The Chains of Humanity | Levi Ackerman

Chapter 23: For Better Or For Worse

Years passed, the time draining all of the energy within her. She had nightmares, unexplainable ones, where she would be standing in the middle of an empty street, the orange light of the sunset casting over her in a luscious blanket. Her dark eyes would stare up at the giant wall that stood proudly before her, the peace to only be interrupted by the earth crackling and breaking into a low, violent rumble. The wall shattered, and a monstrous, gargantuan skinless head would peer over the solid wall. Here, she would let out a scream that would lead her back into the real world.

Years passed, and the Berlinsky Company flourished as the Survey Corps Expeditions took place annually. With the high demands of more 3-D Maneuver Gear and Titan-slaying blades needed by the Military branches, Edvard's company exploded in wealth. The couple had various military leaders visit their home to talk about business. There was one man, who went by the name of Erwin Smith, who eyed her just how the other men had back in Mitras.

Saika sat at home, cleaning the cottage as the maids watched her; she demanded to keep busy to keep her mind off of things. This method worked very poorly, however, as she would only be thinking about Levi even more.

Her nightmares became frequent, occurring almost every night at around the same time. Edvard, concerned of his wife's health, called in an infamous doctor from Wall Maria for monthly sessions.

Levi suffered in the Underground. Though the trio's success rate for raiding food stands was high, Levi grew even more hostile than ever. Farlan was just as devastated, even though his actions did not show it; Saika was Levi's, and there was no doubt in the world about that. Isabel, seeing how Levi had handled Saika's kidnapping, now refused to argue with him and, rather, admired him for his strength. She hated to see him in this kind of mood, which dominated all of his emotions every day now, and frequently tried to cheer him up with her spunky attitude.

Still, he saw nothing ahead for him, and his sense of morale plummeted when he tried his last attempt to break inside the Kippermann Manor, which lay in ruins.

He stepped though the blasted open door, careful to step over the body of an older butler splayed out in front. He recognized this man, but he couldn't quite put his finger on where he had seen him before.

The floor was crusted in a layer of black blood, the once shiny marble floors dulled and adulterated by the dried gore. He stood in the middle of the Great Room that was littered with cold bodies, staring up at the room upstairs where he had seen Saika that one night, and relived the precious moments inside his gloomy mind.

He walked around the manor further; climbing up the stairs slowly, careful to not touch the golden railing that was smeared in dark crimson. He entered a rather familiar room, creaking in the door open by its oddly clean door handle and peeked his hardened gaze inside. There, immediately to his left, was the bed he had said "goodnight" to Saika in. He stood there in a sort of grim daze, glaring at the bed under the dark shadows that casted over his eyes. He left without another glance back, clicking the door tightly shut behind him.

A trail of smeared blood caught him eye, and feeling numb enough to not feel any emotion or sense, Levi followed it. The slashes of gore on the wall and the drippings on the floor led the man to a rich chamber at the end of the hall, the door handle splattered in a deathy burgundy and the door itself slightly ajar.

Levi pushed the dark wooden door in lightly with his knuckle and peered inside.

There was a lavish bed, decorated with a thick black comforter with golden thread woven into the plush fabric. If it weren't for the body that lay slumped on top of the blanket, it would have been an opulent sight.

Levi walked over to the side of the bed, identifying the body as Georges Kippermann. The thief bore down on the body with a look of hatred and disgust, debating whether to maul the thick creature into shreds or not. His gray eyes fell upon the thick slice that slit the noble's throat, black blood crusting thickly on his reddened skin. He saw that his right hand had been severed off, which would explain the smears of blood that led him into this dreaded chamber.