For the next few days they focused more on Eren as they figured they wouldn't be getting anything soon from Lyla. It turned out to be a wise decision as they were able to make a new weapon.

"Okay, let's test it out!" said Hange. A soldier flew down and started to lure a titan into the trap. The titan, knowing nothing followed the soldier and shoved its head deep into the structure.

"Now!" The soldier shouted. A log came crashing down but it missed the titan's nape, hitting its head instead. And as a result, the titan just ended up regenerating.

"Oh come on!" Hange wailed out. "Try again. We have to get the titan's nape!"

They did the process all over again. Lyla watched as they smashed titan after titan. She felt funny. Shouldn't she be happy if they find an easier way to kill titans? But instead, she felt miserable, pained, there was this churning feeling in her stomach. What was this feeling? Was she feeling empathy for a titan?

That was nonsense. Lyla shook her head to clear her thoughts. She was just stressed.

Please, it hurts

That's why she was hearing voices.

Please, this is too much. All this pain!

That were strangely vivid. Lyla's face paled. Who's voices were these?

Please! Save us from our misery! Wake us from this never-ending nightmare!

The voices kept on getting louder as it mixed into one big wave. Lyla felt her body trembling. Levi noticed this too.

"Lyla? You okay?"

"Stop…"

"Huh?"

"STOP!" Lyla shouted out but it was too late. The log came down, crushing the titan's nape. Lyla silently watched with wide eyes as the titan evaporated into thin air. She turned her head and found a small titan staring at her. Lyla stared back and she swore she saw a glimpse of a little girl, staring at her with resentment.

At first, no one noticed but Levi soon saw that a titan was directly looking at them, or rather Lyla. He drew his swords but Lyla stopped him.

"She won't come."

And just as Lyla said, the titan walked off. Hange tilted her head. The instinct of a titan is to eat humans it lay eyes on. But this titan, it saw them and merely walked off instead of running towards them to eat them.


Levi pulled Lyla aside.

"What were you thinking?"

"I don't know sir. These voices… I keep hearing them."

"And this time you thought it was the titans talking." Levi quirked an eyebrow.

"I know it sounds crazy," said Lyla with a sigh.

"More than crazy. It sounds insane."

Levi was silent for a moment. Then he said while facepalming.

"You have to stop doing this. All these weird trances and space outs. It's driving me crazy. What if this happens while we're outside of the walls. What if you get hurt because of it?"

Levi again sighed.

"But then again, I guess it's not a thing you can control."

Later on that day Eren said that he saw someone in his father's memories while he was in the cave in the Underground Chapel.

"When Krista touched me, I saw my father's memories. I think it was because of the titan inside me. Anyway, I saw someone. At first, I couldn't recognize him but now I know who that man is. And I think he will know something."

"And who is that person?" asked Lyla.

"Mr. Shadis."

"….Our instructor?"

Lyla was totally dumbstruck. Nonetheless, they scheduled a meeting with him and later on Lyla found out that he was the former Commander of the Survey Corps.

The whole Squad Levi and Hange went to meet Instructor Shadis.

"Pleasure to meet you again Commander," Hange said as she saluted. Lyla has never seen her so tense. Shadis waved his hand.

"No need to address me like that. I'm only a mere instructor now. Why don't you sit down?" He asked Sasha, who was standing stiffly in the corner.

"No, sir! I'm fine with standing here sir!"

It seemed like the potato incident was engraved deep inside her memories. Shadis just gave her a confusing look and turned back to the others.

"So why are you here?"

Hange cleared her throat and said in a grave tone.

"We want to know about Grisha Jaeger."

And so the story began and when Shadis finished Lyla looked at him with a sublime look on her face.

"First, I did not need to know your unrequited love to Carla. Second, I can't believe it was you who messed with Eren's belt. And you can't do anything because you're not special? That's totally bullshit. Everyone's unique and free the moment they're born."

Everyone fell silent at Lyla's outspoken words. Lyla again opened her mouth.

"So anything new we found out is that Grisha is from outside the walls. And that he either pretended he lost his memories or really did. I can't tell which one's the truth."

Another beat of silence.

"Well. That's unfruitful."

"I'm sorry Cadet Peltner," Shadis said with an exhale.

"Don't be. We heard what you know. Now it's our job to find the missing pieces and match the puzzle," said Lyla.

...


...

When they came back, Hange and Levi went to report to Erwin. Lyla waited in Levi's office as she filled out her own paperwork.

Levi entered the office after a few minutes. He sat down at his desk and started to do his paperwork right away. Levi seemed to be deep in thought so Lyla kept quiet and did not interrupt. Finally, Levi heavily exhaled.

"What is it, Captain? Something bothering you?" Lyla asked. Levi pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I've been trying to find a way to break the news subtly."

"And?"

"Well, as you know, words aren't my forte."

"They're not."

Levi gave Lyla a look but she diligently kept on checking the documents. What else could she say? It was the truth. Levi stared out the window. He once again sighed and said,

"Erwin wants to retake Wall Maria."

"Don't we all want to?"

"No, he mapped out a plan which will commence next week."

"What!?"

Lyla's mouth fell open in shock. It's been barely a week since Krista –no, Historia's- coronation and now this? Weren't they moving too fast?

