The Cursed Inheritance

by AngelOfTruth

Summary:

It has been years since the Great Titan War broke out. The royal family ignores the chaos as eight great houses clash between each other for control of their titan powers. Each family passes their titan to their strongest warrior, and each of them is a terror of the battlefield. One day, during a battle between two warring houses, a warrior dies without passing on his power. The titan is lost for many years, but one day, a child emerges, as gifted as she is cursed. Once the power resurfaces, the hunt begins again.

Notes:

An experimental fanfic about the Great Titan War exploring an idea of what would happen if a shifter perishes and a newborn Eldian inherits a titan, all characters are OC, I hope they will prove interesting enough to read about!

Takes place in the "Survivors of Hell" Timeline, but has no direct links.

Chapter 1: The champion falls

"Ever since the Fritz dynasty demonstrated its inability to govern and maintain peace amidst its own subordinates, the King's sovereignty shall no longer be recognized by the Lord of the House."

From the "Declaration of House Fern"

…

"Open fire!"

Those words marked an array of gunshots piercing the air, a momentary existence as an impenetrable wall; countless bullets were about to find their targets. It was a common sight for Aidni plains to be drenched in blood; that's why so many called them crimson. There were bodies buried beneath the grass, soldiers of two great houses that dedicated their hearts to their masters.

After today, there will be twice as many.

Leon Fern expected to arrive on the battlefield before the bloodshed started, but he underestimated the enemy's dedication. The two armies formed lines and grouped at different sides, continuing to shoot each other from their muskets, trying to toss grenades at one another. Sometimes, there would be saboteurs or brave fools who would try to distract the enemy and leave their fortifications, but most remained behind. They knew that even if they bypassed the soldiers, they would meet a demise as painful as it is inevitable at the hands of something far worse. Leon's first thoughts as he saw the chaos were of his brother, but he quickly forced those aside. His duty was to all of his people.

By the time Leon joined his troops, he led his horse towards the man in a golden coat and with mustache on his face, his eyes maintained confidence, but Leon could see that he hid some worry behind them. Once he saw Leon, however, the man rejoiced.

"Lord Fern, thank the elders! You're just in time; our men need a morale boost…How did your operation go?"

"As planned. I eliminated four of the enemy's outposts, now the enemy is stranded here." The warrior said with confidence as he looked at the fortification in front of them. The soldiers continued to fight without any signs of retreating.

"That you have, my lord, and those bastards have nowhere to run. It's only a matter of time before we root them out."

"Seems like they don't intend to march back. Any plans to change that, general Cressen?"

"What else is there to do? Lysanders have gotten desperate. They're in our territory, and their resources are limited. The more they stay, the more men they lose. The situation is in our favor."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Leon shook his head and spoke with a glint of unease. "I heard scout reports that say Otto Lysander himself was spotted behind the enemy lines."

"Yes, I heard that, too…To be honest, I have a hard time believing he'd come to this battlefield."

"Do you distrust our scouts?"

"No, my lord, but I have to remain skeptical of everything that is going on."

"Otto is their greatest weapon; he must be the only reason they are still pushing on. He's a cunning man, and with the power he possesses…"

"Hah, you mean the bitch Titan?" Cressen chuckled, much to Leon's annoyance. He was a skilled general, yet sometimes fell to his pride and underestimated the enemy. "It's no match for you, I have no doubt."

"Agile Titan, you'd do well not to demean our opponents when they're at our throats," Leon said. It was common to hear those in the house of Fern mock the Lysander's Titan for its universally feminine appearance, even on male inheritors, but this only led to people forgetting its true features. Incredible speed, agility, resilience, and extra abilities like a scream that can summon pure titans to its side. It was a dangerous opponent, and Otto himself couldn't be underestimated, either. "That said…" A smile crept on his face. "If he did not expect me to arrive at the scene so quickly, perhaps Otto hopes for an easy victory. I can perform a surprise attack…"

"And claim his Titan for the House!"

"Correct," Leon said, focusing on the idea. This could be an opportunity of a lifetime to finally deal a devastating blow to Lysanders and claim the Agile Titan, making Ferns the first family in history to possess two titans. "General, I have to ask you for a diversion…"

Before he could finish, the lord heard a loud voice.

"Leon!" He turned around and saw a young man with fair skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair, his brother might have been eleven years younger, but he already looked like Leon. "It's really you…" He took a deep breath with fear emerging in his eyes.

"Killian, what's wrong?" Leon asked, looking his brother in the eyes, which made the young man go at ease. He was eager to go to war to prove himself to his family, but the war took his toil.

"Look… They're bringing in the pure titans!"

He pointed at the opposing camp; the soldiers were bringing large cages, each one of them housing a pure titan. Giant, malformed, ravenous creature, the missing link between human and a shifter, the ones who have the curse but not the power. Abhorrent creatures, yet sometimes useful in war. They were chaotic and, if unleashed, would attempt to eat everyone in their way.

"They can't use them without a Titan scream…" Leon noted. "Otto is there; now we can be certain."

"You mean the Agile Titan?" Killian said with worry. "That means…Wait, why didn't he attack us yet?"

"He is probably waiting for our army to grow weakened, only to strike after a brief respite and finish the job. That's what this craven would do." Leon's voice brimmed with hatred; he always dreamed of bringing Otto down after the countless soldiers he killed, and today could be that day. "We can't wait for them to get many pure titans here."

"Then what are your orders, my lord?" Cressen asked.

"As I said, I need a diversion from your soldiers. Ten minutes, that's all I need. I'll try to lure Otto out and then bring an end to him." Leon declared, making his brother reflexively shiver.

"But that's suicide! You'll have to face the Agile Titans and all of their soldiers; it's too dangerous."

"I've been through worse," Leon reassured him. "Besides, if I take Otto's power, this will put an end to our long war…And House Fern will stand victorious."

"But what if…"

"Killian!" Leon said in a loud voice, making his brother regain his self-control. "We are at war. Nothing is certain here, at least except certain death if we don't try anything. We've fought for decades, and it's time we make a decisive move. Don't you realize what will happen otherwise? Our family will grow weak from the losses, so the likes of Haron Thorson will conquer us. Or worse yet, we fall to Lysanders… I'm not going to allow this to happen. Today, I will claim the Agile Titan for our family."

"I…"

"Keep your chin high, brother." Leon smiled and put his hand on Killian's shoulder. "One day, it will be you who leads the charge with the power of the Armored."

"I…I just want to help you somehow. I don't want you to fight alone."

"In that case, aim for the pure titans when they release those pests. I'd hate to have them distract me from Otto."

"Alright…Good luck, brother."

"Good luck."

It was time to bring the enemy down.

…

Houses Fern and Lysander have always been at odds.

Even before the war, when both served at Fritz's court, they attempted to undermine each other and get ahead, but when eight families seceded from the Eldian Empire, their feud became that of bloodshed. They fought for years, mauling countless soldiers and burning villages, all in an attempt to claim each other's Titan powers. In time, this animosity grew to the point where it was clear that only one of them could remain standing, and the mere thought of losing the Armored Titan to Lysanders made Leon sick.

Cressen knew how to create a diversion. It would take some of his grenades and elite troopers to make Lysander soldiers switch their attention toward them. If Leon was lucky, the enemy still didn't know about his presence. The Armored Titan was always a powerful tool, but it was up to the inheritor to use their Titan to its fullest. Leon trained to become the next Armored; he could control the Titan as seamlessly as his own body, and all of this has been for this moment. Leon moved across the front line, hiding and scouring for Otto.

It wouldn't be like him staying in the enemy camp; others just impede him. He was probably outside, ready to leap into battle at any moment. Leon remembered what his mentor told him about fighting the Agile Titan. The enemy is far more resilient than it looks; raw power wouldn't be enough to defeat it. It would try to outsmart you, looking for any possible weak spot and mercilessly striking it. To defeat it, one had to adapt and beat the Agile at its own game.

As Leon was consumed by his thoughts, he heard a sound from behind him. A signal rocket behind him, spreading crimson smoke above the ground. It didn't take long to notice the one who fired it, a lone soldier in dark camouflage hiding in the nearby bushes. Damn it, he lost his secrecy!

Leon charged towards the soldier and pierced his heart with a blade, not giving him a single chance to resist, but this was the least of his problems. Moments after the signal, Leon saw a bright explosion on the field beside him, unveiling a smoke cloud with a slim silhouette standing within. A tall creature with crimson flesh, a strong jaw, wild eyes, short black hair, and muscles that could break anything.

Otto Lysander, the Agile Titan.

He looked at Fern, finally realizing where his enemy was. Leon watched the Titan charge towards him and reach out with its long hand, likely hoping to seize the opportunity and eat him before he could transform. Of course, Leon wouldn't allow such an opportunity. He used his sword to cut his hand, focusing all of his determination on destroying his enemy, and finally, Leon transformed. A powerful shockwave slowed the Agile Titan down, and the Armored Titan finally arose. A giant covered in golden armor with crimson spots emerging on his chest. His face was entirely covered by a hardened mask with a dark cross marking it. The most resilient of all Titans, his defenses were impenetrable, and Leon felt at home within the Armored shell.

"This is the end for you!"

Leon shouted, he knew that Otto wouldn't hear him, but his anticipation was too strong to pass up the opportunity. The two titans clashed, Leon knew that Otto would attempt to secure his opportunity for a cowardly strike and couldn't allow him to do this. Leon uses the overwhelming power of the Armored Titan to grab Otto's hands and pull them out. With any luck, he'll rip them apart and rid the Agile Titan of a powerful tool.

Of course, Otto was quick to retaliate. He hit one of the crimson spots with his leg, causing a surge of pain to pulverize Leon's body. The small openings in his armor allowed him to be more agile than some other Armored inheritors, but they made him vulnerable. This strike weakened Leon's grip, allowing Otto to free one of his hands and reach for the Armored's nape, but Leon didn't allow him to get so close. He pulled the Agile Titan by his hand, bashing him into a nearby patch of land, disorienting the enemy for a moment.

Leon raised his leg, aiming to stomp Otto and break his Titan form; he wouldn't be able to transform again, not so quickly. He managed to land one precise blow, but before Leon could finish the job, Otto jumped up and pushed the Armored back with both of his legs. This gave the Agile Titan an opportunity to stand up, but instead of attacking directly, Otto unleashed a piercing scream. This made Leon look around and realize that the Lysander soldiers released the pure Titans from their cages. This was their plan all along…To summon those beasts and have them attack.

As far as Leon knew, the pure Titans would try to attack the Agile Titan first, but if he stayed far away…Soon, his suspicions were proven. Otto jumped aside, getting close to the camp, which left the Armored as the target for a dozen pure titans moving towards him.

Leon had no choice but to focus on his primary targets, although he tried to keep up his guard in case Otto decided to strike. Two pure titans jumped Leon simultaneously, each taking one of his arms. They attempted to chew on them, but Leon's armor was impenetrable. He was quick to crush both of their necks and earn himself a rather brief respite. There were more on their way, reaching out for his vulnerable spots, desperately trying to claw through his flesh. Unfortunately for them, they had no chance of even getting close.

Leon used the power of hardening to crystallize parts of his body, leading to desperate titans breaking their teeth as they attempted to bite him. Leon used this moment of confusion and unleashed an array of strikes that crushed the pure titans one after another, like mere lambs to the slaughter. They weren't much of a threat to him, and Leon was already preparing to attack his main target…

However, just before he got his chance, the enemy soldiers opened fire. A myriad of cannon balls aimed at Leon. Normally, those would be completely harmless, but if they manage to strike a weak spot without hardening, then the pain could distract Leon from his battle. The Armored continued to resist, he was about to rush to the cannons and crush the entire array of them, for they were powerless in the face of the Armored Titan.

However, before Leon could come close, the ruthless Agile Titan leaped forward and clawed into the Armored's back. Its claws sunk deep into the few chunks of flesh that the Armored had led; Leon felt Otto's glow getting close to the nape…But he didn't allow him to come close. Leon hardened his nape, forcing Otto to take his claws out and lose his grip. After this, the Armored turned around and punched Otto, forcing the Agile Titan to the ground. Leon landed a few punches on the Agile, making it cough with blood and display notable signs of weakness.

Despite this, Otto was quick to recover. He used the hardening on his body and jumped away from the Armored, but not before landing a few strong hits. The hardened fists were enough to put some cracks into Leon's armor. Both titans were bruised and needed a momentary respite, but their battle was far from over. Leon felt his heart beat quicker by the second. His enemy was wounded and within his reach. It was a desperate, foolish move on Otto's part, making him fall right into Ferns' hands. It would be a crushing defeat for the Lysanders, perhaps the one that would put an end to their family's power. Without their Titan, they will fall to all the others, while Fern's inheritors will carry two Titan powers. This monumental victory was within his reach…

With this in mind, Leon charged forth and clashed with Otto once again. Both Titans sparred with their hardened fists, trying to bypass the other's defenses, but Leon had the advantage. His strikes were powerful and put dents into Otto's defenses. It might take a while, but Leon knew that his triumph was inevitable. He wounded Otto's arm and punched him in the face, once again forcing the enemy on the defensive. This battle was coming to a conclusion until…

A gunshot from the flank, someone was opening fire. More enemy soldiers that came to help Otto? That would be foolish; no way they expected a couple more cannonballs to stop Leon…Any doubt Leon had was gone once he realized that the cannonball hit the Agile Titan's eye, making Otto recoil in pain. Leon tried to track down the origin of the shot while keeping his eyes out for Otto, and soon, Leon froze in fear. A lone man, a young soldier in golden Fern coating, takes his position atop a small hill and behind a thin bush cover. He operated a cannon, getting himself into a perfect position to open fire.

Killian.

"No…"

What is his brother even thinking?! Cressen wouldn't dare to use the son of Lord Fern as bait, especially not alone. Did he escape the encampment? Try to follow Leon into battle and help? That was awfully like him…He would never want to leave his brother alone in such a battle, no matter how stupid and idiotic it was. Even now, Leon saw primal fear in Killian's eyes, but it was overshadowed by his desire to take part in this battle and help his older brother.

This momentary distraction lets Leon lose control of the situation. Otto wouldn't dare allow any nuisances, so he rushed towards Killian, who was no doubt going to crush him. Leon jumps towards them, unable to push the Titan aside, and stands between Otto and Killian. He would've activated hardening, but everything happened too quickly. The Agile Titan's hand pierced one of the weaker parts of the Armored's body by crushing a cracked plate on his chest. Leon could feel the pain and agony spreading throughout his entire body, but this was nothing compared to the agony Killian would feel if Otto got to him. Leon felt his enemy's arm going deeper; soon, Otto would pierce his back and grab Killian, spelling a certain demise for the soldier. Leon acted reflexively, making his very core harden along with his entire Titan shell. Otto's hand got stuck inside the Armored body, making the Agile Titan pull away swiftly and rip his own hand apart to get away from this trap. Leon, meanwhile, jumped out of an opening he made for himself and landed right in front of his brother.

"What are you doing here?!"

"I…" Killian stuttered. "I wanted to help! To cover you while you fight the Agile, I…"

"You fool! You should've stayed behind."

"But I got him, I can help!"

"Run!"

Leon felt Otto's steps; the Agile Titan was closing the gap, and Leon had to fight.

"But what will…"

"I SAID RUN!" He shouted at his brother, finally causing him to rush away as he looked back at his brother. Leon turned around and wounded himself, beginning another transformation. The second one won't be as strong enough as the first, but it would still give him a solid fighting chance against weakened Otto…But before Leon could finish his transformation, the Agile attacked him.

Just a few seconds before his armor would fully form, he felt the brunt of the Agile Titan's hits. Otto only had one fist left, but he didn't hesitate to use his steaming, cut arm to plunge the Armored Titan's skin. Leon attempted to resist, but he wasn't at full force before finishing the transformation, a process that Otto has completely broken. One hour after another, Leon began to lose his form and strength. He roared and attempted to crush the Agile's neck, but he was too quick and clawed deep into the Armored's nape, all while his opponent had no energy left to harden himself.

"NO!"

In the next instant, Otto ripped the man from his Armored body. Leon attempted to resist, but he was completely powerless. He wouldn't survive a third transformation in a row when he was wounded; the most he could do was to take out an additional weapon, a small knife he held in his pocket. Leon tried to wound the Agile's hand in an attempt to make it loosen its grip, but none of his hits were strong enough. Could it be…

He lost. The famed hero of house Fern, who nearly claimed the power of the Agile Titan for his family, is now about to be eaten. He couldn't hate his brother; seeing Killian run away and Otto lose his interest in him was the only relief Leon felt from the situation, but other than that, he felt his heart shatter. As Leon watched the Agile Titan open its mouth and bring him closer to his teeth, he realized the true gravity of his situation. Not only was he about to die, he was about to give the power of the Armored Titan to a Lysander…The decade-long feud, all his plans and promises, and his path to becoming a hero all were annihilated right before his eyes.

"I promise you, father…I will bring honor to our name. I will end this war!"

The memories of his own oath echoed in Leon's eyes, and tears began to stream down his face. He fell to the enemy, disgraced his father and the entirety of house Fern…But the knife was still in his hand. Otto would never gain the power of the Armored Titan. Leon wouldn't allow it. Even if it will be lost to the Ferns, even if it will disappear for many years, it is still better than giving it to the monster before him. Leon closed his eyes and took a deep breath; he had made his decision.

Leon put the knife to his throat, focusing all of his remaining Titan powers into one hand, all he needed was enough to cut off his head and cause an explosion that would distract the Agile and give him a few precious seconds that are needed for the fluid to lose all of its power. Better this then to give Lysanders the power that belongs to the Ferns.

"Father…Killian…I'm sorry…"

It happened quickly, just as he wanted it to.

The slash.

The explosion.

Then oblivion.

Chapter 2: The Mair Family

"Father, Killian… I'm sorry."

Those words became a distant echo that went through the girl's mind on an endless loop. She didn't know what they meant nor who it was that spoke them, only that they came from within her very soul. It was a deep, powerful calling that anchored her in this state of endless dream, wandering through the labyrinth, a gallery of images and flashes that were completely new to the girl yet so familiar that she felt that those were an inherent part of her.

She saw a hero clad in light golden armor, armed with both a blade and a musket, with many memories of bloody and cruel wars that he carried in himself. At first, he seemed completely impenetrable, an all-powerful, mighty warrior who could take onto any challenge that fate threw at him…Only to completely change around in the very next. To become weak and broken. The girl saw him fall on his knees and drown in rivers of his own blood, alone and forgotten, shamed and defeated, with nothing but the sound of his own quiet cries surrounding him.

The girl wanted to reach out, to hug the lone warrior and to offer him comfort in his darkest hour, but the moment she raised her hand, she felt the overwhelming pull of all-consuming darkness dragging her behind. The warrior has become a distant image, all while Sabina falls deeper into the pit of despair.

She could still see what lay beyond, could see the beauty of the lands that awaited beyond the veil. The hero remained there, too, he looked to the sky with a pained smile on his face. He was hurt, in agony, but still kept his chin high; the girl felt strong aspirations to be just like him, even though she had no idea who this man was.

But the more she tried to reach out, the deeper she fell. Eventually, the darkness that grabbed her began to take form. It was a monstrous titan with its jaws wide open. It made the girl feel just like the warrior before she did…

Oblivion.

…

Slash, block, strike.

