So here's the next chapter for Earth, sorry about the delay you guys. I am not going to bore you with my excuses... but I will say: I'M AN AUNTIE NOW! Woohoo!
Anywho, I apologize in advance for the first line of this chapter... Have fun...


Pride was the first to die. She just couldn't get over her fear when she saw that first Titan.

It was only one hour into our ride that it happened. With the wind blowing hard against me and my feet high off the ground, I wasn't the one to first realise the Titans had arrived. All we heard was the scream of warning and suddenly we were besieged on all sides; blocky and skeletal formed creatures everywhere, filling the air with their hungry stench.

I was on the edge of the huge squad, next to the old man, Pokerface and Barker. There were no orders or commands; we were too far away from the squad leader, or whatever the person was called. Stuck on a fear filled horse, there was little I could do with the earth far below me. In my selfish hesitation to have hundreds of humans witness my strength, several humans were plucked off their steeds.

This included Pride, who was 200 yards in front of me. She was petrified and didn't even pull her blades out as the Titan ripped her out of her saddle and stuffed her into his mouth, slowly chewing down with a sick, pleasured smile.

Barker screamed in blind, bloodcurdling anger and rose to attack, but I quickly leaned over and pulled him back down onto his saddle. I too felt the bubbling thrum of anger in my bones, urging me to launch myself at the thing, but out of the corner of my eye I saw Oldman fearfully urging his horse on. No... I had to be smart about this. I had to think, not feel. So, instead, I somehow swallowed that sharp lump of rage and let it fester deep in my stomach.

I rose to stand on my saddle, whispering to the terrified horse to keep on running as I looked around. The herd of humans was splitting down the seams as everyone desperately weaved in and out of the massive legs and hands, colliding together as they tried to save their own lives.

"What should we do, Elyla?" Shouted Oldman, eyes streaming but just about keeping himself together as we rode.

"Oldman, Barker! Keep everyone here together in one group. Scream, shout, I don't care what, just keep them together. Pokerface, you're with me. I'll be distraction, you're attack."

Pokerface nodded and readied his blades, nodding towards the Titan coming in from the left.

I rode forwards with the horse below me, separating from everyone to draw the thing's attention away. I then leapt off, shooting forwards the cables into the Titan's stomach to spin like an arch of light in front of it.

As I did this, Pokerface attached himself to its back and pulled himself towards the thing's nape, slicing deep. We both pushed off of it as it fell back, inelegantly landing on the horses.

"E- Elyla, there's two more incoming to the right!" Called the old man.

"Right! Barker, you're on distract! Don't use the gear, just your horse! Me and Pokerface on attack! Oldman, keep everyone together!"

And so it went. Me and the old man gave everyone orders as we all swapped around our roles. I kept Barker on distract, but let Pokerface take down several Titans, only swapping him out when he didn't cut deep enough on one and almost got bitten in half.

As we rode I found several other humans who worked well with us. A bald man and a smart looking dark haired man with glasses were great distracters, weaving in and out with great control of the horse as they gathered the Titans' attention. A silver haired woman with a manic smile was a good attacker when sent by herself. While working with others, her blade swipes were a little too wide to be comfortable.

"Green eyes! We can't keep running the horses like this. They're already slowing!" shouted out Oldman as I drew back once again.

We were separated from the main group by now, about fifty humans and me running the horses as fast as we could after the distant group in front of us. "... Tell everyone to slow up a bit," I told him.

He looked at me incredulously but followed through, calling out the commands.

People were slow to do this as there were still many Titans behind us but we did slow a bit. Enough that when I jumped off my horse and was able to keep up with them it didn't look- well it still probably looked unbelievable but not as much.

"Hunter! What are you doing?!" Barker screamed loudly.

"Keep everyone fucking moving Barker! Oldman, look after my horse and everyone. Pokerface you work with glasses and crazy grey hair. Don't let her kill you!" I shouted at them all before dropping back behind everyone.

The Titans behind immediately started running after me but by this point I was done.

They ate Pride. I didn't save that grumpy woman. I hadn't been able to save them all... I couldn't. I wouldn't.

I don't know who I was angrier with, myself or the Titans, but the result was the same. I arched my leg around, sand and earth, disturbed by this sudden movement, spinning up into the cool Autumnal air like a comet trail to my movements.

