*

Keeping within the squad and staying in formation, the horses thunder all together in one direction following through. With the discussion with Erwin a few weeks back, my chest felt tighter. I wondered if his predictions were correct, even though sometimes his assumptions failed inadequately. He even gave only a few soldiers the trust, to run over his real intentions of the plan.

Yet, my gut churns sickenly to my own assumptions, whilst on an expedition.

Hanji was made to make the springtrap over the months time, wondering how large our catch will be. In the long run, it might be one of the titan shifters we've held a hunch towards. When Erwin pieced a few things together since the fall of Shiganshina, all I could say was that I agreed. 

I believed he was onto something, but we're dealing skilled shifters. But I've killed many titans for years, and not one has surpassed my capabilities. I just wanted this to end, to allow our lands to prosper and grow into a peaceful country. It hardly made everyone's lives easier, with only fear to awaken us.

Something was shot in the sky causing my head to lift, catching sight of a green smoke signal.

"It's a green smoke signal!" I inform Levi, hearing him nod with a grunt.

"Oluo, pass it on!" Levi orders firmly.

"With pleasure, sir!" Oluo pulls out his signal flare, and shot out the same green flare into the sky repeating the same.

Wanting to keep quiet to sense any danger, my hands slowly grip the reigns tightly. With my keen hearing, I would sense a titan metres away from here. It was something that I picked up on, which gave me clearance and assurance for my safety.

"Reporting sir!" A soldier approaches us. "An oral message! It appears the right-wing spotters have been wiped out!"

Remaining calm and composed, I grew frustrated knowing something like this would happen.

"...The early warning network is compromised!" The soldier continues. "One of you will need to relay the message down the line!"

Levi turns to petra behind me, "You heard the man, Petra....go on!" he orders, gladly she complies without hesitation from his instruction. Guiding her horse to the opposite side, she soon heads to the next squad to relay the message. Soon the other soldier guides himself back to his squad he departed from, whilst trying to focus.

I guess it has begun, just what Erwin has predicted from the beginning. Dammit, what is all this loss? For nothing? He better make this hunch a reality, because we're gambling on this one too.

Suddenly three black flares were shot in the sky, the gunfire echoes down the valley.

"Eren, fire the signal!" Levi orders, noticing the threat was assumed an abnormal ignoring us completely.

"Y-Yes sir!" hearing fear and concern within the boys voice, knowing full well something is wrong out there.

Levi clicks his tongue, with a hard glare.

"This is a disgrace," he mutters dryly. "Lotta good the formation does if the bastards can bore into that deeply."

Narrowing my eyes, "What's more, we already know we're in deep shit if we slip up," lifting my head in the direction where the threat lies. "An entire wing, already wiped out? This isn't ordinary, but abnormal........however....."

"You damn got that right, so what I want from you is to live,"

My eyes slowly widen feeling my heart pound, confidence and assurance sinking into my heart and mind. His words were firm and stoic, yet filled with emotion only I can interpret. 

Smirking softly I raise my head, "Don't worry about me, you've got nothing to worry about.......remember I can kick ass more than these rookies,"

We continue further on ahead with me near Levi's flank, the wind pounding against my ears deafening my senses for only a moment. Yet I still have this sinking and dreading feeling in my stomach, that all I could do was grind my teeth and bear it.

Eren's our main priority.

After a while Petra returns back to the squad, before approaching the giant forest head on. The trees began to grow thicker and thicker the further we went in, concerning the young soldier. What I don't get is what is Erwin trying to get at? Am I assuming something smaller before? The forest is way to thick, and the formation is too wide to run through so......

"Corporal! Captain Levi!" Eren calls in alarm, trying to grab his attention. he was faltering already, not understanding the entirety of the situation we've ghosted him on.

"What?!"

"Come on sir, we're in a forest. We won't see a titan until it's right on top of us!" Eren wavers out, as I pursed my lips together. "The centre ranks are totally cut off! Something is coming onto the right, isn't it? So what are we supposed to do, avoid the titans or defend the wagons?!"

