Here is the quickly updated, new, and improved chapter to make up for the delay in the last one. I haven't been able to get ahold of my beta reader, so I apologize ahead for any mistakes. I would like to thank those who have left their beautiful reviews for always helping me get the motivation to write. I hope everyone enjoys the chapter and all comments are appreciated!

Saph's PoV

My horse was acting exactly the way I wanted to, calm and patient. Instead, I was practically bouncing up and down in the saddle with my fingers clenched onto the reins. This was the first expedition I wa going to be on. Hopefully, my last one too. Though there were a ton of horses and their riders surrounding me, I could clearly see Isabel, Farlan, and Levi all nearby.

Isabel was the picture of excitement with her pigtails swinging restlessly just like the rest of her body. Farlan seemed close to puking what we had for breakfast on the ground next to him. It was only Levi that seemed unaffected by going outside the safety of the walls. These past few months of training were supposed to prepare us for this very moment, but my nerves were shaking so badly that I was having a hard time concentrating on what the commander was saying ahead of me. Probably some words of encouragement.

All I hear is, "Open the gates!" before all hell breaks loose. That is in my mind. Dying hadn't been a part of my plan but supposedly the survival rate out there was lower than the one in the Underground. My chances were incredibly low with me being a rookie. I also didn't have the strongest warrior on my side like Isabel and Farlan. Those two didn't have anything to worry about as long as Levi watched over them. I also figured that nobody on the Survey Corps was going to be risking their life for me any time soon. This fight was one I was going to have to do alone.

The gate creaked open as it was lifted higher and higher off of the ground. Even when I peered into the space it created, I couldn't make out anything. Never before had a person from the Underground, got to go outside the walls.

Farlan seemed to share that thought as he remarked, "Now would be a good time for someone to tell me this isn't really happening."

"All units advance," the commander screamed.

Ours horses all broke into a trot, making their way to the exit at a steady pace that was the complete opposite of my frantic heart. As we entered under the gate, my horse sped up to a sprint. I was thankful that my horse seemed to know what was expected of him because I wasn't really paying attention. This will be the only time I can see outside of the walls though.

"Wow!" Isabel exclaimed as the endless stretch of hills came into view. My eyes widened as I scanned the area around us, searching for a hint of the walls. Nothing signalling civilization could be found. It was as if we were just now tasting true freedom. I had thought leaving the Underground would be all I wanted, but now I never wanted to have to cage myself within the walls again.

Peace was soon shattered as Isabel began to squabble with one of the members. Their argument was piercing my ears no matter how hard I tried to ignore it. I was trying to enjoy what may be the last few moments of me being alive! Thankfully, the tift soon ended once Flagon intervened. Tension filled the space between the running horses.

"Titan!" Someone shouted nearby.

Chaos was close to erupting as the commander shouted orders. My station wasn't called into battle, so I was finally able to observe an actual battle with a Titan. Sweat began to moisten my hands, making the reins slippery in my grip. Isabel and I hadn't drawn anything close to how frightening that monster looked. Its large limbs swung as it walked towards us with a chilling smile plastered on its face.

Just as the group headed into the forest to deal with it, another emerged nearby. Another group that didn't include us newbies took off to distract it. Relief found its way coursing through my veins when I thought about how close I was to having to deal with it. Any tension that had left soon built up again as I noticed that it hadn't followed the group trying to lead it away.

"It's a deviant!" I hear somebody shout.

This is bad. This is bad. Somebody is going to die. We are all going to die.

"Flagon's squad! Close the distance and defend the cart with your life!"

My gaze instantly locks onto the wagon being pulled by horses. With my life? Whatever was worth in there certainly didn't measure up to my life. Thankfully, I was on the other side of the cart, so I wasn't one of the three to circle around the Titan. All of their hooks shot out to sink into the Titan's flesh.

A man was being hurtled towards its neck when a gigantic hand shot out and caught him. Screams were heard as the man was brought closer and closer to the gaping mouth ready to swallow him. The Titan's feet were planted on the dirt as it ground up the man's bones and blood.

Every limb shook as I felt fear grind it's way to my very core. I could really die out here. I had neither Levi on my side, or the Survey Corps. Nobody would care if I got killed in this war. No. My brother would care. He would want me to live, to fight. Death wasn't taking me anywhere soon. Not until I found my brother. If anything, I was going to make sure I at least found my little brother one more time before I let myself die out here.

The remaining two were killed as the Titan whipped it's body around. Snapping a flying body out of mid-air with its teeth. All of the fighters dead, it began its sprint towards the cart again.

Flagon and a girl called Sayram began to approach it before Levi sped past them with Isabel and Farlan it tow.

"Come on, Saph," Isabel shouted, "We're gonna kill that thing!"

"Fine," I grumbled as I joined them.

Levi turned towards all of us. A resolved look on his face as he spoke. "I'll distract that thing by grappling onto it. Isabel, Farlan, you two break its knees to kill its mobility. Saph, get in front of it and make sure this Titan doesn't grab any of us. Now go"

I give a shaky nod before going around the Titan. It's pounding feet on the floor adding an extra bounce in my saddle. My eyes are fixated on Levi as flies towards its back. Both of his swords bury into the Titan's lower back, and it's feet finally stop coming towards me. Slowing my horse down, I see Isabel and Farlan cutting at the legs.

