Smell is one of man's most important sensory functions. Olfaction enables us to perceive the feelings and mood of others, to a degree. It allows us to develop a sense of place, even if robbed of sight and hearing. A forest for example, smells far differently than a city street. And the odors of a city are wholly dissimilar of those found on a farm. The strength of an aroma can inform us of the direction and distance to an object or substance. Our sense of smell is linked to our ability to taste food as well. Without it, many of life's experiences could well lose their luster.
Scent can also be attached to events and memories. Fresh baked bread may remind one of meals cooked by their mother. A river could conjure up memories of weekend fishing trips. And fire, fire may illicit recollections of something else altogether. Something that, even with repression and the passage of years, is impossible to forget. It takes someone back to that place; that place that can't be escaped in the deepest of slumbers.
Can you smell it? Freshly trampled earth, a whiff of agitated dust, traces of equine dander, the sweat of uncountable human beings, and the overwhelming stench of sulfur? That familiar miasma assaults your nostrils, overwhelming you. Close your eyes and you can almost see it, almost hear it. In a moment or two, it's all right in front of you. You're there once again.
The battlefield…
"FIRE!"
The ignition of gunpowder and the report of fifty score rifles follow the command. The sound is deafening. The cloud of smoke produced is blinding and catches in the lungs. A number of conscripts descend into coughing fits. In the thick haze, it is impossible to judge the efficacy of the volley. Nevertheless, the Survey Corps members prepare to deploy.
"RELOAD!"
Blasa grinned. "Well hot damn, they actually managed to fire at the same time. Hell, I was sure the greenhorns were gonna light out on us for a minute."
"If I hadn't smacked that one guy, I'm sure a few would have followed him out," Verena said without looking at her sister. Her eyes were searching for a break in the smoke. She had heard groans from the opposite side of the cloud and the heavy footfalls had ceased, but even rookie soldiers knew that was only temporary. Bullets couldn't kill titans. What little damage had been inflicted by the conscripts' weapons would heal in short order. That miraculous and aggravating power of theirs rendered which rendered conventional attacks useless. Ultra-hard steel alone would slay them, which the scouts had in ample supply.
"Levi, take two squads forward and initiate contact with the enemy," Erwin said evenly. "If they bunch up around you, hit the dirt and we'll fire another salvo."
"Yes sir. Verena, Mike, you and yours are with me!"
"Squad ten, dismount and advance in skirmish formation, double time! Stay in pairs at all times!
"Going grass surfing are we sergeant?" Terrelle slid out of his saddle.
"Well, if you can find a couple of trees you're welcome to use those too. Recruits, make a hole; we're coming through!" The anxious men and women quickly parted for their seniors. No doubt they were glad that it was someone else's job to fight up close with the titans. Weapons at the ready, the scouts charged headlong into the cloud and towards the struggle no doubt awaiting them on the other side.
When they burst into the open again, they came face to face with the enemy, literally. A number of the titans had toppled over because of the militia's volley, bringing the normally towering monstrosities down to eye level. Without having the advantage of height, the average titan was far less dangerous. Those still standing were disoriented and in the midst of regenerating their wounds. They should have about a minute and a half before the enemy fully recovered from the attack. How perfect.
No command had to be issued for the men and women of the Survey Corps to begin. Their elite training regimen enabled them to fight battles without saying a word. A ten meter and a fourteen meter titan were the first to die, blades severing their napes before they could even register the humans' presence. Behind them, three smaller ones met a similar fate, the musket balls in their eyes making it impossible to see the incoming threats.
"Not so easy to eat us now is it you gargantuan shit bags?!" Blasa laughed as she laid low her quarry. A statement which she was only able to make because the titans couldn't yet fight back, although one did try to swipe at her. The bungling giant missed by a country mile, increasing the young scout's inclination to mock it during the final seconds it remained alive. "You're all freaking pathetic! If it wasn't for the Colossal and Armored titans, you'd still be playing grab ass on the other side of Wall Maria!
"Careful Miss Tanzerin, I think you're hurting their feelings," Terrelle snickered, cutting down another beast with Iryna's help.
"I hope to God that I'm put in a position of command one of these days. When I am, you're going to be doing pushups until your arms break."
"Tsk, tsk, such hostility is unbecoming of a young lady." He smirked. Blasa growled.
"Save the gossip and hair braiding until the mission is over corporals." Levi said in his characteristically monotonous voice. "I'd hate to be scraping you off one of these bastard's chins."
"Why that pompous little—"
"He's right Blasa, now's not the time to be getting lax. Focus on the enemy." Verena said pointedly as she and Iryna cut down a ten meter variant. Her younger sister may not be a fresh faced recruit, but she sure acted like it sometimes. She'd never been afraid of the titans, despite the last few years she'd spent as a scout. She'd have stood face to face with the Colossal that kicked in the door to Shiganshina with both middle fingers raised. Blasa's boldness was commendable under certain circumstances, but Verena knew that it would get her, or someone else killed at the wrong time. They'd been lucky that such a time had never come.
