AN: Hey everyone. I'm sure most of you have heard by now what happened recently. In case you haven't, we lost two legends in the acting community: Kevin Conroy, the greatest voice actor of Batman, and Jason David Frank, the actor who played Tommy Oliver in Power Rangers. Rest in Peace, both of you.

If there's one piece of advice I can give, it's this: take care of the people in your life and never take them for granted. Because one day, you will wake up, and they won't be there anymore.

Also, I have a song that I would like you to play on YouTube when you see this: (1). Once you see (1) again, you can stop.

(1) Eren's Berserk Theme by kernelzown

Warning: There is one line said in this chapter that I feel deserves an M Rating. Maybe I'm overreacting, but just in case, you have been warned.

I do hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 81: Rise of the Blacksmith

(Tybur Household)

(One month later)

Stressful situations weren't uncommon for the Tybur family to deal with. As the secret rulers of Marley, they had to deal with all issues be it domestic or international. Domestic situations were easy to deal with in the long run. Disgruntled Eldians and traitorous Marleyans were the most they had to deal with. However, the international situations were something else entirely, especially now. Tensions had been rising steadily for a while in the neighboring countries. Were they not dealt with in a proper manner, Marley would have a war on their hands.

To calm his nerves, Atticus was performing an emotional regulation using his powers. In short, he was dulling his anxieties and increasing his confidence. Normally, he wouldn't use his abilities like this, but considering the grave consequences should things go wrong, they were absolutely necessary. A knock on the door interrupted his process.

"Sorry to interrupt you, Atticus, but our driver has arrived," his wife announced on the other side of the door.

Trying to keep his irritation out of his tone, he responded with, "I'll be there soon."

Cautiously, Lara Tybur entered their bedroom, a look of concern on her face. As per usual, her black hair was tied in a neat bun. Her simple dress made it seem like she was one of the maids attending the house, but in reality, she was actually the younger sister of Willy Tybur and the wife of Atticus.

"Honey, you look exhausted," she said. "How many hours did you sleep?"

"I'm afraid I can't remember," he answered sheepishly. "Maybe three or four hours."

"You promised me that you would get some rest." She wasn't angry, but she was definitely disappointed. "How can you expect to deal with the ambassadors if you have trouble staying awake?"

He let out a sigh while he attempted to put on the damn tie again. As usual, he was failing miserably. "I tried, Lara, but every time I shut my eyes, I couldn't stop thinking about them. Ecrya and Cadron are looking for any excuse to wage war against us. Maybe it's because they want revenge for the sanctions we placed on trade. Maybe they decided to free all the Eldians in a misguided attempt to be righteous. Or maybe it's because they don't like my-to hell with this tie!" He tossed the demonic article of clothing onto his bed, panting heavily. When he realized he was making a bit of a scene in front of his wife, he said, "Forgive me, Lara. I'm… not doing well today."

Lara gave him a sympathetic smile and began to help him with his tie. "Do you remember the day we met?"

That brightened up his mood somewhat. "Yes. EIght years ago, I laid my eyes on the most beautiful woman in the world."

"Do you remember what your first words to me were?"

"I said, 'Maid, bring me a glass of your finest wine."

She gave a soft chuckle. "And I responded with, 'I'll be sure to bring you some from our finest toilet."'

He laughed back, remembering that memory all too well. Unfortunately, the present reminded him of what was at stake. "Honey, Ecrya and Cadron's ambassadors are arriving soon. I should be confident. We have many advantages at our fingertips in case they try something, but…"

"But you can't shake the feeling something is going to go wrong," Lara finished for him, letting go of his tie. "Every time a visiting dignitary or tourist shows up, you always feel this way."

"You think I'm being paranoid, don't you?"

"No. Just extremely cautious." She poured him a glass of wine, giving him an encouraging smile. "We have been blessed with a miraculous gift, Atticus. Because of Dillon, we will be able to defend our borders from every possible threat. Even if they try something, you have a contingent of Psions ready."

"Maybe I'm a little biased, but I'd take you over a hundred of them."

Lara's smile turned into a smirk as she poured her own glass. "Perhaps when my brother decides to let me loose, we can see if it takes one hundred Psions to bring me down."

"I'm looking forward to it." Atticus raised his glass to her. "To peace or war."

"Let the pieces fall where they may."

Husband and wife clinked their glasses together.

(Project Psion Facility)

Within the month of Dillon Amsdale's arrival, production within the cliffside facility had skyrocketed. His natural DNA allowed for more Psions to be created at a faster rate. It took Atticus a good five years to make ten, viable Psions, which did not include the failures that went insane as a result of the experimentation. In one month, there were now twenty. Five of them were assigned as security for the duration of the ambassadors' visit. The rest of them stayed inside the facility itself to continue their training. If war was inevitable, then they needed to be ready.

On the top floor of the three-story building was where Dillon's body was being held. In case he ever awakened, he wouldn't be able to jump out of a window because there weren't any in his room. There were four people keeping an eye on his unconscious body. Two doctors to keep tabs on his health and two scientists carefully extracting blood for Project Psion. Outside, there were four guards patrolling around the clock just to be sure that they could act if something went wrong.

"Are you going to attend the festival after your shift?" one of the doctors asked his coworker.

"With the long hours I've been putting in, I'm going to head home and collapse," the scientist answered while she analyzed the blood samples through a microscope. "No diseases or imperfections. This sample is healthy."

Inside his mind, Dillon was a whirlwind of activity.

Ymir had kept her end of the bargain and began to teach him how to use his powers better. She even provided a Titan training dummy made of stone to practice on. It was less about techniques and more about broadening his imagination. Telekinesis and mind attacks were fine, but that was just scraping the surface. There was a whole world of possibilities just waiting to be explored.

For the month he was in his coma, they were focusing on increasing the Psion's durability. His strongest defensive ability was to create an invisible shield around his body. The stronger the shield, the more attacks he could tank. The downside, of course, was that he would get exhausted incredibly fast, so until he fixed that issue overall, it was a move of last resort. A similar idea was a bit more practical: invisible armor. It consisted of him coating his body with a psychic protection. The idea was that if he was sent flying by a punch, kick, or something of that magnitude from a Titan Shifter, he would only sustain minimal injuries. Of course, the landing wouldn't be pleasant, but he would survive.

Dillon groaned in pain after getting swatted by the giant hand, but he didn't have long to recover. The Stone Titan, as he dubbed, was charging straight for him. It was here Dillon decided to test his strength, planting his feet. As it threw a punch at him, he telekinetically grabbed its arm. The weight of the Titan was considerable, but its charging momentum would help with this. With a loud yell, Dillon mimed a judo throw and, with great effort, the Titan soared overhead and landed on its back. It was a powerful move, one that left Dillon's nose, ears, and eyes bleeding profusely. One look at him and people would think his face exploded.

From aside, Ymir shook her head in both amusement and exasperation. "If you tried that in the real world, you would either be permanently maimed or dead."

The injuries faded away since, technically, none of this was real. That being said, Dillon had been "killed" many times by the Stone Titan during training. Those experiences he would rather not relive. "I just wanted to try something new, see if it could work."

"In ten years, maybe," she said. "And that's if you're dutiful with your practice. Once you return to Paradis, you cannot slack off. Otherwise, this will all have been for nothing."

"Trust me. None of this will go to waste," he promised.

"Regardless of your emotional state, Dillon," she added sternly. "You've had time to process everything that has happened, including your imprisonment. You can never backslide again, no matter how tempting it is."

