Winds of Promise

by Legion117

From the first moment he saw her, his life changed forever. The AoT story From view of my Original Characters. Features a romance between Josh Kassmeyer(OC) and Annie Leonhardt. Contains Violence/Language/Humor/Intimacy/Feels and Anime Spoilers. (Feedback is always appreciated on my stories.) Please Read on people, give my work a chance and I hope you find it interesting.

36. Sins Long Hidden

What a blessed morning. How rare must it be for a day to begin as this one? Perhaps, in a different time, a different world, they were more frequent, but within these walls, a miasma of fear and uncertainty had long hung over the remnants of mankind. So then, must all such dawns be savored, as though there may never be another.

It felt so warm, the rising sun. How it flowed over all it touched in an unstoppable tide of glorious radiance. Dew glistened in the golden light and the animals felt safe enough to rise from their places of rest. Smoke and embers rose into the sky, accompanying the aroma of burnt flesh and rapid decay. This time however, it held no bitterness, no sting. In fact, they hardly noticed it at all.

There was laughter, embracing, and a general sense of relief felt by the former members of the 104th. It seemed like an eternity had passed since they'd seen one another, despite it being no more than a week. Those who'd fallen in with the response force had ridden as hard as they'd ever ridden before to reach the castle. In those waning moments of the night, a shining beacon guided them here like the northern star. And whether by luck, or by the intervention of fate, they'd arrived just in time. They couldn't help but wrap their arms around one another.

The members of Squad Seven were reunited and joy swelled in their hearts. "Lord, it's good to see you three…" Josh said softly, savoring every second of the group-hug they'd come together in. His body was sore from so many hours on horseback and his wounds throbbed intermittently. But in the presence of those he held mostly dearly, the pain bothered him little.

"All of you look like absolute hell though," Aline laughed. They were covered with dirt, scrapes, and a fine layer of brick dust. "Staying in a castle evidently isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"We had a long night," Elise sighed. She still couldn't believe they'd made it through so relatively unscathed. "There's a lot we need to talk about too."

Albrecht smirked. "That's putting it lightly." Not to mention there were plenty of questions to ask. Only twenty minutes ago, he might have believed the faces before him would go unseen again until judgment day. He was certain that someone was going to give him crap for having doubts. She'd been right in the end, if only by the skin of their teeth.

Christa was the most grateful of the trio. "I can't thank you guys enough, for protecting me." A couple of seconds later and she'd have met a most violent end.

"Even angels need somebody watching their back once in a while. You've done the same for us, I don't know how many times."

"How did you even know where we were?"

"A certain couple of jackasses stumbled into our staging base yesterday evening." Aline grabbed Sasha and Erik by the shoulders. "Potato girl has the instincts of a bloodhound and Erik has surprisingly sharp eyes for a guy who wears glasses." The latter of which rolled his eyes at the backhanded compliment, but smiled all the same.

"It wasn't that hard," Sasha added. "We just made an estimate of where you'd been and swept the surrounding areas; then we just followed the light."

"Some good fortune and strong horses didn't hurt our efforts either," Erik said.

"Thanks for hanging on until we got here."

"Not to mention, if you'd died, I'd have to kick all your asses." Aline grabbed each of her friends in turn and ruffled their hair. Moreover, they'd buried too many friends in the last several weeks. Jansen, Marco, Freja, Alex…any more, especially Christa, Albrecht, or Elise, and it probably would've shattered the very foundations of her soul, never to be whole again.

A few paces to the side, Giselle Delacroix stood anxiously. Looking at all of them, she knew herself to be out of place. Moments like this made the distinction so glaringly apparent. How could she possibly fit in, truly fit in with them, when there was a connection that she didn't possess? Worse, was that she hadn't the slightest clue how to form it. Of all the things taught by her tutors, forming companionships was overlooked. She longed for what her comrades shared, but it still felt far beyond her fingertips.

"Hey, blondie!" Giselle jumped.

"Y-yes?"

"Why're you standing over there like the one kid nobody invited to play Katz und Maus?"

"Well…I'm just letting you guys have your moment."

Aline motioned with her arm. "Get over here; it's called a group hug for a reason!"

"Oh, I'd assumed—"

"Assumptions are for jackasses! It's a good morning and nobody's going to bitch about another person to share it with! You've helped out these last couple of days too!" She was smiling, grinning from ear to ear even. There was almost a radiant glow about her. Giselle hadn't seen a trace of happiness from Aline since before the expedition.

Eyes turned expectantly to Giselle and she was made all the more self-conscious. "O-okay." She stepped forward and found a place amidst the huddle, next to Albrecht. They pulled her in, smiling. This many people embracing was so warm, like a blanket. She closed her eyes and slowly exhaled. Finally, even though she didn't know how, she'd made some progress. "Baby steps, Miss Delacroix, baby steps," she thought to herself.

Aline half-laughed and tilted her head back, observing the golden sky. "Another day in hell and we're still around to greet it."

"The veterans paid for it, down to their last breath. We wouldn't have lasted much longer without Ymir."

Albrecht thought for a moment, considering his own impressions of what transpired. "She was…really something else."

Josh looked at Christa with some mixture of pity and uncertainty. "I know that the two of you were very close, even though I didn't care much for her, and we were at odds more than we ever got along. There are more than a few people who would say the same, I think. But underneath all the coarse words and bad attitude, she was someone fiercely dedicated to her own ideals. That's worthy of respect, despite the other misgivings I had about her. I guess you don't really know the true measure of a person until the end comes. For what it's worth, I'm truly sorry."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, I mean…I don't see her anywhere so…"

"Oh, no, no, no! She's not dead."

Josh blinked several times. "Ah…well okay…" He rubbed his neck, embarrassed at his presumptuousness. "So, where is she?"

"Boy do we have a surprise for you!" Ctirad laughed. He pointed over at the steaming pile of carcasses. An uncomfortably wide grin spread over his lips. "She's in there."

Aline squinted at him. "I thought she wasn't dead, jackass?"

Sergeant Terrelle Gerhard was picking his way over the mangled titan corpses. Even by Survey Corps standards, they'd made quick work of the bastards. For once, every single kill had been clean and precise; which was noteworthy given the number of titans gathered here. What remained now was seeing if they could find those currently unaccounted for. Hopefully there'd be enough of them to bury.

The missing soldiers comprised some of the most senior members of the regiment, with records long preceding the Wall Maria crusade of 846. Terrelle himself had been a scout far too long to believe they were still alive. Mike, Joachim, Lynne, Henning, Gelgar, Nanaba…these were letters nobody was going to want to write, let alone give to their families. The only comfort was that the kids wouldn't need any written on their account, the ones who still had someone to receive them.

