How much longer?" A dark voice grumbled, pulling at the edge of Rowan's consciousness. She was sore and exhausted, her body tingling. She definitely overdid it this time. There was no question.

"I do not know. I told you, my body is already weakened from healing Marcy and Rylan. This is not an exact science. There are no guidelines to follow." Emery. She had snapped, her voice warped with annoyance. She had never heard her cousin speak like that before.

"Levi…you might want to leave Ms. Em alone for now." A child's voice spoke up. Was that Rylan? How did he know Levi's name?

"Listen kid. I didn't sign up for this shit when I joined the Scouts. Titans are one thing. Mindless beasts that we can kill and study. I hardly know anything about witches and the more I learn about your kind, the more I never want to see another witch again." Levi… did he really mean that? She couldn't particularly blame him for feeling that way, but it still hurt.

"Are you still mad about what Mattie and Marcy told you? You know Ro would never betray you like that." Rowan's head ached, the throbbing distracting her from following the conversation. Their voices continued bouncing back and forth until Emery spoke up.

"Enough! Both of you." She was furious.

"Emery, just take part of my soul to replenish your life energy." Levi.

"You're a fool. Rowan would never stand for that. You promised my cousins that both of you would walk out of here alive and you better keep that promise. We are trusting you with someone dear to us and you better not screw this up."

"The relationship I share with Rowan is the most important thing in my life right now. She is my partner and if I have the ability to help her recover, I will do anything. We have already been in these woods for multiple days. You can't keep healing and maintaining a barrier. Take part of my soul." Levi's voice was soft and gentle. Rowan never heard him speak like that before.

"It will be quite painful and it may leave you permanently weakened." Emery sighed. Was she actually considering it? No. Rowan fought against her exhaustion, struggling to get her body to cooperate with her.

"I don't care. I can adapt." Levi was so confident in himself, but Rowan knew he had no idea what he was volunteering himself for. Rowan's hand spasmed and she clung onto the motion. She flicked her hand back and forth, smacking against the knee of whoever was kneeling on her left.

"Ro?" Rylan's voice was hesitant. He snatched her hand up, squeezing it. She squeezed back and he cheered. "She can hear us! She's moving!"

"Rowan?" Emery and Levi spoke at the same time and Rowan pushed her other hand to move. The tingling was subsiding and she could feel the heavy weight lingering over her body lifting. Fingers entwined with her other hand, squeezing it tightly. She knew it was Levi the moment his fingers touched her own.

"Rowan. Rylan, Emery, and I are here. We are safe at the moment. You have been out for three days. Emery healed Rylan and started healing you. She is also maintaining a barrier to keep us hidden. Are you okay?" Levi's voice was full of concern and she wanted to sit up and throw her arms around the man. She had to settle for squeezing his hand tightly instead. A sigh escaped his lips and she knew what was coming. "You idiot. You overdid it again." Her lips flicked up into a smile and she fought to open her eyes. Though her vision was blurry, she could just make out the treeline above her. She moved her gaze, her eyes settling on Levi. He was caked in mud and dried blood, deep hues of purples and grays under his eyes. "Hey there Rowan." A gentle smile touched his lips and she blinked in response, her vocal chords still not cooperating. Levi's fingertips tucked her hair behind her ear and he sighed in relief. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead. "I'm glad you're okay."

"We all are!" Rylan smiled brightly at her and her eyes slipped to him. His eyes were bright and his smile wide. He seemed to be doing a lot better since the last time she saw him. She returned his smile and he beamed.

"Keep an eye on Rowan. I'm going to go wash this shit off of me." Levi squeezed her hand once more before standing and vanishing from her sight.

"There is a river nearby. He has not left your side since we left the village so I am sure he is antsy to wash all of that gunk off of him. I am glad you are okay Rowan." Emery resided by her legs, her body coated in a thin layer of sweat. She leaned forward and placed her hands on Rowan's throat. Warmth enveloped her throat and she coughed roughly. Emery retracted her hands and smiled. "That should help."

"Thank-you Emery, for everything." Her voice was hoarse, but at least her vocal chords were cooperating.

"I am going to rest for a bit. Rylan, could you maintain the barrier for a little while?" She squeezed Rowan's hand before maneuvering to the side and leaning her back against a tree.

