Daisy | Levi Ackerman

Chapter 37 - All The Odds

[Naomi]

I didn't know how many seconds have passed until I have reached the wall, but a sudden, wide explosion shook the skins of earth and blew high up into the blood-ridden sky; creating a nuke of red and orange behind me.

I coughed and coughed the smoke out of my lungs as I turned back to my direction, trying to shake away any regrets left churning in my speeding mind. The Colossal Titan had just transformed far behind me, where most of my remaining comrades were left standing.

Where most of my remaining comrades were left standing.

"Corporal Hanji! Armin!" I yelled in recalling, and tried to turn back to the place where I left them to attack, where I should have stayed to guard the ranks with them, where I should have been to help them fight the foe.

But my Corporal's words chimed into my head like a large bell in the middle of a chaotic town; "Try your best to be safe. I'm looking forward to many more years of work and friendship with you."

And being reminded of my duty and vow, I turned back on full steer ahead and resisted the strong wind aftermath of the colossal blow. I flew up north over the walls, and landed on my knees, staggering and rolling at the top in the fastest and most uncontrollable momentum I've ever felt in my life.

The impact sent me scraping my arm and forehead, wounding me by the skin of my temples. It didn't stop until I felt my body not meeting any rough surface anymore, flying off the edge of the wall.

The world around me spun and spun as I screamed, falling off into the gunpowder-like air. As I hovered without control, the top edge of the wall stretched up farther and farther away.

I forcefully regained my strength and navigation of the moment, pulling the trigger to grapple myself to the nearest concrete as I freefalled down the fifty-meter reach, almost anticipating the feeling of the cold hard ground colliding against my back and breaking all of my bones.

But no, not today. I promised everyone that I would be safe.

I clung onto the surface of the wall, about thirty meters above the ground; and pushed all of my weight to kick my feet up against it. My palms were wounded as I held on tight to my cables, trying to reclaim my balance as I looked down onto the devastation below me- created by huge, flying chunks of boulders clashing against the buildings and the walls.

In breathless panic, I looked around for any living soul among the clouds of dust and blood, searching for my uncle and Levi. They were far ahead just a distance away from me, in a serious discussion among the havoc being wreaked around them.

The alarming sound of pounding rocks crashed above me, behind my back. And as I turned around, I saw Eren's titan sprawled lifelessly on top of the wall.

"Goddamn it, it can't be!" I shivered where I hung, immediately switching my gaze elsewhere, when I heard a panicked neigh below.

"Finn!" I called, seeing my horse come galloping towards my position, leaving behind agitated Magnum and Atticus tied to their posts.

Suddenly, as if shattering all new-found solace I regained just by seeing the presence of my beloved steed and lifetime animal companion; a hurtling rock blew from the distance and shot down on him in the worst way I could imagine.

I didn't know if what I was seeing at that very moment was in line with reality.

"Finn!" I screamed in horror, lowering down in the fastest way possible and dropping to the ground to rush over my sprawled horse. He whinnied in agony, a large wound across his belly and his head.