Hello and welcome to the next chapter! Thank you so much to those who read, followed, and reviewed! I really do appreciate it!

So, we're going to have a few chapters of set up before the story really gets going, but honestly, these were some of my favorites to write. I just love having characters interact. I could write about it for days.

I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter One
Klara Lange

Year 842
Shiganshina District

Erwin Smith had never explored Shiganshina before. Outside of passing through its gates whenever the Survey Corps took one of its increasingly rare expeditions, he never paid it much mind. It was a quaint town with more wooden structures as opposed to Trost's brick and mortar. The layout was different too, twisting and turning with no particular purpose, leaving him utterly lost and confused. But his commander, Keith Shadis, navigated the labyrinth with practiced ease. He'd been through before.

"I'm curious, Commander," Erwin started, watching a woman pull laundry from a line that crossed over their heads. "Why are we visiting him?"

Him, Tristan Durant, the famed tenth commander of the Survey Corps. Though he had left well before Erwin had joined, he'd heard enough about the man to think he'd served under him himself. Tristan was a man who led by example, the first commander to champion the idea of a true outpost outside the walls. Under him, expedition survival rates increased, training was bolstered, and the Survey Corps truly transformed into an elite unit. It was a shame the man who came after him had done so little to continue the legacy, nearly destroying all he had built.

"You mean, why am I not making this decision on my own like a good commander should?"

"I did not mean to imply-"

"Didn't you?" Keith asked, glancing over at him. Erwin felt his lips press together tightly. "This plan of yours gambles with lives. Every plan of ours does. I would be a terrible commander if I did not consider all options and counsel."

Thoroughly admonished, Erwin fell silent and returned to his observation of the town. Children ran around barefoot and screaming, a dog dancing between their legs, while people shouted to each other from their windows. It was a change from the sophistication of the interior, a little warmer, a little happier, despite their proximity to the titans.

Glancing up at the gray above, Erwin lifted his hood. "It's going to rain."

"So it is," his commander replied, covering up as well.

The traveled another block before droplets began to fall.

"I've heard many good things about Tristan Durant," Erwin said, eying the two-story home they were approaching. "He seemed like an excellent commander."

"He was the very best we had."

"Then why did he leave?" he asked, choosing to ignore the tone in Keith's voice. It spoke of a self-doubt he rarely let show.

Before he could answer, they were greeted with a shriek.

A figure bolted across the roof of the house before them, holding their arms up as a pathetic defense against the rain. With another distinctly feminine shout, the figure slipped on the shingles and slid down, only just catching the gutter, preventing them from dropping into the street below.

Keith Shadis began to laugh.

Erwin raised an eyebrow, slightly disturbed by the sound, but said nothing as they approached the distressed woman. She attempted to pull herself up several times, but only managed to bend the gutter. So, she switched tactics and began to shimmy along the side of the house.

"Fall asleep on the roof again, Klara?" Keith asked as he moved to stand below her. Fortunately, she was wearing trousers.

"No," the woman, Klara, huffed. "I just dozed a little."

"That's sleeping."

"Shut up, old man."

Keith laughed harder. Erwin had never heard the sound from him before, and now it had happened twice. For some reason, it put him on edge.

Klara continued to inch along the gutter, making her way toward the front of the house and the second-story balcony. The rain fell harder, soaking her sandy hair through until it sat limp against her raised shoulders. He had to commend her efforts. Most would have fallen already.

"Drop down and I'll catch you. You don't need to prove yourself," Keith called out as her hand slipped.

"No," she replied, moving a little faster out of spite. "I'm not about to owe you anything."

Moments later, Klara turned around the corner. Erwin just caught her young face light up in triumph before she swung herself onto the balcony and disappeared inside the house without another word.

Keith chuckled again. "That is why he left."

Erwin felt both eyebrows lift that time, but remained silent as they moved toward the front door.

Thunder cracked overhead, and he caught himself pulling his cloak tighter. He hoped the rain would taper off by the end of the day, as their next expedition was slated for early in the morning, but deep in the pit of his stomach, Erwin knew that would not happen. He was not one to believe in luck, but if it did exist, the Survey Corps was the recipient of the worst kind.

Keith knocked on the door precisely once, and moments later, Tristan Durant opened it. He was an older man, with short hair that was pure white, but the stubble on his chin still came in dark. His gaze was dark and his face was kind, but he had the look that Erwin had come to see on all experienced soldiers: a weariness that no amount of sleep could fix. It dulled eyes and made smiles a little tighter. It was how veterans came to recognize one another, even out of uniform.

