Chapter 3- Insanity
March, The Forest Of Dreams
Dangerous. That was the only word that echoed throughout her mind. The thought of being in absolute danger sent chills down her back as the forest suddenly went quiet. The sharp blades of grass stood still, the wind itself dying out. The sun being hidden within the grey clouds, like a flaming torch being put out in an instant.
He looks really scary. Maybe that scary man came to help me…? Still wondering how she got there, her head filled with questions that could only remain unanswered. Is he the reason everything went quiet? Just where did all the little animals go? It's suddenly quiet. But at least he's here. Him and that pretty bird… All wildlife left the area in fear, except for a small golden bird which watched from afar, its beautiful feathers enchanting March and letting her thoughts calm down. Just what's going on? And where did my friend Fushi go? The little girl grabbed onto her head, a small headache forming from the creepy situation, the golden bird being the only sense of comfort.
"My, my, my. Now that I've so dutifully and respectfully introduced myself, is it not also respectful to introduce yourself little miss?! Yes! Here you are, the lone girl awaiting my arrival, following her duty to LOVE! But here I'm waiting so diligently and yet-!" Petelguese stated, covering his face with both hands in excitement as his putrid smell started to reach March. His fingers started to dig into his pale, rotting skin, the silence deafening as he awaited her introduction. March looked up at him in fear as he began sniffing the air, whilst quickly searching his pockets within his dark robe. Small trails of blood streamed down his face as his eyes stared eerily at March, his pale skin still grossing her out.
Who is he…? And what's wrong with him? He's… really weird. I'm starting to think he's not a good guy. He's almost the exact opposite of Fushi. I have this deep feeling that I shouldn't make him angry and leave here as soon as possible. "M…My name is March… It's nice to meet you, mister 'Petalgeese'."
Petelguese suddenly stopped rummaging through his robes, his eyes still locking onto hers. Looming ever so closer, he stopped just a breath away from her face, his crooked, stained teeth forming a broken smile as he gleefully jumped. "Wow! Such a respectful little girl! Truly the complete opposite of sloth! Truly respectable and commendable! Oh my dear witch! You have truly sent me such a wonderful human! AH, what love you're giving me!" He yelled out into the forest, arms outstretched like a statue, his ability to stay completely still, unmatchable. His back was now turned towards her, as if he was receiving some sort of blessing from the forest itself. March stared at him in confusion and fear. The golden bird from above continued to watch over the unusual scene, keeping its distance from Petelguese specifically.
He's crazy. He's definitely not right in the head! I have to try and sneak away when I get the chance, and look for Fushi!… March started sweating, knowing full well she wouldn't be safe near the strange man in front of her.
"Now, now, now, little March…" He started, breaking his neck as he twisted his own head backwards to face her. The rest of his body was still facing towards the forest in a happy posture, while his face looked at March, almost as if he was studying her. "May I ask… why does such dense love hang, so abundant upon your person? But, it's not the same as the witch…But, it's truly fascinating-!" Petelguese stated, his eyes watering as tears slid down the side of his face, his body slowly fixing itself to match his head, while the bones could be heard snapping back into place. Clawing into his face again, he mumbled, "Ah, my brain trembles". A thin smile creeped up his face as he dragged his fingers once again down his face, pulling at his skin as if it was simply but a mask.
March couldn't answer, undeterred by his self-harm, not knowing what he meant. What? What does that even mean? What does he mean by 'love'? A long silence slipped between them, before a small chirp from the golden bird above, echoed throughout the forest. Petelguese looked up, freezing as he felt his chest thump harder than it has ever before. "Wha…"
As the two were distracted by the beautiful creature, March felt a small yet delicate hand cover her mouth, gasping at the sudden surprise. However, when she turned to look around her, a blonde-haired woman put a finger to her lips, urging her to be quiet as she slowly pulled March away from the scene. Leading her around the thick tree, March studied the woman's appearance, which could only be described by her as "Beautiful". Despite having a black cloth as a blindfold around her eyes, her features were naturally elegant. The long golden hair reached down her shoulders as they continued to sneak off. The smooth and clean face indicated her young age, but what caught March's interest most was the woman's long and pointy ears. They were definitely real, but they were something that March would have never imagined she'd see, even though her immortal friend, Fushi, could transform into different animals, she was sure there was nothing like this.
As the two slowly sneaked away, March looked back, expecting the scary man to follow them or catch wind of their attempt at escape. However, looking back, she saw how he was just standing still, his attention clearly elsewhere. The woman who was guiding her away whistled quietly, before the golden bird followed above them. Giving a warm smile to March, she continued forward, the two escaping the possible danger.
Petelguese froze, a sudden pain in his chest making him immobile. The pain in his heart was unbearable. No, it wasn't his heart, it was his soul, the soul itself that was what is in pain. Looking back down and away from the golden bird, his eyes widened even more than ever before. A woman with short silver hair and pointy ears stood nearby, her face filled with sadness. "Who… Who are you…?" he unknowingly whispered, before a sharp pain reached into his mind. Grabbing into his head, his finger dug deep into his scalp, blood trickling down his neck. "What is this pain?! Why?! Why?! Why?! Why? WHY?!" He yelled out, a broken image of the witch he loved appearing in his mind. Love… Love… Love… However, before fully realizing it, he instinctively reached out to the person in front of him. His face turned sour, anger quickly filling his head as he realized it must just be a trick of the forest. It did seem weird when he first arrived, but now it was certain. The forest was playing tricks on him. "Fine. If this is a challenge then so be it! I'll remain diligent! I can't be slothfu-!" Before he could finish his statement, another sharp pain bounced around in his heart, the feeling being unrecognizable, but hitting his soul itself. As his mind continued to fill with anger and sadness, he grabbed onto his head again, his teeth grinding in anger as a loud moan of pain and anguish echoed throughout the forest. It felt like two worlds were clashing inside of his brain, the pain utterly unbearable. Tears of blood leaked throughout his eyes and he continued to whisper gibberish to himself.
