Hello, Drinor here. I'm happy to publish a new Chapter of Attack on Titan: A Warrior of Devils
If you want to Read the Following TWO Chapters, Search 'Patreon.com/Drinor' on Websearch
Or go to Patreon and Search Drinor
Chapter 29 and Chapter 30 are already available for Patrons.
Flashback
' As they started removing their ODM gear, Jaime was unbuckling his straps when the muscular one suddenly barked, "You! I know you!"
Jaime paused. The man's eyes were locked on him with a look too familiar to ignore, though Jaime couldn't place the face.
"You're Kenny's brat," the man said, stepping forward. His boots scraped against the stone floor. Jaime's right hand crept toward the handle of his knife.
Just my luck, Kenny, Jaime thought, keeping his face blank.
"Kenny? Never heard of him. Who is he?" Jaime asked, tone dry.
The man snarled. "Same purple eyes. Same damn stare. Kenny murdered my brother. Military Police never forgot."
Shit. Jaime's fingers curled around the hilt, but before he could draw, the man lunged. A heavy punch crashed into his cheekbone, and the world tilted sideways.
He hit the floor hard, pain blooming across his face. He tried to roll, but the man was already on him, grabbing both his wrists in one crushing grip and slamming him back down.
Jaime bucked against him, twisting and thrashing, but the man's body was like iron, his weight pinning him. The pressure on his neck tightened—air grew thin.
"Jaime!!" Ymir's voice echoed—high, terrified. A gun pressed to her temple.
The man leaned in, breath sour. "These girls yours? I'll take my time with them."
Jaime choked. Annie! His limbs strained. Move!
"Jaime! Fight! Don't give up!" Annie shouted, her voice echoing in his ears like a bell.
Something snapped. Jaime surged upward with sudden strength, breaking the hold. His hand shot to his knife, and he buried it in the man's neck. The blade punched through, hot blood spraying across his face.
The man twitched, then sagged. Jaime shoved the corpse aside and rose, chest heaving.
Across the room, another man leveled a gun at Ymir.
Without pause, Jaime snatched the knife from the corpse's throat and hurled it. The blade flew straight and fast, embedding itself in the gunman's skull with a dull crack.
.
.
Flashback
"You helped me, Annie. Thank you." Jaime said with a beautiful smile, looking at Annie, who seemed puzzled.
"I did?"
"Yes, I don't know, but...when that man was holding me down, your voice. It gave me strength to free myself." Jaime said with the most sincere voice he had ever had, and his hand clasped Annie's soft hand. "You saved my life, Annie. Thank you."
.
.
Flashback
"W-what are you doing?" she asked, her voice unsteady.
"Everyone needs a hug every once in a while." He answered with a teasing smile.
She giggled against his shoulder, the tension in her chest loosening as she leaned into him. His body was warm, solid. She hugged him back, arms slipping around his waist, wishing the moment would last longer. But slowly, they pulled apart.
Their eyes met—close, unblinking. She could feel his breath against her skin, light and steady. So she did the only thing she wanted to do.
With a smile gracing her lips, she reciprocated his words, "I like you, too." As the words lingered in the air, the world seemed to fall away. Their lips met, soft at first. A pulse of warmth rushed through her chest. Her fingers found their way into his hair, sliding through the soft strands. A quiet moan escaped her lips, surprising even herself.
His arms wrapped around her back, drawing her closer. The taste of him lingered—familiar and new all at once. When they finally pulled away, her face was flushed, lips tingling. But she didn't shy away this time.
"Wow. That was wonderful." He said, breathless. His hand remained at her side, not quite letting go.
"Yes." Annie still felt the ghost of his kiss. A part of her craved it again. And she didn't need to ask.
Jaime kissed her again. She climbed into his lap without hesitation, laughing softly as their lips found each other once more. This time it was deeper, slower, but more urgent. Her hands clung to his shoulders as if she could pull him closer still.
Eventually, they had to breathe. They pulled away, her chest rising and falling, her lips still parted.
"For your birthday. I wrote a song for you. Do you want to hear it?"
Annie nodded right away. She loved his voice. She slid off his lap and sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.
He didn't hesitate.