As he slid down from the heap of bodies, he felt a trembling beneath him. The blackened forms shifted, something pressing on them from underneath. Terrelle took a handful of steps backwards and unsheathed his sword. "Section Commander Hange, we've got a live one over here!" A seven-meter titan with beady eyes and monstrous teeth attempted to rise from under the smoldering remains of its fellows.

"Don't hurt her!" Christa pushed past her friends. "She's not a threat!"

Josh's eyes followed Christa's harried advance. "What the hell…?"

"She's talking about Ymir," Elise said.

"I'd be a lot more concerned about the titan honestly," Sasha followed.

Albrecht sighed and pointed. "That is Ymir."

Josh blinked. "She's…a titan?!"

"Pulled the whole magic trick right out of her ass!" Ctirad laughed again. At least a portion of his mind was convinced that he was asleep, dreaming a strange dream. Maybe this was just a sign that his sanity was enjoying a vacation somewhere far away.

"As if I didn't have enough on my mind already." Josh took off after her, with others following.

"The surprises just keep coming, don't they?" Aline asked, half to herself. By reflex, she gripped the pommel of her sword just a bit tighter. The shift in her demeanor was as sudden as it was drastic. Another one, hiding in plain sight. Three of them now, all in our class. One is a freak accident, two is a bizarre coincidence, but once you hit three, things get into conspiracy this time, she perhaps should have seen it coming.

Ymir was always a suspicious character and her past was a topic entirely unknown to any of them. Ostensibly, she was another orphan of Wall Maria, which, while not uncommon, was a convenient cover. Come to think of it, so were Eren and Annie, if memory served. There was also Mikasa and Armin, Bertolt, and Reiner…No family to speak of, and the latter two gave no name to whatever town there were supposedly from. Aline was starting to get a picture in her mind. Again, once you reach a certain number, coincidences no longer make for a viable conclusion.

She'd assumed Eren to be special when his powers came to light, even though they didn't understand how he'd acquired them. Everyone was understandably shocked that a human being was able to assume titan form. Mankind was hopeful that they had an edge in the hundred-year war against their monstrous enemy, causing a good number to push suspicion aside in light of what was achieved in Trost. Now it was evident that such abilities weren't so unique.

Not to mention that someone hiding these powers either doesn't know they have them, or there's some endgame. The former was wholly unlikely with Ymir; it didn't matter what Christa would say. She loved that girl to death, but Christa was too trusting sometimes. So very little was known about the titan shifters, and the more Aline learned, the warier she was of them. Once the war against the titans was over, it'd be best for humanity to cull their kind. Yes, even those whose passing was going to cause pain. And the sooner mankind could be rid of them, the less chance there was that the "friendly" ones would have an opportunity to betray the nation.

Shepherds did not allow wolves to live amongst their sheep, which made their excision a simple question of when. Establishing intent would go a long way to determining the timing of said action. It helped that the spectrum of judgment was binary: either she wished to use her power for the betterment of the human race, or her plans didn't matter. So, Ymir should choose very carefully if she wanted her head to stay where it was for the time being.

"Hey, are you alright?" Giselle nudged her. "You've got that scary look on your face again." All vestiges of joy and exuberance had washed away, replaced by an aura as cold as the winter wind.

"I'm just fine."

"You just…look like you want to kill somebody."

Aline turned her penetrating gaze on Giselle. "I'm a soldier and we're at war; there's always somebody I want to kill."

1

Despite being fearsome in appearance, Ymir's titan form was weakened. The overwhelming assault by the others had taken a heavily toll on he. Likewise, the wounds marking her body were numerous and slow to heal. Even the area surrounding her nape had suffered a significant amount of damage. Pushing out from under those on top of her seemed to take every ounce of strength she still possessed. When they managed to cut her out, it was clear her actual body was decimated as well. Both of her right limbs were gone, up to the joint, and there was a gaping hole by her ribcage. Every vein on her face bulged outwards, pulsating with her heartbeat. Ymir herself could hardly be described as conscious.

"Good Lord, she's a mess." Terrelle held her across his arms. "I thought shifters had regeneration powers like the other titans?"

Christa scrambled up to where Terrelle stood and looked over her friend's body. "Is Ymir going to die?"

"That remains to be seen, little lady," he answered honestly. "What do you want to do here, Hange?"

"She won't be able to answer questions if she expires. Sergeant Shevchenko, can you fix her up?"

"I'll certainly try my best, ma'am." Iryna grabbed a medical pack from her horse. "Set her down someplace flat, I'll need to apply tourniquets and bandages. And if someone could lend me their bedroll, I'd be grateful." She went about the task in earnest. A sizeable chunk of wall had landed levelly when it fell, providing optimum room for the operation. She tied strings as tightly as possible above the severed limbs, staunching the blood flow. Then she packed both with gauze and wrapped them. Her side was a bit more difficult, but a catgut suture sealed it up well enough. Some alcohol and a clean dressing were applied as an additional precaution.

"Rest now, dytyna," Iryna said softly once she'd finished. "She's stable enough now, but the wounds aren't showing signs of self-healing at all. We should probably keep her recumbent and observe for a while to see what changes; she's lost a significant amount of blood. And, from the brief look I got at her insides, they're scrambled. It's a miracle she's even alive."

Hange nodded. "Prepare a stretcher in one of the wagons and lay out another bedroll so she's comfortable." The section commander walked over and knelt down beside Ymir. The scientist in her was continually baffled by the machinations of the shifters' anatomy and yearned for occasion to conduct more studies. Perhaps they'd stumble onto new types of knowledge with two subjects? Although, the soldier in her knew that questioning was in order first, just as had been done with Eren.

With the procedure over, Christa and the others were allowed to come in closer. She got down beside Ymir and stared for a moment. Given her state, she'd imagined there to be obvious pain in her features, but Ymir seemed remarkably calm. With closed eyes and soft breaths, she could have just as easily been taking a pleasant nap.

"You idiot," Christa said quietly.

"I still can't believe she did that," Albrecht said as he looked on.

"It's rare to see you looking so impressed," Aline responded.

"We'd all be dead if it wasn't for her."

"Like way dead. Dead five times over," Ctirad thought aloud.

"Are you going to calm down anytime soon?" Connie asked. "If you keep being so hyper, you're going to pass out."

Reiner placed a hand on Connie's shoulder. "It was a hell of a night, so I don't think we can really blame him."

"Speaking of, we should have them look at your arm."

