Mask-An Attack on Titan Fan Fiction

Chapter Fifteen

The guns screamed, and the scent of gunpowder filled my nostrils.

"ONCE MORE!"

We reset the hammers of the rifle, and our hammers assaulted the triggers, sending another round of fire into the faces of the Titans.

They stumbled back, faces gushing blood, spattering us with the dark substance. The blood began to evaporate instantly, but it was still disgusting.

Through the haze of gunpowder, I could see the figures of our fighters dropping from the rafters like cats. Five of the seven Titans crumpled. I heard Armin pour forth a tirade of expletives under his breath as the smoke cleared.

"Which two missed their targets?"

I leaned over the edge of the lift, peering to see the perpetrators of failure. The two Titans were stumping toward the quivering forms of Connie and Sasha.

Sasha was pleading incoherently with her assailant, and Connie was slashing his swords in a valiant effort to defend himself, but the Titans were closing in.

I felt a crushing sense of panic as the Titan bent to peer at Sasha.

"No," I murmured, "It's going to-"

With cat-like precision, Annie and Mikasa flew through the air and cut down the remaining Titans.

It was only then that we gave in to relief. The lift was lowered completely to the floor, and we staggered out, quaking with adrenaline.

Some people were actually sobbing.

I didn't cry, but I could feel the overwhelming sense of relief encompassing my bloodstream, slowing my heartbeat and flooding color back into my face. I winced against the jabs of pain from my ankles.

"Armin," I said, turning to him, "Thanks. You saved our necks."

Armin turned red. "You are welcome."

Armin was that kind of person who was praised so little, yet was totally worthy when he deserved it.

I dropped my gun aside and limped to the gas tanks to begin the re-supplying of my gear.

Marco came over as I was refilling. "How are you holding up, Igor?"

"I'm doing fine, Marco." I was surprised by his sudden interest in me. We hadn't been incredibly good friends during training, so it sort of confused me that he would want to speak with me now.

"That's good." Marco smiled.

"Listen, Igor," Marco said, "I know you were good friends with Eren, and his death must be really hard for you."

I felt a tiny seed of pain festering in my heart.

"Yeah," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, "Yeah, um, it is. I hadn't given it much thought, because of all of this, but now that I have time to think, it's starting to sink in."

"I know how you feel-"

"How?" I snapped at him, "How can you understand these feelings I'm having?"

Marco opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off.

"Marco, I'm happy to be alive. I could have died so many times today, and I didn't. Eren is dead. He's dead, and he can't come back from wherever he went. I'm never going to see him again. Do you know how guilty I feel? I wish I was the one dead, yet I am so thankful to be alive. I hardly ever showed the amount of determination Eren did. But he's dead, Maro. How can that be fair? How can he die and I still be alive?"