Still, what could she possibly say that would get her sister to calm down? Aggression hadn't exactly failed as a strategy so far. Blasa had been going strong since day one, racking up an impressive kill count. Whether that was born out of her sheer hatred of titans or her passionate rivalry with Levi was up for debate. Either way, there was no straight answer to her quandary.
Now who was the one that was focusing on other things? Although momentary, the distraction had nearly gotten Verena grabbed. If not for a last second maneuver, the titan would have probably snapped her in half. Well that and Iryna's consistently impeccable timing.
"Miss Tanzerin, you shouldn't worry so much about little Blasa; she's very capable. If you let concern keep you preoccupied, you'll be unable to watch out for yourself," She said while slaying the aforementioned beast.
"And you know that it's not her capabilities that concern me." Verena cut the nape clean from a nearby four meter titan.
Iryna dodged the grasp of a gangly fourteen meter variant before slicing its' arm off. "My second point remains firm sergeant." She was so nonchalant, Iryna Shevchenko. She never raised her voice, never lost her composure, and never said a coarse word to anyone. Even in the midst of battle, she casually offered advice like they were enjoying afternoon tea, while covered in steaming blood. Where she had garnered these rather valuable skills was a mystery, although she insisted that her book granted her all the peace and serenity one could need. In this career field, that was a coveted state of mind.
The butcher's work continued on, the scouts of Second Company grinding more and more of their enemies into the dirt. The enormous corpses piled up around humanity's most lethal men and women. It was a sight to behold. Soon, the number of monsters remaining could be counted on one hand. How amusing for so many of them to be laid low in the manner they had been. Hobbled by musket balls and slaughtered by steel. How glorious it was to hear their cries of pain, their last gasps of air. If titan blood didn't evaporate, the grass in the area would probably grow knee high by summer.
As the combined squads dropped four of those still living, the last of them jogged past the bloody struggle. It made no attempts on the lives of the soldiers, nor did it attempt to aid its' brethren. No, it headed for the largest concentration of human beings. Of course the last one would be an abnormal. Titans weren't noted for being intelligent, but most of them still exhibited a similar pattern of behavior. Bastards like this one however, enjoyed mixing it up a bit. Would it eat its' prey, trample them, mash them with its fists? None could say for certain; the possibilities were endless! Whichever method resulted in the highest amount of damage in a given situation seemed to be their moniker though. The ability to make decisions of that nature meant that abnormal titans possessed at least some measure of intelligence. And as mankind had proven throughout its own existence, intellect was among the most potent of weapons.
The elder Tanzerin was en route to intercept it the moment it passed them by. Her subordinates were in tow. "Terrelle, Iryna, cut him right behind the knees! The nape is mine!"
"Ma'am!"
Verena depressed the triggers on her gear, shooting her grappling hooks into the meat of the titan's shoulder. Her fingers tightened on the accelerator and she flew at her target with all the speed and ferocity of falcon spotting its next meal. Iryna and Terrelle swung in from either side, severing the muscle tissue of its joints. The titan swayed as its' legs gave out beneath it. Verena's boots slammed into the monster's upper back, pushing it forward, face first into the ground.
The impact threatened to knock her loose, but she held firm. Dirt and rocks zoomed past Verena's head as the ground tried to absorb the titan's momentum. Given the relative flatness of the land, that was taking much more time on the ground's part than she would have liked. She pulled on her triggers again, removing any slack that was in the cables so that tension held her in place. Then, Verena Tanzerin started walking up the crippled titan's spinal column.
"You're tenacious mein herr, I'll give you that much. And as much as I'd love to play death by a thousand cuts with your ugly ass, this is where I must bid you auf wiedersehen." She placed herself squarely above that oh so slender spot at the back of the titan's neck. Her blades were raised on high and she swung down, like a kolfer striking a ball with his club. The razors sliced cleanly through, freeing the chunk of flesh. Hot vitae splashed up into Verena's face, painting the entirety of her features. The sensation was equal parts revolting and decadent. She could feel the intense heat, the streams running down her skin, the smell of burning, and the taste of rot when some snuck between her lips.
The creature expired beneath her feet with a whimper. And although it had slowed down considerably, the corpse still skidded across the verdant plain. There wasn't much distance remaining now between them and the main body of the division. Anyone in their path scattered like rats. Erwin Smith was the only one to hold his ground. He didn't even flinch, nor did his mount. As though he'd instinctively known that no injury would come to him, the decaying carcass stopped barely three meters from him. There was no such thing as psychics, but damned if Erwin didn't make people wonder sometimes.
"Nicely done, Sergeant Tanzerin. Shall I fetch you a clean towel?" He asked pleasantly.
"Don't trouble yourself captain; it'll be gone before you can find one." She spat on the corpse. "Besides, I hear a good blood bath does wonders for the skin."
He smirked. "I take it that's the last of them then?"
Verena flicked the blood from her blade and jumped off the titan's back. "Yes sir, for the time being anyway."
"Our first victory of the operation." It was honestly little more than a skirmish when compared to the number of titans roaming these lands. A couple dozen of them were a drop in the bucket, but each triumph should be played up for the recruits as much as possible. They had to feel proud, confident in their abilities. Morale needed to be high in the coming days, for when the true battle was upon them. Erwin gladly took advantage of this opportunity.