What's happening? There's no one else here so who is he talking to?! What a crazy person-! March couldn't understand what was happening, until the woman whispered to her, her voice as smooth as silk. "Little one, we have to leave quietly. This is the Forest Of Dreams, where hallucinations occur to any and all human-like beings. Please keep your eyes closed and climb onto my back, We'll figure out the situation once we leave. We don't know just what that spirit is seeing…" The woman gave march a small smile, before crouching down and letting her climb onto her back. March closed her eyes; the only reason she trusted the woman was due to a sense of comfort and care radiating from her. As the two rushed away, echoes of what the man was saying could be heard from afar. The loud yells started to fade as the two ran through the trees, the blind-folded woman somehow knowing the path as the Golden bird flew above them, seemingly guiding them out.
Petelguese took a step forward, hoping to see the nostalgic woman again. However, he stopped himself, trying to keep himself from nearing the woman. His mind continued to fill with all sorts of emotions, some familiar, and others forgotten. He grabbed onto his head again, his own thoughts fighting against themselves, one side wanting to kill her while the other wanted to protect. The little girl who was in front of him no longer matted.
His robe dragged across the grass as he fell to his knees, multiple voices now being heard from all around him. Finally looking up, he realized he was surrounded by a familiar face, his appearance completely normal and forgettable for many… Except for Petelguese. The man walked closer, but before Petelguese realized it, there were hundreds of clones surrounding him. All with the same prideful smile, almost as if they were laughing at him.
"Arch-bishop… of… Greed…?" First that unfamiliar woman… and now him. Why is he-…? A sudden crack in his mind shoved a past memory into view, the man standing before him now, had stood before him on that day. The day she… Before he could fully remember, a sort of barrier blocked his past memory, a broken image of the witch he 'loved' replacing it once again. But the feeling of helplessness, anger, and betrayal resurfaced and stayed within him. The feelings of the day he lost everything were no longer shackled away, despite the memory itself being forgotten.
"Fine." Petelguese said as he slowly stood up, his face twisted with all sorts of emotions as he grinded his teeth. "Then it shall turn out just this way if you wish!" Crazily staring at the men surrounding him, he could see all of them being the same, the Arch-Bishop of Greed. Petelguese raised both of his hands, before chomping down and crunching on all of his fingers in the process. As blood gushed out of fingers, a tear streaked down his face. Not of the pain, but due to a deep sadness. Crimson red trailed down his chin as he let loose his attack on the hallucinations.
"The love, my….w-witch… g...ave me! And you're trying to take it away?! I won't practice sloth…not…again!" The madman raised both of his arms, seeing an army of the same man surrounding him, an annoying smile plastered on all of their faces. "My authority of Sloth, Unseen Hand!" In an instant, the area was completely destroyed as a hundred invisible hands destroyed and enveloped everything in their path, Petelguese at the center. The forest was getting destroyed as the hands continued to reach out in random directions, their wavy unseeable figures destroying the forest with the force of a hundred cannonballs, nothing being left behind.
March could only hear the destruction behind her as the forest cried out in pain, her eyes still closed. The woman who was carrying started to run at full speed, the golden bird speeding up above them. As the hands got closer, trees were destroyed within seconds, the full force of Petelguese was reaching their way. Hearing the destruction coming ever-so closer the blind-folded woman could only grab onto the little girl's legs tightly, hoping they would make it out. "Please… Let us escape this place dear Goddess!
Reiner And Eto, Unknown Forest.
*Boom-!*
What's… going on? What just hit me? Were those explosives of some kind?... But, that shouldn't be possible, not with their current technology!
Reiner tried his best to analyze the situation, the vision from his titan was no longer usable, the titans' eyes had been destroyed. Waiting for them to heal, he was left to his thoughts. Strings of flesh and muscle connected his 'real' body to his titan, letting him control it as if he was using another body. Though he didn't feel pain from his titan being injured, he felt a sort of 'signal' that traveled to his actual body. Therefore, he could tell the general area where he's been damaged, and remove any armor if needed in hope of it healing back. His inside surroundings were blood red, no light able to come inside of his protected space, the back of his titan's neck. Just what's going on out there? There was something metallic… like some sort of pole or spear, and it landed into my eyes before exploding. Just…?
However, before realizing it, more explosions could be felt just outside of his titan. The armor-like plates on his titan's back were starting to peel off. What the hell?! Just what is that?
Looking around inside his titan, he tried to find any openings which might have appeared from the explosion. The red muscles and nerves showed no sign of damage, though. I could feel how the armor on my titans back has started to crack, but I don't know just how deep. If they make it through then they'll reach my body! I won't have any chance after that! Once my eyes heal I'll-...
*Zeeee-!*
Before he could raise his titans hand to protect his damaged neck, it was too late. The sound of something intruding into his weak spot snapped him out of his thoughts. Quickly looking up, Reiner stared in horror at the row of metallic rods, which had finally pierced into his titan. Time felt slowed down, as a cold shiver ran down his spine, the long metallic weapons a hands-reach away from his face. His weak spot had been exposed. They… penetrated my armor… and made it to my body.
