The sound of human bones breaking pulled my attention back, my pupils dilating in wrath at the droplets of blood spilling from its huge mouth into the scene like the cherry blossoms in high budding season. The entire place was drenched in the smell of iron as another innocent soul was swallowed. My body was involuntarily cutting through the air on its own, dodging the flinging arms of the titan’s from behind whereas my mind was as brittle as fragile glass. 

The tattered cape fluttered in the breeze as I caught sight of the blood stained Wings of freedom imprint behind me for a second. The same Wings of Freedom the little girl in the town square was so idolizing of. The same Wings of Freedom that everyone was dying in order for its name to become a factual statement of humanity.

No… I muttered between my gritted teeth.

I can’t stop now.

I didn’t fight all the way here just to die.

I refuse for my name to be carved onto a tombstone, not now. Just not now. I must reach the top of the food chain; I must crush those titans under my foot.

I cursed under my breath at the stupid creature behind me, drawing my blades as I’ve pieced and glued myself back together with my unrealistic unfulfilled desires heaping up. We were all born kicking and screaming. We were all meant to be exposed out in the cold and cruelty of the world, waiting to finally drown and numb ourselves out of our pain. That was our fate, was it not? Society has taught me not to cry anymore, because no matter how loud I scream… no one will come. Anger will become my ultimate strength.

With one big gasp, I bent back and accepted the air that cooed the stinging opened wound on my face, my blades firmly in my grip. There was no time to pity myself or mourn for the dead, if I didn’t do it now, I would never get another chance. The sound of air hissing persistently resonated out of my tanks by my side as I flew forward through the trees at full speed, waiting for the right time to counter at the dumb creature behind.

My vile dark pupils skimmed across the whole outstretched landscape, taking in the whole forestry in search for my desired prey, the real one lurking behind the mammoth trees with the disloyal heart. This was once my home; these same trees had once provided me shelter when humanity was hunting me down. I should know this place better than anyone else.

The other 7 were nowhere to be seen. I was alone once again. 

This will be my game then; this will be my kill.

It was like a flick of a switch, my eyes flashed for a small fraction of the time ticking as I instantly rotated around, discharging my hooks from the trees that kept me up. Immediately, the wind picked up around me as my small figure soared down through the air for a few seconds and landed accordingly onto the collarbone of the approaching titan, barely missing me when it tried to swallow me whole. My blades easily sunk into its throat as I circled around its neck, pushing my blades deeply into its flesh, causing as much damage as possible. My edges lifted into a sneer as I listen to the ripping of its skin and its roar reverberating throughout the entire timberland of the dead.

The piercing blade easily penetrated the thick rough skin and my eyes traced an invisible line after the piece of fresh blood-spattered flesh flying in the sky. My coils tore through the air once again and speared into a log of timber, sending my sore feet off the nape of its neck as the defeated titan descended towards the ground, disintegrating along with the lifeless broken body of Stefan swallowed whole inside. I held my breath and opened my arms out wide, welcoming the wind that brushed through my fingers as I glided through the air. Nature's sudden offer of serenity was too much in contrast to the bloodshed I've witnessed.

The continual hissing of another gas tank closing in snapped me out of my split second inner tranquillity, immediately raising my blade up to dodge the opposing blade-edge hurled towards my face. My orbs darkened as I glared at the figure trying to force their blade through mine. They still had their hoodie over their head, facing downwards in a downright smirk. Unlike all the other opponents I’ve clashed with, this guy never took one full glimpse of me with their eyes. We were fighting with no direct eye contact at all.

With one great push, I heaved their edge away from me and perched onto a thick branch nearby with the only free second I got, before they threw themselves at me again. Person X, as Commander Erwin called him, landed on the same branch as me, delivering hard endless attacks every chance he got. The weight by the side of my hips had suddenly grown imbalanced, prying my fighting instincts and attention away from my enemy as my eyes darted down at the gas tanks that unclipped from my straps, falling through the air and landed on the rocks beneath with a loud clatter. Curses were the only thing left to utter under my breath; why has everything got to happen at the worst times?

