A rapping sound came from the door. An older man with receding brown hair opened the door to reveal a raven-haired man with a solemn expression. The green cloak with the tell-tale navy and white wings justified his appearance.
"Lance Corporal Levi! Please come in," the taller man stuttered, allowing the officer into his home. "I am Mr. Ral, Petra's father."
"Yes. Sir, forgive me for the intrusion," Levi began, his stoic demeanor never wavering. "Let me begin by saying that your daughter was very brave, even when faced wi-"
"Corporal, with all due respect, my...daughter. She is...dead, isn't she?"
"I am sorry, sir. Please, forgive me for any stress I have caused."
"No, no, sir, I understand; she always spoke highly of you, you know. You two would have been a good match..." he trailed off, a distant memory lingering in his tired eyes.
Levi hummed in response, shifting from foot to foot. His gaze shifted to the floor, allowing her father to reminisce.
"With all due respect, Mr. Ral, I shall be taking my leave."
"Yes, of course, Corporal Levi, thank you for the news..."
"Of course; your daughter was brave, strong." For once, Levi's expression wavered, his mask cracking. On that note, he left.
Levi sat at the desk in his room, his head held in his hands. His raven bangs shielded his eyes. He was alone; he was truly alone. He lowered one hand to his desk; the other covered his eyes. Levi breathed deeply, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. He balled his free hand into a fist and pounded his desk once, then again.
"God, I failed them. I failed them all. I'm sorry; I'm sorry, Erd, and Gunther, and Auruo. And...god, I'm sorry, Petra. I swear I didn't mean to kill any of you; I'm sorry, dang it!" A choked sob rippled through him, then another.
Before he knew it, Levi was crying, actually crying. As the tears fell, he couldn't help but think of all of those he had lost. But one he constantly came back to, was her. The strawberry blonde with the sweet face: Petra. Another sob racked his body at the memory.
"I'm sorry, Petra; I really am. If I could die in your place, in any of them, but especially yours, I would in a heartbeat. I'm sorry..." Levi's voice was nothing but a throaty whisper at this point. He looked blearily at the candle that sat on his desk, the light casting an eerie glow. He couldn't think; he could barely breathe. He thought of her body: twisted against a tree, her head bent back at an unnatural angle, blood everywhere. Levi looked away and closed his eyes, trying ineffectively to erase the thought.
In that moment, Levi knew what he had to do. Inhaling shakily, he rested his head in his folded hands. He would carry on, for them. For Gunther, and Auruo, and Erd, and...and Petra. Especially for Petra.
"You have made me a better person than you realize, Petra. Better. Stronger. And I'll keep going, no matter what. For you, for everyone.
"I love you, Petra."