Two riders crossed the distance between the forest and the cluster of buildings outside Wall Maria. The overgrown meadow left grass swaying in the wake of the horses as they thundered forward. Their goal was the gigantic, hairy Titan with its elbow propped atop a nearly roof, leaning a head in its hand. Its beady eyes tracked the riders as they came to a stop a few meters away.
"You can come closer than that," the Beast Titan said. It beckoned with a hand made up of boney fingers and pointed nails. "I promise I won't bite."
"Look, this one has jokes," Levi said, unamused. "It's going to have a hard time trying to make us laugh after I rip out its throat."
The Beast Titan frowned. "Really, how rude," it said. "I'm trying to have a courteous conversation."
"You must excuse Levi," Hange said with a smirk. "You made a poor impression on someone who means a lot to him. I'm afraid the novelty of speaking to you can only go so far before I can no longer contain his urge to tear you to shreds."
"You people really are animals," the Beast Titan said. It sighed. "This is probably pointless, but I'd like to extend an offer that will allow you to avoid the slaughter of all your soldiers. I'll even take care of the Titans in that town behind me for good measure. All you have to do is surrender the Founding Titan. Once I have him, I'll leave."
A beat of silence passed before Levi spoke.
"Hange, it thinks we're idiots."
"Cleary," Hange said. She cupped a hand around her mouth as she addressed the Titan. "No deal! We know you'll just kill us all the second you have him! Was that really your master plan?!"
The Beast Titan scratched the side of its head with another sigh. "I figured as much. It's no skin off my nose since I'll get him either way. Well then–"
"Oh? Is that all?" Hange said. She lifted her hand in a grand gesture. "How about we make an offer of our own? We'll let you leave here with your life in exchange for you telling the people of Marley to never set foot on this island again. We'll even show the courtesy of keeping to ourselves if we remain unprovoked. Now, what do you say to that, big guy?"
The Beast Titan's jaw hung slack. It grimaced as it tilted its head to study Hange's expression. "How is it you know of Marley?" it asked. "Who did you hear this information from?"
"All great questions that have great answers," Hange said. Her grin widened. "Too bad you won't be hearing a single one. Marley has to put in the effort of showing us some goodwill before I can consider opening up our lines of communication. Leave us alone for about a hundred years or so, and maybe by then we'll be in a more charitable mood."
The Beast Titan appeared lost in thought. It was clear whatever strategy it had of an attempt to garner information was quickly being recalculated.
Levi continued to watch the Titan with a bored expression. "Looks like it forgot how to speak," he said. "I wasn't keen on the idea of a talking Titan, anyway. Let's get around to killing it."
"Patience, Levi," Hange said, amused. "There's no need to rush. I've been waiting for a chance to have a little chat with our new friend here ever since Celine mentioned their meeting atop the wall. That day left me green with envy; I wonder if what I'm feeling right now is the same as what Celine experienced? There's a tingling sensation running down my spine, and my heart is aflutter like it might burst! I feel like a giddy school child!"
The side glance Levi offered Hange indicated he didn't reflect her enthusiasm. "This thing almost killed her multiple times – I doubt she shared your disturbing infatuation."
"The blonde woman?"
The frown on the Beast Titan's face deepened. "Her name was Celine, you said? That woman got very lucky that day; I wondered if she survived her injuries. Is she here with you?"
Levi's tranquil demeanor shifted into something ominous. "She isn't. And I was always planning on slicing you to shreds, but now I'll make sure to cut out your tongue for speaking her name."
The Beast Titan chuckled. "Big words from such a small man. I was simply hoping she'd be available to offer an apology for the harm she inflicted during our meeting. I'll just have to wait until after we deal with you and head toward the inner walls. I can assure you; I'll offer her the same level of conduct as she demonstrated to me … plus some."
The swords at Levi's hips drew from their sheaths in a fluid motion as he stood in his saddle. Hange's shout went ignored entirely as ODM gear activated with a hiss and sent Levi hurtling toward the Titan.
"I guess it's about that time," the Beast Titan said. It lifted an arm to block Levi's approach, the fur along its forearm hardening in a sheet of crystal to hinder the blow. "No need to hold back anymore – let's begin."
