An array of horses lined the streets as a cheerful crowd was on either side of it. A blur of green capes above the horses, all facing the gate.
This was my first time, as a newly recruited Survey Corps cadet, going outside the walls. I don't know if what I'm feeling is dread or anticipation of what lies beyond, probably a merge of both.
I have done so much to be where I am today, three years passing by just like that. To think I would make friends, friends that would become like family gave me a sense of purpose. Now, I would do anything to protect them. I would live to protect them. And this promise starts now, to survive this expedition and protect humanity.
I took a deep breath as the gates slowly opened.
The 57th expedition was about to begin.
———————————-
Venturing out was notable to say the least as the abundant sound of hooves hit the verdant terrain. Outside of the walls embodied what freedom was, a viridescent landscape surrounded us the moment we left as a bright sky of cerulean blue welcomed us.
Much like the others, I was caught in a daze of the outlook in front of us, everything appearing more radiant as the Commander yelled from the crowded formation, warning us.
"I understand this is a new experience, but keep a steady mind, the farther we go, the closer we get to encountering Titans!"
The message was received, no matter how attention-grabbing the view was, this was Titan territory. I gripped the reigns of my horse tighter to remind myself to stay alert. We rode farther until Commander Erwin made the signal to break into our formations.
I was assigned to the left side of the formation, along with Connie and Sasha. Ever since it was discovered that Eren had the ability to turn into an ass whooping Titan, he has been under special training and observation by Hange and was placed in Captain Levi's squad.
Things have been different since joining. Everything became more serious. Eren is all of a sudden on Captain Levi's squad, Mikasa is worried all the time, Armin is sad but won't tell us why (99% sure it's because Annie joined the Military Police), and this whole Jean ordeal has been driving me nuts.
I feel like I'm in limbo, actually being outside the walls proved that. I never imagined this day, nor how I would feel.
I guess reality is becoming clearer. This isn't the training corps where you learn to go to the next step and nothing changes. This was the next step. The Survey Corps was humanity's closest thing in search for why Titans existed, and how to get rid of them.
A signal flare launched into the blue sky, crimson fumes breaking me from my thoughts. Ahead, a scrawny Titan with thoughtless eyes maundered towards, yet unaware of our presence. We followed protocol, pulling from supply bags red flares and discharging them up above.
Once the sky was consumed in a cardinal color, we steered our reigns to the left, shifting the formation. The encounter broke us up further into our own respected columns, three cadets in each. Connie, Sasha, and I began to ride out farther to the left, eventually losing sight of the center formation. Being recently recruited, we were assigned to communication, to send out flares in case of a Titan spotting or emergency.
"I CAN'T WAIT TO KICK TITAN ASS, YOU GUYS!" Connie yelled from up ahead.
"Are you out of your mind? Attacking them is WAY harder out here, especially on horse. It's better to avoid."
"Even I knew that, Connie." Sasha retorts.
He moderated his horse's pace, slowing down to ride beside me and Sasha to chuckle before sighing.
"Yeah I know, it's just sad that Eren gets to be all cool in Captain Levi's squad and we're here, shooting green and red out of guns."
"Green and Red flares which benefit the expedition, Connie. Without us, a Titan could enter the center formation and casualties would occur. It's our job to be on the lookout."
Sasha jumped in. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm pretty sure you're the same height as Captain Levi~"
Me and Connie laughed at the remark, the three of us in high spirits. Little did we know that wouldn't last long...
———————
I slowly tugged the calloused reins of my horse back, signifying for him to lower his speed but continue on. I was starting to get nervous.
Only the sound of whinnying horses and hooves galloping went to our ears. It had been some time since we broke out of the formation and anxiety was slowly seeping into my mind. Something wasn't right.
Everything is too quiet.
I felt my eyes go wider as I sat stiff on my moving saddle. Of course. That's what I'm feeling. Everything is too quiet. To be in Titan territory and for nothing to happen for some time is too suspicious. We haven't even spotted a Titan, much less seen a flare go off from the others. Something is up, maybe not from this side but definitely in the formation. Sasha must have felt the same thing, as well as Connie, because the brunette halted her reins and stopped to face us.
"Shouldn't we go back to the formation? This feeling is throwing me off." She asked us with wide eyes.
"Same here, but won't we get in trouble for going back?" The shaved headed cadet queried.
"That's what I'm thinking, maybe we can-"
Yelling from far behind us cuts me off. We turn around to see two horses and a silhouette rushing towards us. As it got closer, we make out the figure to be Officer Sommer approaching us with a spare horse beside his own.
