The wind blew slowly. The windmill's blades were swept into motion as the Autumn breeze filled the village. Each forcefully pushed gas moved in and out between the bricks. Through shattered glass, torn apart roofing and destroyed houses. This was Mydleton now. It was very different to what it used to be. It was not meant to change like this, yet ever since the 'Western Siege' it had become nothing but a tourist attraction. Tourist's never came to visit it often, which made it his ideal spot. He remembered life when he was a child, looking at where the shop used to be. The wooden sign laid on the ground, its paint slightly faded from the colourful beauty it used to be. In strong italics, it spelt out the name. 'Tynko-Tradesmen: Fine Service for Fine People' The slogan was what made him think. Fine service was something that was true, up until it was shut down of course. No one really bought out the building, seeing as not many people would move into Mydleton. It remained a relic, which would sometimes bring a small tear to the eye. Now Mydleton was almost completely reduced to rubble. Bricks and decaying wooden carts laid scattered along the cracked road, whilst only 3 buildings remained intact. The Buta Residence, Howard's Farm and the Trinity Windmill. It was surprising that the tallest building in the village had survived, and it provided a nice home for such a lost and corrupted soul.

It had been a few months or so since he made the dash for the Gate. He had accidentally formed an arm right in front of them, right in front of Yuri. He had been shocked to see it was him all along. Though He didn't understand his own reasoning, the reasons behind his actions. His depression wasn't always noticed and the way he just ended lives, gave his impression a bad toll. He was the Grim Titan. He had to accept it. People had to dislike who he was and fear him, want him dead for the good of mankind. That was the way it was going to be. So now he sits here, alone in the chair of the Windmill-house. This is the Grim Titan. This is Grant Trinity.

I galloped around on my caramel colored horse searching for something to do like killing titans, surprisingly not finding as much as I usually do. I slowed my horse down finding a small area with sad broken down houses and bricks scattered on the ground with only three buildings still standing, which is something I wouldn't expect since the titans sometimes mess around with houses. The tallest one, a windmill, immediately caught my eye. I made my horse slowly approach the building while I cautiously sniffed around trying to find anything recent. I managed to sniff out something that was inside the windmill, increasing my curiosity.
While making sure there were no titans around, I got off of my horse walking to the windmill door opening it slowly to reveal tables, and chairs that were still doing perfectly fine inside. I popped my hooded head inside seeing someone in a chair facing the other direction. There's someone out here that survived? I thought as I slipped inside quietly closing the door behind me accidentally making a loud bang when I closed it instead.

Grant had been sipping from a bottle of Rum that he managed to scavenge from a tradesmen passing by recently. He was deep in his thoughts, a small painting inbetween two fingers. Scary as it was, he had to accept that his family were long gone, fallen apart and never to be seen again. He could see, Asartha...with the two children. They had to stand there for 4 hours whilst the kind man had painted that for them. It had been a few weeks before the Titan of Fire had actually appeared and killed them when it was made. It saddened him. Part of him wanted the revenge that they deserved, but the other part knew that wasn't what Asartha would've wanted. Violence towards other Humans was something not to be tolerated, at any cost. It was a survival game, and we were all in it together as humanity. He knew that what decisions he made could potentially make Asartha not regret dying in his arms. That was what terrified him...

He was looking to the small sword on his left. He had only ever managed to scavenge a few Military swords and gases for his knicked 3DMG. That was what kept him alive if any Titans were to approach. No Titans ever approached, mind you, after they made a makeshift plughole for Yupian. Though Grant had no way of knowing whether it would break or not, and if he was going to perish or not. What was he talking about? He is the bloody Grim Titan! He can defend himself easily. Can't he? But what was a man like himself going to do when he could be in the City, being executed for treason? He never wanted treason, and he got this? So many questions, so little answers. Suddenly, it hit him...the noise...in the main room. His senses kicked in, making him stand up, moving quickly to the room. Another Deer perhaps, meant dinner...a pursuer, meant that he was close to death. He went around the corner, and saw her...

His face stopped, looking stunned. No, it wasn't a pursuer, but another Human. Why of all of them, was it this one? It had to be of the most highest strokes of luck for this to happen! Finally, face to face...standing shocked at the seeing of one another. She had no idea who he was, but he knew exactly who she was. He knew that she was responsible...He had a chance to finally end the nightmare and kill her right here, yet Asartha's voice was speaking to him. Grant didn't deny it, but ignored it. He looked at her, his eyes narrowing. The two were looking at each other, stunned that they had come across each other, her thinking that he was not supposed to be there, Grant thinking he wanted to end her life...He knew what she was. Finally...Hope Ranavin...