The ground shook, Eren pulling at the reins on his horse as it struggled to keep its balance. Giant figures fell forward as the Titans blocking the hole in Wall Maria to keep the others at bay abandoned their task. They were on top of Hange and Levi in an instant.
A red flare appeared in the sky from Hange's location. A sea of green capes emerged from the trees to Eren's left and right as the Scouts urged their horses across the field. A sudden volley of gunfire drowned out the shouts from the Section Commanders.
A Titan running on all fours broke through the trees at their backs. It carried a platform on its back where a number of soldiers in white uniforms took aim and fired at the Scouts along the right flank.
"Keep your head down – ride forward!" Moblit shouted. He looked over his shoulder to the riders at his back. Eren, Ymir, and the remainder of Squad Levi were still in formation, although everyone save for Eren had their attention fixed on the slaughter happening behind them.
"We have to help them!" Eren said, locking eyes with Moblit. "We didn't plan for anything like this!"
"The objective stays the same!" Moblit shouted. He turned to look forward. "Sealing the hole is top priority! Eren, Ymir – wait for my signal. Once you transform, the rest of us will be offering support. Stay focused and be ready!"
Titans continued to cross the threshold from Shiganshina, shoving and tumbling over one another in their scramble to traverse the field toward the commotion of scattering Scout soldiers. The Beast Titan had fallen out of sight somewhere behind the writhing mob. Flashes of light accompanied blades spinning through the air.
Captain Levi! Eren thought. Titans were crumbling to the ground left and right as Levi launched through the air. As quick as he was, the sheer level of Titans meant more than half were still able to evade his attacks.
Section Commander Moblit was right, Eren thought, eyes narrowing. I need to stop the Titans from coming through no matter what!
"Eren! Ymir!" Moblit shouted. The Titans were almost upon the group, a wave of massive hands reaching "Get set! Everyone else – prepare for evasive action!"
Mikasa's horse came alongside Eren's. He handed his reins off to her, Ymir doing the same when Jean appeared at her side.
Moblit drew his swords and activated his ODM gear, the hooks sinking into the shoulder of a nearby Titan. "Now!"
Eren leapt backward from the saddle. Ymir fell at his side, the pair watching the other riders as they continued onward. Armin, Jean, and Mikasa all had straw dolls about the size of a child strapped to the saddles at their backs. Cords fell away as swords were drawn; the dolls dressed in long green cloaks sent hurtling toward the Titans. A clamor erupted as the Titans' attention switched to the three human-like objects flying in their direction. The soldiers activating their ODM gear and zipping around the Titans' backs went mostly unnoticed.
You guys really are capable of looking out for yourselves, huh? Eren thought. He brought his hand to his mouth, teeth sinking into flesh. The taste of iron hit his tongue as he was engulfed in a flash of light.
I'm not a savior. No one's destiny lies on my shoulders other than my own. They'll all keep fighting with or without me. We're one heart – beating for the desire to be free. There's no point in reaching the edge of this place to see what Annie called the 'ocean' if I'm the only one to witness it.
A muscled arm emerged from a cloud of steam. It slammed into the face of a Titan which had been busy inspecting the straw doll in its grasp. The Titan's head twisted around on its neck with a snap before a smaller Titan in gleaming bronze armor sunk its nails into its shoulder and took a generous bite from its nape. The Jaw Titan spat out the chunk of flesh before leaping to its neighbor and clawing out its eyes.
Go!
The Attack Titan swiped the legs of a blond Titan out from under it. A foot slammed down on the Titan's neck the second it hit the ground, the flesh erupting in a spray of blood as the stone beneath it cracked.
Go!
Mikasa flew through the Titans with the elegance of a dancer. Jean and Armin worked together to interchange between attacking and causing a distraction. Giant figures fell away to clear a path toward the wall.
GO!
The Attack Titan reached out with a bellow. It clasped its hands along either side of a portly Titan's face. The portly Titan's attempt to claw away at its attacker's arms were unsuccessful as crystal spikes jutted from the Attack Titan's palms. What was left of the portly Titan's skull made a gurgling sound as it collapsed.
