Chapter 1- The Shifter And The Ghoul

Reiner Braun, Marleyan Base Near Enemy Forces

The day had gone by so slowly, with Reiner, a current on-duty Warrior feeling tired as always. Small gusts of wind and sandy dust danced around his legs, rough, yet beautiful golden grains being left behind. Walking past all the civilians and townsfolk, mindless beings whose lives were in current despair with the ongoing war. Staring at his hands, an irritating memory came to mind.

"Reiner Braun, current holder of the Armored Titan." An elderly higher-up spoke, his voice raspy and prideful.

"Due to your failure of the 'Paradis operation', and the fatal loss of the other Warriors, we have heavily contemplated the proposal of stripping away your Armored Titan. We're certain your puny brain can understand what this means; You were very close to being eaten alive by the next Warrior candidate, who would then rightfully inherit your power."

"However-" Another elder spoke up. "We currently do not have another warrior… 'devil' shall I say, who is worthy of inheriting it, so we have reluctantly decided to let you keep it... for now, that is. Of course, this means you are allowed to keep your Armor temporarily, but you will be sent along with Warchief Zeke right away. You are to help clean up the mess you failed to prevent. Tomorrow at sunrise, you are to help defend the Marleyan base, Kollós, under Zeke and the commanding officer's orders. They will inform you on what you will be doing. I'm sure you are very grateful for our kindness." Reiner continued to kneel before the group of higher-ups, a pair of heavily armed guards stood in between, their smug grins unconcealed. Lowering his head, he nodded his head gratefully, a small feeling of regret mixed with hatred burning within.

"Now, leave our sight, you disgusting abomination."

The golden-haired Warrior continued how walk mindlessly, painfully remembering that day when he finally came back home-

With nothing to show after a five-year long mission to the island of 'Paradis', the highest-ranked officials of Marley, his home country, had gracefully allowed him to live. Rubbing the back of his neck, he slowly walked towards his tent, recalling his past while he longed for some decent rest.

The large camp he was stationed in had quieted down, the sun starting to set while the Marleyan soldiers continued with their daily tasks. The camp itself was stationed inside of a civilian town in the middle of a desert, their objective being only to defend. Any civilians had been warned to not come past the fence and into the camp, so Reiner passed a handful of soldiers on his way towards his tent, not a single person without their uniform. His red armband indicated he was a 'Warrior', someone who held one of the Powers of the Titans. His, of course, was none other than the 'Armored Titan'.

They're preparing for our next battle it seems. And as always, I won't know until the last minute. Some soldiers that passed by bumped into him, forcefully making him stagger back while they sneered, before continuing on their way. A soldier who was speaking to his comrade put his foot out, making Reiner stumble at the last second. Quickly catching himself however, he continued towards his only resting place, sighing as he trotted forwards.

The 'Paradis Operation' was the mission he failed 7 years ago to recover the 'Coordinate', the power which surpassed any of the other Titan powers that Marley possessed. Though the mission itself was only about 5 years, he's been stuck with fighting these pointless wars for the past 2.

The task of the Paradis Operation was entrusted to only four of the six Warriors that Marley had at the time. Each Warrior was entrusted with their own Titan, Reiner's Armored Titan being a main player of course.

But… The only thing that came back from that damn mission was me. All I managed to get was some intel despite me being undercover for years.

The four Warriors who were sent were children who had taken rigorous training beforehand, but they still lacked proper experience. That's right, they entrusted the important mission of recovering the strongest Titan Power to us four. The dangerous and important mission had been entrusted to twelve-year olds who had the power to destroy an entire country with a single transformation. Sadly, each Warrior had met a tragic fate during said mission. What was the point if we didn't even achieve anything?

Reiner stopped just in front of his tent as the setting sun shined against his skin, the only warmth he wished never came back. Small beads of sweat formed on his brow as he started to recall his past memories. No. There's no point. It's too late now.

The mission's overall failure landed on Reiner's shoulders,saving his superior, Zeke's reputation. Even though the last battle was Zeke's plan, he took the deaths of his fellow Warriors and blamed it on himself, almost losing his Armor in the process. Luckily for me, the military had their hands busy with an ongoing war with another country, and had no choice but to have me participate. But just to 'help out' with my continued loyalty, they had 'dutifully disciplined' me for the week, day in, and day out. Ahhh... I'm thinking that might have been the worst time of my life... those bastards. And they call me a devil.

Not one day went by without him thinking of everything he could have done, everything he should have done. He had caused the deaths of millions, either directly or indirectly. The guilt of it had been eating away at him ever since he realized what he'd done. However, death is not on his mind. At least not yet. I can't throw my family under the bridge. They'll be the ones to pay for my actions if I make a wrong move. They'll most likely be tortured and turned into man-eating mindless titans by Marley if I die. I can't let that happen. But... as each day goes by, that rifle I have hidden in the cellar is looking more and more... inviting. Chuckling, he closed his eyes entering his dark tent, expecting his best friend to be standing there. "I mean, I'm sure it's more welcoming than heading back into war, right Berthol-?" He stopped himself abruptly, freezing in his tracks as the tent flaps slowly closed behind him, the room darkening as the light faded away. His eyes widened as they darted back and forth throughout the empty space. Oh... right... he's no longer here. It's just me right now. It's just me in this long, irritating war. No one else, just… me. I've not even been able to see my mother again until this battle is done with. Damn this wretched place. Sighing, he ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair, realizing it was finally starting to grow out once again. Maybe I'll keep it like this. He tiredly moved closer to his cot and sat down, a bead of sweat dripping down his chin. Taking in a deep breath he held his head in his hands, the world becoming quieter and quieter as he contemplated the time it would take to grab the rifle, and ease it into the opening of his mouth-

"Ahem." His Warchief, who was standing at the entrance of his military tent, cleared his throat, startling Reiner. Holding the flaps open, the Warchief poked his head into the tent, before pulling back in annoyance. "Stop talking to yourself and head to bed Braun, we're expecting the enemy to try and breach the base tomorrow at dawn. Everyone else is getting prepared as we speak, so prepare yourself already. Your job is so simple I'm sure a blind monkey could handle it. I'm quite certain they don't know 'we' are here, so stick to the plan and you shouldn't fail... like back then." Said his Warchief with a hint of hatred, pushing his glasses back as he sighed in disgust at his own mention of the 'Paradis Operation'. With a somewhat irritated look on his face, he gave a quick wave before returning to where he came from. Reiner returned his attention back to his hands and shook his head.

