Day 2:

  Eren awoke from his sleep feeling refreshed and alert, the taste of Lucifer's weird fruit in his mouth had subsided. He sat up slowly, still a little bit tender. His ribs ached from the hit, however there was no evidence of any broken bones or swelling. 'Another mystery of this pce.'

  "You look so peaceful when you sleep, little dove." The familiar voice broke the silence of the arena. Lucifer sat on a wn chair, as if he was enjoying the m sun. As if there would ever be sun in the nd of the dead.

  "Are you ready to tinue? We have lots to aplish today." Lucifer gri him mischievously.

  Eren nodded silently, climbing to his feet, and stretg out his muscles. Lucifer strutted over to him, stopping a few meters away. "Let's tinue where we left off yesterday, I want you to try and hit me again."

  Eren stepped forward and took up a fighting stance, right foot forward, left foot back, arms raised in front of his chest. 'This is going to be painful.' Eren thought to himself as Lucifer dashed towards him.

  A punch at the reapers head, aiming for his nose. However, Lucifer caught it easily, throwing his bance off. He threw a kick at Lucifer's leg, hoping to trip him up. The blonde reaper jumped over it effortlessly, kneeing Eren in the face.

  Eren's nose cracked loudly; broken, blood dripping from his nostrils, bent a little side-ways.

  'Damn it.' He cursed inwardly, stumbling back. Lucifer kept advang, not giving him a ce to recover. Lucifer jabbed once more this time, Eren repared. He blocked the attack, defleg it to the side. tering with his own flurry of attacks, f Lucifer back.

  Unlike yesterday's fight, Eren was able to ect with Lucifer's nose. Sending him reeling ba pain. "Good, the fruit is starting to take effect." Lucifer smirked, wiping the blood from his nose.

  The taste of the weird fruit returned, filling Eren's mouth. "What did you feed me?" Ereioned, pushing down that ing feeling.

  "It's called the reaper fruit, only lord death pronou's true name. Rather than give strength to the body, it allows you to grow strohrough bat with an experienced oppo. Or in other words; Anything I do you do better. And baby, I'm perfect." Lucifer sang happily as he twirled around.

  Eren sighed heavily, this is going to be a long journey. "Again." Lucifer smiled, charging at him once more.

  Hours turned into days, and days turned into weeks. Eren's training rogressing smoothly, every day was a new challenge brought forth by Lucifer. Often it would be some form of sparring, he and Lucifer would do battle with each other for hours.

  Some days it would be martials arts of some sort, other days it would involve ons. Swords, daggers, spears, staffs, axes, hammers. They all were tried, even a gun at one point.

  And if it weren't sparring, it was testing his endurance. Lucifer had him run ps around the arena, swimming in the bck o, liftis and all sorts of other torturous exercises. Lucifer even insisted he take off his shirt, Eren didn't uand the reasoning for that nor did he question it.

  Something about experience ellier with skin-to-skin tact

  With each day he stood a little bit taller, pushing a little bit harder. Finding previously difficult teiques being that much simpler.

  Day 25:

  "Perfect, do it again." Lucifer instructed. Eren held a bck dagger in his hand, its bde coated in fresh blood. He swung it at Lucifer, who parried it easily. "Wrong, try again." Lucifer critiqued him, spping the back of his head.

  Eren grunted in annoyance, but obeyed without pint.

  Although, he has grown in such a short period of time. He still cked the polish of his mentor.

  Eren gritted his teeth, swinging the bde at Lucifer's chest. Lucifer sidestepped, catg his arm in the process. Eren used his free arm too jab Lucifer ihroat, f him to release his grip.

  "You are improving, my little dove." Lucifer purred, massaging his neck. “Remember that variety is the spice of life.”

  ", we will do-" Before he could finish his sentehe air around them ged. It was tense aric. The sky above began to ge, darkening and swirling with shadows.

  "Ughh...He's here." Lucifer groaned, slumping his shoulders. A figure desded from the clouds, shrouded in bck shadows. Its presence alone was enough to make even Lucifer wary.

  It nded softly on the ground, its wings dissipating into the air. The figure wore a ly pressed bck suit, aie. His skin ale as por, and his eyes were cold and soulless; A full head of bck hair gelled back, exposing his angur features. A nky man with a menag aura.

  "Lucifer." The figure spoke, his voice smooth like silk, yet as cold as ice. "Malphas... What brings you here?" Lucifer replied nervously, shifting unfortably in pce.

  Malphas' eyes wandered around the arena, before falling on Eren. Sneering at the young reaper with disdain. His face resembled that of a skull, his features gaunt and sunken. With little white dots to illuminate his eyes. "Is this the one?" He asked curtly, walking towards Eren.

