After sudden departure of Elizabeth eren was left alone, like most time where he found himself walking in crowded street, observing vampires and few travellers.
He saw a child dragging his father to ice cream store, even though this continent was mostly cold. And some other kid trying to do the same, pulling his mother's arm for ice cream but unlike the other parent, her mother wasn't so easy going which earned kid a slap of love.
Eren chuckled at the paths of love, being so varied and diverse. Maybe separating from Elizabeth after creating a bond was gnawing at his heart, but then he questioned if such was the case then what about alena.
'Loyalty?' he pondered, introspecting wether he was right or wrong?
Sure she gave him permission to do as he wished but then he didn't believe in woman's word for what it was.
' Women are terrifying creature, God knows what'll they do next?'
Later the mother who was against the idea of buying ice cream, was playfully feeding her child ice cream as she rubbed his cheeks to relieve the sting. Her expression were pained, As if she had done something sinful but then boy smiled at his mother and offered his half eaten ice cream.
His gesture of love captured mother's heart, or maybe it was already captured the moment he was born. Mother cuddled him into tight hug as she nibbed on his cheeks,
" Here's my sweet ice cream." And ticklish boy burst out laughing.
Watching them eren felt jealous, He often felt that way because despite having so many people around, there was chain in his heart that he never let go. He loosened it around Elizabeth, hoping for something he didn't understand but then she left abruptly, and so far her absence pressed nothing but agony over Eren's head.
' Even after knowing her background we're just strangers...'
Sigh...
He was reminiscing in sad memories when a notification bell chimed, He looked up his phone and realised that it was already 7:30. Way past his time to get home and then he noticed marco's message,
' Where are you?'
He didn't reply, he was just on his way.
Beside he didn't wanted to be bothered by Marco on the phone.
' Elizabeth faust.' Eren spoke her name with troubled heart, yet his lips curved up in a beautiful smile with just a thought. Along with her came few other faces as well.
Yuta still the same as eren remembered, a small human boy just aged 14 with black hair and eyes, he smiled innocence. Aunt sera as well, middle aged woman with wrinkled face, She smiled tender worry And alena, Ever so brilliant in her cheeky playful but loving smile.
For a moment eren saw even Jasmine and Marco. While jasmine's face was strict, Marco laughed goofily.
Eren wanted nothing more than to dwell in this moments but he had place to be, Eren smiled to memories and carried them ahead.
BAMMM...
Thud...
But very next instant, large collision sound came from behind. Eren hurridly turned as his skin crawled in panic and what he saw turmd his heart erratic.
Crowd erupted in screams and panic with a sight of bloody accident. A truck had ran through several people and had holed through nearby building, those unlucky laid in its track, some broken to core while some heavily injured.
Eren looked where truck had collided and first thought came to his mind was, the child and his mother.
It was the ice cream store where they sat and the place where this tragedy fell, and their absence made eren more and more anxious.
Screams of panic ran through crowds, some rushed to injured's aid while most started pulling out their phones. Some called the ambulance while most started shooting the video.
Eren barely had time to think when a caped, masked fellow came to his face,
" Give me your phone, Hurry!!" the masked man asked in panick anger.
" Huh!!"
" Are you deaf?, We gotta call whoever we can, this is emergency." his eyes were red and it showed Anxiouness.
Masked man didn't bother with Eren's consent and searched through his pockets,
Eren too recoiled back to his composure and handed him the phone without any hesitation.
" Go and help them." Masked men shouted in anger,
And avoiding his gaze, eren ran to victim's aid. Eren didn't knew what to do, He looked for answer.
" SEARCH FOR INJURED AND BRING THEM OUT SAFELY." burly bearded vampire shouted on his lungs. He was quick as he jumped on action and lifted heavy wall that pressed few people below.
Those who heard his instruction followed in his steps, Awakened cleared out the rubble for those who were trapped beneath while Non awakened helpers carried them out.
Eren joined in as well, lifting weight while youngsters, middle aged and all sort of people helped those in need.
Eren moved in closer to where truck had holed and moved in the building,
" Be careful There walls are unstable." But eren was already inside, unable to hear for shouting man's concern.
