The thorns that were wrapped round the smiling Titan began to glow and a loud whistling noise was heard.
Suddenly a horde of Titans are launching themselves onto the smiling Titan, biting away at the flesh and ripping it off.
Nows our time to escape.
"Eren, Mikasa! Nows our chance to retreat!" I shout to them. They both nod and Eren runs over to Mikasa and pulls her onto his back. He starts running away.
I stick my fingers in my mouth and whistle for Zip. If he's still alive.
I heard hooves and a familiar whinney. I turn to see my grey horse running towards me happily. I jump on his back but another horse starts galloping in my direction. Armins horse.
I take it's reins and start looking for the others.
"Ezlyn!" I hear someone shout. I look to my right to see Armin holding an injured Jean. I gasp and turn Zip in their direction.
"Armin, help Jean up onto Zip. You can take your horse!" I say to him.
"Okay, Jean, can you stand up please. Ezlyns going to take you." Armin informs him. Jean opens up one of his eyes and looks up at me. He closes his eyes again and trys standing up straight. He manages perfectly and Armin helps him over to Zip who was being impatient.
"Stand still, Zip!" I shout. He does as I say and I grab Jeans outstretched hand. I pull him up onto the saddle behind me and he wraps his arms round my abdomen for security.
I hand Armin his horse and he jumps onto it. "Let's go!" He yells and I kick Zip on. We ride up next to Eren and Mikasa who were on foot. I scanned the area for another horse for them but something bigger caught my attention.
The Armoured Titan was running right for us. "Damn Reiner." I curse under my breath. Eren skids to a halt to face him.
"Don't come any closer! We'll kill you both!" Eren screams at them. I feel another surge of power flow through my veins and explode through my finger tips. I lift my hand in the direction of Reiner and branches go flying towards him, blocking his path. All the Titans that were feasting on the smiling Titan launch themselves towards Reiner. Latching on to him, biting at his armour.
Armin comes up to Eren and hands him a horse. "Get on." He simply says.
"Armin-"
"Hurry!" Armin interrupts him abruptly. He does as he says and lifts Mikasa on to the back of the saddle then jumps on in front of her.
"Retreat!" Erwin yells. We all start riding with the flow of all the survivors.
The sun was glowing a dark red on the horizon and twinkling lights were appearing in the night sky. All the constellations blinking on and off.
I sigh and look down at my unscathed hands. "Jean. Can I tell you something?" I ask him. He sits up a bit more and sits his chin on my shoulder.
"Yes, go on." He responds, his voice tired and croaky.
I smile softly. "I'm sorry about all those things I said to you a few months ago. And I'm sorry about hurting you. I shouldn't of reacted in that way." I apologise. He chuckles.
"Don't apologise. I shouldn't of spoke about Marco in that way. You had the right to act like that." He says softly.
"Okay then, I won't say sorry." I say triumpiantly. I relax my shoulders. "But I will say something."
"What is it?" Jean asks.
"I saw Marco." I whisper. He tenses up and sits up straight. "Relax, he didn't come back from the dead. I just saw him... in heaven." Jean relaxes again and sits his chin back on my shoulder.
"Okay then. Tell me about it."
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
My voice had trailed on the whole way until we reached Ehrmich, describing all the things that happened when I saw Marco. But I never told him about the promise I made with him because I knew Jean would disagree with it and think Marcos just being selfish.
Everyone was ordered to get rest, especially Eren and I, because the expedition to retake Wall Maria was next on our to-do-list.
A week later I was ordered to see the Commander to discuss something important, regarding his missing arm.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
I walk along the streets of Trost, looking for the higher-ups barracks because I was ordered to meet with Erwin to discuss something important.
I was in my casual clothes that consisted of a blue skirt that stops just above my knees and a white shirt that shows my pale shoulders. It shows my small, yet muscular frame.
I found the gates to the Trost barracks and strolled into the courtyard. I glanced up at one of the windows and spotted a man with raven hair that was styled in an under-cut. And theres only one person I know who styles their hair like that. Levi.
I saluted quickly and started heading for the entrance. I walked through the massive oak doors and strolled down the corridor in the direction of Commander Erwins room.
