POV LEVI
Something wasn't right. Levi felt it in his gut. Every instinct in his body screamed that Eren was in trouble. Something about the lightning the village had witnessed last night had filled Levi with dread. He had seen it only once before and that was on his ship when they were attacked. Most of the village had written it off as a weird weather phenomenon but both Mikasa and Armin had run straight to Levi knowing that the familiar lightning was none other than Eren. Levi had to remain calm. If he raced into the forest after Eren then the village would question him. Eren had only just hit his 12th hour in the trial but Levi knew he had to go. He couldn't risk losing Eren. Levi walked straight to Erwin's home to plan the rescue mission. There was no time to lose.
Levi knocked harshly on Erwin's door only to be faced with a concerned Erwin. "Captain Levi, sir, what's wrong?" Erwin looked surprised. Levi moved swiftly into the house and told Erwin to close the door. "Erwin, we don't have much time. I am going to get right to the point. That bolt of lightning was Eren. I know it was. Just like that time on the ship during the attack when the air was electrified. I feel it in my gut, Erwin. Something is wrong. I have to go find him and make sure he comes back safe, He needs help. I just know it," said Levi promptly. Erwin took only seconds to comprehend the situation. "I understand captain. Here is the plan…"
"Citizens of Trost, I thank you for meeting in the great hall on such short notice," Erwin boomed through the room. Levi stood to the back of the hall getting the last of his pack together, preparing for his journey into the forest. He was joined only by Armin and Mikasa for they were the only others who knew the extent of Eren's full power. Levi listened again as Erwin started his speech. "I have gathered you all here to warn you of a danger that had been discovered… There is a spy among us," shouted Erwin. Levi listened as a collective number of gasps filled the room. "In this recent light, the captain along with myself feel that stage one of the trials has become too dangerous to complete and Eren, who is currently taking part in his first trial, could be in very immediate danger.
He is without any weapons and on his own. A rescue squad will enter the forest to secretly oversee that no danger comes to him and will only jump in to help him if the spy chooses to attack. Mikasa and Armin will also be exempt from the first trial until the spy is captured," Erwin announced firmly. Levi listened as the hushed murmurs filled the room. "Worry not, everyone. We already have a very solid lead and there is no need to panic. I ask that all citizens, crew and otherwise, return to their homes and remain there until I call you again in the evening." Levi watched as the room started to empty and turned to Mikasa and Armin. "Are you ready? We have no more time to lose, "Levi said. "Yes, Captain," they both responded.
Levi, Mikasa, and Armin made quick work through the forest. Reaching the first river within just over an hour, they moved at an almost relentless pace. Levi was grateful that neither Armin or Mikasa had once needed to stop. The years of travel Eren had told him about had made them very skilled at navigating different terrain and years on the run had built their endurance very high. "We will stop for only 10 min," Levi began. He saw as Mikasa immediately opened her mouth in protest but cut her off immediately. "No, we will be of no help to whatever is out there with Eren if we show up completely dehydrated and exhausted," snapped Levi. Mikasa snapped her mouth shut and only nodded in response. She immediately turned to join Armin who was already gathering water from the river. Levi joined them drinking quickly and taking a moment to stretch his legs out. The next part of the forest terrain would be much more ruthless and their speed would most definitely be affected. The next area also housed much of the wildlife that was more dangerous living on the island.
Levi led them again as they took off through the trees. Thankfully many of the dangerous creatures being nocturnal would make travel easier but Levi took much effort to stay out of the known territories of some of the very territorial creatures who would attack no matter what time of day. He kept a very steady fast pace. Not as quick as their morning pace but Levi knew he was pushing the limits due to the terrain in the first place. He glanced over his shoulder and noted that although neither Mikasa or Armin complained of the speed, they definitely struggled a bit more than before. They only stopped two more times to rest before continuing and Levi kept them on almost a straight path to the center of the island.
Levi stopped abruptly with Mikasa and Armin almost crashing into him. "Why the sudden stop, Captain?" Armin asked. "We are at the border of Paxe Territory," Levi responded. "Paxe?" Mikasa asked almost immediately. "Yes, Paxe. They are a native species to the island. They are some type of mixture between a fox and feline species. They're extremely intelligent and very territorial. We could avoid their territory but the center of the island is just past it and going around could add hours to the journey," Levi said. They sat in silence for only a moment before Mikasa spoke up. "Captain, Eren could be in terrible danger or captured right now. We don't have hours to spend." Levi looked at the two of them. "Okay, we will run through. Stay on my trail. I'll be moving fast. If we can run through their territory they won't follow us out once we're through." Armin and Mikasa nodded in response and Levi turned facing the brush. "Move!"