Moblit, Jean, and Mikasa flew through the hole into Shiganshina. Armin hung from the side of the wall, cupping his hands around his mouth. "We'll hold off the ones back here! You can do this, Eren!"
Dust from the road scattered as the Attack Titan turned its back to Shiganshina. It spread its arms and legs, palms resting on either side of the hole. Its eyes locked on the Jaw Titan as it defended him from the Titans closing in.
You all did your part to get us this far, Eren thought. He grit his teeth. I'd rather die than let you down!
A roar vibrated through the surroundings as the Attack Titan cried out. Crystal began to spread from its hands, snaking its way up until meeting at the top of the fissure. A quarter of the hole had nearly been filled when a volley of rocks sped through a gap in the group of Titans. The rocks hit the Attack Titan's torso and left leg, nearly blowing the appendage off.
Shit! Eren thought. It's that hairy guy! I'd hoped Captain Levi had taken him down.
The Beast Titan sat atop one of the larger structures. It palmed a hefty boulder, crushing the material into smaller pieces as it pulled back its hand. Not much more than a blur could be made out as the Beast Titan released its second torrent of stone.
I can't stop! Eren thought, willing himself to continue the crystallization process. Whatever happens to me doesn't matter – concentrate on closing the wall!
Gleaming metal suddenly filled the Attack Titan's vision. It locked eyes with the companion now acting as a shield as the Jaw Titan dug its pointed nails into its scalp and along its shoulders to hold itself steady. The Jaw Titan let out a grunt against the sound of stones crashing against its back.
Ymir … Eren thought. He watched as the Jaw Titan formed a hand into a fist to give him a light thump on the chest. The Attack TItan returned the gesture with a nod.
Thank you, Ymir. Don't worry; I got this.
The Jaw Titan leapt from the shoulders of its companion. It turned on its heel, plowing through the wave of Titans to reach the dilapidated rooftops. It sprung between the buildings and rushed forward with dizzying speed.
The Beast Titan took a swing the second the Jaw Titan was in range, the smaller Titan dodging the blow and leaving strips of exposed flesh from where it slashed across the Beast Titan's chest. The next blow met hardened fur as the Beast Titan took defensive measures. The unexpected resistance left the Jaw Titan open for having a hand wrap around the back of its neck as the Beast Titan lifted it into the air like a rambunctious kitten.
You're not nearly as skilled as Marcel once was, Zeke thought. He grasped the Jaw Titan's left arm and began to pull.
A pained howl accompanied the Jaw Titan's arm disconnecting from its shoulder. Ropes of muscle snapped as the appendage came free, the Beast Titan tossing it aside like a child dissecting an old toy. It was now easy enough for the Beast Titan to fend off the Jaw Titan's attempts to scratch it to shreds as it squeezed down hard on its nape.
The ground shook from heavy footfalls. The Beast Titan looked over the Jaw Titan's shoulder in time to witness a fist coming down from the sky.
Behind the sailing Attack Titan gleamed a barrier of crystal. Zeke internally cursed his failure at incapacitating the Attack Titan the second a fist connected with his jaw. There'd been time for the Beast Titan to harden its skin, but with a start the casing shattered against the force.
How is it …? Able to …?
"What are you doing to me?!"
Zeke blinked. Gone was the Attack Titan, the Jaw Titan, and … everything. He found himself standing in a desert which stretched as far as the eye could see. The dark sky looked as if it had nearly been split in two by cracks of blinding light. The cracks came together at the horizon to connect to the earth, the object appearing like a shining, ethereal tree.
"What is … all this?"
Zeke turned to regard the person who'd been asking him questions he didn't know how to answer. His companion appeared to be a young man with green eyes and dark brown hair. He watched as the young man clutched his hands over his ears, thrashing his head about.
"Dad …?" the young man said. Sweat dripped down the side of his face as his breaths grew short. "What am I seeing? This is … His sister died? Since when did he have a sister? That woman! She's–!"
The young man looked up with a start. "Are you …?" he said, uncertainty in his tone. "Are you Zeke?"
Thoughts, emotions, and memories went off in Zeke's head like a series of explosions. He saw his father. He saw his mother. They were being taken away … His mother transformed into a Titan wearing a grin that stretched from ear to ear.
