It was now morning, the sun had just risen and a brisk cool wind was blowing over the city.
"Oi, go wake up the others. We're leaving," Levi ordered.
"Yes sir," I replied, opening the curtains and stepping inside the carriage. They were all still sleeping, they looked peaceful. "Get up. We're leaving." I walked by everyone, shaking one awake and moving onto the next.
"It's morning already?" Jean grumbled, "I feel like I only just fell asleep."
"Yeah, I feel like I took a short nap," Sasha yawned.
"Where's Captain Levi?" Armin asked.
"He's outside," I replied while waking Mikasa up, "get up, we're leaving."
"What?" Her eyes flickered open, and when she turned to look at me she had a strange look on her face.
"I said we are leaving, get ready." I sat down in one of the newly vacated spots, 'no point in leaving since I'm going to riding in here with Historia and Eren anyways.' Both of them had the same idea, also sitting in their seats after waking up.
"Hey, Eren. Don't do anything stupid, and please stay safe." Mikasa told him, standing by the door, the last to leave.
"Tch, just worry about yourself." He rolled his eyes. Mikasa stepped out of the carriage, and not long after we started the long ride.
The carriage was silent, it only broken by the occasional chatter from Eren or Historia. I however just sat in my seat, leaning my head back against the wall and relaxing.
'I should at least think of a plan for if the MPs manage to find us. It's not like me or Eren can just transform in the middle of Trost,' I tilted my head down and saw the muskets left on the floor, untouched. 'That might work,' I reached down grabbing one of them.
"What are you doing?" Eren asked.
"I'm checking to see if these are loaded," I responded sliding the deadbolt open and looking inside.
"Why?" He asked. I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Why do you think?" I held the gun in a firing position and mimicked shooting, "bang."
"You really think we will have to kill other people?" He said as if it was some foreign idea.
"If people didn't need to kill each other, then why would we have guns made for that exact purpose? There is people that don't agree with our plan to retake Wall Maria, and the only way to stop them right now is to put a bullet in them."
That seemed to strike a chord in him.
"Here," I tossed him one of the muskets. "This is the only thing we have to protect ourselves with. You should at least have it close."
"Yeah..." He trailed off, staring down at the gun. But then, in the distance loud sounds of gunshots rang out, startling everybody.
"Gunshots?" I heard the man riding the horse whisper to himself, before gasping at something. All three of us exchanged worried looks before Eren peaked his head out through the curtain.
"What's going on?!" He asked.
"Stay in there!" He cracked the reins on the horse, trying to speed up. Just then, I heard a small noise from behind me. I whipped my head around and saw a tear in the curtain covering us, as well as a anchor from odm gear. 'I see.' I grabbed my musket and stood up. Just then the anchor retracted ripping off the curtain and exposing us inside. The man who had done it was flying above holding some sort of gun. 'They have a new weapon? ' Nevertheless I aimed and fired my musket straight into him, a petrified look on his face as he fell out of the air and slid across the ground, but I was too slow, he had fired something into Historia, and she was out cold on the floor.
"Eren! Grab your musket and look out for-" I turned my head and felt a prick in my neck. "Sh-Shit," my speech was slurred and I quickly collapsed to the floor as well. Dots appeared in my vision; a second later I was asleep.
*****
'Where am I? ' I tried to open my eyes, but couldn't, I could feel nothing and heard faint voices. The only sight behind my eyelids being dull greys and blacks. 'So we got captured, and I assume I've been drugged.'
"Historia," a deep voice echoed. "I'm sorry for everything..." His voice was distorted. 'Who is that man? '
"F-Father..."
"Please forgive me for everything. In order to protect you, I had no other choice," he sounded anxious, "I was always thinking about you. I've always dreamed of the day I could hold you like this." That sentence struck an odd chord in me. It sounded, fake. "You're special... Royal blood runs through you." He caught me off guard. 'Royal blood? Is that why she changed her name... and Eren is the co-ordinate. I see his plan. He wants her to eat Eren.'
"It... does?" She said tremulously.
"That's right Historia. Our Reiss family is the true royal line, and because you're special, you're the one and only person who can save all of humanity." I heard footsteps. "Now, let us go Historia. To the place it all began."
A strong force pulled me up, multiple footsteps in conjunction around me as I was being hauled somewhere else. The sound of a door and the presence of a cool breeze told me we had left whatever building we were in and are now outside.
Their feet cracked and popped along the gravel walkway. Suddenly my body collapsed onto something solid. Then the clacking of hoofs started. 'I'm in a carriage. They're probably taking us to get eaten... If only I could see.' I tried to move the muscles in my face, but nothing worked. as well as anything I could remotely feel.
