The Omnipotent System

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."

Stay connected through empire

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's skeletal hand lifted, his fingers curling in a motion that seemed to anchor the spirit in place. "One more question," he said, his tone unyielding. "Why this town? Why these people?"

The spirit shuddered, its form flickering dangerously. "The town… had something he wanted. An artifact, buried deep… an ancient relic… tied to… shadows…" The words broke off, the light of the spirit dimming until it vanished completely, leaving only the lifeless body behind.

Kael let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her crimson eyes flicking to Eren. "An artifact?" she asked, her voice sharp. "What artifact?"

Eren didn't answer immediately. He stared at the corpse for a moment longer before rising to his full height, his cloak settling around him like a shroud. "Something worth killing for," he said finally, his voice heavy with a mix of anger and resolve. "And if it's tied to shadows, it's tied to him."

Kael frowned, stepping closer. "Him?" she pressed. "You mean the Pale One?"

Eren turned to her, his dark eyes burning with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine. "No," he said quietly. "Someone far worse." He glanced toward the horizon, where the faint glow of smoldering ruins still lingered. "This isn't over. Not for them… and not for us."

Kael's expression hardened, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten as she squared her shoulders. "Then we find out who's behind this," she said firmly. "And we make them pay."

Eren nodded, a faint, grim smile touching his lips. "Agreed," he said, his voice low but resolute. He stepped toward his spectral horse, mounting it in one fluid motion. "But first," he added, his tone darkening, "we find that artifact. Whatever it is, it's the key to all of this."

Kael watched him for a moment before moving to join him, her crimson eyes gleaming with determination. "Then let's not waste any more time," she said, her voice steady. "We've got a Pale One to hunt."

Eren pulled the reins of his spectral horse, its translucent form shimmering faintly in the dying light. He turned to Kael, his dark, sunken eyes studying her intently. For a moment, silence stretched between them, save for the faint crackle of embers in the distance. His expression was calm, yet a subtle flicker of curiosity danced in his gaze, a rare break in his otherwise stoic demeanor.

"What happened to you, Kael?" he asked finally, his deep voice cutting through the stillness. His tone carried an edge of suspicion, but also something else—concern, buried beneath layers of old wounds and mistrust. "You're different."

Kael stiffened, her posture straightening as if bracing for a fight. Her crimson eyes locked onto his, unwavering, challenging. The faint smirk that tugged at her lips didn't reach her eyes, but her voice was steady, almost defiant. "The same thing that happened to you happened to me," she said. Her tone was cool, but her words carried a weight that lingered in the air. Then, a shadow of pride crossed her face, a flicker of fire in her gaze. "Except… I got to see who was blessing me."

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."