The Empire of Titans

Warning: Brutal Chapter

' The rain drummed steadily against Reiner's shoulders as he trudged home through the muddy streets of Liberio. Each step felt heavier than the last, his boots squelching in the wet earth of the internment zone. His hands burned – red, raw, and chafed from gripping the rifle for hours during training. He kept flexing his fingers, trying to ease the stinging sensation, but it only made the pain worse.

The gray buildings loomed over him, their windows dark and unwelcoming in the late afternoon gloom. Water dripped from the eaves, creating small rivers that merged with the larger puddles on the ground. A few other Eldians hurried past, heads down, eager to get out of the rain. Nobody looked at him directly – just another warrior candidate making his way home after training.

As he approached his house, Reiner could already smell the familiar scent of his mother's cooking wafting through the cracks of their modest home. Despite his exhaustion, his lips curved into a small smile. The smell of food, the warmth that would soon embrace him – these were the little comforts that made everything somewhat bearable.

The wooden steps creaked under his weight as he climbed to the front door. His uniform was soaked through, water dripping onto the worn welcome mat as he stepped inside. The warmth of the house immediately enveloped him like a blanket.

"Reiner? Is that you?" His mother's voice called from the kitchen, carrying that particular tone of expectation he had grown so familiar with.

"Yes, mother," he replied, carefully removing his wet boots. His hands trembled slightly from the effort, the skin across his palms screaming in protest at every movement.

"Come here, dear. I'm making your favorite stew." Karina Braun's voice was bright, almost singing with enthusiasm that seemed out of place in their usually somber home.

Reiner padded toward the kitchen in his damp socks, leaving small wet footprints on the wooden floor. His mother stood at the stove, stirring a pot with focused determination. The steam rose in wispy tendrils, fogging the small window above the sink. She didn't turn to look at him as he entered.

"How was training today?" she asked, adding a pinch of something to the pot.

"It was..." Reiner's voice came out rougher than he intended, weighted with exhaustion. "It was long." He sank into one of the kitchen chairs, his muscles aching in protest.

"But productive, I hope?" Karina continued stirring, her back still turned to him. "Commander Magath must have been impressed with your performance today."

Reiner stared at his red hands resting on the table, at the way the skin had been rubbed raw between his thumb and forefinger. "We had to run drills in the rain. Ten miles with full gear, then target practice."

"And? Were you the best?" Now she turned, wooden spoon in hand, her eyes bright with that familiar intensity that made his stomach twist. "You were the best, weren't you, Reiner?"

He swallowed hard, thinking of Marcel's perfect shots, of Porco's faster running time, of Annie's flawless hand-to-hand combat techniques. "I... I did well, mother. Commander Magath said my aim has improved."

Karina's expression flickered, the enthusiasm dimming just slightly. She turned back to the stove, her movements more rigid than before. "Well, but not the best? Reiner, we've talked about this. You need to be the best. Do you understand how important this is?"

"Yes, mother." The words felt heavy on his tongue, well-worn from countless repetitions.

"The other candidates, they're not working as hard as you are, are they? They don't understand what's at stake." She began chopping carrots with sharp, decisive movements. "If you become a Warrior, if you inherit one of the Titans..."

"We'll have privileges," Reiner thought, the familiar mantra echoing in his head. His mother's voice continued, but it had become background noise, mixing with the sound of the rain against the windows and the bubbling of the stew.

He looked down at his hands again, at the angry red marks that would surely turn to blisters by morning. His mother hadn't noticed them. She hadn't noticed his soaked uniform either, or the way he winced when he sat down. Her eyes were fixed on a future she had crafted for them both, a future that seemed to grow more distant with each passing day of training.

"Are you listening to me, Reiner?" Karina's sharp tone cut through his thoughts.

"Yes, mother. I understand." He forced himself to meet her gaze. "I'll work harder tomorrow."

Her expression softened slightly. "That's my boy." She turned back to her cooking. "Now, go change out of those wet clothes before dinner. We can't have you catching a cold and missing training."