Damn asshole. After the failure two years ago, he gets really irritated whenever we mention that stupid mission. I even covered for you, the most you could do is pretend to be nice. And something about him has been bugging me lately. Either way, he's right, I'll be needing as much rest as I can get, so it'd be best to get some sleep. I'm sure it'll be a long day tomorrow.

Then again, when is it not a long day?

He laid his body down, the muscles on his back tensing up at the rough fabric his cot was made out of. He placed his hands on his chest, leaving his boots and green uniform on. As he rested his feet onto the old cot, he moved his hands again through his dirty blonde hair. The last bit of remaining sunlight leaked through the bottom of his tent, indicating it was nearly sundown. The small strands on his front connected with the rest of his bangs as he closed his eyes, hoping the nightmares wouldn't come tonight. The world once again started to quiet down around him, his body slowly succumbing to his exhaustion. As his consciousness faded, a small voice could be heard. What was it? Who was it? It sounded like… Crying? No. Maybe it was…

"REINER-R-R-!

Forcefully opening his eyes, he looked around, a feeling of dread making every fiber of his body freeze in fear. "Bertholdt?" He asked, recalling how he just heard his best friend yell out for him. Calming his breathing, he looked around, somewhat shocked at how it was suddenly night-time.

"Piper!"

Huh? 'Piper'? Who's out yelling at this hour? Reiner tiredly stood up from his cot, heading towards the female voice that just yelled out someone's name. Quickly calming his heartbeat, he left his small tent and walked into the cool night, the rows of tents that continued after his were dead silent, so he followed the row of buildings, before hearing the yell for help once more. The beautiful moonlight reflected off the sand, almost as if guiding him towards someone in trouble.

"Piper! Please sir, stop!" Reiner stopped at the end of a building, glancing around a corner into a wide alley, two soldiers standing over a little girl, and what seemed like her older sister. What's going on? As he continued to spy, one of the Marleyan soldiers started to pull on the little girl's clothes, the other restraining her as they laughed maliciously. They're…! Those damn bastards! But, what can I do?... If I try to step in, it'll only backfire on me. I can't make them stop since they're Marleyan. Damn it. I'm… not… a… hero, after all…

The older sister continued her pleas before getting smacked across her face, her body falling backwards. A bruise immediately formed as her voice turned off in fear. "Shut up. Even if you're not a prisoner, your type needs discipline, especially the younger ones. We'll just have to show you where you belong." The kneeling soldier disgustingly exclaimed. The second one pulled on her dark hair, using his other hand to hold onto the older sister. Biting his lips he inched closer to the little girl, her tears and cries of help about to be suffocated-

"Stop it."

All four turned towards Reiner, who stood up in a saluting position as the guards stared daggers at him, before they both walked towards him. Their death-stares didn't affect him as he was already used to worse. "What the hell do you want?" They asked.

Reiner, standing his ground, called out for everyone, including those who may be asleep to hear. "As Vice-Chief, I've been informed that all civilians are prohibited from entering the base. I ask you two to refrain from such activities within the base. If you have any complaints, feel free to talk with-" Before he could finish, the soldier punched him in the stomach, a rush of pain quickly taking his breath away. "You? A devil speaking to me?! Who gave you the right to think you could talk to me without kneeling first?" The other laughed, and walked towards his buddy, the two girls took this as their chance to quickly slip away, the younger one looking back at him with tears of thanks.

"Or what? Huh? Is that a threat!?" Another punch into the gut. Reiner ignored the pain and stood back up, directly coming face to face with the soldier, his toned figure casting a shadow on the scrawny soldier. "-If you have any complaints, then I'll gladly consult with the commander, Magath." The soldiers clicked their tongues in annoyance at the mention of their commander and pushed Reiner out of the way. "You're no fun…" They whispered amongst themselves before walking away into the dark. Reiner gave out a sigh of relief, looking at the spot where the girls were, before heading sluggishly back into his tent.

Searching around his room, he grabbed his light-gray overcoat, the chill in the air making him yearn for sleep with a blanket, something he couldn't have all the way out here. A luxury someone of his caliber isn't allowed to have. As Reiner slowly neared his cot yet again, he froze as multiple whispers surrounded him, their voices all synched almost perfectly, but their tones somewhat different.

Well then. Forgive me Reiner, but I need you.

The female voices all spoke, sounding as if they were talking directly into his head. "Hmm? Who was...?" He suddenly felt his surroundings grow darker, as the ground started to shake. He froze in fear and shock as he stared down in horror. An irregular shape outlined the sandy floor around him as some sort of black ooze started to form around his feet. In the blink of an eye, the unnatural puddle started to swallow him whole. The voice no longer mattered, as whatever this gooey substance was, it was sucking him in. "W-what... what in the world...?" He barely managed to mutter through his shock. Why...what...no...wait...! His eyes started shaking in shock as he stared at his own body getting sucked into the unknown substance.

His feet had already been dragged in, with the thick puddle still forcibly swallowing up the shifter. Trying to pull up his own legs, he used all his force but to no avail. "Wait... no... Z... Zeke…!" he desperately yelled out, hoping his superior could hear him. But the dark ooze continued to drag him down, his arms trying to pull out his lower half. The veins on his muscular forearms strained as he used all his strength but it wouldn't budge. The world was eating him up slowly but surely. Soon enough, the ooze had reached his chest.

