The story you are about to see takes place before the conception of Spooky Island. A tale long before the vat and such in a whole other world. This is a prequel to the protoplasm possession stories.

After the events of Fire Emblem Echoes, Celica, Mae, Delthea, and Faye went on an expedition that was meant to be a short trip. It was recommended by Faye to go in small numbers since everyone else is busy and the trip is meant to discover this unknown marsh that was recently found. It was said that it had large magical properties that caught the eyes of some mages and it mostly displays at night.

"Ew ew ew! I don't know if I am having sweat on me or slime!" Mae complained.

"Calm down Mae, we just got here," Celica said.

"I know but this place doesn't feel right," Mae said, "In fact, I felt that Faye doesn't feel right. Normally she'd be talking about your lover."

The two looked at Faye who was walking behind them remaining silent the entire time. Delthea is next to her and does notice what Mae is talking about before running up ahead.

"Let's just get this over with," Delthea said as she wiped some sweat off her head, "I want to see the rumored spirit tribe!"

"Delthea, that's only stories that old men tell each other for fun," Mae said.

"We faced a dragon god and the undead," Delthea said, "Are you sure?"

"Even if they are real, I don't really see the appeal of meeting them," Mae said.

"They might have some hunky men there if you catch my drift," Delthea said.

"Really?! You came all this way for men?" Mae said, "You little rascal!"

All Celica can do is giggle as the two begin to bicker. Even though Boey, a friend of theirs, is not here, it does have a similar charm. This kept on going as they kept on venturing into the swamp.

Meanwhile Faye has her own agenda as she was holding onto something in one of her pockets. She kept her smile as casual as she can as she stares at the three girls. Hoping they stayed ignorant for what's to come.

Faye thought, "I'll just wait for the right opportunity, then he will be all mine... ha ha ha... HA HA HA HA HA!"

Delthea asked, "You feeling alright Faye?"

"Yes... yes I am," Faye said.

"I think we're lost," Mae said.

"Lost?! Did we even have a map to begin with?" Delthea asked, "All we did is go forward and then decided to head back. We never made any turns and we only been here for about 10 minutes."

"We should at least keep on going," Celica said.

"I saw we go back," Mae said, "I'm starting to get the creeps around here."

"What do you think Faye?" Delthea asked before she could not find her, "Uh... Faye?"

The girls look back and only saw what appeared to be a knife on the ground. There were tracks of mud that resembles of someone being dragged away. The three started to fear for what's to come to Faye as they suddenly look back again to see a bunch of dog like creatures with spears.

"Oh gods!" Mae shouted as she prepares a fire spell to shoot at them.

The three mages started firing as the creatures charge at them, catching them all by surprise. While their magic is working, it is draining their life force as they started to falter. To make matters worse, these creatures had numbers by their side and are pretty strong to take some hits. Eventually the worst comes to worst as one of these creatures got Mae. They managed to stab her right in the chest as the pink haired mage instantly died.

"MAE!" Celica cried as she tried to help, but found something odd about the whole thing.

As the creature took its spear out, the tip had a blue apparition that looks like Mae but only her head. The floating head looks around and saw her unconscious body.

"You! What have you done to me? Put me back in my body!" said Mae's blue floating head.

The creature shook his lance to mock Mae's disembodied soul as the creatures were starting to get a little distracted from their latest catch. Delthea luckily used this chance to get out a big spell that managed to blast off that gave the two surviving mages some time to escape as Delthea grabs Celica's hand.

"Come on!" Delthea said.

"But Mae!" Celica said.

"Later!" Delthea said as she dragged Celica off.

All the princess can do is watch her former friend as a bodiless soul, subjected to whatever these creatures got in store for her. She and Delthea rushed through the marsh as they managed to dive into some bushes and hide. All they hear is the cries and uproars of these creatures as they stayed silent and waited.

"What are they?" Delthea whispered.

"I don't know, but I think they got Faye and Mae," Celica said, "From the looks of it, they must be the rumored spirit tribe."

"To think they got the spirit spears like the legend and use them to win fights without death," Delthea shuddered.

"We need to get reinforcements," Celica said, "I really thought that this trip would be simple."

Suddenly there was a rustling in the bushes as the girls got up to be on guard. It turns out to be Faye who just stood there while staring at the two with a curious look with her hands behind her back. Celica and Delthea then lowered their guard after seeing their "friend".

"Oh Faye, its just you!" Celica said as she try to approach her.

Faye remained silent for some reason as Delthea figured out that something is wrong. Before Delthea could say anything, Faye got out what appears to be the spear from before as it pierces Celica's heart. There was no blood from the princess but the edge of the spear as it was pulled out revealed a blue floating head of Celica.

"Faye?!" Celica asked.

This so called Faye started to growl as she held out the other hand revealing a blue floating head of Faye who looked afraid and speechless. Celica looked at Delthea and shouted, "Delthea! RUN! GET HELP!"

Delthea got up and went on running as Celica and Faye were hopeless in their current state. All Celica can do is ask, "What happened to you?"

Faye choked as she said, "They caught me off guard... now I will never have him."

"Faye... I'm sorry," Celica's soul said, "I know its been rough and this makes things worse but we can only hope someone will save us."

"Yeah," Faye's soul said, "I miss having hands, or feet, or a body!"

Meanwhile, Delthea kept on running as she can, but her life force was drained from the previous fight. She tried to move forward but the marsh was so damp and dense that Delthea lost the energy to move on. She then tried to stop at a tree for a break.

