Keith's intended promise extended to the night; the assorted Survey Corps lounged around the town in differing states of relaxation. The veterans slept in canvas pouches by the stables, still strapped in their gear whilst Leo and Graham retreated to their homes for a moment of peace.
Adria lay asleep at the base of Viktor's feet on the fortification next to Susanne. Since Hana held no fear of Titans the rest of the wall remained bare of soldiers, only the braziers were lit, providing spheres of orange to illuminate their surroundings. Viktor averted his eyes when Susanne brushed her fingertips over Adria's bound knuckles.
"She tried to hurt herself?"
"I got hungry," Viktor gave an off-shoulder shrug.
Surprisingly, Susanne made no further comment. Though, her face became closed off at the thought of Viktor's ever-present hunger for flesh; she knew of his mutation but couldn't comprehend the psychological urge for violence. She scratched her harness-free knees and sighed.
"I didn't know life here was so different compared to the Walls, don't get me wrong I adore the Garrison but this state of bliss has got me on edge. I worked in the fields all of my life and only now am I starting to realise that there's more to life than seasonal harvest," Susanne rested her chin in her hands. "The people know of Titans. . .but they've gone so long without seeing one that it's become folklore. Sort of like the situation in Maria, people don't have direct exposure to the outside."
Viktor pulled a chunk of brick that'd been an off-cut and tossed it in his palm, "Story time or not, I don't get why this wall is half the size of those in the main district and constructed of such weak material."
"That's the thing, we don't know how the interior Walls were built. They're reinforced with some sort of resin or protectant that we don't have access to. Maybe our ancestors mined it out, who knows? The reason for our supply shortage is because Hana doesn't want to be militarised, it was hard enough bringing gas and blades to the Vanguard here," she said. "You might not be a true Hana resident but we have a certain way of doing things here, and using force isn't one of them."
Viktor tossed the chunk of rock across the edge, noting how the piece echoed on its descent to the grass below. The air was stagnant and the moon provided a dim glow to his surroundings, but even with narrowed vision, Viktor struggled to see past the gate.
Brant swung through the trees as if it were second nature, dwarfing his rear guard. Erwin struggled to keep up even on horseback, unlike the other sections of dense forest, the aptly named 'Titan Forest' harboured wider paths for all modes of transport to pass through. Oddly, Brant decided to use air as his medium rather than continue on his stallion. Erwin clutched the reigns of Brant's horse tight as the two other men shared worrying looks for their Commander.
The only noise that echoed were from the horseshoes against the parched earth and the hiss from Brant's gear, though, within a split second of their Commander raising his arm in warning, a swarm of Titan's burst from the left side—all abnormal class.
In haste, the three guards shot from their horses and into the canopy for cover. They all suspended just out of the Titan's reach while Brant circled around the thick trunk of the furthest redwood. He never lost his composure, and Erwin was positive he'd never seen Brant falter in his movements.
"You lot stay there, the more of these things I kill, the better off my child will be," Brant withdrew a fresh set of swords and with eloquent speed, slashed the ankles of the first shaking abnormal. As the Titan collapsed onto its knees, Brant flung himself towards the nape and articulated the deepest incision Erwin had ever witnessed.
Without pausing, Brant clenched his knuckles around the mechanisms and used one of the highest branches as a foot hold. He didn't utilise the gas and used the momentum of his descent to spin against the second neck. Erwin noticed the sweat collect on Brant's sun-warmed brow when the third abnormal gnashed its jaws at him, attempting to tear bark off with its flat molars.
A spark of light emanated from Brant, which Erwin caught in his peripheral. A manic fever settled over Brant, adding a frightening intensity to his strikes. He extended his wrist as if swatting a fly, yet had enough force to decapitate the Titan.
Brant's streak was soon to run out. There was a rumble in the distance, enough to cause smaller saplings to split in half. Erwin dug his blades into the trunk to stop himself from falling to the ground, his comrades hanging limply at the mercy of what was to come.