I took a deep, echoing breath and looked up at the creatures make their way towards me.

I moved. Sky and Earth melted into one as I span around them. I kissed my blades across their skin, tearing down on the tendons in their ankles, and jumped onto their falling furnace-hot backs, quickly dispatching them with a sharp strike across their necks. I jumped from one to another, barely using the gas canisters as I moved in quick succession from one to another.

I stopped thinking. I started to feel, started to smile. It was a twisted smile, too large, too toothy, as I cut down on them, not always with the blades.

I don't know how long it took to clear the area of Titans, but clear it I did, before I found myself running to catch up with my herd of humans. I eventually jumped up onto a horse again. My feral grin was still fixed to my face as red steamed off my entire body, dousing me in smoke.

There was silence and I think almost every head was twisted to stare at me.

"...E-Everyone slow the horses to trot," called out the old man.


We caught up with the main group later that evening where they had camped out in a deserted village, not lighting many fires as they all tried to get as much sleep as they could. The dark chestnut coated horse snorted warily as I climbed down from it, ears flat back against its head as it held itself still.

"You did well today," I told it as I tied it up, brushing down its coat and soothing its aching limbs in unspoken thanks for its work. I would have to give him a proper boon for sacrificing his comfort to carry me, once he overcame his fear and was able to ask me.

Pokerface, Barker and the Oldman surrounded me as soon as their own horses were tied up for the night.

"You uh- you are full of surprises little one," said Oldman with a strange questioning look on his face. I just shrugged, looking around as I heard all the humans whispering to each other and staring, and sniffed the air faintly, looking for other familiar humans.

Ah, there...

There sat Flexer and the twins, next to Flaxen and several other familiar faces, lit up by a few small torches as they looked around themselves warily.

"Pride's dead," I told them as I entered their circle. They looked up at me with wide, hurt filled eyes, except for Flaxen, who was still staring at the earth.

"...Where's Freckles?" Asked Barker from behind me.

"She's...gone," said Jitterone, eyes shining as she looked up at us. "A- a man pulled her off her horse and used her as a shield."

"...Where is this man?" I asked quietly.

"In the belly of a Titan," said Fury firmly as Flaxen continued to look down at his open hands.

I knew that look. I sharply pulled the boy up and butted my head against his, looking deeply into his widening grey eyes. "Not. Your. Fault." I told him both in words and in thought. Behind me I felt Oldman and Pokerface exchange looks as I lowered the wide eyed boy to the ground. Tears started to spill out of his eyes and I motioned to Barker to comfort him, turning away to tiredly rub my forehead.

"We need to work out a better way of moving across the planes," Pokerface said, taking a seat.

"How? We have to follow orders, and the orders are for everyone to be jammed together like cattle. Once one person panics everyone does, and then it's like a meat grinder," Fury gritted out with a dark look.

"We all need to keep to the outside."

Everyone looked up at me in surprise as I spoke, not turning around as I looked past the fires, out into the darkness.

"But we'll be picked off in no time," Jitterone murmured nervously.

"No it makes sense. As Rita said, we'll get crushed when there's loads of people panicking," Oldman said with a thoughtful look, "by working in small groups of attackers and distracters we were able to take down many Titans as we moved."

"Didn't see you take anyone down," muttered someone just outside of the circle.

My hand lashed out and pulled a muscular man in by his thick neck, lifting him up so he could look down at me in breathless surprise as his brain caught up with the last three seconds. "The Oldman is the thinker. We protect him so he can see everything without distractions and give us ideas of where to go and what to do. You will not dare to try to shame him for saving your pitiful life." I threw the bulky, choking man back into the dark, not even looking as he scuttled away, reeking of fear.

"... Green eyes, you need to calm down," Pokerface murmured to me quietly. I felt a faint growl reverberate through my chest at this as I twisted to face Pokerface with an ugly look.

"Elyla..." Oldman looked at me worriedly.

My eyes flickered to him, then elsewhere as I turned my body away again, looking out at the black around us once more.

"...me, Jit and Fury did the attack and dis'ract thing too. It worked well, but there was lotsa people around gettin' in the way," murmured Flexer, breaking the long silence. "It'd probably be better to ride the ou'side."