"Men and women of the sixth division!" he shouted to the crowd of gathering conscripts. "Do you now see the fruits of our struggle?! Our enemy is powerful, yes, but they are mortal like you or I! The elite soldiers of the Survey Corps have struck down the foul demons plaguing our nation and it was your stalwartness and discipline that enabled them to do so! United, we are a force of nature and we will bring the titans to their knees!" He hoisted one of his blades into the air. "Together we give our hearts! Together, we will be victorious!" The conscripts started cheering; whooping and hollering like they'd been slipped a potent narcotic. Countless weapons and fists punched into the sky in celebration. People jumped up and down, they embraced one another.
"ERWIN SMITH! ERWIN SMITH!" They chanted.
"That man is as charismatic as ever," Iryna smiled.
Verena nodded. "I feel bad though, knowing that he's filling their hearts with false hope."
"Still on that wagon eh Sarge?" Terrelle said, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"No matter how any of us feel, this lot has about a snowball's chance in hell of surviving the operation. Can you tell me different?" Neither of them could while remaining honest.
"Rena, I really wish you'd quit pissing on every parade we start up." Blasa punched her sister in the arm. "We're doing just fine. I don't think I've ever had an easier time slaying than just now. Hell, I wish there'd been a few more of the assholes to cut up." Of course that was her response, slathered with boundless optimism. Flames of defiance licked at the heels of every word. She sounded just like their mother. Even the timbre of their voices was remarkably similar. Once and a while it seemed like the only thing differentiating the two was age, and the fact that Blasa wasn't rotting. Not yet anyway.
How long would it be before she ended up as gristle between a titan's teeth? How long, Verena wondered, before she herself was ground into meaty paste by ravenous jaws? Morbid imaginings filled Verena Tanzerin's mind as she climbed back into the saddle. Death had clouded her senses, forcing her to perceive the world through its dark lens. No matter where she looked, her eyes only showed her bodies.
With spirits soaring, the division reformed and continued the long march to Shiganshina. Sunlight warmed their bodies, courage filled their hearts, and a gentle breeze kept their battle standards waving. Many couldn't contain the enthusiasm and pride they were feeling. The recruits and some of the younger scouts as well began singing.
"Ein Jäger aus Kurpfalz, der reitet durch den grünen Wald; er schiesst das Wild daher gleich wie es ihm gefüllt!" One of the mounted soldiers caroled.
"Trara, trara! Gar lustig is die Jägerei, allhier auf grüner Heid, allhier auf grüner Heid!" The multitudes answered in chorus. The Hunter of Kurpfalz: an upbeat and well known folk song praising the joys of the hunt. The words fit the circumstances well enough. Though its origin was largely unknown, people had been singing the melody in taverns for generations. A catchy tune really hits the spot when you've been lizard kissing a bottle. Schnapps may not have been sloshing around in their bellies, but they were definitely drunk. And their intoxication was readily fueled by those in command, Erwin especially. Necessity and all that. It didn't take long for most of the formation to join in, including Iryna, Hange, Terrelle, and of course Blasa. Even the few musicians they had on hand to keep cadence started rattling off the beat on their drums.
"Auf, sattelt mir mein pferd und legt daraut den mantelsack; so reit ich weit umher, als jäger von Kurpfalz!" Terrelle picked up with the next stanzas, grinning like an idiot.
Joyous voices followed once again. "Trara, trara! Gar lustig is die Jägerei, allhier auf grüner Heid, allhier auf grüner Heid!" Every face was smiling, every breast swelled with pride.
The sixth division carried on in this manner for the rest of the day. Thrice more they engaged titans along their route, albeit in slightly smaller hordes than the first. The combat was conducted in the same manner and with superb precision on part of the recruits. Scouts made easy work of the enemy here as well. Casualties remained light during these engagements, with only a handful of minor wounds to treat in the aftermath. Even Verena had to admit that that was remarkable.
When the evening came and camp was set, seventy five titans had been left in their wake. So elated were the men and women that they tucked into their military rations like the meager victuals were a king's feast. Bean soup with hard tack and a potato might actually have felt like that considering the worsening famine in the interior. A lot of people had been getting by on little more than scraps ever since they'd flocked to the shelter of Wall Rose. A few hundred refugees actually died of starvation in the north. Some stories had been passed around of the hungry finding alternative means of sustaining themselves during the winter. Hard to believe things could actually get worse than that.
Hell, the food shortages were at least half the reason the expedition secured the necessary funding in the short amount of time that it had. There just wasn't enough to sustain everyone behind the other two walls. Although, even if they managed to retake Wall Maria, there was no telling how long it would take to get the agriculture going again, not to mention rebuilding all the ruined settlements and roads. All of which cost money, money that the central government didn't readily possess.
At least those that died out here wouldn't have to pay the exorbitantly higher taxes needed for reconstruction. Huddled around the warm glow of campfires however, any negative notions were a million miles from soldiers' minds.
