Chapter 11: The Retaking of Trost part 1

Things have quieted down since the events of the Trost attack. The surviving cadets were all sent to the Garrison Regiments HQ to give their statement of the events, particularly the appearance of the Attack Titan and Eren’s connection to it.

Many witnesses were present when Eren emerged from the Titans nape. And to no surprise to anyone, everyone was questioning this new discovery, as well as Eren’s true loyalty and intentions.

Michael, Lazarus and the other cadets were all stationed outside of Wall Rose, safe from the remaining Titans. Eren, Mikasa and Armin are on the other side of the wall. All of them were being interrogated by Kitz, who believed that Eren was some kind of new Titan that learned how to mimic human behaviour and take on a human form.

The Warriors scoffed at the idea. But Lazarus could kind of get why they’d think that. Until now, none of the people within the walls had heard about the possibility of humans turning into Titans. Their knowledge of Titans is vastly scarce compared to Marley. They can assume that they are also unaware that all Titans were all once human. They probably don’t even know that they’re actually a subspecies of human known as Subjects of Ymir. The less they know the better.

Right now the cadets were gathering their bearings. Jean filled Christa and her group in on what happened. But because they were sworn to secrecy, he had to leave out the part about Eren being a Titan. Though he doubts that this won’t stay a secret for long.

“How you holding up?” Lazarus asks Michael as he sits next to him atop a box.

“Honestly man, I’m really confused.” He slowly responded, focused more on polishing his blades than his friend. “I just don’t know what to make of all this. Eren is not only alive, but he can turn into a Titan!”

“Hey, we’re all just as shocked as you are. None of is could’ve predicted this even if we tried.”

“He’s right.”

Both of them stop what they were doing and notice their old teammates approaching them. Marco, Sasha and Connie… and Daz for some reason.

“Oh god, Daz is here.” They both thought at the same time. Daz had always been one of the more annoying rookies in their corps. Always depressed, always crying, and always giving up too easily. How his team were able to put up with him for months they can’t understand, other than they deserve a medal.

“How do you think Eren gained the power to turn into a Titan?” Marco asked. He knew none of them would have the answer, but it couldn’t hurt to ask anyway.

“Who knows?” Lazarus pretended to be clueless. “None of us know much about Eren’s past that could come close to forming a connection.”

“I might have an idea.” Michael spoke up. All eyes feel on him, curious to hear what he comes up with. “I can’t explain it but, I feel like the concept of humans turning into Titans isn’t too far fetched. There’s so much we don’t know abut them. But who’s to say that there aren’t a select few who do… Maybe Eren’s father was among them.”

“Hold on a second. What are you saying exactly?” Connie asked.

“What if there’s been some kind of secret project going on where they give people the power to transform? Maybe it was developed to fight back against the Titans. Fight fire with fire so to speak… Eren may be the sole survivor of this project.”

Lazarus was slightly shocked to hear that. Michael couldn’t be more wrong. But the way he worded it, reminded him of the actual Titan experiments that he was a part of. The experiments that created the Winged Titan. How could Michael come to that conclusion so quickly? Not even Armin could predict something like this, and he was one of the smartest minds among their corps.

The others were all clueless on how they feel about Michaels theory. But after confirming that the Winged Titan was real, the idea might not be completely unreal.

But Michael was not finished yet. There was something more to his theory that he believes is a possibility after what he’d just learned with Eren.

“There’s more… Say I’m right about this. What if Eren is not the only successful candidate? What if there are others like him? And what if… the Colossal, Armoured and Winged Titans were human too?”

If Lazarus was not worried before, he certainly was now. He pretty much figured it out all on his own, and in the span of a few hours no less. He was both impressed and frightened at how quickly Michael was able to deduct the truth, even though nobody knows it yet. And if he was able to deduce the idea of their Titans being human. How long until he narrows down their identities and exposes them.

Annie picked up on Michaels theory and was feeling a little nervous. Michael could pose a serious problem to their mission should any of his theories be brought to the higher ups of the walls.

