The sky above Astra Village had always been gentle.
Soft clouds drifted lazily across the blue, and the wind carried the scent of wheat from the surrounding fields. It was the kind of place where nothing ever changed—a peaceful corner of the world forgotten by fate itself.
At least, that was how it used to be.
Eren Vale stood alone at the edge of the fields, his feet sunk slightly into the dry soil. Sweat dripped down his face as he tightened his grip around a wooden sword, its surface cracked and worn from years of use.
"Again," he whispered.
He raised the sword and swung.
The blade cut through the air clumsily. His balance faltered, his foot slipped, and in the next moment, Eren fell hard onto the ground. Dust rose around him as the sword rolled out of his hand.
Pain shot through his arms, but he barely reacted. Pain was familiar.
Eren pushed himself up slowly, breathing heavily. His body had always been like this—weak, slow, unresponsive. No matter how much he trained, no matter how many times he tried to push past his limits, the result never changed.
"You really don't learn, do you?"
The mocking voice came from behind him.
Eren turned to see three boys standing a short distance away, all older, all stronger. They wore confident smiles—the kind that came from knowing they were better.
"Still pretending you'll become a warrior?" one of them laughed. "People like you should know their place."
Eren said nothing.
He bent down, picked up his wooden sword, and walked past them. Their laughter followed him for a moment before fading into the wind. Silence was easier than words. It always had been.
By the time the sun began to set, Astra Village came alive.
Lanterns were hung along the streets, glowing warmly as night approached. Music echoed from the village square, and laughter filled the air. It was the night of the Annual Sky Festival, a celebration meant to honor the heavens that protected their land.
Families gathered. Children ran freely.
Eren watched from the edge of the crowd.
He had no place there.
His eyes drifted upward, toward the darkening sky. Memories surfaced—memories he tried to bury but never could.
His mother.
Her gentle voice. Her tired smile. The night she disappeared without explanation, leaving nothing behind but unanswered questions and a hollow ache in his chest.
The last thing she had said to him echoed clearly in his mind.
When the sky breaks, don't run. Look up.
At the time, he had been too young to understand. He had thought it was just another strange saying, another story meant to comfort a scared child.
Now, years later, the words felt heavier.
The music suddenly stopped.
A deep, unnatural crack echoed across the village.
People froze.
For a brief moment, the world held its breath.
Then the sky shattered.
Not with thunder. Not with lightning.
The stars themselves split apart, forming a massive black fracture across the heavens, as if the sky were made of glass. Violent winds tore through the village, extinguishing lanterns and sending debris flying.
Screams filled the air.
"What is that?!"
"Run!"
Panic spread like fire. People scattered, desperately searching for shelter.
Eren stood frozen.
His heart pounded violently in his chest, but his legs refused to move. Fear wrapped around him, yet beneath it stirred something else—something pulling his gaze upward.
Don't run. Look up.
Slowly, he raised his eyes to the sky.
From the裂裂 fracture descended a glowing symbol, ancient and incomprehensible. It burned with a deep blue light, its shape constantly shifting, as if alive.
The symbol fell.
The ground trembled violently as it crashed into the earth just meters in front of Eren. A shockwave burst outward, throwing him backward. He hit the ground hard, gasping for breath.
Before he could react, a cold voice echoed inside his mind.
"Bearer… found."
Agony exploded through his body.
Eren screamed as glowing symbols burned themselves into his right arm, carving deep into his skin without drawing blood. His vision blurred as countless images flooded his thoughts—cities reduced to ash, gods falling from the sky, endless wars fought beneath broken heavens.
He felt small.
Insignificant.
Yet at the same time, unbearably important.
Then everything went dark.
When Eren opened his eyes, the world was silent.
Smoke rose from the ruins of Astra Village. Houses lay destroyed. Fires burned where laughter once filled the streets.
His arm throbbed violently.
Eren looked down and froze.
Dark-blue markings glowed faintly along his skin, pulsing as if alive.
A slow clap echoed behind him.
"So it's true," a calm voice said.
Eren turned.
A knight stood before him, clad in black armor that reflected no light. His presence alone felt suffocating. Red eyes glowed beneath his helmet, locked onto Eren with chilling intensity.
"The Sky Mark has awakened once again," the knight continued.
He drew his sword.
Eren's body trembled, unable to move.
The knight raised his blade and pointed it directly at Eren's heart.
"And you," he said coldly,
"must die before you destroy this