Verena was likely the only one dwelling on such things at the moment. Not that there was much else besides thinking one could do while on sentry duty. Her thoughts were the only company she had right now. Second Company's picket line gave the camp a five hundred meter berth, providing a cushion of distance in the event something got past those on watch. Not that there was any real danger of an incursion. Titans were markedly less active at night, but there was always the odd exception to the rule.
She stifled a yawn and pulled her recon cloak tighter around her shoulders. She stared out across the vast expanse of land, watching a light breeze blow the grasses about. Beneath the cold light of the moon, the swaying blades shimmered like crystalline waters. Nothing else stirred under that black sky; the animals were silent, at least any that would have been close enough to hear. It was peaceful.
"Staying awake Sergeant Tanzerin?" A voice asked from behind her.
"I'm hanging in there, sir." Levi came up on his mount. "Did you need something?" Verena asked.
"No, just riding the line. Erwin wants to be certain our perimeter is secure before everyone settles in for the night."
"Not a squirrel has moved around out there in two hours, let alone a titan."
"The freaks need to get their beauty rest too I'm sure. All the same, we should be ready in case one gets up for a piss and a midnight snack," He said dryly.
"It'd be damn decent of them to give us the night off though. Could really use the rest." Not that it would matter for most of them in the long run.
"Because it's better to go out standing tall and firm, is that right?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Has Blasa been talking to—"
"Please, Verena, nobody has to listen to your little sister to know what you're thinking these days. It's written all over your face. Not to mention you've been acting gloomier than some back alley poet."
"Why does everybody keep getting on my case about this? It's not like I'm the only one feeling like this is a little pointless. I bet you can't name ten people who are expecting a positive result out of the operation."
"Expecting, no, praying would be a bit more accurate. They aren't stupid; everyone knows the score, but this is an all or nothing gamble. Hope in victory, blind or otherwise, is the only option for us."
"And how many thousands will die truly believing in that hope?" She scoffed.
"Who can say what someone is thinking in their last moments? Although, in my experience, a soul rests far better thinking that their sacrifice was meaningful to the cause, even if only a little. Our duty is to make certain that it was." Levi was often a cold, insulting, and ill-tempered man. H had been as long as anyone had known him, Erwin included. However, he was as deeply devoted to humanity's future as any soldier alive and he cared greatly for those who served under his command. He protected the weak and admonished those who took their tasks lightly. He was, like the captain, a soldiers' soldier.
Unlike some though, he was driven by a harsh sense of pragmatism and prioritized the minimization of friendly losses at all times. He held human life to a much higher standard than your average line officer. When an officer in the Garrison once told him that all soldiers must be ready and willing to die at any moment, he'd responded by saying, "Ridding the world of titans would feel rather pointless if none of us lived to see it."
His version of realism was considerably less bleak than Verena's.
"I'm sorry Levi, but I doubt I can think about it that way. We live in a God forsaken world and even if we get the outer wall back, the titans roaming beyond it are without number. No matter how much we achieve, we'll never kill them all. A stalemate is the best we're going to get."
"Do you not believe in what we're doing anymore sergeant?"
"I'm a soldier and I've dedicated my life to the preservation and restoration of the human race. That's my lot in life and it always will be, regardless of how I feel."
Levi looked up at the moon. "You've fought alongside us against the titans for more than ten years now. That's a long time to survive in the Survey Corps and your actions on the field have proven an inspiration to a lot of the younger scouts. You know that don't you?"
"At one time I'm sure I could've lived up to their expectations too, but I don't think I've got that kind of spirit in me anymore…"
"Then perhaps your services would be better utilized in another unit," he said without malice. "I could put you in for a transfer to the Garrison regiment of your choosing. They're bound to be in need of a few competent NCOs."
"Yeah…maybe it's time to hang up my cloak and move on. If we're still alive when this mission is over, I might just take you up on that offer."
"Do as your conscience dictates. Choose whichever path seems best under the circumstances. If you don't have regrets after you've made your decision good for you."
"I'll keep that in mind sir."
"Glad to hear it. Now, I've got other troopers to check in with. Sit tight and someone will be by to relieve you in a couple of hours."
"Thank you, sir. I hope the rest of your evening proves uneventful." She saluted.
He returned the gesture. "As do I. Goodnight, Sergeant Tanzerin."
"Goodnight, Lieutenant Levi" Verena turned her eyes back to the fields in front of her and Levi turned his mount away. A few seconds passed before she heard anything else. Although this time it was hardly more than a whisper.
"Omnes, qui vivimus, iam inter mortuos."
Verena turned around. "Did you say something lieu…" She trailed off. Levi was a good distance down the line from her now, too far to hear him speak normally, let alone a whisper. She held her lantern aloft and looked around. The golden beam searched every patch of darkness for the origin of the sound, but only grass and scrub were illuminated by the burning kerosene. Nobody else was anywhere within a hundred meters. Verena blinked a few times and slapped herself on the cheek.
"God, I must be tired; the wind's starting to make me hear shit." She leaned down and patted her horse's mane. "Unless you've suddenly learned how to speak Friede?" The horse simply snorted. Verena half laughed and shook her head. Her ears were playing tricks on her, nothing more. Still, until her relief came, she found herself occasionally moving the light over the nearby patches of brush.
