𝚈/𝚗'𝚜 𝙿𝙾𝚅

The Survey Corps, who are still in Stohess District, set out for Ehrmich District to assist in the crisis, the breaching of Wall Rose.

"They're really taking their time." Eren impatiently groaned, constantly tapping on the wood.

"Eren. Cover up. It's cold at night." Mikasa wrapped a green cloak around Eren's body. It had the 'Wings of Freedom' stitched at the back.

"Sorry to keep y'all waiting! It took us a while to get prepared." Deputy Commander Hanji apologized.

Deputy Commander Hanji, Lance Corporal Levi, and...Pastor Nick join the wagon outside of Stohess District's inner gate.

"Um...why did you bring a priest from the Church of the Walls?" Armin inquired, staring at the man seated in front of me.

"Oh, Nick here is one of my best friends! Right?" Deputy Commander Hanji wrapped her arm around Pastor Nick.

"Well, don't mind him. There's no rhyme or reason for the way these groups are organized. Don't you think, Levi?" she turned to Lance Corporal Levi.

"No, there is. Erwin didn't put these four together for no reason." he retorted, staring at the four of us.

"Seriously, why do they have to bring a priest to the battlefield? What's he gonna do? Recite prayers and baptize the Titan?" I muttered.

"I'm sure they brought him with us with an ulterior motive. I'm not sure what it is, though." Armin whispered.

"The situation within Wall Rose is unclear. What we do know is that Ehrmich District is still safe." Commander Erwin announced.

The Stohess inner gate is opened, and Commander Erwin briefs us on our mission to head to Ehrmich District.

After he's done explaining, we are going to be joining the rest of the Survey Corps in Wall Rose's territory.

"Move out!" he turned his horse and began to lead the group of scouts that were still alive.

"Yes, sir!" most of them replied.

"So, mind explaining why a priest is here? I don't see any use of him on the battlefield." I spoke up.

"If you're planning to use him as bait, I don't mind. We could really use something that could slow down the Titans." I provoked.

"Don't get me wrong, I respect...no, I honestly don't care about your religion. But do you really have worth in the battlefield?" I stared at him blankly.

We then learn of Pastor Nick's knowledge of the Titan inside of the Wall, or rather, Titans.

Deputy Commander Hangi informs us that they plan to bring Nick to Ehrmich District where he can see the full consequences of the Titan invasion.

Eren grew angry at Nick's insistence to remain silent, and Levi proposed using the threat of violence to get Nick to talk.

Deputy Commander Hangi insisted that Pastor Nick will not be moved by violence.

Is his faith that strong? Even if he was staring at death right in the face, he's going to stick to his beliefs?

Is this thing, that he's been keeping from everyone, more important than the fate of humanity?

The bare branches spiked into the sky, no sign of life to be found anywhere. It was so dark you were barely able to see where you were going.

There were only small sounds of rustling bushes, the howls of the wind, and the footsteps of the horses.

No one knew what laid in the dark forest, all you knew was that it wasn't going to be a peaceful journey.

It was going to be a journey full of worries. There is no time for rest, you must always stay alert.

"Hey, Hanji. Hey, four-eyes. Is staring at rocks some depressing new hobby of yours?" Lance Corporal Levi provoked.

"Yeah, about that...this is no ordinary rock. It's a hardened fragment of skin left behind by the Female Titan." Deputy Commander Hanji retorted.

"It didn't disappear?" Armin gasped.

"Right! Long after Annie reverted to human form, this piece of her Titan's body remains." she exclaimed.

"It didn't evaporate. It's not disappearing. So a possibility occurred to me." she began to lead on.

"I compared it to a piece of the Wall and the structural composition was practically identical." she elaborated.

With this information, Deputy Commander Hanji concludes that the Walls must be a barrier of humongous Titans.

"That's what Y/n and I were thinking back in the library!" Armin exclaimed, gesturing to me. Please don't involve me in this conversation.

Armin attempted to propose an idea, but Deputy Commander Hanji abruptly asked him to let her finish her train of thought.

"Right now, we don't have any way to seal the hole in Wall Rose. Not unless we happen to find a boulder that's exactly the right size." she continues.

"But what if Eren, in his Titan form, could use that same hardening ability to seal the hole in the wall?" she proposes.