The enemy must have been a typical Fern warrior, a bold and stoic soldier, but once completely devoid of humility and self-preservation, Luke could envision him perfectly. To fight against this opponent would mean to be ready for him to rely on brute force and merciless onslaught, as well as to take utmost pleasure in crushing his opponent. Luke was smarter than to give in; he maneuvered and jumped aside, evading all of his strikes. A powerful but slow opponent, unsurprising, considering what kind of Titan was their role model and symbol. It is too bad that it failed them, just like their style of training and tactics will fail all the warriors, which is an inevitable outcome of war. Luke would avoid one strike, another, search for the weak spot, plunge his blade into the enemy's back, and then finally claim his victory!

Luke slashed a wooden mannequin in front of him as if this was a matter of life and death. A small victory, but it will grant him the skills necessary to fight enemy soldiers. Ferns, Thorsons, Alrics…Whoever the next enemies of the Lysanders will be.

"Luke!"

The young, 19-year-old man with short brown hair turned around to see a woman calling from his house. His mother, Valeria, was busy in the kitchen making breakfast for her children, but she clearly had something to say,

"Yes, mother?"

"Can you wake Sabina up? She's taking too long today, and breakfast is almost ready."

"Of course."

His little sister has always slept until the very last minute, though today must have been a record even by her standards. Luke rushed inside to wake her up, passing by the entry hall of the Mair family house. It was not too big, though due to their Eldian blood and proximity to the noble House Lysander, it was more than what most peasants could allow themselves. A kitchen, dining room, and three separate bedrooms for the family members, adding onto a private secluded yard, plenty of space and no reason to complain. Luke went towards his sister's bedroom, tiptoeing quietly so as to not make the awakening too sudden.

As he opened the door, Luke saw a young girl with long brown hair in her bed. She was 9 years younger than him, yet it never stopped others from pointing out the similarity between the siblings. Usually, she slept peacefully…But this wasn't the case today.

"No, no…I want to go…I…"

She was shivering and in constant yet uneven movement, still submerged in her slumber.

"Sabina? "Luke asked cautiously, only to receive no reaction from his sister. She was sniffing, clearly scared of whatever it was she was seeing. Luke rushed towards her, realizing that there was no time to waste. He shook Sabina a couple of times, stopping immediately after seeing that she opened her eyes, unveiling a gaze of confusion and mild fear.

"B-brother?" She spoke meekly as if still getting used to the reality around her.

"Are you alright? You looked like you were seeing some kind of nightmare…" Luke said in a cautious, concerned tone. After a brief pause, Sabina took a deep breath and finally answered.

"I…I don't know. It was strange…" Sabina said with doubt. "H-hey, I didn't look too bad, right?"

"Well… Let's say I was concerned."

"Oh…"

"You want to talk about it?"

"No, it's fine, don't worry!" Sabina reassured him. "Oh, and…You aren't going to the manor yet? Maybe we can play a bit?" She said in a hopeful tone. Sabina loved playing pretend with Luke, they imagined themselves as soldiers who would match into the battle to defend house Lysander's honor.

"Sorry, you've slept for too long this time, I don't think I have…"

"Come on…" Sabina looked up at him with playful, pleading eyes to which Luke couldn't say no to.

"Alright…Just one time." He smiled sto,od up from the bed and raised his hand. "I am the scary Armored Titan and I am going to crush everything in my way! There's no one I'm afraid of and no one that can stop me, except…Ha, Agatha stands no chance against me, why would I ever fear her?!" Luke gave his signal, making Sabina jump up from her bed and enter a battle stance.

"Here you are, monster! I'm Agatha Lysander, and I'll protect my people! Rawr!" Sabina charged at Luke, immediately pushing him and making him fall.

"Oh, no, how could I fall so easily? You evil, evil wretch…"

"Hey, Luke!" Sabina crossed her arms. "That's too quick; you didn't even fight back!"

"Didn't appreciate my dramatic monologue, eh?"

"Not funny!"

"Sorry, Sabi, but I really need to go. Tell you what? I promise to battle with you after I'm back from work, alright? Let's go now; Mother's waiting for us; I'm sure she made something tasty." Luke smiled, and the two siblings went towards the dining room.

"Hey, Luke…"

"Yeah?"

"Is that the kind of stuff you do on your duty? You know…Fighting against bad guys, like we do in our games?" The girl was always enamored with her brother's and father's jobs by Lysander's side.

"No, not yet, I'm still training." Luke sighed. "Agatha wouldn't force me to fight until I've completed my training."

"You're going to be her personal guard, right?"

"Yeah…"

"That's so cool! You're going to see her fight as a Titan! And you won't have anything to worry about since she'll protect you!"

"I hope so…But I can't always rely on others. If something goes wrong, I have to be the one to help Agatha and defend her, all of that without any Titan powers."

"I'm sure you can do that, brother. You're very strong."

"You think so?"

"Of course."

"Thanks…I really have to be if I am to earn a place at her side." Luke couldn't help but smile with pride as the two of them entered the dining room. Their mother was almost done, while their father, Emil, patiently sat at the table and focused.

"Ah, here you are!" Mother smiled and looked at Sabina. "What did I tell you about staying up late?"

"Sorry, Mom, I didn't mean to," Sabina said before letting out a reflexive yawn.

"Come on, sit down; we don't have that much time before your brother and father have to go."

Luke sat at the table and looked at his father, a tall man very similar to him, albeit with slightly brighter hair.

"Good morning, Luke."

"Hi, dad. Big day for you today, eh? Planning the negotiations and all…"

"Ah, a trivial matter wouldn't be the first time. Better focus on your own training."

"Don't worry, I have that covered!" Luke declared proudly. "Even Agatha is going to be impressed today!"

Luke was getting ready for a long, eventful day, and he was intent on fulfilling his promise.

Chapter 3: Training in the Manor

Once Luke and Emil had their breakfast, father and son made their way to their duties. Despite the differences between their occupations, both of their paths led to the Lysander Manor, right at the heart of their town. It was considered a great honor and privilege to live so close to the seat of a great family, and especially to serve alongside them. Both Luke and his father were working hard to keep this honor.

The manor has always looked dazzling, but with how clear the sky was today, Luke could finally appreciate the full extent of its beauty. A large, crimson building decorated with ornaments and mosaic, portraying the most famed Agile Titan inheritors from across Eldian history, all tracing back to the very man who found House Lysander and left a legacy for all of them to live up to.

"Never took my time to look at all those…" Luke said as he gazed over the Agile Titan ornaments. They overshadowed all humans who passed by as if reminding them that this was the world where Titans reigned supreme. "It looks glorious, especially after the work they've done on it."

"Now that the war against Ferns has been brought to a halt, the House can spend time and resources transforming the city itself." Luke's father smiled with pride. "Is this where you usually meet with Agatha?"

"A bit further, but she must be close."

"How's your progress with her? It's been a while since I had a chance to talk with her myself."

"She says I'm excelling!" Luke couldn't help but boast. "Mastering all the moves, texting quickly and adequately, pretty much everything an inheritor could ask for in a squire."

"I'm delighted to hear that," Emil spoke with pride. "Our family has been afforded a place by Lysanders' side; nothing less than perfection will suffice."

"When haven't I been perfect?" Luke continued to bask in his own glory. "Agatha might have had her doubts, but you can see how well I convinced her!"

"Don't get too proud. You aren't an elite guard yet."

"I know, father…And how's it going on the political front? I heard Lord Dominic can be quite grumpy sometimes." Luke wondered.

"He's the head of the house with all important duties resting on his shoulders…I can't say I blame him, especially not when he clearly puts in all the effort to be the best leader he can be. Other advisors and I are there to make this burden easier."

"And the rumors about negations with House Wayrest? Are they true?"

"Ah, so the word has reached the public…"

Before Emil could continue, the two men noticed a figure emerging from behind the manor gates. A slim yet strong and athletic woman with perfect, if a little pale skin, dark brown eyes, and long black hair, as elegant and beautiful as she was powerful and cunning. Luke's mentor was almost a decade older than him and might not have looked like the perfect image of a warrior, but everyone who dared to underestimate her paid a high price for it.

"I thought you'd know that keeping a lady waiting is a sign of bad manners," Agatha said in a playful tone.

"Sorry, Lady Lysander, preparations today took longer than usual…That said, I did some practice early in the morning."

"Good, I hope you show me what you learned. And please drop the formalities and start calling me by my name. Come on, everything's prepared." She said before glancing at Emil. "Wouldn't mind me stealing your son for a few hours?"

"Not at all, my lady. Don't go easy on him. Push him to his limits."

"Of course, what else could you expect?"

…

Sabina always hated seeing her brother go to his work; everything became so dull without him. He might have been older, but he was always willing to play with her. No other adult liked to play pretend, and that's why Sabina was incredibly lucky to have a brother like Luke. He promised that when he came back, he would play a longer game with her…Sabina couldn't wait.

Usually, she would go to school, but today was one of those rare break days, and so she didn't have much to do but help her mum around the house. Her mother was a very dedicated worker and pretty much all of the house was her domain and she took taking care of it very seriously.

"Sabina, can you clean your room? The last time I checked, it got very messy." Her mother said in a kind yet decisive voice.

"But mom…I want to have a break!"

"A break from what? You aren't busy today, and it's much better to do important things first and play then."

"Will you give me pancakes?"

"You mean during lunch?"

"No, I want some now! If I clean the room, that means I should have something nice."

"Alright…It's a deal." Her mother smiled. "Go on, I'll call you soon."

With a tasty reward looming ahead of her, Sabina did not mind having to clean her room at all. She did the job as quickly and thoroughly as possible, ending just in time for her treat.

"Thank you, mom!" Sabina said after taking a bite from her pancake. "It's so sweet, I love it!"

"Enjoy, but don't get too used to it…Otherwise, it won't feel like a treat anymore."

"I'll leave some for Luke and Dad."

"I think your dad will come home rather late today."

"Why?" Sabina wondered. "He always comes home late, he's so busy…"

"That's because your father is a very important man. He's one of the advisors to Lord Lysander himself." Her mother said with pride for her husband. "Lord Dominic respects him and listens to his advice, and since they're about to negotiate with House Wayrest, your father will do all he can to help."

"Aren't other houses our enemies?"

"No, all of them…Some of them can be good allies."

"Luke didn't talk about those…" Sabina said suspiciously.

"That's because your brother is a warrior first and foremost! He doesn't concern himself with politics, only defending our country when it's necessary." Sabina's mother explained. "I never dreamed that my son would become an elite guard and work with the inheritor of the Agile Titan…You should be very proud of him. While your father helps build alliances, Luke will follow Agatha into battle and see her bring glory to House Lysander and everyone that serves it."

"Hm…" Sabina pondered. "But if you say father and others can just talk to people, does this mean that we don't have to fight. Some houses will always be at odds with us."

"You mean Ferns?"

"Yes…They were among the first to secede from the Empire, all to start a war against noble Lysanders!"

"I heard that they lost their Titan and will never have it again…What's so scary about them?"

"They are cowardly, but they aren't stupid and know how to save themselves. They forged an Alliance with Haron Thorson himself…" Sabina didn't know much about Haron Thorson, but every time his name was spoken, people who said it could barely hide their fear and worry. "Now House Thorson protects them, and they're out of our reach."

"Can't we just talk to them, too?"

"Oh, I'm sure they already tried, but sometimes talking isn't an option." Valeria sighed. "But enough about that, I was planning to go to the market soon. Would you like to join me, Sabina?"

"Yes, of course! I'll help you, Mommy."

…

"Is that all you've got? Faster!"

Agatha knew how to encourage results, mostly by harsh yet undeniably accurate words. Luke could always do better, no matter how much he trained and how good he became. He wasn't perfect yet, and that was a necessary requirement for an elite guard. Luke would spend his day doing taxing physical exercises, running around, and training with a whole array of weapons, both firearms and blades. Agatha would oversee all of this and share some of her own knowledge and skills. Luke knew that she had once gone through a similar, if not harsher, process before Lord Dominic allowed her to inherit the Agile Titan; any pain that he felt was nothing compared to that.

"Good, you're speeding up!" Agatha said with a proud smile on her face. "See, I know you can always do better…Halt!" She commanded, making Luke stop immediately. "Time to switch things up." She said. She took a musket from the weapon's stand, giving it to Luke, who was tired and heavily breathing. "Ready for some weapons training?"

"Of course…Always." Luke wouldn't allow exhaustion to get the better of him.

"See those targets?" Agatha pointed at the wooden constructs on the opposite side of the hall. "Imagine that those three are members of Fern military command. You have an opportunity to take all of them out, but you're alone in a place swarmed by enemy soldiers…If you stand up for as long as a second, you are dead. Also, you only have three bullets. Do you get what I mean?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'll crawl and not make a sound."

"Exactly, and you'll do it as quickly and efficiently as possible. Get to it!"

She didn't have to repeat herself. Luke fell on the floor, clinging to his musket, and began crawling. He had to always be in movement, keeping it regular and without any sudden disturbances, or else his enemies might notice him. Agatha was good at making him feel like there were enemies nearby.

"A pile of corpses ahead of you, get around it." The woman commanded, artificially elongating Luke's path. "And look who it is, elite enemy guards are on your trail, you only have a minute!"

Luke focused and moved quicker, already preparing his shot while he was getting into the position. He aimed at the targets before him, hearing the echoes of Agatha's steps behind him, like a predator that got closer to its prey with every second. Now was the perfect opportunity to fire an array of shots with perfect precision, and he will earn his victory. Luke took a breath and opened fire.

Hit.

Another hit.

Miss.

"Damn it!" The man couldn't help but shout in pain the moment his last bullet missed its target.

"You almost did it…" Agatha said. "Until you've made some very loud noise that attracted the enemy's attention and had them corner you with their overwhelming numbers. A clumsy way to get yourself killed.

"Sorry…I almost had it." Luke spoke with shame.

"Don't apologize. Just do better next time." Agatha shrugged it off as she made her way towards the weapon stand and grabbed two training blades. "Next on the list…Some sparring practice. Your last one before a break." She said as she granted Luke the weapon.

"I'm ready, ma'am. Who will be my sparring partner today?"

"Me," Agatha said, making Luke recoil. She would always call one of the soldiers to train with Luke while she observed, not challenge him directly like this.

"You want me…To fight you?"

"What's so strange about that? You need to step up your game…Don't worry, dear, I won't turn into a Titan."

"Fine, I'll try…"

"You should aim for more than a try if you are to be an elite guard." Agatha encouraged him and entered a battle stance. "Bring it on, I'm waiting!"

Luke knew that pausing or prolonging the moment would only make him worry more. He had to act quickly and with precision. Luke made his move towards Agatha, aiming for her sword to get a sense of her movements and style first. As he expected, Agatha immediately blocked his advance and parred with a swift counter-attack. Luke attempted to withstand it, but the series of strikes was so swift that he inevitably fell down after having his leg stricken.

"Try again."

She was harsh and dedicated, and this was reflected in her battle style. Luke admired her for that, and now it was time to put his own skills to good use. Luke stood up and continued his attack, this time aiming for an apparent opening in Agatha's movements. This time, she took another strategy and moved back, allowing Luke to feel like he would be able to strike her for a brief moment only to move to the side and hit him in the opening. Luke clenched his teeth and stepped away, clutching to his side.

"Come on, I know you can do better."

He would stand up and try to fight her again and again. Taking a break or giving up wasn't an option, not when he was preparing for fighting in wars. Luke knew just how much he had on his shoulders. There were seven Houses apart from Lysanders, and each of them could become an enemy. Each of them could use the power of titans and armies to swarm their city for the sake of their selfish, power-hungry goals. If that were to happen, his entire family would be in danger…He couldn't allow that to happen. He had to defend them all, become the hero of his people, and fight.

Eventually, after a long path of trial and error, Luke was finally able to lay a strike on Agatha, and this was a moment of his triumph. Luke stood victorious, breathing heavily and in disbelief at what he accomplished. A swift move, having to endure almost a dozen of her strikes, and then immediately go for an opening…He finally proved himself strong.

"Well done!" Agatha clapped as a proud smile emerged on her face.

"I…I did it…"

"You did! And if you'll continue to be as eager, this will only be the beginning. You've earned your rest, Luke…And maybe a bit more."

"What do you mean, lady Ly…Agatha?"

"I'm going to start a training routine of my own soon enough, and I'd like you to watch."

Chapter 4: The Agile Titan

It was a rare honor to see the training of a Titan shifter, and Luke could barely believe Agatha extended him the invitation so casually. Among the Lysanders, the inheritor of the Agile Titan was the second person in the entire town, only answering to the Lord himself. Only those who were trusted by the head of the house were ever allowed to have such a privileged role. Before Agatha, it was her father and Lord Dominic's brother, Otto Lysander, the man who finally defeated the Armored Titan and crushed the strongest warriors of House Fern a decade ago. Now, Agatha sought to surpass him and to achieve this goal, she had to be in perfect shape.

She led Luke to the Colosseum, which is on the other side of the manor, a large arena designed specifically for the Agile Titan to train. There were stiff targets, a few large walls to climb, and a large secluded space where a shifter could feel comfortable.

"Do you need any help, Agatha? I could bring weapons and…"

"No need, you're done for today." Agatha reassured Luke and pointed at a small waiting area behind the sturdy walls with a linear window which allowed others to see the arena from within. "Just wait there and enjoy the show, be careful not to go outside though, I'm not going to hold back."

"Yes…Understood." Luke said and went to the safe place, all while keeping his eyes set on Agatha. The woman took out a small knife, cutting her hand yet showing no signs of pain. Agatha put the knife at a safe spot not far from Luke before going to the center of the platform. Once she was finally there, the woman closed her eyes, and Luke witnessed a burst of golden aura surround her. In a swift moment, her body submerged into a mighty carcass that formed around Agatha, a gigantic yet elegant being with pale flesh, long waving black hair, and ravenous sparks in her eyes. The manifestation of the Agile Titan, and like every other case, the Titan's appearance resembled that of the shifter.

Agatha let out an ear-piercing roar before turning towards large pillars on the other side of the Colosseum. Those must have been her practice targets. Agatha would strike at those pillars in a swift fashion as if she were entrapped in the middle of a prolonged dance. Agile Titan earned its name because it could move freely on any surface and territory, and it was very quick and adaptive to all of its surroundings. This must have been a test of endurance for Agatha, a way to see how long will she hold when faced with a resilient enemy. She never stayed in a single spot; the Agile Titan moved around, avoiding the nonexistent strikes and entering a sense of rhythm. Agatha had participated in battles against other Titan Shifters before, and Luke was sure she had more than a few memories to use for this practice session. This dance continued for a while, and Luke was mesmerized by Agatha's power and elegance.

Eventually, she changed her approach. Agatha focused all of her power on her fists, allowing an azure crystal glow to overtake them. Luke heard a lot about this powerful ability that some titans possessed, the hardening. It made them almost impenetrable to the attacks of others, all while enhancing their strength. Agatha demonstrated her power the moment she crushed one of the pillars before her. What seemed sturdy and unbreakable only a few moments ago turned into a wreck in just a few strikes. The Agile Titan recoiled for a moment, but she didn't allow this to pause her exercising.