I arrived at two oak doors and knocked. I heard footsteps and then the door opened revealing Commander Pixis.
"Commander," I say saluting. "I was requested to be seen here."
He laughs. "No need to salute to me, dear. Anyways, come in." Pixis steps back and I walk through the doorway. Commander Erwin was sat in a bed, his right shoulder bandaged up. And Levi was sat by his side with a cup of tea in his hand.
I salute respectfully. "Good evening Commander and Captain."
"Sit." Levi says bluntly, patting an empty chair next to him. I gulp and follow his orders. I place myself on the chair and sat up straight. "So, let me just get this straight. Erwin didn't call you here, I did. I wanted to confirm a few things." He looks me dead in the eye seriously.
"Yes, sir." I reply.
"First, you don't need to call me sir, we both have the same skill, but I'm still your Captain." He groans, rolling his eyes out of annoyance.
I go red out of embarrassment. "U-Um, thank you... uhm, Levi." I stutter.
"So, I've been trying to tell Levi that I let you cut my arm off due to the damage that was inflicted. But he's being stubborn and refusing to believe me." Erwin laughs and Levi scoffs. "Can you please tell him what happened."
I hold back my laughs and keep my composure. "What happened was, we were just about to charge towards the Armoured Titan and try retrieve Eren, but a Titan got a hold of the Commander, so I chased and killed the Titan. I found the Commander with his right arm hanging by just a thin bit of bone. I tried putting the arm back in place but I realised the damage already and how it'd be useless for the rest of his life. So I simply asked if it was alright for me to sever his arm and he agreed with my judgement. And that's the truth."
Levi's eyes widened and he turned to Erwin who was smiling smugly. "Told you, Levi."
Commander Pixis laughed. "Who knew you could be so funny Levi." He started laughing hysterically.
I couldn't hold my laughs back anymore and I joined in. I heard Erwin let out small chuckles.
There was suddenly a knock at the door and we all stopped laughing.
"It's Hange. Come in!" Levi says. The door opens and Hange and Connie walk in. Why is Connie wih her?
"Please excuse the interrupton, Erwin." She gasps and salutes. "I didn't realise you were here, Commander Pixis and Ezlyn." She drops her salute. "Good timing. This is..." She turns to Connie.
Connie salutes. "Connie Springer, from the 104th Training Corps." He says in a flat voice unlike his usual cheery one. My smile falls into a frown, seeing one of my good friends petrified like this.
"Connie comes from Ragako Village." Hange explains. Everyone gasps including me.
"The village involved in the recent Titan outbreak?" Pixis asks.
"Yes," She responds. "I just discussed the findings of our investigation on the village with him, and his knowledge adds credence to our findings and to this report."
-A Few Minutes Later-
"What!? The Titans that appeared were really the transformed citizens of Ragako?" Pixis asks. I had a shaky hand over my mouth to stop myself from letting my loud shaky breaths from being heard. I don't believe my ears.
"Do you mean to say that all Titans... are human?" Erwin asks. My eyes widen. I've been killing humans this whole time?
"We don't have conclusive evidence yet." Hange says.
"So that means... I've spent the past few years of my life flying around and killing people? Is that Right?" Levi asks.
"I was thinking the same." I mutter. I let my head fall back over the back of the chair and I'm staring at the ceiling.
"Like I said, it hasn't been proven." Hange repeats. "I now must go and gain more evidence to conclude this. I'll see you all soon and I wish you well Erwin." Hanji turns back to the door and Connie follows her out. The door closes with a click and I let out an exagerated sigh.
"Calm down, Ezlyn. Stress will give you split-ends." Pixis says calmly.
"Erwin-" Levi pauses and I follow his gaze. Erwin was smiling strangely while staring into space.. "What the hell... are you smiling about?" Levi asks a horrified expression over his features. Erwin snaps out his trance.
"Oh, it's nothing. It's just that, with this, we've come one step closer to the truth." Erwin explains.
"Just one step, huh?" Levi says standing up. I follow suit. "Considering how many lives that one step cost us, I don't like our odds."
"But it is undeniably a step forward. It's only a matter of time. The wall between us and the truth... will fall."