"Ah, so that's why it started raining," the former commander said, glancing between the two of them. "Come on inside. Leave your cloaks behind the door."

It was a comfortable home, better made than most in the area, with sturdy wood floors and intricate rugs covering them. Most of the furniture was from the Interior, some sets he'd only ever seen in homes within Wall Sina. There was a glass cabinet filled with intricately painted dishware and the kitchen was tiled, something he'd never seen in any house. Though he lived in Shiganshina, Tristan Durant was clearly a wealthy man, and enjoyed certain comforts.

"Klara!" the man called, stepping further into the home. "Might you make some tea for our guests?"

Erwin heard footsteps upstairs, loud and in a hurry. He doubted she was about to show up soaked to the bone.

"Coming, Opa!" she shouted as a door slammed shut.

"Was she outside again?"

Keith chuckled. "Of course, she was. Where else would she be?"

"I was hoping she'd have grown out of it by now."

"Asking Klara to stay indoors is like asking a titan not to eat you. It's in her nature."

Tristan frowned at the comparison, but said nothing as he went to sit at the dining table. He gestured to the two seats opposite him. Keith joined his former commander, handing off his cloak to Erwin to hang up. He was slower to join them, taking his time to observe the house a little more; he wanted to discern as much as he could about the man.

When Erwin finally crossed into the dining room, Klara arrived at the bottom of the stairs, nearly slamming into him. She'd changed, exchanging her trousers and shirt for a wool skirt and blouse. Her hair was still wet, but wild, having clearly been run through a towel without much care for how it looked.

"Oh…you…" was all she managed to say as her amber eyes went wide in realization and a red tinge began to crawl up her neck. She'd thought Keith was alone, and Erwin couldn't help but smirk. He nodded once and the red on her skin brightened.

The word 'cute' came to mind.

"Klara, you're a foot taller every time I see you," Keith called out. "How do you still fit in the house?"

She was tall, just a few inches shorter than him, although that still made her the shortest person in the house. It was a strange tease to come from Keith Shadis – hearing a tease come from him at all was something Erwin was still wrapping his mind around – given he was the tallest man most people had ever seen.

Embarrassment suddenly gone, Klara turned to his commander with steel in her gaze. "Comments like that are why you are still single."

Tristan began to cough at the table, doing a terrible job at covering up his laughter. Keith frowned, but appeared to not take great offense, another oddity. His commander was a completely different person in the Durant Household.

"Klara, this is Erwin Smith, one of my officers," Keith said, gesturing to him. "He is the reason we are here today."

When she turned back, Klara was looking at him in a new light. No longer the embarrassed young woman, she was openly critiquing him, eyes glossing over every inch of him. Erwin felt his back straighten, suddenly determined to impress the girl who'd just been hanging off the side of the house.

"A new plan for the Survey Corps then?" she asked, crossing her arms. Her gaze was tactfully neutral. "Hope it's better than the last one."

"Klara," Tristan warned quietly.

She raised her arms in surrender. "Yeah, yeah. I'll go make the tea."

Erwin watched her leave, not entirely certain what to make of the young woman. She'd gone from blushing maid to leveling a look on him that might have rivaled his training officer from the Cadet Corps. It didn't make him uneasy, just…curious.

"You'll have to forgive her, Erwin," Tristan said, gesturing to the open seat once again. "Klara has become rather protective of me as of late. She doesn't like it when foolish young boys waste my time."

Erwin nodded once, taking his seat. "There is nothing to forgive. I can understand the sentiment."

He caught a quiet 'tch' from the kitchen.

"Regardless of how Klara feels, Erwin is one of our best," Keith spoke up, gaze locked with his former commander's. "He may be young, but he's no fool."

Tristan smiled at that, though it felt like a threat to him.

"Good. Then tell me your plan, young man."

Members of the Survey Corps had been coming to their household for years, most often simply seeking advice, but there were those who had bold ideas that they believed would change everything. More often than not, her grandfather had shot them down. He was the dose of reality they all needed, the one who knew the politics of the interior and could easily surmise which plans would be little more than a dream. Keith had such plans, and Klara could not recall if any had been met with approval.

