With heavy lids, Eren forced his eyes open to faother day.

  It had been months since his training began with Malphas. A training that left him in a broken, battered state, body, and mind.

  His pale skin covered in scabs and scars from their many enters.

  Each time Eren died, only to wake up withioemple once more.

  Trudging along the ash den paths that he created for himself, kig up the bone white sand with each step.

  Another day another brutal assault waiting to happen. Over the past months as well the crowd of eager spectators had dwindled, bored of seeing their champion lose repeatedly. It seemed to have beore borious to watch Eren fall pared to the monotony of endless souls.

  With only half the crowd from before, Malphas greeted him at the mouth of the arena, hands behind his back.

  "Let's being." Malphas anded coldly.

  Eren would fight the legion, using his tendril to rip their bodies apart, staining the ground red with their viscera. But no matter how many fell, there were always more, just as eager to be ripped apart. Eren was tiring, struggling to keep up the momentum o keep the legion at bay. And finally, his parents and sister would join the fray.

  Sug the fight out of Ereime. Mr. Heart delivered a mighty blow to Eren's skull, a siing d sptter followed suit. The remaining crowd gave half a cheer as they saw the lifeless body of their champion crash to the ground. Eren's sister wasn't far behind, dragging his body to the awaiting legion. Eren didn't care anymore. He was done fighting.

  Revive

  Another day, anhter. The teeth of the legion tore through muscle and bone, dismembering him in a myriad of different ways. Blood-soaked sand and flesh, falling to the ground with wet thuds.

  Revive

  Eren did his best to fight back, cutting them down one by one. But for every o down, ten more took their pce. Each blow taking its toll on him, causing Eren's will to break even further. Emi severed his spinal cord, disabling him pletely. Limp like a ragdoll, uo resist as they mutited him further. Tearing his flesh from bohe few in the crowd cheered for the gruesome dispy.

  Revive

  There was o respite. 1000 different ways to die and Eren would experiehem all. Every manner of mutition, evisceration, vandalization and viotion imaginable. Eren didn't fight baot anymore. His spirit was shattered. They killed him in all the ways they could, hoping for any response, but none came.

  Lucifer sat ihe temple, tending to Eren's wounds as best he could. The sight of Eren's broken form made his stomach turn.

  Eren y motionless, breathing softly. His skin ale and bruised, his once youthful features ched with pain. What was once raven and fair turned white and grey, dull eyes stared at nothing, devoid of life.

  Revive

  Eren stood in the empty arena; the once-busy stands are now devoid of life and cheer. Lucifer, alone, remais st inhabitant. He had abandoned his duties, preferring to remain at Eren's side. To offer what little support he could. But what could he do?

  Eren stared at the fissure of darkness, life all but gone from his eyes.

  The legion arrived, fronted by his family. Eae oozing with bloodlust. They stalked towards him like predators hunting prey.

  "Will you kill us today, Eren?" Mr. Heart asked bluntly. Ere his father, remaining silent.

  "A real man would have done his duty." Mr. Heart's mouth opened wide, his jaing apart like a snake, revealing a maw filled with sharp teeth.

  "But you, you aren't a real man, are-" the silence was deafening. The absence of sound is so loud that it echoes within the walls of the arena.

  The sound of flesh tearing from bone followed. Eren's bde stabbed through his father's mouth, pierg through the back of his skull. Mr. Heart dropped to the ground, lifeless, as the bde retracts bato Eren's arm.

  Emi and Mrs. Heart took a couple steps back, both wary of the on protruding from Eren's arm. "Eren..." Emi's distorted voice croaked out. Her wide smile fading.

  "Wait, please don't kill us. We-" Mrs. Heart cries were silenced by the bde slig through her head, taking it off.

  Emi froze, eyes widened in horror at the se before her. "N-no!" She screamed, eyes welling up with tears.

  The legion also seemed to react as Emi did. Running around aimlessly, fleeing for their lives. Their newfound fear resonated within Eren, watg them flee like mice from a cat.

  Eren stabbed Emi's leg, causio cry out in pain. "No! Please!" She begged, sobbing untrolbly.