Reiner pushed himself up from the chair, his muscles protesting every movement. As he walked toward the stairs, his mother's voice followed him: "Remember, Reiner, this is for both of us. For all Eldians. We must prove ourselves worthy."

The stairs seemed steeper than usual as he climbed them, each step requiring more effort than it should have. The words he wanted to say stuck in his throat – about the pain, about the fear.

In his small room, Reiner carefully peeled off his wet uniform, hanging it over the back of his chair to dry. The mirror on his wall reflected a tired face that looked older than its eight years, with dark circles under the eyes and mud streaked across one cheek. He could still hear his mother moving around in the kitchen below, humming now as she finished preparing dinner.

"She has her own problems," he whispered to his reflection, repeating the words he told himself every day. He thought about the way she worked long hours at the factory, about the whispers and sideways glances she endured in the streets, about the dreams she had given up long ago, and about father.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Reiner began to massage his aching hands, trying to work some feeling back into his fingers. The rain continued to fall outside his window, creating patterns on the glass that reminded him of the tears he wouldn't allow himself to shed. Tomorrow would be another day of training, another day of trying to be the best, another day of carrying his mother's hopes on his young shoulders.

He lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling where water stains created abstract patterns. The smell of stew wafted up from the kitchen, along with the sound of his mother's humming. It should have been comforting, this moment of peace in their small home, but all Reiner could feel was the weight of expectations pressing down on him.

"Just a little longer," he whispered to himself, though he wasn't sure what he was waiting for. To be the best? To inherit a Titan? To make his mother proud? The goals seemed to shift and blur like the shadows on his wall.

From downstairs, his mother called, "Reiner! Dinner's ready!"

"Coming, mother!" '

Reiner jolted awake, a sudden rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins as he gradually realized that the icy grip of water had invaded his senses. As he struggled to regain his bearings, he couldn't help but shiver uncontrollably, the coldness penetrating every nerve and fiber of his being. The chilling sensation was intensified by the fact that his once warm and comforting clothes now clung to his body with a discomforting tightness, exacerbating the feeling of vulnerability he experienced in this unfamiliar, frigid environment. Drawing breaths that seemed to freeze the moment they escaped his lips, Reiner could see his exhalations suspended in the air, a visual representation of the bone-chilling coldness surrounding him. The icy water enveloping his entire form seemed to drain every ounce of warmth from his body.

The one time he had felt something similar was when Marley had left all of them in the snow with barely any clothes because they wanted to see how the Titan healing would help them. Reiner remembered that day better than he wanted. It had taken quite a while for Reiner to get used to the cold temperatures.

As Reiner glanced around his confined space, the presence of iron bars enclosed him. Sitting on the frigid, unforgiving floor, he was acutely aware of his imprisonment within this grim cell. His attention shifted downwards, where his gaze fell upon the remnants of his legs, now reduced to two amputated stumps. In their stead, cold, unyielding metal plates had been affixed, securely strapped with chains to ensure the wounds would not heal. This cruel and calculated measure effectively prevented Reiner from utilizing his regenerative Titan abilities to regenerate his lost limbs. Despite the passage of time, a relentless yet faint, piercing pain persisted.

As the seconds ticked by, fear pervaded every inch of his body, spreading like a relentless cold chill, sending shivers down his spine. The sensation was so intense that it caused his skin to crawl, creating an unsettling discomfort within him.

Desperate to escape the frigid surroundings, Reiner attempted to lean forward in search of freedom. The chain tightly bound around his right arm prevented him from moving further, leaving him feeling trapped and helpless.

Driven by a growing sense of panic, Reiner turned his attention to his left arm, hoping to find some semblance of control or reassurance. However, as his gaze fell upon his left side, a bone-chilling shock coursed through his very core. To his astonishment, he discovered that his left arm was no longer there, replaced instead by a stark, raw stump where once his limb had been. The realization was a disorienting revelation that sent waves of unease cascading through his trembling being.

