Eren's footsteps echoed through the catacombs, the oppressive air pressing against his chest like a weight. The faint glow of the shard ahead pulsed rhythmically, casting eerie shadows on the stone walls. Each step felt heavier, as though the very ground was trying to drag him back.
His hand brushed against the hilt of his blade—a hollow comfort. He knew no weapon would protect him from what awaited. The voice of the grimoire hummed in his mind, soothing and sinister.
"Do you feel it, Eren? The shard calls to us. Its power is yours for the taking. No one can stop you."
The grimoire's whispers were seductive, yet his mind churned with doubt. The stranger's words echoed in his ears: "That shard is no tool. It's a curse. To touch it is to invite ruin." But what choice did he have? This was no ordinary artifact—it was a fragment of the old gods' power.
"Power is never free," Eren muttered under his breath, his voice lost in the vast emptiness around him.
The faint sound of shuffling behind him snapped him from his thoughts. The stranger—cloaked in shadow and exuding quiet menace—stood at the edge of the chamber.
"Don't do this," the stranger called out, their voice sharp with urgency. "That shard doesn't belong to you. You don't understand what it can do."
Eren turned to face them, his expression hard. "Then tell me. What is it?"
The stranger stepped closer, their movements deliberate and measured. "The shard is a fragment of the Eclipse Core, an ancient relic that binds the power of gods. It doesn't just grant power—it devours the soul of its wielder. It's how the calamities began."
The grimoire's voice cut through Eren's thoughts, mocking. "And who are they to decide what you can or cannot wield? A relic of gods belongs to no one but the one who dares to claim it."
Eren's hand clenched into a fist. He couldn't trust either of them—one wanted to stop him, the other sought to control him. But he wasn't a pawn. He was done being powerless, done with letting the world dictate his fate.
"I don't have time for riddles," Eren said, his voice firm. He stepped closer to the shard, its glow intensifying as if recognizing his presence.
The stranger drew a blade from beneath their cloak. Its edge shimmered with an unnatural light, radiating a strange warmth. "You won't walk away from this, boy. Put the shard down, or I'll stop you myself."
Eren's grip tightened on the hilt of his own weapon, though he didn't draw it. His gaze remained locked on the shard, its glow reflecting in his eyes. "If you know what this shard can do, then you know why I can't walk away. I need power, and this world isn't going to hand it to me."
The stranger lunged, their blade cutting through the air with precision. Eren barely managed to dodge, the edge grazing his arm. Pain flared, but he forced himself to focus. Drawing his weapon, he met the stranger's next strike. Steel clashed against steel, the sound reverberating through the chamber.
"You think you can control it?" the stranger snarled, their movements relentless. "You'll be consumed just like the rest!"
Eren gritted his teeth, parrying another blow. "Better to try and fail than to sit in the dirt waiting to die!"
The fight was fierce but brief. With a surge of desperation, Eren feinted to the side, dodging a killing blow. He kicked the stranger back, sending them sprawling. Without a moment's hesitation, he turned and reached for the shard.
The moment his fingers touched its surface, a wave of energy exploded outward. The chamber shook violently, dust and debris falling from the ceiling. Eren's vision blurred as the power of the shard coursed through him, burning hot and cold all at once.
The stranger scrambled to their feet, their face pale with horror. "You fool! You don't know what you've done!"
But Eren couldn't hear them. The grimoire's voice filled his mind, louder and more commanding than ever.
"Yes, Eren! Do you feel it? The shard is ours now. Together, we will forge a new path—one of strength, one of dominion."
Images flashed before his eyes—memories of the past, visions of the future. He saw the ruins of his village, the faces of those he'd lost, and the broken world that surrounded him. But he also saw something else: a throne of shadows, armies bowing before him, and the power to reshape everything.
The shard's glow dimmed, its energy now absorbed into Eren's body. He staggered, his breathing ragged, but the power within him was undeniable. His wounds were gone, his senses sharper, his strength amplified.
The stranger approached cautiously, their blade lowered but still at the ready. "You've sealed your fate. That power will destroy you from the inside."
Eren met their gaze, his expression unreadable. "Maybe. But I'll decide what to do with it—not you, not the gods, and not this cursed world."
The stranger sheathed their blade, their eyes narrowing. "You're a fool, Eren Veylen. But maybe a fool is exactly what this world needs."
Without another word, they disappeared into the shadows, leaving Eren alone in the chamber.
He stood there for a long moment, the weight of the shard's power settling over him. The grimoire's voice hummed softly, satisfied.
"You've taken the first step, Sovereign. Now, the world will tremble before you."
Eren turned and walked out of the catacombs, his resolve hardened. He didn't trust the grimoire, but he couldn't deny the power it had given him. For now, he would wield it, master it, and carve a path forward.
And when the time came, he would decide what kind of ruler he would be.