The dawn came slowly over the enclave, the pale light creeping through the jagged ruins of the city. Eren stood at the edge of the training grounds, watching as the Arachnid Titans moved through their drills. Their massive, grotesque forms loomed over the landscape, their movements precise and mechanical. They were perfect soldiers—ruthless, obedient, and devoid of any sense of humanity. And they were the backbone of Titus's growing empire.
But for all their power, Eren couldn't shake the feeling that something was deeply wrong. The weight of his conversation with Futoria the night before still hung heavy on his mind. She had been right—everything they had done, everything they had sacrificed, was leading them further down a path they could never return from. And Titus? He was watching, waiting for one of them to break.
Eren had never doubted Titus before. The man was powerful, charismatic, and unstoppable. Under his leadership, they had torn through armies, obliterated civilizations, and built a new order out of the ashes. But now, standing on the brink of something even darker, Eren found himself questioning everything. Could they continue to follow a leader who demanded so much blood, so much destruction?
"Eren."
Futoria's voice broke through his thoughts, and he turned to see her approaching from across the training grounds. She looked tired, her face drawn and pale, but her eyes were hard with determination. Eren could see the fire in her—the fire that had once driven her to follow Titus without question, now burning with a different purpose.
"We need to talk," she said, her voice steady but quiet.
Eren glanced around, making sure none of the Arachnid Titans were close enough to overhear. "Now's not the time, Futoria," he muttered, his voice low. "Titus could be watching."
Futoria's expression darkened. "He's always watching, Eren. That's why we need to talk."
Eren sighed, glancing back at the Titans. "What do you want me to say? You know what we're up against."
"I want you to listen," Futoria said, stepping closer. "We can't keep doing this. We can't keep killing for Titus, destroying everything in our path. Look at what we've become."
Eren clenched his fists, frustration gnawing at him. "You think I don't know that? You think I haven't thought about it every single day since we started this? But what choice do we have?"
"We have a choice," Futoria insisted, her eyes burning with conviction. "We always have a choice. Titus has made us believe that there's no other way, but that's not true. We don't have to follow him."
Eren shook his head, his heart pounding in his chest. "And what then? We defy him, and he kills us. You've seen what he's capable of, Futoria. He'll destroy us both."
"Maybe," she said quietly. "But I'd rather die fighting for something I believe in than live like this."
Her words hit Eren like a punch to the gut. He had always known, deep down, that this day would come—the day when they would have to choose between their loyalty to Titus and their own survival. But now that it was here, the decision felt impossible.
"We can't take him on alone," Eren said, his voice barely a whisper. "We need a plan."
Futoria nodded, her gaze unwavering. "I've been working on that."
Eren's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?"
Futoria glanced around, making sure no one was within earshot. "The rebels," she said softly. "The ones who survived the last attack—they're still out there, and they're not giving up. I've been in contact with them."
Eren felt his heart skip a beat. "You… you've been in contact with the rebels? After everything?"
"They're not what Titus says they are," Futoria explained, her voice urgent. "They're not just scattered survivors. They're organized. They have a leader—a former general who used to serve under the old government. He's rallying people, building an army. And they want us to join them."
Eren stared at her, his mind racing. "Join them? Are you insane? Titus will kill us the moment he finds out."
"Not if we're careful," Futoria insisted. "This is our chance, Eren. Our chance to get out from under Titus's control, to fight back. We can't do it alone, but with the rebels, we might have a chance."
Eren's breath caught in his throat. Everything in him screamed that it was a terrible idea, that they were risking everything for a fight they couldn't win. But as he looked into Futoria's eyes, he saw something he hadn't seen in a long time—hope. Hope for a future that wasn't ruled by fear, by destruction, by Titus's iron fist.
And in that moment, Eren realized that he wanted that hope too.
"How?" he asked, his voice barely audible. "How do we do this without getting caught?"
Futoria's expression softened, and she took a step closer, lowering her voice even further. "We have to be smart about it. We can't just go running off to join the rebels—they'd never survive an all-out confrontation with Titus. But we can weaken him from the inside, undermine his forces bit by bit."
Eren frowned, his mind working quickly. "Sabotage?"
Futoria nodded. "Exactly. We have control of the Arachnid Titans. If we can disrupt their operations, make it look like things are falling apart, Titus will lose his grip on the region. It won't be immediate, but it'll give the rebels time to grow stronger."
Eren swallowed hard. "And what about the mission? The attack on the warlords?"
Futoria's eyes darkened. "We'll carry it out. But we'll make sure it doesn't succeed. If the warlords are strong enough to resist Titus's forces, they could become valuable allies."
The enormity of what she was suggesting hit Eren like a wave. They weren't just talking about rebelling against Titus—they were talking about orchestrating the downfall of his entire empire. It was a dangerous, near-impossible plan, but it was also the first glimmer of hope Eren had felt in a long time.
He nodded slowly, the weight of the decision settling on his shoulders. "Alright. I'm in."
Futoria's relief was palpable, her eyes softening as she smiled faintly. "We'll be careful. We'll do this right."
Eren glanced around the training grounds one last time, the sight of the Arachnid Titans reminding him of the danger they faced. "When do we start?"
Futoria stepped back, her expression hardening with determination. "Tonight. We'll begin by sabotaging the Titan production lines. If we can slow their numbers, it'll give the rebels a fighting chance."
Eren nodded, his mind racing with the possibilities. It was a dangerous game they were playing, but it was one they had to play if they wanted to survive. And for the first time in a long time, Eren felt like he had something worth fighting for.
That night, as the moon rose high over the enclave, Eren and Futoria moved silently through the darkened streets. The enclave was quiet, the remnants of the day's battle still fresh in the air. The Arachnid Titans were scattered throughout the city, their watchful eyes ever-vigilant. But Eren and Futoria had trained with them long enough to know their weaknesses, their blind spots.
Their target was the production facility—a massive complex on the outskirts of the city where the Arachnid Titans were created and bred. It was heavily guarded, but Eren and Futoria had studied the patrol patterns, knowing exactly when and where to strike.
As they approached the facility, Eren's heart raced in his chest. This was it—the moment that would change everything. If they succeeded, they could weaken Titus's forces, buy time for the rebels to organize. But if they were caught…
Futoria glanced at him, her eyes filled with determination. "Ready?"
Eren nodded, swallowing his fear. "Let's do this."
They slipped into the shadows, moving swiftly and silently toward the facility's main control center. The night was still, the only sound the soft hum of the machines inside. Eren's hands trembled as he reached for the control panel, his mind racing with the enormity of what they were about to do.
But there was no turning back now.
With a deep breath, Eren entered the override code, and the machines began to whir and grind to a halt. The production lines stuttered, the lights flickering as the system shut down. It was only a small victory, but it was the first step in a much larger battle.
As the last of the lights went out, Eren turned to Futoria, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and exhilaration. "It's done."
Futoria smiled faintly, her eyes gleaming in the darkness. "This is just the beginning."