Trost District
Hours Before The Breach

It was early morning in Trost and the scouts were making their way to head off on another expedition outside the walls. As they marched ahead, people were beginning to gather to see off the Survey Corps while the main force rode up ahead of the branch, dawning their green hoods and on horseback the entire time.

"They're here! The main force of the Survey Corps!" One man yelled as everyone saw the Commander of the Survey Corps, Erwin Smith, lead the pack. "Commander Erwin, kill the Titans for us!" He yelled as the main force passed through and people noticed another famous face.

"Look, it's Captain Levi!" Another civilian called out in excitement. "They say he's as strong as an entire brigade." Someone praised and assumed the strength that the aforementioned Captain possessed as he glared at them in annoyance.

"Shut up." He said in irritation of the comments being made about him as Section Commander, Hange Zoe, rode next to him with a smile on her face.

"If they knew how fussy you are, they wouldn't look at you with such admiration." Hange joked around as Levi huffed in response as the gate had begun to be raised as she looked excited and clasped her hands together. "The Titans are right outside...What kind of Titan will we see this time? It'd be great if we saw an Abnormal!" Hange let out her hopes of seeing what kind of Titan she wanted to examine as Levi turned to her.

"We have one right here." He said as she frantically looked around.

"Huh? Where?" Hange asked before her head was grabbed and turned to look right at Levi.

"Right here." Levi said as he basically called her an abnormal person as the gate finished raising and it was time to head off.

"Forward." Erwin called out as the horses neighed and began to set off on their expedition.

Survey outlying areas and establish supply points that would support a human advance. Being entrusted with these missions, the Survey Corps receives the best humanity has to offer. The military genius of a select few within their ranks has greatly boosted their survival rate. But even so, every excursion in Titan territory costs over thirty percent of their troops. The difference in strength between humans and Titans is that great. As of right now, the Survey Corps were stopped at an abandoned town that was filled with Titans, and there was a soldier being gnawed on by a Fifteen meter class Titan from the waist down.

"Just you wait...It won't be long before humanity wipes you out! We'll be the ones to survive in the end!" The Scout soldier yelled as he took his blade in his right hand and stabbed it into the cheek of the beast. "Gngh..! AAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!" He cried out in pain as the Titan just bit down harder on him and blood spewed from his body. "Captain Levi will...kill you all!" He screamed with tears in his eyes as a wire anchor shot pass the back of the Titan and impaled itself into a tower nearby.

In an instant, the sound of flesh being cut echoed as the soldier watched Captain Levi fly by and spin back to watch as the Titan and soldier fell to the ground. The soldier rolled out of the dead Titan's mouth and onto the street while Levi landed on a rooftop above to spot anymore Titans, which he did.

"One to the right..." He spotted a full Fifteen meter Titan to the right before turning left. "Two to the left." He spotted two more of the same class as he heard his squad land behind him.

"Captain, I've brought reinforcements." A female officer under his command informed him as three more of his squad, two men and another who wore their hood, landed behind her, this was his subordinate, Perta Ral.

"Petra, tend to the wounded soldiers below. The rest of you, support the right flank. I'll take care of the left." He said before rushing off.

"C-Captain!" Petra tried to call out to him, but to no avail as the hooded figure watched him go before rushing off in the same direction. "Hey!" She tried to call out to her other squad member, but to no avail.

Meanwhile on the right flank, the Fifteen meter class Levi had spotted earlier, lunged itself at the soldiers below as they dove out of the way. With a huge smile on her face, Hange flew through the streets while yelling out in fun before landing on a building behind the Titan that had a mustache. She spread her arms apart and smiled up at the beast as it turned towards her.

"It's okay! I won't hurt you." She said as the Titan raised its hand and tried to grab her, but she giggled and laughed while flying away and behind it while drawing her blades. "Ahaha! So close! Now it's my turn. There we go!" She screamed in excitement as she cut the beast down and its blood spewed onto her cloak while she landed on the ground. "See? That didn't hurt, did it?" She said as the blood on her cloak turned to steam and evaporated before the Titan had fallen and shaken the ground, meanwhile, Levi walked across the rooftops towards the two he was going to take on, while staring at their faces.