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" He reached out, over the counter. He pulled out a sword that wouldn't fit in 3DMG. The blade was curved and the steel was strong. His family sword that had been crafted and remodeled as he grew up. It still worked, and it still would cut through her nicely.

I made a low growling sound deep in my throat pulling out two of my 3DMG blades holding the handles tightly in my hands. Of course I can't recognize them, or at least remember them, so they easily became a threat to me. I tried my best to resist bursting into flames, thinking that this person was a normal human and would want to kill me even more if I tried.
Questions were zooming through my mind about why this person is here, or why they wanted to attack me as if they know who I am. I tried my best to ignore the questions and go back to concentrating on the man, slowly backing towards the door keeping my blades out in front of me while I faced the person. I didn't want to answer his question, thinking that if I answered incorrectly it could get me killed in seconds.
Once I was an inch or two from the doorway I moved my self slowly up and down against the handle, hoping that it wasn't very noticeable to him. When I heard a quiet click with the door opening against my back, I turned speeding through the windmill and back to my horse. I quickly put both of my blades into my left hand then climbed onto the horse turning it around, and galloping a few feet away from the windmill and the man that stood in the open doorway.

Grant stood there. He made his way to the doorway to see that she had begun to depart away. He began to shake, shake a lot. She knew where he was! SHE KNEW HE WAS THERE! He ran to the doorway, screaming at the top of his lungs. He couldn't let her get away, both to compromise his life and hiding place. Grant made it outside, yelling once more.

"NO WAIT! COME BACK! PLEASE! DON'T GO BACK TO THE CITY!!!"

I stopped when I heard what he said, and wondered if he knew that I couldn't go back to the walls for a long period of time. I pulled on the reigns lightly to turn the horse around then stared at him straight in the eye. "I can't go back for long anyway," I said hoping it was loud enough for him to hear from this distance.
With a sigh I pulled on the reigns again turning towards the direction of the forest, then sped off thinking about if the person was going to follow me or not. This stranger gave me the chills, as if there was something that I didn't know or remember about that was extremely important.

It had been a day since the woman of his hatred had left. Grant was in constant Stress. He couldn't go after her when she left, as it could lead to him being spotted by the patrols that came past. And it was also good she never took a trip around the back of the Windmill, where he had to build a mass grave for the Patrols who 'DID' come inside the Windmill. It wasn't something to be proud of, he knew, but it had to be done sometimes. Survival of the Fittest, or just Survival of those not Fit for life...Something along those lines at least.

There were multiple thoughts on his mind that made him feel like shit. First, of course, there was the incident that had happened the very day before, finally coming face to face with his Wife's killer, and not doing anything about it. Then there was the second thing...Yuri. Where was he right now? What was he doing? Was he looking for him, or preparing to assault his location? Something that kept him awake was what he looked at him like. When he was revealed, the shock, horror and terror in his eyes made it clear that the two were never going to be close again. Especially after everything they had been through, it was tough...Grant and Yuri had survived everything together...The Training, Mission into Yupian, Western Siege, Flame Titan Incident and Eastern Titan Breach. Now he found himself in his home-place, struggling to think of what he could possibly do with his life. What was a man who was Part-Titan supposed to do? Yuri was Grant's first and only good friend he had for the lifetime he served, both in and out of the Military. Now that he was a rogue, 'Traitor'...now that he had been responsible for Lilith's and countless other Soldier's ceasing of life...he felt like nothing. It was the way life was for Grant now. Regret and Anger. He knew that if the 3DMG Gunmen were to find him, he'd be long gone. Hugh Portman's Teams were definitely using his friends, Annella, Yuri and Marx, to find him...and they would be gladly aiding them...it was all over. All he could do was drink and plot...for revenge, and for sparing the life of probably his greatest foe...

I woke up with my horse nudging my side,so I shook myself awake then realized I was in Flyton, the destroyed town that was inside of the forest and the only place that I could remember the name of. With a grunt I pulled myself up using my horse's neck, then fixed my hair that was sticking out in different directions. What happened yesterday flashed back to me, making my heart skip a beat. A few questions started to zoom through my mind, but the main one was: Should I go back? Of course there is a possibility of this man killing me once I return to the windmill, but I thought I might as well try.
After a few moments of cleaning off grass and dust off of my clothes I pulled my cape hood over my head, then pulled myself onto my horse. I turned back to the town with most of the buildings tilted to the side, and one of the forest trees knocked over onto the area. With a sigh, I flicked the reigns galloping away from Flyton and back to the windmill.
Once I was in front of the building I slipped off of my horse then walked up to the door, stopping myself before doing anything else. Should I go straight inside like last time or knock? I thought with confusion. I decided to knock on the door, for safety purposes.

