Chaos. Potent, immaterial, ever-present, a force of nature. Like much of nature, it captivates the hearts and minds of men. Some, probably most, are afraid of chaos. That's the most reasonable response of course. Chaos is the reason humans birthed civilizations, so that they might establish order. Others revel in the observance of chaos, drawn in like moths to a flame. The foolhardy seek to control chaos. In their naivete, they bring destruction down upon themselves. A few have been known to worship chaos. Bowing and prostrating themselves, they become devoted to it like it represents the omnipotence of some dark gods. Yet fewer souls abandon all attempts to comprehend chaos, knowing the minds of men are not capable of such things. Most such individuals reach the clarity of that state of mind at the lowest points of failure and defeat, when surrendering became more reasonable than resisting any longer. Funny, given how chaos is so often born from the absence of reason.
There's a circle to everything, I suppose. "If I'm being honest, I'm surprised you didn't opt to shoot me the moment I turned my back," Erwin Smith sighed. "That pistol on your hip has only ever seen use against your fellow man."
"Hmph," Arkady Volgrimmer straightened up. "Your low opinion of me shows, Erwin. A bullet would be far too impersonal a remedy for your crimes." He deserved a noose. He deserved to be hung in the Capital's plaza for all the people to see. Death in battle was a mercy befitting better men. "My sword shall have to suffice."
"Picked a fine time for it, I must say." Erwin gestured with the bloody stump of his arm. Frantic combat swirled around them. Men and women died in droves. The earth shook when monsters fell. "Humanity would be better served by you seeing to Eren Jaeger's rescue."
"You're one to speak of humanity! Sacrificing hundreds of lives to further your own selfish goals!" The blade came up to Erwin's neck. "What gives you the right?!"
He didn't even flinch. "That's how you see things, is it?"
"That's how things are; I got my captaincy because I'm able to understand people's motivations. My case-solving rate was far above any of my peers."
"Confessions come far more often when you're inclined to beat them out of people." Erwin knew well the procedures the MPs followed inside Wall Sina. "I also pity the mountain of bribe money you'll never get to spend. That's a crying shame."
Arkady ground his teeth together. "Oh, I shall relish ending you."
"Why don't you do it then?" Erwin finally faced him. "You've got me dead to rights, but you hesitate to take the head from my shoulders." Like two actors in the climactic scene of a play, a dramatic silence engulfed the space that followed those words.
Oh, you're so very clever aren't you, thinking you can outsmart everyone else? Although, Arkady had to concede he didn't have an answer to Erwin's jibe. Sure, he'd wanted to say his piece, but why not finish him and be done with it?
"Were you hoping I'd beg, is that it? Or maybe, you're cowed in the face of your betters?"
"How dare y—"
"Then do it, strike me down. Show your conviction and finish what you came to do!" The sudden forcefulness in Erwin's voice caused Arkady to take an involuntary step back.
"I'll cut you down when I'm damn well ready," the captain attempted to reassert the dominance he was so certain he'd held over the conversation. "It's best for you to witness the depths of your folly before you die."
"Having trouble finding the relish you spoke of?" Erwin continued speaking levelly. Without malice, or even mockery, his words still cut like a razor. He too achieved his position thanks in no small part to his understanding of people, his ability to see through falsehoods and facades. "Were you doing this because I pose a danger to mankind, you'd have ended me without so much as a second thought. Deep down, I don't think you believe me an enemy of the kingdom, not even a little. I do believe, however that you despise me."
"You're an easy man to despise."
That elicited a laugh from the commander. "So I've been told throughout my career."
"Then you realize how many people would celebrate if your head were to roll," Arkady sneered.
"And what if the heads of those people were to be on the chopping block?"
"I beg your pardon?!"
"Think of it, Arkady. In the Capital, you don't really believe those oligarchs give a damn about this country or humanity, do you?" There was the hint of a smile on his lips. "When Wall Maria fell, it wasn't them that suffered or fought to reclaim our lands. No, they huddled in their mansions and clutched their pearls at the mere suggestion of lightening their pockets. A handful of elites steer our ship while casting its passengers into the water. There is no justification in such actions, no righteousness."
"What are you playing at, bastard?"
Erwin shakily took his feet. "Why should people like them hold the keys to the castle? Why do they get to determine who lives or dies? I won't speak of fairness or the proper role of government, but I will talk of injustice, criminality, immorality. If humanity is to survive, our governance cannot be held by individuals prone to such things."
"So, you admit your treasonous thoughts?"
