He's stronger than that. [ His tone goes sharp with conviction, even if he doesn't look up from his work. ] He just— [ Eren pauses to heft out some more dirt, brows drawing together from exertion. ] —stopped checking in all the sudden. With me, and our officers.

[ He speaks, but it's distracted, words thrown out as he focuses on shoveling. There's far too much earth to move and not enough daylight to do it; he didn't want to consider that this place could've driven any of them mad. Least of all Armin, who really wouldn't be so stupid as to run off by himself short of completely going crazy.

He's made a sizable crater when he pauses to continue, eyes still trailing on the ground. ] We've looked everywhere. Docks, campus, city— forest.