Steampunk Apocalypse! - 187 Many Lives

Ed continued staring at the Samsara Wheel of Life, sinking into yet another former life.

…

Ed’s next life seemed to be the first that was of very little significance to the world. He was once again born as a noble, but this time it was in the Byzantine Empire. The empire was going through a period of collapse and decay, and the struggle for the throne amongst various claimants was a fierce fight. Surprisingly, Ed did not wish to struggle for the throne. Instead, he wished to live a leisurely life far away from the conflicts of his many relatives. Perhaps if he was born with somewhat higher status or a better backing, then he might fight for the throne. He actually quite liked the idea of living as a lazy emperor overlooking his subjects, but as of now, attempting to gain the throne would only bring sorrow and suffering. Even worse, the kingdom was such a mess that it was likely the Emperor would never have a moment’s rest. Whether it be internal problems or foreign invasions, the Byzantine Empire had more than enough to keep the country’s leaders busy.

Having chosen to stay out of the conflict, Ed lived a fairly ordinary life for a normal noble. He attended various parties and gatherings, studied art and history, and often enjoyed drinking. Unfortunately, his young life was cut short at the age of just nineteen years old. Despite not fighting for the throne, his relatives still viewed him as a threat, and an easy threat to put down at that. Someone had poisoned his wine, and in his final moments, he didn’t have the slightest clue as to who it was. ‘In my next life… I want to be a lazy king.’ Were his last thoughts as he drifted towards death.

…

Ed awoke within the void once again, surprised at how short this life had been. He was no one notable, nor did he have any ambition. It was a life quite unfamiliar to him, and he had a hard time feeling connected to it. ‘The Byzantine noble wanted to be a lazy king and was eventually reborn as one… Is this karma? Is karma related to Samsara from one life to the next?’ He shook his head, confused over the matter. ‘How many people would wish to be a king or emperor in their next life and have it granted? There’s only been so many over the course of history, so there has to be something more to it than that.’

…

Ed sank into yet another life, and once again, this life was more ordinary than the previous ones. For once, he wasn’t even a noble. Instead, he lived as the son of an ordinary merchant in the Republic of Venice. He was wealthy compared to most, but he was not extremely rich. They were not a family on the level of bribing themselves into nobility.

Throughout this life, Ed constantly drank and played around with money. He was the no-good 2nd generation of wealth, and it was quickly squandered as a result. The third generation would suffer for the failures of the 2nd, and their family would eventually disappear back into the sea of commoners as a result. Such a thing was fairly normal for newly wealthy families.

During this life, Ed had fallen in love with a noblewoman. Unfortunately, he had no chance of swaying her because of his birth status. However, he did not let this get him down. He had neither want nor worry when it came to living, and living he did. Parties, debauchery, and drinking were his pastimes, and he lived an easy life most would be jealous of. He eventually died of old age, and near the end, he thought back to the only woman he had ever lived. ‘I should’ve been a noble.’ He thought to himself before he passed.

…

Once again, Ed awoke in the void. ‘My lives just keep getting more and more ordinary…’ He laughingly thought to himself. It seemed his thoughts were correct. It simply wouldn’t make sense for him to live the life of an important individual each generation. Also, the time between his reincarnations seemed to be growing shorter. The time between his life as Napoleon and his life as Muhammad II could be measured in multiple centuries. However, his past lives as a Byzantine noble and a Venetian merchant was only a few years apart. ‘Do my desires affect how long it takes to reincarnate? Does karma affect one life to the next? If so, then will my lives continue becoming more mediocre the farther back I go? Or will there be ups and downs over time?’

Overall, he felt pretty confused about the experience, but he also felt that he was slowly beginning to understand the cycles of Samsara. However, he didn’t have the slightest idea of how to escape the cycle.

…

Slipping into another life, Ed once again dropped an entire level in status. He was reborn as an ordinary Norwegian man in Iceland sometime around 11th century. However, though he was born into an ordinary life, he certainly lived an interesting life. He spent his early years with his father working on ships at the port. He became a well-known sailor in the area, and this would end up changing his entire life.

