Blood (Levi x Reader)

39. ** Across the Sky **

From the outside looking in, my actions could have been labeled as pure suicide: riding solo into Titan-infested territory just before dawn. However, in that moment, I wasn't afraid of coming in contact with the giant man-eating beasts; I was more concerned about why I wasn't seeing them at all. Just like before, the woods were eerily silent, with only faint whispered warnings rippling through the trees.

As I gripped the reins tightly in my fists, I leaned forward against my horse and genuinely thanked him for sharing in my journey. Although I desperately wished to push him forward in an all-out gallop, I knew neither of us would make it if we failed to pace ourselves. As we rode through the forest, I allowed him to choose his own speed, trotting through the brush and weaving in between the countless, massive trees. I remained vigilant, keeping my eyes peeled for any movement whatsoever. However, I found everything to be so hauntingly still.

Once we came to a clearing, I patted my horse's nape and muttered, "Alright, it's time to show me just how fast you can fly..." Although I could see a smaller forest straight ahead, I was grateful for the opportunity to charge forth. If everything had gone as Commander Erwin had planned, then the Survey Corps would be arriving at Shiganshina's inner wall at any moment. I had no idea how far behind them I was, but all I could do was hope to make it in time. The further I ventured inside Wall Maria without spotting a single Titan, the worse I felt. No one had ever gotten this far without fighting one, let alone seeing one close-by. I did my best to dampen my fears and focus on the daunting task before me, but I couldn't deny the obvious threat anymore. The space around me wasn't void of titans as a result of the Survey Corps wiping them out... it was much more likely that every titan had gathered at the Wall...

The moment my eyes caught sight of the crumbled junction where Wall Maria expanded into Shiganshina, I exhaled heavily. It had been years since her walls served a purpose. Humans were once protected by her towering silhouette, but her strength could only hold for so long before devastation and destruction reared its ugly head... As I mourned the thought of how many had perished during the hellish breach, the air was suddenly ripped from my lungs. A blinding light shot across the sky as the earth trembled violently; the telltale sign that a Titan had been born.

My heart raced frantically as I tried to regain my ability to breathe. I was utterly clueless as to whether or not I had made good time, but I had only wished to have arrived before it was too late. As my eyes scanned along the Wall, I jerked my head side to side, trying to see around the lingering trees in my way. Who had appeared first? Was it Eren or the enemy? No matter... I had to find Erwin at once and warn him of the impending ambush.

My horse had barely been able to regain his footing before a second strike electrified the sky, followed almost simultaneously by hundreds more. Releasing an involuntary yelp, I shielded my eyes from the blazing explosion before me, as the earth shattered underfoot, causing my horse to rear back and throw me to the ground. The fear I experienced in that fleeting moment was horrific and overwhelming as I witnessed countless Titans of all shapes and sizes burst into view, only inches away from me. Their bodies seemed to sprout from the ground, zapped to life by the heat of lightning that dipped down from the sky. My eyes widened with dread when I noticed a second line of Titans encircling the entrance to Shiganshina, just inside Maria. In the center of it all stood a single gigantic beast, whose presence sent chilling tremors down my spine. There was no doubt in my mind that he was the one responsible for it all.

Still sprawled on the leaf-covered ground, my eyes trailed up the body of the titan who stood closest to me. It was staring straight ahead, completely oblivious to my existence below. There was no way in hell that I could rendezvous with the Survey Corps anymore. Even if I took down the initial wall of monsters who lined the edge of the woods, I wouldn't be able to use my 3D Maneuvering Gear to get past those who stood before Shiganshina.