CHAPTER 20:

Historia Riess

"Excuse me—" a voice cut through the black.

Historia cracked open her eyes to see the same dim light reflecting off rotting wood as before. Not exactly what she thought the afterlife would look like

Wait.

Burns never fired…

"Oh god…this is awkward." The voice continued from over in the entryway. "Nice gun. I don't fancy that you're pointing it at my friend, but you don't seem like the most savory fellow anyways."

I know that voice!

Sure enough, Patrik grinned like a drunk caught in the middle of a street fight as he waltzed into the room.

Burns gaped at him.

"Though, I can't help but notice—" Patrik continued. "—that along with my missing friends, you seem to have found my missing children as well. Maybe you're more of a man than I thought."

Naomi and Amos saw him then and began to cry out for help.

Burns cocked his head as though Patrik were a giant talking chicken instead of a man on a rescue mission. Historia hid a grin.

Just wait!

"Who—" Burns opened and closed his mouth several times as if trying and failing to form a coherent thought. His arm quivered in place, shaking the barrel of the gun still aimed at her heart.

"Who the hell are you?" He sounded more surprised than angry. He turned to the guards. "Who is he?"

They shrugged, looking equally surprised.

Patrik pointed a finger at himself. "I'm Patrik, and you kidnapped my kids. I can't blame you for that, they're a good looking lot." He winked at the kids. "But you've messed up my plans which has royally pissed me off."

Burns gaped at him again. His eyes flitted to Nile who held his gaze without wavering.

Then, as he shook, he dared a glance at Historia. And she held nothing but burning fire in her eyes.

"You won't win this." Her voice was calm. Even.

Something changed in Burns. For the first time since she knew he was behind everything, since she and Levi had run for their lives, since this whole mission had begun, Historia saw a flicker of fear in the Military Police captain's eyes.

She smiled.

And then all hell broke loose.

CRASH!

The windows above them exploded in a cloud of dust and crystal. Glass flew around Historia like daggers. She cowered, shielding Amos. The guards screamed. Burns howled at them, backing away. His footsteps were unsteady, scared.

Historia sensed more than saw the shadow flicker overhead, then, a soft thud and the scrape of a blade kissed the air.

Levi!

He landed in front of the small group in a crouch, one leg out and ODM gear gleaming. With his body tensed for action, and a blade to the side, no one noticed the lingering tremble in his leg. No one except Historia.

But it didn't matter.

Levi had come to kill Burns.

She grinned.

Burns gasped at Levi, his expression a frozen mix of anger and fear. He grasped at the arm of an equally stunned guard.

"SHOOT THEM!" He screamed. "SHOOT THEM NOW!"

In a blink, Levi dove a hand into a small pack and drew out a dull black sphere. He threw it at the ground and dove at the men.

Gray smoke erupted from the sphere while gunshots rang out in erratic patterns.

Historia ducked again, pushing the two crying children down.

"It's okay!" She insisted. "We're going to be okay!"

"Historia?" Nile called among the chaos.

The gray cloud plumed in the air, expanding through the room. It pushed against every board like it was trying to escape. Men screamed everywhere.

"I'm here!" She called.

"Naomi? Amos? Historia?" That voice was Patrik.

"Here!" She called out again.

This was madness. She yelped as a gunshot whizzed past her side. Why was this their plan?

Oh right. Because they were desperate.

"Nile!" She demanded towards the sound of his voice, pulling the sobbing children close. "We need to get them out of here!"

He appeared, finally, as a disembodied hand waving through the smoke. His face followed a moment later, coughing.

"Where are they?" He asked, eyes squinting.

Historia pushed the still crying children into Nile. Naomi stumbled.

"Where's Patrik?" Her tiny voice pleaded. "I want to go home."

Historia frowned, smoke itching her throat.

"He's here. He just—"

"Naomi? Amos?" Patrik appeared out of the smoke, eyes scanning around frantically. "Where—god, there you are!"

The three embraced in the smoke, gunfire and screams echoing around them. Patrik's fist clenched tight around them, nearly pushing the air right out of them. Not exactly the time for a reunion, but Historia couldn't stop it.

"Right." Nile said. "Can we go now? We don't have the luxury of waiting around anymore."

Despite how rapidly it filled the room, the smoke was thin in some pockets as the air flowed around them. Too much longer and it would escape completely.

But the screams suddenly. So did the gunshots. Levi must have done his job well. Terrifyingly well.

Historia stood and pushed into the smoke, waving it out of her way.