She'd watched them all over the years, the silent listener that most paid little attention to. In the back corner of the dining room, in a little chair tucked away from sight, Klara had heard everything from confessions to borderline treasonous convictions. She'd learned their tells and twitches, knew who would likely breakdown on a mission and who would be bold enough to make it. Men and women of all kinds had marched through that door, but they'd all had one thing in common: a sort of reverence for her grandfather. It made their words hitch and their hands shake, the idea of sitting down with him.

Erwin Smith was not like any of these individuals. He was calm and collected, regarding everything he laid his eyes upon with a neutral gaze. If he had any emotions regarding certain things, he kept them safely hidden away, and that itself had piqued her interest as she'd made tea.

And then he'd spoken.

Most ideas pitched to her grandfather were offensive tactics, new ways to fight the titans, new equipment plans, once there was even something about lighter, portable cannons, but Erwin Smith's idea was none of those things. He spoke of a brand-new formation, one that would potentially cut down casualties and reduce interaction with titans altogether, allowing the expeditions to get to their destinations faster and relatively intact.

It wasn't just the idea that caught her attention, but the way he spoke as well. Though the volume of his voice never changed, Klara was hard-pressed to call the way he spoke 'calm.' There was a determination in his tone, a true belief that managed to shout in spite of his voice. His blue eyes glowed as he spoke, a spark she'd never seen in anyone before. It rattled something inside of her, and she found that she could not look away.

He was a rare sort of man, she decided then. One that had never graced the halls of her home before.

Klara looked down at her tea as he finished, eyes widening as she realized she'd never drank more than her first sip. It had long since grown cold, and her fingers ached as she moved them. She hadn't dared to move a muscle the entire time.

Deciding it was not worth the effort, Klara stood and began to gather the other cups, noting how deep in thought her grandfather appeared. It was a good sign.

When she grabbed Erwin's cup, which was also full, she found his blue eyes on her. "Was it better than the last one?"

Klara paused, her face flushing as she stood there with the teacup hovering in the space between them. She could feel her grandfather's dark gaze upon her.

Taking a breath, she placed the cup on her tray. "It is a very good idea, but I have an observation, if that is alright."

Erwin nodded, turning to face her more, honestly intrigued. It was surprising. The few times she had ever shared an opinion, she'd been shot down. The soldiers had come for her grandfather's words, not those belonging to an inexperienced girl.

"Your goal of reducing casualties is admirable, although I can't help but wonder if you've opened them up to new dangers. While it is easier to avoid titans in smaller numbers, it is also more difficult to engage them. Large groups benefit the more inexperienced troops, giving them both a safety net and reinforcement to keep them from giving into their fears. Separating the expedition puts extra pressure on these troops, and leaves them vulnerable to attack. The formation could very well break due to your soldiers' fear as well as titan attacks."

When she finished, three sets of eyes were staring up at her, and Klara was quickly reminded why she did not speak up about these things.

"Forgive me," she said quickly, gathering Keith's cup and shuffling away toward the kitchen. "I get carried away."

"It's true, there are many risks with this formation, but I believe the benefits outweigh them," Erwin said, causing her to stop in place. She turned back to him and found those blue eyes were somehow even more intense. "We can never know how new recruits will act in the field. It is another of the various risks the Scouts take when we leave the walls, but I know for certain that if we do not place our faith in them, then they will fail. We must dedicate our hearts to them as they have to us."

Klara blinked.

I'd follow him anywhere.

His gaze broke, and a small, almost sheepish grin crossed his face. "Although, I admit, the troops could benefit from better solo training. Currently, it solely focuses on group efforts."

Klara nodded once, smiling. "Then, yes, Erwin Smith, it was better than the last one."

She avoided Keith's gaze as she walked away, as the last idea had been his.

"I suppose that's it then," she heard her grandfather say as he yawned. The hour had grown late, and she'd hardly realized. "It is a solid plan, Erwin. I'm almost embarrassed that I did not come up with something of its like myself."

"Thank you, sir. It means a lot coming from you."

"Oh? Does it now?" Her grandfather chuckled. "From the way you spoke, I think you have your mind made up about it. My words weren't about to dissuade you."

"That is true. I firmly believe the long-range formation is the way forward for the Survey Corps, and the next step in helping humanity at last overcome our enemies," Erwin replied, that tone back in his voice again. "Regardless, the importance of your words is not lost on me."

