Chapter 29

"I'm not going to help you," said Eren.

Grisha Jaeger continued to ignore him.

Eren's head started to throb again. He moaned and sunk back into the mattress.

"You're almost ready," said Grisha Jaeger. "We'll just need to do one more test to see if you can do it."

"I already told you! I'm not doing it!"

"Yes you are," said Grisha Jaeger absentmindedly. "You see, we have your friends. We'll start by pulling off the fingernails from Erwin's remaining hand, and then we'll just keep taking off pieces until you agree to work with us. You were kind enough to bring nine of them, so we have enough to last quite a while. It's up to you how many of them die."

Eren gaped at him. So that had been Armin calling his name; probably trying to warn him. He knew he had to do something if they were ever going to get out.

"Can I see them?" he asked.

"Once you recover from that nasty concussion," said his father. "In a day or two."


It was his second day in what Armin had decided to call The Dungeon, and he was starting to figure out the routine. He was brought in late in the evening the night before last and were expected to sleep until the light on the ceiling turned on in what Armin assumed was morning. Just minutes after the light came on, someone opened the door, flanked with armed guards, and delivered water and peanut butter sandwiches on bread as white as Armin's uniform pants. It tasted disgusting, but Armin was hungry enough to eat just about anything. A while later, the same thing happened. Armin wondered why they needed two armed guards for just him. He wondered how the others were doing. Soon before the light turned off, another peanut butter sandwich with water was brought in. In the morning, he was brought another one, and he presumed he was to get another soon.

He had examined the door yesterday afternoon, but it was solid steel and locked from the outside. There wasn't even a knob on his side. Even the hinges were on the other side.

Maybe if he stood with his back against the wall next to the door when they came in he could… No. He'd just end up shot. He wasn't good enough at fighting to do that. Or he could just spend the rest of his life in here… He remembered reading about the ocean. Maybe it was worth a chance. He couldn't think of anything else. His lunch was supposed to come any minute now. He pressed his back against the wall next to the door.


It had taken five warriors to get Mikasa into The Dungeon. By the time they got there, three out of the five were out cold on the floor. When they brought the first tray of water and a peanut butter sandwich, Mikasa had run at the door. Shots rang out, and she was forced to cover her head with her hands and roll sideways.

She knew she would have to try something more creative if she wanted to get out. She didn't know when or how often she would get fed, but she knew it had to happen at least once a day with the amount they were giving her, assuming they wanted her to live. But if they wanted her to die, they would have just killed her immediately. She was going to have to think of something.


"Eren doesn't even like me," Jean pleaded all the way to The Dungeon. "I don't even like him. I don't have anything to do with this." Of course they didn't believe him. Jean tried kicking the male guard holding him in the groin, but the man turned sideways, twisting Jean's arm in the process. He tried to overpower the female guard on his other side by twisting his arm out of her hands, but she gave him a patronizing look and tightened her grip. The guard behind him, pointing a gun at his back, was too far away to try anything on, but he couldn't help glancing back to see if he was gone. They locked him in The Dungeon and walked away.

Locked in the dark, he wondered, what would Armin do?


Connie struggled at the arms dragging him to The Dungeon, but they were too strong. He was thrown in the door and left to sleep.


Sasha tried to stomp on the foot of the person on her right. The person moved their foot just in time to avoid her. They threw her in The Dungeon. All night, she lay on the cold floor wondering if they were going to feed her, and how she was going to get out.


Historia was thrown in The Dungeon for one night before Ymir got her out. Ymir had stolen the key, and they ran out of Fort Senshi to the fourth wall.


Erwin tensed up when the warrior on his right wrapped her arm around his waist because he didn't have a right arm. He leaned over quickly, in an attempt to throw her off, but to no avail. There really was nothing he could do with only had one arm.

In the morning, he examined the door. It was made of the same metal his swords were, steel, and had no knobs or hinges on his side of it. He knocked on it and listened to see how thick it was, then kicked it as hard as he could. It sprang back to shape, throwing him on his back on the floor. There had to be a better way out of here.


Hanji spent the way to The Dungeon grilling her guards for answers about the titans. They ignored her.

In the morning, she was given her water and her peanut butter sandwich. She ate the food and drank the water, and stomped through the plastic tray they were served on. She picked up the biggest flat shard and held on to it. When they came back to give her her next meal, she slid the plastic in the side of the door by the hinges, preventing it from shutting properly. She ate her sandwich and drank her water, and then kicked the door down.


Like Mikasa, it took five warriors to get Levi in The Dungeon, and this was after they tied his hands behind his back. Eventually, they managed to get him in.

The shoved him through the door, and as he stumbled, he looked up to see a familiar face above him.

"And if it isn't my little chibi rat," said Kenny Ackerman.

As the door slammed behind him, Levi glared at his former captain. The man who had trained him to be the ruthless killer he was.