We trot towards him, saluting the Officer before speaking as he catches his breath.
"Officer Sommer, did we stray to far from the formation? Is there something going on?"
Officer Sommer analyzes us before speaking, "You three are Cadets L/N, Springer, and Braus, Correct?" We nod as he continues, "Ok, good. No, you haven't strayed, an incident occurred between the right side and a strange Abnormal that caused damage to the frontal right flank of the formation-"
That's where Armin, Mikasa, and Jean were assigned.
"Are they alright, Officer Sommer?"
Officer Sommer frowned. "You will let me finish, Cadet L/N. I have no idea if all the comrades are safe. The ones who were able signal black flares were given orders that I'm about to you three from the Center formation: You all are to continue riding ahead. From then on, you should locate a big forest where a few of my fellow Officers should already be with further instructions."
We all took in the information quickly, racking our brains to figure out what happened with the Abnormal as Connie asked him one last question.
"Officer Sommer, should we be worried in any way?" Connie appeared serious, something I usually didn't see often. Officer Sommer passed me the reins of the spare horse, slightly smiling to us before he answered.
"Not if everything goes to plan."
——————
A mass of trees lied ahead of us, thick branches and lanky trunks stood patiently. As we got closer to the forest, the anxiousness brewed within me, butterflies forming in my stomach. I hated not knowing what was going on. Everything felt off.
Officer Sommer's instructions rendered faithful, at the lofty roots of the trees were familiar faces by their horses, all of them looking our way when they detected our presence coming their way.
I felt my heart slow its fast beating when I recognized short raven hair in the group of cadets, happy that Mikasa was okay. I reached her, getting off of my horse as we hugged one another.
"Ugh, I was so worried! Officer Sommer made it sound like something bad happened."
"Nah, we're okay" Mikasa confirmed to me as Armin walked up to us.
"Oh, Armin I'm so glad you're-WHY IS THERE A BANDAGE ON YOUR HEAD?"
The blonde boy giggled at my panic, hugging me from the side. "I'm fine really, Reiner and Jean saved me."
That's right, Jean...
Armin saw the alarm in my eyes, smiling when two big calloused hands picked me up from the ground.
"Aww, Did someone miss me?"
Jean put me back down before I spun around and looked in surprise. Dawning the same green cape I was, he looked ever more charming, his tanned skin contrasting from the cerulean sky. I couldn't come up with a witty retort back, just smiling instead knowing he was okay.
"I was just scared something to you guys, that's all."
The expression I carried advised Jean not to provoke anything further. Instead, he placed his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze as two higher up Officers came up to our group, faces with serious looks as one speaks up with a rehearsed speech in mind.
"In this forest, an issue has been encountered in the mission that the Captain Levi squad are handling currently. I am to relay orders from Commander Erwin to the new recruits..."
——
Below us by the large roots of the trees gawked clumsy looking giants, a mob of Titans watching us cadets as we stationed ourselves on the thick branches.
Commander Erwin had us on the edge of the big forest, up in the trees. As the number of cadets arrived and followed these orders increased, more and more Titans appeared, their faces excited like they found a huge meal.
Along with the growing anxiety I had prior to arriving to the forest, the Titans that were accumulating churned that fear in my stomach even more.
What's going on? Why did Commander Erwin tell us to do this? Why did he also tell us to not kill them? What's happening inside the forest?
It wasn't exclusion I was feeling, it was being unaware. This feeling residing in me like something bad was going to happen. The branch I sat atop wasn't providing much comfort to me anyway. All around me were my friends with their blades drawn who appeared the same as I, nervous and confused. We all watched as a flat faced Titan attempted to climb the trees, it's eager eyes staring at all of us before it lost its grip, falling to the ground. We all exhaled simultaneously though kept cautious. It was doing trial and error and I wondered how long we were to keep at this.
On the same tree as me was Christa and Sasha, both rid of nervousness and casually talking to one another where the branch meets the main body of the tree. I shuffled over to the both of them.
"Doesn't something feel off to either of you?"
Christa tipped her head one side, confused at what I meant as Sasha giggled at her gesture, placing her hand on the blond's head.
"Oh Christa, obviously she's talking about the fugly giants our group attracted."
Christa frowned and looked at Sasha. "I got that potato girl, I'm wondering why Y/N's nervous."
They both turned to me and gaped, not sharing my anxiety in the slightest.