“He know’s too much, Laz.” She telepathically warned him.

“He’s only making speculations. He’s grasping at straws trying to put together a logical explanation to Eren’s own power. He can’t prove anything.”

“For now. But what happens when he comes close to exposing us?”

“That won’t happen! I’ll make sure of that.” He reassures her, but to no avail.

The moment was soon interrupted by the sounds of a wailing Daz who was on his knees wallowing in self pity. Marco attempts to calm him down. He points over to Sasha, using her as an example of how a soldier should act.

Unfortunately for Marco, Sasha was not the best choice. She too ends up on her knees, clutching her stomach, and complaint about how hungry she was. She instantly started giving up as her hunger made her lose all sense of self.

Daz then attempts to take his own life with a ODM blade. Michael quickly intervenes and holds him in a head lock. Marco turns to Lazarus, hoping he’d talk some sense into those two.

“Calm down, Daz! We have to learn to control our fear and keep on fighting for those who cannot.”

“That’s easier said than done! How the hell do you guys stay so calm the whole time?!”

Michael was ever so tempted to start choking him until he falls unconscious just to shut him up, and Lazarus would probably offer him a hand.

The whole group were soon snapped out of whatever they were doing by the sound of cannon fire coming from the other side of the wall. They all turn to the origin of the noise, only to see Titan steam rising into the air.

Something was wrong, and Michael was determined to see what it was. Tossing Daz aside he fired his anchors into the wall and climbed upwards. Lazarus and the others followed, curious to see what all the fuss was about.

Once they reach the top of the wall, they were shocked to see a half formed Titan body sitting just underneath where they were standing with a single arm stretched outwards in the direction of the cannon that was aimed for Eren and his friends.

The Warriors install knew what went down. The Garrison soldiers attempted to kill them via cannon fire. But Eren was able to partially transform to stop the cannonball from ever reaching them.

“That crazy bastard was trying to kill them!” Michael pointed out angrily.

He was so tempted to go down there and punch Kitz in the face for doing something so reckless. But he knows he can’t as it would risk him getting kicked out of the military and never making it to the Scouts. It pissed him off that he is unable to do something should they choose to open fire again.

Suddenly, coming out of the smoke, Armin appeared and stood before the Garrison Regiment. He makes an attempt to reason with them and explain how humanity could benefit from Eren’s Titan powers, if they can learn to control it and harness it however they choose.

Lazarus was moved by Armin’s words. For it reminded him of the time when Lucia gave a similar speech to the Marleyan higher ups to utilise the Winged Titans powers and use it for the good of all mankind. And by some miracle it worked. It was the reason he was standing there right now.

Kitz however was too consumed with fear and confusion to listen to reason. He raises his right arm, ready to signal the soldiers up top to fire the cannons again.

But the order never came about as he was stopped by the commander of the Garrison Regiment, Dot Pyxis. He was moved by Armin’s heartfelt salute and was willing to hear him and his friends out.

Once the show was over, the recruits decided to head back and prepare themselves for their next mission, whatever it may be.

After what felt like hours of waiting, all of the soldiers in the Garrison Regiment and the cadets were gathered outside the inner gate. Pyxis was finally ready to explain his plan that he’d secretly been discussing with Eren and his lieutenants to use Eren’s Titan to stop anymore Titans from invading Trost.

He clears his throat a couple times before getting everyone’s attention with a loud and authoritative, “ATTENTION!”

A lot of the cadets were taken aback by the commanders thundering voice. He could probably draws Titans towards him with his voice alone. Once all eyes were on him, he begins his explanation.

“I will now explain the to retake Trost! Our primary objective is to seal the hole. But first, I would like to introduce cadet Eren Yeager. He is the successor of a Titan transformation experiment conducted in absolute secrecy.”

“What!” Lazarus accidentally blurted it out. Luckily for him his outburst was not what everyone was focused on right now.

All around him he could hear the others whispering to one another on how they feel about this. Many think the commander was lying and just making it all up to cover his ass. Whilst other think he’s telling the truth.

