Lyla opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry and she felt her body being jostled. Bouncing slightly in an even rhythm. She blinked her eyes a few times and she could see the blue sky, the burning sun, and a lot of green. She saw the blue and silver wings contrast with the green.
Lyla turned her head and saw hundreds of Wings of Freedom fly through the air.
Her face turned into a deep sorrowful frown. It's not the first time she's seen this, and she knows it's a dream. A very realistic nightmare. A nightmare she knows that will turn into reality. They arrived at Wall Maria, Shiganshina District. She looked down at the town as she dutifully waited for the moment. For the bell to ring.
At last, the church bell rang through the air, signaling the worst to come. Boulders and rocks came flying, embedding themselves like a bullet in whatever they made contact with. Lyla tried her best, shielding every comrade she can from those deadly rocks. But as always it was no use as the ground crumbled down, swallowing the soldiers.
Lyla felt the ground below her giveaway and she too fell deep down.
Lyla slowly opened her eyes. When she first started having these dreams, she usually bolted up, covered in sweat. But now she'd gotten so used to it that it didn't bother her anymore. What was excruciating pain in the beginning, was now just a dull ache in her heart.
Lyla rested her upper body on the headboard as she let out a sigh. Today was the day. The day where she has to endure the pain. So many lives would be sacrificed. But for what?
Lyla thought she was out of tears, but she was wrong. She felt tears slowly run down her cheeks as she silently watched out the window.
That was when Levi gently opened the room door and walked in. He stopped in his steps as he saw tears staining Lyla's face.
"Lyla? You okay?"
Lyla let out a shaky laugh and wiped her tears.
"Yes, sir. The mornings make me a little sentimental I guess."
Levi sat next to Lyla on the bed and wrapped one of his arms around her. Lyla rested her head on his shoulders and said,
"Is there any chance that we can call off the mission?"
Levi slowly shook his head.
"Erwin's hell-bent on this mission."
"Is that so," Lyla sighed deeply. "What is it that he wants to know? Does he truly want to know what's in that basement? The truth of the world?"
"Doesn't everyone want to know? What's beyond these walls, the titans?"
"One mustn't try to know too much. But then again the easy way isn't always the right way. I guess the people within these walls have the right to know. And it can't be kept a secret forever. After all, humans are creatures full of curiosity."
Levi quirked an eyebrow.
"You speak as if you know the truth of the world."
"Is that so?" Lyla gazed at Levi. Levi's face was serious. He almost whispered out.
"Well then, do you?"
"Do I what?"
"Know the truth of the world."
Lyla softly laughed out. She gently caressed Levi's cheek and planted a light kiss. She stood up and started to walk to her closet. Lyla slightly turned her head and looked over her shoulder. A smile was playing around her lips.
"Perhaps."
Levi was totally puzzled by Lyla's response. Lyla started taking out her uniform.
"I think we should be getting ready. After all, it's a big day and with no doubt… one of the most painful days."
Levi just sat there and continued to stare at Lyla. Lyla cleared her throat.
"Um… Captain. I'd like some privacy while changing."
"Huh? Oh, yes. Of course."
Levi immediately turns around. Lyla quickly changes and starts tying her hair.
"It's going to be a long painful day and I don't know if I can even pull through it properly sir. I might as well need to take a swig of whiskey and get a little bit tipsy. Perhaps even drunk," said Lyla half-jokingly. But Levi didn't seem to like that joke.
"Nobody's drinking whiskey, or getting drunk," he said flatly. Lyla sighed and finished tying her hair.
...
...
A whole crowd was there that evening to see the Survey Corps off. Lyla watched the crowd as she was lifted up.
"I thought this was a secret mission to the public?"
"Well, it seems Flegel let word slip. The meat we ate yesterday at the feast was provided by him."
Lyla rolled her eyes at Levi's explanation.
'Great, now the whole town knows.'
Once they were up on the walls people started cheering.
"Do you hear that? They're cheering for us! Once we come back, we'll be heroes!" one soldier exclaimed excitedly. Lyla turned her head to that soldier. He didn't know what's beyond these walls. That beyond these walls there is only death. She heard Erwin roar in response to the crowd. She saw him hold his good arm in the air in a triumphant manner.
Lyla started trembling. This was all wrong. Too dangerous. The sacrifices that would be made. She felt something warm encase her hand. Lyla looked down. It was someone's hand. She followed its owner and saw Levi. He was looking ahead but she could feel what he was saying.
'Don't worry, I'm here for you.'
"Ancestors, watch upon your own, watch upon your people, watch upon us as you have always promised and as you have always done," Lyla muttered quietly.
The whole Survey Corps descended down the wall.
"The final operation to retake Wall Maria will now commence!"
Erwin's voice rang through the air and everybody roared and cheered. Lyla hung her head low as they rode to Wall Maria.
...
...
Soon the day darkened into night and they took out their lamps. It was a new lamp made of the glowing crystals from the Underground Chapel.
"Eren, are you trembling?" Lyla heard Armin say. She looked behind and indeed Eren was trembling. She fell back a little and took hold of Eren's hand.
"It's okay to be afraid. Hell, even I'm afraid. But the important part is how you deal with that fear. Will you just cower and run away? Or will you go forward."
They only met one sleeping titan on the way to Wall Maria. Lyla thought it was brilliant of Armin to think of the idea to move at night while all the titans were sleeping.
They arrived at Wall Maria too soon for Lyla's liking and the sun was coming up. She looked down at the town she lived for 3 years.
"Finally… we're home again," Eren said.
'But can we protect it?' Lyla thought to herself. Then she slightly shook her head and closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were filled with determination. She will protect it. There was no turning back now.