The change came when a Viking by the name of Eriksson sought to raise a crew of just over 30 men to sail back to his homeland of Greenland. Attracted by the generous pay, Ed had chosen to join the crew. As an experienced sailor, he was welcomed with open arms.

The crew departed in their longship and sailed west towards Greenland. However, their ship veered off course, landing them in an unfamiliar land. The rocky and barren land was named Helluland by Eriksson. The crew then voyaged further down south before choosing to settle down in a forest-rich area, which Eriksson named as Markland.

The warmer climate of Markland made it comfortable for the Vikings that were used to the freezing temperatures of the northern countries of Europe. They gladly used the chance to gather timber, food, and other supplies. They planned to spend the winter there before setting off for home. However, things did not go well the longer they stayed in the land. Unfamiliar natives with olive-colored skin attacked their camp. Fortunately, most of the Vikings were trained as warriors from a young age, and their weapons and armor were far superior to the attacking natives. They managed to fend off the attacks successfully the first time and even the 2nd time, but eventually, things grew worse. Eriksson’s brother was killed by an arrow during one of the earliest skirmishes, and other Vikings soon followed.

Ed fought hard during this time to protect his own life and the lives of his crewmates. He was lucky, as he survived through the winter. When the time to leave came, they left several huts behind. They successfully returned to Greenland with loads of timber and other supplies. Later in life, Ed returned back to Iceland where he eventually started his own ship-building business. One thing he was particularly well-known for was the stories he told to any that would listen. Whenever drinking or sailing, he always told the stories of the strange lands he had found under the command of Eriksson. In later centuries, this would give rise to rumors of the Viking land known as Vinland. Even further in the future, this land would eventually be colonized by the British in what would someday become Canada.

…

Ed blinked his eyes a few times after awakening in the void. His last life had actually been quite extraordinary. However, he had only been an ordinary crew member who served the real big shot of the event and time. History rarely remembered those that only played small supporting roles. Ed hurriedly utilized what little time he had to think about his lives before he would sink into the next one. ‘I started a business at the end of my life, and in the next life I was born as the son of a merchant? It has to be karma or something along those lines. Destiny maybe? Eh, I never really liked the idea of destiny… Now that I think about it, I seem to live a happier life the further I go back. My most recent lives were of the highest status but also suffered from the most problems. The greater the desire, then the greater the suffering I suppose?’ He chuckled to himself over the realization. How much would he continue to suffer in his current life with his current desires and goals?

…

Before the life of a Viking came the life of an ordinary pirate crew member. He was no one of importance, but he lived a merry life of drinking and pirating. He could even be considered a successful pirate, as he eventually retired with plenty of gold. Not once in his entire career as a pirate did he get shot, get sick, or get captured. It was a lucky life, and it was a good life.

…

Next came the life of a farmer. He grew wheat and raised livestock, living a peaceful and ordinary life. He often dreamed of the sea that his father had taken him to as a child. Would he be happier exploring the world rather than being stuck on a farm? He didn’t know, but he lived a good life nonetheless.

…

Ed’s lives continued to flash by, each just as ordinary as the last. The life of a soldier. Several lives of different types of farmers and fishermen. The life of a stonemason. What was interesting was that each life seemed to be a happy one. He rarely struggled, and everything always seemed to go unusually well. Throughout over a dozen lives, he never once was a slave despite how common the practice was in ancient times. He never suffered from hard times, and even when he was a soldier, he had never been injured in battle. It was as if an invisible hand was guiding and blessing his past lives.

…

‘I don’t get it!’ Ed’s eyes turned red as he stared in frustration at the Samsara Wheel of Life. ‘Each life is completely ordinary! I’ve never even broken a limb in one of these lives. It’s like I won the eternal lottery of no suffering up until my most recent lives. Why?!’ He felt like he was understanding the Samsara Wheel of Life well at first. Karma connected each of his past and present lives, and this held true no matter how far he went back. However, the recent dramatic upturns in the types of lives he lived made no sense. However, the suffering he experienced in recent lives made perfect sense. ‘Why is it that my most ordinary and boring lives go so perfectly and peacefully? It isn’t realistic.’ He frowned while rubbing his chin. ‘At the very least, I should struggle from some common problems in my previous ordinary lives, but I’ve never even gotten sick once during them. Yet somehow, I died of illness both as Napoleon and as Muhammad II. This isn’t normal!’

