Raya couldn't breathe.
Not because of fear—
but because the air around her felt suddenly too heavy, as if the world itself held its breath.
"A claim?" she whispered again, barely hearing herself. "I'm… owned?"
Eren flinched.
He had faced monsters, shadows, and unspeakable horrors without blinking—
but those words made him look almost fragile.
"It's not ownership the way you're thinking," he murmured.
"It's older. Worse. When a Sovereign marks someone… it means they have chosen you for something. Something only they understand."
Raya's throat tightened.
"Chosen—for what?"
Eren shook his head.
"If I knew, I would've told you the moment we met."
Raya's pulse hammered painfully.
She pressed the heel of her hand to her chest as the realization sank in.
I am being hunted.
Not because I'm unlucky… not because I was in the wrong place…
but because something ancient decided I belong to it.
Her voice shook.
"Eren… am I going to die?"
He looked at her sharply.
"No. Not if I can help it."
Something in his tone—
the way he said I can help it—
made her step back.
"Why are you protecting me?" she whispered.
Eren's jaw tightened.
He didn't answer.
He looked away, eyes narrowed at something only he could sense.
His shoulders rose, tense… alert.
"What is it?" Raya whispered.
Eren didn't blink.
His voice dropped low.
"They've found you."
Raya froze.
Her stomach twisted violently.
"What—who?" she croaked.
Eren turned to her, his face suddenly cold and sharp.
"You cannot run. Not right now."
The lights around them flickered—once… twice…
then the street fell into a suffocating darkness.
Raya's breath hitched.
"Eren…?"
"Stay behind me," he whispered.
His hand brushed hers—accidentally, but the contact sent a shock up her arm. She clung to the fabric of his sleeve as the darkness thickened.
A low, scraping sound echoed from somewhere behind them.
Then another.
Like claws dragging over metal.
Raya's heart slammed against her ribs.
"This wasn't supposed to happen again…"
Eren didn't respond.
His eyes glowed—
not brightly, just barely—
a faint silver shimmer, like moonlight trapped inside them.
"Raya," he murmured,
"no matter what happens… don't run from me."
Before she could ask what he meant, the shadows behind them moved.
No—
they crawled.
Pulling themselves into shape, into limbs, into mouths that stretched too wide, into bodies that shivered unnaturally as they rose from the ground like spilled ink reversing itself.
Three of them.
Revenants.
But not like the first one.
These ones were smaller, thinner…
faster.
Raya stumbled back.
"Eren—please…"
"Close your eyes," he whispered.
"What? Why—"
"Just do it."
Something in his voice—
the edge of command, of fear—
made her obey.
She squeezed her eyes shut—
And the world cracked.
A sound like tearing metal.
A surge of air.
A pulse of heat.
Then a voice, soft and urgent, right near her ear:
"Look at me, Raya."
She opened her eyes—
—and nearly collapsed.
Eren stood between her and the creatures, but he wasn't human anymore.
Not fully.
Shadow swirled behind him, rising in tendrils like smoke with intent. His hair lifted slightly as if caught in a breeze only he could feel. His silver eyes were now glowing like liquid mercury.
And behind him—
something formed.
Not wings.
Not exactly.
Something darker, sharper…
the outline of a shape that didn't belong to this world.
Raya's voice broke.
"Eren… what are you?"
He didn't look back at her.
Only whispered:
"Someone who wasn't supposed to survive either."
The Revenants screeched—
and lunged.
Raya screamed and stumbled back—
Eren moved.
Not fast—
faster than sight.
A shadow burst forward, slicing the first creature into dust. The second leapt; Eren caught it by the throat, his fingers glowing with a burning silver mark that seared the creature like fire.
The third one reached for Raya—
and she froze, breath locking in her lungs.
It was inches from her face when—
Silver light erupted.
Eren's hand slammed against the creature's skull, crushing it into swirling ash.
Raya's legs gave out.
Eren caught her before she hit the ground, his hands gripping her arms tightly.
"Raya—look at me."
Her vision blurred.
Silver eyes.
Warm hands.
A trembling voice.
"You're safe," he breathed.
"I've got you."
But his hands were shaking.
Not from fear—
but from someth
ing else.
Something he didn't want her to see.
Raya swallowed hard.
"Eren… you said you weren't supposed to survive either."
Eren closed his eyes.
And whispered:
"I wasn't.
I'm a Revenant too."