Reiner was overwhelmed by fear and anguish, and cold sweat dripped down his face, amplifying his sense of dread. With every thudding beat, his heart seemed to constrict, creating a suffocating sensation in his throat. Adding to the torment, the searing pain intensified throughout his body, mercilessly reminding him of his severed arm and legs. As he attempted to move, the burning agony only grew more excruciating, as if flames licked at his torn appendages. Each movement exacerbated the suffering, reopening his already closed wounds and causing the crimson liquid to flow profusely, staining his garments in a vivid shade of red.

"HELP!" In a state of crippling terror and sheer desperation, Reiner's anguished cry for help resounded through the room, echoing a haunting plea for salvation. Frantically writhing on the cold, unforgiving floor, he mustered every ounce of his dwindling strength to break free from his confinements. However, the unyielding chains firmly clamped around his right arm seemed embedded in solid steel, rendering all his struggles futile. A wave of despair washed over him as the realization sank in - not only was his arm bound, but the rest of his limbs were inexplicably missing, leaving him utterly defenseless and at the mercy of an unknown tormentor.

Reiner exerted every ounce of strength in his upper body as he leaned forward, determined to break free from the confining chains that bound his right arm. With teeth clenched tightly, he strained with all his might, longing to separate his limb from the unyielding grip of the wall. Unfortunately, his efforts proved futile, as the unrelenting chains refused to relinquish their hold. The agony coursing through his body escalated, intensifying the torment he already endured.

"AAAAHHHHH!!" Reiner screamed out in excruciating pain, his agonized voice echoing through the air. Convulsing with sheer determination, he strained every muscle in his body, desperately attempting to liberate his trapped arm from the unyielding grip. However, his efforts proved futile as the vice-like pressure around his wrist only intensified, gradually constricting his circulation. The numbing sensation began to spread, starting from his fingertips and creeping up his hand. Simultaneously, the excruciating pain mercilessly surged through his entire arm, escalating with each passing second.

Reiner's emotions overwhelmed him, tears streaming down his cheeks. The pain surged through his body, intensifying with each passing moment, but in that moment, he disregarded the potential consequences. It didn't matter to him if his hand was torn away from his body; anything was better than the torment he was enduring. Desperation fueled his desire to flee this wretched place, but his hopes were crushed almost instantly. A forceful kick connected with Reiner's face, further compounding his suffering and shattering any glimmer of escape.

Reiner felt an excruciating impact as the back of his head forcefully slammed against the unyielding wall, sending a shockwave of searing pain throughout his skull. Alongside this sharp agony, he became acutely aware of rivulets of warm, sticky blood steadily trickling down from the open cut on his forehead, gradually obscuring his vision and staining his face crimson. Despite the overwhelming discomfort and chaos unfolding around him, Reiner desperately strained to focus his blurry sight on the perpetrator who had inflicted such a blow upon him. However, as his dizziness intensified, the figure before him inexplicably multiplied into two, then three, morphing and melding together like an unsteady mirage. As his consciousness rapidly slipped away, a cold, suffocating darkness swallowed him whole, enveloping him in its unforgiving embrace.

.

.

"Next time we see each other, I will be the Hero of the World. And all three of Us will Live Happy Together."

With a mix of trepidation and caution, Reiner slowly pried open his eyelids as if harboring a hidden fear of what his vision would reveal. His gaze fixated upon the severed limbs that had once been his powerful legs, and a profound sense of dread washed over him. Yet, to his immense surprise, a sigh of relief escaped Reiner's lips, for he discovered that the anticipated agony was noticeably absent. Despite the macabre and unsettling sight before him, Reiner couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude that his body remained numb to any torment.

Reiner remembered what had happened, what Annie had done, and how they all were defeated. Reiner wondered if Bertholdt was nearby. The mere thought of seeing his friend brought a faint smile to his lips.

"It's all my fault. We should have returned," Reiner murmured under his breath, overwhelmed by feelings of guilt and regret. In that brief moment, a flood of memories engulfed him, and he vividly recalled Marcel's name with deep sorrow. Marcel, the one who should have been alive on that fateful day instead of him, haunted Reiner's thoughts. As he reflected on the past, Reiner could almost hear Marcel's anguished scream echoing in his ears, intensifying the weight of his remorse. The image of blood gushing through the air flashed in Reiner's mind.

