Saph's PoV

Reeling, it took me a second to have the wherewithal to rip myself out of the destroyed face of my Titan. At least I'd be harder to hit as a human. Dizzy, I struggled to comprehend what I needed to do next. Do I retreat? Push on ahead?

I focused on the Beast Titan's position to see if he'd moved. To my horror, I realized the quadruple Titan started to run straight in my direction. Shit. After I gathered my legs underneath me, I began to sprint away. With little structures or trees around, there's nothing my 3DMG would be able to grab effectively. Stranded, I'm left resorting to pure speed. There might've been a chance of me out running the damn thing, even as a human, if I'd been at full strength. With that not being the case, however, and them not having broken a sweat, the footsteps rumbling behind me steadily came close. My chest ached from the exertion of pushing myself to inhuman and unhealthy limits. I'd never attempted to outrun a Titan before on foot, and it being intelligent meant going around in circles isn't an option.

Hope appeared before me in the form of a grey blob galloping to the rescue. "Lucifer!" I cheered making him out in the distance. It gave me that final push for us to quickly reach each other.

Swinging my leg over the saddle, I instantly felt better. No matter if he came here on his own or someone sent him this way, he's here now. Turning my attention towards the forest, I gave a swift kick to get him into gear. His hooves pounded on the dirt ground, sending up tufts of dust in our wake. If we can just manage to reach the forest, I'll have a better chance to fight with my ODM. It'd also provide some much-needed shelter from the threat of boulders.

Switching my gaze to glance at the Beast Titan, I tried to determine what he'd do next. The giant monstrosity didn't twitch as his eyes followed our every movement. The sunken black stones didn't gleam with mercy or compassion, no warmth lit them from their depths. Instead, a cold ruthless intelligence chilled me to my core. Like he'd pick me apart piece by piece to see how everything worked inside.

Patting Lucifer's neck, I felt the dampness of sweat moistening his coat. Still slightly incoherent, I struggled to not just uselessly bounce on his back. We shifted as a dip appeared in the ground and I wrapped my fingers into his mane to keep myself from falling off. His breathing began to grow heavy and strained as he pushed himself to maintain the fast pace.

"We are so close," I muttered, leaning forward until his black strands tickled my chin.

The heavy breaths of the Titan began to fade farther and farther behind us. A sense of optimism began to sing in my veins just as we reached the entrance to the trees. The slight relief got interrupted by a loud crash as something threw us forward. I yelped and Lucifer bellowed as we got tossed to the ground rolling and spinning. Battered, I scrambled up to my feet as I took in the sight around me. Metal and scraps of wood laid all around us. The leftover remains of a barrel. It must've one thrown at us that'd been on its back previously. Seeing the heap Lucifer had become, I ran forward in a panic. Large splinters stuck out of his body with blood pouring from each gouge, slicking his coat with an ugly red stain on the usually beautiful dapple grey. Bones protruded from his skin, all broken in various places. The white gleaned uncomfortably in the light, unused to being exposed.

"Lucifer?" I asked him, grief ripening as I saw the pain he was in. He weakly nickered in response, a guttural sound low in his throat. Knowing that the only power in my hands now would be to end his suffering, I quickly slit his throat as memories of our time together danced in front of me. All the trips he'd been an asshole in the field. All the nights I'd slept in his stall after coming up from the Underground. All the times we'd roughhouse. No more. No more. No more. "Thank you for being there for all these years."

After giving myself a solemn second, I whipped around. "You fucking asshole," I screeched, taking out both of my blades. Waiting for the Titan to approach, I felt a simmering rage in the sinews of my muscles. Can't care about anything in this world without it being taken away. Lucifer didn't deserve that. Seeing the Titan preparing to pounce, I zoomed backward, into the blanket of nature. It followed me with claws swiping and teeth-gnashing.

Now locked in its sights, the beast didn't give me room to think much less strategize. Staying right on top of me, we parleyed in the sky and in the mud. I slashed and stabbed, desperately trying to handicap the Titan enough for a finishing blow. However, it met each move with one of its own, all the while keeping more vulnerable areas out of my reach. Countering my attempts by using its hands and mouth, it interrupted each attack and pushed onwards. Turning around to kick at me with it's powerful hind legs, leaves whipped into my face as I'm sent soaring in the underbrush.

