Glass Heart Syndrome

Chapter 5

Dusk settled heavily over the forest, wrapping the group in a thick veil of mist as they pressed forward. Eren's limbs ached, and every sound—every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves—set his nerves on edge. Behind him, the driver's steady footfalls kept pace, a constant reminder of their path and the path he'd chosen.

The bandit camp lay far behind them now, but the memory of it clung to Eren like a second skin. He could still feel the residue of mana crackling through his veins, see the lifeless faces of the men he'd fought. Every step felt heavier, the quiet pressing in with an almost tangible weight.

"Almost there," the driver murmured as they came to the edge of a steep cliff. Below, the narrow path wound between dark, jagged rocks, and a river surged with a violent current, cutting through the forest floor. The mist hung low over the water, casting strange, shifting shapes in the twilight.

The driver crouched down, gesturing for Eren and the others to do the same. "See those lights?"

Eren squinted, barely making out faint glimmers across the river's far bank, where a cluster of weathered buildings huddled together under the shadow of the mountain. "What is that?"

"That's Irelian," the driver replied. "The border town. Cross the river, and we're out of Rothvale's reach. There, you'll get your first taste of what Ezura really has to offer."

Eren felt a strange pang in his chest. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The driver's gaze was unreadable in the dim light, but his voice held an edge of warning. "It means that Rothvale was the least of your worries, mage. Irelian isn't a place for the soft-hearted. It's where you'll find the ones who've been hardened by the kind of trials you can't imagine yet."

Eren looked out at the town, a chill settling over him. "What do you mean, trials?"

The driver let out a low chuckle. "The kind that strip you down to your core, make you question why you keep going. If you survive Irelian, you might just start to understand what Ezura is."

The group shifted uneasily, the weight of the driver's words pressing down on them all. Eren clenched his fists, his gaze never leaving the faint lights of the town below. He'd already crossed lines he couldn't come back from. Whatever lay ahead, he'd have to face it, like it or not.

"We'll move at dawn," the driver said, his voice cutting through the tension. "Get some rest. You'll need it."

They spread out, finding spaces along the cliff's edge where they could settle for the night. Eren wrapped his cloak around himself, sinking down against a tree, his mind still racing with the driver's words. He tried to sleep, but the images from the camp lingered, his thoughts a mess of memories and doubts.

He closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing, trying to steady the turmoil inside. He'd fought for his life, faced death head-on—and yet, the emptiness in his chest only seemed to grow.

A soft crunch of footsteps drew his attention, and he looked up to see one of the travelers, a young woman with dark, piercing eyes, standing nearby. She watched him for a moment, her expression guarded.

"You don't seem like the others," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Eren tensed, unsure how to respond. "What makes you say that?"

She tilted her head, studying him. "The way you moved back there. It wasn't just skill—it was hesitation. Like you're still holding onto something."

Eren felt a pang of discomfort, his gaze dropping to the ground. "Maybe I am."

The woman's eyes softened, and she sat down beside him, her voice quiet. "I used to think the same thing—that I could hold onto who I was, no matter what this place threw at me." She paused, her voice laced with a quiet bitterness. "But Ezura doesn't care about who you were. It only cares about who you're willing to become."

Eren swallowed, her words hitting uncomfortably close. "Then why fight it?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why not let this place turn you into whatever it wants?"

She smiled faintly, her gaze distant. "Because some things are worth holding onto, even if it means suffering." She glanced at him, her expression softening. "Maybe you'll find something worth holding onto, too."

Eren's chest tightened, her words stirring something inside him. But as she stood and slipped back into the shadows, he was left with the same empty ache, a hollow reminder of how much he'd already lost.

---

When dawn broke, the group gathered at the edge of the cliff, the mist hanging low over the river below. Eren felt a strange clarity as he looked down at the jagged rocks, the surging current. Whatever waited for him in Irelian, he'd face it. There was no turning back.

The driver moved ahead, leading the group down the narrow path, each step cautious and deliberate. They reached the river's edge, the sound of rushing water filling the air, and the driver pointed toward a rickety bridge that stretched across the current.

"Single file," he ordered, his voice carrying over the roar of the river. "Watch your step."

Eren took a deep breath, gripping the worn rope as he stepped onto the bridge. The wood creaked beneath him, the rush of the water below a dizzying reminder of how narrow the path was. One slip, one wrong step, and there would be no chance to turn back.

Halfway across, a loud snap echoed through the air. Eren froze, his heart pounding as the bridge swayed, the wood groaning under the weight of the group. He glanced back, his grip tightening as he saw the fear in the others' faces.

"Keep moving!" the driver shouted, his voice laced with urgency. "Don't look back!"

Eren forced himself to take another step, his breath coming in shallow gasps. The bridge lurched again, the ropes straining, and he felt the ground shift beneath him. For a moment, panic surged through him, but he clenched his teeth, focusing on his footing, his grip.

The world narrowed to the feel of the rope under his hands, the rough wood beneath his feet. He took another step, then another, each one a small victory against the dizzying pull of the river below. When he finally reached the other side, his legs were shaking, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

The driver gave him a brief nod, his face unreadable. "Not bad. You might just make it through Irelian."

Eren barely had time to catch his breath before the others followed, each one crossing with the same tense determination. When the last of them had made it across, they turned, looking back at the bridge swaying gently in the morning light.

The driver let out a low breath, his gaze distant. "Consider this your last test of trust," he said, his voice carrying a note of finality. "From here on out, it's every soul for themselves."

Eren's stomach twisted, the weight of his words settling over him like a shroud. The driver hadn't been lying; Irelian was no place for allies, no place for bonds. Whatever waited for him on the other side of this path, he'd have to face it alone.

As they moved toward the shadowed town ahead, Eren couldn't shake the feeling that he was crossing another line, one that separated him not just from the world he'd known, but from whatever fragments of himself he'd still been holding onto.

---

The mist thickened as they neared Irelian, the buildings looming like silent sentries in the fog. The driver slowed, his gaze sweeping the area, and Eren felt the tension in the air shift, a palpable sense of danger lurking just beyond sight.

"You'll need to be careful here," the driver murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "This place... it's where you learn what you're really made of."

Eren's grip tightened on his dagger, his pulse a steady drumbeat in his ears. He didn't know what Irelian held for him, but as he looked into the fog, into the shadowed alleys and broken doors, he knew that whatever pieces of himself he'd kept hidden, whatever hesitations he'd clung to—they would be tested.

He took a deep breath, the cold air filling his lungs, and stepped forward, his heart steady, his mind clear. He was done holding back.

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