Her next target was the walls that she could climb. Agatha jumped at them and clawed into the sturdy stone. There were a few openings for her hands and legs to grapple onto, but they weren't enough, and so she had to make more on the rocky surface. She was like a spider spinning her web, completely in control, and if she maintained her speed, it would be a matter of seconds before she reached the top of the colosseum wall. It was a pure delight to watch…

Until something changed. Her movements became slower and more sluggish, which was very unusual for the Agile Titan. She reached out for the top, but her hands began shaking, making Luke feel uneasy. It was as if…No, impossible, Agatha could never lose control, not when she has done so much training and preparation with this Titan. However, Luke also couldn't deny what he was seeing right in front of his eyes. The Agile Titan grew weaker, and eventually, he noticed that her hand began to emit steam, as did the rest of her body. Luke felt his heart skip a beat as he watched Agatha let go.

The woman lost her grip and collapsed on the ground, emitting a powerful shockwave, after which she didn't make a single move. She was lying down, weakened and frozen, all while Luke watched in horror. Did she overexert herself? But how? She wasn't in her Titan form for that long, and with her training, those kinds of blackouts shouldn't happen…Not randomly. What if there was something wrong with her? She was still stuck inside the Titan carcass. What if she didn't have enough air?

"A-Agatha?" Luke called out to her. "Agatha!"

No answer.

He had to act quickly. Luke didn't know who to call, but he wouldn't dare to leave her alone without care. He had to get her out of the nape somehow…Luckily, she fell on her stomach, but he still needed something to carve into her neck and save her…There was only the knife that Agatha used to wound herself. Luke grabbed the knife and rushed towards the wounded Titan, quickly getting on her back. Her skin was hot and remarkably uncomfortable to walk on, but Luke was used to pain and inconvenience when preparing for war.

When he got an opportunity, he plunged the knife into the Agile Titan's neck. Luke didn't expect it to work, not with how tough Titan's skin was, but to his surprise, he cut right through it. Finally, he felt hopeful again.

"Don't worry, Agatha, I'll get you out of there…Just a little more!" He tried to make an opening while doing his best not to damage Agatha with his knife. He had to be careful, for her sake, and…

"A-ha-ha…" He heard a playful laugh come from the opening he carved, making Luke pause and keep his eyes wide open. After emitting a bit more steam, Agatha emerged from the Titan's nape, completely unharmed. "That was a wonderful performance, Luke!"

"You…" The man stuttered. "You weren't…"

"Come on now, you don't think I'd be able to lose control that easily? Or that you'd be able to cut through the Agile Titan's skin without me weakening that particular spot first?" She said in a tone of visible amusement.

"It was all just a trick, then? Some kind of test?!" Luke couldn't help but feel a little angry at Agatha for toying with him like that, but he had to maintain his calm. It would be unfitting to show her disrespect.

"It was your final task for today. I wanted to see how you'd react if I lose conscience…And you weren't half bad. I'm convinced that you could actually get me out of there on the field if you try hard enough." Her compliment sounded backhanded, but Luke was willing to accept it. Agatha smiled and patted him on his shoulder. "Come on, try to relax a little, I promise not to pull off any more stunts today…Come to think of it, I need a little break, too." Agatha jumped off the Titan and sat beside the steaming body, gently leaning onto it as if it were a comfortable pillow.

"Come here, Luke, sit and take a breather." She said in a mild, relaxed tone.

"If that's what you want…"

"I know you want it too, so come down here."

As Luke descended and moved towards Agatha, the woman followed him with her eyes.

"How is your family doing? It's been a while since I've seen them." Agatha wondered.

"Well, they're doing great! My mother is very proud of the accomplishments I'm making…She wishes for me to become the best elite guard there is."

"She has good reasons for pride." Agatha smiled. "And what about your little sister?"

"Sabina? She's taking a break from school now."

"Still as adorable as ever?"

"She's growing up very quickly," Luke said as he took a seat by Agatha's side. "I can still remember the days when she wasn't able to walk or speak, and now…Well, I'm glad I have her."

"Do you still play your little roleplay games?"

"Hey, what do you…"

"So you do." Agatha chuckled. "Don't worry, I enjoyed those two when I was younger…I would drive my father mad with them. Before he got the Agile Titan, that is…And now it's mine."

"I'm sure you'll be a great shifter for history to remember."

"Maybe," Agatha said somberly. "My father failed came closest to claiming the Armored Titan from the Ferns and then just…Failed at the very last step. I could've been more powerful than any inheritor before me, but…That said, it's been ten years already."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing too important. I have my own tactics for finding the Armored Titan when it resurfaces." Agatha explained. "And honestly, I'd rather be doing that than help my uncle and your father with their boorish political games. I assume you've heard about the Wayrests?"

"Yes, we're negotiating with them."

"Yes, and we're doing it over a lavish dinner evening in our manor. I have to attend, as well…But I can extend invitations." Agatha smiled once again, and Luke finally realized what she was about to say.

"Wait, you want me to come with you?" Luke said in disbelief. "To such an important event? Negotiation between two great houses?"

"And as an honored guest, as well. We'll keep each other company, won't we?"

…

It was always a joy for Sabina to help her mother with whatever she would ask. She didn't always show it, especially when the girl wanted an extra sweet, but she cared about the process as much as the reward. Today's journey to the market has been no exception. Sabina trailed her mother for almost two hours as the two of them traversed the Lysander city and got all the food that their family needed. Meat, vegetables, fruit, even some fish, and of course, more sweets. Sabina would love to try it all in due course.

She spent the rest of her day preparing for school. It was already getting dark by the time she was done with all of her job. As she expected her brother to return, Sabina turned to her favorite hobby, drawing. She had an entire array of various paintings of all the animals and majestic lands she could come up with in her mind. Unicorns, dragons, and, of course, some titans, though Sabina knew that they were not as pretty in real life as she made them. Today, the girl wanted to draw a new Titan. What kind would it be? She had so many ideas…

Just as she took the pencil, Sabina noticed a sudden change. Her heart skipped a few beats, and the reality around her became blurred. The walls of her home began to deteriorate and wither down right in front of her eyes, slowly morphing back into the field she saw in her dreams. The girl stood in front of the golden-haired hero, the mysterious figure from her dreams. He reached out towards her and beckoned for Sabina to follow…She wanted to go, but her body refused to move, refused to obey his commands as if trying to warn her that something horrifying was going to happen if she were to follow.

"Sabina?" Her mother's voice pulled the girl away from this dream, making her drop her pencil and shiver as she turned around. She gasped from a sudden change, making Valeria's expression change to express worry and sympathy. "Are you alright, my dear? You look scared…"

"I…" Sabina paused, unsure if she wanted to tell. She didn't understand those dreams. Was there any reason to think that her mother would?

"You can talk to me, sweetheart, everything's alright." Valeria approached her daughter slowly and held the girl's hands.

"I had some bad dreams recently…" Sabina admitted meekly.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Valeria hugged the girl. "Don't worry, you're safe from them when you're awake, would you like me to sleep with you tonight?"

"Maybe… I'm not sure." The girl admitted. "Those dreams are different, they're strange."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, it's just…Every time I see them, it's…"

Before Sabina could finish, she heard a loud knock on the door. Someone was standing at their doorstep, and the thought immediately made Sabina's heart jump in excitement.

"Ah, looks like Luke is back!" Valeria smiled and rushed to the door. As she opened it, the woman gasped with pleasant surprise. "You too, Emil?" Sabina rushed towards the door with uncontrolled excitement in her eyes. Both her brother and father were home, and judging by their prideful expressions, they had good news to share.

"You don't sound too happy…" Her father chuckled.

"Oh, no, I am!" Valeria was quick to reassure him. "I just thought that you won't be home until much later because of all the negotiation business."

"The Wayrest ambassadors proved very cooperative; even Lord Dominic was surprised. The Lord of the house will visit Lysanders in a couple of days, they're already on their way. We'll discuss the prospect of an Alliance during a dinner ceremony when everyone will be in the best possible mood. Speaking of the ceremony…Luke, why don't you tell the news?" Emil could barely hold back his smile.

"Well…" Luke paused for a moment as if feeling shy, but Sabina was willing to encourage him.

"What is it, brother? Tell us!"

"Agatha was really impressed by my work today and extended an invitation to the dinner ceremony as her personal trainee," Luke announced swiftly as if this was some boring official declaration, but Sabina noticed pride and excitement in his voice.

"Wow, that's… That's great!" The girl squealed, soon followed by her mother.

"Oh, that is wonderful news, you must have made a strong impression on her, my dear!" Valeria smiled and embraced her son, he hugged her in return. "Come on, I'll make dinner for you both…This invitation is worth a small celebration!"

Chapter 5: The Ceremony

The closer the hour of the dinner ceremony came, the more ecstatic yet fearful Luke felt. This was an opportunity of a lifetime for him to spend an evening in the company of esteemed lords and Ladies as a personal trainee and a future elite guard of a Titan shifter. Words couldn't describe the honor, but he had reasons to fear. Luke had to make a good impression, but he never lived among the nobility, and sharing a space with them felt intimidating. At least Father was by his side…Something that could calm Luke down.

"Your collar is up," Emil said as the two men approached the manor in the evening.

"Come on, I did my best with it."

"If you didn't fidget around as much, it would stay done."

"Yeah, I guess…" Luke sighed as he put his collar back into place again.

"Are you nervous?"

"A little," Luke admitted.

"Don't worry, there's nothing to fear. Try to relax and enjoy yourself."

"I have to make a good impression considering how important those negotiations are; at least, that's the impression Agatha gave me."

"Agatha isn't a politician. Most important decisions will be made behind closed doors after the welcoming ceremony is done. This evening is a way to set the mood and begin the discussion in a more casual manner." Emil explained.

"I suppose…"

Eventually, the two of them reached the gates of the dining hall.

"Who goes there?" An armed guard asked.

"Emil Mair and Luke Mair, we are on the guest list." Luke's father said, making the soldier look upon the parchment he had with him.

"Ah, I see. Come in and take a seat; Lord Dominic will arrive shortly."

"Many thanks."

The duo entered the hall and were immediately met with an array of sounds and sights. The place was decorated with both Lysander and Wayrest flags plastered around the walls along with the trophies and weaponries, a sign of military domination and a gruesome reminder that the war was far from over.

However, this place was free from those burdens. There weren't too many people, but representatives from each advisor's family, as well as the Houses themselves.

"…It's been a long time, Frederick; how are you doing?"

"…I doubt that Wayrests can be trusted; be careful around them."

"…Mom, when is Dad coming?"

Luke spotted lady Lydia Lysander along with her son and daughter, the woman spent time helping her children and watching over them with Agatha occasionally chiming in to help. When she noticed Luke, she was quick to separate from the rest of her family, however.

"Here he is!" Agatha said. "Excuse me." She glanced at her aunt for the last time and met Emil and Luke at their seats.

"Make yourself at home. We're all friends here." Agatha reassured them and leaned onto her chair. "Apparently uncle sent his best hunters around so we could have the best meat for the evening…That and he wants to impress our guests. Enough about him, though, how are you doing, Luke?" Agatha asked as Luke and Emil sat on the two seats near her, many others followed towards their chairs, as well. Luke was about to answer, but Emil spoke first.

"We're both extremely honored by this invitation, especially Luke. Thank you for giving him a chance."

"Thank you for kind words, but I'd like to hear it from Luke himself." Agatha said and looked at the young man with curiosity her usual sharp precision.

"No, he's right, I'm really honored to be here. Feels a little strange to sit at the same table as members of the House, though…"

"You'll get used to it. You're aiming to become an honored warrior, and masters tend to share some of their privileges with those so they don't rebel." An honored warrior…That's all Luke ever wanted, and hearing those words of approval from Agatha meant everything. To sit at this table and see the lords and ladies of the House before him, to see the most lavish food before him, meat, fish, fruits and vegetables, everything he could dream of.

"Thank you, Agatha…I swear on my life that I will never fail you!"

"Now that's the kind of attitude we need." The woman said with pride, but before she could say anything else their talk got interrupted by a loud announcement from the steward.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome the noble master of this House, Lord Dominic Lysander, and his esteemed guest, Lord Brannon Wayrest!"

After those words, two men entered the room from the door, which led to the private chambers. Dominic was the older man with dark hair and a beard, wearing royal garments and a dark cloak, the kind of appearance that made him stand out among everyone in the hall.

"Ah, uncle…Always with a flair for the dramatic." Agatha chuckled playfully.

Brannon was a younger lord with much simpler clothing, but the confidence with which he maintained himself in front of Dominic made up for it. Even as the two of them entered the hall, they were entangled in a discussion between themselves and paid little attention to their guests. Luke couldn't help but get curious about what exactly they were discussing, and so he tried listening in. Brannon was the one speaking.

"Attacking Thorsons directly would be suicide, even with our combined strength."

"I am not proposing that. When it comes to Haron, we'll have to be careful. He is powerful but not invulnerable. Perhaps if we were to claim the Cart Titan power…"

"Alrics won't part with it easily."

"Then we will crush them like we did with Ferns."

"You make it sound simple…"

The two lords paused their discussion as they took their places at the table, immediately garnering everyone's attention.

"My warmest welcomes to everyone who gathered here today." Lord Dominic announced. "May I introduce our guest, Lord Brannon Wayrest, the leader and today's representative of his great House. I trust you will treat him with the utmost respect he deserves. With this, let us begin the dining!" Dominic announced, finally allowing everyone to take whatever food they wanted without any doubt or hesitation.

Luke felt incredibly hungry, partly because of the pressuring atmosphere, which Dominic, nevertheless, dispersed by his cheerful behavior. Maybe Agatha was right, and there was nothing to fear. Lords, soldiers, peasants, and shifters were people of Indian blood, and they could find some common ground among themselves.

"Thank you for welcoming me." Brannon continued before looking at the black-haired woman sitting near Luke. "And you are Agatha Lysander, correct? Lord Dominic's niece and the inheritor of the Agile Titan?"

"I am," Agatha said with pride. "And you, Lord Brannon? Do you possess the Beast Titan, or did the honor fall to a family member or an advisor?"

"The Beast Titan belongs to my son, Jace. He couldn't visit you today, but he…He is a cunning warrior."

"I see…" Agatha said, and Luke noticed some suspicion in her voice.

"Is everything alright?" He asked quietly.

"He doesn't sound too convinced by his son's abilities," Agatha noted moments before Dominic spoke to Brannon.

"I heard rumors about your son on the battlefield, though reports are often conflicting, so I wouldn't trust them over your own word. So tell us, how is the Snake Titan performing against Alrics?" Dominic asked, making Brannon pause for a moment as if trying to pick his words carefully. Luke could see his hesitation, much like Agatha did.

"Our last encounter with Alrics was on their southern border, a long and bloody battle…Both our soldiers and Titans clashed with each other; it was the Snake's Titan's first battle, and he killed countless enemy soldiers. My son was quick and ruthless and no doubt left a strong impression on his opponents."

"But did he prevail against the Cart Titan?" Dominic asked a specific question, which made Brannon take a deep breath.

"I'm afraid not…But it was still a remarkable performance for his first battle. The Cart Titan was a veteran and had the advantage, but Jace managed to survive and save many of our lives; now imagine how much we will be able to accomplish together."

"I'm not blind to your situation," Dominic said coldly. "We know Alrics are growing stronger and that you need allies to weaken them. I'm not against helping you out, but what can you propose in exchange?"

"You help us with our enemies. We help you with yours. I know House Lysander hesitates to strike at Ferns directly because of their agreement with the Thorsons, but an Alliance of two houses might convince Haron to prioritize us over them."

They spoke Haron's name with reverence and cautiousness, and Luke knew why. As the Lord of House Thorson and the Colossal Titan, he was the single most powerful Titan of them all. Ever since the royal family abandoned its Empire, Haron's word was practically law.

"Hm, that might work…Without Thorsons' protection, Ferns would be powerless. I half-expect them to resort to sending their Marleyan slaves to the front lines!" Dominic said before chuckling along with a few other guests. Soon, Agatha spoke up.

"Imagine how demoralized they would be if they saw their own Armored Titan bringing chaos and destruction to their homes. It would be a delight."

"A nice sentiment, but your hunt for the Armored has proven fruitless so far, Agatha." Dominic shook his head. "We have to focus on tangible matters."

"With all due respect, losing the sight of the Armored would be foolish on our part," Agatha explained. "It's been ten years since Leon Fern's death, and assuming the newborn that inherited the Armored's power didn't die, they must be ten years old now. I'm sure that's old enough for their first transformation to occur, rapid and uncontrolled. The Armored Titan can reappear anywhere in Eldia, in the hands of a young, clueless child! It would be ripe for the taking…All that matters is that we find it before others.

"If we ever receive such news, you will be allowed to hunt the Armored down and claim it, but for now, I would like you to focus on our war effort, understood?"

"Understood, my Lord…"

"Will you help Wayrests against Alrics?"

"If that's what you require of me."

"Good, then let's discuss the terms of this Alliance…" Dominic switched the topic, but Luke couldn't help but think about Agatha's words. Something didn't feel right, a thought that made his heart skip a beat from even considering such a possibility.

"Father…" He asked quietly. Luke didn't even want Agatha to hear it, much less Brannon or Dominic. "Wasn't Sabina born on that day? The same one Otto fought Leon? Does this mean she could've…"

"Don't worry about it," Emil said dismissively. "There are countless children born every day, and only one of them would become the Armored Titan, and I doubt our Founder Ymir will sympathize with Lysanders enough to put a Titan right at their doorstep."

"Yeah, right…That would be too much of a coincidence." Luke said, trying to convince himself that there was nothing to fear. He took a sip from the nearby glass of wine, hoping that soon enough, it would help drown the unnerving thought in the depths of his mind. It failed.

Luke was haunted by it right until the very end of the ceremony.

Chapter 6: The Dream

Note: There was some confusion in the previous chapters with an off hand mention of Lord and Lady Wayrest coming to visit, but only Lord Brannon made an appearance in the ceremony chapter. That part has been fixed now and only the Lord is mentioned.

...

Sabina loved the moments that came before sleep.

It was so delightful to lie in her own bed and submerge herself into the world of dreams. It was a gradual descent, first, the girl closed her eyes and imagined something beautiful and fun, allowing her imagination to run wild. Usually, she dreamed of her own paintings and them coming to life. It was a beautiful, soothing thought that allowed her to relax and fall asleep.

It was different today.

At first, Sabina thought that she just wanted to see Father and Luke come back from their dinner ceremony, but she knew that they would run late; Mother was very adamant that they shouldn't wait for them and instead just go to sleep. However, she soon realized that this wasn't the reason. Sabina always thought about the world of her dreams as a wonderful, friendly place, but she couldn't maintain this perception. Not when the horror of titans still flashed before her eyes, plaguing Sabina's cryptic visions. Usually, her dreams were peaceful, content to exist within her own little world, but not this one. This dream wanted to break free, to tear her entire body apart and reign chaos on everyone around her.

Sabina thought about this dream on repeat, again and again…Until she fell asleep. A gradual process, the one she could never truly feel the one that left her rejuvenated and fulfilled. Now she felt awake, even though she was asleep. The call of the other side still rang in Sabina's ears, a force that slowly emerged from her soul, a force that wanted to get closer to her…The girl felt an affinity for it, although it was hard to explain with words. It was so alien and terrifying, yet at the same time, it felt like a presence the girl always felt in her life, even if it only became apparent now.

When she gave into this presence, Sabina found herself amidst the wonderland, once again. The lush forest covered in greenery with birds singing and soothing the girl's ears and the occasional rays of sunlight pushing through the veil. And deeper in the forest, there was that same being that Sabina saw before. The golden warrior who smiled at her and spoke in a tone the warmth of which could've rivaled her mother's.

