A Selfish God Rules This Shrine
Arc 3
[AN: Due to still having been unable to resolve a few tiny plot holes, there will be a fourth chapter. I have no clue when it'll be published though.]
'Shu-Shun…' a tiny voice called out.
Shun got up and saw Reira collapse beside him. He was exhausted and sweaty.
'Reira!' Shun gasped. 'Why are you here?'
'I followed your scent. I – I didn't think I'd get lost.' Reira admitted in a small, tired voice.
Shun got out of bed and picked Reira up to place him in it instead.
'Are you okay?' Shun worried.
Reira clasped at the sheets and pouted. Shun rolled his eyes; Playing tough guy, huh? He thought to himself.
'I'm fine.' Reira lied. He struggled and got up despite Shun trying to keep him settled. Reira grasped at Shun's coat sleeves. 'We must leave at once, Shun. We're not safe… Th-This is the den of a witch!'
'What?' Shun replied; in disbelief and cynicism.
In the kitchen, down the halls, the sound of a knife being sharpened echoed through. Shun's stomach flipped and Reira trembled. Perhaps it was already too late.
'A witch? Like the ones from fairy tales… in modern Japan?'
'She probably wants to eat you!' Reira cried out.
Shun wanted to be in disbelief but he was already talking to a "doll who had come to life", according to Rei, so perhaps there was little room for incredulity. He took a breath. It was just one horrid thing after another but he would pull through. He knew he could.
'This isn't the Human World, Shun. This is a part of the Spirit World. We really need to leave. Big Sister… And Big Brother would have a fit if they knew we were both here.' Reira explained.
Reira squirmed away from Shun and got to his feet. He wobbled. He then brought out three pieces of paper and an ink brush from within the folds of his heavily layered, lilac kimono. He was pretty proud of himself and confidently thrust them towards Shun with bright eyes.
'Here!' he announced.
Shun accepted them hesitantly. 'What are they? Poems for the dead?'
'Charms.' Reira chirped. 'One of your powers as Land God is that you can imbue objects with your will. If we use them wisely, escaping will be easy!'
Shun's eyes widened. 'Like what?'
'If you wrote "Do not open" then placed it on the door, that door effectively becomes a wall.' Reira replied.
'Anything I write?' Shun asked.
'Er… yes.' Reira replied.
Shun began to write on the paper. His handwriting messy and uncouth. He then stuck the piece of paper onto Reira's mask. Reira stared back, confounded. He felt unchanged and his mask hadn't gained any powers specific to it from what he could tell either.
'What did you write?'
'God Warrior.'
Reira sighed. 'You can't give things power that surpasses your own.'
'I am totally a god warrior.' Shun muttered. He crossed his arms.
'Not yet, Shun.' Reira sighed. 'Now we only have two charms left…'
The door opened a crack more. Light spilled in and Reira hid in the shadows. The woman's silhouette could be seen.
'Young man… I heard noises. Is everything alright?' she asked.
Shun charged at the door and slammed it shut with his body.
'Everything is fine, lady.' he growled.
'Are you sure?'
The old woman raked her nails through the wood. Shun flinched but powered on. He kept his weight against the door and hoped that the old woman didn't claw through to the other side.
'I'm getting changed.' Shun said and he signalled Reira.
Reira nodded. He drew closer and let Shun write on the next charm. Reira placed it on the door. In the span of two seconds, the paired bolted. However, it still felt like Shun was pressing his weight on the door. That was until the witch had broken through the wood and found paper. She ripped it up and had no doubt in her mind that the paper would have once read "Young Man". She grabbed at the pieces and her true, hideous face broke through her serene glamour. The window was open and the wind lapped at the curtains.
Shun was nowhere to be seen within the room.
Through countless glades of bamboo, Reira and Shun ran. Reira was now on Shun's back as he was too tired from his journey to the house to continue on; and even if he did have energy, Shun would not let the child push himself further. They continued to escape into the night but it was just pole of bamboo after bamboo until they came to an empty, moonlit field.
A small circle encased thickly by bamboo. It seemed hopeless. They paused briefly so Shun could catch his breath but terrible howls followed them. The witch was close. Her voice and sprint rustled the leaves and crushed the bamboo. As she came closer, Shun realised she carried a blade with her and her evil face was wretched with rage and gluttony.
