A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Enjoy!

edited on november 23rd, 2021 @ 8:13pm

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚂𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙴𝙽,
𝓢𝙾𝚄𝚃𝙷𝚆𝙴𝚂𝚃𝚆𝙰𝚁𝙳.

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The 104th Cadet Corps were kept isolated under suspicion of Titans within their ranks. But with the sudden appearance of Titans, couriers we're dispatched to warn each district.

However... The cause of this crisis remains in the dark. For now, no one yet knows.

IN STOHESS DISTRICT, The Survey Corps were getting ready to head out to rescue the remaining 104th cadets who were isolated. "Great. Somebody explain to me what this means." Eren said, sitting down next to Josiah, who was next to Mikasa.

"I don't know. But they're Titans, right? Would they break a wall with Titans in it?" Armin questioned.

"Wouldn't be the first time. It's how they got into Shiganshina." Eren responded.

"That was a gate." Armin reminded him.

"Armin. What exactly are you getting at?" Mikasa asked.

"The walls are different. There are no signs of stress, no cracks, no crevices between the rocks. We can't even really tell how they were constructed." Armin answered. "Suppose they're built with the same stuff Annie's trapped herself in?"

Josiah, Eren, and Mikasa gasped. "Must be versatile material, and we know it's virtually indestructible." Armin continued.

"So the walls are made of Titans?" Eren questioned.

Soon enough, everyone was ready to go. "Eren, you'll get cold. Wear it tight." Josiah said, wrapping his cloak around Eren. Levi and Hange came up to Josiah, Eren, Armin, and Mikasa. Pastor Nick was behind them.

"Sorry to keep ya!" Hange waved at the four. "Took longer to prepare than we thought."

The four of them boarded the wagon with the trio. "Um... Isn't this the priest from the Order of the Walls?" Armin asked.

"Yeah. Nick and I are best buddies." Hange replied, placing an arm around the priest. "Right?"

"Don't let him bother you. The whole makeup of this squad doesn't make any sense. Does it, Levi?" Hange asked.

"No, I think it might. Erwin picked them out for a reason." Levi replied.

"Open the gate!"

The gate soon opened. "The situation within Wall Rose is unclear. But everything up until Ehrmich is safe. We'll save time going through there. Move out!" Erwin shouted.

"Yes, sir!"

"Take us out." Levi told Moblit.

"Yes, sir." Moblit replied.

"Huh? He knew? There's Titans inside the walls and he's known about it?!" Eren exclaimed.

"Yes, though... he's kept his mouth shut this entire time." Hange responded. "But now he's coming with us to witness the harsh reality. Will his beliefs be strong enough for him to stay silent? Or will seeing it with his own eyes make him question himself?"

Eren then stood up. "No, no, no, no! This is all backwards! If there's something you know, tell us about it! Nothing's more important than keeping humans from going extinct!" He shouted.

"Eren, settle down. You're still not fully healed." Josiah reminded him.

Levi had a gun hidden in his jacket, making sure Nick heard the click of the safety go off. "There's more than one way to get answers. I may be injured and useless right now, but it doesn't take much to watch one man. I'm hoping we can settle this without blasting a hole in anyone. Aren't you?" He asked.

"Threatening him doesn't work, Levi. Believe me, I've tried." Hange informed. "It seems to me that this priest is capable of sound judgement. That's why I wonder... What if the reason he doesn't talk is because he knows something more important than the fate of humanity?"

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Hange was staring at a piece of crystal in their hand. "Hange." Levi spoke up. "Hey, four-eyes. Are your hobbies so boring that playing with rocks is somehow fun to you?"

"Yeah. That's right." Hange replied. "But this is no ordinary rock. It's a hardened fragment of skin left behind by the Female Titan."

"Huh? It didn't disappear?" Armin asked.

"Right! Annie reverted from a Titan, but it's still intact even though it broke off her body. It didn't evaporate. It didn't disappear." Hange responded. "So I thought, "What if?" When I compared it to a piece of the wall, it's pattern and composition were practically identical. In other words, the wall is a barricade of humongous Titans. And if I'm right, the surface is constructed with hardened Titan skin."

"That's exactly what Armin was saying." Mikasa spoke up.

Armin then gasped. "Th-Then—" He began as Hange shoved their hand in his face before he could let out another sentence.

"Let me finish, Armin." They said. "As it stands, we'll be hard pressed to fill the hole in Wall Rose. That is, unless we can find the perfect boulder to plug it. But if... But if Eren, in his transformed state, could use the Titans' hardening ability to seal the hole in the wall..."

"Use me... to seal the wall?" Eren questioned.

"It should be made of the same material. And seeing how the hardened section won't evaporate, even after you revert from a Titan... it's possible..." Hange informed.

"I think it's well worth the risk to try. And assuming it really does work, reclaiming Wall Maria is feasible, too." Armin agreed.

"Up until now, we've had to transport a large quantity of materials and supplies. That's why the need for outposts past the wall limited our progress. But if we don't have to accommodate supply wagons... we could quickly make our way to Shiganshina." Armin continued. "What if we carried out the plan at night?"

"At night?"

"Yes. During the night, when Titans can't move." Armin replied.

