Prologue - Connections
It was like any other scouting mission before, over and beyond the safe haven of wall Maria we ventured looking for supplies and resources of this desolate world. It has been decades since the first attack of the Titans, giant humanoids who possess destructive power. One by one cities were wiped out and towns destroyed leaving nothing left but dead corpses and the smell of gunpowder. Humanity had to come together to survive and we did. We have adapted to combat these beasts but do not have the manpower to entirely wipe them out. Tess and I had been sent out to retrieve supplies for our town and only armed with a few extra blades and maneuver gear we set out on horseback.
I first met Tess at the training camps where every soldier to be is sent to become future members of the survey corpse. Many of the kids who come through seek only one thing and that is vengeance, I can't count how many faces I've seen full of pure rage and anger. I myself know this feeling and I too once had the thirst for revenge however I learned quickly that anger blinds you and clouds the mind. Tess and I were the top of our class to graduate both receiving S class ranks (the highest rank of any student) and were sent to lead out our first mission.
I only had one thought in my mind "when you see them kill, kill, kill" those thoughts resounded through my head. We left the sanctuary of wall Maria and went out to retrieve medication for the sickly, nothing could prepare neither myself or my team for the events that were too occur. "Seth, Come here for a sec" Tess called me over squatting by a pile of rubble. "What do you have" I asked trying to make out what caught her eye. Tess pointed and my eyes followed, in the midst of the rubble were a small scattered bunch of medicine ranging from Tylenol to were ecstatic at the find, and were eager to grab as much as we could carry. "I can always count on you Tess" I said with a smile, Tess smirked "yeah I always end up saving your ass" as we shot the signal flare to alert the group to meet back up an agonizing cry echoed throughout the abandoned city.
I knew that voice oh to well, "Josh!" I screamed launching my maneuver gear to get to him. I landed on a building where I helplessly watched the horrific scene unfold. There was a Titan at least 30 feet tall and in its mouth was Josh's lifeless corpse his torso hanging out of the Titans teeth. I froze unable to comprehend what to do, in training we fought each other and did target practice on a steel Titan head dummy but this... Nothing prepared any of us for this. The Titan spat out Josh's body and proceeded towards Michael, I sprang shooting the hooks of my maneuver gear into the Titanʻs neck and drawing my blade.
In a heartbeat I flew towards the Titan and aimed for the back of its neck the Titans only weak point. Michael froze with fear, as I drew closer I felt a sharp pain coursed throughout my body and soon slammed into the wall of a nearby crumbled building. Like a fly I was swatted off the Titanʻs body and I watched in pained agony as my squad died one by one. Tess caught up to me and we fled never looking back again.
After countless more battles Tess and I have grown stronger as one unit and were once again sent out on another scavenging mission. "This is it" I said landing on the ground of the lifeless town, Tess followed landing shortly after "memories huh" she said trying to ease the tension. I nodded my head slightly and proceeded forwards, "what are we looking for again" I asked turning around with a pitiful smile. Tess sighed "still never listening during briefing I see" she lightly nudges my shoulder "we're not scavenging only were mapping as well, look for any medication bandages or even iron if you can find it".
I rubbed my shoulder and nodded walking the ghost town searching for anything of use. Around an hour passed and we had managed to recover a small amount of iron and meds, "nice job partner" I congratulated Tess and hi fived her. "What would you do without me" she said smiling. We picked up and loaded all the supplies we could and proceeded into uncharted territory, "why do we have to do this again?" I began "send out the graduates to map this place out not is" Tess glared at me stopping in her tracks "so another incident can happen like our first mission" she said glaring. "You're right" I said changing the subject " how far in are we going anyway?" "About a half mile more" she replied.
After another fifteen minutes we had reached our destination marking safe trails and dangers along the way, "must be a good day today, not one Titan" Tess said happily. "I know right, it's eerie though it's not normal" I replied. We hopped back on our horses we had left at the foot of the forest near the town and set off back home. "Seems like it was a smooth day today huh?" I asked Tess but received no response. "Right Tess?" Still no answer "alright Tess stop screwing with me" I said turning around to see Tess turning back staring at the forest as trees collapsed. "Aberrant!" She yelled as the Titan broke through the brush sprinting on all fours straight for us. Tess and I sped forward to a place that had some cover. We abandoned our horses and proceeded to kill the Titan. "Just like the rest Tess let's get this done" I yelled and Tess nodded firing her hook into the Titanʻs head and slashing its eyes blinding it temporarily. I swiftly sliced it's neck and the Titan fell lifeless.
"That wasn't too bad" Tess said retracting her blades back into their holsters. "Nice job Se-" I cut her off "Tess shhh" It was then we heard the most fear inducing noise we could ever have heard, the sound of multiple Titans closing in on our location. "Tess let's go" I screamed we went to escape when Tess started banging on her gear. "Not now not fucking now" she exclaimed "it's busted my gas chamber is jammed" she fearfully. We had always been able to fight off the Titans but never in a situation like this. The Titans closed in in all shapes and sizes, "I'll hold them off Tess you stay here" I said with assured confidence flying into battle. Tess nodded removing her gear and began to fix the jam. This was our final stand either we live or we both die and I wasn't about to leave Tess behind. Every Titan that crossed my path was slaughtered without mercy. "I almost got it!" Tess yelled from the building, "alright Tess get it going" I replied choking and gasping for air tired from exhaustion.
Three more Titans headed for Tess and I sprung to them, "last three" I kept repeating as I flew over the mountain of dead Titans. I hooked the Titan's neck and went for the kill however this Titan was different. The Titan turned back to me, as the other two continued for Tess, grabbing my wire line and flying me like a ragdoll against the ground and buildings. It then threw me to the ground my head gushing blood and my body torn and broken. I managed to stand only collapsing again, "no, not again" I said in tears reaching my hand out to Tess hoping she'd grab it one last time. "I'm sorry Tess, I've failed you" I began to sob as the outcome played in my head. But somehow I found myself standing again and with all my energy running towards the Titan only to be thrown down again and again.
Tess had managed to kill the other two pursuing her and ran in front of me her arms outstretched as if she were a child protecting a kid from being bullied. "I'm not leaving you Seth, I'll never leave you alone again" she said her back still to me. In a hoarse voice I murmured, "Tess run get out of here" tears ran down my face as Tess turned around and smiled "like I said I'll never leave you behind" Tess pulled out her gear and shot her hooks out into the Titan going for the kill. "She repaired it" I thought wincing in pain. Just like before the Titan grabbed the wire but Tess spun counteracting the sudden pull landing safely on a rooftop. The Titan sprung punching the building full force reducing it to rubble as Tess slid slicing the Titans calf. With a strange cry the Titan knelt down and Tess went for the kill, flying at incredible speed only to be caught by the Titan mid flight.
The Titan's eyes widened as it held Tess in its hand its grip tightening and smile becoming more wicked. "Tess!" I screamed as Tess struggled to break free letting out cries of pain. Tess swiftly stabbed the Titan's hand and broke free toppling to the ground. She stood up again and launched towards the Titan one last time, she once again dodged the Titans punch and grabs and sliced the Titan's neck without fail. As she completed the cut the Titan screamed and in its last motion flew Tess against a concrete wall where she fell as did the Titan.
Tess's body was lifeless and beaten just as bad as I was, I crawled closer and closer to her until my body went completely numb. I felt my heart slow and the vision going black "Tess I'm sorry" I thought trying to pull myself inches closer, my strength already depleted. I reached out to Tess still lifeless and cold on the ground feet from me tears in my eyes, "I'm going to die aren't I" I thought as the last light of the sun disappeared from my sight.