"Levi?"

She heard someone ahead of her. A man. He was breathing heavily. Probably tired. Probably Levi. She moved closer.

A few steps.

Closer to the breathing and–

The breaths stopped.

*CLICK*

A blur of black hair, dirty clothes, and metal barreled into her as—

*BOOM*

A gunshot fired past, streaking the air she had just been standing in.

She and the force hit the ground. Hard. She gasped coughing.

"Levi?" She groaned. "What the hell–"

"Burns is getting away!" Levi spat, identified himself with his dark tone as he cursed above her.

Indeed, amid the jolt of pain from hitting the floor, Historia heard a pair of heavy footsteps breaking into a run. Levi tore after them, engaging his ODM gear as he went.

In a moment, both were gone.

Historia sat up, shaking off a daze.

The smoke was all but gone now leaving the room in shock aftermath of Captain Levi's destructive power. Men lay scattered like toys across the floor. Some bled out in silence while others moaned. Their weapons, so deadly and threatening before, sat a few meters from each of them. Useless objects on the ground.

None were Damion Burns.

"Where did they go?" Nile's voice sounded from behind. He walked up beside her and helped her up.

Historia scanned the room with bated breath. Her eyes caught on one of the guns and froze.

A terrible idea coursed through her.

"Nile, make sure Patrik and the kids get out safely." She said, not taking her eyes off the gun. She took off towards it, not waiting for Nile to form a retort.

She scooped up the pistol, barely pausing to grab it, before darting out the hall and towards the courtyard outside.

"Historia! Wait—" Nile's voice cut off as she rounded a corner, pistol in hand.

What are you doing? The rational side of her brain screamed at her. You'll get yourself killed!

But she didn't care.

For once, this isn't about me.

It was about stopping Burns. It was about the children behind her. It was about Nile and his family, or Levi and the scouts. It was about her kingdom.

And nothing was going to stand in her way this time.

Levi Ackerman

Burns soared ahead of Levi, grappling onto the low hanging stalagmites from the cavern ceiling. His movements were the opposite of Levi's own, frantic, desperate. Levi watched him like a hawk, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Of course, he didn't have long-range weapons of any sort. Aside from flinging a sword blade at Burns, which had a low chance of hitting him, there was only one option that would realistically stop the man.

Burns shot a hook at another rock pillar, but this one didn't stick. He faltered in the air for a split second before shooting another hook and connecting to the roof of the stairs entryway.

Levi sucked in a breath, ignoring the aches spreading around his body like a spiderweb.

Now was his chance.

Unfortunately, it also meant it was time to sacrifice his gear.

So be it.

With a grunt of exertion, Levi twisted his body in a mighty launch of his hooks. They shot outward with more speed than a diving bird, tearing the air like daggers.

True to his aim, the hooks latched onto Burns' own ODM cables. The man tried to shake them off, but Levi yanked on his gear for all he was worth. This had to work!

For a moment, they continued soaring over the yard.

Then, with a lurch, Levi retracted his cord, pulling him into a direct crash course with Burns as they both began to fall downwards.

He slammed into the man with the force of a boulder, digging his elbow into the man's back. They plummeted.

Levi's knuckles turned white from his grip on the man's collar, keeping him pinned under him.

*CRASH*

Dust clouded in his vision as pieces of ODM gear crushed and went flying. His blades were ripped from his hands. He choked, all sensation lost in the impact. His sight was a blur of brown and gray, nothing registering past his eyes.

Throbbing pain ebbed from his leg and chest. PAIN. PAIN. Oh god, it hurt!

He rolled to his stomach and vomited, pinching his eyes closed against the horror.

Not his best landing by far, but a spectacular one nonetheless.

Too bad Nile and Historia hadn't been here to see it.

*SLAM*

A force crashed into Levi's side, sending him sprawling across the dirt and rocks, pieces of it digging into his ribs like spikes. He had probably broken a few, not that he could do anything about it.

He groaned, trying frantically to clear his sight. Black weaved through his vision like the back of a tapestry, flashes of color and confusion surrounded by a sea of dark.

A distinct click sounded to his right. The reloading of a gun.

He tried to stay as still as possible before abruptly flinging himself away from the sound right as—

*BANG*

A gunshot ripped through the air, deafening to his tired self.

His vision cleared enough now to see the shape of a person, tall and imposing, looming near him, gun pointed directly at him.

Burns.

The rogue captain growled as he took aim at Levi again. The cock of the trigger was all it took for adrenaline to spike in Levi and to push himself up.