  This was a failsafe if Eren mao ever overe his mental block against killing his family. Too te.

  Eren didn't hear her pleas, his mind blocked out everything except the urge to survive.

  "What did I do to deserve this?!" Emi screamed in fear. Eren watched the copy beg and cry for its life, uo stop himself from walking towards her. "Please, Eren, don't." The whip lunged forward, puncturing through her torso, skewering her on the bded appendage.

  Eren raised her off the ground; her blood dripped below into the sand, the crimson pooling on the ground. With a flick of his wrist, she is tossed aside, discarded like trash.

  "EREN!!" excitement desded from the stands as Lucifer celebrated by himself. Malphas dismissed the legion, their purpose has been fulfilled. The trial has finally been pleted.

  Malphas stood at the exit log eyes with Eren. Malphas was ready to fight him.

  However, it seemed there will was no need. Eren looked at him with such emptihat it paihe reaper to look at him. Malphas' expression softened, a rare sight.

  "Goodbye, Ere." Malphas muttered to himself, and turo leave the arena. His steps eg loudly through the empty arena.

  "You did it, Eren!" Lucifer beamed at the reaper; his joyous aura filled the arena. Sprinting towards Eren at full pace. "You finally passed; we move on to your final trial," Lucifer beamed.

  Eren just stared bnkly at the blonde reaper. "Eren? You did it you go home." Lucifer's smile faded.

  "You... you don't have to stay here anymore."

  The joy of the trial's pletion is overshadowed by the loss reflected in Eren's vat stare. "Eren, please, you go home." Eren ignored Lucifer's ed words; trudging towards the arena's exit, his eyes not once moving from their inal position.

  "Eren... Please." Lucifer whispers to the reaper who has left the arena, the words left unheard.

  Wandering off into the ashen wastend. Not once did he gnce back, his gaze fixed ahead, but nothing awaited.

  ***

  Since Eren's pyrrhic victory, the nd of the dead returo the normality of long lines and bored reapers. Stability ruled the nd once more.

  Eren became catatonic, physically present but mentally elsewhere. It was as if Eren's soul had beeached from his body. Spending his time sitting on the cliffs where he signed away his soul. Lucifer tried everything to try and rouse him from his catatonia, to no avail; Eren was lost in the endless grey of the o.

  However, oeful day. Charon watched over the line of the dead as he had done for tless eons. Surveying for any irregurities in the flow of souls.

  A soul caught his attention.

  She mirrored her surroundings, sorrowful ay, a she stood out to Charon. A reminder.

  The lone reaper approached the women cautiously. T over the women; personal spaoent. Charon's presence caused her to gasp and flinch away. Her eyes widening at the sight before her.

  " I help you?" The woman mao say, voice trembling slightly.

  The silent reaper ushered the women out of the line and into the sand dunes of the eternal wastend.

  "Where are we going?" The women asked, fear leaving her, repced by annoyance. Charon led her across the dunes.

  The eerie quite of the world around them felt crushing to her, just their footsteps marking time.

  Eventually, a blonde-haired man emerged from the horizon; standing atop the dunes bnkly watg the flow of the line.

  "Charon, to what do I owe the pleasure? My, my, what have you got here?" The blonde reaper said as he strolled towards them.

  The woman took a step back as she surveys the reaper before her, examining him with caution.

  "Where did you find her? She's quite the looker, almost reminds me of-" Like lightning, blorails bolt towards the women.

  Fumbling around with her face, poking, and prodding at her. "Such beautiful features, perfe every way. And those fish eyes, Eren..."

  The woman brushes the hands away with a hard smack. "Oi! what did you say about my eyes... Wait? Eren?!"

  The women's eyes widen in disbelief. "It 't be... that's my son. Is he here?" Her voice softened, peering into the reaper's emerald eyes.

  "Yes, but... Why don’t we catch our breath for a-"

  "Listen you blonde prick, I'm not here to chat, take me to him. Now." She demanded, her gre burrowing into Lucifer.

  "Feisty too. I like that in a woman. I see where Eres his passion-"

  "Just take me to him now." She interrupted Lucifer's bbbering, again.

