The field was littered with corpses. Body parts and innards were everywhere. The beast titan proudly gazed out across his work, feeling satisfied.
Beast titan: Aww, you poor things.
He looked to his right in shock to see all of his titans dead.
Beast Titan: How'd that happen?
An anchor fired through the smoke and latched onto his shoulder. Suddenly, a rage filled Levi came flying out through the smoke. The beast titan roared with frustration as he sent its claws towards him.
But Levi dodged it and spiraled down his arm, slicing it the entire way.
The beast titans' arm exploded into multiple bits. Levi approached from behind, causing the beast to quickly cover his nape. But instead, levi sliced through his eyes. He then sliced both his heels, causing it to slump down onto its knees.
Levi: What happened to all the fun you were having?!
The man growled out. Levi fell down towards his nape as the beast tried to harden it. But it was no use as levi was far too quick. The man eviscerated the beast titans nape. The man inside came flying out, and Levi thrusted his sword into his mouth.
Levi: After transforming, if your body's severely damaged, it's too busy healing to let you transform. Isn't that right?
Levi pushed the blade further in, causing the top to pop out of his eye.
Levi: Hey, answer me. Learn some manners.
Levi's thoughts: I shouldn't kill him yet. Is anyone out here still alive? I could find Y/n. Maybe he's alive. If he is, even on the brink of death, this injection will make him a titan. I can have him eat this guy and steal the beast titans' power. Y/n... please...
The ground began to rumble, and then suddenly, that titan with a cart on its back came diving in with its mouth wide open. It scooped up zeke in its mouth and ran off.
Levi: Hey... where are you going? Stop...
He called out helplessly. All of the Titans left, turned, and looked at Levi before dashing towards him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the titans fell in the distance, floch sat up. He was surrounded by his slaughtered comerades.
Floch: Why... am I... alive? The others...
Floch shakily stood up and began slowly walking towards the wall.
Floch: Hey! Is anyone else alive?!
The world had a surreal feal to it. It was hell. Floch ended up finding a barely alive commander, erwin.
Not far away, Marlo struggled to climb out from under his horse.
As he shakily stood up, he examined himself to see cuts all over his body as well as a sprained wrist. He winced in pain as he looked around and began walking towards the wall, just as floch did. But as he walked, he tripped over a corpse. Marlo dredded, looking to see who it was, but he couldn't help himself. It was Sargeant Y/n Langnar.
Marlo: S-Sargeant?!
Marlo didn't expect much, but he still checked for a pulse. And to his surprise, he had one. It was unstable, but the Sargeant was just barely clinging to life. Marlo tore off a piece of his cloak and tied it tightly around his head.
Marlo: The Syringe! We can use it on the Sargeant!
Marlo lifted up y/n and began heading towards the wall.
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Floch: Captain... levi... I finally found you. Commander Erwin is badly wounded! His stomach is gouged, and his organs are demolished! The blood just won't stop! I thought the injection might be able to help, but... what do you think?
They stated in shock. Floch carried erwin on his back onto the roof. Levi was about to hand Eren the syringe, but Levi pulled away.
Eren: Captain?
Levi gently lay Erwin down on the roof.
Levi: He's... still breathing.
Levi stood to his feet.
Levi: I'm using the injection... on Erwin.
Eren stood up instantly with tears in his eyes.
Eren: You said... you'd use it on Armin!
Levi stated into his eyes.
Levi: I'm reviving the one who can save humanity.
Mikasa readied her blades.
Levi: You guys... Do you have the faintest damn clue... what you're doing? It's Erwin... The Commander of the Scouts. And you're saying you want to watch him die. There's no time for this. Stay out of my way.
Eren reached forward and gripped the case as levi held on tightly.
Levi: Keep your emotions out of this.
Eren: Keep my... emotions out? Tell me... how come you didn't have over the syringe right away?!
Levi: Because I was considering the possibility that erwin was still alive.
Eren: You couldn't have known floch would drag the commander here! There's just no way you knew!
Levi: You're right, but... the fact that Erwin is here means I use it on him.
Eren's breath hitched as he gripped the box tighter and tried to pull it from Levi's hands. Levi responded by hitting him on the side of the face, sending him flying down the side of the roof. Mikasa gasped as she charged forwards with him blade out. She tackled him down onto his back and held her blade at his throat.
Floch: Hey!
Mikasa tried to get the box from him.
