Chapter 16: Revelations Part 2.
Nikolai jumped to a side, avoiding the gigantic hand trying to catch him. The Beast Titan growled in frustration when he evaded the next snatching attempt.
_Won't you stay still? -he asked annoyed- I don't have all day, mind you.
_That makes two of us.
Clenching his teeth Nikolai jumped down and landed in front of the titan, avoiding a swipe that sent dust flying; he heard the creature mutter when he started moving between its legs, avoiding its gaze. Suddenly a huge foot raised to stomp him and Niko dashed to a side as it crushed the land where he stood on. The titan sighed and spoke in a bored tone.
_I'll admit you are good. But you have no chance boy, i only need one hit to end you; too bad it will probably break your gear... i suppose i can take one from your comrades, maybe?
Nikolai's answer was to shoot his grappling hooks on the back of its thigh and spin madly, slicing the back of both knees and making it wobble forward; the giant leaned on the building while the scout hooked on the side of its torso to move around the monster and in the moment the titan eyed him threw both blades at its eyes and smiled wickedly when they sunk in the orbs, leaving it blind.
_My turn, bitch. -he whispered.
Without delay he attacked the Beast's free arm and it let out a roar of anger, stumbling and flailing around trying to hit him; Niko stood on the roof, waiting for the right moment when the arm swung on his way and he ran towards the edge, jumping as it hit the structure and sent debris flying. The soldier swung in a circle around the Beast and boosted towards its nape, sinking both swords in its flesh: he knew he'd hit the right spot when he felt the familiar vibrations that came when a blade splintered a person's spine and pulled while the titan body fell forward, making a bearded man emerge from the back of the gigantic neck with his lower back impaled by the gear's swords.
The younger lifted him up and stood firm as the titan's body fell, shaking the ground; the man gurgled some blood and cursed wildly when the other simply discarded both blades and threw him off to the ground, jumping from the steaming corpse and grabbing him by the neck the Niko dragged him and shoved him against a wall without care, making him hiss in pain and taking one of his personal blades from his back plate, glaring at the injured with zero interest as he slid down, bleeding profusely.
_Name's Nikolai. You have five seconds to give me a reason not to kill you.
_You... you piece of shit, you have no idea who you're messing with... -he groaned- you and your people will soon be wishing for de...
Nikolai's arm moved suddenly, slicing Zeke's head from his upper lip upwards; it jumped free from its body and landed to his owner's side. The white haired soldier raised an eyebrow at the view.
_Five.
He ignored the half-head, inspecting the surrounding area carefully. If the Beast was alone all he had left to do was to find the rest, kill whatever titans where still around and then...
He sensed movement from the nearby forest, a big long shape suddenly darting away from him. Nikolai cursed lowly and whistled for his steed, mounting in a single movement as it neared and spurring the horse after the running creature. Even at a distance he saw it was a titan like no other, moving fast on all fours at astounding speed; he hoped his mount could at least shorten the distance a bit. They kept on racing through the trees until it made a sudden turn and led him to the plains, the soldier following its direction. He noticed the titan was slowing down and gripped the reins tightly... it had to be tired, which meant it was a shifter and...
Smart.
The white haired male glanced around. They were running in the middle of nowhere, in an open space where his gear would be almost useless, and his target was slowing down steadily; it was a trap, and he had no way to avoid it if he wanted to get near. He smirked despite the tension and moved on, looking not at the creature's back but its legs, waiting for the right moment as he got closer and closer.
Suddenly, the right foreleg dug deep and Niko knew that was it. He rode to the left as the creature turned around and lunged violently but missed; Nikolai jumped down the horse to avoid the possibility of it getting hurt and faced the titan. It was still in place, apparently suprised at him knowing about its plan and the man took advantage of that moment of hesitation.
_Wait! -he said, raising both hands- I don't want to fight! I just need you to lis...! FUCK!
