Attack on Titan: AU The Berserker DevilMan
Hello, I want to say that this story is an AU of an original AoT fanfic titled "Attack on Titan- A Blacksmith's Tale" by crod42. Nothing here has any relation to what will happen in crod42's work after chapter 80. I do not own "A Blacksmith Tale", nor do I own the characters introduced in it, that honor goes to crod42. I fell in love with his story when I found it years ago and am crossing it over with Devilman and Berserk with some elements of Doom starting from chapter 80 of crod42's story to differentiate them. Happy to report that this story is being made with his permission. Prior reading of his story required, here is the link s/12902407/1/Attack-on-Titan-A-Blacksmith-s-Tale-REMASTERED. This chapter will be pretty short, but the next ones will be longer. I do not own Attack on Titan, Berserk, Devilman, Doom nor any of the characters used in those stories.
Chapter 1: The Escape and Demons Revealed
Deep inside his mental prison, appearing as a beautiful landscape of grass, flowing rivers and rustling trees, Dillon felt disgust as the deceiving giantess Ymir Fritz continued her faux act of comfort by nuzzling him to her right cheek, as if he were just some dog. From the day he met her, Dillon believed she was a mentor with every intention of helping him grow stronger, if a bit stern whenever he would sink too low. But now he knew the truth, that his so-called friend from beyond the grave was walking poison, her and her henchman Atticus. Both were determined to bring him low from the very beginning, eager to turn him into a slave, a lab rat, the latter of which he was stupidly let himself get turned into by going after the Titan shifters.
Sure, Fritz was mostly to blame seeing as how she had been controlling him from the start, but he shared responsibility for ever listening to her "advice". How the hell could I have been so blind? He thought. Well you know what, it didn't matter anymore. It had been five weeks since he had been turned into a prisoner in Marley, and he didn't need to guess that his body was a pincushion of needles, drugs and scalpels.
Ymir had been "teaching" him a new power, supposedly it allows him to see into the shielded minds of Psions through a sort of "back door" that she was about to demonstrate to him. Which, theoretically, could allow him to peek into Atticus's mind and see if he accidentally left a weak spot in the mental prison he created for Dillon. He had to resist the urge to double over in laughter when they started, knowing that this would lead to a dead end.
He didn't need to dig through files to remember their first session five weeks ago.
(Five weeks ago)
"All right Dillon, prepare yourself, for something like this is very taxing, especially in the state that you are in." Ymir said, the illusion of concern strewn in her voice.
"Don't worry, I'm ready for this." Dillon obviously wasn't confident in the success this first test, but it would help to see if Ymir's attempt would contain any vulnerabilities.
As one, the two of them held out their arms at the center of a tree, at an area that reached about the height of Dillon's chest. "Are you this is the right spot?" He asked.
The First Titan nodded. "Rest assured Dillon, for this technique, there are no right or wrong spots. The goal is to create a hole in this mindscape so that we can help you reach into the real world. After that, you need to remain focused the mind of your target, imagine …how should I put this?" She tilted her head to the side in thought, before answering, "… 'Hitching a ride' on their current thoughts while they speak and use that as an entrance point into their head. It is less invasive and far quieter than forcing your way into their subconscious or doing something as simple as reading their minds."
Dillon nodded in understanding. He didn't forget that a simple tic is a dead giveaway that a Psion is reading someone's mind. "Okay then, I'm ready for this." Ymir's false smile of pride creased her face.
"Excellent, but remember, we must conduct this process carefully. There are many ways this can go wrong. Too little power and the door will not open, too much will also cause it to fail. This prison is strong and built to adapt to changes that we inflict on it, so we must work intelligently. Now Dillon, PUSH!" She said the last word with determination, to which they let out a strong mental push to blow open this exit point. The tree warped around in all directions, its branches waving about as if a tremendous storm was blowing through. Its main body continued to distort as if it were a piece of paper, with their chosen spot forming cracks stretching from the middle. They started out at a small, hairline length before stretching out into an oval shape. Their thickness grew to the width of a pinky finger, then kept growing and stretching until they extended all over the tree, up and down, from the front to the back.
Naturally, Dillon knew that this was NOT what they, or rather he, needed to happen.
It came as no surprise that the tree shattered into smithereens, each fragment quickly dissolving into ashes.
Ymir shook her head. "Dillon, I'm so sorry. Atticus's melded this prison in ways that even I find to be very tricky to walk around." Her words seemed sincere. Of course, he knew better.
"It's okay Ymir, it was just the first test. Honestly, I didn't expect any success this time." He needed to keep up the charade of ignorance and cooperation, no matter how much he resisted the urge to vomit at those words.
Regardless, it succeeded in keeping the liar fooled. "Thank you for being patient Dillon, and I promise, all we need is time. We WILL find a way to free you, but for now, I need to pull away back into my place in the Coordinate. Remember, I only have enough power to remain with you for so long at any one time."
"I understand, and I'll be here waiting for you. I'm just glad that we do have an idea of escape. Anything is better than nothing at this point, given my track record." That last part wasn't a lie at all. Given how the universe seemed bent on screwing him over, he would take any chance to break free of the chains his enemies had tied him in.
