Nyx's pov
I woke up in a white room, light streaming in through white curtains. I tried to sit up but my arm was handcuffed to the bed. Of course, I had thought that being taken by levi had been a dream but this proved that it wasn't.
I broke out into a coughing fit, allowing the blood to splatter on the floor as I didn't have a free hand to stop it.
"So you're awake." A voice came from the corner of the room.
"Captain Levi." I said.
"You've got blood everywhere, disgusting." Levi said as he pushed away from the wall and approached me.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't move to cover my mouth." I said.
"That's the idea. Listen up brat, we have some questions that need answered before you're allowed to see anyone. You'll be getting kept in here until we're sure you're not dangerous." Levi said.
"That's fair. Ask away." I said.
"What secret has your family been guarding?" Levi asked.
"So someone read my book, I can't say, not to you anyway." I replied.
"You're not helping yourself." Levi said.
"I was not born into this world and given the last name Betzner for show. I was not enslaved and tortured for no reason. I will not betray my family name, I'd rather die. If the secrets of Yimir's people or the truth behind the walls is what you want then know you'll never get them. I'm the only living person with that knowledge and I'm not sharing it with anyone that isn't supposed to know. Sorry, that's just how it is." I said.
"If anything at least you've got conviction. My question then is where do your loyalties lie?" Levi asked.
"My loyalties lie with those I love. Country and race are things I no longer want any part of. I have fought on both sides and I hate them both. I have seen every argument from every side and none of them are good. People are people but noone can leave it at that. I'm loyal to Reiner and Annie and Porco and Pieck and Zeke, Gabi and Falco, Colt, Zophia and Udo but I'm also loyal to Jean and Hanji, Marco and Armin, Sasha, Connie and Historia." I said.
"Well Sasha is dead, Zeke is on our side and Gabi, Falco and Annie are our captives. So who are you picking?" Levi said.
I looked at him in shock, I was not expecting any of that.
"Crying isnt an answer." Levi.
"I'm sorry... I just-... Sasha... Sasha is dead...?" I said.
Levi's pov
Her tears mixed with some blood on her face and began streaking red across her freckled cheeks. I moved to whipe it away but a spark of something flicked between my hand and her cheek and my head was hit with a wave of pain.
I blinked repeatedly, trying to get rid of the searing pain in the back of my eyes. When it felt like I wasn't going to loose my eyes I glanced around. I was in some kind of basement, the place was filthy, the floor pooling with water and mud. The walls were caked in all sorts of crap, moss and dirt and blood. There were rusted chains on the walls that were swinging and making a racket as they clashed on the stone walls. There weren't any windows or much light at all and the place was freezing.
"Nyx sweetheart, we have to talk to you." A croaky male voice said.
My head turned without me thinking, I couldn't stop myself from moving.
I looked at the man that had called. He was tall and lanky, his skin fairly tanned. He had long, wild, greasy ginger hair, the same bright orange colour as Nyx. He was gaunt, the outlines of his bones were on full display. The shorts that he was wearing were ripped at two different lengths and folded at the waist to prevent them falling down. His crystal blue eyes were sunken and blank. His body was covered in scars from head to toe both new and old.
"Yes papa?" The words came out of my mouth and yet carried the sound of a young girl.
I finally understood, somehow, for some reason I was seeing Nyx's memories.
"I managed to get it by them." A woman said weakly drawing my attention to her.
She was Oriental, short and sickly pale. Her hair was dirty and black, pulled back in a bun. Just like the man she was severely emaciated, her ripped dress almost completely falling off of her frame. Here eyes were a bit brighter than the man's, the little light there was reflecting off their gray colour.
"Thank you my dear, Nyx, come here." The man said.
I moved forwards towards Nyx's parents and sat myself down on a shabby blanket on the floor. It was wet and squelched under me as I sat.
This whole thing reminded me of the underground, starving people dressed in rags living in what can only be described as a shithole.
