Hange Zoe had never felt such intense pain in her whole life. That she could maintain consciousness in the midst of such agony was commendable. After all, one couldn't rest with so much work to do. But what might be accomplished when she was scarcely able to crawl? "I need someone to fetch a horse!" She rasped through a scorched throat.

"Section Commander," Moblit said indignantly, "you're in no condition to ride anywhere."

"We have to go back to that village…"

"Ragako, what for?"

"There's something there, I just know it. I can feel it in my bones." She attempted to rise, but failed to even reach her knees.

"Then I will go." Better to offer than fight with her about it. "I'll take a couple of men with me and we'll scour the area. What are we looking for?"

"I have a feeling you'll know it when you see it."

Moblit didn't have a clue what that meant, but Hange, though certainly eccentric, tended to have trustworthy "gut-feelings". He himself was observant enough, although extra eyes always made reconnaissance easier. "Very well ma'am; consider it done." He rendered a weary salute. "Gerhard, Oschatz, with me!" The two hurried over, Moblit said something Hange couldn't hear from this distance, then the trio vanished off the edge of the wall.

If I'm right, this could change everything. The entire fate of humanity might be altered. Although, I'd honestly prefer it if I was way off-base this once.

(***)

Over the verdant plains, the sun has begun its inexorable journey towards the horizon. Two hours maybe, until day slips from the fingers of those desperately clinging to the light. Two hours maybe, until the fate of mankind is determined. Two hundred horses gallop across the earth, kicking up clods of grass and dirt, creating a cloud of dust in their wake. They chased the sunset. Astride the beasts are gallant, intrepid soldiers and naïve fools, riding headlong into the unknown. Who among their number is soon to meet a violent end?

"What's our plan, sir?"

"It's simple, Tomas," Erwin replied. "We follow the trail left by the Armored titan and pray we're not too late." By Hange's estimate, Bertolt and Reiner wouldn't make a move until their chances of escape were higher. Regular titans were plentiful throughout this area, roaming about in herds. With most of their energy depleted, it'd be irrational to try and escape until the titans entered their period of inactivity. "Assuming we reach our objective in time, we recover Eren and Ymir at any cost."

"Understood, sir." Tomas nodded solemnly.

"It sounds as though you're worried, Commander Smith," Captain Arkady, the officer in charge of the Military Police contingent said haughtily.

"We're deep into enemy territory without the option of resupply. We can't make use of the long-range scouting formation; we don't have the time. Not to mention, I'm down many of my best fighters. Our casualty figures, even should we succeed, shall be grim."

Arkady gave a hearty laugh. "Fret not, Erwin, the kingdom's elite wardens march beside you. We'll complete the operation before the titans can rally against us."

"My soldiers are far superior to yours in every way, captain. If I had even five of them with me now, I wouldn't need a shred of assistance from the likes of you." Biting as the comment was, he delivered it flatly, without pretense or malice. A simple statement of fact.

"Hmph, you'd do well to check your pride, Erwin," Arkady scowled, "It'll land you before the scythe one day."

He said nothing. Arkady Volgrimmer was a small-minded man from the most prosperous portions of the Interior. Erwin Smith knew many in the breadth of his career. Arkady became a soldier with the intent that he'd rest on his laurels forever. He'd wave his badge of authority around, occasionally beat up some locals, once and while maybe make an actual arrest, but he'd achieve nothing of grandeur. Safety abounds the deeper one goes inside the walls, a place without glory. It must have gotten boring for him, merely pretending for so long. Why else would someone with their head so far up their own ass enlist themselves for a mission like this? He wanted a chance to prove himself more than another of the King's jackbooted louts. There were scant few real officers among the MPs any more. And though he hated to admit an ever so slight satisfaction from the idea, there'd be fewer fake ones around after today too.

(***)

"Are you alright?"

Aline nodded. "No worse than anyone else, Alb." Just sore and profoundly pissed off.

"Really? Because it looks to me like it's taking everything you have to stay on the horse."

"No more so than anyone else. I'm only tired; we all are." A bald-faced lie. Probably an obvious one, but it's not like he'd know what she was hiding. To be completely honest, she wasn't exactly feeling in top form. Aline still felt chafe from unchanged undergarments and everything from her belly button to her knees ached from too much time in the saddle. Those issues she'd had when they'd stormed the castle at dawn. What made them worse was problems that'd developed since then. When Reiner had thrown her into Mikasa, Aline's spine had smashed into the latter's gear-shaft, likely bruising it. That, and she'd inhaled a rather copious amount of smoke and embers during the ensuing battle. With a couple of hours gone by, she felt the after-effects in her lungs. Breathing too deeply caused great discomfort. Not that anybody needed to know; it wouldn't impact her fighting ability, but she'd be appreciative of a couple days' rest afterwards.