A bead of sweat ran down the side of his jaw, time still frozen in place as realization slowly dawned on him. As everything quickly awakened, Reiner could only sit still as the rods immediately heated up within milliseconds, ready to explode and destroy anything in their radius to bits. Helplessly looking up, Reiner could only yell out in fear. "W…W-"
"WAIT-...!"
Reiner reached his right hand out, reliving his nightmare once again, and awaking in a cold sweat. Unknowingly, the hand had brushed past Eto's face, her body looming over him in curiosity. Her short hair swayed slightly with his arms speed, as she leaned ever-so closer, studying him intently. Reiner slowly came back to his senses, before realizing he was no longer dreaming.
"A nightmare… huh? And a really horrible one at that. If I had known it was that bad, I would have woken you up." Reiner continued to look into her eyes, feeling speechless and confused. The voice turned out to be 'Sen', her smile looking apologetic, yet somewhat scary. He turned away, feeling somewhat embarrassed at letting someone see him in that state. "Sorry… about that… So, where are we?... What. What happened after I transformed, Sen?" He asked her, as she pulled herself away and sat against a log that laid next to them. The mossy ground surrounding them was cool to the touch, the morning dew still lingering. Sunlight easily penetrated through the trees, which were noticeably shorter than the ones from earlier, a slightly different atmosphere enveloping the forest. The greenery stuck Reiner with a sense of comfort, and some type of familiarity as the forest now looked 'ordinary'.
The green-haired girl breathed in the cool air, still studying Reiner's face as he slowly sat himself up, drowsiness and exhaustion apparent on his face. Some sort of trauma? I was thinking of shaking him awake since he was tossing and turning. Before I tried to wake him, his eyes were definitely moving frantically under his eyelids, as if he was scared of something… But someone like him shouldn't be scared of simple objects or living things, not with his power at least. Maybe something along the lines of being close to death? Just how far does his regenerative ability have to go before he's actually afraid of death?
Observing his surroundings, Reiner let out a sigh of relief, but wondered why there was no evidence of him transforming or those monstrous spiders. His clothes were luckily safe, since they were made specifically for someone like him who often transforms. Their durability is unmatched. Sen was still wearing his overcoat, but she no longer had any rags on underneath, instead being covered by something else. Are those… bandages? They seem a little different, but they definitely seem like bandages. It's covering her from her neck all the way down. Reminds of people who have casts on, but much more refined, in a way. I wonder where she got them from…
"Again, it's 'Eto'. Sen is more of an… 'official' name. I often used it as my pen name since I'm a writer. My real name is Eto. Eto Yoshimura." Leaning closer into his face again, Reiner's cheeks slightly reddened. Smiling scarily, she examined him for the hundredth time today, the others being in secret. "Reiner… You're… truly interesting, you know. Your powers are definitely something. But, there's something else there, huh?"
Reiner was taken slightly aback. "What… What do you mean by that?" Putting some distance between the two, Reiner sat against his own tree, just across from Eto. He ran a hand through his hair, before clearing his throat. "And a writer huh? Were you raised in some sort of noble family…?" Eto sat up straight, a look of confusion on her face, before a small chuckle escaped her lips. "A… noble, huh? Do I look like one or something? I don't think that's still a thing you know…" However, her smile slowly faded as she noticed he was being serious. A look of curiosity quickly grew on her. "Reiner…?" If I ask him what year it is, it'll more than likely be some type of year I've never heard of. Since we seem to be from different worlds, I wonder what age he's in. Now that I really think about it, his clothes were a bit old-fashioned, like maybe something from world war two?... Eto's mind was exhilarated, her curiosity unable to be sated.
"Reiner, what's the current state of your technology? Like what sort of weapons or pieces of technology do you think really stand out?" She asked him, starting to feel great about being in a new world.
Reiner was a bit confused at the question. Scratching the side of his face with his finger, he couldn't figure out why she wanted to know such random information. But if she's also from another world, then maybe our times of technology are different? Maybe that's it? I'm not too sure, but what about what happened earlier? Giving a small sigh, he looked at his hands, a small pang of guilt slowly stabbing into him. "Our technology…well from my world, is pretty advanced so to speak. I wouldn't say we're right next to the other competing countries, but we've been slowly reaching towards them. We've been using air-blimps as a means of transportation and a way of attacking. We've got warships that can carry over a hundred men…. Oh, and we've slowly started upgrading from single-shot rifles to semi-auto rifles, but that would probably take another few years due to the budget… hmm…." Rubbing his chin he pondered. "Ah, I also caught wind of there being research on some sort of flying ship. One that could land in the water and still fly high into the skies, but I hear it would only hold a few people and would still take years to fully design…"
Eto suddenly clasped her fingers together, her attention completely focused onto Reiner. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, he slowly stopped. "And, uh-..."
Eto quickly chimed in, her smile stabbing daggers into his heart. "Flying boats huh? And blimps? That would be a bit before the world war two era… Reiner, have you ever heard of skyscrapers?" Reiner shook his head before she continued. "Skyscrapers could have multiple floors, making it past even forty floors in Tokyo, my hometown." Reiner opened his mouth in surprise, curious as to how her technology was much more advanced.
A sly smile on her face, Eto continued to question him. "So, you used blimps and the like for war. I remember you introducing yourself as some sort of War Chief right? How long have you been enlisted, or how does that work? What are you guys fighting exactly? And just how does your titan come into play there, I can only assume you're pretty high up there right?" Eto exclaimed, unsure of what question to start with. They finally had time to learn about each other, and she wouldn't let the chance pass.