Everyone was confused themselves as well, but if I could bite my tongue now it would bleed. So I clenched my jaw, trying to not blurt anything out til we figure out what our enemy is. He was panicking, knowing he was following us blindly and it made my heart hurt more knowing I have to keep it from him.

"Quit whining and move on with the obvious already," Levi scolds him, trying to clear a picture for him. "Neither of those are an option anymore."

Eren's eyes fall weight upon me for a moment, then back to Levi.

"W-What are you talking about?" the boy questions, completely clueless as to what's really going on.

"Haven't you noticed what's around you, take a look at these big ass trees," Levi refers to everything around us. "Perfect environment for ODM gear, wouldn't you say? Take my advice Eren, calm down and use that head. The best survival tool is your brain."

Hesitantly Eren nods, "Y-Yes sir," finally giving into Levi's cold response. I knew it was confusing, but he is under superior soldiers right now. He must follow orders, whether something is off or not. Fear will get you nowhere, if you keep hiding.

Yet, the squad seems to start questioning the Commanders motives.

They were kept in the dark, only Levi and I were trusting Erwin's hunch and motives. However I knew something was up before this, recalling my moments in Shiganshina.

The armoured held some kind goal rather than feasting on people, and the Colossal destroyed the weakest point of the walls. What's more, they knew how it was structured, and no ordinary titan could do something that only human knowledge can surpass.

"Doesn't make sense, what are we doing here?" Hearing Oluo questions utterly to his comrades. "There's gotta be a reason. I mean they know right? They just gotta."

Glancing back I felt terrible seeing them looking rather concerned, afraid and even in confusion with everything that's suddenly being set in motion. Wishing to tell them everything, was beyond my orders. Levi and I only knew, and even Lena being that she's aiding Hanji with the Spring trap.

Suddenly I hear a flare being shot, "Black smoke!" Eren informs us.

"Argh....it's right behind us!"

Eld groans, "Damn thing has been on our ass since we came here," Eld exclaims in annoyance, glancing behind for a moment.

"Blades drawn, now!" Levi orders sharply. "It'll happen in the blink of an eye....be ready."

Sweat aligns my forehead knowing full well the threat was nearing, but the others were beyond petrified. My heart was beating heavily, while knowing full well the orders were unclear to them. Obeying his orders, knowing whatever he says is right, their blades were drawn. Despite their terrified expressions. 

Drawing my blades, my fingers rest on the trigger preparing myself.

Just as I glance back I saw they all were glancing around, making me call out, "Eyes forward, now!!!" I order sternly, not wanting them to freak out for whatever is to come. 

All obeying my orders, my ears pick up on the thundering footsteps.

My head perks up in alarm feeling Levi's rest on me, "How far?" he questions only for me to hear, as I rode neck and neck with him.

"About a fe--"

Before I could even answer the heavy pounding of the beast was coming up rather quickly, than normal. The vibrations were through from the horse, running chills down my spine before. I knew what it was, but what was I expecting? The thundering sounds were approaching us far more quickly, before hearing gasps.

"Holy shit!"Gunther cries out, taken back by what was hunting us from the start. My skin crawls, while my blood runs cold. Never would I have imagined such a thing, but especially the appearance of the beast that hunted us. It only jumps over us, yet to fall back due to our fast we were travelling.

The titan was no taller than fourteen metres tall, skin was patterned uniquely to it's physique. Muscles displayed over it's limbs, and it's legs and figure was very feminine. Blonde hair shorter, blue eyes crystal as you can from here despite how dark the forest was.......

A sudden chill runs down my spine, as a reminder takes me back at Shiganshina.

The Armoured titan was similar but far more muscular and a metre tall, but despite the many differences, all I could see was a dangerous emotion flicker behind the titan's eyes. Flashes of the many bodies that were left beneath the rubble, and blood tainting the streets of my home soon started to take over my focused mind.

Yet this titan that bounded towards us, held a goal and no titan had such a goal except a shifter. This was definitely a shifter, no doubt in my mind this titan holds a wielder beneath the nape. 

"How the hell are we supposed to pull evasive maneuvers in here?!" Gunther asks hastily.

