Chapter 2: The Blacksmith

Birds were singing, flowers were blooming, people were going about their daily lives. Just another ordinary day within the motherland of Marley.

As nice as the day was, the city of Liberio was less than happy.

For Eldians, nothing’s changed. They would get up, go to their jobs, and occasionally gain the hate filled glares and slurs of the Marleyan citizen, along with the constant reminders of them being descendants of devils.

Many Eldians have grown used to this hate by now. Some crack under the pressure and go to great lengths to put an end to their suffering. But there were also the few among them that have nerves of steel, and remain unaffected by the hateful words coming their way.

One of those Eldians was a bright young redheaded woman named Lucia Muller. By now, everyone within the Marleyan military knows who she is, as well as the citizens, both Eldian and Marleyan. Not only was she one of the current Warriors serving the motherland, but she was also a talented blacksmith and engineer.

She used to run a small blacksmithing shop in Liberio. She mostly spent most of her days learning under her father and step mother, whilst her step brother, Leonardo, wanted to train to be a warrior candidate.

Back then she didn’t really care much about being a warrior. If Leonardo manages to become one, then she and her family would become honorary Marleyans either way. She could’ve just followed in her father’s footsteps and become a fine engineer herself.

But something changed in her. Something that forced her to give up on not bothering to become a Warrior, to making her want it more than anything else.

The military had no idea why she threw away her career and agreed to shortening her life to inherit one of the nine, but they had no complaints after seeing the kind of warrior she’d become.

Ever since the day she inherited the Female Titan from her predecessor, Lucia’s life has been transformed. Her father and stepmother are now honorary Marleyans. Their old rundown blacksmith shop then received a massive makeover, and became the military’s go to place for weapons, equipment, repairs and other needs.

Eventually, she was able to master everything her father taught her about blacksmithing, allowing her to craft weapons that were far more advanced than anything he had made.

After her father and step mother had tragically passed away, she made it her duty to keep their legacy alive by being the best Warrior Marley had to offer, and hold up the legendary status of her predecessor’s Warrior unit.

As Lucia was thinking back on the journey she’d taken to get her this far, she was hammering away at a heated piece of armour, while holding a blowtorch in her other hand.

The armour was way too big to be for a person, and it’s design looked more like a mask that would fit a giant face. It was a piece of armour for one of the nine titans, most notably, the Cart Titan.

“Hmm? So far so good. Still, I feel like it’s missing something?” She mentally noted as she gave the giant face plate a long look over.

Before she could point out the problem however, she was startled by the sound of the door behind her opening.

“Hey! No customers are allowed back here!” She shouted without even looking at the person in question.

“Not even your favourite apprentice?”

Lucia stopped whatever she was doing to address the person in her shop. Her annoyed expression quickly faded and was replaced with one of joy upon recognising the voice.

Standing in the backroom of her shop was the young Lazarus Averbach. Her most trusted apprentice, as well as her most favourite of the Warrior candidates. The boy who is the sole reason for her becoming a Warrior in the first place.

Lucia puts her tools down and allowed Lazarus to approach her. He mainly walked over to greet her with a handshake, only to receive a motherly hug from her instead. Lazarus returns the gesture with a comforting smile.

He’s always happy whenever he visits Lucia’s shop. Whenever he’s stressed from training, or is having a rough day, he could always count on her to make him forget about it.

“It’s so good to see you again, Lazarus.” Lucia says lovingly.

“You too, Miss Muller.”

Lucia’s friendly smile soon became a pout upon hearing how she was addressed. She then pinches Lazarus’s cheek, causing the young boy to squirm in discomfort and embarrassment.

“I told you countless times that you don’t have to be so formal when we’re alone. You can just call me Lucia.”

“Sorry mis- I mean Lucia. I’m just so used to being formal around my superiors that it feels weird to talk to them as if they’re my friends or family.” Lazarus explained as he rubs his pinched cheek.

“And you don’t consider me either of those?” Lucia asked in a sarcastic tone while pretending to be sad.

“No- I mean yes, I-“

Lucia lets out a historic laugh in response to Lazarus stumbling over his own words. His embarrassment only worsened as a result of this. Lucia noticed this and pats him on his hat covered head.

“I’m just messing with you, Laz. I know deep down you consider me to be a close friend.” She reassures him.

“You’re more than that though.” Lazarus interrupted. “You’re also my mentor, and the closest thing I have to a mother… You’re the reason I was accepted into the Warrior Program. You’re the reason I have so many friends now. You’re the reason I- I… am not in that hole anymore.” Lazarus hesitated to bring up that last part. But he needed to let his mentor know how much she meant to him.

Lucia was pleasantly surprised by how open and honest he was being towards her. It’s not so much the fact that she didn’t want to hear all this, but more so why he would say it now of all times.

Lucia couldn’t help but give him another warm smile in response. She then pulls him in for another hug. She could hug him over a hundred times for hours and never get bored of it. That’s how much she treasures her apprentice. Like a mother would their child.

“You’re so sweet for saying all that, Laz… But what brought you to say it in the first place?”

Lazarus paused momentarily. He knew that this day would come eventually, but he still wasn’t ready for it. How can anyone be ready to see someone they care for so much suddenly meet their end?

Lucia, Tom, Leonardo, and the rest of their Warrior unit have been Titan Shifters for eleven years now. Which means they all have two more left to live. After that, he and his friends will have to inherit their Titans by-

No! Lazarus did NOT want to think about that right now. He’ll cross that bridge when he gets to it. Right now, he came for some quality time with his mentor and offer to help out around the shop.