Grant had been clearly doing what he usually did, reading, whilst he was alone. It was a good pass-timer and managed to keep his sanity at a somewhat good-enough level. Spending so long alone after having company around his entire life made himself feel really...awful. He was mainly reading a diary he had once borrowed from Lilith...that was before he killed her...Again with the depressive thoughts, he was at the end of the 'No Honor Stick'. Life was awful for him...

It then happened, an ever-so-small knock came to the door. Placing down his book, and grabbing a knife to place by his side, he walked slowly into the doorway, making the less-wise decision to yell at the door.

"COME IN!"

The yelling made me wince a little, making me hesitate before entering the windmill. I froze in place, seeing the knife by the man's side easily, and unfortunately this time I forced myself to stay inside the building. I tried to say something, but I couldn't make any sound because of the amount of shock I had right now. Why is this man so cautious about things? I thought with a wave curiosity washing over me. I stayed in my position as the time passed by, wondering what this person was going to do next.

Grant's eyes narrowed once more, as he felt his hands tense. He knew that it was judgement day. Whether she lived or died was in his hands, his decision. He felt himself sweat and shake as he thought. He knew that he wasn't allowed to physically harm her, under Asartha's name...it was the right thing to do. However, she didn't say that as a Trinity, he could not do other things that could help him settle...that is where toying comes in....

"So...it's...been a while, hasn't it?" He slowly placed the knife onto the counter, making sure it was out of her reach if she were to attack him. "I've...I've been waiting a while, y'know, for a meeting like this...in person. You've grown slightly, since that Year had gone by...since the 5 months of my last encounter. You were so much younger-looking...no offence..." He chuckled in an odd way as he sat, his voice still stuttering as he questioned in his mind of what he was saying. He took a bottle as he sat down in a chair, the woman's eyes following his movement. "You've been busy...r-right? Running? Being used? It's...quite the sight...seeing this happen, before my very eyes...here's me thinking I had a chance, to end the pain and avenge her...yet...something stopped me. Twice. I have attempted so many times and yet it was completely under your radar. Everything was...it will continue that way...but let me j-just tell you..." He saw her tilt her head as she looked worryingly at his strange and bizarre words. "Oh...p-please...don't look a-at me like that...I k-know you when I see you...I-I know when I s-see the Flamed Beast that k-killed her...I know when I see y-you...Hope Ranavin..."

I continued to look at him with a confused face, wondering how he knew me so well and what I've been doing recently. "How do you know me?" I managed to ask the man. "I don't really remember anything," I added if he couldn't tell already. In my mind I was trying to process the situation, but the amount of questions I had kept me from figuring out the situation. With a quiet sigh I slumped down onto the floor with my knees pulled to my chest, and my back against the door. I waited for his response while I continued to infer about my past based off of what he was telling me.

He listened as she looked at him, confused as ever. It was what he expected from her. This is how it was supposed to play out for him. The perfect crime and the perfect way to make sure he can spoil her and hand her to the guards of the Military...

"How do you know me? I don't really remember anything!" He grinned slightly, taking a few sips from his bottle. The swigs were strong and the taste was bitter, to his liking. There was a scrunch in his face as he felt it trickle down his throat. The taste was nice to him, though, unlike other's tastes in sweeter and more luxurious beverages.

"You killed my wife...a year ago...and my daughter...Back in Karanese...you shifted...you turned into the flames and burnt the skin off of my little angle. My wife was crushed by the buildings...my son was taken away...you gave him shock...constant shock. I've not seen my son in FUCKING 1 YEAR!!!" He threw the bottle into the other side of the room, smashing it...He took a few minutes to breath, before continuing at a moderate loudness. "I met you...I met you in person and you never noticed. You and fucking everyone...I have been seen. AND NOW! I HAVE FUCKING NOTHING! I LOST MY FRIEND! Y'know...there is a Soldier out there...named Yuri Tynko...Sergeant Yuri Tynko...I recall him helping you...and I was near. I LOST HIM TOO!" He stood up. "AND I'VE COME OUT AS A CRIMINAL! AND NOW, NIRA...Poor fucking Nira...Is dead..." The room fell silent as his name came into existence.

