Sssssssss
Steam blasted out into the air as I pulled myself out of the Warhammer. Cold air stung my eyes from the change in temperature. Though my muscles did feel relaxed and rejuvenated.
In front of me were the fabled rings of Paradis. Their size couldn't hope to be rivalled by anything built on the mainland. It was a shame that Reiner and Bertolt ruined their beauty. The breach would be sealed at some point in the future though it wouldn't be the same with Eren's crude Titan ass jutting out of the walls.
I climbed down to the ground to join Ymir who was already going on ahead by herself. Before going through, I looked at my titan and noticed that its appearance had changed somewhat.
Before, my Titan's mouth and neck were completely exposed with small strings of white shell over them. Now it was mostly covered with the only openings being incisions that looked like muscle ruptures exposing parts of the skin underneath.
I also noted that the shell changed colour. Instead of the pale white that every Warhammer inherited, it was now a dark grey with Golden eyes that clashed with its appearance instead of the cold blue eyes that matched the cold appearance of the previous shell.
I bet this was all a result of the Hidden Titan's changes on me. According to the Research Society, Every Titan's appearance is based on genetics which I guess makes sense for the Galliard Jaw Titans. But the Hidden Titan is the exception since it can change appearance on command. Not that it provides any use for anything other than camouflage.
"So how are we supposed to save the world, dear Mistress?" Ymir interrupted my thoughts. Sarcasm dripped from her mouth. I was already starting to regret… A sigh escaped me. There was already a knot in my throat causing an ache.
"We're both 12. You don't need to call me that," I swallowed.
"Call you what, Mistress?" I ignored her. Her goal is to try and get a reaction from me, she wasn't going to get one. I would focus instead on the goals ahead of us.
We're on to Stage 2 now. That means we have new goals to fulfil.
Goal #1: infiltrate the refugees that are fleeing the walls. In order to do that, I'm going to need inside knowledge of how society works. A surface overview from the anime isn't going to cut it which leads to my next goal.
Goal #2: Find someone to eat. I assume every inhabitant of Shiganshina left during the chaos yesterday. But there must still be some stragglers that the Military Police are going to try and rescue. Maybe they won't be coming today. I have no clue how long it takes people to get from one wall to the next.
But if they are, I need to be careful not to attract their attention. Not just to avoid Levi's wrath but to also avoid becoming another one of the Abnormal Titans that appeared out of nowhere. If I become known then that means that the other titan holders are going to be aware of us.
Goal #3 is simple. Don't get eaten and protect Ymir. She barely came back from the dead yesterday and I bet she's never seen a Titan shifter before. I can't let her transform until I train her on the basics at least.
"Whatever happens, don't transform. There's a chance you can go on a rampage on your first transformation and I don't want to lose another…" my nose burned. I sniffed and rubbed my sleeve across it. I need to control my emotions. What I did to Ido is unforgivable but there's nothing I can do about it now and crying over him won't bring him back.
Ymir followed me, finally staying quiet.
The houses in the district were smouldering piles of splinters. Those buildings were the most forgiving to us as they gave us an open field to look at. Sure, the homes that were still standing could provide cover for us but it worked both ways and hid Titans until the last moment.
We were almost caught once. By a Titan that had a Santa Clause beard. We turned the corner at one of the standing buildings straight into the Titan. It was just standing there looking into the sky so we weren't able to feel its footsteps.
"Get back," I whispered to Ymir.
"Why are we hiding when we can fight back?" Ymir groaned. I turned and glared at her.
I moved fast, swiping at Ymir's face with a sharp rock I picked up from the ground and slashing her skin. She stumbled back falling onto the ground and dislodging debris. I didn't even notice at the time because I had enough of Ymir's rebellious attitude.
Steam wisped off her face as the cut healed.
"Don't heal. Stop yourself from healing and I'll let you go off on these titans," I ordered as I cut her again. "I told you to stop healing!"
"How am I supposed to do that!" She roared.
"This is why we're not fighting! Because you don't know a single thing about being a Titan Shifter," I hissed.
"And you know so much more? You know how to stop yourself from healing, big deal. I spent most of my life as a Titan."
"While you've spent the last 60 years rotting as a pure titan, I've spent the past year experimenting and learning from Titan experts on how to use my power."
Our argument ended up attracting the Titan's attention. We were so distracted by our argument that his thundering footsteps went unnoticed. It wasn't until he peered over the corner and stared straight at us when we noticed.
It didn't matter that I had the second most powerful regular titan. The massive shadow that shrouded us in coldness sent shivers down my spine. My mind replayed Ymir devouring Ido but this time it was me in her hand.