The idea of not being a glass cannon anymore sounded delightful to Dillon. Alongside his training, he had been working on calming his mind and working through his emotions. It wasn't easy, given the extreme nature of the memories they were attached to, but he at least reached some form of stability. That is, until Ymir decides to destroy him again for her own purposes. He had done well to keep his discovery a secret for so long. She had no reason to look for such a thing due to her preconceived notions of him. That would be her downfall, something Dillon was looking forward to.

Ymir lifted him up to eye level and said, "That reckless attempt notwithstanding, I believe it's time for you to make your escape."

That boosted his excitement considerably. "Finally!"

She quickly held up her other hand. "Hold on. This will be no easy task. Once you escape from this facility, you will have to go into hiding for some time. The Marleyans will not rest until you are captured or killed. On top of that, this facility is housing most, if not all, of the Psions that have been produced by you and Jacob. As long as Project Psion exists, Paradis will never be safe."

Dillon had a sinking feeling as to the direction she was heading. "Are you saying I have to… kill everyone here?"

The maternal gaze she fixed upon him promised comfort, but in reality, would provide poison. "I know how hard this will be for you, but it must be done. Every person here threatens everything you care about. You are the only one who can stop this for good. Otherwise, Eren and Annie will be no match for the might of Marley."

As much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. His untrained ass managed to hold his own against mindless Titans and three Titan Shifters. Imagining an army of Psions was nothing short of a nightmare. But at the same time, not all of the people here were soldiers. There were scientists and doctors who probably felt the same way he did: doing their best to serve their country. How could he justify this when he condemned Annie and the other Shifters?

Whether she read his mind or could see the conflict on his face, Ymir knew what he was thinking. "It's good that you feel this way, Dillon. I would worry if you didn't, but this is the price you must pay if you care deeply about your friends and your country. Yes, you will kill unarmed people, and many of them will probably beg for their lives, but their suffering and your suffering will keep Paradis from suffering."

"You're making me start to hate the word 'suffering,'" Dillon snarked.

"In any case, this is something you must accept, or you'll be right back where you started." She looked at him pointedly. "Ask yourself: are you truly ready to take this step?"

Dillon allowed himself to think it over, even if he knew what his answer would be. The weight of the world was on his shoulders, and it probably would be for the rest of his life. Project Psion had to be stopped and the war between Paradis and Marley had to end. On top of all that, he needed to destroy Ymir before she could enact whatever plan she had. It unsettled him to have an enemy whose motivations were unclear. The only way he could move forward was to wake up and fight.

So, Dillon steeled himself. Be it soldiers, guards, Psions, doctors, scientists, every single person in the facility… they all had to die. "I'm ready."

"My son told me he wants to be a Titan when he grows up," the other doctor stated, shaking her head in disbelief. "'I wanna be big and strong,' he told me."

"Tell him that he can be a Titan if he wants to become a devil," the other scientist suggested. "And look at all the perks they have. Segregation, the hatred of the entire world…"

"Better them than us, I say," the male doctor said.

"Here, here."

The scientist turned to gather another sample of blood from Dillon only to find a scalpel fly directly into her neck. She let out a gurgle before it slit her throat completely. The civilians screamed in terror, running straight for the door, only to have an unseen force yank them back. The other scientist fell on her back and attempted to get up. However, the microscope she was using hovered over her and hit her skull hard. And then it happened again. And again. And again. And again. While that was going on, the male doctor went for a glass cabinet to grab a gun. Just because he was a civilian didn't mean he couldn't protect himself. Of course, with his weapon not directly on him might as well have made him defenseless because that same, unseen force smashed his face into the glass. The shards that fell were large enough to be used to jam into his neck, severing his carotid artery. All that remained was the last doctor, whose back was against the wall. She was panting heavily out of terror as every sharp object in the room rose up to face her. Glass shards, hypodermic needles, scalpels, and all sorts of things. She opened her mouth to scream, but she only let out a brief noise before they all jammed themselves into her head and throat, pinning her to the wall.

Once the dying gurgles faded away, Dillon finally opened his eyes. Despite having been in a Psion-induced coma for a month, he felt completely exhausted. The Marleyans' constant need to take his blood only made it worse. Combine that with the numbness of his body and dehydration, he was not in good shape. Still, he was alive, though if he didn't pull himself together and get out of the facility, he wouldn't be for long.

With a grunt, he forcefully turned his body and fell off the bed, bruising his knees upon landing. Unfortunately, he just so happened to land in front of one of the doctors, whose face of frozen terror stared back at him. Dillon was nauseated at the sight, but he had to keep going. This was the path he had chosen no matter how disgusted he felt. He grabbed a nearby cabinet with his blood-coated hands and hoisted himself up. His legs felt like they would give out at any moment given how wobbly he felt. And yet, he managed to stand.

He forced himself against the sink and turned on the faucet. Cleaning the blood off his hands didn't just serve to… well, clean the blood off his hands, but when he poured the water on his hands and took a drink, it wasn't contaminated. Well, he hoped so. There was no telling where this water had been. Once that was done, he opened the nearest locker and was relieved to find some pants. He could live without a shirt for now, but he didn't want to fight naked again.

"You don't see me complaining about not having clothes," Ymir couldn't help but tease.

"Sue me. It's cold," he muttered, putting them on.

Making sure he didn't trip over the bodies or slip on the blood, Dillon made his way to the door and listened. No alarms had been raised, but he couldn't know that for sure. He creaked the door open slowly, seeing a well-lit corridor with many doors. So far, no one heard him killing those people. Before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, a guard rounded the corner.

"Hey! Freeze!" the man ordered, raising his gun. At least, Dillon assumed it was a gun. He didn't recognize the model.

Instinctively, Dillon levitated the gun out of his hand, but he couldn't prevent a shot going off, even if it hit the wall harmlessly. With his other hand, he lobbed the surgical knife right into the guard's chest, killing him instantly. He immediately summoned it back to his hand.

"Shit," he swore as he heard the sounds of panicked shouting coming from all around him. They knew he escaped now.

Dillon made a mad dash down the corridor, but he ended up tripping over his own feet, stumbling to the ground. Two guards came up and opened fire with more bullets than Dillon could have imagined. How could a single gun hold that much firepower? It was ludicrous, but the evidence was currently shooting at him. He brought up a psychic barrier and blocked every shot. Then he levitated their bodies and smashed them head first against the wall, causing a massive crack in it. Given the blood and their lifeless eyes, it was obvious they were dead. Still, more guards were running up the stairs, so Dillon distracted them by tossing the corpses at them. There was a panicked shout as several guards tripped and fell down the stairs as a result. It gave him the opportunity to run in the opposite direction while they tried to get their act together.

The next few seconds were a blur. No matter who got in his way, Dillon killed them be it with his powers, the knife, or a combination of both. Most of them were panicking civilians begging for their lives, but it didn't matter. They all had to die. The once-white corridor was now caked in blood and gore. It wasn't until he locked himself inside a room at the end of the hallway where he could breathe for a moment. He couldn't dwell on what he just did, and instead, focused on getting through this whole mess.

Then, he recoiled in horror as he saw that not only was he alone, but who this person was.

A man who looked bony enough to resemble an Abnormal Titan laid on the bed. So many tubes were attached to his body that were either siphoning blood or feeding him fluids. His face looked like that there were only a few millimeters of skin covering up his skull. Dillon had watched many people die in horrific ways, and yet, this was the most disturbing sight he had ever seen in his life.

"Jacob," he finally said. Who else could it have been?

"This is what they could have done to you, Dillon," Ymir told him, sounding melancholic.

If Dillon wasn't committed to destroying Project Psion once and for all, he was now.

