Attack on Titans: Titans Edge

The assembly hall buzzed with nervous energy as we gathered under Instructor Shadis's watchful glare. The announcement we'd all been waiting for—or dreading—had finally arrived. Over the past three years, we have endured brutal training, exhausting drills, and the constant weight of our impending futures. Now, the moment had come.

"Cadets, attention!" Shadis's booming voice silenced the murmurs in an instant.

We snapped to attention, standing rigidly in neat rows. The instructor paced in front of us, his gaze sharp as a blade, cutting through any remnants of doubt lingering in the room.

"For the past years, you've trained to serve humanity. Now, you'll be stationed where you're needed most. Your assignments will test everything you've learned. This is where you prove your worth."

Shadis began reading from the clipboard in his hands, his tone steady and uncompromising.

"Wall Maintenance Crew:"

"Yeager, Lorien Ackerman, Wagner, Samuel, and Daz. You'll be stationed atop Wall Rose near the southern gate. Your job is to maintain and patrol the wall. Do not think of this as an easy task. Eyes sharp, minds sharper. Your vigilance will ensure the safety of those within the walls."

My name alongside Eren's wasn't a surprise. Our abilities complemented each other in the field, even if our personalities clashed more often than not. As I glanced toward him, his jaw was set, determination blazing in his eyes.

"Evacuation Assistance:"

"Jean Kirstein, Connie Springer, and Marco Bott. You'll handle civilian evacuation during emergencies. Your role is critical. Failure to maintain order can lead to chaos and death. Understand the weight of this responsibility."

Jean raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Marco offered a quick nod of understanding, while Connie simply looked relieved to have avoided wall duty.

"Standby Units:"

"Annie Leonhart, Bertolt Hoover, Mina Carolina, and Reiner Braun. You'll be stationed near the Garrison Regiment forces, ready to provide reinforcements or assist with emergent tasks. You're the first line of defense if a breach occurs."

Annie's usual stoic demeanor didn't falter, Bertolt remained quietly composed, and Reiner stood tall, as if ready to accept the challenge head-on.

"General Patrols:"

"Sasha Blouse, Mikasa Ackerman, and Krista Lenz. You'll patrol the Trost District, maintaining order and responding to any unusual activity. This includes keeping watch over supply routes and ensuring readiness for evacuation or combat."

Sasha grinned broadly despite Shadis's icy glare, while Mikasa nodded with her usual calm resolve. Krista offered a small smile that seemed to lift some of the tension in the room.

Shadis paused, letting the weight of the assignments sink in. Then, he elaborated on the roles.

"Wall maintenance is not a ceremonial duty. Your job is to ensure that any signs of structural weakness or threats are reported immediately. Fail to act, and it could cost countless lives. Evacuation teams, your job may not involve combat, but it is equally critical. As I have already said before, Chaos during an evacuation can lead to unnecessary deaths. Standby units, you must remain prepared for anything. Whether it's reinforcing the wall or engaging the enemy, your role will demand flexibility and readiness. Patrol units, your eyes and ears are our first line of information. The safety of the district depends on you."

The room fell silent as the gravity of our duties set in. There were no questions, no objections—only a collective acknowledgment of the task ahead.

Later that evening, as the cadets prepared for their respective duties, not everyone shared the same focus.

In a quiet corner of the barracks, Reiner Braun and Bertolt Hoover stood huddled together, their voices barely audible above the hum of activity. The flickering light from a nearby lantern cast long shadows across their faces, emphasizing the tension in the air.

"We're running out of time," Reiner murmured, his face a mask of seriousness. His posture was tense, hands resting on the edge of a table, fingers tapping impatiently.

Bertolt's gaze flicked around the room, ensuring no one was within earshot. The cadets were busy with their preparations for the next day, some talking in low voices, others lost in their own thoughts. Annie was at the far end of the barracks, speaking briefly with Mikasa and Krista, but her attention seemed to flicker toward them every so often. Reiner noticed the way Bertolt's eyes briefly lingered on her before he spoke.