"Don't stop! Keep going to the outer wall!"
They heard Levi shout out.
"Yes, sir!"
Eren and Lyla, along with Mikasa went for the outer wall and Eren easily sealed the hole.
"I… I did it. I sealed the wall!" Eren whispered in disbelief. But Lyla couldn't be happy. Something was wrong. It was too easy. Why weren't Reiner and Bertolt doing anything? It was as if they let Eren seal the wall. Perhaps they weren't inside the Walls? Lyla had a bad feeling and her feelings were confirmed when a red streak of smoke shot through the air.
'What the…?'
All three of them started running toward the red smoke. On the way, they saw soldiers tapping the wall.
"What are they doing?" Eren wondered. Lyla had no clue until something sparked through her head.
"Oh God, please don't tell me…"
As if on cue, Reiner immerged from the wall, killing a soldier as he did so. Lyla saw Levi shoot down and drive a sword into Reiner's neck but instead of dying, he turned into a titan. And as if that wasn't enough, there was a bright bolt of green lightning. Clouds of smoke erupted and as the smoke faded away, it revealed the Beast Titan along with other several titans.
"Sorry Erwin, it was a stupid rookie mistake," Levi apologized in an irritated tone. Erwin watched the titans. He had a contemplating look on his face.
Lyla kept running, Mikasa and Eren hot on her tail, until she reached Levi and Erwin.
"Commander, your orders sir!"
"Squad Levi and Hange along with Moblit, all of you stop the Armor Titan. Whatever it takes, don't let it kill the horses."
"Yes, sir!"
They all started running but when Levi followed Lyla, Erwin stopped him.
"Levi."
Levi and Lyla both turned around.
"I did say all of Squad Levi. But I need Levi, you to stay here."
'What?' Lyla stood there dumbstruck. She had an idea why Erwin needed Levi here and she didn't like it.
"You're the only one I can entrust to kill the Beast Titan."
Levi slowly turned his body when Lyla took hold of his hand. He looked at her. Lyla shook her head, her eyes filled with fear.
'Don't go.'
Levi gave a slight squeeze.
'I'll be fine.'
Lyla pulled Levi closer and looked at him dead in the eye.
"Don't you dare throw your life away just to save others. If you do, I'll follow you to hell so I can kick the crap out of you for doing it."
"Hell? Why not heaven?" Levi said with a slight smirk.
"I don't think we can go to heaven after all the killing we did."
Levi shook his head in amusement but soon straightened his face.
"You heard the Commander," he said to the squad. "Obviously, I'm leaving Lyla in charge of Squad Levi."
"Yes, sir!"
With that Lyla rounded up the other squad members. She saw Reiner climbing the wall. Eren went to bite into his hand.
"Eren! Don't turn into a titan yet!"
Eren halted his motions.
"We're going to use you as bait. Once we get far enough, turn into a titan and run to the other side of the wall. If you run on your own outside the walls and escape, there's no reason for Reiner and the other titans to be here. I'm sure he'll be able to read that much."
So once they were far enough, Eren turned into a titan.
"Roar as loud as you can Eren so that Reiner can know that you're here," Lyla instructed. Eren did as told and sure enough, Reiner turned his head. He seemed to be confused or that's what Lyla thought because she couldn't really read through that iron mask of his.
Reiner seemed to hesitate, then he jumped off the wall. He charged towards Eren.
"Eren, try to hold him still. If you make the timing for us, we'll shoot the thunder spear! And focus on hardening your fists when fighting. It's the only way to penetrate Reiner's armor. If that doesn't work, you know his weakness is his joints."
Eren gave a single nod and charged. Reiner was the first to land a punch on Eren's face. But soon Eren was pounding the Armored Titan relentlessly. He pinned him to the ground.
"That's it Eren! You're doing great!" Connie cheered. But it didn't last long. The Armored Titan, with its immense strength, threw Eren off of itself.
"Eren!" Mikasa shouted out. She tried to pull her thunder spear out but Hange stopped her.
"Wait! Wait for Eren to make the perfect opportunity. Believe in him."
And in no doubt Eren did. He locked Reiner by blocking his joint movements and soon threw him.
"Now!" Hange shouted. Mikasa and Hange shot a thunder spear at Reiner's eyes. With a loud bang, it exploded and Reiner cried in pain.
"It actually worked…" Sasha muttered in disbelief.
"Don't wait! Shoot it at his nape!" Lyla ordered and all of them shot a thunder spear. There was another bang and the armor that protected Reiner's nape broke.
"That's it! Now shoot one more time and kill the Armored Titan once and for all!" Hange shouted. At her words, everyone seemed to hesitate.
"Reiner…" Connie muttered. All though he was a titan, he was still once a fellow trainee after all.
"Guys! Why are you hesitating? We all knew this would happen."
At Jean's words, something seemed to awaken within everyone. So they delivered death to Reiner.
'Why did you decide to do such a thing, Reiner?' Lyla asked silently.
Reiner stumbled to the ground with a thud and that's when there was a loud crash from the distance and a ring of a bell. Lyla's face paled as a wave of emotions engulfed her.
"Something's not right. He's in pain."
"He? What do you mean he?" Eren asked. He took hold of Lyla's arm and tried to soothe her. But Lyla brushed him off.
"Levi. I need to go to him."
With that, she took off. The ringing of the bell faded away but the emotions didn't. There was pain, sadness, anger, the thirst for revenge. She flew for the far-away walls on the other side. Lyla was so consumed with the emotions and the thought that she has to go to Levi, that she failed to notice Bertolt soaring up in the air. And when she did, it was too late as the Colossal has once again revealed itself. It scooped up a bunch of houses and Lyla watched with wide eyes as the debris fell upon her.