"Things are always the darkest before dawn Dillon. But even in the bleakest of circumstances, there is always hope, but only if you are willing to hold onto it. Until next time." She faded away into light.
"Till then." Dillon said, grateful to be rid of her for the time being, yet also irritated as the land he was in transformed back into his prison.
He laid on his back onto the floor to consider what just happened and find any faults in her methods of keeping him trapped. Obviously, Fritz purposely sabotaged their attempt at creating a back door, she just discreetly added in way more than necessary, then warped their power in a way that collapsed the hole. He could see that she would risk teaching him a way to escape if she didn't believe that he held on to her every word as the truth.
That he was too stupid to find out about her manipulation.
Being able to peak into Atticus's head without him knowing would prove decisive in Dillon's path to freedom, but he can never achieve it as long as Ymir continues to sabotage him. If only it were easier to sneak into that bitch's head and…
Then it hit him. When the bitch said that her secret way of secretly piggybacking on someone's thoughts, she mentioned that it involved active conversation. People naturally need to think about the words they are going to say. Most of the time it's pretty instantaneous, which leaves him with a small window of opportunity.
Dillon smiled. Ymir was unaware that her puppet had cut his strings, so he needed to keep her on this false of security the next time they spoke. She would think that she's still leading him on a wild goose chase, but it won't cross her mind that he would ever think to install a backdoor on her. And so, the young Psion began forming a plan.
Present
Ymir had finished nuzzling him, having done so as reassurance for their recent "failure". Dillon put his plan into motion. During one of their previous sessions, Dillon asked her exactly how he could flow into Atticus' mind once they managed to make a breached. Ymir told him that she could search for his mind, an easy task given how powerful a psychic the man is, while also extending Dillon's reach to wherever Atticus is. She thought he believed her when she said that their time syncing with each other's powers had allowed her to amplify the reach Dillon's abilities to a certain extent.
Then, Dillon needed to focus on extending his method of creating mind links. Usually, he reaches into someone's consciousness in order to establish a link, but for this task he needed to channel his power into a field of psychic energy so invisible to a Psion that only the one casting it knows that it is even there.
Within this field, anyone the walks into it are susceptible to this passive intrusion without knowing it. The best part was that when practicing it on his own, Dillon could make it perfectly after four attempts. Annie believed that removing his previous blocks didn't do him any good mentally.
It pained him that she didn't know that it would have worked if it weren't for the ghost of the First Titan controlling him. Thankfully, it has ended up being very good in increasing his power, as demonstrated when he practically broke Annie's crystal and now with this passive mind field.
The first step is to engage Ymir in conversation. Simple enough, seeing as how she loves the sound of her own voice. "Dillon, I understand how you feel, but this is not the time to give in to despair."
"Ymir, we've been trying this for who knows how long. I've lost count after the first two dozen tries and we aren't any closer to figuring this out!" He cried out in a false sense of despair. Wasn't that hard all things considered. He's had plenty of practice with real angst.
"Remember what I have told you before, good things come to those who are patient. The fact that Atticus has not discovered us is an advantage for us." She reassured him as she kneeled to his level, secretly enjoying the thought that she had this situation under her control.
It was time. He rushed over to her left knee and hugged it. He let out false tears that would make any actor proud. "I-I-I don't know how much longer I can keep this up Ymir. We're running out of time. The Marleyans are pumping my body with needled right now, I'm just as much a traitor to Paradis as Reiner and Berthold, Marley must have more Psions by now, and I'm still a caged animal!"
He buried his face in her leg. "It's hopeless…" At that moment, he let out a faint psychic field, gradually strengthening it to the point where he could get a link into the Titan's thoughts.
She did the next part for him. "Which will make it all the more satisfying when we defeat them." She stroked him gently with her left hand. "You still have a chance of atonement with your people. When you bring down project Psion on your own, everyone in the Walls will see the truth. You are not weak, not a glass cannon, and certainly not a traitor. You just have to make them see."
Dillon gave the impression that he was relaxing and wiped the fake tears from his eyes. "…Okay. Just… please tell me I can leave soon." He said as he looked up at her with a pained expression.
She smiled at that. "You WILL, I promise."
How right you are you lying snake. He thought with malice and anticipation. The entire time she was talking, Dillon flowed the faint link into her head, letting it settle like a leaf on a puddle of water.
"Thank you." He said, grateful, in a vengeful way, for her unwitting help in his escape.
After saying their goodbyes and her fainting into the light, Dillon sat back in his prison. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes to a glow of silver light. He focused on the link he had in Ymir and concentrated on turning it into a hole. A hole that let his consciousness temporarily escape his own mind, his cell, and into Fritz's head of deceit and ego.
(The real word, Project Psion facility)
Atticus's jeep stopped in front the entrance of the facility. He looked at the building with a satisfied smile, eager to look at the progress of all these years of hard work. Sitting on the passenger seat with his escort of four Tybur guards filling the other three, he approached the two Marleyan soldiers standing guard nodded. One stepped to the side while the other opened the gate, allowing their VIP's vehicle to enter.