Morning came a lot sooner than the elder Tanzerin would have liked. Sleep had been an elusive creature for much of the night and Verena was more than a little groggy when the bugler sounded reveille. The golden rays of dawn crept in through the tent flaps, searing her eyes the moment the lids drew back from them. She swore under her breath. Why in the name of what little was good in the world couldn't she have had just a little more time to rest? Why couldn't the bright, shining son of a bitch go back down for another hour or so?
Blasa poked her head in through the A-frame's entrance. "Better get your ass in gear Rena; we're moving the moment camp is struck and we have a little food in our bellies," she spoke around mouthfuls of potato. "If you're not out here in five, I'm dropping the canvas on top of you."
"What did I do to deserve such a kind and considerate little sister?" She dragged herself up from her cot and stretched. Dark circles rimmed her reddened eyes.
"You look like trampled balls this morning." She felt like trampled balls too.
"And you seem to be further expanding your library of analogies. I'm surprised you've never used that one before." Verena began slipping on her various accoutrements, vision blurring as her brain behaved like a malfunctioning steam engine. It seemed a miracle to her that she was able to put her harness on properly, second time or otherwise.
Blasa snickered. "God, it is really painful watching you right now."
She scowled. "I didn't sleep much, lay off."
"No need to get your panties all twisted. I figured you'd be a little worn out after yesterday, so I brought something to perk you up." Blasa held out a tin cup, filled with a dark, steaming liquid.
"What is it, kaffee?" Verena yawned.
"Even better."
She raised an eyebrow, slowly lifting the cup to her lips. She took a sip. "It's…tea…"
"And not just any tea, it's—"
"Himbeere…" Her face lit up. Raspberries were among her favorite things. Since childhood, she had loved the small red bramble fruit. Put it in anything and she'd eat it. Salad, strudel, ice cream, chocolate, tea and when she got older, liquor. The complex cultivation processes involved usually meant that they were expensive. So she had learned at an early age to appreciate every bite, every sip that contained their essence. Verena took another drink, longer this time, slower. The semi-sweet taste of fruit covered her taste buds and a warm sensation spread throughout her. It was as though a radiant angel had enveloped her in its' bosom. Heaven on earth. "Where did you get this?!"
"I made it."
"You made it, with your own two hands?" She said skeptically.
"Well you don't have to look so damn stunned and poorly about it! I'm no master with the kettle, but it doesn't take a chef to freaking make tea!"
She shook her head and laughed. "That's not what I mean. I'm just curious how you managed fresh tea way out here?" Verena asked before savoring another mouthful of the heavenly nectar. "This stuff isn't exactly easy to find these days."
"Well, Iryna has been teaching me some stuff here and there so I can be more…self sufficient. I bought up some ingredients and made up a few pouches before we left. Most of the professionally made stuff has been going to the refugees lately, so I improvised."
"Could've fooled me; this is fantastic."
Blasa grinned. "I figured it was the least I could do since…well, you're helping me out." Accompanying and helping were two different things.
"You're still only getting a half hour to look."
"I'm not asking for any more time; I understand we've got other responsibilities," she said. Getting even that much out of her sister had proven to be a chore and it was a boundary she didn't want to push further.
"Then what exactly are you after?"
"Why do you assume I only do something nice when I want something?!"
"Do you want me to start listing off past incidents or—"
"Oh whatever, go choke on a dick!" Blasa turned and left, mumbling angrily.
Verena smiled and sighed deeply. "You've grown up a lot baby sister, but you still have a long way to go." She stood up and exited her shelter. Hundreds and thousands of people milled about like ants, busying themselves with one task or another. Spirits were definitely still high. Warm food filled people's bellies and vigor filled their hearts, fresh as the morning air. They were eager to get back into it. Being as green as they were, determination was about the only thing the conscripts had going for them. Without gear strapped to your thighs, determination was about the biggest advantage possible; that and a sense of purpose.
So if they remembered their training, devoted their hearts, all that rot, maybe there was hope for some of them yet.
They marched across the rolling landscape, this merry cohort of theirs. Thousands of feet and hooves stomped the ground, jovially mashing the grass beneath them. Events proceeded much the same as the day prior. Actions against small hordes of titans were efficiently managed, with low casualties and no deaths to speak of. They made good time over the terrain; covering an even greater distance than the first day. Morale remained high as a kite, and the singing continued of course. There was plenty of that. Verena actually caught herself humming along a time or two. All the positivity was getting to her. Either that or Blasa had slipped something into the tea.
Less than two full days in and victory was a constant companion. It was obviously too early to say they'd won, but there was occasion to be optimistic. Even on the best outings, the Survey Corps almost never kept losses so low. The numbers were counting for something against the enemy and Erwin's battle strategies had made combat a swift and decisive affair. Once the expeditionary forces linked up at Shiganshina, continued implementation of said strategies could well eradicate the titans inside Wall Maria if given time.
