A/N: I apologize if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes. I do revise my writing, but sometimes things slip by. I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Attack On Titan
Levi's POV
I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing. Only a couple of weeks had passed after we had been on this forest. It was immense. Overwhelming. But, amongst all the trees, dozens of titans enclosed us. We had ventured into the forest because Jaeger had fucking suggested it. Of course, seeing as Erwin, Hanji and I were completely lacking on ideas, the cadets spoke up. I still don't even know why we decided to trust the kid's instincts.
He had fucking guided us to our deaths. I had known death was around the corner. They had appeared out of nowhere. Abnormal titans opening their mouths and reaching out to grab every soldier they could get their hands on. It was a bloody nightmare.
As we tried to escape the bloodbath that was taking place, Erwin raised his arm and fired a green flare.
-Levi, we ought to separate. This is not normal. It is impossible for this amount of abnormal titans to appear here, of all places! –He yelled, focusing on the road.
-Which way? –I yelled back, staring at the back of his head. He pointed to the left. I forced my horse to head into the opposite direction. Hanji was following me. Jaeger had followed Erwin. I had a bad feeling. I was, somehow, overwhelmed by fear; unable to supress it, yet never breaking my blank expression. I knew demonstrating how I felt was a sign of weakness on the battlefield. I looked back at Hanji.
She had long stopped smiling. The moment we entered the forest, titans started pouring out from the trees. We had lost many men trying to dispose of them. I hadn't been joking around when I asked Erwin how many more deaths would take to satisfy him. Albeit he had confessed the truth to me, I was baffled by the amount of men we were losing, and how calm he managed to remain.
A titan was heading right for Hanji. I jumped off my horse and manoeuvred my way to its neck. I sliced the nape in one swift motion and returned to my horse. Hanji nodded as a way to thank me and I nodded back. We continued riding, running away from the massacre. I could see from afar soldiers following close behind us. I knew Erwin was not far from us. Just a couple of meters ahead. A 15 meter class titan neared us, forcing me to go astray. To separate from the established road. Hanji followed me along with the other soldiers. I didn't know whether I was leading them to their death or to safety.
I kept chanting to myself that everything would be ok. I just needed to calm the fuck down. I took a deep breath and focused on the road. There was an opening between two thick trees. We had been there before. I remembered the place. It had been the same place where we had found Ilse Langnar's journal. A valuable piece of information, which allowed us to discover that titans could communicate.
Based on what she wrote, during the 34th expedition outside the walls, Ilse's entire flank was murdered and she was the only survivor. With her horse lost and her 3D Manoeuvre Gear broken, she abandoned her equipment and fled afoot north, to the forest. She was trying to reach the walls. She described everything before her death. We found her body one year later, along with the journal.
Because of Ilse, I wasn't surprised as I thought I would be when we found out about Merethe's abilities. I could still remember what the titan had said to her. "There are no secrets" it had said. I signalled Hanji to follow me into the same place where we had found Ilse's body. I heard people yelling as we got closer.
I managed to distinguish Erwin's voice amongst it all. I couldn't make out what he was saying. I hurried my horse and entered through the opening. I was blinded by the new amount of light that streamed from the leaves in the trees. When my eyes finally adjusted to the light, my heart stopped.
My mind went blank for a moment. I heard Hanji gasp. As my eyes focused on Erwin standing in front of someone on a tree branch, my breath got caught in my throat. Even though the cloak was covering most of the person's face, I refused to believe what my eyes were seeing. I jumped off my horse and killed the first titan that stood in my way. The titans were concentrated on the field where I once thought would be safe. They weren't normal titans. That much I was able to tell from the moment I laid eyes upon them.
They knew exactly what they were doing. The managed to dodge some of the less skilful soldiers and kill them instantly. They reminded me of Eren and Annie. They knew how to fight. As soon as that thought entered my mind, I heard Jaeger groan in pain, causing me to focus on him. I saw him, fighting against his own body; trying to stop himself from turning into a titan. He was unable to do it. A lighting enveloped him and his titan form materialized itself. He roared and started attacking soldiers. He was being controlled. I knew it would be hard to stop him. I looked back at the person whom Erwin was trying to talk to. The cloaked figure had its arms in front of it, as if leading an orchestra. Erwin pulled the hood down revealing a face.
My fiancée's face.
Merethe's POV
I had ventured into the forest in an attempt to escape from the Survey Corps. They had been following me for almost a week. I was tired. It had been six years since I had been abducted. And during those goddamn six years, all I had done was escape from those motherfuckers. They had tried to kill me numerous times. And every time, without exception, they were wearing masks. It unnerved me.
I had finally managed to lose them when I heard horses. I had to kill them. It couldn't go any longer. I was sick and tired of them. I hated them with all my fucking strength. Even though I spent most of the time hiding and escaping from them, I had mastered my abilities. All those years ago, it had been hard for me to control one or two titans. By the time I turned 29, I could control an army. I could control more than a hundred at the same time without even flinching. It was overwhelming to hold so much power. But, like all things, it came with a consequence.