"I'm going to…" I grabbed Ymir's hand before she could do anything and started running.
"Don't transform. Please, I know you don't trust me but please don't do it. Not yet," I begged.
Ymir's hard scowl didn't change but her eyes reflected a delicate understanding of what was happening. Either that or she was weighing the options of me absolutely destroying her in a Titan on Titan fight if it came down to that. "Fine, but if you can't protect me, I'm transforming. Whether you like it or not," her eyes burned into mine angry at the power struggle we were pulling between us.
"Then I'll take you down the hard way if I have to." I pulled her into a building and we watched as Santa Beard ran past us.
"You can try," she spat and yanked her hand away from my grip.
I growled as she walked back into the open. She was impossible to deal with! I just wanted to tear my hair out whenever I talked to her because she turned everything into a fight to show she doesn't need anyone's help.
I ended up kicking the wall out of frustration. I only realised how big of a mistake it was when I hobbled out after her.
"Help." A child's voice cried out softly. All of the heat drained from my body leaving me behind with some shivers running down my spine.
"Ymir!" I called for her before shakily rushing over to the rubble where I heard the voice from.
"Is anyone in there?!" I dug through searching for signs of life while hoping it was just my imagination. I didn't want it to be a child. It was just wrong.
All of the rocks and wood scratched my hands raw but I kept going trying to ignore the wisps of steam that were battering my eyes.
"Help." The voice was a little stronger.
My stomach dropped. The last large piece of plaster that I threw to the side revealed a kids hand. This is what I needed but not what I wanted. Everything I want keeps falling into the lap of my hands with a cruel twist. I was expecting the universe to fight me, make it difficult for my plans to go forward. But I never imagined it would fight back in this manner. I wasn't going to stop trying to change fate and it would punish me for it.
There's no choice. I have to go forward. A real devil wouldn't care.
"What happened?" Ymir came walking. I looked up at her with tears in my eyes, there was no hiding them. "Oh." She understood what was going to happen.
"I need you to make sure the coast is clear," I pointed at the roof of the house next door. The wall was in shambles but in a neat little pile that would make it easy for anyone to climb up to the roof.
Ymir nodded. I was grateful that I had a moment to myself. Was my life seriously worth more than this kid? What am I talking about? We're the same age, and a life is a life. Physically, we have the same value at a barebones comparison. Philosophically, I had more value because I could change more things than this girl.
"Help…" her cry was even weaker this time.
I cut my thumb on my ring. Yellow lightning struck me from the sky evaporating the tears that streamed down my face.
I opened my eyes to look through my Titan's eyes. I felt suffocated by the Titan flesh that pressed against my body. Its skin pressed on my face and stretched my skin even harder than last time. I haven't had a chance to rest since my previous transformations so I guess I was pushing my limit.
My hand reached out pushing debris apart as I pulled the little girl out of the rubble. It felt like my body was on autopilot as everything happened and I was watching everything on a screen.
The girl didn't protest as I held her over my gaping mouth. All of the fight had been drained from her after being trapped underneath the remains of her home for god knows how long. All she could do was whimper weakly as my teeth slammed over her body and snapped her bones. Fluids from her body dribbled down my throat before her mangled body slid down my tongue.
The Previous holder of the Hidden Titan was accurate with her description. Flora's memories were playing in my mind like a little movie. I could see all the times she went out of the walls with her father. All the flowers she picked. The days she went with her mother into the market to make a special birthday dinner for her dad. I could even see the boy she liked.
She would follow him everywhere as she pined over him, admiring his courage as he stood up to bullies, idolising his compassion as he picked up their victims. His story ended yesterday. Beneath the feet of the Armoured Titan, Reiner.
Still, after these memories stopped, I continued flipping through them looking for a suitable backstory for Ymir. There, I found it.
We would be able to use these girls to fill in any blanks in our backstories.
I was distracted when I got attacked. Yellow light blinded me. Then I got a face full of claws that tore through my eyes.
"Ymir!" I was panicking and swinging wildly.
How was Ymir able to pierce my skin? I screwed up badly in my decision to save her.
Rooaooar!
A second strike of lightning boomed followed by a roar but I wasn't thinking straight anymore to wonder what was happening.
"YMIR!" I felt the handle of my scythe form on my palm. I threw my caution out the window as I swung it and destroyed a bunch of buildings in the process.
I was focusing all of my healing into one of my eyes and was greeted with some blurry vision. I wouldn't be useless anymore now and would be able to grasp what was happening.
Through my blurred vision, I could see the shape of a titan stagger into me. I was taken off guard by that and let go of my weapon.
My vision was clear now but I couldn't believe who I was staring at.
