about?"

"So there is another power. One that tops that of even the gods."

"A power that can kill gods?" Dolan laughed. "Hit me with it. Let me hear this."

"There is a special type of being called a devourer. They consume anything and everything and use those powers of those they devour."

"Wait-" Dolan thought back to when he first met the spirit king. "So, like. You mean these devourers could, theoretically, eat a fire mage then use fire magic?"

"Not theoretically. They can. Now I'm sure there are limits and changes that happen when things like that happen. I can't explain it to you perfectly because I'm not a devourer. I do know there are different types. For example, the spirit king is a devourer."

"WHAT? What do you mean?"

"Have you ever read anything about legendary monsters or beasts? So the devourer trait isn't specific to a set race of people. Any being that exists can possess the trait. At least from what I know about it. Have you ever heard of the spirit worm?"

Dolan thought about it. "You know. I think I have. I read in a book not too long ago about a flying spirit worm with one eye named Vulga."

Edgar's face lit up. "So you have studied the enemy!"

Dolan put his hands out in front of him, "Umm, I don't know what you mean by studying the enemy, I just stumbled across a book that mentioned him."

"Ok. That's fine. The Vulga is an ancient beast that possesses the devourer trait. It has a specific thing it consumes though. Souls."

"I remember that!"

Edgar's face got sullen. "You asked what happened to the spirit people right?"

Dolan's eyes grew wide with recognition. "Don't say it. No. Wait-"

"The Vulga attacked us. And against a creature like that, there was nothing we could do. It devoured every single spirit in the spirit world. I say every single spirit, but I mean the spirit people specifically."

"That's why there are no graves or anything… But what about Emilia and the spirit king? Are they not spirit people?"

Looking Dolan straight in the face, Edgar softened his voice. "I can tell you have an attachment to the king and Emilia, but I'm going to tell you the truth. Vulga is the spirit king. He devoured the spirit king and probably took on his image. Emilia on the other hand cannot have her soul eaten. Elves are special creatures. They don't exactly possess souls like most other beings do. She probably just cut a deal with Vulga or something. But she is not innocent. She had a hand in the downfall of my people." Edgar's face scrunched up with anger and sadness.

Dolan looked down at the floor. "You know. It makes sense. Every time I'd bring the king a spirit he literally ate it. Like. Ate it. With his mouth."

"Disgusting freak."

"Yeah. It was nasty." Dolan's thoughts began to shift toward Emilia. "Emilia" He thought, "No way. She wouldn't have betrayed her people like that. She loved them." Looking back up at Edgar, Dolan said, "Thank you so much for sharing the truth with me. I really appreciate it." Dolan stopped. Unsure of what to do. But before he could open his mouth to say something, Edgar cut him off.

"You can't return there. Vulga will kill you."

"Where else am I supposed to go?" Dolan shrugged.

"You can't continue to feed that beast! If you continue to follow his bidding, he will only get stronger and then repeat the same atrocity he did before! Don't return to him. Let his energy fizzle out. Let him die."

"But what about me? I'm a spirit now! He revived me! I was given a chance at redemption! Another chance at life. What am I supposed to do?"

Edgar smiled at Dolan. "Kid. Listen. You haven't been devoured. All Vulga did was consume a part of you. Your soul still exists. That beast just has your physical body trapped inside of it. If it dies, your physical body will return to you."

"Wait? Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"So. Do we just wait here for him to die? Or?"

Edgar smiled. "I've been in desperate need of a farm hand."

Dolan smiled as he shook Edgar's extended hand.