"You got it! Sorry Ro, I gotta focus, but I'm glad you're okay!" Rylan smiled before bouncing over to his own tree. He sat and shut his eyes. Warm light emitted from his body before dissipating into the air. He was stronger than most witches at his age and impressed Rowan greatly. She took that time to shut her eyes and rest. She had no idea how much time had passed, but when she opened her eyes, Levi was by her side again. His hair was soaked, clinging to his forehead. He was dressed in his uniform, cloak wrapped around his shoulders. Rowan lifted her arm, extending her hand. Levi didn't even hesitate, connecting their hands and pulling her to a sitting position. He helped her to her feet and she steadied herself before lifting her arms with a questioning smile. He returned her smile and tugged her into his arms. Her chin rested on his shoulder and her arms wrapped around his center. She squeezed tightly and they remained like that for a few moments.

"Thank-you for saving me…again." She whispered and he chuckled.

"You really have to make better decisions during fights. We will have to work on that." He huffed, before releasing her and grabbing her hand. He led her down to the river, keeping his pace slow to ensure she could keep up with him. "Don't worry. Emery said we will still be within the barrier down here."

"I wasn't worried." She smirked. She had every faith in Levi and knew he wouldn't put them in danger.

"I wanted to talk with you privately, before we make our way back to the Scouts."

"Okay. What about?" She wasn't really nervous before, but her nerves were vibrating now.

"The villagers…many of them told me something while I was helping them escape." His words trailed off as he turned away from her.

"Okay…" There was nothing else she was hiding from him so she had no idea where this conversation was going.

"They said you and Thomas were sent to execute me. That I was stupid for trusting you." He spoke flatly, unwilling to meet her gaze.

"If that were true, I don't think I would have fallen for you like an idiot." She wasn't quite sure if he actually believed them or not. She truly hoped he had more faith in her than that.

"I know they were telling me lies, trying to get me to betray you."

"Betray me how?" Her head tilted, confusion clear on her features.

"They asked about your mother and how many kids she had. They asked why Thomas didn't just kill you when he had the chance. They also wanted information on the Scouts and about Eren." He scowled.

"Levi, I wasn't sent anywhere. Maybe Thomas was. I have no knowledge as to what happened after I left, but I left by my own choice. My own mother was killed because I left. You really think that I would lie about that?" Those damn tears formed in her eyes and she hurried to wipe them away.

"How can you know so little about your own kind?" His gaze finally matched her own and the look on his face nearly broke her. Uncertainty was clear on his features and he maintained a good bit of distance between them.

"My mother shielded me from it. She let the twins and I be the bratty kids who skipped school. The village saw us as failures, but my mother taught us in secret. Thomas refused, though. He went to school and trained to be a guardian so I don't know what he was taught about humanity. I also have no way of knowing what happened in the village after I left. I broke contact with everyone."

"Tch." That's all he had to say in response and Rowan was agitated, a frown on her lips.

"Levi…do you actually think that I'm lying? I told Hange everything I know. I risked my life to save the citizens when the Colossal Titan kicked the gate down. I exposed my secret, endangering myself, to save you and my friends. I faced possible execution with a boy who can turn into a Titan just because one of my supposed comrades betrayed me! And now, I'm here, fighting my own kind and their traditions to save you. I have never explicitly lied to you. Not once, even when I should have." She let the tears flow freely now, soaking her cheeks and chin.

"It's not that I don't trust you, you fool. This was stupid to bring up right now anyway. Let's just get back to the others and plan our route." Though he spoke with urgency, he didn't move. He just stared at the flowing water, eyes following the schools of fish.

"Well, come on then. We can finish this conversation later." She swallowed her sorrows and extended her hand. He hesitated, unsure if he would actually take it or not. "Levi. I opened my heart to you. I would really appreciate it if you could just get over this internal dilemma you have about me. I'm nothing like the other witches. I want to save humanity and I would never betray you."

"Look, this has nothing to do with us. Our situation is dire. We will be traveling on foot from this hiding place to the walls. I doubt our horses have stayed nearby. We need to focus on that." He completely ignored her and she huffed, rolling her eyes.

"I have an idea. I do not know if you will approve of it though." Emery stepped out from behind a cluster of shrubbery and trees. Though Rowan was annoyed that her cousin was eavesdropping, she was grateful that Emery had a plan.