"The rest of us can do the heaviest of the fighting, you know?"

"And miss out on giving those assholes a good smack upside the head? Not a chance."

"We aren't going on a vengeance quest. This is a rescue op, grab and go, you heard what the commander said." They didn't have the men or the supplies for a protracted battle in titan country. "You're too good a soldier to simply give everything over to bloodlust anyway."

"The lines have been getting a bit blurry lately. The difference between fighting and losing control is hard to distinguish, so I just try to make the best use of my skills that I can."

"…I know the feeling." And it drags you down some alleys you don't want to end up at the back of. Pinned against a wall, fighting to retain the last shreds of your sanity. "Still, we've both been too wound up these past few days. We talked about that earlier, got a chance to air some dirty laundry and calm down." And feel a little like their old selves for a bit. "Taking our own advice should be kept in the forefront."

He was right. Almost the moment they started mobilizing, the murder-switch in her brain flicked right back on. Again, having one's anger active for so long was tiring, and her body started to ache from the tension, but there were only a couple more hours in the day. "I just need a bit more time. Yeah, it sounds stupid after everything we talked about. But, if I can work the last few drops of rage into something useful, it'll be gone and done with."

"Short leash, got it?"

She couldn't keep herself from rolling her eyes a little. "I'll keep a lid on it, yeah."

Aline's tone didn't inspire great confidence, but he couldn't be certain enough to call her on it. With everyone being so tired and irritable, the intent behind words was easily muddled. Then again, even if he did call Aline's self-control into question, what would he accomplish? Nothing, like as not. Might piss her off more, but not much else.

It's frustrating. Albrecht was commanding the squad again, and the last thing he wanted was tension which proved disruptive to fighting cohesion. Not that he wanted people going off half-cocked either. He must inspire unity, discipline, and confidence in his soldiers. They had to believe that they were able to rely on him to have their backs.

In part, that involved apologizing when he wronged his comrades. Albrecht looked over at Elise. An apology was merely the least he owed. He was embarrassed by the fact he'd yelled at anyone, much less her. And I'm bound to fumble over my words. Saying sorry was harder for him than most. Not because he was too proud, or that he didn't recognize his own mistakes, but because it required such a purely emotional response to be done effectively. His emotions weren't the most cooperative when they were let out.

I'll need to jump off that bridge sooner or later anyway. He guided his horse over a few spaces so they could speak. "Might I bend your ear for a moment?" He couldn't understand why he'd asked so formally.

"Yeah, go right ahead."

He inhaled deeply, slowly exhaled, and attempted to coalesce his statements. "Um…Elise?"

"What's up?"

Albrecht let out a slow breath. "Before this all kicks off, I just wanted…I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"For?"

"When I…yelled at you before, when the whole…thing with Christa happened. I shouldn't have bit your head off like that." Especially after everything you've done for me in the past few days.

She glanced at him, a twinge of sadness in her eyes. "I'm not holding it against you. People say a lot of things they don't intend to in the heat of a moment, but…I won't pretend it didn't sting some." It didn't help the sensation that she was filling shoes that weren't the right size. Try as she might, Jansen's ghost seemed to linger beside her, never quite allowing Elise to take the spot in the team he once occupied tactically. During training exercises prior to the 57th Recon Mission, they'd all mistakenly called Jansen's name at least once when engaging. She didn't have any right to blame them for that either. The squad's strategy had been built around the specific affinities and attributes of each member. It'd probably take months before things changed enough for Elise to carve her own niche.

"You've done a great job by the way."

Her train of thought was abruptly halted. "Huh?"

"With taking up the secondary assault position in the squad. You've gotten the hang of our drills and your teamwork is flawless."

"I was a servant, remember? I'm just good at taking instruction."

"Jansen would be glad his spot went to someone like you." He paused a moment. "And, at the end, you helped out a lot. More's the better, because I…lost my head some. So, thanks for your hard work since then; it's been invaluable."

Elise found humor in how Albrecht spoke, although she didn't show it. He talked like an employer giving a performance review. "You don't need to thank me for doing my job." But she didn't exactly mind being praised by him.

