A Choice with Regrets [Levi Ackerman]

23

I glare at him in disgust. "You're only using me for your shitty cult..."

"My titan cult is a way of seeking salvation through the titans," Lucas explained. "Our religion is widely practiced in Wall Rose, but it's always been rejected by humanity. That is why... I am reestablishing this religious group to strive for eternal paradise."

"It's not religion. This is illegal practice..." I convinced him. "What you're doing won't save anyone!"

"Humans are pitiful." Lucas shakes his head lowly, expressing how much he hates the human race. "Ever since the titans invaded Wall Maria, I was fixated on cleansing the world and saving people. And by saving people, we will free everyone from the walls! We humans are meant to nourish the mighty titans!"

"Freedom does not mean ending up in a titan's stomach..." I retorted, and he gave me a distasteful look. "It's obvious that you have not seen a titan in person... and how horrifying it is to be eaten by one. The Survey Corps and the Garrisons that your cult has murdered didn't deserve this brutality. They were sacrificing their own lives for humanity yet... you're only making things worse for everyone."

Lucas lets out a burst of a slight laugh, which I don't find anything amusing at all. "I am only doing this so humans will no longer have to suffer within the walls like caged chickens. The world once belonged to the titans and humans have no place to stay, so the only solution is to free their souls as the titans continue to conquer the world as gods. Us humans are just in the way of the world." he tells me. "With your lordship, only you can lead us to that paradise."

I remain sitting on the table as he walks down the nave, approaching me as I lean back. "What do you want from me?"

"We want your leadership, your guidance... your power of the titans."

Behind Lucas, a group of people in black robes entered the cathedral with hoods over their faces. They silently enter the building and follow Lucas to the alter, then get on their knees to kneel over until their foreheads touch the floor. This tells me that these people are worshippers of the titan cult. Lucas was the last to get on his knees. "Starting today, we will be serving under your lordship." he then bowed in front of me like the rest of the worshippers, leaving me under great stress.

These people have now become my followers, but I never asked for this. Each of the worshippers stepped up to the altar to pray to hold and kiss my hand as a greeting, which accompanied them. With words and offers of courtesy, they gave me gifts of many pieces of jewelry.

As they presented me their gifts, they uttered these words: "Our excellent savior, I beseech you to settle in this cathedral for us to serve your lordship. We will not fear, and we are determined not to follow the opinion of the foolish. To imitate the wise and discreet, we came to see what your lordship will command us to do, that we may serve you in all things that are in our power."

They were so generous that the pieces of jewelry have already piled up around me, but I find no value or use of them. "My ability is too small to serve you as your savior..." I say to the worshippers. "I indeed have some faith left in me, but here, you all will receive shame and remorse..."

"But as long as you stay with us, we will be blessed with the powers of the titan," Lucas added, still bowing before me like the rest. They continued to offer worship and reverence to me, their lord of the titans. Next, I was well-provided with some clothes, especially servicing.

It was disturbing to see all the worshippers now staring at me and Lucas stepped up to the altar where I remained on the table, swallowing a lump down my throat.

"You must be thirsty, Sina. Please, have a drink." Lucas then turns to one of the worshippers to get ahold of a golden cup. I was sorely shaken when they offered me the cup and before I took a sip, I stared into the cup to notice how red and thick the fluid was. I could barely see my own reflection until I realized it was blood.

"We lend you our blood in hopes of empowering the titans." Lucas shows a scar on his palm, indirectly telling me that they have slit their own hands to mix their blood into this cup for me to drink. "Once you—"

"I DON'T WANT IT!" I scream in fear, slamming the cup of blood onto the floor and spilling it around me. The cup bounced down the steps of the altar, then rolled until Lucas's foot stopped it. I finally climbed off the table and my bare feet splashed in the pool of blood, feeling the unsettling warmth below me. "YOU'RE ALL REJECTS OF HUMANITY!"

"Seize her," Lucas demanded the worshippers when I attempted to flee for my dear life, but I failed miserably when I was surrounded by them at the altar. There's nowhere for me to run and I'm already outnumbered by them, but what intimidated me the most was when the worshippers were holding a knife in their hands and I was empty-handed.

Not long after, they tied me up and placed me back on the communion table where I laid earlier. Starting today, they mumbled their prayers before me including Lucas.

Not knowing how many hours had passed, a few worshippers returned with meals to share around. They were plates of raw meat and one of them left a plate for me. Just by glancing at it, I knew it was human flesh and nearly vomited in my mouth.

"You don't seem to like human flesh..." Lucas noticed my reaction towards it and found it odd. "We have no intention of forcing you to eat, but we will do the eating for you as it will make you grow powerful."

"I'd rather starve myself to death..." I said, wishing to leave this place and Lucas was slightly offended since I wouldn't eat.

"We've sacrificed everything for survival. We slaughtered our own families and rather than letting their bodies go to waste, we consumed their flesh and drank their blood as titans would. That's how we remain faithful." Lucas explains to me and I find it even more fucked up when he admitted that they're all practicing cannibalism. "We are the titans' disciples. We must consume humans and be consumed by the titans. The more we consume, the more powerful the titans will be. We will become one race and titans will continue to rule the world."

"This is complete nonsense..."

"With your lordship, you will free us from the walls and lead us to the titans!"

"Free us from the walls..." the worshippers mumbled their prayers before me. "Lead us to the titans and free us all..."

"You're all suicidal fanatics..." I said through clenched teeth as they continued to chant their prayers to me.

The titan cult has more extreme motives than I thought. These titan worshippers are actively attempting to spread the titan faith to distant corners of the world and wish to be eaten by a titan to be saved.

"Shut up..." I blurted out, but they continued their annoying chants. "I'm not a savior; I'm nothing. My comrades will come and find me... and you'll all be arrested for this."

"We will hurt those who show resistance to our religion. And we will slaughter anyone who dares to steal you away from us," Lucas warned me, sending chills down my back when his tone changed. "So stop resisting and lend us your power."

At this rate, I didn't know what to do and wondered if Levi and the others had noticed my absence yet. On the table, I rest with tears welling up in my eyes, not wanting to die in a place like this. My chance of returning to Levi and my squad is despairingly low.