I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for not updating in a while! I had such difficulty writing this chapter and my dad was in Sydney for the weekend so I had literally no time to upload. I feel terrible. I will try to update more frequently in the future.
I've also been getting a lot of questions whether it's ErenxLevi or ErwinxLevi. The fan fiction is predominantly ErenxLevi with notions of ErwinxLevi. I need one central pairing and the other to help strengthen the pairing I like if you get my drift. I just wanted to clarify that. There will be plenty of ErenxLevi to come. This fan fiction is far from complete. I'm not even a quarter way there yet. I warn you, this has violence and graphic imagery in it. Rated M for a reason folks.
Enjoy!
It was early afternoon. Commodore Smith was at his office, reading paper work assessing reports from his comrades since doubling the security patrols around the Hestoss trading route. So far, everything was running smoothly apart from the few complaints from the merchants importing goods. He couldn't blame them really. He would have been just as angry if he witnessed several armed naval officers rummaging their expensive wares in search for suspicious people and objects.
"Commodore Smith! Come to Wall Trost quickly!"
The young Commodore looked up from his paperwork, alarmed to find Lieutenant Nanaba, detached and apathetic Lieutenant Nanaba looking flustered and somewhat distressed her usual lightless eyes fearful.
"Lieutenant Nanaba. What on earth is the matter?"
"Fellow Commodore Dietrich and Admiral Pixis are in need of your help. The pirates that Commodore Dietrich spotted a few days ago have returned. The sea dogs are obstructing the gates, fully armed and what is worse, they have one of our reliable clients, Captain Wing who provides most of our luxury silverware and his first mate hostage. They're demanding a ransom. You must come quickly sir!" Lieutenant Nanaba said, breathlessly.
The Commodore felt as if a knife had been thrust in his stomach, his blood running cold. He refused to believe it.
"Lieutenant Nanaba, that's impossible. We've had the Hestoss trading route closely guarded"
"They must have commandeered the Marianne outside the survey boundaries. Commodore Smith you must hurry"
Gritting his teeth in distress, he quickly donned his jacket and followed Nanaba to the wall. Already the city and its harbour was jittery with fear and disbelief with the idea of Pirates roaming their Northern waters.
An elderly man pulled his arm.
"Is it true Commodore? Have dastardly Pirates come to claim our beloved city?"
His voice was feeble, his frame was sickly and frail yet his eyes, although lidded and sunken from wrinkles shone brightly with deep anxiety. For once, the Commodore did not know how to respond. He was completely lost for words and he felt an unfamiliar sense of guilt. As a Commodore of a naval fleet, he now deemed himself an unworthy protector of his people, inadequate and untrustworthy.
Lieutenant Nanaba came to his aid, gently removing the surprisingly vice like but desperate grip around his arm.
"It is true pirates have entered our borders but the Commodore will do anything in his power and being to protect everyone. He will not let you down. Please excuse us"
He was grateful for her stoic, professional yet compassionate gesture. He was unable to express a thank you but there was no need.
Admiral Pixis was already at the center of the wall, along with Commodore Ian Dietrich and Lieutenant Mike Zacharius. It seemed his comrade had already taken the initiative in doubling the amount of men at the wall, armed with firearms.
Admiral Pixis looked dismayed and the sense of guilt scorched within the Commodore.
He made a low bow.
"Forgive me Admiral Pixis. I have failed you and our people"
"No. You did well Commodore Smith. The Pirates were already a step ahead. They must have somehow found an area of the trading route that we didn't survey. Look there"
The Admiral pointed out to sea. The Commodore felt his breath catch within his throat. Out in open ocean, everything was in turmoil. Scattered merchant ships and few of their own frigates were a flame in an orange red blaze, destroyed to useless floating parts of wood. Plumes of dark smoke rose from the wreckage, shrouding the world in darkness. The air was thick of ash and Erwin did his best not to breathe in the foul smell of smoke and burning flesh. However, that was nothing compared to what emerged from the clouds of soot. A black tall-ship, larger than any other ship he had ever seen drifted triumphantly from the din. Like a predator returning from a successful and satisfying hunting trip, it sauntered closer and closer to firing range. She was colossal, by far larger than their naval frigates. That was the Maria? If this was true, then her crew could destroy as many ships before him she could devastate an entire fleet.
"She's enormous" Lieutenant Zacharius said out-loud, partly in awe but mostly fear.