Without thinking, he sprang at Burns, knocking the man to the ground as another bullet roared through the air past his ear. The two went crashing down, a tangle of limbs, and for the second time in less than ten minutes, Levi desperately clawed at the man to keep him under him. If he lost the upper hand and Burns made it up the stairs it would be over. All of the effort it had taken to put Historia on the throne would be for nothing. All the lives lost in the process, Hanji's squad, Mike and his squad, Levi's own squad and countless others before them, would have been lost for nothing. Humanity would never move forward.

So Levi fought harder. For them.

But Burns wasn't taking defeat easily.

He screamed at Levi, pushing and grabbing at him. Actual spit flew from his mouth, some hitting Levi in the face. Disgusting.

Burns pried one of his hands free, moving quickly. Levi shifted, trying to keep the man pinned. He dodged a swiping punch, and another, moving fast. But he was losing his grip on the man. And Burns could feel it too.

With a mighty roar, Burns swept his legs out from under them, pushing upwards. Levi pushed back, gritting his teeth. If only he had his full strength! Burns would never win an even match against him.

But right now?

Levi didn't know and that scared him.

But you're an Ackerman. A voice soothed. Being strong isn't your only strength.

In this fight for the upper hand, Levi was a boulder, but Burns was a river, constantly pushing until Levi gave in.

Which he was starting to do.

His arms were straining, trying to keep the larger man down on the ground, but he could feel his strength running out. He couldn't keep this up for much longer.

Trust them. Your friends can help.

Burns used his free hand to grab at Levi's injured leg, gaining another purchase hold on him.

No wait, Levi realized too late. It was so—

Burns dug a clawed finger into Levi's bullet wound. Pain split his vision with fiery red. He screamed in agony as he went limp, crumpling off of the man like a rag doll.

"Give up Levi!" Burns spat. "You belong here, you'll die here. Ackermans were never meant to live above the ground!"

No!

"...you're—wrong." He grit out.

Every vein in his body flowed with fire instead of blood. Was it possible, he thought, to feel every inch of your body melting into pain like this?

Even as the words flashed through his mind his sense of his surroundings began to fade. He was losing consciousness.

"Ackermans have always been trusted—" He spat, trying to hold on, to keep fighting.

But all he saw was black.

Historia Riess

The sight in the courtyard was not surprising, but it still horrified her.

"No!" She screamed, faltering in her run.

Under the close stalagmites of the cavern, Burns glanced up, too far away for her to make out the expression on his face as he stalked towards an unconscious figure.

Levi!

Tragically close to the entrance of the stairs that would take him back above ground, Levi lay among shattered pieces of ODM gear. She could only imagine what had taken place in the few moments between them leaving the room in the outpost and getting here. The few moments she had teared through the building like a wildfire.

Her heart thudded in her chest. Levi couldn't die today. No one could. Not today.

Her feet found their purchase as she broke back into a desperate run towards the two men.

Levi Ackerman

Levi couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.

He groaned, trying to open his eyes. It was like pushing aside concrete barriers.

He heard footsteps. Burns!

But they were...walking?

Towards him, he noted as the sounds grew louder.

He finally cracked his eyes open, screaming protests from his aching body.

And as soon as he saw what was above him he wished he hadn't come to at all.

Burns loomed over him once again, gun directed at his skull between his eyes.

The gun clicked, a whisper that thundered in his ears against the hurricane of sound echoing around them.

The next moment seemed to stretch on forever. Frozen. Slow.

He couldn't see anything except for the gleaming black barrel of the gun.

He prayed to whatever cruel force running the universe for mercy on Historia, Nile, and the children they had rescued. They didn't deserve to die here. He had done his best to protect them.

To protect all of them.

His eyes slipped shut.

Their faces. Every single one. Each flashed in his mind, his mother, Kenny, faces from his childhood underground, Furlan, Isobel, Mike, and countless other scouting comrades.

...being strong isn't a bad thing. Being the only one left means you carry a piece of them with you. They become a part of you…

Now, he thought, he could return to them.

He'd made his peace.

Levi Ackerman would die a happy man.

BANG!

Historia Riess

Historia watched Burns' gun fly out of his hand, careening towards the cavern ceiling like a saucer.

I hit it!

A breathless gasp escaped her throat as her heart started to beat again.

Burns howled with rage, watching his gun hit the ground and slide out of reach. He snarled and pounced on an unsuspecting Levi, bringing his hands to a chokehold around the captain's neck.