Inside of the building was partially destroyed, the counter of ice cream parlor dragged along the truck's impact and that slid over the man who served the ice cream, Another few vampires were panicked, afraid but still standing as they lucked out being a bit far from impact, they were uninjured.
Eren didn't bother to check their shocked faces and instantly lifted the counter up, his yellow core strength pushed his muscle to easy lift.
" ugh.....Aahhhh~"
The man who was stuck beneath cried in agonizing pain, he tried dragging his body away in panick but failed pathetically as he found his legs crushed.
" OUT"
CRASH...
Eren shouted as he threw the counter to a corner where it crashed with loud noise.people backed off with further panic but eren didn't care.
Eren looked down, and there she was. The mother who slapped her child with love, Crushed between counter and truck. her body was hit from side with power yet she managed to stay alive, Her shoulder was crushed while neck bled profusely with bones sticking out. She folded her arm in strength and with slow pained groan she opened it, there she held her son. He looked soaked in blood, mostly uninjured. Eren suspected it was his mother's blood
" Grab the man." Eren hurridly lifted the woman in arm yet stayed vigilant to not harm her further, Eren ran outside as she kept her child in embrace.
" There is an injured man inside."
Hearing Eren's plead The bulky vampire who had just finished bringing last injured to safety ran inside without any delay, carrying the man out who had lost his legs. Despite the rubbles he managed to ran unhindered.
" Follow me." bulky vampire shouted and lunged at nearest hospital on foot.
Eren didn't had time to ponder, he followed him closely with speed he could manage.
That gave eren a realisation that the bulky vampire was a cultivator on almost similar plane to his, a yellow rank. His speed was far superior than any mortal but eren wasn't lagging behind either.
And within span of few dozen seconds they had already cleared a mile, reaching the designated hospital.
" Emergency!!!" Someone at doorstep shouted and suddenly hospital staff burst out in action,
Doctors and nurses ran out of hospital, their steps were practiced and they all shared common Will to save life,
Eren felt a nurse's eyes asking to put her down on stretcher that she had brought, eren complied and so did bulky vampire.
" There are others on street 62, near helion plaza." Bulky vampire informed as he placed the injured man on stretcher, the doctor who nodded to him immediately called the ambulance. Loud sirens of ambulance ran out, growing distant with each second.
They were fast and active, not just drivers but everyone present at the hospital , even patients who came for treatment made way for those who really needed immediate attention.
Eren was lost in such sight, never in a million year he would've imagine vampire being so....so...so human.
" Thank you so much for your help."
" Oh please don't."
Eren noticed burly man, his face little flushed with embarrassment. Was that because he was being thanked or due to that thank came from nurse, Eren didn't knew.
" Yes thank you as well." Eren didn't knew what to say, Luckily they didn't wait for his responce and recede back to their work.
" It's good you were there."
" Huh?" Eren looked at bulky man, his long hair was tied in bun.
" Those two were serious, Even though hospital is close it would've been dangerous to wait any second.
And I couldn't have carried two by myself, So I really lucked out when someone strong like you helped. So thank you."
Eren nodded yet he couldn't smile, If such people were around him then there was a chance his brother could've been saved.
Thoughts broke his heart, but he knew unfairness before anything in life. Wounds on his heart had barely healed when they opened again. Despite acting tough and accepting the situation, not for a second eren felt joy. Even the anger he held for vampire who killed her aunt grew thin with time, Flames of revenge still burned but fear never vanished from his heart.
Fear that he would lose something and someone again.
His thoughts came to halt when burly man spoke next,
" I know this is selfish request but would you help me out this once?" Burly man pleaded as he clasped his hands together and bowed, such behaviour hardly suited his looks but eren didn't judge.
" Police will come for investigation, it's a standard procedure and nothing to worry about, but I've urgent business to tend to soo..." Eren had seen several movies of such cliche scenarios, he even suspected burly man was lying just to get away but out of shame, eren didn't deny his request.
With a sigh eren nodded, which lit up burly man's face in an instant.
" I swear i'll make it up you for this gentlemen." And saying so he dashed off hurridly.
Looking at his back drenched in sweat eren couldn't really blame him for picking a way out. Eren couldn't think of him as a liar, he seemed too docile to play lies.