"Come with me."

She took one step after another.

She followed him.

…

When Luke realized that drinking himself to the brink was not the best way to escape the haunting thoughts, it was too late. His mind weakened, and his thoughts became a blur; they clouded the way home while echoes of the talks from the ceremony still echoed in his mind.

"We should keep eyes on House Hess; something tells me they could become our next enemy."

"They're still reeling from the recent Kammerer attack; don't pay them any mind."

Luke stumbled across the darkened street with his father gradually guiding him towards home.

"Is it true that House Lysander has a problem with crime in this city?"

"Don't trust everything you hear; it's all under control."

Emil wasn't worried, deciding to keep his sleepy and drunk son awake, at least until they reached home.

"Ferns being any challenge? Ha, that's ridiculous! From what I heard, they can't even defeat some rebel Marleyan terrorist in their midst."

"You mean the Raven? I wouldn't be surprised if it's just a legend."

As the two approached their home, Luke's senses finally began to return, although he still felt incredibly dizzy.

"Do you think Tyburs will ever make a move against any other House?"

"I doubt it. If they still remain loyal to such an apathetic king, there's nothing that can save those pathetic lapdogs."

Finally, Luke's sight began to clear, and the echoes of the ceremony were left in the past where they belonged. As the two approached their house, Luke could barely stand on his shaking legs, Emil had to help him maintain balance.

"Ah fuck…" Luke blurted out. "I took…Too much."

"A lesson for next time, but don't worry too much. I made that mistake, too; everyone did at some point." Emil reassured him before slowly opening the door. "Lera and Sabi are probably already asleep, so try to be quiet…" It was only natural to assume that they were asleep, but the moment Emil opened the door, both he and Luke witnessed Valeria frantically moving around the house. The moment she realized her family members had come, the woman rushed towards them with tears emerging in her eyes.

"Thank god you're here!" She looked at Emil with a shaking voice. "I…I…"

"Calm down, what happened?" Emil said in an attempt to soothe her. "Come on, take a deep breath…"

"It's Sabina! I just checked her bed and, and…She's gone!" Valeria let out in horror as her entire body shook. Luke felt the remnants of his drunken state immediately washed away at hearing this as if someone smashed him with a heavy hammer to finally make him wake up from his deluded dream.

"What do you mean, gone?" Emil said with fear in his tone,

"I looked all around the house, but I couldn't find her, I…One of the windows was open, I was about to go out and look for her, but you came here, and I…"

"Shh, it's okay, relax." Emil tried to keep calm. "Stay here, and we'll find her, I promise."

"What if someone kidnapped her? There are a lot of bandits snooping around our town; what if…"

"No, we shouldn't think this way." Emil shook his head. "She's out there, and we will find her." He said confidently and turned around. "Luke, I search in the west; you take the east, got it!"

"Yes!"

They set out immediately, not even considering stopping until they find Sabina and ensure she is safe. Luke didn't feel any desire to sleep anymore, instead he rushed into the town, praying that his sister was alright. She was always the dreamy type, she would easily get lost in the town alone…And why was she out in the first place?

There weren't many people outside at this hour, but when Luke saw someone, he was quick to ask them about Sabina.

"Have you seen my sister? A girl with long brown hair, she's teen years old and…"

"Sorry, haven't seen anyone. Kids her age shouldn't be out at night anyway."

Luke didn't want to entertain the thought that someone abducted Sabina. Who would want to take her? Some maniac or pervert that enjoys tormenting children or derives some degenerate satisfaction from them? How would someone like that be able to enter the house without Luke's mother noticing?

"Have you seen a girl of ten years around here? She's my…"

"No, haven't seen anyone, just sod off!"

His sister could be anywhere, and the mere thought of her being in danger was enough to horrify Luke and make him shiver. He promised his parents to always protect his little sister, to always be by her side, but the moment he distracted himself…

"Have you seen a girl? Ten years, long brown hair, she could be around here recently."

"Hm…There was one girl coming around here about twenty minutes ago."

"Where did she go?"

"Towards the lake."

"Thank you!"

Finally, there was something to cling onto! The moment Luke got this info, he rushed towards a small lake located near the city center. It was a place both he and Sabina liked visiting in their free time; Luke should've guessed…The moment he reached the lake, he could feel the serenity of this place. A few trees overshadowed the water, and the moon's reflection danced on its glade. Most importantly, however, there was a young girl sitting before the lake, not moving an inch and watching her own reflection.

"Sabina?"

The girl didn't react, continuing to stare at the glade with a silent expression. It felt wrong, unnatural as if someone or something was hypnotizing her, taking Sabina's free will away, forcing her to enter this mischievous place, to drown herself in this bottomless lake…

Luke walked towards her, noticing that Sabina's eyes were completely lifeless. She stared at the glade without any emotion whatsoever, her face was devoid of any energy…Luke didn't think for long, he shook Sabina after grabbing her by the shoulder, and in a few moments, the girl finally moved.

"Uh? W-where…What…"

"Sabina, can you hear me?"

"Luke?" The girl looked up at him, finally regaining emotions in her eyes. She was shocked and horrified by the sudden realization. "W-what's going on?"

"How would I know? You went all the way here, and I barely found you!" He said loudly, giving in to his emotions but quickly realizing that he was overdoing it.

"I…I went here?" Sabina sounded genuinely confused and ashamed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to! I…" She didn't understand any of it, no more than Luke did. Those lifeless eyes that he saw were more than just a coincidence; at this moment, Sabina lost all control over herself, wandering off without realizing it.

"Hey, it's alright…Sorry, I shouldn't have shouted." Luke hugged his little sister and reassured her. "Come on, mom and dad are worried, let's tell them you're alright."

"Okay…"

The siblings made their way home, at first both of them were silent, still struggling to comprehend that which just happened. Luke heard that some people were prone to sleepwalking, but this was too much. How could a ten-year old girl go all the way to the lake without noticing?

"Luke…" Sabina spoke meekly.

"Yeah?"

"I think it's because of the dream. I had that strange dream again…" Was she talking about the nightmare from a few days ago? She must have been.

"Can you tell me about it?"

"Alright…I wake up in a strange but very pretty land with forests and animals; there's a road that I walk, and…There's a warrior."

"A warrior?"

"Yeah, a man in armor with a gun and sword…"

"Does he try to attack you?"

"No, he just…Stands there and looks at me. And today, he said that I should follow him on the road and ran away; I went after him, and…Then you woke me up."

"I see…So you don't remember going to this lake at all?"

"No…Sorry."

"It's not your fault, don't apologize."

"Did you have those strange dreams as well when you were younger?"

"Hm…I did, but they were different every time. I don't think they ever repeated."

"Why do I have them, then? What does it mean?"

"I wish I knew…" Luke said with stark disappointment in his voice, hoping that it was nothing more than simple dreams and no real cause for concern.

He prayed that he was worried over nothing, that those dreams and Agatha's words were nothing but a coincidence, just a source of Paranoia…But Luke knew that he would not be able to shake those thoughts off any time soon.

Chapter 7: The Phantom of the Armored

Even on the next day, Luke's fears did not dissipate in the slightest. His little sister was clearly shaken by the experience of yesterday evening, and neither of them could make any sense of those dreams. What was the place Sabina found herself in, and who was this mysterious golden warrior who beckoned for her to follow? A recurring figure in a recurring dream, only adding more mystery to the situation…

This distracted Luke even during moments when he would otherwise maintain flawless focus. Agatha invited him to watch her train in Titan form again, but the image of her flawless moves and fighting style faded in Luke's eyes. Even the cracks emerging on the pillars didn't sound nearly as loud as they should've been, not when Luke still heard his sister's fearful voice.

By the time Agatha decides to take a break and eject herself from the Titan carcass, she notices that Luke is distracted.

"You seem tired today." She said, slowly restoring her breath after extensive Titan training. Agatha said by Luke's side, looking into the young man's eyes and trying to understand what was going on. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just thinking…Don't pay it any mind."

"You can talk with me if you want," Agatha reassured him in a warm tone. "You know, people doubt that, but I can give some stellar life advice."

"I've just been wondering about the Armored Titan," Luke said, making Agatha focus upon hearing the name. "You said that you really wanted to claim it at the dinner, right?"

"Of course, and one day, I will."

"But why do you care about it so much? If the Armored Titan is with some Eldian, who doesn't know about it and probably never will, what's the harm? Ferns don't have it, after all…"

"An entire suit of armor made of Titan hardening sounds like a major boon to me," Agatha said calmly. "There is no real reason to wait; now is the perfect window of opportunity. The child that carries the power of the Armored must be ten years of age by now. They're at a point where they can survive the transformation. If I don't find them in the next three years, they'll die from the curse and pass the Armored to someone else, the cycle will repeat, the Armored will be gone for another decade, and I'll never live long enough to see it…" She spoke of death from the curse so casually, as if it were natural. Luke was aware of the unfortunate fate of any Titan shifter, as they could live only thirteen years after inheriting a Titan, but to think that such a power could be enforced upon a child from birth was bone-chilling. And if it was…No, Luke didn't want to think about it. It was not Sabina; it was someone, anyone else, someone who he would never even meet and who didn't matter to him.

"But most importantly, this is what Otto would've wanted." Agatha continued, her tone growing more somber. She must have focused on her own memories, which made her blind to the terror on Luke's face. "When my father returned from that battle, most people hailed him as a hero. Killing the Armored Titan and cruising Ferns' armies was more than enough for the masses, but not for familial pride. Father wanted to claim the Armored for our family, not to have it lost and buried within the body of some child. By the time his term came to its end, he felt that he failed in his mission. I promised to claim the Armored in my time, and this brought him a semblance of peace in the end. He wanted me to surpass him and bring honor to the name Lysander…And I will." She spoke with determination and even obsession, not a moment of wavering. Luke admired her resolve, but in this context, he felt uneasy. She was willing to hunt down and eat a child who was unlucky enough to be born a Titan.

"I'm sorry about your father."

"Don't be. He did the best he could, and so will I."

"But how will you know which child inherited the Armored?"

"I'm counting on the transformation. When it happens, the Titan will be uncontrollable and very difficult to subdue, so I doubt whoever is there will be prepared…But the news will spread quickly, and I will have a trail to follow."

"But maybe there are some ways other than transformation? Wouldn't it be easier to find that child before they cause any chaos?" Luke wondered, hoping that his curiosity sounded believable enough.

"Other ways? Not the ones that others will be able to see."

"And what about the ones others wouldn't see?"

"Come on now, you talk to me like I'm an expert on Titan-born children." Agatha sighed.

"I'm just wondering…You're a Titan shifter."

"Yes, but I became one. That's very different from being born this way."

"You can compare how it was before and after you became the Agile Titan, right? Were there any changes? Something that you only experienced as a shifter?"

"Hm…" Agatha pondered for a moment. "Apart from the Titan form, I'd say the main difference is memories. I see occasional flashes from the lives of previous Agile Titan inheritors. They aren't always clear, but I can recognize one when I see it."

"Do you…Do you think a child would see such dreams, too?"

"Maybe, though they probably wouldn't make sense of it. Children of this age see all kinds of things."

"I see…"

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Of course, sorry for distracting you," Luke stated as confidently as he could, and eventually, Agatha stood up from her spot.

"In that case, I'll focus on my second round. You're free to watch."

Of course, he was…Luke would watch, even though deep inside, he wasn't sure if he wanted it anymore.

…

Ever since last night's dream, Sabina hasn't felt like herself. Her parents welcomed her home, incredibly joyous and relieved that she was alright, but the girl felt as if a part of her had gone hollow and remained behind in that dream. Sabina could barely sleep last night, and by the time she got up, she was still incredibly tired. Luke and Father already left for their jobs, and Sabina would have to go to school soon. Her mother was making breakfast while the girl just sat on a nearby chair, thinking to herself and afraid to say a word. She knew that this could not continue, however, not when she owed her mother a sincere apology.

"Mom…" Sabina took a deep breath, making the woman look at her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just…Wanted to say sorry. About yesterday." The girl said meekly.

"I'm just glad you're alright…But you made me very worried. And do you really mean to say you don't remember anything about how you left?" The woman said, mixing compassion and suspicion in her voice, which made Sabina feel a little uneasy.

"I don't, I'm sorry…" Sabina looked down in shame. "I saw some strange dreams, I don't know why, but they seemed so real…" She tried to recollect them, but every thought in the girl's mind became chaotic and moot the moment she attempted to visualize it. "There was a warrior and a road, a-and a forest! I didn't know I was walking, I thought it was just a dream, and when Luke woke me up, I was at the lake, it was so strange, I didn't know what was going on, I-I wasn't myself and…" The fear of the situation returned to the forefront of Sabina's mind again, and she could not hold back her tears any longer. "I'm so, so sorry! I didn't want to make you cry, I really didn't, I couldn't control it, I…"

Before Sabina could continue, she heard an echo of her mother's footsteps, and by the point, the girl raised her eyes, Valeria already offered her a tight embrace.

"Please, Sabina, don't blame yourself…Everything's alright. We're not angry with you. I'm not angry with you." She reassured the girl, offering her a feeling of safety. Sabina clung to her mother and closed her eyes, trying her best to calm down. Her mother has always been so supportive, even when Sabina caused her problems; being with her was an absolute blessing…

"Thank you, mom…"

"I love you, my dear." Valeria smiled and stroked Sabina's hair. "I love you so, so much. It's fine to be afraid. I know I had some very unpleasant dreams back when I was a young girl, even some nightmares…But they all ended one day, and I was able to leave them in the past. I am sure that you will be able to do that, too, and we will always be there to help you."

It was a beautiful realization to think that she wasn't alone. Focused on this wondrous sensation, the girl barely noticed the sound of a cracking glass in a nearby room.

Chapter 8: Awakening

The moment Sabina heard the sound of a broken widow, she shivered and felt her heart sinking. Luke and father were gone off to their duties, and her mother was right by her side, there shouldn't have been anyone else in the House…The girl involuntarily cling onto her mother, who realized that something has gone wrong, as well.

"Mom… What's that?" Sabina asked meekly, noticing the unease on Valeria's face.

"Stay back, I'll check it out." The woman stood and slowly made her way towards the door.

Sabina could swear she heard some quiet steps on the other side of the door, but she was too scared to speak of them, or to say anything at all. She felt someone else's presence right beside them, her and mother weren't alone anymore…Someone was here, stalking them, and even though Sabina didn't see them, she couldn't help but sense this haunting presence…Right until a strong hand grabbed her neck from behind.

"MOM!" Sabina was able to shout before the figure behind her put their hand to their mouth and pushed the girl to the floor, Valeria got distracted and turned around, making herself vulnerable to the attack. A man in a black mask emerged from the door and struck Valeria, much to Sabina's horror. She witnessed her mother fall on the floor with blood emerging from her nose, all while Sabina caught a glimpse of the figure that was holding her down. He was very similar and wore the same mask; both of them were ruthless and terrified Sabina to no end.

"W-who are you?!" Valeria screamed in despair, only to be pushed aside by her assailant. Sabina tried to break free as tears filled her eyes, but she was powerless to resist.

"Calm yourself, lady, just do what I say, and I won't harm you…Anymore." The man said with a vile chuckle. "You're the wife of that politician, right? Emil Mair?"

"I…"

"Speak up, bitch!"

"Y-yes, I am! Please, tell me what you want, just leave my daughter alone!" Valeria pleaded.

"Don't worry, we didn't come here for you or her. See, life has been very harsh and unforgiving on us lately…And we could use some coin. Where do you keep your largest stash?"

"You…You want to take everything from us?"

"We'll take as much as we want, and you'll shut up and point us in the right direction, understand?"

Sabina's mother had no choice but to comply with this barbaric request. She led the bandit to the stash where she kept most of their coin, something that the Mair family earned through months of hard work, all of this would become obsolete in an instant. How could this be happening? Their family was supposed to be protected, if only father or Luke were here…Sabina was too fearful to even hope.

"Good, good! "The man said as he took out the money. "This will be enough for months…And what's this?" He noticed something else that was lying in the stash. A silver crest of honor, Sabina remembered the day when father brought it home, he was filled with pride. "Looks like it's from the great House…We can probably sell it for a fortune!"

"No, please! "Valeria begged. "This…This is a gift to my husband from Lord Lysander. He gave it for his outstanding work in his court!"

"And why would I care?"

"It's not about money…To lose a gift from our lord would be dishonorable; it's a disgrace!" The woman rushed and stood between the bandit and the stash, pushing the man away. "I beg you, leave it to us!"

"Getting feisty, bitch? Alright…Now, let me make it very clear." The bandit said before turning towards his partner and giving him a nod. In the next moment, he took a knife out of his pocket and put it on Sabina's neck.

"Do as he says, or your little girl will suffer."

"Please, no!"

"You think we're bluffing?" The bandit chuckled before pressing the knife against Sabina's neck.

The girl felt utterly broken and powerless. Just as she began to doubt herself and succumb to her dreams, reality proved itself to be far more terrifying than any dream or vision could ever be. She wanted to do something, anything to help, to stop her mother from crying, to save her, and to vanquish those evil people. Sabina was never a violent person, yet at this moment, she was more than willing to fight.

Soon, the blade cut through her neck's tissue, allowing a small stream of blood to flow.

It only took a single drop for Sabina to shatter.

…

By the time Agatha was finally done with her training, the woman was steaming with sweat and barely maintaining her breath. She really overexerted herself, especially in the second round. Luke was left to wonder whether his discussion of the Armored Titan with her unveiled something primal in Agatha's spirit, something that made her fight even more ferocity than before. This time, Luke couldn't enjoy her elegance and beauty, not when she acted like a merciless and aggressive predator who would stop at nothing to reach her prey.

It wasn't until after the session that the woman finally calmed down and decided to take a break with Luke. The two of them decided to spend some time in a pub on the upper floor of the manor. It was an establishment reserved for those in the Lysander family and any servants who had permission to enter the manor. Luke wouldn't normally have access to it, but Agatha's word was more than enough for him to be allowed inside. This wasn't his first time, and Luke learned to act naturally to blend in with the elite.

Agatha got them a table at the balcony with a beautiful view of the Lysander capital, their city of Alvur. A serene and peaceful view, which nevertheless was not enough to calm Luke.

"You still look like you've seen a ghost." Agatha said as she took a glass of read wine that the servant brought her. "Are you sure that you're alright?"

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine." He stated as Agatha took a sip and let out a delightful sigh.

"Ah, much better, I love this taste!" The woman said with joy before circling back to the matter at hand. "You'd better be sure, Luke. You still have an evening training session today, I need you to be focused."

"With all due respect…I think I have good reason to worry about you, as well." Luke spoke up. "You're steaming! When you got out of that Titan, you seemed like you could barely walk." l

"It happens sometimes," Agatha said calmly, still restoring her breath. "The training is always taxing; there's nothing new about it…And today has been especially wild; I don't know why I just felt like pushing myself to the limits." Something told Luke that this was a lie, or at least half-truth. Agatha had a good grasp on her emotions, and she must have known exactly what aggravated her.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Agatha; seeing you like this was…"

Before Luke could finish, his eardrums were pierced by a loud explosive bang. He resisted his reflex to flinch and cover, instead turning to the direction the sound came from. A large, yellow sphere emerged and exploded in the middle of the city, completely overtaking the small area that it was at the heart of. It was just like when Agatha transformed into a Titan, but even more dangerous and powerful. The moment Luke looked closer, he realized that this area was very familiar.

