Day 21
Eren was lost in a frustrating maze of uncertainty, it's become infuriatingly annoying to think he had the answer figured out only for the next piece of the puzzle to smack him right in the face without warning. There he sat in a secluded hideaway nestled within the dense foliage of Wall Rose's western forests. It was only upon their arrival that he and Historia were blindsided by the news of the premier's sudden death. His Squad guarded the perimeter, and Eren was left in the solitude of the cabin's interior, with only Historia for company, seated across from each other at a wooden table, an uncomfortable silence hung between them, both yet to address any of what's happening around them.
His features were pinched with worry as his thoughts drifted to the dream that had troubled his sleep; its vividness and urgency left him unsettled. The nightmares were too real to dismiss, igniting a fear for Armin's safety and the looming prospect of confronting Floch to protect his childhood friend. Eren leaned forward on his knees clutching his head, desperately searching for a solution. There had to be an answer somewhere, there had to be something he missed, there must be a way to save Armin if he needed to be saved, right?
Breaking the silence with a sigh, Historia's voice reached out to him. "Eren, is there anything you want to talk about?" Attempting to deflect, Eren dropped his hands frantically and met her gaze with a weary attempt at dismissal.
"N-no, I'm just still caught up about letting your name slip, I'm sorr-" He paused, heat creeping up his neck and ears as she shot him an unimpressed look. "N-no, It's... I guess I'm just worried about the situation with the premier."
Historia's sharp, discerning eyes scanned his face. For a moment, it seemed she might let it go. Yet, her expression subtly hardened. "Look, I could care less about my real name becoming known at this point, but I know for a fact that you're lying, so what really is it?"
Eren averted his gaze, his own concerns momentarily eclipsing the facade. "Like I said, it's nothing..."
She decided to go along with it, nodding slightly, turning her gaze towards the window and observing Petra and Oluo arguing in the distance. "I've had time to think about everything carefully the last couple of days, it helped me realize a few things."
Eren looked on with intrigue, eyebrows raising a little.
She sighed deeply, a shadow crossing her features, before she spoke again. "I'm aware of the plans against those holding the throne as well as our former comrades, but it's my involvement that worries me most. No matter the situation, I'm still playing the part of a puppet—forced into choices, devoid of say, a mere pawn." Her demeanor softened, yet her eyes remained piercing. "A life never truly my own. What weight does a crown carry at that point? What worth does a kingdom hold when it's governed by someone utterly worthless? It's all absurd to me, none of it makes sense but here we are."
"Don't say that... I get it, I really do, you know? In a way we're on the same boat." Eren said somberly, his leg jittering nervously. "But I'm curious, If you had the freedom to pursue anything, what would you choose?"
Her gaze lifted, meeting his—her eyes, a deep blue, reflecting a deep resignation. "That's not easy for me to say. But you, you have that liberty, don't you? All of you do."
Eren blinked, taken aback. "What are you on about?"
"You, Floch, the commander—all of you have a vision, a goal to reach... Unlike me. Historia Reiss never experienced true affection and that left her nothing more than a bitter empty shell, only offering concern due to a fragile vow that now seems insignificant. Floch and Ymir saw the real me, and pushed me towards a different fate. Yet, I still chose the Survey Corps. But in doing that, for once, I made a choice not for Krista, but for Historia—thinking it's what I wanted."
"And I wanted answers, but once I found them, I merely reverted to being that husk of a person, wearing a pleasant smile for the masses. It dawned on me that I've lost sight of what I truly desire... I know it sounds selfish, but I find it hard to invest myself in the cause the way you do, especially with the realization that my choices were never truly mine—not in this life, nor in the one Floch left behind."
"Don't hop over that fence, join the military, don't join the Survey Corps, be Queen." Historia continued.