Hange put their hand up against their chin. "I see... if the group was small enough, you could sneak all the way to Wall Maria." They said, holding up the fragment once more. "The current situation is as bad as it gets, but... we still have a glimmer of hope."

"Yes, but remember... it all depends on whether Eren can seal the hole or not." Armin pointed out as Eren gasped.

"I realize asking this hardly seems fair, but... Think you can do it?" Hange questioned.

Eren was about to speak up before Levi interrupted him. "It doesn't matter what you think. You have to. There's no other choice." He informed. "We're out of options. Our forces are struggling so desperately, there's nothing else they can do. You have to succeed."

"I will! I'll do whatever it takes to seal the wall!" Eren exclaimed. "Whatever it takes..."

"The basement..." Eren continued, pulling out his key. "My dad's basement... if what my dad said was true, we'll find the answers to everything there."

Hange then looked up. "It's Ehrmich District." They announced.

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Once inside Ehrmich District, Hange was explaining the plan to Eren. "Once we leave Ehrmich, we'll be in Titan territory." They said.

"Eren? Think you can ride a horse?" Moblit asked.

"Yes. I feel fully recovered now." Eren replied.

"Yours is ready at the west lift. Let's hurry." Moblit said.

Levi then showed up with Pastor Nick. "Section Commander. We should hurry." Moblit called out.

"Give me a minute, Moblit." Hange told him before rushing up to Pastor Nick.

"Have you had a change of heart yet?" They questioned.

Pastor Nick didn't respond. "We don't have time for this! You know, don't you?! Will you talk, or won't you?! Make up your mind already!" Hange yelled.

"I cannot say anything." Pastor Nick answered. "The other believers are the same as I, and that will never change."

"Well thanks for nothing!" Hange yelled out. "We're so grateful for all the help you've been!"

Hange began walking away before Pastor Nick spoke up again. "It's too great a decision for a single person to make. The Order of the Walls must always adhere to the sacred will we're bound to obey."

"Whose will?" Hange asked. "God or something?"

"I cannot say anything." Pastor Nick repeated. "However, I can inform you of a name, who under their sacred will, we were instructed to monitor."

"Monitor?"

"That person joined the Scout Regiment as of this year." Pastor Nick informed as Eren widened his eyes. "Their name is..."

The door then opened. "Excuse me! 104th Cadet Corps! Sasha Braus!" Sasha spoke up.

"Her?" Eren questioned.

"Who's that?" Hange asked.

"Um, this is for you, Section Commander." Sasha tried to give Hange the scroll but was ignored.

"You must find her at once. Only she... She may know the truths which even we cannot perceive." Pastor Nick informed. "That is all the information I can share. The rest I leave in your hands."

"If she's in the 104th, then she's deep in the front lines right now." Hange stated.

"Let's go! We need to hurry!" Eren said in determination before turning around and bumping straight into Sasha, who was finally noticed by the group.

"Sasha?!" Eren exclaimed.

"What are you doing here?" Mikasa asked.

Sasha gasped before grabbing the scroll that she dropped. "Upon my arrival, I gave my report to the Commander! Afterwards, I was entrusted to deliver this message to the Section Commander!" She announced, holding out the scroll. 

"Message? Thank you. Good work." Hange told her, taking the scroll and giving her a steamed potato. Sasha had a smile on her face as she bit into the potato happily.

"So, who is this girl in the 104th?" Hange questioned.

"She's the smallest one of us." Eren informed.

"She's got long golden hair." Armin said. "Um, and... she's cute."

"She also saved Armin, Jean, Reiner, and I from being Titan chow on our recent expedition." Josiah added.

"She's always hanging around Ymir." Mikasa stated.

"Ymir?" Hange questioned.

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Josiah was in his green Scouts cloak as they were making a plan. "Everyone understand?" Hange asked.

"Yes!"

"We've got to go!" Eren informed.

"Calm down, Eren." Levi spoke up. "You all listen, too."

"We're going our own ways now. The rest is up to you. Erwin may have thrown together your squad, but everything's riding on you. Got it, Armin?" Levi asked. "Work with Hange and combine your knowledge."

"Y-Yes sir!" Armin replied.

"Mikasa. I don't know why you're so attached to Eren, but... use your utmost of your ability to protect Eren at all costs." Levi told her.

"Yes, sir! Of course!" Mikasa replied.

"Josiah." Levi moved onto the brunette next as he yelped. "You're no longer that over-confident brat who declared that he was going to join the Scouts at ten years old. Though, I can understand why."

"Eh? He remembers me from five years ago?" Josiah thinks to himself.

"You've seemed to grow a bond with Eren. Help Mikasa in protecting him."

"I will, sir!"

"And finally..." Levi turned to Eren last. "Eren."

"Learn how to restrain yourself. Don't succumb to rage and lose sight of the goal. We can't afford another mistake." He finished.

"Yes, sir!"

Josiah was riding along on his horse. "There's a tower nearby where we can assess the wall. It's in an abandoned castle to the southwest." Hange was explaining.

"We'll ride to Utgard Castle."

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A/N: Another chapter is done! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 1858 words.