"You are still among the group of witches that I don't trust." Levi growled, hands clenching the handles of his blades.

"That is fine. You do not have to, not yet anyway. Just know that I kept your secret the entire time you were in the village and I worked to keep the villagers from forcing a soul consumption ceremony. Rylan and I can work together to provide a barrier for you both, so you can return home safely." Emery smiled gently. Though tired, she stood tall with her shoulders squared.

"And what do you get out of it?" Levi narrowed his gaze at her and Rowan was appalled.

"Levi!"

"Everything comes with a price in this world, Rowan." He snapped, not even looking at her.

"I want to stay and join the Scouts." Emery spoke with such certainty that Rowan almost believed her.

"Emery, what are you talking about? You don't even care about the humans." Rowan jumped in before Levi could, but that didn't stop him from throwing in his own opinion.

"No. We will be fine on our own. I'm not taking responsibility for a witch. I don't trust you and I'm not exposing my comrades to you." He had made the decision without even talking to Rowan about it and though that frustrated her, he wasn't completely wrong.

"You missed all the training anyway. You can't just join the Scouts." Rowan added, hoping to ease the blow.

"You misunderstand me. I do not want to be a soldier. I want to work in the infirmary. Rowan can vouch for how valuable my healing is. Plus, I could tell this Hange person a lot about our kind and about the Titans. Unlike Rowan, I attended school everyday and was force-fed lies. It is only because of Rowan that I started to think for myself and do my own research." Crud, she made a good point. Maybe the Scouts would truly benefit from her tagging along.

"Her healing would be incredibly valuable, Levi. Plus, she could help us figure out what Eren is. Maybe she knows more about Annie, Reiner, and Bertolt too." Rowan whispered and Levi frowned.

"Ah, the human trio. I heard they infiltrated the military. They were humans raised in a witch village." She spoke simply, like it was common knowledge.

"What else do you know about them?" Levi bolted forward, the tip of one of his blades mere centimeters from her throat.

"I will not say anything more unless you bring me with you." She wasn't even phased by his aggression. Her eyes met his glare and they stared each other down.

"Tch." Levi swung his blade down, tucking it back into its sheath and glaring at the ground.

"Levi, you don't have to take responsibility for her...I will." Rowan swallowed harshly and Levi chuckled darkly.

"You don't get to claim responsibility. You are already Erwin's responsibility. You don't have the trust of the Scouts yet." His voice was harsh. Well, that was a smack in the face to Rowan. She faltered, her eyes wide.

"You don't have long to decide, Captain. We should get moving before the sun sets. I will be with Rylan. Come find us when you have made your decision." With that, Emery disappeared back into the forest. Rowan blinked, staring at the space she once occupied before turning her focus on Levi.

"The Scouts don't trust me?" She refused to believe that. Erwin took responsibility for her. He had to trust her, at least a little.

"Commander Erwin doesn't. He sees you as a useful resource, but not a trusted one. When I kept an eye on you, I sent him weekly reports about you and your friends."

"You sent the Commander reports about me and my friends? Did you tell him I was a witch? Did you just get close to me so you could spill all my secrets to appease the Commander?" Rowan stepped back, her fists clenched. Was Levi lying to her this entire time? She refused to believe it, but that thought lingered. He couldn't fake the emotions he expressed to her, could he? He was typically stoic with everyone, but her and Hange.

"Don't mistake my attention to be driven by anything other than my own desires." He backed her up against the tree she was standing in front of. The rough bark scratched into her back and she locked her wide eyes on his dark gaze. "I could have simply watched you from afar, but I chose to stay by your side. I gave the Commander positive reports and worked with Hange to devise a plan if you were ever deemed a threat."

"Deemed a threat? Haven't I proven enough? Haven't I fought enough for humanity to show I'm on your side?" She thought she became a trusted member of the Scouts, but she was mistaken.

"As did Annie, Reiner, and Bertolt, yet they seem to be our enemies. With this revelation, it's difficult to look at your situation in a different light."

"I can't turn into a Titan! I've never fed one of my friends to a Titan! I've only used my powers to save those I care about. I'd like to think that my track record speaks for itself. Not even considering the fact that you have become the most important person in my life. You. I care about your safety and well-being more than my own. I want this war to be over with, so you can smile more and open a freakin' tea shop or something and just live a long life. And I meant what I said. I've never lied to you. I've only kept a few secrets and you know all of them now. I'm not hiding anything from you anymore!" She stepped towards him, closing the distance between them. Levi shoved her back, pinning her arms to the tree. His gaze was dark and fixated on her wide-eyed stare. His gaze also held a thoughtfulness that Rowan clung onto. He was thinking over what she said.

