The new dawn broke; although there was never any sun to guide him. Eren could tell, everything felt lighter, the air easier to breathe.
Eren slipped out of his sheets and walked out of his cave. A renewed sense of purpose flowered in his heart, an indescribable feeling. Eren was ready to face his last trial and move on, ready to go home.
Lucifer burst through the door, his golden locks of hair shining bright, a shimmering halo. His eyes bright as the day they met.
"Good morning, Eren." Lucifer spoke in a joyful tone. Eren nodded, returning a half-smile.
"It's finally happening!" Lucifer jumped onto Eren; his excitement barely containable. "We're going to the final trial, it's looooong overdue. But I cannot wait to see you achieve greatness!" Lucifer gushed.
Eren pushed the energetic reaper off him, rolling off the bed and to his feet.
"Yeah, it's finally going to be over," Eren remarked coldly.
"Don't be a gloomy goose!" Lucifer replied cheerfully. The vigour of Lucifers' attitude was grating on Eren's nerves, rubbing his temples to quell the mounting headache.
Lucifer escorted Eren out of the mountain mouth, wearing only the worn and faded black shirt and matching pants, the harsh lessons of time left their mark on them both.
The duo flew silently for a while, flapping wings carried them over the dune sea towards their destination. Eren had a feeling of melancholy, was he to miss this place? That did seem unlikely. For all its miseries, it taught him a lot, more than he could learn on Earth.
The towering Charon stood with an imposing silhouette, the breeze carrying away the ashen dust from his cloak. Like the gentle tide of a river.
Lucifer landed, at the feet of the Skelton. Outside of the arena where it all began.
"We are ready. Eren, you will follow Charon from here. Good luck."
"Wait? What? You haven't told me anything about this trial?" Eren replied exasperated.
"You will do well; I have faith in you." Lucifer ignored Eren's concern, brushing him off with a nonchalant wave of his hand.
"That didn't answer my question. Why aren't you coming?"
The question spooked the reaper. "Oh, ummmm... I'm going to take over Charon's job whilst you're gone. I mean, we can't have a mountain of souls lining up." He replied hastily. Eyes darting around, looking to avoid his wards ire.
Instead catching the burning gaze of Charon's, judging him silently.
Words uttered without a sound, eyes speaking volumes more than lips could ever utter.
"Ugh, fine. You're so pushy, Charon. I'm going… to occupy Malphas while you complete your last trial." Lucifer grumbled,
Charon gave a subtle nod, before the gracefully striding away.
"Why?" Eren questioned further.
"Well, he really, really doesn't want you to complete the trial." Lucifer fidgeted with his hands nervously, refusing to make eye contact with Eren.
"Why?" Eren repeated the question, growing impatient with Lucifer's dodging.
"Oh, my would you look at the time. Good luck Eren." Lucifer exclaimed as he flapped away, leaving Eren alone with Charon. Eren sighed heavily, the man’s antics were always an annoyance. He may have been a hollow shell for some time, but he certainly didn't miss this nonsense.
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"Does he know what's going to happen?" Eren questioned the giant reaper who stalked ahead, just out of reach.
Charon kept his skull forward, black cape whipping about in the breeze, billowing behind him.
The wasteland stretched out infinitely on all sides, ashen dunes rising and falling like waves upon an ocean. Melting into the darkness of the horizon, footsteps and dust clouds the only indication of progress made.
"How much further?" Eren probed; the giant was silent as the night, never once turning his gaze towards Eren.
"Talkative guy, aren't you." Eren sarcastically muttered.
Minutes turn to hours, the sky remained unchanged, and still no sight of the destination in sight.
'Are we going anywhere? Or is this all an elaborate mindfuck? What if wandering around like an idiot is the trial.' Eren's thoughts the only source of entertainment. The never-ending procession of dunes and the occasional pillar of stone was all that seemed to exist.
Eventually, the rhythmic movements of Charon's boots halted, standing at the peak of a dune. Down below in the trough was another temple.
"Finally." Eren huffed in relief. His legs wobbling from the unending marching. Charon simply began walking again, taking the slope down with ease, an occasional leg stretches for support.
The temple was far different from the main temple. This one was foreign in design, architecture unknown to the young reaper. White marble that glimmered in the pale light.