Feeling a little overwhelmed, Reiner cleared his throat before answering. "Before anything, Eto, I just kind of want to… confirm. You also believe this is a new world, right? The things we saw back there… were just unordinary. And I'd also like to know what happened after that… Just who are you, and how come you seem so trusting of me?"
Eto closed her eyes and nodded her head. "I guess you're right, my bad, I was getting a little carried away by my curiosity. Let's take turns then, shall we? So-!" Putting her pointer finger up, she continued, her facial expression turning somewhat serious. "The answer to your first question is 'yes'. I firmly believe this place is a new world, and I'm sure you could probably see why. You and me both being here with different histories and an extremely different environment is clear evidence of that." Putting up two fingers, she went onto his second question. "Well, after your transformation, most of the area was destroyed. I dragged you a bit and here we are, the forest slowly changed so I decided it would be best to rest for a while here until you woke up. I'll be honest when I say it was truly fascinating… your powers…you, I mean. And I guess I'll also confess that I may have possibly taken a few bites here and there, but this brings us to your last question."
As Reiner continued listening, she raised her last finger. "Something that I came to realize is that you and I are actually really similar. I could kind of guess the type of person you are, especially with that scene that happened just now. Maybe it's a sense of familiarity? Despite being from different worlds, I feel a sort of connection, I would say. If I pointed out the obvious, we're both monsters here, Reiner. The only difference being that I'm a ghoul. I like to eat human meat, but since I'm only a half-ghoul, normal human food doesn't kill me, it simply allows my hunger to go away. But I've had to kill and eat hundreds to get to this point. To survive. That's just how it is. I can tell you've done something somewhat similar. My race was always being persecuted, and just before I got sent here, I was sure I would die, so this is… like another chance, I think. I was in the middle of an unwinnable fight after all. So let me get a little more personal, and that should bring us a little closer, don't you think? I say half-Ghoul, but back home I'm actually quite feared. I've managed to bring and evolve my Kagune to its fullest form without losing my mind like pretty much everyone else who reaches this level. It's what's called a 'Kakuja', which is in a sense, the rawest form of power from a Ghoul. Mine is what's called the 'One-Eyed Owl', which I've gotten thanks to my parents… But mainly due to the fact that I've eaten many of my kind. I can control it fully and use it to its fullest extent. The only downside is that it's somewhat ugly, and whatever I'm thinking or saying within comes out as incoherent sentences… Also, it could fly, pretty amazing huh?"
Reiner nodded, appreciating her honestly and feeling strangely unaffected by her claims of killing. Eto continued. "I managed to hide the fact I was a ghoul, until somewhat recently, where a certain military force started to really crack down on Ghouls. After being imprisoned, there was a chance to finally escape since the whole building was under attack and I even went as far as lending a hand to a… tiny friend of mine, so she managed to leave unharmed. But I was stopped by a stupid ugly bastard who was pretty much cheating. He had surgically implanted ghoul organs into himself! And of course the organs had to be of another who was around the same level as me, so I didn't have much chance given my state. That's when the Goddess got me out… So, now onto you, don't you think? What's the reason you're here?"
Reiner stayed silent as he stared at the slightly-cloudy sky and took a small breath before finally speaking. "Half-Ghoul huh? I see. It must have been a long and difficult road then, but maybe we were both given a second chance here then... If that's what you also believe, then I'll place my trust in you Eto, if that's alright. If I were to make a long story short…" Looking back into her eyes, he continued. "I say War-chief, but I was just the second in command within our unit of Titan-shifters. I guess it's technically high up there, but since I'm half-Eldian… a race that can turn into mindless man-eating giants, I'd say it didn't matter what my position was, as I could get killed with no say in the matter if the higher-ups decided to do so. In my world, ever since I could remember, I was raised in the Internment camp. Every Eldian was. I guess you were right with how we're similar, as my race is also persecuted and looked at in disgust." Eto raised her eyebrow, noting how close it actually was to world war two.
Reiner continued, "At a young age, I enlisted to try and inherit a Titan Power. There were six that were available, and luckily… I was able to get the Armored Titan. However, it's not like I 'owned' it, to them I was 'borrowing' it. I'm sure you were wondering why I wasn't too surprised at your own transformation, right? Well, in my world, my race can turn into mindless titans, basically just having their human form forcibly altered without being able to turn back. Some turn into grotesque giants, others retain some similarities. In order to inherit one of the Titan powers though, I had to eat the previous holder."
Eto's mouth slightly widened. "Is that how it works? But… I had mentioned earlier that I took a few bites off of you. By that I mean I ate your arms and shoulders multiple times…" She said, recalling the delicious taste. Feeling a bit taken aback, Reiner let out a worried cough. "I uh, see. But it doesn't really work like that. Titan powers could only be passed down to Eldians, that's why we were placed in Internment camps to be next in line to inherit one and be sent to war. I've been sent on many missions. I've… killed thousands with my powers, either directly or indirectly. Even if you tried to eat me whole, my power would probably be lost. And I can't really… 'evolve', my titan, only change its form somewhat. Like from earlier, that should have been a partial-transformation. Hmm… Ah, right, I need a sort of 'trigger' to transform. Usually a small injury like a cut will do. I can also change the armor on my titan to a certain extent, like make it more plate-like or make it more rock-like, but it mainly depends on my situation and how I want my Titan to be. Can't change its basic properties… But if I'm low on energy, my Titan wouldn't be able to form fully. Also-" Reiner pointed to the back of the neck. "This is my weak spot. If I were to be eaten from here by another titan, they would kill me and take my power. And when I'm inside my titan, my 'real' body is in the exact same spot, so if I'm forcibly removed, my titan would go limp while my body has to recover any damages before transforming again. No flying for me either."