Oldman hummed faintly, looking down at his crinkled hands, then back to the group of people staring expectantly up at him.

"... I think we need to make small teams of threes and fours and keep together to deal with each Titan, anymore and it gets too crowded," said the Oldman in a carefully slow tone.

I turned around at this and watched Flaxen who had looked up at these words with wide pain-filled eyes. All that deep, bubbling anger and slow beat of rage inside me felt slightly dampened as I watched the silent one-sided exchange.

"Right, Flaxen's with me then." I said, causing everyone to jump and stare at me. "Barker and Pokerface you're with us too. Pokerface you need to work on your aim, you're attacking tomorrow. Jitterone, Flexer and Fury will be together- Jit, you're distract. Oldman's coordinating."

Barker looked for a moment like he was considering arguing against this, his hand tight on Flaxen's shoulder, but he hesitated as he took in the expression on my face, simply nodding instead.

"Can we join your little gang too?" Asked a light male voice behind me.

In the faint torch light, I saw the three people from earlier today: the smart man with glasses, the quick shiny headed one who had just spoken and the grey haired maniac. "...yes, come sit down," I told them. Grey Maniac smiled at this and threw herself on the grass.

"My name's-" started the man with the glasses, but I held out my hand for them to stop with a small smile.

"Everyone. This is Sharp; he's a good distracter with great control of his horse. That is Speedy, also has good horse control and is good at distracting, but could be a great attacker given a bit of practice. And this is Grey Maniac; fucking great attacker but only when solo- yeah, you almost scalped Pokerface earlier, don't think I missed that."

The new trio seemed surprised by the renaming, except for the maniac, who just grinned lazily.

"Don' worry," said Flexer with a small huffing smile, when Sharp opened his mouth to complain, "itsa sign tha' she likes you."

"You all would probably do well as a team from what I saw today, both men on distract and the lady on attack," mused the old man.

"Ooh, 'Lady'. I haven't heard that one before," smiled the Maniac, "can I be called that instead?"

"Lady Maniac it is," Barker muttered loudly to my faint amusement. He didn't seem to have forgiven Pokerface's close shave earlier.

"Did anyone else see anyone promising today?" Oldman asked the group.

"It was a bit hard to tell where we were but I think I saw a pair of brothers who were good on their horses," said Jitterone with a thoughtful expression.

"There was a man in his fifties near me, built like a mountain. He helped keep the people around him calm," Flaxen contributed to everyone's surprise. Oldman nodded to him as the boy caught his eye defiantly.

"Right, you both go see if you can find them and bring them back here."

"Hey wait- aren't you guys forgetting the most 'promising' person here?" Lady Maniac asked as they stood up to go. Several eyes fell on me and I felt my bad mood return with a vengeance. "That girl's a weapon. I lost count how many of those fuckers she killed. What do they call you, hey? The berserker?"

I looked blankly at her for a moment before turning to the Oldman.

"Bah-z-er-k-er?" I asked testily.

"...Berserkers, they're uh- really fierce fighters from the old stories, often went into... trances to fight their enemies," Oldman told me.

I looked around in surprise at the confused look from those I hadn't fought alongside and the careful, wary looks of those who did. They thought I was one of the Úlfhéònar... I didn't quite know how to feel about that... I shook my head sharply. What did it matter what they thought of me as? I was a god and they were Mortals... I was getting too attached.

"I prefer green eyes," said Pokerface in a low carrying voice.

"Same, her eyes are beautiful," said Jitterone to Flexer's annoyance and Fury's amusement.

I scowled down at my feet, my cheeks feeling slightly warm.

"Haha! She's blushin'!" laughed Fury, twisted delight overcoming jealousy.

"Guys stop teasing Green Eyes," Barker whined as I turned away again, not noticing Flaxen getting up and quietly leaving the group. No, instead I was noticing the people all around us staring at the source of laughter with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"We're just telling her the truth," came the kind, smiling tone of Jitterone from behind me as Barker's complaints raised another octave.

That small grudging smile that was about to grace my lips faded into obscurity as I saw a trio of high ranking soldiers approaching us.

"That's her," one of them whispered, pointing at me.

