A/N: Sorry. This chapter has been somewhat rushed to meet my Sunday deadline since I had writer's block as I was writing it. Hope you still enjoy!


Traitors Arc Part IV: The Battle Begins

Stohess District,

Jean and Armin closed the door behind them, and prepared to go to their debriefing "I don't get it. All this: 'Abandon your humanity to overcome monsters.'" Jean said at last, "Is that the only option we have left?"

"Not really. Just the only one that has presented itself." Armin replied

"Still…" Jean looked out at the wall, "If that's the only way humanity can win...then maybe we don't deserve to win."


Underground

"Just what are you Annie Leonhart..." Hanji wondered,

Ilse barrelled down, to where she was, "Hanji!" She said breathlessly, "You need to see this!"

"Huh?"


Publicly Available Information

The Raid On Stohess District cost thousands of Kapitalmarks in property damage. However, despite there being nearly 50 casualties in the Military Police, and 30 in the Survey Corps, due to the efforts of Alto Burke and the MP recruits, not a single civilian life was lost in the fighting.

Following the Raid, Erwin Smith and the Scout Regiment were exonerated and restored to full functionality. Eren Jaeger was also released back into Corps custody and fully acquitted of any crimes charged against him.

Annie Leonhart was reported dead in the fighting, as one of the fifty casualties of the Stohess Operation. This was to prevent a hypothetical witch hunt from occurring within the branches, as well as to prevent other shifters from being spooked and going into hiding.

Simultaneously, the fall of Wall Rose sparked a wave of refugees to flood Southern Wall Sheena to flee from the impending Titan apocalypse as Titans ravaged the countryside.


Wall Rose

Gelgar was practically forcing himself to breathe as his horse clodded through the pitch black darkness. If it wasn't for the torches, he wouldn't be able to see his hand in front of his face even if he slapped himself with it.

'Damn it...come at me...just get it over with...I can't handle this waiting!' He thought he knew Titans weren't active at night, but that didn't mean he wasn't scared all the same. Afterall, he 'knew' titans couldn't turn into humans, yet here they were, with three titan shifters on the loose.

Lynne let out a small panicked gasp as lights came from ahead of them,

"Hold your horses, it's Nanaba's team." Reiner said

When Ymir, Petra, and the rest emerged from the darkness, their faces looked as terrified as Gelgar's team felt.

"I...take it you found the hole then?" Petra chuckled nervously.

"What…?" Gelgar said.

"We...didn't find anything in the West." Evangelica explained, "You did find the hole right?"

"No...nothing. We thought maybe you found it…" Gelgar breathed

"P-Perhaps we missed it!" Isabel's voice trembled,

"A hole that big? Forget it." Ambros said,

"We'll need to search again then."

"Yeah...but our horses are tired, and so are we." Nanaba said, "We need to hole up somewhere for the night."

"Damn...if only we had more light." Evangelica said, and as if on cue, the moon finally shone through the clouds of night.

"Hold on...I remember." Ambros said at last, "My father said there was an old fortress around here, Utgard I believe."

"Yeah...I heard about it too. Utgard Castle." said Nanaba.

"Stories aside, it's somewhere we can stay. Hyah!" Evangelica began to break for the fort, followed by the other confused, tired, and beaten Scouts.


Stohess

Hanji ran up to the wall and could only gape at the sight before her. A massive chunk of the wall had been ripped out where the Female Titan had tried to climb up it. However, instead of more concrete, like there should've been, it revealed part of the face of a massive Titan, likely nearly 50 meters tall.

"What the hell?" She said in disbelief, 'Hold on...this can't mean...no way. No. Way.'

Meanwhile, a flabby pastor made his way through the gathered soldiers, "Section Commander!" He grabbed Hanji's shoulder, "Whatever you do! Do not let it be touched by the sun!"


"The Wall Titan has been covered for the time being, and hasn't moved at all. We can advance further after sundown."

Erwin said nothing, but kept walking,

"Commander, I need to ask, what should we make of this? I mean - it's never even been dreamed titans could be inside the walls. And does this mean that the entire wall is built with Titans?"

"I don't know. In terms of knowledge we're only just beginning to walk, like a toddler. There are only those who know, and those who don't. It's that simple."


"What's the point of playing it off though?" Marlowe wondered, "It's an earth-shattering discovery for God's sake."

"Answer in two words: Status Quo. Imagine the panic and fear knowing we lived with Titans protecting us this whole time." Hitch tch'ed, dropping her mask as she stepped through the MP corpses "And the worst part? There isn't even an official reason all this happened."


Top of Wall Cina

"Alright Nicky boy." Hanji said, "Wanna explain what all this is? Why is there a titan inside a wall? Are all the walls built of titans? And most importantly: Why keep it a secret? I need answers buddy, and I need them now."

Nick dusted off his robes from the top of the wall, "I have no time for this. My flock is in disarray! Do you know how many Marks in damage your escapade caused?! Let me down from here now!"

"Know what?" Hanji stalked over to him, "Fine. I'll let you down-" She grabbed him by his shirt and pushed him to the edge, "-From 60 meters up!"

Nick flailed in panic, trying to desperately regain his balance. "Do you have the slightest idea of how many casualties we've taken so far? More than you can count! All for the freedom of pigs like you! So you can start talking or get dropping." Hanji said coolly, a cold rage settled in her eyes.

"D-Do you think I fear death?" Nick gasped, "I will fulfill my duty whatever the cost! If it is God's wish - Let me fall!" He bellowed, spreading his arms out over the expanse below.

Hanji, to everyone's surprise, laughed and threw him back on the wall. "Seriously, Nicky, you need to learn to take a joke! I was just messin' with you!"

'No you were not.' Every Scout deadpanned internally.

"Honestly, why are there Titans in the wall huh?" Hanji asked him

Suddenly, an alarm bell began to ring.


"Commander Erwin!" Nifa came running down, "I need the Commander! It's a matter of life and death!"

"Let her through." Erwin turned around, "Speak Nifa."

"Commander Erwin!" Nifa breathed heavily, "Wall Rose - It's been breached!"


Alto walked back to the MPs, only to find them in complete chaos.

"There's no way."

"There are Titans?"

He walked up to Hitch, "What's going on?"

"It's really bad." Hitch pulled down her mask, "Apparently, while we were battling the Female Titan, Wall Rose got breached."

"What?!" Alto shouted,

"There's not much information, but they're coming from the South."

'Wait. The South? That means...Mina-!" He whirled around to Hitch, "I need a horse. I'm going to do something stupid."


Mikasa woke up with a start, and immediately noticed Eren had left his bed, "Eren-"

"I'm fine." He said quickly, "Here." He handed her scarf over right as it fell out of her lap, "You dropped it."

"T-Thanks." Mikasa looked away.

Before they could say anything else, Armin burst into the room breathlessly, "Eren! Mikasa! This is bad! Wall Rose has just gotten breached!"