Sabina wasn't sure if she was making the right choice by following Killian and trusting him, but this was the only opportunity for her to avoid being alone. Whatever happened, Sabina didn't want to transform again; the horror and shock that she experienced the first time, as well as the pain of her entire body morphing into this monster, was absolutely unbearable. With Killian, she could rely on his soldiers to protect her.

And yet, this didn't mean she was safe.

Killian wasn't an idiot, and her saying that she couldn't remember even the name of her own village was enough to cause some visible suspicion in him. It was a terrifying thought, but Sabina had to contend with it if she wanted to have even the smallest chance of getting out of this alive. She won't be able to stay with him for long, especially not after the news about her transformation spread? Her father would always warn her and Luke about spies from other houses everywhere and that they should be extremely cautious outside. Someone must know what happened, and perhaps someone knows that it was her. And those people were most likely somewhere in the capital city…Everything felt so wrong; Sabina felt as if there was no way out for her, as if the road that Killian paved for her led to inevitable doom. After he finished gathering the soldiers, the group was nearing the capital city of the Ferns that Killian called Lagos. Sabina hoped that he wouldn't talk to her until they reached the city, but Killian quickly shattered this hope as he turned around the moment their horse slowed down.

"How are you feeling, Sabina? It's been a long journey, I hope you're alright."

"I am…" She said, noticing some concern on the man's face. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm just…Not sure how to go about this. There's a lot I have to do, and hardly any of it is safe for you to follow. I hope to get you back home as soon as possible, so…I know it's hard for you, but I need you to try and remember as much as possible." Here it was, sooner than Sabina hoped for. It won't be long before she wouldn't be able to lie without crumbling anymore.

"I…It's still very hard, I'm sorry." Sabina shook her head. "But I can remember something…Strange people entered our house; they were very cruel and evil and…They must have started the fire, but I don't really remember that."

"Could've been some of Raven's thugs; this freak wouldn't spare anyone if it meant getting his 'message' across," Killian said with disgust.

"I only remember that…" Sabina stuttered and look down once again. "That one of them put a knife to my mother's neck and, and…" Sabina hyperventilated, barely able to hold back her emotions. As she spoke those lies, the image that emerged before her eyes was very real, that of her mother crushed under the debris and her being responsible for it. "I…We couldn't do anything, but she tried to fight back, and they…They killed her…" More tears streamed down Sabina's eyes, making Killian look at her with distress and empathy. "That's why I ran…I was so scared and…I don't know what happened to my father and brother; I couldn't stand to look!"

"I'm sorry…I wish my men and I could be there in time and save your mother." Killian put a hand on the girl's shoulder, making her look up, not knowing how to feel. He was blaming himself for saving them; she could hear it in Killian's voice, yet it didn't even happen on his territory; Killian couldn't have done anything…Once again, Sabina felt disgusted by her own lies. "I shouldn't have asked. You need more time to process it. Anyone who'd go through that would be shocked." He reassured and looked down in shame. "My mother died of sickness years ago…I know how it feels." He tried to empathize with Sabina by forming a connection between them, but the girl saw something else in this attempt- an opportunity to switch topics that she really needed.

"You said you lost a brother too…" The girl let out.

"Oh, that…" Killian said awkwardly. "Sorry, I might have babbled a little too much on the way. I have to admit, I think I just wanted to talk to someone who wouldn't interrupt or challenge me, and I pegged you for a good listener. But yeah…My brother died because of me."

"You didn't know it would turn out like this; you just wanted to help."

"The outcome would be obvious to anyone who isn't an idiot…And I certainly was. Failing him after he helped me so many times is bad enough, but that's not all of it…Our family is powerless without Leon's Armored Titan. Now, we are weaklings, subjects to mockery and ridicule among all Eldians. This won't change until one of us finds the Armored and reclaims it…" Sabina knew what he was talking about. The hatred towards the Fern family and their subordinates was running rampant among those who served the Lysanders; this kind of spite towards living people sometimes made Sabina uneasy.

"But your family still remains strong, right? Even without the Titan…"

"It's not our family; it's the protection we're given." Killian shook his head. "If it wasn't for Haron Thorson's aid, we would've become dust and ash a long time ago." This was a name every Eldian knew. The lord of House Thorson, a ruthless yet pragmatic conqueror who put fear into the hearts of people all around the world, Eldian or not. The god of destruction, the Colossus, that's what he was called. "But it's not so simple, don't expect The Devil to help you without paying the price. Haron Thorson made an agreement with my father…He wants to claim every single Titan for himself; it's a mission he set himself upon, and he will never turn away from it. He wants the Armored Titan when we recover it in exchange for continued protection." Killian explain, making Sabina's heart shrink.

"And did you agree…?"

"I'm not the head of the house, and it wasn't my decision to make, but my father did," Killian said somberly. "I wish we weren't so chained and restricted, wish we could do something…But to challenge Haron would be suicide, even with the Armored Titan…" Killian clenched his teeth before taking a deep breath. "I would give anything to take the Titan and free my family. Everything."

Everything. He would do everything to reclaim the Titan. Why did Sabina ever think that the sympathy he has for one girl would be enough to override this desire?"

"I see…"

"Sorry, I shouldn't be bothering you with my family history." Killian shook his head. "Don't worry, Lagos isn't that far off. You'll be safe soon."

…

Despite the losses Agatha and Luke suffered, the two of them continued on their path, focusing on their goal with even more unwavering dedication than before. Agatha thought this would be a simple task, but even she had to admit how much Lysanders underestimated their sworn enemies. The Ferns might not have had the Armored Titan, but their technology has advanced during those years, so much so that they were able to easily overpower enemy soldiers. This meant that Agatha and Luke had to be discreet.

