Chapter 34: Chapter 34

“Back then, my fair lady, Humans, and demons were the same, they were still one race, one single population that lived together, that is why humans and demons now are so alike, we look alike to a certain degree and we can even mate, and it is also one of the reasons why I couldn’t understand the reasons that lead your ancestors to betray mine.

Maybe it was out of fear, maybe out of cowardness, maybe out of stupidity, maybe out of greed for some crumbs, maybe they wanted to cling on the thickest thigh, and maybe they had slavery running inside their veins all along. It could be anything, however, no reasons can justify what they did, for my ancestors were in the same shoes, and yet they still chose to fight for their life and freedom, they refused to be some imposters’ livestock, a choice they paid for very, very dearly...” Eren’s gaze hardened a little, for he was reminded of his people’s suffering.

“My ancestors at first had nothing but deep disapproval that turned to anger, it lived with them for several years as they formed families and small communities, but when parents started watching their children die, when love didn’t even have enough time to bloom, when the time is given to our ancestors, yours included, was too short for them to live to a satisfying extent, it was then when it became insufferable.”

“But, eighty years …” Eighty years was enough to do all those things, Sara thought to herself, it was enough time for anyone to live a good life.

“Oh no, my fair lady, back then the Gods were too greedy, they didn’t give our ancestors that much time for the population was too small. They took more then what they are taking now”

“So, your ancestors revolted against the Gods?”

“Yes, one of them, the wisest of them, planned for the revolution, he was selected as their leader, he knew they were at a disadvantage, they had no means to fight the Gods. Therefore, he worked in secret to prepare for a great war, the surprise being the key element in his plan. Do you know what was his name?” seeing her shake her head, he chuckled lightly but there was no sign of humor in his voice, only deep bitterness.

“His name was, Eren Yoren.”

Sara stared at him, she understood his words perfectly, but the implications it held made her feel as if the bed under her was shaking and she was going to fell at any second.

“Do you know the meaning of the name Eren, my fair lady?”

“The saint who brings love and hope…” Sara whispered faintly, remembering why she loved his name, it was exactly what the man meant to her, a lover that made her hope for a good life with him, that, of course, was before she found out the truth about what he was, and what he wanted.

“Correct, it wasn’t his given name though, his followers called him that because that is what he represented to them, Hope…”

“And, Yoren?”

“It was his family name obviously, and the person on your mind was none other than his own brother, the one he loved more than himself, the one whom he told all his secrets, and of course, the one who stabbed him in back.

Edard Yoren the first, was actually a spy to the Gods, and while his brother was preparing a plan to attack the center, Edard was spreading the Gods’ creed and gathering anti troops, preparing to stop his brothers, and when the day of the battle came, my ancestors were taken by surprise…

Eren didn’t see the blade coming for he trusted his brother blindly, it was his only mistake that only lead him to an early grave, his followers were chased away, hunted down like preys by the brothers they trusted until there was nowhere to run to but the edges of the world, the hells.”

“This can’t be!!”

“Oh, it doesn’t stop here my fair lady. It gets even better” Sara noticed the dark sarcasm in his voice and she flinched, the words he spoke were so bitter it made the air in the room thickened.

“I have told you before that the edges of the world are where the light energy is at its weakest, my ancestors, with their leader gone, and most of them killed in the ambush, not to mention the fact that their own brothers were at their throats, didn’t have much to do, they were scattered and weak, they figured they would hide in the edges until they can reorganize themselves, rebuild their troops and strengthen themselves enough to strike back, however, a Goddess, one of the mightiest, took the chance of them being there, and created a banning curse, using her own blood.”

“A blood curse?”

“Yes, you already know that blood is the extract of life, and her blood was mixed with the creation energy, the light energy, she created a curse that doomed any one of the revolutionaries to die once touched by daylight, for light, according to her, was a blessing only those with faithful hearts deserved.”

“But, you…” he was able to walk in daylight, she had met him enough times to confirm it!

“I am a hybrid, Sara, half-human, and before you dare presume anything, No, I am not one of you, I don’t identify as a human!

Now, as I was saying, because of the curse, my people had to stay in their exile, in the edges of the world where no light can reach, exactly as that Goddess planned.