"Umm...so you guys are just peachy with the company of those Titans trying to figure out how to eat us from below?"
Christa and Sasha laughed at the remark, with the taller of the two retorting,
"Please! That climbing Titan has been at it for a while now and still can't get pass the first branch!"
Christa and I both chuckled at the comment, mine sounding more nervous, causing Christa to place her hand on top of mine to reassure me.
"Y/N, what good does being nervous do? Have faith in the Commander. We don't need to know what's happening because it's being taken care of as we speak. He gave us instructions for a reason because he has a plan, hmm?"
I smiled at her consolation before making eye contact with the blond haired girl.
"Thanks Christa, honestly I don't know what I was so worried ab-"
A bloodcurdling earthquake of a scream cries out from the heart of the forest.
The scream causes the trees to tremble and birds to fly away out of alarm.
Startlingly from below, the Titans reacted to the scream as if it had triggered something from within, prompting them to disregard us, instead sprinting like abnormals would into the forest to where the sound was emitting.
The earth trembled from the monstrous footsteps of the Titans as we clutched on to the bark of the quivering trees. I glanced over at Sasha and Christa, whose faces were imbued with confusion. Looking at the rest of the cadets, I see Connie and Jean fighting over something, with Jean pushing past him and launching his ODM gear and leaving the branch.
Heading inside the forest.
What?
I launch my own gear and landed on Connie's branch, running to him in a haste.
"Why did Jean go in there?!"
Connie glared at me with frustration. "I don't know! He said we should go see where the noise was coming from because they might be in trouble but I told him no, that it would be dangerous but he left anyway."
"He shouldn't have gone alone!"
"I know that!"
Shoot.
"I'll go get him."
"What? No Y/N, we should wait for the upper Officers to tell us what to do."
"They're not gonna be here anytime soon! I should go."
"Y/N, listen to me. Let's wait f-"
His entreat fell on deaf ears as I hoisted my wires in a forward motion, projecting into the air as Connie yelled my name with ire from the branch.
I set forth in a direction towards the middle of the forest, playing out scenarios of what I would find in it.
Maybe I'm just overreacting. I mean, I can't blame Jean anyway. I've been wanting to know what's going on since we reached this forest. Hopefully everything is-
Out of the corner of my eye, I detect the tall brunette standing atop a high branch of a sky scraping tree.
I huff in exasperation, shooting out an iron wire to hit the branch, catapulting myself on it as I get ready to scold him.
"You shouldn't have left by yourself, Jea-"
"Y/N, look."
I paused and stared at him, his shocked expression looking down. As I turned to see what he was facing, my jaw dropped.
"What the hell?"
The sight was astonishing to look at. In the center of the forest was a blonde haired Titan, its body pierced with numerous wires and void of skin with blue eyes filled of despair. Titans were feasting on its body, indifferent about eating one of their own. Despite being devoured, the female looking Titan would not remove its hand from its nape, much to the disfavor of the Survey Corp cadets surrounding the neck.
"Is this the abnormal?"
"Yeah it is, Armin, Reiner, and I fought against it. Armin said that he thinks it's looking for Eren. Being here now tells me he's not the only one who realized that."
Ah, so that's why Commander Erwin went into the woods.
"And what do you think it is?"
"Given the fact that it screamed for the Titans to come eat it and it won't let go of its nape, I think there's a mole in the Survey Corps," he hesitated before sighing. "...And I think Erwin knows that."
I gawked at his conjecture, surprised he came to an assumption so deftly.
"Shouldn't we be worried that it screamed for the Titans to eat it?"
"The entire Survey Corps is surrounding its Titan. They need to let go of their nape in order to escape us. Right now, who's ever in there is trapped."
But as more and more of its body was being consumed, the female looking Titan appeared calmer than ever until suddenly large amounts of steam started seeping out of her wounds till the center of the forest was engulfed in condensation. Effectively, the Titans that were once devouring her began collapsing on the forest floor, allowing hesitation to take place.
The spy that was so quickly captured, had swiftly escaped from within our grasp. In response, the retreat flares discharged into the sky, ordering us to head back to Karanes district. I looked down at the veterans withdrawing from below, prompting over to a now frustrated Jean.
"C'mon, let's follow Levi's squad to clear out from the forest."