Shun ducked under a glade and kept Reira beneath his coat; prioritising Reira's safety above his own. He and Reira became silent and still. They cloaked themselves in fallen foliage and hoped that the witch would pass without noticing.
She stormed through, drooling and messy. In all her frenzy, she completely passed the two in their hiding spot but their breaths did not return, even with the threat chasing after nothingness and losing herself in the distance.
Shun took out the remaining charm and pondered it. Reira shivered next to him. He was downright terrified. Shun let Reira cuddle him.
'W-We need Big Brother. He's stronger than Big Sister.' Reira muttered. He looked up longingly at Shun. 'You can do it! You can summon Reiji-nii-sama here!' He hiccupped and tears welled up in his large eyes. 'Y-You have to.' Reira's voice turned to gurgles soon after.
Shun glanced back at the charm. Was such a task within his power? His eyes became downcast.
'It's impossible.' he murmured. 'There's no way he would come if I called.'
'Why don't you contract him…?' Reira asked in the tiniest voice. 'He can't oppose your orders if you do that…'
Shun paused. Rei's voice rang in his mind:
"It's very simple. All you have to do is kiss him…"
Shun's face grew hot. He envisioned just what that condition to create the contract would ensue. He imagined Reiji's stony face centimetres away from his own. His lips puckered and his eyes closed. It was enough to give anyone nightmares.
'No!' Shun yelled. 'I refuse! Anything but that! Who would ever kiss that fox?!'
Shun prepped himself to get up and shook through his and Reira's cover.
'Found you…' an eerie, sinister voice rang out from behind them.
Reira screamed and the witch lurched over for them. Shun and Reira tried to get away from her.
Moments earlier, in a different realm, Rei was still trying to convince Reiji to leave the den of iniquity he has found himself very enamoured with. He was lying upon pillows and plucking rice cakes from the tray. It had been a while since Rei had seen Reiji so contented but with everything happening, it was hard for her to forge this into a happy memory.
Both were blissfully unaware of the danger that Shun and Reira would soon be in.
'Elder Sister,' Reiji began, 'do you know how very luxuriant it is to just… lounge around like this. I never realised how good most youkai have it. I believe now there is nothing worse than being a Familiar. I could just fall asleep for eons here.'
'That's fascinating… Reiji.' Rei said stiffly. She sat on her legs and her hands trembled in her lap. She pawed at the folds in her pastel blue kimono.
'I daresay that it is paradise here.' added Reiji.
'I understand your sentiments, Reiji. It has been a stressful few years.'
'Not few: twenty.' Reiji corrected abruptly.
'Er, yes. But we really should start looking for Shun-dono.' Rei interjected.
'Why? I am a free fox after all, dearest Sister.' Reiji replied.
Reiji…
A voice, terrified and desperate but most importantly of all: familiar, ghosted into the room.
…Save me, Reiji.
Rei and Reiji lifted their heads in awe as a scrap of paper manifested above them. It flitted about like a butterfly. It an emanated a voice and repeated the same few lines over and over. Reiji held out a clawed hand delicately and the paper fluttered down and landed upon his fingertips.
Reiji examined the piece of paper and Rei cautiously came closer. A white piece of paper; a charm. It had always been the signature of their mother but she suspected it belonged to someone else. A delighted snarl crossed Reiji's face as he crumpled the piece of paper in his hand.
'What perfect timing.' he mused; cruelty pervaded his voice and made Rei's stomach knot.
This was not the brother she knew.
'Rei, just now… Is that?' Rei's voice tumbled into incomplete sentences; too frightened to hear herself say her thoughts.
'Yes Elder Sister, it is exactly what you suspect.' Reiji confirmed. 'Apparently, our beloved Shun-dono,' sarcasm laced his voice like poison, 'is being attacked by a monster as we speak.'
'Eh?! We have to save him!' Rei squeaked.
'I think it would be good sport to see Kurosaki Shun's crying face.' Reiji sneered.
'Brother!' Rei retorted, hot tears welling up I her eyes – Kurosaki Ruri's eyes. She trembled where she stood; dizzy and overwhelmed.
Shun did value his own safety. That's why, he quickly scrawled his thoughts onto that piece of paper and sent into the wind where it vanished into an ethereal mist. However, he valued Reira's safety more than his own.
