Hi everyone, sorry it has taken a while to progress with the story, I've been at a bit of a loose end with it but feel I'm ready to get started again. I've spent the past couple of days editing the current chapters and tweaking any errors – I really didn't realise how many there were, apologies! Will definitely try and be more on top of that from now on.

Would love to know what you think of the story so far and the direction it's going in, always up for ways to improve!

Hope you enjoy the latest chapters!

Chapter 8: Obstacles

{Levi's POV}

My head's a total and utter mess. The throbbing in my leg isn't helping much either. Never have I had such a monumental fuck-up on a mission. Erwin was going to have an absolute fit. Come to think of it not just him, the higher-ups will definitely have something to say, hell, they'll interrogate the kid to within a degree of his life, maybe even take his life. Can't say I blame them. People turning into fucking titans, whatever next. My mind still won't accept that the scrawny Yeager kid is in fact the ripped titan. The titan was like something from another world, it resembled a titan, sort of, but was entirely lethal, mere soldiers would never stand a chance against it.

I wasn't far from Erwin now, leaving them all standing there, like lost puppies wasn't my preferred choice, but there was no other option. It wasn't like they were unprotected, Yeager made sure of that as he tore apart titan after titan, it was just her I was worried about. Had she known about this the whole time and kept quiet? I fucking hope not otherwise her life will be on the line as well. My stomach didn't bode well with the thought. Her reaction had been to strange, too suspicious, her eyes when she first heard the scream had a depth of knowing to them. For fuck's sake.

The quartet of Erwin and his fellow soldiers appeared into view, his huge grey horse thundering against the ground at an alarming rate. He really was the war hero all kids aspired to be. I pushed my horse on, eager to get to him within seconds.

"ERWIN!"

I shouted over to him, his head instantly snapping back at my words, his face immediately distorted into a look of utter confusion. I had never personally approached him on a mission like this, if I wanted a message relayed, I'd have usually sent another soldier, he must have known something was very wrong, as he halted abruptly.

"Levi? What on earth are you doing here? Where's your squad?"

Erwin was opposite me now, staring alarmingly into my eyes. How the fuck was I supposed to tell him that one of the new recruits was actual a bad-ass titan. Playing the words through my head made me sound more and more like an idiot by the second. Suddenly, her face appeared in my mind, she was still there. Alone, with no protection. She had her comrades, but they could do little in the face of real danger. My body ached to be near hers once again, to make sure she was okay. These goddamn feelings were getting out of hand, but I couldn't stop them.

"There's a situation."

"What kind of goddamn situation?"

Erwin usually never spoke out of turn, I normally played that role in our conversations, however, the look of worry and concern in his eyes was deadly.

"What I'm about to tell you is gonna sound crazy. You probably won't believe met at first, but I swear to you, it's the truth. I've seen it with my own eyes."

A glint of almost excitement flashed through Erwin's eyes, what was with this reaction?

"Spit it out Levi!"

His abrupt tone shocked me, this was very unlike Erwin, what the fuck was up with everyone today?

"Eren Yeager can turn into a titan. He's currently across the plain, killing titans as we speak, in his own titan form."

I expected shouting, screaming even, perhaps the odd cuss word. But what I got was nothing I could have predicted.

An ear-bursting, satisfied laugh, erupted from Erwin's mouth, as if he was a scientist that had finally found a dream cure, or an inventor that had finished building their prized invention. It was utter madness. Before I could even begin to question his reaction, he was gone, like the speed of light, heading straight for where my fingers were pointing, straight for Yeager.

Eren continued to destroy every titan that crossed his path. The titans themselves had seemingly figured out the nature of Eren's existence and had begun to attack him accordingly, in defence. Eren, however, made little work of tearing them apart. The 104th cadets were gathered under the same tree, watching in awe and fear, watching Eren's every move. The titans for the most part were ignoring them entirely, their sole focus was the monstrous Eren before them.

"I have a bad feeling."

Armin interrupted their staring and looked towards each of them with troubled eyes.

"We all have a bad feeling Armin; this is fucking nuts!"

Jean flapped his arms crazily, pointing at Eren, who currently had the napes of two titans in his mouth, a thunderous war cry erupting from him yet again.

The cadets shuddered at the sound.

"No, I mean about Eren, and how much longer he can keep this up."

"What do you mean?"

It was Connie who looked towards the blonde boy, confusion spread across his face.

