Note: This is a repost. For some reason html code appeared in the document and I don't know how.
Ozma opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. He was in a seemingly endless white void.
He remembered this place. It was where the God of Light summoned him to make his offer. An offer he has since regretted accepting though he had only himself to blame for not heeding the warning he was given.
The last thing he remembered was him fighting Salems latest pawn who had just stolen the Fall Maidens power and how she killed him. He had failed yet again and more people would suffer and die for it. He thought back to the woman Salem once was, their children, their kingdom, the group who worshipped him as a god despite his warnings, Summer, Raven, Amber and so many others.
He felt his frustration and grief build up until it was too much to handle and he screamed.
After what felt like a minute he stopped. He spent another two minutes calming himself down before returning his focus to his current situation.
He wondered what brought him here. None of his previous deaths had brought him here before. Maybe the God of Light has decided to punish him for his failures? He honestly couldn't blame him. He decided he would wait for what he assumed would be his punishment.
Hours passed and no punishment came. He eventually grew restless and started walking in no particular direction. He figured the God of Light would be able to easily find him when he decided to carry out his punishment.
He walked for what felt like hours in silence and still no punishment came. Maybe the God of Light had decided to leave him here for the rest of eternity?
During this walk he noticed that his current form was that of his first life. His clothes were the same ones as when the God of Light approached him with his offer.
Eventually a sound broke the silence. It was the sound of a woman crying. Curious he turned in the direction of the sound and saw a figure sitting on the ground some distance from him with her back to him. How had he not noticed her?
After a moment of hesitation, he eventually started walking towards her.
As he approached her, he took in her wings. Was she a faunus? Did the god of light bring her here as well? She had long flowing silver hair. She seemed to be wearing a white sleeveless dress that left he back exposed presumable to prevent her wings from destroying it.
She continued crying as he walked towards her unaware of his presence. What has caused her so much pain? Was there anything he could do to help her?
When he finally reached her, he felt something emanating from her. It felt similar yet so very distinct from the magic he and Salem wielded. Eventually he announced his presence. "Hello there."
He watched as she jumped with fright. Perhaps that wasn't the best way to go about it. Slowly she turned to look at him. Her dress was collar and she also wore a dark maroon tie with it but what really caught his attention was her eyes. They were blue with what appeared to be a triskele on them. Perhaps she wasn't a faunus.
He held up his hands to reassure her that he meant her no harm and gave her the best smile he could manage as walked to sit right in front of her. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. My name is Ozma. What's yours?"
She didn't seem to be sure how to process his sudden appearance. It seems like him she wasn't expecting to encounter another person. After a few moments of hesitation she answered him with tears still streaming down her eyes. "….Elizabeth."
He noticed how exhausted she seemed to be. She reminded him of himself. He decided to ask her what was troubling her. "What's wrong?"
A look of uncertainty appeared on her face. Eventually she relented and what she said shocked him. "…I… died…. again…."
Again? Was she also cursed by the gods. He could only feebly ask. "What?"
She looked down before continuing. "I'm cursed to reincarnate every time I die. It's been going on for almost three thousand years. I am just so tired."
So she was the same as him. He wanted to give her a hug but he could tell there was more to the story. "But those tears seem to be from something other than your curse."
She sighed. "You are half correct. There's another far worse aspect to my curse. Each time I am reborn I lose my memories. They will return when I reunite with the person I love and fall in love with him again. When that happens I will without fail die in front of him within three days of that occurring."
He didn't know how to react to that. Who would do such a thing? His curse was meant to be used as a tool to help him in his task while Salems was meant to be a punishment until she learned a lesson she was incapable of learning but this girls curse was just torture. "Who cursed you?" Was it the gods?
"…..My mother and the father of the one I love." He never though he would hear such words be spoken with such venom.
As he got over his shock his blood ran cold. How could someone do something so cruel to their children? Even Salem wouldn't go that far what happened with their children was an accident. "Why would they do such a thing?"
