As he gazed onward towards the sky, he saw the sun. It was proud, gleaming golden yellow. Its rays seemed to warm everything: the grey stones of the wall, the crimson flower in his hands, the green leaves in the distance. Even the sky around the yellow sun seemed to be a bit brighter, its cool blue shade lightened. For a moment he wanted nothing more than to avoid its warmth.

"Hey, you have been up here a while. The others are looking for you," he heard the green girl say behind him.

They sped through the forest, avoiding each leaf-clad pillar. The trees were dense, but not too close to pass through with some finesse. They had be careful, as the leaves of the great trees blocked out much of the sunlight. The forest floor itself was cloaked in shade and shadow. But, the steady sound of hooks sinking into the bark of the trees gave Adam some confidence. He kept his gazed trained forward, at the back of Clara's jacket. He heard the steady sound of Leon's maneuvering gear close behind, and did his best to maintain focus.

The unnatural feeling of flying amongst the trees was something that Adam had been forced to become familiar with. However, he never became fully comfortable with it. Sailing so far above the ground was dangerous, and Adam had witnessed recruits falling to great injury during the early days of their training. By now, most of the recruits had the basic ability to traverse amongst the trees. For the most part, Adam could handle himself, but he was never the strongest at maneuvering.

Clara took a sharp turn, gracefully swinging around a tree and in between branches, like a jade leaf in the wind. She had sighted a target, and Adam followed.

"Target ahead!" Clara yelled, as a grotesque ten meter shape appeared in the distance. This was the second of this height, and Adam forced any other thoughts of failure out of his mind. While he had successfully cut all of the five meter targets, cutting one so deep that the red circular section had been cleaved in two, he had nearly missed the first ten meter target. A single miss by any of them would result in the punishment of them all.

As they came upon the target, Clara drew back her blade and sliced through the section. She maintained her speed and momentum, and continued on, glancing back curiously to see how well Adam would fare.

As the target grew closer, Adam pulled a blade from the heavy metal sheath. He brought his arm back, and sliced at the wooden target. Adam almost lost his balance as his blade passed through the target, but the cut was close to the center. As he once again turned his eyes back towards the leader in front of him, he thought he saw Clara smile, but she herself turned forward. Adam heard the sound of splintering wood behind him as the third member of the team slashed through the target.

As he soared on towards the next target, Adam felt oddly at peace. The feel of the wind rushing by was freeing. He was still afraid, but he felt strangely safe. Adam looked downward, toward the forest floor. The ground rushed passed him, and he felt suspended in the air as the world rushed by. On the forest floor he spotted a small cluster of flowers huddling around a pillar of light that broke through the forest canopy. Adam returned his gaze forward, and once again brought himself to focus. He felt like he hadn't in a long time.

"Final target ahead!" the girl said, speeding towards it.

The third target was fifteen meters tall, and the recruits adjusted their heights, climbing further into the trees as they sped into between branches. Each sound of the hooks digging into the bark of the trees reassured Adam, as he trained his eyes on target. This one was different, shaped in a strange and twisted pose. It was hunched over, the red target zone clearly at the nape of its neck visible. However, Adam couldn't focus on this. At first he could only see the targets face. Its mouth was open, as if it were devouring something.

Clara shot forward, speeding past the target. The only sign that she had hit the target was the sound of the blade passing through the wood that echoed through the forest.

Adam followed, preparing the next blade from the metal sheath on his hip. The target was fast approaching, and Adam drew back his blade to strike. Adam couldn't look away from its mouth. It was a simple wooden target, barely a silhouette of the real thing, but its mouth mocked him, forced into an unnatural smile. He swung forward towards the red strike zone.

Adam felt a shock on his arms, and saw that he had missed the painted area. He had made the cut at an angle, and the fine metal blade bent and twisted. It broke from the hilt, the sharp edge flying backward, and catching Adams leg. He felt a sharp shard cut through his back leg, and lost his balance. Adam fell forward, his uninjured leg catching on the target, sending him downward toward the dark forest floor. He heard a shout, but he himself couldn't scream. As he fell, his injured leg felt warm as blood began to pour from the open wound. As Adam saw the ground falling to him, the branches of the trees sinking beneath his vision, he didn't feel the fear he had felt when he had stared downward from amongst the branches of the trees, or when he had seen other recruits fall, screaming as they grew closer to the ground. The dark forest floor seemed to almost envelope him.

