The ground shook. A scout sprinted towards a group of abandoned houses, her feet spitting up loose dirt. She glanced backwards—behind her, a giant titan was closing in. Blood was splattered across its face and it had a sick, gummy smile. Scattered in the grass and bushes were swords and disembodied limbs. Her entire group had been wiped out.

She turned, her heart pounding. Her 3DMG gear was smashed, her blades discarded. The shadow of the titan's hand swooped over her, and she felt cold terror.

In front of her, the door to a house lay open. Maybe there would be somewhere to hide. She dove for the entrance—for a second, she thought she would make it—but then she felt the titan's enormous fingers wrap around her. She screamed.

Black smoke split the skyline, far in the distance. Petra turned to watch the flare as it fell below distant treetops. "Olou, look," she said. Their horses galloped along the grass. "Another black flare from the left flank."

"Maybe it's an Abnormal," Olou said. "They might send us to deal with it, you know. That'll be exciting."

"Yeah." Petra gripped the reins. "Exciting."

Olou winked. "Don't worry, Petra. If anything happens, I'll protect you."

"Ew. Creep."

"When are you going to stop denying your attraction for me?"

Petra sighed. "Okay, two things. First, I've seen titans prettier than you. Second, you couldn't protect a bowl of milk from a kitten."

Olou spluttered, but Petra suddenly cut him off as she noticed something on the horizon. "Hey, there's a rider coming!"

In the distance, a man on a horse, riding furiously. As the figure drew closer, Petra saw that the man's hair was matted with blood.

Then, she watched in horror as the man collapsed off the horse, tumbling into the grass. There was an audible thud as he landed. Olou snickered, and Petra shot him a look. "Shut up, idiot. He looks hurt." She twisted the reins in her hand, and her horse neighed loudly. "Come on," she muttered, digging in her spurs. She set off towards where the man had fallen. "Shoot off a black flare," she called out behind her.

The man was still breathing when she got to him. In one swift motion, she lifted a leg up and over the side of her horse, pulling it to a stop as she dismounted. She slid down and knelt beside him, grabbing his wrist to feel for a pulse. He muttered something she couldn't make out. She lowered her face to his, tilting an ear. "What was that?"

His voice was soft, barely a whisper. "Titans from the south. They ambushed us… in the old village." He coughed for air. "There was… a big one."

Hoofbeats, as Olou pulled up next to her. "Petra?" he asked.

She looked up. "Olou, ride for the center. Tell the commander we need reinforcements on the south side. And a cart, for this soldier."

"A cart? Can't we take him on a horse?"

"He's wounded. I don't think he'll make it on a horse. You go. I'll try to save him." She was already reaching for the medicine satchel.

"Petra." Olou said. "You should go. I'll stay here. The titans might be headed in this direction."

"I appreciate the concern. But, I'm more skilled at first-aid than you. This man has several deep lacerations on his body. He must have collided with something, a roof, maybe." Petra hesitated. "Or teeth." She started to rummage around for the tourniquet. She needed to stop the bleeding.

After a few moments, Olou still hadn't moved. "Petra…"

She felt a sudden fury. "Olou, if you don't go now, I'll be dealing with two wounded soldiers, not one. After I hamstring you."

"By the walls Petra, I'm just trying to – "

She reached for her blades.

"Okay, okay! I'm going!" he yanked the reins, and his horse wheeled around. "But if you see Titans coming, promise me you'll run. Don't throw your life away!"

He rode off. As his figure receded in the distance, Petra tended to the fallen man. The soldier's breathing was ragged, and slow. Every so often, he'd start coughing, and she'd have to lift his head to make sure he didn't choke on his own blood. Beginning with the legs, she wrapped bandages around the worst of the cuts. She noticed the man's eyes going listless. "Talk to me." Petra said. "If you can. Don't pass out."

"My team…" he said. "We were new. It was our first…" his voice seemed to dry up. Petra reached for her flask of water. "Your first expedition," she said. The soldier nodded. He let out a sudden gasp. "It hurts," he said, in a voice that made Petra wince.

"It's okay," she said. "I just wrapped the last of the bandages, so you won't lose any more blood. You'll make it through this. What's your name?"

The man said something in the barest of whispers.

"What was that?" She lowered her ear to his face again.

"The ground…" he said. "…is shaking."

Petra leapt upright, her hands reaching for swords, instinctively. She spun, searching the horizon. There. Three titans were approaching. They stumbled across the earth like oversized children, their arms swinging madly. They're coming this way.

She dropped back down to a crouch. "Can you move?" she asked. "Do you think you could… oh." The man had passed out. She thought for a second. She couldn't move him without tearing back open his wounds, and he was too big, anyway. Maybe if she used both horses? No, they'd be too slow. Could she hide him somewhere? Not enough time.

The titans were closing in. The first two were moving quickly—the third was idling behind. It was larger, a 15-metre class, at least.

She looked at her surroundings. A grassy field, with no raised structures. Not even a tree. She lay a hand on her horse's flank. "Run, now," she said softly.

I'm sorry, Olou. The titan's footsteps were like cannon fire, and the earth bounced beneath her feet. She took a deep breath and readied her blades.

When Captain Levi arrived, a group of soldiers in tow, the titans' bodies were already beginning to disintegrate. Petra knelt in the grass—she was tending to the wounded man.

"Soldier!" one of his men cried out. Petra looked up. A small line of blood was making its way down her forehead.

"Where's the cart?" Petra said. "He's wounded. We need to move him. Now!"

"Soldier, show a little respect!" A horseman responded. "This is Captain Levi, your superior officer." Levi cut him off with a wave. Alright, enough of that.

He recognized the look in Petra's eyes. Her mind was still in battle.

He dismounted, then walked towards her. She was gripping tightly to one of her swords. The other lay in the grass, shattered at the hilt. Her hands were trembling. "Sir, I apologize," she said. "I didn't mean any disrespect. I'm worried that this soldier needs immediate help."

"The cart's on its way," Levi said. He looked down at the man, who was unconscious on the ground. "These bandages are wrapped cleanly. I'm impressed."

"Thank you, sir."

"I'll leave a few men with you. I'm needed at the center front. Wait for the signal—we'll be turning around soon." Levi took a moment to survey the smoldering corpses of the titans. One of them looked to have been around 17 metres tall. Levi could see a blade still protruding from its neck. "So, you decided to take on three titans by yourself, hm?"

"Yes, captain. I didn't think I could move the wounded soldier without killing him."

Levi turned back to his horse. Not many soldiers would have stayed and fought, nor defended a wounded comrade to their last breath. "Stupid decision, if you ask me," he said. She'd made a good addition to the squad. He put a foot in the stirrup.

"Captain Levi?"

"Hm?" he mounted, then turned to her.

She was staring at him, her hand still gripping that blade. "You're a lot shorter than I thought you would be."

He looked back at her impassively. "Petra Ral, is that right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Top of your class."

"Yes, sir, that's correct."

Levi yanked the reins with one hand. "I'll be in touch."