Chapter 28: Regrets of a Troubled Mind
(Mitras)
Levi rarely visited the Capital itself. The place was crawling with all the things he despised: spoiled citizens, noblemen that had people that catered to their every whim, and, of course, the Military Police that usually failed to uphold the oaths they swore. All in all, fighting Titans sounded more pleasant than taking a stroll down the Capitol, but the Underground was below the city, so he'd have to suck it up and deal with it.
Unfortunately, there was another problem facing him and his men. Whenever high-ranking Scouts like Levi or Erwin entered the Interior, the entire place would know about it. That included civilians who had a bone to pick with the Scout Regiment. He could hear their angry shouts directed at him and his men.
"Get out of our city," came from a woman cradling her infant.
"I'll see you hanged, Levi," came from a merchant with too much time on his hands.
"Titan Sympathizer," came from another woman with a face that needed to be punched in.
That comment caused Levi's eyes to twitch, but he had to let it go. As much as he wanted to, beating up morons in the street would just validate their existence. He knew the only reason they were doing this was because one of their own districts was attacked. When it wasn't their problem, they delivered snide remarks to him, the commander, and the Regiment. One could hope that the tragedy would get their heads out of their asses and—
SPLAT!
The remains of a tomato sunk down Levi's face and onto the road. His juice-stained head whipped to his right, seeing that it was a male civilian gearing up for another throw. That one action sparked the rest as produce started sailing through the air.
"Heads down and keep going," Levi ordered, ducking from a head of lettuce.
The Scouts and Matthew did as ordered even as they were assaulted by the food. Their clothes were quickly stained with all sorts of things except for meat. Even when angry, the people of the Interior weren't keen on throwing away their precious commodity. Untrained horses would be panicking and give the mob a chance to swarm them. Scout steeds, who were able to gallop towards lumbering giants, were not such horses. The group managed to lose the crowd easily enough, the angry shouts growing softer as the distance between them increased.
"I've seen civilians angry at us before, but nothing like that," Mandel commented, brushing a crushed pear out of his hair. "Damn, that hurt."
"Can you blame them?" Matthew asked, the one who was affected the least by the food throwing. Damn that Psion's powers. "One of their districts was attacked."
"If these cowards weren't so busy hiding in their cozy homes instead of growing spines, perhaps it wouldn't have come to that," Levi said, his cold stare piercing Matthew's for a moment. "But we'll never know for sure."
Matthew glared back, but he wisely held his tongue.
After a while, Levi brought his horse to a halt in front of two MPs that wore civilian clothes: Gretchen Dohman and Erik Feldt, along with a couple of cases of ODM gear. They awaited outside the Underground entrance, seemingly ready for this. He would be the judge of that.
"Captain Levi," they greeted respectively, saluting.
"What are the orders your commander gave you?" he asked immediately.
"To follow your orders without question, sir," Erik answered.
"If I told you to sacrifice yourself for the good of the mission, would you do it?"
"We are prepared for that, sir," Gretchen replied.
Levi dismounted, sizing them up. "Are you up to speed on the target?"
"We know it's a woman who has the same abilities as the Amsdale kid and that she has his mother hostage." Erik pulled out a notepad, flipping it to the correct page with all the relevant notes.
"Except the abilities aren't being used by idiots," Levi muttered. "What have you got for me?"
"I talked to a few of my informants in Mitras," Erik said. "A woman matching Elise's description spent an hour in the local bar before heading back into the Underground. Paid with gold coins for the good stuff. Other than that, there's been no sign of her."
She's celebrating. Levi thought with narrowed eyes. "Any Underground informants have relevant information?"
"A couple of kids spotted her last night carrying something deeper into the city," Gretchen answered. "They haven't seen her since."
"Then we need to move quickly. She could be anywhere." Levi motioned his Scouts to get off their horses, which they did. "You have the acoustic rounds?"
Gretchen nodded. "Guns loaded and prepped."
"Good. Follow me and stay close." He glanced at Matthew. "You're with me."
The blacksmith nodded as he took his position next to Levi.
The five followed their captain as the descended down the stairs.
Six years since Levi had been here, had been a part of this world. Struggling to find food, doing whatever was necessary to make it to the next day, it was a hazard. At first, being in the Scouts was no different except the enemies were much bigger than before. But now, he couldn't turn over a rock without unleashing a conspiracy or a secret that would change everything he knew about the world. People who lived in ignorance truly needed to count their blessings.