Armin attempts to say something, but his voice was muffled by Deputy Commander Hanji's hand.

"He can't breathe." I informed, grabbing her wrist and pulling it away from Armin's face.

"O-Oh, sorry." she apologized. I just gave my superior a nod before turning to Armin.

"Thanks, Y/n." he said in the middle of his pants, still trying to recover the oxygen that he needed.

"Use me...to seal the Wall?" Eren summarized.

Armin additionally proposed the idea of holding an expedition at nighttime when the Titans are not active.

Eren seemed unsure of his ability to carry out the task in the future. Well, he did just found out he can transform into a Titan.

Trying to learn some kind of power that we discovered just yesterday is a bit too much of a workload.

Levi states that they are not left with a choice as to whether or not Eren can do it, and that he must for the fate of humanity.

Eren accepts the task, staring at the key that should lead to his old home's basement, where the secrets of the Titan lies.

Shortly afterward, we finally arrive in Ehrmich District. In the streets of Ehrmich, I witness hundreds of refugees wandering the streets.

Then that's when I saw a child crying, crying for his mom and dad to come and help him.

That takes me back. I was exactly like that kid. I turned around to forget the horrible memories I had.

We always turn a blind eye to the things we don't want to see. It's only human nature.

Just when I started walking, Lance Corporal Levi and Pastor Nick pass by me, most likely to stare at the refugees.

We finally arrived at our destination, where we will prepare to head out to Wall Rose. Once we leave this place, we'll be in the territory of the Titans.

Afterward, Deputy Commander Hanji asks Pastor Nick if he will remain silent, and he admits that his vow has not changed.

He does, however, inform us that there is an individual who joined the 104th Training Corps.

Apparently, only she has the right to speak the truth of the Walls that the Order is unable to.

As he informs them of the individual's identity, Sasha suddenly bursts through the door with a message in her hand.

We recognized the name that Pastor Nick spoke of, and the Deputy Commander realizes that any recruits in the Survey Corps would be on the front lines at that time.

Before we depart, Sasha delivers her message to Hanji and receives a steamed potato as a reward.

Deputy Commander Hanji asks us about the individual Pastor Nick was speaking of.

"She's the shortest member of the 104th Training Corps." Eren informs.

"She has long blonde hair." Armin described.

"She's usually together with Ymir." Mikasa adds.

"I don't know much, but she looks like a nice person." I said, helping Armin carry some supplies.

"Y/n, that shorty is calling you." Mikasa walked up to me, referring to Lance Corporal Levi.

I gave her a nod before heading over to the man who had requested my presence. He was just leaning against the Wall.

"You requested for me, Lance Corporal?" I spoke up, approaching the man, who wasn't that far from my height.

"You're not allowed to ride a horse alone. It'll just make you tired and useless. So, ride a horse with Armin. We'll be needing your skills." he told me.

"Yes, sir." I saluted before heading over to Armin to inform him about the situation.

"Oh, I don't mind. I'm not the best when it comes to handling a horse, but I'll try my best." Armin said.

༛༛ ༛ ༛༺༻༛ ༛ ༛༛

𝟹𝚛𝚍 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝙿𝙾𝚅

"Just now, I finally received a copy of Annie Leonhart's background check." Hanji announced to everyone.

The files acquired contained information on Annie's background and revealed that two other cadets originated from the same region she claimed to come from, Reiner Braun and Bertholdt Hoover.

Further records revealed that during the 57th Exterior Scouting Mission, both Reiner and Bertholdt possessed false information about Eren's location in the scouting formation.

The details claiming that Eren was in the right flank when in reality he was positioned in the center rear of the formation.

"The right-wing is where the Female Titan first attacked!" Armin pointed out. Y/n nodded, confirming his statement.

"Huh? What does that mean?" Sasha gasped in surprise.

"It means they could have told Annie where to attack." Armin replies.

"What? Why would they do that?" Sasha stares at him in disbelief.

"Because they're traitors." Y/n said. This caused everyone to turn to her as she leaned on the wall.

"Hey, wait for a second, Y/n. You can't go and-" Eren stomped his way over to Y/n, who gave him a blank expression.

" 'Circumstantial evidence alone doesn't prove anything', is what you were going to say, am I right, Eren?" Y/n made Eren halt.

