Eating Souls In Another World

Chapter 14

“Hey Peter…”

“Hm? Is something wrong?”

A tall white door stood imposingly in front of him. He reached for the know, twisting it before pushing and taking a look inside. All he saw was the light flashing from a screen in the corner. It was an unpleasantly dark room.

“I’ve been looking for an hour now but I can’t find the way. Is this game broken?”

The words came out of his mouth however he wasn’t the one saying them. The voice sounded foreign to him even though it was supposed to be his own.

His hand felt different as well, but that didn’t matter right now. What caught his attention was the small device he held. 

It was one of those Gameboy consoles that were very popular back in the day. Its small screen showed the pixelated image of a small boy standing at the center of a small village.  

“Hm? Let me see?”

What was it’s title again? He did not know. It was the first game he had ever played. He remembered finding it in a junk box somewhere in the garage and being thrilled to try it out, however after a few minutes he found himself stuck and unable to advance.

“Ah! I see the problem.” 

When all of his attempts failed he went to ask someone for advice. Between everyone he knew that person was the most knowledgeable about games. Surely he would know the answer.

“Listen, Drake, in this game you have to go around and talk to people so you can understand the story. Do that and you’ll find more clues. You understand?”

Though the room was dark he shouldn’t have had trouble seeing that person’s face with the computer screen on the desk beside then. Even so that person’s entire body was covered in black.

“Anyways, where did you get that from?” that person asked. “Does mom know you have it?”

~◇~

Drake opened his eyes, waking up to the crackling sound of fire eating wood.

“… Damn it…”

It’s been a while since he had that dream. It left him with an unpleasant feeling, prompting him to close his eyes and try to sleep again.

“Where… am I…”

That didn’t last long, however. He soon noticed the peculiarity of his surroundings starting from the smell then the sound and finally the sight.

He didn’t recognize the wooden ceiling above. The walls, made of large tree trunks stacked on top of each other, were unfamiliar as well. This clearly was not his room.

In one of the corners was a hearth made of grey stone. A small fire danced inside as it burned the last remaining piece of wood and from the charred remains scattered around it was easy to tell it had been going for quite a while. 

The floor was covered in multiple small carpets with strange patterns and designs carefully placed at a safe distance from the hearth. Their vibrant colors were a sight to behold. 

His eyes moved back to the bed sat on. Though he wouldn’t say it’s uncomfortable it still felt a bit rough as it lacked the softness of the mattress a city boy like him was used to. His lower half was covered in multiple layers of heavy blankets topped with what seems to be the skinned hide of some wool covered animal.

“AH!” 

Just when he was about to check the state of his clothes he heard a sharp gasp that drew his attention to the  corner on the opposite side of the room. 

Over there was an opening in the floor that had stairs leading below and standing in front of it was a rather tall woman wearing Eskimo like thick clothes holding a pile of wood in her arms. 

Her blue eyes opened wide as she stared at him in disbelief, her jaw gradually dropping. Before he could say anything she dropped the pile of wood and ran out of the room.

“ROLLO!!!”

Drake heard the familiar name being shouted a few times before the sound of footsteps rushing up the stairs. He expected to see a certain red headed guy but instead three kids peeked from the opening in the floor.

They all had red hair and blue eyes and looked fairly similar, probably brothers who weren’t many years apart. Now that he thought about it that woman had red hair and blue eyes.

“HEY!” Someone shouted startling the three kids and the next moment they all ran down the stairs.

A second later another red head entered the room and Drake couldn’t hold the disappointment from showing on his face.

“Haha… what? Aren’t you happy to see me again?” 

Seeing the frown that made its way to Drake’s face Rollo released a weak laugh. 

“I just can’t believe that all of it was real.”

The fact that the Rollo was there standing in front of him meant that everything he went through, from the black cloaked cultists to the giant blue bird, wasn’t just a fever dream.

Drake began to recall what happened before he lost consciousness and couldn’t help but smile. He was sure he had died back then, he even got a notification saying his body was damaged beyond repair. 

To think I had actually survived all of that.

“Well…” walking over to the bedside, Rollo held out his arm and said “glad you made it back.” 

For a moment there Drake wasn’t sure of what to say, but then he finally relaxed, raised his hand and bumped their fists.

“Same.”

A moment of silence passed, which didn’t last though as the sounds of Drake’s empty stomach scared the hell out of them.

~◇~

“FIVE DAYS!!!” 

Drake couldn’t help shouting the moment he heard the answer to a question he asked.

“Yes.” Rollo said. “I was starting to get worried. The old lady said you were fully healed but you still didn’t get up.”

That is to be expected. Drake thought. That’s what happens when you get hit by freezing flames from a giant blue bird.

Rollo told him about what happened after he lost consciousness, though the story sounded a bit unbelievable. According  to him he was able to catch Drake’s limp corps as they fell from the cliff then used the makeshift slide as they had planed and miraculous made it all the way to the base of the mountain. 

Apparently that wouldn’t have been possible before but with the help of the Snow Tiger soul he had acquired all of his senses and abilities got enhanced in addition to gaining affinity with the Ice element which allowed him to understand how to move in an environment covered in snow.

Soon after they reached the Frozen Woods Rollo tried rushing back to his village. On the way he ran into a group of Hunters who were tasked with searching for him and somehow made it back in time to treat Drake’s wounds. 

They forced him to drink some potions despite being unconscious but thanks to that his body made a complete recovery overnight. Even so he still didn’t wake up until now.

“Five days…” 

Drake couldn’t believe he was in a coma for five entire days. 

He had spent five entire days doing nothing. A hundred and twenty hours. All of them gone to waste. But that was the least of his problems at the moment.

Drake began to panic and his eyes wondered the room looking for his desk just to be reminded that he wasn’t at his house.

“ROLLO!”

“Ah! Guess the food is ready.” Rollo said hearing his name being called. “You can wash your hands over there. I will be back in a moment.”

Once the red haired boy left the room Drake removed the cover and stood up. His body felt quite stiff, proof that he hadn’t moved for days on end. 

He looked around the room then walked over to a small metallic basin placed on a table in one of the corners.

Scooping some of the cold water he splashed his face forcing himself awake. Taking a deep breath he prepared him then finally gave up and accepted the reality of what was going on.

The black cloaks and the armored knights. The giant bird and the blue flames. Then there is the shadow that dragged him into all of that. Even the clothes he’s wearing right now. Everything he has seen so far only proves that I was no longer in same world I was born and raised in. 

I’ve been transported to another world.