But nothing worked. As hours passed in silence, the only noises being the creaking off the carriage and rhythmic clacking of hoofs. Gradually, during the course of the ride, I started to regain some feeling in my body. The weight of the clothes I was wearing, the numbing of one of my fingers from loss of blood.
The ride after that became loud, the small noises around me becoming much more obnoxious as my hearing started to improve. 'How long have I been here? It feels like an eternity,' I groaned internally, the silence was getting to me. 'I wonder what Annie is doing, I feel bad for not going to see her, but I think it was the right choice. Although the fact that we've been riding for so long is concerning. Where are they even taking us? ' Suddenly an idea struck me, 'are they going to eat us!? They said that Historia was royal blooded, which probably means they know about the founder and how to transfer shifter powers...' The idea rattled me, that along with the distance and silence made me increasingly worried.
'But, the scouts will find us... I hope.' Those thoughts kept me from worrying too much. Maybe, just maybe everything will be fine. I decided after that I'd at least try and get some sleep, closing my eyes and falling asleep in the following minutes.
*****
"Eren, you're awake." Historia's voice brought me back to consciousness. I opened my eyes slowly, and saw Eren chained to down on an altar. Historia standing down below him.
The room was a shining crystally blue, pillars connecting from the ceiling down to the floor everywhere. I myself was chained to one, and adjacent to me, strapped to a pillar on my left was. 'Annie!? ' My eyes widened horrified.
"Just hang in there a while longer. Everything's fine. Eren, listen. My father has been an ally to all of humanity within the walls, for many years past and many years to come. We were clearly mistaken about him. It's true he's been a problem for the scouts, and his people did kill Pastor Nick... but he didn't have any other choice." Historia explained. However, I kept my eyes on Annie, she was still sleeping, but the talking had started to wake her up. And her head turned around curiously, before spotting me.
'Annie...' Her eyes were wide in shock, just like me, and we stared at each other until someone obstructed our view. A shortish fat man had walked out from behind a pillar.
"Historia, let me explain the rest," he walked up behind her. 'Is that the man from earlier? He sounds similar.' Both of them walked around to the staircase leading up the altar. Eren looked frantically around the room, like it a place he was familiar with. "What's wrong? This is the first time you've come here. Though, it wouldn't be strange if you recognize it," he reached the top of the altar, standing behind Eren and placing his hand out.
"Father, explain to Eren."
"Yes, I intend to. However, there's something I want to try first," he grabbed Historia's hand, holding it out with his own. "If we do this, he may remember all on his own." They lowered their hands onto his back, holding it for a second before taking them off. Eren face contorted, in a mix of horror and disgust. 'What did they do? Did they use the co-ordinates power somehow? '
"Well? Do you remember your fathers sin?" He spoke again, unfazed. But Historia looked different, holding her hand to head and tears welling up in her eyes. "What's wrong Historia?"
"Why? Why did I forget about that until now? I was never alone. That girl was always there for me. She gave me books, taught me how to read and write, and was so kind to me... How could I forget about her?
"You met Frieda?" The man asked.
"Frieda?"
"If it was a young girl with long, black hair. It was most likely Frieda Reiss. She was your half-sister. She must have been worried and came to check up on you occasionally. If she was erasing your memories, it was all done to protect you."
"Huh? Erasing my memories?" Her face was shocked.
"Yes, but touching your hand to him seems to have uncovered those memories again."
"Um, father. Where is Frieda at now? I'd like to see her and thank her. If she wasn't there for me, I... I need to thank her for what she did for me then," Her face was hopeful. 'She has to be dead, if she was able to erase her memories, she was the co-ordinate... I think I'm starting to understand the picture now. The true royal family used to have the co-ordinate, until it seems Erens father stole it from them. I assume that's what he meant by 'fathers sin.' Then he gave that to Eren. It all makes sense. And now they most likely want it back from him...'
"Frieda is no longer in this world."
"Huh?"
"At one time, I had five children. But my wife and all my children, Frieda included, were killed five years ago by his father Grisha Jaeger," he embraced Historia into a hug. "Grisha was a person with the power of the Titans. I do not know who the man was, but... his goal was to steal the power the Reiss family possessed. This power Grisha sought to obtain. It was the Power of the Titans residing within Frieda. Frieda's Titan was superior to all other Titans. However, she did not have the experience to properly use it, and was eaten. But he didn't stop there, he rampaged seeking to eradicate the entire Reiss family. Miraculously I was the only one to have survived."
"Unbelievable. That's how she..." Her face was completely different, and she looked down at Eren devoid of any sympathy. "Why would he do such a terrible thing?"