“Lazarus?” Lucia started to worry about her apprentice upon not getting a response out of him.

“Sorry Lucia, I didn’t mean to worry you. It’s just that I- I.”

“You can tell me anything, Laz. You know that right?” Lucia asked. “If something’s on your mind, I’ll always be there to help you get through it.”

“Except you won’t be.” Lazarus finally mustered the strength to let her know what he’s really thinking. “In two years from now… You’ll be dead. And the Female Titan will be passed down to either Annie or Pieck.”

Now Lucia can understand what this was all about and why he was so quiet. The poor boy wasn’t ready to say goodbye when her term comes to an end.

Perhaps he thought that the whole time he’d known her, he’d been taking her for granted. The thought alone made Lucia empathise with him a bit. She too formed a bond with a past Warrior. Even now she still wished that the Curse of Ymir hadn’t claimed her so soon.

Why did the founder Ymir have to go and get herself killed in thirteen years after gaining the power of the Titans? Now everyone who inherits her power have to suffer the same fate, including herself.

“Ah, I see what this is. You don’t think you’re ready to be a warrior yet, don’t you?” She assumed. “You have nothing to be sad about. All of your friends feel the same way… Inheriting one of the nine is a great honour. But it can also be a great burden. Especially if your predecessor is someone close to you.”

“It’s not just that though.” Lazarus interrupted her. “I just feel like that I’ve spent most of my time with you doing nothing more than train myself to be the strongest of the candidates. Making sure I would be greatest Warrior of all once I begin my first mission against an enemy nation… All those years, and all I did was learn from you. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed every moment of it, and I appreciate everything that you’ve done for me. But still, it would’ve been nice if I at least let you do what YOU wanted to do, rather than focusing all your attention on me.”

Lazarus spoke with guilt and regret in his voice. Throughout the thirteen years of Lucia’s life as a Warrior, she’d spent almost all of them training him to be a successful candidate for the next generation of warriors. The poor boy couldn’t help but feel like he’s wasted her life by always coming to her whenever he seemed lost.

“Lucia… Whilst I’ll always love you for taking me into your care, training me to fight, forge weapons, and other stuff. I can never forgive myself for forcing you to waste your life to help my pathetic weak self, make it through military training.”

Lucia was at a loss for words. She had no idea how deep her thirteen year curse had hit him. Most of the other candidates knew what becomes of warriors afterwards, and the ones who get chosen are the ones who learn to accept and live with it.

She kneels down to Lazarus’s eye level and gently strokes his back with her soft gentle hands.

“You did not waste my life, Lazarus.” She replied in a calm, reassuring manner. “Everything that I did for you, I decided to do. And the reason why I chose to devote my remaining years to you… Is because I made a promise to your mother.”

Lazarus froze and quickly looked her in the eyes. This was the first time he’d ever heard of such a thing. Why now was she choosing to tell him this?

“My… mother?”

“I didn’t intend to tell you this until after you graduated. But the truth is, I knew your mother even before she inherited the Female Titan.”

“You did?” Lazarus didn’t know how to feel about this sudden revelation. Should he be angry with Lucia for keeping the knowledge of his mother from him? Or should he be forgiving, considering she only has two years left and doesn’t want his final moments with her to be full of resentment.

“A few months ago, I told you that I only knew your mother as my mentor as well as my predecessor. But the truth is that was only half the story. She wanted me to wait until you were a more mature age before telling you the rest of the story. I guess you’ve shown me how much you’ve grown already.”

Lucia decided to grab a couple of chairs for them to sit on for what she was about to tell him. Once Lazarus had gotten comfortable she continued on.

“When I first met your mother, I was about your age. She was part of Marley’s Alpha Warrior Unit, which you’ve probably heard was the strongest unit Marley ever had.”

“Yeah, Leonardo told us that during history class. I’m well aware of my parents being Warriors.”

“But you didn’t know much about your mother before then?”

“She was always away, and my father died before I was even born. Back then I was always left with-

Lazarus suddenly freezes on the spot as another blackout occurs within his psyche. The sounds of the outside world - including Lucia’s voice – slowly faded out as the first mental image projected itself in his mind.

This one was more clear compared to the usual day images he received. His visions are at their clearest whenever he dreams, only coming through as blurred, hard to read stills.

Yet for some strange reason, the next set of images were a lot more clear, to the point where he could actually make out the layout of the environment.

He was standing inside a wooden house, judging from the logs built into the walls. The walls were decorated with several pictures, all of which were old black and white pictures of a family who he assumed lived in said house. The faces of the family were still blurred while everything else was crystal clear.

The only view of the outside world he could see was through a small barred window. All he could see was the ocean sparkling against the setting sun in the beautiful orange sky, free of any clouds.

The next image showed him looking up at two adults, a man and a woman. Like the picture, their faces were also blurred, making it difficult for Lazarus to identify them. But there was something else off about this vision.

“Is everything alright, Lazarus?”

This was the first time he’d ever experienced a vision where he actually heard it. This was getting weirder and weirder by the minute.

“If you’re worried about your mother, don’t be.” The man’s voice spoke up. “She’ll be alright.”

“Yes.” The woman added. “Our home will always be open to you… You’ve always been like a son to us. As well as a brother to our actual son.”

Lazarus then begins to have a mental breakdown. The images in his head started to act like they were glitching out. The two people in front of him, the room they’re standing in, everything was phasing in and out of existence.

“What’s happening?!” Lazarus began to panic. “This hasn’t happened before with my previous blackouts! What even caused it? Is it because these strangers mentioned me being like family to them? Or is it because they mentioned having a…son?”

