"Morning, sunshine."
Haruto spun around, startled, his heart racing. Standing before him was a tall, slender boy with stark white hair that shimmered in the dim light. His glowing white eyes pierced the air like twin moons, unblinking and cold.
"So, you're their leader, huh?" Haruto's voice wavered as he forced the words out. "Why? Why do you take these people and make them commit such... monstrous acts?"
The boy tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. Haruto could feel a chill in the air, an unsettling presence that seemed to emanate from the boy himself.
"For the amusement," the boy replied, his lips curling into a smile so gentle, so pure, it could have belonged to an innocent child. But Haruto wasn't fooled. Beneath that angelic facade lay something far more sinister.
Disgust washed over Haruto's initial fear. How could anyone find amusement in such cruelty? He clenched his fists, glaring at the boy. Yet, as he studied his face, something caught his eye—a faint, almost hypnotic movement. The boy's glowing white eyes seemed to swirl subtly, their irises ticking like clock hands.
"You are—" Haruto began, his voice trembling as the realization dawned. But before he could finish, the room shifted around him.
Five guards appeared by his side in an instant, their swords drawn and glinting menacingly in the low light. The boy didn't flinch. In the blink of an eye, he moved faster than Haruto could track, reappearing directly in front of him.
Haruto froze as the boy leaned in close, his voice barely a whisper yet echoing with chilling clarity.
"The Chosen."
The words sent a jolt of terror down Haruto's spine. His knees almost buckled, but the urgency of the situation kept him grounded. He glanced over his shoulder, remembering the others who were like him.
Haruto knew he had no choice. His suit, torn and sparking from earlier battles, was barely holding together, but he had to act fast. He leaped back toward the large stained-glass window behind him, the guards surging forward.
He closed his eyes and shouted with all his might.
"AKEM! AKEM!"
The wall behind him exploded with a deafening crash as a massive mechanical hand burst through, shattering the ornate glass and sending shards raining down. The hand seized Haruto, pulling him into its protective grip.
The towering mech loomed over the scene, its glowing core casting an ominous light. Haruto gripped the controls inside the cockpit, adrenaline coursing through him. With newfound resolve, he prepared to crush the cultists who had tormented so many.
Yet, as the dust settled, the boy stood unfazed amidst the wreckage, his smug expression untouched by the chaos. His glowing eyes locked onto Haruto, and his lips parted once more.
"Akem," he said, his voice calm and knowing.
Haruto's eyes widened.
"Akem," the boy repeated, this time with a faint trace of mockery.