"I WILL END YOU!" The enraged man screamed.

Historia scrambled to aim the pistol again, no longer worried about setting off a gun by missing the shot.

BANG

BANG

Two rounds unloaded themselves into Burns' shoulder, dropping the man like a sack of bricks.

He fell to the floor screaming and clutching his wounds next to Levi who gasped, trying to catch his breath, eyes bugged out.

She dashed over to them, keeping her pistol up.

Burns' eyes flashed to her, a furnace of hate. He pushed himself up, screaming in pain. Torturing himself. She saw the desperation in his movements. He had no options left.

"GET BACK!" He bellowed, raising his fist menacingly over Levi.

She immediately raised the pistol, pointing it back to Burns. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." She muttered.

Another click sounded to her right. A glance to the side showed Nile, blood trailing from an unseen cut on his face, pointing another weapon at Burns. "It's over, old friend. Give up."

Burns eyes shot between the two of them, like a pair of birds, trying to escape a cage. His fist lowered, slowly. It was like watching ice melt as the fury slid from his eyes and he realized it was over.

No guards flooded out the outpost. The doors to the stairs remained firmly locked. Zain Randor's body lay somewhere, decaying.

There would be no reinforcements for Damion Burns. He had reached his end, and he knew it.

The pistol grew weighty in Historia's tight grasp as she watched the rogue captain fall back onto his butt. He let out a shaking laugh, in disbelief she guessed. His laughs continued, less steady than a hundred year old rope bridge. His whole body shook until he caught himself from falling forward on one hand, his other shoulder bleeding from the bullets.

*drip*

The soft plink of the tear was almost unnoticed by her as she lowered her gun, Nile doing the same beside her. But fall it did, and then a stream of tears followed from Burns' face.

He was crying.

His soft sobs tore at her heart. Even now, after knowing everything he'd done, against her, against her friends, even against humanity, she felt…bad for him.

All that was left for the pathetic man before her was a life in prison, a disappointment and a failure to his family.

Nile approached Burns, looking his pistol over as he glanced between the two. "I ought to just end it now. Save more people from this endless war of hate." He spat out bitterly.

"No." She commanded.

He looked at her funny, as if she had just turned purple and grown horns out of her head. "And why the hell should I not shoot this two timing bastard who tried to kill us a dozen times in the last week?"

She swallowed.

"Because." She started out, glancing back at Burns' cowering form again. "He will be brought to the surface where he will face the consequences of his crimes. He will be an example to others who still oppose us."

Nile looked so confused it was comical. "You're...sure...about this, your highness?"

"Absolutely." She nodded. She had never been more sure about anything in her life.

He sighed. "As you wish."

Pulling out a length of rope, Nile stepped over Levi and grabbed Burns' arms. A moment later, he securely tightened them against the man's back.

Historia let out a sigh of her own. Finally, they were safe. Finally they could leave this hell hole. Finally they–

"...could I get…a little…help…here" A weak whisper sounded from the ground. "–cough–cough–please..? "

Oops.

"Sorry!" She yelped, rushing over to Levi. She tucked her gun into her belt, crouching by her downed friend. "Are you still alive?"

She gave him a quick once over, counting the glare he shot at her as a good sign.

"Does it look like I'm fucking dead?" He gasped.

"Always the optimist." Nile said, crouching by her. "You look fine to me. A little less on the appealing side, but you never looked that great to begin with."

Levi closed his eyes, letting out a careful breath. "You two are hilarious. Remind me to request a permanent leave from–cough–working with either of you when we get back."

Historia smiled. She actually smiled.

He was fine.

They were fine.

"Are there medical supplies back in the outpost?" She looked back to Nile. "I think he's going to need something before we go back up to the surface."

Just as Nile opened his mouth to answer—

*THUD*

Historia whirled her head towards the doors to the stairs where the loud noise had emanated from.

*THUD* *THUD*

"What's this?" Nile seethed, loading his gun. He kicked Burns over, revealing the man's puffy red cheeks. He was a wreck, an absolute shell of the man that had threatened them not minutes before.

"Is this another one of your traps?" Nile barked at him, shooting Historia a look that read get behind me.

Alarmed, Historia grabbed Levi by the arms and pulled him to his feet. He staggered a little but caught himself as she supported him.

*THUD* *THUD* *THUD* *THUD*

Before they could do anything else, the doors to the stairs burst open and soldiers began spilling into the outpost courtyard.