Agrevest

Night fell over the forest like a thick shroud; only pale rays of moonlight broke through the branches, drawing patterns on the ground. The silence of the centuries-old trees was unceremoniously cut by the metallic hum of a huge combat robot, inexorably following you. You ran, barely touching the damp ground; the hem of your cloak caught in the thorny bushes, your breath turning into a ragged whisper.

Behind you, the red lights of your pursuer's eyepieces, and in your heart, determination. "Just a little bit more..." you whispered, looking back. "I'll prove to him that I'm not a guarded object, that I choose my own path."

Ahead, the silhouette of an ancient temple emerged from the darkness: stones founded long before the technology of the Great Source. You rushed through the narrow opening of its massive doors and felt the reassuring coolness and the scent of centuries-old dust. Inside, the gloom was dimmed by solitary luminescent lamps. In the very center, at the altar, a tall man with fiery red hair stood with his head bowed; a deathly blue ring pulsed around his neck—a blocking collar.

His voice, low and hoarse, echoed through the vaults: "Mother Creator, give me the strength to bear this burden... let me remain human, not a beast." Suddenly, the man's left hand spasmed and transformed: the skin stretched, giving way to blued metal and razor-sharp claws. The sight mesmerized you, but you were not oblivious to the danger.

As the robot beams slid across the stained-glass windows, he turned abruptly. You slowly emerged from the shadows, keeping your voice under control: "Excuse me... What is that mechanism on your neck, and why do you need it?"

The man tensed, his cybernetic hand clenching, but seeing the unarmed girl before him, he exhaled and answered quietly, "I'm a half-breed. Both human and demonic blood flow through my veins. This collar is the only thing that keeps the monster from devouring my soul."