"Captain, we lost a lot of soldiers this past year and Historia just got crowned. Don't you think we should wait at least till her regal power stables?"

"That's what I told Erwin," said Levi in annoyance. "But he thinks this is an excellent opportunity to stable the throne. 'The Queen who retook Wall Maria', the people would love it. And now that Eren's able to harden his skin, Erwin doesn't want to waste a moment more. Erwin is recruiting new soldiers for the Survey Corps. It seems like the Survey Corps recently gained in stature and there are actually soldiers who are joining."

"If they're wanting glory and becoming a hero by saving humanity then they're total idiots."

"Well then, let's wish that there aren't many idiots," Levi sighed out.

Lyla slowly stood up.

"Well then, I guess I'll tell the others about the news."

"Lyla," Levi gently called.

"Yes, Captain?"

He wanted to tell her that everything will be alright. But he couldn't because he knew everything won't be alright. Many will die in this operation. Just like many died when they captured Annie in Stohess. He shook his head.

"Never mind."

Everyone was shocked by the news. But shocked or not, new members joined in and to Lyla's (and Levi's) dismay more than half of them were idiots. Well, it wasn't surprising after Lyla found out that Erwin promoted 'to become the next hero to save humanity'. That was far from what the soldiers would face but if it wasn't for that the soldiers wouldn't have even joined in the first place.

Lyla couldn't sleep as worries ate on her nerves. In fact, she couldn't get any sleep for the next three days and soon there were heavy bags hanging under her eyes. Thankfully there was no hindrance in her training and she still managed to maintain her ability but everybody, including Levi, seemed to notice Lyla's lack of sleep. One day Levi pulled her aside.

"Stop acting like a brat and get a grip on yourself. Are you even sleeping properly?"

"I'm trying to captain. I surely am."

"Tsk. Well, make sure you get some sleep tonight. I don't want you making some kind of stupid rookie mistake and getting hurt when we go out there."

"Yes, sir,"


Miraculously that night Lyla was able to fall asleep but was disturbed by a horrible nightmare.

She was out in the open, in a vast meadow. There was a small village afar. She walked towards it and soon realized where she was.

'Wall Maria?'

The ringing of a church bell filled the still air. And the next moment rocks starting flying towards her like bullets. Lyla quickly hid behind a building. She covered her ears and shut her eyes. The sound of buildings getting crushed stopped. Lyla cautiously uncovered one ear and opened her eyes.

Her heart plummeted in her stomach. Right in front of her was half the body of a soldier. She scrambled to her feet and walked out from behind the building. She froze at the sight in front of her.

Myriads of dead bodies outstretched throughout the meadow. Blood, blood, blood. Blood was everywhere.

The bell kept on ringing dutifully and a voice resounded within her.

When the bell rings, beware of what it brings.

Lyla bolted up from her bed. She was drenched in sweat. Lyla tossed the covers and shivered at the sudden contact of cold air but she didn't care. She quickly put on her shoes and ran down the hall. She had this kind of dream before, this kind of eerie nightmare. And the last time she dreamed it, everyone in the squad except Eren died.

She pounded violently on her captain's door and it opened, revealing a very pissed off looking Levi.

"What the fuck—" Levi halted, seeing that Lyla was clearly in an agitated state.

"We need to stop this mission, now."

Lyla did not wait for an answer as she pulled Levi by his hand to the commander's office.

Erwin was very surprised by the sudden visit. But nonetheless, he invited them.

"We need to withdraw the mission," said Lyla before anybody else can say a word. Erwin stared at Lyla. His expression was completely blank.

Lyla explained about her dream and the dream she had before. How the female titan ended up killing the whole squad.

"I know that the whole event must be very stressful and traumatic," said Erwin carefully. "But that's all it is. A dream."

"No, it isn't! I had plenty of dreams throughout my life. This one's different! It's telling us something, it's telling us that it's dangerous! It's a fight we can't win. Even if we do, it will come at a heavy price."

"Then that's a price I'm willing to pay," Erwin said flatly. At these words, something within Lyla snapped. She slammed both of her hands down on Erwin's desk.

"Listen well Commander," Lyla ground out. There was a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Those are my people you are meddling with. My people I must protect. My responsibility bestowed upon me the moment I was born. And She's telling me that this isn't the right time, that we're going into a fight we have a very slim chance of winning. And I won't let you waste my people's lives just so you can take a look at that basement."

Erwin stared at Lyla, his expression carefully blank. Levi stared at Lyla with an equally blank space but he knew that something wasn't right with Lyla at this moment.

"You want to know the truth of the world? Yes, the truth lies within the basement, and it will open itself to those who seek for the answer. But are you ready to brave what is written in it? Are you ready to face the truth? Are you ready to face the whole world as your enemy?"

A thick silence filled the room.

"I think not."

Erwin just stared at Lyla.

"Be aware Commander. Even you might not be able to come back alive this round. In fact, maybe none of us will come back alive. Remember this, 'when the bell rings, beware of what it brings'."

Lyla opened the door, but before walking out she said a few more words.

"You can't do this Commander."


A/N Now I know some of you are wondering why I uploaded today. It's only Thursday. But the thing is I'll be going on a short vacation and will be out of the country for the next four days on a family trip! (yayyy!) But I didn't want to miss out a week because I already have last month so I just decided to upload early. Anyway, hope ya'll have a nice week!