They removed anything that could identify them as outsiders from their clothes, taking on the facade of villages who were driven from their homes and were now in a constant state of wandering, searching for a refuge from skirmishes and war. From there, Luke only had to watch as Agatha looked for information, getting as much as possible in what little time they had on their hands. She was surprisingly good at it, playing the role of a naive, worried woman who looked for nothing more than a sense of safety. She carefully avoided any soldiers who could recognize her, instead sticking to civilians. There were many conversations, some short and pointless, others intriguing, but one of them caught the attention of both Luke and Agatha. It was when they stopped at an inn, and Agatha stroked a conversation with the barkeep. It all started naturally, with Agatha ordering some drinks for her and Luke, but eventually, the man picked a perfect topic.

"You're not from here, aren't you? I know everyone who lives in our village by this point. You don't look like any of them."

"Yes, we…" Agatha responded. "We are from Garu." She has done her research and could give a name of an actual town that has been attacked recently.

"Oh, that place…Running away from your troubles, eh?"

"We have no choice! Those monsters burned down our home and killed some of our friends; there's nothing for us to do but run to the capital! The walls will protect us, I hope they will…"

"I can't blame you; some of my friends decided to move as well, with those Marleyans around…You never know."

"Exactly, it's just harrowing! They are uncultured monsters, and yet, they accuse us of being cruel. Absolutely deranged!"

"They're just animals; you can't reason with them."

"What are they even trying to achieve? They can't hope to defeat the entire Eldia by themselves."

"I heard they have some legend among their folk…About a free city that the Eldian Empire still hadn't found and the one they all wanted to escape to. Ardour, I think they called it? Probably some babble to keep them sleeping at night."

"You said it, sir. It's nothing but spite and insanity. I hope that Lord Fern is going to do something about it; this can't go on for any longer!"

"Speaking of the House, Lord Killian was around here just a day ago. Went around the villages and ensured we're safe."

"Truly? How noble of him…Did he happen to find anyone?"

"Heard he had a run-in with Marleyans; it got bloody, but he held the line…Keeping some strange people around him, but what do I know?"

"Strange people, what do you mean?"

"His squad had a young girl with them, ten or eleven years, hell if I know. An orphan from some other village, or so people say."

"That's peculiar…How did she look?"

"She was all pale and looking down, and…"

The details he gave matched Sabina perfectly. Here they were, finally learning the horrifying truth. Not only was she taken in, but she was sheltered by members of the very family that would do anything to kill her and take her power. They confirmed that Killian Fern was going towards the capital, and even if he protected Sabina for now, nothing good could come out of it. When Agatha and Luke got all they needed, they retreated back into the wilderness to discuss their next steps. Agatha was overjoyed at such a fruitful discovery.

"This is wonderful…We have all the trails we need, and they lead to Lagos, the capital city of House Fern." She said with pride, looking deeper into the woods, but Luke didn't share her enthusiasm.

"That's the worst place she could be, everyone in that damn place would want to take her power and…" The thought of his sister getting eaten by a Titan grossed Luke out; he couldn't even force himself to say it.

"With large cities, the walls are the trickiest part. Once you're inside, it's easy to get lost in a large crowd; we'll have a lot of opportunities for spying. As for Sabina…Those people don't suspect her of being the Armored, and they say Killian didn't have her chained in any way either. That means he is either a complete idiot or doesn't know either." Agatha concluded.

"Sabina wouldn't tell him. She knows how dangerous outsiders are, especially Ferns…And who would suspect her of being a Titan?"

"No one and that's why we're at an advantage. The only way they find out that Sabina is the Armored is if she transforms…And if that happens, what weapons do they have to stop her in time?" This was reassuring; Agatha's words made sense and convinced Luke that they had some time on their hands, but it didn't mean that they could allow themselves to hesitate.

"So we go to Lagos? I'm ready." Luke stood up and spoke with resolve.

"Good, the sooner we go, the sooner we find your sister."

"And what then?" Luke said coldly, making Agatha pause for a moment. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"I thought we agreed to have that discussion later, didn't we?"

"It wouldn't matter what we think later; it will be for Lord Dominic to decide…" Luke sighed. "You know that he'd want you or someone else to take her power."

"My uncle is…Pragmatic, that's true." Agatha admitted. "You will be free to try and convince him otherwise. I don't care either way." She never cared for his sister. Why would she? They hardly even knew each other, and what was one life measured against the pride and future of her entire House?

"I can't…I can't allow him to do this!"

"Do you have any alternatives, then?" Agatha crossed her arms. "Your sister only has three years to live either way…Do you want her to spend those years training to become a machine of war? Suffering and exerting herself as she tries to control a Titan that's too much for someone her age? To have her placed under my uncle's command for three years, knowing that she will die anyway?" This was all wrong and not at all what he had in his mind.

"But why…Why can't you just let her live? Three years isn't that long, but for her, it's her entire life…You know none of this is her fault, so why can't you give her the damn chance?!"

"Do you think that she will be able to live normally? Knowing that her mother died because of her? That she will have to be eaten in three years? That all the Great Houses will try to hunt her down?" Agatha walked towards Luke, watching him with a judgmental gaze, knowing full well that he had nothing to say to her. "Living has never been an option for us Titan inheritors." Indeed, their fate has been decided the moment they attained this power. In Sabina's case, it was before she was even born. "Let's go. There's no time to waste."