Suddenly, Levi felt a strange sensation in his head, something he had never felt before. Then, he heard a voice that almost seemed to echo.
"Don't talk openly. Just think what you want to say."
Levi didn't need to talk. He whirled around and slammed Matthew against the wall, eyes blazing with anger. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
"Giving you an advantage," Matthew answered, bracing himself in case a fight broke out.
"Captain, what's wrong?" Marlena asked, hands on her blades.
Levi's eyes shifted over to the concerned soldiers briefly before letting the man go. Throwing him down the stairs wasn't the best move right now. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed the man. "Keep moving."
The soldiers looked at each other, understandably confused, but they followed orders.
"You start sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, and I will gut you," Levi threatened mentally.
"I have no interest in getting to know you, Captain," Matthew said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "I noticed you didn't tell those two about my powers."
"That's none of your concern, Amsdale. Focus on being competent enough to fight."
"Fine by me." If it meant getting closer to rescuing Carolyn, Matthew would tolerate Levi's attitude towards him.
Levi had no idea of the scale of Matthew's abilities, though he doubted the man would last long against Elise. A cynical thought to be sure, but if the 57th Expedition taught him anything, it was to expect and prepare for the worst-case scenario. In his gut, he just knew that things were going to go wrong.
(Scout Headquarters)
Dillon closed his eyes as the hot water cascaded down his body. He couldn't remember the last time he had a shower. Lord knew he needed one badly. The troubles of today were disappearing, his mind being soothed by the calming effects of the water. What he'd give to stay in here forever, let the world pass by without him. In here, he was safe. No one could hurt him.
But even pleasant dreams had to have their end. Reality awaited him outside those doors and no matter how long he took, that was always going to be the case. Eventually, he would have to face her outside of his nightmares. He got lucky that she didn't look for him when she appeared. She only wanted a mental link, nothing more. Though, if she wanted to, she could attack Headquarters without a second thought and kill all who got in her way. Oh, how she loved the aroma of death. He would never forget how much it pleased her to-
The Psion snapped out of it. No, he wasn't going down that road again. He needed to concentrate on something else. There were things that needed to get done, people he needed to see. Jean, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin were all owed serious explanations, and his dad… when he got back, he'd be able to work up the spine to speak to him. As for Annie, he had no idea what he was going to do, but that was a bridge that could be crossed later.
Then, his ears picked up the sounds of quiet footsteps. First thought was that someone else would be using the showers. After all, public showers were still common in the military. However, those were boots that were hitting the ground, not bare feet, and there wasn't a rustling sound of someone undressing. He concentrated on his hearing and noticed multiple steps, indicating that there wasn't just one person. Multiple people were in here and heading towards him.
Dillon backed against the wall, his heart beating faster. It was happening. He stifled a gasp when he saw the outline of a Scout on the other side of the curtain. He was armed with the ODM gear, two blades at the ready, He couldn't see the others, but that hardly meant they weren't there. The first move was going to mean the difference between life and death, and with Dillon cornered the way he was, he'd have to make it a good one.
His eyes began to glow, allowing him to unleash a psychic blast that sent the Scout and the curtain flying backwards. He heard shouts of surprise from the others and saw another Scout getting hit hard by the one Dillon attacked. With any luck, that Scout would not be getting up for the rest of this fight.
There were four Scouts in total, but only one of them was fully garbed with a cloak and ODM gear. It was easy to reason he used the cloak to smuggle the gear in. The other three, counting the human cushion, didn't have any weapons in their hands, but that didn't mean they didn't have knives hidden on their person.
The brief moment Dillon had, he used to mentally contact both Annie and Armin. "I'm being attacked by Scouts in the showers!" He tuned out whatever replies they were speaking as he concentrated on his next goal. The door was on the other side of the room, and there were four assailants in the way.
The Scout closest to him broke out of his stunned state and charged first. Dillon ducked under the haymaker and shoved the man into the shower wall. He wasn't so lucky with the next opponent. This Scout kicked him against the barrier that separated the different showers. A boot to the chest always hurt, but considering Dillon was naked, the injuries were going to be a lot more painful. The Psion's eyes widened when the Scout pulled out a knife and barely managed to grab his wrist, preventing a stab to the gut. It was a contest of strength, one that Dillon was losing quite fast. He could feel the cold metal brush against his abdomen a couple of times as it drew closer, drawing some blood. Thinking fast, he levitated the bar of soap he was using earlier right into the guy's face. No matter how much of a veteran he was, eyes full of soap still hurt like hell. Dillon was able to push him back just enough to wiggle out of that situation.