Twigs continued to noisily snap as I struggled to my feet. There's no moment of respite before a whoosh of air tells me it's here again. Sweat trickling down my neck, I shot upwards to find a branch high enough to get a look around. While I'm headed to the top, a cascade of hollering caused me to hesitate as I struggled to see what's happening with the rest of the Survey Corps. Did Erwin finally make his move? Distracted, I give the perfect opportunity for an opening. The Titan jumps high into the air with its hand raised. Seeing the movement, I swing downwards in an attempt to sever the limb just as I'm swatted away with all of its strength. its hand to swat me away with all of its strength. The force sent me plummeting to the grass, causing my skeleton to crack as a handful of bones splinter into multiple pieces.

Wind knocked out of me, I push myself up to rest my back against the trunk of a tree. Wiping away the sweat from my eyes, I gasped, begging for air. Thankfully, I'd gotten in a good enough hit to slice off the arm. Righting myself, I prepared to take it down in one final swoop. To my surprise, it darted up a tree. I only had to wait for a mere wink of time to pass before the plan became apparent. A flash of light highlighted the upper branches before a gaping mouth broke through the branches and began to plunge towards me.

"Fuck," I muttered in frustration as I scrambled away, they'd just transformed into a Titan again, replacing the lost appendage. In no time at all like it cost nothing of their strength. Could they transform even more times than Eren with no consequences? If so, I'm screwed.

The ground began to shake, and I turned to watch a large Titan run towards me as its arms flailed about. Seeing the backup, the Cart Titan began to go on the offensive with renewed ferocity. Its fingers danced around me with quickness as it tried to both grab me and not get sliced. I hopped from branches and somersaulted in the air as I dodged its snapping teeth. I'd not last much longer with how hard I'm struggling to just protect myself much less land a deadly blow. Starting to feel overwhelmed, I focused on defense and contemplated a way to escape to find Levi.

As if hearing his name in my mind, the mindless Titan that had just appeared fell. Revealing the short stature of the man himself. He parried the Cart Titan away from me, eviscerating its limbs in the process. Landing near me, he turned his back for one second to check me over with concern. "Saph?"

"You have to kill it!" I yelled, but it'd been too late. The Titan scrambled away, a burst of brightness confirmed my fear that it'd just transformed again.

Levi glanced in its direction before returning his attention to me. "Are you okay? We watched you eat the Flame and get decapitated."

I tried to focus a little energy on healing since his expression told me I looked like absolute shit. Blood seeped from both of my nostrils. That's not a good sign. Not that I'd let him worry. No point in saying that black dots are now beginning to blotch my vision. "Just a little beat up. What's happening outside?"

"Erwin's leading a suicidal charge with everyone. They were going to distract the Beast while I swooped in to kill him using the Titans to the right of him. I'd started moving," he paused, closing his eyes to take a deep breath, "but he sent them in here when you and the Cart disappeared." Even as he opened his eyes, he refused to remove their gaze from his shoes. "I chose to use them to come in here instead of continue."

Oh no. I swallowed as I squeezed his shoulder, Erwin's words ringing in my ears. "Let's go get him then. I'll transform and throw you."

"Are you sure you can change again?"

"I will."

I concentrated on having a fully formed Titan rather than a large one. Thankfully, my idea worked. Much shorter but with enough strength and power contained within my lean frame to do the job, I'd be able to do little more than aim and throw. Hesitating near the edge of the trees, I waited for the perfect chance to step out into the light. It'd be smartest to make a move the moment after he lets a boulder go of him since there'd be no chance for retaliation. That meant I'd need to wait for him to dispel the few remaining soldiers riding towards him. The handful of screaming cadets fired their smoke guns in a pitiful attempt to obscure his aim. It did nothing as he let go another volley of stones. Not wanting to witness their eradication, I focused completely on getting a good grip on Levi. I swung my long limb and released, it didn't have the force like the hairy Beasts, but it'd do.

