Chapter 57 Suffering

The ground exploded outwards as Historia's Titan blasted into existence. Crystal shards showered the sky as clouds of steam billowed from the earth. A monstrous form rose from beneath. Skin failed to stretch over the large form, as the flesh beneath ripped apart the body from the inside. The body was distorted in proportions, with large powerful arms pulling a slim torso and half formed legs. Ribs were visible beneath the flesh of the creatures' chest, save for the lowest pair that tore free from the body, white bone glinting in the sunlight as it was freed from the crystal cavern beneath the ground.

Ymir was alive to witness it all, her Titan form thrown free by the explosion to crash down onto the grassy plains. Her body was damaged from the landing, but it was healing quickly as she watched helplessly as the one she loved moved now as a monster.

Further away on the grass, was the mess of Marti's body. She was alive, back broken from the impact onto the earth as she watched her vengeance rise. She watched with a smile on her face as she saw her revenge made manifest. She had avenged her family, their deaths laid at the now monstrous feet of her husbands' bastard daughter.

Historia's Titan form crawled out from the cavern, useless legs dragging across the ground behind her as the creature moved towards Marti. Historia's own Titan was marred by a smile, twisted and almost pleading as it gazed down upon the two survivors. To Marti, the smile was as sinister as the girl had been. A faux innocence for the pretty and small girl, hiding the sneering and conniving girl within. To Marti, Historia had been a reminder of her husbands duplicity, and she had arrived to steal away Frieda like that whore had stolen her husband. To Marti, Historia was evil.

But to Ymir…

She saw that smile for what it truly was. It was the smile that Christa had worn so many times. The false face she put up to protect herself, to hide away as the girl inside suffered. Historia's smile was so pained, so heartbroken, and so sorry about what she now was. Ymir felt she could see the girl inside, see the pain and suffering she was going through. It all felt so… wrong.

Was this world truly so cruel? So unjust? An innocent light of life such as Historia, a girl so many times a victim, now crushed once again just as she had a chance to live for herself. As herself for once. More than that… they had both lost their chance together. Their chance for an actual relationship. The wonderous first date, the romantic dinners, their first big argument, and their entire chance for a future together…

So much potential together… stolen away.

Historia's Titan dragged itself across the plains, moving towards the two survivors with thunderous yet slow movements. Historia in her Titan pulled away, but Marti was unable to move as Historia approached. She didn't scream, or beg, or show any fear at all. Instead, Marti glared daggers at Historia as the Titan came near.

Marti's final moments were spent seething in hatred as she watched Historia lean towards her, mouth opening wide around the paralysed woman. Large and dripping teeth came around Marti, snapping down and tearing the woman to bloody shreds. Gore exploded outwards as Historia killed the one who transformed her.

Ymir felt no satisfaction as she watched Marti die, only deep sadness as she watched Historia continue to be consumed by the creature that she had been turned into. Historia's Titan turned its eyes onto Ymir, and soon Ymir found herself having to flee from her once lover as the monster came towards her.

With a hungry mouth chasing her, Ymir ran for her life with crying eyes. Weeping over the murder of the one she had loved.

"FIRE!"

Cannon fire boomed as the Military Police shredded apart the rooftops of nearby buildings. No more Scouts were caught in the blast, but they were pushed further and further back as the MP's destroyed each sliver of cover they could. The MP's that followed marched in orderly lines, muskets firing in volleys to suppress and kill any of the Garrison soldiers unfortunate enough to be caught in the open.

No Scouts pursued the opening, knowing it was little more than a false opportunity. Others had tried in the past, only to be cut down by waiting MP marksmen or reserve volleys. Despite their apparent advantage however, no Military Police soldier dared to move beyond the safety of the palace, their last foothold of defence.

The bodies of their brethren lay scattered across the ground where their first defence had failed, as had their attempted counterattack. The Garrison may not have been as organised, nor as well armed, but they were far more numerous. It left the battlefield a bloody stalemate, with the ground contested between them littered with the dead of their brethren.

Among them, lay Connie.