"That's one hell of a pipe dream. You're foolish and naive." That wasn't what she was expecting.

"Gee…than-" He silenced her by pressing his lips against her own. His lips were thin, yet plush, melding against her's. There was fire behind his kiss as he leaned into her, pinning her to the trunk of the tree and capturing her lips with his own. He captured every single one of her breaths as her heart tried to slam out of her chest. Before Rowan could tangle her fingers in his hair, he pulled his face away. His eyes were wild now, lips swollen. Rowan's heart was thundering in her chest, her ears ringing as she looked at the man who had stolen her heart.

"I wasn't finished." He huffed, eyes darting to look at her lips before staring into her eyes.

"Go ahead then." She spoke, the words coming out in a single breath. She was in a daze, her body warm and tingling from the contact.

"You're foolish and naive, reckless and stubborn. You don't have any sort of filter and you never know when to stop talking. But you're also brave and caring. Honest and loyal. You're a fighter and you have incredible skill to back your momentum up with. You shove yourselves into other people's business and try to solve their problems rather than focusing on your own. Since I became Captain, I had never been so disrespected before I met you. It made me realize how much disgust and hate I have for the forced respect I receive. You only did that when others were around, before you truly knew me. Before I could even process what was happening, you became my most trusted ally, my favorite person to be around. I never once questioned your loyalty to me or whatever it is we have between us. I only ever pause to try and fit all the pieces together."

"Levi…" She was truly speechless, maybe for the first time in her life.

"I don't always say or do the right thing. I do what is necessary to stay alive and to keep my comrades alive. Sometimes that means questioning what I know and taking the time to sit and think about it. Do you understand that?" His voice was gentle now, his worried gaze staring her down. She nodded, though it was difficult to comprehend. "You and your survival are the most important thing to me now. And I don't say that lightly." He grabbed her chin, angling her face back so she was staring right at him. She nodded, leaning forward, unable to control her body's actions. His hands shot up and gripped her shoulders, keeping her at a distance. "We have to focus. I need to get you out of here alive. I promise that you do have my trust, I just need time to process everything. It's a lot to take in and I have to look at this from a strategic point of view. I can't just blindly follow my heart, not right now anyway."

"Levi…" She leaned forward and rested her palm against his cheek. "You and your survival are the most important thing to me too. I have thought about that for a while now." Levi's eyes widened and she smiled before gently melding their lips together once again.

"Yuck!" Rylan's voice startled them and she jolted, pulling away from Levi. His hands gripped her arms tightly, unwilling to let her move.

"Stop spying on us, kid." Levi growled as he fixed his glare on wherever Rylan was standing.

"I wasn't! I came to find you and Ro, so we can get going! Move your butts!" He shouted and Levi scowled. He entwined their fingers and pulled her away from the river.

"I'm sorry I lashed out at you. Titans, I can rip apart and kill them without any remorse. Now we have a new enemy. Witches, with innocent children in their villages. I have no idea how to proceed." He grumbled, tugging her up the ledge to where Emery and Rylan resided.

"You don't need all of the answers right now. We will figure this out together. I do think that we should extend our trust to Emery and Rylan. They can help us find the answers." Rowan paused, gripping Levi's hand tightly to hold him in place. He glanced up at her, a frown on his lips.

"So be it." He huffed, before leading her to the other two witches. "Let's go." He huffed, meeting both of their gazes before turning away.

"We can go with you?! Really?" Rylan beamed, jumping up and throwing his arms around Rowan. She held the boy close to her, a soft smile on her face.

"Yes, but Rylan, you have to know that it isn't going to be easy. The humans may not welcome you with open arms. There will be a lot of questions and uncertainty. Regardless, I will be by your side, ready to defend you. Levi will be too." She ruffled his hair, meeting Levi's gaze as he glanced over his shoulder.

"You'll defend me too, Levi?" Rylan's curious gaze fell on Levi as the man sighed.

