The mass that y before him was unreisable; covered in matted crimson gore, barely human-shaped, bits of boting outwards like spikes, torn flesh hanging loosely off limbs. Blood pooled beh him f a macabre pond, refleg light eerily.
The ring sat dormant once more; havied on the life of Eric, bathing in his blood and filling itself to the brim. 'He deserved it.' Eren thought angrily. The fire, the rage festering once more. He spat on the remains. His disgust overflowing.
*Bzzt**Bzzt*
Slow vibrations came from the corpse below; buzzily. Ere down to ihe noise, finding a smartphone hidden underh a pool of coaguting blood. Using his already soaked clothes, ing the s, revealing it in its bck sleek finish. The phone dispyed an ini message:
~
Yo where are ya?
The birthday boy will be here soon.
Yep, I'm ing.
Where was it again?
Where? Where we usually meet. Fuust be drunk.
Here, hurry up.
17-A West factory.
I'll be there soon.
~
A 20-mintue walk from there.
Eren moved with purpose, sprinting across the rooftops; the aved with moonlit shadows. One of his few allies guiding him onward. A faint crimson light in the distance was the destination. The breeze carried the smell of tobacd stale smoke into his lungs.
A skylight gave vao those below. Crimson bandits; 16, 17... 18. All spread amongst the warehouse filled with creates of various sizes.
Spread evenly among makeshift tables, swords and guns y be their side. Each man rexed, enjoying drinks, talking, and gambling among themselves.
What drew Eren's ire though; a dirty mattress, surrounded my tripod mounted camera lights.
'No.' He muttered to the ring, awakening once mrasping his left hand hard, f his will into obedience.
'Calm yourself...' Erehed deeply, pushing down all emotion.
Whilst Eren battled for self-trol. A white van pulled in. Out came two men. One short and fat, not a hair on his rounded head, a lit cigarette dangling loosely from his lips; The other a tall nky man, no older than Emi.
"Happy birthday boss!" They all erupted as the fat maered, a chorus of cheers greeting him. He cpped at himself, enjoying the celebration. The nkier man walked to the back off the van. Yanking on a , two women spilled out; hands ed together, wearing bikinis. The young man tugged harder, barking orders at them.
One girl, blonde curls, fought against the s; desperately kig her captor. A solid punch to the gut silenced her. While the irl, a short redhead, sobbed hysterically.
However, most disturbing off all; anirl fell out the back. She was far too young, matg the bikinis of the older women.
The ring vibrated harder, Eren was barely able to tain it in his hand. His knuckles turning white from pressure.
‘Kill them all…’
The girls were dragged io the hoots and cheers of the bandits; lust filled eyes sing every inch of their bodies. Tears flowing untrolbly down the younger one’s face.
'This, is the kind of people the world is full of.' He said to himself. The ring hummed in agreement, growing louder and louder. Eren couldn't hold it much longer.
The two irls are tied nearby, whilst the you is thrown onto the 'bed.'
"Leave her alohe blonde fought hard against her binds.
"We will give you what you want just please, not her!" The redhead cried out desperately.
"Ladies, dies don't worry... you'll get your turn." The fat man hushed them, strolling past to the bedside.
“Bring her here. I’m going to take my time with this one." He said it casually, like another drink, his smile widening at the sight of the terrified girl. The bandits followed suit, drinkiily in anticipation. Their lust-filled gaze log on the scared child below.
*Crash*
Eren dropped from above; crashing hard onto the crete floor. A predators eyes peered through white strands; fog ily o man in front of him.
"Oi! Who are you? Ya got guts interrupting my fun." Fat man belched out. His chubby fingers ed tightly around his belt.
"Fuck off would ya." Another bandit piped up behind Eren.
"Pre-game eai. Kill this asshole thehe bandit couldn't finish his sentence as his tongue dangled from what remained of his jaw. Eren had learnt his lesson, kill them before they could reao more time wasting. This isn't training anymore.
The warehouse stood in stunned silence before erupting into a; ons draoioward Eren. Swords & guns, fire, and ice, All primed for a fight.
"B-bastard!" Screamed the bandit closest to him. He rushed Eren, swinging wildly with a katana. Whip pierg his sternum, swinging him in the air before ung him headfirst into the gunner behind him.
"Your fucked now." 7 Bandits approached him slowly, ering him between crates and boxes. A fireball ready to unch, instead its cleaved off by the whip. Falling to the crates and igniting them in fmes.
