Utgard Castle was sitting on the horizon. Dawn was breaking but so was the tower, it started crumblng to the ground.
"What the..." I hear Hanji mutter. I kick Zip into a gallop and I fly past Hange. "Ezlyn, wait!" She yells after me. Mikasa suddenly gallops up beside me.
"I see loads of Titans, do you need help?" Mikasa asks me. I nod and turn to look at the fallen tower.
"Yes. Thank you." I reply sharply.
'Why is there so many Titans if no one is here. Unless!'
"Mikasa, people are here!" I shout to her. She looks over at me wih a shocked expression; her eyes wide with fear yet determination lingered.
I stand up on Zip's saddle, ready to take off and slay some Titans. Mikasa does the same and draws her swords. I draw mine as we get closer and I spot a Titan peeking round a corner to look at a small figure. I then see a whole hoard of Titans hovering over something.
"Mikasa! You get that one over there. I'm going to go over to the hoard!" I yell. She nods; agreeing with me. She takes off and heads towards the Titan that was by itself. I look over at the massive hoard and take a deep breath; preparing to have a run-in with hell.
I jump off of my horse as soon as I was close enough to the crowd of massive, man-eating beasts. I grapple one of my hooks onto a Titans shoulder and propel myself towards it's nape. As soon as I get close enough I slice it's nape and it falls limp.
I move straight onto the next Titan, repeating the same technique over and over with the other ones. A few other scouts came over to help me defeat the rest.
I stopped to catch my breath, landing on the rubble below. I wiped the blood off my face while breathing heavily. The ground beneath me began to rumble and move. "What the!-" A Titan comes out the ground capturing me in it's hand.
I felt my ribs begin to crush underneath the pressure from the Titan's grip. I scream out in agony with the breath I had left. It lifted me up to it's mouth and bit down on my lower leg.
The pain was intense and unbearable until it stopped. I became numb all of a sudden, but I was still alive. Was this another Titan shifter ability?
The hand that was holding me became limp and dropped me. But I never hit the ground. The wind was whistling past my ear, as if I was flying.
I opened my eye's and saw Hanji. "Silly girl." She chuckles. We land on the ground and she sits me down; the rough stone underneath me cold like ice.
"Does it hurt?" She asks wrapping a cloth round it.
"No... It doesn't. I don't know how though." I mutter. She looks at me with curiosity, asking me to elaborate.
"It's almost as if it's numb. It happened all of a sudden after my leg was bitten off." I explain. She rubs her chin in thought.
"I'll investigate it later, but first-"
"Squad Leader, there's something you'll want to see." Moblit interrupts her.
Hanji looks up at him. "Okay, I'm coming over." She says, standing up. I grab her sleeve.
"Take me aswell, please." I ask her softly. She sighs and bends down. Hanji grabs under my arms and heaves me up and I sling my arm over her shoulder. She acts as my crutch as we walk over, I hop on my remaining leg.
Armin, Mikasa, Eren, Connie, Reiner, Bertholdt stood around something. But as we got closer I was able to see what they were staring at. Krista was hovering over Ymir who was missing a leg and her insides were scrambled.
I gasp as we get over to them. Hanji does the same and hands me to Armin who takes me. She then runs down to were Ymir lay and knelt down.
"No way. Ymir is..." I mutter, not believing my eye's. Ymir's wounds were steaming like my leg.
"Ymir..." Krista says softly, laying her hand down gently on Ymir's abdomen, just below her massive wound. Ymir opens her eye's and Krista let's out a relaxed sigh. "My name... is Historia." She whispers to Ymir.
'Wait, what? Krista wasn't her real name?!'
Ymir closes her eye's then smiles gently, as if at peace. 'Is she going to die?!' I question myself.
Hange stands up. "Everyone, get on top of the wall for safety! Armin help Ezlyn get up there." She orders. Armin nods curtly. "Nifa, get a stretcher-for Ymir- from the supply cart."
"Yes ma'am!" A girl with red hair reply's sharply.
----*----
I was hoisted up by Armin and Mikasa by both of my arms. I scrambled on top of the wall and sat there for a moment to stare at the grey clouds above.
'Could I maybe use my ability's to hurry the healing process? I'll give it a go.'
"I'm going to try hurry my healing process with my ability's." I look up at Armin and Mikasa. Armin bob's his chin.
"Give it a go." He encourage's. I take a deep breath and close my eye's. I focus everything on healing my leg, but the numbness diminished. I winced and threw the pain to the back of my head.
I regained my focus and put it back on my leg. There was a heavy smell of smoke wafting into my nose, probably from my leg healing. A hand slamming itself down on my shoulder interrupted my thought's and I opened my eyes.
I first looked at my leg and it had healed to my ankle. I turned to face the person and it turned out to be Reiner and Bertholdt.
"Hey, Ezlyn, can we speak to you for a minute." Reiner asks me. I look at him with uncertainty.
"Uh-Sure." I reply with a weak smile. "Can Armin-"
"No, but I brought you a crutch." Reiner interrupts sharply. He hands me a crutch and I use it to stand up.