The soldiers started to bang on the door in an attempt to break in, but to the blacksmith's surprise, the lock was surprisingly sturdy. "Stand back!" one of the Marleyans ordered as he pulled his gun out to shoot the lock.

"No, don't!" another Marleyan exclaimed. "If a stray bullet catches the subject, Atticus will have our heads!"

That confirmed Dillon's theory as to why they didn't just kill him or Jacob. In order to extract the necessary serum from their blood, the bodies had to be fresh. That nugget of information allowed Dillon to buy some time to think of an escape plan. First things first, he psychically moved a large shelf in front of the door. Every second would have to count once they broke through. Thankfully, there was a window that he could jump out of, but he needed to make sure he wasn't going to get killed for his antics.

Already, he was a bit high off the ground. The windows across the facility made it clear he was on the third floor, which was also the top floor. Lucky him. To make matters worse, there were five soldiers on high alert outside of the building. And then a sixth one ran outside, shouting incoherently from Dillon's angle. The conversation became very clear once the Marleyans aimed their rifles at the window he was looking out of. Quickly, he moved to the left just as the glass shattered from the rounds. On top of that, there was an even louder banging coming from the door. From the sounds of it, they brought a makeshift battering ram. If he waited too long, they would have him completely surrounded and gun him down regardless of his powers.

"Dillon, you're panicking," Ymir warned. "That's not going to help you."

"I know. I know!" Dillon shot back. "Just give me a second to-." And then, he was hit with inspiration. A crazy plan, but that never stopped him in the past and it wouldn't stop him now.

Before he acted on the plan, though, he walked over to Jacob's motionless body, gripping the bloodied knife tightly. From the brief story he heard from his father, Jacob was a fighter. He could only imagine just how hard Atticus had to fight in order to capture him and reduce him to this state. No one deserved to suffer like this, not even his worst enemy. With the door starting to buckle under the constant barrage of the ram, Dillon couldn't waste anymore time.

"Sorry, Jacob," he said, plunging the knife straight into the man's heart. "I'll finish what you and Elise started." He only hoped that if Jacob could hear, those words brought him some sort of peace at the very end.

Once that was done, Dillon took a deep breath and ran towards the broken window. He leapt outside, putting up a psychic shield as the Marleyans opened fire on him. When he landed on the ground, he let out a shockwave that knocked the six soldiers back. Ymir's training had definitely paid off, allowing him to use his power in more inventive, imaginative ways. If he ever made it back to Shiganshina alive, he felt more confident than ever that he could defeat the Titan Shifters. In the meantime, it was time to finish this fight.

The soldier closest to him pulled out some sort of compact flintlock to shoot him with. When he pulled the trigger, the gun exploded in his hand, damaging it with burns and lacerations. Dillon had used his powers to seal the barrel and the Marleyan did the rest. The others started shooting at the Psion, but he used the soldier's body to shield himself from the hail of bullets. He tossed the now-dead soldier into another one, knocking him down, and then ran towards two that looked ready to wet themselves. Dillon grabbed hold of the rifle one soldier was holding and then forced him to aim at his comrade, pulling the trigger. Once he was dead, he used the knife from earlier to slash open his knife, making him collapse as he suffered a painful death. The Marleyan he knocked down earlier tried to get up, but the knife was lodged into his skull, killing him instantly.

Unfortunately, Dillon felt the ground leave him as he was blasted back towards the edge of the cliff. It seemed like the last two soldiers were Psions themselves. That would complicate things. Before he could fall, he was flung towards the side of the building. Despite putting up his shield, it still hurt like hell. Then, the psychic force pinned him to the ground as he felt tendrils of power striking at his mind from both of them. He cried out in pain, blood falling from his nose.

"Atticus wants you alive," one of the soldiers hissed, "but when we're done with you, you'll wish you were dead."

Despite the agony they were putting him through, Dillon could still see through watered eyes. The two were so concentrated on bringing him down that they didn't pay attention to other options he could use. For instance, the weird mechanical thing with four wheels behind them. Gritting his teeth, he pulled it towards them, the contraption toppling towards them like a giant, messy boulder. They leapt out of the way, but in doing so, they were unable to keep attacking Dillon. This allowed him to blast one of the soldiers away and pin the other to the wall. Before he could even attempt an escape, Dillon threw the machine at him so hard, it embedded him in the wall. A sickening crack indicated that his spine had been broken.

Now there was only one left, who was trying to mind blast Dillon with everything he had. However, unlike this soldier, Dillon had these powers for his entire life and his mental attacks were far stronger. The only reason they were able to get him earlier was because of the uncoordinated, two-pronged attack. With just one, it was easy to not only defend his own mind, but to overwhelm and completely break him. His brain turned into mush, the dead soldier slumped to the ground.

With the nuisances out of the way, Dillon could now focus on the building itself. Twenty years ago, Project Psion stood as a testament to how far the Marleyans were willing to go in order to eradicate the Titan threat. So many people were murdered to make the Psions, and the four successes were scarred for life. And to think that Atticus, of all people, could look back on the project and believe that Marley had the right idea.

Atticus. That name sent rage coursing through Dillon's body. He not only restarted this horrific facility, but he betrayed a friend and turned him into a lab rat. He didn't even have the decency to kill him off just so that the blood would always be fresh. Atticus was a different kind of monster: the one who was willing to cross any and all lines if he believed he was in the right. Just like his mother.

Dillon stretched out his hands and began tightening them into fists. The very ground itself began to shake as if there was an earthquake. Panicked screams came from inside, but Dillon used his powers to seal off every possible exit they could think of. For them, there would be no escape.

For so long, Dillon had been limiting himself. His fears of what he could become held him back from unleashing the full potential he carried in his body. Despite being a manipulative bitch, Ymir opened his eyes to so much that he could do. No longer would he break under the strain of emotional pressure. No longer would he be easily debilitated. No longer would he ever be seen as a glass cannon.

It was with these thoughts that Dillon targeted not the building, but the very ground it stood on!

A large crack formed in front of Dillon and the building started to tilt a bit. Rocks were following towards the base of the mountain below. Anyone who lived there would be wise to start running. If they didn't, it was their own fault. He felt blood dripping from his nose due to the strain, but he had to keep going. He was so close.

And then, it happened. A hole big enough to come out the other side was formed. For a moment, everything went still. The silence was, then, broken by the cliff tearing itself from the rest of the mountain, unable to stay attached any longer. The terrified screams from inside the facility reached their peak when tilted further, making a loud creaking sound in the process. Dillon closed his heart to the people inside as both building and cliffside fell. They dropped from a great height until they landed with the loudest crash Dillon had ever heard in his life. Metal pieces were strewn all over the place, even impacting a few homes that were nearby. The landing seemed to cave in the building completely like a pancake, and he could have sworn he saw some red amidst all the debris. The smoke rising, however, blinded him to any details he could have noticed.

In a single action that took twenty years to accomplish, Project Psion was wiped off the face of the Earth. For Dillon Amsdale, at long last, his old, broken self was finally put to death. Now… he was reborn.

(Two minutes prior)

Days like today made Atticus regret ever getting into politics. Dealing with ambassadors who came from allied countries was a tough-enough job. Keeping them happy and satisfied was always a daunting task on the best of days. Dealing with ambassadors from countries who were ready to declare war on Marley would take nothing short of a miracle. Hopefully, Willy Tybur and his team of smooth-talkers could iron out whatever problems they had with Marley. Plan B was the introduction of Project Psion. It wasn't a perfect plan, but it could at least dissuade Ecrya, Cadron, and any other countries from attacking… for the time being. They knew better than anyone that when a shaky truce is enacted, it's actually everyone biding their time behind the scenes.

