Kael woke to the faint sound of boots scuffing against the dirt floor of their shack. His gray eyes snapped open, his hand immediately going to the dagger he kept hidden under his pillow. The dim light of dawn filtered through the cracks in the walls, casting long shadows across the room.
Eren was pacing, his brow furrowed, his arms crossed tightly across his chest. He was muttering to himself, though the words were too low for Kael to make out.
Kael sat up slowly, the dagger still in his hand. "What's the matter with you?"
Eren flinched, startled by the sudden sound. He turned to Kael, his face caught between excitement and anxiety. "You're up. Good. I've got news."
Kael raised an eyebrow, his tone flat. "It's barely dawn. Whatever this is, it had better be important."
"It is," Eren said, a flicker of determination cutting through his nervousness. He gestured toward the door. "Come on. You need to see this."
Kael sighed but slid the dagger back under his pillow and stood. He didn't trust Eren's optimism nothing good ever came to the slums this early in the day. Still, he grabbed his satchel and followed him outside.
The slums were already stirring, the narrow streets alive with the sounds of people beginning their day. Vendors shouted over one another, peddling scraps of food and scavenged tools, while children darted through the alleys, playing games Kael had long outgrown.
Eren led Kael through the crowded streets, his pace brisk and his expression unusually serious.
"What's this about?" Kael asked, keeping his voice low.
"You'll see," Eren replied, his tone clipped.
They passed through the heart of the slums and into a quieter section near the outskirts, where fewer people lingered. The buildings here were crumbling, their foundations warped by time and neglect. Eren stopped near the remnants of an old fountain, its basin cracked and overgrown with weeds.
Kael frowned. "You dragged me out here for this?"
Eren turned to him, his eyes alight with conviction. "Listen. There's a tamer patrol recruiting today."
Kael's expression darkened. "You think I care about that?"
"You should," Eren shot back. "This is our chance, Kael. A real chance to get out of here."
Kael folded his arms, his tone icy. "Out of here and into what? Their little army? Serving nobles who look down on us?"
Eren bristled. "It's not like that. Not every tamer is like the ones who stomp through the slums. Some of them protect people. That's what I want to do. And you could, too."
Kael stared at him, his gray eyes unreadable. "You're wasting your time."
"Am I?" Eren stepped closer, his voice rising. "You're always watching them, studying them. Don't tell me you don't care. You're smarter than half those nobles, Kael. You could be better than any of them if you just tried."
Kael's jaw tightened. "Better? You think I want to be like them?"
Eren hesitated the fire in his eyes dimming. "I think you're better than this," he said softly. "Better than hiding in the shadows, waiting for something to happen."
Kael turned away, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Then come with me," Eren said, his tone almost pleading. "Just see what they're offering. If it's nothing, fine. But what if it's real? What if we have a shot at something more?"
Kael didn't respond immediately. His mind raced, torn between his instincts and the faint flicker of curiosity Eren's words had sparked.
"Fine," he said, at last, his voice cold. "I'll go. But don't expect me to believe their lies."
The recruiting station was set up in the market square, where a temporary platform had been erected. A handful of tamers stood at attention, their gleaming armor and majestic beasts a stark contrast to the grime and poverty of the slums.
The crowd that had gathered was a mix of desperation and hope. Parents whispered to their children, urging them forward, while others hung back, their faces skeptical.
Kael and Eren stood near the edge of the crowd, watching as the lead tamer, a tall woman with sharp eyes and an air of authority, addressed the gathering. Her beast, a sleek Shadow Panther, lounged at her feet, its glowing eyes scanning the crowd.
"We are here to offer opportunity," the woman announced, her voice clear and commanding. "The academy is searching for those with the potential to become tamers. This is your chance to rise above your circumstances and join the fight to protect humanity."
Kael scoffed under his breath. "Protect humanity. What a joke."
Eren ignored him, his gaze fixed on the platform.
The lead tamer gestured to a small, glowing orb that hovered beside her. "This is an evaluation crystal. It will measure your compatibility with monsters. If you have what it takes, you'll move on to the next stage of training."
One by one, the children were ushered forward to place their hands on the crystal. Most of them were dismissed quickly, the orb glowing faintly before dimming again.
Eren turned to Kael, his expression hopeful. "This is it. I'm going up."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "You think you'll pass?"
Eren grinned. "Only one way to find out."
He stepped forward, joining the line of candidates. Kael stayed where he was, his arms crossed as he watched the process unfold.
When Eren's turn came, he placed his hand on the crystal, his jaw tight with anticipation. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the orb began to glow, faint at first but growing steadily brighter.
The crowd murmured in surprise, and even the lead tamer's sharp eyes widened slightly.
"Interesting," she said, her tone measured. "Step to the side, boy. We'll be speaking with you further."
Eren beamed, his face alight with triumph as he stepped off the platform.
Kael's chest tightened, though he couldn't quite name the emotion. Jealousy? No. It was something colder, darker, a gnawing sense that Eren's success was pulling them in opposite directions.
Eren returned to Kael's side, his grin infectious. "See? I told you. Now it's your turn."
Kael shook his head. "I'm not interested."
Eren frowned. "Why not? You've got just as much potential as I do, maybe more."
Kael's gaze shifted to the tamers on the platform, their polished armor gleaming in the sunlight. He thought of the book hidden beneath the floorboard in their shack, its forbidden knowledge burning in his mind.
"You think this is power?" he said, his voice low. "Letting them decide your worth? Following their rules?"
Eren's smile faltered. "Kael…"
Kael turned away. "Do what you want, Eren. But don't expect me to follow."
Eren grabbed his arm, his grip firm. "You're better than this," he said, his voice laced with frustration. "You're the smartest person I know, Kael. Stop hiding and take the chance."
Kael pulled free, his expression hard. "You don't understand," he said coldly. "And you never will."
He walked away without looking back, his heart pounding in his chest.
Eren didn't follow.
Back in the shack, Kael sat on the floor, staring at the loose floorboard that concealed the book. His mind was a storm of conflicting emotions.
Eren's words lingered, digging into him like splinters. Part of him wanted to laugh at Eren's naïveté. The tamers didn't care about people like them Kael knew that better than anyone. But another part of him, a quieter, more vulnerable part, resented Eren's confidence.
Eren was walking toward the light, toward a life Kael couldn't afford to believe in. And Kael… Kael had chosen the shadows.
He pulled the book from its hiding place, his fingers brushing over its dark, cracked cover. The whispers returned, faint but insistent, urging him forward.
Opening the book, Kael saw as the runes began to glow, Kael felt the weight of his decision settle over him. Eren's path was his own, but Kael had chosen differently. He would carve his future, even if it meant leaving everyone else behind.
In the end, there was no room for light in the shadow he was becoming.