44.
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CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR — Hunters
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-Unspecified Location, Wall Maria Territory-
They rode hard and fast, pushing their horses to the limit as if they were trying to outrun time itself— which, technically they were, given the current circumstances. And surprisingly enough, they were making impeccable progress. Each stride allowed them to close in on the five-hour head start that Reiner and Bertolt had left behind in their wake.
It would only be a matter of time now before they finally caught up.
Currently, the large mismatched group of military branches was spread out, with everyone keeping their eyes peeled in every direction for any Titans that dared break into the formation. Something which they didn't have to wait long for, as red streams of smoke rounds begin to trail into the air.
"Red smoke signals!"
Erwin glances in the direction with an acknowledging nod before bringing out his flare gun. Loading a round, he promptly shoots off a green flare, directing those behind him to shift directions. However, before any change could be made, two more red streams fill the air to his left followed by one directly ahead.
"Commander, we're surrounded!" One of Erwin's escorts calls— stating the obvious— and Erwin remains silent.
"There's another way around! Should we head towards it?" Another inquires.
Erwin eyes the slim opening between the smoke trails, however, before he could decide, multiple red flares from all around the formation shoot into the air at once.
They were completely surrounded.
Weighing the risk of his next move, Erwin's eyes narrow for a moment and eventually he shakes his head in refusal. They were so close to the forest Hange had described, too close. And while continuing as is would risk an immeasurable amount of military casualties, they would also reach Eren faster.
"No…! Any detours and we'll be too late!" He replies as his voice grows in volume for all to hear, "WE'LL FORCE OUR WAY THROUGH…! ALL SOLDIERS PREPARE FOR BATTLE!"
At his order, they continued to charge straight ahead, and soon enough, the Forest of Giant Trees was within view. Multiple Titans, varying in size and shape also began to appear, leaving behind whatever initially lured them to the location as they turn and exit the thick foliage.
It was then that a sudden flash of light shined overhead from deep within the forest; its gleam was barely visible to those able to catch sight of it.
"A light…?" Mikasa ponders aloud, gaining the attention of those who had failed to notice the occurrence.
Armin straightens up on his saddle, his blue eyes peering intensely into the tree line. "Straight ahead in the forest! I saw a light! It's the light that appears when a Titan transforms!"
Rosalie clicks her tongue, her brows furrowing in thought. 'Ideally, this type of terrain isn't suitable for Reiner. The trees would only slow him down… His best bet would be to transform at the forest's edge. Besides that, Ymir was already starting to heal by the time we reached the wall… Could she be making a break for it? And if so, does she have Eren with her? He could be her trump card for getting on the military's good side.'
"Then we're just in time." Erwin replies, unsheathing one of his blades and pointing it towards the forest. "SOLDIERS, DISPERSE!" He booms, and the formation immediately begins to break. "WE BELIEVE THE ENEMY HAS ALREADY TRANSFORMED! LOCATE EREN AND RECOVER HIM!"
At the bellowed order, the formation completely splits, with half continuing the charge towards the tree line while the rest shift directions to circle the woodland's eastern outskirts.
Those charging straight ahead are immediately forced to weave in between the approaching Titans— whose small group was quickly forming into a large horde. Left and right, soldiers on all sides were either swatted from their horses or grabbed and eaten; their terrified screams resonated throughout the area in a horrific symphony.
As they reach the trees, Jean looks back to see another member of the Military Police snatched from the back of his horse. "Another one of the Police!" He yells, fighting the urge to go back and rescue the poor soul.
"BATTLE IS NOT OUR OBJECTIVE! PRIORITIZE RECOVERY AND RETREAT!" Erwin bellows once more over the chaos. He then, along with a handful of soldiers following his example, turn west in hopes of catching Reiner and Bertolt in a pincer movement.
At that moment, Hannes takes charge of the unit charging the forest. Turning his head, he addresses the Garrison Soldier posted at the back of the group. "PHIL…! ROUND UP THE HORSES!" He orders as they breach the tree line.
"YES, SIR!"
At his reply, their motley crew disbands as they rise and jump from the backs of their steeds, using their gear to propel themselves higher up into the canopy of the gargantuan trees.