That was only if the operation as a whole was going smoothly however. No one was aware of the state of things across the entire front. Were the other divisions faring so well? The units were so spread out that it was nigh impossible to tell what was going on with anyone else, even with the relay system. It was pointless though, worrying about what they couldn't see and a dangerous distraction as well. Focus on what lies in front of you. Hopefully the lack of messages was a good omen.
And so passed the day: A few more hours of marching, a few more dead titans, a few more kilometers covered, and a few more songs. It had proved a productive day, a successful day. They'd carved their way through the enemy wherever they'd found them and were even ahead of schedule.
The sun was well past its crescendo when next they halted. Less than a day's journey remained ahead of them and Wall Maria was just barely visible on the horizon. Erwin had again chosen as open of an area as possible to bivouac, with wide lines of sight and terrain they could withdraw to should the need arise. Once perimeter defenses were established, the captain called his subordinates together to discuss their next move.
"We've made great progress today ladies and gentlemen. Our forces have acquitted themselves well on the field of battle and you all have led them well. I understand that it is early, but I want us up and moving at first light tomorrow. Then we head straight to Shiganshina for the rendezvous. I'd suggest that each of you get some food and shut eye while it's plentiful." The gathered soldiers nodded. "How are our supplies looking?" The captain asked.
"We're good on munitions and weapons. Food and medical stores are also more than adequate. We've expended much less than originally anticipated," Mike responded.
"Excellent. Hange, what of our wounded?"
"Only a small handful of serious injuries. The rest are already back on duty or will be come tomorrow. Nobody has lost a limb yet either," the bespectacled officer answered.
"Then brave comrades, things have been even better than my most optimistic predictions. Should this continue, we should be more than ready to carry the offensive at the wall. Has there been any word from the other divisions?"
"I'm afraid not sir," one of the vanguard spotters said. "We haven't seen a runner or a smoke signal all day."
"Now that we're digging in for the evening, I feel it would be prudent to see if we can establish contact with division five. However, we can't just head west until we run into them."
Verena stepped forward. "Sir, if I may make a suggestion?"
"By all means Sergeant Tanzerin, please share."
"Several kilometers to the south-southwest from here, there is a settlement named Niederwald. The town has a church with a tall bell tower which might serve as a vantage point. From there we may be able to get the position of the unit on our right."
"How many men will you need?" Straight to the point as usual.
"None of us are strangers to long range recon; my squad will be plenty, sir. Shouldn't take more than a couple of hours."
"Can you return by the time it gets dark?"
"May have to push our horses a little, but if we leave immediately yeah."
"Then I wish you Godspeed sergeant. You are dismissed."
"Sir." She saluted crisply before departing. "Squad ten, mount up!"
"Damn it sarge, I just freaking sat down," Terrelle groaned as he got to his feet.
"You can take it easy when you're dead Corporal Gerhard."
Blasa clambered up into her saddle. "You almost sound cool when you talk like that Rena."
"Kind of like you're almost tall enough to be an adult?"
"Don't make me shove this sword in your ass Terrelle!"
"Please, please dorohi dity, you mustn't snipe at one another so much. Blasa darling, I wish you wouldn't be so crass and a good gentleman wouldn't tease a lady in such a manner Terrelle." Iryna scolded them. Verena smirked. Some of the other squad members snickered. The chiding continued, even as they rode away from camp. The elder scout was so much like a mother it was surprising that she didn't have any children of her own. It seemed she was content caring for a bunch of soldiers, which you'd think would've been the easier of the two. Between Blasa and the other young, feisty scouts however, Iryna Shevchenko almost always had her hands full with someone. She was like a gardener tending to her flowers, watering and pruning each one specially to ensure it grew to be the best it could be. Hard to believe someone so gentle and kind was also so gifted with a blade. There was no person in the regiment that Verena trusted more with her life. And her guidance as well was second to none.
Division Six's encampment disappeared behind Squad Ten as they rode down off of the knoll. The twelve of them would soon be completely isolated, with only their shadows accompanying them. The absence of communication with the rest of the expedition had provided an excellent excuse to "go on reconnaissance". A half truth sat better with her than a whole lie. She also shared the good captain's concerns about the state of affairs along the front. While this little jaunt was ostensibly for Blasa's benefit, they could not ignore the duties necessitated by it. Location and observation of friendly forces was paramount.
Since her sister would be spending the entirety of their stay digging through refuse and debris, Verena had to dictate how the rest of their party would operate. One soldier would obviously be spotting from the church belfry, at least two would be needed to watch the perimeter, and the rest could spend time searching for any useful supplies. Although Verena seriously doubted they would find any such items after all these months. Not that half an hour was enough time to scour the buildings either. They were going in, doing their job, and getting out as quickly as possible.
The party crossed the landscape at a canter. The blazing afternoon sun hung in front of them, steadily approaching the cusp of the spinning earth. Many of them drew up their hoods to keep the light from their eyes, taking turns directing the group's course. The guide however had to squint so much that theirs were almost shut entirely. If only the regimental budget had enough funds to supply everyone with tinted goggles. Yeah right, the scouts barely had enough money to stay active, let alone provide "luxuries" to their personnel.