"This is more than just vermin. We are dealing with bloodthirsty cutthroats. We have to eliminate them as soon as possible. If they can destroy and take away as many lives as this, then I fear for out city and its people" Admiral Pixis answered softly.
"Your orders sir?" Erwin asked, his gaze still directed towards the now moored ship.
"Evacuate the people to the inner city. Do it quickly and bar the gates from the inside" Admiral Pixis stated.
"Anything else sir? What about the survivors in the wreckage?" Commodore Dietrich asked.
"It's too late for them" Admiral Pixis stated firmly.
Dietrich gasped horrified at the revelation.
"Sir!"
"Do as I say Dietrich! Go! My orders are final!"
Dietrich bit his lip in protest but heaved a final sigh.
"Yes sir. Lieutenant Nanaba, take your team and alert the citizens in the harbour. Lieutenant Zacharius, take care of the outer city. I'll take care of the innermost city"
The lieutenants saluted and rushed off.
"Sir. Look!"
Suddenly broken from his distressed daze, Commodore Smith once again turned his attention back to the gigantic tall ship. It was then he spotted a lone figure standing at bowsprit.
"Who is that?"
Admiral Pixis reached for his telescope from coat pocket, peering through the tiny lens. His withered eyes, lined and weather beaten from years of being out at sea furrowed to deep frown.
"It appears the devil himself has come to greet us" he said softly, passing the cold brass equipment to Erwin.
The Commodore was unable to respond as he looked through the telescope. For some reason he had lost all ability to speak, speech seemed incomprehensible to him at that moment. The man standing at the bowsprit… this was Captain Levi of the Maria? The most blood thirsty and infamous Pirate who conquered the Southern sea? No, it could not be so. The man before him still appeared to be in his mid twenties. He was older than the Captain, by far. What astonished him the most was how incredibly handsome he was. He had clear and surprisingly pale skin and dark raven hair. The sun seemed to have little affect on his skin. Although he was short of stature, he was slender yet he could see evident muscle at the shoulders and arms. He had the body of an experienced swordsman. His face was plastered with a smirk of pride yet his eyes although a mysterious shade of dark grey, were so cold, filled with hatred and deep ambition. There was no indication of kindness or morality within them. How can a man like this do so much damage, cause so much destruction and devastation? Such an attractive face didn't suit the role for a leader of a band of merciless bandits yet his regal clothing and physical attributes stated otherwise.
"That is Captain Levi? He looks nothing like a Captain" Erwin said in disbelief.
"Don't be fooled by appearances Commodore Smith. Look around you. This was all his doing"
"How can one man and a band of men do something like this?"
"Man? That is no man Commodore Smith. That is a monster, a demon within the body of the ordinary man"
"What are your orders, sir? Do we kill him off? My men have their fire arms ready" Dietrich asked.
"No… he has hostages remember? Captain Wing and his first mate… wait what he has to say" the Admiral advised.
"Sir?"
"We wait… if we act recklessly and have the Captain and the first mate murdered, what will do to the Navy's reputation. Let's think rationally"
"Sir it looks like he wants to speak. He has a megaphone" The Commodore noted, looking through the telescope.
"I see. Let's see what he has to say… maybe we'll get some answers why he's here. Bring me the megaphone. Commodore Smith?"
"Yes?"
"I want you to do the talking. Your good with words"
Erwin personally had no desire to communicate to the vile man in front of the party, especially after seeing him destroy and kill most of the merchants in front of them. Nevertheless, an order is still an order.
"Very well"
He took the megaphone from the Admiral and waited for the Captain Levi to speak.
The Captain put the megaphone to his lips.
"I am Captain Levi of the Maria. My crew and I demand free passage into Utopia and full control of the Hestoss trading route" Captain Levi said at last.
The Captain's voice although young sounding, commanded respect. It was direct, forceful and complimented his role as Captain.
"I am Commodore Erwin Smith, Naval officer of Utopia's fleet. As protector of this city, my men and I cannot abide to your wishes. Leave these borders at once! We do not want pirates on our soil"
Below the Captain gave the Commodore a sinister grin.
"And what will you do if we refuse?" the Captain goaded.
"Move one inch, I will order my men to fire and destroy your ship and every man aboard!"
Captain Levi chuckled at this notion.
"Men bring out the prisoners!"