Hearing that story reminded him of the very real story that he himself was a part of. Many people in Marley had similar reactions to the people here. Like Eren, many doubted his strength and if he was capable of even controlling his power… It feels like he’s seeing himself right now, instead of Eren.

“Once Eren has assumed Titan form, he will be tasked with lifting that giant boulder in the town square and using it to plug up the hole. And this is where you all come in. You’re job will be to defend Eren as he carries the boulder. Yes, you heard me right! You will be defending a Titan against its own kind!”

Everyone was at a compete loss for words. So many of them couldn’t understand the magnitude of Pyxis’s plan. Had he gone mad? Can Eren even control his Titan form? And what were their chances of keeping casualties to a minimum?

“Lies!” Daz spoke out of fear. “There’s no way in hell I’m gonna sacrifice myself for this crap!”

Michaels annoyance started to turn into anger. Dad’s words went from annoying to encouraging others to let fear consume them as well. This fear proved too much for most of the soldiers to handle, causing them to turn tail and walk away.

Kitz attempted kill them for desertion, but Pyxis made it clear to them that anyone who wished to leave would not be charged with treason. He knows for a fact that those who witnessed first hand what a Titan is capable of would not dare wish to revisit such horrors again. He only wants the bravest and most noble of soldiers to take part in this plan. There was no place for the weak. They’d only just get in the way and become fodder to the Titans.

He would also give the same blessings to those who wish to spend time with their families and loved ones. Assuring them that the people will continue to recognise their service despite leaving.

Those last words stuck with Michael, causing him to think back on his caretakers in their final moments before they died. With them gone, his father was all he had left. He had no other family as far as he was aware of, and he still wanted nothing more than to be by his side as a Scout.

Those who stayed were more than ready to take the fight to the Titans. This is their one true chance to actually win a battle in this long lasting war against the Titans.

The operation to retake Trost was now in effect. The squads chosen to defend Eren were led by lieutenants Ian Dietrich, Rico Brezenska and Mitanni Jarnach, with Ian acting as squad leader.

Lazarus and the Warriors were assigned to the decoy squad, tasked with taking out any Titans that don’t end up being drawn to the large crowd of people standing atop the corner of the wall.

Michael was with the squad leaders who were tasked with protecting Eren at all costs and ensure it that he’s able to lift the boulder and hoist it to the hole.

Once they reach the boulder, Rico fires off a green smoke signal, signalling the others that the operation has officially begun. Now all that’s left to do is watch and see if Eren had what it takes to complete this mission.

If Eren succeeds in plugging up the hole, then humanity will remember this day as their very first victory against the Titans. They’ll finally get a taste of what true victory feels like.

Eren closes in on the boulder with Mikasa and Michael following behind as back up. Once he reaches it, Eren bites down on his hand hard, triggering his Titan transformation.

A bolt of lighting strikes the ground next to the boulder, giving Michael and Mikasa barley enough time to dodge it. The Attack Titan lets out a demonic roar as it’s body materialises around Eren.

The Titan crashes to the ground after its transformation was complete. Eren quickly stands back up and lets out another roar.

Michael would have to admit, Eren’s Titan looks a lot more badass up close. But he wasn’t even sure if Eren’s Titan would even be strong enough to lift the boulder, given the difference in size and proportion. But after spending three years training beside Yeager, he knows how much will power he had. He just hopes it’ll be enough to pull this off.

“Wait a minute… Why is he just standing there?” Michael muttered to himself. “Hey Eren! You gonna do this or not?!” He shouted.

Eren’s Titan slowly turns around to face him and Mikasa. His eyes had an intense green glow. One that made him uncomfortable.

He then noticed Eren’s Titan pulling its arm back, looking like it was ready to punch something… or someone.

Realising what he was about to do, Michaels instincts kicked in as he rushes over to Mikasa and tackles her, pushing her out of the way as Eren’s fist impacts the roof they were standing on.

Mikasa managed to survive Eren’s punch, but ends up getting slashed across the cheek by a shard of broken roof tiles.