"No…"

Agatha and him watched in awe and horror as the dust settled, and they witnessed the emergent creature. It was on its knees, a giant covered in tight golden plating with spots of dark crimson skin emerging underneath it. The creature moved, stumbling around and shaking as if it had no control over itself. It also had long brown hair coming down from its armored head. At this moment, Luke felt his heart shatter in a million pieces. Every fear he had has come to life.

He looked at Agatha, who still hasn't said a word. She didn't need to; the truth was in her eyes.

She was ready to claim her trophy.

…

The moment Sabina felt the aura form around her, she was ripped from the real world with swiftness and severity of a hawk clawing into its prey and taking it off the ground. The aura around her absorbed Sabina into the void of her dreams, the very same wonderland, the very same woods, and endless forests, the same road, only this time, she was alone.

There was no golden warrior by her side, no one to beckon for her to follow, no soothing voice to guide her, and yet somehow, Sabina felt his presence. This time closer than ever before. She was the one wearing his golden armor, the one that weighed on her and pushed her weak, frail body to the ground.

Sabina tried to break free from those chains, to shatter the armor that separated her from the beautiful world outside and dragged her into the darkness. Sabina reached out with her hands, desperately clinging onto the light, but all of her power left the girl's body. All that was left to her was to fight, to break through the barriers around her. Sabina felt the walls cracking, the endless devastation that her resistance brought, and yet for some reason, the more she fought, the heavier her chains became. This echo of the past that overrode her identity, entangling her body in a crystal web of despair and agony.

The last sight Sabina saw was that of her mother lying underneath the wooden planks, torn away from a collapsed house. She didn't move; an expression of fear and horror froze on her face, with blood drenching her head and body. This horror was engraved in Sabina's memory moment before the golden armor fused with her fabric.

She has become the Armored Titan.

Chapter 9: The Golden Warrior

She has become the Armored Titan.

They were the Armored Titan.

After long years of slumber, the uncontrollable power that rested within this weak, frail vessel has finally awakened, cursing the House around it. The Titan felt the chains around them shattering, liberating countless memories and voices that spoke from within. It was as if every past inheritor tried to take control, to sing their own song, but in the end, all of them united, becoming a chaotic cacophony of countless screams, a myriad of impulses trying to exert control over the Armored's body.

All of those voices made the Titan let out an ear-piercing roar that spread through the town around them, no doubt bringing primal fear into the hearts of its people. They deserved all of this terror…For chaining the Armored Titan, for ignoring their desire to break free and charge into the heart of a deadly battle, all of them deserved to crumble…Most of them.

There was one woman that the Armored Titan's gaze focused on; her mutilated corpse lay under the shattered remnants of the House. Her eyes were frozen, and her face emanated purest despair. For some reason, a part of the Armored Titan was aching at seeing this woman's death, as if she was important to them as if her death was enough to break the Armored's will and make them fall on their knees, to drown in their own tears…The Titan felt it. They wept yet, at the same time, did not drop a single tear; they hated themselves for killing this woman and yet tried to suppress any regrets. They were a broken whirlwind of emotions that wanted to lash out, yet they were bound by an invisible leash that held them back…Those few moments felt like an eternity and yet soon, everything became profoundly clear.

The moment the Armored saw another Titan emerge from behind the nearby houses, they knew that their natural opponent has found them already. The long-haired, slim and agile creature, the body structure of whom was almost identical to the enemy they fought in their last battle. And now, this same enemy jumped at the Armored, ready to tear them apart.

Never again.

The Armored Titan raised both of its arms, blocking the Agile's attack. The enemy used both of its hands as well, trying to breach the Armored's chest plate, but its attempt failed miserably the moment its opponent added an extra layer of defense with their hands. Moments after, the Armored pushed the Agile away, making it lose an element of surprise. They could feel their enemy being weaker than before…For some reason, it was already tired and vulnerable. They had the advantage over the enemy.

The two titans didn't hesitate and quickly clashed with each other. The Armored felt the primal fury within its heart raging and tried to squash the Agile with its powerful fists. The enemy quickly evaded, retreating deeper into the town. There were a few more houses on the Armored's path and they crushed all of them without remorse or hesitation, it was worth getting to the creature that was so reviled by many voices within the Armored Titan.

When they got to the enemy, the Armored attempted to strike right at its head, but the Agile continued to avoid them like a coward it was. Instead, it took some of the rubble from a house the Armored crushed and hurled it at the Titan in front of them. The Armored took all of this without flinching. The debris were nothing compared to their shield…However, the Agile Titan only used this to create a window of opportunity.

In the moment that the Armored was distracted, the Agile rushed towards them, and this time, its fists were glowing with azure color. The Armored didn't pay it much thought; they were derived by primal rage and paid dearly for their arrogance. The Agile's hardened fists were thrice as powerful, and a few strikes were more than enough to completely crush the Armored's chest plating. Countless cracks emerged in the armor, and another push pierced through it.

The Armored attempted to resist, but the Agile already grabbed the Armored's weak spot, landing strike after strike. The Armored roared in agony, but it was not quick enough to compare with the Agile, and eventually, they fell to the ground. It was only a matter of time before the Agile would break their neck and take the newest vessel…The mere thought was enough to make countless voices cry out with hatred and despair. To submit to the Agile would be to abandon their dignity and honor, to forever stain themselves in disgusting shame. The Golden Warrior that came before, his family and ancestors, all those who gave their lives for the House and the cause…The terms and events that the Titan couldn't recall, yet the voices within them pushed them forward, relying on those memories.

They couldn't let it claim them.

The Titans let out another roar, followed by a sharp movement of their legs. The claws on the Armored's feet pierced the Agile's skin, once again making the Titan retreat and reel with steam coming from its body. It didn't react in time. The Armored pierced the Agile's chest with one hand and landed a heavy blow on its head. They crushed more than half of the Agile's head, pushing it away and crashing it into a nearby house. Soon, the Agile Titan was buried beneath the debris, unable to stand up. The Armored felt the urge to take a step towards it…

"Sabina!"

The Armored saw a young man emerge from behind one of the houses, rushing towards them and screaming out with tears emerging in his eyes. His voice…It was enough to make them turn around and run. Run away from this hellish place, as far as possible, to bury all of their memories and forget those disgusting sights…Why did this man seem so familiar? So heartbroken yet so warm and compassionate, reaching out to the Titan instead of running away…He was a poison that would only weaken the Armored.

The Titan rushed towards the nearby city wall, easily breaking it and leaving a gaping hole behind. It stomped the few soldiers in its way, and from there on, there was nothing left but to run. They didn't know where to go, not while their senses were still blurred and their body was wounded, only beginning to heal very slowly. They only had the memories and the calling to follow, to use all of their power to cross deserted tundras and plains. The Armored didn't know why they ran in the direction they did, but they felt that this was their only destination. This is where they must go…This is where the golden warrior would've gone. His family, his friends…They felt closer with every second.

They ran away from civilization and towards the untamed wilds, the Armored charged into the woodland, crushing all the trees that stood in their way like an unstoppable force of nature. Soon, the sun became a distant image the light of which could not get past the countless leaves and branches, allowing the Titan to submerge into darkness.

The voices became louder and clearer as if a myriad of hands reached out for succor, but their goal evaded them. Instead, they grew weaker and fainter, allowing the darkness to take hold of the Titan. The Armored felt this weakness overtake them, consume every inch of their body, and devour the life from their spirit.

By the time the Armored reached a large waterfall that descended into the river beneath them, the pain and the voices became too much for them to bear. As their legs shook and the ground beneath them trembled, the Armored Titan collapsed, surrendering to the flow of the untamed river and becoming one with the waterfall.

Chapter 10: Wayward daughter

"Wake up, my dear; I made breakfast!"

M…Mom…

Her voice called out to Sabina from beyond the golden prison that surrounded her to break free from this harrowing cage and enter the flow that carried them on her own. Sabina could barely remember anything; she only felt the mild pain of the bandit's knife cutting her neck…After that moment, everything was muddled, yet she remembered what was even greater agony.

Fear overtook her, tore at Sabina's every essence, every voice that echoed in her head. It was as if all of them wanted a piece of her sanity, a fragment of her mind. Her own will was overtaken by the other, an amalgamation of those voices, all of which desperately craved control without a shred of mercy. The armored prison became Sabina's body, a body that controlled her mind…All the girl could do was to blindly obey it and watch the segments that appeared before her.

Even now, as the Titan fell into a river and stopped moving, Sabina was still tied and saw the exact same visions as before.

Her mother…Her kind, beautiful mother lying underneath the crushing rubble. The manifestation of the nightmare.

"P-please…I…Don't want…To die…"

The girl reached out towards the faint glimmer of light that remained before her. She would've begged for mercy and salvation, yet she knew that no one would hear her pleas. Not God, not the people of House Lysander she idolized, and most certainly not the Eldian king that abandoned his subjects…She was all alone with nothing but the chaotic voices to keep her company. Every word she said hurt, burning Sabina's skin and her entire essence.

The more she clung to her life and freedom, the more she pushed through the Titan's withering skin and the bones that its carcass left behind, the clearer her mind became. One after another, her crimson chains fainted and let Sabina go. A spark of hope emerged once again…Until the flash of that gruesome moment emerged before her eyes once again, providing an agonizing reminder.

She killed her own mother.

The girl felt her heart-stopping as she completely lost control. Sabina fell into the river and surrendered to its flow, utterly and completely.

…

Luke never expected to see such a grotesque nightmare unfold right before his eyes.

Everything since the Armored emerged felt like a cruel joke, a fever dream. All his fears and theories, all his suspicion was confirmed in the most horrendous way possible…Luke was worried, but he never truly believed. In fact, he still did not want to believe, praying for all of this to be a prolonged nightmare.

This prayer was at its strongest as Luke and his father stood over Valeria's broken, maimed body. Her waist was pierced by the falling debris, drenching her in blood. By the time Agatha got her out of the wreckage, it was already far too late for her; Valeria was dead.

"Mother…" Luke's voice trembled as he reached out towards her. They brought Valeria's body to the morgue along with others who died during the short clash between the Armored and the Agile, and the bodies were still piling up. None of the others existed for Luke, however, not when the eyes that once looked at him with warmth, love, and kindness were completely stripped of those qualities, going entirely barren and lifeless. She was gone in a single instant, just like that, without an opportunity to even say goodbye or to try and help her…Emil stepped forward and put his hand on his wife's eyes, slowly closing them as tears streamed down his own.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, Val…"

He wasn't there to help her either; he didn't know what happened, yet it must have been a harrowing feeling for a husband nonetheless. Luke felt this way, too…He fell on his knees and let out a prolonged, animalistic scream, barely able to breathe. He was ready to do everything to make his mother open her eyes, to help her wake up and smile once again. He wanted to hug her and promise that it was all a horrific dream, that they would find Sabina and save her from herself, that all of this would be over soon…

Luke thought back to the day Sabina was born. He remembered cheering at the news that Otto had destroyed the Armored Titan and crippled the Ferns' army.

"Dad, are we going to go to the parade?"

"We can't, Luke, we have to be with your mother."

He remembered thinking how inconvenient it was to skip the parade of victory just because his sister decided to get born on the same day…How foolish he was to whine about such simple things. Luke remembered looking into the little girl's beautiful eyes and gently touching her hand, remembered the realization of him finally having a sister kicking it, realizing just how lucky he truly was…More tears fell from Luke's eyes as a single question of despair emerged in his mind. Was this all by chance? Or a cruel irony of fate?

Why did it have to be that day?

Eventually, Luke heard someone else approaching from behind with a familiar voice ringing out.

"Luke, Emil…You have my sincerest condolences." Agatha stood by their side, now finally regaining her ability to walk and healing the wounds she received during the Armored's frenzy.

"P-please…" Emil spoke through tears. "Leave us, we…We need some time…"

"I'm afraid my uncle believes this to be an urgent matter." She said sternly. "You'll have an opportunity to say your goodbyes later. Now we have to focus on someone who's still alive…"

"You mean Sabina?" Luke wiped his tears and turned around towards Agatha.

"I do," Agatha said, and she was unable to hide a degree of bitterness that emerged in her voice as she spoke those words. "Now we know who has the Armored Titan. Who could've known…" The woman clenched her fist. "You asked me about what distinguishes Titan-born children from others. Is this why?" Her tone grew to be more judgmental.

"I…"

"Did she show any signs? I know you're smart. You would've recognized a pattern like this."

"I'm sorry…But I just didn't know what to do!" Luke let out. "She was having those strange dreams over and over again. Some of them were long and even made her sleepwalk! They were about a golden warrior who beckoned for her to follow…She was as confused by them as I was; we didn't know what their meaning was! And when you mentioned children born on the same day as the Armored's death, I realized that this was when Sabina was born…I didn't want to believe it!"

"And why didn't you come to me?" Agatha raised an eyebrow. "You can always trust me, remember? You promised that there would be no secrets between us."

"But what would you do if you found out she was a Titan? You…You wanted to eat whoever had the power, didn't you?" His words made Agatha pause for a moment, carefully choosing her next words. Eventually, she took a deep breath and softened her tone.

"I suppose if I were in your situation, I would've hesitated, too." She sounded soothing, yet her words made Luke even more uneasy as she avoided answering his question.

"So…What do we do now?"

"Now, I need both you and Emil to come with me. My uncle wants to see the three of us, and we shouldn't keep him waiting."

Chapter 11: Alone in the Wild

Everyone, noble and peasant alike, knew that they should never incur Lord Dominic's wrath. He was the protector of their realm and the master of the House, one of the most respected leaders of their time. Needless to say, the moment he got a full report about what transpired in the city, the Lord was thoroughly disappointed. He summoned Emil, Agatha, and Luke before him to speak of this incident openly.

"This is a catastrophic failure, and each of you could've prevented it!" The Lord sat on his throne and chastised the kneeling trio before him. "The Armored Titan, right under our nose…We had its power fester for ten years without a clue, and now it's lost to us!"

"I'm sorry, my lord…" Emil said with shame. "Please don't blame my son; it wasn't his decision to make…But I knew that Sabina was born on that fateful day. I knew there was a possibility, but…" Emil stuttered, showing pain in his voice. "I didn't want to believe or even think about this."

"Deluded family members, how typical." Dominic scoffed. "And you, Agatha? You engaged a shifter who transformed for the first time and somehow failed to defeat her and stop her from escaping?" He demanded an answer, and his voice was enough to make Agatha look down in shame, an emotion Luke didn't often see in her eyes.

"M-my Lord, please understand, it was after a session of training, I was already tired, and this reflected on my Titan form…Sabina was in a frenzy; everyone is after their first transformation, and they are extremely strong and dangerous in this state."

"I don't want your excuses, Agatha; I want you to fix this mess right away. We were about to start a new war against Alrics, and now we have to deal with the return of the Armored? There couldn't have been a worse time."

"With all due respect, I disagree," Agatha said. "Yes, this transformation was a shock to all of us, but Sabina is just a child. She's young and inexperienced; she will never be able to use the Armored to its full potential like those in the Fern family." Hearing her describe his sister like she was some kind of weakling…Luke felt his fist reflexively clench, even if he understood that Agatha was technically correct. "I can track her down starting from the breach she made; she couldn't have gone too far. This time, however, I'll be rested and prepared…Do you see, my Lord?" She spoke with joy. "We have never been this close to getting the power of the Armored Titan. This is our chance!"

"Hm…That's true." Lord Dominic seemingly calmed himself. "If you are able to claim the power quickly, this would be an incredible boon in a war against Alrics and other Houses."

"I promise not to fail you, my lord, just give me a day to prepare, I will find Sabina and bring her here."

"And then, House Lysander will finally claim the Armored Titan…Yes, good, we'll make the best out of a bad situation." Luke shouldn't have expected anything different, yet hearing them talk like this…Discussing his sister as if she was just a Titan to 'claim' it wasn't right.

"My lord!" Luke stood up and spoke loudly, against his better judgment.

"What is it, boy?"

"I…I understand how important the Titan power is, but Sabina is my little sister, and I want to save her and bring her back home! But…If you only want to bring her back here to have someone eat her, what difference does it make?"

"What difference?" Dominic raised an eyebrow, making Luke realize he has gone a little too bold in the Lord's presence. "Our House has been trying to claim the Armored for generations; now we have an opportunity to become the first Eldian House with two titans serving us, and you dare to ask what difference it makes?! Perhaps you should worry about all the people your sister killed, including your mother…"

"She's innocent! Agatha told herself that shifters are in a frenzy after their first transformation, and she's ten! You can't possibly blame her for what…"

"Silence!" Lord Dominic stood up. "I'm not here to argue…Agatha, you really should teach your 'guard' some manners."

"Forgive him, my lord. He's emotional due to what happened, and understandably so." Agatha defended Luke, but she didn't seem to disagree with Dominic's proposal, either. Luke turned towards Agatha with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"You wouldn't support this, right? You wouldn't eat Sabina, would you?"

"I want to find her and bring her home, first and foremost. I don't know whether it'll be her or someone else that maintains the power as long as it is in the hands of our House and can be used for the nearing war. But the truth is, whatever we decide…It won't make much difference for Sabina. In a way, she is already dead."

"What are you talking about?!"

"Forgot already?" Agatha sighed. "Titan shifters can only live thirteen years after inheriting their Titan…This applies to the Titan-born, too. Your sister was born the Armored Titan, and she will die on the day she reaches the age of thirteen. There is nothing we can do about this." With all the chaos and horror that unfolded before him, Luke almost forgot about this harrowing truth of the world. "Those three years will be of torment and agony, carrying the burden that she didn't choose…And being a perpetual target for every other Titan shifter, all to only die in three years anyway. Perhaps it would be more humane not to prolong her suffering."

"N-No, it wouldn't!" Luke snapped. "She still has a life ahead of her, even if it's short, you can't just…You can't just take those years away from her! It's not her fault she was born on this day, and she already suffered more than enough for it…"

"It's too early to think about that, either way," Agatha said calmly. "First, we need to find her, and I'm sure we all want to do that before other Houses find out."

"Of course, but…We can't just leave it undecided!" Luke still didn't give in, eventually turning towards his father. "We won't allow anyone to eat Sabina, right? We can't!"

"Luke, I…"

"What?" No, even his father had doubts? How could he? This was the life of his own daughter they were talking about.

"Agatha is right; it's too early to say anything for certain." Emil let those shameful words out. "The powers of the titans…They are not for the young children to be used by. Only the strongest warriors can hope to control it. We need to save our people from the Armored's wrath and…Save Sabina from herself."

"W-what are you talking about?! You know she's not dangerous; she would never harm anyone willingly!"

"Luke…I know you want to help her, but you saw what happened to all those people…What happened to Valeria…"

"It's not her fault!"

"QUIET!" Dominic shouted. "Enough of this farce. I heard what everyone had to say, and the course is clear. We do everything in our power to bring Sabina back to House Lysander before any other lord has even the slightest chance of capturing her. Agatha will lead the operation, and I will decide what to do with the girl once she is brought back."

"My Lord…" Luke began, only to be interrupted.

"This is not negotiable."

"I only wanted to ask that you allow me to come with Agatha. Sabina is my sister…And I have to bring her home." It was almost impossible for Luke to think clearly, but he realized that whatever happens when Agatha and her squad reach Sabina, he has to be there to protect her.

"That is for my niece to decide." Dominic turned to Agatha.

