Chapter 9: The Armoured Titan Part 4: Exposed

A titan throws itself straight at the armour plate protecting me. Even though I know it can't break it I shut my eyes on instinct. The titan smashes its head against the hole, snapping its own neck back and dropping to the ground where it's promptly crushed by the Armoured Titan's pounding feet. The titans are coming on in massive swarms now, dozens and dozens of them. Some have actually clambered onto the Armoured Titan's back and are trying to bite through his armour plating to his flesh. Thankfully it seems that ordinary titans don't have the intelligence to try biting the joints.

My arms and legs have been slowly regrowing, and the only thing left now is my hands and feet. Soldiers dash past regularly, but the situation doesn't seem to change. Here and there a titan is felled by one of them to lie steaming in the grass. They don't seem to be able to figure out where exactly we are, since neither Eren nor I are visible from the outside.

Then suddenly there's a thud outside. "Hey Reiner listen me!"

'Jean?'

"Just stop for a moment okay? We can talk this thing out!"

There's a crash from outside and I can see Jean leaping back away from the Armoured Titan's shoulder where he'd been crouching. "So much for negotiations," I hear him mutter, just loud enough for his voice to carry over the sound of the thunderous footsteps.

"Levi go!" I hear someone call out from behind the Armoured Titan. There's a zipping sound and suddenly the ground is rushing up towards me. I shut my eyes as we impact. I feel the shock through my entire body, though I know the impact's been lessened greatly. The Armoured Titan rolls over, brining the sky back into view again.

'He probably doesn't want to leave his nape vulnerable.' I can see several Scouts moving around, trying to keep their distance whilst knowing that at some point they have to go in. One of them clearly doesn't give a dam about the risk though and pitches straight into the attack. I can't really see what's going on outside properly, all I can hear is the sound of blades cutting through flesh.

"Argh! Of course it's you isn't it?" I hear Reiner growl. "You Ackermans have a really nasty tendency to do that sort of thing."

The Armoured Titan brings a huge fist down against its chest, forcing the attacker to back off. I manage to glimpse Mikasa's face as she leaps out of the way of the swing. Then several regular titans loom over us and quickly more or less leap onto the Armoured Titan, bitting pointlessly at his armoured body. "Get off me!" Kicking and punching he clears the pale humanoid beasts away from him and clambers back to his feet.

Two more titans are felled by a pair of rapid attacks from Captain Levi, leaving the area clear for now. As the Armoured Titan stands up again I get the chance to see behind us. There's got to be at least a hundred soldiers spread out over the flats. Titans are spread out everywhere and there appears to be a full out battle. With the ground being as flat as it is the humans are at a distinct disadvantage. Even as I watch a Garrison soldier is picked up and his upper body ripped off in the titan's jaws.

Before I can see any more we're moving again. This time we don't manage to go far before a dark blur zips around in front of us. I hear the sound of flesh parting and a grunt from outside. "No!" I hear Bertolt scream, his mental guards dropping in panic. "Reiner do something, we can't afford to lose the coordinate!"

'Whoever that was must have cut Eren free!' I realise. Everything shakes and I can't make out any clear images. The Armoured Titan seems to be trying to grab at something whilst at the same time cover himself. Then as my view balances out again three more regular titans jump on top of him.

Through a combination of attacks from both the Armoured Titan and the soldiers they're dragged off. There's another blur and a second compartment is sliced open. "Bertolt!" I hear Reiner cry in panic. A massive fist slams against the Armoured Titan's chest so fast that it almost makes him fall over. With the Armoured Titan's attention now focused almost totally on covering Bertolt, the attacker is clear to go for me.

With a strange zipping sound the flesh above my head parts to reveal Captain Levi. He spins in mind air and grabbing me by the scruff of the neck throws the both of us out of the way. He manages to pull off a second shot into the Armoured Titan's leg which allows us to slow our descent enough to make the impact onto the grass safe.

We both roll over several times but despite a few bruises I don't feel seriously hurt. Looking around me wildly I see several dozen soldiers on horses riding around in circles in an effort to keep the ordinary titans preoccupied. "We've got them both now Erwin!" bellows Levi, "It's time to fall back!"

"No!" screams Mikasa. "We should kill the two of them for what they've done!"

"You'll do as you're ordered Ackerman!" spits back Levi.

"The Captain's right," says Commander Erwin ridding up on his white horse, "Those two will receive justice when it's possible for us to provide it. But when that moment comes it will be through the proper system of a court of law." Mikasa clenches her teeth but says nothing. "All hands commence immediate withdrawal!" thunders the Major-General.

I find myself scrambling towards a spare horse, the reigns of which someone hastily throws to me. Scrambling on I start to gallop frantically away from the Armoured Titan. "No! The coordinate's power cannot go back inside the Walls again!" I hear Reiner more or less scream. The next thing I know a huge pink skinned mass crashes down on my right. My horse nearly loses it, but I manage to pull her to the right and keep control.