  "Mrs. Heart, your son...." Lucifer's words trail off, trying to find the right words.

  "He's been through a lot, more than anyone should." The woman grew impatient with the reaper, grabbing his arm and squeezing it hard.

  "Please... just take me to my son."

  "Very well, e with me." Lucifer guided the women away through the dune sea. "Eren..." Mrs. Heart muttered. Charon lumbered along silently, them closely.

  Eventually, they came arrived at an overlook above a bck o. By a tree, Eren stood looking out over the abyss below. His gaze vat.

  Lucifer led her closer to her son, but keeping a few meters distance from him. "Eren? do you remember this woman?" Eren turned slowly to face the two reapers and Mrs. Heart. He looked at her bnkly, no sign nition or emotion in his face. "Hello Eren, it's me... your mother."

  Mrs. Heart waited patiently for a response, anything would do, even a nod of aowledgment. But nothing came. The eerie silence shattered Mrs. Heart's spirit.

  She stepped forward towards her son.

  Lucifer stopped her by grabbing her arm. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." He warned her, his tone firm but not unkind.

  "Eren, I know you are in there somewhere, just wake up. Please." She attempted to walk clain, but the blonde reaper held her back. His grip strong, keeping her away from Eren.

  "Let me go, now!" Mrs. Heart demanded, struggling to break free from the reaper's grasp.

  Charon poio Eren's left hand, the whip snaked out from his forearm ing around his left arm.

  "His operating on instinct. He sees you as a threat." Lucifer expined calmly.

  "What do you mean by threat?" Mrs. Heart snapped back.

  "Well, that is a rather... lengthy story. But please allow me to hahis." Lucifer fshed a smile at the woman; a twinkle of hope glistened in the er of her eye. Lucifer crept closer to Eren; the young reaper's eyes never faltered as the distance closes.

  "Eren, we have pany," Lucifer spoke in an upbeat tone. Eren's eyes shifted from the blonde reaper to the women behind him. "It's your mother." Lucifer gnced back at Mrs. Heart.

  "She's here to see you, to say hello." Closer and closer, Lucifer made his way to Eren.

  "You haven't said hi, why don't you?" Lucifer was now a within arm’s reach.

  The whip uncoiled itself from Eren's arm, swaying about in anticipation. "Ahh, that's better, isn't it?" Lucifer extended his hand out, smiling warmly at Eren.

  Withdrawing his whip, Eren cautiously stepped towards Mrs. Heart, the long-lost mother, like a moth drawn to the fme.

  "Hello, my baby boy." She whispered softly.

  Eren reached out his left hand to touch her face, hesitantly pg it on her cheek. His body stiffened up. Mrs. Heart pced her own hand over Eren's, squeezing it gently.

  His mother's eyes tear up with joy, a smile spread across her lips, and a memory fshed in his mind, the image of a raven-haired child, no more than six years old. It was a time long ago, but Eren still remembered her smiling face as clear as day. The way she would hug him so tightly wheucked him into bed, the smell of vender and lemon from her favourite shampoo.

  The warmth of her hand against his cheek as she smiled at him. Eren stopped ihe memory repying over and over. The smile on his mother's face, the twinkle in her eye, the familiar feeling. Eren's fao longer remaiionless; the cracks began to show.

  Mrs. Heart took a step forward, embrag the young reaper. "Eren, my darling." She whispered softly.

  Her arms ed around him tightly, holding him close to her chest. Eren's body stiffened up once more the tact was almost fn to him.

  "Mum?" His voice barely audible, like a whisper on the wind. Life finally flickered behind those vat eyes, embers in the night.

  "My darling, I've missed you so much." She squeezed Eren tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I know it's been hard for you." Mrs. Heart spoke in a gentle voice. "You tell me everything, everything that's happened."

  The young reaper's voice broke as the weight of his as pressed down on him. "I... I'm sorry, mum." His tears flowed freely as he buried his fato her shoulder.

  The woman held onto her son tightly, rubbing his back soothingly.

  After what felt like ay, tears all but dried, they separated.