Now that Eren thought about it, Floch had already known about her true name and the fact she'd become Queen. He frowned a little, that fact didn't help at all, since all it did was affirm that she'd be taking the same predestined steps. Straightening, her eyes narrowed. "Do I worry about Ymir? I do... but should I still feel that way if she chooses the same path again? When she doesn't need or even want to be saved? Should I still continue putting on that image of a sweet, caring and perfect little girl?"
Historia lowered her gaze somberly. "Floch once said that I should stay true to myself, no matter what anyone says but... I no longer know who I'm supposed to be."
"Well, If I were you I guess I... I'd keep going despite everything, to figure it out once and for all. Your question won't answer itself unless you reach the other side of this hell you're stuck in, and doing nothing isn't an option—it would cost us everything." A haunted look crossed his face, as visions of a devastated Armin penetrated his thoughts. "...I also can't bear the thought of losing him again," he murmured.
Her curiosity piqued at his admission, she leaned in. "Losing whom?"
His muscles tightened, his gaze intensively locked onto hers, before he exhaled deeply. "I'm being bothered by these recurring nightmares, always the same, on a rooftop somewhere in Shiganshina alongside the Commander, Captain Levi, Floch, and Armin... The Commander and Armin were... really messed up, and that forced us into a choice: to decide which one of them would be transformed into a titan and which one would die... Floch and Captain Levi opted for the Commander."
Her gaze softened, a flicker of empathy in her eyes, as he continued, the weight of his words heavy with sorrow. "It never once felt like a simple dream, it felt like a memory, I felt everything, it was disturbingly real." His expression darkened, his jaw setting firmly. "And that makes me curious, we're doomed to fail if everything goes the same as the first time, right? We all died, and Floch was brought back. But, that's no longer the case, so part of thinks that whatever force brought him back is showing me fragments of that doomed future, to help me avoid it."
"What... makes you sure of that?" Historia asked cautiously, a little unsettled by the possibility.
Suddenly, a light of realization illuminated his thoughts, recalling the words previously spoken by the blonde girl. "You're right... Why am I certain it's written in stone? This past life of his, it's meaningless now, isn't it?"
Puzzlement flickered across her features, her head tilting slightly. "In what way?"
He explained, a newfound determination in his voice. "The present and the future are being reshaped, why should Ymir leave again? Who says we need to choose between Armin and the commander? And who dictates that you must become Queen? We don't have to do any of that, you don't have to pretend to be anything but what you really are, just a normal girl who's inconveniently honest." The chair was pushed back as he rose to his feet, she looked back at him with a gaze filled with awe.
"That's my promise to you, Historia. That I'll find a way to make all of this work out in the end." Eren declared.
The door to the cabin suddenly opened and Petra walked in, startling the two who were caught in the moment. "Did I interrupt something?" She puzzled outloud, before turning to Eren. "Come you two, the captain's calling for you."
"Sure thing." Eren replied, pivoting to exit the cabin before Historia suddenly reached for him.
"Eren, wait a second!"
She extended her arm and reached for his wrist, their skin suddenly meeting in a electrifying exchange. At that instant, lightning surged through Eren Yeager, and his reality was forever altered.
Countless images flashed through Eren's mind—visions, events, memories merging in a chaotic symphony. One moment, he was enveloped by the dense foliage of a forest; the next, he plunged into the depths of an underground cavern, only for the sunlight to sweep over everything, wrapping the world in a blinding embrace. He witnessed towering walls, the vast sky, endless sands, and expansive bodies of water. Faces of those he recognized yet had never truly met flickered before him, along with places he felt he had visited, yet never truly seen. The glare of unfamiliar devices, a podium facing a sea of faces, the echo of a gunshot, the thump of bodies falling, cries of anguish, the crackle of lightning, the roar of thunder—all painted a tapestry of misery, struggle, death, and ultimately, freedom.
Memories tumbled through his consciousness, disjointed yet poignant.