Eld stares back in horror, "It's catchin' up!" he alerts us.

"Corporal! Captain!" Petra calls out to Levi and I. "Engage the ODM gear?!:

I purse my lips tightly, while Levi remains quiet.

"Captain!!!!" She cries out, when soon the sound of maneuver gear comes into the scene. "The rear reinforcements!!!"

However the reinforcements were killed in cold blood in an instant, as the titan grabs the wires from one of the soldiers, yanking them backwards before swatting it's hand killing him off. It then grabs the other, slamming him against a giant tree as blood sprays. 

My eyes widen in horror, even though I've already seen the tragedy done when I was face to face with the armoured.

Levi saw what had just unfolded before us, fearing that our prediction and Erwin's was right. My eyes met his only for a moment, to see him facing the realisation this is far serious than we had hoped for.

"Captain! Corporal!!!!" Petra calls out again. "Your orders!"

"It's dangerous! Let's take it out!!!" Oluo yells out. "Tell us to engage!!!"

Soon I hear the sound of blades being sheathed, "I'll just cut the bitch!" Eld threatens.

"Captain!!!"

"We need your orders!"

"She's gaining on us! Let's just take her out!"

"That's the whole reason we're here, isn't it?!" Eld questions loudly. "Right sir? Corporal?!"

"Your orders, please!!!!"

"Akira, please say something?!" Petra pleads.

I didn't what to say because our plan was to remain unspoken, knowing we need to trust hanji and Erwin with our current plan. Yes I felt entirely awful not informing the others, but we needed to make it look like we didn't know either.

"Everyone," Levi spoke up, rather more calmly. "Cover your ears, now."

Soon he raises his flare gun, preparing the acoustic round as he fires it off. A high pitch rings in our ears, wincing slightly realising how my hearing was more sensitive. Squeezing my eyes tightly while grasping my ears, blades in hand, while the sound made my head throb in response.

I flutter my eyes open, to see everyone else finally blocking their ears.

"Was that an acoustic round?!" Eren asks, impressed by his assumption.

"Remind me, what is our mission?" Levi cuts the boy off, pausing to gather their attention. "Isn't it simply to act on the impulse in the heat of the moment? Let me answer that question for you, it's not." his eyes remain forward and focused. "This squads mission is to keep this brat alive, whatever the cost. Don't forget it."

Everyone falls silent knowing Levi was right, even I will say the same thing. Acting on impulse will only cloud your thoughts, but I knew his squad would likely do something like that. They all haven't been soldiers for long, and I've been a soldier for fourteen years of my life. 

"We keep pushing forward on horseback, is that clear?" Levi firmly questions.

"As a bell, sir!" Petra replies, being his aid and assistant, she would.

"But for how long?" Eren questions, hastily turning around. "We can't keep running forever, she's right on top of us as it is. If we don't do something soon--huh?! No!!!"

"Eyes front! Stop lookin' behind us!" Gunther yells angrily.

"Seriously?!" Eren was appalled, while my hands tighten around my reigns.

"Keep pace with the group!" Eld tells him, speaking up while my ears still kept ringing. I lift my hand to grip my ears, blinking a few times while trying to keep up beside Levi. "Maintain top speed or we're all dead!"

"Eld, please?" Eren begs him. "Help them, if the Levi squad can't stop this thing then who will? Those men need us?!!!"

Soon more cries of pain and agony were not long after us, realising more reinforcements were sent our way. Only for them to be slaughtered with nothing, but a dead end to their lives. 

I'm sorry, I truly am.....

"Another one! Damn it, he didn't have to die!" The boys cries out, in frustration and panic. "Come on, there's still one left! We can save him before it's too late!"

"Do as you're told, Eren!" Petra yells sternly. "Eyes forward!

"How can all of you just ignore what's happening back there? Are you telling me to abandon my comrades, is that it?!"

"Damn it, yes!" Petra replies forwardly, with hesitation. "Stop whining and do as your Captain and Corporal tells you!"

"Why are we letting people die? If this is part of some bigger picture, why can't someone explain it to me?"