"Well, take a regular titan, they move slowly, normally powered by the light of the sun or so we assume due to their inactivity at night. However, we see them sometimes, even during the day, simply standing motionless or sitting. It seems to me that they too can grow tired and need to replenish their energy in order to carry on."

The others listened to him intently, Mikasa especially, her eyes slowly turning even more concerned at Armin's words.

"What I'm trying to say, is that I believe it's only a matter of time before Eren's titan breaks down from exhaustion, given the excessive energy he has already exerted killing these many titans, and if that happens…"

"He'll be devoured entirely by the horde."

Mikasa's words sent daggers into her comrades, each of them wincing significantly at the thought of watching Eren be ripped apart in front of their eyes.

"What can we do?"

Jean looked determinedly towards Armin.

"Defend him until our last breath, it's all we can do, until Levi returns with Commander Erwin."

The others nodded silently in return, all of them agreeing in that one moment, that they'd lay their lives down there and now to protect Eren.

Levi eventually managed to catch up to the rogue Commander.

"Erwin, what in the actual fuck are you doing?"

"I have to see it."

Levi caught a glimpse of the man's eyes, they were wild, unlike he'd ever seen them before. It caught him off guard.

"What's with the psychopathic eyes? And the serial killer laugh earlier?"

Levi's face was one of utter confusion and loss.

Erwin was silent for a few moments before turning his head slowly towards him; all the while kicking on his horse to travel even faster.

"I have a theory."

Levi's eyebrows arched at his words.

"Care to share? Honestly speaking with you is like trying to get blood from a fucking stone, this is not the time to haul the dramatics in Erwin!"

Erwin remained facing forwards. They were almost there. Levi could hear the smashing of titan's body parts and the roars of Eren.

Erwin's eyes seemed to light up even further, ignoring Levi's previous question, as he, too, heard the war cries.

"That sound…the one he keeps making, it's like the stuff of nightmares."

Connie winced as he stared at Eren; the blood curdling scream pulsating through their ears.

"This is all the stuff of nightmares. The world we live in is a nightmare."

Armin's words were barely a whisper, but they sent chills down Connie's spine.

The cadets were no longer watching Eren, they were each looking at the floor, solemn expressions on each of their faces as they came to terms with the world they saw before them. One filled with bloodshed and death at every corner.

"Armin! LOOK!"

Sasha's bellowing voice shattered their thoughts as she pointed, face shrivelled with fear, towards Eren.

Armin followed her direction and saw Eren's titan, now kneeling on the ground, fresh steam around him. It wasn't from other titans, but from himself. His arms were missing, and they were not regenerating.

"It's happening! Eren's in serious danger! We have to act quickly!"

Everyone's eyes widened in response, this wasn't just an ordinary task, there reactions would decide whether or not Eren would make it back alive.

"What should we do? Titans are still approaching from everywhere. We'll be wiped out in a second!"

Jean's voice cracked as he cried to Armin, his face visibly white.

Before Armin could devise a plan, a flash of red flew in front of his eyes.

Mikasa had set off in full force, hurtling straight towards Eren, alone.

"MIKASA WAIT! COME BACK!"

Armin's screams couldn't falter her course now, her mind was firmly made up, it wasn't even a difficult choice, protecting Eren was her life. It was all she knew how to do.

The spikes landed deep in the shoulder of Eren's titan, steam now obscuring the view of almost everything, she could barely even make out the others.

The ground around her began to shake as the heavy footfall of approaching titans grew nearer and nearer. Their eyes all seemingly on her.

Despite jumping courageously into action; Mikasa cursed herself as she stood planted on Eren's shoulder blade. She had no idea what to do, or even where to start. Was Eren inside this body? Or would he simply appear once again when the titan had evaporated fully?

"THE NAPE! MIKASA! CUT INTO THE NAPE, EREN'S IN THERE!"

It was a hunch at best, but most people close to Armin knew to trust his hunches, as they were rarely wrong.

Carefully, Mikasa readied her blades, she didn't want to risk injuring Eren who may or may not be trapped inside. Hesitantly, but still with great force, she thrust her blades into the sides of the nape. Steam immediately burst through, blinding her temporarily.

All she could make out was blood and titan flesh. No Eren. She tried again. This time slicing slightly upwards, making a clear, almost surgical, incision. Still no Eren.

Soon she would be ripped apart by titans.

"I CAN'T FIND HIM ARMIN!"

Mikasa's cries were agonizing, it was unusual to hear such an emotional outburst from the usually silent girl, it pained the others greatly. Jean especially.

In a matter of seconds, he was standing beside her, unwilling to let another second go by watching her in despair.