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" An older man adorning the armor I saw on one of the man I shot walked through the pillars revealing himself. "What the hell are you blabbering about in here? I hope you know a bunch of shit is going down outside," he spoke. 'The scouts? It has to be.'
"Kenny, what happened?" Historia's father spoke in a low monotone voice.
"The scouts started a coup and all the other regiments changed sides. Everyone knows the king's a big fake, and all the big shots ended up getting captured," he sighed taking a deep breath. "Oh yeah, it's a royal shit show. You oughta wrap this up lickety split. Get rid of these three all ready."
"Yes, alright. Take your squad, and defend the entrance," he looked rather annoyed, "I believe I told you that I need you are your crew to leave for the ceremony."
"Whoa, now, King. Did I make you upset?" He mocked him. "Sorry 'bout that. I'm just so worried about you."
"Kenny... I trust you. Go," he ordered.
"So do I, King," he tipped his hat before turning around and leaving. 'So he plans on having Historia eat all three of us? I don't know how he intends that to work. We're all in opposite corners of the room and it's not like she can eat more than one of us before turning human again.' I tugged at my restraints slightly. 'Although I'm worried about Eren, if the scouts don't get here in time he's going to die.'
Historia's father walked down the steps leading away from the altar and disappeared behind into the distance, telling Historia when he'd be back they'd begin. In the mean time Historia's eyes were rough and unforgiving, the fact Eren took that Frieda girl away from her must've made her lose any sympathy.
'I'm surprised Historia is so willing to go along with this. She even seemed happy earlier...' The man walked back into the room, holding a small bag.
"At last, there's nobody here but us."
"Father."
"Sorry to make you wait. Listen, Historia. This may sound strange to you, but Frieda is not entirely dead." He put his hand on her shoulder.
My eyes widened curiously. 'What is going at?'
"Frieda's memories live on. Would you like to meet your sister?"
Her face lit up, "yes!" She said enthusiastically.
He crouched down onto the ground, opening his small bag and pulling out a thin box, unlatching it and pulling it open. Inside was a syringe and a vial holding what I assumed was Titan serum. My mind flashed back to when I was thrown into Paradis by the Marleyans, and the unwanted image of their mangled corpses after I'd transformed.
Eren noticed the vial as well, probably remembering when he had transformed. He tugged at his chains, thrashing at the chains and grabbing everyones attention, continuing regardless and trying to form coherent words despite the his mouth guard.
"What, Eren? Why are you glaring?" Historia asked, a hint of distain.
"It's because... he has perceived his fate. That the stolen power will return where it belongs. Historia, that means inside you."
"What?"
"This cavern, it was built by the power of a certain Titan. The three walls as well. Because of that, humanity was protected. The power of that Titan reached out to touch people's hearts and alter their memories. Their descendants and the rest of humanity... retain no history of the world past a century ago because of it. Except for Frieda. Frieda possessed more than her power as a Titan. She knew how this world came about and all the details behind it. Right here, 8 years ago in this very place... after she ate my younger brother. Frieda inherited the Founding Titan and the memories of this world. Basically, if Frieda had just used her power, there wouldn't have been any problems. We might have eliminated Titans from this world entirely. If only his father hadn't stolen the power from her. These two, they also share some of that power, long ago the Founders power was split more, they also have one of those fragments. However, that power... It can't truly manifest unless the blood of the Reiss family runs through them."
My eyes widened in disbelief. 'He's lying, neither me nor Annie have a single part of the founder. He doesn't know the true history of Titans...'
"So..." Her eyes turned to Eren.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Kenny appeared again, repelling down from the ceiling. "So, unless it's a Reiss who eats Eren, they can't become the true king?" He said in disbelief.
"That is correct," the man confirmed.
"Th-Then, even if I turn into a Titan and eat Eren, it'll mean nothin'?"
"What are you-?" He started before being abruptly cut off, suspended in the air on his collar by the Kenny. A gun being pointed at his head.
"Father!" Historia screamed.
"I waited long for this day 'cuz I knew about the ritual. For crying out loud! You used me knowing well what I was after!"
"I'm grateful for you. You may have been a stray dog my whimsical brother took in-"
"Keep on insulting Uri, and you can say goodbye to half your head!" He pressed the barrel into his face.
"Stop it!" Historia latched onto his arm, pulling it away from him. "Let him go!"
"Huh? You're plain pitiful, Historia. Don't you get it?! This father of yours want to turn you into a monster and make you eat Eren, as well as the other two!" He threw her aside.