"Christa cleaned and bandaged it well enough; I'll be fine until we get back to the city. There are more important things to deal with at the moment." The pain was actually of little concern anymore. Memories of five years ago filled his thoughts, when his friend was devoured by the same titan he'd just seen before him, he was certain of it. There were several questions Ymir needed to answer for him on that account.

Josh sighed. "I'm at something of a loss. A few people saying thank you seems woefully inadequate." What qualified as giving proper thanks to someone like Ymir anyway? Did words even carry weight with her, emotionally? He likewise doubted that honors would be of any interest. Her military bearing was next to nonexistent and she'd scoffed at the concept of medals more than once in training. She laughed at the idea of heroism in equal measure, preferring to "stick to her own self-interest" as it were. Now where have I heard that song and dance before?

"I just want to know, why now?"

Erik shrugged. "We could always form a story circle or something when she wakes up, take turns asking questions."

Hange looked at them. "You do realize that a debriefing by regimental staff takes priority, yes? And any of the information gleaned from such will be disclosed at the discretion of Commander Erwin." The recruits didn't look particularly pleased with that, but none of them raised an objection. "Information is more crucial now than ever. Recent events being what they are, we don't know who might be listening to our conversations. Regrettable as that may be, I hope you all can appreciate the need for caution."

"Rules…and protocol…"

"Ymir?!"

"Please…don't shout. I've got…the worst headache at…the moment," Ymir rasped.

Christa gripped her hand tighter. "I thought you were going to be killed."

"Nah, I'm not…so easy to get rid of." She lifted her head up slightly. "Sorry to…disappoint you, Kassmeyer."

"Come on, it's not like I ever wanted you to die," he said sheepishly. Even at her worst, he wouldn't have wished that on her.

"Then…quit it with the…sad ass expressions, all of you. I'm not a…beaten puppy."

Elise took a step forward. "We're just not sure what to say."

"You don't have to say…anything. It's not like I…did it to earn your…praises. Besides, there was…no guarantee that was going to…work."

"And because it did, you saved all of our lives."

"God, you guys are…being lame."

"We're still…a bit shocked to say the least."

"That…part makes sense, but you…look like you're about to…fall on your knees or some…weird shit." How could she be so calm, so unfazed? Two of her limbs were stumps and her body on the whole seemed like it'd been beaten with a meat mallet. And her power…she acted like all she'd done was show them a new haircut. Maybe in the mind of someone like Ymir, that carried the same weight. Or perhaps she was speaking like someone who'd seen it all before? Eren's abilities were new as far as any of them understood, but Ymir was obviously beyond a novice level. How long did mastery of such power take to acquire? What sort of life did she lead before they knew her? It was…that same circle: a thousand questions with no answers, not yet.

"Is there anything that we can…I mean, can we do any favors for you, or something?" Albrecht asked.

"I guess if you're…going to be jackasses about…it, I'd really like a place…to take a nap; I'm really…tired." Section commander Hange promptly replied that such arrangements were taken care of. "Then if there's…anybody else who wants to…say something before I go…to sleep, they'd better get on…with it."

Christa wiped away the vestiges of tears from the corner of her eyes. These last five years, so fraught with danger, uncertainty, and the unexpected. Joys and sorrows followed her, loss and laughter as well, often in equal measure. As a testament to her character, she'd borne every last struggle and experience with a steadfastness and unyielding courage. Even so, there remained a great burden atop her shoulders, one that it was very clearly time to cast off.

She brushed her hair back and smiled sweetly at Ymir. "Our promise…I never forgot it, not for a single moment. And starting now, I'm going to fulfill that promise." Christa paused for a moment, taking a few seconds to cast any remaining doubts out of her heart. "My real name, is Historia." A great silence followed, as though all the air around them had been sucked away.

Josh was the first one to eventually break it. "So, it is you…" The message that Sasha gave to Section Commander Hange in Ehrmich, the things that the priest had been saying…It sounded crazy, down to the last syllable.

A high-ranking member of the nobility, had sired an illegitimate child with a housemaid. Once the affair was discovered, both the housemaid and her young daughter vanished, and for some time after, were assumed dead. The discreet lives of lords and ladies had more than once left bodies behind after all. Yet, whispers trickled out that the daughter lived on under an assumed name. Further whispers indicated that she'd gone into the military once she was of age, where, after the failed operation to retake Wall Maria, a child without a family wouldn't raise too many questions. As long as nobody's lips came loose in the wrong company, it'd stay buried.

No one knew the name of this lord or the name of the unwanted offspring of his mistress. There were those with that knowledge however, who hadn't kept their own counsel closely enough. So, those words eventually found their way to the ears of one of the most cunning men in the nation: Erwin Smith. With the addition of Father Nickolas' testimony, the identity of the daughter was all but certain.

"…everybody has something to hide, right?"

"Woah, woah, woah, BACK THE HELL UP!" Albrecht was exasperated. "Somebody has shit to explain, RIGHT NOW!" He looked at Josh, then Aline, Sasha, Erik, Giselle, but none of them had anything to say to him. Finally, he stared at Christa.

"Stop looking at me like that, Alb." She didn't meet his eyes.

"Who in the hell is Historia?!"

"…It's the name I was given when I was born; Historia Reiss." Or rather, it was the name she'd always had.

He threw up his hands. "So, did you enter some rebellious phase after you hit ten and decide you wanted a different one?!" She shrunk away from him some.

Noticing how visibly uncomfortable Christa was, Elise put a hand on his shoulder. "Alb, you don't have to yell."

He rounded on her. "You've only been with our squad for six weeks, she's been with us for over THREE YEARS! I'm willing to accept that you not as emotionally invested here as we are!"

"Knock it off, Alb; Elise hasn't done anything," Sasha interjected.

"Well I'm sorry if I'm having a difficult Goddamn time wrapping my head around this! Also, why am I the ONLY person who's having a complete 'Was zum Teufel?' moment here?!"

He wasn't, not by a long shot. On Josh's end, he'd been so concerned about finding his friends, making sure they were safe, that he put any questions from his mind. The rescue mission took precedence. A part of him honestly believed the priest to be misleading them. From the information divulged by Section Commander Hange, they'd discovered just how far the power of the Wall Cult stretched. Given the magnitude of what was being covered up, it wouldn't be much of a reach to suggest they'd scapegoat a lord's illegitimate child to save their own skins, assuming that part of the story was even true.