He helped – shoved – Reira up a tree where he could cower in the higher branches. Reira clung to the tree and whimpered; staring intensely at the scene beneath him. Shun was now climbing the tree but the witch right behind him. Reira couldn't watch. He didn't want to watch. But he couldn't tear his eyes – ever watching and ever remembering – away from it.
'It's fine, Reira!' Shun yelled.
'The flesh and blood of a Land God could keep me alive for centuries…' the witch growled.
Shun fumbled with the lower branches. The heel of his boot scraped at the bark. Frustration welted across his face; maddening his eyes and biting his lower lip. Shun kicked off the ground and finally got a foothold. He scaled the tree but the witch grabbed one of his flailing legs. He growled and tried to shake her off. Reira clung harder to the tree. Shun screamed at the witch and tried to kick her back; anything to steal precious seconds to escape back from her.
Shun didn't look down. He kept trying to heft himself forward but flickering lights caught his eye. He hazarded a glance at it. Quivering, violet-and-blue flames manifested from thin air. In the centre, a pair of kimono clad figures emerged; one was drastically taller than the other.
'It would appear you are in much trouble, Kurosaki Shun.'
Shun's heart stopped. He sucked in a frigid breath. Reiji, he thought.
'I came running the moment I heard you were in a pinch.'
Shun's heart skipped a beat. He's come to save me… after all? He felt the slightest prick of tears behind his eyes as he swallowed. He couldn't believe it.
Rei frowned at Reiji's side as she held onto him.
Reiji was immovably calm.
The witch let go of Shun's leg in terror. She backed away and in a crackly voice, she asked: 'You are the eldest children of the Akaba Shrine, are you not? The Familiars? Do you plan to get in my way?'
'Not at all. I've come to watch.' Reiji replied in a voice as cold and scathing as a wintry snap of wind. He produced his paper fan and smiled, fanned himself. He sat down on the branch he and Rei had landed on; it was far higher than the one Reira was on and the one Shun was trying to reach.
'Continue as you were.' Reiji's declaration came chipper and cheery.
Rei pushed Reiji away. 'What are you saying?!' she screamed.
'I want to observe idly.' Reiji defended himself.
'You're the worst!' Shun snarled.
He dropped down the side of the tree. He used the witch as a spring board and knocked her down to propel himself further. He was consumed by rage. He couldn't trust anyone except himself, quite clearly. If these damned "Familiars" weren't going to do anything then he could only take it upon himself. He grabbed the branch Reira was sitting on and tried to pull himself up.
Reiji drew nearer; as though wanting a better look at the carnage that would be soon to follow. Reira grabbed onto Shun's wrist and tried to pull him up but his strength was meagre. Reira's siblings still had not noticed that he was beneath him, in the foliage.
'Do you want me to save you, Kurosaki Shun?' Reiji asked, bemused. A cruel, thin smile spread across his lips. 'Even if you cry and beg and say: "Save me, Reiji-sama", I shall not save you.'
Shun lost a foothold. He cursed himself but cursed that fox more.
'Who in the right mind would beg for you?' Shun growled.
He tried to heave himself up once more but he lost his grip. He dropped down and dangled. Reiji recoiled. Shun's expression changed from that of confidence to terror. The bark of the tree dug into his hands but he was determined to save himself.
'Shun!' Reira screamed.
'Oh, my goodness! Reira!' Rei yelped upon hearing his voice and finding him in the tree.
The tree branch lurched. It began to snap and crack. Rei and Reiji exchanged desperate glances; understanding blossomed between them. Rei dropped down to the next branch, arms out and Reira stood up; realising her intentions too. Reiji, meanwhile, was fixed to where he stood.
Reira jumped into Rei's arms. She caught him and swept him up into a hug. She bawled on his shoulder. He hugged her back and wept. The witch, broken wrist and all, began to move. Reiji knew he had to do something but he didn't want to do something. The tree began to creak some more and Rei realised her mistake. The branch was not strong enough for her, Reira, and Shun to seek protection here.
'S-Say it.' barked Reiji.
'Shun-dono, please!' Rei and Reira begged.
'Who the hell would say that?!' Shun shouted.
He took a breath and the branch finally tore away from the tree. Shun dangled. He was lost in a moment of catatonic realisation. There was nothing he could do. Reiji was not as calm as he was before. He was overwhelmed by sudden, guilty panic.
'You fool!' he yelled. He reached down for Shun's hand.
Perhaps there was a chance. Shun grabbed onto Reiji's wrist. He yanked him down. Reiji slipped from the branch. Together, the two began to fall.
