Saph's PoV
"You are always so rough before an expedition," Bells whined, as I yanked her hair back, "and so demanding."
Lifting my head from her bare chest I rolled over until I was lying next to her. "Thanks for reminding me and ruining my fun. I come here to forget, not to have to think about it."
"Is it really that bad? Why'd you choose to be in the Survey Corps then?"
Deciding that I didn't want to explain to her about my life in the Underground, I sat up. "I didn't, and yes. It is that bad. It's unfathomable to me that you have never even seen a Titan. Even most people who aren't in the military have seen one now, or know someone who has died because of them." The tragedy of Wall Maria combined with the breakage of Wall Trost left little to the imagination of the destructive capabilities of the monsters.
"I guess I'm lucky," Bells shrugged her shoulder. While I gave her compliments for not being totally uptight and ignorant like most people of her status, she still didn't have a full grasp of everyone else's reality. Not that I come here to confront the brutality of the truth I lived. "You're going with the Titan boy this time?"
"Yeah. It'll be his first time outside of the walls." And being a part of one of the most dangerous missions I've ever been on. Levi had told me all the details while telling me not to tell anyone else in the squad. I didn't think it was because he trusted me more, just that Erwin told me that he could tell me and Eld. Everyone that survived the events from five years ago was in the clear from being a spy.
While we were told to guard Eren, it was pretty stupid considering he was more powerful than all of us. Excluding Levi. Not that I would want to see the two of them go toe to toe. I wasn't worried because if the squad got into any real trouble I knew Eren could just turn by biting his hand.
"I'm heading out." I put my clothes back on and stuffed a few delicious pastries into my gaping mouth. Even if the sex wasn't good I'd come for the food.
"Hey Saph?" Bells called out as I was climbing out of her window.
"Yes?"
"I'm meeting my fiance next week."
Confused, I squinted at her. What did she want me to say? "So?"
"Just thought I'd tell you."
"Okay…" Not wanting to evaluate what that was all about, I started sprinting towards the gates back to the Survey Corps. I didn't want a relationship with her and we weren't exclusive so I couldn't think of any reason she'd want to tell me that. Maybe because I came to only her anymore to let off some steam in her mind? That because I wasn't letting anyone else into my pants, I might be developing feelings for her? It was easier to hop into the palace for a lay than finding one anywhere else. That and her trust in me finally began to show results. Telling me things about the upper class that could be used in the hunt for the people responsible for my brother's death. Nobody else also had desserts as good as the ones Bells' family chef made. I had no reason to go anywhere else.
"I wish I had grabbed a few of those to take with me," I mumbled to myself as I approached the castle.
"Aren't we returning in the wee hours of the morning," Auruo commented. "Are you sure you're not going to be so exhausted that you get yourself killed?"
"Exhausted? I'm rejuvenated! Not all of us can let out our sexual buildup with just our hand," I snarked, elbowing him lightly. "I bet you've named it Petra," I whispered into his ear, chuckling.
Auruo turned so red that I couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or anger. Not wanting to be on the other side of whatever explosion he'd make it out to be, I trotted over to Petra's side.
"Who is Eren talking to over there," I motioned towards a collection of children. All gathered around Eren and talking. Children. They must be the newest recruits from training. For a bit, the newest recruits who had joined after Levi and I became part of the Survey Corps had been older than me. I'd never felt younger than them though. Now that I must be nearing 20, they all seemed like babies.
"They were from the same training group as him. Apparently, they joined the Survey Corps."
"Really? With them having been thrown into the thick of battle so fast, I'd have thought more of them would prefer to never see a Titan again." I watched with interest as a girl with black hair and sharp eyes hugged Eren all the while glaring at Levi. "What's her story?"
"Her mother and father were killed in an attempted kidnapping. She's lived with Eren ever since."
I couldn't help but recognize myself in the ferocity she protected the boy she clearly loved. However, if that led to her trying to hurt the man I loved… then we'd have a problem. Her name also gave me a weird feeling that I had heard it or seen it before.
"She didn't like how Levi treated him during the trial," Petra added. "So this is what gets you to come up to me and chat? All these inquisitive questions?"
"Good morning," I sighed in defeat. "Well I knew Levi would have told me to fuck off, so I thought I'd ask you."
"Mmmm." Petra glanced at her shoes before turning to face me. "Are you worried about today?"
Tilting my head, I puzzled over her question. I couldn't give any hints to our true mission because of orders. It gave me a pang of pride that I knew when she didn't. "We are in the middle of the formation. We have Levi. Now we have Eren. I don't see how we could be in any real danger, so no. I'm not worried. Are you?"