Unfortunately, the Scout with the swords was back on his feet, swinging away. Dillon barely managed to dodge the initial assault, feeling the wind of the attack. He continued backing up, preparing to launch another psychic blast. Before he could, an arm wrapped around throat, locking him in position. Guess the human cushion wasn't out of the fight after all.
"You're done, freak," the Scout hissed in his ear.
Dillon grunted as he tried to wrench himself out of the grip, but it was too strong. Already, he was losing oxygen. If the swords didn't kill him, the chokehold might. He grunted as he managed to turn his body to the wall. Now, he could fight back. He jumped and planted his feet against the wall. With a hard push, the Scout that held him found his back hitting the sink, breaking the piece of furniture in the process. His grip loosened, Dillon managed to free himself, but he wasn't done. He punched the Scout in the face and followed up by slamming his head into the mirror. The glass shattered as the soldier slumped to the ground, taking him out for good this time. One down, three to go.
The three remaining Scouts advanced, angered by their fallen comrade. Dillon couldn't help but smirk as his eyes flashed. The blades detached from the hilts and clattered to the ground, catching the group off-guard. This gave Dillon the opportunity to turn and run for the door. However, due to his wet body, he found himself slipping and falling stomach-first. He groaned in pain as he tried to get up, but the soldiers got to him first. They surrounded him before beginning their kicking spree. With a lack of focus and have boots repeatedly smash into his body, all Dillon could do was curl himself as best he could to protect any vital areas.
"How do you like it, you bastard?" one of the Scouts asked, kicking as hard as he could.
Bruises quickly began forming over Dillon's body and some blood from his wounds started to stain the floor. Any longer and his bones would start breaking.
Suddenly, the door busted open, causing the trio to halt their actions.
"Oh, shit!" the Scout closest to the door exclaimed before a fist smashed into his nose. The remaining two Scouts attempted to attack the intruder, but the person kicked one of them in the chest and tossed the other one into an empty shower stall.
Dillon's vision was swimming as he was carefully hoisted to his feet, but the black hair was easily recognizable. "Mikasa?"
"I'm sorry I left you alone," Mikasa said, keeping him away from the Scouts.
"Why? Did you want to shower with me?" he joked.
The super soldier of their class gave him an unamused look, but her face quickly turned red with embarrassment.
For a moment, Dillon was confused until he remembered the fact that he was standing naked in front of her. His face flushed deeper than hers as he tried to think of something fast to cover himself with.
Mikasa figured it out first, yanking off the Scout cloak from the attacker and wrapped it around him tightly.
"Thanks," he said awkwardly.
"Don't mention it," she replied, feeling just as awkward as he did.
"Out of the way now!" They were not alone.
The three remaining members of Levi Squad came through the opening, staring at the scene in surprise. It seemed like Mikasa wasn't the only one Armin warned about the fight.
"What the hell happened here?" Eld demanded as Gunther and Petra approached the injured Scouts.
"I was attacked," Dillon answered, spitting out blood that built up. "I defended myself."
Petra knelt in front of the unconscious Scout, eyes narrowing as she checked his pulse. There were lacerations on his face thanks to getting shoved face first into the mirror. "He's still alive if you were concerned about that," she said in a clipped tone.
As if on cue, a groan emanated from the fallen man.
Dillon didn't say anything as a grim expression creased his features. He honestly didn't care about their wellbeing. They assaulted him while he was taking a shower. If they were crippled because of that, it was their own fault.
Eld had no time for this. "Petra, Gunther, Mikasa, round up the Scouts and take them to the basement cells. I'll escort Amsdale to the infirmary."
"Got it," Gunther responded.
As Dillon was led out of the shower room, he took notice of a group of Scouts that had gathered, having heard the commotion. They glared at Dillon out of disappointment, he presumed, for not having the spine to get killed. When he glanced right, however, he caught sight of blonde hair and cold, blue eyes staring at him in the distance. She wasn't in the front trying to reach him; she was in the back trying not to be seen.
