The Empire of Titans

'I Wanted to be A Hero'

Warning: Brutal Chapter

' The rain drummed steadily against Reiner's shoulders as he trudged home through the muddy streets of Liberio. Each step felt heavier than the last, his boots squelching in the wet earth of the internment zone. His hands burned – red, raw, and chafed from gripping the rifle for hours during training. He kept flexing his fingers, trying to ease the stinging sensation, but it only made the pain worse.

The gray buildings loomed over him, their windows dark and unwelcoming in the late afternoon gloom. Water dripped from the eaves, creating small rivers that merged with the larger puddles on the ground. A few other Eldians hurried past, heads down, eager to get out of the rain. Nobody looked at him directly – just another warrior candidate making his way home after training.

As he approached his house, Reiner could already smell the familiar scent of his mother's cooking wafting through the cracks of their modest home. Despite his exhaustion, his lips curved into a small smile. The smell of food, the warmth that would soon embrace him – these were the little comforts that made everything somewhat bearable.

The wooden steps creaked under his weight as he climbed to the front door. His uniform was soaked through, water dripping onto the worn welcome mat as he stepped inside. The warmth of the house immediately enveloped him like a blanket.

"Reiner? Is that you?" His mother's voice called from the kitchen, carrying that particular tone of expectation he had grown so familiar with.

"Yes, mother," he replied, carefully removing his wet boots. His hands trembled slightly from the effort, the skin across his palms screaming in protest at every movement.

"Come here, dear. I'm making your favorite stew." Karina Braun's voice was bright, almost singing with enthusiasm that seemed out of place in their usually somber home.

Reiner padded toward the kitchen in his damp socks, leaving small wet footprints on the wooden floor. His mother stood at the stove, stirring a pot with focused determination. The steam rose in wispy tendrils, fogging the small window above the sink. She didn't turn to look at him as he entered.

"How was training today?" she asked, adding a pinch of something to the pot.

"It was..." Reiner's voice came out rougher than he intended, weighted with exhaustion. "It was long." He sank into one of the kitchen chairs, his muscles aching in protest.

"But productive, I hope?" Karina continued stirring, her back still turned to him. "Commander Magath must have been impressed with your performance today."

Reiner stared at his red hands resting on the table, at the way the skin had been rubbed raw between his thumb and forefinger. "We had to run drills in the rain. Ten miles with full gear, then target practice."

"And? Were you the best?" Now she turned, wooden spoon in hand, her eyes bright with that familiar intensity that made his stomach twist. "You were the best, weren't you, Reiner?"

He swallowed hard, thinking of Marcel's perfect shots, of Porco's faster running time, of Annie's flawless hand-to-hand combat techniques. "I... I did well, mother. Commander Magath said my aim has improved."

Karina's expression flickered, the enthusiasm dimming just slightly. She turned back to the stove, her movements more rigid than before. "Well, but not the best? Reiner, we've talked about this. You need to be the best. Do you understand how important this is?"

"Yes, mother." The words felt heavy on his tongue, well-worn from countless repetitions.

"The other candidates, they're not working as hard as you are, are they? They don't understand what's at stake." She began chopping carrots with sharp, decisive movements. "If you become a Warrior, if you inherit one of the Titans..."