Now that he was faced with reality, he didn't have a clue how to approach it. Josh was still coming to terms with what happened with Annie, so entertaining the disturbed ramblings of a fanatic was the last thing he was prepared for. His brain struggled to put together a coherent question for Christa. Every combination of words fell flat of conveying his thoughts and concerns, which themselves were jumbled and troublesome to define. The expressions on the others' faces appeared to reveal similar issues on their part.

Two people whom he loved dearly, one as a lover, the other as a younger sister, had hidden their true identities from him, from everyone. Thus, it happened that when Josh finally spoke again, he only uttered a single word, "why?"

Christa paused and looked up from Ymir, who'd slipped back into unconsciousness. She opened her mouth a couple of times, but said nothing, seemingly struggling with her words as well. "Because…" she said at length, "I was never supposed to exist in the first place."

That sentence hit him like a loaded ore cart. "Come on, that's nonsense and you know it. You're hardly the first unplanned pregnancy in the world."

"Josh, I was told as much. Historia Reiss was an accident, a mistake, someone who wasn't meant to be born."

"Christa—"

"Was the name bestowed upon me to conceal my father's infidelity."

Giselle took a couple of steps forward. "I might not know exactly what's going on, but…coming from a wealthy and influential family myself, I've known of one or two…indiscretions on the part of relatives." Her aunt became pregnant by one of the gardeners at her estate, like in one of those lewdly written ten pfennig novels. An elder cousin as well was discovered mid-coitus with a beer maiden while his wife was passed out drunk in the next room. "They became estranged from the family, sure, although no problems ever arose with their children." The bastards of nobles simply weren't raised as members of the bloodline. They certainly didn't take the family name. That she'd been granted it and later was forced to take an assumed name made no sense. "So, what changed?"

"I never was told that much, only that I represented an unfortunate blemish on the Reiss family dynasty."

"Who is your father, exactly?" Elise asked.

"I only met him once, when he made me change my name," Christa admitted. "Rod Reiss was the lord of the land where I was born, and that's all I knew. But beyond that, he's someone with a position of significant power and importance, I think." Someone who couldn't afford to leave loose ends where they might be seen. Someone who wouldn't be allowed to leave any.

"The name, Rod Reiss is known to me," Hange said. "He works within the government as a member of King Fritz' council of advisors." As high-ranking members of the nobility and the government, their names were a matter of public record, although there was little information on the lot of them besides. That just meant more digging was necessary, and she'd just been given an excuse to start investigating.

Albrecht was far from satisfied with the information. "Okay, so her dad is a bureaucrat who didn't keep his fly closed! That doesn't answer the question! I mean, I get not wanting everyone in general to know about it, but us?! Why hide it from me, from Aline, even from freaking Josh of all people?! Explain that to me! You know we've got a pretty solid track record of keeping people's secrets!" He was confused, shocked, upset. With Sergeant Tanzerin whispering cryptic nothings in his ear, there was already precious little he found himself certain of lately. He could never have imagined that uncertainty would start hitting so close to home.

Christa sighed. "Alb, Kassy, everyone…I wish I had an answer to give, but right now, I don't."

"Listen up! I get that you've got a lot you want to talk about. We've all had a long night and a stressful last couple of days, but we are also soldiers with a job to do." Hange knew all too well the dangers posed by distractions in the field. Duty to humanity took precedence over all else, despite her own inquisitive mind's longing for knowledge. "Titans are probably still roaming the countryside and we haven't a damn clue where they're coming from. Our first priority is to regroup and rendezvous with Commander Erwin. Once the threat within Wall Rose is dealt with, there will be time for a proper debriefing. Until that time, each of you needs to put personal concerns aside for the mission. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," the recruits answered wearily.

2

Hange's next orders were to pick through the rubble for any other surprises, that, and body parts. She wasn't foolish enough to believe any of her comrades were still alive; identifying remains just wrapped things up properly for the after-action report. By and large, ink on a page was all they could give in memorial of the fallen. Rare was the occasion where there was enough left for a proper burial and time didn't allow them the luxury of gathering every scattered scrap here.

While the recruits were given water and medical attention by Iryna, Blasa, Terrelle, and Richter were about the grisly task of accounting for the dead. "God, I hate this shit," the former said, not entirely to herself.

"Unfortunately comes with the territory, LT," Terrelle added.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm plenty familiar with casualty counting, just let me bitch, alright?" There were never more than a handful of survivors of the Marian Crusade, and this latest incursion had cost them several more. Valuable soldiers, squad leaders, and officers that were irreplaceable as far as she was concerned.

Richter Oschatz detested this detail almost more than Blasa did. He hated it most because he'd become rather good at it, the identifying of corpses. He'd always possessed a knack for remembering faces, distinguishing features and the like. That was a disturbing gift to have when it was useful for naming mutilated human beings, headless torsos, even a single limb was sometimes enough. He'd have made just as good an undertaker as a soldier. Making matters worse was the fact that the images stayed with him, warping the remembered visages of brothers and sisters in arms into the stuff of nightmares. Most guys would probably find themselves in the bottle to cope with the horrors of it. That he hadn't was either a testament to his character, or a ringing endorsement of the squad-mates he served with. Maybe a little of both.

Within a couple of minutes, he found an arm protruding from a mound of debris, unattached to anything as it turned out. The hand was clenched around the neck what was previously a liquor bottle, judging by the color of the glass and the ever so faint scent of brandy upon it. "Rest in peace, Sergeant Gelgar."

So it went for the others. Section Commander Nanaba was slightly more intact, with an entire leg and pelvis remaining. Joachim appeared to have had every bone in his body broken, twice and his skin fit poorly over the rearranged skeletal structure. It was as though someone used a giant mortar and pestle on him. Lynne was actually easy to identify, with the whole of her upper half in a single piece. Her spine and neck were clearly broken, but it was enough for a funeral. Henning was hardly missing any parts at all, although his flesh was seared from where a dying titan fell on him. Snapped vertebrae indicated that he was likely killed at the same time as Lynne. There was no trace of Section Commander Mike anywhere, which could simply mean he died elsewhere. He wouldn't have been separated from everyone else otherwise.

That put the count at six, six men and women with at least fifty years of soldiering between them. Six people with distinguished service records and impressive kill counts. Blasa often said that they were among the best scouts in the regiment. Now, they were more names on a long roster of those killed in action, more offerings on the sacrificial altar of freedom. How many years, months, weeks, or days would it be before Richter was writing down the names of Sergeant Iryna, Terrelle, Blasa? Or, maybe until someone was scribbling his name on a piece of paper…

"Did you ask around, lieutenant?" Hange asked, watching as their honored dead were loaded onto one of the carts.