"Let's go, Amsdale," Eld ordered, pushing him in the opposite direction.
Dillon couldn't believe it. He called for her help and she did nothing about it. After everything he did for her, the minute he was getting his ass kicked, she was off shuffling her feet. A wave of anger coursed through his veins, and it took all his willpower not to let it out.
"Annie abandoned you, but I… we never did."
Perhaps there was a grain of truth to Mikasa's words after all. As convictions were failing, only a dark place was left to go.
For thirty minutes, Matthew followed Levi deeper and deeper into the Underground. Natural light was quickly replaced by an abundance of torches that lit the way. It gave the place an eerie atmosphere, which didn't help Matthew's mood. He wasn't able to shake the bad feeling he had about this whole thing, and for good reason. Elise was powerful, and he, by comparison, was a novice. The woman had managed to find and sever the psychic link between him and Carolyn to prevent him from locating her. However, he refused to let his fears get the better of him. His family was counting on him. If he had to cut Elise's head off to save his wife, then he would do so.
Finally, they exited the torch-filled corridors and came upon the Underground City, prompting Matthew and some of the other soldiers to stop. It wasn't the buildings that made this place special but rather the lighting. On top of the torches, there were cracks of sun that shined down, allowing the city to be ordained in vibrant colors. Orange was the primary, but to the northeast and northwest, green and blue respectively came alive.
"It's beautiful," Marlena said, awestruck.
Levi scoffed, catching their attention. '"Beautiful.' It's an illusion. Nothing more."
"You lived here for a long time, right?" Erik asked.
He barely spared the MP a glance. "Let's get something straight: I'm not about to share my life story with a couple of snot-nosed, spoiled brats or play tour guide. We're here for a mission, so focus on it. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir," they all answered save for Matthew.
The Psion was concentrating on scanning his surroundings as his eyes glowed. "Where are you?" he muttered. "We're gonna have to get closer."
"That a fact?" Levi drawled. "And here I thought she would just walk up to us."
"You know what I meant, asshole," Matthew growled mentally, glaring at him.
As they drew into the city, they encountered the first of many signs that this seemingly beautiful city was anything but: the smell. A putrid stench filled the air so severe, it nearly gagged them all except Levi. Blood, body odor, urine, defecation, and all sorts of unpleasant aromas filled their nostrils. The sources became quite clear as the group came upon the citizens of the Underground city. Quite a few of them were lying against buildings, curled up in dirty, ripped-up blankets. They were so pale from the lack of sunlight, and their bodies were frail due to the lack of decent food.
"Oh, my God," Matthew said, horrified by what he saw.
"How the hell could anyone live like this?" Mandel asked, staring at kids in that same position.
"Because the only other option is death," Levi answered, refusing to face any of civilians. "In this place, you either survive on whatever failing hope you have on this planet, or you die as nothing more than a waste of space."
Gretchen let out a sigh as she decided to change the subject. "Captain, we have a lot of ground to cover. Where do you want to start?"
"We keep moving forward, but keep your guard up," Levi warned, analyzing his surroundings carefully. "She could be anywhere."
"If we spot her?" Mandel asked.
"Do not engage until I give the signal," he responded. "Element of surprise is the key."
Element of surprise for you, maybe. Matthew thought. I'm the one who has to draw her out.
Matthew's mind raced with possibilities as they traversed deeper into this city. If Elise wanted to keep Carolyn in her custody, it would have to be a place with a sturdy foundation and somewhere isolated enough so that any calls for help would not be heard. Complete control over everything and leave nothing to chance.
Then, he felt it. A mind unlike the rest of the population. So distinct, so different, so… close.
"She's here," Matthew said. "Northeast of our position. She probably senses me, too."
"Keep her attention on you," Levi replied, his grip tightening on his weapons. "We only get one shot at this." He turned to the soldiers. "Get out your gear. It's time."
Gretchen raised an eyebrow, confused. "How do you know—"
"Did I stutter, MP?" he asked, eyes narrowing. "Put on your damn gear."
She gulped, nodding quickly. "Yes, sir."
Matthew's heart was pounding in his ears the closer he got to Elise's position. He knew what this woman was capable of, and he didn't give a damn. He was going to kill her, he would rescue Carolyn, and then they could all be a family again.
