God of Hate Chapter 28

AN This will be the last chapter for a several months, as I'm waiting to see Monsterverses "New Empire" movie in April before continuing. Not to mention "Minus One" is coming soon. In the mean time, I'm switching to "Eren the Usurper." Don't worry, I will return to this fic when the new movie comes out.

"What!?"

Hange flinched back as Mikasa slammed her hands on the table.

"You sent Eren and Grice outside the walls, alone?" Mikasa asked darkly.

"Yes, but not for an attack or anything!" Hange promised quickly before turning calm and serious. "There's been a development. Grice says his comrades, the ones mad from starvation? They're attacking the Shifters and their allies."

Jean furrowed his brow skeptically. "You sent Eren Yeager out on a scouting mission. You do realize that blockhead is just as likely to just try and take the fight to them."

Hange sighed. "We're aware of Eren's temperament, but we didn't have any options. It was either send them or do nothing."

"Why not just send Grice?" Armin asked curiously. "Isn't that what he has been doing for us anyway?"

"That is true," Hange admitted, fully aware that Mikasa's gaze was still displeased, if not outright pissed. "But several of the Crawlers have died. Eren, however, is much harder to kill. In the absolute worst-case scenario, we know he is almost guaranteed to make it back to Trost with the information."

"Wait, so...Eren is Grice's backup, basically?" Connie summarized.

"That's one way of putting it," Hange mused. "Trust me; this isn't how we wanted to do things. Commander Erwin's plans were to set out with Grice and Eren on the next Expedition. But this isn't something we can afford to ignore."

"She's right," Armin agreed, putting a hand on Mikasa's shoulder. "If they have a chance to bunker down, they'll be more likely to have a trap waiting for us."

Mikasa said nothing, taking a breath before turning to leave the room. Armin watched her leave in concern.

"Was there anything else, Section Commander?" Marco asked politely.

"No, no. You obviously don't have any giants to watch, so take this time to relax and recuperate, maybe help get your schedules in order. I heard you were still dealing with that," Hange offered. "That'll be all, we'll alert you when they've returned."

"Ma'am," Armin said with a nod as Hange left.

"I don't like this," Jean muttered with a frown.

"What, you worried about Eren too?" Connie asked in surprise.

"Not about that idiot," Jean grunted, rubbing his head. "Before it was bad enough against just Titans, but we might have to fight things like Eren and Grice, not to mention whatever weapons the people from outside the Walls have. And we only know how to fight against Titans."

Armin looked down, knowing Jean was right. Humanity within the Walls was largely relying on Eren and Grice now. Against the Shifters, they could adapt and fight, and other humans were simpler to fight against. At least practically, emotionally was another matter. But the RUTOs were another matter altogether, unknown and unstudied.

Armin's only sense of relief on that front was that Eren's golden reptile form was unique among what the Eldian Restorationists had turned into. Grice was nothing to ignore, but Eren was definitely the more dangerous of the two.

"Maybe they're still figuring it out?" Sasha suggested.

"That's kind of obvious," Connie said with a snort.

"No, you baldy! I mean, maybe they're still figuring out how to use all the information and other stuff the new queen gave away," Sasha pointed out, glaring childishly at Connie.

That was a good point, Armin concluded. Frieda had officially retracted many laws, secret and known, after taking the throne. Technology was no longer being stifled, and everyone in the military had heard rumors about the higher-ups making plans for how to use that for the struggle against the enemies of the walls, human and monster alike. Not to mention whatever information that Frieda was sharing with the brass that could aid them in taking on these new threats.

Still, Armin wasn't all that surprised that Eren had gone off ahead. That was normally like him.

Meanwhile

For all Grice's envy, Eren had to admit that Crawlers were certainly faster at running than he was with his body. He was heavier and with shorter legs, whereas Grice had proportionately longer limbs on a lighter form.

That said...

"GRA!" a Titan grunted out, dying as Grice tore out the nape. The Restorationist rapidly tore off and ate the flesh before it could dissolve, more swallowing than chewing.

[[[[How does that even work? Doesn't it just vanish in your stomach?]]]]