Eto smiled teasingly. "Are you fine with telling me your weak points?" Nodding, Reiner continued, "Well, if I'm putting my trust in you, then you might as well know. It's not like it matters too much to me anyway, since everyone back home knows it… Either way, it's either that or I guess, just dying in general. You have some sort of self-healing right? My healing works much better than the other titans thanks to my titans durability, but let's say I were to lose my head or get half my body cut in half." Sitting up a little straighter, Eto continued to listen, paying extra close attention to what he was about to say. "I would most definitely die. I've got a little ace which could maybe save me from something like a pierce into my heart or nape, but it's only something in theory. Anything like my brain being sliced or crushed would mean death…"
Eto sighed, now realizing it would only be right if she mentioned a little more about herself. "Well, for me it's a little different. Something like losing my head would also probably kill me, as my consciousness would be unable to tell where the damage is. But losing half my torso is fine, as long as my powers are still doing good. Consuming flesh is the only thing that helps maintain the energy for my Kagune and Kakuja. Think of it as similar to your titan… Actually, it's pretty much the exact same. I control it from the inside too, but based on earlier, I can form it much faster and dissolve it much quicker. Without energy, it's difficult to 'transform'. But while normal human food helps keep me alive, it won't help my Kagune compared to human meat." Nodding, Reiner felt somewhat relieved, a hint of closeness bringing the two together. I guess… we do have similarities. Some differences, but it seems like she's strong. I'm sure she'd be fine even if she were without me. Maybe I'd even drag her down if I'm not careful…
However, a scary smile from her snapped him out of his thoughts. "So Reiner, onto our…interesting, discussion. Or request, I guess you could say. As I've mentioned before, I need to eat human meat in order to stay in tip-top shape. I… had eaten you before you woke up, and I'd like to continue, if you could understand what I'm trying to say." Reiner stuttered, not knowing how to respond. So she continued, "You have your regeneration, right? And in a sense, it'll save on rations. I'll make sure not to get too close to the back of your neck." Eto stated, her body already right next to Reiner's as she stared at him menacingly, yet teasingly. Reiner closed his eyes in thought. Well, she's not exactly wrong, but that would definitely be incredibly painful. I could already tell my say in this doesn't matter, it's more like she's just telling me in advance… Sighing, he simply nodded at her as he sighed, Eto backing off in happiness.
Reaching her hand down, she helped him up, the two deciding to see where the forest would end and to continue exploring. "How about we continue our adventure then, huh?" Reiner nodded once again, a small spark of hope filling his empty heart. The two continued their trek through the forest until nightfall, slowly learning more about each other and building a sense of bonding.
As night came once more, Reiner allowed his eyelids to fall, being the first to sleep while Eto suggested she would keep watch. As his mind drifted into sleep, his body felt cold despite being next to the small fire.
Do you wish to see the truth?
"What..?" Reiner quickly opened his eyes, a single orb of light floating on top of him, the rest of his surroundings in complete darkness. An empty abyss.
As he stood up the room suddenly changed, almost as if he moved locations within seconds. Looking around, he realized it was his hometown. Is this another nightmare? Looking around, his heart began to fill secretly with joy, but something was off. Where… Where is everybody? The internment zone is so empty… Before he could fully register, a gigantic foot stepped down next to him, steam pouring out of the red flesh of the giant. Gazing up, he spotted them. They're… Colossal Titans? But there's… hundreds! An army of gigantic mindless titans razed everything to the ground, destroying everything in their path. As he stared in horror, they continued to stomp down his hometown, the mindless beings walking forward mindlessly and leaving behind complete destruction. Thousands of corpses were splattered all around him. Running to where his house was, he fell to his knees just before the destroyed home, the crushed bodies of what he could barely recognize as his remaining family in a pool of blood. As the titans destroyed everything around him, a feeling of emptiness filled his broken heart.
This is your current present. I'm sorry, but your hometown, your loved ones, and all that you left behind has been destroyed. The reason for showing you this, is that even if you returned, there is nothing to be done. The towns have been flattened. I am truly sorry, my Warrior.
"AHHH-!" Reiner jolted himself awake, the nightmare finally ending once again. Holding his head in his hands, his heartbeat continued to race. Feeling like he might pull out his hair in desperation he tried to control his thoughts. Unable to control his breathing, rapid breaths escaped into the chilly night, the small fire still burning bright as his breaths came out into the chilly night. That voice! It was her! It was definitely the Goddess! Is that my world then? My hometown then… Still breathing heavily, he cursed to himself internally. What about my family? Does that really mean… Feeling like he might break down, he let go of his head. Clutching at his chest, his eyes slowly raised up at Eto, who was eyeing him curiously. As a small tear rolled down his cheek, Eto quickly walked over and held her hand out, an expression of understanding on her face. "Another nightmare huh?"
Keeping himself together, he nodded, taking her hand as she helped him up. Knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep he suggested their turns being over and needing to switch. Reiner sluggishly sat on a nearby log and stared out into the dark forest, trying to rearrange his thoughts. As Eto laid down to rest, she made sure to keep an eye on Reiner. "If you don't feel too good, I could keep watch..." Shaking his head, she sighed. He's definitely not doing good. I'm sure he'll be fine for tonight, but if we have to get a bit more… forceful, then so be it. Yawning, she let sleep pull down her eyelids as she readied herself for the next day.
