The memories of every lifetime washed over Axel like an unforgiving tide. Each life blurred into the next, their faces—his and Lila's—wearing different expressions but haunted by the same fate. In their first life, it had begun innocently enough, a marriage of convenience, devoid of any spark of affection. They were bound by duty, their paths aligned by the choices of others, and they navigated it as strangers, linked by a thin thread. But when their son was born, that thread had briefly strengthened, a fragile bond woven from shared responsibility.
Yet, tragedy had struck in that lifetime, severing whatever small connection they had managed to build. Their son had died in Lila's arms, his final breath breaking something fundamental in her. Axel remembered the dark look in her eyes that day, an expression that seemed to carve itself onto his heart and followed him into each life since. She had blamed him entirely, her grief warping into fury and, finally, a vow—a promise that she would make him suffer endlessly, a curse that he would love her across lifetimes and be left miserable for it.
In their second life, the pattern of sorrow repeated itself, relentless as the tides. Axel had pleaded, with everything he had, to live this life differently—to live without the shadow of remembrance that had plagued them both. He'd wished with all his heart for a life unburdened by the weight of past lifetimes, where Lila would be free to find her own happiness, and he could let go of the gnawing ache within him.
But fate proved unyielding, the curse too deeply etched into the fabric of their souls.
It was in that life, their second attempt at existence, that Lila had first remembered him. Her memories returned, small fragments at first—a flash of recognition in her eyes, a haunting familiarity she couldn't shake. Axel saw it, the moment she began to recall their previous life together, and he felt the dread settle like a stone in his chest. The more she remembered, the further her spirit seemed to wither, as if the knowledge itself was a poison.
And then, just as his heart had shattered with love and guilt, she was gone. Her life cut short, taken by the very memories that bound them. Axel remembered her last gaze, laced with understanding and something close to regret, a look that would haunt him across countless nights. He was left alone again, drowning in a sea of grief.
In that moment, he'd cursed the gods, begged them for mercy, prayed that they let her soul rest free. "Let her forget me," he had whispered, "let her live without me, without this endless suffering."
But the curse was woven too tightly, and fate was deaf to his cries. Every lifetime, Lila would remember him, and every time, it would bring her closer to death. For her, the memory of their love was both a blessing and a curse, one that tore at her heart until she could bear no more. And each time, he would remember too, trapped in the torment of love and loss, forced to live on without her.
Axel's hands trembled as he thought of it, the endless cycle that bound them together and tore them apart. Each lifetime he was left to bear witness, his love only growing stronger, his soul becoming more fractured.
In the third life, Axel had tried to resist. Determined not to repeat his past mistakes, he avoided her, shielding himself from the inevitable heartbreak that came with knowing her. He kept his distance, forced himself to look away every time her path crossed his, fighting the pull of her presence. But even then, tragedy found them, and Lila met her end far too soon. Each time, her death left an indelible mark on him, making his heart ache with a love he hadn't intended to carry.
And now, in this life, he remembered it all, as if her curse had finally reached its full strength. The weight of those lifetimes, the echoes of the curse she'd left him with, became his silent burden. This love, this unbreakable tie to her, felt like a tether that bound him across time, a relentless cycle of love and loss.
His heart sank as he looked at her now, sleeping softly, unaware of the torment unraveling within him. Every beat of his heart echoed with the knowledge that, despite everything, he loved her—again and again, in every life he had lived. It was as though he had been caught in a web of his own making, ensnared by a love he could neither fully embrace nor escape.
Perhaps, he thought bitterly, this is the price of her curse. To carry a love for her across the ages, destined to watch her slip away, leaving him to the darkness of his own despair.
Steeling himself, Axel brushed a gentle hand across her cheek, as if to reassure himself that she was still here, that this was no dream or illusion. In this lifetime, he would hold onto her a little longer, defy fate's grip if he could. But he could feel it, the ache that bound his soul to hers—an eternal love, laced with sorrow and a curse that he knew, deep down, would follow him into the next life and beyond.
Axel knelt beside her, his heart heavy, shoulders hunched as if bearing the weight of lifetimes. "Your curse, it's tormenting me, Lila," he murmured, the words trembling in the air. "You've won."
He bowed his head, his eyes closed tightly, a silent prayer slipping from his lips—a plea to every god he'd ever known, every force beyond mortal reach. He begged them, not for power, not for glory, but for Lila's peace. For her to love him without the memory of bitterness, without the dark scars of hatred that had rooted their connection across ages. He feared the cruelty of fate, that Lila would recall her vow and the sorrow that had forged it. He prayed she would remain unaware of the wounds time had inflicted, the relentless hurt etched into his soul and hers alike.
But another fear gnawed at him, creeping into his heart like an unwelcome shadow—the thought of them having a child. In another life, he had seen Lila cradle their son, only to lose him. The image was seared into his mind: her gaze, empty and shattered, the unforgiving edge of her grief slicing through him with every lifetime he could remember. If they were to have a child now, would history repeat itself? Would his love for her once again bring them to ruin?
"What if…?" he whispered, his voice trailing off. His hands trembled, and he pressed them to his chest, where his heart thundered with a mix of hope and fear. If their past repeated, it would be his fault again—a twist of fate in this endless cycle of cursed love. His heart tore at the thought, but he knew he could not bear another loss, another lifetime where her love turned to ashes in his hands.
As he gazed at her sleeping form, Axel's face softened, but the lines of sorrow did not ease. This time, he vowed silently, he would do everything in his power to protect her from the pain that had haunted them both for so long. Even if it meant shouldering the curse alone, sparing her the torment of remembrance.
"Please," he whispered, his voice barely audible, "let this life be different." He closed his eyes, feeling the burn of unshed tears.