Chapter 2: A Stranger’s Path

  The man’s presence was as unnerving as the Sentinel’s glowing red eye. Eren followed close behind, his pack bouncing against his back with every hurried step. The stranger moved with a purpose, as if he knew exactly where to go, though the cracked terrain of the Frontier offered little in terms of direction.

  ?Who are you?“ Eren finally managed to ask, his voice hoarse from running.

  The man didn’t turn. ?Someone who just saved your life. That’s all you need to know.“

  Eren bit back a retort. Whoever this man was, he had destroyed a Sentinel in one shot, a feat Eren hadn’t thought possible. The weapon slung over his shoulder, sleek, compact, and radiating faint traces of energy, looked like it belonged in the core regions, not out here in the dust and scrap of the Frontier.

  ?Where are we going?“ Eren tried again, his voice steadier this time.

  The man glanced over his shoulder, his sharp eyes scanning Eren as if weighing his worth. ?Away from here. Unless you’d prefer to wait around for more of them.“

  Eren fell silent. He didn’t know why the Sentinels had attacked the outpost, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to. All he knew was that his home, such as it was, was gone. The few people he’d called friends were either dead or scattered. The thought sent a pang through his chest, but he pushed it aside. Survival came first.

  They climbed a rocky incline, the wind whipping at their clothes. When they reached the top, Eren stopped short. Below them stretched a landscape unlike anything he had ever seen.

  A massive structure jutted out of the ground, its surface gleaming under the fading sunlight. It was ancient, its design alien in its perfection. Smooth, dark metal formed curved spires that rose into the sky, and faint lines of energy pulsed across its surface like veins.

  ?What… what is that?“ Eren asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

  The man’s expression darkened. ?A ruin. And your best chance at surviving the night.“

  Eren couldn’t tear his eyes away from the ruin. The structure pulsed faintly, a rhythmic glow coursing through the veins of energy etched into its surface. He felt a strange pull, as if the ruin itself was beckoning him closer. It wasn‘t fear, at least, not entirely, but a sense of curiosity that outweighed his instinct to run.

  The man beside him, however, seemed far less impressed. He stepped forward, scanning the area with a small device in his hand. The gadget hummed softly, its screen flickering with data Eren couldn’t make sense of.

  ?Is it safe?“ Eren asked hesitantly, finally breaking the silence.

  The man’s eyes flicked toward him, cold and calculating. ?Safe is relative, kid. These places aren’t exactly welcoming, but they’re better than being out in the open with Sentinels crawling around.“

  Eren frowned, gripping the strap of his pack tighter. ?Why would Sentinels even attack the outpost? They’ve never come this far out before.“

  ?Doesn’t matter,“ the man said curtly, tucking the device back into his jacket. ?What matters is they’ll keep coming. Something’s stirred them up, and if we don’t keep moving, weall find out the hard way.“

  He started down the slope toward the ruin, leaving Eren no choice but to follow. The closer they got, the larger the structure seemed, its spires cutting through the sky like jagged spears. The air grew heavier, thick with an almost tangible energy that made Eren’s skin prickle.

  When they reached the base of the ruin, Eren noticed the intricate patterns carved into the metal surfacea€”symbols that didn’t belong to any language he recognized. The lines of energy pulsing through the structure converged at an arched entrance, its opening sealed by a faintly glowing barrier.

  The man approached the barrier without hesitation, pulling a slim cylindrical device from his belt. He pressed it against the energy field, and the barrier rippled before dissolving with a faint hiss.

  ?Stay close,“ he said, stepping through the now-open archway. ?These places are a maze if you don’t know what you’re doing.“

  Eren hesitated for a moment, his gaze lingering on the symbols carved into the walls. Something about them felt familiar, though he couldn’t explain why. Shaking off the thought, he followed the man inside.

  - Inside the Ruin -

  The air within was cool and dry, a stark contrast to the winds outside. The faint hum of energy resonated through the walls, and the dim glow of the patterns on the floor provided just enough light to see. The corridor stretched endlessly in both directions, its symmetry almost unsettling.

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  ?How do you know your way around this?“ Eren asked, his voice echoing slightly.

  The man glanced over his shoulder. ?I’ve been to a few of these. They’re all built the same way, at least, mostly. Don’t touch anything unless I tell you.“

  Eren’s curiosity burned at the edges of his thoughts, but he bit his tongue. The last thing he needed was to set off some ancient trap and get himself killed. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the ruin was… watching him. The hum in the walls felt almost alive.

  As they moved deeper, the corridor widened into a large chamber. At its center stood a pedestal, atop which rested a crystalline object. It pulsed faintly with light, casting shifting patterns across the walls.

  The man stopped abruptly, his posture tense. ?Stay here.“

  ?What is it?“ Eren asked, but the man didn’t answer. He approached the pedestal cautiously, his weapon at the ready. The air around the crystal seemed to ripple, distorting the light like heat waves.

  Eren’s pulse quickened. Whatever that thing was, it wasn’t normal.

  The man reached out, his fingers hovering just above the crystal. But before he could touch it, the chamber erupted in sound, a deep, resonant tone that seemed to shake the very air.

  ?Get back!“ The man shouted, but it was too late.

