Hell. Eren had unleashed Hell upon them.

The horizon glowed red as the horses reached the middle of the forest. A constant thrum rang in all of their ears as the Rumbling raged on far off in the distance, a sand-glass that loomed above their heads that was slowly lessening; the fate of the world slowly slipping from their hands. And here they are, the remaining Scouts of Paradis with the Warriors of Marley, setting up camp mere hours after trying to murder one another.

Reiner's energy was at an all-time low, the fight with Eren and Zeke back at the Wall had pretty much taken everything out of him. Even after nearly twelve hours of sleep, he was the last to leave the cart as everyone piled out to unload their equipment. He had stayed close to Gabi and Falco, but he can't remember if he had even spoken a word to either of them since he woke up. Why should he? He had failed to protect them after Liberio, he had failed to protect Colt...

Staying close to Gabi and Falco, he sticks by Pieck and Magath, who are keen on keeping distance with the Scouts of Paradis. He busies himself, trying to avoid the gaze of those he hadn't seen in years, those he betrayed... they all look so different. Jean, Connie, Armin, Mikasa, Hange... you...

Up until a few hours ago, he had thought you had been dead for the last five years. Because of him. Back in Shiganshina, when he heard the Scouts tapping their blades along the wall to uncover his hiding spot. He remembers his heart stopping at the unmistakable sound of your voice alerting Armin and Erwin of his cover, before his mind went blank as he revealed himself and drove his ODM blade right through your middle.

The last thing he saw before Levi had plunged the sword into his neck from above was your wounded figure falling down, down, down... How you had even survived something like that, he will never know. When he saw you among the others after you woke up, he nearly passed out again. Like the others, you had changed, but there was no doubt it was you.