Welcome to the Innocent World

"So, you've finally woken up… Zero…" The voice boomed, deep and demonic, echoing off the rusted bars of the cage like it was coming from everywhere and nowhere. The red and pink neon lights pulsed around me, flickering wild, throwing creepy shadows across the cold metal floor. The air felt thick, heavy with that weird vibe, like the whole place was alive and watching.

I leaned back against the bars, sitting up straighter, trying to shake off the ache in my body.

"Sighhh…" I let out, rolling my eyes as I forced a bored tone. "You done with your stage show, buddy?" I said, keeping it cool, my voice steady even though my gut was churning. "Talking from behind somewhere ain't exactly going hard, you know?" I tilted my head, smirking toward the darkness where the voice was hiding, acting like I didn't give a damn.

Truth was, I was rattled. I tried to reach for my power, that black aura that always came easy, but it was gone—like someone had sucked it clean out of me. My hands flexed, searching for even a spark, but nothing. I felt empty, weak, like a battery drained dry. I glanced at Lyra, still slumped in the corner of the cage, her red dress tangled around her legs, her blonde hair spilling over the floor. She was out cold, and that hit me harder than anything. I had to protect her, but stuck in this cage, without my powers, I wasn't even sure I could break us out.

"Hehehe…" The voice laughed, low and nasty, like it was enjoying my struggle. "Such big words for a guy who can't even bust out of a cage." The words cut sharp, and I felt a bead of sweat roll down my forehead. *Sheesh, he knows,* I thought, my stomach twisting as I realized he could see right through me.

"Yeah, so what?" I shot back, looking off to the side, keeping my voice cocky to hide the panic creeping in. "You just took my power out like a coward—that's all I see." I leaned forward, resting my arms on my knees, trying to play it off like I wasn't fazed, even though my heart was pounding.

"Ehehehe," he laughed again, the sound crawling under my skin. "Your powers were taken because you weren't worthy of holding them in your hands." His voice turned smug, like he was preaching, and I could almost picture a smirk behind that shadowy figure lurking beyond the bars.

"Ohh? Is that so?" I said, raising an eyebrow, keeping my tone bored as I leaned back again, crossing my arms. "You sound like you've got it all figured out, huh? Wanna clue me in, or you just gonna keep hiding like a creep?"

"Bold talk, Zero," he growled, the name dripping with mockery. "But you're nothing without that aura of yours. Just a man in a cage, thinking he's a hero." The neon lights flickered again, casting his shadow longer, a vague shape pacing just out of sight. "You walked right into our game, and now you're stuck. How's it feel?"

The cage felt like a trap, the rusted bars biting into my palms as I gripped them, the red and pink neon lights flickering wild around me, casting creepy shadows. The demonic voice from the darkness had my blood boiling, but I kept my cool, leaning back with a smirk.

"Well, if you're so worthy and full of yourself, why don't you just show your face?" I said, my tone mocking, dripping with as much attitude as I could muster. "Hiding out there's kinda weak, don't you think?"

The voice laughed, a deep, ugly sound that echoed off the stone walls. "Haha, so desperate to see your king," it taunted, the word king rolling out like a jab, heavy and smug.

I snorted, shaking my head. "I don't think I've got anyone I'd call king," I shot back, keeping my voice light but sharp. "But yeah, I'm real desperate to see the coward who sucked out my powers and is now skulking around in the dark like a scared kid." I leaned forward, squinting into the shadows, daring whoever it was to step up, even though my gut was twisting. My aura was gone, my powers dead, and Lyra was still out cold in the corner. I had to keep it together—for her.

Silence dropped like a weight. The room went still, the air thick, no screams or moans from the halls, no clinking glasses—just dead quiet. I glanced around, my eyes darting to the neon-lit corners, half-expecting something to jump out.

Then, *BAM*—a massive white light flashed in front of the cage, blinding me for a sec. I flinched, shielding my eyes as the red and pink glow got swallowed up by the glare. When it cleared, a huge, throne-like chair loomed right outside the bars, carved from dark wood, looking like something a warlord would sit in. It hadn't been there before, and the sight of it sent a chill down my spine.

*Thud… thud…* Heavy footsteps shook the floor, slow and deliberate, coming from behind the chair. A hand reached out, gripping the armrest—a massive, gray, muscular hand with long black nails that looked sharp enough to slice through steel.

My heart kicked up, but I kept my face blank, watching as the figure stepped into the light. He was huge, towering tall, all rippling muscle under an open black shirt that hung loose over tight black pants. His eyes glowed red, pure and unnatural, like fire trapped in glass, and his teeth jutted out, sharp and jagged, bared in a growl that rumbled deep in his chest. He looked like a demon straight out of a nightmare, standing there glaring at me through the bars.

"Hoooo…" I let out a low whistle, leaning back with a grin I didn't quite feel. "You sure look like something crazy." My voice stayed steady, cocky even, but my mind was racing. This guy wasn't just some thug—he was something else, something that made my empty power feel like a bigger problem than I wanted to admit.