Hannes looks back over his shoulder as they maneuver through the branches. "First thing is to find the enemy and let the others know! They should be fleeing from the forest!" He informs, and at their nods of understanding, he looks ahead. "BREAK!"
Once again, the group separates; dividing into even smaller units as they spread out to cover every direction. And not even a minute passes before a fierce roar is heard echoing throughout the forest.
...
...
"Is that the scream of a Titan?"
"It came from ahead!"
True to the soldier's words, as soon as they broke into a small clearing of sorts, their eyes instantly latch onto a Titan hanging on the side of a tree; its black, beady eyes watching them warily.
The sight is enough to spur one into action as he unsheathes his blades. "You can't hide from me!" He exclaims, pausing when something speeds past him.
"Wait!" Connie yells as he hooks into the tree next to the Titan. "This is Ymir…! She's the one they took! She's in her Titan form!" He informs before turning to look up at the Shifter's face. "Hey, Ymir! Why are you the only one here?!"
Ymir ignores him, turning her head this way and that as if she were looking for something.
Connie, to his credit, doesn't give up. "Where's Eren?! What about Reiner and Bertolt?!"
By this point other Garrison, Military Police, and those a part of the 104th Cadet Corps arrive; each one resting on nearby branches or hooking into the sides of trees to watch the fruitless interrogation.
"So, that's Ymir…?" Armin muses to himself, taking in the taller girl's Titan form with interest.
Mikasa's eyes narrow in suspicion, "Is it possible that she turned into a Titan and fought with Reiner?"
"Ymir…?" Jean mutters under his breath, sparing a brief, disbelieving glance toward Sasha and Rosalie. He then turns to address the Shifter, "Did you get away from Reiner?! Where are they?!"
"Tell us anything, Ymir!" Sasha calls out in addition; brown eyes wide and hopeful.
Ymir gives no notion that she was even listening. She only trails her dark gaze over them, taking them in one by one.
"Say something already!" Connie roars out in frustration. He then maneuvers to stand on top of the Shifter's head, jumping and stomping his feet in anger. "Hey, ugly! We're in a hurry!"
"C'mon, Ymir! The faster you help us, the sooner we can all go home! Historia's worried about you!" Rosalie calls, earning the aforementioned's immediate attention. "Give us somethin', yeah? I know you can speak a little in that form!" She encourages her, however, Ymir seems to quickly lose interest and begins to look around once more.
"Is she keeping an eye out for Reiner? Something's not right…" Armin murmurs to himself, also looking around. "Why…is she looking at everybody one by one…?"
"YMIR…!"
All heads turn at the sound of Historia's voice, and the blond is easily spotted as she swerves into the clearing.
Historia's smile grows wider at the sight of her dearest friend. "Ymir…! Thank goodness, you're alright!"
Ymir reacts immediately at the sight of the small blonde. Shifting her hold on the tree, she kicks off of its trunk with her clawed feet, lunging forward as she opens her mouth wide— giving no time to react as she swallows the girl whole.
Time seems to slow at that moment, and a bewildered silence befalls the clearing and everyone in it. Stupefied, no one moves as they try to process what had just transpired.
Ymir takes full advantage of their shock as she turns and flees in the opposite direction, swinging tirelessly from branch to branch.
Realization hits Rosalie full force, and before she could truly process her own actions, she's springing forward at an impeccable speed. "YMIR…!"
The rage-filled cry snaps Jean from his bout of shock and he immediately takes to action. "DON'T JUST STAND THERE! CHASE HER…!" He yells, propelling himself forward after the two retreating figures, leading the way for the others as they finally come to their senses and follow suit.
They weave around tree after tree, and each maneuver puts them further and further behind as Ymir continuously increased her speed.
"She's too fast! We're losing her!"
At the dismayed observation, Mikasa turns to Jean. "Why would Ymir do that?!"
Jean scoffs, "I can't be the only one who could've guessed it would turn out this way!"
"Yeah! She's clearly hostile to us now!" Armin adds, his brows furrowing. "It seems like she's cooperating with Reiner! She lured us right in!"
"Why she's doing it doesn't matter anymore! She's nothing but an obstacle now!" Rosalie barks from her place at the head of the pack, effectively putting the conversation to rest.