"Like the scarlet night veiling the dark
You can hide your fear
Can lie, my dear
Keep dreaming
Spread your blood-stained wings
Like a Fallen Angel
Falling and driven by the winds of time
Into the starry night
Like a Goddess, embrace me for eternity
Fly into heaven
What's the lie
What's the truth
What to believe
In my life
See the flowers breathing in the rain
Try growing to the edge of light
It's so far away to reach out to the sky
I'll seize, I'll seize the roses with my wings
We'll fly
Like a Fallen Angel
Falling and driven by the winds of time
Into the starry night
Like a Goddess, embrace me for eternity
We'll fly away
We'll find a way
You can hide your fear
Can lie, my dear
We'll see the end
We'll be the end
Embrace me for eternity
Fly into heaven
I'll protect you." '
Flashback Ends
...
The forest floor felt cold beneath him, but nothing compared to the ice spreading through Jaime's chest as he stared at the blonde hair, the crystalline blue eyes that he loved so much. Annie. His Annie. The girl he'd shared almost everything with, the girl whose lips were soft and proved her heart was just as soft, who'd warned him not to play hero, who'd kissed him like the world was ending.
Because maybe it was.
Jaime blinked once. Twice. A dozen times, hoping this was some twisted nightmare brought on by too much adrenaline and not enough sleep. She was not supposed to be here. Noooo...Noooo....She....She is supposed to be inside the walls....Not here....Why her?.... Why couldn't it be anyone else?
But she remained there, steam still rising from her rapidly healing wounds, looking at him with those damn eyes that had made him fall in love with her in the first place.
This can't be real. This has to be some sick joke.
Memories crashed through his mind like a dam bursting—their first meeting when she'd looked at him like he was an annoying insect, the way her face had softened when he'd made her laugh for the first time, that perfect moment when she'd finally let him kiss her. But now those memories felt poisoned, tainted by the image of her massive Titan form crushing his fellow Survey Corps members like toys.
A sharp pain lanced through his skull, and suddenly he wasn't in the forest anymore. He was back in that room in the Underground, starving, the taste of desperation bitter on his tongue, taste of blood and meat... he could see him again... dead on the ground...Arthur...what was left of his right arm rotting away...Jaime's mouth was chewing.
Nonononono, not again...I don't want to go back there....Nonono.
The metallic flavor of blood filled his mouth as more images flashed—Kenny's rough hands pulling him from that hellhole, the first time he'd killed a man, the way the light had left his eyes—
"Jaime."
Her voice cut through the chaos in his head like a blade. He snapped back to the present, focusing on her face. She looked... concerned? How dare she look concerned?
"Why?" The word came out as a croak. His throat felt raw, like he'd been screaming. Maybe he had been. "Why did you come out of that thing?"
Stupid question. Obviously, she came out because I cut her out. Think, you idiot.
But even as he berated himself, he could see her wounds knitting themselves back together with unnatural speed. Her arms, which he'd severed completely during their fight, were already mostly reformed. The sight made his stomach churn.
"Stop," Jaime growled, his hand tightening on his blade handle. "Stop healing, or I'll cut your arms off again."
Fear flickered across her features—actual fear. Good. She should be afraid. She'd betrayed everything, everyone. She'd betrayed him.
But she didn't answer his question. Just stared at him with those blue eyes that had once made him feel like he could conquer the world.
"ANSWER ME!" The words tore from his throat with enough force to make his vocal cords ache. Tears burned behind his eyes, and he hated himself for the weakness. "Why are you here? Why are you doing this? Why—" His voice cracked. "Was it all a lie?"
The silence stretched between them like a chasm. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely a whisper.
"It's not a lie."
The admission hit him like a Titan. If she'd said yes, if she'd laughed and called him a fool, maybe it would have been easier. But this? This made everything worse.
"I love you," she continued, and each word was a knife twisting in his chest. "That was never a lie."
"Then why?" Jaime dropped to his knees beside her, his anger giving way to desperation. "Why kill our comrades? Why do this?"
"I don't have a choice." Her voice was flat, emotionless, but he caught the slight tremor in her hands.
"What do you mean you don't have a choice?" He leaned closer, searching her face for answers. "Everyone has choices, Annie. We all make them every day."
She turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. "I was a fool. This—us—it should never have happened."