A muscular Titan rose up from the sea.
His father came across a man on horseback.
He met a woman with silky black hair and soulful brown eyes. A little boy with a face like hers fell and scraped his knee, getting scooped up into a hug.
That same boy, now much older, watched his father in awe when a key hanging from the man's neck was held up for admiration.
"You're …" Zeke said, eyes going wide. "You're Grisha Jaeger's son. You're my … brother."
Zeke took a step forward. "I can't believe it … Our bastard of a father survived his punishment and worked to continue spreading chaos throughout this world. You were subjected to the same level of forced indoctrination as I once was … I can't say what's happening here, or why I'm seeing these things, but now my desire to take you from this place calls more than ever. You're not just the Founding Titan … you could be the key to end all the suffering."
"What the hell are you talking about?" the young man said. No – Eren. His name was Eren. He backed away from Zeke's advance with green eyes the same color as their father's. "Everything is still so … jumbled. I don't know where we are, and I feel like my head's gonna explode. Just tell me how to get out of here!"
"Not yet," Zeke said. In all honesty, he possessed just as little knowledge as Eren when it came to where they were and how to return to where they'd been. Zeke figured this wasn't information Eren needed to be made aware of; having a captive audience never hurt.
"Listen to what I have to say, Eren," Zeke said. He offered his hand, palm-up. "I can feel how much you yearn for freedom – for the ability to see what's beyond the walls you've been caged in. Come with me so you can attain that freedom. We can work together to right our ancestor's sins; our father's sins."
Eren squinted as if the pain in his head was quickly growing unbearable. "I may not be proud of everything my dad did … some of the things I saw make me sick … but I'm not going beyond the walls if it's without my friends. My duty is to them; not whatever messed-up history you have out there. I may know who you are from my dad's memories, but that doesn't mean I know you. There's no way I'm trusting you."
Zeke withdrew his hand. "It's alright." He put on a kindly smile. "Wherever we are … I get the feeling we can stay here for as long as we want. The two of us will have plenty of time to get acquainted. Then we can head home together."
Eren began having trouble staying on his feet. He flailed his arms to ward off Zeke's approach.
"I don't give a shit who you are!" Eren said, baring his teeth. "We could be here for a thousand years, and you'll still never convince me to go with you! I want out!"
Zeke felt like a parent watching an unruly toddler. "It's alright, Eren. We just–"
"I suppose you never learned 'no means no,'" a voice said.
Zeke looked over his shoulder. He was met with a short figure staring him down with an icy expression. He balked.
"Annie?"
Zeke fell flat on his back as his legs were kicked out from under him. The following punch hit hard enough for a tooth to be knocked loose.
"I'd stay down," Annie said. She got to her feet, putting a foot on Zeke's chest. "But what do I know? I wasn't considered the genius among the warriors like you are."
Eren stared at Annie with a wide-eyed expression. His jaw dropped when she glanced his way. "Annie?" he said, his voice full of wonder. "How are you … alive?"
"I'm not," Annie said, seemingly unbothered by the fact. "Although I guess I'm not totally dead, either."
"What are you doing here?" Eren asked. "Do you know where we are?"
"Wherever this place is seems familiar," Annie said. She turned to regard the glowing cluster of light strands in the distance. "I can't say where we are, though. And to answer your other question – I'm here because you seemed like you needed the help."
The tension in Eren's shoulders fell away. He stood up a little straighter. "Annie … You don't know how relieved I am to see a familiar face. I don't know how to thank you."
"You can thank me by bringing back a bit of your temper," Annie said. She looked at Eren with a droopy expression. "You've grown more passive than you used to be. I know it probably means you're less unhinged, but I need to be assured you can still fight. Don't let idiots like Zeke try to fool you into thinking you're not in control. The lives of the people I care about are in your hands; do what you can to keep them safe."
Something shifted. Panic raced through Zeke as he felt a ripple run through his core.
"Don't go, Eren!" Zeke said. He reached out with a pleading expression. "We can end all suffering! We can save everyone!"
"I don't think … I'm capable of anything so grand," Eren said. He stepped up to Zeke's side, squatting so they could maintain eye contact. "I don't think you are either, or else you wouldn't be a part of the group constantly trying to kill us. I agree with you about your dislike of suffering, though – I'll make your death quick the second I leave here."