'It'll be alright so long as you say one word,' Reiji yelled, 'or do you plan to be stubborn even in death?'
Reiji came closer. Shun's coat fluttered around him. Shun glared. He exactly planned upon being stubborn in death if it came to that. Anything over that. Or at least that's what he wanted. What preferred. He did have some scrap of a self-preservation instinct.
He grabbed ono Reiji and pulled himself against the fall. Reiji's eyes widened; his pupils shook as he tried to understand what was happening.
The fulfilment of the Familiar's Contract.
The distance between them became nothing. Shun's fingers slipped behind Reiji's neck and spread through his hair. Shun took a breath and he took a risk. Reiji was surprisingly warm with soft skin. Shun kissed him; eyes closed and letting whatever was happening, happen. He inhaled the smell of sake and he tasted of bamboo rice cakes.
The kiss felt like it lasted long.
'Reiji…' Shun murmured.
He was tranquil. Against all thought, it was not horrible or nightmare inducing. His eyes fluttered closed. The dream from this morning swirled to the top of his thoughts and became a hazy memory once more but this time, he could recall it all for it had happened. Once. A long time ago.
'I remember…'
Shun slipped away from Reiji.
'Save me!' Shun hissed; completely snapping back from the acceptance of death and dreams.
Reiji growled. Halos of purple light formed around his wrists. He futilely struggled against them for a brief second; knowing all too well that there was nothing he could do.
'Shun-dono… he made the contract.' Rei gasped.
'D-Does that mean he and Ruri will be our Masters for sure?' Reira asked, excitedly.
Beneath the log, the witch gave up her struggle. It was useless. She was stuck there and she would not be feasting upon a real Land God now.
Reiji grabbed Shun and with much poise, the two landed safely and gracefully. Shun was in a bridal carry and Reiji was the one holding him.
'You remember… huh?' Reiji paused. 'What exactly do you remember?'
He squinted. Shun struggled in his arms. Animosity continued to fester between them. Reiji dropped Shun and turned his anger to the real culprit here. He bound the witch in violet light which formed like ropes.
'This is all your fault! Just when I was living the lap of luxury, I've become a Familiar once more!' he shouted.
Rei and Reira came out of hiding. They carefully dropped down the tree and Shun met them here, giving them assistance where needed. All of them willingly ignoring Reiji.
'This… isn't a good look.' lamented Rei.
'I have to be Familiar to a useless person who can't even cut grass right! Moreover, he says "I've remembered" – remembered what?!' Reiji screamed.
'Huh?' Reira looked up Shun.
'I don't even know what I've remembered. I just know that I've remembered it.' Shun replied as he carefully went through these "new" memories.
Reiji gave up on his berating of the witch.
Reira held onto Shun and Rei's hands. He looked up at them hopefully.
'D-Does this mean w-we're a family again?' he asked.
Rei looked towards Reiji: prickly and annoyed.
'Well, Reiji, are we a family again?'
He huffed.
'I wanna go home. Ruri's worried sick.' Reira said.
'Thank you.' Shun said in a small voice.
'What?' Reiji growled.
'I said, "thank you" – you jerk-ass! Thank you for saving me! Don't make me say it again!' Shun yelled. His cheeks grew hot and turned crimson.
Reiji was taken aback by the hostile thanks but he supposed that he could accept it. For now. Shun extended his hand, once his anger had settled.
'Let's go back to the Shrine, Reiji.'
Reiji joined his siblings and together, with Shun, the four retuned to the Shrine. The walk was long and quiet. There was much to be said but this wasn't the time.
By the time they returned, they all collapsed with exhaustion. Ruri tearfully welcomed them back. She was beside herself with joy. She hadn't been able to sleep a wink, not knowing where her brother was or where the Shrine's family was.
Shun fell asleep at the steps so Reiji returned him too his room. Once more, scooping him up in a bridal carry. He excused himself and before Ruri got to the opportunity to return to her own room, Rei stopped her with a gentle smile.
'We have much to discuss.' she said. Her gentle smile filled her face.
Ruri nodded. She sat down on a mat and Rei joined he. Reira battled his own tiredness and laid down on Ruri's lap. He ended up falling asleep but Ruri didn't mind.
'Shun-dono has contracted Reiji as his Familiar.'
'Really?' Ruri gasped.
