Baelor took a long sip of his tea, letting the warmth soothe his throat.

  "I expect this versation will take some time." Eren aking a moment to appreciate the beauty of the room once more. Each painting, each book, a unique piece to an ever-growing puzzle of knowledge. The elf cleared his throat, setting the cup aside.

  "To begin, our masthead; Our binding ties, in exge for my guidance, knowledge, and experience. You, Eren, will recim the lost grounds of my guild. Furthermore, you will assist iivities within the bounds of the guild."

  "Those ditions seem fine... But what exactly is the guild?" Eren asked cautiously, having been with a guild that cost him everything, Eren was somewhat sceptical. Baelor raised his hand, gesturing to the paintings, scrolls and banners hanging from the walls.

  "This is the guild." His voice filled with pride. "We are the Silvermane, dragons of dusk, knights of the eternal star... We are the children of the fallen dawn." His words loud and fident, filled with passionate vi. The elf's features hardened, eyes sparkling with inteion, remi of the legendary figures from eons past.

  "What, so the homeless outside..." Ereured out the door with his head.

  "Once were warriors; sons and daughters of vanow they reside in the darkness of this mortal coil; broken, fotten and without hope, awaiting the day when the veil lifts and the light shines once more. The world ill just to you, more so in their eyes."

  "They were rankers?"

  "Mostly yes; some have since lost their spark. Purpose lost to time, memories dimming in the wake of light." Baelor looked towards the fire, gaze growing distant.

  A heavy silence weighed in the room; only the crackle of the fmes dared disrupt it. For a time, the pair sat in quiet ption. Each ed in thoughts of their own. The fire burned low in the hearth, sputtering i gasps of life, desperate for an.

  "And how I help?" Eren asked, finally breaking the silence.

  Baelor smiled softly, golden eyes glistening.

  "As you grow in strength and experience, you will learn to harness your talents better. As such you will aid in reg the fortresses of uild, rest us to glory. You have e across our foes already; The Crimson bandits."

  "Is that what they are called? They seem nothing more than on thugs." Baelor frow that statement, his eyes sharpening, pierg Eren's skin like bdes.

  "Do not mistake them for what you see on the surface; they are a parasite that seeks te themselves on this cities underbelly. Ext, stealing, killing. Low they maybe on the order of things but dangerous in number."

  "The deal is fine so far; but how will you help me? And why did Death ask this of you?" Eren asked warily, Baelor was certainly hiding much about his true motives.

  "In truth, Reaper Eren there is not much I teach you i of bat and strategy. You reapers; an amalgamation of man and the abyss, wield powers beyond prehension. I am surprised that you have gohout knowing thus far, your lord is far too capable for simple ignorahe elf spoke kindly, finishing his tea in one fluid motion.

  "An envoy from your realm was sent; tales of your vand power spread from his lips. Stories that impressed my ear so deeply, and then he kept speaking about you, repetition after repetition. He was quite taken with your as..."

  "He didn't happen to have blonde hair and emerald eyes; also, a bit of a pervert?" Eren added hastily.

  Baelor let out a hearty ugh; Only one reaper fit the description. "Oh no not-"

  "Hellllllllllllllllooooooooooooooo!" Lucifer kicked the door in; a smirk stretched across his smug face. The two others shot a quice his way, both expressions already exacerbated.

  "Did you miss me? I have missed you~." Lucifer walked in with the supermodels strut, swaggering across the room, flopping onto Eren's p dramatically; wiggling around like a puppy.

  "Get off me, your too heavy." Eren barked, pushing him away.

  A sad pout appeared on Lucifer's face. "How dare you! I weigh the perfect amount."

  "Wele, Reaper Lucifer." Baelor weled calmly, bowing his head.

  "No need for formalities, I prefer Lucifer. So, you have met my little friend." Ereed the reaper's embrace, desperately trying to push his hands away. "Have you got him started on his quest yet? Hmm hmm hmm?"