Faces of strange entities adorned the exterior, made from a type of rock, unlike anything Eren had seen before. Faces contorted in pain and anguish, silently crying out to the heavens.
Eren sprinted past Charon, the urge to finish this trial growing ever stronger. He needed to go home.
The temples designs became more apparent as they got closer. Marble statues lined the grand staircase that led to a colossal doorway. Faces of death, be it ancient, reaper, skeleton or foreign, all screaming out in silent agony. A temple to monument the suffering of all.
The arches of the temple entrance crumbling with age, the once mighty stone pillars now reduced to mere piles of rubble. Within, shadows were cast upon the cracked floor, light was absent here. Distant clicking echoed within the chamber. Like the exterior, worn away with time, small fissures running through the interior walls and ceiling. The remnants of pillars lay strewn across the ground, chunks of debris scattered around.
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"Where are we Charon?" Eren questioned the silent reaper, receiving nothing but the crackling of dust and clicking of stones.
Murals on the walls tell a story, or were intended too at least. Distorted images of battles, creatures, and beings unlike anything Eren had seen before.
Darkness veiled the true art; chipped away, veiled under fleeting light.
Deep rumbling began from beyond, distant at first, then growing louder with every step closer to the source. Echoes of thumping footsteps vibrated throughout the chamber, shaking the loose rubble from the ceiling.
The archway of the chamber shuddered, fragments of stone cascading down, as a creature forced itself through.
Large hulking, the beast stocky and thick. Heavy armour plates covered its chest and back, tapering down into a pair of abnormal small legs. Its arms were also large like trunks, ending in four long boney fingers. A black helmet infused with its skull. With eyes of pure white, illuminating the darkness, piercing through the shadows of the temple.
Eren instinctively summoned his whip, taking a few steps back to gain ground.
The monster stopped before Eren, eyes bored into him with an eerie sense of intelligence. Analysing the reaper.
"What do you want?" Eren demanded. The beast lets out a roar, the vibrations rippling through the air. It charged towards the reaper.
With practiced speed, Eren rolled out of the way. The creature narrowly missed him, skidding to a halt at the chamber wall.
The beast produced its weapon, a morning star made from bone, a larger hammer stitched on the end.
With its right arm, it swung downwards with a crushing force.
Eren barely managed to dodge in time. The bone spikes cracking the floor, causing a tremor throughout the chamber.
The creature spun around quickly, throwing a bone-breaking left hook. The fist connected with Eren's side, launching him across the chamber, smashing into the far wall.
'What is this thing?' Eren questioned, this was nothing he had faced in the arena. This creature felt different, driven, a purpose behind its whites.
Picking himself off the ground, Eren charged at the monster, intent on fighting back. His whip pierced through the beast’s shoulder. A small chunk of armour fell to the ground, rolling a few meters before settling in place. The monster roared in pain, swinging its weapon wildly in retaliation.
Eren stepped backwards, avoiding the clumsy attacks. Parrying it with ease; slicing chunks of armour and flesh from the beast with each counter. Blood splashed across the floor.
The creature stopped its flailing, grabbing a hold of Eren's appendage. "Shit!" He cursed as it swung him about like a ragdoll.
Around and around, the ceiling blurring past in a spiral of motion. His vision darkened as unconsciousness threatened.
Letting go, the reaper was launched across the chamber, colliding with the walls in a crash. Landing near the silent reaper who had been observing the fight from afar.
"Are you going to help?" Eren wheezed out, dazed, and confused. Charon remained motionless, silent as a statue. "Never...fucking mind." Eren muttered to himself.
The creature approached again, wielding its massive hammer of bone, intent on ending this battle. Charon walked away whilst the monster charged towards Eren. Hitting the ground with force, breaking the floor in two. The beast let out a frustrated roar, spraying blood everywhere, turning to face Eren once more.
Swinging wildly, Eren ducked under the attack, piercing through its left knee joint. A flurry of whip strikes pierced through armour and flesh. Crimson blood flowed freely from the beasts’ wounds, landing atop Eren's white hair. The creature stumbled forward, armouring cracking, flesh split open. The beast collapsed on the ground, body spasming from shock.
"Good riddance." Eren huffed in exhaustion, retreating to a safe distance. The creature slowly rose to its feet once again.
