The air in the restricted library remained still, but Eren's heartbeat pounded like a war drum. He clenched the old tome in his hands, his fingers tightening against the brittle pages.
The shadows had spoken to him.
They had tried to erase him.
And he had barely survived.
His system interface still displayed the last message.
[Quest Updated: Secrets of the Veil]
[New Objective: Survive.]
Survive?
The weight of those words settled deep in his chest. Whatever force had tried to consume him—it wasn't an accident. He had uncovered something forbidden, and now, the world itself seemed to be reacting to his presence.
He needed to leave.
Shoving the book into his coat, he turned on his heel and moved swiftly towards the exit. The heavy wooden door groaned as he pushed it open, and the moment he stepped into the academy corridors, the tension in his muscles eased slightly.
But the unease didn't fade.
Someone—or something—was still watching him.
---
An Unwelcome Guest
Eren moved through the dimly lit corridors of the academy, his footsteps light but steady. The usual comforting silence of the night now felt oppressive, as if the very walls were holding their breath.
A flickering lantern illuminated the hallway ahead, casting long, distorted shadows.
Then he felt it.
A presence.
Cold. Unnatural.
His instincts screamed at him. Without hesitation, he ducked behind a pillar, slowing his breath.
Then, he saw them.
Two figures clad in dark robes moved silently down the hallway. Their steps made no sound, as if they weren't walking on the floor but gliding just above it.
Not students.
Not instructors.
They were something else.
His system flickered to life.
[Scanning Targets…]
[Error: Unable to Identify.]
Eren's eyes narrowed. Even the system couldn't recognize them? That meant only one thing—they didn't belong to this world.
The figures stopped suddenly, mere steps away from where he hid.
A deep voice whispered, barely audible.
"The Mark has awakened."
"It has begun."
A second voice, softer but colder, replied.
"He saw beyond the veil. That is forbidden."
"He must be removed."
Eren's grip tightened.
They were talking about him.
His breathing slowed. Every muscle in his body screamed at him to run, but he couldn't. If he made a sound, if he moved even an inch—he knew they would notice.
And then, death would be inevitable.
Seconds stretched into eternity.
Then, the taller figure spoke.
"The shadows whisper his name. But he is not ready."
"Then we wait."
And just like that, they vanished.
The hallway was empty once more, as if they had never existed.
Eren exhaled sharply, feeling the tension leave his body in waves.
They knew him.
They were waiting for him.
And that was perhaps even more terrifying than if they had attacked outright.
---
A Dangerous Truth
Back in his dorm, Eren locked the door behind him and collapsed into the chair by his desk. The old tome from the restricted library sat before him, its faded cover almost mocking him.
He had risked everything to get this.
And now, he had to make it worth it.
Taking a deep breath, he flipped through the pages once more, searching for answers.
Lines of ancient text detailed the history of the Marked Ones—those cursed to exist between life and death, between power and oblivion.
Then, a passage caught his eye.
"The Mark is not a gift, but a burden. It is a door, a bridge to forces beyond comprehension. Those who bear it are hunted—not because they are dangerous, but because they are necessary."
Necessary?
Eren frowned.
Everything he had heard before painted the Marked Ones as outcasts, cursed beings meant to be eradicated. But this suggested something else entirely.
He turned the page.
"The true danger is not the Mark itself, but what lies beyond it. To awaken the Mark fully is to invite the gaze of Those Who Dwell in the Rift. And once they see you, they will never unsee you."
A shiver ran down his spine.
The Rift.
That must have been what he glimpsed earlier—that battlefield filled with monstrous figures, locked in endless war.
And if they had seen him…
Then it was already too late.
---
A Choice to Make
A soft knock at the door made Eren tense.
He quickly shut the book and hid it beneath his desk before standing.
Opening the door slightly, he saw a familiar face.
Lilia.
Her deep violet eyes were filled with concern, her usually composed expression betraying the slightest hint of worry.
"You weren't at dinner," she said. "And you look like hell."
Eren forced a smirk. "You sure know how to compliment someone."
She crossed her arms. "No jokes. What's going on?"
He hesitated.
Could he tell her? Could he trust anyone with this?
One wrong move, and he might drag her into something she couldn't escape.
But if he stayed silent, he'd be completely alone in this.
For the first time in a long while, Eren felt trapped.
And he hated it.