Chapter 19: The Confrontation

The hostile presence revealed itself that night. Eren had suspected Darius was up to something, but he hadn't expected to be ambushed in the courtyard under the moon's pale light. A group of students, all loyal to Darius, encircled Eren and Kaelena like a pack of wolves. Darius stood at the forefront, his smirk as infuriating as ever, but there was a new intensity in his eyes—a hunger for power that sent a chill down Eren's spine.

"Hand over the Shard," Darius demanded, his tone cold and commanding. The faint hum of his powers began to fill the air, making the hairs on Eren's arms stand on end.

Eren squared his shoulders, determination flickering in his eyes. "And if I don't?"

Darius's smirk widened, revealing a glint of malice. "Then I'll take it by force. You should know by now, Eren, that I always get what I want."

Before Eren could respond, Darius's followers moved in. Their abilities ranged from elemental control to enhanced strength, each one a formidable opponent. Kaelena wasted no time, unleashing a barrage of crackling lightning that forced several attackers to scatter. Eren followed her lead, hurling fireballs at the advancing students, but it quickly became clear they were outmatched.

Darius himself was a whirlwind of energy, his movements precise and lethal. He manipulated the ground beneath Eren's feet, sending jagged spikes of stone shooting upward. Eren barely dodged, the sharp edges grazing his side. Kaelena cried out as one of the students managed to land a solid hit, knocking her to the ground.

Eren's frustration mounted. Every move he made seemed to be countered effortlessly. The Shard in his pocket pulsed faintly, as if responding to his desperation. He could feel its power, tantalizingly close yet just out of reach. Clenching his fists, he called on every ounce of his strength, channeling it into a fiery explosion that forced the attackers to retreat momentarily.

Darius, however, remained unfazed. He strode forward, the ground rippling beneath his feet. "Is that all you've got?" he taunted. "You're not worthy of the Shard's power."

Eren gritted his teeth, his mind racing. He needed to think strategically. Summoning a smaller, more focused flame, he directed it at the ground between himself and Darius. The resulting smoke created a brief window of cover. "Kaelena, now!" he shouted.

Kaelena sprang into action, her lightning slicing through the smoke to disorient their opponents. Together, they managed to create enough chaos to break free from the encirclement. But Darius wasn't finished. With a roar of fury, he launched a massive wave of energy that sent Eren sprawling.

As Eren struggled to his feet, the Shard's glow intensified. A strange calm settled over him, and for a brief moment, he felt an unfamiliar force guiding his actions. Without fully understanding how, he unleashed a concentrated burst of fire that collided with Darius's attack. The resulting shockwave knocked both sides backward, leaving a scorched patch of earth between them.

Darius glared at Eren, his expression a mix of rage and grudging respect. "You've made a powerful enemy," he said, his voice low and venomous. "This isn't over."

With that, he signaled his followers to retreat. They vanished into the shadows, leaving Eren and Kaelena alone in the aftermath. The courtyard was eerily silent, save for the crackling of dying flames.

Eren collapsed to his knees, clutching the Shard tightly. Its glow had dimmed, but the weight of its power lingered. "This isn't over," he muttered, echoing Darius's words. But unlike Darius, his resolve was fueled not by ambition, but by a fierce determination to protect what mattered.