<3/20>
Fming swords swung down at Eren, one from above and one from below. The Reaper avoids both blows, backflipping onto the crates behind ung over the top, decapitating the offenders in midair.
An ice spear flew towards his heart, aiming for an opening; rolling out of the hitting another fire bandit, his embers added to the growing inferno.
The whip tracked through the air cutting the bonds of the two women, allowing them to free the younger girl and escape. Meanwhile Eren danced between bdes and fmes; metal sshing through thin air, inches away from striking home, parrying off an attack. He spun on his heels, twisting, and turning through the sea of attacks. Bdes shattered upon tact, shards flew everywhere, peppering the ground with fragments. A shard pierces deep into his cheek. But didn’t slow him.
The dwindling numbers and the growing inferno scared the fat man. "Fuck, RUN!" He yelled over the roar over the fmes. "NO!" Eren shouted after them.
"Don't let them escape." With a raise of his ringed hand the 6 knights from before rose from outside, cutting all those unfortunates enough to draw close.
The knights raised their swords, striking downward cleaving a couple heads. Some unfortunate souls are thrown directly into the fire, screaming filling the room as they burn alive. The remaining gangsters split up hoping they will be able to escape the
<12/20>
The inferno has now pletely engulfed the warehouse, the fire g many; all except for the birthday boy.
<16/20>
The fat man crawled on his hands and knees, struggling to breathe, coughing stantly. His skin blistering from heat, sweat dripped from every pore.
"Please." Eren gred down at him, watg him suffer.
"I'm sorry. Please, have mercy." He pleaded, reag his arm out to grab Eren. Eren held him tight, holding him directly over the ope.
"NO! NO! NO PLEASE!" His screams were deafening, his voice strained by sheer terror. The fmes shed the man’s back, crag and popping over the fire. Skin charring rapidly.
"PLEASE!!! I'LL DO ANYTHING!!! FIVE ME!!!" He sobbed untrolbly, tears streaking his cheeks.
Too te for mercy.
"No." Eren spoke ftly, tossing the man into the fmes. Cries filled the warehouse, eg hauntingly along its walls. Eventually fading away altogether. Nothing remained but a pile of ash.
<19/20>
Before Eren could leave the st remaining bandit; the young nky man crawled along the ground, clutg his stomach. "Please... Don't..." He struggled to catch his breath. Gasping loudly.
"I-I, was forced to do this. I don't want to be a criminal." The young man whimpered pathetically, blood dripping from his mouth.
Eren's thoughts bee his again, the boy; the same age as Emi. His words spoke true.
"Leave-" Eren's mercy was cut short as a fiery crate crushed the young man, enveloping him in fire.
"ARGHHHH!" His pleading eyes the st image of the kid.
Charred meat aed pstic all the remained. Erehe inferno, stench of death his new perfume. Shirt barley keeping hold, shoes melted into the pavement. He left without looking back. A cold gaze settled upon his face.
The knights stood guard of the girls; following an unspoken and from their master. The blonde dy stood before him. "Thank you." She bowed deeply, shaking. Eyes red, raw. Her hands still bear bruises from resisting.
"Are you okay?" Eren asked softly, kneelio them. Both girls shook their heads weakly.
"Do you know somewhere safe you go?"
The redhead answered, her voice barely audible. "...Yes." A spark of hope returned.
"How about you?" Eren asked the little girl, she didn't answer simply staring at his armuardians behind him.
"We get there. Thanks." The blonde replied shakily, standing tall. Taking charge.
"Get home safe." Eren stood by watg the bze. As he walked a tug on his remaining shirt. The girl embraced him tightly. Whispering quietly. "Thank you..." Eren patted her head softly, stroking her hair gently.
"Stay safe now." He parted ways with the trio, making sure they drove off from the hellish ndscape.
The blonde gnced back at him o time as the car pulled away, her eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and fear. She had seen his mercy, but she had also witnessed his wrath. What kind of man had saved her? She didn’t know, and she wasn’t sure she wao.
*k* *k* *k*
The knights all kneeled once more before him, their reverence apparent.
He extended his right arm; calling them to attention. The white dots meet his eyes.
"Thank you, return home now." Six nods returned; melting bato the shadows they came. Disappearing as mysteriously as they appeared.
Distant sirens drew closer to the bze; emergency services doing their job, but too te. Erehe shadows, vanishing within.