"I suppose so." He muttered and Rylan sprinted forward, nearly tackling Levi to the ground. He hugged him tightly and Levi's entire body tensed, his arms raising as if he didn't know how to hug Rylan back. When Rylan released him, Levi ruffled his hair before walking by him. Rylan smiled widely, grabbing Rowan's hand as Emery shrunk the barrier to be more manageable for them.

The group had set out on their journey, Rylan and Emery working together to provide a barrier for them. They wandered by hordes of Titans, aimlessly walking in the open fields. They passed by more villages, all abandoned and stomped down to rubble. It took a few days of walking, scavenging for food, and discussing their plan. Levi would request that Emery and Rylan be pardoned for helping two members of the scout regiment return home safely. He would bring them directly to Erwin without letting anyone else catch sight of them. It seemed like a decent enough plan, but Rowan thought that Commander Erwin would need more convincing. He needed to see how Rylan and Emery would give them a strategic advantage. Eventually, they reached the walls, the only thing separating them from safety and their comrades. One at a time, Levi maneuvered them over the wall with his ODM gear. Rylan had squealed in delight the entire way up the wall and as they descended. Emery had clung onto Levi tightly, her eyes snapped shut until her feet were firmly planted on the ground. Rowan just hung onto him, trusting in Levi with every fiber of her being. She was the last to touch the ground on the other side of the wall. Together, the group followed the edge of the wall, heading towards the Scouts headquarters.

"Tell me more about both of your abilities." Levi muttered, scanning their surroundings as they walked. Rowan paused, glancing over her shoulder. She was leading the way and Levi was following from behind to keep an eye on Rylan and Emery.

"Well, I don't really know much about my abilities yet. I can sense emotions like Ms. Em and extend barriers with my life energy, but that's all I know. It could be years before I know what my true abilities are." Rylan chirped, giving Levi a toothy grin. He narrowed his gaze in response.

"He's just a child, Levi. He's telling the truth. Witches grow into their true abilities during their teenage years." Rowan sighed, turning to focus on the path in front of her. Levi grumbled something, but his voice was too low for Rowan to hear.

"Well, my magic is quite similar to Rowans but nowhere near as versatile." Emery spoke up, pulling the attention from Rylan.

"How so?" Levi mumbled.

"Well, we manipulate the energy in the air around us to meld barriers and I manipulate the energy within myself to heal others . Rowan takes it a step further though. She manipulates the energy within her to use as a weapon, a force that cannot be seen or diverted. Nobody else in our village comes close to her capabilities. Her skill amazes me." Rowan felt eyes on her the moment the last word left Emery's lips. She paused, glancing over her shoulder. Rylan was beaming at her, excitement dancing in his eyes. Emery was calm, her gaze focused on her conjoined hands. Levi had a small smile on his lips and his gaze held a deep sense of pride.

"You're amazing too, Emery. Sheesh." Rowan waved them off, turning back in the direction of the headquarters.

"I suppose so. I can extend barriers, manipulate emotions, and heal most, if not all, injuries. The emotional manipulation can always be sensed by Rowan and Rylan, so I cannot use it without someone knowing. If I could, I would have calmed you down so you stopped glaring at our backs, Captain." Emery huffed and Rowan couldn't help but snicker at that.

"Have you decided what you will do if Erwin does not accept you?" Rowan held her tongue, knowing that it was an important question for them. They had discussed the many potential outcomes on their journey, but Emery was unsure of what she would do if she was sent packing,

"I will return home and help rebuild my village. As for Rylan, I think we should hold off on revealing his abilities. If he is just a human child, he will be sent to live with a family within the walls, yes?" Emery spoke softly, her voice calculating.

"No way! I want to fight with Ro and Levi! I am strong and I have abilities that will make me useful against Titans." Rylan protested, sprinting so he was in front of Rowan. He held his arms up, stopping her in her tracks. "Please let me stay with you, Ro. I want you and Levi to be my family." He spoke with such honesty that Rowan couldn't form a response.

"You're better off with a real family, kid. We are soldiers, not your family." Levi quipped and Rylan furiously shook his head.

"I want you to be soldiers and my family. I wouldn't change a thing about either of you." Tears were spilling from his eyes, running down his cheeks and staining his tunic.

"Rylan…" Rowan stepped forward, and pulled the boy towards her. He wrapped his arms around her, his head pressed into her waist. She glanced up to study Levi's expression. He was at a loss, his gaze conflicted as he stared at the two of them. Emery had a small smile on her lips as she watched their interactions.