"You've performed very well in your training…So I'll allow it." Agatha said. "But I know why you want to come."

"You won't try to eat Sabina once you find her, right? If so, we can help each other out."

"No, I won't…But you must realize that regardless of what we do, it's a foregone conclusion. Your sister will never live past thirteen."

Three years might not have been a long time, but at that moment, they felt like an eternity. There was still an opportunity to do something, anything at all.

His sister wasn't gone, and Luke would not stop fighting for her.

…

Even as Sabina walked away, moving away from the River's persistent flow, she could still feel the echoes of the water in her ears. They came and went without any logic or reason, and along with them came the flashes. She saw a crimson body clad in golden armor that began to deteriorate in front of her, emitting steam as its carcass decayed, allowing its bones to emerge. It was left behind and slowly turned to ash, and Sabina continued to walk.

A lone girl making her way through an unfamiliar forest, tears streaming down her eyes, she felt completely lost and alone, not knowing what to do next. The memories began to come together, yet she didn't want them to. She didn't want to see her mother under that debris once again, didn't want to relive that heart-wrenching agony…

Please.

Her mother drowned in blood.

Please.

Agatha's steadfast approach.

Please…

Her brother's cry of despair.

Sabina should have died out here. She was just a child, a little girl that knew nothing about surviving in the wild. This should've been the end, yet somehow, she persisted. She expected some monster to emerge, some wild predator to stalk her and rip her flesh, but instead, it was only silence. Only the echoes of the singing birds and the quiet sound of falling leaves. The girl didn't think, continuing to walk where her eyes led her. She prayed for all of this suffering to end the moment she encountered something…

Or someone.

"No bloody way, you cheated!"

"Just stop whining and admit that you've been bested by a newbie!"

There was a group of men not far from her, they sat in a small encampment with most of them sitting in a circle, playing some game…They were dressed in uniforms not unlike those the soldiers of House Lysander had, but with a different color pattern, those ones were colored in bright gold. Some of them had muskets behind their backs, and there was no doubt that they could fire at any moment. Sabina knew what this meant…Those were House Fern soldiers.

Out of all the predators she could have encountered, it had to be humans, by far the most dangerous of all of them. Sabina's instinct was to run, but she could not follow it, not when she felt so weak and pathetic. She was at their mercy, and then…

"Hey…Who's that?" One of the men noticed her, and it was bound to happen. Sabina's legs were too tired to run. In a few moments, all of the soldiers were looking at her with unabashed confusion and doubt in their eyes. "A child out here? What the hell?" They were shocked, just like Sabina was. The girl felt her hands shaking. "Where did you come from?"

"Easy now." Another man interrupted the soldier. It was the one who stood further away from the main circle as a sentry. A tall man with blonde hair, azure eyes, and light stubble, he looked at the girl with utmost curiosity. "Can't you see she's scared? Don't add to that?"

"She can be a spy."

"Seriously? A little girl? Drop your paranoia already." The man with blonde hair said and slowly walked towards Sabina. The girl retreated with fear, but he was quick to soothe her. "It's alright, I promise we won't hurt you…In fact, I can help you if you allow me. You seem scared. Are you lost?"

Sabina hesitated but eventually gave him a nod.

"Alright…What's your name?" The man wondered, but Sabina didn't respond. She wanted to say her name, yet her mouth would not obey her. Any word she could think of would stick at the tip of her tongue and never leave her mouth, as if she was a mute. "You can't talk?"

Sabina wasn't sure whether he meant her being mute or not being able to talk at this particular moment, but the man was right. She nodded again.

"I see…I suppose that means you can't tell me where you're from."

The girl shook her head.

"Can you point in the right direction?"

Same reaction.

"Alright…Did you run away, then?"

A nod.

"Did something bad happen to the place you live in?"

Another nod.

"I think I understand now…Could you speak before?"

A nod.

"Alright." The man took a deep breath and turned towards other soldiers. "She must have suffered a shock. She'll probably speak in time."

"And how long is that going to take?"

"Don't ask me." The man said before turning to Sabina. "We're en route to…Safer places right now. Would you like to come with us?"

Sabina remained silent, looking down in shame. Those were the enemy soldiers who served the House that once controlled the Armored…And whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was a Titan now, a body that looked like the Armored plagued her memories…

"If you stay alone, you'll die out here, and no one wants that, right?"

Eventually, Sabina finally nodded, and the man before her smiled.

"Come along, I'll give you something to drink." He gently held her hand and guided the girl to his camp, for a moment, she felt safe with him. "Oh, by the name, my name is Killian, a pleasure to meet you."

Chapter 12: Lord Fern

After giving in and accepting Killian's offer, Sabina simply went along with the flow. She remained at the back of the caravan of soldiers, staying on one of the horses and constantly looking down to earth beneath her. Others didn't talk to her, instead sticking to banter between each other.

"Seen your wife the other day…You're one lucky bastard! Think she'll like me?"

"Hah, don't even think about it; she prefers men with manners."

It was as if Sabina wasn't even here, and she preferred it this way. She felt lonely, still consumed by her endless thoughts, but it was better than those people asking her questions. She still couldn't force herself to talk, but sooner or later, she'll regain her speech. Out of all of them, she felt the safest beside Killian, and the girl had no doubt that it was his name that she heard in her dreams. He emanated a sense of familiarity and warmth that spoke to something that rested deep within the girl's soul. He might have been a stranger to her, but he was a nobleman. Perhaps he could help her after getting to know her better…Sabina had no other ideas. She still had an opportunity to return to her brother and father, to rush into their embrace and forget all that had happened as a very long, cursed dream. But every time the girl envisioned that scenario…

She remembered the Agile Titan, saw the monster emerging from the shadows with a demonic smile emerging on its crimson face. It reached out towards the child, enclosing her in its grip, dragging Sabina into its abyss. Agatha and her family would want to take Sabina's power and eat her…Even the thought of it was enough for the girl to shed a few tears. Her family's word would mean nothing against that of the Lord.

Another thought emerged in Sabina's mind, forcing her hands to shake. Even as the squad approached a small village at the outskirts of the forest, Sabina could barely pay attention to it, with this realization continuing to circulate in her mind. It took minutes to pinpoint it as if her own mind rejected it. The Titan shifters only had thirteen years to live after they inherited their power. Did this mean…

"Are you from here, by any chance?" Killian's voice interrupted Sabina's thoughts as he moved towards her while riding his horse. "This is the nearest village from where we found you."

Sabina shook her head.

"Still can't talk?" Killian raised an eyebrow. "Alright, then you'll have to stick with us for now…Hold on, what's that?" The man turned forward, noticing a few scorched carcasses of buildings at the center of the village. What remained of their wood was covered in black. They must have burned not so long ago. "What happened here?" He said, turning to one of his soldiers.

"Hell, if I know. Was fine the last time I was here."

"My lord!" Someone rushed towards them, an old man from the village, followed by a few companions. Sabina shook as she realized that he called Killian 'Lord.' "Thank Ymir, you're here; we need your help, please!"

"Calm yourself." Killian spoke in a confident tone. "We we're heading back to the capital, but we can spare some time. What happened?"

"It's…It's the Marleyans!" The man let out. "They attacked us at night; it's been weeks since they showed themselves; we thought they finally left, but…They killed some of us and wounded others; my daughter almost suffocated in that fire!

"Those pests really have no shame…" Killian spoke with disgust and unbridled rage which made him clench his fist. "Do you have any ideas where they are hiding?"

"I don't know, I'm sorry…But others have seen them fleeing to the southern woods; every single one of them went in that direction; it can't be a coincidence."

"Then that's where we find them…Will your people be able to welcome us for a short stay? We need to replenish our supplies and rest for a bit."

"Yes…I think we can."

"Good. As for the rest…Men!" Killian spoke up. "I trust no one will object if we take a detour to collect the terrorists' heads?"

Others responded with resounding approval and cheer.

"You can count on us!" Killian said as he looked at the old man.

"Thank you, Lord Fern, we truly owe you!"

Lord Fern…Sabina knew that name. She should've guessed, even with a mind as clouded as hers. That's why he looked like the golden warrior from her dreams. That's why he appeared in them in the first place.

He was of House Fern, the inheritors of the Armored Titan.

…

Luke always tried to take most of his life. It wasn't always easy; he had his fair share of challenges, but the young man remained optimistic for as long as he could remember.

This was not the case today.

He wished he knew how blissful his life was while he lived through it before all of it was stripped away in an instant. There was nothing that he held in higher regard than his family, and in a matter of a single day, it was broken and shattered…Luke tried not to think of them as he prepared to move out with Agatha and the rest of her soldiers. Not to think about looking at his mother's corpse, about his father speaking of Sabina like she was already dead, of his sister becoming a Titan in a cruel twist of fate that no one could've predicted…All of this would only slow him down if he tried to think about it. What truly mattered was saving his sister, and Luke would give everything to do it.

The squad that Agatha gathered in a day was not large. It was her and a few of her trusted soldiers, including Luke. They were planned to leave at dawn on horseback and trace the Armored Titan. Lord Dominic's scouts predicted the trajectory that Sabina rushed in, and they would follow her on horseback. Perhaps they would have to venture into the land of House Fern, depending on how far she went…Sabina headed for the only family that did not possess a Titan, that was a good thing, but Luke knew that they could get Lord Thorson involved, which would spell disaster for Sabina. This meant that they had no choice but to act as quickly as possible. On the next day, Luke stood by Agatha's side, preparing to charge into the unknown.

"How are you feeling?" Agatha asked him as the gate before it opened; Luke didn't want to answer.

"Let's just get on to it…We have to find her." He said through his clenched teeth.

"We will. You can be certain about that," Agatha reassured him before turning to her squad. "To arms, it's time we find the Armored!"

Chapter 13: The Masked Man

The more Sabina thought of it, the more it made sense.

She didn't know much about Titan shifters, but now they worked, and they could have shared their memories with each other. The warrior that she saw looked similar to Killian. He could've been one of the past inheritors…And this was his brother. Helping and feeding the Armored Titan without realizing how close his 'prize' is. The thought of him finding out made Sabina shiver. Perhaps it was good that she hadn't recovered her voice yet.

Eventually, the group set up camp on the outskirts of the forest. From what Sabina overheard, they were getting closer to the territory that the Marleyan terrorists ravaged, and Killian was certain that they'd get there after one final rest. The group set up a camp to take a break and eat; they had to be in their best shape if there were any battles coming. As for Sabina, the prospect of a battle scared her, but somehow, she still felt safe with those soldiers by her side. She heard that honorable soldiers don't hurt children…But her parents said that Marleyans didn't know any honor or kindness; they enjoyed treating their enemies like animals. She could only hope that luck would be on their side.

"Are you hungry?" Killian asked, offering Sabina some stew. He sat away from other soldiers, watching over the girl on his own. "I'm full, so if you'd rather have some, I don't mind at all."

Sabina shook her head, she didn't feel like eating since transformation, it became a chore.

"Alright…So, your village, can you at least give me some sort of clue? Is it far from here?"

A nod.

"Alright…As if the matters weren't complicated enough. Don't worry, I'll help you find your…You live with your parents, right?"

Sabina hesitantly nodded, trying not to show any emotion as her mother's agony emerged in her memory yet again.

"At least you're not completely alone out there. Have any brothers or sisters?"

Sabina nodded, thinking about how much Luke must worry about her right now.

"Ah, you're a lucky one, then! I had a brother, too, and were inseparable back in the day…" As he said those words, Sabina noticed his tone getting quiet and somber, joy mixing in with regret and his eyes looking to the ground with something she could only describe as shame. Before he could say anything else, Sabina heard other soldiers' voices. Much to her surprise, they sang.

"Beyond majestic mountains, across the golden fields…"

Those lines were unfamiliar to Sabina, yet she enjoyed hearing the cheer in their voices. Killian was not as happy.

"Here they go again. Wait here, I have a few words to say." The man stood up and walked towards his crew. "Are you seriously going to sing out here? If you forget, we're not that far from the enemy territory."

"Ah, come on, Kil, cheer up!" One of the soldiers spoke up, surprising Sabina by how casually he addressed his lord. "Those are Marleyans; they have no territory; they're just angry savages! Barely any weapons and technology either. I bet that they would look at our grappling hooks like that one monkey you showed a sword!"

"That's not the time for jokes!" Killian raised his voice. "We're on a mission, and besides, there's a child we have to protect. So stop for a second and think about…"

Before Killian could finish, a sharp sound echoed in the group's ears. Sabina shivered and turned towards the forest. Something moved beyond the trees; something was watching and getting closer with each second…Eventually, Sabina heard a whistle.

The soldiers looked around, all tensing up. They must have felt the same as the girl, realizing that something was wrong yet unable to realize what it was. Those few seconds felt like an eternity, but they were undercut the moment one of the soldiers dropped to the ground.

"What the…Tom, are you alright?" The nearby comrade asked before rushing towards his friend. "Come on, wake up, what's going on?!"

"His neck, look." Another soldier added and pointed at a small dart that pierced the fallen man's nape.

"A dart…" The first soldier said before turning around. There was another whistle and another dart that followed the first one, but this time the soldier managed to evade.

"To arms!" Killian commanded and grabbed his musket. "Open fire, they're hiding among those trees!"

Sabina plugged her ears the moment she heard a round of shots.

"Hide, now!" Killian shouted at her during the small break between the first and second rounds, allowing the girl to rush away and stay behind one of the tents, leaving just enough to space to get a glimpse of what was going on.

And what she saw quickly turned into a swift raging clash. The enemies appeared from the woods, the masked men with blades in their arms. Some of them were wounded, but they rushed without hesitation or fear. About half of them were shot down by Killian's soldiers, but a few managed to reach the front line. They plunged their blades into the soldiers, carving into their flesh and forcing their blood to drench the ground below. Sabina turned away the moment she saw this, feeling a powerful urge to puke. She heard another round of shots, ripping the flesh of some attackers. This was horrifying and disgusting; Sabina was shaking and losing control. If she got wounded then she would transform into a Titan and reveal herself to Killian and others, and then she will be completely alone again, having no choice but to run in a completely random direction, praying that safety awaits somewhere on the other side.

More masked bandits emerged from the woods. Some of Killian's soldiers attempted to come closer to get a better opportunity to shoot, but this turned out to be a fatal mistake. Soon after they took their new positions, another round of darts was unleashed. It got two of the soldiers, leaving only one on the front line.

"Come back!" Killian commanded, but it was far too late. A tall silhouette of a man in old dark clothing emerged and used a strange device that was unfamiliar to Sabina. It was like a small gun, but instead of bullets, it fired a grapple that pierced the soldier's skin. Moments after, the mysterious man pulled the wounded soldier towards him, putting his blade to the enemy's throat. Apart from him, there were only a few bandits remaining; they had no chance of prevailing against Killian's soldiers, but this hostage changed matters.

"Enough." The masked man said in a cold tone. "If you fire another shot, then I'll kill him here and now!"

"Stop!" Killian ordered his men to halt; he clearly didn't want to lose another life. This was also the moment when Sabina got a glimpse at the bandit's mask, a dark cover that only revealed his hateful eyes. Its shape reminded Sabina of a bird, and seeing the bandit even made Killian display visible unease. Soon, Lord Fern finally spoke.

"Are you him?" He said with his voice sounding fearful and concerned. "The Raven?"

"So the young Lord Fern has heard about me?" The mysterious man that got called "The Raven" chuckled.

"You know me, too?"

"You aren't the only one came here prepared." His bandits still had weapons, but neither they nor Killian's squad were willing to shoot. "I would've been proud that my handiwork has reached you…But now I have to deal with being in the presence of scum like you."

"Scum? You tried to torch an entire village, and yet you have the gall to call us scum?" Killian said with rage; Sabina felt as if he would open fire at any moment.

"We were sending a message in the only way that the likes of you will notice. It worked, didn't it?"

"You fucking bastard…" Killian clung to his weapon with a heavy hand. "Give up, you're outnumbered."

"Perhaps, but I know you don't have it in you to press that trigger with your man's life on the line," Raven said with glee. "Too bad I can't make an advance, either…What I wouldn't give to cut your veins open, Fern." He spoke and looked over the camp as if trying to find an opening to reach his enemy. Instead, The Raven noticed Sabina peeking from behind her cover with both curiosity and horror in her eyes. "Really, Fern? You brought a little girl here? That is insanity, even by your family's metrics."

"Don't hurt her!" Killian demanded. "She is here by accident, and I'm helping her get back home; she has nothing to do with this."

"Who do you take me for, some ruthless Barbarian? I came here for you, not for some child."

"And your pursuit is pointless. Unless you have more thugs waiting to strike, I suggest you give up if you don't want to end up dead."

"Give up?" Raven spoke; he sounded tilted and angry at this suggestion. "The audacity you have…We aren't the ones that started this! Your ancestors invaded Marleyan lands and crushed our kingdom! Your Eldian 'Great Houses' enslaved my people and treated them like animals…At least those few that you didn't kill. Your titans exterminated most of my people; you did everything in your power to destroy the culture of others and make them into slaves! Even when most of you abandoned the King, you continue to oppress us…Have you ever considered the well-being of Marleyan servants in your city, 'Lord'? You haven't…But you haven't exterminated all of us."

"We never wanted to; all we wanted was assimilation."

"Do you truly believe that? My people can live among your kind, but they don't have the Titan blood that you venerate so much. They will always be reviled…But I will show them a path to freedom."

"You will just lead them to their deaths, fool! The treatment my family gives you is far from the worst. Would you like to end up a slave of the Hess? Maybe Kammerers?"

"You are all the same. We are nothing but slaves to you. And I will never be a slave again. I will lead them to true freedom."

"You will just get slaughtered like the monsters you are! There are no places left for your people to run to!"

"Oh, this is where you're wrong…"

Their conversation couldn't continue as one of Killian's soldiers pressed the trigger and fired at The Raven. A few others followed him, and everything else happened so quickly that Sabina could not process it in time. The Raven threw some kind of bomb, which released a thick cloud of smoke and then disappeared behind those clouds. There were a few gunshots fired between the groups, but once the smoke finally dissipated, there were only corpses on the other side. The hostage, all of Raven's remaining soldiers…The only one missing was the masked killer himself. All Killian could do was to watch with sorrow and fear in his eyes. He came face to face with one of the most dangerous criminals in the world and let him escape.

It was too late for Sabina to wish that she was never a part of this nightmare.

…

"Get ready, beyond this field lies the Fern territory, we should stay away from any towns and not attract attention."

Agatha gave her commands, and in any other scenario, Luke would've felt fearful over entering the enemy territory in such way. They were only a small squad led by Agatha, after all, and no matter how experienced her guards were, it had been some years since they took part in war. They were far from safe here, but this fear still paled compared to the images of Luke's last life. No matter where he looked, all he saw were the fragments of time he spent with Sabina. The lakes just like the one they visited together. Giant trees, the kind they read about in their books and saw on maps, wanting to see them one day, the rising sun that Luke and Sabina watched together oh so many times. All those memories were devoid of joy now, for he found himself in a situation from which there was no way out, growing more hopeless with each hour…Luke and others have gone far north, yet there were still no signs of Sabina. The Titan's footprints were faint and eventually faded out completely, only leaving a general idea for the trackers.

"Luke, you seem…Depressing, to put it mildly." Agatha's concerned voice interrupted his thought pattern, though the young man found no strength in himself to look up at his commander.