The words hit him like a titan's fist to the gut. His heart, already cracked, shattered completely. She was right there, close enough to touch, but she might as well have been on the other side of the walls for how distant she felt.
Marco. Think about Marco.
The memory of finding his body came rushing back—half-eaten, propped against a wall in a position that had never made sense. The way his ODM gear had been removed so carefully, like someone who knew how it worked had done it. Someone trained. Then he remembered Annie's words to him the night before the Colossal Titan attacked Wall Rose.
"Tomorrow. It will be five years since the Colossal Titan attacked Wall Maria. If something happens. Please be careful."
Her words to him before the Expedition.
"Do not play Hero."
She must have known, Jaime concluded, there was no way it was just a very good guess.
"The Colossal Titan," Jaime said slowly, watching her face. "The Armored Titan. You know who they are, don't you?"
She flinched, just slightly, but it was enough. The confirmation he'd been dreading settled in his stomach like a stone.
"This doesn't have to end this way," he said, forcing his voice to remain steady. "You can still be one of us. You can help us, help us—"
"Don't be stupid." Annie's laugh was bitter, harsh. "You know that's not how this works. If they capture me, I'll be tortured for information and then executed. There's no happy ending here, Jaime."
"You attacked us!" The words came out harsher than he intended. "You killed our friends, our comrades. What did you expect would happen?"
"I know what I did." For the first time, her composure cracked slightly. "I know it was terrible. But I didn't have a choice."
"You keep saying that." He moved closer, close enough to see the unshed tears gathering in her eyes. "Why? Why didn't you have a choice? What aren't you telling me?"
Please. Please just tell me something that makes this make sense.
But she just shook her head, pressing her lips together like she was physically forcing the words back down.
"You can tell me anything," Jaime said softly, the same voice he had used so many times with her, a voice he had never used with anyone else, not even Krista. "You know that, right? No matter what it is, no matter how bad—"
"Just kill me." The words came out flat, final. "I've failed as a Warrior. Just... make it quick."
Warrior. Not soldier.
He was about to ask her what she meant when the ground beneath them shuddered. The familiar thunder of titan footsteps made his blood run cold. Jaime spun around to see three titans emerging from the treeline, their vacant eyes fixed on them with hunger.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit.
"Come on," he said, reaching for Annie. "We need to get to the trees—"
"I'm sorry."
The words stopped him cold. When he turned back, Annie was already moving, gaining distance from him, at least six meters away. He saw the glint of a blade in her ring, nearing her skin.
"Annie, don't—"
Golden lightning split the sky.
The explosion of light and heat threw him backward as Annie's titan form materialized where she'd been lying. Jaime fired his ODM hooks instinctively, launching himself toward the nearest tree as the three approaching titans closed in.
I can take them. Three against one, but I've faced worse odds.
He was already moving through the air, ready to kill one of the Titans, when a massive hand closed around his waist, trapping him mid-air. Annie's titan face filled his vision, those same blue eyes now magnified to inhuman proportions. Sadness radiated from her expression in a way that made his chest ache.
This is it. She's going to crush me like she did the others.
But instead of tightening her grip, her other hand shot out, punching through the mouth of the nearest titan with enough force to obliterate its nape. Steam erupted from the wound as the creature began to fall. Without pausing, she grabbed the second titan by the head and twisted, the sickening crack of breaking bone echoing through the forest, and then punched its nape. The third titan lunged at her back, but she spun and backhanded it so hard its head separated from its body entirely, destroying the nape as well.
Jaime stared at her, and there was no fear in his purple eyes.
"Why?" he called out, his voice barely carrying over the sound of dissolving titan flesh. "Why are you doing this?"
Her titan's mouth moved, and somehow her voice carried clearly despite the size difference. "I'm sorry, Jaime. But I can't let you interfere."
This is my End.
He expected her to crush him then, to end this twisted game once and for all. Instead, her free hand moved to his waist, carefully removing his gas canisters with surprising delicacy. The metal crumpled in her grip like paper.
"Do not play hero," she said, and he heard the echo of her human voice beneath the titan's rumble. The same words she'd spoken before the expedition. A warning he'd ignored.