Suddenly, a golden flash of light shone from the wheel. Ed stared at it in confusion, but he wasn’t being drawn into his next past life. ‘I’ve already gone back to just before the birth of Jesus. Is that when my soul was born? Have I gone through all of it already?’ He wondered.

Ed waited patiently for several minutes, but nothing happened. Eventually, the golden Buddha reappeared.

“Hmm….” The Buddha rubbed his chin in confusion while staring at the Samsara Wheel of Life. “That can’t be right…”

“Is something wrong?” Ed impatiently asked.

“Yes…” Buddha hesitantly replied. He turned to look at Ed, a golden flash appearing in his eyes. “Strange. Very strange. Who could prevent me from seeing past lives?” He muttered under his breath. He looked Ed directly in the eyes. “Tell me about your previous lives.”

Confused, Ed examined the Buddha carefully. ‘He can’t see them? Well, not like it’ll hurt to tell him I guess.’ He began explaining a summary of each life, from the crazy doctor all the way down to becoming an ordinary farmer.

“Interesting.” Buddha clasped his hands together and closed his eyes to think. “It’s unusual that your lives would experience such drastic changes over time. Did you notice anything else unusual during your experiences?”

“Mm.” Ed nodded while beginning to count down with his fingers. “I never once got sick in any of my more ordinary lives despite having died of illness in my most recent lives. Same goes for injuries. All of my ordinary lives were perfectly peaceful and struggle-free, as if I was destined to live a good life.”

“I see.” Buddha nodded while opening his eyes. “This is indeed unusual. Life is suffering and escaping from Samsara means to escape from suffering. How can one escape Samsara if there is no suffering to escape from? It’s as if someone purposefully wanted to keep you locked in Samsara for all eternity. How very strange…”

Buddha moved closer and placed a hand on Ed’s head. “This may hurt a bit. Please bear with me.” A golden flash covered Ed’s entire soul-form body. The golden light slowly sank into him, examining him from head-to-toe.

Instinctively, Ed began to push out the invading golden light with his own golden faith energy. However, he quickly stopped himself from doing so. There seemed to be something wrong with him, and perhaps only the remnants of the original Buddha could help. Of course, Ed normally wouldn’t put his life in the hands of a stranger like this, but he felt oddly trusting of the Buddha. It wasn’t surprising when considering he had also felt trusting of the newer living Buddha he had met when first arriving at the temple. Clearly the Buddhas practiced some type of law or technique that resulted in such things.

“A seal?” The Buddha suddenly muttered in surprise. “Why would someone place such a vile seal on a human soul? It’s at least a couple thousand years old…”

“A seal?” Ed questioned. “What would sealing someone’s soul do?”

“It depends.” Buddha answered honestly. “A soul seal is an extremely difficult technique, and only a few of the most powerful beings throughout time have mastered such things. A soul seal could be used for multiple reasons. I use them to prevent those that I’ve taught golden faith energy cultivation from passing the techniques down to others. Soul seals can also be used for healing a soul, damaging a soul, and in your case, trapping a soul. Someone purposefully wanted to prevent you from escaping Samsara, and so they blessed you with living care-free good lives. However, the seal has begun to degrade over time, which in turn has caused you to begin experiencing normal sufferings. Additionally, your soul is a fierce one. With you having gathered so much karma over your many good lives, it isn’t surprising that you were repeatedly reborn into high-status. However, it is unusual for such an ambitious soul to acquire good karma in the first place. The creator of the seal should’ve known this might be the eventual result…” He shook his head. “Well, we’ll find out why soon enough. I’m removing the seal.”

“Please do so.” Ed nodded and closed his eyes.

A brilliant flash of golden light briefly lit up the entire void.

“AGHHH!!!” Ed suddenly shrieked in pain as he grabbed his throbbing head. His soul, no his entire being, felt as if it was set aflame. It was like someone had inserted a hot coil into his body and turned the temperature up to extremes. He opened his eyes and blurrily stared at the golden Samsara Wheel of Life. Then, he sank deeper into unconsciousness once again.