The brunette huffed in return, the both of us launching our ODM gear to follow. Instead of going in the direction we anticipated, the squad changed their course due to another signal flare from Captain Levi, who was way ahead of us but also using his gear to retreat. They launched their own flare into the sky to signal their rejoining. Captain Levi discerns the flare, halting his wires and going back in the other direction to join his squad. As he approaches them, I recognize something is off. His movements appear agitated and no matter I couldn't see his face under his green hood.
That isn't Levi.
My realization comes too late. The mysterious individual strikes one of the squad members, slaughtering the neck of Gunther, decapitating the soldier instantly. But before the rest of the members could attack the assailant, the hooded culprit abruptly brought their hand to their covered face.
Unlatching a bladed ring, slashing their hand.
A golden strike of thunder hits the forest floor, transforming the mysterious mole into the female Titan.
Jean and I had both unintentionally halted our wires, dumbstruck to see the female Titan in full view so close. She appeared not to notice us, instead focusing her regard on the three soldier charging their blades towards her. Eren remained on horseback, impatiently watching as the veteran cadets broke into combat against the female Titan.
The members fighting, Eld, Oluo, and Petra, certainly lived to the recognition of being in Captain Levi's squad, rapidly accelerating their wires all around the female Titan, confounding her. As Eld severed her left arm, Petra and Oluo quickly ambushed the blonde Titan, penetrating her eyes and blinding her as the Titan covers her nape again.
They take her loss of vision to their advantage, slicing into her arms until gradually they fall to her sides. Appearing in a state of vulnerability, the female Titan laid against the tree in a still manner. Falling for her act, Oluo goes in for the kill to her neck, but, without warning, is masticated by the female Titan's jaw.
The killing of Oluo caught anyone watching off guard. She was surrounded again, how did she kill him? The female Titan spent her energy healing her vision, now somewhat back to her normal state. The loss of another comrade made the apprehension of the female Titan seem more easier said than done. The blonde haired Titan went into a blood lust rage, launching a hit on Eld who wasn't fast enough, thrashing him into the earth. Petra tried to evade her onslaught but the female Titan remained merciless, punting Petra into a tree with a crimson kick.
In such short amount of time, the entirety of Captain Levi's squad had been decimated at the hands of the female Titan.
This...I don't....how...
I can't fathom this, how could some of the best soldiers in the Survey Corps be killed so quickly?
Wait.
Somethings off.
Where's Jean?
I don't know if had been in such a state of disbelief, I didn't notice that the tall brunette who was once by my side, had left to pursue the evacuating female Titan.
I had never launch my ODM wires quicker as I propelled into air to stop Jean.
That idiot is gonna sign a death warrant if he tries to fight her and....he just can't get hurt....not now...
Jean had managed to catch up to the blonde Titan, now only being a few paces being her up in the trees. His movements portrayed his fury, irate and driven. The female Titan had registered his presence by now, placing a skinless hand over her nape as she continued to run towards the exit of the forest.
Despite disagreeing with his actions strongly, I knew Jean wasn't stupid. Witnessing veterans getting killed meant to proceed with caution, with the brown haired cadet remaining above her, using thick branches as shields to get closer. The female Titan knew what he was doing, if she attempted to swat at him while running she would only strike the tree.
Jean's position brewed frustration in the female Titan, causing her to come to a complete halt, choosing to combat. Impelling now at a full speed, I desperately wanted him not to fight her, but I knew that it would be futile by the Jean's exhibition of anger. Unexpectedly, the cadet casted his wires to her lower half, landing atop her knees before slicing the back of it with his blade, prompting her kneel into the ground. He then catapulted from her quick falling, shooting a wire to her right shoulder, inflicting a wound as he stabbed her shoulder blade, rendering her arm useless.
Jean knew that to stop her, you needed to be fast. Without a moment's hesitation, Jean aimed his blade to what covered her nape, eager to puncture it when, suddenly, his blade had fragmented against her hand.
The female Titan had crystallized an azure hardened armor over her hand, stopping Jean from reaching her nape.
Everything was in vain, the female Titan had yet found another evade us, and she appeared hell bent on making Jean pay.
I had never screamed someone's name louder in my life as Jean was mauled into the earth, the female Titan about to inflict the finishing blow when,
A greenish blue crackle of thunder erupts from the sky, Eren's Titan form emerging from condensed steam.
His Titan's roar signifying his presence, vibrating the trees.
Eren had kept on horseback the entire time, his vengeance surpassing his promise to not fight. The female Titan targeted her attention to his Titan, allowing me to make my way to Jean, landing beside him on the forest floor.