He shook his head. "I do. We all do. When this is done, we have to do something to properly welcome you into the team. Maybe we'll go to a tavern and waste and evening and a bit of coin. Would you…be into something like that?" It'd do them all some good to get away from the war for an evening. Some food and maybe a drink to go with it. However, the latter wasn't likely to happen when Christa still looked all of twelve years old.

"You're asking me to dinner?"

"Heh, when you put it that way, it sounds funny, but yeah, yeah I am."

"I'd be glad to. I suppose it's a date then." Why in the hell did I put emphasis on that word?!

That elicited a laugh from Albrecht. "Never heard of someone going on a date with four people before, but there's a first time for everything, eh?" The others being there made him feel at ease for some reason. As though the thought of being alone with her suddenly put a pang of anxiety in his stomach.

(***)

Inhale. Count to five. Exhale. Inhale. Count to five. Exhale. Repeat this process as many times as it takes to calm down. Although, it proved a bit more difficult to do on horseback. Ctirad Liska never had to think so hard about merely breathing. Well, proper breathing at least. He actually was having a harder time avoiding hyperventilation. Passing out on horseback at full gallop would end terrifically.

"Dude, you look like you're about to puke." Erik Grunewald had been riding beside him since they departed. And Ctirad was looking worse as they went.

"No, just…trying to focus."

"On what?!"

"Calming down."

Erik blinked. "Good God, your calm looks like my panic attack. I don't think you worked all the crazy out from last night."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "What am I even doing here?"

"You know we have to rescue Eren and Ymir; there's no other option," Erik said matter-of-factly. Although, as he himself had said, titan powers being in the hands of someone like Jaeger didn't bring him comfort.

"Not that, I mean here, in the Scout Regiment. I don't have a single reason why I signed up. No purpose, no nothing." He'd been mulling that over during the past couple of days. Before Utgard Castle, he'd thought about the lack of purpose he felt, deciding that to be the motivating factor. Now, as they charged towards the falling sun, that realization was brewing an existential crisis within him. A lack of purpose was not cause to be foolish.

Couldn't he have chosen a safer path, a more reasonable path? Being a farmer or some other mindless task in his home town didn't appeal to him, that's in large part why he went to the academy. However, there's no shame in joining the Garrison. Plenty of other cadets chose that route. Steady work, steady pay, steady supply of food, and serving in defense of the realm. All without marching into the heart of the enemy. Ctirad wasn't opposed to fighting by a long shot. He fancied that cowardice didn't number among his traits, but he didn't feel inclined to chase the Glory of Humanity either. He had no intention of fame or decoration as a soldier. Those types tended to wind up in wooden boxes and wearing stone hats. Ctirad would simply do his time and get out of the army, so he thought. Everything seemed so uncertain since he left the Cadet Corps.

"Maybe…" Erik paused. "Maybe there doesn't have to be a reason."

"Well, clearly not."

"You're willing to fight, and that can be good enough."

"I don't think I'll be very good at this in the long run without a cause." He already suffered doubts after a few weeks. Months or years of self-questioning would surely destroy his ability to wage war. Nothing to drive him forward, nothing to stoke a fire in his heart. Ctirad couldn't even be called a mercenary, seeing as scouts weren't paid any more than those in the Garrison. "I'll end up being more of a liability than an asset."

"You do have a cause though. For lack of a better word, you're fighting to give your life purpose. And that makes your purpose fighting, for the time being anyway."

"Isn't that a bit too abstract?"

"It's something. I'm just thinking off the top of my head. Motivational speaking isn't my strong-suit." He was just speaking vague words in hopes some of them might help. A couple of philosophical phrases from an old book. Intellectuals could usually spin something in spite of speaking in circles without reaching a point.

"Everyone is being pretty gloomy today, aren't they?"

"I think it's just anxiety," Giselle told Jean.

"There's a stark difference between the two. I'd understand if they're all being more serious than usual, but it feels like there's a lot of unsaid words floating around." He wasn't wrong. "It's been less than twenty-four hours and it seems like a whole month passed without me." There'd certainly been enough excitement for that to be the case. Honestly, Stohess could've been a year ago for all he knew. What would Marco have said at a time like this? Optimism most likely would shine through. Even in the dourest of times, he'd find the sun through the hole in the clouds. Hard to believe he'd been gone more than a month already. Him and so many others in the 104th, cut down long before they'd had a chance to make anything of their lives. Heh, I don't suppose our chances are better in that regard. We've made some foolhardy choices because of how that fight ended up. Those sacrifices had driven them into action, no longer able to sit idly by in safety. Down the line, would their deceased comrades look upon them with pride or pity? Would the cost be worth it in the end? All the more reason we can't fail here.