As I ride past its head, the thrown titan's eyes lock onto me. It rolls over hurriedly and tries to pounce on me as I bolt ahead. It clumsily lands with a boom in the dirt behind me. I look around frantically.

Everything seems to be going to hell right now. The soldiers out here mostly seem to be from the Garrison Regiment and so have very little experience. They've scattered apart in an almost mindless shamble without the faintest trace of a formation visible. It amazes me that they even managed to get a full hour away from the Walls. The Titans are everywhere, and there are more of them than I can remember seeing at any point bar when they were all lured into the one corner at Trost. Even the last time we were in the giant forest and the Female Titan called them in there weren't this many. There's got to be at least a hundred and fifty of them, probably more.

All around me now titans seem to be landing. 'What the hell is Reiner trying to do? Surely Eren's too valuable to risk crushing him like this.' One of the titans lands directly in front of me and I'm forced to pull up. I brake to the right as the titan following me rams headlong into the new arrival.

A third titan-about thirteen metres tall-looms up in front of me. I try to pull to the side again but my horse seems to decide that enough is enough and makes a bolt for it. I desperately try to regain control as the titan swipes down at me with its right hand. Then I realise that I'm still wearing my ODM Gear. Grabbing frantically at the triggers I fire and pull myself out of the saddle just as a massive hand swipes down and crushes my mount.

Whipping around behind the titan I draw a pair of blades and pull myself in towards the nape. My cut strikes true and the titan falls dead to the ground. My landing is however very clumsy. I end up doing a somersault that sends my gear flying off me. The emergency release harness designed to prevent injury to the user in case of a fall is right now by no means doing me any favours.

I scramble to put my Gear back on again as the two titans that are still lying in a heap begin to turn their heads towards me. I fasten the belt back on and draw a new set of blades. A shadow falls over me and I whirl around to see yet another titan grinning stupidly down at me. It reaches out with its huge hand, drool dripping from its jaws at the sight of me.

I slice off its fingers as I roll out of the way. Surprised the titan falls forwards onto its face. I turn to face the titan getting ready to fire my cables again. Suddenly my legs buckle and I fall to the ground. Exhaustion has been sweeping over me and even adrenaline can't keep me running much longer. With a desperate puffing and panting I push myself back up to a standing position and fire off my cables. Once I'm in the air things are a little easier.

I throw myself into the attack but my cut is shallow and wobbly from tiredness. I flip myself back around in mid air to try again, but by this point the titan has turned to try and grab me. I can't move fast enough and I have no choice except to let my wires go. I tumble down and land with an uncomfortable thud on my back. 'I, I have to get up. I have to move. If I stay here it'll get me, I'll die here.'

I try desperately to rise. I don't have any energy left in me though and I sink to my knees. My limbs feel like dead weights and my heart can't seem to beat fast enough to keep up with my body's demands for fresh air. I can't even find the strength to try again as the titan looms over me, little eyes glinting with excitement at the sight of its prey.

It reaches down towards me and I let out a long breath of defeat. I can't fight anymore; I just don't have the strength. I'm done. The weariness in my bones is so great that I can't really find any problems with dying right now. I want to rest so badly. My thoughts stray over my life up until this point. Coming out of the titan in the snow, growing up in Rieskrippe, moving to Shiganshina, meeting Eren, Armin and Mikasa, the Colossal Titan appearing, joining the 104th, the Battle of Trost, the Scout Regiment, my final realisation that I'm a titan shifter, the fight against the Female Titan and last of all the epic struggle of the last two days.

'A clash of the titans wasn't it?' I think to myself with a slight laugh as the large hand closes around me. 'I wonder, I wonder what will happen now. Oh well, I guess I'll never get to find out.' Then, a bright light switches on in my mind and for a split second I can see a little girl running through a field. She feels, important to me somehow, though I can't understand why. Then a man with glasses bending over me with serious eyes. For some reason I feel embarrassed like I'm trouble for something. Then the man's face comes into focus and I let out a slight gasp. His hair is cut shorter than the last time I saw him and he looks a good deal younger with a white frill collar, but I can't mistake the familiar shape of the face of Eren's father: Grisha Yeager.

'How odd. Why should I see him now?' That's all my tired mind can really get out as the titan lifts me up to head height. My vision clears and I see the titan's jaws opening wide. 'Oh well, it doesn't matter now.' A long strand of saliva flicks into my face as the abomination's mouth widens. 'Nothing matters now.'

"NO!" a shrill voice shrieks furiously. The titan jerks, its head twitching slightly to one side as if in confusion. Then it falls forwards to the ground, landing with a rush of dust. The impact jolts me around but I'm so tired I barely notice. In fact, I can barely distinguish the fact that I'm not about to get eaten anymore.