Sasha was still staring at him, still disbelieving of what had come to pass. She hadn't seen when it had happened, as she like so many others had scattered when the cannon had prepared to fire. Instead, she had only seen him after.

She had screamed then.

In anger, in horror, disbelief… she hadn't fully known which. Perhaps it was all of them. Being forced into waiting though, being forced to sit and look at his body as they were unable to move anywhere else, that had solidified what she was feeling.

Shame.

She felt as if Connie had died alone, that she had not been there to watch his back as he had hers so many times. Others had tried to pull her away, to tell her to rest or to not focus on him. Their words were dull mumblings in her ears. All she could hear was Connie's silent accusations, his blame on her for not doing what she was meant to.

She knew the others were all suffering like she was. Her comrades, those who had called him friend, and especially Jean. Connie's life had been entrusted to him, and he felt like he had failed that. He hid it well, keeping everyone focused on the threats still present. But Sasha had seen the slips of the mask, the despair behind his eyes.

Maybe it was because he had thought she didn't see him, that she was too distracted by Connie. Or maybe it's because he was focused on him instead. She had seen the looks he'd sent towards their dead friend. It was so very similar to her own.

Sasha returned her focus to her fallen friend, the closest one she'd ever had. Once again, the world seemed to go blank to her.

"Bring those rifles to the eastern hall, and make sure those doors are getting locked and barricaded."

Bernhard was a season commander of the Military Police, past middle age and with a lifetime of running drills and putting down protests. It had been a long time since he had been made commander of the Mitras Military Police. The position may have been somewhat small for a man of years, but it's prestige and demand had been anything but. Each of his predecessors had been among the best of the best, and Bernhard was no different.

He had never once slacked in his duty, in ensuring the highest level of discipline within the palace walls and on their grounds. He had without realising it, readied himself and his men for a day just like this one.

It was why he knew without a doubt, that their situation was near critical.

"If we don't bust out of here soon then we'll have to beat those traitors out with clubs alone."

The gunpowder they had in stocks was a rapidly dwindling amount. For safety reasons, the primary stocks of gunpowder had been kept out of the main palace structure, in an area now firmly in the hands of the Garrison.

They had their own ammo of course, along with some smaller supplies inside the palace, but they were burning through ammo at a tremendous rate. Soldiers were firing off volleys at every Scout that twitched, and cannons were firing every time the Garrison made a single step closer.

The soldiers were panicking, and morale was low in spite of their fierce defence. A mutiny of this scale was… unimaginable.

"Well well well, what a sorry bunch of snivelling cowards do we have here."

Bernhard jerked towards the voice, hand gripping his musket hard in reflex before he forced it to relax. He had recognised the man's drawl before he even saw him, but the sight of Kenny Ackerman still sent a chill up his spine.

"What are you doing here? Why haven't you said anything before now?"

The man kicked at the ground in mock innocence, a sarcastic tone on his lips as he spoke.

"Well gee, I'm real sorry about all that. I was looking at one of the paintings in the room down the hall, real interesting stuff you got in here. Heard there was a commotion about, so I figured I'd come lend a hand if you wanted it. But if not…?"

He made a show of pretending to leave, but Bernhard was already relenting to the man's desire for attention. He had come dressed in his armour, the kind he had seen others in that secretive first interior police squad wear, though interestingly he had ditched the guns. Instead, a standard set of blades were strapped to his side.

"Is anyone else coming? Any other reinforcements? We… we need you and the others if we're going to drive the Garrison back."

Kenny smirked in a prideful satisfaction.

"Bad news my friend, it's just me. But I wouldn't be too worried, I don't think these boys and girls are gonna pose too much trouble."

A blast ripped through one of the front windows, a cannonball fired right through their defences.

Bernhard was against the wall instantly, leaning just enough to look outside and see the cause. The first of several cannons had been set up in the distance, the others still being moved into position and loaded as the first had fired.

"They've taken the cannons from the walls…" He muttered. "Wall Sina is lost to us then, we're on our own."

The men around him were beginning to waver, looking to him questioningly as he pondered whether to give the order to surrender or not.