(***)

"All soldiers, assume battle formation!" Erwin shouted. "We'll be casting as wide a search net as possible, but do not go beyond sight of the units to the right and left of you! Maintain squad cohesion at all times!" Again, unable to take proper advantage of the long-range scouting formation drastically limited his tactical options.

"Be reasonable, Erwin; dividing our numbers so deep in enemy territory is unwise," Arkady petitioned.

Erwin didn't look at him. "I will remind you, captain, combat beyond the wall, and thus surviving it, are my area of expertise. You and your troopers were subordinated to my command to assist in this operation. Do you understand what that means?"

He squinted. "Are you mocking my intelligence, comm—"

"It means, while you are here, you follow my orders to the letter. You lack time beyond the walls and sufficient experience in titan combat. If you wish to survive, you will not object, you will not question, you will obey. Am I clear?"

How dare he continue to speak to an officer of His Majesty's law in this manner. "You aren't helping your case, Smith. Commander Dok will hear of this insolence upon our return."

"And I shall make certain your personal effects are delivered to your next of kin. Disregard my orders, preserve your fragile ego, and I can promise you will meet a most violent end. Listen to me, and hopefully most of you will live. Surely preserving humanity and your own lives has more weight than your worthless sense of self-import?" If the captain wished to say something more to him, he kept the words to himself. More the better, as Erwin had grown quite tired of the cur's yapping. He needed to think. Time worked determinedly against him, and his best officers were far from his sight. Levi, Hange, Blasa, Mike, his senses were robbed from him, his hands crippled. Any more subordinates removed and he'd be the sole officer of the regiment engaged. And somehow, he must discern the treacherous path to victory.

To the right, he observed a succession of red flares rising. Only a few minutes and the formation had made contact. "It appears the right wing already has multiple titans amongst them," Peer, one of the battalion's senior NCOs said to him.

No choice then. "Tell all sections on the right wing to tighten in and maintain heading. Our only option is the shortest route available. Sundown is fast approaching, gentlemen!" It's not working…we don't have enough time. He looked up at the dazzling, golden light creeping towards the mountains. Were I able, I'd will you to cease your procession. But the heavens do not halt for the affairs of men nor beasts.

Many of the young recruits were grouped together in the center of the column, accompanying some of the Garrison contingent. They'd kept from spreading to either flank, no doubt because they played a central role in the recovery strategy. Or at least, that's what most of them hoped for. None of the older soldiers were so well acquainted with the titan shifters apart from Eren.

For those who'd trained alongside Reiner and Bertolt in the 104th, no one could anticipate their behaviors better, even if they had been long deceived by the pair. What nobody had the slightest idea about however, was their reasoning. That made an unpredictable scenario more unpredictable and there was no telling how the impending confrontation would proceed.

"Mikasa, hey, Mikasa! Damn it, slow down and quit breaking rank!" A Garrison officer with short, blonde hair shouted at her. The fiercely determined young soldier was chomping at the bit to surge ahead.

Even from a distance, Aline saw the hardness in the girl's eyes. "Look at her, so singularly focused on her dumbass boyfriend. What a waste that she has all the skill in the world. Humanity deserves better."

"The hand we've been dealt." Erik shrugged.

"Stay focused guys, please." Albrecht knew distractions were something they could ill afford.

"I know, I'm just saying."

"If she starts playing fast and loose with everyone's lives again, I swear…" Aline said under her breath.

"Do you want me to bind and gag you? Because I swear, I'll do it if you don't mellow out," Albrecht responded. Aline merely glowered at him. To be clear, it wasn't that he possessed much fondness for the brash trio from Shiganshina. On the contrary, all three irritated him. However, no deep-seeded hatred from them dwelt in his bones either. Even considering the events of the 57th Recon Mission and those recounted to him from Stohess, he hadn't the inclination to murder them as Aline did. Or, at the very least, she held the intention to kill Mikasa.

Could she be counted on to put the vendetta aside when it so clearly filled her every sinew? Albrecht grew more and more weary of the number of questions he hadn't the certainty to answer.