"Eren!"
Desperation grew in Zeke's voice as he reached out.
"Eren!"
Zeke's cries were ignored entirely as Eren straightened. He met Annie with a grin. "I'm glad I can depend on you, Annie."
"Don't make a habit of it," Annie said. "I have a feeling you can't, anyway. I'm sure it's heartbreaking to think you won't have a lovely young maiden like myself skipping through your subconscious anymore, but you'll have to learn to live with it."
Zeke made to scramble from under Annie's boot. He received a stomp to the gut for his trouble, his eyes going wide as he let out a gasping cough.
Annie regarded Zeke with mild interest. "He's weak here for some reason."
"Or maybe you're just strong," Eren said.
The corner of Annie's mouth tilted up. She looked back to Eren, reaching out to give his hand a firm squeeze.
"There are things I've seen here, Eren. Things that I think are from the future. They had me wondering for a while if I should take what little of myself is left and use it toward killing you, because you're the cause of something more horrible than I can describe."
Eren's jaw hung slack. Annie's smile grew alongside the grip she had on his hand.
"But I have faith in you, Eren."
Sharp determination grew behind Eren's eyes. He squared his shoulders. "Marco said something like that once – right after he'd visited you in prison. He said it wasn't a bad thing to have faith in people."
Annie nodded. "The future isn't set," she said, her voice growing soft. "What you'll see outside the walls isn't at all like you imagined. You think you'll find freedom there, but you won't. There's always going to be another wall in your path no matter where you go. You'll kill yourself if you try to break every one of them down by force."
Annie loosened her grip, their hands falling apart. "When you get to the sea, promise me you'll look away from the horizon and back toward land. There are things just as important within your reach as there are outside of it. Can you do that for me?"
The world around Zeke shuddered again as he felt a tug in his gut. It meant he was leaving … It meant Annie was fading.
"Yeah, I can," Eren said, fighting to keep a tremor from his voice. "I'll remember what you said. I'll always make sure to look behind me first before moving forward." He smiled. "Goodbye, Annie."
A grin grew on Annie's face. "See you around."
"Wait!" Zeke said. He grasped Eren's ankle with a pleading expression. "Just–!"
Going back to reality was like jumping into a lake from a high cliff. Zeke was nearly blinded by the sudden burst of sunlight and the colors overloading his senses. He noticed he was still in his Titan form, his grip on the Jaw Titan having come loose. The Attack Titan's blow had pushed him from the roof. It had one hand around the Beast Titan's neck while the other was raised high above its head.
The Beast Titan's arm shot out to block the blow. Its hand encompassed the Attack Titan's crystal-coated fist. The effort to shove the fist aside was thwarted when the Jaw Titan appeared from nowhere and clamped down on the Beast Titan's forearm. The bone broke with a snap, the now useless hand giving way to the hunk of crystal smashing the Beast Titan's face in.
No!
The opposite arm blocked the next blow, this time the Beast Titan taking measures to utilize its hardening ability. The Jaw Titan's attempt at breaking the other arm failed. However, fractures began to spread from where the Jaw Titan's teeth sunk into the crystal. It would only be a matter of seconds before it shattered.
Searing pain suddenly radiated from the Beast Titan's shoulders. A flash of light accompanied an object zipping across its vision and landing on the Attack Titan's shoulder.
"This bastard is hardening the area around his nape," Levi said. The small man looked nearly unrecognizable with blood coating his face and his right sword broken in half, but otherwise he was very much alive. Zeke had lost sight of him when the Titans came through the wall; it was a shock to see he'd survived.
"We almost have everything else under control," Levi continued. "Hange wants us to capture this thing alive, but do what you have to if it means eliminating it as a threat."
There's no way they've …
The only working eyeball which hadn't been knocked from the Beast Titan's sockets rotated as it craned its head to look toward the trees. Only a handful of Titans remained. The number of Scout soldiers whizzing around the giant figures were far greater than anticipated. The echoing shots of gunfire had grown silent – the Cart Titan had disappeared from sight.