The Attack Titan soon follows up it’s failure to crush his allies by throwing another punch their way.

Michael leaps upwards and actually manages to land atop his huge fist. He then runs up his arm to the side of his head and tries to snap Eren out of whatever daze he was in by shouting right into his Titan ear.

“Hey Eren! What the hell are you doing?! Snap out of it!”

Eren failed to understand Michaels words as his Titan instincts proved too strong for his human side to listen. The Attack Titan then grabs Michael and starts to slowly squeeze him to death in his grip. Michael screams in agony as its grip only grew tighter and tighter. It was only a matter of time until he was nothing more than a massive blood stain in his palm.

Mikasa quickly intervenes by landing right on Eren’s face, making her own attempt to snap him out of it. But those eyes she was looking into right now were not Eren’s. All that was there was the manifestation of the untamed Attack Titans power.

Eren then attempts to squash Mikasa with his other fist, only to end up punching himself in the face and knocking himself out. His grip on Michael loosens and he finally drops him. Eren’s Titan falls back against the boulder with a broken jaw and ends up in a comatose state.

Michael clings to his side which all felt bruised from the Titans grip. He was ver fortunate that he hadn’t broken any bones or felt his organs exploding.

Rico deemed this mission a failure and fires of a red smoke signal, letting the others know. It was foolish of them to use something they don’t fully understand. She should’ve known better.

Lazarus and the others notice the red smoke and began to worry over what went wrong. Armin rushes over to Eren’s location. He wanted to see for himself what’s happened.

Lazarus, Reiner and Bertolt follow after him. They cannot risk letting Eren die on them, not when he possesses not only one of the nine, but also possible information that could lead them to the Coordinate.

If Eren ends up getting swarmed by Titans, Lazarus may have no choice but to step in with his own Titan and recover him. He hopes it doesn’t come down to this. He’d end up revealing his true self to the new friends he’s made here, and then have no choice but to kill them.

Armin and the others soon arrive on the scene. They were shocked to see Eren in the condition he was in. What’s worse is the fact that his body isn’t regenerating.

Lazarus spots Michael recovering on the ground beside the boulder. He was too focused on his injuries, that he failed to notice a three meter Titan heading his way.

“Michael!” Lazarus rushes over to where Michael lay. Killing the Titan with his katana’s before it had the chance to grab him. He picks him up and carries him up to the roof.

“Are you alright? What the hell happened?”

“Eren’s lost control of his Titan.” He clutches his sides as he grunts in pain. “He tried to crush me to death! Mikasa tried to snap him out of it, but Eren attacked her… hehe, idiot ended up knocking himself out.”

Michael starts to cough a lot more than usual. The wounds he’d just received ended up worsening his own condition with his lungs. Lazarus pats him on the back, hoping to at least lessens he effects.

“You- You got any water?”

Lazarus nods and reaches for the bottle of water he kept on the inside of his boot. He turns his back to Michael as he quickly reaches for the tiny bottle inside his jacket. The same one he used on Franz when he revived him.

He pours a single drop of the liquid into the water bottle and quickly pockets the strange liquid before handing Michael the water.

Michael takes off his mask so that he can access the water with his scared lips. He wastes no time downing the water, finishing off every last drop. It takes a moment for his coughing to come to a stop, allowing him to breath properly again.

But then something weird happened. The injuries he’d sustained from Eren’s Titan were gone. He could no longer feel any pain in his sides. It was as if that water he drank healed his injuries.

“What the hell? My body… it’s healed?”

“Really? Well that’s good isn’t it?” Lazarus says dumbfounded, even though he knew what actually happened.

“The hell kind of water was that?” he asks rhetorically, sort of.

Lazarus held his arms up, implying that he had no idea. (Even though he did)

All thoughts and questions about his water soon went away when they heard the sounds of Eren’s Titan roaring. They both turn around and see Armin clinging to its nape with one of his blades thrusted deep inside it. The Attack Titan’s body flails about, trying to shake him off, screaming in pain.

