Chapter Text
– Fucking dumbasses! We'll be late because of you! – Jean shouted angrily. – You felt like running after some boars!
Stop making a fuss, Jean. There's plenty of time until dawn, we'll be on time if we gallop. – Connie, who was irritated with Jean's screaming, replied.
– How can I not make a fuss when... – He hadn't finished his sentence when Sasha spoke up.
– Guys take a look there!
A man was laying on the ground in the middle of nowhere. Despite the fact that this terrain was no longer besieged by the titans, regular citizens still didn't venture far into the island. If anyone were to travel south they would certainly set a camp.
This time was different. When three soldiers rode up to take a better look at the deceased they noticed that the stranger had no luggage and he had no traces of struggle or any other injuries. The only thing he had were torn clothes. Sasha and Connie got down from their horses to check if the stranger was still alive.
Even while lying on the ground the stranger seemed tall, his blond hair was covering his eyes. His rags didn't resemble Eldian clothes. The unknown man had nothing that would help to identify him.
– Hurry up, get on your horses, cause we're gonna be late for sure. A corpse is a corpse, there's nothing we can do. – Jean said.
– If he was dead his eyelid wouldn’t twitch. – Sasha stated.
– What do you mean by „his eyelid wouldn’t twitch„?! – Jean and Connie yelled.
That question was so loud that the supposed corpse opened its eyes. The stranger sat up and after he had looked at two dumbfounded guys he finally clapped his eyes on smiling Sasha. He scratched his head and asked:
– Where am I?
– In the middle of nowhere, outside the walls. – Sasha replied.
– Outside the walls... – the stranger repeated her words quietly. – It means I'm on the island! – He yelled in shock.
Where the hell would you be if not on the island? – Jean asked with irritation.
Yeah, yeah. My objective. What it was? Yes, I know. – The stranger babbled.
You hurt your head or something? – Connie asked him a question.
But the stranger was trying to gather his thoughts and completely ignored him. Suddenly he started speaking with some sense.
– My name is Konrad Donner. I've inherited a certain thing, which will help me with helping you, poor residents of the island. I remember almost nothing from my previous life, even how I got here. The only thing I remember is that I have to meet with your military and the one whom they call Humanity's Hope.
– Woah, woah, hold your horses. You mean to tell us you're not from the island?! From somewhere across the ocean?! If you have no idea how you got here, then what are you doing in the middle of the island?! – Jean screamed.
– It's complicated, I'm aware of that, but you have to bring me to him. To Humanity's Last Hope.
– About what „Humanity's Hope” are you talking about? – Connie asked with suspicion.
– I'm talking about the man, who's anger is entwined by the golden thunder that gives him the strength of a thousand men. When he howls he's heard even by the enemies hidden in the deepest places. And his eyes shine with hope for the ones he's protecting and with fear for the ones he fights against. – Konrad described.
– It sounds like E- – Jean stopped Sasha from finishing her sentence.
– Something about it doesn’t hold up! – Jean said loudly. – If you don't remember a thing, how do you know all that?
– As I've stated, I don't remember my life, although the thing I had inherited knows everything I need to achieve my objective. – Konrad answered.
– My head is starting to ache because of it all. – Jean replied. – We cannot wait any longer, get on your horses. You go with me, ‘cause I trust you the least.
During the ride, there was no time for any more questions. Three Scouts raced ahead, as if Death itself was going after them. They finally arrived at the shore after dawn. They knew perfectly where to go in the darkness because of the orange glow of torches’ light behind the boulders. However, before Konrad had managed to see the camp he heard the guard's call.
– Three horses are coming! Who are you?!
– It’s us: Jean Sasha and Connie. Additionally we transport a man we met along the way. – Jean replied.
– You can go in! – The guard announced.
After they had gone into the camp and left the horses in a stable, the three Scouts led Konrad to Commander Hange Zoë to present the situation to them. They described the unusual circumstances of meeting Donner, in which it was hard for Hange to believe, but then the stranger spoke.
– May you be greeted Commander. My name's Konrad Donner and I don’t have a clue how I ended up on the island, also I have no idea where I am from.
– He states that he doesn’t remember a thing but he knows about Eren and what he’s capable of. – Jean interrupted him in the middle of a sentence. – Allegedly, a thing he inherited, told him about „Humanity’s Last Hope”, who is supposed to save the world or something. But, there's one problem, besides the clothes, he has nothing with him.
– And, from what I know, things don't talk. – Sasha said.
– Yes, I know that it all sounds irrational, but everything I said is true. You have to trust me and let me talk with that Eren, only in his presence I'll be able to show you what that thing I inherited is. – Konrad admitted with honesty.
– Alright... – Hange replied, lost in thoughts. – We'll see later if you’re telling the truth.
After Hange's words a call could be heard, that informed, that a Marley's ship appeared at the horizon. Every soldier in the camp quickly went to their position. Including Commander Zoë who was meant to be a negotiator in this case. Left to his own devices, Konrad watched the Scouts from afar. Some characteristic one's caught his attention, for example, a girl with black hair and a red scarf who wielded two long rods, or a relatively short blond boy who looked so innocent, that Donner started to question if he even was one of the soldiers.
When the ship got close enough that the crew could hear and see the people on the beach, Hange started their speech.
– People from across the sea! Let's make an alliance that will allow us to reconcile as human kind! – Hange shouted.
The captain emerged from the depths of the ship. – You cursed devils want an alliance after what you did to Marley nation ages ago?!
– I have no idea what you are talking about, we've been living on this island since the dawn of time! – Commander shouted with worry.
– I'll show you „dawn of time"! Open fire! – Angered captain commanded.
Somewhere from between the boulders a voice rang screaming „Now Eren! Show them no mercy!”, then Konrad saw a quite short Captain, and shortly after that near the beach a gold thunder struck that created a fifteen meters tall titan's body. Donner was amazed by what he saw but Captain's words quickly turned into actions. Humanity’s Last Hope had no mercy and turned the ship into a pile of scrap metal.
There was nothing left of both the ship and the crew. The titan shifter left the nape, although from this distance Konrad wasn’t able to see any details.
After the end of the whole situation Konrad started a conversation with Hange again, asking them about everything that happened.
– This titan, it's Eren, right? How many titan powers does he have? Is he this legendary Founding Titan? – He asked.
– How do you know about titan powers and more importantly where did you hear the name „Founding”? – They questioned, slightly excited.
– My heritage. It gave me informations about nine titans. – Konrad replied.
– Will you finally tell me what your heritage is? – Hange said, getting even more excited.
– Only in the presence of the one whom they call Humanity's Last Hope. – Konrad stated seriously.
– Alright, I'll speak with Levi and I'll tell you what decision we made when we'll be inside the walls again. – Hange replied.
Everybody had been packing the most important things on wagons for quite some time so they could quickly return into the area protected by the walls. A stableman informed Konrad that he'll get his own horse but he mustn't go far from a part of the formation that was assigned to him. He ended up in one group with Jean, Sasha and Connie. And like that they set off in the morning. During the ride Konrad asked about weird gear worn by the soldiers and its function. He found out that it's called omni-directional maneuver gear and it's used for killing titans. But now, when all titans in the south were slain and there weren't many of them left on the rest of the island, it seemed useless to Donner.
After a long way passed by the scouts, in the distance a wall finally appeared.