A small 4-metre Titan was clinging to the side of a building snarling at us. Its face was made out of bone and a mane of brown hair danced in the wind. It was Marcel's Jaw Titan.
"Ymir. Get behind me." Ymir was transformed like me. A regular 14 Metre but what set her apart was the abnormally large head of hers. With those scary dark eyes and stringy hair.
Marcel clearly recognised her. But if he was out here by himself and not with the others, then that meant that he wouldn't be communicating with them. At least I hope he wouldn't because I'm not going to risk killing him right now. I still have plans for him.
The real question was if he recognised me. Did he think I also died at the hands of the Titans that ambushed us? Or was he suspicious of what really was going on?
I looked back at Ymir. Thankfully, she seemed to be in control of herself. But I knew her and how rebellious she is. She's not going to retreat if I tell her to though I doubt Marcel would let us run away since he was the one who attacked first in the first place.
Before I could come up with a plan, Ymir charged at Marcel and tried to attack. Of course, Marcel was easily able to dodge the attack and ended up biting her hand right off. As she was taken aback by the action he was able to continue and slashed the rest of her arm off with his claws.
Ymir however was too hardheaded or stupid to be intimidated and tried to throw another punch with her remaining hand. This time it connected in the most gruesome way possible. Her fist slammed against Marcel's shielded face and her fist exploded into a bloody mess.
I still stood frozen as Ymir roared at Marcel trying to make him back off. In a few quick moves, Marcel was on her back ready to tear up Ymir's nape. That's when I snapped out of it and moved in to defend her.
My knuckles refracted light as I created dull knuckle claws, a shoddy version of Wolverine's, and punched Marcel in the face. He tumbled onto the ground. Part of his face guard was cracked and sported holes from where I struck.
More light refraction blinded Marcel as I summoned reinforcements for my fingers to try and grab him.
He weaved through my arms dragging his claws over my body. The hardened titan skin that came with my Titan proved useful. He was only able to crack through the skin but couldn't reach into my actual body. And there were no openings in my body for him to abuse as he did with my face. Until he got to my shoulders and clawed them up.
That mistake was going to cost him. I clasped my hand over him before he could retreat his hand from my shell's openings and trapped him in that position to ram him through buildings.
It seemed like that stunt did the trick because he was moving slowly when I let go of him.
I forced a spire to erupt from the ground. Marcel was still too dazed from his trip through multiple houses to dodge the attack and I ended up piercing his face and taking his Titan out of commission.
That was it. That was all of the strength that was in me and I was ejected from my Titan. Hot air lashed over my face as I slid to the ground as quickly as I could. I could feel the groves on my face take up even more space leaving the muscles underneath open to the elements.
"Ymir!" I gasped. "Come on, we have to go." I limped over as she came out of her Titan. Her eyes were burning with anger at the humiliation she endured. She wasn't going to listen to me but I had to try to talk some sense into her. "No. Ymir, listen to me. You can't beat Marcel. His Titan is too fast and he's got more energy than us."
Ymir bit into her hand.
I threw myself behind a building as I saw her body emit electricity. 2 lightning bolts struck the area again. Ymir roared as she tried tackling Marcel and I watched in horror as Marcel's titan swung around her neck and raked his claws into her skull to drag down and tear her out of the nape.
I began to run toward them. Ymir was on her back staring up at Marcel as he was about to devour her.
Lightning crashed over my body as I triggered my transformation. I was already out of energy so my titan came out malformed with the little armour it had fused into the skin and muscle, but there was enough of my titan for me to create a pillar. I put every ounce of my remaining strength on it and it came out of the ground too fast for Marcel to react sending him flying into the distance.
He wouldn't be coming back to us any time soon. That attack would have mangled his body too far for healing and he already used up his 2 transformations.
My body was sore as I struggled to exit my nape.
"Elizabeth!" Darkness lulled me and the voice sounded so far away.
My body felt like it had a boiling fever.
A weight lifted from my neck as something cut through the nape that only had my head attached to my titan and then someone removed me from where I was.
I tried to blink, open my eyes. Do anything. But I could only see darkness. I tried to speak but I couldn't even feel my mouth or tongue.
"Come on, wake up. Please hang in there. Don't die on me." Were the last words I heard before slipping into the dark abyss.
Wow. I ended up editing this the day I'm supposed to post it. Don't procrastinate folks or else you'll feel like shit. After uploading this I'm going to be watching the new episode if you guys already have I hope yall enjoyed it.
Cdog: I'm glad to hear about your enjoyment. It's people like you that make writers feel happy about what they're doing. I and any other writer you talk with are lucky to have you ^^