  "Yes, he is the one, now would you please leave? We are in the middle of training here." Lucifer tried to expin, however Malphas ignored him pletely.

  "Lucifer the fool, always looking for an excuse t in a oy."

  Eren held his tongue as the tall man circled around him, watg his every movement. Malphas she air like a predator would do to its prey, closing his eyes and fog. Ereed the urge to tell the reaper to piss off.

  "Pathetic." Malphas spat, opening his eyes once more. The bnk voids filled with emotionless disgust.

  Kig Eren with a surprise attack to his knee, sending him crashing to the ground.

  Eren hissed in pain, clutg his knee. Gritting his teeth as the pain began to fade.

  "How could Lord Azazel possibly allow a lowly creature like you to bee a reaper? It's... ridiculous." Malphas mocked him, pg his foot on Eren's shoulder, pushing him down into the dirt.

  "Leave!" Lucifer ordered, charging at Malphas knog him off Eren.

  "He is mio train, not yours to torment!" Lucifer roared furiously. "If he ot hahe likes of me, then there is no hope for him." Malphas pushed him away, straightening his suit.

  "Begone Lucifer, I will hahe boy."

  Lucifer stood in sternation, unsure what to do. He looked back at Eren, who was standing up and gring daggers at Malphas. However, an idea had struck him. Lucifer leaned down to Eren, handing him his dagger. "Survive against him, my little dove." He whispered into Eren's ear, before stepping back, unveiling his wings, and taking flight into the air.

  Malphas stared down at Eren, unfazed by Lucifer's dispy.

  "To think Lord Azazel would waste such valuable resources on a brat like you. Unfortunate-" Eren dashed towards Malphas, swinging the bde at him. Malphas sidestepped, throwing a punch at Eren's head. The immense power behind the blow surprised Eren, such a thin man hiding that much strength.

  Eren rolled away, jumping to his feet, and raising the bde again. Malphas gnced down at the dagger with pt, "Is that all?" Eren mocked him, an enraging smile on his face. Malphas cracked his neck from side to side, before charging at Erehrew another punch at Eren, who deflected it with the dagger.

  Malphas sps Eren across the face with an open palm, sending him stumbling back. A thin line of blood dripped from the cut on his cheek, staining the white sand.

  "You fight like a little girl." Eren shrough ched teeth. Malphas raised his eyebrow in surprise. "Little girl? Childish insults and bravado. Do you mock me human?" Eren didn't answer, instead delivering a headbutt to Malphas' nose.

  *Thump*

  Malphas took a step back, wiping the blood from his nose. "Oh, it seems you areirely inpetent after all." Malphas remarked dryly, as if he was irritated by the very fact.

  Eren swung the bde at Malphas' throat, aiming for his neck. But Malphas blocked it effortlessly, kig Eren's legs out from under him. Knog him to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.

  Eren swung with an uppercut to his jahas evaded. Eren swung again and again, with each blow going faster and harder. Eren's training with Lucifer aying off, his body had beore durable and stronger. His attaded against Malphas' defence, creating an opening. Eren jabbed the dagger into Malphas' stomach, pierg through his skin.

  Malphas stumbled back, clutg his wound. The blood poured freely from the deep cut, staining his pristine suit.

  "This...Boy!" His face torts into a grimace. "Enough of this game." Malphas reached behind him, withdrawing a bck curved dagger. Dwarfing Eren's own.

  Malphas lu him, thrusting the bde towards his chest. Eren parried the blow, however Malphas mao ssh Eren across the shoulder, cutting through the fabric of his shirt. Eren hissed in pain, moving away from the oning attack.

  The bdes sleek, curved design shone brightly, despite the faint light of the cloudy sky. Malphas zipped forward, too fast for Eren's eyes to follow. Cutting a gash across his thigh. Eren growled in frustration, leaping back, putting distaween them. His heart pounded against his ribcage as adrenaline flooded his system.

  'Damn it! He's strong, to!' Malphas struck again, slig his arm. Another cut formed on his arm, adding to the growing colle.

  Time began to slow for Eren; his body had quickly adapted to the situation. His senses sharpehe adrenaline pushing his mind into overdrive. Each strike from Malphas was easy to predict, it became like sed nature to him.

  Annoyed, Malphas increased the speed of his attacks, however Eren's rea time kept up. He moved out of the way of each attack, anticipating every move.

  "You 't win." Malphas sneered, "You're the pussy who 't win without relying on tricks." Ereed, blood pumping through his veins.

  A smile formed on his lips as his body took trol. 'Now's my ce.' He lunged forward, jabbing at Malphas' throat. Malphas stepped bad parried the blow, the razor-sharp bde tearing through Eren's forearm.