A warning is on the tip of my tongue as I see the gigantic hands fly out, only to see that the Titan is trying to stabilize itself. It's to late. Levi is already in the air with his swords ripping at the critical area of the neck. Blood shoots out and the Titan crumbles into a pile of steam.

"That was awesome, Big Bro!" Isabel shouts as Levi lands nearby us.

His eyes show nothing as he states in a deadpan voice, "You guys did good too."

"Not that Saph did much," Isabel joked as our horses began to catch up with the rest of the group.

I glared at her, but my mouth was curving up into a smile before I could stop it. "I had the hardest job. I wanna see you running in front of a speeding Titan without peeing your pants."

Isabel laughed at that and even Farlan chuckled. Three guys had died trying to take that monster down, we were the ones who actually accomplished the job. Shivers still crawled up and down my spine, but any fear the sight of the thing had instilled, slowly dissipated as the sun shone brightly over our heads.

It looked like a castle. One that had been ruined by the test of time, and I couldn't help but think of princesses and princes. Knights in shining armor and dragons that breathed fire. Books hadn't been a very keen interest of mine, but everyone had at least heard about the fairy tales from the old world. Created to help relieve some of the pain brought down upon us by reality.

"Titans can't move in the dark, remember?" Isabel said as I tapped a wall with my boot nearby.

A sigh escaped my lungs. "I'm still probably not going to get much sleep tonight." Heading towards the cart, I picked up a few sacks to take into the penetrable fortress.

My shoulders ached with the combined exhaustion of steering a horse all day and carrying weights inside. Farlan collapsed beside me and Levi.

"Man. I didn't think it would be that easy to kill a Titan."

Levi had finished sorting inside the sacks, so he turned to Farlan, sitting on the blanket rolled out. "The move fast, but if it's just one, I think I can handle it."

Lying down on a blanket not to far away from them, I grumbled to myself. Three people died trying to take down one Titan. Now Levi says that as long as it's one, he can handle it? He never brags about his abilities but still, I didn't want to hear how he didn't have to worry for his life like the rest of us. If I had been alone with that thing, I might not have been able to make it out okay. I was fast, but you it's hard to outrun something that never tires.

"Saph," Farlan said shaking my shoulder, "Isabel and I are going to search Erwin's belongings while you and Levi stand on guard in case he comes back."

I wrinkle my nose at the thought. Does it really have to be Levi? Is go to distraction is going to be trying to fight the blonde guy.

"Don't kill anyone," Farlan shouts as he waves. Isabel and him head on towards Erwin's space while Levi and I take up our positions by an entrance.

A wave of very awkward silence followed their departure. Each of our eyes were trained on the ground. At least mine was. It wasn't like I was checking to see what Levi was looking at. It had been the first time since Levi and I had been alone. None of Isabel's cheers and rambling in the air nor any of Farlan's snarky comments could be heard. I might have attempted at small talk if I didn't know how badly Levi sucked at it.

"Shit," I heard Levi mutter. My ears piqued and I could hear footsteps coming our way. This was bad. Erwin was coming our way and Levi and I hadn't discussed a plan of distraction at all.

"What are you two doing here all by yourselves?" the man with icy blue eyes asked. I tried to give him a believable answer but all I could do was let out a strangled cough.

Levi refused to look at Erwin, but at least he responded for the two of us. "It's not like we have to be all together at all times."

Unperturbed by the harsh tone of Levi's words, Erwin almost appeared to be affable. His understanding and patience from the school room incident leaking into today as well. "What do you think so far? Have you gotten used to the Survey Corps."

"Well it is better than the Underground," I say taking my turn to speak. "How long have you been here, Erwin?"

"I've been here as soon as I got done with training. My whole goal in signing up for the military was to join the Survey Corps. Just because I've been here for a few years doesn't mean I would be able to take down an abnormal like you did today, Levi." While his tone was as warm as ever, some of us passion was beginning to seep into the sentences. "I'm sure your teammates can rest easy knowing they have you around."

I held my tongue. The bitter reminder that Levi didn't consider me one of his teammates was on the edge of my mind. It wasn't as if I wanted Levi to care for my well-being, it would have just been comforting to know that some of his protection extended to me as well.

The two of them continued to discuss about the sacrifice the man had made for Levi to see the pattern of the Titan. Then it spiraled into a lecture of how this was good for all of humanity. As if humanity deserved to be saved from the hell it had succumbed to. Any species that threw innocents into an almost certain death didn't deserve to breathe. I wasn't doing this for the whole, this was for my brother. My baby brother who got taken away from me.

"I'm done changing," Isabel shouted waving a hand in the air obnoxiously.

Levi and I both headed her way. "It took you long enough," Levi grumbled.

"The documents weren't there," Isabel whispered.

That just meant they had to be on him. I had hoped that Erwin would put them in his supplies since Titans could gobble him up at any time. No such luck.

"Remember that we are headed back tomorrow, this is our chance," Levi said still in a low voice. "We might have to kill him, but we are going to get those papers either way."

That night was quite peaceful except for a rowdy interruption from a member named Hanji. She seemed quite excited about our presence and welcomed us with almost to wide of arms. The silent treatment instantly became more preferable than whatever she dosed out. Stone floors had been my mattress for years so I was right at home. Even if I had been sleeping with no one else around. I drifted off into an anxious sleep, nervous about what was going to happen on our way back from this crumbling castle.