THE END...? [Ender Dragon Reader x AoT]

Prologue - Born Again

It crashed into the ground, upheaving grass and dirt in large heaps that piled up around its body that was now slowly steaming away.

On its nape, now with a large chunk cleaved out of it, was a tall man who had darker skin and clear wrinkles on his forehead, dark circles around his eyes. He wore the normal scouts uniform, cloak and ODM gear, yet they all knew him as Keith Shardis. 12th commander of the Survey Corps.

"Never hesitate! Or the next time this will be you!...Watch over your comrades, for they will be counting on you like you are for them."

His words may appear blunt and harsh, and they were, but his men needed to understand that what was at stake wasn't just the mission but their very life's. He was entrusted to make sure these men and women made it home.

Sparing a short glance at the mouth of the Titan, he bitterly though that no matter how hard he tried he couldn't save them all, he was only human.

A short respite, only a minute or shorter, and they were off again. Riding across the plains in silence save for the slight alteration of course every now and then.

But of course, more bodies followed after the first. It was expected but harrowing none the less, every expedition these men and women died in droves that he was reluctant to admit. Was there guilt? Maybe, but that was far overshadowed by the cause of freeing humanity from the Titans...or was that only the excuse as this point...?

Keith didn't have time to lament this as a loud pop sounded off to his left, a sharp look and it was a flare.

>...Meanwhile...<

"What is it?"

"An egg, by the looks of it."

"Well duh! But it's so big! And black!"

A squad had dismounted their horses after coming across this peculiar object, a large egg, about as big as their torsos laid on a pedestal that was overgrown with vegetation, half buried and shattered in places from weathering.

One, a young looking man with short, smooth, light hair parted down the middle. He was of average height and build, currently kneeling next to the strange black egg and taking note of what appeared to be purple flakes drifting off it. He was quick to adopt a worried expression as he heard someone running up behind him along with a giddy smile and overexcited giggles of glee bubbling up in their throat.

"S-squad leader!"

"Moblit! What'd you find?! Is it a Titan?! Where is it?! I don't see any-"

"Squad leader, it isn't a Titan."

One of the other scouts of the 4th squad speak out, nodding respectfully to their leader and back to Moblit who shifted out of the way to reveal the large unknown egg.

"Wooooow! Moblit look at that! It's so big! Is that an egg?! What's it doing out here?!"

As expected from the squad, their strange, erratic and very chaotic leader was all over this as if it was another Titan.

"Hmmm..."

Hange went quiet quite suddenly, kneeling down beside their assistant and, using the hilt of her handle for the ODM gear, lightly tapped it against the shells surface.