Hey guys, here is the next update of this fanfic. Thanks for the reviews last chapter but now enjoy the read.

Chapter Cover: Sarah kneeling by herself surrounded by tall crystal pillars...

Chapter Fifty-Four

Hollow Discovery

The next morning found me, along with Eren and Hange upon the field that we were testing my Titan ability. It was a familiar sight as we have been doing this for the past three days now. I was dressed in a simple shirt and pants as Eren was dressed similarly simple having forgo the military uniforms for today…thought Hange still wore hers.

"Alright you two," he said, "I know that Eren have some hardening experiment to do and I thought that throwing him in a simulated combat experiment will do well. Since we have another Titan shifter in our midst. I thought it would be the best way to prepare for the time we will meet Reiner and Berthold again."

I nodded at her. It made sense in a way. Reiner was experienced in using his Titan body from the many reports I have read about the Armored Titan and how he fought against Eren the last time they met. I glanced at the young man beside me and Eren had a frown upon his face as he stood there. He probably realized it as well since he fought against Reiner…thought there was something about him that seemed to be just waiting to explode most of the time.

Guess he haven't really changed since our Cadet days.

"You want us to fight in our Titan forms?" I asked her.

Hange nodded.

Eren and I glanced at each other for a moment before I nodded at him giving him my consent about what was going to happen and the young man nodded back. Seeing that we have agreed to her plans, Hange retreated.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Eren asked giving me a glance, "You're not exactly the best hand to hand fighter."

I smirked lightly.

"I don't need to be a good fighter to get you on your ass Yeager," I answered him.

He shook his head; thought I can see a trace of a smile upon his face. The young man walked off to the other end of the field after all, as I did the same pulling out a small knife from my clothing. When we faced each other again I saw the green smoke Hange shoot out into the sky and then from across me, I saw Eren's hand going toward his face that he could transform. It was still amazing that he could bite through his skin so that he could get a wound…thought when the young man was enveloped in light, I stabbed my own hand.

Flesh and bones took presence around me as my body was completely enveloped around me as I was no longer seeing through my human eyes but the eyes of my Titan. I was once again the tall gray female Titan steam rising from my skin. I glanced at my large gray hands noticing the armor that was upon my arms and around my nape. From the description that I had of the Armored Titan, it would seem that it was oddly similar to how his skin was, thought only my arms and nape were armored…the rest of my gray body however, was very opened.

Across me, was Rogue as the Titan let out his powerful roar once more. The first time I saw Rogue, I was a human and he looked as tall as any Titan I have seen back then but now seeing him as my Gray Titan, he was about just some inches taller than I was. His body was all muscle and skin which was the same as my own the only difference being that his skin was similar to a normal human while my own wasn't.

Rogue let out another roar as the hardening happened around his hands which were covered in a crystal-like substance looking, they were glittering in the sunlight that was coming from above us. I approached toward him and then took a normal standard stance as Eren did the same as well before he attacked forward with his hardened fist.

I pared it quite easily. Practicing with Mikasa had improved my skills a little bit from my Cadet days and since the girl was the best in our year, I knew that I would probably never be able to beat her in a straight up hand to hand combat but I could learn on how to beat people that were stronger than me…I didn't need to be as strong as them to be able to defeat them.

And it was the was I was going to beat Eren.

If I can…

Rogue's eyes blinked lightly at seeing me blocking his attack. He instantly followed up another attack with his other fist and I dive bellow it, letting his armored fist fly above me. My own fist had risen up with my own attack, slamming it straight into his side and I swore I feel the bones their crack beneath my attack. The two of us separated from each other and steam was rising from his side, healing causing me to let out a soft growl.

Rogue had a hand against his side at being hit but then had his hands up again, as he was slowly moving to the left, keeping his eyes on me. I had my own stance as we circled each other, gauging each other for weaknesses.

Then I struck forward once more.

My fist aimed straight for Eren's face which he dodged as the two of us worked through a set of attacks each time we would hit each other I swore I could see the trees shaking around us but my attention was wholly focused upon the fight as me and Eren exchanged blows for blows, thought I did notice Rogue getting frustrated at not being able to break through my armored arms even with the hardening around his hands.

