Ymir's Legacy

Ch. 16; Betrayal

Everyone was thrown back from the steam that emitted from the two titans, Aila opened her eyes to see the very titans that took her family and home from her all those years ago. She flew back but was caught by something, when she looked down, she saw the hand of the colossal surround her and lift her. There was no escape, she couldn't transform because she was too exhausted. She felt a rock hit her, then everything went black, and she passed out from the impact. Annie looked around for her lover when the steam calmed, but looked up at her former comrades before her and saw Aila's unconscious body being thrown into Bertholdt's mouth. She flew into a rage, "AILA NOOOOOOOO!", she had thought he killed her. She jumped up from the wall, ready to transform and attack Bertholdt, but she felt a hand stop her. She turned to see Sasha's hand resting on her shoulder, tears in her eyes as she had seen the same sight of her friend's death. Annie stopped and began to tear up, but quickly wiped them away, "Th-Thanks for stopping me Sasha.. we can mourn her after we rescue Eren from Reiner, we need to protect Ymir as well, they'll try and take her too" "R-Right", Sasha said as she wiped her tears from her face. She stood up and prepared to attack the armored, knowing Bertholdt won't let anyone get near him with his steam. But before she jumped to attack, she realized Mikasa, Ymir and Christa were missing, "Sasha, where are the others who knew about everything?!", Sasha pointed down at Reiner and Eren who were getting ready to fight each other, but at a closer look, you could see Mikasa waiting for her chance to attack Reiner on a tree. "Shit! I can't transform! I have to stealthily protect Ymir and Christa or they'll take them too", Annie thought to herself, she turned to Sasha, "Sasha, Mikasa can handle herself with Eren, she'll be ok, we need to focus on protecting Ymir and Christa right now!" "But Mikasa can't take on Reiner all by herself! Even if she's the most skilled one of our class he'll hurt her!", Sasha shouted in concern for her girlfriend. Annie felt sympathy for Sasha's urge to protect her love, along with a ache in her chest at the thought of Aila being gone, but she knew Mikasa would be alright on her own. She grabbed Sasha's shoulders and stared into her eyes, "Mikasa is the strongest woman I know, right now Ymir and Christa are in immediate danger! Once we get them to safety, we'll help her, I promise!". Sasha hesitated, but gave in, knowing that Annie was right, they then flew off on their ODM gear and searched for the two girls on the wall.

Sasha and Annie flew around on their gear until they found Ymir shielding Christa from the steam behind a large piece of debris. They landed next to them and made sure they were alright, they explained the situation to them and told them that they need to take them to safety before they take Ymir too. Christa began to cry, "No.. Aila... Annie I-.. I'm so sorry", Annie hid her face with her hair and stood up, taking her cloak off in silence, Sasha took hers off too. They handed them to Ymir and Christa, "Here, put these on and throw your hoods up so they can't see your face immediately", Annie said as she tried her hardest not to show her sorrow and grief to them. They put them on and stood up, waiting for their next move, "Alright, Christa, I'll carry you down to one of these evacuated homes, Sasha, you carry Ymir and follow me. Once you guys are on the ground, hand us back our cloaks so they won't suspect anything, hide in a building until the battle is done or Reiner and Bertholdt run away ok?", Annie told them as she prepared to fly down. She hoisted Christa onto her back and jumped down to the buildings below, shooting her anchors into the walls and landing with Sasha behind her. They took back their cloaks and waited until they hid in a building and were safe from abduction. They then flew back up to the wall and prepared to fight with the others, but when they looked down, they saw Eren had managed to pin Reiner in a joint hold Annie had taught him. She couldn't help but smile from pride at the sight, they'd noticed that Mikasa had taken out Reiner's legs. He was on the verge of defeat, "Looks like I don't need to transform and help him after all", Annie said looking down at them. She turned her attention to Bertholdt and scoffed at the sight, "Huh, Bertholdt's at his limit too, looks like we've won", Sasha declared with joy in her tone. Then, out of nowhere, a roar was heard, RAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHH! Annie covered her ears from the pain of the vibration, but once she managed to compose herself, she realized what Reiner had done. She jumped off the wall and tried to make it to Mikasa, "RUUUUUUN!", she screamed. Everyone looked up to see Bertholdt fall from his post on the wall, and straight onto Reiner and Eren. The impact was so large and filled with boiling hot steam, the soldiers hanging on the wall near Eren and Reiner were swept away in the blast, this included Mikasa, Annie, and Hange. 

Annie fluttered her eyes open, everything was blurry for a moment. She looked around and saw tens of scouts, including Mikasa and Hange laying out cold on the wall. Hange was severely burned, Mikasa had subtle burns but wasn't in serious shape. "Annie, you're awake!", Sasha shouted as she ran to Annie's side, Annie tried to sit up but felt a sharp pain in her side. She lifted her shirt and saw bandages wrapped around her stomach with blood leaking through, "Yeah, when Bertholdt used himself to help Reiner you shielded Mikasa from the blast and ending up getting a piece of the wall stabbed through your side", Sasha said as she tried to explain what had happened to her. Annie's eyes shot open as she realized what had happened and began to panic, "WHERE'S AILA... DON'T.. don't tell me..." "No! She's alive but..", Sasha said reassuring Annie who had thought she lost the love of her life. She relaxed a bit and sat back, "But what?" "Reiner and Bertholdt.. they took Aila and Eren", Annie grew furious, her wounds began to heal rapidly as steam emit from them. Her fists clenched and her teeth clenching so hard they could almost break, "Tell me someone's gone after them!", she shouted as the flames in her eyes burned hot. Sasha sighed and looked over at Mikasa and Hange, "No, our horses are on the other side and we don't have the lifts needed to bring them over, Bertholdt made sure of that. And, most of our most elite soldiers are either critically injured or out cold.. some died too...", Annie stood up, "How long have me and Mikasa been out?" "About an hour, but we should be heading out to rescue them as soon as commander Erwin arrives", Sasha told her as they stared down at the clawing titans below. "Mmmm.. ugh... AH! EREN! SASHA!", Mikasa had awoken and shot up from where she lay, frantically looking for her abducted brother and missing girlfriend, Sasha snapped her head around and sprinted to her side, embracing her. Mikasa held onto her tight, she had thought she got caught in the blast, "Sasha! Oh thank god I thought you were..", she said as she began to cry into her lovers' shoulder, Sasha caressed her head as she cried, trying her best to comfort her. Sasha had to retell the entire situation all over again, and as expected, Mikasa freaked out at the news that her brother and best friend had been abducted, and were in life-threatening danger.