  "What happened? Why are you here? " Eren asked weakly.

  "Don't worry about that now, please tell me what happened. Maybe we go somewhere else?" Mrs. Heart gently stroked her son's cheek, wiping away the stray tears.

  Lucifer grabbed a hold of the pair uedly. "Very well, off we go." Unavailing his wings, Lucifer took flight towards the mountain.

  Landing with all the grace of a feather on the rocks, Lucifer quickly closed his wings, Mrs. Heart however, not used to g-force was k over emptyiomach of tents.

  Eren helped his mother back to her feet, before walking with her through the cave entrance. Into his abode of puzzling and irritating proportions. Lucifer following behind.

  "My, my, what a cute little house you have." Mrs. Heart ented iween vomiting sessions. "Thank you," Lucifer replied curtly. As she tio examine however, her face twisted into a mixture of amusement and fusion.

  "Eren. I thought I taught you better interior design skills. What the fuck is this." Mrs. Heart burst into ughter, pointing at the hideous furniture arra. Mrs. Heart had always been a woman who spoke her mind unfiltered. A trait Eren ied, both to his be aerment.

  "That was his fault." Eren poio the blonde idiot with a smirk.

  *Blee* Lucifer respond

  "Would you like some tea?" Lucifer asked, putting his tongue away.

  "Sure, that would be lovely." Mrs. Heart replies enthusiastically.

  Lucifer went for a pot and began preparing some hot water, steam billowing from its spout.

  Mrs. Heart sat on one of the few funal chairs in the house. The cushions were old and worn, but it was still fortable enough to rex on.

  "Are you going to introduce me too your friends?"

  "Oh, um well that's Lucifer." Eren answered awkwardly.

  "A pleasure, madam." Lucifer bowed.

  "I love your at; so sophisticated and elegant." Mrs. Heart praised.

  Lucifer was a little taken aback by the sudden pliment, not expeg it at all. He had always sought positive affirmations from Eren but hearing praise from Eren's mother sent warmth flowing through his veins.

  "Oh, well thank you. I-"

  "Anyway!" Eren interrupted the blonde reaper. Not wanting his mother to bee an endless funnel for Lucifers attention seeking.

  "And this is Charon." Eren finished.

  Charon snuck up behind Mrs. Heart with silence, his bulk was cealed by the dark shadows of the cave. Only his burning eyes were visible as he peered over her shoulder, staring ily at her soul. Mrs. Heart turo face the giant reaper, outstretg her hand.

  "Thank you fing me here. I appreciate your help."

  Charon nodded slightly, theurning to the shadows of the room. Watg from afar, silently .

  Mrs. Heart let her eyes wander around the room; there was little in terms of decoration. Save for a few pictures and paintings hanging on the walls. Fog on the painting of Lucifer and the relut Eren.

  "My, my, I didn't know you were gay." The womaed.

  Eren nearly fell out of his chair, pletely caught off guard by the ent. "Mum!" He cried out. Lucifer burst into ughter, almost falling to the ground in hysterics.

  "I'm not gay!" Eren's face turned a bright shade of red, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

  Mrs. Heart and Lucifer tio ugh at Eren's embarrassment. Their ughter filled the air with joy.

  "I just tease Eren." She chuckled, wiping away a tear from her eye.

  "I have nothing against it. As long as you are happy, that's all I care about." She pced her hand on his, squeezing it gently. A small smile crept across Eren's lips, squeezing his mother's hand back.

  "Now tell me everything that you have been up to." She spoke in a hushed tone, leaning closer towards him. Ereated for a moment, unsure if he wao relive the past again. His memories fshed through his mind, vividly remembering every detail. His heart began to race, palms sweating as panic set in.

  "Mum... I don't know if I tell you." Eren muttered, voice wavering slightly.

  "It's okay, I'm here now. You don't have to do this alone." She reassured her son, stroking his hand fly. Eren closed his eyes tightly, letting out a shaky breath before beginning.

  The pair spoke for hours, discussing all that had happened sihey st saw each other. Eren reted his journey, sharing his hopes and dreams, along with his fears as. It felt good to finally talk about what happened, but it alsht back painful memories.