When he rounded the corner, there she stood in the alley. No longer was she disguised as Kyler. The ginger-haired woman he knew from so long ago had returned.
"Hello, Matthew," Elise greeted, watching his every move.
He stiffened and narrowed his eyes. "I'm only going to ask this once: where's my wife?"
"Somewhere you won't find her," she answered coolly. "We need to talk."
"Not interested."
Elise let out a sad sigh. "Looks like I have my work cut out for me."
The Psions' eyes flashed simultaneously. Matthew was propelled back, though he managed to keep his feet on the ground while chunks of the left wall smashed into Elise's side. She grunted in pain, her hip taking the brunt of the attack, but she was fine. Matthew ran at her like a raging bull, murder in his eyes, but Elise caught him and used the momentum to slam him against the wall. It wasn't hard enough to daze him as she learned the hard way when his elbow bashed into her face. A kick to her chest sent her crashing against the opposite wall.
Matthew stalked towards her and pulled out his sword. A stab was aimed directly at her heart, but her eyes flashed as she raised her hands. The sword stopped right in front of her hands, denying Matthew the kill he desperately sought, but he wouldn't be deterred. His own eyes began to glow as he pushed with all his might to overcome her powers. Elise gritted her teeth as she fought back, staring into his murderous eyes. For someone who didn't use his abilities nearly as much as she did, he was putting up one hell of a fight. One of them was going to break, and she wasn't keen on rolling the dice to see who would go first. Carefully, she began telekinetically moving his arms just a little bit before she let go. The sword impaled the wall instead, barely missing the original target. Unfortunately, thanks to Matthew pushing with his powers, his blasted a hole in the wall, stumbling through it. A psychic attack catapulted him into a table that broke on impact.
"You done?" Elise asked, wiping the sweat off her forehead.
The answer came in the form of a pained groan as Matthew tried to get up.
Elise wasn't surprised. Just by battling him, she could tell he wasn't very well-trained with his abilities right now. That was something that needed to change.
Suddenly, a shot was fired off and there was a loud, high-pitched ring as a result. Elise dropped to her knees, clutching her ears to get that noise out. Her eyes widened as she quickly dove inside house just as Levi landed right where she was standing, his swords missing their chance to draw blood. Captain Levi, the last person in this entire country she wanted to fight. He didn't waste time as he charged inside, ignoring Matthew's pathetic attempts to stand. He was of no concern to the captain. Elise scrambled away, lobbing pieces of the broken table at Levi, but he knocked them aside effortlessly. Once she reached the front down, it was pulled off its hinges and smashed into Levi, downing him for the moment.
Once Elise made it outside, she had to jump back from two swords that nearly bisected her courtesy of Erik. Seemed like the rest of the squad had come to play. She sidestepped the next slash and delivered a spin kick to the left side of his skull. As he went down, the others arrived with the intention of swarming her. Elise grabbed Erik and tossed him into Marlena, now only having to contend with two immediate threats. She dashed through the newly-created gap, jumping over Marlena's attempt to cut her foot off while the Scout was on the ground. However, Mandel latched onto a building ahead of Elise and soared overhead before blasting a gout of steam in her face. Being temporarily blinded forced the Psion to unleash a psychic blast from herself. Mandel went flying into a window, hitting a shelf hard enough for the whole thing to crumble. He did not get up. The three soldiers behind her only hit the ground, but they were still able to fight once they were back on their feet.
Uncoordinated morons. Elise thought to herself as she felt a bit of blood drip from her nose. She needed to put an end to this now. And here she thought she'd be able to get out of this with no casualties.
Heaving a sigh, she levitated a blade from Gretchen's gear and impaled it directly into MP's skull. Erik's eyes widened in horror, which was frozen on his face when his own blade took his head clean off. All that remained was Marlena as the blood-soaked weapon was inches in front of her terrified face.
"You're not cut out for this, sweetheart," Elise said as the bodies slumped to the ground. "No one is." With a simple flash of her eyes, Marlena was tossed to the side, hitting her head on impact.
