Soul Partner

"Let's go we are heading into the forest for today's training session. You better not slow me down." The Colonel said as the air around his body condensed lifting his body into the air. Flying ahead into the forest from his courtyard.

'This dam old man he can fly and wants me to keep up with him.' Alexander thought running after the figure in the air ahead of him.

As Alexander ran deeper and deeper into the forest chasing the speeding old man, he noticed his surroundings becoming darker. The trees were becoming sparse around him and yet the surroundings were getting dark.

'Where is this old man leading me?'

"This is good we will stop here. We are going hunting today for some creatures. If you can't use your bow in a life-or-death situation then what is the point of carrying it with you? I have brought some arrows with me so take these with you and I will watch over you and only save you after you are severely injured." The Colonel smiled at the young boy below him on the floor then suddenly disappearing from the sky after throwing the arrows down to the floor.

'Severely injured what the hell how am I supposed to live long enough for him to save me if I am severely injured? He must be trying to kill me as he tried beating me to death on our last training session.'

Alexander sighed then walked slowly through the few trees that laid around himself. As 6 eyes started watching the young boy walk deeper into the darkness. Losing sight of his surroundings we walked aimlessly before arriving in front of a cave entrance.

'How did I get here? Something seems to be calling me inside. Hell, no I have seen this in movies from my last life. I need to get out of here before some creepy creature thing traps me in here then I am trapped until I kill it.'

Alexander turned around to walk where he came from as he saw the darkness disperse only leaving a rock wall.

"Keep going we want to see you human." Three voices echoed together within Alexander's mind.

*Facepalm*

'Well fuck. I guess I brought it upon myself.' Alexander walked even slower through the tunnel thinking deeply about what the voice inside his head said.

'Wait a second. WE? I am dead. I didn't even get to use any abilities. This life was a scam. God or world creator in my next life please give me cooler abilities like a Demon system.' Alexander finished sighing to himself before continuing down the tunnel. Coming into a large corridor with heavy pressure being exerted around himself. It felt like he was walking deep in the ocean with pressure coming down on every part of his body.

"Walk to the center of this room so we can see your potential." The three voices echoed through his mind all with different voices.

Alexander felt the pressure on his body suddenly increase bringing him to his knee. 'Why are they testing me? What kind of test is this? Whatever it is I can't die here leaving the Captain alone without the only thing he has left.'

Alexander forced his body up and began slowly began walking to the center of the circular stone room.

.

. 30 minutes previously

.

In the forest

"Where did the boy go. I lost him when that darkness appeared. I will find him even if I have to fly through this entire forest." The Colonel flew furiously through the forest tearing down rows of trees in his wake.

.

. Present time

.

Back in the stone room

Alexander was inching closer to the center of the room when suddenly he felt his body appear back at his original position at the entrance to the stone room.

'What the hell. I was almost there.'

"You thought it would be that easy in front of us. We the controllers of space who not even the dead dare to stand before." The three voices laughed together.

A large black dog with blue on his paws and 6 pairs of red eyes walked out from a tear in the middle of the room. Where the previous center of the room was now stood a large three-headed dog.

'I'm dead.'

"Boy, you have a special soul on you. Have you traveled through space before?" A now singular voice was coming from the middle head of the three heads.

"Yes, I think? I don't know." Alexander quickly answered the monstrous figure standing only a few meters from himself.

"Your soul is much like ours we have never seen anything like it before in this world. We have been here dormant in the Northern Mountains for thousands of years waiting to find a soul we are compatible with to merge with."

"What do you mean merge and thousands of years? What are you?" Alexander asked staring at the center head on the creature.

"Many people of this world and other worlds call us Cerberus. We travel through space protecting the people of the dead. Now after all of these years we finally found someone we can merge with. Much like many legendary creatures, we become soul partners with humans to explore and enhance our strength. As our bodies are much stronger than humans, but our soul cores are much weaker."

"What do you mean protecting the dead? There are many legends about you not allowing people to leave the dead."

"This idea is wrong we protect them from the people who are trying to forcibly bring them back into this world to use them for evil purposes. We are not an evil existence we are one of the guardians of the cycle of life. Death."