"Petra, don't go too far!" "I killed them all." "Ah, so you're finally here." "She must be eliminated at all costs... And I'll be the one to inherit the Jaws Titan." "...To Shiganshina." "CHARGE!" "...Civilization beyond the walls?" "Ah, I heard about you, you must be..." "Queen Historia's life is non-negotiable." "Isn't that a bit ambitious?" "Well, the dialogue has reached its end, Your Highness..." "...to the mainland." "We'll do this together, brother." "Help me, and I'll make it worth it." "It's good to see you again, Reiner." "...And what did you see?" "...Eldia, in all her glory." "Our sole desire... is for there to be peace and prosperity between nations!" "Millions will perish!" "So be it..." "They're on time, just as planned." "I-I'm sorry... I failed to obey your... order..." "On your feet, Dad." "...It's over... It's over."
The culmination of these fragmented recollections was a sobering realization, a familiar voice affirming Eren's destiny,
"You're the only one who can save this empire, you are our devil, Eren Yeager."
"I'm The Same As You. I Didn't Have Any Other Choice." - Eren Yeager 854 AD, to Reiner Braun the night of the Liberio Massacre.
Morning of day 23
"This way, Louise."
As dawn broke over the horizon, the dense canopy of the forest near Dauper slowly emerged from the night's shadows, casting a mystical glow over the underbrush, It was a sacred hour. Louise and Artur stepped silently into the heart of the wilderness, as they embarked on her first hunt. The girl in question nodded as she followed after her adoptive father, her eyes, wide and observant, mirrored the myriad shades of greens and browns of the forest.
The air was cool and damp, filled with the rich earthy scent that followed a night of gentle rains. It clung to their clothes and filled their lungs with each breath, no longer was she forced to breathe in the toxic fumes of Trost, she was free of that hell. Her hand tightened around the bow her adoptive father had given her, she'd spent the better part of the last day practicing how to shoot it in the back of their barn until her fingertips began to feel achy, Sasha had to learn this way too right?
"See this 'ere? We're already close to gettin' our first catch of tha day." Artur pointed out tracks on the damp soil - to what looked like the imprint of deer hooves. "Stay close and watch yer steps, critters 'round here be jumpy, even the tiniest snap of a branch sends 'em scurryin' away."
"Alright!" Louise nodded and moved in closer to him to mirror his steps.
A couple of hours later, and several missed opportunities on her end, the two found themselves at the edge of a river bank washing up the blood off their hands. She hadn't caught a deer, in fact, she hadn't even come close to even seeing one but she did end the life of a small rabbit and contrary to what Artur might think, it was nothing short of beginner's luck. Strange, she couldn't feel anything about the whole ordeal, not even when she had been instructed to end it's suffering up close with a knife.
Louise inspected the traces of blood on her hands, what's with all of this? Seeing others around her die was one thing, but claiming the life of a living creature was entirely different wasn't it? Why did she feel indifferent about it? Shouldn't she be... at least a little sick or hesistant?
"Louise."
A jolt shot through her as she looked up to the side at Artur, snapping out of her trance. "Yes?" She asked with the tilt of her head.
"I left the lunch yer mother made fer us back there by the bushes, I already marked the tree so its easier ta find, could ye get it while I finish washin' up here?"
She nodded, "Sure!"
Overhead, the canopy swayed gently in the morning breeze, Louise made her way towards the mentioned bushes, finding a small nearby tree with a scarf wrapped around one of it's branches. Louise knelt down and took hold of the basket containing their lunch, before the breeze made her stop to hear the forest around her.
Birds called to one another in melodious tunes, flitting from branch to branch in flashes of color. Further off, the elusive rustle of underbrush hinted at the presence of larger creatures - perhaps a deer or a fox, that made her tense a little. Louise quickly hid, and peeked her to scan the distance where the sound had come from. Her hand instinctively moved for her bow, only to realize she had left it behind, she turned around to look at where she had come from only to realize Artur was nowhere to be found.