"No idea!" Grice answered, chugging down some arm muscles. "Maybe I digest it before it can? Maybe eating it stops it from disappearing? I don't really know or care. It keeps me sane, that's the important part."

Eren couldn't help but feel sorry for Grice, constantly feeling like he was starving, only able to fend it off by eating enough to keep his hunger at bay.

"Eren, we should talk for a bit, now that we're alone," Grice said after scarfing down the last decent-sized bit, turning to face the three heads.

[Now?]

[[[Shouldn't we get going?]]]]

[[Time is of the essence.]]

"I know, but we don't get to be away from prying ears too often," Grice said seriously. "There was something I didn't tell you about these powers. Partially to keep it from everyone hearing, but also...I'm pretty sure you know about it on some level."

Eren stared, giving away nothing.

{{{{...}}}}

He wasn't the only one staring now.

Grice hissed in his throat. "I can smell that. Hear that. Feel that. He's watching from just behind your mind, isn't he?"

Eren started at that, but the voice of the Storm remained silent. He scowled, giving Grice his full attention.

[[[[What do you know?]]]]

Grice shook his head before looking up at Eren, his body tensing until...

[Eat!Eat!Hungry!Eat!NOTHIM!Heeatus!BUTEAT!Food!]

Eren leaned away as the voice was...emitted from Grice, for lack of a better word. It wasn't actually coming from the Crawler but in his direction.

Grice shuddered, his entire body curling tightly before he relaxed, stretching his jaw open as if yawning. "That was mine," Grice answered simply. "All he wants is food and not to get killed. As long as I'm doing that, the real Crawler doesn't mind me being in control."

[[Real Crawler?]]

[What do you mean real?!]

[[[Is that all it thinks about?]]]

"The poor bastard and the rest of his kind are born starving so...yeah, pretty much," Grice answered, sounding almost sympathetic to the creature in his mind as he began to slowly pace a bit. "While I was sleeping for so long? I began to...see things. Dream things. But they weren't dreams. It took me a long while to understand that. They were memories. Memories of- not someone else, but something else," Grice started off ominously. "Eventually, I had a realization. When I'm starving? I'm not losing control of myself. Something else is taking control."

[[[[Something?]]]]

Eren's gazes trailed meaningfully over Grice's body.

"Yes, Eren. The REAL Crawler. These forms we have, they have minds of their own. Consciousnesses. They were once alive, a long time ago. But then they died...somehow. Just like how they're somehow back," Grice continued uncertainly.

{{{{...mmm...}}}}

Eren's eyes widen, feeling that noise more than he heard it. Was the Voice of the Storm...pleased for some reason?

[[What do you remember?]]

Grice shook his head. "The memories are vague and hard to put together still. I remember being like this. I remember my "siblings" trying to eat me. I remember eating some of them, and a lot of other things. I remember...other creatures, things far greater and terrible than what I am. Things that could crush the walls just by walking through them."

Eren remained silent as he felt a strange tingling down the spines of his necks.

"I just wanted to make sure you know that there is something else in there with you, something that originally had that body. And if you give it a reason, it'll try to take it back," Grice warned.

That one, Eren knew too well, all three sets of eyes glaring out of the corners, aimed at something that wasn't really there.

And something he couldn't truly see met his stare all the same.

{{{{Whelp}}}}

The two traveled in heavy silence after that. There was nothing else to talk about and Eren's mind was still too busy with what Grice had told him. On some level, yes, he had known everything Grice had told him. But to know someone else was going through it and he wasn't just insane was a relief in its own way.

Despite taking a detour, Eren still had a good view of the area between Trost and Shiganshina, and his new senses told him plainly that there weren't many Titans in the area.

[[[The Scouts will have a much easier time on their next expedition.]]]]

"Hmm?" Grice glanced back as they neared their destination. "I've heard of that. The soldiers under Erwin are tasked with adventuring out into Titan Country. Is it as grim as it sounds?"

[[Only half of the new recruits survive their first mission.]]