Levi: You should know as well as I do! Without Erwins' talent, humanity can't beat the Titans!
Floch: That's right, Mikasa! Let's stop with this madness already!
Mikasa turned and glared at floch, striking fear into his soul.
Eren: It's... no different if we... lose Armin.
Mikasa: Eren!
Eren: Hasn't it always been like that? He's the reason why we saved trost by plugging it with a rock. He revealed Annie's identity. It was Armin who came up with the idea of moving at night! The only reason we uncovered Reiner's hiding spot... and the only reason we defeated Bertholdt... was all because of Armin! The one who's gonna save humanity isn't me or the commander! It's Armin! Isn't that right, Mikasa?!
Mikasa fought back tears as he lifted up Levi's arm and slammed it down onto the roof.
Mikasa: Please give it to me!
Floch stepped closer.
Floch: The one who will save humanity... is commander Erwin...
Mikasa: Shut up!
Floch: I will not shut up. Don't think you're the only ones who had it tough! You might not know, but... on the other side of that wall, there's not a single living soldier. Everyone died when the beast Titan threw boulders at us. I watched a piece of rock hit Sargeant Langnar right in his face. He died instantly!
Mikasa gasped as her grip loosened.
Mikasa: Y-Y/n...?
Floch: I didn't think anyone could be saved... but commander Erwin was the only exception. He thought of a plan for us to bite back at the Titan. And we did! We were smashed to bits, just as planned. And I'm sure the last thing they felt... was fear. When I found the commander alive, I was about to finish him off. But... that's going easy on him. I thought to myself that he ought to taste more of this hell. And then... I understood. The only ones who can lay waste to the titans... Is a devil! And if I can bring back the devil, that must be my mission in life! That has to be why I survived like a coward when everyone else died! So stay out of his way!!
Floch rushed towards her.
Levi: Don't do it!
Suddenly, hange appeared and pulled Mikasa off of him.
Levi: Hange...
Mikasa struggled in her grip.
Jean: Hey... you've got to be kidding me...
Connie: No way.
They all stared at armin, who was burnt to a crisp. Levi opened the case and pulled out the syringe. Mikasa let out a wail of pain as she struggled.
Hange: Mikasa! You have to know how much we need Erwin! We can't leg the flames of hope extinguish inside the walls!
Mikasa: But... Armin could... do that, too!!
She cried out with tears gushing from her eyes.
Hange: It's true that Armin is exceptional. But he doesn't have Erwins' experience and leadership! There are people I want to bring back, too. Hundreds of them. I've had to say farewell since the day I joined the scouts. But... you know, don't you? No matter who it is, there comes a day to say farewell. I know it's impossible but you have to accept this. There will be times you can't keep your sanity. It's tough. Very tough. I know. Even so, we have to keep moving forward.
Mikasa's arms went limp. Everyone stared down at their feet. As levi moved towards Erwin, Eren grabbed his ankle.
Eren: Captain. Do you know... about the sea? No matter how far you look, it stretches past the horizon. It's a gigantic lake. Armin said--
Floch: Hey! Cut it out!
Floch interjected as he grabbed Erens arms.
Eren: There's a sea beyond the walls... and he said we'd go there together! But... that was our dream since we were little, and I forgot a long time ago! Avenging my mom... killing the Titans... The only thoughts in my head are full of hate! But... he's not like that! Armin cares about more than just fighting! He has dreams!
Levi suddenly stood up and yelled.
Levi: Everyone get out of here! I'm going to have Erwin eat bertholdt!
Hange stood up as well.
Hange: Let's go, mikasa...
One by one, they all flew away from the roof. As floch carried eren away, he reached out for his friend one last time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Armin sat up slowly. He was on top of the walls, laying in a sleeping bag next to Sasha, who was also out cold.
Armin: S-Sasha?! What happened?! You're in horrible shape...
Sasha: It hurts... so bad.
Eren: Armin!
Eren shouted as he ran towards him.
Armin: Eren?
Eren embraced him in a tight hug.
Eren: I'm glad... you're back
Everyone else arrived shortly after. They explained to them everything that's happened till now.
Armin: So you tell me that what's left of the scour regiment is the nine of us here... and that's it?
Jean: For the time being...
Armin scanned every person before he came to a realization.
Armin: Y/n? Where's y/n?
Jean and Connie gasped and looked at Armin shocked.
Jean: Oh yeah... he was...