  Baelor closed his eyes, breathing slowly; regaining his inner focus. "Yes, I was inf Eren of our terms-"

  "Oooh that sounds fun!" Lucifer replied childishly. "Have you given him his rank?" Lucifer tio digress from the versation at hand.

  "Not-"

  Lucifer interrupted again. "Holy Baelor, what do we pay you for?" The blonde elf pihe bridge of his nose.

  "Eren... Follow me please." Rising to his feet, the elf walked briskly to one of many bookcases, pulling on a leather-bound grimoire; sliding open revealing a set of stairs that led downward.

  Eren followed closely behind; desding into the earth, deeper and deeper below ground. Damp brickwork lihe walls; moisture dripped down to the floor leaving a trail of moss in its path. An unfortable humidity g to his clothing, beads of sweat colleg on his skin, ess to stave away the heat. Most annoying of all was Lucifer flig his white locks around, like a cat pying with yarn.

  Finally, they emerged in a rge open space; cold air stung his face, the warmth of before now repced by icy chills. An orb of blue light sat at the tre, ed firmly in pce, glowing brightly under cables and wires protruding from below; casting a dark ominous shadow across the room. Tables and benches lined up ly across from it, books and papers scattered orderly.

  "Please touch the orb." Baelor motioned his hand towards it. The orb before him was the same ohat gave Eren his abilities, as well as the beginning of his fall into darkness. But now things would be different, there was nothing to fear, no longer alone in the unknown.

  With only slight hesitation, Eren pced his palm against the surface, waiting anxiously for his fate. The orb pulsated softly beh his touch, warming ever so slightly, shinning brighter with each sed until eventually Eren had to squint to protect his sight. Light emanating in blinding arcs across the room; bathing the three in dazzling rays of multicolour.

  "gratutions, Eren." Baelor smiled, waving his hand from the monitor he stood behind.

  "Ex - rank; Harbinger css." Lucifer leaned over his shoulder to read.

  "Harbinger; draws power from the iability of death destru and decay, wielding neantic powers and the ability to absorb souls." A straisfa bloomed within him; that once great emptiness now filled with something tangible.

  "I will adjust your rank to a k warrior, rying eyes unaware of your power." The process was a lot less plicated than st time, less hurdles needed.

  "And too finish." Baelor passed a small gss s device Eren's way. The s glows with a faint blue hue; numbers, is and words written across it.

  "The model, although they are very much the same as each other."

  The ring which has been dormant for the time he had been back with the living awoke. Tendrils reag to the teology; ing tightly around it.

  *ch*

  The phone enveloped in bck tentacles, bending, and twisting under unimaginable pressures; redug to rubble and dust, crumbling to the floor. Eren held his breath, silently hoping they would say nothing.

  "It didn't like it... Oh my god." An illusionary s projected from the ring; 'System update in progress' dispyed across the tre in bold lettering.

  "Fuck's sake, this is something straight out of a fantasy manhwa." Eren groaned, rubbing his temples in frustration. Lucifer just giggled. The elf held back his words, letting out a long sigh.

  " you see a s Eren? Like an AR interface?"

  Eren opened his eyes; to his astonishment, a glowing holographic dispy lit up in front. Like the phone he just had; stats, biography, a map, skills, abilities, traits, items. All the same funs yet vastly easier to navigate and use; it even funed without pressing keys.

  "AR ss are associated with the administrator css, that ring is certainly full of surprises."

  Eren tapped around cheg the different funalities. "I'll gh how you access the menus aime. Is there anything else?"

  "I have one mift, a token of our allegiance; From my nd I have brought forth this." In the palm of Baelor’s hand id a cloak bck as deepest night, soft to the toud sturdy in make, length falling to the knees.

  "May it serve you in the darkest depths, cloak you in shadows unseen. Wear it with pride Ere." Bowing slightly, Baelor ha esturing for Eren to wear it.

  Slowly Eren slipped on the jacket, snugly fitting his form; tight to the body, light as a feather, flowing smoothly across his skin.

  "Until ime." Baelor bowed low, another phone. Perhaps one he will not break.

