Page 138 of To Trap a Soul

Fenrir, the wolf-skulled, impala antelope Duskwalker.

A giant, monstrous wolf. The child of a demi-god and a puny human, who would be able to do nothing to control them once she gave them those gifts.

Please be strong for me.

Her heart longed for that more than anything as she cupped the right side of their featureless face and kissed the other side with her heart breaking all over again.

A time unknown, but one of companionship

The moment Weldir’s mind opened, the darkness within his sight receded. Floating amidst the nothingness, the highlighting shadows revealed the fragments of his offspring’s skull. The pieces were still, but slightly spread apart, seeming to glitter from the unknown and unreachable light.

He’d chosen to rest nearby it, like a part of Weldir wanted to be close to it for safekeeping. It resided in the same place Lindiwe’s mesmerising orange soul lived: the section of him that was his heart.

He often found himself sleeping near her soul, keeping her close, even when he was as far from her as possible. He’d been doing this for a long time, although he couldn’t quite place when he’d started. Now, with Nathair’s skull joining Weldir’s mate’s flame, he knew he’d likely rest here always.

The reminder of his offspring’s death was unpleasant, but beyond the sadness and cruelty of it all, he enjoyed having him near. He reached out to touch Nathair’s skull for the very second time in either of their lives. It was just unfortunate it had to be inthe afterlife.

He waits for me, though.

Inside his consciousness, Nathair and many others waited for Weldir. Then again, that was always the case for those who were stuck in the limbo of Weldir’s realms.

Taken by the cloud of his mana, but not eaten and brought to Tenebris.

They had yet to greet the afterworld he’d created for them.

Instead of doing this task, Weldir had chosen to rest after destroying a human soul and using its energy to place himself at Lindiwe’s side in a time he thought she needed him most. He also let it consume him by shoving more energy in it just so he could remain with her longer than he should have.

It sapped much from him, leaving him with barely a tether of life – the current continuous dome she had placed around her didn’t help. Then, rather than resting despite the fatigue, he’d kept himself awake to remain with her while she sobbed, wept, and grieved in his realm. He placed rigid barriers around his body to hold her when his oily physical self depleted and disappeared, just so she didn’t have to be alone.

It was the most he could do, all things considered.

Like before, he’d found her pain unpleasant and saddening, but he revelled in the fact that she’d voluntarily leaned upon him.

It shouldn’t have come at such a cost, but he’d take the only good he could find in an otherwise horrible situation.

But I cannot think of such things now.

He formed a viewing disc to check on her, finding she was asleep under the side of a short cliff, the rocks jagged enough below that it created a shelter. Their newest offspring had climbed their way into her hair like an added blanket and was curled up in the recently combed strands.

He watched for a little longer than he should have, taking in the sight of his own female greedily. Until the sun rose and began to caress her bent elbow with dappled light. A cloud quickly shaded it before once more drifting away, and he turned the disc’s view to see the sky was not clear, the threat of rain prevalent.

Seeing all was well with his mate, he blinked himself into one of his alternate existences and materialised with hundreds of tainted souls around him. He pushed them away with nothing but the force of his mind to create a spacious path.

In the middle lay a large, folded orange soul. It didn’t appear like a flame, other than the little sputters that puffed from its lengthy body. It looked more ghostly, like a spectre, and was the same size as his alive self.

Weldir looked upon hisson’sstrange soul, fully intact, asleep like all the others, and tangible to him. It was divinely magnificent.

It looks like just like him, minus the physical, living aspects.

It was far too large for him to consume at the size he kept himself for Lindiwe’s comfort.

Weldir expanded himself until Nathair’s spirit was barely the size of his palm. He grabbed it by the bend of its tail, lifted it until it folded in half and was hovering above his head, and opened his mouth. Then he gently placed him on his tongue until he was safely within the cavern of his mouth, and swallowed.

The moment he felt Nathair’s spirit enter through his throat and out into his stomach, he vanished from his current location.

The giddiness he felt was foreign, and by all rights wrong, but he was excited to meet him properly. He’d never spoken to any of his offspring, and the chance to interact with one personally provoked a sense of relief.

Here, in this friendless realm, he may no longer have to be alone.

---