With impossible gentleness, she lifted him to the highest branches of the tallest tree in the immediate area. Her grip loosened, and he found himself standing on a thick branch, without gas, he could not use his ODM Gear. He was stranded, sixteen meters high, and then she turned away.
"Annie, wait!" Jaime called after her, but she was already moving, her massive form crashing through the forest toward the center of the formation. Toward Eren.
Damn it. Damn it all to hell.
He patted down his uniform frantically, looking for anything that might help. He only had four more blades, his gas was gone, and he was stuck in a tree like some kind of oversized cat. But his fingers closed around something solid in his breast pocket—a flare gun.
Jaime pulled out the gun and checked the cartridge. Green—the all-clear signal. Not exactly what he needed, but it was better than nothing. If he could get someone's attention, maybe they could—
Wait.
He thought about Captain Levi, about the way his eyes had gone cold when he'd talked about traitors during their training sessions. If he found Annie, he wouldn't hesitate. He'd cut her down without a second thought, and honestly? She probably deserved it.
She killed Elena. She killed those soldiers in the village. She's going after Eren.
But even as he tried to work up the righteous anger he should be feeling, all he could see was the sadness in her titan eyes when she'd looked at him. The way she'd said "I'm sorry" like it was being torn out of her soul.
I don't know what you are trying to do, Annie, but one thing I know for sure. I cannot allow you to take Eren, no matter what, I will not allow you to take our only hope, Jaime thought as he raised his hand high and pulled the trigger.
Eren Yeager
The Special Operations Squad thundered through the Forest of Giant Trees, their horses' hooves pounding against the earth in a rhythmic cadence that echoed between the massive trunks. The ancient trees rose like cathedral pillars around them, their canopy so dense that only scattered beams of sunlight penetrated to the forest floor.
Eren rode in the center of the formation, his knuckles white as he gripped his reins. The weight of unanswered questions pressed down on him. Around him, his squadmates maintained their positions, but he could see the tension in their postures, the way their eyes darted nervously through the shadows between the trees.
"Captain Levi!" Eren called out, his voice carrying a note of desperation. "We're sitting ducks out here! How can we protect the supply convoy if we can't even see the Titans coming?"
Captain Levi rode at the head of their formation, his expression as unreadable as ever. "Stop complaining about things you already understand," he replied curtly. "Obviously, the situation has changed."
"Then why—"
"Look around you, brat. Look at these large ass trees." Levi gestured at the towering trees surrounding them. "Perfect terrain for ODM gear. If you want to survive, start thinking instead of whining."
Eren bit back his frustration, noting how even his experienced squadmates seemed as confused as he was. Petra's usually confident demeanor showed cracks of uncertainty, while Oluo kept glancing around as if expecting an attack from any direction.
The sharp crack of a signal flare cut through the air behind them, followed by the distinctive black smoke that meant only one thing.
"Abnormal Titan approaching from the rear!" Gunther shouted, looking back through the trees.
"Everyone, draw your blades," Levi commanded, his own sword appearing in his hand with practiced ease. It will soon show its ugly face."
The sound that reached them next made Eren's blood run cold—the familiar hiss and clank of ODM gear, followed by a sickening crunch. Through the gaps in the trees, they caught a glimpse of a Survey Corps soldier being caught mid-air by an enormous hand. But instead of the wet sound of crushing bones they expected, there was only the metallic snap of destroyed equipment before the soldier was carelessly tossed aside.
"Move! Now!" Levi barked.
The Female Titan burst through the treeline like a force of nature, her fifteen-meter form moving with terrifying speed. Her blonde hair flowed behind her as she pursued them, and when her crystalline blue eyes locked onto Eren, something shifted in her expression—a desperate intensity that made his stomach churn.
"She's gaining on us!" Eld called out, his horse straining to maintain their pace.
"At this speed, she'll catch us before we reach the clearing!" Petra added, fear creeping into her voice.
More Survey Corps soldiers attempted to intercept the Female Titan from the flanks. Eren watched in bewilderment as she grabbed them from the air, destroyed their gear, and cast them aside—alive but helpless.
"Wait," Petra said, her voice filled with confusion. "She's not killing them."
"That doesn't make sense!" Gunther growled. "Why spare soldiers when she's been slaughtering everyone else to get here?"