The conference hall from when Atticus made his demonstration was being used as the verbal battleground today. Several Marleyan soldiers were guarding the Marleyan politicians while the ambassadors brought their own contingent of security. Atticus had the foresight to enlist the aide to enlist Privates Felder and Klein from Project Psion as extra security. Better safe than sorry these days.

"Mr. Dantias, I understand that your country has been under quite a bit of strain for the past few years," the head Marleyan diplomat, Eckard Lange, began.

"Yes, and the Great Titan War was a minor skirmish," Edmond Dantias from Cadron spat sarcastically. "But, please, go on. Keep going on with your insults."

And we're off to a fantastic start. Atticus thought dryly.

As always, Willy was there to provide crowd control. "What Mr. Lange is trying to say is that we are open to discuss the problems that we have inadvertently caused your countries."

Lukas Harrison from Ecrya snorted at that statement. "Either you have rose-colored glasses on or you are outright lying." He tossed a file at them. "In the past two years, you have been encroaching on our territory, siphoning away valuable resources from our mines."

Edmond had his own grievances to share. "Recent reports have shown an increase of Eldians disappearing from their camps. We thought they were runaways that managed to cross borders, but the trail incidentally leads us here."

Eckard narrowed his eyes. "Are you accusing us, Marley itself, of stealing your property?"

"You are the country who uses Titans the most," Lukas pointed out. "Do you deny it?"

By this point, Atticus resigned himself to the fact that Plan A was a complete failure. Time to play a bit of hardball. "Before anyone makes any rash decisions," he began, "I suggest that you fine gentleman remember that Marley does not answer to you. Frankly, we don't answer to anyone."

The temperature in the room dropped dramatically while Lukas stood up slowly. "I'd choose my next words very carefully if I were you," he warned. "Our country is not known for forgiveness."

A smirk crossed the Psion's face. "Tell me, Mr. Lange, how would you feel if I told you that we are evolving, that Titans will soon be a thing of a-?"

Anyone who had been in the capital that day would remember a sound. It was as if a hurricane and a train had merged into a ferocious beast and was set upon them. They would also remember the screams of civilians who had houses close to the mountains watching the horrific event unfold outside. Boulders of various shapes and sizes landed on these homes, sometimes even crushing the people within them. The worst was an earth-shaking crash, large pieces of metal scattering across the city.

"We're under attack!" Lukas shouted fearfully.

Immediately, the Marleyan guards pointed guns at the dignitaries and the bodyguards of said dignitaries returned the favor. All were arguing with each other, trying to lay blame on who caused the disaster that happened. The dignitaries believed it to be a setup so that Marley would have an excuse to declare war. The Marleyans claimed that this was a surprise attack coordinated by Ecrya and Cadron to weaken this country.

Atticus ignored all the trivial matters and focused on looking out the window. The facility that stood tall and proud on the mountainside, the facility that he had spent blood, sweat, and tears trying to rebuild, was reduced to metallic rubble at the foot. Smoke rose from the landing, filling the air with dust, clay, and blood from the landing. Atticus grabbed hold of the windowsill tightly to keep himself from collapsing to the floor in grief. How could this have possibly happened? What went wrong?

He was so fixated on the tragedy that he didn't notice one of the Marleyans turn his weapon onto him.

"Atticus!" Willy shouted, tackling the man into the wall.

The gunshots that followed snapped Atticus out of it and he swiftly disarmed the traitor. The bullets hit the ceiling thanks to Willy wrestling with the gunman. If only things ended there. The dignitaries' bodyguards opened fire on the Marleyans, killing two of them. Edmond and Lukas ran away like a bat out of hell, which was exactly where this situation was heading to. Privates Klein and Felder levitated the table that blocked the bullets before smashing it against one of the bodyguards. The other one managed to dodge out of the way, but a simple gesture from Atticus snapped his neck.

"Felder, find out everything that this bastard knows!" Atticus ordered, making sure that Willy wasn't wounded. "Klein, we need to protect Mr. Tybur!"

Felder nodded, his eyes beginning to glow.

Klein opened the window and led the way in case there were any more gunmen to be found. Ignoring the screaming from the Marleyan traitor, Atticus followed him with Willy in tow.

To their horror, things had escalated from a devastating tragedy to an all-out war in the streets. Marleyan soldiers were shooting each other for seemingly no reason. It was impossible to tell who was friend or enemy until they were being shot at. With two Psions at the ready, anyone foolish enough to take a shot at them died instantly.

The trio took shelter in an alley, taking a moment to catch their breath.

"Eldian Restorationists," Willy realized, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "They infiltrated the ranks."

"I thought that movement was crushed years ago," Atticus protested.

"Apparently not."

The head Psion had several questions and theories as to how and why this was happening. All that, however, paled in comparison to what happened to Project Psion. He needed to go there, see what had happened, but he couldn't just leave Willy defenseless.

Sensing his inner turmoil, Willy nodded to his friend. "Go. You trained your Psions well. He will protect me."

Atticus hesitated for a moment until he fixed his gaze on Klein. "Protect this man with your life, or I will see you suffer far worse than your imagination can conjure up. Are we clear?"

His subordinate gave him a single nod.

Making sure that his pistol was properly loaded, Atticus made a mad dash out of the alley and headed straight for the mountain. Bullets whizzed around him, narrowly missing him thanks to his powers. Some Marleyans were blasted away with a psychic force, and others, mostly the ones in front of him, were shot several times. It didn't take long for him to run out of ammo, making him discard it… right into someone's skull. There was a chance that the soldier was actually on his side, but he didn't care. Not now. Maybe never again.

Atticus skidded to a stop at the foot of the mountain right where the wreckage was. It was like seeing the body of a beloved child, someone he nurtured for greatness. He planned every square inch of the building. Every room was perfectly incorporated and every hired personnel excited to be part of making history. This facility was to be a symbol for a new beginning, a way for Marley to evolve past the Titans. Now all that remained was a pile of metallic rubble scattered across the countryside without a care in the world. Bodies of loyal Marleyans were crushed under its weight, unable to escape this travesty. He even recognized some of the intact faces that were scattered in fleshy chunks. He let out an anguished yell, collapsing to his hands and knees.

The sorrow Atticus felt gave way to a steadily growing anger. There was only one person in existence who could have done this to him, who planned his downfall from the very beginning. She used his desire to wipe out the Eldians against him, and now, Marley was paying the price.

"Atticus!"

A yell from the mental link briefly snapped him out of his emotional turmoil. He knew that voice anywhere. "Lara?"

She let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God. I've been calling your name for the past two minutes. You weren't saying anything. What happened?"

Forcing himself to stand, Atticus motioned for the soldiers to allow him the use of a car. Given how pissed off he was, they were very fortunate to comply with his silent demand. "The war has begun."

"What? Is Willy-?"

"I got your brother to safety," he assured, levitating his vehicle to the other side of the blocked road. "He's fine, but… Project Psion is gone." Just saying those words tore at his soul.

Now Lara understood the intense emotions she felt through the link. "How? Was it part of Ecrya or Cadron's plan?"

"Maybe, maybe not, but I know exactly who is responsible: Ymir Fritz." His countenance darkened considerably as he thought about the ways he would make her suffer. "She betrayed us.

His wife didn't say anything for a moment, seemingly at a loss for words. Then, she finally said, "I'm on my way."

"Don't you dare blow your cover for this!" Atticus ordered harshly, making his drive up the mountain. "Your secrecy is one of the few things Marley has left. Keep it that way!"