Then, the Psion was sent flying into the wall of a nearby house. As she recovered, she saw Matthew, who sported a bleeding nose now, and Levi running at her, ready to cut her to pieces. She levitated two more blades and managed to block their sword strikes. She stayed on the defensive, keeping them from reaching her with the blades. Telekinetic strength versus physical strength was always a challenge, but even more so when she had an abnormally strong man and a Psion going against her. To make matters worse, Matthew managed to perform a mental attack that made Elise lose focus, the blades clattering to the ground. As the two men advanced upon her, she unleashed yet another psychic blast that sent them away from her. However, her panting had increased and the blood falling from her nose became more frequent. If this kept up, they would be able to kill her. So, she seized the advantage the second she spotted one.
She levitated a gas tank from Gretchen's body and bashed it right into Matthew's skull. The man fell to the ground instantly, unconscious. One problem down, one to go. Taking Matthew's sword, Elise made a run for it as Humanity's Strongest Soldier gave chase. She jumped on top of a food stand and jumped through a window, once again missing death by inches as Levi zoomed to the roof of the house she was in. Thinking face, she brought down the section of the roof he was standing on, causing him to fall into the house. Finally, the man was dazed, giving her time to get away and recover. The only way to stop him was destroy his ability to fight.
With a groan, Levi rose from the rubble. He was bruised and scratched from the fall, but he was still alive and able to fight. That's all that mattered. There was no sign of the woman, and yet his gut told him she was somewhere in this house. Slowly, he crept around the room, eying everything that could seem off. Due to how wrecked this place was, she could be hiding anywhere. Once he cleared the room, he started moving down the hallway, making sure he was listening to anything that sounded like breathing or furniture creaking.
Then, there was a familiar sensation in his mind before hearing her voice. "Why are you doing this, Levi? Surely you know the truth about Carolyn by now."
Instead of losing his head at the sound of the voice he froze and craned his head around to take in the room, looking for signs of his enemy.
"You're trying to kill me. I have a right to know why."
"Not really," he responded bluntly. "Lots of people die without knowing why." What was the range limit on telepathy? He began to search the hallway, making sure not to give away his position quite yet.
"And yet I haven't killed you or your fellow Scouts. Surely that grants me a reason, or are you just a mindless drone of the military who can't think for himself?"
He was getting real sick of this woman. "You've killed other soldiers and you've kidnapped someone under our protection."
"Considering how the MPs tried to get every single opportunity to strike back against the Titans killed, think of it as a favor." There was a brief pause as a thought seemed to occur to her. "Wait a minute…"
Levi took the moment of silence to peek in the bathroom. Still no sign. Then, he felt something clawing at his mind. He grunted in pain, but it went as quickly as it came.
"You didn't tell the MPs about Matthew," Elise realized. "You wanted me to kill them."
If she thought she could get him to stumble by revealing that, she thought wrong. "If you're feeling so talkative now, give yourself up and come with me to Headquarters."
"Not until I'm done with Carolyn," she said firmly. "But I know you won't walk away."
"Surprised?" Levi asked dryly as he scanned the last bedroom.
"No. Disappointed."
A window shattered behind him, causing him to turn around, but there was nothing there. His eyes widened and before he could retaliate, he was smashed in the head by a piece of wood from behind. He stumbled forward, but he shook it off, whirling around to see the Psion herself tossing the broken piece of wood aside and pulling out Matthew's sword. Growling, Levi sprinted forward, slashing away and forcing her on defense just like last time. Elise backed up, blocking quickly and barely dodging his attempt to gut her. He thrust his sword forward and she sidestepped, the weapon impaling in the wall. Before he could pull it out, she kicked him away, grabbing the blade and tossing it out the window.
While he wasn't used to using one sword, Levi quickly adapted as he blocked her attacks. He caught her wrist, restraining it. He tried to behead her, but she grabbed his wrist, both of them becoming locked in a wrestle match. Thinking fast, he pulled her down and headbutted her, sending her back. Quickly, he kept her on the retreat as he attacked her furiously. She was a decent fight, but he was far better. With all of his strength, he thrust his foot out, catching her in the gut. This time, he kicked her so hard that she crashed into and through the wooden railing, making her fall onto the first floor of the house.
Seizing the opportunity, Levi launched himself after her only for Elise to roll out of the way. Before he could stab her, he felt something stab into his mind. He cried out in pain, falling to a single knee as he clutched his forehead. Then, he was flung back into the fragile wall, almost going completely through it. He watched as Elise made her way to the back door, limping as she went. She was injured! This was an opportunity he couldn't let slide. With a grunt, Levi pulled himself free of the wall just as she exited the house. He didn't waste anytime as he followed her outside, sword at the ready. Not even the dense fog could conceal her forever.