Thinking he must have been the one rustling those bushes, she was about to step out to meet him, only to halt when a deer suddenly stepped out in the open. Her mouth hung open in awe as she inspected the animal, dammit, if only she had remembered to take her bow with her! Louise was about to retrace her steps in the hopes of getting her hunting tool back when suddenly a loud bang split the air around them, Louise jumped in her skin from fright and peeked her head again to find the deer struggling to stay on it's feet, a wound oozing blood from it's side before another shot rang out and it dropped lifeless.
Were there people really out here in this countryside hunting with those fancy rifles?
She knew better than to stick around and find out, but suddenly, an intimidating figure walked out of the dense foliage. They were nothing like she had seen before, a strange looking weapon of some sort clutched in their grips, a haunting mask adorning their head, their uniform white and foreign to any form of local government she knew of. She could hear them talk to someone else but due to their masks and couple that with the distance, it sounded like gibberish.
Her stomach sank, heart skipping a beat as she finally took note of second identical figure, carrying a corpse over their shoulders. One of the men pulled out a shovel and began to dig into the soft soil to bury their victim while the other inspected the deer. Louise fell back on her butt, before she crawled a few steps backwards only to freeze in horror as a stick gave out beneath her weight and snapped. Louise couldn't see them behind the concealment of the bushes, but she heard the clicks of their would be weapons, as well as their approaching steps.
She hugged the tree and hid as best she could, hand over her mouth with sheer terror as they drew nearer and nearer.
She felt this could be the end.
"My village isn't far south of here, you know?"
"My hometown is close too..."
"Dammit, why can't I go visit..." Connie grumbled to Sasha as they both gazed at the distance beyond the window of the mess hall in one of their strongholds south of wall Sina, it wasn't much of a stronghold per se but there was a tower so there's that. "Maybe I'll sneak out at night..."
"Had it not been for Louise, I would not even think of going back there for a long time. They told me to only come back when I'm normal."
Connie smirked. "They told me I was too weak to be a soldier," His face suddenly fell. "Well, I didn't place top ten, but I was damn close and if you include all those with us at camp." He turned uncertain as he glanced at Sasha for reassurance. "It must count for something right?"
"I doubt you'll have the chance to meet them for now, Connie." Mina spoke behind them at their table, meanwhile Armin and Gordon were in the middle of a chess game. "Hasn't your village been evacuated for a couple of weeks now due to the bad air from that massive fire?"
Connie's ears perked up at that, as he gained a look of realization. "Oh, yeah..." He stopped leaning on palm and straightened his posture, "They must still be in Ehrmich right now,"
"Probably." Mylius supplied from a neighboring table, in the middle of a card game against Ruth. "They haven't given out the okay to return to those villages yet, so they've mostly been abandonned."
"Dammit, good game." Gordon frowned then shook hands with Armin before he looked around, "So uh, I'm not the only one wondering where half of us are right? Floch, Eren, Mikasa and Krista are all gone and so are most of the superior officers."
"It's not like it makes a difference if we knew or not." Sandra who had been seated next to Mylius felt her features tighten at the mention of the redhead's name. "We just follow our orders, and hope for the best, right?"
"I guess." Gordon muttered.
"It must be something important, look where they brought us after all. Not only is this area near remote, but they have almost half of our troops stationed here guarding it." Armin began, catching their attention. "And it's not like it's some training exercise or run of the mill mission, we're all equipped and they've brought along heavy equipment reserved for expeditions, it's something big." True to his words, Hannah who had been silent peeked out of the window and spotted a few artillery equipment stashed behind the tower.
The cadets around him felt chills at that omnious declaration, they're here to fight titans, possibly their former comrades, all within the walls themselves. Sasha frowned and banged her head on the table as she glanced ahead in a daze, she wondered what her father might be doing right now, and how Louise was dealing with life out in the boonies. It must be challenging for her since she was born and raised in the city all her life, but she had a feeling it would work out.