As Reiner closed his eyes, what he had told his mother many years ago replayed in his head, over and over again, the words she had told him, the promise of a life where they would be one big happy family. Yet, all had been for naught.

"Your father is proud of you, Reiner. He says that we can reunite once you become an official warrior of Marley," Reiner remembered his mother's words, and he wondered since when his mother's words meant so little. She had lied to him; Reiner knew her dream of living together was just that, a dream. Reiner wondered whether his mother had known all along, or maybe she, too, had been living a dream this whole time.

Reiner didn't know anymore. He took deep breaths, trying to think of a way to escape, when a voice cut through the silence like a blade.

"No one will help you,"

For a brief moment, Reiner wondered if his ears were playing tricks with him, but when he heard the sound of the door of his cell unlocking, his heart skipped a beat. In the darkness, his adrenaline surged, urging him to lift his head up and survey his surroundings. Squinting his eyes, the dim light filtering into his cell made it difficult to see anything beyond its confined space. However, Reiner's senses were heightened as he narrowed his gaze upon a figure standing just in front of his cell. The figure appeared to be of below-average height, but his features were shrouded in ominous shadows. The tension in the air thickened as the figure took a deliberate step forward, causing Reiner's heart to race with anticipation. Suddenly, the torchlight flickered to life, illuminating the mysterious figure's face, and in that instant, Reiner's heart filled with recognition. It was none other than 'Captain Levi' of the esteemed Survey Corps.

Reiner's eyes, reflecting a mix of apprehension and fear, met the frigid gaze of Levi's steel-grey eyes. However, the exchange's intensity proved too much for Reiner to bear, prompting him to avert his gaze and break the connection. His attention quickly shifted as he caught the subtle sound of the cell door being unlocked, filling the small room with an air of anticipation. Anxiously, Reiner directed his focus toward the cold, hard floor. The suspense grew, each step becoming louder and more distinct until they ceased abruptly. A feeling of dread consumed Reiner as a pair of dark boots materialized right in front of him, casting an ominous shadow over his vulnerable form.

"Tell me how does it feels to be surrounded by filth. Must feel like home for you," Levi's sharp voice cut through the tense air, his eyes narrowed with accusation as he confronted Reiner. Unable to meet Levi's gaze, Reiner kept his eyes fixed downwards, a mix of shame and defiance etching across his face. But his avoidance was short-lived, as Levi's hand swiftly snaked its way into Reiner's unruly hair, forcefully gripping it with a vice-like grip. The pain shot through Reiner's skull, making him groan involuntarily, his physical discomfort mirroring the emotional torment Levi aimed to draw out. With an unyielding force that demanded undivided attention, Levi compelled Reiner to finally look at him, to face the consequences of his actions, however repulsive they might be.

"Tell me, Reiner Braun, I want answers. Are you willing to give them to me?" Levi's voice cut through the tension, his tone laced with a mixture of determination and impatience. Feeling the weight of Levi's unwavering gaze, Reiner found himself unable to meet it directly, his eyes darting to the side in a futile attempt to avoid the intensity emanating from his interrogator. As Levi's glare bore into him with an unyielding potency, Reiner gulped nervously, fully aware that not even Commander Magath's most withering glare could compare to the pressure he now faced.

Reiner heard what Captain Levi wanted but knew the man was toying with him. Reiner remembered Annie's betrayal, how she had turned against them; Reiner felt a burst of anger just at the mere thought of her. Everything would have been fine if she had just kept quiet. Bertholdt wouldn't be in a cell, probably getting tortured. It was all her fault.

You would have killed Marco, a voice echoed in Reiner's head, making Reiner shudder, remembering Marco's face full of fear, begging him to stop.

"Hasn't Annie already told you everything?" Reiner questioned as he finally glared back at Levi. His words caused Levi to narrow his eyes at Reiner, but Reiner didn't back down this time.

"She's yours now. I know by this point you have already asked everything you could. I see no reason why she would keep anything to herself," Reiner continued as he clenched his teeth. A part of him wondered if he had been too harsh on Annie or perhaps the guilt; Reiner didn't know which one it had been, but Reiner knew one thing. He regretted.