"Cadet! The squad commander wants to see you!" Said the grumpy looking one in the middle in a pompous tone. I cocked an eyebrow at this but otherwise didn't move. Behind me the cheerful chatter of voices faded into tense silence.

"...You are to see him now!" The soldier shouted again. I continued not to reply.

"Elyla, you had better go with them," the Oldman quietly suggested, much to my displeasure.

"You go with her too, Oldman," said Pokerface. "I'll get everyone gathered."

"Make sure everyone has something to eat and gets enough sleep," I told him to what I think may have been his surprise (his eyes widened a fraction of a millimetre and he ever so slightly hesitated before he nodded.)

I had a bad feeling that I knew what I was wanted for as I made my way behind the three soldiers.

It was quite likely that the humans had been talking about what happened today. I couldn't quite bring myself to regret my actions, but I wished I had found a subtler way of doing it. This was where I needed Armin. I mean the old man was clever and all but he wasn't a patch on his grandson...

I shook my head sharply ignoring Oldman's odd look trying to shed these thoughts and focus on the men surrounding the large fire we were approaching.

It was immediately obvious who was in charge. He sat on a cushioned chair taken from one of the abandoned homes, just in front of the fire. He had a calculating, self-assured look to him. Or, at least, that was probably the air he was trying to give off. It didn't quite work with me. I could smell the stale scent of dry urine on his body.

"You wanted to see me," I stated, folding my arms as I observed the hollow cheeked man sitting before me.

"Sir," added the Oldman quickly, subtly jabbing me with his elbow.

I sighed internally and faced the squad leader again. "Sir," I parroted.

"Take a seat," he told me with a disinterested wave of his hand. He wasn't disinterested though; his eyes were sharp and attentive on me.

I really didn't want to take a seat on the log before him and be on a lower level but by the look the Oldman was sending me it would probably have been a bad idea to refuse.

"I've been hearing a few strange tales about you, soldier," the man said in an overly kindly voice once I was seated.

I'm not a soldier, you incompetent fool.

"Hmm?" I smiled tightly in a questioning way.

"Yes... interesting stories... care to tell me one of them? Such as the one where you took down more than ten Titans single handedly, on foot no less?" His voice came out faster now, a hint of excitement coming out of his even tone.

It was pretty clear what the human wanted from me now and, by the flash of worry on his face, it was clear Oldman realised too.

"Rumours have a tendency to be exaggerated," smiled Oldman with only a hint of nerves.

"Squad Leader is asking the woman, not you, old man!" the pompous underling from earlier butted in, to my deep displeasure.

This irritation must have been clear on my face, as the leader quickly sent the annoying man scuttling back with a wave of his hand.

"Exaggeration or no, I believe that you may have great potential. Tomorrow, you will ride with me and my next in command so you can better observe and learn from your superiors. That clear soldier?"

...Superiors...? Superiors?!

Before I could open my mouth to question why his cord was cut at birth instead of his neck, the old man started talking.

"She would be delighted to Squad Leader. If you'd allow us, we had better go get some rest now so we will be ready for tomorrow."

The "leader" nodded distractedly and waved us away as Oldman grabbed me and dragged me off.

"What the fuck, Oldman?" I spat once we were out of earshot, pulling my arm out of his grip.

"E- Elyla you need to treat your superiors with respect or they can make life really hard for you and for us. They will kill those who they think will put the mission at risk," the man sighed.

"Superiors?! That piss stained man is not my superior!" I growled quietly into his face, "He's the one who's making humans run like cattle. The only reason he wants me is so that he has another meat shield!"

"I know," he replied simply.

And just like that the fight went out of me. I pulled back out of the old man's space.

"Humans..." I sighed.

"...I know," Oldman said again with a twisted bitter smile. "But you can do good with those people, Ellen. Find out what they are planning, perhaps even talk them out of any more ridiculous ideas..."

We were both silent for a moment as we looked out at the camp ground. The torches were being put out as exhaustion overcame people's fear of tomorrow.

"Make sure that Flaxen doesn't kill himself... or anyone else," I found myself saying.

The Oldman nodded sadly. "I will."

"You as well, you're not to die. Keep in the middle of the group and give them orders."

"Same to you, don't die E- Ellen," he returned with a weary sigh that cut off when he heard me starting to laugh, low and bitter.

"I won't die."