Brant swiped a string of saliva from his bottom lip and tipped his head, "Erwin Smith, promise me you'll look after my baby. Whether it be a boy, groom him to surpass Keith and I within his first year of training, and if it's a girl. . .treat her like a queen—only allow her to speak to the best of men. Though, neither should never know of my sacrifice, I end up like the rest."
"Commander!" shouted Lance.
Erwin crouched, dumbfound. All he could muster was a singular nod as Brant shot from his steadfast towards the noise. Before the monster could be seen, Brant released a canister of dark smoke to act as a feeble barrier for retreat. Erwin could barely move, Lance pulled on his elbow to set him in motion. And as Brant's arms disappeared in the furl of black, Erwin could see a pair of golden eyes blink back.
Adria rolled onto her side, directly into Viktor's shoe. The sole of his boot pressed against her forehead, causing Adria to groan and turn over. His snide snicker was enough for Adria to pop her collar and nuzzle back into the depleting warmth of her jacket. Her head was fuzzy and no matter how slow she tried to breathe, it wouldn't grant her mind clarity.
"Morning sunshine," Susanne grinned, ruffling Adria's blades.
"Ugh," Adria winced when she put pressure against her bound knuckles.
Viktor's lips turned down, "Usually your wounds heal within two hours."
"My abilities are different from yours," Adria clipped. "And besides, I haven't needed to activate my Yelts ancestry. I can't rely on it, just like you can't hedge your bets on a Titan form."
Susanne shivered as the atmosphere gained a sharp sting from the uncomfortable topic but she chose to say nothing. Instead, she gave a loud yawn and stretched, "I think I might retire for the time being, considering tonight's been quieter than a mouse."
Adria watched Susanne jump down the ladder and head across the square to her quarters. She was right, nothing stirred during the night but Adria knew that in this lifetime, something was always on the move.
"Viktor," Adria rolled her shoulders back and ground her toes into the wall. "Get the horses."
His almond eyes narrowed, "Why. . .what do you sense?"
Adria's quads tensed as she stared out at the horizon, wrapping herself tighter in the coat. No vibrations alerted her to Titans and she felt no spark of adrenaline like she had done earlier. But the nagging feeling in her gut remained, with her left hand she withdrew a blade and winced when she attempted to move her right.
Viktor gripped her wrist just above the bandage, "Swallow your pride for once and let me handle it if there's any trouble. Tell me what to do and I'll execute your orders."
Adria smirked, "If only you were this obedient towards Keith."
His reply was immediate, "Shadis isn't my Commander. You are."
There was a brief moment of realisation between them, causing Adria's lips to part. An indescribable emotion blossomed in her chest, invading the cracks which Gregory's death and Neal's betrayal created. Under Viktor's intense stare, the nausea subsided and she felt suspended in a cold pool; every breathe she took acted like a wave, calming the heat in her cheeks.
Without another word, Viktor slid down the side of the wall to the stables and went to find Erwin and Mike. Adria turned her back to face the horizon, a nest of birds towards the forest left their perches and flew across the moon's rays. Slowly, Adria tried to clench her hand but cried out as the bones pressed against the swollen flesh; Viktor had bitten her good and under close assessment, had broken the bones in her hand. A bandage and gauze wouldn't be enough.
With clenched teeth Adria shrugged off one shoulder of the trench coat and whistled for Yaju. The horse left its stable and trot towards the base of the gate, neighing. However, Adria didn't get a chance to grab the medicine pack strapped to Yaju because a Titan grappled the wall.
It came out of nowhere, its mouth closed around one of the sections a few metres away. Adria tipped her head to see a few broken trees at the mouth of the forest, had the Titan been thrown? It made a gurgling noise as it pushed off from its landing spot and took a swipe at Adria.
She tried her best to roll out of the Titan's trajectory but it's teeth clamped around the loose sleeve of her jacket, dragging her towards its mouth. Adria frantically tried to wriggle her free arm from the coat and was able to pull herself free. Though, that didn't stop the Titan from swallowing the jacket whole. Now that she was exposed to the harsh cold night, Adria began to shiver and her left sword trembled between her fingertips.