"So, you're still alive." Rowan glanced up to see a tall, lanky figure walking towards them. The person stopped and flicked their wrist, waving. Ymir. She was in tattered clothing, her body stained with blood. Levi stepped up next to Rowan, his dulled blades raised. "I'm not here to fight. I'm here to explain where everyone went."

"What are you talking about?" Rowan released Rylan and stepped forward, tucking him behind her legs.

"Come on then. You should see it all firsthand." Ymir spun, walking away from them. Levi jogged after her, the rest kicking up their speed to follow. When they all stood next to Ymir, Rowan gasped. The Scouts headquarters was caved in, the place in ruins. The once vibrant gardens were stained with blood and torn to shreds. The walls of the barracks had crumbled, leaving a single tower in place. The stables were destroyed, just an empty field remaining. Even the infirmary was reduced to smoldering ash and stone. Bodies of their fallen comrades were sprawled across the grounds of the stables and within the ruins. Most were in pieces, making it impossible to identify who they were. Rowan stood in front of Rylan, shielding him from the carnage. He poked his head out anyway, taking in the horror. Levi's fists clenched, his gaze dark. "When we returned from the mission, Reiner and Bertolt were here, waiting for us. They destroyed everything and killed anyone who tried to protect our home. Commander Erwin ordered everyone to retreat while Eren and I held them off. I don't know how many lives we lost and who is even still alive. I know where they retreated to though. Eren is still recovering where the stables used to be. Once all the soldiers escaped, we ran and hid ourselves. Reiner and Bertolt retreated after that. I'm not sure what to make of all this bullshit, to be honest. I only fought back for Christa's sake. It's like they had an alternative goal of capturing Eren and Christa, and I wasn't going to let that happen." Ymir muttered, stretching her limbs. "Oh yeah, you have a visitor Rowan. An old friend." She gestured to a man who was sitting on the cracked steps of HQ. He held his head in his hands, curling his body inward with his knees pulled up. "He's in pretty bad shape. It was his first time seeing titans in action." Ymir chuckled darkly, turning to face the group. The man glanced up and caught Rowan's eye.

"Marvin." His name slipped out in a whisper and she wandered away from the group. What was he doing here? Did he finally gather the courage to chase after her? Did their village fall to pieces like Emery and Rylan's home did? She realized she was alone as she approached him. The others were still chatting with Ymir. She could feel Levi's gaze on her though and it comforted her, knowing he was right there.

"Rowan. It's so good to see you. It's been so long. I've missed you like crazy, Ro. I've been so worried." Marvin pushed himself to his feet, stepping down the stairs to stand in front of Rowan. He towered over her and she took a step back to see his face more clearly. He seemed to have aged more than the few years they've been apart. She had no idea what he had been through all this time.

"Marvin. It's good to see you too. Are you okay? What are you doing here?" Rowan looked over him, checking for any wounds or blood on his clothing. He seemed untouched aside from debris in his hair and on his shoulders.

"I came here to warn you about the human trio. We had received a letter from Ymir, telling us that the human trio were hunting you down and that another human with a Titan ability was found. I came here as soon as I could to warn you about the fourth human. You can't trust him."

"Eren? Why can't I trust him? He's my friend, more so than Ymir." She retorted, her eyes wide.

"The human trio was trained in witch villages to kill the human military and wipe out humanity. Ymir was raised in our village and she saw through to the true horrors the Elders were saying. She came here to help and report back to us. This other human…Eren. His Titan form is one of legend and he was raised within the walls as a human. He's dangerous and doesn't know how to control his power."

"You keep saying Ymir was reporting back to the village, but the Elders killed my mother for supporting me. They wouldn't care what Ymir had to say. And unless you give me a damn good reason why I shouldn't trust Eren, I'm not turning my back on him." She growled, turning away from Marvin. He didn't have the right to show up out of nowhere and tell her who she should and shouldn't trust.

"Listen, Ro." He stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I can't tell you about Eren other than that you shouldn't trust him. At least be cautious around him, okay?" She rolled her eyes at his response and he sighed. "I'm part of a group of witches who are trying to help humanity. We see the horror in our barbaric ways and want to change. We don't want to wipe out the humans, we want to coexist with them. After you fled to the walls to join the human military, a movement was sparked within the villages. Word spread and I was able to connect with others to form an organization to start helping the humans. That's why I am here."