We were pushed to live in the deadlands, and trust me when I say it is not an easy life, how can it be? When one had to live right next to death! many of my ancestors died because they couldn’t adapt to the new environment, the starvation, the impossible condition, many turned mad, children were born in darkness, and only a few of them lived, because of the lack of food my ancestors started eating each other, some even eating their dead, some even eating the livings…” Eren stopped to take a deep breath, calming his anger…

“It wasn’t easy for them to survive, but those who did, found a new way to survive, to live.”

“The dark energy!” Eren smiled and nodded at her realizing whisper.

“Exactly, my fair lady, it took my ancestors time to understand the Gods’ concept, that survival is for the strongest and smartest, not the bravest nor the kindest, so they mimicked them, only that it wasn’t out of greed, my ancestors didn’t have any other choice, but death that is, they used the dark energy to survive, and little by little it became a part of them, like my shadows, for example, they gained unimaginable power and were able to build civilizations, this empire being one of them.

However, the dark energy is the energy of death, and to be able to gain the favor of death you need to present with sacrifices, living sacrifices that is, that is the price you had to pay for your betrayal, and it is why we feed on humans’ blood, the extract of life.

It was because of you that we are the monsters we are now, My fair lady...”

“But I have nothing to do with any of this.” Sara retorted, she wasn’t there thousands of years ago when all of that happened, he couldn’t possibly blame her because her great great great grandfather betrayed his!

“But you do, my Fair lady, for you are the Daughter of Historia, The Goddess who cursed us, you have her blood in your veins, the blood that cursed us, and the blood that can break the curse and free us.”

“It…Can’t be!!” it can’t, it just can’t, her mother wasn’t a Goddess, how can a goddess have a daughter with a human? It didn’t make any sense, it was impossible!!

But then again, Eren did mention that they were all one single race, and if the humans and demons can mate, why not the humans and Gods!!

It would explain everything!

Why her father hid her all those years, why he used the thick glass on her windows, why he never talked about her mother, why she didn’t look like anyone she ever met, why were the demons after her…

“A…are you going to kill me for my blood…” Sara asked in a whisper, her eyes widening, she was still unable to believe everything he said but her believing it or not wasn’t going to change the fact that he was going to kill her...

“The idea is tempting…” very tempting, Eren thought as he imaged her warm blood on his tongue, his mouth suddenly watered and he gulped, suddenly having an urgent need to taste her blood, divine or not, he didn’t care for he wasn’t thinking about the damn plan.

At that moment, she was the only thing he was thinking about as his thirst was no longer bearable, and right in front of him was the person whose blood he desired the most.

How satisfying it would feel to pierce her smooth skin with his fangs and let the warm blood drip inside his mouth. So slowly…

“But not now…” not with your divine blood dormant, Eren thought to himself…

Right when he was about to explain why did he torture her, and before it why did he lie to her and court her, he sensed an indescribable animosity, his eyes snapped toward the source of it with all his senses sharpening and his shadows wakening, feeling the possible threat, no, two threats behind the door.

Sara was taken by surprise when she noticed the changes in the shadows’ lord expressions and posture, she was terrified at first for she thought it was directed towards her but then she followed his line of sight and found out he was glaring at the door, with what he just said, a single guess about what was behind that door crossed her arm.

Geraldine!!

Sara’s body trembled violently as her heart picked its speed, all the memories of her in the cell with the demoness coming back, she didn’t want that door to be opened, she didn’t want whoever was there to enter.

“Don’t let her in!!” she begged to no one in particular, just a desperate beg to be saved from the unimaginable pain that is going to fall on her if the door was opened, she tried to stand up and run, scream and cry, but before she could make any sound or move, Eren’s palm was over her mouth, pressed tightly as he forced her to swallow the rest of her words.

Sara, when the hand was placed on her mouth, was still in a state of panic, she was not yet over the traumatic memories, the sudden touch which was slightly painful was interpreted by her mind as a threat, an attack, and her body reacted.

She swung her hands in front of her in aimless punches, trying to free herself from his grasp, making Eren take both of her fists in his free hand and pin them down on the bed, the action causing her to lay flat on her back with him on top of her.

But his eyes were not on her, they were on the door and the two people standing outside of it.

NOTE: EREN IS ACTUALLY A TURKISH NAME, IT MEANS A SAINT OR A HOLY MAN (ER MEANS MAN, EN MEANS HOLY) AND IT ALSO MEANS LOVE AND STRONG HOPE.

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