Eren's Ascension

" Shit, What's happening now?"

" Beasts, maybe even monsters." Levy's perplexed gaze landed on sweaty eren, who remained asleep even after getting slapped few times.

" Why this?" Nina gretted her teeth in anger, it was middle of night in dangerously creepy forest and this was the only time she got to take a breather in two days yet even that was disturbed.

" Well then next time think before you act, It's all because of that boy."

Levy's expression that of fear hidden within the facade of abhorrent, Nina felt heartbroken even without knowing the reason why he said it.

She was angry yet couldn't revolt at him, she knew he was logical and pragmatic. Avoiding all possible trouble that would harm him, it made him sharply smart and emotionless with friendly face.

" We gotta leave him here, It's too thin for you to sense but slowly and surely he's causing rippples in the mana, it's attracting those troubles." Without mincing his words, levy explained.

" what?!!!" Nina's face paled in disbelief, She couldn't understand what went wrong but her child heart couldn't fathom this unfortunate unfolding situation.

" No, You took his money- you can't leave him alone, he's just a blind child." Her eyes teary from overwhelming emotions.

" Look again, he's a monster in child's skin and money-" levy cut her off, his emotion volatile and expression angry. Fear visibly increased on his face as each second passed.

" Fuck him and fuck you, I'm outta here."

he threw gold pouch in arrogant manner, his face hardened with anger and with that he stormed out in rush.

Leaving those poor souls behind without shred of guilt, Nina fell in baffling situation. Her heart raced in fear yet her mind shattered with sadness.

She couldn't read the unfolding unexpected situation.

Levy's face appeared on her mind, when he saved her, when they travelled together and when they ate together. Was that all only meant only this much?- for him to leave without any remorse.

Overwelmed by emotion her chest rose yet throat tightened with airway choked in heartbreak.

Her gaze landed on unconscious Eren, several if not more thoughts screamed to leave him and run away but Despite the betrayal and fear of death, she remained adamant on her judgement.

She tried waking him but to no avail, Not waiting any further she lifted him with her weak body and ran as fast she could.

What she didn't realise that the causative factor of all this trouble was sleeping on her back, Means wherever she'll go beasts will follow.

She didn't understand that risk or maybe she didn't needed to think that hard.

With his life on the line she ran as fast as she could, suddenly a huge presense was felt from behind.

She couldn't dare to look behind much less take a single step but she didn't realise how fortunate she was.

Red eyes glowed behind her, beastky eyes that showed ferocious emotions, peered into eren, seemingly perplexed.

Maybe it was this presense that stopped the Eren's unconscious body to fear even in sleep and finally stopping mana signals, ofcourse everything was done unintentionally.

Nina's body shook like leaf, her back drenched in sweat as she held her breathing to not make a peep.

But what troubled her soon vanished with silent wind and what followed was the chilling silence. there were no beasts or monsters in vicinity.

It took everything she had to gather a drop of will, to control over her stiff body and make robotic movements. Her hands tightly holding eren loosened and he fell, still unconscious.

Nina herself plopped down with breaths that would suck everything with rigour, her hands still tremored from that horrifying presense.

Only after several dozens minutes she gathered her thoughts clear, looking behind where danger was no longer and then to eren still lying unconscious, but his body not so much sweaty anymore.

All the insticts that screamed of dangers were gone, so much so that it felt weird with not even small pip.

Adrenaline's effect ended and her weak body became even weaker, her mind on verge of falling apart but then she heard melodious female voice from behind.

" Heyy."

Insictively she flinched as she turned, looking behind her eyes widened with shock, body trembled and with that she finally went blank, drifting in unintentional sleep.

The Eight tailed white fox walked out, it's expression just beastly, especially those red eyes.

" Well that went well." Sarcastic remark with childish laugh resounded in forest, only if Nina could hear her. She would go crazy from shock.

The white fox observed two kids, especially focusing on eren with complexity of her otherworldly sharp eyes.

It remained steady for few moments before finally sitting, relaxing and deciding to wait for these kids to wake up.

Afterall she needed to clean the shit she'd created, unintentionally but shit still.

*******

" Wha- where am I?" In all the confusion of where he was? , how could he see?, what was this place? and how were you here?, he barely managed ask one in bewildering situation.

What seemed like collosal mountain shaped abnormally, changed its posture. Red eyes glowed And instant that it's big mouth was ready to devour eren.

In mere moment, eren resigned his life, expecting a very painful death yet what he saw was a huge fox face few inches before him.

Saliva drooling showing intense desire burning in it's eyes to devour, glaring eyes that seemed look down on everything and open mouth, growling powerfully. As if trying to instill fear into helpless child.

And it did succeed in it as Eren fell on his butt, heart pumped and sweating buckets.

All the emotions he felt till now were overshadows by intense fear, fear that would swallow him whole.

Suddenly fox's head perked up, it's eyes that only longed craving changed to one that of pure hatred, It's pow heavy already dug into ground yet no dust rose.

Roar...

" There will be no next time." Eren's mInd went blank next as he heard the threatening voice again, and with that world vanished into mist. His mind blankly drifting in darkness before finally closing and when it opened again, there was nothing but darkness.

Unlike before his body felt even more sore, beated and lethargic but that and his blind sight gave him picture of true reality.

" You sure took a long nap." The same voice that threatened him just now sounded beside him, And as obvious reaction he flinched in fear but unlike before he couldn't feel the anguish and hatred.

The voice was calm, relaxed and maybe even joking a little.

" So how was that monster?" Eren recalled the moment where Eight tail fox's terrifying presense made him feel weak on the knees, in fear his forehead dripped with sweat.

" Why?"

