[ BEEP BEEP ] 

[ BEEP BEEP ]

Aspin's alarm blared incessantly, its shrill tone piercing the morning silence. He groaned, rolling over to slap the off button with more force than necessary. Mornings were the bane of his existence—he hated getting up early and struggled to fall asleep at night, a combination that left him perpetually exhausted.

"7 AM. The same time every day for school. 7 AM," Aspin thought, rubbing his eyes as he sat up in his disheveled bed. The sheets, a tangled mess, mirrored the chaos in his mind.

"I hate mornings," he muttered, dropping his head back onto the pillow and staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Aspin, dear! Breakfast is ready!" his mom's voice echoed up the stairs, the warm scent of pancakes and bacon wafting through the house, nudging him to get up.

Aspin sighed, throwing off the covers and slipping into his blue fuzzy slippers. He shuffled to the bathroom, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His hair was a wild mess, strands sticking out in all directions. Usually, it was neatly combed, a necessity due to a condition that made his hair fragile—if he didn't take care of it, it could fall out. His hair was short and black, except for a longer patch of white that stubbornly grew no matter how often he trimmed it.

"Did I get into a fight in my sleep?" he chuckled, trying to smooth down the unruly strands. "Whatever."

He turned on the shower, stepping in before the water had warmed up. A sharp, cold spray hit his skin, and he let out a yelp. "AGH, still cold!"

After a quick shower, Aspin dried off and dressed in his school uniform—a crisp black suit with a small red tie. The uniform was always neatly laid out on his desk, thanks to his meticulous mother. Just as he was about to leave his room, a sudden dizziness washed over him. His vision blurred, and a high-pitched ringing filled his ears.

"Agh, what's...going on?" he mumbled, his words slurring as the world around him began to fade. But as quickly as it started, the sensation vanished, leaving him bewildered and slightly nauseous.

"What was that?" Aspin shook his head, trying to clear the lingering fog. He was healthy, or so he thought, so this sudden episode was unsettling. He decided to brush it off as tiredness and headed downstairs.

In the kitchen, his mom was sipping coffee, her eyes narrowing as she noticed the dark circles under his eyes. "You look exhausted. Stayed up late again?"

Aspin forced a grin, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeah, just had a lot on my mind."

She sighed, her expression softening. "Honey, it's not good for you to stay up all night like that."

Aspin wanted to tell her everything—the thoughts that kept him awake, the nightmares that lingered—but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he sat down at the table, his plate piled high with eggs, sausage, pancakes, and bacon, accompanied by a glass of orange juice. He pulled out his phone, the background a picture of his fluffy dog, Mellow.

"My little Mellow," he thought, smiling wistfully. "I miss you, buddy. But you're safe at Grandma's."

A glance at the time jolted him. "7:42?!" He jumped up, startling his mom.

"What's wrong?" she asked, puzzled.

Aspin usually left for school at 8:30, but today was different. It was his mom's birthday, and he had planned to go to the nearby forest to pick flowers since he didn't have any money for a gift.

"Uh, nothing! Just thought it was a good day for a walk," he said, backing towards the door. "I'll be leaving early today. Bye!" He dashed out before she could respond.

"What an odd boy, didn't even finish his breakfast." she mused, watching him disappear down the street.

The town was surrounded by a large, dense forest that few dared to enter. As Aspin approached the edge, he noticed how the forest seemed to encroach on the town, grass and weeds breaking through the cracked concrete.

"Well, here goes nothing," he whispered, swallowing hard as he stepped into the shadowy woods.

The deeper he went, the more vibrant the forest became. The trees here were lush and green, an odd contrast to the barren autumn landscape outside. Aspin began picking flowers, trying to choose the best ones for his mom. But as he followed a path lined with flowers, he found himself venturing deeper into the forest.

The air grew thick with an eerie stillness as he reached the end of the path. There, leaning against a large tree, was an overgrown skeleton, entwined with beautiful, almost ethereal flowers. Their colors—vibrant purples and pinks—were unlike anything he had ever seen. The flowers seemed to glow softly, casting a mesmerizing light over the skeleton.

Aspin stood, entranced, until a faint humming sound caught his attention. He looked closer and saw a small, glowing stone clutched in the skeleton's hand. It seemed to beckon him, its low hum vibrating through the air.