"Yes. I get the feeling like Levi's been withholding information," she murmured.
My eyebrows raised at that. Maybe he'd given her a hint? That made me bite my lip. If his behavior was off, that indicated his own worry about today. "We will be okay," I assured her.
"Saddle up!" Levi commanded.
I patted Petra on the shoulder before heading to Lucifer's stable. He snorted as I approached and eyed me while I put got him ready for the field. "I won't try to kill you if you don't try to kill me," I told him in complete seriousness. "We are on a casual ride in a place where we could be murdered any second. Nothing new."
Petra's words rang in my head, and I couldn't help but look for the short statured man. On top of his horse, he waited for his squad to surround him. Picking up on my stare, he walked his mare over to where I was at.
"What's the matter? Too scared shitless to go today?"
The sharpness of his tone led me to believe that he too wasn't confident. Underlying irritation lined those words in a way they usually didn't. Something was off. "No," I responded in a neutral tone.
His nose wrinkled briefly before smoothing out. He'd expected my usual smartass response instead of the tired reply. "Saph?"
Levi's gentle prompt with just a whisper of my name made me want to cry. "Nothing. I trust you." Gripping onto the reins, I hoisted myself up. "Let's get this over with," I said with a smile to the dumbfounded and clueless love of my life.
My nerves couldn't have been more unsettled. The Titans had penetrated into the formation much farther than they should have been allowed. Who knew how many lives had already been lost? The thickness of the forest and how condensed it all was didn't help the chaos happening in my head. Even Lucifer felt a shift in the slight normality of our missions. His alertness and suddenly listening to my commands made me clench my teeth.
Eren kept bombarding Levi with questions. He nor I would answer them and the others couldn't. However, our brave captain kept his cool while the rest of us were collectively shitting our pants. I could see Auruo's sweat soaking the back of his shirt. A loud noise almost jolted me out of my saddle.
"Draw your swords," Levi stated.
Gripping mine, I tried to slow Lucifer down so he didn't pass Levi's horse. Whatever that noise was, it didn't sit well with him. His pace increased until I was riding next to Levi.
"Sorry, sir," I gritted my teeth, fumbling for the reins even as the approaching footsteps made me want to let go to have Lucifer sprint away. "He's freaking out a bit, and I am too."
"Saph," Levi stared straight ahead as he addressed me his voice so low that I only I could hear it, "I thought you said you trust me?"
"Shit!" I heard Gunter yell. "We need to switch to vertical maneuvering gear! We won't be able to outrun it!"
Swallowing hard, I glanced over my shoulder to see a Titan with a fit body and blonde hair right behind us. A few people were swinging in from behind from what looked to be a female Titan. That was our target? That's what we were trying to capture today?
"Reinforcements from behind?" I exclaimed. The joy of seeing them was crushed seconds after I said my sentence. They were slaughtered so casually with so much calculation that a desire to climb the highest tree to get away from the monster kept running through my head. We still knew so little about these beast and now we knew there a human controlled this one.
"Orders!"
"Captain Levi?" I heard Petra shout.
I slowed Lucifer down enough that his nose could touch Levi's horses rump. I told him that I trusted him so I would. Even if it got me killed.
"Cover your ears!" Levi yelled.
A sound grenade went off as I pressed my palms to my head.
"Our orders are to protect that little shit from getting even a scratch on him or die trying. Not to give into feelings."
Eren begged for us to turn around and to help as more reinforcements came. His pleading then turned into a stony silence as Petra pleaded for him not to turn. More people were dead. Who could blame him for wanting to fight? I tuned them all out as I could almost feel the female Titan's breath on the back of my neck. How much longer until Erwin? The titan would squish us all soon if we didn't reach the rest of the Survey Corps in time.
Would I get to see Suzu soon? My parents? Even Levi's words of trust and regret barely fazed me as I felt the pull towards death. What a sweet relief it could be. No more living came with no more pain.
Then I thought of Levi's expression of agony when Isabel and Farlan died. Maybe my death wouldn't lead to that severe of hurt, but I didn't want to risk it. I still had to have Kenny and everyone connected to my brother's kidnapping to meet the sweet end of my blade or a bullet.
"I'll keep going!" Eren shouted, breaking me out of my thoughts.
Echoing that sentiment, I patted Lucifer on the neck in a rare show of pleasantness. His quivering skin calmed down and I could feel him stop jerking on the reins.