"An organization to help humanity?" She couldn't believe it was possible.

"Yes. I have so much to tell you, Ro. But…first." He paused, running his hand through his hair. "Can I just hug you for a moment?" He raised his arms and Rowan hesitated, taking a step back from him. He was her ex-boyfriend, someone she never expected to see again. It felt wrong to hug him, now that she was with Levi. Of course, he was still a dear friend and she cared about him, but they never hugged before they started dating and it felt odd now. Before Rowan could formulate a response, her hand was grasped tightly and she was tugged back. Levi stood in front of her, his eyes fixed in a glare. Marvin gulped, eyes wide as he raised his arms, palms facing outward. "You must be Captain Levi. It's an honor to meet you, sir. Thank-you for keeping Rowan safe over the past few years." He smiled sheepishly, extending his hand to shake Levi's.

"I don't want your thanks. I have stood by Rowan because she is mine and I am hers. We fight together and protect one another." He snapped and Rowan took a shaky breath.

"Oh. You're together? I didn't know…" Marvin's eyes formed perfectly round orbs as he glanced between Levi and Rowan. His shoulders slumped as his gaze flicked to the ground.

"Yes. Rowan is my girlfriend and I would appreciate you keeping your hands off of her." Levi grumbled and Marvin nodded.

"I'm sorry for overstepping. It won't happen again. I'm sure you know all about our history, so I understand."

"Tch. I don't give a damn about your history. You have no business here." Levi retorted, his body relaxing as Marvin stepped back.

"Then…" Marvin's head tilted and Levi scowled.

"I don't trust you or your intentions. I'd much rather you crawl back to the village you came from so we can move on and find our comrades." Rowan placed her hand on Levi's shoulder and he leaned into it.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. I've come here to help humanity, so I'm staying to work with Hange, Eren, and Ymir on a new strategy."

"You know Hange?" Rowan stepped to the side, no longer shielded by Levi.

"Yes. They're in the basement. It's the only thing that stayed intact." He gestured for them to follow. As he turned, a silver locket wrapped around his wrist caught Rowan's attention. She stretched her hand out in front of her, throwing her energy outward. Marvin slammed into the wall of the tower, gasping as he hit the stone. Levi glanced between them, unsure of the trigger.

"Why do you have Jean's locket? What did you do to him?" She growled, shoving her energy out harder, the impact of his body causing the stone to crack. He couldn't respond, his lungs pressed tightly against his compressed rib cage. "Levi. His right wrist. It's Jean's locket." Levi didn't hesitate, yanking the chain off of his wrist and returning to her side. Her arm relaxed, her energy returning to her as Marvin's body crumpled to the ground. He was breathing heavily, gasping for air.

"Where'd you get this? Did you slaughter our comrades to find it?" Levi used his foot to hold Marvin's head up, pressing his skull back into the stone.

"No. No, I didn't." He huffed between gasps and Levi lifted his leg to kick.

"Levi." Rowan unlatched the locket, hanging the empty pendant in front of her. "Marco's gone." She faltered, her vision blurring as tears settled in her eyes. Levi dropped his leg to the ground, cursing softly.

"Is…Mar-Marco the spirit?" Marvin coughed roughly, blood spattering on the stone, staining the grays with deep red. Rowan launched herself forward, cupping his throat with her hand as she slammed him against the stone.

"Where is he?" She snapped, tears running down her cheeks. How could Marvin do this? Was he in on the plot to harm her friends?

"With Hange." He choked out, tugging at her hand weakly.

"With Hange?" Her hand relaxed, letting his body drop to the ground. She ran into the ruins, searching for a stairwell. She climbed over the bodies of her fallen comrades, whispering apologies as she disturbed their resting place. In the remaining tower structure, a stairwell stretched down into a tunnel. She hurried down it, throwing the door open. Her breath hitched, her eyes wide. Hange's bloodied body was tied to a chair, their head slumped over. Marco was struggling against some sort of force, unable to move or return to the afterlife. He was screaming at her, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. She turned just as a wooden board smacked into her face. Her mouth filled with blood as her body fell. She couldn't even scream for Levi before her body hit the ground, her vision faded to black.