Armin makes his own attempt to try and snap Eren out of his trance and help him regain control of his Titan body. He reminds him of their dreams to see the outside world and explore the lands foretold in his grandfathers book. Stories of fields of ice, mountains that took days to climb, rivers of fire, and the best of them all… the sea. A huge body of water full of salt. So much so that a merchant could send their entire life and not even come close to getting all the salt out.

Lazarus and Michael however didn’t have the luxury to stand around and watch the outcome as more Titans started to pour in from the hole. They still had a job to do, and their comrades needed their help.

“Michael, are you well enough to keep fighting?” Lazarus asked, concerned for his friends well being.

“Yeah. Whatever I drank made my body feel like new. I have more than enough energy to take down a dozen Titans!”

Lazarus places his hand on his shoulder. “That’s what I like to hear. Come on, the others need our help.”

The two friends blast off on their gear and rejoin the fight. The two of them fighting back to back, taking out as many Titans – and saving as many lives – as possible.

Michael then notices Jean standing out in the open with two Titans closing in on him. But instead of fighting back or using his gear to escape, he instead was running away and hiding inside a random house.

“Crap! Jean’s ODM gear must be busted. He’ll get himself killed!”

“Go help him! I’ll focus on the remaining Titans.” Lazarus suggested.

Michael nods in agreement and heads off in the opposite direction. With one fell swoop, he slaughters the Titan chasing Jean, allowing him to run out and swap his broken gear with the gear of a dead soldier.

“Jean, get out of there!” Michael shouted down at him.

“Oh really? And here I thought I was supposed to sit on my ass and get eaten alive!” He shouted back sarcastically.

“Shut up and move it!” Michael shot back at him. There was a time and a place for sarcasm and jokes. But now was not that time.

Lazarus, Annie, Marco and the rest of their squad continue to slay any Titans in their path. But more Titans end up coming through, taking the places of the ones they’d killed.

Everyone was starting to get tired from all the fighting. It was only a matter of time until they make a mistake and fall prey to the Titans. Lazarus was still capable of fighting thanks to his Titan stamina. But even he couldn’t save all of them alone.

“Things aren’t looking so well for the enemy. If this keeps up, Eren will eventually get eaten. We’ve got to get to him before that happens! If he gets eaten by a Titan it’ll end up changing back to a human. We can’t let them know the truth about Titans. We’ve been here far too long to let them get an advantage.”

“I’ll be damned. Look over there!” Annie spoke up, pointing over to where Eren lay.

Everyone looks in the direction she was pointing. The sounds of heavy footsteps carried over the wind until it reached their ears. They could not believe their eyes. The Attack Titan was back on its feet, and it was carrying the boulder on its shoulders.

Everyone was thrilled to see him back in control and determined to see this mission through to the end.

Ian orders all remaining troops to defend Eren at all costs. They’ve only got one shot at this. Eren must reach the gate if there are to win this battle.

Everyone complies with the order and all head in Eren’s direction. All except Lazarus who rushes over to the south side of the outer gate.

He spots Reiner and Bertolt standing atop a random roof and joins them. He needed to discuss his current thoughts with them, as well as what their next move should be.

They all watched Eren struggling to carry the boulder to the gate as they discussed their plan.

“Looks like Eren was able to regain control of the Attack Titan. This may complicate things.” Lazarus speaks first.

“They’re actually trying to plug up the hole with that boulder? That’s insane!” Bertolt spoke up. “They’re gambling everything on this plan. For all they know if Eren gets eaten, then their best hope will be gone for good.”

“His death would be a problem for us too. If he goes down I’ll step in with my Titan.” Reiner suggested.

“Good call.” Lazarus nodded. “For now though, I think it be best if we let him plug up the hole. After this he’ll be too weak to use his Titan form again so soon. Hopefully we’ll find the perfect opportunity to grab him and take him back with us… We may not have the Founder yet, but at least we’ll come back with the Attack Titan.”

“But Lazarus.” Bertolt interrupted. “I risked a lot to make that hole. Should we really let him plug it?”