For years there had been those within the government and the merchant guilds campaigning for the disbandment of the corps. The only reason the bastards had shut up about it lately was because they needed people willing to go forth and die in order to reclaim the lands, and incidentally numerous sources of income, lost to the titan offensive. Not to mention the fact that the famine was costing tens of thousands of thaler to manage. Financing Survey Corps operations was the only way that further losses might be mitigated. Consider it an investment in the future of your pocket books, you fat pigs. Blasa often thought of things she wished to say to their detractors in Mitras. Among which, that was one of the most tame insults.
After nearly an hour of riding, the scouts of Squad Ten came upon a weather-beaten road. After less than a year, not much remained of the once proud southern highway. Weeds had sprung up in the absence of traffic and maintenance. The winter rains had also washed out large portions of the path. Nature had wasted no time in reclaiming its domain. From the road they caught their first glimpse of the town proper, eight hundred meters further to the south. On the right side of lane, a wooden sign hung limply by a rusting chain.
"Willkommen zu Niederwald: Juwel der südlichen Ebenen. Bevölkerung: 0/893"
"So, we finally worked our way back here; feels like we've been gone forever," Blasa said. "Despite the shitty circumstances, I'm happy we get to see it again. Right, Rena?"
"Yeah…home sweet home."
Moving through the deserted streets was uncomfortable. Not only because of the lack of human presence, but the lack of any living presence at all, like the fields the night before. Nothing inhabited the town except the sound of the wind whistling through the skeletons of decrepit domiciles. It was as though the whole of creation had forsaken this place.
So far, Verena's estimate had been right on the mark; most of the hamlet was all but a burned out ruin. At least a dozen structures looked ready to collapse and a dozen more had already caved in on themselves. Whoever was still around when the titans showed up…had a hellish last day on earth. The smart ones would've offed themselves before a face showed up at their window.
"God, this place is creepy. Hard to believe you used to live here sergeant," One of the squad members said.
"Wall Maria is full of towns where people used to live Aleksy," Verena said without looking at him.
"All the same, I'm not fond of this place either." Caecilia, another scout, looked around anxiously.
"We won't be here any longer than absolutely necessary; a half hour, forty minutes tops. But keep in mind that we're going to be as productive as possible in that time." When they reached the town square, she halted them and started issuing orders. "Martin, take your spyglass up into the church tower and start looking for Division Five."
"Yes Sergeant."
"Aleksy, Caecilia, since you two have the most objection to remaining in town, you'll be watching the perimeter. Send up a signal if you see anything coming. The rest of us will split into pairs and search the buildings."
"What are we supposed to be looking for?" Terrelle asked.
"Weapons, non-perishable food, anything that might be useful. If it was left here, then its original owners probably don't have use for it any longer."
"Can we keep any money or valuables we find?"
"No Terrelle, of course you can't. Anything like that is going straight in the regimental fund. Food and gas don't pay for themselves. Now let's see some hustle people, clock is ticking." The squad separated, each team heading off in a different direction. Only the Tanzerin sisters remained in the square.
Blasa sighed. "So, you ready to—"
She held up her hand. "Let's just get this over with." She trotted off down one of the abandoned avenues. Blasa followed in her wake, disgruntled.
They travelled the familiar side streets of their youth in silence, passing the shops and homes of friends and acquaintances. Memories of a time long since past filled Blasa's mind. Each façade evoked recollections of a particular occurrence. The old grocery store, where Mr. Collette peddled the produce from his family's farm. The Weiss Ritter bakery, where Diana Fischer baked the best bread this side of Wall Sina. And the remnants of the school house, where Mr. Lipkin would wait every morning to scold the students who arrived late. Niederwald once had all these things and more.
If you closed your eyes, you could almost see it, hear it. You could be transported to a place without war and death and despair. Once, there had been so much life in this place. The people here had been simple folk. They didn't concern themselves with gossip or political matters; they simply enjoyed each day and worked hard. Now all of it was gone. Everything they had built here, years, decades of labors destroyed in the span of what, a day, a week? How naïve had they been to assume it would last? Titans had taken just about all that mankind had, so why not finish the job and take everything? Every last piece of land, every last soldier, every last civilian, every last drop of blood, until there was nothing left.
Until these God forsaken walls become our tomb.
"Blasa…Blasa, are you listening to me? Hey Blasa!"
"Huh—what's going on?"
"We're here."
At the end of Becker Street, on the edge of a quiet town on the plains, the Tanzerin family residence miraculously still stood. Windows had shattered and there was some obvious fire damage to the roof, but otherwise it looked remarkably like when they'd left it the previous year. The same couldn't be said of those who'd once called the dwelling home.
The siblings tied their horses at the little white fence that encapsulated the property and started towards the house. They walked up the front steps, which creaked and groaned under the weight of military boots. Verena reached for the doorknob and gave it a turn, unlocked. She pushed inward, the hinges protesting their sudden revival. The space beyond the wooden barrier was dark and faintly smelled of rot. Although the source of the odor could have easily been a number of things besides the obvious first thought. Food, wood, vermin, etcetera, were all equally as likely to have decayed to one degree or another.
