Chains of Destiny | Attack on Titan x OC

25

"Join the Trainee Corps, Adrasteia."

"Ah!" Adrasteia gasped and stumbled, dropping the food she had just bought. The bread and fruit rolled across the ground, scattering in different directions. She stood frozen for a moment, heart racing, as the familiar voice echoed in her head.

"Wow, seriously? After four years, you finally decide to speak again?!" she muttered, kneeling to gather the food, her hands trembling with frustration. "Do you think you can just order me around like that after everything I've been through here? I've had to work as a helper just to make enough for food and clothes, and you... you disappear without a word! I only get to bathe twice a week! I don't even get to sleep through the night without worrying about whether or not someone will try to steal from me! And now you just—ugh!"

She took a deep breath, brushing the dirt off the bread and fruit. Her frustration was bubbling over, but she quickly regained her composure, forcing herself to focus. She didn't have the luxury of falling apart. Not here.

The voice was silent for a beat, as though it was considering her words. Then it replied, calm as ever:

"You complain too much, Adrasteia. You needed to learn how to survive in this place. You've done well so far, but now it's time to move forward. The Trainee Corps will teach you how to fight, how to protect yourself, how to be strong. You need to be ready for what's coming."

Adrasteia rolled her eyes, clearly exasperated. "Yeah, sure," she muttered under her breath. "Like I'm not already tired of just surviving. Do you really think joining some. . . training thing will make a difference? Besides, I think I've trained with my brother enough."

The voice responded with an odd, almost amused tone: "It will. Trust me, Adrasteia. It's the next step in your journey. You can't stay hidden in the shadows forever. You need to build more strength."

Adrasteia didn't reply immediately. Instead, she looked down at the food she had collected, the small, simple meal that had taken her hours of work to afford. In some ways, it seemed so trivial compared to what the voice was asking of her now. But at the same time, she could feel the pull, the weight of the words. 

The Trainee Corps. It was the kind of thing she'd heard whispered about in the streets—something only the brave, or the desperate, joined. It was the only way to gain any kind of status or purpose in this world.

"Alright, alright," she sighed, finally giving in. "I'll go. But if I get myself killed, you're so taking the blame."

"Deal," the voice replied, with a hint of amusement.

Adrasteia stood up, brushing the dust off her clothes, her heart still pounding. She glanced around, making sure no one was watching her too closely, and then made her way toward outside to sign up for this so-called Training Corps.

As she walked through the narrow, noisy streets of Trost District, she couldn't help but wonder what she was getting herself into. The voices in her head had guided her this far, but the thought of joining something as dangerous and demanding as the Trainee Corps was a whole new level of risk.

"What happens if I fail?" she wondered aloud, but the voice didn't answer. It didn't need to. She knew the answer.

Failure in a place like this didn't leave room for second chances.

It wasn't long before she reached the large, grim building where new recruits gathered. The air felt thick with tension, as if the walls themselves were filled with anticipation and fear. Inside, the hall was crowded with young people, most of them looking just as uncertain as she felt.