As Lazarus was trying his hardest to tune out his mind in hopes of not causing permanent brain damage, his mind suddenly flashes back to a previous vision he had back to his blackout during Leonardo’s class.

The image was of him chasing after a boy roughly the same age and height as him. Only it was much clearer now, almost to the point where he could make out the identity of the boy. Unfortunately for him, all he could make out was the back of his head.

But what followed as the boy was getting further and further away from him, was the sound of what Lazarus would assume was his voice and not his own.

“I’m… sorry.”

That was all he was able to hear from him as the boy was officially out of sight.

The blackout finally came to an end as Lazarus was snapped back into reality upon feeling a painful sting on his right cheek.

His vision finally changed back to the real world. But to make sure, he would glance around the area, confirming that he was indeed back in Lucia’s shop. Lucia was still sitting across from him, a look of worry was slowly fading away and replaced with relief, seeing that her wakeup call worked.

“Laz! Thank god! I thought you were having a seizure! Looks like that slap I gave you managed to snap you out of it… Sorry about that.”

Lazarus however was more confused about what he saw to pay Lucia’s attempt to apologise and explain herself. All he could hear from the blacksmith warrior now was her asking him if he was having another one of his blackouts, as well as vent some frustration about him still having them, expecting he’d grow out of them at some point.

“Lazarus?”

“Yeah, I’m still here.” He reassured her. The last thing he wanted was for her to worry about him again.

“I can’t believe the blackouts are still happening. I thought for sure they’d go away after all the progress we’ve made over the years… What did you see this time?”

Lazarus paused momentarily as he recollected on what he saw. “I… I was never alone.”

Lucia looked up at him in slight surprise, not expecting that to be the answer to her question.

“All this time, I thought I was left all alone whenever my mother was away. I was wrong!” He paused expecting Lucia to ask who was with him, but she never did. Lazarus continued on. “Whenever she left me, I was in the care of two other people. A man and a woman. They lived in a wooden house that was standing near the ocean. They also had a son around my age… I remember who the parents are. But for some reason, I can’t remember the son. It’s as if some kind of force is preventing me from remembering.”

Lucia began to worry about her apprentice. She knew very little about Lazarus’s life before she found him, only knowing what Lydia told her. She remembered hearing her mention that whenever she was performing her warrior duties, she would drop her son off at her neighbours house for them to watch over.

As for whatever was preventing him from remembering the son, her only theory was that Lazarus was somehow manipulated by the power of the Founding Titan. But if that was the case, why only him? There was no way in hell that the current holder of the Founder would use its power to alter the memories of a single Subject of Ymir.

“Strange. Maybe I should ask Tom about these memory alterations he’s been having?” She thought to herself.

Before Lucia could ask Lazarus for any further details on the subject, the two of them were startled by the sound of someone shouting in the merch area of the shop, asking for the owner to show herself.

“Drat, I left the store on hold for far too long.”

“Sorry Lucia. It’s because of me I wasted your time.” Lazarus exclaimed in a guilty tone.

“It’s ok, Laz, really. I better get back to work. Why don’t you run along and enjoy the rest of your free time. We can pick this up later, ok?”

Lazarus gives his mentor a light nod and takes his leave through the backdoor. Lucia places a tarp over the giant metal mask she was working on to finish off another time.

Though she was still burning up with questions and theories on Lazarus’s condition as well as his past, she still had a job to do. She’s never once let a customer down, and she will not start now, not while she’s only two years away from a permanent retirement.

Lazarus was enjoying a quiet stroll through the streets of the Marleyan capital outside of Liberio. As he walked, he couldn’t help but notice all the glances he was receiving from almost all the Marleyan citizens.

By now he was used to all the discrimination he and his fellow Eldians received on a daily basis. He’s built up an immunity to all their hate filled words. Why should he care what they think when it’s his own opinion of himself that matters?

Still, there was nothing he could do that could block out their threats and insults. He was forced to listen to it every single day.

“Look, they’re letting the devils brood wander freely outside of their prison!” He overheard an older man say. Which was followed up with another man agreeing with him and calling him a filthy devil.

“Shut up you morons!”

Lazarus stopped upon hearing that and takes a glance back at whoever said that. It was a random woman standing among the group of people who were insulting him.

“Do you know who that kid is?” She asked in a slightly panicked tone.

“Yeah, he’s one of those Eldian devils.” That first guy quickly and bluntly replied. “So what if he is one of those Warrior candidates? It doesn’t make him any different from the rest of them.”

“Look at his armband!” The woman pointed over at Lazarus, who was down on one knee tying the laces on his left boot that came loose, while secretly listening to their conversation.

“That boy is no ordinary devil. That black armband marks him as the one responsible for the explosion that destroyed Odiha a year ago. All the innocent people living there went up in flames. Only he survived.”

The other Marleyans suddenly froze with fear. They’d heard about the incident in Odiha. But they had no idea at all that a single Eldian child was behind it all.

“That… kid… did it?”

“He’s no ordinary devil. He’s a- a… a monster among devils!” The man muttered with fear.

Lazarus finally got up after tying his shoe. He looks over at the Marleyans who were talking about him. His crimson glare causing them to take a couple steps backwards while shaking with fear.

Lazarus however paid them no mind and continued walking off towards Liberio’s checkpoint.

By now everyone was fully aware of his actions in Odiha. His black armband acting as a constant reminder of the type of Eldian he is and the evils he’d committed.

But to his mind, he didn’t do what he did intentionally. It was a moment he had no control over. A moment that cost the lives of everyone who lived in Odiha, leaving it in a state of burnt ash and ruin.