"So," Blasa looked at her sister, "where do we start?"
"You can start checking the front rooms. I'm only here to make sure you stick to our timetable."
"I can't search the whole house in half an hour by myself!"
"Twenty nine minutes now actually."
"Rena, please! We have to find it! I can't go to sleep at night knowing that it's still here!" She pleaded. "I swear to God I'll never ever ask anything of you ever again!"
"Blasa…"
She fell to her knees. "Sis, I am literally begging you here."
"Alright, fine! Geez…just stop looking at me like a kicked puppy," Verena groaned.
Blasa moved in to hug her. "Oh thank you thank yo—" Verena's hand stopped the embrace.
"Just start looking around; I'll check upstairs. We're still leaving when the time is up." The younger Tanzerin cracked a grin and saluted before running off into the next room. She may have been an adult, but you'd swear a child's brain was rattling around inside her skull, a very foulmouthed child, but still. That girl was going to drive Verena into the nut house.
On the second floor of the house were the bedrooms. One belonged to their parents; the other was the two of theirs, until Verena had left home at least. The former was the most likely location of the little trinket. Hard to imagine that something so small had so much power over her sister. It wasn't too dissimilar from how the tiny wax seals on envelopes dictated the authority contained within them. In both cases, they were nothing more than things. And things only had as much value as people imagined they did, regardless of any actual worth.
She pushed open the door of their parents' room. Like downstairs, the space was dark and musty. She walked over to the chamber's lone window and drew back the curtains, allowing light to flood in. Details previously hidden in shadow were illuminated. A thick layer of dust covered every surface from floor to ceiling. So much so that Verena's footsteps had left a trail from the doorway. The gray coating was otherwise undisturbed and the room was neat and orderly. It was likely that nobody had been in here since before the wall fell. And it probably should've remained that way.
She began going through the various drawers and the armoire in search of her quarry. Mother had always kept what little jewelry she possessed tucked away in case of burglary, so all the obvious places contained nothing. Neither for that matter, did any of the less conspicuous hiding spots. There were a few coins and old documents nestled inside the nooks and crannies, but not what she was after. It wasn't in here.
She closed everything up and pocketed the money she'd found before leaving. It wasn't much of an inheritance, but a few pieces of silver could go pretty far if you were savvy enough.
Verena went over every other spot on the upper floor, purposefully waiting as long as possibly before searching their bedroom. Standing at the threshold of the chamber made her apprehensive even with the door shut. She hadn't set foot in there for some years now. Even on the rare occasions that she'd come home to visit, she had opted to sleep on the couch in the front room. Such a practice stemmed from her more rebellious days where beds felt too "permanent" a fixture, like she was living in a place as opposed to "just passing through". That was time where she was constantly on the move, roaming from city to city, desperately trying to avoid feeling tied to somewhere or someone. Those days had changed her in many ways, almost in as many as home and her family had remained the same. Stagnant.
It took a moment for her to muster the fortitude to open the door. When it swung open, the contrast between this room and that of their parents was like night and day. Not the least of the differences being the fact that much of the outer wall had been torn away. Fragments of wood and plaster littered the floor; shrapnel from both had pitted the walls heavily. Mildew was flourishing in the areas closest to the rupture. The scent of rot was more prevalent here than it had been when they'd first entered the house. She had to pull her shirt up over her nose to partially block the smell. Even so, the smell was nearly enough to make her nauseous. Better search the space as quickly as possible and move on.
Cautiously, Verena started picking her way through the rubble. Old toys, ruined books, and the tattered remains of children's clothes were among the things buried in the mess. Faded remnants of childhood lay scattered like discarded change. As she sifted through a particular pile of debris, something glittered in the corner of her vision.
Light from the lowering sun shone in through the void where the wall had once been, catching on a metallic object that peeked out from beneath the bed. She got down on all fours and looked closer. It was a locket, the locket. Mission accomplished, about damn time too.
She grabbed hold of the object. It lifted several centimeters before the neck chain went taught. It was snagged on something, probably a loose nail. She pulled harder, but to no avail.
"Come on you stubborn…give it here already." With both hands she gripped the object tighter and tugged. Although considerable effort was needed, it started coming out further. "Geez, I wanna get out of here; hand it over." After a final, forceful yank, the necklace came free of the bed, along with the half eaten corpse that was clinging to it. "Son of a bitch!" She fell backwards against the wall, heart pounding like a bass drum.
"Rena, are you okay?" Blasa called from downstairs.
"Yeah, I'm fine! Just had spider crawling on my hand is all!" She lied, breathless.
"Well crush the little shit or something! No reason to freak out over a stupid bug!"
Verena sat there shaking for a few moments before finding her feet again. Throughout those terrifying seconds, she found herself unable to take her eyes off of what had been decomposing under the bed. Its skin was dry and brown like old paper. Where previously there were eyes, black, bug filled sockets remained. Several strands of graying hair clung desperately to the flaking scalp. In a few spots, only bone was visible. Once her composure had somewhat returned, she spoke. With a trembling voice, she found herself addressing the cadaver.
"Hey mom…I didn't think you'd be home…"