“Yeah, we should… Five years we’ve been searching for a lead like this, and now we’ve finally found it!” He looks at both of them. “We’re one step closer to completing our mission and returning home.”

“…Lazarus?”

The three Warriors suddenly froze with fear at the sound of a familiar voice. They all slowly turn around and were shocked to see Marco standing there. And judging by the look on his face, he had just heard everything they’d said.

“Sorry, but… what were you guys talking about?”

All three of them struggled to form words in their mouths, which only led to them looking even more suspicious. They’d been caught red handed, and nothing they say could convince Marco to unhear it.

“Reiner. You’re gonna step in with your… Titan? And Bertolt, you said you made that hole? What is this?”

After a long awkward pause, Reiner was finally able to speak for them and uttered what could possibly be the lamest excuse he could think of.

“Marco. Everything you’d just heard was… a joke.”

“Seriously?” Lazarus telepathically responded.

Marco was still consumed with confusion and shock over what he overheard. He really didn’t know how to respond. If he gave off the impression that he would tell someone what he heard, they might try to kill him. But he didn’t want to believe it. Reiner and Bertolt were his comrades. And Lazarus was his squad leader during training. The two have them have bonded the two months they’ve spent in that cabin. He didn’t want to believe he was a traitor… Therefore there was only one thing he could do.

“Have you guys lost it? This isn’t like you to joke at a time like this. Focus on the mission!” He points over to where the Titans were getting in. “Look, there are more Titans coming. Let’s go!”

He then makes a break for the where the others were located, leaving the three Warriors far behind. He looks back at them and notices Lazarus and Reiner giving him an angry glare. This only encouraged him to get away a whole lot faster.

As he flew through the abandoned streets, he thought back on what Michael said about his theory on Titan experiments. Human beings have the power to turn into Titans. He now knows that for a fact because he saw Eren do it.

The Colossal Titan appeared out of nowhere, attacked Trost, and vanished without a trace. The best logical explanation was that its someone like Eren. Same goes for the Armoured and Winged Titans too. If they really are human… then maybe they’re hiding among them.

Marco was suddenly jumped by Reiner who tackles him onto a roof hidden from the sight f any solders and pins him down. Bertolt lands behind him, keeping a look out for other potential witnesses, and Lazarus lands in front of him, looking down at his former squad mate.

Marco struggles against Reiner, but was too weak to overcome his superior strength. He looks up at Lazarus and pleads his life.

“Lazarus! Please… please say this is all a joke!”

“I wish I could Marco. The problem is you’re too damn sharp to let that fool you. I should know, we’ve lived together for a few months… Why the hell did you have to follow me? Why didn’t you just listen to me and stayed put?!” he raised his voice at him, frustrated that he now has no choice but to silence him.

Marco attempts to cry out for help, only to have Reiner’s hand covering his mouth. Annie later arrives on the scene, confused as to what’s happening.

“Annie! You gotta help me! Reiner and Lazarus are acting crazy! Get them off me!”

“What’s going on here?” She asks Lazarus.

“He heard the three of us talking. If we let him live he’ll expose us.” He explained.

Annie was shocked by this news. So many mixed emotions were running through her mind. She couldn’t decide whether she should be angry at the boys for stupidly revealing their secrets out loud. Or filled with guilt that she now has to kill Marco because he knew too much.

“You shitheads! What the hell were you thinking?!” Was all she could say in response.

Marco was confused at first as to why she would say that. Until moments later when he realised that she was in cahoots with them. But he still doesn’t understand why. Why did they break the walls? What could they possibly gain by causing so much death and destruction.

Bertolt warns the others that a Titan was heading in their direction. With time running out and their options limited, Reiner decided to step up by ordering Annie to take off Marco’s ODM gear and leaving him to be eaten by a Titan.

“Annie! Take off Marco’s ODM gear now!”

“What?! Why should I have to?” She questioned.