'It doesn't make sense! None of it does!' A small voice in the back of her mind states, voicing the conflicted feelings she felt on the matter. 'Ymir has always been protective over Historia… So how does allying with Reiner and Bertolt secure her safety?'
Rosalie growls to herself, teeth gritted so tightly she's surprised none have broken , she doesn't allow herself time to fret over the subject anymore. For it was just like she said, Ymir was now just simply in the way.
By this point, the trees around them were beginning to thin out, signifying that they were quickly nearing the forest's edge.
Suddenly, a blinding light encompasses the area, followed by a shockwave of hot air that blows through the trees. Squinting ahead, their eyes latch onto Reiner's Titan form as he exits the forest with Bertolt and Eren— who was bound to the taller male's back via thick vines— perched on his shoulder.
Ymir speeds up even faster and swings out from the tree line with a mighty leap, clutching onto Reiners back and hitching a ride as he continues to sprint away; their forms growing smaller and smaller by the second.
Having nothing else to hook into and seeing as they were at the forest's edge, they are all forced to a stop on a few of the low-hanging branches.
Armin lets out a dismayed cry. "No! Eren's being taken away!"
"DAMN IT!" Rosalie curses loudly, her face turning pink from the heated rage simmering underneath her skin. Unable to control herself, she angrily slams her fist against the trunk of the tree she was perched in, and the throbbing sensation she receives in return does nothing but fuel her wrath further.
It's at this moment that Hannes finally catches up to their group, a deep and fierce scowl on his face. "Don't stop!" He orders, "Get on your horses and chase!"
As he speaks, Phil appears below on horseback with their abandoned steeds tethered and in tow.
A fresh wave of determination sets in at the sight, and once they quickly regroup and remount their horses, they're off with Hannes leading the way; quickly and effortlessly closing the gap that Reiner had— once again— left behind.
"I'm getting him back, no matter what! Even if it means trading my life for it!" Hannes proclaims out of sheer determination.
Jean smirks to himself at the vow. "He's not fast enough to escape! We'll catch up!"
Rosalie stares at Reiner's back contemplatively, her eyes trailing down until they lock onto the backs of his calves. "Earlier, he broke the armor-like plating on his legs to give himself more speed, right?" She questions, only continuing when Armin nods in response. "If he can do that again a second time, he may be holding back a bit; waiting for the opportune moment to use that final burst of speed…! Right now is the best time to overtake him! But we need to keep an eye on Ymir— She's a wildcard in all of this!"
Mikasa grunts in acknowledgment as urges her horse to run faster. "This time I won't hesitate. I'll kill them both, I swear! And if Ymir gets in my way, she's asking for it, too! No matter what it takes… I will!"
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...
A few minutes later and true to Jean's words, they finally catch up to the five; close enough to finally make a move.
Hannes unsheathes his blades and jumps off of his horse, immediately hooking into Reiner's leg. He then propels himself forward and attempts to slice at the Titan's ankle but fails, making him lose balance and tumble to the ground.
Following his example, soldier after soldier dismounted from their horses, each one attempting to slow Reiner down in their own way.
One even manages to hook into the side of the Shifter's neck next to a fearful Bertolt and now conscious Eren. However, before he could do any damage, Ymir yanks his wires free and swings her arm, slamming him into the ground.
Rosalie winces and looks back at the fallen soldier before locking eyes with Mikasa. "I'll follow your lead!" She calls out, preparing to dismount her horse.
Mikasa, hearing exactly what she wanted to hear, nods and jumps from her steed. Then, while using Ymir's current distraction, she surges forward and slices deeply into the Female Shifter's eye; temporarily blinding the Titan so she could make her next move against Bertolt— who fearfully retreats to Reiner's front.
"Reiner, protect us!"
In response to his friend's cries for help, Reiner makes a deep, guttural sound and brings his arms up. Crossing his wrists, he cups the two to his neck under his chin, creating a protective, nigh impenetrable nook.
His action pays off, for as he does this, Mikasa brings her blades down in a failed attack. Scowling, she lands on Reiner's collarbone and peers through a gap between his fingers, leering in at Bertolt with a terrifying intensity.
