The spirit's voice trembled, the faint light of its ethereal form flickering as it spoke. "The voice... it was deep, smooth... cold as ice. Male, I think. No accent, but there was a weight to his words, like... like they could crush you without raising his tone." It shivered, as if reliving the memory of the unseen presence. "He called himself... the Pale One."
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Eren's expression darkened, his sunken eyes narrowing. He straightened, his skeletal frame casting an elongated shadow that seemed to stretch unnaturally in the dim light. "The Pale One," he repeated, his voice low, almost a growl. "Did he give you anything else? A symbol, a token?"
The spirit hesitated, its form flickering once more. "A coin," it said finally. "Silver, marked with a skull on one side and a pair of scales on the other. We... we didn't question it."
Eren extended his hand, palm up, his skeletal fingers splayed. "Show me," he commanded, his tone absolute.
The spirit trembled but obeyed. Its translucent form began to pulse, and with a sound like shattering glass, the image of the coin appeared above Eren's palm. It floated there, spinning slowly, the intricate details of the skull and scales gleaming in the pale light. Eren studied it for a long moment, his expression unreadable.
Kael, standing a few paces behind, stepped closer, her arms uncrossing as her curiosity got the better of her. "That coin," she said, her voice steady but questioning. "Do you recognize it?"
Eren closed his hand, the image of the coin dissipating like smoke. He turned to face her, his gaunt features etched with a grim intensity. "It's a marker," he said simply. "A calling card for a network of assassins—mercenaries for hire, bound by blood oaths and contracts written in shadow."
Kael's crimson eyes widened, a flicker of unease crossing her face. "You think this Pale One is their leader?"
Eren's gaze shifted back to the spirit, his expression hardening. "He's either their leader," he said, his voice as cold as the grave, "or someone powerful enough to use them without fear of reprisal." He tilted his head slightly, his tone darkening. "Either way, he's responsible for this."
The spirit quivered, its form beginning to waver as if struggling to maintain its connection to the living world. Eren regarded it silently for a moment before speaking again, his voice quieter but no less commanding. "Who else knows about the contract?"
The spirit's light flickered violently, its voice a strained whisper. "No one... we... we were told to burn all traces. No survivors... no witnesses..." It faltered, its form growing fainter. "I... I can't... stay..."
Eren blinked, his gaunt face betraying a moment of surprise before a dry chuckle escaped his lips. The sound was low and rough, like stones scraping together, but there was genuine amusement there, a rare thing. He leaned back slightly in his saddle, his skeletal fingers tapping idly on the pommel of his sword.
"Well," he said, his voice laced with mock sympathy, "I guess they were just making you more durable for me to torture. Payback for all the bullying you dished out back in my manaless days." His lips curled into a smirk, the expression cold yet teasing, his gaunt features softening ever so slightly.
Kael scoffed, the sound sharp and dismissive, her crimson eyes narrowing as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You wish," she shot back, her voice brimming with indignation. She took a step closer, her boots crunching against the charred ground, and jabbed a finger in his direction. "I got this power because of you." Her smirk widened into a full grin, one that was equal parts annoyance and smug satisfaction. "Your sudden, unexplainable rise to power? Someone had to balance the scales. So no, Eren, this isn't about you torturing me. It's about me gaining the strength to whoop your ass."
Eren tilted his head, his smirk deepening, the hollows of his cheeks catching the faint light in sharp contrast. His eyes glimmered with amusement, and he arched a brow as he looked her up and down, his bony fingers tracing slow circles on the pommel of his blade. "Oh?" he said, his tone challenging yet playful. "Is that so?"
Kael's grin didn't waver. If anything, it grew sharper. She leaned in slightly, closing the space between them, her crimson eyes blazing with defiance. "That's right," she said, her voice steady, her tone daring him to argue. "You might've gotten stronger, but don't forget who trained you. If anyone's handing out payback, it's going to be me."
For a moment, neither moved. The tension between them crackled like the embers of the ruins around them. Then, Eren let out another low chuckle, shaking his head slightly. "You're as insufferable as ever," he muttered, but his tone carried a faint undercurrent of fondness, buried deep beneath the layers of sarcasm.
Kael smirked, uncrossing her arms and stepping back. "And you're still a stubborn idiot," she shot back, her tone light but tinged with genuine warmth.
Eren's expression shifted, the amusement fading slightly as he regarded her with a rare softness. His gaunt features relaxed, and for a brief moment, he seemed almost human again. "Maybe," he said quietly, his voice low. "But it's good to have you here."
Kael blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice. She tilted her head, her crimson eyes searching his face for any trace of mockery. When she found none, her smirk softened into a small, genuine smile. "Yeah," she said, her voice quieter now. "It's good to be here."
The moment lingered, fragile yet grounding, before Eren straightened in his saddle, his commanding presence returning. He glanced toward the horizon, his skeletal fingers tightening around the reins. "Come on," he said, his tone firm once more. "The artifact isn't going to find itself."
Kael nodded, her expression hardening into one of determination. She adjusted her grip on the hilt of her blade, her movements sharp and precise, and fell into step beside him. "Lead the way," she said, her voice steady.
"Sure." Eren said with a smirk before he became serious, "but don't take my fondness like we are friends once again, once I get to the root of this matter, and avenge our village, I will be collecting my debts."