After watching him reach the enemy, I realized that the Cart Titan had been approaching his comrade. With Levi's back to them, it'd be the perfect opportunity for them to land a surprise attack while he's busy. My legs struggled to go the speed I wanted them to when I moved forward. My dilapidated state left me panicked as I realized I'd never reach him in time. I opened and closed my lower jaw, little more than growls and grunts came out of the back of my throat.

It became almost impossible to see him as he whipped around the Beast. Taking out their vision before bringing the monster to its knees with a few well-placed cuts on the legs. He'd been able to expose the Shifter, but now the Cart is right behind them.

"Levuuuugh," I yowled out in sheer desperation. It was enough to get his notice, letting him dart out of the way as the Cart Titan grabbed the person. They took off towards the walls as bursts of lights sputtered off around them again.

Dammit. More Titans? Pushing myself faster, I wanted to reach Levi as soon as possible, but I recognized that my help didn't turn out to be necessary as I trotted up to him dealing the final blow to the last Titan. Steam wept all around us, filling the air with its heaviness. All the mutilated bodies almost piled into a heap. I should've known he'd make quick work of all of them.

"Follow them!" Levi ordered as he clambered on top of me. Racing off, I used up the last reserves of my spirit to sprint across the plain, trampling over the desecrated remains of our comrades. Their entrails and limbs smeared across the wild grass along with the accompanying bloodied stones. "Isn't there anyone alive? I have the Titan serum," Levi whispered as we both searched for any signs of life. I slowed down to bow my head, thinking that there'd be someone raising their cape in the corner of my vision, only to discover that it'd been the wind.

We reached the wall, an inescapable silence weighed between us as I scaled upwards. So much death and destruction. In the Survey Corps, you learn what despair truly tastes like. What fear smells like. How you'll react in the face of death during expeditions where everything goes wrong. But this? Slaughter would be a more adequate word than battle. Loss never on this scale.

Now at the top of Maria, we surveyed the burning town. "There! Levi hissed as he pointed at the Cart, Beast, Bertholdt, and Eren. He swung down in a rush, his tank beginning to putter weakly as the last reserves of gas got used.

Exhausted, I tried at first to carefully make my way down the wall before I gave up halfway and jumped off. I landed hard on the road next to them, shaking the building with the force of my weight. It might've been clumsy but with nothing left to give, I needed to rest. Crawling out of my Titan's nape once again, I laid on my stomach to breathe. Colors began to swirl in front of me and it took a minute for me to be able to focus my attention on the roof where Eren and Levi remained. Is he not going to go after the Shifters? Figuring he'd stopped for some reason, I took the chance to gather my bearings. Dizziness and nausea kept me from firmly grasping any of my senses. At least there's no danger around.

A few minutes passed until I'd healed enough to regain my sanity. Pulling myself away from the nerves of my body, I stood up to quickly leap up onto the platform where Eren, Bertholdt, and Levi still stood along with Mikasa. I flinched when I found the burnt corpse of Armin.

Cough.

Wait! He's still alive?

"Quick! Give me the injection," Eren shouted as he held out his hand, eager to turn his dying friend into a Shifter.

Levi gave a hard look at the little black box. "... All right."

"Captain Levi," a soldier interrupted.

We all stared in astonishment as a boy scrambled towards us with a clearly dying Erwin on his back. "I finally caught up to you." Distressed, he huffed and panted no matter how urgently he tried to deliver his words. "Commander Erwin is dying. He was hit in the belly. His organs are spilling out. He won't stop bleeding. I thought that injection might be able to help. What do you think?"

Damn. What a decision. I didn't have much energy to think of who'd be the better option. The man who wants to see the basement or the boy who wants to see the sea. No matter the case, I'd respect Levi's will anyway. Though I'd presume it'd be to save Erwin.

"We're giving this injection to Erwin."

Glowering, Eren stood up and towered over Levi. "You just said you'd use it on Armin."

"I'm choosing to keep alive the man who will save humanity."

Catching Mikasa making her way to Levi with her blades drawn, I righted myself from my swaying. Grasping my own two weapons, I shoved away the approaching darkness threatening to lapse my consciousness completely in order to be on the defensive.