"Captain, your orders!" Oluo demanded, his usual bravado replaced by genuine urgency.
"We should engage her now!" Eld insisted, his hand moving to his blade triggers. "Before she gets any closer!"
But Levi remained silent, continuing to lead them forward at breakneck speed. The Female Titan was close enough now that they could hear her breathing.
"Captain!" Eren shouted. "What are we doing? We can't just keep running!"
Without warning, Levi pulled out a strange cylindrical device and aimed it skyward. "Cover your ears," he ordered.
The sound that erupted from the device was like nothing Eren had ever heard—a piercing, ultrasonic shriek that seemed to drill directly into his skull despite his hands pressed firmly over his ears. The Female Titan stumbled, crashing into a massive tree as the sound disoriented her, buying them precious seconds.
"Our mission," Levi said as they pulled ahead, "is to protect you at all costs. Not to engage every threat we encounter."
"But Captain—" Eren began.
"The situation hasn't changed," Levi cut him off. "We continue forward. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir!" his squad replied in unison, though Eren could see the doubt in their eyes.
"Continue forward to where?" Eren demanded, looking back to see the Female Titan already recovering. "She won't stay down for long! We're just delaying the inevitable!"
"Keep your eyes ahead!" Gunther commanded.
"Don't look back!" Eld added firmly.
"But why won't we fight?" Eren's voice cracked with frustration. "If not us, then who will stop her?"
"Because Captain Levi has given us orders!" Petra snapped. "If you can't understand that, then you're still thinking like a cadet!"
Eren's hand moved instinctively toward his mouth, the familiar urge to bite down and transform overwhelming his rational thought. He had the power to end this, to protect his friends—
"What are you doing, Eren?" Petra's voice was sharp with alarm. "You know the conditions for transformation! Have you forgotten your promise to us?"
"Eren, do you not trust us?"
"You're not wrong," Levi said quietly, his words carrying clearly despite the thundering hooves. "Do what you think is right."
The squad stared at their captain in shock.
"I can see what you really are," Levi continued, his gray eyes meeting Eren's. "A monster—not because you can become a Titan, but because nothing can truly contain your will to fight. The decision is yours."
Eren stared at his hand, torn between his desperate need to act and his growing trust in his comrades. The Female Titan was closing the distance again, her movements becoming more frantic as she pursued them.
"Choose," Levi said simply. "Trust yourself, or trust us. I don't know which choice is correct—I never have. But whatever you decide, make sure it's something you won't regret."
Behind them, the Female Titan grabbed another soldier from the air, destroyed his gear, and threw him away, her movements becoming increasingly desperate as she drew closer to her goal. Eren could see something almost human in her expression.
"Eren! Decide!" Levi pressed.
Clenching his jaw, Eren pulled his hand away from his mouth. "I'll trust you," he said firmly. "All of you."
The clearing appeared ahead of them, and suddenly Eren understood. As they burst into the open space, he could see the Survey Corps soldiers positioned throughout the trees, their equipment aimed and ready.
Commander Erwin's voice rang out across the forest: "Fire!"
Dozens of specialized harpoons shot out from concealed positions, trailing steel cables behind them. The Female Titan managed to protect her nape with her hands at the last second, but the rest of her body was pierced and pinned by the projectiles.
As the dust settled, revealing the trapped Titan struggling against her bonds, Eren finally understood the true scope of the plan.
"They were planning to capture her alive from the beginning," he breathed, amazement replacing his earlier frustration.
"That's the Survey Corps for you!" Oluo grinned, his confidence returning. "Still think we don't know what we're doing?"
Eren smiled despite everything. "No, sir. I understand now."
Jaime - Later
Jaime was not sure how long had passed since he fired the flare, and a part of him was thinking that no one had noticed his flare, and he was stuck here like a bird without wings, but after what felt like forever.
Jaime heard the familiar hiss of ODM gear approaching through the trees. He looked down from his perch on the highest branch, squinting through the dappled sunlight to identify the incoming figures.
Two soldiers swung between the massive trunks. As they drew closer, Jaime's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Captain Flagon?"
The grizzled squad leader landed on a thick branch just below Jaime's position, followed closely by Felix. Both men looked worse for wear—their uniforms torn and stained with Titan blood, exhaustion etched into their faces—but they were alive.