"You all have...the stupidest expressions." Levi said in annoyance as the Titan in front of him opened its mouth while turning towards him.

Levi fired an anchor into the tower on his left as he jumped off the right side of the roof and flew above the Titan. The wire of his gear wrapped around its neck as he circled around and began to spin in circles before cleanly slicing off the nape of the Titan and jumping towards the tower he was anchored to. Before he could move onto the next Titan though, a pair of blades had flown pass him and lodged themselves into the eyes of the Titan as he turned to see his subordinate fly in and land on the Titan's head. The Titan cried in pain as he brought its hands up to its eyes, and the hooded scout member had drawn fresh blades before jumping high into the air and performing the same technique Levi had just done, cutting straight through the nape as the Titan perished and fell to the ground. Levi jumped off the tower he was on and flew to the building his subordinate was stood on.

"Hey, I told you to support the right flank. What do you think you're doing..." Levi talked to the scout as they removed their hood and it was revealed themselves. "...Sarah?" He asked as she turned towards him while fixing her ponytail that was disheveled from her hood.

"I was bored and thought it wasn't fair you got two Titans while you left us with one. Plus, Section Commander Hange was on the right flank, so there wasn't really any need for us there." Your sister said as she sheathed her blades and noticed something on Levi. "Ah, Captain. There's blood on your hand and blades." She pointed at his hand as he raised it and grew a disgusted look.

"Tch, Filthy..." He scoffed as your sister pulled out a white piece of cloth which he took and began to wipe his blade clean. 

After they finished dealing with those Titans, the two of them walked back to where they first grouped up. As they walked down the street, they saw Petra tending to the wounds of the soldier was being eaten and stopped by his side. She looked up at Levi as she pressed down on the bloodied soldier's bleeding wound.

"Captain, the bleeding won't stop..." Petra said with a shaky voice as the dying soldier spoke up.

"Cap...tain..." He called out to Levi, as the captain knelt down to listen to him while Sarah walked around and stood by Petra.

"What is it?" Levi asked him.

"W-Was I able...to help humanity...?" The soldier spoke through a blood-filled mouth as he raised his right hand to Levi. "...or will I die...never having been of any use at all?" He spoke as tears welled in his eyes as Captain Levi slowly brought up his hand and grasped tightly onto the bloody hand of his subordinate. 

"You have done a great deal. And you will continue to do so. The resolve you leave behind will give me strength." Levi spoke as he stared him right in his eyes as his faced conveyed the seriousness of his feelings as his brow furrowed. "I promise you...I will obliterate the Titans!" Levi promised as blood from the soldier trickled down the top of his hand and stopped near his wrist.

"Captain..." Petra spoke up as Sarah placed her hands on Petra's shoulders while she had tears creeping out the corner of her eyes. "...He's gone." Petra said as her tears streamed down her face and Levi didn't even notice he had passed, focusing on making sure he heard his promise.

"Did he hear me to the very end?" Levi asked as they turned to look at his face. "Yes...I'm sure he did. Look. He seems so at peace..." Petra said as they saw the relaxed and peaceful look on the soldier's face in his final moments.

"Very well, then." Levi said as he placed down the hand he held and stood back up as Sarah noticed Erwin and other members of the corps coming towards them.

"Captain..." Sarah signaled to Levi with a nod as he turned around and saw Erwin who was on his horse.

"Levi!" Erwin pulled on the reigns of his horse and came to a stop. "We're pulling back." He said as the three of them were surprised.

"Huh?" Sarah and Petra both stood up in confusion as Levi spoke up with a raised brow.

"Pulling back? We have yet to push ourselves to the limit. Are my men dying for nothing?" Levi asked as he was frustrated with the news he was hearing.

"The Titans are heading north, toward town." Erwin informed them as the situation changed entirely and Levi wasn't excited about what he was just told. 