"You're going up against the Progenitor, Atticus," Lara shot back. "There's no chance you can beat her!"

"She's using a mentally-challenged child as her host. I will be fine. If you care, even a little bit, about your people, then STAY PUT!"

Whatever else Lara had to say was completely ignored. The only thing Atticus focused on was exacting vengeance upon Ymir for what she had done. And no one, not Marley, not Dillon, not even his wife, would get in his way.

If there was one thing that annoyed Dillon to no end, it was hiding while he was being hunted. It required a great deal of patience and perfect timing to avoid his quarry while slowly trying to escape his current location. Not that he had any other options. The full force of the Marleyan army was gunning for him. Who knew what kind of technology they had that could take him down in an instant? One wrong move and he could kiss his anonymity and his life goodbye.

For now, Dillon hid in the bushes as he watched a line of horseless carriages pass him by on the road. They moved quicker than even the fastest horses. Through means that eluded Dillon, Marley had acquired the ability to move with great speeds without the usage of animals.

"No one back home will ever believe this," Dillon muttered once they were gone.

"So, what is your plan now, Dillon?" Ymir asked curiously.

"Get down from this mountain, for starters," he answered. "If I'm lucky, I can make my way to the docks and find a boat that gets me back to the island." He remembered his father's story of how he and Carolyn escaped and he hoped he could pull something similar.

"It's a decent plan, but I will need to make an addition to it."

Suddenly, Dillon collapsed to the ground, clutching his head in pain.

He felt himself being pulled into his mind and back into Ymir's realm. This time, however, the grass turned into sand, and he was slowly sinking into it. Even the sky was starting to look different, becoming more dark and littered with stars. It was as if the realm itself was undergoing some sort of metamorphosis. The giantess that stood before him seemed to stare at him with pity in her eyes.

"What are you doing!?" Dillon shouted, attempting to break free.

"Let's stop playing pretend, Dillon," she stated, the warmth in her tone completely evaporating. "I know you figured it out. At least, a part of it."

The Psion's eyes widened in horror. So much for trying to pull one over on her.

"How did you know?"

Ymir shook her head in disappointment. "Have you forgotten already, Dillon? I am a part of your mind now. You can't hide your thoughts from me forever. I'll give you some credit: it took me four days to figure it out."

Anger coursed through his veins once more now that he was given the chance to confront her, albeit in less-than-desirable circumstances. "You used me from the start. You turned me against everything and everyone I cared about."

"All I did was prod what was already there," she corrected. "In the end, it was you who made the choices that brought you here."

"Bullshit!" he shot back. "I would never have gone to Shiganshina if you didn't manipulate me." His thoughts drifted to when he pulled off a chunk of the Wall during the fight, which was arguably the worst thing he had ever done. "No matter how crazy I am, I would never have doomed the world like that."

"At least, not in that particular circumstance," Ymir conceded. "The Beast Titan wasn't being too careful with you that day. I needed you to be brought to Marley alive. Simple as that."

Dillon's body was halfway into the sand despite his struggles. "What the hell is your endgame, Ymir? You were working with Atticus and now you're using me to destroy Project Psion. None of this makes any sense!"

To his shock, her purple eyes began to glow. "Patience, child. Listen closely and you'll understand."

Outside, Dillon leapt out of the way of a psychic blast that left a crater in the ground. Atticus had arrived in his own horseless carriage. He leapt out of the machine, staring at his enemy with an unquenchable rage in his eyes.

"Ymir, you betrayed me!" he roared, pointing at him accusingly. "You swore we would destroy all the Eldians!" He was ready to tear his body apart limb from limb.

Dillon's voice responded to him, but it wasn't his words. "That promise remains true, Atticus. Unfortunately, you and Project Psion were an obstacle to that plan."

"What the hell are you saying?"

"Where did the power of the Psions come from?" Dillon asked, pacing back and forth. "From the power of the Titans. And the power of the Titans comes from the accursed Eldians. We were a race of savages from the start. Nothing from us can ever be used for good no matter the intentions, Atticus. Were it not for this power, we could have been eradicated a long time ago. Now, the world is paying for our senseless evil. The slate must be wiped clean, even if it means turning against you."

"But war is upon us," Atticus shot back, pointing towards the city. "We could have stamped it out before it was too late. We could have saved my people!"

"That is not my concern."

Those five words had the Psion glaring daggers at the person-no, creature-he hated more than anything in his life. "What did you just say?" he hissed.

Dillon shook his head in disappointment. "I'm here to save the world from the Eldians, not fix every problem the human race has with each other."

That did it. With an enraged roar, Atticus telekinetically pinned Dillon to a tree. "I will wipe every Eldian off the face of this planet… starting with you!"

A thin cut started to appear on part of Dillon's neck. It was making headway towards the center, but the immense power of both Ymir and Dillon held him off. A psychic blast sent Atticus flying backwards, allowing Dillon to be released from the invisible hold. With a wave of his hands, several trees started to fall towards the Marleyan, but he managed to roll out of the way in time. The tree disintegrated into smaller pieces of bark and were flung at Dillon like a harsh wind. He shielded his face from the debris, though he stumbled back a bit from the wind. Atticus used this to charge straight at the blacksmith, landing a psychic-infused punch to his face. Any other person bouncing off the ground the way Dillon did would have killed them, but his training truly saved his life.

Inside Ymir's realm, Dillon managed to pry himself free of the sands. He launched a massive blast at Ymir only for her giant form to disintegrate into dust in an instant. Shocked, Dillon looked around in case she popped up to attack him, but she wasn't in sight.

"Show yourself, you coward!" Dillon demanded.

A cold laugh echoed around him, sending shivers down his spine. "After all this time, you still don't get it."

Lightning descended from the sky, knocking Dillon off his feet and leaving behind more than a few burns. The scene around him drastically shifted to a burning city with fire as tall as the Walls themselves.

"All you've seen was an extension of myself," she explained as corpses rose from beneath the ground.

Dillon attempted to run, but he was tripped up by a couple of hands beneath his feet. It didn't take long for these undead monsters to pile on top of him, their teeth sinking into various parts of his body. The more he struggled and the more he screamed, the more he felt his flesh tearing away.

Just as quick as before, the world changed again. Only this time, Dillon was in a forest very similar to the one he was fighting Atticus in.

"You think my title as a goddess was an exaggeration?"

A loud, rushing sound caught Dillon's attention. His jaw fell open when he saw a massive wall of water heading straight for him at an incredible speed. He tried to brace himself for the inevitable, but a miniscule human was no match for the sheer force of nature. The wave crashed into him, enveloping him in its watery prison. Dillon felt his limbs twist and pop with every direction he was forced in. Adding further injuries were the trees he was bumping into every second. Water filled his lungs at a terrifying rate. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't reach the surface. Once again, he was completely helpless.

Then, as everything started to go dark, he was thrown back into the sandy environment he was in originally. No trace of water could be found except the liquid he was violently coughing out.

"You are mine to do as I see fit because everything… is me," Ymir boomed.

A purple light shined from above, causing the blacksmith to look up. He immediately regretted his decision.

Two massive irises were staring directly at him. They filled up the sky so much that it was all he could see. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't. It was as if he was entranced by her power.

"You cannot win a battle that has already been decided."

Gritting his teeth in pain, Dillon managed to stand. "I'm a stubborn bastard, Ymir. I won't accept defeat that easily." He made a sword appear in his hand and immediately stabbed himself through the chest with it.

Somehow, Ymir managed to roll her irises, a sigh escaping her. "Stupid child."