The Commodore paled when he watched Captain Wing and his first mate roughly shoved forward from the rising smoke. Both men were stripped from their clothing, wearing nothing but make shift rags to shield parts of their nakedness. Like animals, they were shackled and chained at the neck, wrists and ankles with heavy iron. Life and vibrance had been drained from their very souls. They shuffled forward, slumped, humble and deeply humiliated at their position.
"It's Captain Wing! THAT MONSTER!" Commodore Dietrich hissed.
"Even your faithful companions? My, my what a reliant Commodore you make Smith"
The Commodore seethed inside. How dare he mock his position?
"As I said before Captain Levi! Leave this area immediately or get shot!"
Captain Levi drew his sword from his sheath and placed it under the chin of the first mate suddenly. The bedraggled man stiffened at the feeling of ice cold metal against his burning raw skin. He looked pleadingly for help at the Commodore and it tore Erwin apart.
"I see… and what would happen if I were to accidentally let my hand slip?" he taunted, looking straight into the blue eyes of the Commodore.
"We are the navy! WE DON'T GIVE INTO THREATS! LET THAT MAN GO OR YOU'LL FIND A BULLET LODGED STRAIGHT BETWEEN YOUR EYES!"
The Captain smiled. With one swift movement, he severed the first mate's head straight from his body. For a brief moment, the Commodore caught the bright white glint of his rapier than the flood of deep red following the blade, painting the deck in a bright vivid red. Captain Wing whimpered and trembled when Levi placed the blade underneath his own neck. Commodore Smith was at a loss what to do. He was stunned, no… completely stupefied. This man killed so swiftly, without any feeling or moral conscience, he played with someone else's life and had taken it for granted. He was more than a barbaric monster… he was Satan himself.
He looked at Admiral Pixis. His face was lined in pain and desolation from witnessing the terrible act.
"Sir? What do we do?"
"We listen… this man is serious. He has little care for human life… nothing is sacred to this man"
Painfully, the Commodore turned his attention back to the Captain and his prisoner below him.
"You will let us into Port Trost and gather our spoils, take over the trading routes… Or this man will lose more then just his head. He can be hung drawn and quartered for all I care!"
The Captain's gaze was frighteningly unemotional and animalistic. He was that serious. His prisoner was nothing but a bargaining tool.
"Admiral Pixis? What do we do?" Erwin asked desperately.
The Admiral's face darkened and he felt his heart turn to stone. He knew what he had to do. He had no choice but to appease this Captain's orders. If they refused, it was certain he would wreak more havoc and pain then just taking Captain Wing's life away. After seeing what this man was capable of, they would have to obey in order to assure the safety of the people of Utopia. For once in his lifetime, the Admiral was at a loss of what to do, weakened and deferential.
"We obey the Captain's orders" he spoke softly.
Commodore Dietrich and Commodore Smith were flabbergasted.
"Sir, have you gone mad?"
"I SAID OBEY THE CAPTAIN'S ORDERS! MY WORD IS FINAL!" Pixis screamed.
Erwin was too stunned to speak. How could this be possible? His own superior was following the orders of this low-life individual. This must have been an extreme case for the Admiral to allow this. It is true this one man had proficiently killed so many with ease. Taking away human life seemed second nature to the Captain… but why obey his orders? They were Utopia's naval fleet, the strongest force in the North.
"Admiral… why?"
Admiral Pixis flashed Erwin a despondent smile.
"If this man can cause this much ruination, who knows what he will do if we refuse. This man knows what he's doing. Smith, he will resort to any strategy in order to achieve his goal, no matter what the cost… that is a true Pirate. For the safety of our people we must obey"
"The king? The townsfolk?"
"I will see to the matter… just give the word"
The Commodore's mouth was dry and he felt an all too familiar bile rise in the back of his throat. He desperately tried not to be sick then and there. His body trembling, he straightened his posture and put the megaphone back to his mouth.
"Alright! We'll do this your way. As Commodore to Utopia's naval fleet, I'm allowing you access within the city. Open the gates!"
After much uproar from the men, the large oaken and iron doors were unbolted and gradually opened, revealing the pristine and shining city within. As the Maria passed through the gates, it was at that moment the Commodore came to a terrible realization. This beautiful and prosperous city, free from horror and corruption would now be tainted. People will suffer, anarchy will ensue and the forces will crumble… and all at the hands of the blood thirsty pirates.
That's it folks. Again I apologise for the late update…I'm getting closer to the Eren and Levi… but only just.
Evening Falls.