 The sensation throbbed and rippled throughout the entire area when I caught a quick glimpse of the tip of his blade slicing into my arm, sending the abrupt supply blood seeping out. I drew back towards the trunk end of the branch, glowering at the figure that snickered at my withdrawal.

I ducted as their blade impaled into the timber behind me, leaving their edge right above the crook of my neck. He left it there deliberately as he closed in on me, now leaving my figure feebly leaning onto the trunk away from his sickening presence. My eyes flickered away from my wounded arm and down at the blood-dripping blade thrust under my throat.

“Not too bad. But I expected more from you.”

A dark grimace of annoyance revealed itself as I listened to that familiar voice of his. Now where have I heard that low hoarse voice before? My gas tanks had fallen off and crashed far below on the ground, shattering into worthless pieces. I no longer have a transportation device, leaving me utterly disadvantaged.  I blinked silently to that smirk he had on his lower face as the cold edge was slowly touching my skin, threatening to slice in any moment. He leaned towards me, his face drawing close towards mine.

“You’ve suddenly gone quiet now. Little Hazel too scared?”

He knows me?

I sensed his revolting breath against my skin, furrowing my brow to his pathetic words underestimating me. The slim fingertip of mine rose up to the sharp edge, stopping it from coming any closer.

“You should know by now that a squeamish finger can’t stop a blade from ending your life.” He cooed; close enough to have his hand stroking my hair. I immediately flinched away from his touch as if his fingertips were the darkest of venom. The wind seemed to be echoing and whistling the accustomed forest tune throughout the dark woods. Even with little streams of sunlight radiating in here and there, the woods always seemed hauntingly vague.

My finger slid along the sharp penetrating edge of his blade, my nose picking up on the smell of the iron of my own blood. The slim finger eventually turned into a tight grip as I clutched forcefully onto his sharp blade with my palm, watching my own blood slide down my wrist.

Person X’s lips parted at my unexpected action. He didn’t predict me to be such a retarded idiot, did he? The stinging sensation whirled in my palm, the smell of salt and rust at the tip of my nose as I forced the blade away from my neck. A mocking smile extended on my face as I hastily snatched his blade away, the edge digging deep into my skin. Far off in the distance, my ears just managed to pick up the sound of other gas tanks. Those bloody idiots were finally showing up.

Now it was just him.

I can’t let this bastard escape.

My free hand swiped over and grabbed hold of his hoodie, tugging it back down his head.  Blond curls greeted me as the hoodie was pulled back, but it wasn’t enough to reveal his full face yet. His tough hand rose up to stop my dainty ones continuously pulling at his cloak and with his other, he clutched it around my neck, cutting the airway of my oxygen intake. The bastard threw me against the timber behind and slowly raised me above the branch below my feet that was supporting my weight. His grasp was now my necklace of rope, killing me slowly.

With the stolen blade in my wounded hand, I sent the bloody blade piercing into the man’s leg, my eyes frantically watched him grimace in pain. I felt his grip around my stem tighten as he clasped my airway forcefully, attempting to kill me faster. I squeezed my eyes shut and silently pleaded for a miracle.

For anything.

My balance was worsening as my two feet have lost their sturdy base, and I finally realized… he was going to throw me off the branch. My eyes rolled open as I felt the man hurl me to the side, out into the openness. My two feet dangled out in the air like the ends of a wind chime, occasionally knocking into each other out in the cold breeze.

“Go join them on the other side.” He growled at me in fury.

And off I went.

My shocked eyes stared up at his dark face under the cloak, watching him powerlessly as he snapped coils out into the distance, making his swift escape.

The wind embraced me once more, lifting my hair away from my face as I gazed down at the rocky beds below which seemed to be crawling closer and closer, eagerly waiting to catch me in their stony gravelly grasp. I hurriedly gawked to my sides for my coils to shoot out, but my gas tanks weren’t with me. I had nothing left, not even a blade in my hands.

Was this… it?

Have I really fought all the way just to die… here?

My soul bawled and kicked and struggled for a better ending. Anything but this.

The ends of my lips twisted as dread and regret were the only emotions that conquered my mind. When I was finally motivated to do something… is this the ultimate reward I get?

How unfair could life be?!