Grice did something between a grunt and a growl of displeasure. "When we first planned on coming here ourselves, we thought the Titans were completely under the control of the walls. We had no idea about...any of this."

[Because we wouldn't be a good scapegoat if everyone knew we were trapped like cattle.]

"Cattle," Grice muttered. "That's not too dissimilar for us in Marley. I'm pretty sure they only let us live and breed just to have more Titans and Warriors they can unleash."

The subject was rapidly eating at their patience.

[[[I always thought...the world was this big empty place, some place waiting to be explored.]]]

"It is. If you're not an Eldian," Grice remarked darkly.

[[[[I thought the Titans were the only things between us and freedom.]]]]

Grice hummed in sympathy, knowing that feeling all too well.

{[{[How...disappointing.}]}]

Grice glanced back to Eren. The usual rage was not in his eyes, not even the angry one on the side. Disappointed was the only word to describe that look on his three visages, depressingly so.

He reminded himself that Eren was still young, not even sixteen yet. And everything he thought he knew and dreamed of had been shattered.

"You said we just had to keep moving forward, until our enemies are all gone, right?" Grice reminded carefully. "So, let's take it just one enemy at a time."

[[[[...Thank you, Grice]]]]

Grice nodded over his shoulder before they came to a stop. The pair was now at the edge of a giant forest, trees towering over even their massive forms.

[[I imagine you'd make good use of these trees.]]

"You're not wrong," Grice answered as he took a step forward. He inhaled deeply, letting out a massive, screeching roar.

The sound echoed long and deep into the forest, an eerie silence coming after that.

"Get ready. We might have to fight some of the feral ones first," Grice warned as he tensed into a fighting stand.

Eren nodded, eyes scanning for any movement, any sign of life. Eventually, he spotted something.

[[There.]]

Grice glanced at Eren and followed the middle head's gaze, spotting a large shadow slinking through the massive trees.

Eren's eyes went wide as he realized something very, very important.

[[[[That's no Crawler.]]]]

It was too long to be a crawler and the wrong shape.

["Griccce...?"] a voice hissed out from the tree tops. ["Is that you? And is that Grisssha?"]

"Boris," Grice called up, relieved to hear a familiar voice. "It's me, yeah! Come on down, we need to talk."

The figure didn't move for a moment. ["Have you eaten, Griccce?"]

Grice sighed. "Yes, yes I have, Boris."

Instantly, Boris shot out of the trees, diving toward Grice. A long, slender body wrapped around the crawler to Eren's alarm. He was about to try and help until...

["Gricccce! Oh, I am so happy to sssssee you!"] Boris cried out, holding his comrade in what was now obviously a hug.

"Boris! Come on! It's good to see you too, but pull yourself together!" Grice called out, sounding less displeased than his words let out.

["Fuck you! Let me enjoy thissss! The last thre of our comrades I've sssseen have tried to eat me!"] Boris yelled as he pulled back.

Eren could only stare at the display, taking in Boris's appearance. He was much like a giant snake. The length between the tail and snout was about the same as the length between Eren's own. But he was not limbless. Rather than arms or legs, he had a set of large, leathery wings that formed like a crown or mane. But they appeared very strong, having helped Boris in "hugging" Grice.

[[I'm guessing he doesn't have the starving problem?]]

Zwei's voice interrupted the reunion, Boris's head snapping to Eren. ["Grisha? What happened to you? Didn't you only have two heads before?"]

"It's a long story, Boris," Grice said with a sigh. "This is Eren Yeager. Grisha's son."

["...Grisha remarried? How long were we assssleep?!"] Boris exclaimed in alarm.

"It's been close to two decades since we got to this island, Boris," Grice informed apologetically, climbing out of his coils. "We don't have a lot of time, so I'll give you the short version."

Several minutes later, Boris was less confused, but only somewhat. ["I see. I think. So I didn't dream up that part about the Owl telling us everyone inside the walls was brainwashed to forget about the outside world,"] Boris mused absently to himself. ["But Marley sent the Warrior Unit? Why?"]