  "This ends now." Malphas decred, attag harder and faster. With each strike that is parried, it grew in power and speed. Eventually, Malphas went to a level Eren couldn't reach. Even with his augmented senses, Eren could barely keep up. Blood dripped from the tless cuts c his body.

  Finally, Eren's dagger is knocked from his hands, falling onto the soft sand. "You lost, human." Malphas gred down at him coldly, pierg his stomach with his bde. Eren's eyes widened as the pain hits him, like fire burning through his flesh. He clutched at his stomach, blood p from the wound. Slumping asping for air. Malphas raised his bde above his head, preparing to deliver the final blow.

  "You were never going to be one us." Malphas plunged his bde downwards, aiming for Eren's heart.

  With no other choice, Eren caught it, stopping the bde mere inches from his chest with his open palm. The sharp steel easily cutting through his palm.

  "Argh!" Eren winced, gritting his teeth as the etal sliced through his flesh.

  "To think you would catch that..." Malphas snarled, pushing the bde down harder. The pain intensified as the bde pushed deeper into his hand.

  "I'm impressed, little human." He swisting the bde slightly. Eren groaned in pain, struggling to keep up the pressure.

  "Emi." He muttered under his breath, thinking about his sister. Her image driving him to keep fighting.

  The sky rumbled overhead, the clouds darkening and swirling with shadows. The air swirled as a sudden gust of wind came over them. Lucifer, with wings spread rips Malphas away from Eren. "I thought I told you to leave." Malphas dusted himself off, preparing to tihe fight.

  "Stop." A new voice echoed throughout the arena, anding all their attention. Lucifer stepped back from Malphas, bowing his head slightly. Malphas snapped his gaze up to the sky, where a winged figure desded gracefully.

  "Gabriel, what brings you here?" Malphas questioned, a hint of irritation in his tone.

  "The same could be said of you, Malphas." The newer replied calmly, ign the s in his voice.

  Gabriel was tall, with pale skin that glowed in the gloom of the wastend. His hair, tousled in a cascade of silver over a part of his face. A figure of elegand menace, his most defined feature was his eyes. Emerald green, trasting with the ethereal paleness of his skin. And finally, his wings; white and smooth like a swan's feathers. He wore a sleek red suit with matg pants and shoes. His body emitted an aura of grad power.

  "Lucifer has informed me that you have challenged Lord Azazel's judgement, is that correct?" Gabriel asked, ndily on the ground.

  "Yes." Malphas nodded curtly.

  "What was your reasoning for su act?" Gabriel inquired, raising his magnifit eyebrow slightly.

  "This... Human!" Malphas spat the word out like it oison, pointing at Eren.

  "I wao prove to our lord that he is not worthy of being one of us. If he could not best me in bat, what hope does he have?"

  "Whilst I agree with you in theory-"

  "What!" Lucifer interjected, shocked by Gabriel's words. "You said you would help-"

  Gabriel held up his hand, sileng him. "However, you must gh the proper els if you wish to intervene in the business of another."

  Malphas gred at Gabriel, clearly annoyed but still maintaining his mask of professionalism. "Very well, you will live for a while longer, Human." He ceded relutly, turning his gaze to Eren.

  His wings expanded, preparing to take flight. "Malphas." Gabriel spoke again, giving pause to the gaunt man.

  "You will do well to not question Lord Azazel's judgment, again." Malphas remained silent, taking flight into the air without another word.

  Eren grunted, wing in pain as the bde ulled out of his hand. The crimson liquid poured freely from the wound. Eren clutched his stomach tightly, trying to stop the bleeding.

  Gabriel walked towards Eren, staring down in pt at the battered young man. "Lucifer, make sure he is trained well." Gabriel turned and strode away from them. Lucifer sighed in relief, looking down at Eren worriedly.

  "Let me see what he did too you." He k and grabbed Eren's hands, iing the damage. "That was some impressive stuff little dove, you have got to tell me how you mao survive against him." Lucifer beamed happily, squeezing his hand tighter.

  "Ow... you're hurting me." Eren protested weakly.

  Lucifer pced a palm on his chest and muttered something under his breath, his hand glowed with a soft blue light. The bleeding stopped; the cuts slowly closed. However, it left scars behind, marking the pces where Malphas had struck.

  "It's good as new!" Lucifer smiled, patting Eren on the back. "Thanks." Eren muttered, looking down at his hands, two deep scars were left where the bde cut through.

  "Now tell me... How did you do it?" Lucifer questioned; eyes filled with excitement. "Eren?" Lucifer poked at him impatiently.

  Eren had fallen unscious, lying in the sand of the arena.

  "I suppose I wait. We have all the time in the world."