Aside from the excruciating pain Dillon was experiencing, nothing was changing. "Damn it," he swore, yanking it out with an agonized gasp.

"How many times did you die during our training?" Ymir asked. "You kept coming back here every time. All you did was weaken yourself. Thank you for saving me time."

In the real world, both Psions were letting loose with everything they had. Trees had been lobbed at each other without a care in the world, devastating the forest. Every mental attack was swiftly countered. All that the two were accomplishing was making a crater. Dillon finally managed to push Atticus back, but the man yanked him towards him. Once he was close, Atticus clotheslined him, knocking Dillon to the ground face first. Before he could get up, Atticus yanked him up, wrapping an arm around his neck. With his other hand, he pressed down on Dillon's forehead.

"Let's see how long it takes for me to liquify your brain," Atticus hissed, his eyes glowing.

Dillon started screaming in pain as he felt something akin to sharp knives penetrating his head. He struggled within the man's grip, but it was made of iron. In the mental world, Dillon fell to his knees, but he noticed that the world around him was shaking. He even heard Ymir let out a pained groan.

"Damn him," she let out.

A large crack formed in the ground with a bright light shining from it. Seizing the advantage, Dillon blasted it wide open, turning the groan into a gasp. The crack had now become a hole.

"Thanks, you son of a bitch," he muttered, jumping through without any hesitation. The hole sealed behind him, but by then, he was on the other side.

In the real world, Dillon pressed his fingers deep into Atticus's eyes in an attempt to blind him. He cried out amidst a squelching sound, making it clear that he succeeded. Desperately, Atticus used his powers to yank the closest object towards them. That something turned out to be the four-wheeled machine Atticus used to get here.

"Shit!" Dillon exclaimed, putting up a shield.

The machine crashed into them, sending them both down the hill. In a stroke of luck, it didn't crush them as it, too, rolled down the hill. However, Dillon's head smacked the back of the machine, disorienting him. Pretty soon, they came to a stop on another road, covered in scrapes and scratches. Atticus was clutching his face where his eyes used to be while Dillon struggled to stand. He definitely suffered a concussion.

Inside his mind, Dillon was finally out of Ymir's realm, but what he saw encasing his mind made him want to vomit. The best way to describe what he saw would be an expanding, pulsating mass of flesh. It was like thousands of corpses had been melted down and were spreading across the landscape like butter. Faces could be seen amidst the thing, some of which Dillon recognized. Friends that had fallen in the line of duty, enemies that had gotten in his way, his father, and, of course, the woman he loved very much.

Before Dillon could even think of moving, fleshy tentacles sprouted from the thing, wrapping around his wrists and neck. They attempted to drag him back in, but he dug his heels into the ground. He wasn't about to go back without a fight. Using his powers, he blasted the tentacles off, a screech emitting from the creature. He tried to run, but twice as many tentacles rose up and slammed his face first against the ground, staining his face with blood and gore.

"What's wrong, Dillon?" Ymir asked in a faux-sweet tone as her giantess form manifested in front of him. "Afraid to go back inside me?"

"Shut up," he snarled, unable to break free this time.

"Oh, I see." Her appearance, while retaining her massive height, shifted to that of Annie. Every single aspect of her body, even her imperfections, matched the real one. "Does this suit your preferences?"

That just served to enrage him. "Fuck you!" Dillon actually sunk his teeth into the tentacle. Aside from another screech and the worst taste he ever experienced in his mouth, the action did absolutely nothing.

"This is the culmination of your dreams and your fantasies, Dillon. I was everything you wanted Annie to be: a beautiful, maternal woman who would gladly offer her body to you. It was so easy for you to trust in what you were so attracted to."

"You sick, twisted bitch!" Dillon yelled. "You took advantage of me at my lowest point."

"And yet you still gave in." She let out a mock-gasp. "What would your beloved Annie think?"

Oh, how much he wanted to rip her head off, slice her and dice her into pieces like so many Titans he had killed. For now, he settled for a bitter, "Is that the best you can do?"

Ymir raised an eyebrow at that, transforming back to the original, giantess form. "What?"

"Guilt trips? Making me feel like shit?" He barked out a laugh, glowering at her. "Sorry, Ymir. Better people than you have broken me. All you did was make me look forward to the moment where I tear your heart out and feed it to you!"

Ymir tsked and snapped her fingers. The tentacles lifted Dillon to eye level on her silent command. "Careful, Dillon. Your Eren is showing."

She didn't flick him, nor did she toss him away like trash. No, instead, she punched him so hard that was sent flying. He landed into the fleshy mass and was immediately set upon. The grotesque being encased his legs and arms, pinning him to it. No matter how hard he struggled, he could not break free. He would hold out for as long as he could. Ymir hadn't broken him, but he was being worn down by both her and Atticus. If he gave in, even for a second, it would all be over.

Outside, Dillon managed to get up despite how violently the world spun around him. If he didn't finish this fight fast enough, he would be out cold… followed by death. At least he took away Atticus's sight.

Speaking of, the man telekinetically lobbed a giant wheel from the machine at him. Dillon managed to block it, but he recoiled several feet.

"Clever move, Ymir," Atticus complemented, removing his hand from his face. It was still covered in blood, but his eyes were completely normal as if nothing happened. He flashed him a grin. "But ultimately fruitless."

Dillon's jaw fell open. "H… How…?"

"Years of training and studying, something you never had." He forced Dillon to his knees before kneeing him in the chin. "Raw power can only get you so far, but it's not enough," Atticus went on, closing his throat with an invisible grip. Despite the hatred he felt, there was no pleasure to be gained from killing both Ymir and Dillon. "We could have changed the world together, Ymir. We were so close."

Dillon gasped for breath, but he did manage two words: "You fool." His eyes glowed a bright purple and, suddenly, the grip was removed. Atticus clutched his head in pain as he tried to use his powers, but nothing came out. Hell, his eyes were still their normal color. It was like his abilities were being blocked and he couldn't break out.

"What?" Atticus shouted before a kick to his face sent him back, nearly breaking his nose.

Dillon's eyes remained glowing, a smile distorting his features. "You may have skill, Atticus, but my power is still greater than yours will ever be. You must have used a lot of energy to repair your sight. I doubt you can break free from my grip."

Atticus chuckled sardonically, wiping the blood from his nose. "Then why haven't you snapped my neck? Unless it takes all your Psion energy to prevent me from using my powers, that is." He took a basic fighting stance. "We'll do this the old-fashioned way."

Dillon actually chuckled at that. "You're funny."

Considering the states they were both in, evenly matched would be the best way to describe the fight… at first. Atticus was not a trained fighter, but he had size and strength on his side, which allowed him to land a few blows. A right cross had the blacksmith spitting out blood and a tooth. Dillon was fast and trained in martial arts, but he still had the body of a teenager. The blows he took hurt like hell. Still, he gave as much as he got. With well-placed punches and kicks, he injured Atticus's leg enough to make him start limping. That gave Dillon the edge he needed. A couple of jabs to his face left him disoriented and a high kick sent Atticus crashing against a tree, hitting his head hard. Now, he, too, suffered a concussion. With the beating he took, he struggled to stay conscious much less stand.

Panting heavily, Dillon spat out more blood. "Not bad, Atticus, but this was not going to end any other way." He picked up a large, glass shard from the machine. "Take comfort in knowing I'll finish what you started."

Inside his mind, Dillon was not doing well. Now that Atticus had been beaten, Ymir could focus more of her attention on the current thorn in her side. By now, the flesh had covered him up to his shoulders. His constant resistance was causing the mass to move at a snail's pace, but it wouldn't last long.