"Flares up! We're tightening ranks and shifting position!" An officer shouted. Red smoke signals were visible in more places along both flanks. Titans would soon be closing them in on three sides.

(***)

Ragako Village, Interior of Wall Rose:

The five of them had made it with just about an hour of light left. Connie Springer's report didn't do the settlement justice. Rubble and debris lay about, massive footprints formed deep indentations in the earth, and every single house looked like it'd exploded from the inside. The whole town had been annihilated.

"Never seen a fresh one before," Terrelle said. "It's pretty damn creepy." In his years riding with the regiment, he'd not seen a town in the immediate aftermath of a titan attack. And destruction aside, it wasn't anything like he'd expected. "You'd think there'd be some residue from fires or a bunch of dried blood lying around. Why is it so clean?"

Moblit scratched his chin. "One of a few questions I'm hoping we can answer. Dismount and start searching. Any clue of any size could be important, but keep your wits about you."

"Yes sir!"

Moblit's team picked around the ruined structures, venturing inside where buildings were intact enough to do so. Upon closer inspection, the damage was remarkably localized. A house might have a hole jutting from a bedroom or kitchen area, and a tavern only had holes in the front of it. Stranger still, there were a couple of residences and businesses that hadn't been touched by the destruction at all. The stables were full of horses. Pantries were full of food. Even weapons were on their racks. And not a single drop of blood anywhere.

Richter walked around, head on a swivel, one hand on his sword. Light gusts of wind whistled through hollowed out domiciles, blowing shutters open and closed. He shivered. "Terrelle's right, this is creepy as hell."He heard the sound of crinkling glass from beneath his feet and paused. Richter lifted his boot to reveal a small, framed portrait, a man and woman of middle-age rendered in charcoal. The realism in the drawing was uncanny. He flipped the frame over. Klaus and Ulla Springer, 844 It read in cursive. "That's the name of the recruit that lives here, right?" Richter started walking again. "Lieutenant Berner, I found something—" Upon rounding the corner a pair of massive, amber eyes glared sidelong at him. "Holy shit! TITAN, TITAN!" He stumbled backwards, tripping over a discarded bucket. A ten-meter variant was on its back over a destroyed house, looking at him upside down. Breath caught in his throat.

The others came running upon hearing his shouts. "How in the name of God did we miss this?" Terrelle rubbed his eyes to ensure they still worked properly.

Moblit held out his hand. "Trooper Oschatz, I want you to back away slowly." The titan moaned and started moving.

"Bastard's getting up; I'll kill it!"

"No, wait!" Moblit stayed Terrelle's hand. "Look at the limbs." Both of the titan's arms and legs were twig-like, no thicker than any of their own appendages. The torso as well resembled that of a long-starved prisoner. "I don't think it can get up." It didn't raise its body even a meter off the ground before collapsing.

"How'd it even get here?" Nifa asked, puzzled.

"Maybe it fell out of the sky or something?" Terrelle was only half-joking. Moblit had a point; it couldn't get up, let alone walk.

"Springer mentioned a titan he found to Hange, with it laying on top of his house. This has to be the same one."

Richter's synapses reactivated at the words. "Lieutenant, I found this just over there." He proffered the picture to Moblit, although its condition wasn't as good as when he first picked it up. When he'd tripped, he dropped the picture and the glass cracked on a rock, leaving almost half of the image obscured. "I dropped it, sorry."

Moblit scrutinized the piece back to front. "We should probably return this to the kid. I doubt there's much left of his family's possessions."

"I wanna ask him who his folks commissioned for the portrait; that's the best sketch-work I've ever seen," Terrelle mused, peering over Moblit's shoulder. "I'd drop two weeks' pay to get something half this good where I live."

"Hey," Nifa tapped Moblit's arm. "Turn the picture upside down." She made a gesture with her finger. "Doesn't that look like…"

Terrelle winced. "Oh hell no." He threw up his hands. Nope. NOPE! I am not in the mood for that shit!"

"It's freaky and makes no sense, but you're looking at the same thing I am." Blood ran cold. Knots formed in chests.

"The titan looks almost exactly like her…" He almost cursed Nifa's powers of observation.

Richter turned to the emaciated monstrosity, his reflection visible in its massive pupils. "I'm afraid to ask, lieutenant, but what does this mean?"

"For what might be the first time in my career, I'm not sure I want a question answered."