Its wounds healing themselves, flesh sizzling together, remaining amour falling to the ground; what remained were deep scars and furry skin. Sensation of sinister energy filling the air; Eren could not see it but the creature grinned behind the veil of its mask. Delighting in its long-forgotten purpose.
'Fuck this.' Eren cursed in his head, realizing the futility of trying to damage it. Instead, catching up to Charon who delved deeper into the ruins. However, the creature refused to let its prey go. Quicker now with every step, chasing down the reaper.
Smacking Eren into the ground, bouncing off the stone, skidding to a halt at the feet of Charon. "Is this part of the test?" Eren groaned. The silent reaper gave no response, proceeding deeper into the temple.
Eren rose slowly into the air by the leg. Like a toy for the beast to play with. Throwing him through the air, cratering through into an open chamber.
Unlike the rest of the temple, this room was well maintained. The walls, while cracked and chipped, retained much of their original splendour, the paint vibrant, and the statues majestic.
The Reaper rolled onto his stomach, pushing himself to his knees. Vision blurry, head throbbing, the ringing in his ears drowning out the distant clicking of bone. The creature stepped through the archway, its stomps harder now, threatening to collapse the entire structure.
"You just don't quit, do you?" Eren muttered in annoyance. His strength had all but drained away. This monster, while easy to defeat in terms of stats, was different. Its regenerative properties a perfect counter to Eren's offensive abilities.
Not all was lost however; there was a glimmer of hope, the back of the room revealed a large altar, atop a flight of stairs. White stone reflecting the dim light from outside, an obsidian ring glistened at the centre of the altar.
The obsidian ring, unlike anything he had seen before, pulsed with energy, allure of design.
A loud crash ripped Eren out of his contemplation. Turning to see the creature up close, its white eyes burning bright as a flame, glaring down at the reaper. A fleeting glimpse was all that was allowed, the massive fist connected hard, launching Eren across the chamber into a pile of rubble.
‘Reaper…’
Charon stood at the base of the stairs, eyeing Eren then the roof above, about to fold under the strain of battle.
With all the speed and strength Eren could muster, Eren flicked his whip above, slicing through the ceiling; rubble and stone collapsing down. Pinning the creature within a mountain of debris.
‘Reaper.’
He staggered towards the altar, ascending the on hands and knees, dragging himself up the stairs. Exhaustion creeping into every inch of his body. The rings presence more substantial now, whispers filling the young reapers mind.
"Come to me... wield me..." It whispered.
Every step brought a pained roar from the beast, one goal, its reason of being under threat.
"Reaper, Reaper, Reaper." Chorus of whispers grew stronger. "Take us!"
Now above it, the ring faintly glowed. Attraction magnetic; an invisible force pulling Eren in. As soon as the reaper made contact tendrils burst forth, wrapping around his arm, crawling up towards his shoulder.
Clawing under his skin, turning his body black and veins dark red.
He was gone.
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Moments later, he awoke. Time slowed to a crawl, voices quelled and pain dissipated. The beast having broken free, charged towards Eren. Not to toy with him longer, but a posture that screamed scurried haste.
Its purpose now void.
The only thing on the beast's mind was the artifact in front of it, to ensure its safety.
The ring now glowed an unnatural blue; with each pulsing beat the floor trembled. Exactly one thought ran through Eren's mind.
'Hunger.' The young reaper raised his left hand as he would with his whip.
Instead of his bone appendage, volleys of tendrils erupted from the palm. They rushed towards the beast, wrapping around its massive bulk. Clinging to its flesh, breaking it down with each lash of black.
The creature howled, swatting, protecting what little it had left. Blood spewing from the black void.
The creature lost its will, movements low, encased in deeper despair. Nothing remained of the beast, the battle a memory soon faded.
Waves of nausea hit Eren hard, forcing him to his knees, breathing deep gulps of air. Stomach emptying with each exhale.
"Jesus, I've had enough of this place." Eren stood up, taking one last look at the mess around him. To think, once a grand temple stood here.
Now nothing but a shattered shell, filled with stone and death.
Charon sat at the base of the stairs, watching with silent approval. His arms rested on his staff. Eren walked past leading Charon out of the temple, triumph flowered with each step. Victory.
The end was in sight, he just had to finish it. Although the feeling of having lost something lingered. Something that has changed within him, a loss, or a gain? For we could not tell.