'Yes.' Rei nodded. 'In doing so, Shun-dono has accepted his position as one half of the Land God's role. I won't force you but would you like to fulfil the other half of the role? The Akaba Shrine has two gods acting as one. It would be… extremely agonising if one human were to fulfil that role alone.'
'I understand.' Ruri replied. 'I've been thinking about it and I would like to accept my role. Would you like to be my Familiar?'
'I would be delighted to.' Rei replied.
'So, um, is this when we…?' Ruri asked. 'Reira-chan told me earlier… that we, uh…'
'Yes, we kiss.' Rei giggled.
Ruri leaned in and Rei kissed her. It was a soft, gentle kiss. Rei reminded Ruri of fields of wild strawberries and her lips were like porcelain. It also felt like Ruri was kissing a mirror; after all, Rei was using her face. And with that, their contract had been fulfilled.
The Akaba Shrine once more had two gods acting as one.
The following morning, Shun woke up. His mind was more lost and hazier than ever before. During his sleep, he remembered more. He remembered another life time's worth of memories. Many of them featured a friendship between he and a long-haired child who lived at a prosperous and beautiful Shrine with his mother, father, and elder sister. He had no doubt in his mind who that child was now for he still lived at that same shrine.
However, when he first awoke, he thought he was in the wrong place. The smell of flowers hit him first. He awoke in a beautifully furnished room with floors so clean, they gleamed like amber and reflected what surrounded them. He peeped through navy curtains at a room that contained sepia screens with depictions of a grey fox playing with a child and paintings of ancient, misty landscapes.
He also awoke completely fine. He was certain he would have had injuries from his fall but he didn't. Nothing; not even a little scratch. He wasn't wearing his coat either.
'What's going on?'
'Big brother,' Ruri's voice called from behind the door, 'may I come in? Are you decent?'
'Y-Yeah, it's fine.' Shun said, groggy, as he tried to get up.
'Rei-chan and Reira-chan are with me. Is that fine?'
'Y-Yeah.' Shun said and he gave up on getting up. His leg tingled like it had pins-and-needles.
His sister and the other two entered his room. They pushed through the decadent, navy curtains surrounding his futon. Rei smiled and Reira sat down next to Shun with a smile. His face was practically incandescent. Ruri also knelt next to Shun.
'How do you like your new living arrangements?' Rei asked with a mischievous smile.
She didn't wear Ruri's face right, in Shun's opinion.
'I like it? What happened?' Shun asked.
'Reiji couldn't let his precious Master live in the lowly quarters of a servant. So, he spent the entire night cleaning and rearranging furniture. He also helped me put together Ruri's room.' Rei explained. 'He was immensely worried that your taste in aesthetics would not match his, that being said, he would probably murder you if you back-talked on this topic.'
'I-It's fine. I like it. Really. Um, but, why?'
'He couldn't sleep, the poor thing.' Ruri lamented.
'That's not really what I meant. I would've been happy with nothing…' Shun replied.
'It is his job to serve you and he thought this would be good.' Rei explained.
'Oh… where is Reiji? I want to thank him. Again. And I have other stuff I want to say too.' Shun said and he tried to get up.
Rei put her hand out so he could grab onto her so he could remain steady. She panicked and got into a tizz.
'I healed your injuries when you went to sleep; did I use too much force?' she asked.
'Healed me?'
'Yes, one half of the role of Land God is healing; that would be my half, Ruri-dono's half. Whilst the other is destruction; your half… Reiji's half.' Rei explained.
'Oh…' Shun murmured.
He stumbled out of the clutches of his futon and pushed through the curtains.
'Reiji?' he called out.
'Yes… Shun…dono?'
Shun looked down and kneeling outside the curtains was Reiji. He was wearing his finest work clothes and looked stunning in white. He was wearing a pair of scarlet framed glasses. His eyes were closed and he spoke gritted; like through his teeth.
'What the?!' Shun yelped.
'In your most vulnerable state, I chose to stand guard.' Reiji replied sourly.
'I relieve you of your post then. Forever. Please, don't ever stand outside my bed ever again. Secondly: I apologise. I shouldn't have forced you to become my Familiar. That was… rude.' Shun said. His voice was stunted but sincere.
'As your Familiar, it is my duty for you to be comfortable and protected at all times. I will not intrude on you in the future then. However, if there is anything I can do, please tell me and I shall obey.'