Another laugh, heartier this time. "Is it not greater treason to sacrifice the people for one's own betterment? Let me ask you, is treason committed against the nation or its political class?" He could sense Arkady searching his thoughts for an answer which would cement his self-righteousness. Erwin noted that the man's sword dropped by a few degrees as he fought internally; this would be his best chance to seize the initiative. In that moment of weakness, Erwin lunged forward and freed the pistol from the captain's belt, cocking the hammer back as he placed the barrel in Arkady's sternum.
Arkady blinked, slowly registering the turning of the tables. "…you played me."
"Not so, sir," Erwin said calmly. "I merely wish to ensure I have your ear. From here, we shall speak as equals. Disregard my rank, disregard your badge, we are two men."
He scowled. "Just shoot me and be done with it; I've no desire to listen to your platitudes." Certainly, he'd deny Erwin the smug satisfaction if nothing else.
"If you were to die today, it'd be at the titan's hand, not mine. I've no desire to see you dead, captain. In fact, you'll be surprised to note that I have an offer for you."
This time, Arkady was the one to laugh. "Does your audacity know no bounds, Erwin?"
"Perhaps not, sir. Perhaps that is why a bleeding, one-armed man is holding you at gunpoint with your own pistol." A comical changing of fortunes if I do say so myself.
"Then speak, knave."
Erwin grinned a terrible grin. He adopted the look of a man belonging in an asylum, no longer restraining the madness of his mind. "Tell me, captain, how familiar are you with the concept of regicide?"
(***)
The center cannot hold… The enemy is all around us, amongst us. We feel their breath on our necks, smell the brimstone churning up from within their gullets. Our forces are pushed back on all sides, the perimeter constricting. Any chance of a breakout is gone. Organization has long been out the window; platoons and sections have collapsed as casualties surge. Clusters of men and women band together in whatever ad hoc formations they can muster to stave off the onslaught.
How much of the battalion has fallen, thirty percent, forty percent, fifty? Gas tanks are running dry, blades are dull or broken. Precious little separates those who've tenaciously clung to life from complete combat ineffectiveness. Eren Jaeger, where is he? Has the boy managed to get away, or is he dead? If so, all of this was for naught. Their lives are spent to no avail. If he yet lived, why not use his power to turn the tide of the engagement? Many asked these questions as they bled.
"If that shit heel up and died on us or Mikasa ran off with him, my ghost is going to kick their asses," Aline growled.
"We aren't dead yet, not by a long shot," Albrecht answered her.
"Although," Erik chimed in. "I don't think we'll be able to fall back much further." In the several minutes since they'd stabilized Elise, who remained unconscious, multiple titans bore down on their position, forcing a fighting withdrawal. Erik and Giselle moved her as carefully as possible while Albrecht and Aline brought down the enemies that came closest. So far, they'd killed three. That's an admirable tally for two fresh-faced recruits to pull off on their own, even though those three were replaced by several others trickling out of the woods. To make matters worse, the horses were well and truly spooked, running from their masters to seek safety elsewhere. It was infuriating, but the animals could hardly be blamed for fleeing. It's what every soldier on that field wished they could do.
This couldn't shake out to a winning fight if things continued. Victory wasn't improbable under these circumstances, it was impossible. Without a radical shift in fortunes, wholesale slaughter awaited every man and woman. That they'd needed to organize a rescue party at all had put the scouts on the backfoot to begin with. Albrecht also acknowledged their situation was made all the more tenuous because they were down a squad member. If they had a wagon, they'd have taken their chances and forced their way out. I've got my priorities, the mission be damned.
"Do any of you guys have more blades?" He asked, assessing which titans posed the most immediate threat.
"We've already given you two every spare we have," Giselle told him. "And I doubt we'll be finding more."
Aline brushed several loose strands of hair out of her face. "If anyone has thought up some famous last words, I hope you wrote them down." Not like anyone will get to read them, but still. The cynicism in the words surprised her. She hadn't resigned herself to defeat, she wouldn't, but hands closed around their throats with no relief in sight. It'd be a fat lie to pretend the prognosis for their survival was grim. That'd been resurfacing in her mind constantly in the time since Reiner started his offensive. It's the order of the current world. Humanity spent ninety-percent of its time on the backfoot, retreating or at most fighting defensive actions, countermeasures against enemy incursions. The initiative never stayed with them long enough to really turn the pages of history. Pages that, were so incredibly vast that entire generations were lost in the space that a single paragraph would occupy in a standard volume.