"Target is accelerating sir!" Gunter stated.
"Full speed ahead!" Levi responded.
Full speed? "I hope he knows what that means when it comes to you," I whispered before giving Lucifer a few sharp kicks and complete slack. Not figuring he had that much energy left, I didn't expect much. At least not enough that I almost flew backwards out of my saddle as my horse took off. We charged in front of the entire squad and didn't slow down. We soon passed from what I could see was Erwin in the branches. Barrels full of hooks lined the ridges of the road.
I didn't want to slow down or turn around in case the Female Titan caught on. It was only after I heard Erwin yell fire did I start pulling in Lucifer.
"Eld's in charge," Levi stated as he switched to maneuvering gear, "tie the horses up ahead, including my own, and get Eren a safe distance away from that Titan."
All of this was going so fast that I felt like I couldn't get my bearings. Levi's horse walked over to Lucifer, so I took both of them a little off the path before tying them up. Lucifer didn't try to bite me once. "Good horse," I patted him on the nose, "thanks for running for both of our lives."
Still on high alert, I used the gear to trail behind Eren. Double checking and rechecking behind us to make sure that beast hadn't escaped. "Did you know Saph? Did you know the purpose of us going out of the walls today?"
"I knew but only because I've been in the Survey Corps so long. Everyone who survived the wall of Maria knew including Eld."
"You've been in the Survey Corps since Levi has been, correct?"
"Yep. We joined at the same time. Levi, Eld, Leon, Ruby, and I were the start of this group. Our survival rate is actually pretty. Three out of five isn't bad if you think about it."
Eren cocked his head, "did Leon and Ruby die because of Titans?"
"Not exactly," I chuckled as I imagined my knife sinking into the soft skin of Leon's throat. I bloodied the streets that night with a comrade's body.
"Do you know why Erwin Smith holds the hope of humanity's survival, Eren?" Eld called out from a tree a little far away from us.
"I'm sure Levi will tell you," Petra said with a smile.
Auruo just had to interject, "if you live long enough that is."
Suddenly, the loudest scream I'd ever heard ripped through the forest making me cover my ears. It sent shock waves rippling through my body as I stiffened in an attempt to not fall off the branch I precariously stood on.
"Get back to the horses," Eld shouted once the yell has subsided. "Prepare to retreat!"
Everyone cheered and talked with excitement as we swung back. I would have joked along with them (especially when it was brought up that both Petra and Auruo had pissed themselves their first time out), but I didn't feel confident that all was well.
"That's probably a smoke signal from Levi," Gunter pointed out, "so you guys stop acting like we're out on a picnic. We are still outside the walls and we still need to meet up with Captain Levi. The defeat of the Female Titan doesn't mean we aren't in danger."
Hesitant, I slowed back to get a better view of the entire group. The ground didn't shake as if the Female Titan approached us, but danger reeked in the air. I couldn't, however, put my finger on the source. Without warning, a figure swooped towards Gunter, the green cape with the Survey Corps symbol trailing behind them.
"Gunter!" I screamed, but it was too late. His head dangled below the rest of his body. Hanging on with a flap of his skin. The sound of his limbs smacking against the hardwood of the tree made me wince.
Propelling myself forward as fast as I could, I grabbed Eren. "We have to move it and now. There's no time to go back to the horses. Our best chance regroup with everyone else."
"Protect Eren!" Eld commanded.
I didn't turn around or look around as I heard Petra and Auruo calling out for whoever that was to show their face. Mind consumed with the theories Hanji had told me over our various meals together, I knew there left little chance for survival. A bright flash of light made me blink as smoke filtered into my nose. Fuck my life.
"It's the Female Titan!" Auruo screamed in horror.
"I'm going to fight and murder that thing this time!" Eren turned to face the monster, hand already hovering near his lips.
Eld yanked Eren's arm away from his mouth. "You can't! You have to keep going and the four of us will stay to fight this thing."
"Don't underestimate Squad Levi!" Auruo yelled.
"Continue to have faith in us," Petra assured him.
It's not a matter of underestimating us or not having faith. We don't know what we are up against. This thing can fly for all we know. I kept my doubts to myself as I flew below the rest of my squad. As two of them took out her eyes, I circled around to cut one of the achilles heels to have her stumble into a tree to support herself.