"Oh... Thanks." I look over at Mikasa and Armin and they keep stoic expressions. It stared raining and I look up. Tiny water droplet's falling onto my face.
"Bertholdt, go over there with Ezlyn. I'll go get Eren." Reiner says, pointing to a secluded bit on the wall.
Bertholdt nods then looks over at me to make sure it's okay. I nod in reponse and start walking towards the area Reiner pointed out. Bertholdt followed behind.
I stopped at the spot and turned to look at Bertholdt. "So, what's your secret?" I ask him, looking straight into his eyes. He gasps and looks at me.
"W-What secret?" He stutter's, rubbing the back of his neck.
"You know. The secret to getting so tall?" I smile. Realisation washes over his face and he chuckles.
"There isn't really a secret to it. Everyone's just built different." He says with a gentle smile.
I sigh and slump my shoulders. "Aw man. I thought there was a secret or something. But, oh well. I've still got time to grow!" I say confidently. Placing a hand on my hip.
"But aren't you... to old to grow anymore?" He shivers. I glare up at him.
"Old? Old?! I'm only eighteen, idiot!" I shout like a child. I stick my lower lip out and cross my arms over my chest, leaning on the crutch.
"Eighteen? More like eight!" A voice says from behind me. I turn to see Reiner and Eren. "You don't act eighteen, idiot." Eren jeers.
I sneer at him and turn to Reiner. "So, what was it you wanted to talk about, Reiner?" I ask.
He glances over at Bertholdt then sighs. "Five years ago, we breached the wall and launched an attack on humanity." 'What does he mean?!' "I'm the Armoured Titan and Bertholdt's the Colossal Titan."
"Huh?" I mutter, trying to process what he just said. I then remember the conversation we had a few hours ago.
"What are you talking about?" Eren asks him.
Bertholdt grabs Reiner's arm. "What are you doing, Reiner?" he plea's.
"Our goal was to ensure the destruction of humanity but now we might not need to do that." Reiner says, ripping his arm from Bertholdt. "Eren, Ezlyn. If you come with us, we won't have to destroy the walls anymore. Get it?"
I back away. "No, wait! I don't get any of this!" Eren stammers.
"Like I said. Won't you just come with us?" Reiner says in a tone unlike his usual one.
"Reiner, you don't seem like the Reiner I know." I say glaring at him with a grim expression.
He sighs and looks at me. "Sorry to spring this on you both, but it's now or never."
"Right now? Where are we even going?" Eren asks. The rain began to get heavier, soaking my hair.
"I can't tell you. But... Well, it's sort of like our hometown." Reiner elaborates.
"You mean... Laoi Village?" I ask him desperately.
He ignores me. "So? What do you say, Eren and Ezlyn?"
"What?" Eren goes.
"It's not a bad deal, right? You both could save a lot of lives."
"I'm not sure..." Eren sighs, crossing his arms over his chest and looking up at the sky. 'Don't tell me he's actually considering going?!'
12 Hour's Earlier-Ehrmich District...
"What's wrong Squad Leader Hange?" Eren inquires. Hange leaned against a crate while staring at pieces of paper intensly. She looks up.
"Oh, uh... Just now, I finally received a copy of Annie Leonhart's background check." Hanji gestures to the papers in her hand.
"Annie's?" I ask; making sure I heard that right.
"Yeah. Our records are a mess right now, it took them forever to dig this up. It says that there were three people in the 104th Training Corps who came from the same area as her." I gasp as I am from the same area as them. "The names of those three are you, yourself, Ezlyn Harper," She looks up at me. "And the other two are-"
"Reiner Braun and Bertholdt Hoover." I cut her off. "That's what it says, right?"
"Yes... How'd you know, Ezlyn?" Hanji asks, a conserning look spread over her face.
"When I first met the three of them, five years ago, they said they were from the same place as me, Laio Village. That's how I guessed." I answer honestly.
"Well, that does explain how you knew..." I heard various gasps from around the room, including Eren and Armin.
"Thanks to the chao's the family records for three of them are spotty or missing. However... uring the long-range scouting formation, each unit was given different information. Their unit was told that Eren and Ezlyn were in the right wing together." Hange then explains.
"The right wing is where the Female Titan first attacked." Armin pipes up.
"Huh? What does that mean?" Sasha asks, turning to face him.
"It means they could have told Annie where to attack." Armin reply's earnestly.
"What? Why would they do that?" Potato girl asks further.
"Hey, wait a second, Armin. You can't do-"
"I'm aware, Eren." Hani interrupts Eren. "Circumstantial evidence alone doesn't prove anything. That's why I want you to tell me how those three interacted during training. Remember anything?"
"I know Reiner and Bertholdt grew up together, but they weren't friends with Annie." Armin answers.
"Yeah. But, when I first met them, they seemed like close friends. I don't understand why they never acted like that in training though." I sigh, looking down at my feet.
"In the mess hall, Annie would always sit by herself and eat silently. Oh! I remember something! I heard she had a sweet tooth even though she was so serious!" Sasha adds.
"I... don't remember anyhing." Mikasa says calmly.
