Checkmate (Eren x Levi)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Eren's POV

I ran through the thick forest, leaves and branches grasped at my clothing, my skin, my hair, occasionally tearing whatever they could. Blood seeped from the cuts on my cheeks and arms, leaves scattered in my hair and dirt smudged my skin. I could barely see, everything was blurred by my tears. I had watched the man I love get crushed, right before my eyes and I did nothing. It's all my fault. If only I had one more chance, just one chance to be with him again. Just one more life with him. Just one more. One without titans, one with something called the ocean. Just one more chance, please!

I drop to my knees and look up at the breaks in the tree's leaves, light blue poking through it. "If there is anyone up there, anyone who can help me." I sobbed to the annoyingly blue sky. "Just give him back! Please! I love him, I need him. I'll do anything, just help me." I screamed in desperation. Suddenly everything blurred and a dark figure appeared in front of me.

"Oi, Jaeger, what do you think you're doing?" The figure snapped and I sobbed harder. He's alive, my King is fucking alive. Hesitantly, I looked up, only to meet that evil, angry glare. "Get your ass up unless you want to be fed to the titans and used as a toothpick." I instantly hopped to my feet and held back the urge to clobber Levi. I had a feeling something was off about him, his clothes had rips and tears in all the same places as when I left. The patch the covered his shoulder was missing, squeezes tightly in my fist.

I felt cold, my body shivered as we started walking, Levi a few feet in front of me. I looked down at his legs and held back a horrified scream. I could tell they were broken, but he walked without a limp, as if they were brand new, unbroken, undamaged. Out of nowhere, the raven grasped my wrist and pulled me in front of him, as if he knew I was looking. "Keep going straight a mile or two, you'll find a stable, take a horse and haul ass straight for the wall." Levi said in his normal, unemotional tone of voice before it became low and loving. "Don't be afraid to die, I'm right here, don't be afraid."

I turned around and he was gone. I frantically searched around me, the tears returning. All of a sudden my brain was smacked with millions of questions. Why didn't he teleport us out the moment we hit trouble? Why did he sacrifice himself so easily? Why didn't he fight? Why the hell do I not have my Illusio bracelet? The last one sent a jolt of terror through out my body in the form of cold spikes, hairs stood up all over my body and I began to run.

I don't know why I was running, but I didn't stop. He told me to be not afraid, which, right now, feels impossible. What wall? What is he talking about? I continued to ask myself questions, ones I'd never get an answer for. I wanted to cry again, knowing I'd never feel his warmth again, never watch him work, never be made love to again, or at least not in the same way. I held back tears, my lip bleeding as I dug my teeth into it.

I pushed myself into an uncomfortable sprint, almost falling over every other step. I moved as swiftly as humanly possible, the stable finally in view. I refused to look back, knowing I'd fall or see something that I'd regret seeing, so I continued on until I reached the stable. I immediately jumped onto a beautiful black stallion and dug my heels into his sides. He reared before breaking out into a full sprint.

I gripped tightly onto its mane, no reigns or saddle were on this beast. With each step I bounced, my ass and crotch becoming sore within a minute of riding. I kicked the sides again and he went just a tad bit faster. I loved the feeling of going fast, the wind in my face and hair. I felt alive. I had even forgotten about my situation until I heard thumps coming from either side of me.

I turned my head frantically and instantly knew I was fucked. Out of habit I tapped my wrist twice and then shouted in irritation when no menu popped up. Two abnormals were running at me. Wait... Abnormals? Why did I refer to them as that? I shook my head to get myself to focus, I continued forward but they were closing in.

I don't know why I did this, or why it felt so normal, but I raised my hand and bit down into it. Pain and then a sudden burst of light and a wave of heat sent my horse flying. I found it odd how small the horse looked, I glanced down and saw large, dark feet. I was racked with confusion but I wasn't scared, this felt far from new.

As the titans reached me, I grabbed one by it's shoulders and spun it around, smacking its body into the other's. Both of them went flying back and I was filled with rage. These fuckers took my mom! I froze for a second, thinking over that thought. My mother gave her life for me, she wasn't killed by these creatures. So why can I see it?

Mother, crushed underneath a house... My home, tears streaming down her face as Mikasa and I try to get her out. Our small hands don't even make the wood budge. She tells us to run, a blonde man, Hannes, convinces us that he'll kill the oncoming titan, but he freezes. I remember him grabbing Mikasa and I before running.

Mom held her hand out towards us and whispered, "Please don't leave me." I shouted after her, begging for someone to help her. The next thing I knew, it was raining her blood and she was gone, her body drowning in the contents of the titan's stomach, a grin spread across it's face. I'll never forget that face.

I pounded the titans down, my wrists broken and covered in blood. They weren't moving but I didn't stop. I was overcome by anger, not stopping until darkness came and I lost consciousness.
.
.
.
"Welcome to the real world, brat."