"You mean..." Sarah spoke in a nervous tone and cold sweat as Erwin turned his face to look north.

"Just like five years ago...Something is happening in town. The wall...may have fallen." Erwin said as Sarah's eyes widened and memories of five years ago filled her mind.\

"No...Not again..." Sarah thought as her hands shook nervously and the Scouts rushed back to formation and journeyed back to Trost. "Please, be okay...mother...Y/N...!" She gritted her teeth while riding fast on her horse with the rest of the Survey Corps.

Meanwhile, Back At Trost
Present Time

The sun had turned orange and the sky was much more red, signaling the day was beginning to end. However, tensions among the military were even higher than before, and the current situation you were in was less than desirable. Just then however, you heard a voice come from behind you, and it was the voice of Eren.

"...More...More...I want to kill more..." You heard Eren's disturbing voice as you slowly turned to see a unsettling smile on his face. "Kill...more...I'll kill them all." Eren finished talking as you and Armin both shared absolutely unsettled looks on your faces.

"...What the fuck...?" You muttered in unease.

"Eren...?" Armin muttered as he supported Eren on his knees and slowly, Eren seemed to come back to reality as his eyes regained their shine and went wide when he saw what was in front of him and gasped.

The scene in front of him was one that he couldn't believe. There were almost a hundred Garrison soldiers gathered and surrounding the four of you near the bank of the river, backs against the wall. They had their blades drawn and pointed towards the four of you while Mikasa and you were standing in defensive stances, blades drawn as well while Armin held up Eren. Mikasa and you turned back when you heard him speaking as Mikasa called out to him.

"Eren!" She called in worry as he had finally woke up.

"What the hell were you saying man?! What kind of fucked up shit was that?" You asked as you backed up closer to Eren in a protective manner.

"Eren, can you move? Can you understand what I'm saying? Tell them everything you know. I'm sure they'll understand!" Armin said nervously.

"Armin?" Eren turned towards Armin in confusion of what was going on as chatter was heard among the soldiers.

"Hear that? He said, "I'll kill them all!" One soldier said as their sights were right on Eren.

"Yes, I heard him. He's going to devour us." Another responded as they held their blades tightly, and Eren was completely lost on what was going on.

"What are they all talking about? Are those blades pointed at us?" Eren was confused as he saw them point their blades toward the four of you. "Those blades are for fighting Titans. Why are they looking at me like that? What is this?" Eren couldn't gather any thoughts to try and figure out what was going on.

"Hey, cut that shit out! We don't know what the fuck he's talking about, but I'm sure it ain't about you or anyone here! Just fucking hear us out--!" You were cut off when a bullet struck the ground in front of you and made step back as you glared toward the soldiers who were armed with rifles that were gathered near the Commanding Officer of the time, Kitz Weilman. "Oh were definitely dealing with some scared, irrational idiots here..." You muttered as you noticed the nervous and itchy trigger-finger looks on Weilman and his subordinates.

"Trainee Jaeger!" Weilman suddenly screamed from where he stood. "As well as Trainees Ackerman, Arlert, and L/N...What you're doing right now is an act of treason! We may decide to kill you on the spot!" He yelled as that made the situation a lot heavier for you four. "If you attempt to lie to us, or make a single move, we will fire an HE Projectile at you immediately. We will not hesitate!" You looked up and to your left to see that a canon was in fact pointed and aimed down at you four.

"Are you fucking kidding me..." You thought as you stared down the barrel of the canon with wide eyes.

"Answer me at once! What are you?!  Are you a man? Or a Titan?" Weilman screamed with a nervous face as Eren looked at him.

"What kind of question is that? Why look at me like that? Looking at me as if I'm a monster...Is that what they think I am?"Eren thought as he looked around at the other soldiers surrounding them. "I-I don't understand the question!" Eren answered as honest as he could.