"Hard to guess. The dog we captured either isn't talking or the higher-ups aren't sharing with us since, you know, it's hard to secretly tell us anything. Especially me since everyone can understand me," Grice explained.

["You know, I barely notice anymore that we're speaking in different ways. Or, to be blunt, that I'm growling and roaring while you're talking normal,"] Boris remarked with a head shake. [So, you want help to survey the situation.]

[[Yes.]]

[[[Unless I saw wrong, you can fly.]]]

[What the hell even are you?]

Boris looked between the three heads, a bit bewildered.

Grice shook his head. "You'll get used to it. A bit. And we don't really have a name for what he is."

["We just call Grice's type Crawlers because, well, you've seen how he can run and climb all over the place, right?"] Boris pointed out.

[[[[Fair enough.]]]]

["Right, so where are we going?"] Boris questioned.

[[Shiganshina, where the breach in the wall is.]]

[[[Grice says they should be there.]]]

[The rest of the Crawlers are giving them hell.]

Boris grimaced. ["We might have to clear them out if they beat the Marlayans and the Warriors. But if they don't win, they'll likely all be dead."]

Grice groaned in sympathy. "Boris, what about the ones you were keeping watch over. Are they still here?"

["Three of them, yeah. The other two..."] Boris trailed off, glancing away. ["They're probably the ones attacking at this Shiganshina place."]

Eren looked at the two with a frown, wondering about a particularly sensitive topic.

[[[[I'm sorry to ask, but do they ever...recover, after losing themselves to the hunger?]]]]

Grice sighed heavily. "Besides some dying moments of clarity? We've never seen it. Once they fully gave into the Crawler, I wouldn't be surprised if they were mentally consumed somehow."

Eren nodded in understanding.

[[[Should we wake up the others then?]]]

Grice shook his head. "We'll get them on the way back. It'll be hard enough for us to be stealthy at all with the three of us."

A thoughtful rumble was in Eren's throat, but he decided to keep it to himself for now.

They wasted enough time as it was.

Meanwhile

Anyone outside of Paradis would take one look at Mikasa and have the impression of a woman on a widow's watch, staring out to sea while vainly watching for her husband's unlikely return.

Only, she wasn't watching out over a sea, but the wide open landscape just outside Wall Rose. She stood on the walls of Trost, staring at the horizon while fiddling with her scarf, sometimes bringing it up over the bottom of her face. It was an old comfort of hers, a way to drown out her worries and anxious thoughts.

It was funny in a strange way. She had always been faster and stronger than Eren, but he had always been the one running ahead without her or Armin.

But now he was stronger than she could imagine. He wasn't physically human anymore. One day, he could be, Grice had reignited that hope. But right now Eren was mightier than any Titan. But knowing he was powerful didn't ease her worries, didn't make her feel any less unsettled about being apart from him for so long, with no idea what was happening.

She didn't want much in life; a peaceful life, a life in the Scouts, a life on the streets. She didn't care what kind of life it was, mostly. Just being by Eren's side, going where he went, that was enough. But Eren's eyes had always been looking somewhere far away.

She had heard it all before…obsessive, clingy and unhealthy. She didn't care. Because she didn't have much left in the world, and whatever she did have left, was because of Eren. People who lost nearly everything clung to what they had left, who they had left. That was more natural than anyone could understand unless they'd experienced it.

"Mikasa Ackerman."

She turned to the authoritative voice, the leader of the Scouts. "Commander Erwin, Sir," she greeted while saluting.

"At ease, Cadet," he said with a nod. "I assume you're watching for Eren, and Grice."

The way he said "and Grice" as if it was an afterthought, was far from unintentional.

Still, Mikasa didn't answer him verbally, keeping her face impassive.

"You don't approve of me sending them ahead," Erwin stated knowingly.

Again, Mikasa said nothing as Erwin turned to look out on the vista before them.

"I've read on your file. I understand why you are so protective of him, to an extent," Erwin stated calmly. "Hange was worried you might try to go after them."

If Mikasa could see them at all still, she might have considered it. She didn't say it, but she acknowledged the point.