(***)

Less than three kilometers now. The enormous tress and deep shadows stretched off beyond sight to the north and south. They'd avoided the titans deftly to this point, incurring no casualties, but the contingent was gathering quite the collection of followers. Drawn from nearby with the noise and scent of humans carried on the wind, more would converge on this place. A tightening noose around their necks, but also those of the traitors they sought. Erwin could use that to his advantage.

It's still too early for Braun and Hoover to escape safely. And by drawing further threats and obstacles to them, we widen the window of opportunity for our gambit. "Gentlemen, it is nearly time, prepare." The forest grew ever larger, obscuring more and more of the evening sky from view. If the foe did not know they were nearly upon them, that was soon to change. As Erwin readied a fresh round for his signal pistol, the air ahead suddenly filled with crimson smoke. Every single one of the observers had fired off. They now had enemy contacts reported from all fronts.

"Commander, we're being boxed in." Peer's tone barely restrained his apprehension.

Another of his men spoke up. "Sir, there's a gap on the left flank where we could go around the enemy. Shall we alter course?"

The forest was too large to skirt around before sunset. He already knew that. By the time they'd done so, it'd be too late to catch up to their quarry. It would cost his command dearly for arriving at the hour they did. Fate might be intent on making a butcher of me. Erwin clenched his fist. "No, we maintain our heading. Straight ahead, keep moving no matter what happens! Either we shall meet death or find glory; those are the cards in our hand! Green signals, all of you! Gather the formation on our position and make ready for combat!"

(***)

Erik watched the contrasting flares streak across the sky. They meant to breach a veritable wall of titans. He could feel a lump in his throat, but forced it down. Erik rolled his shoulders and crouched low to his mount to minimize air resistance. "Well, here we go."

The calm before the storm, the quiet before battle. Soldiers across all of history could describe it. Then the chaos and cacophony of warfare as the killing begins. This too, a veteran can recall. There is, however a brief point between the peace and conflict, those last moments as opposing forces closed the distance. Your heart pounds like a war drum. Your senses are sharper than at any other time. You steady yourself with all the strength you can muster and brace for impact. Then, the tempest lashes out.

Titans came barreling out of the tree line, at least two score of them. Dozens more came on after the battalion. Hard to say who had more bodies committed to the field. "All squads, evasive maneuvers! Move independently and avoid combat except as a last resort!"

Deeper within the forest, a bright flash of light lit the gloom, followed by a clap of thunder. The situation escalated. "Who do you think it is?"

"Well Connie, we've got about a fifty percent chance of fighting whoever it isn't," Elise answered. As the formation split up, a couple of the MPs were grabbed from their horses and taken apart. Though she kept going, Sasha couldn't keep herself from watching them die. It could just as easily be any one of them. Regardless of skill, it only took a single mistake. Though she'd long known that by now, she felt the freshness of the terror witnessing it.

"Deep breaths, deep breaths, deep breaths." Ctirad had returned to the shallow inhalations of before. Telling himself to take in his air slowly might very well be worsening the problem.

"Stop doing that, you're making me anxious," Connie told him.

"Believe me, I'm trying!"

Companies divided into sections, sections into squads. A few more non-scouts died as the strike force drove onwards into the deep greenery. Horses struggled with the thickening scrub, sometimes stumbling over roots and bushes. Going would be much slower. No, the dutiful animals had brought them this far, and now they were in ODM territory. Leave someone to gather up the horses while others went ahead. The inventions of man must slide into place where flesh is weak.

"All soldiers, dismount and engage your equipment! Locate the targets and subdue them!" It is a big forest, but with titans everywhere, there's only so many places for fugitives to hide. What's more, they'd be forced into action by the scouts' arrival, or risk being cornered.

"Everyone, eyes open and stay alert!"

The former members of the 104th were at the fore of the advance this time. Duty demanded they serve to bring justice on the enemies of humanity, but they gave chase because they wanted answers as much as anything. Dark secrets lurked behind the affable and mild-mannered masks of these two. Crimes so horrifying that they defied imagination, and for what? For whom?

"Question," Jean raised a hand. "I can't speak for anyone, because I wasn't there, but how exactly are we intending to deal with this?"

"I've kinda been wondering the same," Ctirad added.

Elise shrugged. "We go in, rescue Eren and Ymir, and high-tail it back to Wall Rose. We fight them if we have to."

"Are we going to be able to do that?"