It rapidly took in his entire torso. He reached out, trying to grab onto something, anything, digging his fingers into the hard dirt floor. The thought of transforming came to mind, but it quickly dissipated with the fact that he would end up killing everyone around him. Small amounts of rough sand and rock scraped his fingers raw as he tried to grasp onto anything for dear life. "Help...S-someone!" Reiner tried to pull himself out, using every ounce of strength of his once-powerful body. Raising his right hand, he desperately reached out to the darkness in front of him, calling out for the shadow he thought was there. "He-lp... Bertholdt!" But his mind instantly went blank at the mention of his deceased friend. Realization suddenly dawned on him once again. No one here was going to help him. Not his best friend. Not his 'comrades'. Not even his family. Upon that understanding, he finally let his grip go and was silently sucked under.

The tent was now quiet, with only the chirp of crickets being heard. The dust that was pushed around had finally settled, completely covering any signs of a struggling being, who had suddenly disappeared. A few blue hairs, like that of a cat, but much longer, blew away with the incoming wind from outside. The bright rays of sunlight finally entered through the tent flaps, shining bright before the sound of cannons echoed from the outside. The Warrior who was supposed to be inside the tent, nowhere to be found.

Goddess, The Broken Realm

Reiner couldn't see or feel everything. It was so quiet, so calm. Was he dead? Did he die? The same voices he heard earlier spoke to him once more.

"Reiner Braun, oh my brave Warrior, help me in my mission to save our life-filled planet. Please lend me your strength. I can't do much as a Goddess, but know that I have broken your 13-year curse, and in return I beg of you to use your power and rid the evil lurking about. Help protect the innocent, and punish the guilty. I know your heart and soul have both cracked, but this is your one chance to save yourself. Forgive me if this only brings you more guilt, and pain. We can't act any more, so I am begging you to help save the earth. The portal has brought evil beings and random entities here, so be wary my poor Warrior, for evil has taken over my land. We've done what we can, but we can only do so much, forgive us. Please, save this wretched land and help these poor beings. Find the Ghoul and help her. The Ghoul will be your life-long ally. Help her and save her soul. You two are the only hope right now. Find her, find the One-Eyed Owl, who has obtained her Kakuja. We'll be seeing you soon again, and when we do, we'll happily help my brave heroes. Make haste to the shrine, and you shall find answers to any questions. Good luck."

Reiner Braun, ?

"Eh?... What... what was that?" Reiner gasped out exhaustively, waking up from his sudden slumber. He drowsily looked around, confused as to where he was. With his vision somewhat blurred, he gave his eyes some time to adjust to his new surroundings, before finally calming down to assess what just happened.

A cold shiver passed through his body as steam slowly rose from his mouth. Taking in his surroundings, he had realized he was in a forest, full of unrecognizable trees. The small light that entered from up top seemed to indicate that it was barely morning. A sharp pain suddenly reached his head as he wrapped his arms around himself in confusion. But... I was just enveloped in a trap...right?! What happened?...No. Is this possibly a dream? But... It can't be. I remember blacking out, I think. Why did my healing kick in?... But the ground... wait, who was that? And how the hell did I get here?

The shifter slowly stood up, pushing away the tall wet grass, which reached up to his lower torso. What the hell happened? Is this a dream? This just doesn't make sense. I was just at my tent, being sucked into a black hole of some sort, and now… I'm just inside some random forest? Just… how is that possible? Let's calm down Reiner. I've heard of crazier things, right? But just to make sure… Taking a step forward, he looked around, examining his surroundings before lifting up his left hand.

Alright, only one way to know if this is a dream. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed onto his left pinky, pulling it back with enough force to break it. Grunting in pain, he quickly let it heal and instantly decided that this was not a dream. That definitely… felt real. And I'm able to heal, unlike in the nightmares. This confirmed it though, he wasn't in a dream. He was very much awake and remembered everything that had happened just before he awoke here. As a small trail of steam rose from his pinky, indicating it was trying to heal, he closed his eyes and tried to assess the situation once again.

I had fallen into... water? I don't know what it was. Quicksand maybe? No, it was definitely some sort of dark liquid. He gazed at his surroundings, staring up at the tall trees with pink leaves. This place is very unfamiliar, so how did I end up here? Did the enemy kidnap me? No... wait... that woman who spoke to me. 'Help me on my mission?' What did she mean by that? He placed his hand onto his head again, hoping the headache would go away. Reiner wasn't one to believe in fantasy stories, but this definitely felt like one.

Is this really not a dream? As much as I'd like to think this isn't real, something tells me it is. It feels like every word she said has been ingrained in my head. No matter, I won't find out anything if I stay here. I'll try to find out where I am, and if needed, I'll transform into my titan if anything goes wrong. Alright. But… again, how the hell did I get here? Reiner leaned against a tree, still feeling like he may black out at any a deep breath, he finally regained his of another possibility, he shook his head.. But... I have to take into account that I'm here alone. Let's say I was kidnapped, then surely they would have tied me up to prevent me from escaping, or at least transforming. So, where is the enemy? Putting his weight against the tree, he continued to think about the many possibilities.

The woman who spoke to me didn't seem hostile at all, but she had talked as if she was taking me somewhere... could it have been her? But... How did she get me past Marley's defenses? Unless... 'Goddess'...

His eyes suddenly widened in awe and confusion. The only goddess he had ever heard about was Ymir, the first ever Titan Shifter. However, she had died hundreds of years ago, so who was the woman who spoke to him? If... if she is in fact a goddess, like in those children stories... then she would more than likely have the power to bring me all the way out here, right? But how would that work? Heh...hehe... what the hell am I thinking, as if a goddess would ever try to help out a monster like me... As if.. right? I really must be losing it. I must be seeing and hearing things. Either way what I can say for now is that I'm in an unknown location. That is a fact. I can worry about how and why later but for now I should try to find someone else who can help me figure out the situation better. I don't feel any different than usual other than the headache so I'm definitely not dead. I guess I'll just walk then.

Reiner, with no more weapons other than his trusty knife and himself, decided it would be best to walk through the woods to figure out more about his situation. As he quickly studied the unfamiliar trees, questions finally started to settle down in his mind as he decided to look of this supposed 'ally'. Hmm ... I'll need to walk as much as I can. If I transform, I'm sure I'll cause too much damage in my titan form. Any locals nearby will either realize who I am, or just run away. I need to be wary, and find out whatever I can. This place is really odd, so I can't be too careful.