He was not evil; he knew that for a fact. If he were a monster as they said he was, then he would’ve had control over his actions, and even go so far as to take pleasure in starting that explosion. Those who give in to their hate and desire to kill are the ones he views to be true devils, whether they’re Eldian or Marleyan.

But still, he was perfectly fine with being the centre of the Marleyan hatred. If it would mean that the people he cared about would receive less attention, then he would gladly soak up all the hatred like a masochist sponge.

“I don’t know what’s worse. Hearing them say horrible things about me because of my Eldian heritage, or seeing them cower in fear of me because of something I couldn’t control a year ago… Whatever the case, I won’t let them get to me. I must become a Warrior. It’s the only way to ensure that what happened in Odiha will never happen again. And to show the world that I am not something to fear.”

Lazarus began to think back on the aforementioned events in Odiha. This was not another blackout, but rather a regular flashback to his past.

All he could remember in that moment was looking down on the city below him. Buildings were on fire. The sky was dark with the sun setting in the back. And he could hear the screams of the innocent who were evacuating their burning homes.

The more he thought about it, the more painful his headaches were becoming. The last thing he remembered that day was seeing a tall shadow that stretched out over the centre of a large crater in the centre of the town. That was where the explosion originated from. And at the centre of said crater, he saw his own two feet standing in the scorched earth.

“Watch it you filthy devil!”

Lazarus shakes his head as he comes back from memory lane to the here and now. He looks around to see who was addressing him this time.

He then turns his attention to the checkpoint just ahead of him to see a guard looking down at a downed Eldian man who was clutching to his leg like he was in pain. Beside him was a wooden cane.

“You Eldians are as clumsy as you are evil.” The guard raises his voice at the Eldian man. He then takes his rifle off of his shoulder and points it at his head. “You scuffed my uniform, and for that I should put a bullet in your working leg!”

The man tried to explain his situation to the guard, but he was in no mood to listen to a dirt blooded devil.

Without thinking, Lazarus decided to step in front of them and was now in the line of sight of the guards rifle. Both the guard and man were not expecting a boy of his age to willingly step in front of a loaded gun like that.

“Leave this man alone. He didn’t cause you any harm.” He pleaded with the guard.

“That hobbling bastard knocked me down for no reason whatsoever. That was physical assault, and he must be punished for it!” The guard shouted down at him.

“I told you earlier!” The Eldian man spoke up. “My leg was acting up again and I accidentally fell into you. It wasn’t intentional.”

“You expect me to believe the word of an Eldian? I should shoot you both where-

The guard then notices Lazarus’s armband, and any and all hostility he had towards the two of them had suddenly vanished. He lowers his rifle and takes a step back.

“It’s you! You’re the one who-

“I am aware of who I am.” Lazarus cut him off before he could say anything more. “I am the one who caused the explosion in Odiha. Many people were killed as a result of my actions. So unless you wanna experience what I did for yourself, I’d stand down, soldier!”

Under normal circumstances the guard would’ve unloaded multiple bullets into his and the man’s bodies for allowing an Eldian to threaten him like that. But knowing what this particular Eldian did in Odiha, stripped him of his courage to do so. The guard decides to not get on his bad side and allows the two of them to pass through the checkpoint to Liberio.

Lazarus offers his hand to the man who was reaching for his cane. The man gives him a small smile and takes his hand, allowing Lazarus to help him up on his feet again.

The two of them wait until they were back inside Liberio’s gates before addressing each other. Once they were away from any of the guards, Lazarus was the first one to open up to him.

“Are you alright sir?”

“I’ll be fine. Guess I have to learn to be more careful around Marleyans whenever I go for a walk around the town.” The man’s voice sounded deep and gravelly. Lazarus couldn’t help but be reminded of Theo Magath when hearing him speak. After all, his was the first voice he’d heard when he first entered the Warrior program.

“Thank you for your help back there, kid. That was impressive how you talked down to the soldier like that. Even though he had a gun pointed to your head, your eyes didn’t have a shred of fear in them.”

“I’m used to it. After everything I’ve been through, nothing terrifies me anymore. Not even death.”

The man chuckled slightly in response. Hearing this boy talk like that reminded him of himself during his younger years. As he was walking alongside him, the man’s right leg started to give out, forcing him to put all his weight onto his cane in order to not fall and repeat what happened at the checkpoint.

“Are you ok, sir?” Lazarus asked concerned for his fellow Eldian.

“I already told you I’m fine. I’m just still not used to my limp yet.” The man reassuringly replied.

“If I may ask. How did you injure your leg like that, sir?” A curious Lazarus asked the man.

“How’s about you help me get home first, then I can tell you over a cup of tea?”

Lazarus was not expecting a man he just met to invite him over for tea. He normally wouldn’t accept an invitation like that if it were a stranger. But since this man was just an innocent Eldian like himself, he saw no reason to distrust him. Perhaps this was his way of paying him back for helping him.

It didn’t take long for Lazarus and the limping old man to reach his home. His house was located in lower section of the city, next to a river that stank of sewage that flowed out of the many holes in the wall.

There were only a few houses built down there. All of them were more rundown compared to the standard houses on the surface level. Above the wall of where the steps they went down are was some kind of factory. That factory was the result of all the pollution that was poured from the pipes into the riverside. The poor people who live there are forced to endure the smoke clouds coming out of the funnels every day.

Lazarus had to hold his nose shut in order to prevent himself from smelling any more of the foul stench in the air. How do the people who live down there cope with that horrid smell everyday they wake up in their homes? Had he lived there, he wouldn’t last a day.