"You're not seriously going to ask why…Will you?" The young soldier sighed.

"No, of course not, but I need you to focus on the mission," Agatha said in a tone that mixed empathy and sternness. "We are at the enemy territory now; one wrong move and everyone here will be trying to kill…Well, me especially, but all of my companions, too. Watch your every step if you want us to find your sister." The relaxed Agatha Luke knew was completely gone; now she focused on the task before her, and nothing could stand in her way.

"We haven't seen any trace of Sabina for almost a day now. What if she…What if she didn't survive?" Luke's lips quivered.

"It's very hard to kill a Titan shifter considering the regeneration, and the Armored Titan is especially hard to break," Agatha reassured him. "Assuming the Titan shifter doesn't want to die…" She paused, no doubt thinking about the way Leon Fern perished. It certainly left an impression on Eldians across all of the Empire's former territory. "The only ones that can kill them are other, stronger shifters, and from what we know, they aren't tracking her down."

"And what if she does want to die?" Luke said in a cold tone, making Agatha pause.

"Why would you think that?"

"I don't know, it's just…I'm barely holding myself together, and she's a much younger girl that has to deal with having that power inside her…No one told her about it, no one prepared her for anything, no one even knew. I'm thinking of myself in this situation and if I would have any strength left to continue going…And I honestly don't know."

"You always said that your sister is stronger than she looks. Keep up your faith, at least for now."

"I never imagined something like this could ever happen." Luke shook his head. "I doubt anyone is strong enough to go through this."

"We'll know it very soon, for now…"

Agatha's voice got interrupted by a sudden shot, making Luke jump in his saddle and terrifying all the horses. They neighed almost in unison and raised their hooves again, creating a chaos which Luke didn't expect. He and Agatha jumped off their horses before they could be thrown off, soon seeing that one of the men behind them was shot. The soldier fell from his horse, blood streaming from his heart. Agatha turned around almost immediately, and Luke followed her gaze.

There were enemies hiding amongst the trees.

Chapter 14: Further from Home

The enemy attack was as swift as it was deadly; the soldiers under Agatha's command had no time to prepare. They were in a forest with no signs of titans or enemy soldiers, it was very uncommon to fight on a landscape like this without the inheritors getting involved, but Luke could not deny what was right in front of his eyes. He was never prepared for this and was never told to expect such a scenario, yet the enemy soldiers looked at the group from above. They gathered on the tree's branches, and while they were large and sturdy enough to hold a number of people, they shouldn't have been able to get up there.

Another round of fire brought a few down, a few more soldiers. The remaining ones, including Luke, were quick to initiate a counterattack and shoot at the silhouettes hiding in the trees. Luke's bullet caught one of them, making the wounded man fall down from above and get squashed on the ground. Before he could shoot again, however, the remaining soldiers unleashed a device that Luke hasn't seen before. A grappling hook which allowed them to hold onto a nearby branch and transfer themselves onto it, quickly jumping and avoiding yet another array of shots. What was this? Luke didn't know about such things, and the others didn't, either. It was arrogant of them to assume, yet many Lysander soldiers didn't see Ferns as a threat ever since they lost the Armored Titan, but this attack was enough to prove others wrong. Those people were merciless and precise…Another array, taking even more soldiers down. In a matter of a single minute, the squad has been brought down almost in its entirety. For a moment, Luke feared that this would be the end for him, but a powerful explosion destroyed that fear. Agatha was here to protect him.

The moment she transformed, the shots stopped, and all the soldiers on the branches turned towards the emerging Agile Titan with horror and shock in their eyes. Whether they were a scouting party or a patrol trying to ambush the enemy soldiers, they didn't expect the inheritor of the Agile to be among the group.

Now, they were at her mercy.

The soldiers fired the last array of shots while they still had the opportunity, this time aiming at the Titan, yet as Luke expected, Agatha didn't even notice those bullets. Some of the enemies fired at the wounded soldiers, finishing off everyone except Agatha and Luke. Those were heavy losses so early into the mission, but at least they won't escape with their lives, either.

Agatha was quick to rush to the tree and tear apart the tree branches that houses the soldiers. Many of them weren't quick enough and couldn't grapple onto anything else. Agatha caught a couple mid-air, immediately crushing their heads and throwing their lifeless bodies away. One soldier attempted to grapple on a tree, but the Titan's body blocked it and left the soldier no opportunity but to fall to his death and get stomped on by Agatha. After that, she immediately focused on the few that managed to grapple onto the nearby trees. It took only a second for Agatha to stand between them and the tree; she hit the soldiers and forced them into the tree, annihilating their frail bodies and leaving puddles of blood that drenched the stem.

After that, there was only one soldier remaining, and he had to be the boldest of them all. When he saw an opening, he attempted to grapple onto Agatha's nape, but she used her hardening to protect it with an unbreakable crystal aura. The grappling hook shattered, and the soldier was stranded on a tree…Agatha's next strike purged both the branch and the soldier's legs, tearing them apart. He screeched in agony as he fell to his doom, right into the Agile's open jaw. Agatha's teeth split the body in two, finally extinguishing life from the soldier. To see her so merciless and powerful it was harrowing and enticing at the same time. Luke would dread to be among her enemies.

Eventually, Agatha left her Titan and descended to the ground.

"L-lady Lysander, are you alright?" Luke said as he rushed towards her.

"I'm fine," Agatha said with mild annoyance. She looked over the field, eyeing the corpses of her soldiers. There were only two people left alive. "But they aren't."

"I'm sorry, we should've seen this coming…"

"Take it easy, even I didn't see it coming," Agatha said and looked at the soldiers' corpses with clear curiosity. She walked towards the nearest one and picked out a grappling hook. "I never heard about this device, it looks like something Alrics would make."

"Do you think they're trading with the Ferns?"

"Who knows…Ferns are the only ones who need to compensate for their lack of Titan. We shouldn't be surprised they turn to such tricks. Still no match for the Titans."

"But the squad…They completely decimated our comrades before you could even transform!"

"I know that!" Agatha raised her voice in a rather uncharacteristic manner. Luke could see her annoyance as the woman clenched her teeth. "Couldn't even last a few minutes…That's what happens when people get too complacent."

"Are we going to return, then? Bury them?"

"We don't have time for that; there's a mission to focus on." Agatha shook her head, her voice sounding much colder than usual. "If that's all it took for them to die, then they would've only slowed us down." Uncaring and pragmatic, she focused solely on her task. Luke rarely saw Agatha during a serious mission, mostly seeing her more cheerful side. But this was the real Agatha, a dedicated predator who would never let go of her prey. "You want to fight Sabina as soon as possible, don't you?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then come on, some horses are still alive…We'll get to her very soon!"

…

The Raven was gone, but Killian's squad remained depleted, and so he chose not to pursue his target. It was a peculiar and unnerving sight for Sabina; after all, she saw Killian as someone who was just like the golden warrior from her dreams, a brave and powerful man who would never show fear even before the strongest opponent. After all, this was only natural for someone from a Great House…

But the moment Killian realized the price of this naive venture, he ordered his remaining soldiers to retreat, deciding to bring that news to the city governed by House Fern. He took Sabina with him, not giving her any time to process what had happened or whether she wanted to follow him into the depths of the enemy territory. At least with the Marleyans gone, her feeling of safety when she was beside Killian returned, and at that moment, Sabina wanted nothing more than to feel safe.

In only a few hours, she was clutching Killian's back, the two of them sitting on the same horse. They needed to get to the city as quick as possible, and the man couldn't allow a child to ride a single horse for fear of her falling off. Now, she was closer to the warrior than ever before, following him into the fray and witnessing his unease and worry.

"I should've known it would be him…" Killian said with anger and shame, speaking to Sabina as if he desperately needed someone to listen to him. "I thought all those tales about him were nothing but Marleyan fairytales, but here he is, just as skilled and vicious as he's described. If only…" He closed his eyes as Sabina noticed Killian's hands shaking. "If only Leon was here…He would've never let so many good men die!" Sabina knew the name; it belonged to the previous Armored Titan who died in a battle with Otto Lysander; he must have been Killian's brother. At this realization, Sabina's expression switched to a more somber and sympathetic one. She knew how it felt to lose a brother, even if it wasn't in the same way… "I told you I had a brother, and if you are from around here, you probably know who Leon was." He said as a tear fell down his eye. "But you don't know why he lost to the Agile Titan that day…It was because of me! Because of a stupid, naive buffoon who decided that he could turn the tide and help him against a Titan! I left my post, got closer to their battle, tried to shoot the Agile down…It would've crushed me like a fucking gnat if it wasn't for Leon! He distracted himself and had to sacrifice his Titan body to shield me and then never got enough time to transform again…And even now, I can come nowhere near his dedication and courage…"

There was so much pain and shame in his voice he couldn't even force himself to look at Sabina while speaking of his failure. All he wanted was to help his older brother…Sabina knew the feeling. She always wanted to help Luke with his practice and chores, even if she was too young for them. No matter how much Luke or her parents explained to her that she shouldn't bother herself with this work, the girl was too naive to listen to their advice. Was Killian, this mighty warrior and commander, guided by the same childish desire? If not for his mistake, she might have never became the Armored Titan, but at the same time, Sabina couldn't force herself to feel any hate towards him. After all, she would've done the same in his shoes.

Before reaching the city, the group stopped at one of the smaller outposts; Killian wanted to gather a few more patrols so they could spread the news around the territory quicker.

"I want you to inform all nearby villages the Marleyan insurgents are on the rise!" Killian spoke to a soldier at one of their stops. "The Raven has shown himself; he's leading the charge."

"Are you sure, my lord? We never found any strong proof of Raven's existence…"

"It doesn't matter whether he's the man from the legend or not; he is extremely dangerous and will stop at nothing to slaughter as many of our people as possible; we have to act now!"

"Understood, my lord, we'll spread the message at once. Will you stay?"

"No, I have to return home and warn the council." Killian shook his head as he walked back towards his horse. Sabina remained sitting all this time, carefully following the golden warrior with her gaze. He was full of fear and doubt, uncertain of his abilities and future, yet doing his best to take control of the situation and to make it as bearable for his men as possible. He was the kind of commander Sabina imagined Luke to be when he grows up. "Alright, this should be the last of them; it shouldn't be long before we're home." He said and took his place at the saddle, but before Killian could move, a quiet, weak voice echoed from behind.

"I…" The mere sound made Killian turn around immediately. "I'm…Cold…"

"You…"

Sabina just realized that she said it out loud. She wasn't able to speak ever since becoming the Armored, but her thoughts still persisted, even if no one else could hear them…Eventually, the invisible chain that held her mouth finally deteriorated and before the girl could realized it, she spoke once again.

"You're talking?" Killian's eyes opened wide as he still couldn't believe what he saw. "That means…"

"Oh, I…" Sabina looked down in shame, unable to formulate any cohesive thoughts from yet another shock that pierced her mind.

"Come on, get something to warm her up!" Killian gave the order to a nearby soldier, and the man got them a blanket from the camp. Killian was quick to wrap it around Sabina, allowing the girl to relax and take a deep breath. "Are you feeling alright? Do you want me to get you any water?"

"I'm fine…" Sabina stuttered before finally looking at the smiling man beside her. "Thank you for helping me…Thank you much!" If not for him, she would've died out here, and even though this was what Sabina wanted at the time, she realized how horrible and selfish this would've been. She needed to return to Luke and her dad. They would look for her; she knew they would.

"I couldn't leave a child alone in the woods, mission be damned," Killian said with confidence. "Sorry for getting you into the whole thing with Raven; I should've known it wouldn't be nearly as easy. But I'll get you home now, I promise…What's your name?"

"Sabina…"

"Nice to meet you, Sabina…I wish it could've been under more pleasant circumstances, but they weren't destined to be. So, which village are you from?"

This was the question that Sabina dreaded, for she was absolutely disarmed the moment it was asked. The girl looked down, trying to hide her terrified eyes. The images of her past flashed before her, the bandits entering her home, hurting her mother, putting a knife to her neck…Her Titan form and a battle against the Agile, the following escape and wandering. She couldn't tell the truth. Even if she reveals that she is not from Fern territory, Killian would immediately become an enemy who would lose any trust he had for her. She couldn't tell the truth, but she couldn't lie either. She didn't know any villages from around here nor had any energy to think of a convenient lie.

"I…" Sabina's lips quivered, and tears streamed down her eyes, immediately making Killian put a hand on her shoulder and soothing the child.

"What's wrong?" Killian said with worry. "Come on, you can tell me."

"I don't…" This was the best Sabina could do now. "I don't remember!" She let out in shame, shocking the man before her.

"What do you mean?" Killian raised an eyebrow, displaying visible caution. The empathy in his voice was now mixed with uncertainty in suspicion, making Sabina's heart beat even faster.

"I'm sorry, I…It's all so blurry, I can't…I can't put my thoughts together!" Sabina said in a pleading tone while continuing to cry out in shame and fear. "I only remember there being a fire and…I was so scared and ran, so I…I don't remember where I went; I just couldn't think, and it all, it just…I'm sorry!"

"Hey, it's alright, don't blame yourself." Killian offered her a light hug, letting the suspicion in his voice erode once again. Sabina felt disgusting for lying, but there was no other way to protect herself. "Do you at least remember the name of your village?"

"I…I'm sorry, I don't." Sabina buried herself in the man's arms, trying to avert her gaze at every opportunity. The temporary silence that Killian maintained made her feel extremely uneasy and fearful, the few moments felt like an endless eternity, but eventually, he finally sighed and spoke.

"I see…" There was disappointment in his voice, though he didn't make it too apparent. "It happens when people go through stress, and it seems like something happened at your village… We'll have to wait until your memory returns." This gave Sabina some time, but she knew that he would ask again, and there will come a time where he will suspect her. "Will you go with me, then? I'll be on the Raven's trail, so it's not the best spot for you to be, but there isn't anyone I can give you to."

"It's alright, I'll go with you…I promise to be careful."

"Then that's settled for now," Killian said in a reassuring tone. "Don't worry, Sabina…Whatever happens, I promise I'll get you home."

Chapter 15: The Path to Lagos

Sabina wasn't sure if she was making the right choice by following Killian and trusting him, but this was the only opportunity for her to avoid being alone. Whatever happened, Sabina didn't want to transform again; the horror and shock that she experienced the first time, as well as the pain of her entire body morphing into this monster, was absolutely unbearable. With Killian, she could rely on his soldiers to protect her.

And yet, this didn't mean she was safe.

Killian wasn't an idiot, and her saying that she couldn't remember even the name of her own village was enough to cause some visible suspicion in him. It was a terrifying thought, but Sabina had to contend with it if she wanted to have even the smallest chance of getting out of this alive. She won't be able to stay with him for long, especially not after the news about her transformation spread? Her father would always warn her and Luke about spies from other houses everywhere and that they should be extremely cautious outside. Someone must know what happened, and perhaps someone knows that it was her. And those people were most likely somewhere in the capital city…Everything felt so wrong; Sabina felt as if there was no way out for her, as if the road that Killian paved for her led to inevitable doom. After he finished gathering the soldiers, the group was nearing the capital city of the Ferns that Killian called Lagos. Sabina hoped that he wouldn't talk to her until they reached the city, but Killian quickly shattered this hope as he turned around the moment their horse slowed down.

"How are you feeling, Sabina? It's been a long journey, I hope you're alright."

"I am…" She said, noticing some concern on the man's face. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm just…Not sure how to go about this. There's a lot I have to do, and hardly any of it is safe for you to follow. I hope to get you back home as soon as possible, so…I know it's hard for you, but I need you to try and remember as much as possible." Here it was, sooner than Sabina hoped for. It won't be long before she wouldn't be able to lie without crumbling anymore.

"I…It's still very hard, I'm sorry." Sabina shook her head. "But I can remember something…Strange people entered our house; they were very cruel and evil and…They must have started the fire, but I don't really remember that."

"Could've been some of Raven's thugs; this freak wouldn't spare anyone if it meant getting his 'message' across," Killian said with disgust.

"I only remember that…" Sabina stuttered and look down once again. "That one of them put a knife to my mother's neck and, and…" Sabina hyperventilated, barely able to hold back her emotions. As she spoke those lies, the image that emerged before her eyes was very real, that of her mother crushed under the debris and her being responsible for it. "I…We couldn't do anything, but she tried to fight back, and they…They killed her…" More tears streamed down Sabina's eyes, making Killian look at her with distress and empathy. "That's why I ran…I was so scared and…I don't know what happened to my father and brother; I couldn't stand to look!"

"I'm sorry…I wish my men and I could be there in time and save your mother." Killian put a hand on the girl's shoulder, making her look up, not knowing how to feel. He was blaming himself for saving them; she could hear it in Killian's voice, yet it didn't even happen on his territory; Killian couldn't have done anything…Once again, Sabina felt disgusted by her own lies. "I shouldn't have asked. You need more time to process it. Anyone who'd go through that would be shocked." He reassured and looked down in shame. "My mother died of sickness years ago…I know how it feels." He tried to empathize with Sabina by forming a connection between them, but the girl saw something else in this attempt- an opportunity to switch topics that she really needed.

"You said you lost a brother too…" The girl let out.

"Oh, that…" Killian said awkwardly. "Sorry, I might have babbled a little too much on the way. I have to admit, I think I just wanted to talk to someone who wouldn't interrupt or challenge me, and I pegged you for a good listener. But yeah…My brother died because of me."

"You didn't know it would turn out like this; you just wanted to help."

"The outcome would be obvious to anyone who isn't an idiot…And I certainly was. Failing him after he helped me so many times is bad enough, but that's not all of it…Our family is powerless without Leon's Armored Titan. Now, we are weaklings, subjects to mockery and ridicule among all Eldians. This won't change until one of us finds the Armored and reclaims it…" Sabina knew what he was talking about. The hatred towards the Fern family and their subordinates was running rampant among those who served the Lysanders; this kind of spite towards living people sometimes made Sabina uneasy.

"But your family still remains strong, right? Even without the Titan…"

"It's not our family; it's the protection we're given." Killian shook his head. "If it wasn't for Haron Thorson's aid, we would've become dust and ash a long time ago." This was a name every Eldian knew. The lord of House Thorson, a ruthless yet pragmatic conqueror who put fear into the hearts of people all around the world, Eldian or not. The god of destruction, the Colossus, that's what he was called. "But it's not so simple, don't expect The Devil to help you without paying the price. Haron Thorson made an agreement with my father…He wants to claim every single Titan for himself; it's a mission he set himself upon, and he will never turn away from it. He wants the Armored Titan when we recover it in exchange for continued protection." Killian explain, making Sabina's heart shrink.

"And did you agree…?"

"I'm not the head of the house, and it wasn't my decision to make, but my father did," Killian said somberly. "I wish we weren't so chained and restricted, wish we could do something…But to challenge Haron would be suicide, even with the Armored Titan…" Killian clenched his teeth before taking a deep breath. "I would give anything to take the Titan and free my family. Everything."

Everything. He would do everything to reclaim the Titan. Why did Sabina ever think that the sympathy he has for one girl would be enough to override this desire?"

"I see…"

"Sorry, I shouldn't be bothering you with my family history." Killian shook his head. "Don't worry, Lagos isn't that far off. You'll be safe soon."