The most they'd done up to now was simply check the invaders advances. Trost hadn't been, despite Commander Pyxis' statements, a reclamation. No, they'd just held onto their own ground in the long-run. Same with the Female titan in Stohess and the wanderers inside Wall Rose. Efforts made today were some of the first purely offensive moves they'd made in a losing game of chess. Problem was, whoever controlled their black pieces wasn't nearly as good at the game as whoever had command of the white ones. So, much like the former, humanity was always a move behind the opponent, and learning the rules as they went, besides. The infuriating aspect of all this was the emotional up and down. A little bit of hope was given, only for it to be snatched away as they took hold. On a psychological level, it felt like being in Trost all over again.
But then again…We came out of that fight with a victory. Aline checked the fuel gauge on her tanks and checked the sharpness of her blades. She took stock of their surroundings, subconsciously grinding her teeth together. She cursed that woman called fate. If you're teasing us again, I'm going to find you and shove my sword straight up your whore ass. And if something miraculous was going to happen, it'd better happen fast.
(***)
The last of his opponents was cast aside. Those that Reiner couldn't throw like living artillery shells, he crushed their napes beneath his heel. Unrestrained at last, he could use his full strength. Not that he'd need to use much of it. Eren had yet to transform, Mikasa was unable to fight, and the rest of the scouts folded under the assault by lesser titans. Retrieving his charge would be simple and then they'd all escape as their foes were devoured to a man.
It might have been the years he'd spent alongside them, but he felt pity for the plight of these men and women, to a degree. Maybe that was strange, given his involvement in the genocidal campaign against them. Actually, that spoke of a level of cognitive dissonance he'd developed regarding his actions, like he was trying to comprehend two different versions of his mind from outside. We were here for far too long…It changed us; these people changed us. Of course, how did I not notice something so obvious? That he'd at some point started seeing them as people showed the way Reiner had changed. Although Annie tried her best to conceal it, the time within these walls altered her even more. Bertolt had held fast to a greater extent than the two of them, but as he'd admitted to Armin, he too had treasured the time they spent together as comrades.
In another life, things might've been able to take a different course than this. By chance, they could've striven together towards the freedom that Eren and others fought so desperately for. But the future was decided for us long before we were born. The future was decided for all of you, here as well. No matter how you struggled, it was never going to change anything. You never once had any hope of winning this war. So, you stubbornly fight in vain, heedless of your own inevitable destruction.
If it wasn't them, someone else would've come to these walls and destroyed those within. Merely a question of when. A shame then, that it took so long, giving the kingdom's citizens a spark of hope that salvation was attainable. What's more, generations were born into this world without knowing that their fates had been sealed long before anyone living today was a twinkle in their mother's eye. And yet, the punishment was not for their own crimes. No, the punishment wasn't even for those who'd committed the crimes, all of whom were long since dead. And the more Reiner thought about it, the more he saw that this wasn't punishment at all. Even under the countless assertions of his masters, he couldn't call it such a thing. It was revenge, retribution for the transgressions of the past. No justice would be found in it. Honestly, no justice was sought, if he had to guess. Those who held the upper hand, no longer had it, and the power that rose wanted to prove its' superiority over its' predecessors.
And superior they are showing themselves to be. For what am I, truly, except a chained dog? I have listened and obeyed. I fought when I was told to fight, heeled when I was told to heel, allowed myself to be kicked at their leisure. He was an instrument of warfare and an architect of genocide. Even the atrocities he'd lamented, he still gave his hand to commit. Why? Wouldn't it have made greater sense to lend his strength to those behind the walls? If not from the beginning, then at least once he'd come to know them. Why continue in this endeavor? He'd never have a long life; the Armored titan's power burned him up until eventually it killed him.
He came here as a pawn and apart from a scant few, anyone who knew of him would only remember him as such. Much more would've been gained if he changed course before all of today's chaos occurred. This, he felt in spite of what he knew loomed on the horizon. Of course, no matter what revelations came to him, he'd continue doing as he was told. In his heart of hearts, that was his true nature. A good soldier might always follow orders, but a warrior was unable to defy his chieftain.
So, when faced with the inevitable, an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, one of the two has to give, lest all be left without resolution. And we will go in circles, seeking one another's weaknesses. You know I won't back down, as I know you won't either. How foolish of me to think you'd see reason before. Let us be done with it then. As things stand, you cannot beat us. You will come along, if I have to cleave every limb from your body.