"Why are you wasting your time with me? Admit it. You're here to humiliate me and beat me up. If that's all you want, then why waste time asking questions? Just get on with it," Reiner's voice reverberated with an overwhelming combination of anger, fury, and fear, a volatile mix that seemed to consume him entirely. As his tirade reached its crescendo, punctuating his words with intense emotions, the weight of his emotions became too much for him to bear alone. The moment he fell silent, Reiner's heaving chest demanded oxygen, prompting him to take deep, labored breaths in a desperate attempt to regain composure. Levi relinquished his grip on Reiner's hair. With nothing to anchor him, Reiner's face collided harshly with the unforgiving concrete floor.

His senses were momentarily overwhelmed as Reiner lay amidst the putrid stench of mud and blood. However, any semblance of discomfort quickly faded into insignificance as Levi's soft yet resolute voice reached his ears. "You're right," Reiner's attention was abruptly diverted as a swift, powerful kick landed forcefully upon his face. The impact propelled his forehead forcefully against the unyielding wall behind him, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

Reiner, overwhelmed by excruciating pain, couldn't help but let out a piercing scream that echoed through the air. His nose had been brutally shattered, causing profuse bleeding that stained his face crimson. Driven purely by instinct, Reiner desperately reached for his nose, hoping to somehow alleviate the agonizing throbbing, only to realize his right arm remained firmly shackled. His attempt to relieve his suffering became futile in a cruel twist of fate, leaving him utterly defenseless as Levi menacingly drew nearer. Blood droplets trailed behind each step, staining Levi's black boots.

"How does it feel knowing you killed a quarter of a million people, men, women, children, and babies? I'm sure you're proud of it, aren't you?" Levi cut through even the thickest tension with his words and questioned Reiner in a cold voice. His voice, devoid of any warmth or sympathy, seemed to freeze the air around them, making breathing almost difficult. Reiner, feeling the intensity of Levi's gaze piercing through his closed eyelids, squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to block out not just the physical presence of Levi but also the weight of his cutting words. The pain from the pressure of his tightly shut eyelids began to throb, but even that physical discomfort could not distract him from the emotional turmoil coursing through his veins. Despite his best efforts to shield himself from the inevitable, tears uncontrollably welled up. They streamed down Reiner's cheeks, each drop silently conveying the deep-rooted pain and guilt he tried so desperately to hide.

Reiner's senses were overwhelmed with the haunting echoes of their voices, piercing through the air with cries of anger fueled by deep-rooted resentment and overwhelming despair. As he sat there, an eerie scene unfolded before his eyes as if a cruel play was being enacted before him. The faces of the innocent, those nameless victims whom he had unknowingly doomed when the gate was broken, materialized within his mind's eye. Distorted and contorted, they became a feast for the insatiable Titans, devoured by grotesque creatures with an insidious hunger. The weight of guilt and remorse intensified within Reiner as he was confronted with the grim aftermath of his actions and the irreversible consequences that plagued his every waking moment.

Reiner simply lay there, broken. He didn't even hear Levi leaving the room and the door closing. The silence engulfed Reiner, who couldn't keep himself from thinking about all the people he killed.

Four Days Later

Is it night or day out there? Reiner wondered as he looked at the impenetrable darkness of his tiny, gloomy cell. The absence of natural light had disoriented him to the point where he couldn't even distinguish between day and night anymore. Sleep had been evading him for hours, and he had lost count of the number of times he had unintentionally dozed off and woken up. As he stared into the abyss of his confinement, Reiner couldn't help but question if the world beyond those cold, unforgiving walls had completely forgotten about his existence. The thought of his mother, who had always been his pillar of support, now forgetting about him filled his heart with anguish.

They had dug a small hole beneath Reiner, where he could drop his shit since no one was willing to free him from the cell so he could go to the toilet. As for his piss, well, the smell on his pants was terrible, and it only got worse the more time passed.