"About the Wall, yeah I did. The kids say they rode every kilometer around here and couldn't find any sign of a breach. No stone between here and Karanese is out of place."

"So, we're still in the dark."

"One of them, Springer, I think his name is, said that they found some weird shit in Ragako. All the buildings were destroyed, but they didn't find any blood or bodies. Horses and wagons were still in the stables too. And…he told me that there was a titan laying on his house, all nasty and bony, like some crippled old guy without any muscle mass. The thing couldn't move anything but its head."

She grimaced and clenched her fist. "I'd give five month's salary to anyone who could tell me what's going on." Nothing about the past few days was making sense. Little bits of information and reveals that wove a confusing web, obscuring the truth behind.

Wind jostled the branches of trees nearby, pulling at Blasa Tanzerin's recon cloak and blowing about the strands of hair not kept in place by her pin. From the south, a large mass of clouds could be seen rolling in. "We should get moving; looks like a storm is coming."

Hange nodded. "There's an abandoned watch-post on top of Wall Rose where we can take shelter, it isn't far. It'd be prudent for us to get the recruits off of the ground too." They wouldn't be able to fend off an attack properly if half of the section needed to be protecting those unarmed kids. "Alright boys and girls, we're packing it in! We're making for the wall so we can regroup and wait for the commander's column to catch up!"

"Yes ma'am!"

3

As luck would have it, the weather changed even faster than expected. The rays of golden sun were blocked out by thick, grey clouds within half an hour, aided by a strong wind current. It wasn't much longer before water started coming down with it. Those that had them, drew the hoods of their cloaks up to stave off the worst of it. Elise, Albrecht, and the other survivors from the castle crowded in the back of the wagon, beneath a canvas tarp. A few hundred meters ahead, Wall Rose towered above them, promising shelter at its crest.

Blasa sent Terrelle and four troopers on ahead to scale the edifice and see if there was a functioning lift they could use. It wasn't exactly an option to carry Ymir and the bigger recruits up. Not to mention that they needed to keep the girl out of the elements where she could rest; catching so much as a cold in her condition could cause complications.

"How is it up there?!" Blasa called out when the rest of the cohort reached the base of the wall.

"Not bad actually! Doesn't look like anyone's been here in a few years, but they didn't take anything when they left!"

"What about the lift?!"

"Just a couple of freight hooks on a crank! We'll have to tie cables to the stretcher if we wanna bring the kid up! I'm sure we can rig something together!"

"Hurry it up; our asses are getting soaked down here!"

"Keep your panties on! We're not fond of being out in this shit either!"

There were several more minutes of intermittent shouting between the pair of them before they lowered the makeshift freight harness. A series of straps were looped together and secured to hooks that normally would've hauled construction supplies. Hopefully its ability to haul a human being was far less dubious than it appeared, especially considering the wind. So, they lashed the straps to Ymir's stretcher as tightly as possible, additionally securing a length of rope around her, just in case.

"Okay, I'm sending squad three up first with the recruits. There will be someone on either side of Ymir at all intervals; we're walking her up. Anyone who's able should carry a passenger with them as well. The lift will come back for recruits Braun and Hoover. Squad one will follow once we're at the top and the rest of squad two will tie off the horses before getting topside. Anybody have questions, issues?" The assembled soldiers answered in the negative, to which she nodded approvingly.

Historia Reiss watched with trepidation as Ymir began her ascent. Every added bit of space between the unconscious girl and the ground sprinkled a bit more anxiety onto her heart. "They'll take good care of her." She felt a warm, reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I doubt she could be in more capable hands." Josh smiled softly.

"Yeah…I know."

"Can't say I'm surprised; you've always been a worrier. Although, I'll admit I wasn't much help in mitigating that."

"…I think I'm still processing it."

"That's understandable." She wasn't the only one having difficulty processing things… "Come on, hop on my back and I'll take you up." Josh got down on one knee. "There's enough room under my cloak that the rain will stay off you too."

"Okay…" She took a last look at the rising stretcher and ducked inside the shroud, wrapping her arms around Josh's chest.

"Hang on tight and I'll take it nice and easy."

"I am…"

"Alright…then, here we go…" He tilted his hips upwards and firing his grappling hooks into the stone. His fingers pressed ever so carefully against the reeling mechanism, stepping forward as the lines became taught. Not too fast now, just a step at a time. The harness started pulling him off of the ground. Josh put his right foot flat against the wall, then his left, then he started walking.

"You good back there?" He asked, once they'd gone about twenty meters."

"Mhm…" Didn't really take long for the general mood to match the weather. Her responses were barely as long as necessary. It was like trying to make conversation with a stranger at the carriage stop, empty and distant. Her thoughts were preoccupied with other things, true, but even so, it wasn't like her. Maybe…maybe they'd pushed her too much with all the questions? That'd make sense. Anyone else was just as likely to crumble when being cornered like she'd been.

"Sorry…about everyone grilling you back there."

"You don't need to apologize, Kassy, I get it."

"Chris—sorry, Historia…geez, that'll take me a while to get used to," he half-laughed.

"I'd understand if you're mad…"

"What? No, no, no, I'm not mad in the slightest. A little…confused maybe, but I'm not mad at you."

"Big secrets shouldn't be kept from those you're closest to…"

"…Don't go beating yourself down about it. We'll have a proper conversation when the time comes. Nothing's going to change how we feel about you."

"I'm not so sure…"

"Alb was surprised is all."

"Yeah…" Surprised.

The rest of the walk up was quiet. So many questions, things that were beyond the scope of his imagining a few days ago. He didn't hold anger in his heart for Christa, he only wanted answers. After all, a name mattered little in the grand scheme of things, same with family history. There were parts of every person's life that weren't the prettiest things to look at, but that didn't change who they were. Historia was still Christa. Even if her father was a scumbag, they all loved her dearly, as much as any flesh and blood could.

4

It was another twenty minutes before everyone was gathered together up top. Reiner and Bertolt took about five minutes each to raise up, using a weather-worn bosun's chair. In spite of the storm however, there weren't any issues with the process.

As Terrelle previously stated, it'd been some time since human beings were here. Construction equipment from the artillery rail lines was littered about in stacks, as well as the wheeled carts for transporting it. Ragged banners flapped about on rotting wooden poles, so faded and neglected that the markings were no longer distinguishable. In between the tracks, the watch cabin sat cold and dark, but intact. A decades old carving next to the door was inscribed: Beobachtungsposten Zwoelf.

Terrelle stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment. "Anyone looking to buy the property? Might make for a decent place to retire."