Louise cowered as the footsteps grew closer, she closed her eyes and prayed but those prayers fell on deaf ears when she suddenly heared a click beside her. She twitched and slowly craned her neck to glance up, only to be met with the barrel of a rifle pointed straight at her head. Her mouth hung open in shock as tears freely fell down her cheeks, the man before her slowly squeezed the trigger.
He suddenly stopped, and lowered his gun. Louise felt confused, even more so when the man started searching left and right like a lost child. It was until he turned around that she could finally see an arrow sticking out of his back piercing where his heart would be, another arrow suddenly came flying and pierced the man's mask, lodging itself inbetween his eyes. Louise trembled as he fell down with a thud, another set of footsteps drawing nearer.
Sasha smiled, yeah it would work out just fine, because her father was a great man.
"Louise!" Artur called out as he reached a hand towards the girl, "We need ta get outta 'ere, now!"
Artur swiftly hoisted her onto his shoulder, dashing away with all the haste he could muster. From her elevated perch, she glimpsed the two once-mysterious men, now bloodied and still, lying on the ground. Artur did not stop until they reached their horse, hastily securing her before mounting and speeding off.
"We need ta get ya home," Artur stated, a note of concern in his voice as he steered them onward. "Then, it's straight ta the nearest outpost fer me." Louise rode in silence, when an inexplicable chill crept over her. The ground behind them echoed with the thunderous approach of something immense.
In unison, they looked back, and there, in the gap between the trees, a colossal four-legged creature charged towards them. Artur's face blanched at the sight, his seasoned instincts screaming at him to veer off the path. This quick decision saved them from being the beast's landing spot as it lunged, missing them narrowly before regaining its pursuit, now unburdened by the crates it shed, its speed terrifyingly increased.
Artur cast a glance back at the pursuing titan, agony etched on his face. The choice was unbearable—sacrificing himself by tossing Louise off into a bush might delay the inevitable, but at what cost? With resolve hardening in his jaw, he drove them on, the monstrous form looming ever closer until it was almost upon them.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely a breath as he enveloped her in a final protective embrace.
But then, in a moment brimming with tension, the expected impact never came.
Something gigantic suddenly stepped between them and the titan leaping towards them, something even stronger. The two could feel a strong gust of wind rush past them before the sound of flesh impacting flesh echoed across the forest, Artur and Louise looked back to find a fifteen meter titan with a chiseled body standing protectively between them and the pursuing titan, the latter sent crashing backwards mangled and disfigured. Suddenly the two heard gas hissing around them as two soldiers paralleled them with their ODM gear.
"You two, aren't you from Dauper? Get as far away from here as possible, your village is being evacuated as we speak!" The female shouted at them.
"Got it! Thank ya very much!" Artur replied before speeding away.
Petra and Eld watched the two hurry away before they set their sights on Eren and the fallen titan ahead, the two landed on a nearby tree and surveyed the situation. Meanwhile, Levi swooped in from the side and landed on Eren's shoulder, his sharp gaze scanning both the titan and the area surrounding it, there was no chance in hell that thing was out here all on it's own.
It was at that moment that he cast a brief sidelong glance towards the boy whose shoulder he currently occupied, his mind briefly drifting back to a couple of days ago.
Something was off about the brat, Levi noted with a discerning eye.
It was the eyes, always the eyes, he learned how to tell. Gone was the fierce gaze of that monster, restrained by both order and discipline. They now bore the weight of weariness, echoes of a jaded soul, as if he had borne witness to endless cycles of life, their light shrouded in a veil of resigned shock. He could try to hide it, but Levi would never be fooled by his attempts. This boy exuded trouble with each breath, demanding his leash to be ever tightened. He was an outlier, and nowhere near right in the head, those eyes told him as much.
Fortunately, this regiment didn't need people who were right in the head; such individuals never lasted long, always broke at crucial moments, as morbid as the truth sounds.
Levi was under no illusion that mere stress was the culprit. The boy had altered under his watch, transforming in the blink of an eye. What crucial detail had they missed in that brief lapse? While not overtly concerned to inquire, Levi made a mental note, a note to pass onto Erwin later.
