Eren's P.O.V:
My eyes were closed and my hands were shaking. The gun in my possession clattered to the floor as I forced myself to see if I had successfully hit Zinx.
I didn't see the bullet hole, and Zinx seemed unaffected by it. Maybe he could regenerate? It seemed so, as Zinx was making a gurgling chortle noise that sounded similar to laughter. Before I could find where I dropped my weapon, the beast had lost Levi somewhere. Jumping down from its perch and landing just a meter short of my trembling form.
This was familiar. I'm paralyzed, and there's something trying to kill me. If I don't move now, I will be killed. My feet feel like they're glued to the floor. I can't move...even if I tried.
And just like last time, right before my death at the hands of an assassin, Petra had came out of thin air. Two pistols in her grasp as she started shooting at Zinx. I was about to tell her that Zinx could regenerate, but was surprised to find that the beast was affected by these. Red holes beginning to dot its black body.
Letting out a furious roar, Zinx had swatted Petra to the ground with one sweep of its talons. I have to move now.
Due to the large hole in the ceiling, the beast had extra room to move, allowing its enormous wings to outstretch and pump downwards. Sending blasts of wind to knock me off my feet, and on my ass.
Rummaging through my pocket, I cut my finger on something sharp. Revealing a short knife I had pocketed during my earlier time to protect myself from Levi and anyone else dangerous. I must have kept it with me.
If I got the other eye, Zinx would be fully blind...but where did my bullet go? Did I hit him somewhere else? Or did I pull a stupid and hit the walls behind him?
"Eren!" Petra screamed. Her spine being broken by the same talons that had knocked her on the ground, and a sickening snap rang in my ears.
I need to get out of here, this place is too dangerous.
Before I could act on that thought, a wave of heat blew across my face as scorching fire melted the rubble beneath, and I realized the monster could breath fire.
Fire. Of all the deaths, fire? Why fire? I could just feel the burning sensation on my arms as if it were eating my flesh. It must be really hot if it's able to melt the ceiling.
The beast gargled inaudible words like water. But instead of spitting out that water, it vomited white flames. Yes. Very hot.
Finally, I was able to get up, to move, and to flee.
Where's Levi?
"Bwooaaaar!" the beast roared. Constantly twitching and jerking its tail and wings trying to maneuver its way towards me through all the debris.
Easily able to squeeze through the small gaps, I ran. I need to worry about my life right now. Levi can handle himself. I shouldn't underestimate him. He can find me later, right?
Before I could ponder much more, Zinx had blown through anything in its way. Melting things with its fire and slamming its massive body into walls. Fire was starting to spread throughout the wooden objects, and brick was smashed into mere shards. Most of the people that had come because of the noise had either fled, or were watching from afar. None daring to challenge the beast before them.
I ducked under an assault of flame. Managing not to have my hair set ablaze by an inch.
"Zinx!" I cried out. Watching as the ceiling that had remained intact collapsed. Falling inwards, and right on top of it.
The beast had almost escaped, but before it could avoid it, its body was consumed in the rain of brick and wood. Trapping Zinx underneath.
I ran over to its side. Trying to find any limbs jutting out. The only hints that led someone into thinking that something was trapped underneath here were the shiny black scales littered everywhere. And before I could pick one up, a groan made me look over to my right. Half of a body was visible, and within the eyes of the one pinned under stone was regret and longing.
"Zinx?"
His eyes flickered upwards. The one I had hit seemed to have been unaffected.
"This hurts," he complained. His left arm weakly scratching at the rubble on top of him.
I pressed my lips into a line. And after contemplating for a short while, I began pushing the things off the assassin. Finally relieving his pain after shoving a piece of ceiling off of his lower body.
"How did I get here?" asked Zinx. His every breath coming out more ragged and forced.
"You flew, Zinx. You flew," I answered.
He seemed to like that answer a lot, for he closed his eyes and smiled. Opening them back up into a more neutral expression.
"I'm sorry," he said. Letting his gaze fall upon me full of guilt at his rage-born actions.
I couldn't answer without my voice cracking. And instead of replying normally, I fell to my knees. "I'm sorry too! I destroyed your life! I destroyed my life, and Samuel's life, and Petra's life, and Oluo's life! I have killed so many people, and it's all my fault!"
Zinx shrugged his shoulders. "I've killed a lot of people too. I try not to think about it that much, but it still hurts."
"B-but I killed Samuel. He wanted to tell you that he l-loved you," I said with a more strained voice. Trying not to burst into tears, and forcing myself not to sound broken.
"Love," Zinx said with distaste. "Love isn't really a thing, you know?"
"Yes it is!"
"It isn't really. It's just the urge to mate with a certain individual,"
I balled my fists. "So you don't even care that-that... Sammy loved you?!"
"Why did you call him Sammy?" Zinx asked. Trying his best to sit upright.