Take out its arms next. Take out its arms next. Without words exchanged between the group, we knew what to do. I followed behind Eld to cut exactly where he did in order to make a deep enough wound to have its arms fall from protecting the nape of its neck. Circling out, I decided that I'd continue to follow Eld's lead. With the head propped up against the trunk with it angled away from us, we'd have to cut through to make the killing blow. Time ticked away as she waited for her eyes to heal enough for her to see. All we could estimate was that it's similar to Eren's time frame.
Eld landed a hook right in the column of the Female Titan's throat, and I landed mine not to far off. Giving the man the space to maneuver, I trailed behind slightly. Enough to see the steam fading from one of the eye sockets. Enough to see the cornea and pupil form just in time to lock onto the incoming target of Eld's body. Just in time to see her gaping mouth to move to bite Eld in half. But not enough time to do anything about it. Her teeth clenched down spraying blood everywhere. It hit my eyes as I collided with the Female Titan's face.
"You bitch," I shouted as I scrambled to climb the bridge of her nose. She tilted her head in an attempt to sink her pearly whites into my body. Adjusting her position, she faltered as she put to much weight onto the foot of the ankle I had cut. The movement threw me as I somewhat propelled away from her. Without much time to get my bearings, I hurtled towards the ground.
"Saph!" Auruo grabbed at my body. He slowed down my fall by yanking on my clothing, so I didn't break my neck as I tumbled into the grass. It dazed me enough that I couldn't sit up, however.
Auruo abandoned me as he raced towards Petra. The Female Titan leaned forward, using the weight of her body to carry her as she lept towards Petra.
"Petra! Get higher! Quickly!" Auruo shrieked.
Adrenaline and dread pumped inside me. Using all my concentration and adrenaline, I stumbled to a stand. After giving a quick glance over my gear for damage, I sent a hook forward towards Auruo. I'd die if I sat still. I couldn't see Petra because of the Female Titan's body covering my view, but bile rose to my throat as I saw her foot come off of the ground and kick the base of a tree. Auruo's heartbreaking scream confirmed my worst suspicion.
Anger and hate fueled me as I drove towards the monster. Auruo sent out a line towards the back of the monster's neck. Swerving, I headed towards the right of the monster in the case of his cut needing to be deeper. The air rushed by me and I felt the bitter sweetness of revenge coming to fruition as he swung his blade into the nape of the killer's neck. The sharp sound of breaking metal caught my ears before my eye and my body automatically turned towards Auruo.
I grabbed his hood as I swooped upwards. "The blade won't go through," I heard him grumble in a confused tone just when the foot of the Titan caught one of his legs.
We were flung forward with the force, and I heard a crunch below me as I gripped even harder onto his clothing. Thankfully, there were no trees in front of us as I used the momentum to get us as far away as possible from the Female Titan. It took me a moment to steady myself in the air, but I soon hoisted up Auruo on the highest possible branch. His right legs was nowhere to be found. Automatically, I started using the medical training I'd learned from Petra and Hanji to stop the bleeding.
Another flash of light and smoke filled the forest. Startled, I looked back to see Eren in his Titan form sitting on top of the Female Titan while screaming. Figuring he could handle himself for a little, I patched Auruo up enough that I knew his life wasn't in immediate danger. Well in immediate danger of bleeding out. Swaying as I found my footing, I went back to where the battle waged.
Settling a safe distance away, I waited. I'd be more of a hindrance than a help in my condition, so I watched. I thought Eren had a chance of winning until the Titan took out his head with a single kick. Realizing she potentially could kill the small hope for humanity that still remained, that I began to move as fast as possible in the hopes of stopping the Female Titan. She ripped Eren's body away from his disintegrating Titan form and put it into her mouth before beginning to run away.
"Shit," I mumbled as I chased after her.
Throwing myself into the hunt, I slashed at her limbs as she ran away. My own blood stained my clothing as branches whipped into my body without a care. Suddenly, the Titan threw out a fist right in my direction. Unable to slow down, I braced for impact.
My body collided with something but it wasn't her hand. "Levi?" I whimpered as we fumbled in the air together. We somehow ended up dangling on the trunk of a tree a distance away. "Thank-" my voice caught in my throat as I realized he was limping and the Female Titan was headed towards us for another round. My mind blacked out.
There you all go. Petra's dead, and I hope you all are happy. There was a lot going on in this chapter that I needed to make sure lined up with past and future chapters so that's why it took me longer than I expected, but I'll still be trying to put when I update next on my profile. I also hate writing action scenes, so that is a struggle for me. I think I have improved greatly though! Well I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this chapter because it was a wild one. As always, thank you guys for reading my story and supporting me! Please leave a review on your way out!