"Don't go losing your head there commander," Kenny said as he approached the man. "This fight ain't over yet."

A knife flashed from Kenny's hand, a slice across Bernhards throat as he fell back bleeding. It was quick, but it was deep, and despite how he tried to clutch his throat and stem the bleeding Bernhard knew that he was a dead man.

Kenny paid him no mind as he swivelled on his feet and turned back to the rest of the soldiers in the room, focussing especially on those who had now aimed their rifles at him.

"Gentlemen please… I want you to ask yourself something. What are you?"

The soldiers who dared traded hesitant glances between each other and their dying officer.

"Are you cowards? Traitors? No. You are the men and women of the Military Police. The best of the best. All here sworn to defend your rightful King."

Kenny was not one for speeches, and he truly doubted anybody was going to care about their duty and loyalty at this stage, especially after he had just killed their commander. No, what Kenny actually cared about, and what he felt they would care about, was something much simpler…

"The traitors are at your doorstep. The men and women of the Garrison and Scouts, here to kill you and sack your capital so that they can proclaim themselves the strongest, proclaim themselves your betters… But I know that's not true. You know that ain't true. So the question you gotta ask yourself is… are you really, about to let these no good rotten traitors, storm your home? Kill your brothers and sisters? Spit on your pride?"

There were mumblings of no, small but growing.

"Are you about to fail today? Are you gonna wait here to die like the sheep they say you are? Or are you gonna fight?"

The rumblings grew stronger.

"Fight, kill, break those little bastards who dared to come here! Fuck those slimy cretins! Fuck every gutless piece of shit out there that want to step on you and your legacy!"

One roared out in agreement. Then another, and another. Within moments, the crowd were beginning to rise in their tempers. Bernhard breathed his last as Kenny fanned the fires of rage.

"Come with me and drive these fuckers out of your palace!"

Kenny pushed the doors open, letting the light shine inside as he was greeted with the shocked expressions of the Garrison soldiers. He revelled in their bemused panic as the soldiers' raised guns and hurried with their loading of the cannonball.

The cannon was loaded, fuse inserted, and fired within moments, round shot soaring straight for Kenny. He dashed forwards to meet it.

His fist came up to strike it, the metal orbs disintegrating into dust as it failed against his mighty blow. Kenny didn't miss a step as he sped towards the Garrison soldiers, panicked gunfire missing as he weaved between each shot. When he closed within a few metres he drew his swords, leaping forwards to begin slicing at everything within reach.

Blood spurted from chests, necks, limbs, everything that was available for Kenny to strike as he cut a bloody path through the crowd of enemies. MPs came charging out of the front door at the same time as the first red flare was fired.

By the time the Garrison had fired off the second and third round, Kenny had killed almost three dozen soldiers. The last sight that so many saw was his wide and wicked smile as he set to work. He felt amazing, unstoppable as he cut down men and women alike. To think that he had once thought the Titans the pinnacle of mankind's potential power.

As he continued his race through the soldiers, his senses pricked as figures approached towards him. From over the top of the rooftops, Garrison soldiers rushed towards him. Their Ki was much higher than the rest, less than his but with clear signs of Ki training.

Four came towards him, two on either side and with swords held ready to strike. Kenny kicked free the man currently embedded on the end of his sword and launched himself up towards the two on his left.

A Ki blast soared towards one, who managed to barely smack it away as Kenny struck his partner. Swords clashed quickly, but Kenny held a clear advantage in speed as the two fought. In the few short moments it took for the man's allies to support, Kenny put a blade into his chest.

He threw the man towards his friends, a cry of anger from one of them as they caught him. The other two moved swiftly, a man and a woman as they flanked Kenny instantly.

Their attack for a brief moment, did manage to catch Kenny off guard. Their speed and training together made them natural comrades, moving perfectly in sync as they fought him. Sadly as they fought, Ian quickly recognised it would not be enough.

Ian and Rico traded blows with Kenny as they waited for Mitabi to join the fight. When Ian struck however, his blades passed right through Kenny's afterimage, leaving the elite team leader open for Kenny to strike back.

