“Let’s start with my name. That should be something your undeveloped brain should be able to grasp.” He winked at me. 

As much as I wished to throw my fist into his face, it wouldn’t help me in this situation, so I resisted the urge. I wanted to hear what he was willing to tell me. After all he had shown me so far and with all the power he held over me I wanted to know who I was dealing with.

“My name is Tarask. Remember it well, pitiful thing. I don’t like to repeat myself unnecessary. Time is of the essence.”

“Ok, fine. So, you’re Tarask? What do you want from me? Why did you help us to get my servitude?”
He sighed as if he had to brace himself for further explanations. “There is something in your world that I must find at all costs. I will need you to search for it.”
“What is it you’re looking for?”
“You don’t need to know that.”
“Than how am I supposed to help you find it if you won’t tell me as much as that?” Honestly, what was he expecting me to do?

“You don’t have to know what it is. You simply have to follow my orders and ask some people the questions I will tell you.”
It didn’t seem like he’d be willing to go into further detail now. “If that’s the case, why don’t you look for it yourself? If you’re strong enough to kill beasts like that and stop the flow of time, it shouldn’t be that hard to search for something.”
“It wouldn’t be,” he admitted. “If I had an actual body.” 

What? As I could perceive him and his silhouette right in front me, I couldn’t understand what he was trying to tell me. How could he have no physical shape?
“It’s not like I never owned one. But it’s gone.”
“So, you’re basically dead?”
“No, you imbecile!” He roared like a lion I’d just put into a terrible mood. “Didn’t I tell you to stop with your assumptions?” 

He did, but how couldn’t I jump to conclusions when he told me strange things like that? In my eyes, I was being completely reasonable.

“Fine. There is no use getting angry at you, pitiful thing.” He seemed to have calmed himself – or had my thoughts had any effect on his mood? “Let’s try to explain this as simple as someone like you could grasp it.”

Should I feel offended? Maybe, but I decided to let it go, so I could focus on his explanation instead.
“I am not dead. I simply lack a physical embodiment at this time. I had one, but it was destroyed. Rebuilding one isn’t that easy, even for a being as mighty as me. Did you get that much so far?”

“I guess. Apart from the point that I honestly don’t understand the difference to being dead. Doesn’t that turn you into a ghost?”
“You’re not fundamentally wrong in that comparison, but I don’t plan to explain in detail. My powers need a vessel to take an effect in the physical world. Think of yourself as a gate to the spiritual realm for me. As long as I have you, my powers can seep into the physical world and effect things.”
Was that the reason I felt the immense pain as he saved us before? Did his power cause that? 

“Yes, you could say that. Your body isn’t meant for this, but you don’t need to worry. I have no intention of killing you, by using too much of my powers through you. Furthermore, you will adapt to me and my power over time. But you should steel yourself nonetheless.”

I honestly didn’t like the sound of that. Why should I prepare myself?

“You’ll be in more pain as the process continues. It will be worst in the first few attempts, before it will gradually become easier. So, the next few times you’ll use some of my powers, it won’t be a breeze.”

I guess I should have expected that much after what I’d experienced. If it became bearable over time, I probably could manage. Still, I wasn’t bent on being in pain. Who would be? 

“Calm yourself. You’ll live through it, and your friends will too. But, you won’t be seeing them for some time.”