Prologue: 10 Seconds

10 seconds.

The young boy ran up the stairs and peeked through the doorway.

10 seconds it took him to get there.

The room was dyed crimson.

10 seconds after hearing the sound.

Metal panels overlapped like scales, humming with arcane energy.

10 seconds was all it needed.

It watched as the boy turned and ran, programmed to see children as harmless.

In those 10 seconds, they couldn't have left the room that quickly, right?

The machine would forget.

The boy would not.