"I didn't call for you for the hell of it, so I need your undivided attention," Levi initiated, capturing the focus of the young soldiers along with Petra and Oluo. "Our presence here isn't just a cautionary measure due to recent events. Unfortunate as it is, the premier's death plays second fiddle to our primary concern." He gestured to Eld, who unfurled a map beside him, drawing the group's concentration save for Gunther who wasn't present. "An anonymous tip alerted us to questionable activities in the south eastern sector, only a few kilometers from our current position. You can probably guess why we're here."
"To conduct an investigation?" Historia offered.
"Almost, but not quite. We're not just investigating; we'll be actively engaging with whatever we find and prevent any potential hazards." Levi signaled to Eld, prompting the map's closure. "We're not alone in this; reinforcements are stationed just five clicks south. We'll act as both reconnaissance and the first line of defense should we encounter a genuine threat." His gaze then settled on Eren. "Eren, you've proved you can be trusted not to shit the bed with your powers, we'll be counting on you to make the difference on the frontlines."
Eren absorbed the weight of their expectations as he met Levi's stare, then humbly lowered his eyes, nodding in agreement. "Understood, captain," he responded softly.
It was always the eyes.
Eren could feel rage bubbling within him at the sight before him, he remembered this titan, remembered it all too well. If he didn't take care of it now, it would become a bigger issue for him and his friends later on. It needed to be dealt with, it needed to die. Of course, he was wiser than he used to be, so rushing in blindly isn't an option, he looked at Levi for orders and the man understood immediately.
"Eld, Gunther you handle the right flank! Petra, Oluo you cover Left! I'll hover behind Eren!" He barked at his men, before turning to the boy. "Oi Eren, I need that thing taken care of, crush it, eat it, I don't care what you do as long as it's dead." He said before preparing to leap away. "We'll cover you, so get on with it!"
And with that, Levi jumped away, leaving Eren to handle the rest. The rest of Levi squad moving along with him in sync. Eren rushed towards it with a hint of caution, keeping a note of the surrounding forest as he closed the distance between him and the battered cart titan before him. It wasn't until he was within arm's length that he heard a familiar shout.
"Petra, don't go too far!" Oluo called out.
Eren halted abruptly, as if compelled by an unseen force to change his course of action, leaving the cart titan behind as an afterthought. Alerted by his sudden approach, Petra turned just in time for him to wrap his hand around her, catching the rest of the group off guard. They watched in trepidation, fearing Eren had lost control. Levi, about to intervene, paused as he observed Eren clasping Petra tightly against his chest in a gesture of protection rather than aggression. Just then, the flow of time seemed to pause when a small, inconspicuous rock whizzed closely by.
"What the-" Levi muttered before his eyes went wide.
He swiftly sought shelter in time as a barrage of projectiles engulfed their surroundings, eerily reminiscent of their confrontation with the female titan. With their numbers woefully inadequate, a sense of foreboding settled within him, preparing for the unknown dangers that lay ahead. As the assault subsided, Levi stealthily surveyed the scene from behind the safety of a tree. His gaze narrowed grimly upon noticing Eren, now motionless on the ground with a significant portion of his head crushed and oozing. The quadrupedal titan from before was conspicuously absent as well.
The hairs on his neck raised at an incoming danger, Levi's survival instincts propelled him to leap from his hiding spot just as the aforementioned titan laid waste to it. Landing safely at a distance, he found himself under the intense scrutiny of the beast below. Meeting its gaze with a defiant glare, Levi summoned his team, "Squad, regroup!"
To his dismay, there was no response. In that silent moment, an ominous roar rumbled from the depths of the forest, as Levi's jaw tightened. The creature then began to articulate words, freezing the blood in his veins.
"They're all dead, and you're next."
Author's note: This has nothing to do with the story but I dreamt of Saddam Hussein working at a car dealership and trying really hard to sell me a hybrid.