…

Despite the losses Agatha and Luke suffered, the two of them continued on their path, focusing on their goal with even more unwavering dedication than before. Agatha thought this would be a simple task, but even she had to admit how much Lysanders underestimated their sworn enemies. The Ferns might not have had the Armored Titan, but their technology has advanced during those years, so much so that they were able to easily overpower enemy soldiers. This meant that Agatha and Luke had to be discreet.

They removed anything that could identify them as outsiders from their clothes, taking on the facade of villages who were driven from their homes and were now in a constant state of wandering, searching for a refuge from skirmishes and war. From there, Luke only had to watch as Agatha looked for information, getting as much as possible in what little time they had on their hands. She was surprisingly good at it, playing the role of a naive, worried woman who looked for nothing more than a sense of safety. She carefully avoided any soldiers who could recognize her, instead sticking to civilians. There were many conversations, some short and pointless, others intriguing, but one of them caught the attention of both Luke and Agatha. It was when they stopped at an inn, and Agatha stroked a conversation with the barkeep. It all started naturally, with Agatha ordering some drinks for her and Luke, but eventually, the man picked a perfect topic.

"You're not from here, aren't you? I know everyone who lives in our village by this point. You don't look like any of them."

"Yes, we…" Agatha responded. "We are from Garu." She has done her research and could give a name of an actual town that has been attacked recently.

"Oh, that place…Running away from your troubles, eh?"

"We have no choice! Those monsters burned down our home and killed some of our friends; there's nothing for us to do but run to the capital! The walls will protect us, I hope they will…"

"I can't blame you; some of my friends decided to move as well, with those Marleyans around…You never know."

"Exactly, it's just harrowing! They are uncultured monsters, and yet, they accuse us of being cruel. Absolutely deranged!"

"They're just animals; you can't reason with them."

"What are they even trying to achieve? They can't hope to defeat the entire Eldia by themselves."

"I heard they have some legend among their folk…About a free city that the Eldian Empire still hadn't found and the one they all wanted to escape to. Ardour, I think they called it? Probably some babble to keep them sleeping at night."

"You said it, sir. It's nothing but spite and insanity. I hope that Lord Fern is going to do something about it; this can't go on for any longer!"

"Speaking of the House, Lord Killian was around here just a day ago. Went around the villages and ensured we're safe."

"Truly? How noble of him…Did he happen to find anyone?"

"Heard he had a run-in with Marleyans; it got bloody, but he held the line…Keeping some strange people around him, but what do I know?"

"Strange people, what do you mean?"

"His squad had a young girl with them, ten or eleven years, hell if I know. An orphan from some other village, or so people say."

"That's peculiar…How did she look?"

"She was all pale and looking down, and…"

The details he gave matched Sabina perfectly. Here they were, finally learning the horrifying truth. Not only was she taken in, but she was sheltered by members of the very family that would do anything to kill her and take her power. They confirmed that Killian Fern was going towards the capital, and even if he protected Sabina for now, nothing good could come out of it. When Agatha and Luke got all they needed, they retreated back into the wilderness to discuss their next steps. Agatha was overjoyed at such a fruitful discovery.

"This is wonderful…We have all the trails we need, and they lead to Lagos, the capital city of House Fern." She said with pride, looking deeper into the woods, but Luke didn't share her enthusiasm.

"That's the worst place she could be, everyone in that damn place would want to take her power and…" The thought of his sister getting eaten by a Titan grossed Luke out; he couldn't even force himself to say it.

"With large cities, the walls are the trickiest part. Once you're inside, it's easy to get lost in a large crowd; we'll have a lot of opportunities for spying. As for Sabina…Those people don't suspect her of being the Armored, and they say Killian didn't have her chained in any way either. That means he is either a complete idiot or doesn't know either." Agatha concluded.

"Sabina wouldn't tell him. She knows how dangerous outsiders are, especially Ferns…And who would suspect her of being a Titan?"

"No one and that's why we're at an advantage. The only way they find out that Sabina is the Armored is if she transforms…And if that happens, what weapons do they have to stop her in time?" This was reassuring; Agatha's words made sense and convinced Luke that they had some time on their hands, but it didn't mean that they could allow themselves to hesitate.

"So we go to Lagos? I'm ready." Luke stood up and spoke with resolve.

"Good, the sooner we go, the sooner we find your sister."

"And what then?" Luke said coldly, making Agatha pause for a moment. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"I thought we agreed to have that discussion later, didn't we?"

"It wouldn't matter what we think later; it will be for Lord Dominic to decide…" Luke sighed. "You know that he'd want you or someone else to take her power."

"My uncle is…Pragmatic, that's true." Agatha admitted. "You will be free to try and convince him otherwise. I don't care either way." She never cared for his sister. Why would she? They hardly even knew each other, and what was one life measured against the pride and future of her entire House?

"I can't…I can't allow him to do this!"

"Do you have any alternatives, then?" Agatha crossed her arms. "Your sister only has three years to live either way…Do you want her to spend those years training to become a machine of war? Suffering and exerting herself as she tries to control a Titan that's too much for someone her age? To have her placed under my uncle's command for three years, knowing that she will die anyway?" This was all wrong and not at all what he had in his mind.

"But why…Why can't you just let her live? Three years isn't that long, but for her, it's her entire life…You know none of this is her fault, so why can't you give her the damn chance?!"

"Do you think that she will be able to live normally? Knowing that her mother died because of her? That she will have to be eaten in three years? That all the Great Houses will try to hunt her down?" Agatha walked towards Luke, watching him with a judgmental gaze, knowing full well that he had nothing to say to her. "Living has never been an option for us Titan inheritors." Indeed, their fate has been decided the moment they attained this power. In Sabina's case, it was before she was even born. "Let's go. There's no time to waste."

Chapter 16: The Legend Resurfaces

By the time Killian and his squad reached Lagos, Sabina was completely lost in her own thoughts. She knew that she was walking right into the heart of the enemy's fortress, a dangerous, horrifying place where she would be targeted the moment they suspect her true identity, but in the moment, this felt like the safest option. Her only alternative was to be struck in the wilderness ravaged by Marleyans…Those people who she was taught to hate, the ones that Eldian taught always demonized…yet she saw a lot of genuine pain and scorn in Raven's voice and eyes. It was lashing out at a human who was hurt and wounded, no different from any Eldian. Still, if she were to meet him again, the Raven might not spare her.

The moment Killian and his soldiers marched through the gates of Lagos, Sabina saw many similarities to Alvur's architecture. An intricate design of stone and wood that created a fortified city with a castle standing at its heart and countless houses around it, growing smaller and poorer the further away from the castle and the closer to the walls they were. The flag was the main difference, it showed a golden knight of a gigantic size, no doubt representing the Armored Titan.

"Welcome home, my Lord! We've been expecting you!" One of the noblemen was there to meet Killian, immediately speaking in this tone of exaggerated admiration, something that the young Lord didn't like at all, judging by his tired sigh. This nobleman wasn't the only one; an entire group of soldiers and tradesmen saluted Killian and his squad. She remembered Agatha and other Lysanders getting similar reactions in Alvur. "How goes the hunt? Have you driven out those Marleyan thugs yet?"

"I'm working on it, so there's no need to rush," Killian said firmly as he made his way deeper into the city. This 'parade' clearly got on his nerves.

"And who's this girl? Did those monsters harm her?!"

"Wait till the council meeting, we will discuss all of this there." Killian said vehemently before finally making his way further into the less refined district of the city, perhaps hoping that the clingy welcomers wouldn't follow him. Luckily for both of them, this plan worked, remaining soldiers from the squad stayed closer to the gates, while Killian and Sabina's horse drifted away from the pesky crowd.

"Finally, some peace…" Killian sighed. He looked back to Sabina after the two of them moved far enough. "This road is a bit long, but it still leads to the castle…A shame we have to go through those slums, but I'd rather be here than surrounded by people that 'enthusiastic.'"

"Slums?" Sabina wondered, looking at the district before her. Very small houses, covered in mud and rust, barely any people outside, most of them looking very weak and thin, if not outright sickly. This created a stark contrast to the rest of the city.

"Yes, that's where we keep our Marleyan contingent," Killian explained. "A lot of them were taken prisoner from previous conquests. Now they work for us day and night while we allow them to live in the city."

"You don't treat them well even when they're not fighting…"

"What makes you think so?"

Sabina had to bite her tongue. She knew that Marleyans were considered the lowest class of citizens back in Alvur, and there was no reason for Lagos to be any different, but she could not give Killian any hints at the truth.

"I heard others say that…"

"They were our sworn enemies one day, and yet we allow them to live right by our side while they prove their loyalty to us by working. I think that's a fair exchange."

Before Killian could continue his musings, a strange man emerged on the road from the opposite side, the one that led to the castle. He was in great hurry.

"Lord Killian! Finally, I found you!" He rushed towards the Lord while the man looked at him with slight confusion. "I have an urgent message from Lord Finn!" Those words were enough to garner Killian's full and undivided attention. The Lord even got off his horse and walked towards the messenger. Eventually, the two of them met in the middle.

"Can't this wait until I meet him? I was just about to go visit my father."

"I'm afraid it can't, milord. Our agents have delivered the most shocking of news…The Armored Titan has reappeared." Those words made Sabina's entire world freeze. Her heart skipped a few beats, and every second felt like a long, agonizing eternity to her. The girl knew that it would happen sooner or later, that they would find out what happened in Alvur and the Armored Titan's reappearance. But to have it happen almost the moment she entered the city and watch Killian's shocked, wide-open eyes as the news was delivered to him, it was harrowing, if not outright mortifying.

"W-what? Are you sure?" Killian's voice shook. "Where?!" He said, demanding an answer.

"The Titan emerged in Alvur." The messenger explained.

"Of all places…It had to be there? Who…Who was it? What happened them?"

"Lysanders are trying to keep the identity of the Titan a secret, but it was one of their own citizens."

"This must have been a child of ten years old…"

"The Lysanders didn't know that the Titan was in their city, and by the time the transformation happened, the Armored entered a frenzy and ran away into the wilderness."

No, this was too much. Sabina knew that even if Killian would deny it at first, he had already made the connection. He would suspect her and realize that she fits the description. This would explain the memory loss and the strange situation the girl found herself in. He would imprison her and let the Colossus eat her…No, no, she couldn't just stand by and let it happen!

The girl only saw one possibility before her, and that was to run. She jumped off the horse and rushed away from Killian and the messenger while the two of them were distracted, which put her on a path deeper into the slums. She had to act quickly, choosing the streets with the least people and not looking back out of fear. Killian could run after her any second, and she would never be quick nor brave enough to continue. She rushed among those old, broken homes, desperately looking for a place to hide. There were a few spots covered by the shadow, but those were not nearly enough.

As the girl scouted the surroundings in panic, she eventually tripped over and fell into the mud. Once again, her heart stopped, and her veins grew cold; the distant echo of footsteps echoed in the girl's ears. She didn't know whether those belonged to Killian or someone else, but she wanted to get as far away from them as possible. There were people who looked at her, but Sabina rushed past them with too much speed to even look them into the eyes. She was among the Marleyans now, those filthy, evil people that all the Eldians despised…But it was better than looking into Killian's eyes, knowing just how much she lied to him.

Eventually, Sabina got far enough to take a short break and think. The girl looked for a place to hide and noticed a lone barrel standing beside one of the shabby houses. This was her only opportunity. Sabina rushed towards the barrel and buried herself inside. It was a dark, cramped, and wet place; Sabina could feel the filth as she submerged herself underneath and closed the barrel. They shouldn't find her here; no one saw her getting inside…Now all that was left to do was pray that Killian doesn't check on this barrel.

Sabina was left all alone…Alone in this darkness, a tight prison that surrounded her, all while she couldn't move, only feel her limbs shaking. It was hard to breathe; YT she had to hold on, had to try and relax, to keep herself hidden away and completely silent. A part of her wanted to stay in here forever, to avert her gaze from the outside world of endless change and cruelty, the world she was pushed to the center of because of her abilities, her curse.

Eventually, the girl heard someone running, a series of footsteps that made her shiver once again. This must have been Killian. Maybe he wasn't alone, so close to her…Sabina clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, listening in to the sounds.

"She must have gone that way, come on!" Killian's determined voice rang in her ears as the steps moved further away from the girl. Her desperate idea worked…They had no idea she hid inside the barrel. This allowed Sabina to let out one small sigh of relief, as well as yet another question.

What now?

In a few moments, all that remained around Sabina was silence. Void with only occasional steps echoing outside…Sabina wasn't even sure if they were real or a simple figment of her imagination. She needed to get out of this barrel before it became hard to breathe, but what good would it do? Sabina hated the thought of anyone seeing her, hated that Killian could've been outside and that he could've already realized the truth about her curse. She didn't know what to do at all. She was lost amidst all the confusion and fear…Sabina made peace with the fact that this nightmare would not end, but it hurt her nonetheless. She felt tears falling from her eyes, adding to the humidity of the barrel and making it even more disgusting to be inside of.

This sense of dread continued until Sabina saw the light again. When the barrel opened, there was a tanned man looking at her. He was slim and had a short beard cover his face, his eyes radiated curiosity but she didn't see any hatred in them. For a short while he stood there, completely stunted and uncertain of how to react, perhaps expecting some reaction from the girl. After she remained silent, the man finally spoke up.

"And who are you going to be?" He had a different accent, not dissimilar to what she heard of Raven…He must have been a Marleyan, maybe someone the Ferns captured a while ago. Sabina expected him to look more hostile, but this was far from the case, he was more puzzled than anything.

"I…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…Please don't hurt me!"

"Hurt you? Who do you take me for, some kind of animal?" The man chuckled. "Not often you'd find a child in a bloody barrel…" He looked at her closely. "And you sound like an Eldian, too."

"I just fell asleep and…"

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." The old man looked at her with compassion. "I'd take you home, but if you had any home, you wouldn't be out here, sleeping in a barrel…" The man took a deep sigh.

"I…I don't have anywhere to go."

"So you're a waif, huh? Better get out of our Marleyan slums before the guards get the wrong idea." The man said as he turned around, but Sabina couldn't let go of the opportunity.

"I…Wait! I want to go with you?"

"With me?" The man said, clearly puzzled. Sabina didn't like begging but there was no other choice in her situation.

"If you allow me to sleep in your house or anywhere under a roof at all, I promise I'll help you and repay you! It'll help with the chores and everything; just please let me stay for one night!"

"Listen, I'm not sure that I have good conditions for a child…"

"Please, anything not to sleep outside!" Sabina begged, making the old man ponder for a moment, though the pity in his eyes suggested that he made a decision already.

"Alright…Just because I know I won't be able to sleep knowing I sent a poor child away."

"Thank you, kind sir, thank you!" At least, this would grant her some time and allow her to think of her next steps.

"Call me Lewin. And you are?"

"Sabina…Nice to meet you!"

…

Lagos…

The place where their sworn enemies resided. Even since Luke's days in school he was taught the vileness of house Fern. Even in the days of Eldian Unity, they were always the ones sowing discord in the king's court, trying to eliminate their competition via the king. Rotten manipulators that hid behind the pretense of nobility represented by the Armored Titan's golden cover. When Luke decided to join the military, the hatred that his superiors instilled in him got even stronger. Ferns and their servants were the lowest of Eldians, no better than the Marleyan slaves. All those years only to finally look at their city from the safety of a hill covered by the trees' shadow…It wasn't all that different from Alvur. A similar city of people that bowed to the lords that shielded them. They haven't participated in warfare for a decade; instead, they rely on protection from the far more powerful House Thorson. This Alliance remained in the shadows, waiting for other houses to gut each other, picking a perfect time to strike…Or at least so people theorized.

Luke expected his visit to Lagos be during a glorious conquest, yet here he was, following his mentor's guidance in a desperate attempt to save his sister. When the two reached the city, Agatha went forward, saying that by the time she returned, they'd be able to enter the city without causing suspicion. His job was to guard the spot she pointed him towards and await for her return. She promised to be quick and efficient, as she always was.

Her skills weren't the cause for Luke's concern. They didn't talk about Sabina after Agatha's previous words about the girl's fate. She spoke of inevitable doom for Sabina, that no matter what happens, she will be subject to a short and agonizing existence, so much so that ending her life would be the best option for everyone involved. Luke tried to imagine how he would react if he was to die at thirteen…Just the time when he matured and began to grow into the man he was now. The life that ended just when he got the taste of it. But was forcing her to die while there is still an opportunity for her to experience some joys of life, no matter how short and fleeting, any better? Luke could not accept this. Agatha would never convince him of it. Not even his parents could.

Eventually, he heard approaching steps.

"Here, here, please, hurry!" It was strange to hear Agatha's voice ne so loud and emotional, mixing in with sobbing and shivering. From this moment, Luke already knew that this was an act, Agatha would've never behaved like that. "My little brother is here, help him!"

Brother?

Luke stayed near the tallest tree, watching the two silhouettes emerge from behind the woman. They seemed worried and even terrified, a couple made of man and a woman, both pale and slim with distinct tiredness in their eyes, but they were nevertheless remarkably focused and listen to Agatha's pleading cries.

"Where is he? We have to hurry if you want to help!" The man spoke with worry as Agatha looked around. Luke stepped forward, allowing the trio to focus their attention on him. Suddenly, they have gone silent and he could notice a string of shock on those people's faces.

"Oh, there he is." Agatha giggled and waved while the other two remained stumped. Luke wondered what was on her mind and who those people were. This must have been a trap for them…

Moments later, Luke's suspicions were confirmed. Agatha took out her knife and sliced the woman's neck, making her fall on the ground and drown in blood. The man turned around with unmitigated terror in his eyes.

"What the…"

Agatha jumped at him, plunging the knife into his neck. The man desperately tried to resist and managed to push Agatha away before the pain from the wound kicked in. He fell on his knees, shaking and desperately grasping for air as Luke watched the bloody picture unfold. He had never seen Agatha strike someone in the back like this; the people she killed fell to her in Titan form; it felt detached, but this…This was a swift murder, one that she performed seamlessly as if it was a form of art.

The man tried to crawl away, but Agatha left him no chance. She pierced his back with a knife, wounding him again and again until he was stuck in a dirty crimson lake, letting out his final breath.

"God, what a feisty one…Appearances sure can be deceiving." Agatha said with slight worry, quickly searching the man's pockets. "Ah, here it is, just before it could drenched in his blood, perfect!" She took a small card and showed it to Luke, who still couldn't let go of seeing Agatha act so ruthlessly with no weapons but a knife with her.

"What is this? And who were they?"

"It's a pass that will allow us into Lagos," Agatha explained. "They can't allow just anyone in, but they also can't keep people trapped inside the city. It is a similar system to what we have at home, imperfect, but that's good for us…Those poor fools were some of the peasants that worked outside helped some local farmers in the city. I told them a tragic story of my little brother being bitten by a snake and collapsing. He really needed a few people to carry him into the city's hospital, or he would die on the spot…I was very convincing." Agatha said with pride as she took another pass from the woman's body and gave it to Luke. "If anyone asks, we got those passes from our friends at home. They were very considerate and decided to allow us an opportunity to visit the city and wait out the Marleyan skirmish."

"So these were just two civilians? And you killed them?" Luke should've expected this, but it still felt wrong.

"You didn't think we could get far without bloodying our hands, did you? Here, everyone is an enemy, civilian or not. Understand?"

"Understand." He was getting used to it, caring about such trivial matters would be a disservice to Sabina. When it came to it, Luke would allow Agatha to kill anyone if they stood in their way to Sabina.

Perhaps he would kill them himself.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of ANR Timeline