The Titan turned back to her; unlike the majority of Titan's she'd seen this one had more humanistic qualities. It's face, obviously larger than the average person, flared its nostrils. It had a tuft of orange hair sprouting from its pink skin and its brown eyes narrowed when Adria tried to jump out of its reach. However, due to the ache in her hand, Adria was put off balance from the force of the Titan's swing, knocking her over the breach of the wall as another Titan was thrown from the forest.
"ADRIA!"
Adria tried to correct her posture and use the gas to ease her landing, but the ache in her hand grew too much to appropriately work the mechanisms in cohesion with each other. So, to brace of impact, she crossed her arms by her shoulders and tucked her chin in. Though, being stuck in the open was the least of her worries.
Viktor propelled towards the Titan grappling on the wall and while he tore out the nape with his sword, he simultaneously bit down on his hand to ignite his transformation. Mike, Keith and Erwin could only watch as the bolt of green and orange lightning shot from above and consumed Viktor.
Adria struggled into a sitting position to view the spectacle; it was the first time she'd properly seen Viktor's transformation when not in the mental state of her own. The capsule of light suspended Viktor in the air a few metres in front of the wall—from the light, particles seemed to materialise into flesh and muscle. The legs formed first, plains of dark red tissue sketched by creamy plates of bone outlining the human skeleton.
Viktor's Titan was tall and dwarfed the one making an advancement towards Hana. The physical attributes of its face proved a striking resemblance to her comrade, the same bone structure encompassing the muscle and tendons of the face. His caramel eyes were shadowed by a mop of maroon hair, almost matching the colour of his Titan.
Adria pushed off from the ground and withdrew her left blade, biting down on her lip as the throb entered her arm again. She shot one of her hooks towards the advancing Titan, sliding across the flat on her toes. Viktor noticed and caught the harpoon in his fist before it could reach its target. Grunting, Adria shot Viktor a look, thinking he'd lost control.
Viktor expelled steam from his mouth and pulled on the wire, giving Adria twice the momentum and speed that the gear could manually produce. Once she swung on a ninety-degree angle, Adria kicked her legs behind her and used the momentum to strike the nape. Even out of her Yelts mode, Adria successfully severed the vital point.
"Haus you're dead meat!" Keith shouted from the wall, jumping up and down. "You were not given authorisation to transform!"
Viktor paid no attention to the Commander, he outstretched the Titan's hand to Adria so she could climb on. Shakily, Adria allowed her hooks to pierce Viktor's chest and she fastened herself. She quickly glanced down at her right hand, the bandages were soaked with fresh blood and her fingers swelled.
"Zacharias. . .Smith, by the order of His Majesty take Viktor Haus down," Keith raised his fist. "The remaining Survey Corps will contain the civilians, you are tasked with extermination."
"But Commander," Mike fastened his green cape. "The threat of Titans' is paramount, if any of them breach the city perimeter we don't have the space or man-power to fight."
"Haus is your priority," Keith growled. "Nothing else matters."
Both men could only nod in compliance and shot from the wall. Viktor backed up, but his lapse in concentration made him vulnerable from Titan attack from behind. The mysterious force flung another overweight Titan from the forest, this time hitting Viktor directly.
His Titan collapsed from the immense weight, the imbalance caused Adria to helplessly dangle above the plates of bone protruding from his body. Viktor expelled more steam and reached for his back to pry the Titan from him. He was able to throw the Titan off and pin it down with his foot.
Adria's lips pressed into a thin line, she could see the twitching of Viktor's fingers indicating the fine line between control and insanity. Raising her blade to assess its sharpness, Adria unhooked herself and somersaulted toward the Titan below, decapitating it. She quickly shot back up when Mike and Erwin suspended themselves above Viktor.
"Believe me Haus I don't want to do this!" Mike hesitated with his blades paused at his sides.
Viktor's body tensed, vaulting a few more metres from Hana, he dropped to a defensive crouch and raised his left hand to his creature's mouth. In Titan form biting would have no effect, but Adria recognised it as an involuntary movement, a physical warning to Mike and Erwin to stand down.