(***)
Albrecht's palms itched. With each passing moment, the sensation grew more intense, as did his unease. He didn't have a solution yet, no plan to see them through their plight. Possibly, that's because there wasn't one. With the haste required by this undertaking, they'd run the gauntlet with little regard for what would follow in their wake. From the perspective of a commander, that should've been an important consideration. Was Eren so important that nobody had thought ahead? For the course of the war, the fate of humanity, it could be that is indeed the case. However, in what reality was that boy worth repeatedly sacrificing countless lives? Most incidents involving Eren Jaeger were predicaments he'd gotten himself into. His comrades then were forced to act as babysitters.
In the face of such things, a rational person would temper their reckless impulses. By his estimation though, reckless impulses were all that Eren knew. The whole lot of us ought to give him a good old-fashioned ass kicking.
"Hey, we've got seven more coming in on our left!" Erik shouted, breaking his thoughts. That brought the total closing on their position up to…Albrecht made a quick counting of heads…that's twenty. No circumstance in the spectrum of reality could make such a fight winnable. You'd need at least a whole company to safely take on that many at once. And even then, there'd probably be more than a few casualties. So, let's weigh the options one more time. Escape, impossible. Regrouping, infeasible. Engagement, a losing proposition. Surrender and submission, laughable. Suicide, quickest way out. Death, all but inevitable. Albrecht couldn't be certain, but in that moment, he could've sworn he heard someone cackling above the torrent of battle.
"Alb, what are we doing?" Aline had bitten into her lip again, drawing more blood.
"Holding until we're overrun."
"You mean, until we die?!" Erik's voice cracked.
"God, this shit has a way of making me exhausted. Don't even have the energy to be surprised." My nose and my leg were properly healed up too.
"We've been bent over the table and taken advantage of; no way out of this."
Giselle brushed back some loose strands of hair. "I've read about a few glorious last stands in old books. Somehow, it doesn't seem so glorious in the moment. Too many things left undone or unsaid."
"You're surprisingly calm for a rich girl," Aline said.
"Medical opinion? I think a modicum of shock has come over me, thus the expected existential terror isn't setting in," she admitted with a saddened expression. Giselle wiped some Elise's dried blood from her hands and looked ruefully at her patient, whose eyes remained closed. I'm sorry our efforts didn't amount to much in the end, but at least you'll be serene when the end comes. That's enviable.
Erik checked the edge on the last pair of blades he had. "There's not more than a couple swings worth of bite left on these."
Giselle nodded. "Same here."
Aline sighed. "How many do you think we'll take down before they drop us?"
"Not nearly enough," Albrecht whispered. He looked to his compatriots, who all bore grim expressions. None of them looked to be in a state of panic, even Erik, despite his frantic tone only a moment before. No, the three of them just looked resigned and so terribly sad. Death came and they understood that. They wouldn't go quietly, but they'd go all the same. So much effort and strife in recent weeks, and nothing to come of it. They survived Trost, the reconnaissance mission, the titans roaming the countryside, the castle, even the hellish engagement atop Wall Rose, only to be stopped here. An entire contingent massacred, because of the failings of one arrogant boy. How insulting.
The titans drew nearer now. Everyone assumed combat stances, knowing they only had a few more seconds before stepping off. Their enemies towered over them, dead eyes looking over them as a pig might gaze upon its daily slop. Any prayers were kept to themselves, as were most thoughts. Hopefully, death would be swift, avoiding the horror of being torn limb from limb. Albrecht, however, finding his anger rising to a point beyond containment, bellowed a mighty curse as he prepared to give his last full measure. "Eren Jaeger…YOU SON OF A BITCH! GODDAMN YOU!"
Monsters reached out towards the quartet, fingers curling in anticipation of sustenance. And then…something utterly defying comprehension occurred. Chaos, so often born of the absence of reason. The titans stopped. Yet, it was more than that, as though they'd been frozen in place by his defiant utterance. A rush of cold radiated from his core outwards, freezing Albrecht Johannes much like the horrors bearing down on them. It was so suddenly quiet. "What…"
As abruptly as they'd stopped, the titans then began shifting their attention away to the group's right, thereafter moving in that direction. Sluggishly at first, but then walking, running, and finally sprinting. It wasn't just a few of them either, all twenty of the beasts he'd counted changed their behavior and followed suit. Then, more of them. Dozens and dozens of titans, running in the same direction. It conjured a mental image of stampeding cattle.
"What in the hell?"
A terrible roar assailed their eardrums, like that made by the titan shifters, but it seemed to simultaneously emanate from everywhere and nowhere. The air vibrated with the sound's intensity. A few more seconds, and it was apparent why. Not only the titans faced by their squad, not only the inflow of titans from the surrounding area, every single one which was hitherto engaged with the battalion had broken away, rushing a singular, smiling creature. The horde trampled it and, with great gusto, sank their teeth into it. Those who'd fought over bites of human meat, now clawed at one another for a piece of one of their own.