"What is that?" he murmured, his curiosity piqued. He reached out to pry open the skeleton's fingers, but they were as hard as stone.

"This should be easier..." he grunted, straining to break the grip. After a few attempts, he planted his feet against the tree and pulled with all his might.

"HNNNGGG—WOAH!" He yanked too hard, tumbling backward and landing with a thud, the skeleton's index finger clutched in his hand.

"Ouch," he muttered, rubbing his head. He glanced at his hand and gasped, "Ew! A finger!"

He tossed it aside, trying to shake off the unease. "That thing must be made of rock or something. Maybe it's some kind of art installation..."

But as he looked closer at the skeleton, he realized how realistic it was. The detail was uncanny.

"Whoever made this is a genius," he mused, pulling out his phone to snap a picture. But then he noticed the time—8:10 AM. "I should hurry."

He quickly grabbed the glowing stone, expecting it to be heavy, but it was surprisingly light. As he examined it, the stone began to pulse with a brighter light and hum louder, seemingly deafening. Suddenly, it emitted a bolt of energy, shocking Aspin with a searing pain that tore through his body.

"AAAAAGGGHHHH!" he screamed, dropping to his knees as the stone fused into his skin. His bones and blood turned a dark, glowing purple. His eyes flashed gold, and his hair began to shift colors—black fading to white, and the white strand turning black.

He levitated off the ground, his body convulsing before crashing back down. The transformation ended as quickly as it began, leaving Aspin gasping for breath, his hair and eyes returning to normal.

Gasping for air, Aspin opened his eyes to find himself in a desolate, war-torn desert. Spears and swords jutted from the ground, and a fierce wind kicked up dust that stung his eyes.

"Where...am I?" he stammered, rising to his feet. He turned to see a man with a long, black beard and a metal helmet, holding a saber. The man's gaze was cold and piercing, sending a shiver down Aspin's spine.

"Who are you?!" Aspin shouted, but the man scoffed and turned away.

"This has to be a dream," Aspin whispered, closing his eyes. The sound of the wind faded, replaced by an eerie silence. When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the desert but standing on a cloud high above the earth. Five glowing white figures loomed over him, their faces obscured.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Aspin cried, but the figures remained silent. Then, a voice echoed in his mind, "Soul of Diamond."

Aspin's vision blurred, and he collapsed, waking up with a start back in the forest. The skeleton was gone, but the words "Find them, and it shall be revealed," were etched into the tree where it had been.

"What...?" Aspin started to question, but then he remembered his original purpose. He pulled out his phone, only to find that it wouldn't turn on.

"Crap," he muttered, gathering the bouquet of flowers and sprinting back through the forest. He weaved through the trees and leaped over roots with a newfound agility, barely noticing how fast he was moving.

When he finally reached home, he was out of breath, his clothes torn and dirty from his run. He burst through the door, only to find his mom standing there, arms crossed.

"Why weren't you at school?"

"What do you mean...?" Aspin replied, confused.

"My son, the school called and said you weren't there. I asked around the neighborhood, and no one has seen you."

Aspin fell silent. He knew she wouldn't believe him even if he tried to explain.

His mother began walking toward him, and Aspin braced himself for the worst, closing his eyes tightly. To his surprise, she wrapped him in a warm hug. Aspin's body relaxed, and his eyes slowly opened.

"Huh?"

"Don't make me worry like that again. I was terrified, thinking I'd lost you, just like your dad." A tear began rolling down her cheek, the worry and the shock she felt all came plummeting down back on her, in the form of relief.

"Oh, yeah, Dad went missing seven years ago. I probably made her think I was gone too." He Thought

"I'm sorry, Mom. I won't do it again."

"Good!" she said, releasing the hug and gripping his shoulders tightly.

She then glanced at Aspin's arm, eyes narrowing.

"What are you hiding? What's behind your back?"

Aspin revealed a beautiful bouquet of flowers he had picked, and smiled softly.

"Happy birthday, Mom."

Unable to hold back her tears, his mother began to break down, her tears flowing freely as she sank to her knees. Aspin rushed to her aid, steadying her shoulders.

"Thank you... so much... my sweet boy."

She looked at him, struggling to form a smile that radiated pure love. Aspin set the flowers down and embraced her tightly, wordlessly.

