ARC 1 - A SECOND CHANCE

Rhaia looked at Zeddicus as he told her his story and felt pity for him.

While he was telling his story, he looked like he aged a few years more and she could even feel the thick sorrow weighing him down.

It was too much for an ordinary person to go through so much already and while just trying to save his family he is being punished for that, and is locked up with the memories remembering how weak he was unable to do anything to save them.

She was sure if she were in his shoes, she would not have been able to stand here like he is now peacefully recounting the memories.

No one knows how many times he has been through that.

Rhaia took a deep breath and said

"I am sorry for all that you have been through Zeddicus and I don't know how I can ease your pain.

I don't even know why I am here because I am sure I should have died, can you shed more light on this? Do you need my help? Is there anything I can do?"

Zeddicus looked at Rhaia and said

"Yes there is so much you can do.

Rhaia, I have been locked in prison for a long time now but I have never relented.

I have been searching for ways to right my wrongs, and the solution I finally came to over the years

Is nothing but reincarnation"

"Reincarnation?! How?"

Rhaia was familiar with this word but at the same time unfamiliar with it.

Zeddicus reading her confusion shook his head then said

"Hmm you don't need to know about that now. It is for a later time when you would understand.

You see I know you are sad Rhaia. You are heartbroken. You lost your lover and your family also. I know how devastating it could be because I have once been like that."

Rhaia bit her lips and looked down towards her toes. She felt sad all over again at his words and was trying hard to contain the tears that struggled to drop.

Her heart wrenching in pain as she squeezed her fingers tightly together, holding back when Zeddicus' voice sounded again

"Your lover is not dead, Rhaia. He is the reincarnation of a God, he won't die so easily.

His soul was too powerful to exist as one entity in any mortal world and the crystal necklace he gave you was just a medium to lock a half of his soul.

Removing that necklace caused his soul to be unstable and it split into two halves escaping into other mortal worlds.

All you have to do is retrieve those halves, appease them and your lover would come to you again."

Rhaia looked up suddenly at Zeddicus and her eyes widened in shock

"Really?"

Zeddicus nodded and put his hand into his hood before bringing out a soul sphere which he then threw to Rhaia

Rhaia caught it and looked up at him in confusion

Zeddicus spoke again

"That is the soul of that child you lost. I saved him after he was killed.

In your journey, you have to have no regrets to successfully complete your tasks and this child would always be your regret. That is the reason I saved his soul"

Rhaia looked at the soul sphere blankly for a while, her thoughts going far before she came to and said

"Why are you helping me Zeddicus?"

Zeddicus sighed

"You are not meant to be aware of this Rhaia because it is a secret even the Gods hide dear.

You see a new soul is born by each world's consciousness every time after the world comes into existence and a world's consciousness births just one soul in every of its lifetime.

The world's consciousness births the soul when it is aging and its life is coming to an end.

When it wants to exist anew, it births a soul, then dies and starts again.

This soul goes into the cosmos and becomes a trace of luck that blesses all mortals.

The Gods hide this secret of the new souls dear because this soul is an embodiment of luck for mortals and at the same time is the only thing that could heal a damaged soul. They hide it dear so mortals would not misuse this information and use it for their own greed."

Zeddicus looked at Rhaia in the eyes and talked seriously, his voice solemn.

"In one of those worlds where a half of the soul of your lover is, a new soul is about to be born. A new soul only follows one without any evil emotions or desires in him be it greed, regret, anger, envy, hatred anything you could think of as bad.

The new soul could be said to be a child and we can say it follows only one who is a true child at heart, and it follows who it feels really need it and blesses that person.

If the new soul doesn't find a person of interest, it leaves for cosmos upon the destruction of that world that birth it."

Zeddicus paused for a long while and said

"Rhaia, you are a true child at heart. The only desire you have within you is love. Regrets exist abet a little, but I would clear that regret from your heart with this second chance I give you.

Bring back the new soul and I would turn back the hands of time for you to right all your wrongs, and change the past"

Rhaia trembled suddenly at his words, her heart began pounding loudly in her chest.

She held the soul sphere in her hands to her chest and looked do hard at it, her heart clearly falling into the temptation

'Yes, turn back the hands of time. Her parents would be alive. She would get Alaric's soul's pieces now and bring them back. He would not need the crystal necklace anymore.

And her son, she would birth him again and give him a good father this time. One which he truly deserves'

Rhaia took a deep breath and closed her eyes as her fists clenched tightly. Zeddicus' words rang in her mind over and over again bewitching her slowly and luring her into its trap.

Even if they were words of the devil, the temptation in it was too great for Rhaia to resist.

Even if they were all lies and games, she was willing to play it.

Rhaia convinced herself in the silence that she was making the right choice.

And after what felt like forever, she opened her eyes.

Zeddicus had been staring at her while she closed her eyes, he was actually so nervous.

Even though he knew his words were tempting enough, he was scared Rhaia would not play according to cards.

When she opened her eyes and he saw the determination in them, he smiled, his smile looking creepy in the dark as he rubbed his hands together.

Rhaia took a deep breath and said

"I agree to do what you want, but please I beg of you, fulfill your promises to me"

Zeddicus laughed out loud

"This old man has been called many names in my lifetime and has done so many things. But one thing I would never do is not fulfill my promises.

There is too much karma tied with promises and I would not easily make one I don't have plans to fulfill. I am tired of sitting in this prison after all.

I would not want to give the Gods a reason to lock me up again and add to my long years of imprisonment, would I?

He he he... Rhaia, let us leave that aside. Your journey is about to begin.

Remember do not search for the new soul, it would come to who needs it the most and remember no matter what you feel in those worlds you are going into, do not be controlled by evil emotions and desires. The new soul does not want that"

Zeddicus watched Rhaia nod her head

He took a deep breath and called out to Heraldus in his mind,

'it is up to you' he said

A door opened beside Rhaia that had not been there before. She looked at Zeddicus who motioned her to go into it.

She nodded her head and mouth 'Thank you' to him before walking into the door.

Zeddicus watched the door closed and disappeared before his tensed body finally relaxed.

It wasn't easy convincing a person so hard.

'He felt like a devil there spouting out words of temptation'

Zeddicus laughed before he shook his head smiling

"No need to thank anyone Rhaia, we are all selfish and fighting for our cause.

No one is helping the other

At least none I can think of.

No one, we are all fighting our own battles.

Maybe we are even selfish by using those who appreciate us.

I am not selfish though, at least I said the truth, even if it was not all the truth, it was more than half of the truth.

The rest were not lies just silence

He he he he... It is nothing but a contract on my part,

I do my part, you do your part. And we are done ha ha ha" he babbled to himself

Heraldus standing in the dark all the while stared at Zeddicus and shook his head before he disappeared

Well he had always known his brother in law was never a normal one.