Wait, fog?
Levi slowed to a halt as he looked around. No matter where his eyes landed, fog was all he could see. An Underground city couldn't have something like this. It was impossible. Then, there was a rumbling sound and rain started to pour. He could feel the wetness, feel the cold that this weather delivered to him, and yet he couldn't believe it.
"The hell are you doing to me?" he growled, clutching his head in pain.
For a second, he thought he saw the alleyway he followed Elise into before it returned to the gloomy state he entered into. There was so much pressure pressing down on his head, he thought something was going to give. In fact, he felt something drip from his nose. Looking down, it was blood.
"Big brother?"
Levi froze, unable to breathe. Only one person in his entire life had called him that. This was an illusion to get his guard down, nothing more. At least, that's what he told himself.
"Big brother?"
She sounded so weak, so scared. He needed to find her, let her know that things were going to be okay. He always looked out for her nothing would-.
"It's not real," he said fiercely, trying to find the will to move. "She's… she's not real."
In the distance, he could see a distinct shape in the fog. A very familiar shape. Fighting back the pain in his mind, he began walking towards it. Instincts were dulled and replaced by emotions that hadn't been felt in a long time. He needed to reach it. He needed to see her.
Humanity's Strongest Soldier sunk to his knees when he got close enough to identify the object.
It was a severed, woman's head, lifeless green eyes staring up at him. He recognized that messy, reddish-brown hair she bore anywhere. He had told her so many times to fix her hair and smooth it out, but she never listened. She always claimed that it was her special style no one, not even him, could take from her.
Tears streamed down her dead eyes as she pleaded for him. "Please… don't leave me."
"Isabel…" His voice was barely a whisper, unable to take his gaze off her.
"Don't leave me, big brother."
But he did. He abandoned her and Farlan in a foolish attempt to complete a mission, a mission he never should have taken. They were his friends, his family, and he left them as sacrifices for the damn beasts. He could still hear it chewing on Farlan's body. The Titan so desperate for a meal as it chomped on half of the man's body. What a delicious snack that must've been for that bastard.
Suddenly, something hard slammed into Levi's leg, eliciting a cry of pain from the captain as he went down. The pressure on his mind was lifted and the abnormal weather vanished without a trace, like it never happened. Standing over him with a solemn look was the bitch that did this to him. Her nose was bleeding and she looked quite exhausted. The attack must've taken a lot out of her.
"What the hell did I make you relive?" she asked, detaching the blade with her mind and sliding it away with her foot.
Levi stared up at her, panting heavily as he tried to stand up.
"In a couple of days, when I'm done, we can come to an arrangement," Elise promised. "I hope you and Commander Erwin are more receptive by then." She didn't wait for a reply as she limped away as fast as she could.
Levi's head faced the ground and saw that Isabel's head was replaced with a piece of debris. He thought he had moved on from that terrible day, the one that changed him into the man he was today. And yet, here he was. Humanity's Strongest Soldier emotionally compromised thanks to the prying of a psychotic freak.
His hands curled into fists as he thought of her, shaking with rage. She carved into his mind and made him see the worst moment of his entire life. He felt violated. How could someone make him feel that way? The fury skyrocketed, begging for release, and he allowed it. A feral scream that could be heard from half the Underground emitted from his mouth. The last time he was like this, the Titan that devoured his friends was torn to shreds long before he cut the nape. It was nothing compared to what Elise would face.
Remastered Edits: A whole lot of them this time around.
Let's start with the shower scene. I definitely wanted someone to kill Dillon since Mikasa wasn't available for obvious reasons. Originally, I was planning a lunch riot in a similar vein of The Raid 2, but I changed it to a shower scene to keep the fight more contained, easier to manage, and put Dillon at a severe disadvantage.
But now, let's talk about the biggest problem I had in the original arc: Elise. Many veterans of the old version commented on how she was an overpowered lunatic and very one-note. I hope this chapter really changed that perception. While it was fun to write a Joker-like character, I saw where you all were coming from and I changed it accordingly, showing that she's not invincible. Gave me a chance to let Matthew show that he can actually fight. Also, the mind screw she does to Levi worked so much better than the original.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I look forward to hearing what you all thought about, and I'll see you all in the next one.