"Surprised to see me breathing, soldier?" Flagon asked with a wry smile as he secured his position on the branch.
Felix swung up beside his captain, shaking his head at Jaime. "We saw your flare and figured someone was in trouble. Didn't expect to find Purple Eyes playing bird in a tree."
"How—" Jaime began, then caught himself. "I thought you were all—the Titans, there were so many—"
"Rita didn't make it," Flagon said quietly, his expression growing somber. "But Sandra and I managed to take down enough of them to buy time for reinforcements. Mike Zacharius's squad arrived just as things were looking hopeless."
The news hit Jaime. Rita, who had joked with him about owing her a drink, who had fought so bravely beside him—gone. He'd barely known her, but the loss still cut deep. He remembered her, Saera, Marco, and so many others. All gone.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice thick. "About Rita. About all of it."
"Where's your gear?" Felix interrupted, noting Jaime's obvious lack of gas canisters. "And how the hell did you end up stuck in a tree?"
Jaime's mind raced. He couldn't tell them about Annie—not yet, not when he didn't even understand what was happening himself. "I was attacked," he said urgently. "My gas canisters were destroyed. I need one of yours."
Felix and Flagon exchanged glances. "Our orders are to patrol the outer perimeter," Felix said slowly. "Make sure no Titans breach the forest while the operation continues."
"I need to get to the center," Jaime said, his voice taking on a desperate edge. "Now. As soon as possible."
"The center?" Flagon's eyebrows rose. "The area's restricted to essential personnel only. Commander Erwin's orders are clearn."
"I have to be there," Jaime insisted, his jaw clenching. He couldn't explain that he'd discovered the identity of the Female Titan, couldn't reveal that someone he'd trusted—someone he'd loved—was the enemy. But he couldn't let her reach Eren. Whatever her reasons, whatever twisted loyalty drove her, she was still the enemy. And enemies had to be stopped.
Captain Flagon studied Jaime's face for a long moment, taking in the urgency. Slowly, he began unfastening his own gas canisters.
"Sir?" Felix looked puzzled.
"I don't know why you need to disobey direct orders," Flagon said as he handed the equipment to Jaime. "And I probably don't want to know. But you saved my life today—hell, you tried to save all our lives."
He paused, his expression growing pained. "If I'd listened to your tactical assessment from the beginning, Elena and Rita might still be breathing. So this time, I'm choosing to trust your judgment."
Jaime took the canisters with trembling hands. "Captain, I—"
"Just don't make me regret this decision," Flagon cut him off.
"I won't. I promise." Jaime said with a look of determination in his purple eyes. I won't let her catch me off guard again, as soon as this mess is over. I will get my answers, and maybe...Better not to think about it now.
As Jaime worked to attach the gas canisters to his gear, a sound split the air that made all three soldiers freeze. It was a roar. A scream of rage, pain, and desperation that seemed to shake the trees around them.
The sound came from the direction of the forest's center.
"What the hell was that?" Felix breathed, his face pale.
Jaime's blood turned to ice. He knew it was Annie; he had heard her talk, and Titans didn't usually scream, at least not like this, but why would she scream? What was the point?
Before either of his companions could react, movement in the forest below caught their attention. Titans—dozens of them—were streaming through the trees toward the center of the forest. They completely ignored the three soldiers in the branches above, and instead kept running towards the center.
"This is impossible," Flagon muttered, watching the parade of nightmares below. "Titans don't just ignore humans and why are they—"
He stopped mid-sentence, looking around frantically. "Where's Jaime?"
Felix pointed downward in horror. "There! He's riding one of them!"
Sure enough, Jaime had launched himself onto the back of a ten-meter Titan, using his ODM hooks to maintain his grip as the creature sprinted toward the forest's heart. He surfed along the monster's back, his purple eyes fixed on the path ahead.
"Has he lost his mind?" Felix shouted over the thundering footsteps below.
Captain Flagon could only watch as his subordinate disappeared into the depths of the forest, carried along by the very monsters they'd spent their lives fighting.
"I think he knows something we don't."
If you want to Read the Following TWO Chapters, Search 'Patreon.com/Drinor' on Websearch
Or go to Patreon and Search Drinor