Aline scoffed. "They're big, they're strong, they're duplicitous bastards, but I'd like to see them defend against an ass-kicking from all the rest of us." Especially since they won't get to fight transformed.

"I think what he's trying to say, is can we put weapons against guys we've been friends with for so long? We went through a lot with Reiner and Bertolt. It's just a bit difficult to reconcile that with what they've done." Sasha, like many of the others, felt conflicted.

"Anybody who wants to have a crisis of morality over it is welcome to, but there'll be no pity from me." Aline's hard eyes faced only forward. "Our friends are dead, and those two were only wearing their skin."

"Will we…have to kill them?" Giselle followed. A question on all their minds. For some, one they'd asked several days ago in Stohess. The answer then had turned out to be rather ambiguous, with further questions wondering whether they'd ended Annie's life or not.

"I think, at some point, doesn't matter if it's today or ten years from now, we're going to have to." Albrecht's response was measured, solemn, and pragmatic. Even if the notion bothered him, Aline was right. The shared experiences the cadets shared with Reiner and Bertolt were based on an elaborate lie, which cost thousands of innocent lives.

"Then we won't think about it," Historia spoke up for the first time since the departure from the wall. "Keep our sights squarely on rescuing as opposed to killing. Soldiers can save lives just as well as take them." A modicum of the tension blew away on the rushing air.

"We don't know what they'll try to get Ymir to do what they want, keep that in mind."

"Alb, if I'm hurt, you know she'll turn on them immediately." Not all the monsters in hell could stop the violence to follow.

"Which means, they might try to grab you too." She'd make an excellent bargaining chip for Ymir's cooperation. "Until we get a sense of what they're planning, I want you to stay behind us, Christa. Sorry, Historia."

"You guys don't have to keep correcting yourselves; I understand it's a bit of an adjustment. Even I'm not really used to my real name." Honestly, both of her names felt like they belonged to somebody else at the moment. She'd become a stranger, caught between two identities that fit like oversized hand-me-downs. "And I appreciate you being protective, but I'm capable of handling myself, enough that none of you need to fuss over me."

"Today isn't a typical day though," Elise reminded her. The circumstances were more than a little extraordinary.

And as if to emphasize the point, a deafening roar shook the air, rattling the bones of all who heard it. "That's got to be Ymir!" Historia squealed.

Jean cocked his head to the side. "You can tell whose titan it is from the scream?"

"It's actually rather easy," Giselle recalled. "Like most voices, screams are pretty distinct. The fluctuations of the vocal cords, the pitch, they can be matched to their source with little effort if you—"

"Biology lesson later, blondie," Aline groaned. "Gotta figure out where in the hell it's coming from."

"She's close," Historia said firmly.

"Stay back a bit, we'll go up ahead." Albrecht gestured for Connie and Sasha to come with him.

"I'm coming too."

"No Aline. Stay here and keep an eye on Chr—Historia. I've got command, I'll take the risk. Besides, the three of us can move more independently if something happens; the section should stay together." He heard Aline mutter something about bullshit as they moved ahead of the group.

Historia turned out to be correct, she was very close. A short distance on, they broke through into a clearing, wherein Ymir's titan was perched on the side of a notably thick tree, staring firmly ahead. She was alone.

"I was expecting to find a battle going on," Sasha quipped as the three came in to land.

"Same here." Albrecht felt some unease in his gut, but couldn't discern why.

Connie hooked into the tree right next to Ymir's head. "How'd you manage to get away from them? Where's Eren, do they still have him?" She didn't respond or look at him. Her face just swiveled from side to side, eyes shifting every which way. "What about Bertolt and Reiner, where are they?" Still no response.

Many of the others were into the clearing now, taking up position as those not present for the night's events marveled at her titan form. Ymir hadn't acknowledged anyone's presence. "How did you manage to get away from them?! Which way did they go?!" Jean repeated Connie's questions. Again, nothing.

"What is she doing that for?" Albrecht asked Sasha in a low voice.

"She's looking for something, Historia probably. Although, that doesn't explain the tension in the various muscles, and her pupils are wobbling if you look closely." She bit into her lip. "Hey, Ymir, give us something to go on, anything!" Something was definitely off. The air practically tasted of it.

"You think there's enemies nearby?"

Sasha shook her head. "Not directly, no; I can't smell any other titans, but…my palms are itching anyway."

"Nothing's coming after us?"

"Again, not directly."