“Back at the supply depot, I saw you risk your life to save Connie. Why the hell would you put yourself in danger for him? You don’t have Lazarus’s immortality. You can’t afford to risk your life the way he can. It seems to me that your becoming sympathetic towards the enemy. If you wanna convince me I’m wrong then now’s the time to do it.”

Lazarus attempted to stop Reiner, but he wasn’t finished yet. He then started reminding Annie of her father and how she still has a promise to keep to him.

“Think of your father. He’s waiting for you to come back home. If you and he are any different than the filth within these walls then prove it here and now!” Reiner shouted at her.

Annie was conflicted on what she should do. Desperate, she turns to Lazarus for advice. Lazarus however agree’s with Reiner that returning home to their families is more important than the enemy. They can’t risk being killed by the devils. They’ve come so far to mess up now.

With no choice, Annie quickly started unbuckling Marco’s gear and stripping it off of him. Marco begged Annie not to leave him to die, looking into her eyes with intense desperation. But Annie fought her hardest to ignore him and removes it, tossing it far away from their location.

“You did well, Annie.” Reiner said. “This is what makes us Warriors.”

With the Titan closing in on them, the Warriors quickly get off the roof and leave Marco with no way off.

Lazarus however chose not to eave yet. It was all his fault that Marco had to die. If he’d just discussed things through his mind instead of talking out loud, then Marco wouldn’t have had to die at all.

To make amends for his stupid mistake, he will give his former friend a more peaceful death, rather than suffer in the mouth of a Titan.

“All of you get out of here! I’ll catch up in a bit.” Lazarus ordered them. “I’ll take care of Marco myself.”

The others soon reach a far off roof, away from Marco. They then watch as Lazarus draws one of his ODM katana blades. Marco’s eyes filled with tears once he realised what he was gonna do. He grabs Lazarus by the ankle and looks up at him pleadingly.

“Why Lazarus? Why are you doing this? Why do you want the Titans to win?” tears filled his eyes, still broken by the betrayal of someone he called his friend.

“I’m sorry Marco, but I can’t tell you that… All I can say is that what we’re doing may look evil in your eyes. But what we’re doing is bigger than you. Bigger than me. It’s bigger than everyone on this damn island! Our only goal is to save the world. But in order to make an omelette, you have to crack a few eggs.”

Lazarus raises his blade over his head, hovering it over Marco’s chest.

“As your former comrade and friend, I will ensure you don’t suffer at the hands of a Titan. I will make this quick and painless… I owe you this much, as its my fault you have to die.” Tears begin to form in his eyes now as he hesitantly readies himself. “Goodbye Marco… I hope one day you and the others can understand why we sis what we did, and find it in you hearts to forgive us.”

“Lazarus, wait-

Lazarus brings his blade down fast, thrusting it through Marco’s chest, piercing his heart. As he promised, it was quick and painless. He died the instant the blade touched his heart.

He lifts Marco up and holds him in his arms, still crying over his death. The Titan finally reaches the rooftop they were standing on and reaches out to grab him.

Lazarus tosses Marco’s body into the Titans hand and blasts off on his ODM gear, joining the others on the roof.

All they could do now was stand and watch in despair as the Titan devoured Marco’s limp body. Annie looks away from the horrors unfolding, unintentionally embracing Lazarus who was standing next to her. He holds her tight and weeps alongside her.

“Did you-

“He died peacefully.” Lazarus assured her. “I made sure of it… I’m so sorry Annie. It’s all my fault this happened… I hope you can forgive me.”

Right now, Annie was too consumed with guilt to give him a proper answer. She wanted to be angry. But she knew there was no way to make the situation any better than what he’s already done.

“Lazarus…why?”

They break off the hug and look over at Reiner who had a look of confusion and sadness on his face. Both Lazarus and Bertolt knew what this was. Reiner’s PTSD was flaring up again. The part of his personality he created that was a loyal soldier devoted to protecting the enemy has shown itself to them.

Reiner grabs Lazarus by his jacket and looks him dead in the eyes. Lazarus had no words to give

“Why did you… kill Marco? He was our comrade! How could you do that to him?!”

To Be Continued