With tears still flowing she continued. "Our races are mortal enemies. I am…. was from the goddess clan while he is from the demon clan. We fell in love and grew tired of the conflict. Eventually he betrayed his clan by saving members of mine which triggered a major war. My mother initially tolerated him but when I showed mercy to two demons she decided to punish both me and him alongside his father."
Clans? He has walked across remnant for thousands of years and had never heard of such groups. Was she perhaps from another world? "I assume the one you love has a similar curse?"
"He does. His curse stops him from aging and if something were to kill him he would inevitably return to life but not before fighting his father in a realm called Purgatory. Each time that happens he loses some of his emotions which increases the chances of him becoming the monster he once was."
Her lovers curse sounded like Salems but so much crueller. How could a parent do such a thing to their own child for falling in love and doing what they felt was right? "….I see."
She continued talking. "The worst part is that we are fated to meet. I've died a hundred and six times and I can remember the look on his face each time that has happened. Each face is sadder then the last and I'm afraid he will turn back into the monster he once was in order to break our curses. I….I don't want that. I just want him to be happy." She broke down crying.
He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Then don't let go and stay by his side. Stop him from becoming a monster. Don't repeat my mistake because if you do there will likely be no turning back."
She looked up at him. "…Your mistake?"
Perhaps he spoke too much. He decided he would tell her his story. "Once upon a time there was a hero who crossed the land protecting the innocent and vanquishing evil. One day he came across a castle where an evil king had trapped his daughter. Seeking to free her he vanquished the king with her aid. Leaving the castle the two decided to stay together. Eventually they fell in love."
"Then what happened?"
He took a breath. "Then he…. I died and everyone paid for it."
A look of shock crossed his face. "…What?"
He took a breath and told her everything. He told her how he died from illness, how Salem turned to the gods to bring him back, how she angered them, how she was cursed with her own immortality, how she attempted to take her revenge, how the gods wiped out humanity, how Salem turned herself into a monster trying to end her own life, how the God of Light brought him back for a mission, how he ignored the warning given to him to not seek Salem out, how they started a kingdom then a family, how he grew afraid of her, how she responded, how their daughters died in the crossover and how their centuries long war began. As he told Elizabeth his story he could feel tears slowly fall down his face.
As he finished his story Elizabeth gave him a sympathetic look. "…You poor man."
He gave her a sad laugh. "I guess we are the same though I am not sure whose situation is worse."
She nodded in agreement. "Yes. Yes, we are." She then proceeded to reach out and hugged him tightly.
He initially wasn't sure how to respond. Eventually he returned the hug and started crying.
Eventually they broke apart and started telling each other about stories from their various live both happy and sad.
She told him one life where she never regained her memories and died of old age with her lover Meliodas by her side. She also told him of the time she regained her memories as a child and how she regretted how coldly she greeted Meliodas.
He told her of the life where he decided to resume working towards the task he was given and how he lived alongside his hosts family. He also told her of the cult that formed around him and its unfortunate end. He still regretted not living up to that girls expectations.
They both told each other of their most recent deaths. He told her about his battle with Cinder Fall and she told him about her death at the hands of a former comrade of Meliodas.
While some of the stories were painful to tell he started to feel relieved. It felt good to talk to someone who could understand what he went through. He could tell she felt the same.
Eventually they both noticed the other was starting to fade away.
Initially shocked he sighed. "It seems this is where we part."
She gave him a sad smile. "It seems so. Thank you Ozma for listening to me. I hope you and Salem find the peace you deserve."
He returned the smile. "I should be thanking you for listening to me. I wish you and Meliodas escape your fates. Remember to never let him go."
They both watched as the other faded.
He will complete his task. He will end his war with Salem and put her to rest. So what if Jinn told him it was impossible. He hasn't given up in the last thousand years and he won't start now not when people needed him most.
This is an idea i thought of a while ago. Figured i would give it a go. The next chapter will be a bit more... violent given who is involved. This is a short work with only two chapters.