"Nyx, your papa and I have something really important to tell you about, okay? You need to pay close attention." The woman said.
I nodded and a weak smile was offered in return.
"Nyx my child, this world we call home is the home to many different types of people from all different places. Your mama has told you all about Hiruzu where she comes from and you know the history of Eldia before it was destroyed. The truth is even without Eldia we have a home, a place where our people reside, that home is called Paradis Island." Ths man began, taking a paper from the woman and showing off a map.
I stared in awe of all the places on it, this world was massive.
"Paradise?" Nyx's voice came from me and the Woman giggled.
"That's what it is, a paradise." The woman said softly.
"The people of Eldia fled there after we lost the great titan war. Our family being enslaved was used as the distraction for them to escape but one day I'm sure the king will come back for those of us that got left behind, I'm sure of this because you're special Nyx, they need you. You are so incredibly smart and talented and are privy to so much the world doesn't know, they'll need you. They live within these big walls-" The man was cut off.
"Big than house?" Nyx asked.
"Ten times as big." The man replied. "The walls are named after our founder Yimir's children, Maria, Sina and Rose. They've lived there for almost a hundred years, with Titans in their walls that could destroy the whole world at any moment. We know a secret though, the king won't ever use them, he's just trying to scare everyone. Paradis is where we as members of the Betzner family belong."
"One day you'll get the chance to go to Paradis. When you do you'll see how amazing it is. Once you get to go there, no matter what happens, don't ever return to Marley. The people here will hurt you because they know you're special, Paradis is the only place you'll be safe." The woman said.
"Mama, papa come too?" Nyx asked.
"We'll try." The woman said.
"There you are! There's chores that need doing you filthy devils. Get back up there!" A man yelled from the stairs at the back of the room.
He was tall and chubby, he definitely had his fill of food. His short brown hair was combed back and he had on a face black three piece suit. His skin was a healthy colour without a single scratch on it and his dark eyes were filled with hate.
"Is that my map? So you've been thieving too! I give you the clothes off my back, the food off my table and shelter in my own home for you to repay me like this!" He raged.
He pulled a whip from his belt as he marched forwards. He drew his arm back and allowed the whip to lash out at Nyx's father. Her father bit his lip to stop his screams from coming out, more than likely because his wife and child were watching.
"You never learn you devils!" The other man growled as he eted the room. "Whipping doesn't work on you lot anymore so let's see what happens if your daughter is the one to get the punishment. Maybe then you'll behave."
The man who was probably Nyx's slave master grabbed my wrist harshly and began tugging her with him.
"Please don't, it was me, I stole the map." The woman said.
The man dragging me payed her no mind. The woman, In a desperate attempt to save Nyx, dived forwards and pushed the other man, pulling me away from him.
"Why you damned thrall, know your place!" The other man yelled as he threw her to the ground and began kicking her repeatedly.
As the man bashed in her skull by stepping on her, Nyx's father pulled me to him, holding me protectively.
"Paradis will save you, paradis will keep you safe." He muttered, rocking us back and forth.
That continued for what felt like hours.
"Maybe now you'll have learned your lesson." The other man said.
I turned around and saw Nyx's mother lying dead in the mucky waters of the floor, her head bashed in and her blood splattered everywhere.
"Mama!" Nyx screamed as I tried to run to her but was held back.
I closed my eyes to blink away tears and when they opened again I was laying down, looking up at Hanji.
"Are you okay Levi? I went in there and you were both passed out." Hanji said.
"I think I just saw her memories..." I said a bit dazed.
"What?" Hanji asked.
"I touched her and then I was there, in her head." I replied.
"What did you see?" Hanji asked curiously.
"I saw her parents, the conditions she grew up in, her master. I saw a map, this world is so much bigger than we have ever imagined. I saw her mother die and I heard how desperate her parents were for her to stay here." I said.
"So, do we think she's going to be a danger?" Hanji asked and I shook my head.