"I can't believe they stationed people out here, let alone that you'd want to live here," one of the other scouts, Markus, snorted.

"Most of these places were built when we first started fighting the titans," Iryna said as she brushed past with a box of medical supplies. "Originally, they were intended to serve as part of an early warning system in the event of threats outside of the districts. Since Wall Maria fell, none of the branches have the personnel to man them." A sudden, significant decrease in the population was bound to cause a few logistical problems.

"It'll suit our needs well enough," Hange added. "Let's get the recruits inside and give them some rations, clean any cuts, bruises, and the like. First squad is on lookout duty. Flare pistols should be loaded and ready to hail our reinforcements. Lastly, keep a close eye on that titan-girl. If she wakes up, speaks, or starts billowing smoke, I want to know immediately." Hange adjusted her glasses and walked towards the edge of the wall.

Historia followed her. "Section Commander, if I could speak to you a moment?" Hange gestured for her to speak. "If I may say so again, ma'am, Ymir isn't and won't be a threat."

"I admire your sincerity, but that remains to be verified. Although, she will not be harmed unless she gives us a reason to do so. On that, you have my word."

"She didn't have to stay and protect us at the castle. Ma'am, if she wanted to, escape would've been easy, but she didn't. Ymir stayed and fought the titans, and she was nearly killed. There's no question about where her loyalties lie."

"Is that so?" Hange looked at her pointedly. "Given our current state of affairs, keeping that power a secret cost lives where it didn't need to. As we've seen with Eren, the shifting ability provides us with a much-needed edge in the war. If she's loyal to humanity, and the survival thereof which she swore, as a member of this regiment to pursue, why keep it hidden?"

"Maybe she was afraid. After what's happened to Eren, the trial, the confinement, the threats of death by the Military Police, can you blame her for not wanting to be subjected to so much?"

"There is a great amount of knowledge to be gleaned from her, even without the powers, the information is just as valuable. The world is getting more and more complicated lately, and every hour seems to bring forth something else we didn't know." She placed a hand on Historia's shoulder. "Miss Lenz, or rather, Miss Reiss I suppose, I hope you will be able to shed some light on a few of these things for us. Maybe we'll be able to do the same for you?"

Josh and Aline overheard the exchange, but kept their backs to the pair. It'd been at least an hour since the latter spoke a word to anyone. "You didn't say anything when the rest of us were talking to Chr—Historia," He said, levelly.

"I'm not calling her that."

"It's…it's just a name…"

Aline frowned. "I'm not fond of being lied to. Don't you pretend either that you aren't all twisted up inside about this."

"We need to at least hear the whole story. She deserves an opportunity to fully explain herself, you know that."

"Better be good if she hid it from us all these years."

"She feels bad about it, that it was wrong for her to keep such a big secret, as close as we are."

"Feeling bad about lying after you admit you've been lying doesn't absolve you of the consequences." She brushed the loose hair back behind her ear. "I guess I'm not as forgiving as you are…"

Josh sighed and took a few steps back before turning. "We'll get everything sorted out soon. Let's…see if we can focus on the positives for the moment. This week hasn't been very forgiving, to any of us."

"Go see Albrecht and Elise for me then. We ought to start catching up on what we missed."

"What are you going to do?"

Aline yawned and stretched her shoulder blades. "I'm going to pace around a bit; my butt's still asleep from all the riding we did. Plus, it'll give me a chance to think."

"Heh, I'll save some food and the most interesting parts of the story for when you come inside."

She waved curtly to him and began walking. There was too much going on right now. Too many crazy, bullshit things happening to dump something like this on top of it. Ymir comes out as a damn titan, and five minutes later Christa starts stirring the pot? Of course, there was the incident with Annie too. What the hell happened to people just being who they said they were?! To top it all off, there was the whole titans busting a hole in Wall Rose, thing they were dealing with too. It made her want to punch something, or somebody. A trip to the sparing room, or knocking around Mikasa sounded like a great idea, but it could be that was the problem. Aline had spent just about every waking moment of the last ten days pissed off; each little inconvenience and she felt ready to pull iron. Maybe blondie was right about her being too wound up.

"Truer words were never spoken!"

Aline jumped slightly and looked around. What, was she hearing things now? That little voice in your head thing was supposed to be a metaphor.

"Let's go home! We've been here long enough! Compared to everything else we've had to go through, the rest is easy!"

No, she couldn't be hearing things; none of the rest of it was making any sense. Up ahead about ten or twelve meters, Reiner, Bertolt, Eren, and Armin were chatting with each other. Or, to be more accurate, Bertolt was raving about…going home, or something.

"You're right, we don't have much further to go until it's done!" Reiner responded. Aline rolled her eyes and leaned against one of the disused rail carts. Those four, for years, going on and on about reclaiming their hometowns and noble missions and all that crap. Reiner was a good-looking guy by any woman's standard, but he could get a little too into the job. He, like Jansen, tended to eat, sleep, and breathe military. "What a bunch of idealistic jackasses," she laughed to herself.

K'PRRK! The distinctive report of a signal pistol had her reflexively reach for her blades. Although, she felt foolish upon seeing green smoke as opposed to red or black. "God, I'm definitely too wound up…"

"Garrison advance team has been sighted!" One of the first squad lookouts shouted. Good news hopefully.

5

"What in God's name do you mean there's no damn hole?!"

"It's just…like I said," the garrison officer began, attempting to catch his breath. "We rode the entire…length of the wall between Trost and here; there isn't…so much as a single crack. Even the team that we met from Krolva District found nothing on their way down."

Hange bit her lip. "Somebody get me a map and a pencil!"

One of her subordinates produced a rolled piece of canvas from his haversack. When unfurled, it showed a finely detailed picture of all three walls, their associated roads, townships, landmarks, and military outposts.

"Hold that taut for me, will you, Moblit? I want all officers and squad leaders over here!" Once a semi-circle was formed, Hange began scribbling on the image, drawing markers and lines over several locations. "Now then, with our efforts these past couple of days, we've sent units to sweep the entire southeast region of Wall Rose. First contact with the titans is reported to have occurred here, at a repurposed farmstead north of Ragako Village. This indicated a breach between Trost and Karanese districts." Which in and of itself was unprecedented. The very purpose of the districts' placement was meant to keep the titan hordes concentrated where they could be properly dealt with. Not to mention that the gates were the only known weak points able to be breached by them. "Once our forces reached Ehrmich, we encountered the titans ourselves, albeit in small numbers, approaching from the southeast." This corroborated Tomas' own first contact report. "We defeated them outside the district, as well as at a ruined fortress near our current position." She continued jotting things on the map. "Lieutenant Tanzerin, continue where I've left off if you would."