Adding further to the insult, the giantess version of Ymir manifested above him, looking down with pity in her eyes. "You fought well, Dillon, but it's over now. The more you resist, the more it hurts you. Be a good boy and stop this foolishness."

"I can't… I won't let you win," Dillon managed out, desperately trying to keep his head above the flesh.

"You already did," she told him. "You let me win the moment you allowed me into your life. But don't feel too bad. It was always meant to be this way." She had the audacity to kneel and stroke his face lovingly as if trying to comfort him. "It's alright now, Dillon. You can let go now."

Dillon didn't know what disgusted him more: the pulsating, gory creature trying to swallow him or Ymir. Most likely the latter. No matter how hard Dillon struggled, he was unable to fight back against Ymir. Was this how things would always be? Every time he gained the upper hand, it would be taken away from him just as fast? And now, the final defeat was before him. Once Ymir took over, there would be no stopping her. With his body, she was going to cause irreparable damage with not just his powers, but his name as well. He would be the scourge of the Eldians, and he would be helpless to stop it. There had to be something, ANYTHING, to put a stop to Ymir. He wasn't strong enough to destroy her while she was attached to his mind, so all that was left was…

Was…

A memory surfaced from his mind, giving him an image of the fight he had with Zeke, Reiner, and Bertholdt in Shiganshina. He was reminded how he bombarded his former comrades with his traumatic memories alongside the emotions that came with them. In order to do that, he created mental links to transfer them. Then, another memory came about, though this time, he couldn't see anything. Instead, he heard voices. Familiar ones.

"Armin, all someone has to do is get inside his head?" That was Annie's voice, but when did this happen?

"In theory. I don't have a lot of experience in this field," the timid blond had responded.

"Neither have I, but it's the only shot we have. The mental link between myself and Dillon should be enough to get me there."

Oh, that's right. This was when his father had knocked him out when he was absolutely losing it for the first time. In order to save him from destroying himself mentally, Annie had used the link to…

…transfer her consciousness over.

(1) Without giving the idea a second thought, Dillon's eyes flashed and a mental link was formed between himself and Atticus.

Ymir tilted her head, confused. "What are you doing?"

"And here I thought you knew everything," Dillon snarked.

She scoffed, quickly reading his mind to see what he was up to. A chuckle escaped her once she understood his plan. "A clever move, Dillon. I'll give you that one, but it will do absolutely nothing."

"Yeah? How do you figure?" he asked as he continued to charge up his powers. He only had one shot at this.

"Because, little child, I am the goddess of all Eldians. Did you honestly think for one second that you had any power over me? Perhaps when we first met you had a chance, but I am a part of your mind. You'll only hurt yourself."

"You know something, Ymir? You're absolutely right," Dillon conceded. "You are a part of me. The same way a disease is a part of me."

For the very first time, her eyes narrowed at him. "Excuse me?"

He let out a harsh grunt as he managed to free himself from the mass. He stood on top completely covered in blood and gore, and yet, there was a fire in his eyes. "See, here's the thing about the human body: it's a stubborn piece of work. Anything that interferes with its functions, and it will retaliate like there's no tomorrow just to destroy the source of said interference. Of course, some diseases stick around longer than they should, and the body is forced to adapt… kinda like how I've had to adapt to you."

"Enough." She attempted to stomp him back into the mass only for an invisible shield to prevent her from doing so. Tendrils from the ground tried to pull him in like last time, but that same shield protected him. "What is this?" she demanded.

Dillon had the absolute audacity to give her the biggest, mischievous grin he could manage. "What was that you were saying before about being the goddess of all Eldians? Surely a simple matter of putting me down would be effortless for someone like you."

Now he was getting under Ymir's skin as the tendrils grew bigger and slammed against him as hard as they could. Again and again, they attacked his shield, but it would not break. He wasn't even moving an inch. "This is impossible!" she exclaimed, her growing anxiety starting to come through. "You've never had this kind of power before. This should not be happening!"

"After all this time, Ymir, you still don't get it," Dillon went on, throwing her words to him back in her face. "You may have created an entire realm inside of my mind to trap me in, but here's the catch: this is still MY mind. This is MY world that you have chosen to inhabit. I am the one who's in control, not you."

As he spoke, a wind began picking up around them, increasing in speed with every word. The flesh beneath him trembled, almost as if it was afraid.

"And yet, I have remained all this time," she pointed out angrily. "Your will is nothing. You are no longer in control."

"Which brings us back to the whole disease thing. Sure, it can stick around in a body for a long time, but all it takes is the right medicine, the right opening, for the body to strike back with everything its got."

Above the two, a black circle began to form in the sky. It started to spin like a funnel that would form into a tornado. And yet, instead of a tornado, it was more like a vortex that was starting to suck up the very sky itself. The wind was getting louder and stronger

"Compared to that force, Ymir, you are nothing!" Dillon continued, his voice carrying above the storm he created. "Less than nothing. A parasite desperately clinging onto me in the hope of staying relevant long past your time. You no longer have any power over me." His eyes glowed brighter than ever before to the point where he didn't even have pupils. "Now… GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

That last word echoed around them like the roar of a hurricane, which was exactly how fast the winds were going by this point. The world around them lit up in a light brighter than the sun itself, blinding Ymir with its radiance. The creature that had been cementing onto Dillon's mind was starting to dissolve into a sickly-pale white stream that was sucked into the now-massive vortex above. It thrashed and writhed as if it was set on fire. Millions of voices started to scream all around him as like the voices of the damned were being sent straight to hell. The flesh was frantically trying to regain some form of control or leverage, but there was none to be had. The giantess, to her credit, still managed to stand her dissolving ground. However, she could barely move. One misstep and she, too, would fall into the vortex.

Suddenly, Dillon began to rise into the air. The light shining around him and his bright, pupiless eyes made him seem like a god in appearance. He stopped right when he reached eye level, allowing a smile when he saw true fear in her eyes. That was a look he had hoped to see from her. She finally understood what he had known for the last two minutes: she had lost. And now, it was time for the icing on the cake. His fingers curled into a fist and he punched her so hard that a chunk of flesh was torn off from her cheek. The force of the blow sent her flying back, rolling across the ground in a heap. Even though this entire situation was all in his head, it still felt damn good.

By this point, most of the mass had vanished into the vortex. His plan was working like a charm, though he was starting to feel the aftereffects of his actions. A migraine began to pound away at his head, growing stronger with every second. To make matters worse, the raw power he had seemed to be decreasing as well. That was not a good sign. Still, he could worry about that later. Right now, he had a goddess to kick out.

Speaking of, the damn woman had dug her fingers into the ground and was actually crawling towards him, her eyes filled with rage that even Eren would flinch at. To his surprise, much of her flesh started to melt off her body. Her reproductive organs had vanished as her form began to thin out for a more bony appearance. Tendrils from her ribcage sprouted out almost as if a gigantic spider was forming. But the biggest change was her head. The blonde hair remained, albeit, in a messy state, but her skin peeled off her face, followed quickly by large chunks of flesh. In a matter of moments, her head was nothing more than a skull with purple eyes staring directly at him.

"YOU FOOL!" Ymir roared in a much more inhuman tone. "YOU HAVE DOOMED THIS WORLD AND EVERYONE IN IT! YOU THINK YOURSELF AS A SAVIOR OF HUMANITY!? YOU ARE A BLIGHT! A DEVIL! EVERYTHING WILL BURN BECAUSE OF-GAHHHH!"

By this point, Dillon had landed in front of her, created two blades similar to that on ODM gear, and sliced off her fingers from her left hand. "Your words mean nothing to me, Ymir. Not anymore."