I wanted to scream on top of my lungs for something better, for fate to pitch something more acceptable at me, but I’ve lost my spirit. My voice clawed onto the sides of my dry throat, unable to clamber out, leaving me to sob bitterly at my own failure.

I’ve lost everything already.

I wanted to cry, but I had no tears left.

I was giving up.

Death was an old friend that came and went.

And he was here once again, this time to comfort and take me away to something better.

Just accept it, Hazel. 

Just accept it.

I slowly closed my eyes, clearing the cramped thoughts from my head as the grey rubbles below patiently waited for me to land in their grasp. It’ll only hurt for a bit, just a tiny bit.

I’m ready.

I won’t struggle anymore.

Take me.

Take me away from this shit-hole.

My arms curled up around me, smoothing out the creases of my jacket as the cold wind wrapped around my heart-broken vessel. My life was going to end at any moment. I’ve been in these situations many times before, but this time, it was positive that I had no hope. The heart I bear inside was heavy with sorrow, as if it was the one contributing to pulling me down towards my own death.

Don’t worry; it’ll all end very soon. I told myself reassuringly. It’ll all end very soon.

Slowly, my wounded aching hands rose up and covered my ears in attempt to calm myself as I fell through the air, closing the distance between me and the ground.  I didn’t want to hear it... I didn't want to hear anything anymore.

I silently waited for my pitiful life to flash before my eyes behind those closed lids.

But instead, an instant sound soared towards my dropping body. A pair of strong arms wrapped around me, replacing the pulling motion of the wind’s invisible form. It was like someone was holding me… hugging me. Their presence felt too real, too real for my mind to take in all at once.

Hallucinations. Your own mind playing tricks on you, huh?

Their embrace was so warm and comforting; the feeling was nothing I’d ever experienced before. I didn’t want for this feeling to end. The sudden company offered sent my mind into a deeper state of shock, but I wasn’t the one to complain. The heavy lids of my eyes were still dropped, completely oblivious to my surroundings. Admittedly, I valued the hold of whoever it was, their arms wrapped tightly around my shaky figure, giving me a reassuring hug before death. Whether if it was just an illusion or not, I didn’t have to feel so alone anymore.

All my life, guns and ammos and knives and blood dominated me. I realized that most of the time, I was always by myself hiding in the dark, sharpening knives and loading up guns, preparing for another battle to come. My heart ached in jealousy whenever I caught sight of the happy families down the streets. Even within the caging walls, they had each other. It made me realized how lonely I really was.

And when I thought I finally found people… friends I could rely on; they get taken away straightway, slipping out of my fingers just in a blink of an eye. Both Clara and Ruth.

The tough façade that eventually was plastered on was enough to persuade and trick my distraught mind, insisting that I was fine the way I was, and so that no one would pity me as another disliked… and pathetic… and weak soul that just somehow existed for no good reason. Just another eyesore, just another extra.

When really…

 I forgot what it was like to be embraced by another human being.

I was still envious, and angry, and fearful or everything around me. I still had emotions and memories, they belonged to me.

They were evidence, and they reminded me that I was still a human.

My cold arms reached out and pulled their warm body closer to me, burying my head into their chest as the wind whistled past us. They had such a nice scent. The raw and aching muscles all over my body relaxed slightly as I helplessly melted into their angelic hug. I couldn’t help but cringed to their touch when their calloused hand was placed on the back of my neck, drawing me closer to their chest soothingly. His chest.

Why him?

Why was he my last vision before I leave?

Nothing makes sense. I don’t make sense.

This was a hallucination. It must be. Even though everything felt so physically real, it would never happen like this.

But please. Don’t let it end.

I submerged closer to him when the tears of happiness were slowly collecting beneath those lids again. It was just a slight hint of joy, frothing over the ocean of grief that flooded within me as I held onto him earnestly. I rested my head against him, listening to his rhythmic heartbeat as I wrapped my arms around his waist thankfully. He never objected to my actions, like screaming at me for smearing blood all over him or getting his cravat dirty.

Someone had finally answered my plea for a miracle, he was my miracle.

My lips moved uncomprehended, mouthing the words of gratitude into his chest.

Thank you, Levi.

 Thank you.