Arrival

Five days into their journey, the landscape transformed. Dense mist crept across the terrain, obscuring the path ahead and muffling sounds in its cool embrace. The forest they traveled through gradually thinned, giving way to rolling meadows painted in watercolor hues by the persistent fog.

Naia and Lyra had spent much of their journey pressing Eren about what he'd seen—the vision that had so abruptly changed his demeanor at the palace. But each time, he'd refused to share, insisting it wasn't something they needed to know. Despite his reticence, they continued to follow him, their trust in their brother outweighing their frustration at being kept in the dark.

Perched on Eren's shoulder was a small winged creature—a humic—that had appeared on their second day traveling. Its iridescent feathers shimmered even in the diffuse light, changing color with each movement. The creature chirped contentedly, occasionally licking Eren's ear with its tiny forked tongue.