The night air was thick with smoke and fear.
Eren sprinted down the alleyways of Arvendale, his breath ragged, Lyra's hand locked in his own. Behind them, Kade and Sol followed, Mira at the rear — constantly glancing back, scanning for pursuers.
The explosion still echoed in his ears, but louder than that was the truth sinking in: someone was hunting him.
They turned a corner — blocked.
Dark figures in black cloaks stepped forward, silent and deadly. Their presence twisted the air around them, making it heavy and cold.
"What do they want?" Lyra gasped.
"I don't know," Eren whispered — but part of him did. Deep down, he felt it. Something old... stirring in his blood.
Kade reached for the metal pipe he carried in his backpack — always prepared for street fights. He faced the cloaked figures.
"You're not touching my friends."
One of the cloaked men raised a hand. The ground beneath Kade cracked, and a wave of invisible force sent him crashing into a wall.
"Kade!" Mira shouted, rushing to him. He groaned but gave a thumbs-up — still conscious.
"Eren," Sol hissed. "We need to split up. They're after you. We'll distract them."
"No!" Eren said, panic rising.
Lyra looked at him fiercely. "We promised we'd protect each other. Don't argue."
Before he could stop them, Sol and Mira charged into the fray, drawing attention. Kade limped after them, wielding his pipe like a sword.
Eren hesitated. He felt a pull inside him — a burning warmth in his chest, like a sleeping volcano awakening.
Lyra tugged his arm. "Come on!"
They ran.
They didn't stop until they reached the old train yard on the edge of town — rusting carriages and broken tracks hidden under thick fog.
Eren collapsed onto a crate, gasping for air.
Lyra knelt beside him, holding his face. "Eren... talk to me. What's going on?"
"I don't know," he said. But the truth was pressing harder against his mind.
Flashes of wings. Fire. Endless battles.
He looked at his trembling hands — and for a split second, the skin shimmered, scales flickering in and out of existence.
Lyra saw it. Her breath caught.
"Eren…"
Before he could answer, a cold voice echoed from the mist:
"Running is pointless."
Figures emerged from the fog.
Lyra stood in front of him protectively.
Eren tried to rise, but pain shot through his body — like fire trapped inside his veins.
"You are the key," the cloaked figure said.
"I don't understand!" Eren shouted.
The figure raised a gloved hand. Dark energy gathered in its palm — a force so heavy it felt like gravity itself thickened.
And then —
A flash of silver light cut through the darkness.
Colon's voice echoed in Eren's mind for the first time:
"Not yet."
The blast of dark energy reversed, swallowing the attacker instead. The other figures staggered.
Lyra helped Eren to his feet.
"Who was that?" she gasped.
Eren shook his head. "I don't know... but I think he's on our side."
In the distance, sirens wailed. The attackers retreated into shadow.
For now.