Levi opened his eyes and saw the sky full of stars and lines.

He blinked before he pushed himself up, standing alone amidst the dunes of sand.

"Where am I?"

"Oh? Hello, there. This is the first time I see an Ackerman here."

A boy, younger than him, was suddenly there, appearing out of nowhere and walking calmly towards where he stood, calmly approaching him with an easygoing smile.

His eyes, however, were another story entirely. Those eyes were too old to fit the face of a child. The eyes that seemed to have seen everything from the very beginning of the world. Green eyes that seemed to pierce his very soul. Poisonous. Deceiving. Menacing. Maleficent. Merciless. Almost soulless even.

The boy titled his head. "Well, what are you doing here?"

No. Not a boy.

The one standing before him wasn't a boy or even a human at all. It was something else entirely. Something dangerous, his ever sharp instinct told him. A potential threat. He needed to be in caution.

His stand went into defensive, prepared to defend himself if it was needed.

The thing in front of him simply laughed delightfully, as if it was in a very amusing situation.

"As expected of an Ackerman. Always so good with your instinct." It praised him almost mockingly.

Levi bristled, annoyed for a moment but not provoked enough to attack it.

"Are you going to keep standing rigidly over there? Chill, already. Relax. Here, take a seat with me."

Then, it promptly sat down on the soil of sand.

"I am Eren. Eren Yeager. What is your name?"

Levi stiffen. Trading names. Proceed with caution, his ever faithful instinct remained him.

Eren frowned. "Hey, I don't mean anything bad by it. I just want to know because I am curious. This is the first time I meet an Ackerman here after all. Won't you at least tell me your name?"

"Levi. Where is this?" He asked carefully.

A question for a question. An answer for an answer.

"This place is called Paths. What is your favorite drink?"

Levi shot him an incredulous look, feeling his question to be completely irrelevant.

Eren simply shrugged his shoulder, completely not bothered by the look that Levi was currently giving him.

"Tea. What do you mean by Paths? Explain."

"This place is where everything and everyone were connected with each other. What is your blood type?"

"A. How did I get here?" He shot back coolly.

"I wouldn't know. Paths always work in such a mysterious way that it is impossible to predict its action or have a complete understanding over it. A near death experience might bring you here. A strong will to live was another thing that could bring you here. A wish. A desire. It could be one of those things." He mentioned offhandedly with his fingers.

"How old are you, Levi?" He questioned him curiously.

"Don't know. Never count it. How do I get back?"

"The paths will bring you back when it wanted too. What is your favorite food? Do you have anything that you like? Dislike? Hobby?"

Levi frowned before he crossed his arms. "What's with all those personal questions?" He asked in agitation with a gritted teeth, brushing off the questions with a question of his own. He felt rather throw off with all the bizarre questions.

Eren simply smiled earnestly in answer. "I want to get to know you. You are a very interesting human, Levi Ackerman."

"An honest soul. You could have lie yet you answered all of my questions truthfully."

Eren gently put a hand on his cheek. "So much suffering. So much pain. So much death."

Levi curled in disgust, about to slap the hand away but suddenly he found himself unable to move for even an inch.

Eren took a deep breath. "Your scent is very mouth-watering." He admitted truthfully.

"Say, won't you make a deal with me?" He murmured softly on his ear.

A deal?

"Just like that little girl all those years ago. Ymir. Make a deal with me, Levi Ackerman."

He suddenly could move his mouth. "What kind of deal?"

"I will grant your wish. Your desire. It could be anything that you want." He whispered invitingly, trying to charm his way in harmfully.

"I could make Kenny Ackerman to get on his knees and beg for your forgiveness. I could make anyone who ever done wrongs to you and your mother to pay. I could kill anyone you want me too. I could destroy any place you want me too. I could slash all titans and eradicate them from the world if you desire so. I could cleanse this world. I could make you the richest person in the world. I could make everyone to bent their knee for you. Say it and I could make the world yours." He said enthusiastically in an inciting manner, his hand slowly moving downward, tracing his neck and stopping on the middle of his chest.

"Name it and it would happen." He said enchantingly, lustful of something.

"What is the price?" He asked uncomfortably with a clenched teeth, voice hoarse out of a sudden.

"Your soul."

Fuck. What's this? An exchange with a demon? A deal with the devil?

A realization hit him all of a sudden. So that's what it was. This being in front of him.

"It doesn't have to be now. Should you decide to agree with the deal, call my name and my power is yours to command."

"Bring back my comrades and my friends. Bring them back to life." His mouth went off on his own, a spark of hope went ablaze inside him.

There was a surprised look on Eren's face before it morphed into a gentle smile.

Then, in the next second, they were all standing near him, surrounding him and all smiling at him.

For a moment, he was lost on those happier days, caught up in the illusion.

But he knew this wasn't real. Those halcyon days would never return. Levi closed his eyes.

"Is this not to your liking?" The demon brat asked innocently, provoking his ire unknowingly.

Levi sighed.

"So you can't bring the dead back to life." He concluded quietly.

"Destruction and despair are my speciality." Eren said casually with a shrug.

Levi twitched.

"Something else perhaps? Think more about it." Eren said encouragingly.

Before Levi could say anything, he was suddenly back to where he was before the whole paths thing.

He didn't dwell too much on it. Seeing the whole thing as another mystery to solve later. Simply advancing forward to survive and live another day.

Time passed by.

After slashing countless titans and losing countless comrades and friends, covered in so much blood that he didn't know whether it was the titans or his, he finally snapped.

"Eren. Eren Yeager." He called out blindly, blood still dripping from his body.

In the next instant, the brat was just suddenly there.

"Yes?"

Tired. He was so tired. He just wanted to rest. To put an end to this. To everything. He wanted to be free.

"Kill them all and my soul is yours."

"It is a deal then." He said with a triumphant smile before he swept him off his feet and kissed his mouth passionately, uncaring that the blood got smeared on his own cloth, sealing their deal.

The sight before him became simply unbelievable, then. Unrealistic, even.

A rumble of lightning striking everywhere.

"Ackerman and their cursed blood."

A scream.

"A slave from birth, forever tied to their vassal."

Blinding light.

"Like a cattle, I pity you."

People bursting.

"I hate you."

Titan turning into a shower of blood.

"And I always admire you."

The walls crumbling.

"Shall I give you a taste of freedom?"

The world exploded.