In the middle of a floral garden, a young man lay on the ground. His face, etched with sadness, contrasted sharply with the joyful surroundings.
His eyes, stared blankly ahead, and his lips formed a thin, forlorn line.
The daisies around him seemed to reach out in silent comfort, but the weight of his melancholy remained, casting a shadow over the radiant garden.
[ Hey Vaan, are you still waiting for her? ]
Axel's deep voice echoed in his mind. He closed his eyes and thought about It.
"I don't know," he replied, his voice heavy with sorrow.
"I think I'm just lost," he admitted, as he covered his face with his hand, trying to hide his emotions from the world.
He couldn't stop thinking about the promise he made to her.
_____________________
After the death of Vanitas in original timeline
Vanitas woke up in a serene and enchanting landscape.
Tall trees towered around him, their tops reaching towards the sky, creating a natural canopy.
A clear stream found its way through the grass, its water sparkling in the sunlight.
It was a peaceful sanctuary, exuding a sense of comfort and tranquility, almost like a dream.
"Where am I?" he murmured as he slowly woke up and sat up.
"Ahh!" He clutched his head as memories of his last moments flooded in.
"I'm dead, huh," he said with a defeated sigh, a single tear escaping his eye.
"Am I in heaven?" he muttered, gazing at the enchanting scenery before him.
He stood up and wandered around the area.
"Why isn't an angel coming to pick me up?" he wondered aloud, looking around to see if anyone else was there.
He continued to wander around the area, trying to distract his mind.
Then, he noticed a figure materializing out of thin air before him.
"Did they really send an angel?" he chuckled.
His smile faded as he noticed the figure resembled someone he knew.
Before his mind could fully process what was happening, his legs began to sprint toward the figure.
The figure turned out to be a beautiful woman with silver hair and yellow eyes. As she slowly opened her eyes and saw Vaan approaching, she spoke softly, "Rowan."
"Daisy, is it really you? No, wait, what are you doing here? Are you also dead? Did they kill you too?" Vaan bombarded her with questions as he checked her body for any wounds.
"Rowan, I'm alright. Calm down," she said gently, her fingers brushing away the tears streaming from his eyes.
"Okay, now tell me what happened," Vaan said after calming his mind.
"First, we aren't dead," Daisy began, but Vaan tried to interrupt her with questions. She stopped him and continued, "There isn't much time, so listen carefully. I have a skill that will allow you to regress back to 2333. Promise me that you will not try to kill yourself and will continue to live."
Vaan listened attentively without uttering a single sound.
"What will happen to you?" he asked her, his gaze filled with doubt, without answering her.
"If you continue to live, I promise I will come to you. So, promise me that you won't die," she asked hurriedly.
"Okay, I promise," he said, and Daisy locked her lips with his.
An infinity tattoo appeared behind his neck, and soon everything turned black.
_________________
He kept his promise and waited for her for 250 years.
[ What do you actually want now?]
Axel questioned him.
"I don't want anything. I just want to see her one last time," he said with a resigned voice.
[Then what will you do if you can see her and can also live together with her?]
"If that were possible, I would cherish every moment with her," he replied, his voice trembling with emotion.
"I would hold her close and never let go, savoring every smile, every laugh, every shared moment. And I would protect her with everything I have, for as long as I live."
[Vaan, I've been examining this "Infinity" skill over the last five regressions. When you consider it, this is your 19th regression, and each time you've been killed, you've reverted back to 2333.]
"Wait, what are you trying to say?" He asked as various scenarios started to unfold in his mind.
[ I think the promise you made to her is the key to all your questions. She knows that if you return to the original timeline, you will die. That's why she trapped you in this loop—to keep you alive. If you end your own life, we'll discover whether this is true or not]
He closed his eyes and thought about what Axel said, ultimately deciding to take his own life to uncover the truth.
Even if he dies in the process, he doesn't care anymore.
-Lava ball
A small ball of boiling lava, the size of a pill, appeared in his hand.
The heat emanating from the lava scorched the entire garden. He brought the lava ball near his mouth and swallowed it whole.
As the ball makes its way through the body, the intense heat scorched his mouth, throat and everything in it's path.
Blood started to pour out from every hole in his body, and soon the light faded from his eyes as his life slipped away.
- YOU HAVE DIED
- SKILL "INFINITY" IS ACTIVATING
- ERROR!! ERROR!!
- FIXING THE ERRORS
- REVERSE LOOP IS ACTIVATING
________________
YEAR : 2333
TIMELINE : 18TH LOOP
Vanitas opened his eyes and found himself in a luxurious room with a high ceiling and tall windows draped with velvet curtains.
He jumped out of bed and ran towards the garden. There, he saw his 10-year-old sister practicing with her swords.
"Hey Kyra, what's the date today?" he asked, breathless.
He didn't have much stamina since he was now in his 8-year-old body.
"What?" Kyra tilted her head in confusion, seeing her brother running towards her in a nightdress and asking for the date.
"Just tell me today's date," he said, waving his hand urgently.
"07-01-2333," she replied and was about to ask why he was asking, but he had already run off.
He closed the door after entering his room.
[The time you regress back has moved forward by six months. So, I think you have to kill yourself 18 more times to go back to six months before your death in the original timeline.]
He moved towards the table in his room and picked up a pen.
[But you will also lose all your skills when you go back to the original timeline. So...]
Without listening to Axel's ramblings, he stabbed the pen into his neck and continued until he lost strength in his hand.
[Listen to what I am saying, you bastard!]
Axel's voice echoed in his head as his life faded away.