"He's pretending to know nothing?" Weilman muttered in disbelief before yelling back. "Monster! Try that again, and I'll blow you to pieces. It just takes an instant! You won't have time to reveal your true form!" Weilman yelled as his last comment disturbed Eren.

"True form?" Eren asked in confusion.

"Plenty of people saw you, as you emerged from within a Titan! Humanity has permitted an unknown creature like you to infiltrate Wall Rose! Even if you are trainees given to us by the King, the safest course is to eliminate the risk immediately! My thinking is correct!" Weilman cried out in disarray.

"You're thinking is bullshit!" You yelled in frustration.

Just then, your left arm spewed blood and you dropped to one knee yelling in pain as you clutched your arm in shock. Looking forward, you saw one of the rifle men near Weilman had fired a shot and reloaded before taking aim.

"Y/N!" Mikasa yelled in worry as you clutched the wound.

"Open your mouth again, beast...Next time will be between your eyes!" The soldier yelled, but then yelped when he saw the pure rage that burned in your eyes as his hands became shaky.

"The Armored Titan that destroyed Wall Maria could appear at any minute. Right now, humanity is at risk of annihilation! Do you understand? We can't waste more time or troops on you! I will fire an HE Projectile at you without hesitation!" Weilman cried out while pointing at the four of you.

"It's true that they aren't being cooperative. We aren't likely to get any useful information out of them. You're right, Sir. We're wasting time and troops." The woman with white hair next to Weilman said as another soldier from the side called out.

"Captain, this is our chance! If we dismember him while he pretends to be human..." The soldier tried reasoning to take you four out, but Mikasa came forward.

"My specialty is tearing through flesh." Mikasa said while raising her blades in an intimidating manner. "If necessary, I am willing to demonstrate at any time. If anyone would like to experience it firsthand, I invite them to be the first to approach." Mikasa said as Weilman became more uneased, especially when he saw you step forward and brandish your weapons, your left arm shaking still.

"Well, since we're being threatened here..." You stood up straight and next to Mikasa as you held your right blade out in front while your left was shakily raised behind your head. "...May as well show 'em we won't go down easy." You said as you fought through the pain and took deep breaths to try and calm down.

"Captain, Mikasa Ackerman and Y/N L/N were in the rearguard with us. They're probably worth three hundred other soldiers, the two of them. Their loss would be a critical blow to humanity." Captain Dietrich said as he came to reason the worth of your lives.

"Hey! Mikasa...Y/N..Armin! What's going on here?" Eren tried getting answers from the three of you.

"Mikasa! Y/N!" Armin stood up from Eren with worry as he turned towards you two. "You can't fight another human! Where could we run within these cramped walls?" Armin tried to stop you two.

"It doesn't matter who I must fight. I won't let anyone kill Eren. I don't need any other reason." Mikasa made her thoughts clear to everyone.

"Yeah, and I'm definitely not taking any more crap from shit beard over there..." You said as you furrowed your brow at Weilman.

"Let's talk this through! No one knows what's going on, so they're ruled by fear!" Armin once again tried to be the voice of reason, meanwhile, Eren was still on his knees as lost as ever.

"Am I the only one who thinks I'm not a Titan? Damn it, I don't remember how I got here!" Eren thought and cursed at himself. "I'm too exhausted to move, and if I say anything, they'll probably kill me. Killed by a human? That's ridiculous! What is this about, anyway? I came out of a Titan? What are they talking about?! What the hell's going on?! Wasn't that a dream?" Eren thought as he remembered being swallowed by a Titan. "If it wasn't...Then my arm regrew where my clothes are missing...That'd make me like just like a Titan! That's impossible...Why would I...Why?" Eren thought while staring at his regrown arm as Weilman cried out once more.

"I'll ask you once more! What are you!?" Weilman demanded to know as Eren thought carefully about what to say as he saw you, Armin and Mikasa all glance back at him. 

"I can't screw up my answer...I wouldn't be the only one to die. That's right. I've always been just like everyone else..." Eren thought as he remembered an image of the four of you as kids, having fun in the good ol' days. "A human!" His answer echoed through the area as everyone was surprised by what he said.