A sword swipe took his arm, followed by a kick that flung him away as he screamed out in pain. Rico gasped, anger filling her body as she dashed towards Kenny, a flurry of blades strikes clashing against his swords. One slipped through his defence, bouncing off of one of his metal plates.

In turn, one of his blades slipped through her defence. With his enhanced strength against her enhanced durability, he stabbed into her inner thigh and severed an artery. He hopped backwards, dropping all guard as she took a step towards him before staggering.

She fell to the floor quickly, gripping her thigh in faint horror as blood spurted free.

As she dropped entirely, Mitabi struck back against Kenny. The man toyed with him at first, batting away his blades before delivering a series of punches against the man. When he broke Mitabi's nose, he followed up with an arm lock around his throat. The sickening crunch as he broke Mitabi's neck could be heard even over the roar of the battle.

He let the body drop to his feet, moving on casually even as he side stepped a weak swipe from Rico on the floor. When he reached the edge of the rooftop, he spied his target.

Leaping over towards where Pixis was waiting was simple. The man and his entourage were close to the battle to keep it monitored, though they had doubtlessly thought themselves far enough away to be safe.

"S-stay back!" One man yelled, drawing his swords with panicked and shadowed sunken eyes.

He wasn't part of Pixis' personal team, in fact Kenny briefly recognised him as being one of the captains from the Trost counteroffensive. Captain Woermann, he remembered, one of the main soldiers who had almost tried to have Eren Jaeger killed after his transformation had been revealed. He'd read that report with quite some interest.

It seemed the man had found a pair of balls since then.

"I'm warning you! You are ordered to surrender immediately, or face-"

The captain exploded. Smoke trailed from the body where Kenny's ki blast had hit him, his amusement at the man's sudden bravery quickly cut short.

The commanders team screamed in panic, some grabbing their own swords but hesitating to draw. The commander himself however didn't seem scared in the slightest. Instead, the man seemed resigned, without fear entirely.

"Sir! What are you doing!?"

The female escort by his side shouted in fear, her hand still white knuckle gripping the blade in her sheath.

"Stand down Anka. This is my duty now."

Pixis himself was not armed, and so he bent down to pick up the sword that was laying in the slack palm of Captain Woermann's dismembered hand. He gripped the blade with both hands, a wave of nostalgia coming over him as he did so.

It had been quite some time since he had used a blade in training, let alone actual combat. Looking over the blasted remains of his subordinate, he wasn't expecting to actually put up much of a fight. Still…

"I'm curious what you think this will change." Pixis asked the man who had butchered his way through his forces.

Kenny cocked his head. "Now just what the hell is that supposed to mean? Way I see it, this battle here is just about over."

"Then perhaps you should take another look."

Pixis pointed his head towards the fight, and Kenny indulged him by looking backwards at it. The fight he saw was a bloody one, with soldiers engaging in brutal melee combat with volleys of muskets being fired off and men and women dropping left and right. It was also, quite the foregone conclusion as he could already tell.

The Military Police that had followed his charge out the palace were surrounded on all sides. Kenny may have killed quite a few of the Garrison soldiers, but he hadn't actually cared about any strategic fight, simply enjoying the rush of the killing. As a result, the Garrison was not nearly as disorganised as the MPs would have hoped and were being surrounded quite effectively. With the Scouts beginning to arrive in turn as reinforcements, their skill with the blade and their enemy in the open was showing just how dangerous they truly were.

"Hm." Kenny muttered apathetically at the sight of it all. Truly, he could not find an ounce of sympathy within himself to care. "Well they did their job as a fun distraction after all."

Maybe if they had been his team then… He turned his attention back to Pixis, still standing ready with his blade.

"Then it seems I must do mine as well." Pixis tightened his body as he prepared himself to strike. Kenny simply laughed as he raised one blade in taunt.

"Last I checked Pixis," came a voice from behind, "you're job was to command, not to fight."

A figure broke through Pixis' command group. Walking steadily forwards with blades drawn and ready to fight.

"Captain Levi?" The commander asked, genuinely surprised to see the man present. "Why are you here?"