It took me a long time to figure out the situation with all of the deaths I have created, and the man's past that I've disrupted with my abilities. "No wonder Yuri told me to try to be more cautious about my abilities... He said that he helped me recovered from an attempt of-" I paused for a few seconds, looking towards the glass fragments on the floor. "-suicide," I finished, almost choking on the word. Even though I acted calm, it felt like I was about to have a break down figuring out about my past in only a few minutes.
I could feel a pain in my eyes, wondering if it was my eyes shifting colors or I was tearing up. Just in case this was about to happen I spun around opening the door, turning my head partly towards the man. "I'm sorry," I said in a low tone then ran out slamming the door behind me as I rushed towards my horse.

Grant watched as she bolted outside. She didn't mean it, did she? She literally didn't care that she'd killed Asartha. Hope literally didn't care that she had torn his life limb from limb until it was nothing but a rotten corpse. She didn't care. It was clear. He could've killed her, but spared her, and he gets this response? Now that he thought about it, he could really do with something to settle his anger. He could feel it arise inside of him. The anger...the sheer rage that began to infuse in his bones and muscles. He tensed up...but he couldn't...not in the Windmill. Then the idea struck him. If he could do it...he could kill her, and she'd not know he did it. He grinned slightly as he quickly ran out the rear door, opposite to where Hope had departed.

He had began to sprint away from the Windmill, wheeling left as he made it look like he was as far apart from the Windmill as possible. He had been, at least, running for 15 minutes. That was impressive, but for who he really was, it wasn't surprising. He picked up further speed, accelerating faster and faster. Grant's blood felt like it was going to leak from his skin; his heart would beat outside of his body; the muscles would contract onto a pile as small as a pea. It was painful, but he managed to keep going. He had reached a great distance, and Hope probably wouldn't have even known of his leaving...so he stopped, in the middle of an empty field. Only the wind stood with him. Silent and eerie. It was quite frightening where he stood. He had a deep smile on his face as he cracked out the inner feeling. He felt like he was going to explode. He reached into his sleeve. There was a hilt strapped to his wrist and forearm, holding a blade within it; the handle was facing outwards. He wrapped his fingers slowly around the leathery layering, drawing it and baring it to his arm. He took a deep breath, and slammed it down into his left forearm...

A bright light emerged as he felt the energy surge through him. His arms became heated, scorching hot. His face extended in size and proportion as the transformation was taking place. The sky became dimmer as his form was spotted happening in the distance. He was miles away from Soldiers, so he could do what he wanted and when he wanted...

Through a heavy fog of smoke, the heat rolled in. A deep growl fell inside the smoke and thuds were heard. The beast was on the move, and fast. It could cover distance in such short time, being much faster than the Flaming Titan when crawling. Holding Mutt-like aspects, greater size and strength, it was meerly the superior of other Titans. Nothing could stand against it and win. Only the most well coordinated could. And no one he knew alive was good enough...especially with Hugh leading the assault. He moved quickly, panting heavily as he did. It was so fast-paced that descriptions could not describe what movement was happening. The charcoaled body moved, sensing the horse and rider in the distance. The target was locked...and it began to thud towards it with claws bearing...

I hugged my horse's neck with him snorting as a response. He nuzzled my cheek trying to comfort me, making me release the horse to wipe my face. "He just doesn't understand what has happened recently," I said to the horse while I rubbed behind his ears. I sighed then got climbed onto its back with the horse whining, as if trying to tell me something. I tried to ignore the noise and forced the horse to trot away from the windmill, then heard a slam from the windmill. Must just be the guy throwing something, I thought.

The beast pounded closer and closer. He could feel the heat move off of himself. The Titanic being was about to exact its revenge. He knew that what he was about to do was going to change everything, and he could finally end the horror. He had control. He was a different Titan. Grant was no longer Grant Trinity. Still G.T...The Grim Titan was reborn. He moved closer and closer, as he began to see the horse pick up some speed again. It was clear now. He'd been spotted moving so quickly. She must be frightened. Her dead friend Nira back from the dead, as it would seem. He growled with pleasure as he pursued. He was much faster, much more energetic and had better reflexes than any human could ever imagine. It made his Hand-to-hand combat so precise. It made him a monster, and at times like these...he loved it.

A body ejected off of the horse, as his claws swiped downwards. The shattered ground flipped the horse onto its side, only toppling it over as much as injuries go. He saw it swing around him. Hope. 'There's no escape now!' His teeth snapped shut as the Grim Titan attempted to bite her out of the sky. He wanted her dead, as he wanted redemption. The sword-like bone only just missed the swinging female. He snarled deeply. It was all happening so fast that there was little ways to describe it in detail. In such huge motion, he flipped his body around in an About-Turn. He saw her. She was standing on a tree, about 13 meters in height. It was about a third of the size of the Grim, yet he could clearly see her. Moving slowly, his head began to lower in front of the branch she stood on. A large gust of wind and heat pushed against her as her cloak fluttered on her back, acting like wings of death. The face was now point blank. If he held it, he could use the element of surprise. He could use his unstoppable reflex to crush her beneath his own monstrous jaws and end her once and for all. Steam snarled sharply from his nostrils and skin. The deathly creature moved closer. He was now face to face with his foe. And he waited. He could strike now...now...NOW! 'ASARTHA! STOP HOLDING ME BACK!'