"Hey ugly, say something already!" Connie jumped up and pounded on her head with his boot. "In case you haven't noticed, we're in a bit of a rush!"

"Is she keeping watch for Reiner and Bertolt?" Armin squinted. "But then, why is she looking at us one by one?"

Albrecht perked up. "What'd you just say?"

"That she's looking at us one by one?" During the 57th Recon Mission the Female Titan examined each of the soldiers she encountered before deciding to kill them or not. She wanted to make sure of her target before striking. At their massive size, it could be that titans needed to peer closer to see better details.

"Then she is probably is looking for Historia, but that doesn't explain why—"

"YMIR!" The titan snapped its attention to the left. The rest of the section was moving into the clearing, with Historia at the head."

"Albrecht wanted you to stay behind us!" Elise called after her.

"It's fine! We found her!" She sped forward. "Thank goodness you're alright; I was so worried!" The beginnings of happy tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

Ymir's titan said nothing. She pressed her feet firmly against the tree trunk and lowered onto her haunches. Connie had to reattach to the thick bark to keep from being thrown off. "Could you be a little more careful?! I was standing up there!"

The titan pushed off from her perch and went flying in Historia's direction. Fast, so terribly fast. The scouts looked on, confused. Those still inbound moved to the sides to get out of her path. Massive teeth parted ways to reveal a gaping maw, wide enough to swallow an elk whole. Historia's happy expression shifted to perplexity. Ymir shadow engulfed her as, in what appeared as slow motion, she moved between the teeth and into the yawning darkness. Perplexity became tinged with a layer of fear. Then the world vanished into blackness behind her. Ymir's titan came around and headed in the opposite direction, an errant leg disappearing between her lips.

All the oxygen was sucked out of that space. Nobody blinked, nobody breathed, there was only a rising sensation of abject terror. "What…" Sasha whispered.

"Did she just…"

For a few seconds, Aline stared on in horrified disbelief as Ymir got further away. An iciness filled the pit of her stomach, spreading upwards and outwards across the whole of her body. Then, she snapped. "You…YOU FUCKING BITCH; I'LL KILL YOU!" Caution, restraint, those words no longer meant anything. She would rip and tear the flesh from Ymir's bones until nothing remained. She'd take the girl apart so completely, there wouldn't be enough to regenerate from. I don't care how many tries it takes.

The voices of her comrades faded quickly as Aline sped deeper into the forest. Trees hurtled pas her as indistinct blurs of green and brown. She avoided each one that appeared in her way, dodging left and right without losing a fraction of her momentum. This, despite the fact that she wasn't consciously performing evasive maneuvers. All the space in her brain was filled by murderous intent.

However, even at breakneck speed, keeping up with Ymir's titan was all but impossible. The preternatural ease with which her enormous form leapt and swung from branch to branch defied belief. The gap between them was widening little by little, strength outclassing technological assistance. Aline prayed to catch up before the forest, and her rapidly depleting fuel tanks, reached their end. She didn't pretend to know how the encounter would go, or whether she'd make it close enough for there to be one at all. Her efforts could very well amount to nothing. Regardless, she would be completely torn to pieces before she'd stop.

There'd be no salvation for any of them. So total would be their annihilation that each of their souls would be sundered. Her wrath would not be satiated by less, even if she died in the process.

Revenants and Wiedergaengers have been part of folklore forever. Maybe I'll get lucky enough to stick around and raise some more hell before the judge hands down the verdict. To match the wickedness of demons, it makes sense to become a devil. Words echo around her subconscious, in a voice that doesn't quite feel like it belongs to her.

Greetings Readers! It's been a couple of months. I must confess in part, that's because I've done a little bit of "nonlinear" writing (writing stuff that happens later in the narrative because I had ideas I wanted to write down.) That said, with a bunch of the work on the next chapter done already, it won't be nearly as long until that upload.

Wanted to give special thanks to new fans again: AntraXx, negronomicon, Galieo Figaro, PrimeEffect, ZE GOD HAND, Kenway24, McMuffin, Kira-KillerQ, Alliyah Baluyot, Dustin3, hunter50x, Doubledecka98, Irishman1993, and Mzuark (who isn't a new fan, but has been offering reviews, comments, critiques, AND added my story to Recommended Fanfics for AoT on TVtropes. I just wanted to say thank you publicly as well as privately) You're all awesome people, which is helping me a lot during this tumultuous year. Thank you.