“I know it stinks, but you’ll get used to it.” The man reassured him as he opens his front door and steps aside, allowing his guest to come in and make himself at home.

Compared to the outside of the house, the inside was even more bland. Most of the rooms were empty and dull, only containing the essential furniture. There were no pictures on the walls, no curtains, carpets, not even a vase of flowers to spruce up the place.

Lazarus wondered if this man was too poor to afford a proper home makeover, or if he simply chose to have it be this dull. Either way, he chose to keep his opinions to himself. He is a guest here, and he did not agree to come to shit all over his home decor.

The man was standing over a stove, heating up a pot full of water, and placing a couple teabags in a teapot. Lazarus was sitting down at a wooden table in a chair that felt really uncomfortable. He could’ve at least gotten some cushions for the chairs.

“Thanks for inviting me into your home, sir. But I can’t help but feel a little bit embarrassed.”

“Oh?” The man’s curiosity peaked. He glances back at Lazarus and asks him why he thought that.

“It’s just that I- I came with you to your lovely home, and I didn’t even ask you your name yet. My name’s Lazarus Averbach, and I’m a Warrior Candidate.” Lazarus followed up his introduction by tipping his hat to the man.

The man returned the gesture by tipping his own red cap to him. “You don’t have to be nice. I know that this place is a shithole. But it is home… The name’s Leonhart.”

Lazarus was surprised by that reveal. The man he helped and is now about to share tea with was Annie’s father! The same one Annie told him was a complete piece of shit to her, and was only using her for a one way ticket to becoming an honorary Marleyan.

“You’re Annie’s Dad?!” Lazarus blurted out loud.

“So you know my daughter? Well, you are a Warrior Candidate, so it makes sense that you would.” Leonhart replied as he poured the hot water into the teapot.

“She told me a great deal about you.” Lazarus admitted. “Nothing good though. Only that you’re an uncaring piece of shit!”

Leonhart wasn’t fazed by the curse words spewing out of the nine year old boys mouth. Nor did he want to deny his claims, as they were all true.

“She’s absolutely right. I only adopted Annie so I could use her to get a better life for myself.” He starts to pour the tea into the two cups laid out before him. “You’ve seen her in action during training. Would you say she did well?”

Lazarus was flabbergasted at the fact that Leonhart didn’t even attempt to deny Annie’s accusations against him. Now he was asking him if his teachings were of any use during warrior training.

“Annie’s the most skilled fighter in our unit. None of us could take her down during combat training. I came close, but that was only because she was holding back.” Lazarus briefly explained.

Leonhart wore a look of relief and pride as he carried the two cups full of tea to the table. He was so happy to learn that Annie hadn’t gotten sloppy ever since she left him to join the program.

He hands Lazarus his tea and then takes a seat in the chair opposite him. He took a sip of his homemade tea and savoured its warmth for a moment before he decided to address his guest again.

“If Annie has been talking to you about me, than I take it that the two of you are close.”

“We’re just friends.”

“Friends?” Leonhart asked. “Annie has grown into a cold woman who has no value for anyone or anything. How is it that she sees you differently?”

Lazarus takes a sip of his tea before he was able to answer his question. Once he swallowed his current mouthful, he gave him his answer.

“When I first entered the Warrior program, I didn’t feel like I fit in with the other Eldians. I was lost, alone, and constantly questioning my purpose in this cruel world we live in… When I first met Annie, I could tell by looking into her eyes that she was the same. She probably thought the same thing, as she was among the first few kids who actually decided to walk up to me and say hi.”

As Lazarus was explaining how he first met Annie to her adopted father, Leonhart simply leaned back in his chair and took another sip of his tea.

“We got to talking about our lives as we hang out on our breaks. She told me her past, and I told her mine.”

“And you probably think I’m a horrible person for abusing and using her the way that I did.” Leonhart cut him off. “Part of you probably wished you’d not intervened and let that guard shoot me, huh?”

Leonhart anticipated that Lazarus would agree in an instant and tell him what a terrible person he was and he had no right to turn his daughter into a soldier so he could live a luxurious life, sacrificing her childhood in the process.

But instead, Lazarus shook his head in denial. “No. Even if I don’t agree with your parenting skills, I wouldn’t have let that guard shoot you.”

“Why?” Leonhart asked.

“Because as cruel as you are, you’re still Annie’s father. You took her in and gave her a home when her birth parents wanted nothing to do with her. Yeah you were only using her for your own selfish benefits, but at least you care enough to help her become stronger, rather than leave her to get weak and die.”

Leonhart was not expecting him to speak so wisely and point out the good he’s down rather than focusing on the bad.

“I keep telling Annie, “yes, your dad’s a terrible parent. But at least you have a parent.” Lazarus suddenly pauses upon not meaning to mention that part to a man who is still considered a stranger to him.

“Your parents abandoned you too?” Leonhart assumed.

“Not exactly.” Lazarus slowly responded. “My father died before I was even born, and I rarely knew my mother. They were both Warriors, so they already had the luxurious life that you so desperately craved. Despite everything they had, the one thing they wished for more than anything was to be my parents. But my father never got the chance to meet me, as he had to pass the Beast Titan down to Mister Ksaver. And my mother soon followed suit by passing the Female Titan to my mentor, Lucia Muller. I became a Warrior because I wanted to finish what they started when they became Warriors.”

He pauses so that he could take another sip of his tea which was now slightly cooler to the touch.

“All of the candidates have a purpose for inheriting one of the nine. A reason to fight. Everyone, except for Annie… She told me that she doesn’t care about saving the world, or anything for that matter. If she has nothing to fight for, then she cannot be the best of who she is. She’ll never be strong enough to defeat our enemies, regardless of how much you train her.”