"That was why I sent them ahead without telling the rest of the Riesenwache," he acknowledged. "I wonder if Eren would have stayed put if I hadn't sent him out with Grice?"

Mikasa looked a bit surprised by that comment.

"Eren, despite everything, has been a good soldier. I would have preferred he not attack the Shifters when he did, but he had no way of knowing we were planning on uncovering and capturing them. Given his situation, his reaction was the correct one," Erwin mused. "But even the best soldiers will have moments when they will act as they feel they need to, even if it goes against the chain of command. To make a decision that, due to the circumstances, they can never truly know the best choice until after the fact."

Mikasa frowned in thought. Would Eren have gone off, even without permission? Despite how impulsive he could be, Eren normally followed military orders well. But this was a rare situation. Their enemies were fighting another force, the mindless Crawlers that had been Grice's fellow Restorationists. Could Eren let that moment go?

"It was the right decision," Erwin stated. "Sending them out to investigate. And without any supplies or support, you would only become a liability when your gas and blades ran out."

Mikasa sighed heavily. "Did you come here to ask me something, Commander?"

"Hange could use some help. She's testing how durable a Crawler is," Erwin explained as he glanced at her. "Perhaps it will occupy your mind better than watching the landscape. And, perhaps, it will aid us in not all falling behind Eren and Grice, should they need assistance one day."

Mikasa stared for a moment. "Very well, Commander."

With that, she turned and left, leaping off the wall without hesitation.

Erwin watched her leave with some amusement. "She reminds me of Levi."

Meanwhile

Boris soared high overhead, the dusk of day fading away, and the darkness obscuring his form against the sky.

Finding Shiganshina wasn't too hard. He just had to find the wall, and then follow it until he found the outskirt the walls formed around the settlement.

It helped that blood was in the air; the blood of humans, yes, but also the blood of Crawlers, mingling with the stench of Titans.

He could see the crawlers, four of them at least, lurking just outside the walls. Crawlers, True Crawlers, were not mindless. They were cunning. They were no doubt looking for a new place to attack.

A red flare was shot down from the walls. The Crawlers looked up at the sound and sight, one of them leaping up the wall to eat the flare.

Gunfire ran from some sort of machine gun, the Crawler screaming in rage and pain as it tried to get away, but the humans kept their target in sight.

Crawlers were very tough in the skulls, and their hides were thick, but a concentrated fire of this gun did break through the skin and savage the internal organs.

However, the other three were already racing up the walls to feast on the small prey.

Boris felt the air grow heavy and thick, just before a lightning bolt rang down from the sky, hitting the wall. There, near the gunners, stood a Titan; a very female looking Titan.

The flying giant snarled to himself as he watched the Female Titan fighting the crawlers off. As long as she was careful, she could kick or throw them off before they got a hold of her. The fall wouldn't kill them, but it might dissuade them from trying again.

He was almost tempted to help his old comrades, maybe knock her off the top of the wall. But he held back as a strange whistling sound grew in the air.

His eyes wide, Boris barely dived out of the way as large rocks ripped through the sky.

["They must have seen me fly in when she transformed,"] he realized in displeasure, looking back towards the town and trying to see who or what had been trying to attack him.

There was another Titan. It was hard to make out from this far up. It was strangely shaped, with arms too long, and...was that fur on its body?

He dodged again as another round of rocks came his way, one or two nipping his wings. He winced and hissed, but was glad to see he wasn't crashing. Still, he made to fly higher and return to Eren and Grice.

End of Chapter

If you don't know what Boris is, he's a Warbat from Godzilla Vs Kong.

And yeah, all Kaiju-Shifters have the minds of the actual Kaiju in there. So when the Crawlers go insane from hunger, its really just the Real Crawler taking back over. Beyond that, everyone musing on the current and changing situation.

Hope you all enjoyed this. I'm sorry if the wait disappoints you all. Trust me, I wrestled back and forth quit a bit before deciding to give this fic a break and wait to see the new movie.

Until then!

Early viewing of chapters 2-3 of Eren the Usurper:

p a treon . com (slash) akumakami64