"Basically, we've moved across the entire swath of land between here and Wall Sina, killing every ugly bastard we came across. However, our teams that first reported the breach found no such opening in the wall going north, and now you guys are telling us the same thing going the opposite way. I mean, screw me sideways with a pitchfork, but we've gotta be missing something."

"That's the thing, we didn't encounter a single titan on the way here," the officer said.

Blasa looked at him incredulously. "But we know they're on this side of the wall!"

"Yeah, and there were none anywhere we went!"

"So, there's no hole and they only showed up in our sector. Unless Lady Rose opened her legs and let them walk right in, where does that leave us?!"

"If there's no breach, we'll just have to change tactics." Hange stood up. "Platoon, fall in! We've got a change of plans!"

"Are we going already; I just sat down!" One of the troopers complained.

"Ma'am," Iryna poked her head through the doorway of the outpost. "It'd be a bad idea to move the girl again so soon. Any rough movements would likely make her condition worse."

"Alright then, you stay here with three troopers and the kids from the castle. We can send a schienenmaschine along the wall to get you in a couple of hours."

"Yes ma'am." She looked around. "Young Oschatz, Nifa, Rashad, would you kindly hold down the fort with me?"

"Don't have to tell me twice," the latter said quickly. "I'm still getting the feeling back in my lower half."

Hange nodded to Iryna and stepped off. "The rest of you are with me! We ride for Trost at full speed!"

Few were keen to start riding again so soon. They were tired and so were the horses. There hadn't even been an opportunity to eat rations, something that'd already made Sasha upset. "No rest for the weary, I suppose," Erik mumbled.

"How can there seriously be nothing wrong with the wall?" Ctirad whined. "Do titans all appear out of thin air now?!"

"The timing is what doesn't make sense to me," Armin added. "Nothing like this has happened in five years. Why now?"

"Guess you never realize just how little you know about a lot of things until they start happening…" Sasha mused to no one in particular.

6

"So much for getting out of the rain and catching up with everyone," Josh said. It was going to be another long day. "Right back to it, eh?"

"I'll be right behind you," Aline waved him off. "I'm going to do a few more stretches to get the stiffness out of my legs." Truthfully, it wasn't only the stiffness. She'd been wearing the same undergarments since the last day in Stohess, and keeping the chaffing at bay was becoming more and more irksome, even with the liberal application of talc. Given the opportunity, she needed to use another packet. Not something she wished to do in front of God and everybody else. Just go crouch behind a stack of boxes and get it over with.

As she applied the powder for what felt like the twentieth time, the rain threatened to dampen it and chilling gusts of wind blew between her exposed thighs. Aline tried to ignore the unpleasantness by finding something to look forward to. A hot meal and a chance to bathe would be a good start. "If I don't get a hot shower when this is done, I'll strangle somebody," she said, under her breath.

"What are you talking about?" A voice reached her ears.

"Why are you telling him?!" Another asked.

She looked around the side of the boxes. Reiner, Eren, and Bertolt were standing where they'd been a few moments earlier. "They're still talking to each other?" Aline finished sprinkling the talc into her trousers and pulled them up, adjusting her harness as she did so. "Doesn't he know we're moving out?"

"We had a mission," Reiner started. "Our goal was to ensure mankind's extinction, but now there's no need for that."

"Huh?" What the hell kind of bizarre conversation did she start listening to half-way in?

"Eren, if you want the walls to remain standing, all you have to do is come with Bertolt and I. Do you understand?"

"Was geht hier ab?" What in the hell were those three talking about?

"Understand, what's there to understand?!" Eren looked at Reiner as though the big man had lost his mind.

"I need you to listen and do exactly as I say. I know this is sudden, but we have to go."

"Go where?!"

"I can't tell you that, not yet…think of it as our…hometown."

Aline's head was beginning to hurt. She didn't have a clue what was going on. Were they delirious from being up all night, or was it stress, or…shit, whatever was going on?!

"Not a bad deal, right? We go now, avoid a major catastrophe. Nobody needs to get hurt over this."

"Wait a minute…" Back in Ehrmich, Section Commander Hange was saying something to the assembled scouts in the platoon, something about the background investigation on Annie. Aline was so occupied with other things she hadn't really listened, but…there was a mention about a hometown, or rather a lack of one. There was no record of where she was born, where she came from, in her file…just like Reiner and Bertolt. The three never spoke much during training, despite apparently growing up in the same area. She treated them the same as she treated everyone else, even giving the former a beating during a sparring session. You'd have to be stupid to think they were friends.

She thought back to the scouting operation beyond the wall. The Female Titan, Annie, attacked on the right flank, where both of them were positioned as messengers. She heard from Josh that Reiner was momentarily captured by Annie's titan and nearly crushed, somehow escaping without a scratch. When dozens of others, veterans many of them, perished so easily against her, how did he manage to get away unharmed? They knew that she was looking for Eren, although none of them knew why. Commander Erwin had done well to hide him in the formation, even going so far as to distribute false information about his position across the battalion.

And yet, according to Armin, immediately after he, Jean, and Reiner were attacked, Annie went for the center column and Eren's position. It was like she could suddenly perceive his exact location. Or, perhaps the dealer slipped another card into her hand when the other players were distracted. Aline looked over at the pair of them, one incredibly tall and the other, heavily muscled. She blinked several times and focused her gaze on each boy in turn. "No fucking way…" Aline's hand began moving subconsciously towards her hip.

"You're just tired, aren't you?" Eren placed a hand on Reiner's shoulder. "Help me out here, Bertolt. His nerves are shot from the battle and his wounds, right? That's why he's talking crazy isn't it?"

"Yes, of course! It's the battle fatigue!" Bertolt exclaimed.

Aline took another step forward, hands concealed beneath her cloak. She kept her expression neutral, void of emotion. The unease in Bertolt's voice was incredibly plain when he spoke. "Someone's not a very good liar," she said to herself.

"That's what I thought. I mean, if you really were the Armored Titan, we wouldn't be having this conversation. What would you have expected me to say, yes? Like I'd let myself be kidnapped just because I was asked politely."

Aline took another couple of steps, moving in such a manner as to avoid splashing in the pooling rainwater. Off to the right, Mikasa was standing stock still, facing away from the trio. She didn't need to see the girl's face to read her body language though. Aline wasn't the only one eavesdropping. In actuality, it wasn't only them either. The other scouts had noticeably slowed their pace.