It's then that Ymir swings her arm around, attempting to swat Mikasa away like a pesky bug. However, before she could cause any harm, Rosalie swoops up from the underside of Reiner's arm and slices off a few of her fingers; giving Mikasa ample time to spring away.
Sending the brunette a small nod of thanks, Mikasa turns her attention back to Ymir. Gritting her teeth, she surges forward to attack but freezes when Historia intervenes.
"Wait, Mikasa…! Don't kill Ymir!"
Gasping at the sudden appearance of the blonde, Mikasa twists around and hastily hooks into the back of Reiner's head to steady herself. She then takes a moment to process the request and scowls.
"That all depends on Ymir!" Mikasa snipes with a sneer, unflinching as Rosalie joins her side. "What will it be?! I'll kill everyone that gets in my way, so choose!"
Historia's eyes water at the ultimatum. Taking a minute to collect her thoughts, she finally takes a step forward and glances towards the more compassionate of the duo— dismayed to discover Rosalie just as void of empathy.
In response to the sudden attention, Rosalie grunts and adjusts her hold on her blades, their shine making them appear all the more dangerous.
Panicking, Historia brings her hands up into a placating motion. "N-No, wait! Ymir will be killed unless she does what Reiner and Bertolt say! She doesn't have a choice!"
"Everyone has a choice!" Rosalie barks.
When Historia flinches at the tone, Ymir growls out in warning.
With shadowed eyes, Mikasa glares down at the smaller blonde. "There's only so many lives that I actually care about. My enemies made deciding that easy six years ago." She informs, her expression turning grimmer. "You're mistaken to seek any compassion from me right now… I'm all out of time and room in my heart to care."
She pauses for a moment, and when Historia doesn't respond, she continues. "So, Krista, do you pick Eren or Ymir? Which is it? Will you get in my way, too?!"
At the underlying threat, Ymir roars angrily and moves to attack; only stopping when Historia turns to her pleadingly. "Stop, Ymir! Don't fight back or you'll die! Don't move!"
Seeing the Shifter slightly hesitate to comply, Rosalie decides to speak up. "Ymir," she calls, "You know that you won't stand a chance against the both of us, so back off."
Ymir growls at that, almost as if to say "try me", which goes completely ignored.
Rosalie, unperturbed, continues. "You also know that if the situation was reversed, no one could have stopped you from getting Historia back… Now, I don't know what kind of bullshit lie you told her— and frankly, I don't really care— but Eren's safety is on the line, and that's something that I won't let slide so easily. So, do yourself a favor… Back. Off."
"Ymir…" Historia pleads again softly.
The Shifter glances back to a weary Mikasa— who stiffens at the eye contact— but doesn't move any further, and her inaction allows the aforementioned to swoop back down to Reiner's clasped hands.
"Thanks, string bean." Rosalie sighs, earning an agitated huff in return as the rest of their friends join Mikasa below.
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"Quit it, Eren! Don't struggle!"
Despite the situation, Jean smirks to himself. "Good luck with that, Bertolt. It's impossible to get him to calm down… He's the most irritating guy there is! I know better than anyone!" He calls, and after no response from Bertolt in return, he continues. "I hate him as much as you do. So let's beat him up together, eh? Why don't you come out of there?"
There's another brief silence on the taller male's end and Mikasa speaks up. "Bertolt, give him back!"
From his spot beside Jean, Connie's gaze alternates between Reiner's face and Bertolt's hiding spot. "Hey… You're kidding, right? Bertolt…? Reiner? This whole time— You kept quiet and deceived us? That's so cruel!"
"Tell us it's a lie, you guys!" Sasha begs as she looks up at Reiner's Titan face— though he refuses to acknowledge the gesture as he continued to stare straight ahead.
Silence falls over the group after that, one filled with hurt and confusion.
Jean's jaw clenches, his voice wavering— losing the strength it once had— when he speaks. "Hey, hey, hey… Do you think you can just keep running away? That's not gonna happen!"
He pauses for a moment, "For three years, didn't we sleep under the same roof as comrades through thick and thin? Bertolt… Your odd sleeping positions were truly an art form! And after a while, we all looked forward each morning to seeing your pose, just so we could try and predict the weather! But you— To think you, the invader, could sleep like a log right next to your victims—!"