The sudden loss of her digits nearly made her fall, but she managed to cling on with her remaining hand. Not that it was going to do her any good since he was approaching her other hand.

"I don't know what the future holds for me or this world," the blacksmith admitted, "but I know one thing is certain." He threw her a final smirk. "You won't be a part of it." Then, he sliced off the fingers from her right hand.

Helpless as the day she was born, Ymir Fritz let out a scream more fitting for a banshee than a goddess as she was carried away by the winds along with the rest of her realm. No more would she haunt his every step. No more would she have any control over his life. Today marked the day in which Dillon Amsdale was truly free.

With that, he severed the mental link between himself and Atticus and allowed the world around him to go dark. (1)

In reality, a panting Dillon had fallen to his hands and knees, blood pouring once again from his nose and ears. The world spun around him as he felt like his head was trying to cave in on itself. To make matters even more complicated, it was like a good chunk of his power was… gone. He could still use his psychic abilities, but there was less of a source now. It seemed that Ymir was also functioning as an amplifier, making him more powerful than he actually was. It sucked that he would have to start over somewhat, but at least he was alive. Not to mention the fact that he managed to beat the actual goddess herself. That was a victory that he could cherish for the rest of his days.

A pained scream alerted Dillon to Atticus, and it was gruesome to see the once-powerful Psion reduced to thrashing on the ground as if he was having a seizure. The man not only had blood pouring from his nose and ears, but his eyes as well. His hands were pressed against his head so tight that Dillon wondered if he was trying to crush his own skull. The blacksmith did not dare to go near him, especially when psychic blasts were emitting from him uncontrollably.

"Ymir… Ymir, please!" the man begged, clawing at himself.

It seemed that she had grown so much from being inside Dillon's head that she was overtaking Atticus's very being. He may have been the strongest Psion, but he was powerless to stop her.

The shouting grew worse until Atticus let out one final scream of the only name that mattered to him: "LARA!"

A sickening crack was sounded and his eyes turned completely red. Atticus fell to the ground, completely motionless. Ymir had won the battle and destroyed the very consciousness of Atticus Tybur.

Dillon stared at the body for a moment as he came to terms with his actions. He had a feeling something like this would happen when he made the transfer. It was a wretched way to die, but he had no choice. Unfortunately, that meant Ymir was making her home inside his corpse. With the powers of the Psion and her own abilities, odds were good that she could find a way to restart his body with her at the controls. Not that Dillon was going to allow that to happen.

Weakly, he levitated over a large shard of glass from the broken, horseless carriage. This was going to be messy, but if it meant killing off Ymir for good, so be it. He didn't have enough energy to stand, so the only thing he could do was crawl inch by agonizing inch. Atticus's body seemed miles away with how slow Dillon was going. And at the same time, he was so close. The right stab wound, and one of the biggest threats he had ever faced would no longer exist.

Unfortunately, it seemed that all his good luck ran out for the day because two more horseless carriages plowed through the broken trees and came to a stop in front. Five Marleyans from each carriage piled out of the back, pointing rifles straight at his head.

"Surrender, Devil!" one of the soldiers ordered, removing the safety from his weapon.

Dillon managed to raise his head enough to stare at them. So close to killing Ymir Fritz and now it was taken away from him. He didn't look upset; he was more annoyed than anything else. "Couldn't you have waited just two more minutes?"

"Shut up!"

Before the Marleyans could decide whether to take him prisoner or just shoot him, a loud screech sounded from behind them. A familiar screech. In a matter of seconds, a massive figure appeared from the trees and knocked over the carriages so hard, they went flying. The soldiers tried to shoot the creature, but the bullets did absolutely nothing. A couple of swats later, and pieces of human were strewn all over the forest. It was definitely a Titan, one that walked on all fours towards him.

"Hey, Dillon," it greeted with a toothy grin. "You look like shit."

Despite everything, Dillon managed out a loud groan of frustration now that the second person he despised the most arrived on the scene. She even shared her name with the top of the list. "Ymir… not you. Anyone but you."

AN: Whew! Haven't written an action-packed chapter like this in a long time. Hope you all liked what happened. Time to break it down.

Before I get into it, I want to say that there was going to be much more in this chapter, but because it was already too long, I'm saving it for the next one. We'll see if you guys can correctly what "much more" I was gonna add.

First on the list is the relationship between Atticus and Lara Tybur/The Warhammer Titan. It took me more than a few drafts to write because I was so used to the relationship between Dillon and Annie. Spoiler alert: not every relationship is the same. It might have been a brief scene, but I hoped it added substance to both characters.

The other minor thing was the battle that broke out in Marley. In case I was too subtle about it, Ecrya and Cadron are the countries that will be part of the Mid-Eastern Allies Marley ends up going to war with in Season 4. This was the catalyst that set the whole thing off. Now, I know a lot of you have questions about that scene, but it will be explained in the next chapter.

Now, let's get into the meat of things. I had several ideas for how Dillon was going to break out of Project Psion. Some drafts included him going through the ENTIRE facility and killing everyone in a scene very similar to when Lucy massacred everyone in Elfen Lied. There was going to be an action sequence where Dillon would have entered the room with all the Psions and kill them all in an epic fashion. For logical reasons and the fact that it would've been over the top, I decided to scrap said scenes and have Dillon focus more on escaping.

Unfortunately, that meant I had to end up scrapping Jacob. Guys, you have no idea how hard I tried to include him in the story. An entire chapter would have been dedicated to reviving him and he would be completely delusional, believing himself to have a family when he was actually all alone. But the more I tried, the less it worked. It was just making the character turn into a miserable existence. I think you all had your fill with Dillon. Considering the state Jacob was in, I had doomed him from the start. A mercy kill was the best outcome for him.

I honestly don't know what to comment on with Dillon literally bringing down the facility. I hope you guys thought it was as cool as I think it is.

Then, there's Dillon vs Atticus, though it should technically be Ymir vs Atticus. To be honest, when it comes to creative and imaginative uses of psychic powers, I end up drawing a blank a lot. There's only so much I can do without going overboard. Still, I did have fun writing another Psion showdown even if it ended up in fisticuffs on the final stretch.

Ymir Fritz. I had considered hundreds of directions to go with her character. Like I said before, I had intended her to be a villain pulling the strings for a long time. Originally, the reveal would not have happened until the end of the story. But, considering the backlash I've been receiving about Dillon's constant suffering and being betrayed, I decided to move up the time table. I think all my creativity in this chapter went into the fight between Dillon and Ymir. But that left the question: what could I do with her now that the secret was out?

One thought I had was for Dillon to play Ymir for a fool and then drop the hammer at the end. Maybe a better writer could have pulled it off, but I think it would have been the ultimate stupid move for Dillon to knowingly keep someone in his head for that long a time. Not when he's started his road of recovery. Another option was for her to be killed off. That wouldn't work either. Not only would that be a complete waste of a character, not only would Dillon be way too strong, but it meant she functioned as nothing more than a plot device… kinda like the Warhammer Titan did in the canon story. Oh, trust me. When we get to Season 4, I will have words about that.

And then it hit me: transferal. Put Ymir in someone else's body using a mental link. And when I remembered Chapter 31 where Annie was able to do that for Dillon, it was like the stars had aligned. A smart way for Dillon to defeat Ymir and without having the victory be taken from him. I hope you guys like the appearance of Ymir's actual Titan form. I figured it was fitting for that monstrosity to finally show up.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I look forward to reading your reviews, please consider contributing to my TV Tropes page, and I will see you all in the next one.

Happy Thanksgiving!