Adria noticed the skeletal outline didn't protect Viktor's nape, only a few bony ridges to represent the spinal column ran down his back to the outline of his pelvis. Exhaling, Adria swung herself up Viktor's thigh towards his neck. As she did this, Erwin attempted to strike.
She planted herself firmly against Viktor's nape, fastened by the wires. With her good hand, Adria held the blade oddly, the same way she'd do the Yelts Signature. At a downward angle, the blade remained stationary against the skin as she glared up at Erwin. On the last second, Erwin changed his course and feebly sliced into the plate on Viktor's shoulder; the bone was hard enough to snap Erwin's blades in two.
"Jørgens, I don't want to hit you by mistake!" he called up, his blue eyes livid.
"Don't you recognise that the threat is over there?" Adria gestured towards the forest. "Viktor is protecting Hana, if he wanted to kill you he would've done it as a man."
In response, Viktor's Titan laughed. The noise resembled an echo of a muted growl, but was enough for Mike to detach the hook from Viktor's muscle and drop to the ground next to Erwin, assessing their surroundings.
"I know you don't want to do this, your goals are identical to ours," Adria twirled the blade with a singular wrist movement. "I'll accept all consequences on trial for whatever Keith spits out, but do what your heart thinks is right," with a small smirk warping her lips, Adria raised her hand and blade over her heart. Acknowledging she saluted wrong she continued, "For the glory of humanity!"
As she crouched there, vulnerable yet sturdy, Erwin and Mike seemed hypnotised. The blood evaporated from her features, free of any identifiable affiliation to the military. What didn't evaporate must've been her own, staining her white blouse and pants, the only thing which remained unstained was the turquoise pin fastened around her collar. The gem trembled against her heaving chest.
I would follow her to the ends of the earth, Mike blinked.
I'm encouraged to die just from her voice. . .she will become Commander at all costs, Erwin gave signal to Mike and they followed Viktor's pace further towards the forest.
Viktor turned his head to her and gestured with his chin to her hand. The bleeding dripped steadily down her forearm, with flattened lips Adria clenched her fist. She refused to awaken her Yelts genes, she could adequately slaughter without the need of Brant's mutation.
They were trapped in the open with the threat of Titans looming, and especially since Mike and Erwin travelled on the ground, they were at further risk of harm. Sensing Adria's concern, Viktor dug his toes into the ground and pushed his Titan form towards the two men. Without warning, Viktor scooped Erwin and Mike up and tossed them onto his shoulder.
"Watch yourself Haus," Mike grunted. "Once you're back to my size, I'll knock you on the ground for that."
Viktor's Titan grumbled in response.
"We have no leverage out here in the open, we can use Viktor's Titan as a point of reference so we don't become stuck. I can't sense where these Titans' are coming from but I know we need to leave Hana," Adria adjusted the wires so she hung from Viktor's throat. "Look, I don't know what the Survey Corps has planned in terms of expansion but this expedition has run its course."
Erwin's jaw clenched, "Commander Shadis had no intention to venture past Hana, he's leaving that to us. This is a military façade to keep public faith and support of His Majesty. But I agree, this situation is running out of hand."
"We can't just leave when Titans' are being flung left and right," Mike crouched lower on Viktor's shoulder. "We have to find the source."
Adria bit her lip, "We can't take whatever it is down, not the three of us, not the Survey Corps behind that wall. . .but. . ." she looked down at her bleeding hand. Yelts are born to lead. Adria raised her left blade and as she brought it down, Viktor planted his feet and moved his arm. His Titan's palm blocked her swing, causing her to cut off three of his fingers.
With wide eyes, Adria watched as the Titan's mouth spasmed. She could tell that Viktor was struggling to gain control of his newfound prowess, ". . .do n–n–not. . .become like. . .me."
Its' voice was harsh exactly like the noises Viktor's Titan emitted. But progressing to speech seemed all too surreal for Adria. Grimacing at the thought of the speaking Titan earlier, Adria disarmed herself and sighed. Lowering herself from Viktor she landed on her haunches by the mouth of the forest. Surprisingly, no Titans' were waiting for her and the night remained quiet.
