Collecting a Soul

It's always tricky to deal with long lived humans, since they end up messing with the very core that holds their soul in place. The life core is located in the heart, and is at the center of everything. Without it, a soul can't be attached to the body. Without it, the body has no connection to Life, none of her life-force to help it move, breathe, and function as it should. It's just an empty shell. The life core also overlaps with the mana core, so damage to one, can often also damage the other. Something that those attempting to prolong their life spans don't always realize and lose their magic (or their life) in the process.

Albert rushed his spell, when he tried to strengthen his life core. He was sick before he performed the spell,desperate for more time so he could finish his research. It worked to a certain extent, at least it held his illness at bay for a couple of centuries, but with the incomplete spell that's the most he could manage. Not that it really matters, when everyone is going to pass on in a year or so.

There are many methods one can use to extend their lifespan, although most aren't widely known since the long lived ones like to keep their secrets. The one Albert used was one of the more common ones, but he couldn't fully comprehend it. No matter the method, it's always a pain, since the soul can't get out by itself like it would normally. The small barrier around it, prevents the life core from breaking down and keeps the soul tethered. If left alone, the soul would remain trapped in the corpse. In this case, I can't break down the barrier without the right spells and the bone beads I use as a conduit, but most of the time it’s unnecessary, just faster.

I opened the spell book to the right page and held the bone beads above Albert's chest.” If you want to leave any message behind for someone, this is your last chance.” He looked at me with a sad smile. “ It's fine, I've said what I've wanted to say and made arrangements for everything else, so let's just get this over with.”

I nodded and started chanting. My eyes glowed and my mana flowed into the bone beads. I could see the faulty barrier around his life core. An incomplete one like this could technically fall apart on its own eventually, but that would take decades. I can't subject anyone's soul to that, especially when I won't even be around to collect it anymore.

My mana slowly started to drip from the bone beads straight through Albert’s body and onto the barrier. The spell helps convert my mana into a substance that can melt it. With each drop, it began to melt away. Albert’s breathing got slower and slower. The barrier was the only thing still keeping the life-force in place, so he doesn't have long. He looked at me.” Goodbye, Morta.” He said his last words with a slight smile as his heart stopped and the last of his life-force left.

I put away the beads and the spell book, and reached for the tethered soul. My hand became bone and glowed with a golden light as I reached through the physical body and grabbed the soul. It let go upon my touch and I took it out. It was bright gold with a tinge of deep blue. So he did have some regrets then. The blue ones always have regrets. Hopefully something he can take care of in his next life.

A soul pure gold in color is so rare, but always such a joy to find. Proof that someone enjoyed their life to the fullest and left this world with no regrets. I always try to go personally to pick up those souls, but it can be hard to tell what color someone’s soul will be before their death. It’s always a nice break from seeing all the rage, regret and sorrow that so many others feel in their final moments(hopefully something they can make peace with in their next life). A reminder that they still have some hope left.

I let the soul go and it started to fade. After a little while, it was gone completely. Truly, my only role has always been to help the soul leave the body, just as Life’s only role is to ensure they have a body to inhabit. The souls know where to go on their own after I finish my work. They always have. And ironically, some are probably older than any of the gods living on this world.

I put my things back into the satchel and started to walk away. I shouldn’t linger too long, it’s always rough to see the others mourn, especially children. They may meet in their next life, but the chances of that happening are always so low without the souls being bound to each other in some way. Not that many know how to do it these days. Humans had figured it out at one point, but that was a very long time ago. So much of their knowledge became lost to time.

If the humans are aware that the world will end, things will probably get messy from here on out, if they haven’t already. It’s always been this way after the end of the more prominent civilizations. But then it was only the start of a new beginning, now it’s truly the end for everyone. I just hope they don’t try to come after Life’s body again(any more than they have been anyway).

I’ll probably have to go talk to that guy at some point. One of the long lived, who managed to gain a form of true immortality, one that would be a struggle for even me to break. No matter how much he gets on my nerves, I can’t just leave a soul on its own, when the world falls apart. I guess we(or maybe just him) have a year to figure something out.