Levi seemed to have seen her movements as well as he rotated to confront both of them. "Do you two have any idea what you're doing? We're talking about Erwin Smith. The Commander of the Survey Corps. You're telling me to sit here and let him die?"

Eren still grabbed his arm, refusing to let him pass. Levi's answer to that was to punch him in the face, sending him flying to the edge of the roof. With the speed of light, Mikasa sprung on top of Levi. They landed with her knees on his chest. "Eren!"

I began to sneak over to the boy, not wanting to catch her attention. With nothing left inside of me, I'd have no chance of fighting her. Hopefully, she doesn't push me to use underhanded means. I'd have to if it meant stopping her from hurting Levi. Seeing him struggling against her could only mean he's exhausted as well.

"If we don't have Armin," Eren grunted as he began to hoist himself up, "we can't win. Hasn't that always been true? We used that boulder to block Trost District to save it. We figured out Annie's true identity and came up with that plan to advance through Titan territory at night thanks to Armin. Armin exposed Reiner when he was trying to stay hidden, and he's the only reason we defeated Bertholdt! It's not me or the Commander who's going to save Humanity. It's Armin!"

The soldier stood up. "You think you're the only one suffering here? You don't know it yet, but there isn't a single living soldier left on the other side of that wall. The Beast Titan killed all of them. He threw crushed rocks through them. They were all smashed to a pulp. Every one of us thought we were goners, but Commander Erwin was the one exception. He figured out a plan that would let him get his teeth into the monster's neck and carried it out. He used the lives of every one of us recruits as bait. All so Captain Levi could ambush that Beast. So, according to plan, we all ended up in pieces. Gordon. Sandra. Marlowe. None of them died thinking how noble their sacrifices would be. I'm sure they felt, in the end, was fear. When I found the Commander still alive, I was going to put him out of his misery, but then I decided I was treating him too gently. Perhaps he did need to spend more time in this hell. I realized that the only one who can destroy the Titans is the devil himself! My mission, the reason I lived, is to bring that man back to life! That's why you need to get out of my way," he shouted as he began to march forward.

Mikasa began to press her blade harder in response causing Levi began to appear nervous.

"Stop!" I shrieked. I'd pressed a foot onto Eren's stomach while my sword pointed at his adam's apple. "Let Levi up, Mikasa. If you hurt him, I'll kill Eren."

"You can't. He has the Founder," she spat out.

I grinned. "That's why I'll eat him afterward." It's not something I wanted to do. I also felt no urge to look down and see the expression of betrayal on the young boy's face. No hesitation could be shown on my part since she needed to believe me completely. Staring down the young girl, laughter and hysteria bubbled in my chest. Oh to think that I'd be facing someone so alike to me in their loyalty towards the person they love. I related to how Mikasa seemed to have only joined the Survey Corps to protect Eren, but little did she know what measures I'd gladly take to ensure Levi's safety. "I don't even need to turn into a Titan to do so. So much as prick Levi and I'll just decapitate Eren. Lap up his spinal fluid off of the ground like Rod did with the Titan serum."

Hanji finally appeared. Her clothes appeared slightly burned but other than that she appeared to be physically okay. With a calm soothing touch I'd almost never seen from her, she hugged Mikasa. "I have people I wish I could bring back too. Hundreds of them. Ever since I joined the Survey Corps… every day has brought a new farewell, but you understand, don't you? That everyone you meet will be parted from you one day. I know it's difficult to accept. It's hard to stay sane, living like that. It's painful. So painful. I know that, but even so, we need to move forward."

Seeing the tears start to trickle, I knew Mikasa relinquished control. As I stepped off of Eren, a woosh echoed in my ears as I fell to my knees. My fingers helplessly scratched the roof as I struggled to hold up my upper body. "They're going to fucking die while you guys keep giving grand speeches," I croaked out before I vomited up blood. Damn it. Groaning, I collapsed next to the pool of red, the black corners in my eyesight now blinded me as everything got swallowed up.

Love to hear any thoughts on the latest chapter! Please be staying safe everyone.