Chapter 26

Four hours earlier.

"He did what?" Levi asked full of concern. The scouts had returned and filled the regiment in with what had transpired. Many disturbing news took place, Mike, Nanaba, Gelgar, and many other veteran scouts had been killed by a new intelligent titan dubbed The Beast Titan. The Armored and Colossal titans had been within their very ranks, Eren had been captured, and Gabriel in a fit of rage, injured Armin and Mikasa and took off on his own.

"No-" Petra weakley said. "He couldn't have!"

"It's true." Hanji said looking down, her excited demeanor now in a rare moment was serious and full of concern. "We need to get the regiment up and moving now."

"We don't have the manpower for this, especially after the losses suffered on the last expedition and this most recent excursion took out many of our best." Erwin said. "We will need to take Garrison and MP troopers."

"That could take days! We don't have days!" Hanji cried.

"They know as well as we do that Eren is the key to reclaiming Wall Maria and to defeating the titans." Erwin said. "We must do this or all is lost, As skilled as Heimer is, I'm sure he will have taken out many titans in the area. "

"When do we leave?" Levi asked jumping to his feet.

"We?" Erwin asked raising an eyebrow.

"We are talking three different Titan shifters here, two of which are top priority and the third is one we haven't seen before." Levi said. "You need me."

"No." Erwin said. "Your leg will render you helpless, no sense in losing our best like that."

"But the titans-" Levi asked.

"Eliminating the Titan shifters is not our goal here, it's rescuing Eren." Erwin commanded.

"But what about Gabriel!" Levi yelled. "He needs me!"

"Captain." Erwin said calmly. "You know the risks of atttac-"

"He's in an episode right now isn't he? I'm the only one who can take him down without killing him! He already attacked his own brother and sister, what's to stop him from attacking anyone else?" Levi yelled. "You know that's not the reason, you care for him is why."

"Enough!" Erwin commanded. "This is my final order, you can not fight, end of story. Your ankle is a huge liability, you can't land or run with it which will leave you vulnerable."

"Yes sir." Levi finally relented as he sat back down to Petra's embrace.

"Hanji, assemble the regiment. I will speak to Zackly." Erwin commanded as they left, leaving Petra and Levi alone.

"Levi, you know he's a good boy." She whimpered.

"I know." Levi said, grasping the bedsheets tighter. "I want to save him, bring him back, I've taught him so much, I want to teach him more" Petra held him closer, since she has been discharged she no longer needed to follow military protocol.

"We just have to pray that the others can save him. There's nothing we can do now." She cried as Levi for the first time in forever, allowed a single tear of sorrow to roll down his face.

Present.

Gabriel snarled as he saw incoming scouts through the tree line. He would get Reiner and Bertholdt, even if he had to kill for gas and blades. He ran towards the incoming horses to reach a supply wagon.

"Gabriel!" He turned to see Jean and Connie riding to him. He ignored them as he jumped onto the wagon to get supplies.

"Hey!" Jean yelled. "It's us!"

"Don't get in my way!" Gabriel warned as he tore off the wooden door and made his way inside to the gas tanks.

"We're here to help you!" Connie cried out.

"Help?" Gabriel asked as his tank filled up.

"We wanna get those bastards too!" Jean said, offering a mutual understanding.

"You'll only get in my way, ask Armin or Mikasa what happened when they got in my way." Gabriel said darkly. This causes Jean and Connie to flinch, they had seen the state of Armin after Gabriel punched him which is why Armin was not present now.

"Look man." Jean said, building up his courage. "That stuff doesn't matter now, we need to focus on getting Eren out of here! Just work with us, we won't get in your way!"

"I don't give a shit about Eren!" Gabriel replied. "All i care about is making Reiner and Bertholdt suffer!" Connie couldn't believe what he was hearing. Never in a million years did he ever expect those words to come out of Gabriel's mouth!

"You can't-" Connie tried to say before being shushed by Jean.