"Because we got his phone. Hange showed me some messages and other things."
Zinx smiled. "He was something different, I ought to tell you that. I'll see him soon."
"What do you mean?" I asked. Scanning over the assassin's body to find nothing but cuts and bruises.
"I'm in a lot of pain right now. I learned to suppress it so I can stay alive in fights, but I'm dying on the inside. I am going to die."
"No you aren't. I don't want to be the cause of another death, Zinx."
He sighed. "I'm not going to let you try and save me."
"Why?!"
"Because I need to see Sammy."
I couldn't help anything from spilling out now. Both Zinx and I were shedding tears. His were silent, and mine were filled with heartbroken sobs. I've caused so many deaths. And they're all my fault.
"Stop crying for me, Eren," Zinx said quietly. Trying his hardest to keep his smile through all the physical and emotional pain.
"I can't help it! Without me, you and Samuel would be living happy ever after! The end! No Eren to ruin your guys' lives!"
The man was lying on the ground again. His head resting on the cold floor. "We already had someone ruin it for us. Our deaths aren't your fault, Eren. It was our master's fault."
"Who's your master?"
"Zinx?"
"Zinx!"
Levi's P.O.V:
How do you get down a hole through the floor with a gunshot wound in your chest?
I tried calling for help, but my voice was too hoarse. I couldn't inhale enough air to speak well, anyway. When Eren had shot at Zinx, he had shot me instead. It may have not been visible to him, but it had happened.
"Eren," I whispered. I wanted his face to be the last thing I remembered, but it looks like the last thing I will ever see is the blank, cold-looking ceiling, or the blackness of the ground when I hit it.
Crawling to the best of my ability with short gasp breaks in between, I finally made it to the edge of the hole. Unfortunately, when I was dropped, I had broken my arm trying to break my fall.
Hopefully this drop will end me. I can't find Eren. He's probably dead somewhere, anway.
That urges me on to fall, to die. To die...I never thought my life would end by suicide. I always thought that I would die of someone else's blade, but no. No, I have to die at the hands of a monster and my loved one. Two entirely different things, and only one's at fault.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled to no one in particular. It may have been because I was now in a slow free fall. Strange. I thought I would feel the wind whistling in my ears, my hair ruffling itself as I plummeted to my demise, but no. It was anything but that.
I opened my eyes, and was surprised to find a gentle hand in mine. Taking me down to the ground with a small smile.
"Petra?!"
"Shh, it's okay. You can't leave right now. Eren would be heartbroken," she murmured. The translucent wings on her back fluttering gently. They looked similar to Zinx's when I saw them years ago, but she was not opaque. It was quite beautiful to see, actually.
I was about to protest, but she held a finger to my lips. Hushing me as my feet found the ground.
"Goodbye, Levi."
I watched as the strawberry blonde left through the ceiling. She was one of my friends, and I couldn't help the pained feeling deep within my heart. My chest aching with the gunshot wound and all the thoughts going through my head.
I can't last much longer.
Eren's P.O.V:
I numbly blinked away my tears. He's gone, just like that. Never to walk, breath, love or talk again. And it's my fault, once again.
Wiping away the streaks on my face that showed off my weakness, I trudged over to where Zinx had first shoved his way through the wall. I saw many bodies scattered throughout the hall, and for a moment, I swore I saw a familiar gaze.
"Levi?" I called out.
A head snapped up, and I gasped. His hands were covered in crimson, and his chest had blood dripping from it.
"Oh my God, what happened?" I asked.
Levi tilted his head back, as if relieved. "You are a horrible shot, Eren. All those times you tried to shoot me on the battlefield, and you miss. Now look, you hit me for the first time ever with a gun. Good job."
I was horrified at his dry sense of humor at the time being. Falling to my knees and pulling him into a gentle embrace, being careful of the wound.
"It's my fault," I muttered. How many times is it going to be my fault?
"Eren, don't."
"It's my fault. I know it, you don't have to try and cover it up. I shot you."
Levi pursed his lips. "If you keep saying it like that you'll hurt yourself. Don't do that."
"I can't help that I keep killing everyone. You don't have to live with that."
Levi buried his head into the crook of my neck, tickling my chin with his hair. "Eren...you don't know how many regrets I hold."
"What?"
"I have killed so many important people to me and others. Yes, I do live with the feeling you have right now. It helps not to think about it being your fault. Accidents happen, Eren. It's life. You've always wanted to kill me since your birth, didn't you?"
"Not now! Not ever! I love you!"
The man gently pushed me back so he could look me dead in the eyes.
"I love you too, but move on for me. Please?"
I took hold of his chin and planted a kiss on his forehead. Falling down to his nose, and then a kiss on the lips.
"I can't," I said through the weak, but loving, kiss, "I just love you too much."
His eyes softened. "I love you too, Eren."