"Exactly. That's why I want you to tell me how those three interacted during training." Hanji demanded.

Both Eren and Armin said that while Reiner and Bertholdt claimed to be from the same hometown, the two did not speak with Annie much.

Sasha said that Annie often ate alone, though she did have a secret craving for sweets.

Mikasa could not think of any useful information. Y/n just stayed silent, staring at the ground with wide eyes.

Eren insisted that though Bertholdt was a quiet one, Reiner acted as a big brother of sorts for the other cadets.

While Armin recounted Reiner's courage in facing the Female Titan, he was then cut off by Y/n.

"Annie always talked about Reiner and Bertholdt in her sleep. The three are always staying together and they would often eye each other when one says something." Y/n states.

"You realized it too just now, right Armin? When you told me about what happened on your side." Y/n turned to Armin with a calm expression.

"Reiner survived, huh? But Annie stared at her palm and Reiner's swords were broken in half." Y/n approached Armin.

"Annie suddenly changed course after that and ran straight to where Eren was..." Armin stammered, understanding where Y/n was getting at.

"Shortly before that, I mentioned that Eren's position at the rear of the center rank, but Annie shouldn't have heard me." Armin said.

"What are you two saying? Have you two gone crazy and hit each other's head?" Eren deadpanned at them.

"Did Reiner seem unusually interested in Eren's position?" Hanji questioned, absorbing the information that Armin and Y/n presented.

"It can't be...I only mentioned Eren's position because Reiner specifically asked me about it." Armin realized.

"With that, Reiner could have written a message on her hand with his blades." Y/n concluded.

"What the hell? Why are you saying these things? You-" Eren was interrupted by the Deputy Commander.

Addressing all of the Scouts present, Hanji gave orders for everyone to feign ignorance about Reiner and Bertholdt's true identities.

They can only do that until the two possible traitors could be confronted underground.

All soldiers, under no circumstances, should not mention Annie Leonhart when they are around them.

Hanji concluded delivering a plan of action to the other Scouts. Before their departure, Levi speaks with the recruits present.

"Calm down, Eren. You three listen as well. We'll be parting ways for this mission. Everyone's counting on you." Levi reminded.

"Erwin may have made a snap decision in putting you four together, but you're our only hope now." he sighed.

"Understand, Armin? You and Hanji will need to pool your efforts." he turned to Armin.

"Y-Yes, sir!" Armin exclaimed.

"Mikasa. I don't know why you're so attached to Eren, but I want you to focus on protecting him with everything you have." he instructed.

"Yes, sir! Of course!" Mikasa replied with determination. Eren pouted, not liking the idea of being protected as if he was still a child, who needed protecting.

"Eren. You need to be able to restrain yourself. Don't let your rage distract you from your goal. You can't afford to mess up again." he said.

"Yes, sir!" Eren replied.

"And finally, Y/n. While Mikasa takes care of Eren, you have to babysit Armin. Use your gracefulness to dodge and attack when the time comes. Don't waste energy, you'll tire yourself out if you do." he told her.

"Yes, sir." Y/n saluted. The four left the room and made their way to their respective horses.

𝚈/𝚗'𝚜 𝙿𝙾𝚅

"This is ridiculous! What were you saying, huh?!" Eren suddenly gripped my shoulders in anger, not wanting to believe what we just said.

I was certain that there could no hell worse than this, but humanity's darkest day reared its ugly head again.

A ceaseless rumbling wave of terror and cruelty is coming, transforming every day into a waking nightmare.

"Those who would defy our efforts are our enemies and must be defeated. In these wretched days, how do they look upon us?" I questioned.

"What expressions decorate their faces? What are you willing to sacrifice to overthrow these demons?" I continued to question him.

"Offer your life and eternal soul without even a second of regret! Dedicate! Dedicate! Dedicate your heart to this cause!" I yelled.

"Remember all the lives that brought us to this moment. Dedicate! Dedicate! Dedicate your whole heart to this cause!" I reminded.

"And rebuild the future with your bare hands." I patted his back before turning around and leaving.

𝟹𝚛𝚍 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝙿𝙾𝚅

In the wilderness of Wall Rose, Hanji sets a course for the Scouts to assist in the locating of the breach, and they ride for Utgard Castle.

They're going to go to Utgard Castle, where they will get a good view of their surroundings and where they can also start planning their next move.

