Victory!

Who would have thought he would live to see the day?

Eren stared at his hands in amazement.

They glowed with phosphorescent, blue light.

He threw a hasty glance in his opponent's direction to confirm his position.

Eren did not appreciate the surprise he had received earlier, and if possible, he wanted to avoid another.

Zack Palmer studied him with new respect in his eyes. "No one has ever blocked my attack like that."

He called across the space between them.

Eren shook his head. He had gained some confidence in the encounter.

Weeks of preparation, weeks of fighting robot models in Silas' mansion, weeks worrying that he would not survive a real fight since he could hardly claim to have been in one.

Because look what happened the one time he tried to fight Drake off with a club.

After all that anxiety, he had managed to hold his own in the first few minutes of the fight.

It felt like hard earned redemption. It gave him confidence.

"Well, in your defense, you hadn't met me." Eren