But he still didn't like this feeling, maybe it was his own exhaustion. Eren noticed his own black suit and shirt within was painted red with blood and sweat, his breathing had started to calm but still shallow and his thoughts were everywhere.
He didn't had time to indulge when voice asked for his attention,
" Come here brat." Eren noticed a sharp, crisp tone, he turned around and noticed a angry looking old vampire.
Eren rechecked and sure old vampire's gaze was intended for him.
Eren didn't find it offending, he had seen people act way more harsh. Their harsh behaviour represented their own anguish, The pain and unfairness that had made foundation to their bitter words toward world.
Eren was poor, he lived subjected with mockery, pity and loathing. His brother often said ' Everybody have their own troubles and their own ways of showing it.' and sure eren understood part of it.
But understanding it and accepting it was different, when his Whole life revolved around poverty and defeat, with due time he started accepting this as simply unfair but inescapable weakness. So it was obvious when he rejected their loathing but with time he simply stopped caring for their words.
World was cruel because people had power and he didn't, He believed in power all his life but when it came for his turn, when he gained sliver of power, he had already lost everything.
His strength had no loved one to protect, no relatives to support, no direction to point toward. What would rejection to world will achieve? Nothing.
And that made his life bland, No goals means no passion and no fun in it.
But alena didn't let that stop her from changing it. Her spontaneous actions made eren somewhat more connected with emotions other than grief. She made him more human. But she had to leave as well.
She could no longer spoon feed him, she had her own life to explore.
Eren knew that, Alena had made him question every action of world and those within it. That was also how he fell in love.
That gave eren an initiative to dwell deep in awareness for people's actions,words and even emotions. Which further elaborated his knowledge in his own emotions.
Just like this old vampire's, What was he sulky for? Eren questioned but couldn't get angry and so he questioned why couldn't he get angry?
Eren knew the answer, because eren stopped questioning again.
He simply let it go, flow it away, out of his reach till he couldn't see to care.
He had cared enough and was repaid with nothing but emptyness.
" listen you deaf lizard brat." Eren's thoughts crashed as loud shout shot on his face, old vampire was few inches away from his face as he glared fiercely.
" Yes, sorry!!"
" You better be for wasting my time." Eren didn't argue even though he knew it couldn't be more than few seconds.
The old vampire was dressed in formal attire, had slicked back thin black hair and held a cigar in his old fingers.
His expression were stoic and eyes sharp as it pierced eren,
" Firstly thank you for all this."
Saying so he called out to mana, small but strong orange flame ignited on his finger.
Old vampire swiftly put cigar in his mouth, lighting it up with conjured flame as he gave few shallow smoke simultaneously.
Vampire shook his finger off and flames vanished, his actions were smooth. For a second eren was enchanted, it looked exactly like a movie scene.
" Secondly." Old Vampire deliberately blew the smoke on his face with no regard for politeness.
" My name is Victor corleone, Owner of Eternal night hospital." He raised his arm for a handshake and eren just stared at it.
Sure he was dashing but blowing smoke on his face was not polite, Eren obviously didn't like that attitude.
So did he really expect eren to handshake after such rude behaviour?, but eren saw his somewhat uncaring smile, He wanted eren to react.
" My name is eren salvatore." So eren didn't bother to argue with his spontaneous behaviour, eren let it go as he met his handshake.
And once he did, eren met severe pain as he found his hand crushed tightly in victor's grip,
Ugh...
Pained grunt left as he eyed victor but victor stared back, uncaring for pain and kept clutching tighter. Eren tried pulling out but was unable to,
' How strong is he?' Eren couldn't even shake his grip much less break free from it and Eren didn't knew which realm he was when victor hid it perfectly, nor did he had time to assess when pain bursted in his hand.
His grip had tightened, Eren grunted as his breathing deepened but before he could say anything victor let go,
" Are you angry?"
" Ugh..What do you think?" Eren rebuked.
Victor became even more agitated hearing him, His face showed disgust for some reason as he glared in eren's eyes.
" Repulsive." And Saying so he let go of his hand, gave another big smoke to cigar and strode away in even more annoyance.
Eren watched him walk in hospital door that opened automatically without care in the world and felt irritated but didn't call out old man for a question.
He had no anger to vent just displeasure to hide.
