Beginnings | Attack on Titan Alternate History Novel | Book One

Chapter Twenty-Two: Clash

Pastor Nick of the Order of the Walls stood in front of his flock, raising his arms as the stained glass of his church shone down into the room, painting it a brilliant rainbow of colors.

"Brothers and Sisters!" Nick exclaimed. "Let us pray for the continued strength of saints Maria, Rose, and Sina! May they stand firm! Their grace is a manifestation of our good-faith... We give thanks to the light of the Divine Architect! He whose wisdom is the mortar; whose sublime love for His creation is the steadfast stone! He and he alone protects us from the Titan scourge in proportion to our worship! Verily... Innocence and obedience are all He asks--!"

His church collapsed around him as Nick watched his flock get crushed under Annie's giant body.

Eren growled, standing over Annie as steam flowed from his mouth.

"Eren!" Armin shouted as they looked in shock at the display.

"No!" Nick gasped in shock, barely avoiding being crushed as well. "Impossible!"

Eren rushed forward as Annie sat up, wiping the corpses of the people in the church off her hands.

Annie turned, beginning to run away as Eren followed suit.

"Dear God!" Nick cried. "Please! Not the Wall! Stay away!!!"

Hans, Mikasa, Armin, and Hange followed suit as Eren ran by them, the wind almost knocking them off their feet.

"Well I dare say it looks like our boy's in control of himself this time," Hange observed

"Yea," Armin agreed. "Still, though... there's no guarantee this will turn out any differently than their last meeting."

"I don't know about this," Hans commented. "I was there last time, Annie kicked straight through his head!"

"Come on," Jean rebutted. "He wouldn't have transformed unless he knew he could take her out this time. He's got this ok?!"

Hans smiled at Jean, it was nice to see him believe in Eren.

"I don't doubt that," Armin said. "But determination alone isn't enough to win a fight. You of all people should know that."

Jean sighed in response.

"It'll take more than that to beat Annie," Armin continued. "A lot more."

Annie ran into an open area, making their gear obsolete.

"Split into two teams and go around!!!" Hange ordered.

They split up covering the area while they watched the fight.

Eren continued chasing Annie, running at her like a rabid dog.

People screamed as they were crushed under their feet.

Hans looked in horror.

Is...

Is all this death worth it?!

Doubt swept over him.

Annie turned around, dragging her arm against a building, slowing her down, and sending soldiers flying out of it to their deaths.

Eren and Annie stared each other down, awaiting the other to make the first move.

Annie lifted her arms preparing to fight.

"Annie," Eren growled to himself as he stared at her. "Always so cynical... Like every little thing around you was pointless. Nothing worth a second look. Every now and then though, I could see through the act... Especially when you were showing off your fighting skills. Maybe hand-to-hand combat didn't count for squat against our final grade back at the academy... But to you? It was a different story altogether. Yeah... about that much at least. It was obvious you were a liar. Fighting's your whole world, but what exactly are you fighting for? What could possibly have been worth all this death and destruction?!"