How? Zeke thought, terror rising up his chest. How are they able to fare so well against the Titans? Is it the gear their soldiers are using? And the power these two have … I saw Annie, which means Eren consumed the Female Titan. And the Jaw Titan certainly isn't Marcel; their armor indicates Reiner was devoured as well. Are our forces really about to be overwhelmed?!
A howl from the Jaw Titan resonated through the Beast Titan's body. The casing around the Beast Titan's arm shattered, the bone snapping in two under the pressure. No obstructions remained to stop the Attack Titan from pounding its opponent's face into a paste.
Pieck … Zeke thought, watching the Attack Titan's fist come down with a shout. I thought it was foolish you wanted to put other measures in place. I'm glad I caved into your suggestion … Let's just hope enough of their remaining soldiers were among the group to encounter the "fog" this morning.
A piercing roar stopped the Attack Titan in its tracks. It reared back, attempting to cover its ears to block the Beast Titan's perceived attempt at rupturing its eardrums. Levi had disappeared – likely taking refuge somewhere from the soundwaves. The Attack Titan had trouble focusing its eyes when the sound finally came to stop.
Flashes … of light? Eren thought. His eyes must be deceiving him. A number of Scout soldiers scattered throughout the trees and surrounding field screamed, clutching their heads or clawing at their chests as they disappeared behind the golden lights. In their place a moment later towered a number of Titans. The Titans wasted no time scooping up their former comrades and tearing them apart with their teeth.
What … happened? Eren thought, watching the scene in horror. … How?
The Beast Titan's forehead smashed against the Attack Titan's face with all its might. It was able to kick the Attack Titan aside, getting to its feet and limping toward the wall.
Get back here! Eren thought. The Attack Titan sprung to its feet.
I don't know what you did, you bastard, but turn them back! Turn them back, or you're dead!
"Eren!"
A hook sunk into the Attack Titan's shoulder, Levi swinging forward to land on its chest. "You're being ordered to disengage!" he shouted. "That thing wants to take you from here – don't follow after it!"
The Attack Titan gripped the cable holding Levi steady, ripping it from its flesh and tossing it aside. As Levi flew through the air, he caught a glimpse of glowing green eyes and steam billowing from the Attack Titan's maw as it ran forward with a roar. There wasn't so much as a flinch when Levi sunk his hooks into its hair and brought his sword down to pierce the crown of its head.
"Listen up, brat!" Levi shouted, clinging to his sword to keep his balance as the Attack Titan swayed. "You're running in the opposite direction of the comrades who need you! Are you going to pick that furry bastard's life over theirs?!"
The Attack Titan faltered. It skidded to a stop, turning its back to the wall to take in the chaos. Around a dozen Titans stumbled about. Most of the soldiers had retreated to the rooftops or leapt among the trees on the other end of the clearing. Those unlucky enough to have been cornered in the middle attempted to race about the Titans' feet on horseback – only a few were successful.
"Go, Eren!" Levi said. "You and Ymir handle those Titans – I'll take care of things here!"
There wasn't so much as a flinch as the Attack Titan hesitated. Levi got to his feet, pulling his sword from the Titan's skull. "There's no time for pity, Eren," Levi said. "Go protect your comrades who can still be saved."
Levi spun on his heel, ODM gear activating and sinking into the flesh of the Beast Titan now only two blocks from the wall. Wind whipped across Levi's face as he sprang forward. A giant hand reaching out from a side street prompted Levi to dip toward the ground, rocks scattering as he squeezed through a crack in a broken gate. Blades spun at a dizzying speed as Levi reached the Beast Titan's ankles.
The Beast Titan fell forward with a crash. Its arms hadn't yet recovered – the limbs laying uselessly at its side as the Titan squirmed. The length of its back was traversed by Levi in a flash. Blades came down, slicing a large wedge of flesh from the Beast Titan's nape.
Steam burst from the now still Beast Titan. Levi continued to hack at its corpse.
Where the hell is this bastard? Levi thought. Flesh continued to be flung aside, but Levi failed at finding any sign of the person connected within the Titan's nape.
"Mikasa! Be careful!"