In few seconds ambulance started coming back, every ambulance was as large as mini bus, and possibly had capacity to carry two injured at a time. And it's colour mostly black, with red words written on it. There was a strong alternating red and blue flashing light on top that shone brighly.
Sirens coupled with flashing light made it noticeable for everyone to give a way and people did.
Eren watched large ambulances easily coming out of crowded streets at the doorstep of hospital swiftly.
Just as ambulance came back and their siren went off, nurses and doctors took the charge methodically.
Everything happened so fast that he completely forgot about earlier incident. Just then another siren rang in distant, getting closer by second and within few short breaths it came to his face.
Eren saw a large sized Black jeep with white words written on it, It was a police car, bit larger than regular car and more secured with net and bars on glasses.
siren went off along with red flashing light on the car and two policemen came out, dressed in black uniform, their uniform was plain just like how eren had seen in it movie. Other than the nameplate on chest, everything was ustreless black. Their black uniform contrasted with white pale faces, remarkably it presented police with authorative status over masses.
Isn't their a saying, ' First impression is last impression.' something like that.
This was one of those cases. They wanted to appear authorative.
The two policemen walked upto eren, their face neutral to the situation. Only when they came face to face with eren that one of them smiled,
" Dragon guy, The other guy who called informed us about you." policemen brought out a diary to write down details that he needed.
Eren could guess that burly man had done this, as he said standard procedure but on both hand.
Eren realised how such incident took everybodies efforts.
First Those present as the site of accident helped irrespective of personal agenda, they acted on just kindness. Second burly man not only carried serious patient to hospital on foot but also informed local police and hospital so that situation can be controlled rapidly and easily. Even doctors were quick yet gentle in their work.
And thus everything was under control easily.
" My name Kevin hartlock, This is my colleague stan marcrow. We've dispatched a team on street street 62 near helion plaza where this incident took place and everything is controlled, you can relax." Kevin smiled politely, expressing their work like a trophy. And this was a success on his behalf. Eren didn't complain, this was far the best rapid action he had seen.
" Now, we just want to ask you few questions as standard procedure but this could take a while so I hope you co-operate."
Eren nodded,
" Would you mind showing us your id?"
Eren complied, It was policeman stan who reached out and took Eren's id for Investigation and walked upto his car with dialed phone to his ears.
" Don't mind him, So do you have any relation with injured or the driver who caused this?"
" No."
Eren noticed visible surprise on stan's face as he eyed eren from distant, eren could guess it was about his age.
" Did you see how such scene came to be?" kevin didn't hesitate while speaking out such questions,
" I did but there was nothing abnormal, Everything was okay but then truck lost control and crashed.
Me and the guy who called you brought this two people here who were in direct impact of this unlucky accident.
And that's it." Kevin nodded as he summarised Eren's story in few short words in his diary.
While he was writting down, stan called the department and did the background check on eren. Eren was clean as he could be and stan came back finding nothing unsual, which should've been relieving but he looked disappointed.
" He's clean, he's 14 and he's an orphan." Said stan and gave Eren ID back..
" He's clean that's great, isn't it? That shold be your concern." Kevin's word were exactly what eren wanted to say, And it struck stan's nerve.
" And so what if he doesn't look fourteen, I've seen a man looking more gorgeous than my wife." Stan had deadpan eyes to Kevin's logic yet despite how absurd it sounded it was true, appearance can be decieving.
Stan took few steps back with apprehended arms, he was clearly displeased.
But kevin didn't bother with his antiques, instead he chuckled to eren,
" I'm sorry about that, He's new and desperate for action. Suspecting everyone we meet., Stupid guy." Kevin talked to himself as eren had no response to give.
So what if stan was mistrustful and wary, eren didn't care.
" And the guy you came here with?"
" I don't know him but He left saying he had very urgent work to do."
" And how did he look?"
Eren thought for a moment, annoyed as to why this was important. But couldn't say it out loud, instead recalled his memories and described with best of abilities.
As time passed, eren faced even more absurd questions such as ' Would you do this again?' or 'how do you feel about the driver who caused this?'
Eren didn't knew when investigation shifted from truck accident to psychological analysis but eren complied, he had seen movies to know where law was strict.
He had no intention to quell with this policemen over some minor inconvenience.