Slightly stumbling, he headed deeper into the dark woods, where the bright sunlight barely reached the bottom of the forest. However, even though he wished for it to be true, he couldn't believe the words the 'goddess' had said would actually be true. " 'I have broken your 13-year curse', huh?" He quietly muttered. Reiner knew that was impossible, but that lingering hope still tugged at him from the back of his mind.

The day had passed quickly with nothing too interesting happening. The rays of sunlight had started to grow dimmer and dimmer as night came closer and closer. The sun had already begun to set, with the moon ready to take over the cloudy sky. Night-time is coming soon. I haven't seen even a glimpse of human civilization. If there was a forest this big, I'm sure Marley would have already gotten their hands on it. And what's with these trees? All of them have weird pink and white leaves. I've never seen these, even while going overseas. I'm now certain. This isn't a place that has been discovered. At least not by any of the bigger countries. It's almost like I'm on another earth. Either way, I'll need to set up camp for the night, and continue searching tomorrow. As much as I would like to transform into my titan, there would be no reason to do so at all. I would only use up much-needed energy. My stomach is already killing me.

Finding a comfortable area, he ripped at the lush grass to make a small clearing. Nothing too big, but just enough so he could sleep and make for a decent camp. He had even found a stream of water near his resting area. It was a small stream, but he could still make good use of it. After slowly but surely filling up his stomach with the crystal-clear water, he sat in front of his newly-made fire. Yawning, Reiner stared down at his dirty uniform. His green undershirt had gotten somewhat dirty with all the walking and sweating, with most of his buttons having come undone. He had taken off his overcoat earlier when the heat started to get to him, so luckily it was still in perfect shape. Putting it aside after folding it, he stared at his red armband. It had been covered by his overcoat earlier, but he didn't think much of it after he'd taken the overcoat off.

His armband showed the people of Marley that he was an 'honorary Warrior'. One to hold the power of the Titans and is ready-to-use whenever Marley needs him. One... to be gracefully accepted as just scum instead of trash.

Slowly grabbing onto the red and yellow armband and looking at it, almost as if it was a diamond he was holding, tossed it into the fire. I'll just face the punishment they'll give me for that later. But if someone sees me with that armband, they might try to attack while I'm sleeping. Sitting across the small flame, he closed his eyes. His thoughts soon overtook the crackling of the fire.

Ahhhh...Well, there hasn't been much to help me find my way out. I've been thinking about what that 'goddess' had said, and if it really is all true... To start off, I didn't recognize most of the animals I'd spotted while walking, and I'm sure I would have been out of this forest if I was still near my home country. I have read some books on forestry, but nothing mentioned a forest this large and untouched. Perhaps I really have been brought to a new place. If that's the case, then...

*Riieee!* Reiner quickly turned towards the small shriek, and realized it must have been the traps which he set up before making the fire. Learning to make them during his years in military training was finally paying off. It wasn't anything pretty of course, as all he had was his small knife, which was mainly used for helping him transform. But as he could see, it definitely worked. Laying openly in the tall grass, was his meal-catcher. I don't mean to boast but it does a good job if I do say so myself. Looking down at what he caught in his small wooden cage, he spotted what seemed like some type of rabbit. However, he wasn't familiar with its extremely odd appearance.

This definitely confirms it. I'm sure this animal isn't something that anyone has even thought about. It obviously isn't normal, right? Crouching down, Reiner pulled out his knife, readying himself to take out the small creature. Getting a much closer look as he pushed some grass away, he wondered if it was actually edible. The small creature stared creepily up at him, its fur spreading out a little like a blooming flower. It looks normal at first, but... it's got three eyes... and is that another tail? I hope this isn't poisonous...

Silently preparing himself, he quickly jabbed his blade through the wooden cage, and into the head of the small creature, killing it instantly. Well, it didn't attack me right away, but his fur spreading out like that was definitely some sort of defense mechanism. I was also sort of expecting a loud shriek, maybe even a cry for help, but it didn't make a sound. Sorry little... creature, but I've been walking all day. I seriously think I'm going to starve to death if I don't eat you. Sighing, he pulled the dead rabbit out, examining it once more . It's really… something huh? I wonder if you'll taste the same as the ones I'm familiar with. Setting aside the now lifeless rabbit, he reset his trap. Standing up, he reached out his hands and grabbed a few nuts off a tree, using them as his bait. These odd-looking nuts definitely do the trick it seems. Ah man, please don't make me vomit later. As day finally passed by, Reiner heard just a few more surprised shrieks, signifying the capture of more meals.

The small fire crackled as it illuminated Reiners dark surroundings. Night had already overcome the sky, darkening the entirety of the forest. The tall trees towered over the whole forest floor, making it difficult to see the stars. Reiner sighed. Since night had already come, he was glad to have gotten everything he needed. Some of the rabbits he caught earlier had been skinned and cleaned in the small stream. The blood he had was washed off his hands, with his knife sitting right next to him. The fur would prove useful, as Reiner had turned them into pouches for water. They weren't the best water holders, but they would work for now. He speared a chunk of meat with a sharpened stick, placing it over his fire to cook. As he slowly tended to his meal, he couldn't help but look around nervously at the mischievous forest.

As much as I'd like to say it's calming, it's really not. Now that it's nighttime, I would at least expect to hear a few crickets, or some birds... but it's so quiet. The only noise around here is the crackling of my fire, and the sound of my own breathing.

The skinned 'rabbit' slowly cooked as Reiner continued to tend to the fire. He had collected some dead twigs and branches earlier. Even with his own body heat higher than normal people, the fire helped warm him up as the forest had unnaturally become colder. Letting out a long sigh, Reiner closed his eyes, already feeling exhausted.