"Was everything just a lie?!" Connie interjects, his voice thick with emotion. "Remember when we talked about surviving this together? That we'd grow old and someday, we'd all go out for drinks together…? Was everything a lie? Was it?!"
Receiving no answer, Connie looks down at his boots, his eyes brimming with tears. "You guys—! What were you thinking this whole time?!"
Mikasa scoffs, turning heads her way as she stares emotionlessly down at the opening between Reiner's fingers. "What's it even matter anymore? Just focus on cutting open his neck. If you hesitate for a moment, we won't be able to get Eren back."
She then looks up to meet their gazes head-on, expression stern. "They're enemies of humanity. That's all there is to know."
"T-TELL ME WHO…?!"
At the sound of Bertolt's voice, all eyes turn to the crevice with surprise.
"Who the hell would want to kill people by their own choice?! Who the hell would like to do this sort of thing?!" He yells, his voice becoming more and more frantic and thick as he spoke. "Do you think I wanted to do this?! People hate and despise us…! And we've done such evil things, we deserve to die! There are things we'll never be able to take back but… We just— We just couldn't come to terms with our sins!"
He pauses for a brief moment, trying to steady his breathing. "The only time we had some respite was when we pretended to become soldiers. And that's not a lie! Connie…! Jean! It's true we deceived everyone, but it's not all a lie! We really considered you comrades!"
Bertolt's voice then grows softer. "Neither of us has any right to apologize, but… But someone, please—! Someone find us!"
"…"
Outwardly, Mikasa's face remained blank and uncaring but her silent decision to give him one more chance proves that his words had reached her heart in some way. "Bertolt… Give Eren back."
They hear him sigh weakly. "It's no use… I can't. Someone has to be the one to stain their hands with blood."
From her perch on Reiner's shoulder, Rosalie scoffs. She then— after one last look towards Ymir to ensure the Shifter stays put— jumps down with a blade still drawn. Hooking into the hand, she brings her blade down and stabs the exposed muscle between Reiner's fingers.
Reiner growls, but even then, Bertolt and Eren's surprised gasps could be heard from within.
"Rosie…" Sasha begins but stops when the shorter brunette sends her a sharp look.
Turning back to the matter at hand, Rosalie kneels and peers into one of the cracks of Reiner's fingers. "Bertolt." She calls out, "Everyone has a choice. So for once in your miserable life, do something good!"
When he doesn't respond, she slams her bruised hand against one of Reiner's fingers and grimaces. "Damn it, Bertolt! You can't just say all of that, and not give us something to work with! You can't say that it all wasn't a lie and then continue like you are! Friends don't hurt one another! Friends don't lie to each other! We just want Eren back! So let him go, and we can all go our separate ways!"
"It's not that simple!" Bertolt retorts with a hiccuped sob. "You don't understand!"
"Then explain it to us!" Rosalie exclaims in exasperation, her eyes stinging with tears. "Help us understand!" She pleads, and when Bertolt remains silent, she forces herself to take a deep, calming breath. "Please, Bertolt… Don't do this! Because if you do, then I'll have no other choice but to carry out the promise I made to myself…"
"…"
"I'm bringing Eren home, no matter what it takes." Rosalie informs after another brief silence. "I'm not going back without him. It doesn't matter what I have to do, or who I have to go through… I'm taking him. So, please don't be someone that I have to go through. Please—! Please don't stand in my way!"
Her statement leaves everyone else on edge as the atmosphere surrounding them becomes suffocatingly tense. However, before anything else could be said, a shout from below gained their attention.
"YOU GUYS…!"
Looking down over Reiner's shoulder, they spot Hannes riding alongside the Shifter's feet, his face ashen in color. "GET AWAY FROM THERE!" He yells again, briefly looking ahead before turning his focus to them a second time. "HE'S LEADING A HORDE OF TITANS THIS WAY, YOU GUYS! YOU'VE GOTTA JUMP AND GET OUTTA THERE!"
At his warning, their gazes snap up to the horizon. And sure enough, there in the distance, they find Erwin and what remained of the formation leading the horde of Titans in their direction.
It was a twisted game of chicken. One in which collision would be inevitable, and the realization has them all scattering as the approaching group begins to pick up speed.
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