My head was throbbing, yet despite the pain I couldn't look away from the visions in front of me. Jean had made a weird beverage for me, it honestly smelled like death.

Nonetheless, I had downed it under Miri and the group's watchful eye. They had assured me that despite its foul odor, it would bring me the proof I desired.

They weren't wrong.

In front of my very eyes, the tapestry of all my previous lives was being woven. All the little peeks I had access to, thanks to my dreams, now made more sense in context. Through this otherwordly experience, Miri was holding my hand.

We were in a dark space, floating like spirits almost. The only light was emanating from the film playing in front of us. It was like it was being projected, a light blue hue surrounded it. I had heard many times that when you're about to die, your life plays in front of your eyes, like a film. This felt similiar, except in my case, it wasn't just one life but all of them.

All of my past lives with Miri and our children, all of my long departed friends and descendants. I could see all of it and little by little could even anticipate what would come next.

In this space known as the Fated Void, I was finally made a believer.

I don't how long it took before I saw everything and remembered every detail of who I used to be. When I opened my eyes, I was greeted with the sight of a beautiful woman, one so breathtaking I wanted to curse myself for not having recognized her.

She was the one who was my forever wife, the one who stayed behind raising our little family, each time, alone.

To think that I was afforded such luck because I stumbled in a forest a long time ago.

I felt deeply sorry for her, having to wait each time until I was 30, without a companion. Then to meet me each time, a being so dense and clueless who would always reject her and our promise at first.

Where she saw a blessing, I only saw a curse for her.

I had always hated men who preferred patient women. It seemed they only went for those types as they intended to make them suffer a lot.

Yet here I was, no different than them, making my love suffer over and over again through the ages.

"Miri", I slowly uttered as she looked at me worried. It was the name I had given her the first time we met. Imugi didn't have a need for names. Even if they could take human form, they rarely ventured out in towns.

When I had named her, she accepted with a glorious smile, as if it was the most precious of gifts. It was that moment I believe, that set off the rest of our destiny.

She kissed me on the forehead, which brought me back to reality. I was laying on her lap, as I had done more than a thousand times before in a dozen or so different forms.

I got up a little and looked around the room, there they were, my friends, my family gathered around us.

As I carefully looked at their smiling faces, I could see the traits of my children, their ancestors in them. Sol had Rodrigue's fiery hair, he was also just as rambunctious.

Anya looked like a perfect carbon copy of Elise, a child we had adopted in France. Unlike Elise, she was quiet and decisive.

Valentin and Jean had my Bora's eyes but not her character, which was a relief. She had always been a timid and frail child, that worried us constantly. I was glad my daughter and her daughters didn't have to share in my concern.

The others too looked like their ancestors. In that moment seeing all my family together filled me with joy.

Miri had taken such good care of our family. She had looked after all of our descendants, teaching them our history and customs.

More than that, each life she didn't let me suffer the affront of being an uninvolved party in my own family's life. For each life I was reborn in, my family surrounded me, even if I was unaware of it.

Thanks to that, when all was revealed I never felt like a stranger. After all, these children, my children, I had grown up alongside them. We had helped each other little by little become who we strived to be.

They were my family, every time, from the very beginning. The feelings stayed the same, only the titles changed.

We ate some more as we all chatted happily, I wanted to know more about their parents and all the events I had missed.

I made them a quick chili, as it seemed there weren't enough snacks to keep us satiated through the night.

As I stirred in some salt, a few tears rolled down my face. My happiness was overflowing.

To think that I deserved such a miracle, such a blessing. I didn't know what I had done to deserve it but I would do everything I could to cherish it.

"Grandpa, is it ready?" Jean happily exclaimed from behind me. I quickly dried my tears before answering "Just a little while longer, honey!"

"Grandpa", I didn't know a word like that could make me so happy.

A minute later, whilst I was still watching over the chili, Miri's arms encircled me from behind. She whispered in my ear "Getting emotional over how great of a wife I am, uh?"

That made me tear up all over again, quietly so the children wouldn't be alarmed. All I managed to ask was the question that I had always been afraid to ask throughout all our lives together. "Why ? Why would you put yourself through so much pain? When you could easily have different happier lifetimes?"

She sighed in my ear "Because it's you. If it's you, I can endure lifetimes of missing you, there are a meager price for loving you."

Soon after, the chili was done. We ate and laughed, then we went to sleep.

I looked down at Miri, her head was on my chest, she was already asleep. She looked peaceful.

She slept in my arms the same way she had done more than a thousand times. The same way she would for all the years and the lifetimes to come.

I kissed the top of her head and finally closed my eyes, thankful to everything that had led me to this moment.