He dashed to a side to avoid a lethal bite, then jumped on the hand clawing at him and from there to the thing's back, struggling to stay on it when it thrashed desperately, trying to make him fall. He stood despite that and the titan changed its tactic to roll on the ground, getting him to hop down; then it stood ready to attack once more and tear him apart when he suddenly shouted.
_PIECK STOP! LISTEN TO ME!
The titan froze in a half readied position, clearly taken by surprise by his words; staying like that for some long seconds before tilting its huge head in curiosity.
_I'm not here to fight you, okay? Just listen to me, i don't want to hurt you.
The titan moved, tensing its legs as if preparing to jump and spoke in an unnatural, unnerving tone.
_You killed Zeke. Why would i trust you?
_I killed him because i promised i'd do it, but i won't fight you unless you force my hand. I'm here to help you Pieck.
The titan said nothing, its inhuman eyes slowly scanning the vicinity in case another rider came to them before turning to the young soldier.
_What do you mean you promised? And how did you know my name?
Nikolai chose to sit on the ground, moving slowly. He looked defenseless, but every muscle was ready to spring to action in case of an attack.
_Both questions can be answered as one, because both are linked to the same person.
_Who?
Niko felt his jacket's breast pocket, where he held a secret; a thin, broken chain a jade dolphin was attached to.
_Annie Leonhardt.
Flashback
Nikolai pressed against the inside of the Female Titan's mouth, his feet planted against her teeth to avoid falling down and his blades stuck on her palate, suddenly feeling movement and heard a slick, wet noise coming from ahead. The fading light showed the throat's tissue opening and Leonhardt's face came forward; her eyes were tired and reddened, and he discerned the tears falling slowly down her cheeks.
_You never know when to give up, do you? -she asked, half mocking, half praising, all sadness.
_I fear doing it, just like you. And yet i... i think i want to Annie, sometimes. Don't you? Don't you feel the weight of the deaths?
_Every day. Are you still going to try and convince me? After all i did? After i... -she sobbed and looked down- Forgive me, please...
_I do. -he answered softly- I do... listen to me, you can't escape. You know i'll try to stop you and i know you won't kill me.
_Why are you so sure?
_Because i understand you, even if you don't fully realize. I've felt it too, your pain and your regrets, and i just want you to... i want to help you, i can do it.
She stared at him with blue eyes so unfamiliarly... emotional. He saw anguish, despair, sorrow, remorse... and saw, or wanted to see, a tiny spark of hope.
_I can offer more than you can imagine. My healing? That's nothing compared to what's left... i know you come from wherever the fuck you live in out there. And i'm telling you, i come from much further away.
_What? Where?
_Let me show you. Come with... no, that wouldn't be safe. I... i'll help you escape.
Her eyes went unimaginably wide at his words. Helping her escape? Become a traitor, a wanted man beacuse of her?
_Why? Why would you do that?
_There's blood in my hands Annie. More than you can possibly think of; i wish i could tell you right now but you would never believe, not without proof and i don't have it here with me. I beg you, please don't go further with this, it will destroy you like it once destroyed me!
She tried to talk, but his voice was so strained, so full of despair she felt lost; what could possibly drive him to speak like he did? Suddenly, a drop fell on her cheek, then another on the opposite side. He had to be sweating, trying to hold in her mouth as hard as he could; but then she heard a faint, gasping sound, she heard him attempt to ease his ragged breath and something hit her as two more drops did.
_Nikolai? Are you... are you crying?
_...
_Niko? -she whispered, using the nickname for the first time. He half snorted and half sobbed.
_...Fuck, t-that's cheating. Didn't think i would ev-ver cry again.
_Come.
_What?
_Come closer, Niko. You said you were willing to fight for me and, well, for them. I believe you and... and i thank you.
Slowly he moved to where she was, pressing against the flesh to avoid falling too fast and stretching an arm; Annie's hand and took his and held tight.
_I can't really thank you enough. I want to see them safe.
He nodded, although between the darkness and the tears beginning to flow down her own cheeks the girl couldn't notice; instead she took a deep breath and spoke.