'That makes sense then more I think about his words and the evil ideals of humans.'

"My brothers and I have been watching you. You have passed our tests so we would like to merge with your soul becoming your soul partner."

"Tests? What tests?"

"The darkness you stepped into when you came deeper into the forest near the mountain was your first test. You were able to find your way through the darkness to find this place which took enhanced senses. Secondly, you knew you were in a bad situation instantly trying to find a way to escape showing you have great intuition for your age. Lastly, was to test your will to fight as we asked you to get to the center of the room with us increasing the pressure on your body to 10 times its limits. This qualifies you to be our soul partners."

"But I am not even 8 years old yet to merge with a soul partner?"

"We sensed your soul when you entered the forest and were quite confused when we first saw you as you were merely a child, but from your answer from before it all makes sense. Your soul transferred from your last life so your soul is barely forming to fit the standards of this world. Usually, this doesn't happen till an individual becomes 8 years old, but with the addition of your last life it formed earlier."

"What will happen to me if we merge together?"

"You will be fine as you are not strong enough now to use our full powers but as your soul gets stronger you will get to use more of our abilities. We will be a voice in your head with you, but we will have no control of your body so no need to worry about that. We will become a tattoo on your body once we merge together and you can use your soul to use our abilities."

Alexander now calming down from all of the talking with the large three-headed dog in front of him began to think over their proposal.

"We do have one request only after we merge with your soul. When you become strong enough you will take our mantle of guardian. To protect the dead."

'That is not such a bad condition to protect such a thing from evil people.'

"I accept!"

The large three-headed dog kneeled to the floor in front of Alexander. Shocking Alexander to the creature who could easily kill him kneel before him. The large body slowly started disappearing as a blue and black ray of light flew into Alexander's chest. Suddenly Alexander's whole body started burning making him fall to the floor screaming at the top of his lungs as it felt like his life was being taken from him. Tearing off his thin armor revealing his upper body he looked down to see a blue and black line being burned into his chest forming the shape of the three-headed dog.

'I might die from this. You dam dog why did you lie to me.'

'You will be fine the process is already finishing.' A familiar voice echoed in his head.

'Did we really merge?' Alexander thought to himself worried that the other occupants of his mind will hear his every thought.

'We did merge and since you are the host, we have accepted you so you do not have to share all of your thoughts with us if you decide not to. But you will always hear our thoughts in your mind.'

'Do all three of you all have different minds and personalities? 'Alexander thought to himself as he put his armor back over his chest.

'We do all have different personalities and powers but share the same brain. I am the main personality as I am the center and control space.'

'The head to my left controls the strength(pressure) and to my right they control darkness.' The middle head explained

'Well, I am going to give all of you names so I know who is speaking. The head-on the left your name will be Ares and the head on the right you will be Hades. Lastly, the center head you will be Aether.'

'Why did you choose these names for us?' Dave asked curiously in their shared mind.

'Firstly, Ares and Hades were gods of war and darkness from my past life in mythology. They were fearless in battle and from the dominating aura I got from all three of you I assumed these would be great names.' Alexander explained to the left and right heads.

'Lastly, I chose Aether for you as you control space. Well, that settles that we have to get back the Colonel must be looking for me.'

'Do not worry you have us now. Try using Hades powers as the darkness that led you here will lead you back out.' Aether told the worried Alexander.

'How do I use the abilities?'

'You just have to feel your soul and move it into the tattoo on your body. Then you can use our powers at your will. Although your soul power is still low you should be able to use our powers for a short amount of time.' Hades explained to a confused Alexander.

Alexander closed his eyes and began focusing all of his senses towards the black and blue tattoo on his chest. When it suddenly began to lightly glow and darkness began to shroud around Alexander.

'Just like that.' The three heads thought simultaneously.

The dark shroud began to lead Alexander through the tunnel and out of the mountain from which he was housed. Walking back through the forest Alexander could feel the world around him now change and become more vibrant.

'Disperse your powers it will be bad if anyone finds out we have merged with you. We can feel someone approaching quickly from the air.'

Alexander dispersed the dark veil around himself as a figure descended from the air.

"Where have you been?" The figure shouted as he left dozens of trees destroyed behind him.