Aiden lay sprawled on the floor, still trying to process the strange scene before him.

His thoughts swirled as he watched the crow, its feathers a shadowy haze, continue scolding Serena.

Finally, after a last stern peck, the crow turned its intense gaze toward Aiden, curiosity glimmering in its piercing eyes.

With a graceful hop, it spread its wings and landed heavily on Aiden’s chest, studying him as if sensing something peculiar.

“You’re an unusual one, boy,” the crow’s voice echoed, carrying a strange mix of authority and suspicion. “Two souls occupy your body. One of them sleeps… deeply.”

Aiden’s eyes widened at this revelation.

He’d assumed the original Aiden of this world had vanished entirely when he took over.

But now, the crow was suggesting otherwise. His stomach clenched.

“You aren’t the body’s true owner,” the crow continued, undeterred by Aiden’s shock. “Two souls in a single vessel—odd, but not unheard of. Haven’t you noticed gaps in your memories, small details of your past that don’t seem to fit or that you just can’t recall?”

Aiden froze, realization dawning on him.

Why hadn’t he questioned it before?

He knew he was Aiden Hoyle, a businessman of some kind, but details about his life seemed to vanish when he tried to focus on them.

“I remember my name,” he murmured, “and that I worked in business, but my company… what was it called?”

Panic began creeping in, his heart pounding.

The longer he searched his memory, the more he felt a hollow space where details should have been. They eluded him now, like sand slipping through his fingers.

The crow gave a knowing look, breaking Aiden’s spiral of thought with a quick peck. “Listen carefully, boy,” it continued. “Whoever put you here set a delicate balance, holding both souls in check. This prevents either soul from consuming the other and maintains a fragile harmony.”

Aiden frowned, trying to make sense of this strange explanation. “So… these two souls can consume each other?”

“Precisely,” the crow replied with a satisfied nod.

“There are only two paths: either one soul devours the other to take full control, or, far less commonly, they might choose to merge, forming a single, combined entity. But for either to happen, both souls must be awake. You see, as long as one sleeps, nothing can change. But if the dormant soul awakens, this delicate balance will shatter.”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Aiden shivered at the crow’s words. “And if that balance breaks…?”

“If it breaks, a conflict will ensue,” the crow explained, “and whichever soul triumphs will claim the body entirely. The losing soul will fade.” It paused, then added, “Or, if both are exceptionally willing, they might fuse—though that’s exceedingly rare. After all, who would willingly abandon their own existence to merge with another?”

Aiden let out a slow, tense breath, his mind racing.

“Then… is there any way for me to consume the other soul?”

The crow, anticipating this question, responded calmly.

“That’s precisely the problem. For you to consume the other, both souls must be conscious. Right now, the other remains in a deep sleep, impossible to rouse from within. Without awakening him, there’s nothing you can do. And judging by your condition, you’re running out of time. At most, you have six months.”

The crow’s words settled heavily on Aiden, a sense of dread creeping over him.

Aiden felt the weight of those words, a terrible finality settling over him. Six months, and he was a ticking time bomb.

Behind them, Serena looked anxiously at the crow, her usual calm shattered by concern.

“Asu,” she whispered, “can’t you do something to help him?”

The crow, Asu, gave a dry chuckle, then replied with an air of parental exasperation.

“Ah, now I know how parents feel when their daughters defend their boyfriends.”

He continued, “If I had my full powers, fixing this would be as easy as stealing candy from a child. But not all hope is lost.”

Understanding the hint, Aiden asked.

“Then, how do I wake up the other soul?”

With a hint of satisfaction, the crow replied,

“I can attempt to communicate with it.” As it spoke, a smoky tendril of shadow extended from its form, coiling like mist before sinking into Aiden’s forehead.

He shivered as an unnatural sensation coursed through him.

He glanced back at Serena, who watched him intently, her usual stoic expression softened by unmistakable worry.

The crow’s eyes closed in concentration, its feathers twitching in response to something it seemed to sense.

After a minute, it opened its eyes, a frown etched on its face. “I’ve reached your subconscious, where the two souls reside, but the other boy refuses to wake. It seems he’s weighed down by something—perhaps guilt or loss. In fact, his soul is suppressing itself, likely to avoid overwhelming yours.”

The revelation left Aiden shaken, feeling like a patient receiving a terminal diagnosis.

Then, as Asu turned, it perched once again on Serena’s head, addressing Aiden with a hint of regret.

“You’ll need a soul crystal, boy. Only with that can you enter your subconscious fully and rouse him.”

“A soul crystal?” Aiden repeated, startled.

He recalled reading about it once in the novel.

If memory served, it was something the protagonist would acquire by chance during a fortunate encounter in the capital.

Standing, he stared at Asu.

“Why help me? We’ve only just met. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, so what’s the price for your assistance?”

The crow chuckled, seemingly pleased with Aiden’s perceptiveness.

“It’s refreshing dealing with intelligent folk. You’ve figured out your situation is fragile, haven’t you? But worry not; I’ll ask for nothing unreasonable.”

The crow’s expression softened into something resembling pride.

“Serena and I formed a pact long ago—our lives are intertwined. Allow me to introduce myself.”

He gave a slight bow with his wings spread wide.

“Call me Asu, the Reaper. I am Death.”

Aiden’s jaw dropped.

From learning he had a time limit to now standing face-to-face with Death?

It was surreal.

“I know it sounds far-fetched,” Asu continued, a glint of amusement in his eye. “But surely, you’ve heard of Serena’s curse? Anyone who touches her with ill intent meets a swift end. That’s my power at work, keeping her safe from harm.”

Asu looked almost wistful as he gazed at Serena, his voice softening.

“And so, here I am, hiding within this poor girl as best I can.”