Alright. Let's start from the beginning again. From what I could tell, I'm nowhere near my home. If the woman who had talked to me was an actual goddess, it is possible she has taken me to another place, but that would be pretty much impossible. Then again... well, this entire place isn't exactly something that I've seen or heard about. Especially a forest like this, I'm sure there would have been battles to claim this land years ago. But, there's no sign of civilization nearby. The animals here are very different from what they're supposed to be. Then that must mean... Am I really in someplace new? I know it should be somewhat interesting, but what am I supposed to do in a new world? I don't even feel like I have the right to start a 'new life' or something like that. And what's a 'Ghoul'? Damn it. As much as I'd like to say I'm happy, I'm not. I've been here a whole day. That would mean a whole day has also passed in my... earth... right? If that's the case. The disappearance of the Armored Titan. They would most likely think I fled. That means...

Tears started forming at the corners of his eyes. He shut them, forcing himself to not cry. The sad truth of what most likely happened to his family, due to his disappearance, dawned on him. His mother would be killed on the spot, with his little cousin and her parents. If they aren't killed, they would be turned into man-eating monsters, or in other words… He stared deeply into his own hands. Titans.

About an hour had passed before Reiner decided to forget about the horrible truth. He couldn't let it get to him... at least not now. This could still be a dream, or maybe I'm just lost. I'm sure I could still make it back in time. But... Even if his family was killed, he still had the task of fulfilling his duty as a Warrior... Right? If he dies the cycle will just keep going. Another soul will be burdened with the power of the Armored Titan. I can't let anyone else suffer from the same dark future that awaits me. He couldn't kill himself... at least not yet. Someone has to be the one to do it huh, Bertholdt? Someone... has to be the one to stain their hands with blood.

*Crunch* Reiner, who was lost deep in his thoughts, quickly turned towards the direction of the loud noise, clearly a snapped branch. He swiftly stood up, grabbing onto the handle of his blade, just in case. But his stance immediately went down though, and his eyes widened in both confusion and shock. The direction of which the sound came from a short figure was leaning onto a tree. There stood an injured woman, who's short green hair was stained with crimson red. Who's blood-covered rags were hanging loosely and exposing deep and painful wounds. A woman who seemed so fragile, yet so strong at the same time. She, whose panting slowed while blood dripped down her fingertips. She, whose sad green eyes twinkled beautifully with the bright fire reflecting off of them. Emerald marbles glowing with the fire. Whose presence almost seemed to mirror Reiners. The monster, who Reiner didn't think would end up changing his life, forever.

Eto Yoshimura, Deep Inside Cochlea Prison

... The hell? The injured one-eyed ghoul pondered to herself, as the man who had just defeated her was dancing like a lunatic. Nimura Furuta, the one who had just revealed he was also a ghoul kept gleefully jumping around. Super... peace, huh? I should have known he was a ghoul. Those movements were too fast for a normal human. The tall building she was inside of started crumbling, as the walls were cracking, and the cylinder-like traps were falling. Eto coughed out, spitting out blood as she laid herself against the wall. What's worse is that he has 'her' Kagune. A human who went through an operation and combined himself with the Kagune of a very powerful Ghoul. Not just any Ghoul of course, but it just had to be 'hers'. I can't believe he really went through a whole procedure just to steal and use her power. If I thought that guy Kaneki was a threat, this guy's much more of a nuisance. Just my luck, huh?

Her body shivered against the cold metal floor. Her entire back ached as it had just been forcefully thrown against the concrete wall. The gray prison clothes she wore were already being tainted with blood. My body hurts so much. And I'm starving. If only I could have had more flesh, I'm sure I would have put up more of a fight. She thought, as her wounds had slowed down its healing. This might be it huh? Then again, it's not too bad. It's as I've said before. This is all for that little girl's sake, right? She... she'll be the one to truly save the race of us ghouls. I'm sorry, Hinami. It's not like I would apologize to you face to face though. But you truly caught my eye, so I decided to bet the future of us Ghouls on you.

"Ah. Ah, ah, ah, ah. Now then." The tall CCG Director, or the Director of the 'Commission of Counter Ghoul', stood in front of the defeated Eto, a sly smile spreading across his face. "The legendary One-Eyed Owl... how easy it was to beat you. I'm sure you're thinking something along the lines of 'If only I had more energy'. Well, let me tell you, it didn't matter. The surgery has given me faster and stronger abilities than you. I'm very, very, very surprised you hadn't noticed. Maybe rotting in that little jail cell of yours dulled your senses." He claimed, as he stood tall and proud over the short green-haired Ghoul. His sinister smile creepily grew wider and wider as his dance weirded out Eto..

She rolled her eyes in annoyance. What an infuriating idiot. I did what I needed to do already. I helped Hinami and her friends escape... my last good deed, huh? Her stomach growled in hunger, as the flesh she had recently eaten had already been spent on her just lost battle. She needed more human meat. Now.

"Hah. Haha. Oh, dear, isn't that a bit. I don't know, unlady-like? It seems you are hungry yet again I presume? I truly had hoped you wouldn't need any more meals, as you are clearly over-eating. I was even thinking you should start a diet, you know. We will be making use of you after all." Furuta cunningly stated, as he crouched down to Eto's eye level. Her facial expression narrowed in confusion and anger. "We?..."

Furuta smiled before backing away in a giant leap. "YES. Here's what we have planned. After taking over your stupid brain, you'll be used as a sacrificial pawn. Yay, right? You'll finally be useful for once in your pathetic life. While the CCG is busy fighting and killing you, we'll work on our part of the plan. So… What you'll be doing is playing as a distraction with your Kakuja, your One-Eyed Owl form I mean." He said, covering his smile with his hand. "How..?" Eto managed to cough out, spraying the floor with more blood.

Furuta stepped away. "Ew. Ew, ew. That's really rude and disgusting, you know. But I'm sure you'll be fine soon. We are using an 'interesting' way to control your brain. No need to worry though, I'm sure it'll be very, very painful. So, now then. This. Is where the fun begins. I'm curious as to what happens when even someone of your powers loses their head…" The black suited man stepped closer, his shiny shoes echoing through the now quiet room. Something doesn't seem right. Shit. I... don't think I'll be able to get out of this one. Damn asshole. What... What's going to happen to me? Whatever the asshole does, I'll make him regret it no matter what...

