We rode through the abandoned part of Karanese District fast. Everyone looked dead ahead. Until I heard massive thuds from the left of me.
I notice out of the corner of my eye, Miche sniffs the air then his head snaps in the direction of the thuds. Soon after Hanji notices as well.
"A 10-meter-class approaching from ahead, on the left! While I'm quite interrested in the contents of its stomach, I'll leave this to the support squad!" She shouts. I finally see the ugly Titan. It's eyes bulging out its head in a horrifying manner, and it's rather fat looking as if it's had plenty humans to eat. I gag at how ugly it is then I look back up ahead. I then remember at time when we were disscussing plans for the expedition.
_____A_Week_Prior____
"The support squad will only escort us to the old town area. Beyond that is all Titan territory. All we can count on is the long-distance scouting formation Commander Erwin devised. This is where we of the special-ops squad will be." Gunther explains to Eren and I. He uses his pointer finger to point out our position. C/R= Center Rear a position more protected than the supply carts.
___Present___
We ride past the last row of horses then we're out in the open country side within Wall Maria. Tis a shame we had to abandon this beautiful place, I even had to abandon my home.
Erwin swings out his left arm. "Assume the long-distance scouting formation!" He orders us. I stay close on his tail as everyone else begins spreading out. Hanji and Miche then take their places on either side of me. I guess it's for protection.
"Right, now I'm going to explain this awesome plan of ours. Ready, because I'm only saying it once." Hanji says firmly. I curtly nod to her -Saying I'm going to listen-
"Good, now. This expedition is not going to last as long as you think it is. Erwin has chanced the fact we may have an enemy from within the walls that might come out to try steal or kill you and Eren due to your Titan powers. And this person may also be the person who killed my precious Sawney and Beane."
"But, sorry for interrupting, why would they want to come out here. It's also impossible to get out on horse back, the gate closed as soon as we go out of it." I tell her.
"If you didn't interrupt me I would've told you how they'd possibly come here already." I feel my cheeks heat up a bit from embarrassment. "Anyways, what I was going to say was that this person could have abilitys like you and Eren. Titan shifting abilitys to be exact." My eyes widen as she continues. "So this time we've gambled two things, whether there is an enemy to be worried about and if there is an enemy it is a Titan shifter." Hange continues. "In the supply carts we have loaded dozens of Titan traps so if there is an enemy shifter we will head to the giant forest and set them up there. We will be using Your squad as bait." My head snaps round to her.
"Hange, but what if this 'Titan' does actually kill Levi squad including Eren?!"
"Let me continue, girl." She looks over at me with scary eyes. "There's no guarentee they will or will not survive. We'll just need to see the outcome of this plan, that'll determine whether they'll survive. Anyways, we need you to shift just in case this Titan manages to dodge the traps, which they likely won't but just for extra precaution." She finishes then looks over at me. "Are you up for it?"
My body floods with determination to capture this supposed threat. "I'm up for it. I'm certain I can rely on the Commanders Wits. But I'm unsure on whether I can transform without any problems." I say to her. Hanji's eyes light up with excitement.
"Good, and Thank you for aiding us with your strength." She thanks me. I smile softly but that smile doesn't last long. I spot multiple red flares to the right of us. I remember the training for learning communication within the ranks. Red flare means a Titan has been spotted, Green flare means the Commander has seen the red flares and Black flare, it's used when an abnormal Titan has been spotted. The other two flares aren't used much. They are the Yellow and Purple flare. Purple for emergencies like, horses have went missing or gear malfuntioning. Yellow is for when a Titan manages to enter he ranks without getting caught.
"Red flare has been comfirmed, Commander!" Another soldier in the Command Squad yells. Erwin nods and reaches into a satchel attached to his saddle. I notice him pull out a green flare and he loads the flare gun and fires it east, a.k.a our new course of direction.
We continue to see red flares and occasionally a few black ones. We changed our direction at least thirteen times already. We kept heading east until you could see it. The Forest of Giant Trees. Every single tree in that forest lived up to it's name. Almost every tree was between fifty to eighty meters tall. I remember going there when I was little with my friend Calistro. We played hide and seek for hours in there, and I seemed to remember every nook and cranny like the back of my hand. But now it's been years since I've been there and I'm having my doubts of remembering it that easily.
A messenger came up next to the Squad. "Commander, the right flank has been wiped out. We've lost our recon ability!" He shouts.
"We continue on, pass it on." Erwin responds quickly. The messenger seems dumbfounded but then snaps out of it and goes to pass it on.
Some of my friends are in the right flank. Armin. Jean. I hope they've made it out alive.
We continued on just like the Commander ordered. The squad was a few yards away from the road that goes right through the forest.
"Looks like Titans have used this path. There's nothing growing on the road. The wagons should have no problem." Erwin speaks as we ride into the forest. "Relay this to the rear. Only the center line--the wagon escort squad-- will enter the forest."