  The hours rolled by, eternity would sooake them, time meaningless between a mother and her son.

  "How did you die?" Eren asked suddenly, curiosity getting the better of him. Mrs. Heart went silent for a moment, gatherihoughts.

  "Well... I had been sick for a while, but I didn't want to tell anyone. I didn't want to worry them." She began.

  "Bae it has bee that much harder to live; If you don't work fuild life is very difficult."

  Mrs. Heart paused, sighing deeply before tinuing. "Your father, desperate to find anything, joihe local guild as an atant. He works so, very, very hard. We could barely afford the medicatioually, we couldn't afford it anymore."

  “And your sister, her smile kept us all going. Especially after you died.”

  Eren listened ily, abs every word. "We did our best, but the guild wouldn't pay for me. And... Well, I guess that brought me here." Mrs. Heart gestured to the room around her, smiling sadly.

  Ere out a frustrated sigh. "Damn them! Why didn't they help you? If only I didn’t…" Eren ched his fists tightly, knuckles turning white from strain.

  Mrs. Heart smiled warmly at her son's .

  "It's alright dear, what's done is done." She gently pced her hand on his arm, easing the anger within.

  "You go home, Eren. You be with your family again." Mrs. Heart spoke softly. Eren's eyes lit up at the prospect of returning home. The thought of seeing his sister again filled him with excitement.

  But it was too good to be true. "If I go home, it won't be the same. I'm not the same son you lost." He lowered his head, looking down at the floor in shame.

  Mrs. Heart's face softened, pulling her son into a tight embrace.

  "You are and always be my son and I love you. Ugly white hair and all." She kissed the top of his head lovingly. "Nothing will ever ge that, and nothing will ge that between you and your father and sister."

  Eren broke down into tears once again. His shoulders shook as the emotions poured out. Mrs. Heart held him close to her chest, whispering soothing words to him.

  After some time, Eren maain trol over himself. His breathing steadied and his tears dried.

  "It's okay, my little man." She chuckled softly, wiping away a stray tear from his cheek.

  "However, it's time for me to go."

  "Wait... what?" Eren stammered, fused by his mother's sudden annou.

  "I didn't expect to stay here for so long, I didn't want to interrupt your life." She expined gently.

  "Please, 't you stay a bit longer?" Eren pleaded with her. Hoping beyond hope that she would stay. Perhaps eveh would permit it.

  "It's okay dear, my instincts are pulling at me. This isn't the end; we will meet again someday. For now, live your life as best you . For me and for your father. To see your sisters smile one more time."

  Standing from the chair, kissing her son once more on the cheek. "Good luck with whatever task lies ahead. I'll be cheering for you, always."

  "Take care of him, and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

  "Always do, madame," Lucifer reassured her.

  Mrs. Heart urning to leave; her time done here.

  "y handsome skeleton man, be a dear and ese home." Charon lifted his robe, revealing a boney hah, extending out for her to take.

  Eren and Lucifer escorted her to the passing gates, the rge gate at the tre of the temple loomed over them.

  Walking with pace, Eren grabs his mum from behind. A st-minute desperate hug.

  "I love you mom." He whispered.

  "I love you too." She replied.

  "I promise I'll make you proud,"

  She smiled warmly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm already proud."

  Ereantly let go of his mother, stepping back beside Lucifer. The two stood silently as Mrs. Heart took slow steady steps towards the gate, smiling softly before disappearing into the blinding blue of the gate.

  "Bye..." Eren trailed off, with his mone a part of him left too. A pain that ot be described. But ohat he was gd to feel once more.

  “She will always be with you." Lucifer forted Eren, pg a hand on his shoulder.

  "I know, but it still hurts," Eren replied solemnly. Lucifer gave him a reassuring smile, squeezing his shoulder gently. "Well, it's time to return home and prepare for your final trial." Lucifer spoke in aed tone.

  "I'm ready to finish this." Eren responded. Lucifer nodded, leading them back towards their abode.

  Eren took o look at the gate, knowing that one day he would see his main.