"Because that's my duty," she spoke without any doubt shocking me. "Yes... I'm going to eat Eren and bring my sister back. I'll inherit the worlds history and exterminate every last Titan! That's my duty!"
"Historia! Have you forgot everything this guy has done to you? The only thing he cares about is the blood inside you," Kenny stuck a knife into the mans mouth. "He doesn't want to become a Titan himself! He's just trash that forces his daughter and brother to! That's your father!"
"Don't listen to him Historia!" He grabbed the knife by the blade, pushing it out of his mouth.
'Is he an idiot? There's at least five other better ways to do that without injuring your hand.'
"I must not become a Titan myself. Do not believe what anyone else says," he said, struggling like a pig.
"Oh is that so?" Kenny let him go, standing up.
"Father!" Historia rushed to his side.
Coughing, and wiping the blood on his mouth away the pig spoke again, "Kenny, you've served well up until now. You're free. Go find another purpose in life, and live out your years."
"That would bore me to death," he turned away, walking up the steps to the altar, and Eren.
"Kenny! What are you doing!?" The man asked confused.
"Go ahead and turn into a Titan, I won't interfere anymore." He reached the top of the altar, grabbing Erens head by the hair and lifting it up, releasing the mouth guard. "However, no head starts. You both become a Titan and have at it. If Historia wins you'll have your peace. But if you lose to Eren the situation stays the same," he dragged his blade across Eren's forehead. 'Yes! This'll be easy for Eren! Quickly transform." I tugged at my chains hopefully.
"Historia! With this injection you can become a powerful Titan! Then you can eat him, but in fact, it's more than that. You must bite his spine and ingest his spinal fluid!" He threw the syringe into her hand. 'What the hell is Eren doing? We can escape! Annie will be safe...' I looked at her, she was also staring at Eren as well.
"Hurry it up, Historia!" My attention was pulled back to her, who now had the syringe at her wrist, about to inject it. 'Eren! ' My anxiety started to grow. 'He's not even trying to transform?'
"Eren, why!? Why aren't you transforming!? If I become a Titan you'll get eaten! At this rate." Historia stopped, noticing Eren, who had lifted his head with tears welling up in his eyes.
"Do it, Historia!"
"It shouldn't have happened..." Eren spoke somberly.
"Eh?" Historia looked confused.
"Me... My dad too. If five years ago, he hadn't done that here. Your sister .. would've been able to do something, right? But my dad stole the power of the Titans from its rightful place. Just how many have died for that? I can never atone for it all... so at least, let it end at your hand. Eat me. Save humanity." Tears were now cascading down his face, and his eyes showing he'd already have given in to guilt.
'No, no, no. You can't be serious!? If you want to die go ahead! But I'm still here! I promised to help you! Don't let us die here! ' I thrashed in my chains, glaring at Eren. Everybody turned their heads, looking over at me.
"Don't mind him Historia, he's even worse than Eren. He knows all the history even the founder is privy too, but he doesn't tell anyone. And she is worse, she came here with the intent to murder everyone inside the walls," her father spoke up. 'They know nothing, not even a fraction of real history, if they did they wouldn't be so quick to judge.' my eye twitched in annoyance.
"Yes father." She brought the needle back to her arm, but as the seconds passed she didn't inject herself.
"What's wrong, Historia? Are you scared? All you have to do is inject that liquid into your body."
"Father... Why? Why didn't the Reiss family. In that whole hundred years. Eliminate the Titans and liberate humanity?" Her hands were shaky, and she stared into the ground.
"Because, the first Reiss king who built the walls. Wished for us to be controlled by the Titans. The king believe that was the only path to true peace. But I do not know why. It's only known by those who see the worlds memories." He grabbed the syringe from her hands, and held on of her arms. "To create this world. to govern its very foundation. To be an omnipotent being. Do you know what we call that? God," A disgusting look found itself onto his face. "Yes, what we call that is god. My duty is to bring god back to this world and offer them my prayers. I'm praying Historia! For God to lead and guide humanity!" He lowered the syringe forcefully down towards her arm.
But at the last minute, Historia flicked his hand away. Stepping back away from him.
"God, my ass! You're just giving yourself an out and manipulating other people!" Historia yelled at him. A shocked and horrified look escaping his face.
"Historiaaaa!" He launched himself at her, holding the syringe in his hand. Historia quickly grabbed his shirt, redirecting all his energy and flipping him over her, slamming his back into the ground with a sickening crack, whilst he squealed in pain. A look of hope finding its way onto my face.
"I've had it! I won't let you kill me!" She stood over him. But, in the corner of my eye, I noticed that the syringe was still in his hand, and before I could even do anything it was plunged into her ankle.