Leonhart was at a complete loss for words upon hearing the wisdom of this boys words grow stronger and stronger with each passing sentence. He can only assume that this child also has someone who he trained with. Someone who probably wasn’t as intense with training as he was with Annie. And as a result of it, he’s somehow much stronger than Annie. Not in terms of physical strength, but in heart and dedication. Maybe he was right. Maybe he was teaching her the wrong things.

Leonhart unconsciously started rubbing his right knee where his wound was located. Tears began to form in his eyes, which acted as a little surprise for Lazarus.

“Mister Leonhart?”

“You’re right.” He muttered almost out of range of his hearing. “Where I come from, I was abandoned by my parents for being the end result of my mother’s affair with an Eldian man. I was born on another continent, one far away from Marley. Where I come from, it was always survival of the fittest. If you couldn’t handle the torture, then there will always be a predator greater than you. I was raised to keep those traditions with me always, and to pass them down to my own children… I never thought about it. I kept telling myself that if I trained her the same way my family trained me, then she’d be strong enough to kill anyone, even unarmed.”

Leonhart rolls up his right trouser leg to reveal to Lazarus a huge bruise on his kneecap. It looked off compared to his other one. It looked fractured, which would explain his constant limping. There was also a scar located in the middle of it, showing that he had surgery on it a while back.

“I wanted her to be stronger than me so badly, so I wouldn’t have to worry about her failing to become a Warrior. As a result of all the anger and abuse I gave her, she used her increased strength to permanently damage my right leg, leaving me unable to walk without a cane… But I wasn’t angry. I was actually happy. Because it was at that time I realised that I have succeeded in passing down my homelands traditions in combat to her. I finally got what I wanted.”

“And was it worth it?” Lazarus asked him sincerely.

Leonhart lowers his trouser leg which was soon followed by his head in sorrow. He stared blankly at his cup of tea on the edge of the table.

“Had you asked me that earlier I would’ve said yes. But you’ve shown me that what I did was wrong. In my selfish desires to have a better life, I’ve forced Annie to go through the same torture I went through myself. She was just like me. But instead of learning from my mistakes, I ended up repeating them… And now I’m about to lose her if she inherits one of the nine.”

Lazarus then decides to comfort the man by placing his hand atop of his. Leonhart was slightly shocked by this display of care. Something he wasn’t used to.

“It’s not too late.” He reassured him. “Annie’s still your child no matter what she may think of you. If you truly want to make things right with her, then show her how much she means to you. Stop acting like her trainer and act like her father.”

“How?”

“Go to her when she returns home, give her a big hug, and apologise for all those years of abuse. She may not forgive you for it, but you shouldn’t expect any from her. Give her a reason to fight, a reason to live. Tell her that your desire to be an honorary Marleyan no longer matters. The only thing that should matter to you is her safety. Do that, and she won’t see herself or everyone else as not worth saving. Then once she inherits one of the nine and we all travel to Paradis, she’ll use that strength to fight at her fullest. She’ll also grow to trust the others more as well, not just myself… The only way we as Warriors can complete our mission and take the Founding Titan is to act as a united front, putting all our faith in our comrades and each other.” Lazarus takes a deep breath after that long, thorough explanation.

Leonhart paid very close attention to the young Warriors advice. He was giving him a chance to make amends with his only daughter. A chance to show her that he was more than just a cold heartless bastard. That he actually has a heart filled with love for her.

He knows that the chances of Annie actually forgiving him are slim, but he has to try. Even if he never sees her again, he’ll be happy knowing that she has someone like Lazarus looking out for her. Someone whom she actually regards as important to her and worthy of her affection.

Leonhart took hold of his cane and stood up and out of his chair. His cup now empty of tea. Lazarus’s however was still full, and had probably gone cold by now.

He approaches the white haired boy and places his hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, Lazarus… Thank you for showing me the man I’m supposed to be, rather than the one I once was. If you truly believe it’s not too late to fix things with Annie, then I will take your advice to heart… But how will I know when the time is right to tell her?”

“That I can’t answer… That is something you’ll have to decide for yourself.”

Leonhart respected his answer even if it wasn’t the one he was looking for. As wise as this kid is, even he doesn’t have all the answers.

Lazarus picks up his cup so that he could finish his tea before leaving.

“Your tea’s probably gotten cold by now. Would you like me to heat it up for you?” Leonhart asked.

“No, that’s ok. Thanks anyway.” Lazarus replied kindly. He held the cup in both hands as he pulled it up to his lips.

As Lazarus was finishing off his tea, Leonhart couldn’t help but notice that there was steam coming out of the cup. Now he wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him. He could’ve sworn that the tea had gone cold by now. He shrugs it off and takes Lazarus’s empty cup from him. Perhaps the factory fumes have gotten to him again.

As the sun was setting over Liberio, Lazarus finally decided that he had overstayed his welcome more than he should’ve and prepared to leave.

Leonhart walked him out of the house and over to the bridge across the river where the stairs leading up to the surface area lay.

“Despite how our introductions went, it was a pleasure to finally meet you, Mister Leonhart.”

“It was nice meeting you too, Lazarus. And thank you again for everything. Saving my life, opening my eyes, all of it.” Leonhart said in a more caring manner than how he usually sounds.

The two of them shake hands one last time before leaving. Unbeknownst to them, Annie who was walking alongside the top of the wall on her way home, was watching the exchange unfold.

