The night air was crisp, carrying the lingering scent of aged stone and arcane energy. The ruins around Eren stood eerily silent, as if they too were waiting for his next move. He turned the silver coin over in his palm, its black sigil etched like a whisper of an invitation—or a warning.
His thoughts were a storm.
Lyra and Veylen.
Who were they, really? A new faction? A cult? Or something else entirely?
"Others like me…"
The words haunted him. He had always assumed he was alone in this struggle, the only one wielding a forbidden grimoire that carried a monstrous price. But if there were more like him, then the world was far more complicated than he had thought.
His fingers tightened around the coin.
Did he dare find out?
---
A Lingering Presence
A sudden shift in the shadows made Eren's instincts flare.
He wasn't alone.
He turned sharply, mana coiling around his fingers in preparation for a spell. His Grimoir of Infinite Malice pulsed against his chest, whispering dark suggestions in a language only he could understand.
Then—a flicker of movement.
Something—or someone—was watching him.
Eren took a slow step forward. "Come out."
The silence stretched for a moment too long before a soft laugh echoed from the darkness.
Then, she emerged.
A woman with violet hair and piercing amber eyes, dressed in flowing dark robes embroidered with symbols he didn't recognize. Unlike Lyra, whose aura had been powerful but controlled, this woman radiated something deeper—something ancient.
She was smiling, but her gaze was sharp.
"Interesting."
Eren didn't let his guard down. "Who are you?"
The woman tilted her head, amusement flickering in her eyes. "I could ask the same."
Eren didn't answer. He had learned long ago that words were weapons, and revealing too much could be fatal.
The woman's smile grew. "Cautious. Good. You'll need that if you intend to survive what's coming."
Eren narrowed his eyes. "And what exactly is coming?"
The woman took a step closer, her presence unsettling in a way he couldn't quite define. "The same thing that's been hunting you since the day you touched that Grimoir."
---
A Warning in the Night
Eren's grip on his magic tightened.
Hunting him?
"What does she know?"
The woman stopped a few feet away, her gaze locked onto his. "The Academy isn't as blind as you think. They've known for a while now. They're just waiting for the right moment."
Eren's chest tightened.
If the Academy already suspected him, then he was on borrowed time.
His mind raced. He had been careful—hadn't he? He had hidden his abilities, only using the Grimoir's power when absolutely necessary.
"Was it not enough?"
The woman sighed. "You have choices, Eren."
His pulse spiked at hearing his name from her lips.
"You can keep running, hiding, pretending the Academy won't eventually turn on you."
She took another step closer, her voice soft but unyielding.
"Or… you can embrace what you are."
---
The Shadows Speak
Eren didn't respond. He wasn't stupid. He knew what she was doing—trying to sway him, just like Lyra and Veylen had.
But unlike them, this woman spoke as if she knew his fate was already sealed.
He exhaled sharply. "And if I refuse?"
For the first time, the woman's smile faded.
"Then you will die."
A chill crawled up his spine.
There was no malice in her tone—only certainty.
Eren's fingers twitched toward his Grimoir. If she attacked, he wasn't sure if he could win in his current state, but he wouldn't go down without a fight.
But then… she did something unexpected.
She turned her back on him.
"Keep the coin." Her voice was softer now. "You'll need it soon."
And then—she was gone.
The wind stirred where she had stood, but there was no trace of her presence left behind. No footprints. No lingering mana signature.
Nothing.
Eren let out a slow breath, his heart still hammering against his ribs.
He looked down at the silver coin in his palm.
Lyra and Veylen had extended an invitation.
Now, this mysterious woman had given him a warning.
One thing was certain.
His time was running out.
---
Decisions and Destinies
Eren stood alone in the ruins for a long while, the weight of the night pressing down on him. His mind swirled with possibilities.
The Academy. The factions. The growing danger.
No matter which path he chose, there was no avoiding it now.
The world was closing in on him.
He had to get stronger.
He had to prepare.
Because soon…
Everything would change.
---
Author's Note
Things are getting intense!
Eren has been thrown into an even deeper web of danger and choices. The Academy knows something, and there are forces trying to pull him in different directions.
Do you think he should trust Lyra and Veylen? What about the mysterious woman?
Let me know in the comments!
— bloodyking99