I was curious about that as well. The way he was using his hardening ability was a lot how Annie used hers when I faced her as the Female Titan. It was easily to see that the blonde girl was infinitely more skilled than Eren was…thought while Eren had power behind his attacks, he still wasn't able to break through my armor at all.

How curious that it was.

The two of us separated again, and I let out a roar at him raising my hand to the side again as light started to spread around my hand. I can see Rogue's eyes widening in shock at the sight of the spear that I created in my hand and then I launched it straight at him causing his eyes to widen in shock at what I had just done and it was his surprise that made the spear hit him since he couldn't avoid it in time.

The spear stabbed him straight through the chest causing him to step back as blood flew from the wound, his Titan falling backward from the force behind the throw I did to him and it was then that what I had done had reached my mind.

I blinked in shock.

What did I just do?

There was a sudden bang as a red smoke was sent flying into the air drawing both of our attentions at it. It was the signal saying that the experiment was over. I let out a soft growl, not knowing what had just happened. I hadn't even meant to create the spear at all but somehow it had been brought into existence yet again.

It was just like that time I was fighting against Annie…but I still didn't know how I create it to be honest. I let out a small growl before I focused upon my human body that was in the nape of my Titan. I can feel something shifting on my back before my vision turned dark. Hot steaming flesh was all I felt as I pulled myself from the skin of my Titan, still feeling the flesh of the Titan connected to me. There was someone standing there beside my form and I glanced up toward them.

"You're okay?" Jean asked.

I nodded at him and the young man helped me pulled myself out of my Titan body before he guided me down toward the ground. Across us, I can see Mikasa getting Eren out of his own Titan body. The two of us walked together for a moment as Armin and Hange approached toward me.

"How did you do that?" Hange asked, "I thought your Titan couldn't harden?"

I frowned, looking at the hardened spear that was stabbing through Rogue's decomposing form. It was just like back when I faced Annie however, I still didn't truly know how I did that.

I shook my head, "I don't know how I did that."

"You seem to know how to do it when you were facing Eren in the fight," Armin said, "From the way you moved in the fight…"

"Did it seem that way?" I asked him.

He nodded.

"I truly don't know," I told him, "I'm sorry."

"Hey it's nothing to worry about," Armin said, "Maybe if you can find a way to use it, it could be a huge advantage."

Hange glanced at me.

"You can keep going?" she asked, "we have to keep the experiment going and see just how much you can transform."

I let go of Jean who was helping me up and I nodded lightly.

"I can keep going," I told her.

Hange smiled lightly.

"Alright, everyone in position again," she said, "You know the drill."

I nodded at her and when the green smoke shoot through the air again, I stabbed my hand again.


The Mess Hall was filled with the group as I took my seat down beside Armin and Eren. Mikasa was seating across me. It was a day after the experiment had taken place and I had collapsed from exhaustion after transforming two more times along with Eren and I had slept for an entire day just to get my energy back. Now that I woke up again, I had decided to get something to eat and found Eren, Armin and Mikasa at one of the tables so I went to them which brought me here.

"When did you wake up again?" I asked the boy beside me.

Eren ran a hand through his hair, "Just an hour ago. It's gotten easier with the way the experiments are going thought. I can fully plug the mouth of the cave and my hardening training is going well with you there…thought, I still can't do anything against your armor."

"Yeah, I'm surprised at that too," Armin said glancing at me, "I thought with how strong Annie was with it, you would be able to do something against the armor….but I guess it would be too hopeful to think that it would be easy."

I let out a soft hum.

"Maybe you shouldn't do it like Annie," I told him.

Eren glanced at me, a surprised look appearing upon his features.

"What do you mean?"

I glanced at the boy, "When Annie fought against you, she was able to beat you with her hardening ability because you don't have armor on your Titan…maybe you should try to focus on making armor on your own hand like how it looks on my Titan."

Eren seems to think about it.

"You have a point…," he said, "It would take more than brute strength to take down Reiner…I'll try on improving how I harden my hands and focus upon that."

I smiled nodding at him.

"Sarah," Mikasa said softly drawing my gaze, "Did you learn anything about your family from Elza's journal?"

I shook my head.

