Eren stood at tre stage. Eyes of all kinds peering down on him, gluttonous for age and spectacle.

  Nerves quelled

  Fear restrained.

  Determination.

  Cold wind blew into the arena, rustling Eren's long shoulder length hair. His bde attached to his arm, waiting patiently to be unleashed.

  From the darkness emerged a legion of humans. Or at least that is what they were supposed to be; Their movements too precise, g the natural fluidity of human motion. As if each step, each subtle gesture was scripted, perfected. Each face so devoid of emotion. So empty, soulless.

  "Your days of hollow amusement's end here." Malphas anded from the shadows of the arena.

  "You will learn what it truly means to be a harbinger."

  The figures stalked towards Eren, responding to the echoes of Malphas' words.

  "Malphas! Where are you?! Show yourself!" Eren demanded.

  The legion swarmed liked locusts, desding like a wave of ants. Eren tore through them effortlessly, cutting down any who stood before him. paratively, it was like cutting through paper, uhe great beasts and monstrous foes Eren had battled over the years. Their bodies were no more tha sacks of bones.

  Eren cut and cut... and cut and cut. There was no end in sight to the horde of figures.

  No matter how many fell before him, another repced them. 'These fuckers won't quit.' Eren thought to himself, frustrated by their seemingly endless supply of bodies.

  'Who are they?' He wohey were unlike any souls he had entered in his time as a reaper. They showed ion, no pain, no fear. Just an uing drive to push further.

  Oep back, the legion took two forward. Awo steps for Eren, three more for them. Their formation closing in around him, cutting off any avenue of escape.

  "Shit." Eren cursed, growing tired of this endless battle. They advanced with meical precision, puppets dang to the rhythm of the crowd’s cheers.

  Breathless, Eren stood over the sea of fallen bodies. He didn't know how long it had been since he started. Sweat dripped from his brow as his chest heaved from exhaustion. He felt numb. His entire body ached from the relentless assault. The stench of blood and viscera filled the air, making Eren feel nauseous.

  But it was done. Eren had reached the end of the endless.

  "Is that all you got!?" Eren screamed at Malphas, sc the shadows for his nemesis.

  "Again." Malphas anded from beyond the darkness.

  Legion began to pour from the jaws of the arena once more. However, they were different from the previous wave; Mouths wider, revealing a row of razor-sharp teeth. Pupils expanded expoially and most terrifying of all for Eren, they were white.

  Panic began to set in as he realized what was happening. These weren't corpses. They were walking nightmares, phantoms of Eren's past. Fshes of his demise by the hand of Endo and his cult repyed in his mind. The chaos, the pain, the screams of his friends trying to keep him alive. All of it was unbearable.

  'This 't be happening.' He thought to himself.

  The legion drew closer with each sed that passed. Their hideous mouths grinning as they approached. They wao e him, mutite him as had happened before.

  Eren wasn't going to let that happen again. His mind began to cloud with rage. 'Not again!'

  "FUCK YOU!" He roared, unleashing a tempest of whip sshes. The monsters didn't even attempt to dodge the attack, their bodies were ripped apart by Eren's assault. Gore painting the arena red, a grotesque macabre art show.

  But that didn't deter them. The endless waves came and came. Unfazed by Eren's relentless onsught. Every one of his swings cut through air, slig apart whatever stood before him.

  Eventually, they stopped. Encirg once again, log Eren in pce.

  The sea of white began to part, shuffling out of the way for something. "Eren?"

  Emerging from the legion was Mr. and Mrs. Heart.

  "Oh my god, Eren." The pair rushed towards him, reag out for their son.

  "Mum, dad?" He froze in disbelief; Why are they here? How are they here? The questions rushed through him like a torrent. Both parents embrag their long-lost son.

  "It's okay Eren, we're here now." Mrs. Heart reassured her son.

  "How?... I... I don't uand..." He stammered, voice crag with emotion. Tears welled up in his eyes, threatening to spill.

  That was until he looked up. He fet the walking nightmares him.

  The legion seemed to eained by the reunion, grinning maliciously. "How did- No!" Eren realized to te, sharp pain radiated from both shoulders.

  "ARRRGHHHHH!" He screamed, ripping his arms free. Crimson staihe dirt beh them. Eren stepped back, holding his hands out defensively.

  "Don't e near me!" He yelled at the pair.

  Mrs. Heart gave a crimson grin. "What's wrong dear, don't ynize your own mother?" Voice gargled and distorted.

  Deep wounds covered Eren's shoulders, blood poolih him; His parents had bee a part of the legion, mouths filled with razor sharp teeth. Eyes white like his nightmare from so long ago.

  "What have doo them!?" Eren screamed, voice eg through the arena.

  Ohe legion parted, out from the pack came a little raven-haired girl. "Oh no, Emi..." Eren whispered to himself. Face turned as pale as snow; voice distorted.

  "Oni-, you promised to e home. But you didn't keep your promise." The girl sulked.

  "Please stop I surrender." Eren cried falling to his knees, clutg his head in despair. He was trapped. Between the hordes of nightmares, and Emi's heartbreaking words, Eren owerless.

  "Why didn't you e home, oni-?" The girls’ words ripped through Eren's soul. A knife plunged into his heart. "I tried... I wao." Eren couldn't hold back the pain. Emi walked closer; arms outstretched to the sides of his cheeks. Her mouth opening wider and wider until it reached from ear to ear. "You're a bad brother." Emi tore into Eren's throat. Tearing it open, flesh and muscle tearing like paper.

  Eren accepted his fate, all the hard work and effort he had put in sining here; gone, meaningless. In that moment, all was lost.

  ***

  Eren woke with a start.

  He sat up and clutched his chest, heart rag, gasping for air. Soured down his body, his head ounding.

  Awoken ihe temple, where the souls were stored. The flickering green torches illumihe cold stone walls. His body ached; arms scarred where his family had ripped into him. A pain that would not fade, physiental. His entire being ached, exhausted beyond reason.

  The blonde reaper approached Eren cautiously. "You’re awake." He spoke in a soft voice.

  "Are you okay?"

  "No... No, I'm not." Eren responded, head in his hands.

  "I'm sorry." Lucifer whispered to him; guilt clear in his voice.

  "Why am I not dead?" Eren asked

  "You 't die in the nd of the dead. You simply return here."

  Ere out a shaky breath and closed his eyes. The memory of Emi's disfigured face fresh in his mind.

  Lucifer pced a gentle hand on Eren's shoulder. "He won't let you stop until you break. You have to keep going."

  "Keep going!" Ereed angrily. "He wants me to kill my family."

  "There not your family, they are copies. Phantoms of your fears. If you kill them, it will be the end-"

  "No! I refuse to do this." Eren stood up abruptly, walking towards the door.

  "Eren wait!" Lucifer called after him, attempting to grab his arm.

  "Don't touch me!" Eren screamed at the top of his lungs, ripping his arm away from Lucifer.

  "I 't do this anymore... I-I won't." His voice trembled, threatening to break.

  Lucifer stood silent, knowing there was nothing more to say. Ere without another word, leaving the blonde reaper aloh his thoughts.