I didn’t expect to find someone that could see me here. Even the big and mighty “healers” that had banned me earlier weren’t able to. It was highly unlikely that I would find a person like the prince in such a remote place.

Still, I had to try.

Floating above the city, I scrutinized every building. Ah, there! On the left side of the city I saw an old elegant manor. It stood out from the smaller buildings. Hopefully, I would find some information there.

It happened when I was entering the building through the wall. Suddenly I heard a fearful cry. As the shout didn’t come from far away, I immediately flew over.

There, on the ground, an adolescent laid motionless in the middle of his own puddle of blood. Next to him stood a young women in servant attire, shouting for help. My eyes got wide when I focused on the youth. Not because of the blood, but because of what was going on in the soul plane.

A strange insect had gripped the soul of the downed human and had ripped it half out of his body. The thing had a disturbing similarity to an overly large black mole cricket. It was eating him and trying to slip into his body. The youth’s soul was fighting against it, but was too weak. He got overpowered easily.

What the?! Why the hell did I have so many encounters with hideous soul beasts. One was a worm, the other a mole cricket. Were there no nice soul beasts?! Like a rabbit or a cute cat? No, it had to be overly large insects and worms…

Not long later another woman arrived. She didn’t bother about the puddle of blood and kneeled down next to him. Putting her hand on top of his body, she cast healing magic.

It didn’t help. I could see why. All the energy got sucked out right away, out of the teen’s body before it could do any good. It flowed directly to the ugly insect on top of him. It even seemed to grow a little thanks to it.

At that moment I knew that the youth would die if I didn’t help. The woman had no clue. I am not a nice person but even I couldn’t simply sit back and watch while an evil insect devoured the soul of a young man. Especially when I knew I could help him.

I flew over quickly and grabbed at the beast from behind. Its hard carapace felt unique in my hands and a part of me reveled in being able to touch something again.

I pulled at it as strongly as I could; I had to separate it from him. Otherwise it would not stop to gorge itself on his soul.

With a ripping sound, I got it off of him. It turned its ugly head in my direction, furious about being interrupted during its feast.

It screeched before hurling itself at my body. I simply opened my arms.

“Come, you ugly beast! Bite me! Get yourself a healthy dose of my special “brew”!”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

My evil hitchhiker should at least earn its stay in my body. I was even hoping that all the fights would slow its acclimatisation period in my body and get me some additional time to protect myself from it.

Not knowing it was a trap, the beast bit with relish. Closing its mouth around my chest. The insect started to suck, trying to gorge itself on me. I felt a force trying to rip me apart. But the black treads through my “body” kept it from succeeding.

I knew what would happen next. My hitchhiker would try to gobble it up himself. The best would be if I could somehow thwart that. It would only get more energy if it was able to eat the beast.

Wait! He was in my “body” and between him and the enemy soul was still a part of me. So theoretically I could intercept it. But wait, what would happen to me? Enlarging my soul with another would change me fundamentally.

No, it didn’t matter. I had to try it! Too much was at stake to stop now. This was a soul of a teen, I had more experience and an Iron will. I would be okay. It would be catastrophic to give my hitchhiker more power. With that thought, I intercepted the soul pieces that my evil part was trying to suck through my soul into its “body”.

Yes, it is functioning! I ate parts of the enemy soul myself. Strengthening my own in the process. I could feel the evil entity being furious at seeing its hard fought reward being stolen directly before its metaphorical mouth.

I felt a strange pressure built as it tried to get its lunch back from me. I fought with all my might against it. Holding it at bay while I absorbed the incoming soul parts.

I didn’t know it, but I was only able to do that thanks to the soul resistance boost that I had gotten from my old planet. Additionally, the evil identity was a hitchhiker and had given up a large part of its power to enter my soul and with it this world. Otherwise, I would have been devoured long ago.

At last I had devoured everything. I felt strangely full and very hot. Parts of the new soul sizzled against my own while the other part felt cold to the touch, both slowly mixing with my own. It was done. Now only time would tell how this would change me. I turned myself toward youth again. The rest of the soul floated above its body, looking at me.

“Hey you, you need to enter your body again. Otherwise you won’t be able to live on.” I said.

The teen didn’t answer me, but beckoned me instead towards himself. Not knowing if he was simply unable to speak or what he wanted, I complied.

Standing in front of him, I looked at him questioningly. He opened his mouth and spoke in a weak and quiet voice.

“Thank you for your help, but it is already too late. My soul is too severely injured. I cannot hold it together much longer. Could I ask a selfish wish from you? I am scared. Could you hold me, please?”

He was speaking in his own native language. Even so, somehow I was able to understand him. It felt like the meaning of the words were projected into my head. A part of my consciousness wanted to investigate the reason behind it, but another bigger part of my mind stopped it. It was neither the right time nor place to ask such questions. The youth was dying.

He looked up at me with imploring eyes, I could see the fear in them. He was only a kid who felt his own soul starting to scatter. I felt so sad at that moment. Why was the world so harsh?! he was only a kid!

I nodded and closed in to embrace him.

Slowly stroking his head, I whispered into his ear. “Relax, everything will be all right.”

I felt his soul unwind as he closed his eyes. Lost in thoughts, I kept stroking his head, easing his worries. I felt him slowly breaking apart, getting smaller and smaller.

Then at the last moment I felt his soul blaze with a sudden effort as he opened his eyes again. I only saw iron determination in his eyes as he smiled at me.

“Thank you, please look after my family!”

Before I could make heads or tails of what he had said, he pushed me away from himself. Having my guard down, I was hurled back- and downwards.

“Wha-?!” Still trying to understand what he meant, I crashed into something below me and felt my entire soul being sucked up. I immediately lost my consciousness.