In front of a big, circular wall mirror stood a young boy, carefully inspecting his spotless reflection while balancing himself on a wooden stool.
Big crystal-blue eyes, an innocent gaze, the short dark blue hair had recently been trimmed down into a tidy pudding bowl. His delicate pale skin was covered by a long, richly decorated, white silk tunic. In his right hand he held a pearlish white comb, finely engraved with geometrical patterns.
He was your typical son of a wealthy family that resided in the inner district of Soulhaven.
"How long are you gonna be in the bathroom for, sweetie? It's getting late."
"Come on honey, it's his birthday! How is he going to make a move on Kasha if he doesn't look perfect?"
Slam.
In the blink of an eye, the fancy bathroom door shut open and the blushing brat came out of it, yelling with his fists clenched.
"Dad, I already told you she is just a friend!"
"Suuure."
Both father and mother were looking at him with a smug smile.
"You look fabulous, Lynn."
"Come here."
And they wrapped him in a warm embrace for what felt like an eternity.
"Stop it… it's embarrassing… Mom, didn't you say we were running late?"
"Oh, right! Let's hurry! We don't want Kasha to wait too long."
The three of them left their quartets in a hurry, entering the busy streets of Soulhaven. After taking two right turns, they finally reached the coachman post, and got on the first empty red coach.
It only took a split second for the worker to ask.
"Where to?"
"The Veilcloud's residence."
"Understood."
The transportation was free in Soulhaven, at least for the nobles. The Royal Palace paid for everything.
How did the coachman distinguish them from well-off families? In reality they didn't need to, because the main district of the citadel was only accessible to nobles.
The neighing of the four horses indicated the coach's departure, and the sturdy wheels started rattling on the paved street.
"It's your tenth birthday, you really don't have any wishes to make?"
"Nothing mom, really."
"What about we let you pass the night at Kasha's place? Sounds great, right?"
The father asked in a humorous tone.
"...Sounds good..."
Timidly replied Lynn, his bright red face hidden behind the palm of his hands. However, all of his efforts were futile, as his pale skin only accentuated the contrast.
His father took advantage of that moment of weakness.
"Didn't you just say she was just a friend?"
"She is! Really!"
The two parents exploded in laughter.
"Heeey, stop it!"
"We believe you sweetheart, your father is just joking."
The Goldheart and the Veilcloud families were long-term acquaintances. The mothers had known each other since childhood, and grew up together in Crownshade, the capital of the kingdom, when it was still a thing. And the fathers were prone to strengthen the bond between the two families even further in the near future. After all, Lynn already had it for the young Kasha, but the girl never really considered him because of the age gap between the two.
Kasha was eighteen years old, while he had just turned ten. Although he considered her a lady, she just saw him as a brat.
But nothing was eternal, and things were bound to change, eventually. Lynn couldn't wait to become an adult and propose to her.
Lynn's mood began to darken, and so the father came to his help.
"Let's change the subject."
"Yes, how is school going? Did you make any friends?"
"Mom, it's still the the fifth day, no one has even-"
Without prior notice, the carriage abruptly came to a halt, and the three passengers were violently thrown around.
An authoritarian voice soon followed, shaking the thin metal walls of the vehicle. It was a policeman's.
"There has been an accident at the furnace, the area is now off limits. It's dangerous on the streets, please head back to your homes immediately."
The coachman's prompt response had a tinge of uneasiness in it.
"Understood. You've heard that, customers. I cannot take you to your destination. We are returning to the post."
The horses neighed, and the carriage started moving again, this time more quickly.
Concerned, Lynn clinged to his father's frock and worriedly asked.
"Dad, dad, doesn't Kasha live near the furnace? Shouldn't we go check-"
"Today's plans are canceled. We need to return home. No excuses."
"But-"
"Shut up! Just do as we say, I don't want to hear complaints."
Lynn looked at his father with teary eyes, before obediently returning to his seat.
"Don't cry sweetheart, your dad just wants to protect us. We'll go to Kasha some other day, ok? They'll surely understand. Right, honey?"
"...Yes. I'm sorry son. Did I scare you?"
Flynn lingered for a while, unsure of what to reply. The stern gaze of his father was intimidating for the boy.
"...No…"
"Good."
For the rest of the trip, not a word was spoken inside the carriage.
After entering their quartets, the father started pushing the wardrobe towards the entrance.
"What are you doing, dad?"
"Making sure nobody gets hurt. You remember the protocol they taught you at school, right? Whatever happens, always follow it to the letter."
"Ok…"
He then positioned the furniture in front of the door, and repeated the procedure with every window and any other kind of gap, blocking everyone and everything from entering or exiting the apartment.
Lynn took one last peep through the window, and saw the deserted streets that just an hour ago were so full of people.
"Now go to bed, you should rest whenever you have the opportunity. Mom and I will be taking turns."
And so, the day passed in an unsettling silence, sometimes interrupted by distant desperate screams for help of some unfortunate families.
Lynn could not get any sleep that day.
The same went for the following ones.
***
Alwyn jolted awake, panting from the trauma.
The sun was still visible, meaning he must have been unconscious for just a couple minutes.
With a hand he struggled to sit up, while with the other one he caressed the head, not because of the third concussion of the day, but because of the mental strain he had just been subjected to.
"What…"
In the brief period of time that he was out, he experienced a lifetime of memories. Not his, but someone else's.
Then he remembered the mirror, and something clicked in his mind.
'...Wait, don't tell me-'
In a hurry, he searched for the locket he had dropped to the ground, and opened it with trembling hands.
The moment he looked into the tiny mirror, he froze, terror clearly discernible in his gaze.
In the murky reflection, he saw a pale young man with an unkept beard. He was in his early twenties, blue messy hair, big dark bags under his lifeless blue eyes.
He recognized that person, although the face had changed so much.
"I did not regress this time…"
It took him all of his might to accept the hard truth.
"I…"
And uttering those last two words made his heart ache like never before.
"…transmigrated."