Reiner could hardly handle the immense urge to vomit that had been plaguing him. However, he reminded himself that this would be the fourth time he would have thrown up on this very day. As he pondered this, he realized his stomach was utterly devoid of anything left to expel. Even with an empty stomach, Reiner did not experience any feelings of hunger. It was as if his body had lost all interest in food. Every meal that was offered to him tasted bland and unappetizing; it was akin to force-feeding himself a mouthful of gritty sand.

Reiner found himself pondering the activities and fate of Bertholdt. The uncertainty of whether his comrade was still breathing filled his mind, making him consider the grim possibility that Bertholdt might have met his demise at the hands of their enemies. Alternatively, there existed a glimmer of optimism within Reiner as he contemplated the notion that Bertholdt might have managed to elude capture, potentially securing his freedom against all odds. The mere thought of his friend successfully evading their adversaries ignited a flicker of hope deep within Reiner's chest. However, before this hope had a chance to bloom fully, the sound of echoing footsteps reverberated through the air, emanating from the sturdy iron door nearby. This sound shattered Reiner's fleeting sense of expectation, extinguishing the flame of hope as reality forcibly intruded upon his thoughts.

Reiner mentally prepared himself for yet another one of those dreaded 'talks' with Levi and the crazy lady. However, as he steeled himself for the impending discussion, he couldn't help but notice a distinct alteration in the atmosphere. This time, alongside the usual heavy footfalls of Levi, he registered the presence of several additional pairs of footsteps approaching. In an instant, realization dawned upon Reiner, realizing that not only Levi but a multitude of others were converging towards him for this conversation.

With a heavy weight on his chest, Reiner briefly wondered if this moment marked the inevitable end. In a desperate attempt to steady his rattled nerves, he sucked in a deep, trembling breath, feeling the cool air fill his lungs, only to be quickly expelled as the door swung open before him. His heart thrummed in his ears, the rapid palpitations lending a sense of urgency to each passing second. An overwhelming dread took hold of him, coercing his gaze downward towards the worn, faded floor as if afraid of the encounter that awaited him.

The creaking sound of footsteps echoed ominously, announcing the arrival of an unseen presence before abruptly ceasing, followed by the receding steps that ushered an unwelcome visitor out. The finality of the clanging iron door reverberated throughout the small, desolate room, its resonating echo mirroring the solemn blast of a resounding horn.

With his heart pounding in his chest, Reiner anticipated the presence of either Levi or the crazy woman. However, to his profound disappointment, not a single sound broke the eerie silence that enveloped him. The utter absence of any noise felt like a suffocating weight on his senses, causing a surge of frustration to course through his veins. Feeling increasingly desperate to break the oppressive stillness, Reiner's voice emerged from his parched throat, gravelly and fatigued, as he timidly posed the question that echoed through the desolate space, "W-who's there?"

"Reiner,"

The voice, eerie and haunting, pierced through the stillness of the cell, causing Reiner's heartbeat to accelerate uncontrollably. As if compelled by an invisible force, his trembling hands instinctively turned to fists, feeling the coldness seep into his desperate fingers. Slowly, he mustered the strength to lift his face, his eyes meeting an unforgettable sight.

There, mere a meter away from him, stood Eren Yeager, his presence emanating an aura of seething anger. The once vibrant green eyes that Reiner had known so well now glimmered with a fiery intensity, their gaze penetrating deep into his soul. It was a stare that conveyed not just a desire for retribution but a deep-rooted fury that seemed to transcend human boundaries.

In that overwhelming moment, Reiner felt a chilling realization consume him. The consequences of their past actions were now catching up to Reiner as he became acutely aware that his time had run out.

He understood that Eren's visit was not mere happenstance but a calculated move to ensure a long-awaited revenge. The gravity of the situation settled deep within Reiner's core as he braced himself for the repercussions of the choices he had made.

At that moment, a myriad of emotions swirled within Reiner's heart - regret, fear, and resignation. He had played a significant role in the series of events that led Eren down this path of vengeance, and now he would have to face the consequences of his actions. The end was inevitable, the retribution undeniable.