"God Almighty preserve me…"
"Are you guys seeing this?!" Erik shouted.
Albrecht blinked. "I…don't know."
"Don't know, don't freaking care," Aline slammed her blades back into their scabbards. "This is an opportunity to get out of here and we are taking it."
"We still don't have our horses," Giselle reminded her.
"Then we grab Elise, start walking and whistling like our lives depend on it."
"Which they do."
Aline rolled her eyes. "Yes, Erik, the obvious has been properly stated, thank you."
"Save it for later, please. The snark, the obvious, leave the lot. We're wound tighter than a thirty-day clock spring and the screw is just barely holding the whole thing together. Relieving some of the tension is the only solution and we won't do that until there's a wall between us and all this madness."
Albrecht patted Giselle on the shoulder. "Couldn't agree more; best analogy I've heard in a good while."
"You're on a roll this evening, blondie."
She straightened up a little. "Well, I'd say I'm getting a little better at reading the room as it were." And I think I'm finally getting a grip on the proper use of turn-of-phrase. Magnifique, Miss Delacroix! You'll find your niche yet.
The four of them wasted not a second more of the dramatic shift in fortunes. Fickle as fortune tended to be, they'd not spoil this chance. They removed their scouting cloaks and fastened them together, creating a makeshift stretcher, into which they place Elise. With each of them taking a corner, the group set off at a jog, whistling for their horses in turn. Hopefully a little more luck could be squeezed from things.
(***)
Impossible… Reiner Braun thought to himself. There's no way that he could've… There was, and there is. He felt it in his marrow, that rush of energy and forces beyond his comprehension tugging at his will. Eren Jaeger was far more dangerous than any of them anticipated. Though the boy certainly had no idea, he'd awakened a power of unrivalled potency within himself. One which might sunder the very earth itself. But how had he come by said power? What schemer's machinations made it so? The express purpose of his mission was to prevent something of this nature. The power was to be secured and returned to those who rightfully deserved it. Now, he claimed unwitting dominion. Pessimistic predictions hadn't accounted for this, planned for an unknown quantity usurping the king on their opponent's side of the board.
A chess metaphor is unfair. Eren's been playing a different game altogether. Beyond complicating matters further, the window of opportunity shrank infinitely faster. Were he to come to an understanding of his new abilities, there'd be next to nothing that could be done to stop him. Given his tendency to accidentally unleash the powers already in his repertoire, this was as likely as him discovering information to wield it. Again, making for a dangerous and volatile situation. One for which no one had remedy.
The scouts wouldn't stay stunned for very long. They'd react quickly and with renewed purpose. Only a minute or two at most before the battalion would rally. And if fighting was necessary, he and Bertolt would be their sole targets, with the pure titans no longer a concern. That maddeningly brief moment was all they had to secure Eren. Afterwards, defeat and or capture was nigh certain. We're out of time and options; we seize him now or surrender the possibility forever. Of all the people to inherit the power…I cannot think of someone worse.
Finding him proved easy, with only shadows in the lee of rolling hillocks to provide cover on the open ground. Eren ran at a brisk pace, carrying Mikasa on his back. Reiner's false-self resurfaced for an instant to appreciate the humor in that. A complete reversal of their traditional roles. First time for everything, isn't there? They were fortunate that she'd been injured; a most persistent obstacle would be out of the way. Makes me sort of feel sorry for you. When the crucial moment comes, you're unable to protect him. Were it written in a book, it'd be so wonderfully tragic. Two competing objectives, and the wills they command, one destined to engulf the other. It's you, or it's us. These things Reiner thought as he made his way towards the fleeing pair. It didn't take long for them to notice.
Eren, instead of continuing to run, stopped and faced him down. "Get back, you bastards! I'll kill you where you stand!"
The shock came again, coursing through Reiner's veins. His head pounded as though he'd been struck. His Armored titan faltered, if for but an instant. Something else too; he sensed it, a deep dread overcoming him. The other titans, he decided, venturing a glance. Their eyes had changed, now emitting a disturbing, red glow. Every last crimson orb centered on him and Bertolt. No… then they came at him.
(***)
"I don't believe what I'm seeing." Arkady hadn't an ounce of attention devoted to Erwin.
