Chains of Destiny | Attack on Titan x OC

24

"Find your way to Trost District and seek refuge there, my dear."

The voice echoed again in Adrasteia's head while she wandered through the busy streets of the district.

"I think I'm going crazy!" she whispered under her breath, shaking her head.

"You're not crazy, my dear. You can hear me," the voice replied, calm as ever. "But this is only temporary. I'm here to guide you, to help you unlock the full potential of your powers."

"Who are you?" Adrasteia asked, her voice shaking just a little. The voice had been with her for a while now, always speaking when she was alone, guiding her through moments of fear and confusion. But she had never once questioned it. . . until now.

"You'll meet me soon enough, but for now, just trust me," it said softly. "Do as I say. It's for your own safety."

Adrasteia nodded, even though she was alone and no one could see her. She had learned to trust the voice after all the times it had guided her, and helped her avoid danger. There was something strangely comforting about it, like a distant but trusted friend.

Without wasting another moment, she pressed on. The streets were crowded with people, bustling with life in a way she'd never seen before. The chatter, the laughter, and the occasional shouts of vendors selling their wares filled the air. It was all so. . . different. So much louder. So much faster.

She had never been to a place like this. Back in Eldoria, things were quieter, calmer. 

The buildings there were made from concrete and stone, all sturdy and ancient. But here, the city looked so old and almost. . . crude. 

The streets were cobbled but rough, the buildings made of brick, looking hastily built, not like the grand structures she was used to. The people, too, looked different—dressed in simpler clothes, many of them with dirt-streaked faces and hands from a day's hard work.

She asked around, hoping someone could point her toward Trost District. A man in an apron pointed vaguely down the road. "Head that way, kid," he grunted, before turning back to his stall.

"Thank you," she muttered, her voice barely a whisper.

As she continued, she couldn't help but observe the differences between this place and her homeland. The people here didn't seem to have the same grace, the same quiet dignity that she was used to back in Eldoria. It was as though they were always in a rush—moving from one task to the next, barely stopping to acknowledge the person next to them. It was. . . unnerving, in a way.

She could feel the weight of her own powers stirring inside her again, a quiet hum under her skin, as though they were waking up from a long sleep.

"Don't let your mind wander, Adrasteia," the voice reminded her gently. "Focus on your task. You're closer than you think."

Once she arrived in the said district, she didn't know what to do.

"This will be your home for the next four years. Learn to survive, Adrasteia. That's your first task."

She froze, her heart hammering in her chest. "Wait, what?!" she whispered, almost shouting, her voice barely audible over the noise of the district. "I can't sleep on the streets!"

But the voice, which had always been so clear and comforting, didn't respond this time. There was only silence.

Adrasteia felt a knot tighten in her stomach. Was this some sort of test? She didn't know what to do. The people around her didn't look like they had the answers she was desperately searching for. They were all too busy, too caught up in their own lives.