A figure flies down and rushes towards me. They grab me in their arms and as my face turns towards them I can see Historia's beautiful blue eyes. "You're mine do you hear me?" she murmurs. "No stupid titan is going to take you away from me." I can't say anything, I can't even move. I'm just so tired. Historia looks around frantically. "Someone please help us; I can't carry him myself!"

There doesn't seem to be anyone to answer her calls however. I can hear the sounds of battle still echoing around us. "Somebody, please!" calls Historia in desperation.

Then there's a whizzing sound and a tall figure lands behind her. "Get out of the way," says Ymir as she nudges Historia to the side. I briefly lock eyes with her, and something sends a tremor of warning down my spine, but I'm far too exhausted to even recognise it properly. Ymir swings me up and all I can do is hang limply. "You're deceptively heavy for someone you're size aren't you?" I hear her mutter.

Some part of my brain is telling me this is bad, that I need to get away. I'm not really sure why. I turn my head slightly, but all I can take in is more sky. Finally blackness overwhelms me and I slip into the welcoming arms of sleep.

I don't dream, or at least I don't think I do. I'm so heavily worn down that dreaming just wastes precious energy. But I am aware of an intense stinging in my thoughts at one point. I feel like I almost woke up, but didn't quite. There was a voice speaking to me with such authority it felt only natural to do what it told me. "FIGHT!" It roared, "FIGHT! KILL!" I'm not sure if was there for very long or not. I felt like I needed to do what I asked me, except I just didn't have the strength.

Eventually my eyes open again. I'm in what feels like a warm bed, soft sheets wrapping themselves around me. The walls are creamy coloured and give the room a very warm feeling. There's a window in the wall above me to my right. The curtains aren't drawn and a ray of sunlight is filtering into the room. I let out a moan and reach up to rub my eyes. I then stretch and yawn properly. I feel better than I have in a long time. "How long was I asleep?" I ask out loud, not expecting an answer.

"Two and a half days," comes the reply. In surprise I look around to see who spoke. Sitting at the end of my bed is Historia with a smile on her face. Her hair looks rather unkempt but her cheeks are flushed with delight.

"That long huh? No wonder I feel so refreshed."

She reaches out and takes my hand in hers. "Matthias, how much do you remember?"

"I remember you rescuing me if that's what you're asking," reply with a smile. "Thanks for that," I say giving her hand a slight squeeze.

"I owed you didn't I? But, do you remember what I've been saying to you these past two days?"

"No, I've been asleep. What have you been saying?"

"Oh, it's nothing," she says, turning slightly red and looking away.

"All right then." I sit still for several minutes, enjoying the feeling of her hand in mine. Eventually I work up the effort to break the beauty of the moment. "What happened to Reiner and Bertolt?"

"We don't really know. The Armoured Titan eventually gave up and headed for Wall Maria. As far as we know Bertolt was still with him. They probably reached Shiganshina before sundown."

"What about Eren?"

"He's fine. He's been on his feet for the last day or so actually."

"And everyone else, are they all right? How many people did we lose?"

Historia hesitates, "none of us are dead but, forty three soldiers were lost during the battle."

"What?" I put a hand to my head. I can hardly believe that anyone could pay such high sacrifices for only two soldiers, no matter how valuable.

"Also, I believe you used to know one of the men that died. He was a Captain in the Garrison Regiment."

I turn pale and my insides begin to tie themselves in knots. 'No, it couldn't be.'

"His name was Hannes."

I sit still as stone. Hannes the drunkard we always called him. It was something of a favourite topic of Eren's to complain about. He was usually kind enough to us, and I could tell that he felt that we were an integral part of life. I remember meeting him again just before the Battle of Trost. He'd been promoted to Captain four years earlier due to the shortage of men available. He hadn't changed all that much to be honest. He was a little bit more on the serious side to be sure, and unlike in past years he was completely sober. Eren mentioned meeting him again at one point a little while before Reiner and Bertolt transformed.

'Yet another part of the home I was so happy to be a part of is gone. There's so little of it left now, the place itself and so many of the people who lived there are gone. How much longer until no one is left?' Several tears run down my face but that's all. 'Each time it gets harder. Each time I cry less. I suppose there's a point at which you don't cry at all. Is that why Captain Levi and so many of the other veterans are so quiet?'

I sigh. "How much longer do you think until we're all just another few bits of flesh left scattered around for the crows to feed on?"

"Don't say that!" Historia snaps angrily. "I don't care how many people we lose but I am not going to lose you!" She throws her arms around me and kisses me suddenly. At first I feel like breaking away, but then I just let myself rest like that. Everything seems to melt away, falling into insignificance in the background as I rest in her arms.