"Not really," I told her, "All that I have about it is more questions than answers…thought I had an theory in my mind about what I did learn."

"What are you two talking about?" Eren asked.

Eren and Armin both had confused looks upon their features as they were looking at us. I now realized that they didn't know about the little side trip Mikasa and I went with Captain Levi, and then what we have discovered from the said little trip. I decided to start telling them about what had happened since the last experiment happened with Elza's name appearing and then going in the Underground District with Captain Levi and all that had happened there.

When I was done with my story, both Armin and Eren had shocked looks upon their features.

"You mean to say that some people that lived years ago somehow knew both you and Mikasa's name?" Armin said.

I nodded.

"But that's impossible right?" Eren said, "How could they have known about you and Mikasa when the two of you weren't even born yet?"

"I had a theory about that," I told him, "Well…more like a thought. In her journal, Elza mentioned that Irma told her about the Fall of Shingashina District. Considering that I was there when Berthold destroyed the Wall, I thought that somehow because of the Gray Titan we were able to somehow connect across time."

Eren was even more pale than before.

"They knew about Shingashina?" he whispered, "About the Wall falling?"

"Somehow they do," I told him, "But they hadn't managed to do anything about it because they were probably wiped out before anything could be done. The Ashler family was always believed to have madness following them like a plague so even if they managed to warn someone they were probably not believed."

"But not all of them died," Mikasa said, looking at me, "You are still here with the Titan power and there is that guy in the Underground."

I nodded at her.

"I know," I told her, "But since Elza didn't write anything past November…there is only speculation on what had happened since then."

Armin glanced at me.

"November…?" he repeated, "November of X796?"

I glanced at him surprised.

"Yeah," I told him, "How did you know that?"

A look crossed his features.

"All of you come with me," he said.

Exchanging a look with the other two who mirrored by puzzled expression, we all stood up from where we sat, and followed the young man out of the mess hall and into the direction of the barracks. Armin had us waiting for him outside for a few moments before he came back out carrying a book in his hand. It was a book I recognized at all, I had let him borrow it before the entire experiment happened in the first place.

"Ever since you let me borrow that book," he said, "I have read some of it…however, when you mentioned November, something I have read about in this book jumped out at me."

He opened it, searching for the page for a few minutes before finding what he was looking for.

"Here," he said showing it to me.

Eren and Mikasa crowded around me to read what had Armin had indicated and I read through the short paragraph which had the illustration of a burned mansion upon it.

House Ashler had fallen into obscurity for a year before a mysterious fire completely destroyed the mansion on November 24 X796. The following investigation revealed that the House was burned down by the last members of the family who just like many of their forefathers had fallen into madness that had gripped them. It was also revealed that the Ashler family was behind the sudden riots that took place within Mitras some weeks previously and some theorized they committed suicide instead of facing the King's justice.

"Their house was destroyed in a fire?" Mikasa said.

"Sannes said as much to me when I spoke to him," I answered her staring down at the paragraph, "He told me that they were not innocent of the punishment they received. That fire was possibly started by the Interior Squad anyway to silence the Ashley because of what they knew."

I stared at the date for a moment.

November 24…just a few days after Elza's last journal entry…just what had happened in those few days? I thought, From what she had written Elza seems to be going to try and help Irma from the King but there was nothing else after…

"Then…they burned everyone that was inside that house?" Eren said, "Just so they can keep their secret…"

"Well we did learn that they were killing anyone who was a danger to the King," Armin told him.

I continued to stare at the illustration in front of me.

We of the Interior squads did our duties, killing everyone that was close to that family as well as burning their home down to the ground along with the family that was inside…

Those were Sannes words from back then…

Anyone that could have helped us died and killed…and even Reiner and Berthold knew the truth about my family…but their own enemies…thought the last time I thought of them as friends was back to that day when Wall Rose was believed to have been breached…

The image of the ruins of a mansion appearing within my mind as I froze suddenly remembering the familiarity I felt when I had stared at it.

A mansion that looked like it was burned down….covered in vines…

"Holy shit," I said shocked.

Eren, Armin and Mikasa looked at me.

"What?" Armin asked.

I glanced at them.