Silence fell in the area you were being surrounded in and everyone watched the four of you carefully. There was a few moments of silence as the wind blew a breeze through the air and you noticed a sudden change in Weilman's face. He was stern, almost frozen, and didn't jitter an inch like he was a few moments ago, but the look in his eyes was something you weren't too fond of. They were dark...very dark...

"I see...Then don't hate me for this." Your breath hitched when he began to slowly raise his right hand in the air, beginning to signal the canon. "There's no avoiding it. No one can prove that they are not the devil." Weilman said as his hand was firmly shot up straight into the air and you looked up to see the canon team raise their hand as well.

"Fuck!" You yelled as you and Mikasa scrambled and ran back to Eren and Armin.

"Eren! Armin!" Mikasa yelled as the two of you dropped your blades. "We're going up!" She said as the two of you ran towards them.

"Stop!" Eren yelled as he was picked up by Mikasa, meanwhile you grabbed Armin over your right shoulder while grabbing your controls with your wounded arm.

"This can't be happening...!" You yelled in frustration.

As Eren was hoisted over Mikasa's shoulder, the key that he wore around his neck, came out and dangled in front of his face as time seemed to slow down for him. As he laid his eyes on the key, memories and a voice suddenly began to echo in his mind.

"Eren...When I get back, I'll show you what I've kept secret in the basement all this time." Grisha's voice echoed in his memories as he remembered him showing the key when he was a boy.Just then, Eren gained a massive headache as he brought one hand to his face and another memory had surfaced and he was looking down at the key. "Never let go of this key. And every time you see it, remember that you must go to the basement!" His father said as the headache grew worse and more painful as the memory continued, seeing his father filling a syringe with something. "This shot will impair your memory. That's why I can't explain now..." He remembered his father looking at him with tears in his eyes. "...Listen to me. Take back Wall Maria and reach the basement. This power will help you then!" He remembered his father coming towards him and taking his arm. "Their memories will tell you how to use it. Eren!" His father's voice triggered something in him as Eren broke free from Mikasa and pulled her back towards you as you yelled to keep going, but Eren grabbed you by the collar of your shirt. "If you get to the basement someday, you'll learn the truth...The path will be harsh and cruel, but you must make it there!" Grisha's wish cried out in Eren's mind as he wrapped an arm around you while Weilman dropped his hand and the canon fired as the three of you yelled while Eren faced the canon shell. "If you want to save Mikasa, Armin, Y/N and everyone else, you must master this power!" Grisha's final decree was the last thing he remembered as Eren brought his hand up to his mouth.

Before the canon shell could reach the four of you, Eren bit down on his hand until blood spurted out from his flesh. Just then, the four of you were surrounded by a bright light before there was an explosion of steam that forced everyone to cover themselves. Bones pierced the ground and a giant arm shot up toward the direction of the canon shell as red muscle tissue covered the bone. After another moment, the canon shell came into contact with the giant hand and there was another explosion that the entirety of Trost could hear. Everyone who heard the sound fell silent and turned in the direction of the smoke cloud that was rising into the air. After waiting for the wind to die down, everyone in the area you were in lowered their arms to try and peer pass the steam that filled the air.

"Did we get him?" Weilman thought as he lowered his arms.

Meanwhile, inside of the smokescreen, you, Armin, and Mikasa were all horrified and frozen solid as you saw what you three were encased by. Your breath shook and you couldn't move an inch as you stared at the bones that you saw were wrapping around you four. Once enough of the steam had cleared, the soldiers and Weilman all had terrified looks once they saw what had appeared in that instant.

"No..." Weilman trembled where he stood as all the soldiers were mortified by the atrocity in front of their eyes.

What had appeared in front of them was upper half the body of a Fifteen meter Titan that only had part of its muscle tissue visible, while the rest were bones and skull. Everyone began to panic and scream while and eye from the left socket of its eye holes stared down at them and its jaw hung open, giving them a horrifying sight to behold.