The trip to Abuja took four hours.
We traveled in a sleek black transport vehicle, the kind that looked ordinary on the outside but was packed with biotech and weaponry on the inside. Grace and Mark chatted in the back seat. Michael sat by the window, staring at the passing landscape. Lyra was next to me, her eyes closed, pretending to sleep.
I spent most of the ride staring at my palm.
The eye was closed, resting. But I could feel it there, a presence beneath my skin. A reminder that I was never truly alone anymore.
I didn't know if that was comforting or terrifying.
We arrived at the Abuja unit's headquarters in the early afternoon.
The building was smaller than the main Hall, but just as impressive—a sleek, modern structure hidden in plain sight among the city's skyscrapers. The commander was waiting for us at the entrance.
Commander Adebayo was a tall, broad-shouldered woman with grey-streaked hair and eyes that had seen too much. She shook our hands firmly, her gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than the others.
"So," she said. "The Voidwalker."
"That's me," I said, trying to sound confident.
She studied me. "You're younger than I expected."
"I get that a lot."
A faint smile crossed her face. "I'm sure you do."
She led us inside, giving us a brief tour of the facility. It was smaller than the main Hall, but efficient—training rooms, medical bays, a command center buzzing with activity.
"You'll be staying here for the next few days," Commander Adebayo said. "We've prepared quarters for you. Rest tonight. Tomorrow, we'll brief you on the situation."
She paused, looking at us.
"But first..."
We waited.
"You're all new to Abuja. I understand this is your first time here." She looked at me specifically. "All of you. The team hasn't been deployed together before."
"That's correct," Lyra said.
Commander Adebayo nodded. "Then I'm giving you the rest of the day off."
We blinked.
"What?" Grace asked, her voice bright with surprise.
"Sightseeing," the commander said. "Abuja has a lot to offer. It's good for team bonding. And you've earned a break." Her eyes flickered to me. "Some of you more than others."
I opened my mouth to protest. "But the mission—"
"The mission starts tomorrow. Today, you relax." Her tone left no room for argument. "That's an order."
I looked at Lyra. She shrugged.
"Don't argue," she said. "She's the commander."
So we went sightseeing.
Grace was ecstatic. She had a list of places she wanted to see—museums, markets, landmarks. Mark was more reserved, but she seemed happy to follow along. Michal was... Michal. Quiet. Observant. Brooding.
And me?
I was just trying to survive.
The day was warm, the sun bright overhead. Abuja was vibrant—a city of life and color, of hustle and bustle, of ordinary people living ordinary lives. They didn't know about the Rift. They didn't know about the Void.
They just lived.
I envied them.
"The beach."
I blinked. "What?"
"Beach," Grace repeated, pointing ahead. "Look."
I followed her gaze.
The beach stretched out before us, golden sand meeting turquoise water. Sunlight glittered on the waves, and the air smelled of salt and warmth. Palm trees swayed gently in the breeze.
I stared.
"Since when is there a beach in Abuja?"
"There's always been a beach," Mark said. "It's not a real beach. It's a lake. But it looks like a beach."
"It's beautiful," Grace breathed.
And it was.
The four of them were already heading toward the shore—Grace running ahead, Mark laughing, Michal walking with his hands in his pockets.
I stayed back.
"What's wrong?" Lyra asked, falling into step beside me.
"Nothing's wrong."
"You're hesitating."
I looked at her. "This is... a lot. For me."
"What? Sand? Water?"
"Peace," I said quietly. "I don't know what to do with it."
Lyra was quiet for a moment. Then she reached out and squeezed my shoulder.
"You don't have to know what to do with it. You just have to enjoy it."
She walked ahead, leaving me alone.
I stood at the edge of the water, staring out at the lake.
The waves lapped gently at my feet. The sun was warm on my face. Voices drifted from behind me—Grace's laughter, Mark's gentle teasing, Michael quiet smile.
It felt like a dream.
"This is strange," the Voice murmured.
"Yeah," I agreed. "It really is."
"You've never done anything like this before."
"Not since..." I paused. "Not since everything changed."
The Voice was quiet.
"Maybe that's why you need it."
I didn't respond.
Grace splashed water at me.
I yelped, jumping back as cold water hit my face. Grace laughed, her blue eyes bright with mischief.
"Pay attention!" she said.
"Pay attention to what?"
"This!"
She splashed me again.
I couldn't help it. I laughed.
It was small and surprised, and it escaped my lips before I could stop it. But it was real. It was genuine.
And for the first time in weeks, I felt something close to happy.
We played in the water for hours.
Grace and Mark challenged each other to swimming races. Michael sat on the sand, carving patterns with a stick. Lyra lay on her back, floating in the shallows, her silver hair spreading across the surface like starlight.
And me?
I just existed.
No Void. No Rift. No Voice.
Just sand and water and warmth.
Eventually, we gathered on the shore.
Grace had found a vendor selling fried plantains and grilled meat. Mark had bought drinks. Michael had found a spot in the shade, his eyes half-closed.
We ate in comfortable silence.
"This is nice," I finally said.
Grace grinned. "Told you. Sightseeing is good for the soul."
"It's more than sightseeing," Mark said. "It's... being normal. For a little while."
I nodded.
"Normal's not so bad," I said.
"It never is," Michael said quietly. "That's why it's so easy to lose."
The silence that followed wasn't heavy. It was... warm. Shared.
We were all fighting the same fight. We were all carrying the same weight.
But right now, we were just five people on a beach.
And that was enough.
The sun began to set.
Gold and orange spread across the sky, reflecting off the water in shimmering ripples. The air grew cooler, and we started to gather our things.
"Thanks for this," I said to Grace.
She blinked. "For what?"
"For making me come."
She smiled. "That's what friends are for, right?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I'm starting to understand that."
On the ride back to the headquarters, I sat in silence, my palm resting on my knee.
The eye was open again, watching the city pass by.
"Today was a good day," the Voice said.
"It was," I agreed.
"You needed this."
I was quiet. "Yeah. I think I did."
"Tomorrow, the mission begins."
"Tomorrow, the mission begins."
"And then?"
I looked at my reflection in the window.
"Then we face whatever comes."
We arrived back at the headquarters as the last light faded from the sky.
The building loomed ahead of us, glowing with soft lights. Our rooms were waiting. Our beds were waiting. Tomorrow, the real work would begin.
But tonight...
Tonight, I was just Eren. A boy on a beach. A boy who'd laughed for the first time in weeks.
"Today was a good day," I repeated to myself.
"Yes," the Voice said. "It really was."
I smiled.
And for the first time in a long time, it reached my eyes.
End of Chapter