And just as he said, it did take a while.
Eren had a hunch that all this was something do with the fact that he was orpban and maybe kevin was being considerate.
Eren didn't mind the questions even though sometime it felt too personal,
" Where do you live?"
Hearing Kevin's words striked eren with realisation that he was out for quite long time, his head hurt just by the thought of Marco and jasmine barraging him with questions.
" Just around here with my uncle." Eren hurridly checked his pocket for phone, then he realised another thing. He had given the phone to stranger and totally forgot about it.
That gave him another headache to deal with,
" Excuse me sir, what time it is?"
Kevin checked his wrist watch, his expression turned surprised,
" 10:37 AM!!!?, How the hell?"
Eren sighed,
" This is enough Eren, I apologised for taking up so much of your time." kevin and stan got inside their car and rolled away, hurridly.
" Must be late to work?" But eren couldn't care less for their situation.
Now finally done with all this charade, eren was about to walk out when a voice came from behind,
" Mr. Dragon?"
Eren turned back, he saw a woman carring bag in her hand as she walked closer to him.
" The madam you brought is safe and her son too, You can meet them if you wish." Eren noticed that she was the nurse of this hospital who had just ended her shift of the day.
" No it's fine." Eren politely rejected her offer and started walking back to his home, this time for real.
He didn't feel the need to see how they were doing, That gave birth to few more thoughts.
' Would i be sad if something terrible happen to them? Or to anyone?' Eren had answers that were not useful.
Ignoring his troubled thoughts eren kept walking, it was late at night so everything was closed, the alley he walked seemed especially deserted.
It reminded eren of the first night after he was brought here by jack, He was alone in new place and slept on road. It felt nostalgic, even though it hadn't been a month here for him. The people he connected with and time he spent seemed really long.
Eren saw a store about to close as owner switched off the light and was already sliding down the shutter. The guy had muscles for body and with him stood a toddler barely reaching his knee. There was no light so eren couldn't see their faces clearly, he had dragon's trait to see even in darkness but he didn't.
Eren was already late, ofcourse few faces came to his mind when he noticed toddler.
' Should I?' He pondered for a second and made up his mind.
" Guess I'll go see them now." Eren said it out loud by mistake and it took attention of shop owner.
Owner looked at him in darkness, even though moon shined on dark sky it's shine was dim. But shop owner was cultivator and a vampire, he could see all in night just as eren with supernatural powers.
Shop owner's expression turned surprised as he called out,
" Gentleman." Eren recognised the voice and face as well now that he focused,
" The guy with urgent business." Eren remarked, He didn't meant it to be sarcastic but it came out that way.
" Yes I'm sorry and I know my words wouldn't relieve your frustration but I'm really very sorry." Eren watched as burly man bowed again, his toddler of a child cling to him sincerely.
" No I didn't mean it that way please." Eren smiled awkwardly,
" No I understand your position, I'm sure you haven't eaten anything, my sincere apology and let me treat you to some dinner." He was right, Eren was so caught up in that he didn't realise it, but now that he was half immortal He often or never felt hunger.
He ate just for the sake of food.
Eren saw his shop,
' D&N, Dumplings and noodles.'
' That's far the most logical and good name I've seen here.' Eren thought with mirth, but by the time he looked down burly man had already raised the shutter.
Eren didn't reject his offer either, Lights lit up as burly man unfolded the table and chair for eren.
" It'll be ready in just a minute."
Eren didn't mind,
" It's open around this time!!"
" We're lucky, Let's go. their noodles are amazing." Eren heard few voices from alley's end. As he gazed he noticed two shadowy people, a young man and a child talked as they walked closer to shop, eren noticed them and recognised their voices.
And upon closer inspection there was someone else as well with them, someone he couldn't make out just from the shadow.
Just like eren noticed them, They seem to recognise eren as well.
The child ran with joy as he came to eren, his face came to light as eren saw him closing distance.
" Brother eren , You're here, That's great." Eren smiled to him as he gazed at other two who arrived as well. Eren thought he only knew two of them but when all their faces came to light, he realised that he knew all of them.
The child came with his older brother, eren knew them both. Third man was however someone he had recently met out of pure coincidence.
" SMALL WORLD." Eren and third man spoke simultaneously.