She was confused as to why Lazarus was here and acting friendly with her dad despite what she told him. But she didn’t want to jump to any conclusions until she’s heard both sides of the story. She knew it was in Lazarus’s nature to be nice to others, but he would never show kindness to her abusive father unless he had a really, REALLY, good reason for it.

Lazarus soon broke off the handshake and crossed the bridge, making his way up the stairs to the main street. Annie decided to hide behind the factory dumpster to avoid being detected by the only boy in her unit that she actually liked.

“Have a good night, Mister Leonhart.” He shouted down to him as he waved. But before he left, he decided to improve his mood even more by saying what has been on his mind for a while now. “Oh, one more thing. You were wrong about me getting used to that smell!”

Leonhart couldn’t help but laugh in response to his attempt at humour. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had a genuine laugh. It was a good feeling. One he hoped Annie would get to experience with him someday.

Once Lazarus was out of sight, Annie stepped out of her hiding spot and walked down the stairs to her house. Mister Leonhart sees her approaching, and already he could feel his nerves tingling. That talk with Lazarus had really changed how he saw his daughter. Her being his daughter was now how he saw her, rather than a tool for a better life.

Annie however ignored him and just went straight indoors to her bedroom. Understandable on her part. Leonhart let out a deep sigh as he renters his home.

*sigh* “Now’s probably not the time for me to tell her what Lazarus told me. I just need to be patient and let the right moment come to me instead.” He thought to himself. He learned a very important lesson today. He can’t afford to let it slide past him. He might not get another chance if he screws up now.

Back at the military barracks, Lazarus was sneaking through the hallways back to his room. The curfew for all Eldian cadets to return to the barracks had already passed, about half an hour ago. If he gets caught now, he’d be in serious trouble.

The curfew not only affected cadets who stayed at the barracks, but also the ones who still have families in Liberio. Only kids who had no parents were permitted to staying in the barracks. Many of the cadets who had no families were Eldians who were spared the horrific fate of being sent to Paradis to live out their lives as mindless Pure Titans. The reasoning behind it was various. Some broke rules, some were part of the Eldian Restorationists like Zeke’s parents. And some were just sent there to prevent overpopulation of the Eldians within Marley. The military believed that if the Eldians in the motherland grew too numerous, then they might try and rise against them.

Fortunately for most Eldians, it was the elderly and infirm who were sent to Paradis, as Marley had a purpose for the younger men, women and children. With only the elderly and unwell who were honorary Marleyans being spared from the fate worse than death.

As Lazarus was nearing his and Zeke’s quarters, he was halted by the sound of an authoritative voice calling out his last name.

He froze on the spot when he realised that the one who caught him sneaking around was his superior, Commander Theo Magath, who looked down at him with a disapproving glare.

“You were out past curfew, Averbach!”

Lazarus salutes his commanding officer before addressing him, hoping that by showing him respect he might be let off with a warning.

“Please forgive me, Commander. I was helping Lucia with the blacksmith shop that I lost track of time.”

“Yes, she told me. However, she also told me that you left her shop two hours ago. Where did you go afterwards?” Magath ordered.

Lazarus gulped nervously, struggling to form a sentence in his mouth. But before he could tell him, Magath decided to speak for him instead.

“I already know about that stunt you pulled at the checkpoint.” He called out to him, putting Lazarus under even more stress than he was before. “The guard you threatened came straight to me after letting you and Leonhart in. He told me that you did that to protect him. Is that right?”

“Ye- Yes sir!” He hesitantly replied.

Magath can tell from the way he was sweating that he was really nervous. As if he was scared of being scolded by him. Even if he wanted to, Theo knew that it would accomplish nothing. The last thing he or the rest of the military want is for him to cause another explosion. As such, he decided to let his tardiness slide and allow the boy to get back to his room.

Lazarus was confused as to why Magath decided to turn around and walk away. He needed to ask before he was out of earshot.

“Wait Sir! Am I in trouble for what happened with the guard?!”

“Just go to bed and there won’t be any problems!” Was all Magath responded with before he disappeared from view.

Lazarus didn’t question what he meant and just obeyed his command like the good soldier he was.

Upon entering his room, he could see Zeke Yaeger already lying in the bottom bunk.

“You’re late. Where’ve you been all day?”

Or so he thought. Lazarus turned around to address his older brother in arms as he turned on the side table lamp.

“I was working with Lucia all day in the shop. Then afterwards I went for a little walk outside the internment zone. Ran into Annie’s dad on the way back. He invited me back to his house for some tea.”

“Annie’s father?” Zeke wasn’t sure if he heard him right. Annie’s dad invited him over for tea? There’s no way he’d do something like that.

“It’s true.” Lazarus acknowledged him. “He can come across as kind of a dick, but all in all, he’s not that bad of a guy.”

Zeke lays back in his bed and stares up at the top bunk above him so that he wouldn’t have to watch his roommate change into his pj’s in front of him.

“How do you do it, Lazarus?”

Lazarus paused as he was buttoning up his pyjama top to glance over at Zeke who was still staring upwards.

“How can you see the good in everyone around you? How can you go by in life without hating someone? Even with all the hate you get on a daily basis for being an Eldian, you always walk by them with a smile on your face… Are you just incapable of hating anyone?” Zeke asked him.

Lazarus thinks over on how to answer that question. He’d never really thought about it before. Him just ignoring the discrimination he receives daily was just something that he unconsciously does. He never had any reason to get into a fight with anyone, unless the people he cared about were involved.

“It’s not that I’m incapable of hate. I just choose not to embrace it.” Was all he could tell him.

“Why?” Zeke asked again.