"I know where the Ashler Mansion is," I told them, "But…we need horses to get there."

I ran toward the stables with the trio following after me. I can't believe I didn't make the connection before but then again…with everything that had happened back then with the Beast Titan, Reiner and Berthold betrayal and Narissa's death…it was no wonder that I had forgotten about it.

"Wait up Sarah," Armin called, "What do you mean you know where it is?"

"I know where the mansion is because I have seen it before," I explained to him as we entered the stable making our way toward the horses.

"You mean in a memory?"

I shook my head looking at them.

"Not a memory," I answered, "I saw it with my own eyes back during that day we believed Wall Rose was breached. The three of you were off to face Annie by that time and when the Titans first appeared then, we were split into groups to try and send off the early warning to nearby settlements and start the evacuation to Wall Sina…I can't believe I didn't make the connection before."

I glanced at Armin and Mikasa.

"I felt a familiarity with it," I told them, "Just like how it was when we were in front of Reiss's Chapel as well as being in the underground cavern…like I have been there before."

Eren frowned lightly.

"I…I had something like that happening to me when I was under the Chapel too," he said, "An impression of behind down there despite never seeing it before…You're saying you know where it is."

I nodded at him.

"Alright, we'll go with you."

I smiled at him and we all worked on saddling our horses before riding out with me in the lead since I knew where we were going. It took us three hours to get there, riding our horses through the dirt road of the country side of the territory of Wall Rose. I went through the same road I went way back when during the invasion and in no time at all, I was coming up upon the village and the mansion that sat upon the slight hill.

And just like back then, the sense of familiarity was back. I stared at it for a few moments, basking in the old mansion before riding on the trail that lead up at the mansion with the trio following after me. the road was overgrown with grass with no one to care for it over the past fifty years since there was no one to take care of it as we came to a stop in front of a small gate.

There was a waterfall in the middle of the courtyard of the mansion but it wasn't in use at all, vines all over it as well and the mansion was a ruin from what I can see. Most of the roof were destroyed and some walls were still standing despite how long is had been since it was burned down. Vines were visible upon the remaining walls with the plants overgrown as well as the grass that was on the ground around the ruins.

"This is it," I said, "It's the place."

"There is not much left," Mikasa said.

I descended from my horse, hearing the others did the same. I walked straight toward the gate before pushing it open. It creaked loudly in the silence and I entered the courtyard. There was a stable for the horses across us so we left the horses there before making our way toward the mansion. I couldn't help but feel the stab of familiarity within me growing. It was the same feeling I felt when I went to the REYNE home a few days back but here it feels like I had just come back home.

There was no entrance as the walls were all destroyed there but I stepped through it and into the ruins, glancing around myself. Some of the walls were rotten and some of them were losing paint as there was no one to care for them in a long while.

"Anything seems familiar to you Sarah?" Armin asked.

"I know them," I told him, "There used to be a chandelier at the entrance…but I guess it was destroyed in the fire and most of the second floor is destroyed. That's where Elza and Irma's room are situated…well, more like was situated."

We continued through the hallway coming to a doorway that gave way into what seems to be the remains of a kitchen. They were grass and vines everywhere thought it the wall were blackened from the fire some of the silverware was still there as some spoons could be seen on the ground.

"The kitchen from what it looks like," Eren said.

Mikasa let out a soft hum as she was glancing around herself but she didn't say anything. Something on the ground drew my attention and I went to pick it up. It was a small tea plate decorated with some flowers around it. I don't know why, but seeing it somehow brought a smile to my lips and the emotion I felt were more like melancholy and sadness at the sight of it.

I placed it upon the counter in front of me and stepped out of the room with the group following after me as we walked through the hallway reaching another large opening that gave way toward the forest around the mansion. They were destroyed walls there completely covered by the foliage but deep within me, I knew that this was the living room of the house and the one that was most likely targeted by the fire.

"I wonder what this place was?" Armin said to himself.

"Living room," I answered him, "It's where…Elza first saw the madness of the Ashler family when she found Lesly Ashler talking to himself in this very room…at least, that what she wrote in her journal."

A hand on my shoulder drew my gaze finding Mikasa there, and there was a slight concern in her gaze. My tone was bitter when I talked then and I must have worried her somehow. I gave her a light smile reassuring her that I was okay before turning away from the place.