"We can't afford to have this conversation right now, we just need to make sure we are all on the same side. We can deal with the other stuff later." Jean whispered. Gabriel finished filling his tank and sword canister before turning back to them.

"You two can save Eren, whether he lives or dies is of no concern to me. But the titans are MINE!" Gabriel said he ascended into the trees.

"Guess we have an understanding then." Connie said gulping at the chilling cruel words from the boy who was so loving and innocent.

"Goddamn you Reiner, you did this to him!" Jean whispered to himself as they continued their advance. Gabriel flew through the woods when he saw another flash of light. He saw a shorter Titan jumping on the trees.

"Ymir, I have no quarrel with you. Just stay out of my way!" He said to himself as he tried to bypass Ymir. He gasped when he saw her lunge at him with intent to attack! He quickly dodged and flew around her. "So that's how it's gonna be? Fine! I'll kill you too!" Ymir tensed up in her Titan. She had agreed to go with Reiner and Bertholdt under the promise she could get Christa. They allowed this under the condition that she take out Gabriel. She wasn't ready to do this, Gabriel had actually been very sweet with her in the past.

One year ago.

Ymir was sitting at a table in a common room while Gabriel drew pictures on the floor, his feet kicking up every once in a while in a juvenile manner.

"Hey Y-Yimmie!" He asked. "H-how c-come y-y-you l-like g-girls?"

"Why? Got a problem with that?" She asked angrily. She had endured her fair share of shaming for her sexuality.

"N-no! J-just c-curious c-cause I t-though o-only g-guys l-liked g-girls." He said innocently.

"I don't really know, I just like them. Can't see myself being with a guy." Ymir explained to Gabriel who looked up in fascination. "When I was a kid I knew I was gay, others didn't like that too much."

"B-but w-why?" Gabriel asked.

"Hell if I know, it's unnatural or marriage is between a man and a woman is the kind of stuff people said." She explained.

"B-but I-it's n-not y-you're fault!" Gabriel said saddened that people would be mean to her over this. "Y-you c-can't h-help w-who y-y-you f-fall I-in l-love w-with!" Ymir smiled, she wishes others could understand this. She appreciated how fascinated he was to learn about her sexuality and didn't once question her character because of it.

"Y-you're s-super p-pretty! I-I k-know y-you'll f-find a-a g-girl!" Gabriel said, clasping her hand. Ymir laughed at his friendly and kind nature.

Present.

Ymir choked up at the memory, she just couldn't do it, as much as she loved Christa, she couldn't bring herself to hurt or kill one of the few people to ever actually be truly kind to her. Gabriel didn't deserve that, even in his enraged state. Ymir cried as she got out of her Titan, using the steam as cover as Gabriel slashed the Titan body to pieces. She knew she made the right choice getting out, even if she decided to fight him it was obvious she would have been cut down in seconds. Once Gabriel seemed satisfied he took off towards Reiner.

"I'll get you out of here Christa!" Ymir vowed as she transformed again. Gabriel found his target leaving the forest and went full speed ahead. As he got closer he could make out several figures on Reiners body. He recognized them as scouts and decided not to engage, unless they of course got in his way.

"Come on guys, this can't be you!" Connie cried. "What happened to growing old and looking back on the worst of it through drinks!?"

"How'd you do it Bertholdt? Lying besides your victims, yet you slept like a log." Jean said in despair.

"It doesn't matter, they chose this." Mikasa growled.

"This is just a misunderstanding! Right guys?" Sasha pleaded.

"Yeah, this is just the other armored Titan right? You stupid bitch." They all turned to see a bloodied and dirty Gabriel atop the titans head.

"Gabriel!" Sasha cried. Hearing him call her that broke her on the inside. He couldn't have meant that!