They ran. Levi felt his legs move faster than he could ever remember them moving. He glanced over his shoulder and although they were slightly behind, the two of them were keeping up. Levi glanced around him and became confused at the lack of Paxe attack. He knew they were barreling through their territory but he had only heard slight growls and rustling. None of them had jumped out to attack. His questions were answered almost immediately as he came across the first body. "Eren must have come through here," Levi thought. He could swear he started smelling Eren's pheromones. They were getting close. He only stopped a minute looking at the trail of blood. Eren had fought hard and was probably hurt but he had made it past here alive. Levi surged forward.
As they reached the end of the territory, Levi slowed his pace and heard a small whimper to his left. He looked down to see the remains of what seemed to be Eren's last kill. He signaled Mikasa and Armin to stop but keep their guards up. Levi knelt down to the creature. It was a female; she was long dead but her cub was head-butting her to wake up. The cub was small and brown with silver and orange markings. Its eyes were green and vibrant. "Will it be ok?" Armin asked looking at the small creature. Unfortunately, Paxe are a bit brutal when it comes to cubs," Levi began. "Only a cub's mother will care for it until it is able to hunt on its own. This cub will most likely be rejected from the pack and it is most definitely too young to survive on its own… tsk"
Levi made a quick decision. He picked up the cub and wrapped it in his coat. "Shitty glas... I mean Hanji has a sanctuary set up for them. They're a very respected animal on this Island and the only place they live anymore. They were completely hunted to extinction on the mainland. If he survives this trip with us I will let the sanctuary care for it and release it when it is old enough to survive on its own," Levi said softly. They turned back to the road and continued their journey. As they made their way past the last bit of forest, Levi heard both Armin and Mikasa took in a sudden gasp of breath. They had reached the middle of the island. Eren's scent seemed to fill up the air around Levi. "He must be somewhere close," Levi thought. At the center stood the Sacred Sakura tree but something was weird. The Sakura tree only glowed in the night time under moonlight but it seemed to be glowing slightly in the late afternoon. Levi made his way looking down the tree and felt his breath hitch. Surrounded by small sparks of electric at the base of the tree stood Eren.
Levi ran. He was behind Eren feeling his intense pheromones all around him. He was standing his head against the tree, with some sort of neck guard in his hand and his eyes closed. Levi felt relief fill his veins. Eren was alive! Eren was safe! He was shortly joined by both Mikasa and Armin. "Eren?" Levi started. The three watched and gasped as Eren turned and they were faced with a very golden-eyed Eren. The air around them was instantly electrified and Levi felt his legs almost falter beneath him. Both Armin and Mikasa had fallen over. Eren glanced quickly between them and just as suddenly removed his command pheromone from the air.
"Mate…" Eren's voice had come out. It was slightly different than Eren's actual voice though. Levi felt his Alpha purr at the voice. "Eren?" Levi began. "I am both Eren and not." Eren began to speak again. "The Eren you are used to is currently in a slumber. I will wake him in a moment but although I did not expect us to ever truly meet this way, mate, I will take the opportunity to talk to you," Eren said. "Who are you then?" Mikasa had interjected from behind them. Eren's golden eyes glanced quickly to Mikasa and back to Levi again. "I am Eren's omega." The three of them sat quietly too shocked to respond but Eren continued. "You see, Grisha's experiments in pulling out Eren's abilities to control the command pheromone also pulled me from his subconscious mind. Every person lives together in harmony with their secondary gender. We always stay in the back of mind simply influencing decisions but never in full control. Although some have more influence than others."
Eren paused only for a moment as Mikasa, Armin and Levi tried to make sense of all the information he had told them. Levi almost could not believe what he was hearing but his Alpha seemed to be agreeing with all the information that Eren's omega was telling him. "I only have a few moments more before I must go back so listen carefully. One of the people who attacked us escaped. She was female and extremely gifted in combat. She jumped from the cliffs but I am certain she survived. I brought back with me one of the bodies of the men who attacked us. He is laying on the edge of the valley. I had stopped at this tree to absorb some of its life force. Eren should be okay when I wake him. I believe he will not break like last time. Eren needs to focus on learning to control his command pheromone. It will become too deadly to Eren if he does not."
Eren glanced at the three of them one by one. "He has gotten some control over it with the years of small practice but he must get his body more attuned to it so it will not be as destructive," said Eren's omega. Levi Mikasa and Armin nodded their heads in understanding. Eren's omega seemed to glance at them all once more before his golden-eyes rested one last time on Levi "Mate" Levi felt as his body electrified. Levi looked deep into the golden-eyes. "I look forward to the day I am united with my Alpha. Eren is more ready than you think but give him a bit more time to prepare himself. It will be significantly safer for him once he does not have to be worried about being forcefully mated with someone. But let me warn you now. If you do anything to hurt Eren, I will not hesitate to kill you," said Eren's omega. Levi felt his blood turn incredibly cold but he willed himself to open his mouth. "I promise, I will never do anything to hurt Eren." Levi watched as Eren's omega simply nodded and his eyes began to fade back to green and Eren began to fall to his knees. Levi ran to his side catching him as his eyes fluttered closed.