Her grandfather broke down in complete laughter then. Klara turned to see him stand and slap a hand on Keith's shoulder. "Where did you find this boy? No, wait, I suppose he sought you out himself. That's the sort of person he is!"

Klara couldn't help but giggle at the surprised look on Erwin's face at that.

"Do the two of you have somewhere to stay for the night?"

Keith shook his head. "We were going to try somewhere near the stables."

"Nonsense! We have spare beds in the house," her grandfather spoke, motioning for them to follow. "Come, I'll show you. Klara, set two more plates for dinner!"

Crossing her arms, Klara huffed. "Yes, we have enough food to feed two more scout giants, thank you for asking."

He waved her off as he began to climb up the stairs, Keith and an apologetic Erwin following right behind him.

Opa is slower than usual. The rain is making his joints act up.

Training with omnidirectional maneuvering gear was a dangerous thing on its own, but over time, it wore down the joints and put an outrageous amount of strain on the knees. Normal soldiers had a difficult enough time adjusting to the lifestyle, but scouts had a harder, if shorter, time. There were no old scouts, because they either died young or their bodies gave out.

Her grandfather rarely visited the second floor anymore, usually choosing to sleep in a chair, but for his fellow scouts, he would make do.

Conversation over stew had been light and easy, mostly words passed between her grandfather and Keith, although once the current commander had teased Klara over her earlier roof incident. She'd been halfway to using her spoon as a catapult had Erwin not guided the conversation away from her, giving her a knowing look. She had only shrugged.

It wasn't as if the titans would have cared about food stains on his uniform.

Erwin had graciously volunteered to help her with the dishes. They stood in silent company as the distant sounds of Keith and her grandfather exchanging war stories over pipe weed filtered into the room.

"Have you ever considered joining the Scouts?" Erwin asked as he dried off a plate, neatly placing it back into the cabinet.

"A recruiter as well. Is there anything you can't do?" she asked teasingly, handing off another plate.

Erwin was briefly confused, before his face melted into a soft, if slightly embarrassed, smile. "That wasn't my intention. But I believe you have a passion for the unit, aside from your love for your grandfather."

Klara hummed, taking her time to clean out the stew pot. No one had ever asked her if she was going to join up before. Never mind that her grandfather used to be a scout or that she interacted with soldiers far easier than anyone else, it was simply something that never occurred to them. Of course, women joining the military wasn't uncommon, yet most people assumed she would not. Most still looked at female soldiers with the slightest bit of shock.

"I would like to join, if I can," she admitted, catching her reflection in the water. She wasn't too old to join just yet, but she knew the window was closing fast. "But I can't until I have my grandfather's permission."

"The choice is yours, is it not?"

"It is, and I choose to listen to him," Klara replied, handing over the pot. "My grandfather knows better than anyone the makings of a true soldier. If he does not believe I am ready, then I will not go."

Erwin's voice was quiet. "And you don't believe he is preventing you from joining?"

"No, he wouldn't do that to me. If that were the case, he'd have stopped me ages ago," Klara said, frowning at the utensils in her hand. She dumped them back in the water and turned to face Erwin. "Every night, I ask his permission to join and he gives me one question: am I afraid? I never have an answer for that. I know I must be afraid of something, but I don't know what it is. I'm not scared of dying or being eaten by a titan; I'm not scared of anything I can think of."

She smiled briefly. "Once I tried to convince him I was scared of heights, and he threw my mattress on the roof."

Erwin chuckled at that. It was strange to see him now, after the speech he had given earlier. He seemed so normal, but behind those blue eyes was something otherworldly. She wondered if he knew how he looked to others.

"At the risk of sounding inconsiderate, I hope you discover your fear, Klara Lange."

She laughed at that, and suddenly the room fell silent.

"What are you two talking about?"

Klara turned to see her grandfather and Keith glaring in their direction, specifically Erwin's. The young scout had returned his face to a neutral expression, although she could tell he was holding the pot a little too tightly.

She glowered at them. "Don't two old men have something better to do than listen to a girl's private conversation?"

"No," they said in unison.

She tossed a cupful of dishwater at them in reply.

The next day, the rain had yet to subside. Klara watched it from beneath her umbrella, leering at the low-lying gray clouds and willing them to stop. In reply, thunder cracked overhead, a mocking salute to those whose lives would be lost to it.

"They should not leave today," she murmured, pulling her coat tighter around her.