A sudden bright light flashed throughout the room, blinding the eyes of both half-ghouls. As they both yelled in surprise, Eto felt the ground start sinking beneath her. "Wha-..." her body sank into the ground, as if the floor had suddenly become quicksand. Unbeknownst to Furuta, who was screaming in the background as he held onto his eyes, she was being swallowed up by the earth itself. "Eh? Hah..." gasped Eto, as she tried her best to break out of the thick liquid. Her entire lower body had instantly been dragged under, while she blindly tried pulling out her arms in shock and confusion. I can't use my Kagune... But I don't think I'd be able to escape with it even if I tried! What is this?!

The heavy liquid-like substance had soon enveloped her lower torso. However, she still tried to pull herself out but to no avail while Furuta was still yelling in blinded pain. Eto looked down at the dark abyss, wondering if this was life itself punishing her. A small feeling of sadness tugged at her heart, as she realized this might be where she dies. Did she have any regrets, or family that would care if she disappeared? No… Her body stopped struggling as she knew she was going to die either way. However, the only people who came to mind was her despicable father, and... M... mother...?

It's quite alright. I'll save you from your lonely and cruel fate my dear Owl.

A soothing voice whispered into Eto's ear. Immediately, her anger washed away, with a feeling of sadness taking over instead. Her shoulders were now being taken under while all she could do was stare at the ooze, almost like a black hole of some sort. She looked up in despair and closed her eyes, and with painful last breaths, allowed herself to be completely submerged, never to be seen again.

"Huh?" A confused Furuta looked around the empty room as he rubbed his eyes, only to find no traces of there ever being an injured Ghoul in front of him. Looking confused he let out a long yell, wondering what just happened.

Goddess, The Broken Realm

Eto Yoshimura, we shall help you just this once, so we ask that you please help us. Lend us your powers to save this cursed world, and help save the innocent. Use this chance to redeem yourself, and help save your soul from the painful afterlife which is yet to come. Help us and lend us your strength, Eto. As a ghoul, you must consume flesh, but we know you can find another way, another way which doesn't involve killing humans. The fruits here will be tainted so don't trust them. This will be a new world to you, so know that the creatures are cursed. Be aware that their flesh isn't edible. Lend us your strength, and find the Shifter. He's the only one to understand, after all. Find him, find the shifter and you shall find all the answers. Forgive us, for not being able to do much more. You will be brought to a random location, so be careful. Find the Titan Shifter, holder of the Armored Titan as he's your only ally. But be warned, as there are many dangers and horrible creatures. Do be wary.

I wish you much luck, my dear Owl.

Eto Yoshimura, ?

"Huh!?..." coughed out the short ghoul, her blood no longer seeping out of her wounds. Her tattered prison rags were covered in dark red. She was laying on the slightly wet grass, slowly gazing up at the dark, starless night. The sound of crickets and other small critters surrounded her as she laid in the tall greenery. "Where... what... who was she?... What about a new world? Why... am I here?" Her mind whizzed with hundreds of questions. But one stood out above the others. "What the hell is a Shifter?" She angrily muttered as she carefully stood up, taking in her surroundings. It was quite foggy, but she could just barely see the outlines of tall trees in the distance. She held her head in her hands, trying to brush the annoying pain away. Understand me huh?! What in the world is a Titan Shifter? And what the hell was that? Damn that bastard Furuta. If he just went down easier, I wouldn't be in this messed up shape. My head feels all foggy, and my wounds are barely healing. I've got to find something to eat, otherwise my energy won't hold out.

Slowly and painfully walking forward,, Eto groaned as she examined her surroundings a bit more. The moonlight barely gave her any sense of sight, and the fog that surrounded her made the already-cold night even colder with the humid air. The tall grass she was in reached up to her waist, annoying the ghoul as she was already having trouble moving due to her stiff and tired body.

"Damn that asshole. I didn't expect him to be that strong. And that small amount of food they had given me isn't helping at all. I used up all of my energy in that fight. Honestly, how low I've fallen." She loudly sighed, moving through what she assumed to be a grassy plain, getting closer to the trees farther ahead. On a very important side note, where the hell am I?!

As much as I hope I'm dreaming, I know I'm not. However, it's obvious I'm no longer in Tokyo. "So... is this hell? My punishment for not helping that girl Hinami much earlier? Does she even know I helped her?... Either way, I'm sure she escaped. But... where in the world am I?" She thought out loud, as she kept moving slowly toward the trees. I'm too tired to do much, and I have a bad feeling about being out in the open. I'll wait until it's sunrise and find out what to do next from there. The environment feels odd, as if I'm out of place, but I shouldn't overthink things right now. I just need to heal up and go beat that bastard's face in.

Her deeper wounds finally healed, but she still struggled with each step she took feeling painful. "Now then. Who was that woman? And why am I here?" The short haired Ghoul asked herself, trying to recall what might have happened. I could have sworn I was just in that huge prison, right? I was fighting Furuta...

"Ah. This must be brainwashing, right? But... it doesn't exactly feel like it." She gently rubbed her temple, trying to think of what else could be happening. So basically, as I was fighting that piece of shit, a bright light had popped up out of nowhere. I somehow got sucked into the ground, but the floor was definitely made of stone or something similar, right? Some random woman who said she was a goddess spoke to me, as if she were giving me an order. And now here I am. This place definitely seems real, but something doesn't feel right. If we think logically, teleportation is impossible. However, with how I've read stories and manga, I'd say this is as close as one could get in real life, right? There's clearly no skyscrapers in sight, and I was definitely in Tokyo just now. Every word that 'Goddess' said is very much ingrained in my head too, which is somewhat unnatural. So, if we're thinking outside the box, this may very well be another world then, right? As she continued her trek, an unthinkable possibility popped up in her head. "Then again, it could be like one of those fantasies. The ones where the hero is summoned, right?" She quietly chuckled to herself, as she recalled reading such stories from other authors like herself. I've always hated those stories.

