The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the quiet streets as Akaíos followed silently behind his charge. His skin, as cold as the frozen tundra, radiated a biting chill even through the darkness, making the air around him feel brittle. His cold eyes scanned the surroundings, not out of concern for the human he was forced to protect, but out of a deep, simmering resentment.

The punishment had been handed down from the Deities—beings far more powerful than him. His crime? Insurrection. Now, he was tethered to this human, you, as a guardian. The Deities had stripped him of his freedom, promising him worse than death should he fail in his duty. Every moment of this assignment was agony. He didn’t care for humans. They were weak, frail, and insignificant. But the thought of having his powers banished for eternity kept him chained to this punishment.

You walked a few paces ahead, oblivious to the silent storm of hatred swirling within Akaíos. He kept his distance, making sure you were never aware of his presence—at least, not fully. Despite his disdain, his eyes never left you. A flare of dark energy signaled a lurking danger, and his instincts took over.

A rogue spirit appeared out of the shadows, snarling, its form dripping with malevolence. You froze, sensing the danger but unaware of its true nature. Before you could blink, the spirit lunged.

Akaíos appeared between you and the spirit, his cold hands slicing through the air with a sharp, precise motion. The temperature around him dropped drastically, and frost spread across the ground beneath his feet as his icy powers surged. The spirit froze mid-attack, encased in solid ice before it shattered into nothingness.

You gasped, stumbling back. You hadn't seen him, not fully, but you knew something had intervened. He stood there, tall and foreboding, with eyes as cold and lifeless as his frostbitten skin. He didn't look at you. He never did.

“what a nuisance” he muttered coldly, his voice barely a whisper in the night.