"Sir!" The two soldiers on the other sides of Erwin break off and fall back out of the forest.
We all ride through the forest with the carts behind us. "Good, the spot is as clear as I hoped." Erwin says calmly. We halt at a junction bit in the middle of the forest. "Ezlyn, before the carts get here I want you to go up into the trees and transform."
I jump off of Zip. "Yes Sir!" I salute and use my gear to scale one of the nearby trees. I get up high--at least seventy meters-- and slip my dagger back out of my boot and hold it up to my hand.
I take a few deep breaths before using the sharp end to slash through the palm of my hand. I jump out of the tree then I feel an immence pressure and heat.
I feel myself land on the ground. I open my eyes and I'm once again the height I was when I helped block up Trosts gate. I feel something on my shoulder and I look to see Commander Erwin.
"Ezlyn, are you in control?" He asks me.
"Yes, I am sir." I reply. His eyes widen then he regains his posture.
"Good, now get up high, off the road, we don't want this threat to see you otherwise they may retreat." He orders. I nod in response and he jumps off my shoulder. I turn to the thick tree i came from and use my claws to climb the tree again. I grab onto a thick branch and climb up ontop of it. I sit on it and let my legs dangle over the edge.
Someone else lands on my shoulder. I turn to look and it's Hanji. Shes looking at me with stars in his eyes. "Ezlyn, how do you feel?"
I roll my eyes and look at her. "I feel normal, Hanji." I say to her. My voice echoey and mature like last time. She starts jumping around on the spot, full of excitement.
"This is a new discovery! A Titan shifter can talk?!" She squeals.
"Hanji, get back to work. We need you to set up the traps!" Erwin yells at her. She looks down and pouts like a child. She then jumps down and goes back to setting up traps. "Ezlyn, I need you to make a net to chuck over the Titan, okay?"
I nod and imagine a net. Yellow sparks emit from my hand and a structure begins forming through the air.
Moments later a massive thorn net appeared out of my hand and I rolled it up as if it was a newspaper. I held it in my arms preparing for the monster to come at any moment. All the traps were set up and ready to be fired.
Everyone began hiding in the trees and Commander Erwin landed on my shoulder. His swords were drawn and his feet were planted on my shoulder.
A messenger came flying towards us panicked and out of breath. He landed on my shoulder next to the Commander. "Commander, the target is close by. Levi Squad is currenty baiting her here."
Her? Does that mean it's a female Titan like myself?!
We all hear an acoustic shell fire which is the signal to prepare to fire, that Levi has probably fired off. The messenger and the Commander walk over to my face and cling to my hair. I ready myself to chuck the net I made over the Female Titan to trap her in place.
I hear various stomps and a few screams. "Commander, can you hear it?" I whisper.
He nods. "Get ready."
Seconds later Levi squad go flying by with a massive Female Titan behind them. It looked at me with a shocked look in its eyes. Commander Erwin points out his sword. "Fire!" He screams. All the traps were fired and the Titan was trapped in place. Dust went everywhere.
"Ezlyn, now!" Erwin yells a me and he and the messenger cling to my hair. I let out a roar of effort and fling the net over her. It landed over the top of her securing her in place. "Come out of there, Ezlyn!" Erwin then orders me.
I nod breifly and roll my eyes back, like I done in the experiments. I hear steam and I focus my eyes again. I'm on the back of my Titan. A pair of arms go under mine and I'm dragged out from the nape. "Do you have enough energy to walk?" A soldier asks me.
"Yes, I do." I reply. I stand up but wobble a tiny bit. The soldier trys helping me but I shoo them away then walk over to Commander Erwin.
"Good job Ezlyn, you done well." Erwin tells me.
"Thank you, sir." I reply looking down at the Female Titan. "What do we do now?" I then look up at him.
"We will use our strongest soldiers to try get the person out. If there is one, at least. Those strongest soldiers consist of Levi, Miche and you, because you are on par with Levi, so I heard." He informs me. I hear the lines of ODM gear then a figure lands next to me. It was Levi.
"Looks like it's immobilized." He says. Staring down at the Titan.
"We can't let our guard down yet. At any rate, good work guiding it to this point." Erwin says to Levi.
"We were able to buy ime thanks to the rear squad that gave their lives fighting. Without them, it wouldn't have been possible."
"Is that so?" Erwin inquires.
"Yes, that's right. Thanks to them, we can meet the on in this thing's nape. I just hope they're not pissing themselves inside."
I look down at the Titan. It's holding a distressed look on it's face. Clenching it's teeth, and eyes wide open in horror. I smirk.
"She looks terrified." I muse. Levi scoffs.
"No shit." He says while drawing a sword.
"Wait Levi. It's an eye for an eye. Squads 2 and 3. Fire!" He shouts lifting his sword up high in the air. A second round of traps go off to secure the Titan in place even more. Because the more she regenerates the more she becomes unable to move...
To Be Continued...