That's Jean's voice! Levi thought. There was nothing he could make out beyond the steam. He lowered his gaze, eyes boring into the quickly deteriorating flesh of the Beast Titan until he made a frustrated sound. The hooks from his ODM gear shot from his hips. Levi waited for the familiar sound of metal banging against stone before he activated the cables and swung to the wall.
"Captain!"
Jean and Armin were below. They stood before the crystal barrier with panicked expressions.
Moblit and Celine had ensured Eren practiced forming the barrier's structure until he'd gained enough control to shape the desired outcome. This equated to the barrier having three openings roughly two meters high at the bottom that were large enough for the passage of horses and wagons. Jean looked away from Levi into one of these tunnels. He cursed, taking off in a run.
"What the hell is going on?" Levi said. He adjusted his gear controls to quickly lower himself beside Armin. "Why are you all at ground level?"
"We saw someone run through here!" Armin said. He looked down the tunnel with a grimace. "We think it was the person inside the Beast Titan! Section Commander Moblit and Mikasa went after him, but there are a bunch of Titans on the other side! We can't let him get away, but–"
"Get to a better vantage point," Levi said, keeping a level expression. "Between Eren and Ymir, they should have most of the situation covered; provide them backup if necessary."
The ODM gear had Levi hurtling through the tunnel, the walls nothing but a hazy streak of blue.
"Mikasa!" Jean's voice said. It came from somewhere around the tunnel opening ahead.
"Get up here, now!"
Levi altered his course to rush up the side of the wall the second he was free from the tunnel. The corpse of a Titan blocked the opening seconds later as it fell with a crash.
"I'll draw the Titans this way!" Moblit shouted. He stood on a rooftop a few blocks into Shiganshina. The lack of swords gave the impression all his spare blades had been broken. "Mikasa! Jean! Capture the Beast Titan while I'm causing a distraction!"
Moblit hopped along the buildings, clanging his sword hilts together to distract the growing group of Titans headed his way. Most of the Titans began to clamor to the left while Mikasa took off toward the right.
A quiet curse escaped Jean's lips before he leapt away after Mikasa. Levi watched his retreat for a moment before bringing his attention back to Moblit.
There has to be close to thirty Titans in the district, Levi thought. Moblit is attracting most of them. If the Beast Titan really is trying to make an escape through here …
Moblit stumbled atop one of the rooftops to a halt. The route he'd been taking toward the wall had been closed off. He quickly changed course, but his chosen path also included a number of Titans steadily moving forward.
The Beast Titan is priority, Levi thought. The grip on his swords tightened.
Shit.
The Titans having their back to him meant Levi was able to cut them down with ease. The problem manifested in the form of sheer quantity – Moblit was running out of space to keep evading … and Levi's progress forward wouldn't be fast enough.
"Come this way, Moblit!" Levi said. "Move low to the ground! I'll cover your retreat!"
Moblit made a running jump in Levi's direction. His gear activated as he was about to hit the cobblestone street, the green cape on his back billowing as he zigzagged between the legs of the Titans. He was less than two blocks away from Levi when a building at his side exploded in a shower of splinters and dust.
A five-meter Titan had shoved itself through the ruins to grab hold of Moblit's cape. The cape ripped free, but the sudden change in direction left Moblit's shoulder slamming into the side of a streetlamp. Moblit tumbled through the air, hitting the street with enough force to knock the wind from his lungs. He placed his hands over his head as he rolled a few feet before coming to a stop.
"Moblit!" Levi shouted. He was still too far away. Three Titans were between him and Moblit, not counting the five-meter already practically on top of him.
"Leave me, Captain!" Moblit said, keeping his hands over his head and eyes closed tight. "Go after the Beast Titan! Hurry before they lose interest in me!"
Images flashed through Levi's mind. It was raining, and in the mud was an arm which had belonged to his brother, Furlan. His sister Isabel's head wasn't far off, green eyes staring at Levi with a cloudy expression.
"I'd been the second person Celine could call a friend," Moblit had said. He'd smiled at Celine from a distance wearing an expression Levi was familiar with. It was the same smile that used to creep on his own face when he regarded Furlan and Isabel.
I'll be damned … Levi thought, rushing forward. … if you make Celine experience that pain.