I glanced at the female Titan, watching her form a fighting stance as Eren did the same. With extreme caution, I secured a battered Jean on my back, grappling a wire to a branch as I projected the both of us to it.
Everything became silent when I finally looked at him, his disheveled body and bloodied face being too much to see as tears began to cloud my vision. His left leg was limp and contorted, his right arm being shattered with bruises covering his entire frame. And...he wasn't moving.
"Jean? Please, can you hear me?"
I knew there was no use in asking, I was just too afraid to check, too afraid to confirm. She could have imposed the same fate on Jean as she did with Captain Levi's squad. I shifted closer to his inert figure, slowly moving the side of my face to below his nose.
Hitched breathing suspired softly into my ear.
I felt my body ease instantly. On top of his marred skin, I placed a subtle kiss. He's alive, that's all that matters, but he won't be it if we don't leave here soon. As the dread that just before was overwhelming me died down, reality came back as I could begin to discern the battle ensuing between the two enormous giants.
This fight was something I had never seen. Being in the corps and in training, I was in combat nearly everyday, but this was different. Two Titans, ruthlessly attacking one another, each delivering hard blows, the ground shaking with every quick stance, the trees shivering when one is pushed aback the branches, two monsters in battle. As the punches and hits continued, Eren's Titan who was assailing mercilessly, paused in hesitation to one of the female Titan's moves, leaving an opening of vulnerability as the blonde of the two landed a pummeling hit on Eren's Titan, rendering him senseless. Without reluctance, the Female Titan plodded over to the knocked out Titan perched against the tree, hastily grabbing and sinking her teeth into the nape of Eren's Titan, pulling him out with her mouth.
I was seeing red now.
Despite a limp Jean again secured against my back, I catapulted my wires towards her direction, tired of just watching. I eventually caught up and launched onto her back, running my blade down the middle of it, imposing a ghastly wound making the female Titan shriek. I knew that even though she was capable of healing, her energy was quickly depleting, tired of fighting. She used her free arm to try and swat at me while using the other for nape coverage. I felt a plan forming within me. I could feel someone's energy, someone coming closer to here as I dodged her strikes.
If I could just stop her for a sec-
Wait.
I know.
There's a risk, but it might be worth it. I stop shooting my wires, not grappling to anything as Jean and I plummet to the forest floor, delaying the female Titan's movements. As we descend further, almost a few yards from the ground, I cast a hook to one of her calves, slinging sideways mid air, slicing one of her Achille's tendon, stopping her escape. The female Titan grunts in anger, me unknowingly being swatted at while I'm still in motion, hurling me into a branch.
I could feel the muted crunch of pure agony, my left arm being crushed and splintered by the branch to dull the force of being thrown.
The pain stung like hell, but I was content because,
In that moment, two soldiers, both raven haired, emerged from opposite directions, ready to shed blood. Both Captain Levi and Mikasa had insane reaction skills, following the Titan's screams as directions to where Eren and the female Titan were. They had both formed a plan, utilizing speed and power to stop her from having Eren. Mikasa acted a cover as Levi slained her limbs with rapid momentum. They brought her to her weakening point, her skinless body with wounds widespread all over. She was teetered to her limit, collapsing to the earth with exhaust, closing her eyes. Captain Levi slit lacerations into her jaw, extending it open to reveal an unconscious Eren in her mouth. Captain Levi handed the slimy Eren over to Mikasa before noticing the two bodies against a branch, one senseless and the other weary.
"Oi, you brats alive?"
"Yes sir," I grinned at the thought, "We both are."
—
Jean sill stayed unconscious on the wagon as we retreated back to Karanes, I beside him. The veteran cadets had attempted to coerce me into letting him go, saying he was long gone and that I was acting like the other cadets who's comrades were killed, but I held my ground, them giving up.
Though, I did hear his breathing, it never really meant if he was gonna be okay...or wake up.
As the gates unlatched and arose to the district, the atmosphere couldn't have been more cynical with the murmurs and the whispers of the locals.
"They just left and now they're coming back?"
"Even less than before? That Commander is running those imbeciles straight to their graves."
"What a waste of taxes yet again!"
The ride back into town was utterly depressing, all of our heads looking down with green capes over our faces to cover our somber expressions. By the time we reached the old headquarters, everyone was despondent, having to confirm dead comrades and receive treatment.
For Jean, he was taken immediately to the infirmary, his injuries being the worst compared to the other survivors. The nurse I had met before giving me a solace look of condolence and pity before the doors to the infirmary shut gently in front of me, uncertainty following.