The heroes always had whatever they wanted, always did good. They always had a happy ending. A fantasy, of course. You get summoned, you save people, defeat a demon lord, happy ending. That never happens in real life. "But... those are just stories. None of those stories are real... but then how come that's the only thing that comes to mind?" She said out loud, not realizing someone or something might hear her. This can't be a dream, as the pain still feels... very real. So then... that means... S he stopped, just a few more steps away from almost reaching the woods. Her eyes widened in realization. I died. And if it's not that, then... perhaps a goddess had done something? Hah. I really must have lost it huh? Imagine that. An actual goddess paying some attention to a ghoul. Like that would ever happen... I'm sure. But...

If she really had been brought to a new world, then it must have been the woman with multiple voices who talked to her that brought her here, right?... Then again, this could still be the afterlife. "That woman.. I have to find her. But how?..." Suddenly, a word that was said struck her mind.

"Shifter!" She yelled out. A small creepy smile discreetly spread across her face. "She had said to look for him and he could have answers to my questions. I'll need to find him, and make him tell me what's going on, but how? How am I supposed to find him, or know what he looks like for that matter? If he's supposedly my only ally, it would be best to interrogate him and see if he's going to be useful or not. Hmm, first I need to eat. I guess I'll just have to..."

Her words were interrupted as the earth suddenly began to shake. The small critters all went silent, with the slight breeze no longer flowing through the grass. *Sniff* She realized too late what was behind her, a foul-looking creature looming over her, its teeth watering in delight. In an instant, a giant leg slammed down right next to Eto, causing the Ghoul to fall onto her side. "Eh!?" She yelled out, quickly turning around. Her vision was still dim from the darkness of the night. She stared at the tall, hideous silhouette of a creature, which eyed hungrily right back at her. Its five large red eyes stared at her in eagerness, ready to catch her and satisfy its own hunger. Eto only stared in shock as the creature snarled, it's sharp and shiny legs ready to penetrate through warm flesh. However, as soon as the leg went down, Eto quickly jumped out of the way, getting just a quick graze on her left arm, falling hard on top of it. Landing with a thud, she couldn't fully process what was happening. As she hastily stood up, pain tingled all over her left side as she realized her arm was dislocated. What... what the hell is that? I've never seen a spider this big. This... this has to be a dream. This. Is a dream, right?

Eto rapidly turned around and ran towards the giant forest, where only the outline of extremely tall trees was visible. I can't use my full Kagune. At least not right now. I have to eat. I have to eat first. Damn it! The creature howled, before quickly catching up to her. Its long legs pierced into the ground just inches away from Eto. She continued running through the grass, slowly forming a spike with her Kagune, the slow-forming hard flesh covering her arm. It was crude and not very impressive, but it was long enough to fight back. The shiny white-colored spike was a perfect weapon.

After it was fully formed, Eto instantly turned around, thrusting her arm into the tall creature's face, penetrating its red eyes. The tall beast howled in pain, as it backed away in fear of the green-haired ghoul. "Oh? Not so tough now, huh Mr. Spider?! How very sad. Hey, since you got my arm back there, I'll be returning the favor. How about I tear each one of your legs off and devour them in front of you!?" She sadistically yelled out, as her right eye quickly became a dark red and black, signifying her Ghoul powers becoming active, her fear now turning into very sadistic pleasure. She continuously stabbed at the creature, who kept trying to evade the sudden barrage of attacks. Retreating away from the forest, she followed close behind. It was until it finally stopped that Eto realized a big indication that something was off. It's been running in the same direction it came from. Why does that...

Hundreds of glowing red eyes opened behind the injured spider-creature, answering Eto's question. She observed as each pair of eyes grew in size, her body freezing up in realization. The dark and foggy night had hundreds of bright red dots covering the path in front of her like a disease. There's... more of them... hundreds... more. Within seconds she had already turned around, dashing faster than she thought she could, especially with her lack of energy. No. No. No. No. NO. I.. I won't die here. Especially not by some stupid spider! Not when I've possibly been given a second chance!

She ran through the foggy plain, pushing the tall grass down and out of her way as she made her escape. While running, the sound of a thousand footsteps could be heard catching up quickly right behind her. They were definitely faster than her, their multiple legs outclassing her. Barely noticing, she swore she saw a hand waving in the forest. It looked like that of a little girl, the small figure signaling for her to come. With her last ounce of strength, she jumped away from the clearing and into the forest, getting just a quick slash on her back and flying forward and bumping her head into a tree. A small trail of blood started to leak down her pale face.

As she stumbled away into the woods, the tall spider-like creatures growled in anger, stopping just at the edge of the forest. Her dislocated arm dangled as she fumbled deeper and deeper into the dark woods. Quickly scanning around, there was no sign of anyone nearby, no human scent at the very least. Then who… Who just signaled me over? She tried her best to avoid bumping into the trees, but her legs were throbbing in pain as blood kept slowly leaking out. Her healing wasn't being fast enough, and she had no energy left. She could feel herself wanting to pass out. "N... no... I can't... not here... I.. must keep going..." she painfully mumbled to herself repeatedly. The roars of the creatures got farther and farther away as she distanced herself more and more, going deeper into the dark forest, her frail figure pushing through the grass and freezing night. "Why.. aren't they... follow..ing?" She painfully mumbled. As she continued, her Kagune began to dissolve, and her eye returned back to normal. The cold chill of the night made her wish she was in her apartment right now, bathing warmly in her tub. Only wondering about what story to publish next. Why did that asshole look into my freezer? Just why did he have to find the human meat I had stored? No one gets that that's how we're supposed to live. We can't live off of something else other than raw meat. Since I'm only half, other foods are somewhat consumable, but the taste is disgusting.