"And you needn't believe," the commander rasped, weariness and fatigue finally flooding in. Blood loss was taking its toll. "You need only take advantage of what providence has provided us. ALL SOLDIERS, TAKE TO THE HORSES! WE'RE RETREATING!" He bellowed. "I'd hate to impose," Erwin spoke to the captain, "but I seem to be without a horse. Would you be so kind as to take a passenger upon yours for the time being?"
Arkady blinked. "Audacious to a fault. You truly are a disturbed man."
Erwin managed a pained grin. "Madness is hardly a surprise in a mad world." Upon that at least, both of them had no trouble agreeing. "A signal flare if you could as well, my good man. My hand is full."
"Don't denigrate yourself with such humor," he scoffed. "After our exchange, it makes me look weak." Arkady finally returned his sword to its place at his side, his signal pistol replacing it. He hadn't made use of the thing in years, as evidenced by a lack of polish. Loading a blue canister into it gave him a certain sense of nostalgia.
"You've actually missed it, haven't you?" Erwin had watched him.
"Excuse me?"
"Performing your true duties as a soldier of mankind, you relish the feeling."
"Someday, I intend to see to it that you answer for what happened in Stohess, Erwin." The pistol's mechanism secured the charge in place. "I'm not one who forgives so easily." He thrust his arm straight up. He could hardly believe he'd allowed Erwin to twist his mind with idealistic, revolutionary talk. It stung his pride as much as it might tarnish his badge of office. As much as he wished to blame his acquiescence on the being held at gunpoint, he started faltering before then.
"Nor would I expect anything less."
"But for now, I suppose I can see where your road takes us." The powder ignited, sending a column of cerulean into the darkening sky.
(***)
Turns out, they hadn't run their blessings dry after all. Whether by fluke, or godsend, things worked out precisely as they needed them to. Ctirad turned up a moment or two after they'd started withdrawing, accompanied by Sasha and every last wayward horse. Jean was in the saddle behind him, unconscious, with a bandage wrapped around his head. Giselle's doing.
"Found these critters scattered near to the four winds, but we found them." Sasha pulled the slew of mounts to a halt.
"Don't know which one belongs to who, so…yeah." Ctirad shifted Jean's body. "You guys alright?" He asked in an unusually measured tone.
Albrecht nodded. "A lot better once we get out of here and get Elise to the surgeon."
"What happened?"
They set the cloak-stretcher on the ground. "Titan took her leg off. Wound is cauterized now, although she needs to be properly seen to." Giselle checked to make sure the dressing had held.
"That's terrible. We better get riding then, eh?"
Erik narrowed his eyes. "You could at least sound a bit more alarmed, man. I'm glad you've calmed down, but come on."
Ctirad shook his head. "Oh no, I'm absolutely shaken. Matter-of-fact, I think I've been so scared the past twenty-four hours that I can no longer physically express it. Rest assured, on the inside, I am screaming."
"Been a bit of a harrowing evening so far; we'll all be glad to be done with it." Evening, day, week, month, and likely the rest of the year at this rate. Who knows how long after that? Albrecht tugged on the straps of Blitz' saddle to make certain they hadn't come loose. He'd need that security to carry Elise with him. None should have that duty except him; he owed her far beyond that. Once home safely, he'd devote every spare hour to atoning for this, his latest sin. Curtains drew near on this bloody day, and tomorrow he'd rise with renewed conviction. The field they were departing pleaded with him for one more moment with his eyes. Amidst the smoking corpses and fractured remains of dozens of soldiers, the Armored Titan struggled. Though most eager to be rid of their brutal enemies, the sight unnerved Albrecht, and he couldn't understand why that emotion stirred.
What if the whole of reality was beginning to unravel and these were the first significant threads to come undone? Another thousand questions to answer. Why did the titans start attacking that one particular abnormal and swarm Reiner? Why wasn't there a hole in Wall Rose? What was the aim of the titan shifters who'd hidden among them and how did Eren fit into it? And that strange place he'd seen…where had he gone? What of Ymir? Was there a role she played, or was she some unknown variable no one had counted on? Ymir…
Realization shot across his synapses. "Aline, take Erik and go find Historia."
"What'd you see?"
"Nothing." He shook his head. "I just…have a feeling and I don't want her getting any ideas."
"Do I have permission to lash Christa to my saddle if she gets feisty?"
"Historia, and whatever you need to do, do it. Don't let her out of your sight."
"I'm not calling her that," she said as she spurred her horse to a gallop.
"You guys going to be alright with only three?" Erik hesitated for a moment.
Albrecht nodded. "Sasha's the best guide in our whole class; we'll make it back to the formation in one piece. Worry about keeping Aline in check for me, would you?"