"Can't move on," Delthea moaned, "I need to catch my breath."

Before Delthea can do anything, she saw some spears launch at her as her body stood still but her consciousness didn't. Delthea tried to move but she felt numb from the neck down. It was as if she was stuck on the tree as she saw what appears to be her own body falling and laying on the ground. The girl realized that she is now a spirit.

"No no no! It can't end like this!" Delthea cried as she tried to get back to her body.

While her head is able to move forward, she saw a tail like wisp is stuck on the spear. Delthea's soul try to get out of the spear, even biting onto it only for it to fall along with herself. Now the little floating head is stuck on the ground as she still try to get out.

"Come on! How is it this hard to get my head out of this thing?" Delthea's soul said.

It was all for naught as these said creatures approach to her and grabbed her spear. Delthea's soul has no choice but to follow it as she is bound to the spear. She even had to watch as the carried her body. Though Delthea can only do one thing she hope will work, annoy them.

"Hey hey hey! Careful with my body! I might not be using it, but my body is a temple!" Delthea said, "Yes yes, hold it like that. Like a funeral since this technically is one. Not sure if I am dead... screw it I am!'

The creatures did held Delthea's body with care and as she said as it is as if they are holding a funeral for her. Even though these creatures could not speak, they might have some understanding of the human language. Though they are mostly doing as she said because they got what they wanted.

Eventually, Delthea was finally taken to a cave that is filled with more of these creatures. The whole place look like a small civilization that is compressed to fit inside of said cave with shops, street music, and creatures that just mess around. There was a blue glow as light that is similar to the color of Delthea's soul. At the center, Delthea saw the floating head souls of Mae, Celica, and Faye stuck on their spears that are buried on the ground. The souls look as if they can go, but their wisp like tails are preventing them.

"Delthea?!" Celica's soul said.

"Oh no! No no no no no! We are screwed!" Mae's soul said.

"So sorry guys," Delthea's soul said as she regrets her failure.

"At least we have each other," Celica's soul said.

"Since we're dead," Faye's soul said, "I might as well say it. I tried to kill all of you during this trip for you know but these things caught me before I can."

"We are kind of dead so it kind of works," Mae's soul said.

"This isn't the most disappointing thing that happened to me today," Celica's soul said.

"Grrr, if only if I have my body," Delthea's soul moaned as there were drums beating.

The creatures lay the former bodies of the girls on the ground as four of the creatures approach to said bodies. The four creatures look nervous and took a deep breath as they approach to the bodies and went right in through the mouth. To think that these creatures are so flexible and fluid enough to do so.

"Ew Ew Ew Ew EW!" Mae's soul cried, "You get away from my body!"

"This is rather disturbing," Celica's soul said.

"At least they got the good one in mine!" Delthea's soul complained.

"Really?" Mae's soul asked.

"What? It looked nice for a monster," Delthea's soul said.

"This isn't fair! That creature took everything from me and now I'm stuck with those three!" Faye's soul said.

"Rude!" Mae's soul said, "And seriously, those things went all slimy into our bodies!"

The bodies got up as they awaken with new glowing green eyes. They look at their new form as they stretched and see what the bodies are made of. All the other creatures around them cheer as they praised them possessed bodies as if they were heroes. The possessed bodies made no attempts in imitating the original owners and continued to growl and act like animals.

"My former body does look good with green eyes," Celica's soul said.

"Yeah I can see how," Mae's soul said, "But our bodies look odd with them."

"I would have gone for purple," Delthea's soul said.

Suddenly these creatures went and grabbed the spears that held the floating head souls and took them to somewhere. All the souls knew is that it is in a deeper part of the cave that was getting darker. There was a light in the end, but it contains some souls like them acting as the source of light. They souls realize what they are used for and how they will spend the rest of eternity.

The four souls are gathered in pairs with Celica with Faye and Mae with Delthea. Each pair had their spears stuck on a pile of sturdy rocks as they illuminate more of the darker path of the cave. So in a way, they are basically light bulbs now.

With Celica and Faye, Celica is trying to tolerate Faye's annoying behavior about her husband.

"So what's sex like with Alm? I heard it was creamy," Faye's soul said.

"I would rather not talk about something so personal," Celica's soul said.

"Well how about sharing the same room as him?" Faye's soul asked.

"Why am I paired up with her?" Celica's soul said as she is going to spend the rest of eternity with her.

"You think that's bad, I have to hear it as well!"

Celica's soul looked to her side and saw the soul of Sonya at a viewable distance.

"Sonya? Is this where you been this entire time?" Celica's soul said.

"Unfortunately," Sonya's soul said, "I bet my old body is causing trouble."

"It's only rumored though," Celica's soul said.

"That doesn't really help," Sonya's soul said.

"So how will Alm think of me like this?" Faye's soul said.

"Shut up Faye!" Celica and Sonya's soul said.

With Delthea and Mae, the two souls try to make the best of their situation.

"Well, I guess I can be the best floating head soul here. The one that shines the brightest," Delthea's soul said.

"Normally I'd be annoyed of you bragging, but this is literally the best thing any of us can do here," Mae's soul said.

"I'm not really proud of this at all! I had a whole live ahead of me. NO PUN INTENDED!" Delthea's soul said.

Mae's soul went to rub her cheek on Delthea, "We all do. We all do."

"Geez, thanks. At least I have someone supportive to me in our eternity here," Delthea's soul said.

"Don't mention it! We floating heads gotta help each other since we kind of need it," Mae's soul said.

And thus concludes this tragic tale of souls.