The feeling Called Despair

Eren fell on his knees in despair after he had gotten farther away from Lilith. He covered his face as he wept silently, the pain was eating him deeply and he could not stop it.

He didn't want any of these to happen but he could not stop it either.

Before he woke up, he saw himself in a dream and there was someone standing before him. The figure had their face covered in a thick fog and he could not say if the figure was a man or woman because they were dressed in a long cloak that covered the whole body. The figure was speaking to him in the dream.

"You are cursed, young one," the figure said in a voice sounding both feminine and masculine.

Eren wanted to speak, to say something but he couldn't. It felt as though his voice and been stolen away from him. He could only listen and cry inwardly while listening to the figure.

"You are an anomaly, you were never meant to be born, never meant to exist in this life or the one after. You were born with the worst fate, a fate that demands you to live and die alone. You can't have friends because they will end up losing their lives just to protect you, you can't have family because you will always live in constant fear of them being caught up in your damnation. You are destined to live and die alone! You are cursed... A blessing in form of a curse and a curse in the form of a blessing, your destiny is a cruel one."

The figure disappeared and that was when Eren woke up. He woke up feeling scared, confused, and bitter.

He wanted to flee, leave the place, find somewhere to hide for as long as he will live, and that's why he left the Academy. He didn't want anyone to be attached to him, he didn't want any friends, relations, or whatever... Just a hidden life.

Lilith could die if she continued to stay with him and that was why he had to do what he did. He had to chase her away, to protect her even when it means hurting their feelings.

This was all he could for her, to pay for all the things she had done for him right from his birth.

While he was still on his knees, Ryker sighted him from afar and ran over to him.

"Kiddo, what's the matter? You suddenly woke up and the first thing you did was leave, just like that?" Ryker asked Eren as he ran to meet him. He bent down and gazed at Eren, and that's when he noticed that the boy was actually sobbing silently.

This got him worried for a second. "What is wrong? Why are you crying?" He asked him but Eren didn't respond and continued to cry. In fact, tears began to drop from his eyes and this bothered Ryker so much. The man didn't know what to do.

"If you won't tell me what the problem is, how am I supposed to help you?" Ryker mumbled.

"Blood... I need blood," Eren sobbed.

"Wh-what?" Ryker stammered.

Eren raised his head and his eyes had began to glow again, black veins stretching out in his face like a tattoo, and he stared at Ryker hungrily.

"I... I don't — Get away from me!" Eren muttered, his words shocking.

Ryker's eyes widened in alarm as he stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet. He landed hard on the ground, his eyes fixed on Eren's transformed face.

"Eren, snap out of it!" Ryker shouted, trying to keep his voice steady. "You're not a monster! You're human!"

But Eren didn't seem to hear him. His eyes had turned a glowing shade of red, and his skin was deathly pale. The black veins on his face pulsed with an otherworldly energy.

Ryker scrambled to his feet, knowing he had to get Eren under control before things escalated further. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial of red liquid.

"Eren, listen to me!" Ryker shouted, holding out the vial. "I have something that can help you. Just drink this and—"

But Eren was far beyond reason already. With a snarl, he launched himself at Ryker, his hands clawed and ready to strike.

Ryker dodged barely in time, avoiding Eren's deadly blow by mere inches. He knew he couldn't keep this up for much longer.

Just as Eren was about to attack again, a loud noise echoed through the air, followed by the sound of rushing footsteps.

"What's going on here?" a voice shouted.

Ryker turned to see Doc James and several other mages rushing toward them, their faces set with concern.

"Eren has lost control," Ryker explained quickly. "We need to control him before he hurts someone."

Doc James nodded and stepped forward, holding out a strange device that emitted a high-pitched whine.

"Everyone, stand back!" Doc James warned.

With a flick of his wrist, Doc James activated the device, and a blast of energy shot out, enveloping Eren.

The boy's eyes flashed brightly, and then he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Ryker let out a sigh of relief as the other mages rushed forward to restrain Eren.

"What just happened?" Ryker asked Doc James, still trying to process the events.

Doc James shook his head. "I'm not entirely sure, but I think Eren's transformation is more unstable than we thought."

Ryker's eyes narrowed. "We need to find a way to stabilize him. Before it's too late."

"Let us all return to the Academy for now," Doc James said and everyone nodded and left the forest.

----

When they returned, they placed Eren back inside his room and Ryker had three men standing by the door now.

"Don't let him run away again," he warned them. "If that happens, you will not receive your monthly pay."

"Yes, sir!" The three men replied and when Ryker had left, they sighed and began to murmur.

"I don't get it," the first man to complain said. He has a messy green hair and a brown mole at the corner of his lips.

"What don't you get?" The second man asked. He was a bald man with a small cut on his face.

"What is so special about this kid anyway?" The first man asked. "I mean he is no better than the other kids in the Academy."

"You are right, I heard he is also arrogant," the second man said. "They should have left him to die out there."

"There's nothing good about him."

The third man who had been silent for a while spoke. "I think you two should stop gossiping and focus on your work." He had a brown hair and was putty on round glasses. Unlike the other two, he choose not to say a word and just do his job without bothering to interfere but he didn't like what they were saying.

"You are new here and that is why you are feeling all righteous," the first man replied to him. "It's not like someone will hear us and the kid is also still unconscious."

"You both should avoid talking bad about anyone," the third man said and the two others scoffed at him.

No one said a word to each other again but shortly after, a loud noise echoed, it was coming from the opposite direction.

"Did you hear that?" The first man asked.

"We did," the second man replied whole the third man was staring at the direction of the noise.

"Hey, how about you go check it out yourself," the first man said to the third one.

"But why should it be me?" The third man asked, feeling offended.

"You are new here and we are your superiors. You must obey us! Now go!" The first man said and the third man clenched his fists and left.

"Don't you think it is dangerous leaving him there alone?" The second man asked but the first one shook his head.

"Let him go, that serves him right for correcting us."

"You're right," the second man mumbled.

The men thought they had escaped from whatever was about to happen but unknown to them, they had just foolishly fallen into a trap.