The entire city of Metrox was shrouded in darkness and gloom today, for one of the leading businessmen of the country of Veridiania, Logan Mervick Gorgan, had perished. He was a man who had made his name known worldwide, and his generosity and kindness had won the hearts of many. Today, the whole city lay silent to mourn his death.
The Mervick family, among the great four families of Metrox, had brought down holds on everything in the city. They deemed today that the city wouldn't move. The Mervick family lost their son, while another family equal to the Mervicks, the Hamilian family, lost a son-in-law. Overall, it was a very hectic and sad day for the whole city and perhaps the country of Veridiania.
"Are the kids asleep?" A deep, rough voice asked. The owner of the voice was a man who appeared to be in his late 30s. His hair now showed a small hint of white. The man in question had deep brown eyes that looked trained and deadly. His black hair was tied neatly and well-kept.
He looked even more handsome when sadness filled his demeanour. The feeling of pride and nobility encapsulated the man, the very arrangement of his body leaning towards a well-built and maintained lifestyle.
"They are asleep. The little girls refused to let him go; they slept with him," a light, calm voice replied. A woman entered the room where the man sat. Even though she looked to be in her 30s, her dark green hair was kept in a bun, and her blue eyes radiated wisdom and power.
She looks beautiful. As she joined the man in the room, she took his arm and rested her head on his shoulder.
Both of them wore black mourning dresses that complemented them. As soon as the woman placed her head on the man's shoulder, her feelings burst forth, and her tears started to rain down on the man's shoulder. Even the tough man himself shed a tear or two, something which hadn't happened in a long time.
"Ou-Our son, he-he's gone…." The woman's cries and sobs were filled with the tone of immense sadness and defeat. The man couldn't do anything but pat the woman, his loving wife. He is the supreme general of Veridiania, the master of the Mervick family, a man feared across countries. Helman Mervick felt helpless after a long time. The situation was beyond his control, and he had lost his son. The power of death eluded him.
"Yes, Meneivra, our son's gone…." That was all he could say.
…
Amidst the Mervick mansion, the sounds of tears and cries resonated. Three little kids now lay on a bed too huge for themselves, several guards outside silently protecting them.
The three kids were the children of the deceased man. The two twin girls, their faces marked by dried tear stains, lay on both sides of the boy. Their little hands were wrapped around their brother as they hugged him close for comfort.
The boy in question lay on the bed in between, seemingly asleep. However, this illusion quickly faded as the boy opened his eyes. His body remained still, his gaze unsettlingly calm. Even this façade didn't last long before a dirty, evil smile—a child could never have—spread largely across his face.
'It worked! Those guardians of time couldn't do shit!' he exulted in his success. Though his hopes hadn't been high, he had wagered on the odds. The boy had carefully planned his regression for a long time, and most of the things had gone according to his plan, for he needed no help from any Divine; he had covered over the eyes of the powerful and brought himself back.
As he lay on the bed mulling over his success, his head began to buzz, a trail of blood leaking from his nose. The 'boy' in question closed his eyes as he handled the pain filling his entire self, a crushing sensation of his head trying to split, filling his mind, but he let out no cry as he held the pain within himself.
It was only after 5 minutes that the 'boy's' pain calmed down.
'Uff… that's not good,' the boy thought as his body became filled with sweat, his complexion growing pale. He felt weakness everywhere, a sensation he hadn't felt in a long time, especially after the first awakening.
'Five years, that's all I have.' The current younger vessel of his can't contain the power of his soul. His soul was of his older self, while the body was young. Thus, his child-like body can't handle his future soul, a soul filled with much strength and power beyond the norm, leading to a contradiction that would soon kill him from the inside. He had just five years before his demise.
'Tsk, to think this would happen even after reducing much of my soul, looks like I will have to get to it sooner than expected….' Despite the dire situation, the 'boy' was calm. When he had undertaken the unbearable act of regression, he had anticipated that such a situation might occur.
He already knew how to fix the problem, but it wasn't the right time to implement the solution. Other matters took precedence; the act he has done is something that breaks the natural order. Heck, his actions might have even destroyed the future reality he came from, but in his eyes, everything is fine as long as his objectives are met.
'This time I need to be prepared,' he vowed to himself. He hadn't regressed to die; he had aspirations beyond mortality. The boy's gaze shifted to his sisters, recalling how they would mature. An innate drive for conquest sparked in his eyes, leading him to the perfect plan for them. By the time the first awakening happens, he would need to have conquered those pawns that will be very useful to him.
'I must foster a deeper bond than just siblings….' His sisters' talents would be extremely valuable in the future. He could nurture their sibling bond for now, but that wasn't sufficient for his ambitions. They are prime pawns, and he needs to make sure that even the thought of betrayal can never pass their mind. Moreover, he needs to corrupt them enough that they won't question any diabolical plans he puts forth.
Though in that part, he knows better than anyone else the darkness that lurks in the heart of these twins, he needs to keep their attention full-time on him. Doing so would reduce the risk of losing them to some guy who might win their affection.
This would shift their priorities to their lovers. Although the 'boy' hadn't heard of any lovers for his sisters in the future, he couldn't discount the possibility. His entire family had been villains, eradicated when 'it' emerged.
'And they will become exquisite beauties.' A lecherous smile crept across the 'boy's' face—a smile unfit for a child. He didn't deny his transformation over the years. Even before 'it' came, he had been a cunning scoundrel, a wealthy villain. By now, he had already devised plans for his mother, leveraging her current disposition.
In the past, he had unknowingly discovered his mother's 'madness,' but by then, it was too late to manipulate her. Now, armed with knowledge, he could exploit her desires.
'This time, let's see who comes out on top,' he mused, as heaviness overcame his eyes, and he drifted into a peaceful sleep. His child's body was weary, his soul weak. The 'boy' succumbed to a deep slumber. Thus, a serene tableau unfolded—three exhausted children sleeping closely together for comfort. Unbeknownst to all, the devil rested within the boy's soul, a devil of the future, coming to destroy the present.