Chapter 329: The Beginning of the End (2/2)
Lucas looked concerned, questioning Eren. ”If Humanity could take down three of our Stages, are they stronger than we first thought?”
”Don't worry yourself, Lucas; we still managed to butcher most of their forces. Only a few special cases manage to hold their own.”
”You mean like Alton,” Chloe whispered. ”That's what we were all thinking, right?”
Everyone fell silent as Lucas smiled, shaking his head. ”Alton wouldn't be fighting against us without a good reason. I'm sure the moment he sees us, he'll come right back and fight with us like the old days.”
”If you say so,” Chloe said without much confidence. ”How have you been handling things, Eren? Is the Stage causing you any issues?”
Eren held his arm out as a tawny owl landed on his arm. ”It's taking some time to adjust even if I'm just a Sub-Stage.”
”Still, to think the enemy was able to create their own Stages of Grief. How many were there?” Lucas questioned.
”Three if the report claims true. Pain, Anxiety and Hope. But only Pain was ever utilised for battle. He was defeated thanks to our prisoner and Alton himself. It's funny…. The boy I share the memories with knew Alton…. You know what? Perhaps I already said too much.”
”No, no. Please! If you know Alton, you have to tell us!” Lucas yelled, catching Eren off guard. ”Please.”
”I'll tell you what I'm allowed; I don't want the Gardeners on my back. The boy was called Percy; he was in the same team as Alton. They called themselves Team Rhapsody. From what I can tell, they ran around playing superhero saving lives and stopping our attempts at freeing our people.”
Lucas looked dazed, shaking his head. ”You're wrong; that isn't Alton. He would never do anything like that.”
”You were best friends, right? I'm sorry, but that's what I see. My memories of Percy only go back to when he was given Pain, but that's the truth. However, there's another thing that concerns me with Alton.” Eren muttered before stopping himself. ”You know what? Forget I said anything.”
”Easy there, Eren, you don't want to frighten the kids.” Bargaining chuckled, walking up. ”Lucas, Chloe, Richard. Good to see you all.”
”Adam! You're back.” Lucas exclaimed. ”Does Eve know?”
”She does; I was just back from seeing her. But might I say all of this is quite remarkable? They put a lot of effort into this execution. It reminds me of my own.”
”You were to be executed?” Richard questioned, surprised.
”400 odd years ago, yes. But of course, that never went ahead circumstances changed.”
”It was because you're a member of Fairy-Tale,” Chloe stated.
Lucas turned to her, shocked, nudging her. ”Chloe! You can't go saying things like that.”
Bargaining laughed, shaking his head. ”Please, don't make a big thing about it. It's public knowledge; after all, I may be of Fairy-Tale, but I turned my back on that barbaric race 400 years ago. So I believe we are even. Going off on the conversation about the infamous Alton Brantley, don't get your hopes up too much, Lucas. He, like Eren was trying to say, is a very different person.”
”Did you see him on the surface?”
”I did, not only that, but I fought him too.” Bargaining admitted. ”He only has hatred and violence in his heart for us. Humanity has completely brainwashed him.”
”You fought Alton Brantley?!” Richard yelled. ”Whoa…. Alton went up against a Stage of Grief.”
”Now, now. Of course, he was no challenge for the like of me, but all of that has changed…. Can you all keep a secret?” Each of the teenagers nodded as Bargaining sighed. ”Good, I trust you all because you are all friends with my sister. But the three Stages we lost to the enemy. Alton took one, more specifically Acceptance.”
Everyone was in shock, unable to process this properly. ”Alton stole Acceptance? That's impossible….”
Bargaining nodded. ”I'm afraid it isn't. To make matters worse, he intends on taking all of them to gain Salvation's Calling. So I won't say the rest anymore will be presented during the execution by the Gardeners.”
”The Gardeners are going to be there?” Chloe asked.
”You don't know who this prisoner is, do you?” Eren questioned, eyebrow up at the three.
”Zinnia Trost, that's what Eve told me. Who is she?”
Bargaining turned around, nodding to himself. ”I'll take you three to her. You'll have plenty of questions for her. After all, she was a member of Team Rhapsody.”
”Team Rhapsody? The group Alton was a part of?!” Lucas exclaimed. ”You'd let us talk to an ally of Alton?”
”If you keep on your best behaviour, yes. I believe you have a right to know what happened to Alton.” Bargaining admitted. ”However, this stays between us all. If word got out, we would all be in deep shit. Come on, she's being detained right now, waiting to be moved for the execution.”
The group followed Bargaining as Chloe fazed out, wandering, not paying attention. She was brought back to her senses when she bumped into a man wearing a long cloak. Stumbling around, Chloe shook her head. ”I'm sorry…. I wasn't looking where I was going….” The man didn't say anything walking off but stopped when Chloe called out again. ”Umm, excuse me, sir, you dropped this.”
Chloe picked up a broken pocket watch; the glass shattered; it was also cold to the touch catching her off guard. The man took it firmly, placing it back into his pocket nodding to her. ”Thank you.” Chloe felt off about something but didn't have time to think about it as Richard yelled for her. The man was left alone as he looked down at his watch, shaking his head. ”Not yet, too soon. Hang in there a bit longer, Zinnia. I'm coming for you.”