“Because if I decided to face the Marleyans that hated us and express my hatred of them, then I am what they say I am. A filthy evil devil.” Lazarus finishes buttoning up his shirt so that he could turn and face Zeke. “After what happened in Odiha, I was completely consumed with hate, anger, and grief. Not for Marley, but for myself.”

Zeke remembered him mentioning the tragic events in Odiha last year. Almost everyone within the military knew of Lazarus’s involvement. Most hate him for his actions, while others lived in fear of him whenever he walked past them in the street. Zeke and the other candidates however – except Porco – didn’t blame him for what happened.

Upon first meeting him he and the others were somewhat skeptical. But Lucia was the one who convinced them that he was no threat to them and he is one of the good Eldians. And after sleeping under the same roof as him for several months, Zeke can see she was right.

“What happened in Odiha wasn’t your fault. It was an accident, we’ve all told you this before.”

“I know that.” Lazarus spoke up. “But it doesn’t change the fact that so many people, including my friends parents, died in the explosion that day. All because of me. Back then, the only person I hated was myself. But Lucia showed me that there’s no room for self-hatred, not while the world is still in trapped in a cycle of hatred. I became a warrior so I could put an end to that cycle, and maybe one day… Put an end to the era of Titans.”

Zeke was probably even more envious of his friend than he was before after hearing his speech. He had so much hatred for his father, Grisha, that he doesn’t think himself capable of ever forgiving him.

His whole life he was told by his parents that he was special, that he was a child of royal blood who could lead Eldians to victory against Marley. But in actuality, all he ever wanted was to be a regular kid and bond with his father.

But he was able to find another, more loving father in Tom Ksaver, the current holder of the Beast Titan. One of the few people who actually cared about him and saw him as a boy, rather than a child soldier.

“Wait a sec- OW!” Zeke attempted to sit up to ask Lazarus about something else he mentioned. But he ended up banging his head on the top bunk.

Lazarus covered his hand to muffle out his laughter since he didn’t want to wake anyone up by being loud. All the while Zeke was rubbing his head in annoyance to him.

“Bet you wish you weren’t so tall sometimes, ey Zeke?” Lazarus mocked.

“Enjoy this moment, Lazarus, cuz I’m gonna kick your ass in combat training tomorrow for this!”

“If you’re not suffering from head trauma that is.” He snapped back at him.

Zeke got even more annoyed at the quick comeback burn he received from his annoying little brother in arms. Maybe he really does consider him his brother, because they both constantly annoy each other as regular siblings do.

After a couple minutes to recover, Zeke finally decided to give another attempt to ask Lazarus what was on his mind.

“Hey Lazarus… Earlier you said that your friends parents were among the victims of Odiha’s explosion. How is it that now is the first time I’m hearing of this. You told me that you didn’t know anyone there before joining the military.”

“Well… I’m honestly not sure myself if I had any friends or extended family there.” Lazarus admitted. “Lately my visions have been becoming much more clearer as each day passes since Odiha. I saw a man and a woman who I assume were together. They talked to me as if we were very close. And they had a son, someone else I seemed close with. But the glitches I experience during my blackouts are at their strongest whenever I focus on trying to remember him exactly. It’s as if he has some kind of hold over my mind.”

“Really?” Zeke asked. He thought a little about this and tried to understand the cause behind Lazarus’s almost constant daydreams.

Tom Ksaver even tried to do some research on this very topic, but he couldn’t find anything relating Titans, the Founder, and Subjects of Ymir, to whatever’s happening to Lazarus. Though he has reassured him that he would use whatever time he had left to find the answer.

“Well, I might have a theory.”

Lazarus approached the side of the bed and sat down on the chair by the side table to properly listen to what his theory might possibly be.

“Maybe it’s possible that this “friend” your mind refuses to show you, is the source of these blackouts you keep experiencing.” By the shocked look he saw on Lazarus’s face, he can guess that he was at a loss for words.

“Maybe this mysterious kid you saw was someone you were once close with. Then he decided to abandon you, and wiped all traces of him from your memories.”

“That cannot be.” Lazarus thought to himself. No Eldian, even ones with the power of the nine, can alter his memories. Not unless it was someone with royal blood, and all the royals fled with King Fritz to Paradis, along with the Founding Titan.

“That can’t be true though. Only Eldians with royal blood can manipulate the memories of Subjects of Ymir. And even if he did have that blood, he still can’t do that without the power of the Founder.” Lazarus pointed out. “If the Founder really was here, we’d know. So what else could it be?”

Lazarus then lets out a yawn while rubbing his eyes. He was too tired to think properly on this theory of Zeke’s. It’s for the best that he sleep now and continue theorising tomorrow.

He climbs up the small ladder up to the top bunk and tucked himself into his bed, all the while keeping his hat clung to his head, leaning it forward to shield his eyes.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you take that hat off once the whole time I’ve known you.” Zeke interrupted as Lazarus was about to close his eyes. “Why do you always wear that thing?”

“Two reasons.” Lazarus listed on his left hand, hanging it over the bedside so that Zeke could see. “One, because I have a really, really, REALLY, bad receding hairline.”

Now it was Zeke’s turn to hold back his laughter with his palm covering his mouth. The very thought of Lazarus being bald under that hat was too funny to look past.

“And the second reason is… it belonged to my father.”

Zeke’s laughter faded after hearing the second reason. He didn’t need Lazarus to elaborate any further on why he always wears that black fedora.

With the pointless question now answered, the two warriors finally drifted off to sleep as soon as Zeke turned off the lamp on the side table, allowing the peaceful darkness to consume the room, making it easier for them to get some much needed rest.

To Be Continued