Things went So Sideways

Bang!

The sound echoed through the shimmering caverns as Levi's squad headed toward the source of the noise. Sources from Nath…. No, the new king, Levi thought, gave them the location of the ceremonial ritual in the cavern below the Reiss chapel. It was a sight to behold, enormous crystal-like pillars, endlessly going, if they weren't in a rush, Levi might have gotten entranced by them. Others seem like they were.

"Be alert! We may be going into an ambush. Easy to do in here."

Most nodded, acknowledging it, others still were entranced by the beauty of the cavern but still went along, avoiding slamming into the pillars.

Coming across the group was a sore sight to behold. Kenny, as usual, was crazy. He was grinning with a feral smile on his face, gun still pointing at the bleeding pulp that was once the King within the Wall's head, it wasn't a pretty sight.

"Eren, you alright?" asked Levi as he came to a stop.

"As much as one could be, how about you?"

"Coup went through, just need to wrap this bloody end up."

With his ODM sword, he pointed to Rod's bleeding corpse, unwavering, then slowly towards Kenny and his MPs.

"Woah woah woah their boy," dropping the gun to the floor, cracking it, Kenny shook his hands out in mock surrender, "I was the one, the one that let'em free....," pointing towards Eren and Historia, "....killed the crazy son of a bitch too. He's gone off the rails."

Levi looked at him like he was lying even though the rest of his group had their heads pointed down to the ground for the most part, seemingly emotionally scared by their time with the former king. Historia rushed up, grabbing Levi's arm.

"It's true, my father did go off the deep end, talking about a paradise to keep, no matter the cost."

Levi looked at Kenny, silently asking him a question, with Kenny answering in return.

"What happened to Uri and then Frieda," shaking his head, "It best is that the founder lies not in a royal, but within in the boy Levi. Trust me, the king would know, that's why he never took up the burden, that coward!" Kenny spat on the still-bleeding corpse.

"Well then," said Petra, "We can clear things up more on the surface, but has anyone seen the secondary objective, the bag of dubious medical things?"

"This?" asked Kenny, holding up the said bag.

"Yep!"

"This was Rod's personal collection. Stuff for Titans." bringing the bag up towards Levi's arms.

"What stuff?" asked Levi.

"Oh, things to transfer power, boo...….shit!" A vial marked PURE started to slip out of the bag, Levi watch as he could do nothing as it broke open on Rod's head.

Lighting shoot forth from his head, and steam arose quickly from it also.

"B-b-b-b-b-boy" muttered Rod, "I-I am-am coming home."

His body glowed like Eren's during transformation, the rush of steam sent everyone flying back, some slamming into the pillars.

It didn't help that the ceiling started to collapse as Rod's titan started to break free from the cavern.

"How? You were dead fucking bastard!" shouted Historia.

"Got no time before we die so," Kenny, surprisingly awake and with the bag undestroyed.

"Celling will collapse on us soon, so here boy," he shoved a vial labeled ARMOUR into his hands.

"What's…" Eren stuttered over the roar of steam and fire.

"Something that will let us live, just swallow and transform, that's all I know now."

Was it poison, a last gamble from the king, Eren did not know. He glanced at the dying Scouts, some burning from the heat in the cavern, others being crushed like grapes in front of him. He knew his time would come soon either way, so might as well with a bang. He swallowed the liquid, tasting steel...….

RRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!