He half-laughed at the notion of being able to control Aline, but clasped his fist against his chest and reared his mount up. "I'll try my damnedest, man." And he went after her.
That should preempt any issues. Albrecht reasoned it'd be enough. Connie and Armin were somewhere over there as well, probably. No human effort would be enough for Historia to get away from all of them. Off to his left, he saw blue smoke rising to signal a withdrawal. He counted at least seven follow up shots after it. More survivors than I'd feared there'd be, good. "Sasha, could you—"
"Way ahead of you, Alb." She'd probably taken notice the second it'd been fired. Another plume joined the growing number, reaching upwards like a grove of imaginary trees.
"Giselle, help me get Elise up here, quickly." He swung himself up in the saddle, sliding back to create as much room as possible for his passenger. The blonde girl, was notably strong for her slight frame, not appearing to have any difficulties hefting Elise up under the armpits to bring her to him. Albrecht swapped with her, then putting his arms under Elise's to pull her astride the mount. He kept them there when he took hold of the reins again. He was fortunately tall enough to see around her without much of a problem, but there'd be a cost to his agility in the meantime. A good reason to stay away from the edge of the formation on the way back.
"Ride carefully, alright?" Giselle said to him. Albrecht nodded solemnly, pulling his arms tighter against Elise's abdomen. An unexpected emotion revealed itself in Giselle when she saw that, subconsciously desiring to be in her place for a second. Jealousy? Miss Delacroix, you are a salacious woman! She suppressed the feeling immediately, burying it as deep as she could in her psyche. Things like that didn't enter the mind of a proper lady. Despite neither of them being romantically engaged, coveting the position of another woman was adulterous thinking. And she'd have no part of it.
Some distance away, you could make out the form of an abnormal titan, running across the grass like a wolf might do. It went to Reiner's position. As fit her character of unpredictability, Ymir tore into those titans mauling the other shifters. The sounds of it were heard as the surviving members of the expedition took their leave of that blighted field. It echoed off of the trees and rocks for at least three kilometers, demons singing their war song. None saw the result of that last bout of carnage.
Sun at last dipped below the mountains, casting all the world in a deep-purple hue. Though the vanguard kept watch from the flanks, it became apparent within a half-hour that they weren't being pursued, despite the fact that titans still roamed nearby. Damnedest thing is, every last one of the bastards passed the formation right up, running as fast as they could towards those killing fields. As such, not a single casualty was suffered on the return journey and no combat proved necessary. With the lack of supplies remaining, that was another blessing. However, of the contingent that set out from Wall Rose to rescue Eren, the officers still living estimated that as many as fifty-percent were dead, or missing. But, the boy from Shiganshina, and his power, stayed in mankind's hands for another day.
(***)
Almost another week went by before the confines of Wall Rose were declared fully-secure. No less than thirty teams were sent on reconnaissance missions to eliminate any surviving titans and pinpoint where the breach had taken place. Of the latter, not a shred of evidence was found, although there was a place somewhat near to Castle Utgard where it appeared as though something had climbed the edifice and gone south. Rumors still swirl about who or what might've been responsible. A most interesting theory involves a particularly large and…hairy titan some claim to have seen, albeit from a long-ways off.
What's been far more puzzling is the invasion of the interior itself. Civilian casualties hardly occurred at all. In fact, they appear to have been limited to a single village, Ragako. Of the residents, all are still missing. Assumed dead, but until there's bodies or pieces of them, it's possible they live. Although, here too, there might be another theory.
Several days after the battle on the plains: Serturner Military Hospital, Trost District.
"How are you feeling today, commander?"
"Weary, but the pain has certainly dulled, thanks in no small part to your dedicated ministrations. The regiment couldn't have selected a better chief medic."
Iryna Shevchenko smiled and rendered a salute. "You honor me, sir."
Erwin returned the smile. "The honor has been mine, Sergeant Shevchenko. Your service and bedside manner has been impeccable. Were I not such a busy man, I'm certain I'd find myself seeking your courtship."
"You, flatter me Erwin," Iryna laughed. "How you do go on, saying such things to an old maid like myself."
"Oh, nonsense, woman! You're perfectly lovely. If we weren't so long acquainted, I'd attest that you don't look a day over twenty-five."
"AHEM!" The distinct sound of a boot slamming down on the floorboards. "Sir, I can appreciate that you're not feeling like dog shit anymore, really I can." Blasa Tanzerin leaned forward in her chair. "But I would implore you, stop flirting with my Goddamn platoon sergeant, sir."