After a few minutes, Aspin and his mother prepared to eat dinner. His mother turned on the news, a habit of hers to stay informed.

"This just in: Several large, hideous monsters have reportedly appeared in Mid-Town Distoria. Diana is live from Mid-Town."

Aspin, intrigued, sat on the couch and began watching intently.

"Thanks, John. Moments ago, the supposed monster was sighted here. Eyewitnesses describe it as large and bulky, a true 'terror to the eyes.' It was subdued by a hooded figure using what appeared to be magic before vanishing without a trace. We don't have much information on these monsters, but..."

The reporter's voice faltered as she glanced off-camera in terror. The camera panned to a large city building, behind which loomed an even more terrifying creature. Over 200 meters tall, with a single eye, its long, muscular arms tore through the building with ease. Screams and explosions echoed in the distance. Aspin stared at the TV, stunned into silence. His mother, noticing his distress, joined him in watching as the neighboring town crumbled.

Alarms blared outside their house. Sirens wailed as all city lights went out. A voice echoed through the city:

"Warning. Warning. Dangerous threat detected. Lockdown protocol engaged."

A massive crystal blue dome began covering the city. Before it could fully encase the area, an unidentified object crashed into it, exploding on impact. Aspin and his mother rushed outside to witness the chaos.

"What's going on..?" Aspin wondered, as another object collided with the dome, melting the section it struck. A large green monster, similar to the one seen on the news, began tearing apart the dome, reaching inside as smaller monsters began pouring into the city from the hole that had been created. Aspin and his mother ran through the streets, which were now chaotic with panicking people.

A child fell in the street, crying out, "MOMMY! MOMMY!"

Aspin looked back at the child and stopped.

"What are you doing?!" his mother yelled in panic and fear.

"I have to help him! Run to the shelter!" Aspin said, quickly moving away from her.

"No!" She grabbed his arm. "We need to go. I'm not losing you." Tears streamed down her face.

"I'll be okay, Mom. I promise," Aspin said calmly amidst the chaos.

"I trust you," she said, running deeper into the city.

Aspin rushed to the child, picking him up.

"It's okay. Don't cry," Aspin comforted, carrying the child toward the shelter. Suddenly, a large monster crashed in front of him, its ghastly appearance making him freeze in fear. The creature, covered in boils and sporting a face of constant anger, swiped at Aspin with razor-sharp claws, narrowly missing him but cutting his nose.

"This thing is too fast. I'm too scared. My body won't respond quickly enough," Aspin thought, putting the child on his back and sprinting down an alleyway, knocking over trash bins.

As Aspin ran, the buildings around him began lifting off the ground. He looked back to see the ghastly creature lifting them into the sky. Aspin ran faster, but his legs grew weaker. The creature crushed the buildings into a large ball of concrete and metal, hurling it at Aspin. The impact sent him crashing to the ground, where he shielded the child. Aspin lost consciousness, and the child, covered in dirt but unharmed, shook him.

"Mister, wake up!" the child pleaded, tears in his eyes.

The ghastly figure approached slowly, a dark blue energy ball in its hand. The child's cries echoed in Aspin's mind.

"Oh... the boy I was trying to protect. He's alive, but that thing is still here. If only I had the power to stop it. But I'm just a high-schooler... what can I do?"

"What do you want to do?" a deep, raspy voice asked.

"Huh?"

"Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? How will you achieve it? These are questions we ask ourselves unconsciously, yet we don't always have the answers."

"Once we find the answers, we are closer to understanding who we are."

"What does this have to do with the current situation?"

"Ask yourself. What do you want to do right now?"

"I..." Aspin hesitated, reflecting on his life. He had never thought about his desires or future.

"I want to save the city," he resolved as his body began to rise.

"Mister?" the child called out. Even though Aspin was unconscious, his body responded instinctively. His hair turned white, and his black suit shifted to purple. A white mask appeared on his face, marked with glowing purple scratches.

Aspin leaped at the ghastly figure, punching through it. The monster's face exploded, and Aspin turned around, forming a finger gun. A golden ball formed at the tip, growing larger before being fired as a brilliant golden beam. It pierced through the monster's heart, melting it.

The creature faded away, leaving behind a hard, circular ball. Aspin grew large, white, feathery wings. As he soared into the sky, he looked over the city and raised his hand.

