Lady Klo’s face sadden at the sight of Aria’s trembling body. Aria had just relived, and witness hundreds of her reincarnated lives. She could not imagine the amount of pain and suffering Aria was going through at the moment. The reoccurring choices and situations she had lived, and then being unable to change anything, and ultimately reliving the same cursed fate over and over again – it was like living in hell.

The flashes that Aria saw had all transferred over to her as well, and this only deepened her desire to help. Whatever happened between these two souls, it created a domino effect in all their lives – all their reincarnations. It was as if two magnets who were meant for each other, were flipped to repel one another. As if to deny their connection to each other eternally.

I have never witnessed such a crude and ill-fate like this. 

Lady Klo glance down at Aria who was on her knees, and still crying. The sounds of tears and cries echoed through the heavenly realm. No matter how pitiful it was, she knew the heavens would do nothing.

“Breathe Aria,” she said in the softest voice she can to her. “Your past lives cannot hurt you anymore. They’ve already passed.” 

“Lucien…” Aria’s lips trembled at that name. “L-Lucien...”

Although Aria did not remember the exact memories of him, she remembered his name. Even the sound of his name made her heart trembled. The memories that flashed before her, in all the lives she had lived – he was there. Always there. Always quietly waiting for her. 

In that moment, a rush of guilt, sadness, and pain overwhelmed her senses again.

Aria sobbed. “L-Lucien…” she cried again and again and covered her face. 

Lady Klo’s face paled. It was fortunate that she did not delve deeper into Aria’s first life that caused all this mess. It would have taken most of her powers to open and unleash those memories. But even if she tried, something dark and menacing locked those memories away and even she was afraid to open it. 

Lady Klo’s hands trembled. 

It was the first time she had ever felt like this, and it was not a good feeling.

“What do I have to do to get rid of this cursed fate between us?” Aria asked anxiously, almost begging to get rid of it at this moment. “…to get rid of him, and the feelings of him.”

Lady Klo silently closed her eyes and opened them again.

She has helped plenty of lost souls before. Souls who were wronged in their past or unfairly killed, or just lived pitiful lives. They were in similar situations where they needed her help to escape a wretched fate. She sympathized with them, and allowed them to reincarnate, and sent them back with their previous memories intact. 

Lady Klo could also do the same for Aria and give her the memories of her previous lives to avoid and escape the ill-fate between her and Lucien. 

But

Lady Klo stared down at her hands. But even that would not matter because Aria’s previous lives happened because of what occurred in her and Lucien’s first life. That first life is the reason for their ill-fate, and cursed reincarnations. No matter how many times Aria reincarnates, she is destined to meet that same ill-fate that occurred in their first life. 

An absolute fate.

“I need to send you back to the beginning of your first life,” Lady Klo said with a resigned sigh. “You will have to relive that life, and change the ill-fate between you and him.” Lady Klo paused, hesitant to speak further. “But…I cannot guarantee that by sending you back you will be able to prevent the cursed fate from reoccurring again.” 

“Will you at least let me remember my memories from before?” Aria asked immediately. “If I know them, it would help me make any changes that could prevent me from following the same path as before.”

“No,” Lady Klo immediately answered. “I cannot give you those memories. And you will not remember memories from your previous lives, or even this one, the one you are living now. These will all be gone, as if they never happened. Never existed.”

“But why?” Aria asked. There had to be a reason, she thought. 

“A person’s absolute fate is beyond anybody’s control, even mines,” Lady Klo said. “Even if I give you these memories, the ill-fate between you and Lucien will only continue to spiral out as it always has. All you will do is run away from that destined fate, which is destined to occur again.”

And again.

“So, what is the point of going back to my first life if I know nothing. What if nothing changes? What if my life continues exactly as it was before?” Aria asked again, her eyes trembled. “And I continue to relive this cursed fate and reincarnations?”

Lady Klo’s gaze sullen. Aria was right, having her previous memories were crucial in preventing her from making choices that could lead her to the same ill-fate. But with her current powers, she was not able to do that. It was hard to admit it, but something else was at play here, and it will not allow her to give Aria this.

The worst part was she also could not reveal her inability to unlock the memories of Aria’s first life. She felt utterly useless at this moment, but if she could, she would do whatever she can to help her. 

“Since I can only assist you with going back to the beginning of it all and relive your first life…” she said. “I will also give you the gift of Protection.”

Boom!

Suddenly the sound of thunder and lightning casted over the skies, and rain immediately poured down on them. 

Lady Klo and Aria continue to look at each other. Aria could feel it in her bones that Lady Klo was keeping something from her, but she was not going to pressure for an answer. She was already doing so much for her already, and if it was something she did not want to disclose, or could not, then it should be kept that way.

“I cannot fully explain what the gift of Protection is, but it will guide you in the right direction.” Lady Klo smiled as the rain poured heavily over them. “You can think of it as a little push, or little luck from me.”

Rai fell to his knees. 

The thunder and rain continue to roar above the heavenly realm, casting a sharp light above one soul. A soul whose been given a chance to be reborn, rebirthed anew. 

“L-Lady Klo…” Rai muttered under his breath. 

As soon as Lady Klo sent Aria’s soul back to the beginning of her first life, Rai immediately grabbed her. 

“Why?! Why would you give part of your life away to give her the gift of Protection?!” Rai shouted. His voice was full of pain.

From the moment Rai laid eyes on Aria, there was a dark, malicious power emitting from her soul. It was something he knew those in the heavenly realm should not bother with or even touch as it would come with a deep price. And now he knows what that price was; it was half of Lady Klo’s life – whose life was supposed to be eternal.

“I had to...” Lady Klo said and looked up into the dark sky. The sound of thunder and lightning had not subsided, as if it was not done punishing the god of fates who broke the rules.

“I am not sure if sending Aria back to her first life will change her ill-fate, so to cast a little bit of luck, I decided to give her the gift of Protection.”

Again.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Rai’s voice trembled. “You’ve done too much already.”

Rai looked away from Lady’s Klo’s unchanging face. 

“You’ve helped so many lost souls reincarnate, and changed their fate at your will, but why. Why this girl? Why do you give half your enteral life to her?”

Rai tightened his grip.

“Why did you decide to take on this burden…?”

“I must do my part,” Lady Klo answered. “As the one who threads the fate of the beings born, it may have been my mistake to allow such a crude, and wretched fate like Aria’s be woven into existence.”

Lady Klo’s eyes shook.

“And plus, I’ve lived long enough, seen enough, and done enough. It’s time to sit back and really see if the ‘god of fates’ can really impact the soul of one’s true fate – their absolute fate.”

“Absolute fate?” Rai asked.

“Yes...” Lady Klo looked straight at Rai, undeterred of the punishment she was going to face. “What Aria has is an absolute fate, which will never change, no matter what I do.” She sighed. “It seems there is more to her situation than we think. There are other heavenly and possibility devilish things at play here.”

My little Aria. Will you truly keep your promise, and help him? And you?