My heart was pounding out of my chest as I held my swords tightly in my hands. Tears streamed down my face while I stared at the beast, wondering why it decided to go after me. Why, why?! I thought with a mixture of emotions: anger, sadness, and curiosity. I had this urge to try stopping the titan, even if I was basically a bug compared to its size. I noticed that the monster was hesitating on killing me, so an insane plan popped up into my head.
Since the titan was only a yard away from me, I slowly inched towards it with my body trembling. Once I was in arms length I held both of my swords in one hand and reached out to its face, praying that it didn't automatically bite my head off and start tearing my body apart. My hand was shaking faster the closer I got, then I managed to place my hand onto its snout. The heat from its body warmed up my hand, but not as much as I thought it would. I wasn't very surprised though. Steam started to go towards my hand, as if I was attracting it towards me, with my hand bursting into flames. I kept my hand on its snout with my eyes tightly closed, hoping that the beast doesn't attack me.

It was an utter surprise. What was she doing, standing there as if mocking myself? A large snarl came as he remained face-to-face with the puny imbecile on the branch. He would know that she wouldn't last any longer, just as long as he would open those large jaws and slam the extreme sharpness of teeth onto her poor soul. Poor as it was, it was still something that needed to be dealt with. No sympathy was allowed to break past the insanity that was of the Grim Titan. He had to remain focused in order to bring her demise shortly, and he was plotting just how brutal he was to make it happen. Scorching hot dribble and spit spewed from his mouth as the teeth bared, like the Mutt like-Titan he had become. Now was the time, and now was the place. For actions made here today, would bring a better tomorrow. Every yesterday that had brought sorrow, would be shed upon the light of the future utopia. "This is it, Hope..." A grin came to the man within the heart of the beast. "This is where your journey ends. Sorry you didn't get the full experience I did...sorry that you didn't get to live on as the Hero I was before. Sorry that you didn't get to prove yourself of a worthy human! This is whe-" It then happened, the calming sensation.

She made an insanely risky move. Just like back on the hill of Manhatu in the Eastern District, she placed her hand directly onto his face. The snout steamed as her hand followed, her face not seeming to make much expression of pain at all. She was the Flaming Titan, she could withstand the heat. An Amber flame began to form around such a small but beautiful manner. The colours flashed into the Grim's eyes. They sparkled and twisted throughout the wonders of the sky. The outside world was lit up, for once in the lifetime of himself. What is...she doing? It made him feel weird. His head began to burn on the inside, as he felt empowered. The memories of how everything fucked up were beginning to twist and remorph into strange and non-violent feelings. He was being calmed, silenced by his prey. She was no longer his prey...she was...helping him. She was stopping him from killing her and becoming the insane and batshit crazy person he had become that while back. He was becoming Grant again, not the Grim Titan. He tried to move back slightly, as he was fighting the good-will with the insanity. He began to remember what he wanted. His real intentions...his real purpose with the power...



He felt his anger seethe away. He remembered what he wanted before he got caught up in his widowing. His mourning had taken the best of him all so long ago, and so he felt calmed by the heat. The body temperature of both individuals stopped him...his hatred began to stop. His idealisation was returning. Save home...and make that plaque they had always planned. They...Yuri...he'd be so proud if he saved everyone...If he did what he was always...good...The vision of his Titan eyes began to fade...the body slipped down. The Grim Titan fell with a large thud.

I stared into the titan's eyes, watching it slowly calm down due to my bodily contact with it. In its eyes it looked like it was mesmerized by the flames I created around my hand, as if I managed to hypnotize it and stop it from attacking. I-it worked...? I thought with confusion, keeping my full attention on the abnormally large shifter. At the corner of my eye I could see the titan's body relax, becoming heavy. Seconds later it dropped down onto the ground.
A loud thud came from the body when it fell with my sensitive ears ringing for a few moments. I rubbed my ears to make the ringing stop, then slowly lowered myself from the tree branch and onto the titan. I walked around on the limp body until I found the nape, and had another terrible idea come to mind.
Using one of the swords I had, I slowly and carefully cut the nape, small pieces at a time...