"Jean? Go back!"

Mikasa looked to him, a clear frown upon herself.

"No chance, now let's try again, he's got to be in there somewhere!"

Jean brought his blades down immediately, sinking into the nape of Eren's titan once again, his movements held no hesitations unlike Mikasa, the determination on his face was increasing.

He removed his blades swiftly, battling against the steam, and plunged inside, hands first, feeling around for Eren.

Mikasa simply watched in utter amazement, she had never seen the usually cocky, irritating cadet, do anything so intensely.

The other cadets watched in silence, praying every second that went by, that Eren's body would soon make an appearance. Time was running out, rapidly. Another thirty seconds and the titans would be on top of them.

"I FOUND A LEG!"

Jean exclaimed loudly, cheering as he did so.

Mikasa's heart skipped a beat, Eren was in there, she was going to see him again.

Instantly, she began to help Jean, pulling Eren's somewhat lifeless body out from within the titan. His limbs were attached to ligament type structures within the titan's body. Pulling them off of Eren's own limbs was proving a challenge.

Mikasa and Jean tugged desperately at both of his arms; all the while watching the titans grow closer.

"Mikasa, we can't stay like this we'll be devoured."

Jean's voice was calm, yet filled with concern and above all knowing, it was as if he had already accepted his fate.

"I'm not leaving Eren!"

Mikasa glared deep into the taller cadet's face.

"Urgh, fine!"

Jean shook his head in frustration before flying from away from Eren, dropping his other arm towards Mikasa.

For a brief moment, her heart sank, she hadn't really thought he'd leave her. However, her mind snapped back to reality, she wasn't going to let Eren die, not without a fight.

"NICE ONE JEAN!"

The cheers of her teammates distracted her. Quickly, she turned her head to notice Jean, standing atop a new destroyed titan. He hadn't left her, he'd gone ahead and killed the leading titan, buying her some more time.

She smiled to herself before furrowing her brows and pulling with all of her might at Eren's right arm. After a few seconds it was released, sending her flying backwards slightly.

"Yes! One to go!"

Mikasa hurriedly launched to the other arm, tugging yet again in the same manner as before, as she did so Jean approached the next titan.

A flash of blonde appeared beside him. Armin had joined his fight. The two simply nodded to one another before heading to the oncoming titan.

They took it down somewhat easily, relief flooding through them temporarily. However, only several meters in front of them, a group of five titans were heading for them, all packed closely together. There was no way they could take one down without being grabbed by the others. It was a suicide mission.

Mikasa was pulling with all of her strength at Eren's final arm. It was so close to being released; she could almost hear the flesh tearing away from him. Another few tugs and it would be free. She eyed the free horse standing next to the injured Connie and Sasha, she would fly him there in a heartbeat and take him straight to the wagon. She couldn't give a damn if Commander Erwin was here or not, Eren would make it back inside those walls, alive.

A tightening pressure suddenly clamped around her body. Her eyes darted below her, Eren's body was now growing further and further away, still attached to his titan. Unprotected. Her head snapped to towards the pressure around her entire body. It was a titan hand. She had known before she even looked; it was obvious. Her mind was too occupied with freeing Eren she had forgotten to survey the area around her. This titan had appeared from the opposite side of Jean and Armin. Sneaking up closer and closer behind her until it had claimed her for its own. This wasn't how she was going to die, she couldn't, not with Eren lying defenceless, alone.

Furiously, she began to struggle, fighting against the titan's grip with her bare hands. It was then that her heart fell. Her mind went blank and a foul taste entered her mouth.

She had no blades.

The ones she had used to free Eren were lying motionless beside him. They had been her last blades. She was now empty. Trying desperately to fight a titan with nothing. It was no use. Even she knew that. She looked down once more at the body of Eren still lying untouched. It was bizarre to see him look so peaceful amongst such a horrific scene, surrounded by blood and turmoil. It made her happy for the briefest of moments. If she could die seeing him look this way, then maybe she could accept it. After all, Eren wouldn't be left defenceless without her, he had Armin and the other comrades, as well as Levi, Hanji, Mike and Commander Erwin. She wasn't his only protector anymore.

Slowly, she turned her head around to see the direction she was being pulled in. The titan's mouth was open already; it was so wide it hid her view from everything else. Its throat glistening before her, dripping with saliva, eagerly awaiting her.

Before she was thrown inside, she could have sworn she heard someone call her name in the distance, perhaps it was one of her comrades, or even death, reaching to grab her and take her within its clutches.