Reiji bowed his head.
'That's really not necessary.' Shun said, slightly petrified and his skin crawled. 'A-Are you mad? You don't seem mad…'
'I am beside myself with anger! But I reluctantly accept the turn of events.' Reiji growled.
Reiji got up and opened his eyes. He faced Shun then recoiled.
'…Jun?'
Shock spread between the both of them. They recoiled away from each other; Shun in reaction to Reiji but Reiji in reaction to Shun's face.
'Who is Jun?!'
Ruri glanced at Rei who made a strained face; one that said she knew all this would happen and had been unable to intercept. Reira shrugged and seemed just as unaware as Ruri.
'I told you. I remembered.' Shun said. 'I didn't remember that… though.'
'We could have avoided so much if Reiji had just worn his stupid glasses.' Rei muttered to Ruri.
'Who's Jun?' Ruri asked.
'I understand now. Why you told me that you remembered. I am… a fool.' Reiji embarrassedly admitted; his cheeks became a pale, scarlet hue.
Shun came closer to Reiji; admiring the little difference in their heights. He ran his fingers through Reiji's hair. Reiji stiffened but allowed it. Shun stared into Reiji's eyes and saw his pupils; faded and damaged.
'What happened to your eyes?' Shun asked.
'I got into a fight with my father. I was trying to avenge someone precious to me.'
'Is that why you don't like wearing your glasses then? Too proud to admit you lost to someone?'
'You know me too well.'
'And… what happened to your beautiful long hair then?'
Reiji smiled. Yes, he could definitely allow it now that he realised that Shun was akin to something of an old friend. Yes, a very old friend.
'I cut it off after you died.' Reiji replied flatly. 'To symbolise change.'
'Why did I die?' Shun asked. 'W-Was I the one you wanted to avenge…?'
He remembered them as children. Meeting, playing, laughing, fighting… all these little, precious things. He didn't remember them as anything else yet he still felt like all of that had been a complete timeline, a complete lifetime.
'Yes. You were one of the ones who fell prey to Reo's ambition.' whispered Reiji.
Shun's breath caught in his throat.
Rei stood up. 'Ruri-dono, Reira… I think we ought to let them have privacy. It's been almost two centuries since they last saw each other, I suppose.'
'What?' Ruri squeaked.
Rei got up and Reira followed. Ruri left in tow until it was just Shun and Reiji.
'Oh.' Shun said.
He got flashes of bad memories upon being told that he had fallen prey to Reiji's father's ambitions. He could recall parts of it. Not his death; just inferences of others who had also been victim to that selfish god's ambitions. He – the god of destruction – wanted more offerings. He wanted blood. And he taken what he would get. Shun remembered the others who had fallen first. He tensed up.
'So that's why your father left.'
'Yes, he went in search of a Shrine where he could be worshipped in blood and violence.' Reiji replied. 'Twenty years ago, mother left to find him because she could no longer bear the weight of destruction. Pitiful things… you humans.'
'Ha, yes…' Shun agreed tersely.
Reiji smiled softly. 'I never would have guessed my playmate from childhood would return. Let alone as one of the new Masters of this Shrine.'
'Fate is real. Apparently.' Shun replied.
Reiji sighed and he caressed the side of Shun's face. 'It's remarkable how similar you two are. You and Jun; even with my damaged eyesight, I can see now that you truly were him in a past life. Shall we start again? Ignore the past? We're different people now.' Reiji asked.
'I think we should.'
Reiji got down on knee and took Shun's hand.
'I am Kurosaki Shun. My younger sister Ruri and I have been instated by Himika as the new Masters of this Shrine.'
'I am Reiji of the Akaba Shrine. I am the son of Himika. I am the middle child; the eldest male of the household. I am a fox demi-god and I shall be your faithful Familiar. I am delighted to be in your service, Shun-dono.'
'Shun. I'd prefer… Shun.'
Reiji smiled as he took Shun's hand. He kissed Shun's knuckles.
'As you wish, Shun.'
Shun smiled, curtly but genuinely. His heart skipped a beat.
He no longer had to wonder what kind of sins he had to atone for in the past for he had none. No, the hard times he had to endure in this life were the result of his fate trying to amend the cutting short of his previous life. Bringing him back to the one who loves him. Now, he would be honoured with good fortune as luck always rounds itself out; even after close to two centuries.