"I know," Bertolt replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He shifted his weight, clearly uncomfortable with the weight of their situation. The quiet of the barracks felt like a fragile shell, and the soft murmur of voices outside felt like an ever-present reminder that the world around them was continuing while they planned, conspired, and waited.

Reiner leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest as he stared into the distance. His jaw was clenched tight, eyes unfocused, lost in thought. "This isn't sustainable," he muttered after a long silence, the words hanging heavy between them. "We'll have to act soon. They're getting stronger. Some of them…" His voice trailed off as his eyes flicked toward Annie across the room. His expression softened, but there was no mistaking the underlying concern.

Bertolt followed his gaze. Annie was sitting by herself, arms crossed, a look of deep concentration on her face as she occasionally glanced up, her eyes scanning the room. She looked calm, detached, but there was something in her expression that Reiner didn't miss—something akin to unease.

"We need her ready," Bertolt said quietly, his gaze returning to Reiner. "We can't afford any delays, not with the stakes this high." His voice betrayed a hint of uncertainty, despite his usually quiet and reserved nature.

Reiner's gaze flicked back to Annie, but it was a brief glance, his mind clearly elsewhere. His next words, however, were laced with a tension that Bertolt could feel deep in his chest. "I know. I'm trying to make her see it. We can't keep up this façade much longer. They're starting to ask too many questions. Eren—" His voice faltered momentarily as he caught Bertolt's eyes. "Eren's dangerous. And the Ackerman kid…"

At the mention of Lorien Ackerman, the air in the room seemed to shift. Reiner's expression hardened, his brows furrowing slightly as he clenched his fists. "Lorien… He's more of a threat than we first thought. Something about him is different from the others. The way he behaves— as if always calculating, aware of everything around him—it's unsettling. I've never seen anyone so focused, so detached. My gut tells me if anyone can piece things together and ruin everything we've planned, it's him."

Bertolt's face tightened at the mention of Lorien. The boy had always been a mystery, but the more he observed him, the more unsettling it became. Lorien's calmness and his ability to blend in haven't gone unnoticed by him. While Eren was predictable to an extent, Lorien was different. Even the way he interacted with people was different—there was always a calculated distance in his eyes, a sense that he knew more than he let on. And though he kept to himself, his observations were sharp, piercing, as though nothing escaped him. Bertolt couldn't shake the feeling that Lorien was constantly watching, not just Eren, but all of them. 

Reiner shook his head, his voice low and dangerous. "If we don't keep him in check, he could ruin everything. He's not like the others. He's not just another cadet to watch over or a simple soldier to be distracted by the noise of the camp. If he connects the dots…" Reiner's words trailed off, unfinished but full of meaning.

Bertolt shifted uncomfortably, his mind racing with the implications. He was starting to feel like they were walking on a razor's edge.

"We need to be more careful around him," Bertolt murmured, eyes narrowing. "It's not just Eren we need to worry about now. Lorien… he's the one to watch. He'll figure it out faster than anyone else."

Reiner's eyes hardened at the thought, and for a moment, it seemed like a dangerous storm was brewing behind his gaze. "We need to keep our distance. He can't suspect anything. If he does, everything changes. And we won't be ready for that."

There was a brief silence between them, as both men considered the weight of their words. The other cadets were oblivious to the growing threat that Lorien represented. They were still too focused on their struggles, their duties, and the future that lay ahead of them. But for Reiner and Bertolt, Lorien was no longer just a cadet—he was an unpredictable force that could tip the scales in ways they couldn't afford.

The mission had never been simple, and it was becoming increasingly complicated. The walls they had built to protect themselves were crumbling, one piece at a time, and soon, they would have no choice but to act.

Finally, Reiner pushed himself off the wall and gave Bertolt a long, serious look. "Keep an eye on Eren and the Ackerman. They're the key. We can't let them interfere with the plan."

Bertolt nodded, his gaze darkening as he shifted slightly. "Understood."

And with that, the two of them returned to their positions in the barracks, blending back into the crowd of cadets, the weight of their secret growing heavier with every passing moment. Lorien Ackerman was now firmly on their radar, and the quiet tension in the room was nothing compared to the storm brewing just beneath the surface.