Sunrise came once again, as the two continued to walk past the morning dew, they happily talked about their pasts and histories. The previous night being a simple forgotten memory. Laughing at a story Reiner told, Eto walked along the grass gleefully, the bandages on her feet serving as her self-made shoes. They continued to brush past the normal-looking trees, noting how the grass was naturally soft and short. "Is that really true Reiner? A potato huh? I can only imagine their faces, I wish I could have seen something like that." Despite his shitty missions, he managed to find something to keep his mind distracted, but it's definitely not enough. I can see that he's been… cracking. Rubbing her chin, Eto slowed her pace, noting the foul stench that was lingering in the area. Trying to find out the source, it wasn't long before she realized that the air was starting to smell like blood.
"Hey, Reiner. Seems like something's happening up ahead, get prepared… And remember what I had said earlier in case we meet someone. We have to be discreet, but if I give the signal, we'll use our powers." Eto reminded Reiner, the two quickly changing their pace and heading towards the source of the smell. Nodding as he tried his best to keep up with her pace, Reiner raised his speed, his body feeling heavier than the day before. Placing the bandage-like cloth Eto made for him around his face to hide his identity, Reiner nodded, looking through the eye-openings as they continued forward. "Right!"
Screams and fighting could be heard from far ahead. The stench of fresh blood filled the air as the two reached the end of the forest, quietly observing the situation from the tree-line. The other side was a vast plain, no other trees in sight, instead a long dirt road where bodies had been scattered everywhere. Watching, the two spotted what seemed like some sort of convoy, multiple large wagons destroyed and scattered about, bodies splattered everywhere. His eyes widening, Reiner stared in horror at the monstrous being that was attacking the military-looking group, a fancier wagon lay on its side at the front of the group; It had likely been the last carriage to be attacked, the others likely tried to sacrifice themselves to buy time, but clearly it was to no avail. A handful of soldiers were desperately protecting the fancy wagon, most likely some sort of royalty. The giant seemed almost unreal, something Reiner knew wasn't easy to take down. Should we… try to fight it? But, is there much reason to even do so… What could I even do?
Eto couldn't believe it. Her eyes filled with both fear and awe, the monstrous being was clearly a dragon of sorts, similar to the fairy tales she'd read before. A… dragon! That's definitely a dragon! But it's so gigantic! I can feel chills down to my feet just by being near it! And it's surrounded by a sort of dark miasma, some bones are definitely protruding… is it maybe undead or something? It must have been following that group of carriages. And that fancy one that stands out…seems like it could have important people inside, should we try to help out? But if we use our powers, how would they react…?
Deciding to head towards the battle, Eto started forward, before stopping and looking back at Reiner. His posture had fallen, a shadow looming over his face as he stared down. "What are you doing, Reiner? Aren't you coming?" Eto asked menacingly, her voice almost demanding but worried. Reiner stared at her almost apologetically. Unable to find the right words, he looked down helplessly, the screams of the remaining soldiers still echoing in the background. Finally breaking, he fell to his knees. "I… don't think I'll be of any help. In fact, I'll probably slow you down. I didn't tell you this, but I found out that… my hometown is destroyed. My family is dead. I have no reason to keep going anymore. I don't want to keep fighting. There's no reason at all Eto. I…" As a tear rolled down his face, he continued. "I just want to rest, even if it means I can't pass my power on. I can't… I just don't feel like-!" Before he could finish however, Eto rushed in and punched him across his face, breaking his jaw as she held onto his shirt.
A worried yet frustrated look on her face, she scolded him. "Don't start to give me that Reiner. You don't have anything else huh? Everyone you know is dead? Was all of this part of that nightmare last night? Did that Goddess show it to you huh? But… you can't just stop here!" Chiming in, Reiner talked back, his jaw still loose as steam slowly rose from the fracture. "I have nothing more Eto! Whaa- else am I supposed to do?! I'll only sw-ow you down! I… I'm uwe-less!" Slowly bringing his face closer, Eto gave him a sly smile. Just a breath away, she said, "Then let it be me. If you have no will to live, no reason to keep going, then… let me be the reason. I won't just let you stay here and rot away, your time to die isn't here. Even if it means being my follower, my slave, or my companion, you will follow me until the end. Make me your reason to keep going, and I'll make you mine…" The screams of death were drowned out as they both looked into each other's eyes. As Reiner stared up at her, he noticed the glint of sadness behind her green orbs, hidden away from everyone but him. He let out a shaky breath. "Is it really alright… to have someone like me, stand by your side?" Eto nodded, pulling him even closer than ever before as they continued to lock eyes, her short hair draping over him as the world itself seemed to freeze still. Nothing in the world could interrupt the two as they were focused on each other for an eternity.
She continued, "I… I want to see you at your strongest, and you'll have to see me at mine." Feeling a push of resolve, Reiner slowly stood up, letting out a small sigh. Looking over at the now dead soldiers, he spotted a remaining few protecting two people, who were hiding behind the wagon. "I see. That's it. Maybe I just haven't been… awake… long enough. No matter. Then as your companion that watches your back, I'll follow you Eto… Maybe even till the end of the world." Reiner stated, giving a sad smile to Eto. As she walked forward, he finally followed, a new resolve in his heart. "So… What's the plan?"