"Witness the power of what you desire," the raspy voice said.

Aspin summoned a large sabre and waved it. Golden beams shot across the city, vaporizing all the monsters. The largest one remained, so Aspin charged his attack. The sabre glowed purple, vibrating as if ready to burst. With a flash, the monster was slain. Aspin descended to the child, who looked up at him with tearful eyes.

"Mister...?"

Exhausted, Aspin collapsed to the ground, his body barely holding together after the intense battle. The child beside him frantically shook him, desperate to wake him up.

As the first rays of sunlight began to pierce the horizon, the golden energy that had engulfed the battlefield slowly dissolved into the air. Aspin's wings, once a magnificent sight, dissipated back into his body, leaving him looking like an ordinary young man. The child, with all his might, managed to drag Aspin towards a nearby shelter.

The shelter doors creaked open, and hundreds of people poured out, their faces a mix of hope and despair. They searched for their loved ones among the ruins of what was once a vibrant city. As the realization dawned that the immediate danger had passed, a wave of relief washed over them, and they began to cheer, their voices echoing through the desolate streets.

"Mommy!" the boy cried out, his small arms flung wide as his mother ran towards him.

"Oh, my child! Jason, thank goodness you're safe!" She scooped him up into a tight embrace, her tears of joy soaking into his hair.

"Who is this you're carrying?" she asked, noticing the unconscious figure the boy had dragged along.

"He defeated the bad monsters! He was so cool!" Jason exclaimed, his eyes wide with admiration.

The mother glanced at Aspin, skepticism etched on her face. She chose to dismiss it as a child's imagination and lifted her son into her arms.

"We need to find his family," she called out, scanning the crowd. "Does anyone recognize this boy?"

People gathered around Aspin, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. Murmurs spread through the crowd as they tried to piece together what had happened.

"Excuse me! Please move aside!"

A woman's voice cut through the chatter as she pushed her way to the front. Aspin's mother, her face pale with fear, dropped to her knees beside her son.

"My baby!" she cried, her hands trembling as she touched his face.

"Wake up, please...Wake up!"

The crowd fell silent, their collective sorrow hanging in the air. Even in their own grief, they couldn't ignore the heart-wrenching pain of a mother fearing the loss of her child. They stood in quiet solidarity, heads bowed, sharing in her agony.

"Look, mister isn't dead!" Jason's voice broke the silence.

Aspin's fingers twitched, and slowly, he raised his head. The crowd erupted in cheers, relief flooding the tense atmosphere.

Aspin's mother pulled him into a tight hug, her tears of despair turning into tears of joy. Aspin blinked, dazed by the sudden attention.

"You've scared me enough today. I thought I'd lost you," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

"I'm okay, Mom. I promise," Aspin reassured her, though his own heart was still racing from the ordeal.

As the sun climbed higher, its golden rays illuminating the battered city of Surgen, a protective crystal-blue dome began to shimmer into existence, encasing the city in a safe embrace. Later that day, Aspin and his mother returned to their home, which, by some miracle, had remained untouched. The homes on their street, nestled on the edge of the forest, had been spared the worst of the destruction.

They sat down for breakfast, the morning's events still weighing heavily on their minds. Aspin turned on the TV, seeking some normalcy amidst the chaos.

"A huge victory for the city of Surgen," the news anchor announced, "as a mysterious masked hero eradicated all the monsters with a single swing of his sword— calling him The Purple Star, as he flew in a blaze of glory torwards the Giant monster Killing it in one fell swoop."

Aspin nearly choked on his water as his own image appeared on the screen. His heart pounded, but a wave of relief washed over him when he realized that no one seemed to recognize him.

He slumped back in his chair, trying to process everything as the news continued.

"In other news, countless teenagers have begun awakening strange powers, now being referred to as 'Specters.' The government is urging all teens who have awakened their powers to report to Facility 12-A..."

"They're already exploiting these kids, huh?" Aspin's mother commented, bringing his breakfast into the living room.

"Y-Yeah... Apparently," Aspin stammered, his nerves getting the better of him. He was eighteen, and he had these mysterious powers too, but he wasn't sure if he was ready to tell his mother.

"Aspin, do you have these powers they're talking about?" she asked, her eyes searching his face.