"Well... After training together, I find it hard to doubt them. Bertholdt is quiet, so he's one thing, but Reiner is like a big brother to us, and he's not the deceptive type." Eren argue's.
"I agree." Armin agrees.
"Yeah. But, he could be putting up a facade to manipulate us into thinking he's our friend. Just like Annie did. Not only that, when I met him he was frightened of me, as if I was some sort of monster. That's not the Reiner we know now, is it?" I pinch the bridge of my nose, then look up at everyone.
"Let me finish, Ezlyn." Armin says urgently. "Reiner helped me and Jean fight the Female Titan. He would have gotten crushed in her hand if he hadn't-" He pauses.
"What's wrong?" Eren questions him.
"Reiner got away from her, but... Annie suddenly changed course after that and ran straight to where Eren was. I... Shortly before that, I mentioned Eren's position at the rear of the center rank, but Annie shouldn't have been able to hear me." Armin continues. What, does that mean there's a possibility?!
"What are you saying?" Eren wonders. I look over at Hange to see if she has any ideas.
"Did Reiner seem unusually interested in Ezlyn and Eren's location?" Hanji finally says, looking up from some papers again.
I glance back over at Armin. He looks as if he's daydreaming then his eye's widen. "It can't be... I only mentioned Eren's position because Reiner specifically asked me about it. And on top of that... after Reiner escaped, the Female Titan stared at her palm. He could have written a message on her hand with his blades. Reiner could have..."
I place my hand on my forehead and rub it. "Damn it..." I hiss.
"What the hell? Why are you saying these things? You-"
"Eren! No... Everyone, listen up! If we do come across Reiner or Betholdt, you must not let them catch on to our suspicions. Naturally, you are to avoid mentioning Annie Leonhart as well. Whether they're Annie's accomplices or not, we should attempt to confine them deep underground. Does everyone understand?" Hanji orders.
"Yes!" Everyone shouts back including me.
______Present_____
Eren sits his hand on Reiners shoulder. "Man, you really are exhausted, huh?" He says. 'What's he doing?' "Right, Bertholdt? All this stress is starting to go to your head."
I decide to play along. I plaster a smile over my lips and walk up to Bertholdt and take his hands in mine. "Yeah, you guys must be tired and Reiner's brain is playing tricks on him." I giggle. Bertholdt looks down on me with a nervous look.
"Y-Yeah... Reiner's just really tired." He laughs, his face dripping with sweat. 'Bad liar.'
"Besides, if you were really the Armoured Titan, enemy of humanity, why would you be asking us this in the first place? We probably wouldn't just get up and say 'Sure, let's go,' after being asked a question like that. Right Ezlyn?" Eren looks over at me.
"Yes, I totally agree." I reply, letting go of Bertholdt's hands and walking up next to Eren with my hands behind my back; a soft smile tugging at my lips.
Reiner looked at us, horrified; eyes wide open with his lips slightly parted. Bertholdt stared at Reiner with the same exact look.
The rain stopped but the wind continued to rage, flapping the red flags on the wall.
"Oh, right. You're right." Reiner mutters a crazy look on his face unlike the normal, calm one he always has. "I don't know what I was thinking. Could I really have gone crazy?" He says to himself. I start walking away.
"Well, let's not fall behind." I chuckle, Eren starts following behind.
The wind howl's again and snaps one of the flags off it's pole and it falls down the wall. It gave me a fright and I jump and stop walking. The sun starts peeking out from behind the clouds.
"I see. I've just... been here way too long." Reiner says, his back facing Eren and I. I feel the rest of my foot heal and I'm able to stand up straight. "I've been living surrounded by idiots for three whole years now. We were just kids. We didn't know anything. I wish I'd never learned that there were people like this. That way... I never would have become such a half-assed piece of shit!" He yells. He starts moving his bandaged arm that was 'broken'.
"I can't tell what the right thing to do is anymore." Reiner takes his arm out the sling. I sit my hand on my swords handle. "The only option I'm left with is to face the consequences of my actions and fulfill my duty to the bitter end, as a warrior!" His arm began steaming the suddenly the gashes on his arm healed up in a second. 'Shit, he wasn't joking!'
Bertholdt stepped forward. "Reiner! Are we doing it? Right here? Right now!?" He shouts.
That means... Bertholdt killed Charlie and Else... He killed the ones dearest to me, and Reiner helped.
"Yeah. We're going to end this, right here and now!" Reiner starts running towards Eren and I. But Mikasa appears out of nowhere and try's cutting Reiner's head off.
I clenched my jaw and drew my sword and sprinted over to Bertholdt. "No, wait" I cut him off by slicing his throat but before I could do even more damage, a massive frame collided with mine, pushing me off the wall.
Mikasa caught me and lifted me back onto the wall next to the others then wen back for Eren who stood there, frozen; staring at the two traitors with disbelief. They started glowing a yellow colour then lightning hit them both. Revealing themselves as the Armoured and Colossal Titan.
The steam began flying into my eyes, blinding me. I opened my eyes again and I was grabbed by a massive hand, scorching my skin. The pain was so much to handle and my eye's began to flutter closed as I'm engulfed in a tremendous heat...