  Eren took his leave, closely followed by a pestering Lucifer. "Hold a moment, reaper." Baelor called after Lucifer.

  "What is it?" The reaper whined. Erehe pair, journeying back out into the night.

  Clouds gathered overhead, moonlight obscured, b of darkness hung heavy in the sky. Skulking through shadows and alleyways; his cloak flowily in the wind. Streaks of azure light fsh from time to time, Eren jumping high into the air, desding to another rooftop in a single bound.

  Below, only three roofs from home; a young pair walked close together. One of the two, a woman no taller than 5'6, slim built; long sleek hair tied back; wearing a thick coat to fend off the chill in the air; the other man, well-built; tall and nky in trast, t above her.

  'It’s one in the m? Who are these people?' Eren wondered.

  Gaze unmoving from the strangers before him. Their bodies pressed against each other, his hand's keeping her warm uhe night sky.

  "It's not safe around here." He whispered into her ear. Quiing his pace, eager to return home.

  The gang from earlier in the day emerged from a side-street, 7-strong, closing in around the couple.

  "Well, well, well, what do we have here? Jun and his dear sister. Hiding a precious gem this one is, nid cute; just my type!" A youth with dirty blonde hair and light brown eyes sauntered over; sizing up his prize.

  "Listen, she's doh work tonight, just let us pass." The boy pulled his sister closer into him.

  "Let you pass... Pfthahahahahaha!" The older man mocked.

  "I think she work another shift with us." He reached his hand out; brushing his fingers gently across her cheek.

  Suddenly, the boy called Jun grabbed his wrist, stopping his advances.

  "We don't want any trouble, please let us-" Without a moment’s notice the blonde man smmed his forehead hard into Jun's nose; crag it on impact. His sister let out a muffled gasp, hand is reag out.

  "Stupid bitch!" He spped her across the face with force; knog her to the ground. "This girl belongs to us now; I suggest you fet about her. Got it?!" Jun gred daggers at him, hatred burned in his eyes.

  "Touch her and I'll kill you-"

  Ere his blood boil. Ag on instinct, Eren jumped down stig to his favoured shadows nding with ease.

  The whip struck the dim light overhead; shattered, raining small fragments down upon the group below.

  "Whose out there!?" Someone shouted.

  Eren struck first, flesh smashed against crete, breaking apart his slender bones on impact. The once cocky youth y in agony, cradling his bloodied face, groaning in pain. Another blow found its mark; crag ribs like sticks of twigs.

  "Show yourself!" the leader roared. Fists glowing red, fire coalesg around his skin. Another member attacked in the fusion; taken into the bed folds of night; screaming in pure agony, before quickly losing sciousness.

  Fire spewed from the blonde gangster's fists, lighting the street in amber hues.

  *Crack*

  Number 4, 5, 6 all fell in succession. Blood spttered from broken faces and whip shes. The final members turail, fleeing for their lives.

  "S-Screw this!!!" The blonde leader screamed back; rag into the night.

  A sharp pain radiated from his heels, cut with one swift strike, colpsing to the ground. The figure in the night was on him; Knee digging into his back, hand grabbing his hair; pressing his face down onto the cold stone pavement, grinding hard into his skin.

  "W-Who are you?! You piece of shit!" Eren puhe man a few times, just enough to daze him.

  "Do you want to live?" Eren asked harshly.

  "Y-Yeah..." He stuttered in reply.

  "Then deliver a message to your boss; This district, your territory... is MINE." Voice a low growl in the bandit’s ear. The blonde man struggled under Eren's weight, but nodded frantically in aowledgment.

  Eren stood releasing the pressure on his back. Leaving the writhing bandits ireet. Disappearing into the night.

  The young man and his sister quickly limped home, leaving the wreckage in their wake.

  'That should send a message to those pricks.' Eren thought, already feeling his new purpose c through his blood. Perhaps finally he has found a purpose amongst the chaos and disorder; maybe now he would find ban the world again.