His original plan was to spend this week with his wife for some much needed time off in their home. The last month or so overlooking the transition of more volunteers into Psions had taxed him greatly.
Still, to ensure the future of his motherland and the end of the Eldian devils was worth a little overtime. A change came when General Calvi sent a letter informing Atticus that he would be visiting the facility and required the project overseer's presence.
Entering the conference room, Atticus saw the head of Marley's military sitting across a rectangular table, a cup of coffee in his hands. "Ah, Atticus. Thank you for coming, please have a seat." He gestured to the spot across from him, which had a cup of coffee on the table as well.
"Thank you General. It is always an honor to speak with you." The old man said as he took his seat and began to sip at his drink. "I must admit, I was rather surprised to receive your message. I had thought that everything was progressing well here, but you mentioned that there has been a major development?"
"Something important has come up that called for the need for your arrival here, yes." Calvi nodded. "I would not say that this development means that something is wrong. Your doctors and scientists have reported that the Psions have continued to progress well, which back up your reports. We already have 60 ready, with an additional 45 on the way."
Atticus let a proud grin stretch along his face as he triumphantly sipped his coffee. "Yes, using Dillon Amsdale as a template has allowed to make tremendous progress in Marley's new division. We have already begun to liberate ourselves from the stranglehold of the Titans. And the devils of Paradis will surely be defeated by our Psion force."
Taking another sip, his mind wondered to one lingering question. "In that case, what is this development that you speak of?"
Suddenly, Calvi's neutral expression took on an uncharacteristic smile, like the look of a predator ready to pounce. "Our motherland owes you a tremendous debt Atticus, for you have truly launched us into a new age of continued dominance." He leaned forward. "That said, now that Project Psion has produced the desired results, I do believe that, unfortunately, your usefulness has come to an abrupt end."
Opening his mouth in shock, Atticus was about to ask what in the world he was going on about, before feelings of nausea, confusion and wooziness began to wash over him.
"Wha-wha.. is…" He stood up shakingly from his seat and slowly stumbled back to the wall.
Calvi remained seated. "You see Atticus, I and the rest of the military high command have been hiding certain secrets. Secrets that you, the Tyburs, and much of the Senate needed to be kept in the dark of. The truth is, there are forces at work here. Forces that have been hiding from within the shadows of this nation, all the way to the dark corners of the Earth."
He stood up, opening his lips to a sight that, even in his dazed state, Atticus could still see as clear as day. A sight that set chills down every bone in his aging body.
Calvi's teeth were not those that an ordinary human being, rather each one was long, pointed, and sharper than any knife. His eyes turned yellow, but the biggest fright came when he spoke.
"YES, YES, I KNOW. THIS MUST BE QUITE THE SIGHT FOR A HUMAN. BUT DON'T WORRY, YOU WON'T BE SEEING THIS FOR LONG CONSIDERING THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO PASS OUT FROM YOUR DRUGGED DRINK." His voice was low, brutal, and reminded Atticus of how a bear or wolf would sound if they could speak. The very sound of the devil.
Atticus finally fell to the ground on his back and felt consciousness begin to leave him. But before he could pass out, Calvi, whoever- no WHATEVER he was, walked over and got to one knee. He lowered his to Atticus's face in order to get one more word in.
"BEFORE YOU GO OFF TO DREAMLAND, SAY HELLO TO "YMIR FRITZ" FOR ME." Then everything faded to black.
(Later)
Atticus woke up outside, letting out a loud scream. At first, he thought that what he just saw was only a horrible dream. Then he looked at his surroundings. It was a sight that would plague him forever.
All around him was a hellscape of fire and burning mountains in the distance. Gigantic cracks in the ground flowed with lava and let out a heat that felt like it was burning his very soul.
Horror and fear gripping his face, he was about to yell for someone when-
"Hello Atticus." A soft, condescending voice spoke behind him.
He turned around to see his partner Ymir Fritz towering behind him. The look on her face was not that of an old friend. "Y-Ymir what is happening?! What is this?! What happened to Calvi?! I-"
He would have continued his panicked rant but, "What happened is that you have served your purpose Atticus. You did very well, for a human, but your skills and intellect are no longer required." She said with chilling indifference.
The Psion looked up at her, completely baffled. His face tightened. "Explain yourself Ymir. Now." He growled.
Ymir rolled her eyes, as if to mock his sudden bravado. "Oh, please don't waste our time with your feeble shows of strength. I will gladly inform you of your situation, but please refer to me by my TRUE name." She raised her arms in the air, then without warning, her entire body instantly exploded in a flash of purple light.
Atticus's mouth gaped, his eyes widening in terror. Standing in Ymir Fritz's place was a much smaller creature. This, this thing was essentially a giant head, its arms and legs being far too small to look like they could support it. It was covered in red hair that went over its head to its knees. But what frightened Atticus the most was its face, frozen in a sadistic smile with two large eyes staring directly into his soul.
"I am Psycho-Jenny."