Adam came to an abrupt stop, his leg seemed to almost tear itself from his body. He felt a metal cord wrap around his leg, and it felt cold against the warm blood. Adam's eyes followed the cord back into the branches, where Leon stood, braced against the tree to catch the weight of Adam. The blood from his leg caused the cord to slip, and Adam fell the few remaining feet to the ground with a thunk.

He pulled himself up, and tore back the tattered cloth on the back of his leg. The cut had bled a crimson red, and the pain was unbearable, but Adam could still move. Adam couldn't place too much weight on his injured right leg, but could maintain his balance. He looked upward at Leon, and gave a nod. Leon looked relieved, but then swung down and around the tree. He flew towards the target, a blur against the trees. He was lightning as he passed by the target, and he drew back both arms. Each blade made a distinct cut, and with Clara's, the fifteen meter target had three cuts through the strike zone.

Adam pulled himself up, and his own cords pulled him into the air. His right leg shot with pain with every small motion, but he could still maneuver if he stayed slow enough. He saw the light ahead as the patch of woods ended, and followed Leon out of the forest.

The Officer hadn't questioned Adam's leg, but it was apparent when they had returned to the group. His leather boots had begun to also soak with blood, and Adam began to feel as if the warm sun would put him to sleep. His teammates quickly brought him to the infirmary, where they bandaged his leg.

The infirmary itself was a small building, only meant for minor injuries. If a recruit suffered anything that would inhibit their ability to work or fight permanently, they were no longer useful. However, the injury wasn't this dire: he could still walk and even use the maneuvering gear with some difficulty, but he wouldn't be able to place too much weight on the leg without feeling a shooting pain. The shard of metal had cut into some muscle, and the cord had crushed a little too tightly around his leg. Leon had seemed to feel responsible when they learned this, but Adam assured him that he preferred the damage of the metal cord to the damage the ground would have brought him.

There had been no other drills for the day other than the test, save for the extra drills given by those who failed, and Adam was glad to hear that Team A had scored well. They hadn't missed a single cut, at least officially. and their strikes were accurate enough. Each team was to be permanent for the time being, to promote teamwork amongst the recruits. They would be assessed as a group, and penalized for each other's mistakes. Eachd day Leon or Clara would come in and update him on how the team was doing. They were undoubtedly having to work twice as hard to make up for the lost points for Adam's absence, but they assured him that he didn't have to worry. After a week in in the infirmary, Adam was permitted to leave with white bandages wrapped around his leg around dinner time. He wouldn't have to participate in the most demanding drills for the next couple days, but after that he would have to keep up with the others.

Adam walked into the dining hall with a crutch he had been temporarily given. He needed to keep weight off his leg for the next couple days. This time, the dining hall was full of recruits. Many looked sullen and exhausted from the day's drills and assessments, but others looked exhilarated, most likely from their high score. A high score on the assessments proved to the Officers that you were worthy of the honor of Military Police. The Military Police was one of the three different sections of the military. The Military Police, Survey Corps, and Garrison each were individual branches. Most elected to join the Garrison, those who remained in towns and cities to stand guard and man the walls. The Survey Corps were the soldiers who left the town to scout the outside world. Those who joined this branch were the suicidal type, or had fallen into the illusion that throwing your life away might equate to bravery. The Military Police was an honor given to only the top ten graduates in each training group. These soldiers would be brought to the inner and most protected cities, and served as both a police force and a group of elite bodyguards for the politicians in the center.

Adam spotted his team at the same table as earlier in the day. He shuffled towards them, and gave them a nod when they noticed him. Leon and Clara had also been seated by a strange recruit with strange black hair. He spotted Adam and gave a small wave.

Adam sat in his chair and put his crutch on the floor.

"Hey, let me grab you some food," Leon said, staring at the crutch as Adam put it down.

"No, its fine. I can go get it myself."

"The guy at the infirmary said you needed to take it easy. You'll be back out there in two days anyway. If you injure yourself further that would just hurt our team," Leon said, as he stood to go retrieve the rationed food.

The others were almost done eating already. Water, bread and soup. The rations of food were small, but better than what he had received at the refugee camp. Clara gave him a smile as the black haired boy tore into his remaining food, soup spilling onto the table. Adam looked at him incredulously as he tore apart a piece of bread as if he hadn't eaten in years. The boys black hair was an odd shade, almost as if it were instead just a dark grey. His hair was closely cropped, but a few strands of hair fell over his face. In between bites he noticed Adam looking at him, and looked embarrassed for a moment.