Rain was never a good sign. That was what her grandfather told her on one of the rare occasions she managed to pry information out of him. Not only did rain reduce visibility, it made the ground slick and muddy, bad for the horses. Wet surfaces drastically reduced the effectiveness of their ODM gear, often causing mishaps when hooks did not stick to their intended target. It was cold, it was miserable, and anything that could go wrong usually did.

"Tch, they shouldn't leave at all. Waste of our money," a voice spoke behind her. Klara turned around and glared at the man. He was shorter than her, and shrank even further under her gaze before he slunk away like the coward he was.

Klara returned to her silent vigil, waiting for the arrival of the Survey Corps. She was standing just beside the outer gate, as she always did, only this time she was alone. After Keith and Erwin departed earlier to ready their horses and meet with the rest of the regiment, her grandfather had refused to escort her. He had blamed the weather and his old bones, but Klara knew the pained look on his face; he knew many would not be returning, and he could only look at the faces of the future dead so many times.

She sighed, watching her breath curl in the rain. A few faces poked curiously out of windows, and a bystander or two had stopped, but the courtyard was mostly empty. No one really cared to say goodbye if it meant discomfort on their part.

Moments later, Klara heard the sound of rushing footsteps. She smiled, grabbing the spare umbrella she had tucked under her arm, and holding it out.

Matteo Bassi ran as fast as he could through the rain, hunched over a large book to keep it from getting wet. Klara shook her head as she witnessed his desperate sprint. Her friend was rarely prepared for anything. His head was often in the clouds while his nose was stuck in a book, leaving little room for anything else. Whenever they would travel to the market together, Klara would often have to pull him from the middle of the road. Carriages weren't known for making room for people, and Matteo wasn't known for noticing them.

Lately, his interest had been botany. It was the sort of subject that made her mind wander and turned his voice into a dull buzz. Still, she picked up a tidbit or two, if only to reassure her friend that he hadn't completely lost her.

"Did you forget something, Matteo?" she asked as her friend reached out for the umbrella. He sighed in relief as the canopy opened up, blocking the rain at last. His clothes were completely soaked through, and his black hair was plastered to his skull. He was quite the sight. "It's been raining since yesterday. Don't you own an umbrella? Or a coat?"

"Somewhere. I think. I, uh…I don't know," Matteo stammered, attempting to juggle the book and the umbrella so he could reach his foggy glasses. Klara grabbed the book from him, allowing the poor boy to clean them. "It's been a confusing day. Doctor Yeager was called away to the Interior, and he left me in charge of the local cases. I think I left my coat at the Baker residence. They were trying to convince me to marry their daughter, and I just, uh…ran."

Klara bit her lip, but it did little to contain her giggles. Matteo wasn't offended, however, joining her soon after.

The aspiring doctor sighed. "I don't think I can go there again."

"Not without an armed escort, no. Do you have another coat?"

"Not a warm one."

"I'll get you one of my grandfather's old ones."

"Where is he, anyway?" Matteo asked, looking around.

Klara sighed. "It was too much for him."

The pair fell silent as they waited, watching the rain continue to fall. Klara had had several friends over the years, but they had all left over time. Some joined the military, most opting for the Garrison, though some had managed to get into the Military Police. Others had moved inside Wall Maria, taking up farming to counter the food shortages that had sprung up. Matteo was the only one who remained in Shiganshina with her, although with his talents, he could have easily found a position in within Wall Rose, if not Sina.

"Do you think I should join up?" Klara asked, not taking her gaze from the puddle on the ground. She watched her reflection twist and turn with every droplet that fell. "Or should I just put that silly dream aside?"

She wasn't sure what else she could do; she had always assumed one day she would be wearing the uniform, and hadn't thought further than that. Marriage was something that she felt too young for, and she wasn't remotely good enough at cooking or sewing to attempt to sell those skills. Maybe one of her friends needed help on their farm…

When her friend did not respond, Klara glanced up. Matteo was looking at her like she'd grown a second head.

"Of course, you should join! It's been the only thing you've wanted for years!"

"Wanting doesn't mean much if you don't have what it takes. I don't think I'll ever get my grandfather's blessing."

"Then join without it!"

"You know I can't do that," she replied, giving her friend a weak smile. "Besides, I'd be leaving you. You think I don't know you've stuck around for me? I can't just abandon you like that."

Matteo sighed, looking up at the gray sky. "Well, it's not like I'll be around forever…"

Klara's brows knit together. "What does that mean, Matteo? Are you sick?"