"Right, not thinking straight, am I? Barely know what I'm saying here…" Reiner's tone was different now. He sounded less confident, more manic, worried. "I must've really gone off the deep end…"

"Let's just go, guys. You two should get inside, get something to eat." Eren walked past them.

In the following seconds, the wind picked up by a factor of five. Puddles developed tiny waves across their surfaces, loose objects rolled about, the freight hooks creaked and groaned. The tattered flags could be heard flapping about wildly, as though having seizures, the wind straining their threads to the limit. Underneath the force of the gale, one of the wooden poles snapped in two. The banner went over the edge of the wall, clattering loudly against the stone several times on the way down.

Then everything was silent. Nobody moved, nobody breathed, nobody nothing. The rain ceased falling, the wind ceased blowing. Every piece of creation stopped, and all eyes fell on the three boys. Aline's palms started to itch.

"That's the problem…" Reiner said after a moment. "I've been here too long for my own good. Three years of this madness, surrounded by idiots…We were just kids; what did we know about anything? Why did there have to be people like this? Why did I let myself devolve into such a half-assed piece of shit? But it's too late now, and damned if I know what's right anymore." He took the sling off of his shoulder. "Who cares though? It is what it is…no choice but to face what I've done." He looked at the bandage for a moment before tearing the wrappings away in disgust. Reiner clinched his fist. Where the flesh was torn, steam began seeping out, and the skin pulled itself back together. "I must face it as a warrior! No road left but the one that leads to the end!" Aline's body started moving of its own volition. Practiced movements happened automatically as she surrendered control to her instincts. Her eyes saw nothing except the enemy ahead.

"Reiner, right here, we're doing this?! Right now?!"

"Yes. We settle this once and for all!" He grabbed a stunned Eren by the collar.

Aline drew her sword back. "You should learn to pay attention to what's behind you, pretty boy." She relished the expression of sheer terror in his eyes as the metal cut through his wrist, severing his hand before digging into his neck. Before she could finish the job however, Mikasa barreled into them, brandishing her own swords. With Reiner already off balance, her blade only found its way into the meat of his chest, breaking off as he and Aline toppled backwards. Mikasa didn't miss a beat before tossing the broken one aside and slicing the other one across Bertolt's throat. The tall youth fell backwards, screaming and spraying blood.

"Go, Eren, make a run for it!" Mikasa shouted as she prepared to stab the sword into Bertolt's face.

"You're not stealing the glory from me a second time, you bitch!" Aline rolled to her feet. Before she could interrupt, she felt herself being hoisted off the ground. Reiner was lifting her up with his remaining hand.

"You want to fight her, yeah?" He asked through a blood-soaked grimace. "Then allow me to give you the first hit." With a strength that could only be described as inhuman, Reiner threw Aline into Mikasa, sending both girls flying over the edge of the wall.

"ALINE!" Josh sprinted forward without a second thought.

"Damn it, kid, again?!" Blasa pulled out her swords. "Move in and seize them!"

Reiner narrowed his eyes. Guess we're doing things the hard way. "Bertolt…Now."

The air filled with static electricity and the smell of copper. Bolts of bright-yellow lightning crackled around them. Sky and clouds both took on an increasingly familiar green hue. Then, from out of the heavens, a gargantuan strand of glowing energy fell upon Reiner Braun and Bertolt Hoover.

"EREN, RUN AWAY!" Armin yelled as loudly as he could, but it was too late.

There was a sound like a clap of thunder, nearly as deafening as the report of a thousand cannons. Wind followed, a terrible wind, as hot as the summer sun and as ferocious as the most brutal storms. Everything in close proximity was hurled backwards. People, supply crates, palettes, and even the rail carts, were blown away like the autumn leaves. The outpost building was ripped apart from the top down. Scouts dug their grappling hooks into the stone at their feet and dropped to their stomachs, clinging to the surface for dear life. Those without ODM gear clung to their more fortunate cohorts as the violent tempest threatened to throw them all into oblivion. Clouds of ember-filled steam roiled about at the heart of it, dark shadows looming large within. A great, skinless face rose out of that murk. A face so massive that it could swallow an entire building with little effort. When its jaw opened, a roar which could shake the very earth, rattled their bones. The Colossal Titan.

Another visage, clad in bone, emerged. Muscles and sinews pulsated and stretched. Fists bigger than wagons clenched and poised to strike. Eyes, alight with fire and murderous intent. This creature knew no mercy, no remorse, and inspired fear in all who saw him. He was the one who charged through the inner gate at Shiganshina, allowing its fellow monsters unfettered access to mankind's refuge. The Armored Titan.

At the precipice of Wall Rose, Aline Holde had managed to secure herself during the fall. Now, fighting against the gale raging before her, she pulled her upper body onto the edge. Aline gazed up at these beasts, the fire in her eyes matching theirs. This was different than every other time; this was special. Mikasa was responsible for suffering and death, yes, but not like this. Annie was responsible for greater suffering and death still, but not like this. The bureaucrats and elitists in the interior were responsible for much more suffering and death, but not like this. Without the Colossal and Armored Titans, NONE of it would've happened. Jansen, Freja, Alex, Marco, dozens of cadets, hundreds of scouts and garrison members, and untold thousands of innocent civilians, would still be alive. Bertolt and Reiner were singlehandedly responsible for genocide and destruction on an apocalyptic scale.

There would be no hesitation in killing them. There would be no mercy, no swiftness in the act. She would take her time with them, make them feel it. Aline's humanity had shrunk away and she was now a demon. All that was inside her was bloodlust and a white-hot rage that only carnage could soothe. With these, she would exact vengeance upon them both. Vengeance for her friends, for all of humanity.

And in an expression of that unholy fury, Aline howled. "YOU GODDAMN TRAITORS!"

Hey everyone, Legion117 here. It's been a while since we've had an update. I won't bore you with my excuses or issues, but I will thank you all for your patience and patronage. This is my first update of 2019 and I'm hoping the first of many more. Since we last spoke, this endeavor, this passion project of mine, turned four years old. Hard to believe its been so long. I'm pretty happy with this chapter and it feels so good having it written. I get such a thrill when I can put my heart and soul into creating this content. While it's not always easy (and I'm not always as "studious" about it as I should be) I'm grateful for everyone who's made this story worth writing.

I want to give a special shout out to DanTheMan2150AD, gruntsbreeder, and DarkHelm145 who've all been especially helpful and encouraging to me in these last few months. You guys are awesome. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and that I can make the chapters to come an adventure for you all.

WIR SIND DIE JAEGER!