Adria swept her foot across the dirt and kicked up a wad of dust, no trembling alerted her to Titans', no verbal cues, nothing. Viktor and the men awaited her signal of the all clear. However, once Adria secured herself on Viktor's nape, she swore that there was a glimmer of golden eyes in the distance as Viktor jogged them back to the wall.
Their return brought the morning, Keith had organised all the Survey Corps members into a formation in the square to act as a barricade in front of the civilians. Viktor's Titan, just shorter than the wall, raised his arm to clasp the bricked fortification to allow Mike and Erwin to dismount.
Keith sat higher on his horse, "Where's Ms Jørgens?"
"Right here, Chief," with a tap of her toe against Viktor's nape, he grappled the other side of the wall to pull himself up into view. The shadow of Viktor's Titan swallowed the small force and caused the civilians to scream and clump together in a distressed mass.
Keith's features warped into that of an animal, "Zacharias, Smith. . .I told you to exterminate Viktor Haus."
"Get off your high horse Commander," Adria remained monotone. "If it wasn't for our efforts, this entire district would've been wiped out by Titans. The least you could do is grant a thank you."
He withdrew his swords, a manic look behind his brown eyes, "Shut your mouth Jørgens!"
Adria inhaled a short breath and dug her heel into Viktor's nape. Obeying her signal, Viktor unattached himself from the wall and slid back a few metres. Fastening herself on his nape, Adria spun her blade as Keith shot over the wall.
From her perch, Adria witnessed what made Keith so revered amongst the Survey Corps. The man that sliced Viktor's ankles so deep that they detached from the feet, was no coward. The man that split the plates of bone from the ridges of muscle without snapping his blades, was no novice. Keith hovered over Adria and Viktor with a blank mask, "Move, Jørgens."
"I'm sorry Commander, but you need to rethink your priorities," Adria knelt on one knee as Viktor's Titan struggled to heave its weight off the ground. She raised her blade defensively, "Viktor isn't our enemy, he's your best chance at understanding humanity."
A few of the Survey Corps left their post to view the spectacle as Adria and Keith faced off.
What the hell is happening, Leo shielded his eyes.
Keith made no noise as he spiralled down towards her, blades combining to a point. Adria quickly glanced down at Viktor who was still struggling to move, his low growl brought tears to her eyes. She lowered herself further as Keith pulled his shoulders to increase the power in his swing.
The force from Keith caused her sword to snap at the base. However, it was enough to throw Keith off balance and his coiled motion continued until he straightened himself in front of Viktor's face. Viktor attempted to gnash his jaws and capture Keith in his mouth, but their Commander was too swift.
Wincing, Adria withdrew her last set of blades and stood.
"If you don't move from the nape, I'll cut off his head either way," Keith came down again, just to be met with Adria's sword.
This time, the top third broke off but left the majority untouched. Adria had to draw Keith's attention away from Viktor so he could recover quicker. She considered her right hand useless since she rested it in a clawed position across her chest. Her left would have to do against Keith.
"Don't you want to make a name for yourself, Commander? You're living in the shadow of one of the most popular generals to ever be crowned," Adria joined him in the air, suspended by the wires. "Why are you allowing yourself to hide behind the Walls when you could be making a difference?"
Keith changed his target to take a stab at her, Adria ducked under his blade but fell on the recoil. She rolled a few metres away from Viktor's Titan. The Commander looked down on her with a faint glimmer of pity, "A uniform and weapons doesn't entitle you to your father's position, nor does it make you any better of a soldier. You have to make sacrifices in this field of work, I risked my reputation beyond what you can imagine."
"You're a coward," Adria grunted. "That's how the Survey Corps sees you."
His expression changed once again, there was no anger, but Adria could tell he was holding back something. Keith seemed like he wanted to spill his guts to her, but refrained his composure. The one disadvantage of no facial expression is that the emotion floods to the eyes, and Keith's dam was about to burst.
He retracted his wires and swung his leg back, Adria didn't have a chance to block with her sword before she was knocked out.