"Why are we here exactly Sarah?" Eren asked, "This place has been destroyed completely and from the looks of it, we won't find anything other than the ruins of a burned down mansion."

Truth be told, I didn't know why I was here either. The mansion was familiar to me, to the Ashler but as to why I was here…I didn't understand it. There was this burning within me that urged me to be here in this place but as for what, I didn't know but I was simply letting my instinct guide me. Something was drawing me here.

"I don't know…I just feel I need to be here," I told him, "There is something I need to do. I'm not sure what it is, but it's here…"

The path must connect.

"Could it be someone's memories is influencing you somehow?" Armin suggested.

I glanced at him.

"How do you figure that out?"

"You said this place was familiar to you because of your Titan," the young man said, "There is still so much we don't know about your Titan and whatever answer you think you're going find here had burned up along with the mansion long ago. Eren is right, we won't find anything here…"

Armin suddenly trailed off as his attention was fixed upon something at the end of the hall. We all turned toward it finding a door that was half opened. I approached toward the door and opened it finding that it was an office. Despite the destruction of the house, this place was remarkably undamaged thought it was still aged with many of the place covered in dust and leaves.

"Huh?" Armin said, "This place is not damaged by the fire at all…. strange considering how everything else is destroyed."

There was familiarity within the room as well as I glanced at the far wall which was covered by a bookcase. I made my way toward it looking at it for a few moments before turning my attention toward the group.

"Help me move this," I told them.

"Huh?"

"You're serious?" Armin asked.

"There is something behind this…," I told him, "Trust me…I feel it's the reason that I am here."

Armin did as I asked and the four of us pushed against the side of the bookcase. It slid off easier than I expected it to be, revealing the hidden door behind it, but what really drew our attention was the light that was coming from behind the door. It was like a constant glowing light that came from behind it.

"There…is a light coming from behind it," Mikasa said.

I opened the door throwing it open entering the small stone made room, revealing that the light was coming from some stairs in front of us…stairs that lead straight down into a crystal cave much like how it was under Reiss's chapel. It was much smaller than the one that was under Reiss's chapel but there was no mistaking the tall crystal column that grew around us as we walked together.

"There was another one of those place," Eren said, "That must be where they did the same ritual that the Reiss family did."

"It was," I said, "Elza mentioned it in her journal."

"Look," Mikasa said suddenly after a while pointing at the front of us, "Someone is there already."

We all focused on where she was pointing and sure enough there was someone there across us, leaning against one of the pillars. They were dressed in a light dress and their head was bowed down behind a lock of raven hair that were completely covering their features. The dress that the person was wearing was darkened in one place and one of the hands that was on the ground beside it was almost skeletal in appearance.

We slowly approached the figure in front of us.

"It's…dead," Eren said.

I approached toward the slumped figure in front of us and kneeled down toward it. I raised both of my hand toward the figure and pushed the hair the side, revealed the mummified face that was beneath it. Something shoot through my heart as I stared at the features in front of me.

I knew this face…

Tears had started to pool in my eyes as I let go of the hair which fell in front of the figure's features, hiding them behind the curtain of darkness once more. Tears continued to fall from my eyes as I sat there across her.

"Oh God…," I whispered.

"Sarah…?" Armin asked.

"It's…Elza," I whispered, "This is Elza Ashler."

I shook my head.

"She must have been here during the fire and took refuge down here," I continued, "She would know about it since Irma showed it to her but…she succumbed to her injuries and died here alone…she died by herself while both Irma and Jura lived beyond this."

I stared at the corpse in front of me.

Was this what drew me here? Did Irma had some inkling of her being here and had led me here?

Was this what you wanted me to see Irma?

Was this the price you paid for you madness?

"My sister…lover…my half," I whispered softly looking at the corpse remembering what Hange said that I had written on the ground during the experiment.

A voice whispered back in my ears.

"The path must connect."

The image of a dead man flashed within my mind…as I stood over him…

A girl in a white dress with a light smile…

Sonja…


A memory burst forth...

Next Time: A Broken Mind.

Jacques0 out.

R&R