"Ah!" Historia kicked his hand away, but the damage had already been done. Yellow lightning engulfed her and the next second she had transformed into a pure, mindless Titan. 'Eren! ' I pulled desperately at my bindings, trying to injure myself any way that I could and save him.
But she didn't go for Eren. For some cruel, horrifying reason, her Titan had been an abnormal, and she went turned around, going for Annie instead. My eyes widened to an unnatural degree, and I screamed from behind my mouth guard. Tugging as hard as I could, slamming the chains into the crystal pillars over, and over. 'All I need is a small cut! ' I thought angrily. But as her Titan approached closer and closer, I felt hopelessness and despair set in. I looked towards Eren. He was looking at me already. Tears were welling in my eyes and even though I wasn't able to say it, I was begging for help.
Then he looked away. 'No, please. Eren...'
My eyes turned back to Annie. She had already accepted it. There was no struggle or movement. 'Annie...' Her eyes turned to me, and she didn't look away. Her gaze was the only thing keeping me from breaking, and even as her head was bitten off, even as Historia ate her, I couldn't bring myself to look away.
Everything about the site repulsed me, the blood, the sound, the smell. Until it suddenly didn't, my eyes lidded. and I blankly starred at that monster. Blood was dripping off its fingers, and splattered morbidly across its face. Then it collapsed, steam hissing from the nape, and Historia emerged from it, confused, and her memory of the last hour or so most definitely foggy.
A simmering rage started to boil up from inside me. It was so sickening. 'Why... Why? Why!? ' My whole body tensed up, with every muscle that tightened unstable breaths hitched out my mouth.
"Father? Where am I?" Her voice was like a poison, just hearing her speak made my blood boil. It was irrational, and I am being irrational. Despite telling myself that, I couldn't get over the putrid feeling when I looked at her.
I tugged angrily at my chains, I couldn't stand being here any longer, I couldn't stand seeing her any longer, but unlike in my desperation it was subconscious. That was when I felt a prick, I'd been smashing the chains around so much that a piece had broken off and left a sharp edge on the chain. It took not even a second before I slammed my forearm into it. 'It's not her fault, she had no control of what she was doing...'
Even though I was thinking that, I still smashed my arm into it again and again. The mental pain was too much, and even though it happened because of Eren and the pig. My mind couldn't get the image of her eating Annie, and albeit illogical. I blamed her.
"Y/N!? What are you doing!?" Eren yelled, having noticed my ruckus. I turned my head to him, a expression devoid of any sympathy on my face. His look changed in response, scared. Not about his own life though. He seemed to have caught on, but it was too late. After smashing my arm into that tiny edge over and over and over I'd finally drawn blood. 'I'm sorr-' I paused. 'I'm not sorry.'
"Y/N! Stop!" From my body poured yellow lightening. The pillar I was attached to cracked and warped from the energy, and within less than a second my Titan had materialized; I felt relief. And I lost control, my mind going blank, I became a Mindless Titan...
When I came to, the room was dyed a deep red. At least the floor was. My body was covered in it as well, it dripped off my finger tips, and down my chin. Each drop making a ripple in the macabre pool I stood above. It was morbid. Two bodies sat inside it, and one was unmistakable, the mutilated corpse of Historia's father, with his eyes lifeless. The other one was faceless and missing a significant portion of its body, but bore telltale yellow strands of hair, the same strands in my palms. It was clear who it belonged to.
My eyes rolled in my head up to the altar. Eren sat there mortified. Blood marring his face. Evidence of what had just occurred.
A metallic smell hung in the air, and nausea filled my head, but my Titan had no mouth, and I was unable to vomit and get this disgusting feeling out of me. 'Why was that? I recall hearing from my dad that the Nine Titans represented parts of Ymir. What does mine represent? It has no mouth, and all its good for is running and endurance. Besides that its weak.'
I sat there for what felt like eternity. Unable to peel my eyes off the gory and gruesome scene. 'Wait.' I stared into the pool below me. 'Where is the rest of Historia? ' I looked around, dragging my hand through the soupy mess to see if there was anything I didn't notice. 'Besides that, where did all this blood come from? Their bodies alone shouldn't have this much blood.' Suddenly, some of it started to evaporate. 'It was Titan blood? ' I looked down into the pool one more time, and just for a second, I saw a reflection.
My eyes widened in confusion. My jaw was brutally torn open, the skin normally covering it rendered off my face, revealing a covered mouth under it. Rows of razor-sharp teeth stained crimson. But why was it hidden under my face? It wasn't healing either, almost like it was meant to uncovered.
'Then... I ate- I have the Female Titan.'