"Protect his and her highness at all costs!" Yelled out the tall soldier, holding a long silver sword against the undead dragon. As his fellow men followed his lead, they attacked, each one getting killed instantly by a simple swipe from the dragon. As the last guard tried his best to hold his ground, the dragon opened its wide mouth and chewed onto his upper half, the lower torso dropping with a splat onto the ground. The battlefield was filled with a red mist, the massacre filling the air with a horrible stench of blood. The armor the men had been wearing was useless against such a beast. Looking around, the plagued dragon searched for more prey, smelling the scent of humans nearby. As the dragon took a step forward, it neared the two siblings who were hiding behind the flipped-over fancy carriage, cowering in horror as the older brother protected his sister, covering her body with his own. Shivering in fear, he secretly wished it was nighttime. No! Even if it was nighttime, what would I be able to do! Even with my powers, I can't-
Suddenly a loud roar could be heard from behind, before the familiar sound of flames being spewed out burned away just behind them. Looking around for a chance of escape, the older brother didn't want to burn to death and quickly pulled his sister along. However, he spotted a girl directly across from them near the treeline, waving towards herself so they could follow. Thinking she was crazy, the young man looked down at his crying sister, before realizing it was better than nothing. Deciding to just carry her, he ran towards Eto, jumping over the corpses of the earlier soldiers as his footprints laid in his path. Another loud roar could be heard close behind as giant footsteps made the ground shake once more, likely another breath attack. It's gonna know! It'll see us before we even get to her-!
However, as he glanced back at the dragon, he noticed its attention was elsewhere. As he observed, he noticed an arrow had pierced its black eye, black ooze seeping out of it as the creature was heading in the opposite direction. Black flames covering the area it was sure its attacker was at. "What? Someone has distracted it…!" Continuing towards the woman, he eventually made it to her, feeling an instant wave of relief. Letting his scared younger sister down, he finally greeted the woman as he rested against a tree, catching his breath. Noting how her face was covered in a cloth, he still thanked her. "Th-Thank you! Did you shoot that arrow?!"
Eto shook her head, pointing in the opposite direction. "No, it was actually my companion. He was the one who distracted that dragon since he's done archery training before. Now, quickly tell me who you are please, as I'm sure you know, there isn't much time to spare chit-chatting." Frantically nodding, he responded to her and stated his name, his body still trembling. "I-I'm… I mean, we are the son and daughter of the royal lineage! I'm her older brother, Alexander Luminary, she's Hannah Luminary. If we can make it out of here alive I promise you you'll be compensated, please…" A tight hug against his waist brought his senses back as he felt his sister's grip. Glancing down at his scared sister who stared at the scene in fear, he looked back at his savior. "We were attacked after coming back from the neighboring kingdom, The Impenetrable Kingdom, which has been overrun with demons! The Royal Capital is near, but our private army has just been wiped out… I'll give you anything. Please help us. If that dragon gets near the Royal Capital, it'll wreak destruction! If there's any way we can stop it in its tracks so it doesn't follow us…!"
Nodding, Eto already internally agreed to his offer. Alex and Hannah huh? Royalties. If we can get on their good side, then our powers don't need to be hidden if we show them our strength… I think. Either way, this boy seems really cowardly, but has good intentions. If this 'Royal Capital' gets destroyed… will the Goddess be upset? And how do we even outrun that without showing our powers? I see. Then I'll give him the signal once I make a deal. Nodding, Eto took out her hand. "We'll agree to stop this thing if you agree to treat us as guests at your 'Royal Capital' until we decide to leave on our own terms. Me and my companion have been traveling a while, and our… abilities… are pretty unique. As long as you agree to not get scared of us, and will answer our questions no matter how stupid they may sound, we'll lend you a hand. It's only us two so it should be fine. Does that sound fair?"
Still holding onto his younger sister, he looked back at the dragon, noting how it was searching for its attacker. Black flames burning the corpses of the private royal army that was now completely wiped out. The only mages had been eaten alive by the surprise attack, the knights burned to a crisp no matter how skilled they were. We have only a handful of strong people. Was my older brother right? You find the right people in the most random times. Taking in a shaky breath, he turned and shook her hand, making the deal. "T-Those honorable dead g-guards back there… They were our country's p-private royal guards. If you can stop the Plagued Dragon from pursuing us, we could even have you replace them and give you the h-highest position I could offer, you and your companion could stay for as long as you want. I… I want to protect the kingdom and its people, so please… lend us your strength!" That's right, now that they're all dead, we have less than a handful of guards at the royal palace! If I can't find strong people, the Royal Capital will fall into ruins at the hands of the Black Mist and the demons! Alexander thought, hoping the two saviors would join him.
Smiling confidently, Eto walked past him, motioning him to stay there. "We'll do more than stop him… Just don't get too scared now and try backing out. Also, if we come to your Capital, we've got to teach you not to be too naive." Quickly running towards the distracted angry dragon, Eto transformed easily into her Kakuja, the One-Eyed Owl, as the prince and princess stared in awe and fear. Creating a spike as she flew upwards, she sent it into the air before it dissolved into hundreds of tiny particles, beautiful pieces gliding down. It was as if snow glistened down from the sky, reflecting light off and showering the earth with crystals of beauty.. That was the signal, now where are you at Reiner!? I told you to run after that arrow in case that dragon tried to burn you!
Flying high, she scanned around, before a flaming arrow zoomed past her. There! There's his location! As she flew quickly down, she spotted Reiner, his hands outreached. A happy yet creepy noise escaped her Kakuja's mouth as she picked up Reiner with her Kakujas hands, incoherent sounds being heard from the One-Eyed Owl. This is it. My heart is racing, beating, it's gonna explode! This feeling… is it… As her eyes widened inside of her Kakuja, her heart skipped a beat. Is it… love?! Reiner… This is our first battle together! Show me your true power… You'll defend and attack, and I'll cover you for support!