_Reiner, Bertholdt and Pieck, remember. They have to be saved and convinced like me.
_Reiner and Bert... Pieck is new. -he whispered- But yes, i assure you...
_Also, the monkey has to die. Swear it!
_The mon...?
_Swear!
_I do, i do! It's dead, whoever it is. What else? -he asked, sounding more at ease.
_Save their, i mean our people and tell my friends... that i'm sorry.
_What?
She let go and sunk back; he shouted and tried to grab her collar, his fingers reaching her necklace and pulling; it broke and he almost fell down, having to use both arms to steady as the titan rocked backwards violently and a second later he felt it fall. His answer was immediate, more a reflex than a conscious act and impulsed himself back and out, eyeing his surroundings and jumping to safety a second before the body hit the ground. He turned around in a blink, fear clutching his heart as he approached the steaming body.
He actually didn't have to hit the crystal; he knew he had lost. When his blades broke, he looked at the small piece of jewelry in his hand: he never thought it could feel so heavy.
Flashback End
_She told me to kill Zeke and help you, even if i knew nothing. She told me about you, or at least your name, about the others, the eldians...
He went silent all of a sudden. Eldians? When did he ever hear that word?
_She told you about the eldians in Marley? -Pieck asked cautiously.
_She mentioned they were her people... your people. She wants me to help you be safe, or free; they are oppressed and desperate, aren't they? It's the only way i can imagine them sending kids to commit a full scale genocide.
At this Pieck recoiled a bit, unsure of how to proceed; a part of her mind told her to ignore him and attack, but her more rational side was against the idea: he had proven his capability for combat earlier against the mindless titans and Zeke, a goddamn warlord. Pieck might have had a titan's power, but hers was in no way as meant for fighting as Jaeger's or Reiner's.
_I still don't believe Annie would betray us. How can i know you are not tricking me?
_If we knew that other shifters were coming here, do you think we'd leave our walls without vigilance? That we wouldn't have cannons and messengers ready in case another attack happened? Pieck, only a handful of people know about this, and only because i told them; because i find them worthy of trust, and i have also showed them a bit of my own truth.
_Your own truth? -the shifter repeated, tilting the huge head- What does that mean?
Nikolai smiled at the creature, this time confident; he had piqued her curiosity, and now all he had to do was quench it. He made her gestures to come closer and rolled up his left sleeve to show her a strange device, some kind of metallic-looking bracer with some quadrangular markings on it whose length went a bit longer than half way to his elbow; when Pieck was a few meters from him he pressed one of the little squares and a faint orange light shone on its surface, followed by the tiny figure of some sort of... winged thing appearing out of thin air above his forearm, all in different shades of the light's colour. He couldn't help a chuckle when the titan gaped at the sight.
_Interesting, huh? This -he said pointing at the shiny object- Is a vehicle. My vehicle. And you have no way to know where it's from... or where i am from.
Pieck said nothing, trying to process what he was showing her and give it a meaning, an explanation; her thoughts tangled in her brain as she found herself unable to even give that thing a name. Shaking her head she made a decision.
_Tell me, mister...
_Just Nikolai will do. No need for formalities.
_Very well. Why would i listen to you in any case?
_Because despite what you said about your doubts on Annie's betrayal, something tells me you already know it's possible; you want to know why she asked me of all people to help you. I'd say that in her case was a bit she was quite a bit desperate, but you need real convincing. Evidence of my capability and resources; which is why i need you to pay close attention, as not only your but your friends lives and future depend on what happens today. Are you ready to hear me out?
The shifter went speechless for long seconds, staring at the man in front of her: Nikolai showed no fear or hesitation, had no trace of hostility in his expression or demeanor to the point the girl could easily imagine him sitting in front of her in a room sharing a cup of coffee, saying the same things so calm he looked. At last she made up her mind and the titan laid on its belly, legs tucked under the body.
_Begin.
End of Chapter.