Reiner could no longer deny the truth in the confines of that cell. Eren Yeager had arrived to kill him.

"I will destroy all my enemies,"

Reiner remembered what Eren had promised that day; Reiner noticed everyone else behind Eren: Armin, Mikasa, Krista, Ymir, Captain Levi, and the Crazy Woman.

Reiner didn't pay attention to them; instead, he focused solely on Eren.

"Eren, have you come to do it? Are you here to take your revenge?" Reiner, desperation evident in his defeated expression, directed his questioning gaze towards Eren, wondering if he had indeed arrived with the intention of carrying out a particular task as the dimly lit space cast a veil of shadows.

"'I will destroy all my enemies,' you said it yourself. What are you Waiting For? Kill Me!!" Reiner shouted as he struggled against the chains around his arm. Reiner expected Eren to lash out, to open the cell, and do the deed. Instead, Eren was quiet.

"What are you waiting for?" Reiner shouted with anger, frustration evident in his voice as he desperately sought a reaction from Eren. Eren, once again, remained eerily silent, his stoic demeanor sending chills down Reiner's spine. With a creaking sound, the heavy door of the cell slowly swung open.

In that moment, Reiner took a deep, shuddering breath, desperately trying to gather the strength to face his imminent demise. His mind raced with memories of battles fought and lives lost, and he steeled himself for what he believed would be his final moments. With clenched fists and closed eyes, Reiner braced himself for the release of death, expecting to feel the sharp sting of a sword piercing through his skull. Time seemed to stand still as Reiner's anticipation mingled with the lingering fear and regret that shadowed his every thought.

Reiner, plagued by guilt and remorse, whispered the plea, Mother, forgive me, knowing that his time had finally come. However, instead of the expected response, a peculiar sound disrupted the eerie atmosphere – the faint noise of a chair being positioned close by. A wave of bewildered curiosity washed over Reiner as he opened his eyes, only to be greeted by a perplexing sight. With an emotionless visage but eyes burning with intense fury, Eren had seated himself directly in front of Reiner, his imposing presence sending chills down the latter's spine.

"Tell me, Reiner, do you have someone waiting for you at Marley?"

The words caused Reiner to gasp in shock. For a moment, he wondered how Eren knew about Marley, but he quickly understood that it must have been Annie, the one who told them the truth.

"I-I do," Reiner finally answered, his voice quivering with a mixture of fear and uncertainty as he looked down at the cold, barren floor beneath him. Slowly, tears welled up in his eyes, shimmering with raw emotions that threatened to spill over at any moment. However, amidst the welling anguish, a glimmer of hope emerged in his trembling voice as he added, "My mother, she's waiting for me." The thought of his mother's unwavering support and love provided a flicker of solace, a reminder of the warmth and comfort he longed to return to.

"Tell me, Reiner, do you think your mother is more important than mine, more important than the thousands of people you killed?" Eren questioned, his voice lacking any emotions.

Reiner didn't know what to say to that. He had no answers to that; he wanted to say something, but all he felt was the guilt he had felt for so long. "You know, during our training as Cadets, Bertholdt was shy and tried hard to ignore people, either out of guilt or because he didn't want to make attachments with the people he would kill one day." Eren started, his normally vibrant green eyes gleaming, taking on an almost ethereal glow amidst the cloak of darkness as if reflecting the magnitude of his emotions at that very moment.

"But you, Reiner, you became friends with all of us, with me. There wasn't a single cadet that didn't see you as the 'Big Brother' of everyone. Yet, just as you laughed with us during the day, you were planning how to kill all of us during the night." Eren's poignant words pierced through Reiner's soul, causing him to choke back a sob and forcing him to confront the gravity of his sins. The weight of his actions pressed heavily upon his conscience as he grappled with the overwhelming guilt of betraying those he had come to care for so deeply. Reiner desperately fought to push aside these painful thoughts, to drown out the haunting echoes of his malevolence, and to find a way to make amends for the irreparable damage he had inflicted upon both himself and his comrades.