  The floor beneath the pedestal split open, and from the depths rose a machine unlike any Eren had ever seen. It was humanoid, but its frame was sleeker, more advanced than the Sentinels that had attacked the outpost. Its surface shimmered with the same energy that pulsed through the ruin, and its single eye glowed a piercing blue.

  ?A Primarch…“, the man muttered, his voice laced with both awe and dread.

  The Primarch’s gaze locked onto them, its body unfolding with smooth, mechanical precision. A low hum filled the chamber as it activated, the energy in the walls converging into its frame.

  ?Kid,“ the man said, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. ?If you want to live, do exactly what I say.“

  Eren nodded, his grip tightening on the crude blade in his hand. For the first time, he realized just how out of his depth he was.

  The chamber vibrated as the Primarch stepped forward, each movement precise and deliberate. Its glowing blue eye shifted between Eren and the man, scanning them with an unsettling intensity. Lines of energy pulsed along its limbs, mirroring the patterns on the walls around them.

  Eren’s breath hitched. He could feel the weight of the machine’s gaze, as if it were peeling back every layer of his being. He tightened his grip on the blade in his hand, though he knew it was laughably useless against something like this.

  ?Don’t even think about it, kid,“ the man said sharply, raising his weapon. ?You’d be dead before you got within ten feet of it.“

  ?Then what do we do?“ Eren asked, his voice cracking despite himself.

  The man’s eyes narrowed. ?We run.“

  The Primarch’s head tilted slightly, as if analyzing their movements. Then, with a sound like a low growl, it raised its arm. The hum in the air deepened, and an energy field began to form around its hand.

  ?Move!“ the man barked, shoving Eren toward the corridor they had entered through.

  Eren stumbled but managed to regain his footing, bolting toward the exit. Behind him, a deafening blast of energy ripped through the air, slamming into the wall where he had been standing moments ago. Shards of metal and debris flew in all directions, the impact ringing in his ears.

  The man fired back, his weapon unleashing a concentrated beam of energy. It struck the Primarch square in the chest, but the machine barely flinched. The glow in its limbs intensified, and it began to advance.

  ?This isn’t a fight we can win!“ the man shouted, firing another shot as he backed toward the exit. ?Get out of here, now!“

  Eren didn’t need to be told twice. He sprinted down the corridor, the hum of the Primarch’s energy attacks and the man’s weapon echoing behind him. His heart pounded in his chest, every instinct screaming at him to keep moving.

  But the corridors weren’t as straightforward as he’d hoped. The ruin seemed to shift around him, each turn revealing another identical hallway. The faint glow of the walls did little to guide him, and the echoes of the battle behind him made it impossible to think.

  Where am I even going? Eren thought, panic creeping into his mind. This place is a maze, there’s no way out.

  He skidded to a halt at an intersection, his chest heaving. The sound of footsteps, heavy, metallic, echoed from somewhere behind him. His stomach sank. The Primarch was still coming.

  Eren’s eyes darted around, searching for anything… anything, that might give him an edge. That was when he saw a faint glimmer of light coming from a crack in the wall just ahead. It wasn’t much, but it was different. And right now, different was all he had.

  He bolted toward the crack, squeezing through the narrow opening and into a small, circular chamber. The air inside felt heavier, almost electric, and at the center of the room stood another pedestal. But this one was empty, at least, at first glance.

  Eren approached cautiously, his instincts warning him that this was no ordinary room. As he drew closer, the faint glow of the walls seemed to intensify, converging on the pedestal. And then he saw it, a small crystal, no larger than his fist, embedded in the surface.

  It pulsed faintly, its light rhythmic and alive. Eren reached out, his hand trembling. The air around the crystal seemed to ripple as his fingers drew closer, and a voice, distant, almost imperceptible, whispered in the back of his mind.

  ?Don’t touch it.“

  Eren spun around to see the man standing in the doorway, his weapon raised. His face was pale, his expression grim. ?You have no idea what that thing could do.“

  ?What choice do I have?“ Eren shot back, his voice rising. ?That thing is coming, and we’re out of options!“

  The man hesitated, glancing over his shoulder. The metallic footsteps were growing louder, the Primarch closing in. He let out a frustrated sigh. ?Fine. But if you’re wrong, we’re both dead.“

  Eren swallowed hard, turning back to the crystal. His hand hovered over it for a moment longer before he took a deep breath and wrapped his fingers around it.

  The moment he made contact, the room exploded with light. Energy surged through Eren’s body, searing and cold all at once. His vision blurred, and for a moment, he was weightless, floating in an endless void of light and sound.

  Then, just as suddenly, it was over. Eren collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. The crystal was still in his hand, but it no longer pulsed with light. It felt warm, almost alive.

  ?Get up!“ the man shouted, grabbing Eren by the arm and hauling him to his feet. ?We‘re not done yet.“

  The Primarch stepped into the chamber, its glowing eye locking onto them once more. But this time, something was different. The energy in the room seemed to shift, drawn toward Eren like a magnetic field. The Primarch hesitated, its movements stuttering for a fraction of a second.

  Eren didn’t understand what was happening, but he knew one thing: the crystal had done something. And whatever it was, it might just be their only chance.