Y/n gripped Armin's cloak to avoid falling off of the horse. Armin noticed her grip on his cloak.

"If you want and if you're comfortable with it, you can hold onto my waist and rest. I'll wake you up once we get there." Armin offered.

"No, I'm okay. I've rested too much already. If I wake up, I'll be tired and I won't be ready to fight." Y/n replies.

Y/n tried her best to stay awake, but with the night sky above them and her dark surroundings, staying awake was getting even more difficult.

"Armin, I'm sorry. I don't think..." Y/n paused, trying to keep her eyes open as her vision blurred.

"It's alright. Rest, you need it. I won't mind carrying you if you don't feel like walking." Armin joked although he meant it.

"Thank you...for everything, Armin." Y/n finally gave in to her slumber and allowed herself to rest.

Y/n wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back. Armin smiled softly at this and continued to ride his horse.

|| 𝙵𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 ||

Some years ago, we, the cadets, complete a snowstorm training exercise, arriving at a base at the foot of a mountain.

Winter Training. Titans are most active in sunlight, so blizzards can hinder them considerably.

The ability to move quickly through inclement weather is therefore highly advantageous for soldiers.

"To think we survived a blizzard in 9 hours and 12 minutes." I mumbled, hugging my knees to give myself warmth.

"I thought I was a goner. This winter training is way harder than I expected." Eren sighed, leaning on the wooden fence covered in snow.

"Darn, I can't feel my legs." Jean grunted, trying to pinch his legs but they were numb due to the coldness.

"I wish they'd let us inside already." Connie whined, not wanting to be in the cold any longer.

"I bey they're busy preparing a victory feast for us in there!" Sasha exclaimed.

We're gonna die in this blizzard before we even have a 'feast', as Sasha had mentioned earlier.

"Hey! Christa is missing." Reiner came jogging to us as he informed us about Christa's absence.

"What?" Eren stares at him in disbelief.

"She stayed behind to help Daz when he couldn't keep up." Mikasa retorted.

"Daz isn't here, either. Ymir as well." Reiner adds.

"What if they joined up with the last group?" Marco joined in on the conversation.

"Nope. Thomas's squad was last, and they just arrived. They said they hadn't seen those three." Reiner states.

"Does that mean...they got lost?" Armin mumbled. Or they could've already died.

"Hold on. They could easily die in a blizzard like this." Connie reminded. Exactly.

"Darn it." Armin stood up but is held back by Mikasa. Eren argued that he can't afford to sit here and that he was going to look for them.

"Me too." Marco said, joining Eren.

"Everyone, get in the cabin." the woman instructed as she came towards us.

Our female training instructor said that a search team will search for them the next morning.

Eren insisted that it will be too late if they hold off on the search, but our instructor says that more cadet lives cannot be risked in the snowstorm.

The blizzard is more flakes than it would ever make sense to count, yet each makes its own daring path to the white dunes they build taller.

The snow became so thick that the trees appeared as the confetti as if they were the flakes that danced.

In the blizzard there was no way to know which direction to go, the usual landmarks were hidden behind the white that swirled so densely.

"Damn it." Eren cursed under his breath.

We were then allowed to head inside the cabin to rest. We've been in the blizzard for too long, we should take the time to warm up.

I sat down on a chair and sighed. My hands are freezing. I could barely even feel them.

Its natural warmth had disappeared and it was now replaced by the coldness of being outside for too long.

"You guys should stay at the cabin. As our instructor said, we could get stranded out there." Eren reminded.

I took off my gloves gently and brought my hands to my face. I blew on it, using my breath to warm my hands.

Although the warmth it gave was temporary, it was enough to make me slightly relieved.

"I'm going with you to keep that from happening." Mikasa said. Of course, Mikasa is going to go if Eren's going to.

"I can't just leave them out there." Armin decided to go as well. All three of them going, huh?

"Hey. What do you think you're doing?" Reiner questioned, entering the room with Bertholdt behind him.

"Don't try to stop-" Eren was about to argue against Reiner, but he got interrupted by Bertholdt.

"You're gonna need a lot more gear than that." Bertholdt stated, eyeing our outfits that will never survive in a blizzard like this.

"If you go by yourselves, you'll end up needing to be rescued too." Reiner