Connie: Oh god...
Levi looked down at the ground.
Armin: You guys? Where is he?
Armin asked, his voice shaky as dread filled his body.
Levi: Y/n was a part of the charge against the beast titan. He served the scout regiment until his final breath. He--
Right next to them on the edge of the wall, the lift turned on. The machine grumbled as it began pulling the platform up from the ground.
Connie: What the hell is that?
Hange: The lift!
They all sat in anticipation as the platform finally arrived. In it, was Marlo and a bloody covered Y/n.
Marlo: You... you guys don't still have that syringe, do you? Sargeant Y/n... is still breathing...
All of them were shocked. They looked on horror as their friend was covered in blood and looked like a corpse.
Instantly, levi stormed over.
Levi: Give him to me.
Levi grabbed y/n from Marlo and gently placed him in the ground. Levi checked his pulse and then nodded at hange.
Levi: He's still alive. But he's in horrible shape. Give me a water skin.
Connie handed it to him as he began cleaning the blood from the boys hair and face.
Levi: We have to get him back to a hospital.
Mikasa made her way over and examined him. Gently, she pulled back the cloth covering the side of her face. She gasped upon seeing it. His right eye, as well as the entire right side of his face, was shredded. And his ear was completely gone.
Mikasa: We have to replace the cloth.
Eren fished through the bag and eventually found a roll of bandages. He tossed them to Mikasa as levi undid the cloth. When he removed it, they all looked away upon seeing him. It was awful.
Quickly, Mikasa tied the new bandages around his head.
Armin: I'm happy... that Sasha is still asleep... I don't want her to see him like that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Y/n's eye fluttered open. He was lying in bed. On the other side of the room, a window was open, which allowed a cool breeze to gently hit his face. Next to him, Sasha was asleep in a chair, holding onto his hand.
His mouth was as dry as sand. His neck hurt like hell. When he moved just a little bit, his back cracked like shattering glass. This sudden movement caused Sasha to stir. Slowly, she opened up her eyes and instantly looked over at him. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she just smiled at him.
Sasha: You silly boy... you really are gonna give me a heart attack one of these days...
Y/n: S-Sasha?
Y/n's voice was hoarse.
Sasha got up and came back with a glass of water. She helped him drink it.
Y/n: Thank you...
He croaked out.
Y/n: Where are we?
Sasha: In the capital Palace. Being friends with the queen sure has its perks.
Y/n: How long have I been asleep? All I remember is the beast Titan throwing a bunch of rocks... then I was asleep. I had this dream... I was tangled in... strings...
Sasha caressed his face.
Sasha: You've been asleep for two weeks. But you're okay now. Being in the royal palaces hospital, we had access to the best doctors in the walls. Everyone has been worried sick about you. Every day since you've been asleep, Captain Levi has come in here and sat with you.
The sound of the doorknob turning drew their attention. It opened to reveal Levi and hange.
Hange: He's awake. Finally!
She said, surprised, as they both walked to the bedside.
Levi: How are you feeling?
Y/n: Empty.
Hange: uh... you must be hungry.
Y/n: The mission... did you get to the basement?
Levi was confused. After all this time, that's the first thing he asks?
Hange: We did.
Hange said as she reached into her jacket and pulled out a note.
Hange: This is everything we discovered.
She said as she handed it to him.
Y/n: I can't read it right now. My head hurts.
Levi: Of course it does. You got hit in the face by a rock.
Y/n gasped as he brought his hand up to his face to feel a bandage wrapped around half of it.
Y/n: W-What?!
Levi: You were hit on the side of the face by a rock. The damages were... irreversible.
Y/n: Oh... Can I see?
Hange hesitantly grabbed a small handheld mirror from the nightstand and handed it to him as Sasha helped him undo the bandages.
Y/n stared into the mirror in horror. His right eye was gone. His ear was gone. A part of his cheek was missing, exposing his teeth. And there was also the massive scar on his skull.
Hange: You can still wear the bandages if you want.
The others entered the room alone with queen historia. They all looked at him with worry as Armin gave him a sad smile and waved.
Eren: Y/n... you're finally awake.
Mikasa: Are you doing okay?
Y/n: No.
Historia walked over with a box.
Historia: It's a gift. It's from all of us, I guess. We got in contact with a man from stohess. He makes prosthetics.