Dammit Eren, why can't you understand?!

This feeling of pressure was holding me down further and further, putting me in a difficult position. I cared a lot about my comrades, but in order for things to work; you must follow with the plan. With not being informed of this threat, I indeed feel the same way, except I would shutup and have faith.

"Ask not the reason why," Oluo states to him, repeating something we've taught him. "Ask but to do and die! You'd understand what that meant if you weren't such a useless greenhorn! Now stifle it, behave like a soldier!"

Glancing back for only a moment Eren slowly places his swords back, with hesitation flickering in his forest green eyes. He lifts his hand to his mouth, knowing what exactly what was rolling in his mind. Clenching my jaw tightly, I finally decided to speak up.

"Eren, whatever that you plan to do I hope you will withdraw," I warn him sternly, causing a small gasp to leave his mouth. "Haven't I given you enough reason, to trust us.....to trust me and the Captain?!"

His eyes were wide, with slight regret in his eyes.

"Listen to the Corporal!" Petra agrees with me, crying out to him. "You're only permitted to assume titan form when your life is in extreme peril! That was the agreement; you sworth an oath! Eren!"

"I wouldn't blame you, do what your conscious dictates......but..." Levi spoke up, calmly and composed. It kept me grounded, even though in these situations I keep my cool if I wasn't looking after kids. "......Eren listen you're not inherently evil. Your ability to change doesn't make you a monster, that said it could be the other way around."

My hands grip tighter, while I kept my jaw clamped shut.

"How are you supposed to know where to draw the line, whether you lose control or freely give it up....maybe it's the same," He continues on. "Look Eren we don't agree because our experience brings us to opposing views, that's life, at the end of the day there's no reason to go against how you see it. The choice is yours...you can trust yourself or you can trust the people that are willing to put their lives on the line for you."

Understanding what levi was talking about, I still blame myself for their deaths. I would rather face the blame than himself, because I was meant to watching over them. 

Isabel......Farlan.....I'm sorry your deaths had to prove that we, ourselves, had to show Levi that he has us now......to trust than himself alone.....

"I don't know which way is better, I never have," Levi continues on. "Should I act on my own instincts, or put myself in the hands of my comrades and trust them......Either way, there's no guarantee......"

My eyes wildly kept on the boy, who only had his teeth rest upon his hand. 

"....in the end, you choose what you choose," Levi says. "If afterwards, your regrets are at a minimum, good for you."

Eren remains quiet while we hastily raced down the forest path, allowing him to process Levi's wisdom of words. I remembered Levi was rather hasty and immature for only a moment when he started out, but he came a long way to finally see the truth in what we do....

That's another reason why I don't deserve him, because he became a fit and wise soldier.....

Wiser than myself......

"Eren!" Petra calls out to him, making him turn to her. "Trust us!"

He falls quiet for a moment trying to sink that in, while he turns to me as my eyes sternly rest upon him. He falters the moment I send him a warning look, as he glances to his hand again then back to my meet my eyes again, with indecisiveness. 

"Eren! C'mon! Make up your damn mind!" Levi shouts angrily, with hastiness.

"Please Eren, right now your decision will affect us all!" I add, with a stern gaze. "Answer now, please?"

Eren soon gathers the courage, "I'm with you!!!!!" 

A breath of relief leaves me, however my body was still tense with making a run from the titan. My body has never been this anxious in such a long time, my mind was overwhelmed. 

The sounds of painful cries were heard from behind us, knowing soldiers are dying rapidly by any given minute.

Soon the sounds of the female titan began to grow faster, turning around to see her body leaning more forward sprinting in a beeline towards us. My heart was beating heavily, as the wind pounds against my ears deafening me a little.

"The target is accelerating!!!!" Gunther warns us all, as we flick our reigns to pick up our pace.

"Just keep moving!" Levi orders. "We'll outrun the bitch!"

My eyes harden while clenching my teeth trying to remain calm, my nerves were jumping and my heart rate is spiking. All we can do now is keep going, til Erwin's plan will finally come into motion.

Please, let this become a success?

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