Eren guided his spectral steed down the charred remains of the main road, its translucent hooves making no sound as they passed over the scorched earth. His cloak billowed faintly in the cold breeze, which carried the acrid smell of smoke and ash. His gaunt figure seemed to meld with the ruins around him, a specter wandering through a dead world. His dark eyes flickered with a quiet intensity as they scanned the rubble, searching for any hint of the artifact the spirit had mentioned.
Kael walked beside him, her stride purposeful, though her shoulders were tense. Her crimson eyes darted from one ruined building to another, sharp and alert, while her fingers absently traced the hilt of her sword. She looked like a predator, ready to strike, but there was a hint of something else in her expression—lingering sadness, buried under layers of determination.