The days after Eren's trial in the Chamber of Echoes were some of the strangest of his life. While the pendant had quieted, its glow subdued, a new tension had taken its place. Whispers followed him through the halls, eyes lingered on him longer than before, and even some of his classmates—people who had once laughed at his jokes or partnered with him in class—seemed hesitant to approach.
Kaia and Cedric tried to keep things normal. They asked him to sit with them at lunch, roped him into their study groups, and teased him mercilessly about his inability to brew even the simplest potion. But Eren could feel the questions building, bubbling under the surface of every interaction.
"What happened to you, Eren?" Kaia finally asked one evening, after dragging him into an empty alcove near the library.
Cedric stood nearby, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Unlike Kaia's fiery frustration, his expression was calm, though there was a flicker of concern in his gray eyes.
"Nothing," Eren said quickly, looking away.
"Don't give me that," Kaia snapped. "First, you start acting weird in class. Then you disappear with Professor Caelith, and no one will tell us what's going on. And now, half the school is saying you almost burned down the courtyard."
"I didn't mean to," Eren muttered. "It wasn't like that."
"Then what was it like?" Cedric asked quietly.
Eren hesitated. He couldn't tell them everything—not about Aldryn Ashford, or the Ashen Key, or the fiery figure that haunted his visions. If word got out, it would only make things worse. But lying to them didn't sit right either.
"It's… complicated," he said finally.
Kaia crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "Complicated? Eren, we're your friends. Don't you trust us?"
"It's not about trust," Eren said, his voice rising. "It's about keeping you safe. You don't understand—"
"Then make us understand!" Kaia interrupted, stepping closer.
Eren took a step back, gripping the pendant through his robes. The heat was faint now, but he could still feel it, a reminder of the power lurking inside him.
"I can't," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kaia stared at him, her expression hardening. "Fine," she said, turning away. "If you don't want to talk to us, then don't. But don't expect us to just sit around and watch you push us away."
She stormed off, leaving Eren and Cedric alone.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Cedric sighed, pushing himself off the wall. "She'll calm down," he said. "Eventually."
Eren looked at him, surprised. "You're not mad?"
Cedric shrugged. "I get it. You've got something big going on, and you think you're protecting us by keeping it to yourself. But Kaia's right, you know. Whatever it is, it's better to face it with friends."
Eren wanted to believe that, but the memory of the Chamber of Echoes lingered in his mind—the image of Kaia and Cedric turning to ash in his hands. "What if I can't protect you?" he said quietly.
Cedric placed a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe you don't have to."
With that, he walked away, leaving Eren alone in the alcove.
The next day, Eren tried to focus on his lessons, but it was nearly impossible. In charms class, his spells fizzled out halfway through. In magical history, he could barely keep his eyes open. And during sparring practice, his magic flared uncontrollably, sending a bolt of energy careening past his opponent and shattering a training dummy.
The instructor quickly ended the session, sending the rest of the students out early. Eren stayed behind, staring at the charred remains of the dummy.
"You're letting it control you."
Eren turned to see Professor Caelith standing at the edge of the arena, his sharp features unreadable.
"I didn't mean to," Eren said, his shoulders slumping.
"I know," Caelith said, stepping closer. "But intention isn't enough. The Ashen Key is tied to your emotions—fear, anger, doubt. If you don't learn to master it, it will always slip out of your control."
"I'm trying," Eren said, frustration bubbling in his chest. "But every time I think I've got a handle on it, something else happens. It's like… like it wants me to fail."
Caelith studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Meet me in the training grounds tonight. If you want to learn control, we'll start there."
Eren hesitated, but then nodded. He didn't have many options left.
That night, Eren found himself in the empty training grounds, the stars glittering above. Professor Caelith stood in the center, holding a long, silver staff that glowed faintly in the dark.
"Control is not about suppressing your magic," Caelith said as Eren approached. "It's about understanding it—accepting it for what it is, without letting it overwhelm you."
He gestured for Eren to step forward. "Now, summon your magic."
Eren closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He reached for the energy inside him, the way he had been taught in class. But as soon as he tapped into it, the pendant flared to life, flooding him with a surge of heat.
The fire appeared before he could stop it—a swirling mass of orange and gold that danced in the air like a living thing.
"Good," Caelith said. "Now, guide it. Shape it."
Eren tried to focus, his hands trembling as he directed the flames into a controlled arc. For a moment, it seemed to work—the fire followed his movements, coiling around him like a serpent. But then the pendant pulsed, and the flames surged out of control, spreading wildly across the training grounds.
"Stop," Caelith said sharply, raising his staff. A wave of blue energy rippled outward, extinguishing the fire in an instant.
Eren staggered back, his chest heaving. "I can't do this," he said, his voice shaking.
"Yes, you can," Caelith said firmly. "But it will take time. The Ashen Key is part of you, Eren. If you keep fighting it, you'll never gain control. You have to embrace it."
Eren looked down at the pendant, its glow soft but persistent. For the first time, he wondered if Caelith was right. Maybe the key wasn't just a burden—it was a part of him. And if he wanted to master it, he would have to stop running from it.