She started slowing her pace down with each step. Even if she had managed to escape those creatures, there could still be more dangers ahead. "So... this.. is what... she meant, by being… wary, huh?... You could have... made it a bit clearer." she muttered, recalling the words the 'Goddess' had stated earlier. As she moved through the forest, twigs snapped below her, more injuries and splinters digging deep into her bare feet. The tall grass brushed along her wounds, causing small aches of discomfort with each step. Her prison clothes were now tattered and torn, with her short green hair tainted in blood. "Is... this... my punishment?... Hmm?... Is.. this how I'm supposed to die? Alone, in a dark forest...?" she crashed into a tree, holding onto it so as to not fall. If she were to fall, she knew she wouldn't be able to get up anymore. My vision is getting blurry. Not like I could see in this darkness either way.

She held onto the tree, using all of her strength just to keep herself upright and awake. Her eyes started to close shut, as her body was starting to give up. "No..." she mumbled, as she heaved herself off the tree. But, as soon as she did, her eyes widened. In the corner of her right eye, she managed to catch a glimpse of something bright. She let go of the tree and started walking towards the small light. A beautiful moth drawn to an unknown flame.

*Sniff* She could smell smoke with some sort of burnt meat nearby. She stumbled faster towards the light, which was illuminating the nearby trees. "Hopefully..." she quietly whispered. The twigs under her bare feet no longer felt painful when they cracked and snapped each time she walked over them. All the pain was ignored as she hurriedly walked closer and closer to what she assumed was a camp. Quickly stumbling into the small clearing, her eyes were blinded by the sudden view of light. As they focused, she slowly gazed down at what she saw.

There stood a blonde-haired man who was sitting in front of a fire, cooking what seemed like animal meat. The man gazed at her in surprise, clearly baffled at the state she was in. She stared into his golden eyes, which were lightened up by the fire. She looked at him in shock and awe. The man seemed so strong, yet so weak to Eto. The man, whose uniform had cleverly hidden the shattered person inside. The man whose sad golden eyes told countless stories of pain and guilt. Who smelled quite peculiar to her. His eyes glistened with the fire, pure gold reflecting her figure. Staring down at the man, she didn't think he would be the monster, who would change her life, forever.

"Can... I... eat... you…?" she stuttered, before blacking out after a long, exhausting day.

End of Chapter

Next time- Chapter two, The Monsters

Brief history: Reiner Braun

Reiner Braun, otherwise known as the Armored Titan, is a half Eldian, and half Marleyan child who was born in a confined space in the country of Marley. Being Eldian, he was discriminated against, and was greatly brainwashed by his Eldian mother to become a "Warrior". With every Marleyan citizen cursing upon him, and his Marleyan father being an abandoning asshole, he strove to become a Warrior, in order to "save the world". Upon getting lucky, he was given the 'honor' of inheriting the Armored Titan. Note that any titan inheritor is cursed to die within 13 years, just as the first titan ever, or in some people's minds, the goddess, Ymir.

Due to his show of loyalty, he managed to slip out of death's grasp after the 'Paradis Operation'. However, the immense guilt Reiner had always weighed him down, as he was the only one of his comrades to return, when they were more eager to return than him. After all this, it seems he's changed and grew more and more apart from his family and friends.

Descriptions- Reiner Braun

(Human form)

Height- 187 Centimeters / 6ft 1.5 inches

Age- 19

(Note that titan shifters age faster, so he is around 25 physically and mentally)

(Armored Titan-Reiner)

Height- (unknown)

Hair color- greyish/white

Age- 8 years (Reiners)

Main description- Reiner's Armored Titan is shown to have hardened armor-like plates covering its entire body, except for places which need to bend for flexibility, such as the back of the knee, the armpits, etc. His armor has a yellowish color to it, and is thick enough to handle cannons without even a dent. Without the armor, his titan is just muscle without flesh.

Know that Reiner's 'real body' is in the back of the neck, and if he were to be forcefully taken out, his titan would fall and start to disintegrate without its user controlling it.

Brief History: Eto Yoshimura

Surviving the very small chance of being born as a half Ghoul and half Human, Eto was separated from both of her parents at a very young age. As her mother, who was Human, died, her father, who was a Ghoul, tried to protect her from dangerous attackers. He had hid her in a sewer, thinking it was her only means of escape, but never saw her again.

She was raised by a Ghoul named Noro, who had been in countless battles. She joined up with a Ghoul faction named 'Aogiri Tree' As she grew up knowing she was still half Ghoul, she decided to pursue her talents as a writer. At first, she was poor and was considered an orphan to the humans in her city. Her editor, Shunji, had been the first to ever talk to her about her writing skills. He had brushed it off at first until his superior had made him fetch Eto. He had promised to make her a "World-class novelist." However, at some point when he had bought her some snacks, he had opened her fridge to find raw human meat inside and had found out her secret. After she threatened him, he kept her secret hidden until he was interrogated a while later. The CCG Director later killed him and fed a few slices of his meat to Eto, who had already been informed that her editor had been killed.

Her family and 'friends' have been killed by this point, so she's been distant with many.

Her mother had been killed while she was still an infant. Eating humans and her own kind since an early age, eventually 'evolved' her Kagune. This allowed her to create her own Kakuja, or Kagune but much, much, stronger, at will. Note that most ghouls who 'unlock' their Kakuja, usually go insane and lose their own consciousness. Eto became known as the "One-Eyed Owl'' due to her terrifying Kakuja appearance. She can exit and enter her Kakuja form at will, dissolving it within seconds if she has the energy.

Descriptions- Eto Yoshimura

(Human form)

Height- 151 Centimeters / 4ft 11.5 inches

Age- 27

(The Owl-Eto)

Height- (Unknown)

Skin color- white/black

Main Description: In her Kakuja form, The Owl, Eto can create wings which allow her to fly. As the owl, she has blades on her back, with thin white armor covering her entire body. She has one eye in the center of her head with 3 lines on each side of her face. In this form, she has the ability to manipulate how her spikes, flesh, wings, appendages, eyes, projectiles, and much more, work however she wants. She also can speak what sounds like incoherent sentences, which is usually what she's currently thinking. It's thought that her Kagune is an extension of her consciousness, so her form represents what she thinks. Note that her body is also at the back of the neck.

More information to be known

To Be Continued~