Chapter Four
Burden of legacy
"Lyra Scalvender wants to see Ansel. Meet at station 9," Commander Elke shouted.
Ansel's heart skipped a beat. Station 9 was a supply outpost near the southern gate. He quickly made his way there.
When he arrived, Lyra was waiting for him, her face pale and strained. She held something in her hand, and as Ansel approached, she placed it in his open palm. It was a small vial marked with the insignia of the Survey Corps—a Self-Injection-Titan-Serum (S.I.T.S).
"What is this?" Ansel asked, his voice tense. "You don't think—"
"Brother!" Lyra shouted, tears streaming down her face. "You know the curse is coming soon. It's been six years; I have five months left. You know they're here for shifters like me who could be snatched away easily. You're here to stop it. If I am stolen and you're nearby, inject the Titan serum and make sure you get to me first."
Ansel's eyes widened in shock. "I'm not your saviour! Is your head so far up your ass that you think you're SOOO important? That I need to save you? YOU?" He screamed, his voice breaking with emotion. "You're nothing without the Titan. NOTHING!"
Lyra's face crumpled, the weight of his words hitting her like a physical blow. "Huh?" she sniffed, her voice barely a whisper before she turned and ran away, disappearing into the chaos of the battlefield.
Ansel stood there, the vial clutched tightly in his hand, his mind reeling. The weight of what Lyra had said, of what she was asking of him, bore down on him like a crushing force. He had always seen her as invincible, a beacon of strength and hope. The idea that she was vulnerable, that she needed him, was almost too much to bear.
As he watched her disappear into the fray, he felt a pang of regret. His words had been harsh, driven by fear and frustration. Deep down, he knew she was more than just a Titan shifter. She was his sister, his blood, and she had always fought to protect him and everyone else within the walls.
The sounds of battle drew closer, snapping Ansel out of his thoughts. He tucked the vial into his gear and prepared to rejoin the fight. The Titans were relentless, and the recruits were holding the line, but barely. Ansel knew he had to focus, to fight with everything he had.
As he launched himself into the air with his ODM gear, he couldn't shake the image of Lyra's tear-streaked face from his mind. The burden of her request weighed heavily on him, but he resolved to honour it. No matter what happened, he would protect her and their comrades...