An object flung itself from the rooftops. It landed between Moblit and the five-meter Titan with enough force for the ground to shake. The five-meter Titan flew back from the force of a kick.
Levi came to a halt. He watched in shock as the new Titan with shaggy brown hair bent to scoop Moblit into its arms, cradling him like a hatchling as it barreled its way through the mob.
That isn't Eren or Ymir, Levi thought, taking off in pursuit. What the hell is happening? Is it trying to take Moblit for itself? Why isn't it making a move to eat him?
The running Titan reached the wall. It stretched out its arms and placed its palms on the stone. The makeshift barrier allowed Moblit to hook onto the wall without being snatched by the other Titans. The Titan tracked his journey upward with large, brown eyes.
"Moblit!"
Levi swung onto the walkway, studying the man at his side with a wary expression. "Are you injured?"
The shoulder Moblit clutched appeared to be the least of his concerns as he stared downward. Tears welled in his eyes, droplets dripping from his face over the side of the wall. A shaky smile forced itself onto his face. "I'm alright, Commander," he said, voice breaking. "I'm alright … thank you."
"I'm not the Commander," Levi said, following his gaze. "Did you hit your–?"
The Titan which had carried Moblit to the wall had a prominent nose. Large brown eyes shone behind unruly bangs. It was smiling, even while being shoved and pinned against the wall as the other Titans made vain attempts to reach for Levi and Moblit.
A moment passed; every sound around Levi falling away. A tremor appeared in his hands.
Levi cried out as his insides felt as if they were being ripped to shreds. He fell to his knees, repeatedly slamming his fist against the stone.
"Hange!"
The skin along Levi's knuckle split as he slammed his fist down again. He squeezed his eyes shut, ignoring the pain and blood flowing over his hand as he lowered his forehead until it touched stone.
"You damn four-eyes!" he screamed, his voice cracking from the effort. "You can't let things end this way! I'll never forgive you, you asshole! Do you hear me, Hange?!"
"Oh! You've got some real skills," Hange had said. She'd offered a toothy grin. "I've never seen anyone pilot ODM gear like that! Your name is Levi, right?"
You were so damn nosy.
Erwin had been readying the final arrangements for the fifty-fourth scouting expedition before they were to ride through the gate in Trost. Hange had been seated at Levi's side, her lips pursing together in a pout. "Come on, Levi! You can't say no to my request before you even know what it is!"
You loved testing my patience. Why didn't you leave me alone like everyone else did?
"You're held in high enough regard," Levi had said, "I would consider you a comrade."
Hange had regarded him from across her desk with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "But very few would consider me a friend," she'd replied.
Did you not understand … that's what I meant?
"Take care of her, Levi," Hange had said. A hand had been placed on Levi's shoulder, a gentle amount of pressure urging Levi toward the courtroom where formal ceremonies took place. "In a few minutes, you'll be married, and Celine will be your problem. You'll want to strangle her on more than one occasion; that's natural. She's foolish, and entitled, and is quick to anger. But she's also fragile. Celine will do everything she can to hide that about herself; be the glue that holds her together. I think the two of you … will make a fine family."
"Captain," Moblit said, resting a hand on Levi's shoulder. He flinched when Levi looked up with a start.
Moblit did his best to school his features. He gestured with his chin, Levi following his gaze down the path atop the wall. Mikasa and Jean jogged in their direction. The latter met Levi's stare and shook his head.
The Beast Titan got away.
Levi got to his feet. He fought down the rage and sorrow bubbling in his gut.
We plugged the hole and kept that bastard from taking Eren; that's all that matters. Everything else was a necessary sacrifice for us to keep moving toward our freedom. Furlan … Isabel … Erwin … Hange …
The strength to look down the southern side of Wall Maria escaped Levi. Instead, he turned to the north. Like he'd predicted, Eren and Ymir had teamed up to make quick work of the remaining Titans. The remaining Titans … which had also once been soldiers who'd pledged their hearts for humanity.
"We're returning to Trost," Levi said. He stared ahead, willing his heart to turn to stone. "We'll have soldiers critically injured – I don't want to jeopardize their health by taking the longer trip back to Calaneth. Find the survivors and gather up as many horses as you can – we need to get moving before dark."