" That's not the accurate question but sure?, you see the last time I met you and ended up causing you great trouble.

Apparantly I created even more ginormous trouble, unknowingly ofcourse. The thing you saw is that trouble." As much as her explanation was vague and shallows so was her apology, empty with not much guilt.

" That monster? What does it want?" As he regained, his somewhat understood concept led him to this question.

A very important if not along the line like, Who are you?, How do you know all this?, And what did you do or what you were trying to do? And lastly what's happening?

" To devour your soul, took over your body. It's already showing effect as you're able to use mana.

I can't explain in detail but don't use those powers, not right now and come with me.

I can help you." Maybe for the first time in all this conversation this white fox sounded genuinely serious, or maybe the one she wanted to help wasn't him.

Eren's couldn't see, much less understand the words of unknown voice whose true appearance he didn't even knew but precautions was best medicine.

He nodded in response as he spoke,

" I'll avoid using mana but I can't go with you." His expression, melancholic guilt he felt towards Nina who he subconsciously dragged into this mess, reflected on his face.

" Is that so? Then good luck." And with that the huge figure vanished in air, Eren remained silent when he heard someone's steps growing closer.

" You survived again huh!!!" A voice eren knew very well, sharp and dominating with most emotions hidden within.

" Levy what happened here and who was she?"

" There's no one other than you and nina, who're you talking about?"

Is he the only one who hear it?Such question rose as fast it vanished. Afterall this wasn't his first time being this confused but putting that behind, he focused on present.

" You almost got us killed?" Levy's word confused him further, Standing levy looked at eren as if he was looking at weird creature. He didn't show fear but a thought of ending this anomaly right here and right now sure passed his mind, especially since Nina was unconscious.

" What do you mean?" a little fearful of what he might hear next, Eren asked.

Sigh....

" Fuck why do I have to fucking always, ALWAYS...." as much as he felt exhausted from thought of explaining, he felt irritated.

" You devoured those beasts, you pushed us into this situation. You're a curse, atleast be sensible enough to let Nina walk out alive from here and for god's sake, leave us alone." Levy meant to explain it calmly but exhaustion from running and killing beasts, with frustration of carrying these child around made him angry. All that good person vibe fell off, his demenour now no longer good.

He thought atleast this way he can push him aside, cast him away but for eren, this was another hard blow to his psyche.

He quickly accepted the fact that he was more than what they accounted for and sure he didn't wanted to be burden but simple thought of living in solitude scared him.

" You said one needs to live before he chose death and now?"

" I'm not saying that, just walk away and don't look back."

Eren needed a reason to get back but there was nothing he could say, he was helpless but not pitiful.

He didn't wanted to be burdened by generosity and pity, he understood it firsthand when lily offered the help in saving his brother.

Atleast levy was man enough to not lie to him. Eren stood up, his legs weak and sore just like every part but with what little courage he could manage, walked away. Not even knowing which direction he's going and where he'll reach.

His hard choice bewildered levy to some extent but logical personality like him would never be able to understand Eren's prideful behaviour.

This was what left of humanity inside eren was making him do and he chose to accept it.

Walking in dark path.

******

Next morning.

Rays of sun peeked through leaves, as it disturbed Nina's blissful sleep but second she felt her conscious awake, her emotion flared. The vision of horrifying eight tail fox emerged in memory, her eyes still unfocused but widely opened in horror.

" Eren-Eren..." Nina shouted, searching his presense around but only saw levy. She didn't expected him to be here but her mind still occupied with concern for eren.

" Where is Eren?" Despite uneasiness she felt in her heart, her voice firm and solemn. She felt angry and betrayed.

" Not even thank you for watching over you all night." He smiled jokingly but Nina wasn't up for any mild talk.

"Stop with the bullshit and tell me where is he?" Her eyes glaring intently, Levy sighed as he told her everything with regretful sorrow but to Nina, those meant nothing.

" You piece of shit."

" Language."

" you spineless fucker, how can you even call yourself a man after sending a pitiful child to his death." It was obvious reaction levy expected from Nina, she was emotional and made choices that were questionable from levy's perspective.

She wasn't wrong but in cruel world where they lived, where human were enough as it is but even vampires feasted upon their blood and emotions, that kind of mindset was problematic.

Levy knew all that, hence also the reason he pushed eren away. Today was just beasts but what about future, what if boy bring vampires to his doorstep. Such was his concerns but despite how logical, selfish but logical it sounded- he couldn't utter a single word.

" You motherfucker-"

" Shut up- He was an abomination. Don't you see this, do you even know how many corpses are around us, hidden behind those trees.

Few dozens and they died just like that, just imagine those horrors.

That boy bring us nothing but doom, forget about him and we're out of here." his frustration, anger and fear as he saw those mutilated beasts littered around was visible in his eyes.

Obviously he didn't see white fox or his soul might have left the body, Nina remembered horrific creature's presence and she had no doubt it was behind it.

She was saved because of that creature and what levy said also was true but her mind couldn't just accept this.

" No, I don't care what you say. I going to find him."

" Stop Stop.." Levy tried to stop her but just then another presense appeared.

" What's this, a lover's quarrel." old but bone chilling creepy voice.

Both Nina and levy felt that, Feeling of death. Their Sweat dripped profusely and legs trembled by just impulsive voice.

And middle age man walked closer , His presense grew larger and so was the horror reflecting in Nina's eyes.

But he wasn't alone, another few dozen came in sight soon after. It was like they walked out of thin air.

They all were different in age, size and built. Some even females but there characteristics features couldn't be more clear.

Pale faces, dark hair, Blood thirsty eyes and canine teeth on their plastered menacing smiles.

Vampires.