"Overheard your order to the Garrison headquarters in Stohess." He explained without taking his eyes away from his former mentor. "Erwin is assisting there, I took a horse and rode as fast as I could to help out here."

"It's certainly appreciated." Pixis dropped the bloody blade as Levi continued coming closer. "I'm not much of a fighter. I believe that will be your job now…"

"Well well well, look who came crawling back for round two." Kenny smiled down at Levi as he stepped past Pixis, the older man stepping back and away from the fight.

"No more goons to back you up Kenny, you're mine." Levi glowered at the man, his hands gripping the blades so tightly they were close to breaking.

"Hahaha. Looks like you're just as eager as me boy, well then COME ON!"

Kenny exploded towards Levi who raced in likewise. Their swords clashing between them, sparks flying as metal scraped against metal.

Unlike their first match, Levi wasn't going to be limited by any potential threats from Kenny's companions. As such, Levi was very willing to play a little more directly to try and win this fight. His swords cut through the brick floor and sent dust flying up into the air, blocking him from view temporarily.

"That won't work smart ass!" Kenny sneered from behind the dust cloud. "I can still sense your energy."

Two blades came slicing through the dust towards Kenny, his eyes widening as he reflexively smacked them away. Levi leapt through the cloud with two new blades from his sheath, slashing away at Kenny to press his advantage whilst he had him on the backfoot.

"Clever little shit aren't you!" Kenny growled between clashes of the sword.

Levi smashed his blades against Kenny's and held, pressing to overpower the man as they fought against each other. "I've had long enough to think on just how I'm going to kill you!"

"Unfortunately for you…" Kenny shifted his feet slightly. "So have I."

Kenny twisted and sent Levi flying through the air. The Ki blast that came towards him was dodged in time, however when it exploded against the building nearby the two of them, a rain of debris showered over Levi and blinded him briefly.

Kenny was on him in an instant, swords flying and mixing with all manner of kicks and attacks. Kenny may have preferred a knife, but he was every bit of a natural with the sword, and Levi knew it.

One of Kenny's raised feet came stomping down onto Levi's, breaking two of his toes in a sickening crack. When he was shoulder barged away, Levi stumbled slightly as he retook his stance, wincing from the pain of his broken toes. Kenny knew it of course, which was why he followed up with a small barrage of Ki blasts that had Levi diving around desperately in an attempt to dodge them all. The pain only growing worse as he danced with his wounded foot.

So focused was Kenny that he almost didn't notice the figures diving towards him. His first warning was the slight shadow that crossed over his eyes, before he turned to see the Scout coming down at him with blades mid-swing.

Jean may not have had it in him to kill the first time but seeing the death of his friend had driven all hesitation out of him. He swung with all of his strength, two swords shattering apart as they hit Kenny directly in the face. His only reward was two slight scratches on his cheek.

A kick to the ribs broke bone but sent Jean flying away from the fight as the rest of his team struck. Armin attempted to spear Kenny through from behind, whilst Sasha and Mina went low to try and take his feet out from underneath him. All three of them failed.

Armin's sword hit a solid wall of Ki and muscle as it came to an abrupt halt. Kenny elbowed him in the face as he turned his attention towards the two girls instead. Mina and Sasha's sweeping kicks hit Kenny's ankles with no effect. Kenny pivoted and brought a foot down onto Mina's knee, cracking it as the girl screamed in pain.

Sasha managed to back up and tried another kick towards him, aiming for his face this time. Kenny blocked the hit with hand free from his blade, instead holding a knife that he drove into her thigh.

He twisted the knife and drew her closer, her scream pitching higher as he did so. As he drew her face to face, he sneered at her pained expression before his own eyes widened and he suddenly lunged her away.

His hands flew to his blades, and he brought them up just in time to block the rapid flurry of sword strikes against him. They were lightning fast, but he managed to protect himself from each strike, countering with a wide swipe that had his attacker soaring high up into the air before landing far out of reach. The scouts pulled themselves away as they saw the new arrival landing by Levi, blades in her hand and a fierce glare in her eyes.

Mikasa, had arrived.