Iryna looked at her disapprovingly. "Dorohyy, it hurts my heart so when you take the Lord's name in vain. You needn't be so foul-mouthed this early in the morning."
"…Sorry," she mumbled. She hadn't slept well, still having headaches from her injury at the wall and kaffee wasn't being distributed in the wards yet. With all the civilians still trickling back to their towns and villages, a lot of shipping had been disrupted. "God…I want to go back to bed."
"If Hange wasn't taking her sweet time, I'm sure we'd be done with this already," Levi added from his seat on the window-sill.
"An aide informed me that she'd be here by ten-o'clock, so we shouldn't be waiting much longer." Commander Pyxis thoughtfully stroked his mustache. "If I'm being honest, I've been thoroughly entertained during the wait." The various exchanges between his fellow officers were most delightful to him. Makes this old man wistfully long for the days of youth again. Watching people and their interactions was something of a pastime for him, part of how he learned to get their measure so accurately over the course of his many years. Besides, as busy as his schedule tended to be, a moment to sit and relax was most blissful indeed.
"Nice to know we're keeping you so amused," Blasa rubbed at her throbbing forehead. Thankfully, the next few minutes passed in relative quiet before there came a knock at the door.
"That'll be four-eyes," Levi inclined his head. "Door's unlocked, come in."
The bespectacled section commander entered the room with a look that suggested she'd already been working several hours. Still, she stood proud and saluted. "Apologies if you were waiting long, I've had many reports to sift through."
"Not at all," Erwin sat up straighter. "What have you found out?"
"And who's the kid?" Blasa pointed at a young scout with closely cropped hair standing behind her. The face seemed sort-of familiar, but she couldn't place a name.
Hange gestured and he stepped forward, saluting as well. "Trooper Connie Springer, formerly of the 104th Cadet Corps."
"Well, Mr. Springer, what is it that brings you to us this morning?" Pyxis folded his hands and leaned in some. The boy glanced nervously at Hange, who nodded and took a half-step forward.
"I want everyone to be aware that this is just a hunch we have," she said. "There's still research, analysis, and field studies that need to be conducted before we can draw any definite conclusions."
"Theories and speculation are all we often have to go on in this business." Erwin gestured for her to continue.
Hange hesitated. Twice she opened her mouth, but said nothing. Iryna came and offered her a chair. "Would you like to sit down?"
"No, no…I'm just trying to…find the right words here." Everyone in the room was listening intently now, eyes fixed on her. Hange wasn't one for skittishness or being easily perturbed. She had something of gravity on her tongue.
"Section commander, take your time and breathe."
She nodded and took a deep breath, holding for a dozen seconds before exhaling. "Ladies, gentlemen, after doing some digging into the events of recent days, we've established a theory regarding Ragako village and the titan incursion. We have reason to believe that…" Hange swallowed, as if testing the weight of what was about to say. "We have reason to believe that, based on current information, including population statistics, as well as the confirmed number of titans that made their way through the interior, the residents of Ragako were…turned into those very titans."
WHEW, it took me way longer than I figured it would to get this one done. So much wasn't sounding right, wasn't flowing the way I wanted it to. Never realized how much they squeezed into the season two finale. I'm thankful for all of your patience with me. Been an interesting first couple of months of the year, that's for sure. Not to mention that we've only got ONE MORE CHAPTER before Isayama ends the manga. MAPPA has been doing a great job with Season 4, although I certainly missed some parts of WIT Studio's art style. ANYHOW, we're heading into Volume 3 of WoP finally and this one is going to be a doozy. :D
I want to thank all the new folks for swinging by and becoming Legionnaires (I think that's what I'll call you guys who've been gracious enough to favorite my story. It means more than you know.) SO, here's to: Rocket Rover, Feather Bot, Attackingcoder, Chifle, Leithriel, Raven-Naruto, shortshanks89, kljher, dolo-solo, clamity, Victor Ribeiro, genxdell, ggators407, Ecteren, Mahaxus, CreedTheCheshire, vv-kekkonen, TheChamp123, Kawaiiru, LionsCub1, Traff, PinPointMedal60, and soexpensiveglasses. (I also want to shout out a couple of the older fans who reach out and talk to me from time to time. OROKIN RUNDAS, DARKHELM145, GRUNTSBREEDER, and MZUARK) You guys are legendary, thank you. So, here's to the future, to Volume 3, and hopefully a solid ending to our beloved manga series (But I know we'll just rewrite it if we're unhappy ;P). As always, WIR SIND DIE JAEGER