"Errr… I'm sorry. I haven't introduced myself properly. My name is Jon, Jonathan Stein."

"He has been assigned to our team. They moved him over from another, who claimed he was… incompatible with the existing members," Clara explained, scooting over to avoid the debris of food flying from Jon. Adam gave a sigh, which Jon seemed to notice.

"Don't worry, I can pull my own weight," he assured Adam in between bites, "I always score well on the assessments."

"We did relatively well both yesterday and today. We haven't had any real trouble yet either, and since you're coming back in two days we should be alright," Clara said.

"Yeah… I'm sorry about this," Adam said, gesturing to his leg, "it holds us all-"

"It's fine. There wasn't much you could do, and you'll be better in a few days anyway," Clara said abruptly.

"Don't worry Adam, we're a team," he heard Leon say as he placed bread and soup in front of him. He sat down across from him, brushing Jon's bread crumbs from his chair.

"Anyways, I guess this makes us even now," Leon said jokingly.

"Maybe when I save your life," Adam responded.

Adam gave Leon a nod and stared out the window. It was partially closed, but he could see through the crack the sun outside in the sky. The sun was setting, and Adam could see the sky on the horizon around the sun warming, with a few stars visible in the sky looked so strange at sunset. The warm rays of the sun turned the now dark blue sky into lighter and kinder colors, which reflected off the green trees in the distance. It reminded Adam of a time long ago when he used to stare up at the sky when the sun was setting, after a long day of picking flowers and roses. He moved his gaze down towards his soup.

"What kind is this?"

"Potato," Jon said.

To the confusion of his teammates, Adam couldn't help but to smile.

The soldier was trembling. The steady sound of the horse's pounding hooves on the dirt was drowned out by the beating of his own heart. It was nighttime, and the light from the stars and moon only created shadows. He could hear their hulking bodies growing closer. He had to reach the others in time. His scouting partner was close.

The trees in this forest loomed upwards into the sky like colossal giants, providing shelter and protection. The Survey Corps preferred to stay close to these trees, as they provided excellent targets for their maneuvering gear. They were little use to him now.

Those things were growing closer, gaining on his horse with every moment. Every pounding beat of his heart was met by a heavy footfall behind him. He had run out of gas speeding to his horse, so he couldn't fight back. He wouldn't have a chance on foot. The loss of his gas also meant he couldn't abandon the ground and ascend into the trees, to hide and wait until morning. All he could do was run, rely on his horse to take him away from them.

The giant wooden pillars slowly broke into smaller trees and vegetation, the edge of the forest was close. He could see the open field ahead. In the opening, he wouldn't be able to use his gear, but his horse should be able to outrun them without all the twists and turns around the paths. His partner was waiting outside near the edge of the trees. She would be able to protect him, help him get away from them. They were so close now, he could hear them right behind him, their inhuman forms shuffling towards him.

His horse had stuck to the dirt path that had been built through the forest, but now broke from it to run straight for the clearing. The trembling soldier leaned low on the horse, to avoid the branches of the smaller trees and plants that reached out for him. He could see moonlight just ahead. He could see an escape from this nightmare.

He felt a wooden branch claw at him, and instinctively brought his arm to his shoulder. His winged emblem had been ripped from his jacket, and an open wound replaced it. The branch had cut deep, and he grimaced at the pain. The light of the open field ahead was so close.

He heard the sound of gas screech through the air, and hooks dig into trees. He looked upward, and screamed a cry for help. As his eyes search the trees, he felt his body lurch forward, and he felt himself fall.

He was crushed onto the dirt. The pain in his arm was nothing now, he had tried to break his fall with his wrist. He screamed, holding hand to his chest. His head ringed, and he felt the warmth of blood flow down from his face. His vision was blurry, only smudges and shadows. He thought he could make out the broken form of his horse, crushed by an inhuman shadow. It reached for him, and lifted him into the air.

As he ascended, he saw a girl watching him. She stood in a patch of moonlight, next to one of the last colossal trees on the edge of the forest, and seemed to be as still as the forest around her.

"Help," the soldier said, through coughs. The crushing hand was tightening, and he felt pressure on his chest. "You have to help me- get the rest of the squad… So I can warn the others. Th...There are so many. Moving… moving in droves. They are going straight for Wall Rose, straight for Tro-"

The soldier screamed as giant teeth crushed through his ribs.