Her friend ripped his gaze from the sky. "No! No, that's…no, I mean, we all leave eventually…maybe putting so much hope into someone other than ourselves isn't the right thing to do."

She looked back to the rain. "But if we didn't, how would humanity ever get anything done?"

"They never got anything done waiting for permission either."

Not long after, they arrived: the men and women of the Survey Corps.

The rain had let up slightly, turning into a fine mist, but it did nothing to brighten the mood of the soldiers before them. They rode in on their horses, hoods up and shoulders hunched, looking defeated before the expedition even began. Klara locked eyes with Keith Shadis, who nodded to her once before signaling the Garrison command at the top of the gate.

Quickly searching the downtrodden faces, Klara spotted Erwin a few rows back, his blonde hair sticking out against the hood of his cloak. His bright eyes had dulled as even he succumbed to the bleakness of the situation. Seeing that made something pull at her chest. Even now, she could picture that determined gaze of his as he explained his future plans for the Corps; even now, she could imagine how the rain would ruin every aspect of it.

Perhaps that was why he was just like the others.

"Do you always watch us leave?" Erwin asked as she approached, turning in his saddle.

Klara nodded. "Since I was a child. I'm there when you return too."

If you return.

She swallowed a lump in her throat, a clear image of the men and women around her covered in blood suddenly at the forefront of her mind. Veterans might have a better hope of surviving, but chance made the playing field even for all.

A metallic groan caught Klara's attention as the gate slowly rose off the ground, revealing the world outside, an endless horizon with no more walls to meet.

"You better come back, Erwin Smith," she said, looking up at him. "These soldiers need you."

His eyes briefly lit in surprise before his face became solemn again. He nodded once, a stern, wordless vow, and then he was gone. They all were, disappeared beyond the border of their world, fading figures even before the gate came down.

Klara stood there in the middle of the courtyard, feeling her heart tearing apart. She had watched the Survey Corps leave the safety of the walls many times before, and yet she had always been filled with such hope, but no longer. All she felt was a sense of dread, a need to join them, to help in whatever way she could to bring them back alive, but she couldn't, and how she hated it.

"We just witnessed dozens of people riding to their deaths," Matteo muttered, almost in awe. "Doesn't it make you feel useless?"

She watched the gate, silently willing it to open again.

"Useless."

That evening, after dinner had been cleared, Klara stood before her grandfather as he sat beside by the fireplace. He looked older that evening, frail. If she touched him, she thought he might break.

"I suppose you have a question to ask me," he murmured after some time, eyes not leaving the fire.

"Yes," Klara replied, clasping her hands behind her back. "May I have your blessing to join the Survey Corps?"

"Are you afraid?"

She took a deep breath, nodding slowly. "Yes, I am."

Her grandfather's gaze met hers then. More than once, she had attempted to lie to him about her fears, and he had picked it out each time. But she could see it in his eyes then. He knew she had found her answer.

"And what is it you are afraid of, Klara?"

I'm afraid of seeing their bodies. I'm afraid of seeing them die while I do nothing to help them. I'm afraid of all the dead I could have helped if I'd just figured it out sooner.

"I'm afraid of being useless."

How many fights had she been dragged away from as a child? How many animals had she brought home to her grandfather because she refused to let life take its course? How many times had she interfered in the problems of others because she needed to make things right?

The answer had been in front of her all along, and she never knew.

"And what does that mean?"

"It means that when I saw all those men and women leave today, I felt myself being torn apart. I don't want to sit by watching anymore. If there is a chance I can save someone, I have to take it. I can't keep living while people die."

Her grandfather was silent for a long time, to the point Klara feared her confession might not have been enough. If it was not, she did not know how she could ever gain his favor.

And then he sighed. "No one is forcing this upon them, Klara. These men and women serve with honor, and you cannot take that away from them by making their deaths your burden."

"I don't want to make their deaths my burden; I want to make their lives my purpose. I want to serve by saving them. How can we expect to save humanity if we will not stop to save just one person?"

Her grandfather closed his eyes slowly, and Klara knew she had won a small victory. She'd never had one, but she had been learning from the best.

"These are burdens I wish you did not bear, but I realize now that I am not the one to take them from you." He leaned forward then, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I hope that one day you will learn to place them down, as I once did.

"Go and join the Corps, Klara. You have my blessing."

Thanks for reading! Until next time!