Armin couldn't turn his horse, couldn't control what happened, couldn't even find his voice to scream when the female titan's hand hit him. The impact was so brutal, his bones crumbled under the force of it, blood ran from his hairline into his eyes, staining the world red. The ground was solid, and he hit it going at least 30 miles an hour, bouncing helplessly on the dirt and stone, he choked out a sound, something between a gasp and a yell, before coming to a stop facedown on his stomach, winded and gasping for breath. Stunned, terrified, his mind flashing through a million different outcomes, she was after Eren, she was after his best friend, his big brother, she would hurt him, kill him, who knew what her endgame was. Trembling he tried to lift himself up but found that he was too weak, the pain in his chest and in his leg spoke of injuries that would prove fatal out here, he fell back, eyes flooding, he was going to die, they were all going to die... They couldn't win against humans, always they had been the most dangerous enemy, titans were mindless, hunger driven beasts, they were not cruel or calculating or intelligent, they were animals. Now, everything was different, now, it was hopeless.

Dimly he became aware of something moving above him, a shadow blocked the sun, darkness.

He turned his head, eyes widened, he opened his mouth, to speak, to cry for help, to pray, he didn't even know. This was so much worse, worse than being nearly swallowed by the titan, worse than seeing Eren eaten, worse than anything he could have imagined, when his eyes met those of the female titan as she leaned down to peer at him from beneath her blood soaked hair, he knew who it was.

His breath was a word.

"Annie..."

Betrayal, bitter, bitter pain and sadness, tears washed tracks of white through the blood around his eyes, he sobbed once, tried to get control, gasped and choked, now he could taste his death at the hand of one he had trusted, of one he had cared for, of one he had... Loved...

She reached for him, picked up his shaking, broken body, he never closed his eyes, he wanted to watch her as she killed him, wanted her to know he knew, and to have her watch as death darkened his eyes.

He waited for her to end it, waited for her to crush him in her palm, from far away he could hear Jean and Riener call out his name, they couldn't save him, no one could save him.

Annie stared down at him, her mouth half open to show sharp pointed teeth, more tears fell from his eyes as he lay there, helpless and hopeless, for a moment all was still.

She moved, her hand closed over him, and he cried out as the motion hurt him, but to his shock and horror, her hold was gentle and protective, she didn't crush him, she didn't kill him, he felt the sway of her body as she ran, and the last thought that he had before he lost the fight to stay awake, was that Annie couldn't go after Eren with him in tow, and that for now at least, his friend was safe even if he wasn't...