"Oh hello Reiner, leaving so soon? We didn't get to finish playing!" He snarled as Reiner swung his skull violently to the side to known Gabriel off, the boy quickly shot another anchor and landed where the others were on Reiners arms and chest. "I'm sorry, do you have any fucking idea, how rude that was?" He asked when he noticed Reiners hands covering his neck. "Interesting, there's nothing to protect up here unless you're protecting not yourself? But someone else? Gabriel yelled as he dug his hands between a Reiners fingers and in a fit of rage, plied the fingers open enough to see a terrified Bertholdt and still recovering Eren inside. "Oh hello Colossal, I wasn't done with you yet!" Bertholdt screamed seeing the boy who tortured him and chopped him while laughing. Reiner quickly pinched the fingers shut, preventing Gabriel from getting inside.

"Gabriel!" Mikasa cried. Gabriel turned to see his sister with a look of grief on her face. The broken look on her face very briefly caused him to open his eyes and for the slightest moment, his eyes went back to normal before violently slamming shut and bringing back his bloodshot narrow pupils. "Come back." She pleaded

"Who do you-" Gabriel was interrupted by a sudden jump which shook Reiners entire body. He looked up to see, Ymir's Titan?? He killed her!

"Vile cunt!" Gabriel roared drawing his swords to kill Ymir when a familiar blond who was held in Ymirs hands yelled out.

"Don't do it Gabriel! She was threatened! She did it out of fear! She didn't mean it!" Christa tried to reason.

"AGGGHHHHHH!" He yelled smacking himself in the skull to everyone's horror. "What is wrong with all of you? Defending them! Trying to protect them! Trying to reason or understand them!!! They all attacked me! Stole my home ! My family! And you try to protect them!!!!!!" He violently snarled as he stared everyone down and drew his swords again. "Since you are with them and getting in my way! Maybe I'll just kill ALL of you here and NOOOWW!" The distorted tone of rage in his voice and words send heartbreak to everyone. The crushing and brutal reality hit everyone. Gabriel Heimer, the loving, pure, innocent and friendly boy who could never hurt anyone was dead. Consumed in rage and vengeance by this new monstrous demon more primal and cruel than the titans themselves.

Gabriel Heimer, was now dead forever. They had no choice left now if they wanted to survive.

"Gabriel! You sweet boy! What happened?" Christa thought.

"No! He wouldn't!" Connie thought, shaking.

"Dammit, he really is gone now, forever." Jean thought full of sorrow

"No, please. Don't make me do this." Mikasa thought choking up. It couldn't end like this!

"He didn't meant that!" Eren thought, he knew his brother and that he would never harm his family and friends.

"This is my fault!" Ymir screamed in her head."I betrayed him too!!"

"He's, a monster, a demon!" Bertholdt thought literally shivering in terror.

"Gabriel." Reiner thought, briefly snapping back to his soldier persona. "I've done this to you, nothing now can fix that, I hope after what I'm about to do you can find peace in the after. I'll do my best to make it quick."

Sasha was the only one brave enough to voice her thoughts. "Gabriel, if you truly will not come back." She said, brandishing her swords. "Then I WILL BRING YOU BACK! I've loved you for so long! I will never let you go!!!!!" She screamed, finally out loud confessing her love for him publicly. Gabriel's body contorted violently upon hearing this, as if it was fighting itself. It did not help in the end as Gabriel's demon eyes flashed once more with hatred and intent to kill. It didn't matter to Sasha, she saw him, the real him for even a split second, that's all she needed to know he was still there.

"So be it bitch." Gabriel said. "All of you now, will die by my hand!!"

Xxx

Levi felt an unexplained pain in his chest that caused him to collapse. Petra, in her wheelchair, came over to him to help him up. Levi was clutching his chest tightly.

"Levi what's wrong!!!" Petra screamed, terrified he was having a heart attack. He was too young and healthy to be having heart issues.

"I don't know." Levi shuddered. "Something happened to Gabriel!!!!" He realized in fear, he felt a powerful surge of energy within him as he immediately got up and started running despite his injury. "Gabriel, Im coming to save you!!!"