The other side of me, the one that appeared on my nightmares and tortured me every night, always took over whenever I used them. I had grown accustomed to her. I didn't like calling her "me". She was me, but I refused to accept her as a part of who I was.
I hid on top of the tallest tree I could find with help of a titan. I pulled the hood of my cloak over my head and allowed adrenaline to flow through my veins, fuelling those damned abilities I had been cursed with. As soon as I closed my eyes, I heard her voice inside my head.
Kill them all.
I did as she instructed me. I controlled every titan I could get my hands on and sent them straight to the Survey Corps. It would be a bloodbath without a doubt. I smirked cynically and enjoyed hearing them scream in fear. I enjoyed hearing their bodies being torn apart. Not much time had passed before I heard horses coming closer to the place in which I hid. Before I was able to register what was happening, I detected something that picked up my interest. A shifter. A human that could turn into a titan.
I had only controlled a shifter once in my life, back when I was imprisoned. I tried to identify the source of the energy that lingered in the air. My blank eyes fell upon a brown haired boy with green eyes. They weren't wearing masks. That was a first. I didn't allow my thoughts to linger too much on it.
Make him kill them.
I lifted my arm to control him. As soon as I acquired control of him, I heard a voice calling behind me.
-Merethe! –I heard a man call. I turned to look at him. As soon as identified the owner of the voice, my head was filled with unbearable pain.
I didn't answer. I didn't want to. Had he finally grown the balls to kill me himself? My adoptive father was staring back at me with fear in his eyes. No mask, either.
Kill him.
She spoke up again, making me groan in pain. I ignored his calls, and turned back to the boy. I ordered him to turn into a titan. I could notice his reluctance, he was fighting against his own instinct. I ordered him once again to turn, this time with a threatening warning. He bit his hand and a lighting fell on him. As soon as the steam dissipated, I was met with a gorgeous 15 meter class titan. It was truly beautiful.
Kill them!
I followed her orders and commanded him to dispose of every soldier. I felt Erwin's hand pulling my cloak to reveal my face. He gasped when he became aware of my white eyes, devoid of any emotion.
-Sweetheart, listen to me. You're safe. We're here for you. –He whispered, inching closer towards me.
-Haven't you always been there for me? Trying to murder me! –She hissed. She had taken over, pushing me to the back of my mind.
I could feel her hatred. Her killer intent.
-What are you talking about, Merethe? We've been looking for you! We are here to rescue you! –Erwin exclaimed, grabbing me by the shoulders. Was he lying?
I wanted to hug him, but she wanted to kill him. My hand encircled his neck and I tried to suffocate him. He managed to free himself.
-You have been trying to kill me! So, it's only fair I return the favour! –She yelled, pulling a shiv and aiming for his neck.
Neither of us were able to even touch an inch of Erwin's skin before everything faded into darkness. I fell into someone's arms. Through half-closed eyelids, I identified Levi's grey eyes.
I felt pain all over my body. As if I had been running for days, my muscles were stiff and aching. I tried to open my eyes, but to no avail. My own body was fighting me. I groaned when I tried to move. I heard someone shift on a chair. Somehow, that sound was enough for me to open my eyes and scan my surroundings.
I was greeted by a freckle covered face and a warm smile. I stared into his eyes and noticed how kind they seemed. My hand shot out to grab his neck and his smile instantly faded. His eyes widened in fear. But, as soon as I grabbed him, pain forced me to let him go.
He gasped for air. He sat down and rubbed his neck. He smiled once again, only this time with a sad look on his face.
-My name is Marco. I'm not going to hurt you, Miss Soltvedt. I'm here to help you. If you need anything let me know. –He said awkwardly.
I didn't answer. He stood up and sighed.
-I'm going to tell them you have woken up. –He announced, making his way to the door.
-Where am I? –I questioned, my voice hoarse. Even if I didn't trust him, I needed to know where I was.
-You are inside the Walls. –He answered before exiting.
Inside…the walls? Back at the walls?
Impossible. I couldn't be back. I should be dead. They should've killed me. Why was I still alive? They were going to torture me. They were going to force to tell them something I didn't know anything about.
I heard quick footsteps coming closer. I tried to sit up but quickly regretted it. They had probably beaten me up to the point in which I could no longer move. The door swung open and I found myself staring in fear at Levi's beautiful grey eyes. I found myself staring at the man I loved.
I found myself staring in fear at him.
"Learning to trust is one of life's most difficult tasks." –Isaac Watts
"A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." –Charles Spurgeon
"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." -Henry David Thoreau
A/N: CLIFFHANGER, BITCH. I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself. I hope you enjoyed. Feel free to review, it really does help me out a lot.