"Tell me, Reiner, you and Bertholdt were the first people I told what happened that day. Tell me, how did you have the guts to look me in the eyes and tell me that you felt 'Sorry'? You have been here for five years now. You knew you were lied to about the Devils of Paradis. Yet, you still destroyed the outer gate of Wall Rose, killing many friends who saw you as the 'Big Brother' and many others. Tell me, Reiner, did you feel happiness when you saw fellow cadets getting eaten?" "NO!!" Reiner shouted, with a pleading look, as he quickly looked up at Eren. He couldn't handle it anymore, the words, the guilt, tears streaming down his face as he swallowed a sob.

"I-I wanted to become a Hero," Reiner cried out, his voice quivering with a mix of longing, regret, and anguish. Tears streamed down his face like cascading droplets of sorrow, leaving traces of his shattered dreams. Each teardrop fell relentlessly, plummeting towards the cold, unforgiving floor.

"And you become a Hero by killing thousands of innocent people?"

"I always wanted to prove to everyone that I could do something. I wanted Us to be a big happy family, for my mother's dream to be fulfilled, but it was All a Lie. My father never wanted Us. He never wanted Me. I was simply an accident." Reiner screamed out as he sobbed. In a desperate attempt to halt his emotional eruption, Reiner fought against his uncontrollable sobs, but the torrent of words emerged relentlessly from his quivering lips, impossible to restrain.

Reiner's gaze shifted downwards, fixating on the intricately patterned floor beneath his feet. In the midst of his internal turmoil, his voice trembled with vulnerability, the cracks revealing the weight of his words. The room was enveloped in a quietude, only interrupted by the whispers that escaped his lips. With each utterance, Reiner's words etched a deep sense of regret into the air as if he were confessing a profound truth that he had long buried within. "I was never supposed to come. I Was never supposed to get the Armoured," he confessed, his voice barely rising above a mere breath. The admission hung heavily in the stagnant air, a testament to the unexpected burden he bore.

His remorseful tone intensified as he continued, the words carrying the weight of his perceived unworthiness. "I wasn't fit to have it," he admitted, his hushed voice tinged with self-doubt and disillusionment. Reiner's eyes eventually found their way to Eren.

"When Marcel was eaten, Annie and Bertholdt wanted to return, to abandon the mission, to go back to Marley, but I changed their minds." Reiner cried out as he looked up at Eren's widening eyes.

"It was my fault that your mother got eaten by a Titan. I was the one that convinced them to attack the Walls. If you want to Punish someone, to kill someone, kill me! I-I don't want to live like this," Reiner cried out with absolute despair and anguish, his heart sinking as the weight of those words escaped his lips, only to be met with an intense cry of uncontrollable rage from Eren. The sound seemed to reverberate through the air, fueling the fire within Eren as he swiftly unleashed a powerful punch directly toward Reiner's face.

The impact was brutal, sending shockwaves of pain through Reiner's entire body as his forehead collided forcefully with the unyielding surface of the Wall. The excruciating pain surged through every nerve ending, flooding him with deep agony. However, before Reiner could even recover from the brutal blow, his torment was doubled as Eren clenched onto the fabric of his tunic, refusing to let go, and relentlessly continued his assault, striking him over and over with unrelenting force, hitting him again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again...

"Eren, stop," As Mikasa forcefully pulled Eren away from Reiner, Armin's desperation became evident; he cried out, desperately pleading for Eren to stop. Reiner, who had become immobile, remained lying motionless on the ground, his head showing no signs of movement. Reiner's breaths were visible, and heavy steam emerging from his blood-soaked head served as an eerie confirmation that despite his seemingly lifeless appearance, he was indeed alive.

"Enough, Yeager. We are leaving," Levi ordered sternly, looking at Eren with slight disapproval for losing his control. Usually, he would berate a soldier for losing control like Eren just did, but he knew learning what Eren just learned would make everyone lose control, so he decided to let this one slide.

Eren saw Reiner's eyes looking back at him; Reiner was still crying despite the beating. "Reiner, I told everyone that day what my objective is. I will destroy all my enemies. All those who dare to threaten my freedom and this island's freedom. I don't care whether it is Marley or any other country. I will protect my Home."