As incoherent words came out of her Kakuja's mouth, Reiner stared down at the unknowing dragon, its protective scales shining under the bright sun. Too busy looking for its attacker, it didn't hear Eto's shriek from earlier. The cloudy sky had hidden her shadow from casting down, letting the two remain discreet. As Eto continued to hold onto Reiner, he stared up at her Kakuja form. Its white armor-like skin struck him as a bit odd, but knowing who was inside made him realize that despite the unique appearance, she was majestic in every way. Looking at the view, time once again felt slowed down to him. Trees traveled endlessly as light shined through the clouds as Reiner took in a deep breath of fresh air.
The beauty of the world as he flew high into the sky made his heart skip a beat, as the feeling of having Eto by his side rushed confidence into his body. As she continued to hold him close, he felt the warmth of her Kakuja, feeling oddly amazed at her power. One-Eyed Owl huh? It definitely suits her… Despite its scary appearance, he felt an overwhelming sense of safety and comfort emanating from her, wishing they could stay like that forever. So, this is her Kakuja right? It's definitely like my titan, but still pretty different. It's also smaller than my Titan, about the size of my titans head I think. Guess it's because she's a bit short…Alright, I'll tank the hits and try to open its scales, while she supports me from the air!
"ArE yOu ReAdY?!" Surprisingly, Reiner was able to understand what she said, once again feeling a sense of closeness. Raising his knife high up above his head, he yelled out. "Yeah!". As his hair fluttered in the cold wind, he braced himself as Eto started heading down towards the dragon, who finally noticed their presence. Eto quickly rushed down, letting Reiner go just above the dragon as he put the blade of his knife against his palm. She moved away, wanting to ingrain the moment he would transform into her brain.
As Reiner dropped down, he stared at the dragon, keeping eye contact. I think… I think this is the first time I'm doing this to protect someone. To live up to someone's expectations. She said she wanted to… see me at my strongest, so I have to keep going until I show her! Feeling his heart skip a beat, Reiner smiled lightly, his cheeks lightly flushed.
Slicing across his palm, a trail of blood dissipated above him as he readied himself to transform. A flash of yellow lightning quickly appeared, the yellow orb disappearing in a cloud of steam as a fully-formed armored giant appeared in its place, falling down towards the dragon. The giant beast's mouth opened, ready to shoot another giant flame at the sudden attacker. From afar, the prince and princess could only watch in admiration, the prince completely frozen in awe and hope. "They're… They're-!" Before he could complete his sentence, his sister finished it for him, her tiny yet confident voice echoing throughout his mind. "They're going to kill it-...!" Looking down at his awestruck sister, prince Alexander couldn't help but think, they could do it. Even if it's complete Insanity, they could kill that legendary dragon!
Michiru and Yohei- The Impenetrable kingdom
As he opened his eyes, he looked around frantically, gasping for air. The uncomfortable cold and rocky floor hurt his back, but he was extremely powerless right now. Feeling completely exhausted, he turned over to his side, unable to catch his breath. "What… what… happened? How… did… I…?" The 'Talented' time-traveler vomited, feeling the same experience of drowning once more. As a hand patted his back, he slowly looked up, still feeling exhausted. "A-are you… alwight?" The worried girl crouched down next to him, her pure and worried expression calming him down as Yohei Shibusawa finally caught his breath, the traumatizing experience slowly dying down. As he carefully sat up, he looked at the worried girl, wondering why his 'healer' classmate was with him, in what he assumed was the afterlife. "Wha-... And w-what are you doing here, Miss Inukai…Michiru?"
End of Chapter
Next time- Chapter four, Love
Brief Information: Sin Archbishops
A Sin Archbishop is a being who is in possession of a 'Witch Factor' and is often appointed by a respective being. These Archbishops represent the seven deadly sins. However, depending on compatibility and if one is chosen, one might be unable to retain their sanity or free will. A perfect example is Petelguese, who despite being chosen by the Witch Factor of Sloth, is extremely incompatible. This is the prime reason for his Witch Factor, Unseen Hand, being quite powerful, but his mental state degraded extremely.
More information to be known.
Brief Information: Demons
In this world, demons are referred to as any type of evil being, whether if they are mindless or intelligent. Though there may be some who retain their consciousness, they are beings which cause and wreak havoc across the country.
More information to be known.
Brief Information: Talented
A teenager who has awakened an innate power or ability. Despite being gifted, their powers often come with a side effect or drawback of sorts. The two prime examples would be Yohei Shibusawa and Inukai Michiru. Yohei is able to time-travel to the past, while Michiru is able to heal and cure all wounds.
More information to be known.
Thanks For Reading~
A/N
AHHHHH-! End of chapter... Well, guess next chapter is where all the funs going to be. I've got a certain character I'd like to insert real soon... Either way, here's the current character list-
Once again, thank you all for reading! Please leave your thoughts and/or criticism down below.
Characters so far and their respective sources—
Eto Yoshimura- Tokyo Ghoul
Reiner Braun- Attack On Titan
March- To Your Eternity
Petelguese/Betelguese- Re-Zero| Starting life In Another World
Yohei Shibusawa- Talentless Nana
Inukai Michiru- Talentless Nana
More characters to be seen~
I'll continue to try my best, and will conclude these stories at some point, so please continue to stick with me.
So, I'll see you all next chapter, Kudos!