Y/n grabbed the box and opened it. It was a prosthetic mask that covered the right half of his face. It had an eye painted onto it and everything. Y/n gently took it out and put it on. He then looked at himself in the mirror again. He didn't even know what he was looking at. It was him, but half of his face was fake.
Connie: Do you... like it?
Tears began to fall from Y/n's left eye as his breath began to hitch.
Y/n: Th-Thats me?
His hand was shaking.
Y/n: Oh god... just fucking kill me.
Their eyes widened.
Sasha: Y/n!
Sasha exclaimed as she pulled him into a hug.
Y/n: That damn rock should've fucking killed me!
He said as he sobbed into sasha's shoulder.
Levi: Everyone out, right now.
Sasha: Huh?!
Levi: Everyone get out!
They left room but Sasha was hesitant. She worryingly eyed him as she left. Levi shut the door before making his way over to the chair next to his bed.
Levi: All of us are more than happy that you're alive. We are beyond relieved. I know that you don't have a very positive opinion of yourself. But that's not how others see you. Y/n... for the first time Years... I genuinely think of you as a friend. Years ago, I swore to myself that I wouldn't make any close friends. But... after reading more into your file... about how you lost your family... your friends... I felt like I could relate to you. That's why I've always been keeping you close by.
That being said... The operation to retake wall maria has left the scouts nearly extinct.
Y/n: No...
Levi: The only high ranking officers are hange and I.
Y/n: Captain, Please no...
Levi clenched his teeth together and looked down.
Levi: Y/n Langnar... you and I both are being promoted to section commander.
The room fell silent. All that could be heard was the occasional bird chirping outside the window.
Y/n: Another... promotion? Are you... Kidding me? Again with this bullshit? You're just gonna promote me to another position of power, as if that fixes anything. I should've died back there! I'm not supposed to be alive!
Tears fell from his eyes again.
Y/n: Another goddamn promotion? Are you fucking kidding me?!
Y/n yelled as he whipped the mirror at the wall shattering it.
Y/n: I don't want another damn promotion! I just want to be happy again! I'm tired of this endless cycle! It never ends and it's all the same! Get the hell out of my sight, Levi Ackermann.
Levi nodded as he stood up and headed towards the door.
Levi: Please read that note. It details everything we've found. It's imperative that you read it.
Levi said, with a somber tone before leaving the room. Y/n looked down as the note and began reading. It detailed everything. From Armin eating bertholdt... all the way to everything about Marley. Y/n must've read it five times over. But all it made him feel was rage.
Y/n: It's... Their fault... they are the ones behind all of this. I'll... I'll... kill them all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few more weeks have passed. Y/n has gone through alot of physical therapy. Sasha has argued with him to take some time off from the military, but y/n refused. Ever since y/n read that note, he's been acting strange. More angry than usual. Him and Sasha have been having some pretty bad fights.
Now that wall maria was plugged, no more titans could get in. And all that remained in the walls, were quickly cleaned up by the scout regiment. Now, workers flooded to Shiganshina to help rebuild. News of Marley has also flooded the newspapers and everyone was talking about it.
As for the scouts, they were on an expedition to... the ocean. The wind blew through y/n's hair. He has grown accustomed to wearing the prosthetic mask.
All them stopped around a titan that was too big to move. It's legs were scrawny but it's torso was massive. Simular to Rod Reiss' titan.
Floch: It's not able to move?
Eren got off his horse and walked towards it. He then placed his hand onto its forhead.
Floch: H-Hey!
Eren: It was shipped to paradise. It's is a fellow patriot. Let's go... we're close.
They then left it there, speeding off.
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They were now riding across sandy dunes. And the wind was stronger. Meaning they were close to the ocean.
They came up on a massive stone wall.
Eren: I'm sure of it. This is the place where eldians were made into titans. And beyond that...
They Made it around to a path that led them over the ridge. And on the other side... was the ocean. It was truly a sight to behold. They all stopped and stared for a moment before making their way down to the shoreline.
Some of them took off their boots and walked into the water.
Connie, Sasha and Jean splashed around.
Sasha: Ah! My eyes!
Jean: Damn, it's salty!
Hange: Woo-hoo! Is this seriously all salt water?!
Sasha felt the cold water run through her fingers before looking back at the shore.
Y/n hadn't even got off his horse. He just sad there with a look of disgust on his face, staring off into the horizon.
Y/n: I will... protect My people... I will not let Marley destroy us...
TO BE CONTINUED...