The Path Back to You | Levi x OC

Chapter 14 - Behind the Walls

Levi

After their brief reunion, Anya had wandered off to see what Hange was doing, clearly not in the mood to talk about whatever it was she was going through. Levi could tell, plain as day, that something was off with her, and it was more than just the sorrow she felt at the destruction wreaked during the mission. It had been most obvious to him when she'd been attacking the Female Titan. To anyone else, it wouldn't have looked as though she'd hesitated or shown any fear, but he'd noticed immediately. It was precisely why he'd hurriedly changed and gone to help her, despite his injury. However, she was pointedly avoiding any attempt to talk about it, so he'd just have to wait until later when they had some time alone. For the time being, he'd decided to go and locate the brats, who were somewhere in the Military Police's Stohess branch office.
His leg and ankle twinged in protest with every step he took along the stone corridor, and he had to stop for a moment to avoid stumbling.
"Shit," he hissed.
Moments later, the cacophonous clanging of several bells began to echo throughout the city. His blood ran cold. He peered out of the nearest window to see soldiers running around in utter chaos. A wall had been breached.
"Shit."
He immediately went back the way he had come and sought out Erwin, hoping that he'd at last been dismissed from the hearing with the mayor. Ten minutes later, he noticed one of Erwin's two guards standing outside a door in another corridor, and he limped over.
"He in there?"
"Yes," one of them replied.
"What's the situation?"
"A Titan has been found in Wall Sina, and Titans breached Wall Rose several hours ago. Tomas just arrived with the news."
Shock coursed through him.
"There are two breaches?"
"Not...exactly. The Titan in Wall Sina is...stuck."
"Huh?"
"It's inside the wall. Captain Anya and Section Commander Hange are dealing with it as we speak."
He frowned, and then gave up trying to understand and instead opened the door to find Erwin staring out of the window and into the night.
"Ugh. Those damn Titans never give us a break," he protested, shutting the door behind him.
Erwin turned to look at him.
"Can you go?" he asked.
"Not like there's much choice," he replied, limping further into the room.
"It was wise to have Miche watch over the 104th. I believe he can handle the situation," Erwin's assistant said.
"Yes," Erwin replied, looking out of the window again. "Let's hope so."
A moment later Anya strode in, still covered in muck, her mood even darker than before.
"Oh, you're finally free. If this has got something to do with our newest Scouts," she said, "I'm going to castrate whoever is in charge of cadet recruitment. Is it still Sadies? I bet it is, the old fool."
"Anastasya," said Erwin, turning around again. "Update?"
"Leonhart was successfully taken underground. Hange is now with her again, hoping to find something that will help us to explain the massive Titan currently stuck in our wall. Or to make sense of literally anything else, for that matter. Pastor Nick is still refusing to speak, but it's clear that he isn't the only one who knows about this. He said something like "we will fulfil our duty", whatever the hell that means. I think we have to assume that there's more than one Titan, and in more than one wall. What's the situation regarding the breach?"
He looked between Anya and Erwin, too astonished to speak for the time being.
"As you know, Miche, Nanaba and a few others were watching over the 104th at a cabin deep in the countryside to avoid any potential interference with today's operation," Erwin replied. "They sent a messenger to inform us that Wall Rose was breached several hours ago, but at the time, they weren't sure where. Teams will therefore be sent along the wall to ascertain where the hole is; the Garrison Regiment will assist. Miche has sent the recruits to evacuate all nearby settlements. In forty five minutes, we will travel to Ehrmich district and then split to assist with the breach."
"Understood. I told those with Hange and I to refill their supplies and be ready. Have you briefed the troops yet?"
"Not yet; they simply know to prepare and meet in the courtyard by the southern gate in half an hour."
"So you're telling me that we've got a Titan literally stuck inside Wall Sina, a Priest who knows something about it but is choosing to keep his shitty mouth shut, and our second-to-last wall has been breached?" Levi asked, finally recovering his words.
"Yes," Erwin replied.
He shook his head, biting back a string of curses.
"Great. What about Eren, in all this mess? I was on my way to find him when the bells started ringing."
"I sent Armin to fetch him. We might need his ability, so he will travel with both of you in the wagon to Ehrmich, along with Mikasa, Armin and Hange."
"Will he be able to fight, after what happened earlier?" Anya asked.
Erwin turned his intense, icy stare on her.
"He has to be. Levi; will you check and see if Hange has made any progress with Annie Leonhart?"
Levi wanted to stay and make sure that Anya was okay, but he couldn't disobey Erwin now.
Time was of the essence.
"Yeah," he said, and he turned and left the room, swallowing his frustration.

***

Erwin

Erwin dismissed his assistant moments later and sat at the desk in the office he'd been granted permission to use. He gestured to the chair opposite, and Anastasya took it. He was tired, and he felt as though he needed a moment to let his wall of stoicism slip; something that he could only do around Anastasya and, occasionally, Levi. He was fully aware that she was watching him, waiting, but he couldn't bring himself to speak yet. Anastasya herself looked tired and full of sorrow, and he wished that there was time to worry about her. The sudden chaos had, at least, sparked a new fire within her, and he saw her anguish slowly being consumed by the flame of determination and the need to act.
"How did it go with the mayor?" she eventually asked.
"Better than expected. He seems to understand the risk we took, and why it was necessary. Even if we can't get anything out of Leonhart, we're bound to learn from today. It's a step in the right direction. He spoke to the King, and the regiment is completely pardoned. For now at least, Eren is safe with us."
He knew that he appeared grim, despite the good news. He knew that there wasn't time to linger on whether or not his choices had been the right ones, not while they were in the midst of another crisis, but he could feel the wave of self-doubt that was threatening to swamp him. He was only just managing to hold it back. He looked up, surprised, when Anastasya took one of his hands in hers.
"Don't," she said.
"Don't what?"
"Don't start questioning yourself. Loss is necessary."
"To what extent?" he asked, sighing.
"I think you'll know, when it's too much."
"Levi thinks it was a failure."
"Levi thinks a lot of things; not all of them are correct. I made myself walk through the city earlier. To see the devastation that we'd facilitated. It was heart-breaking."
She paused, seeming to lose herself in her thoughts for a moment.
"Despite that, though," she continued, "I still believe that we did the right thing. A loss today might lead to a crucial victory next week, next month, or even next year. Without today, death and destruction might finally wipe out the rest of humanity; not just a part of a city."
He took strength from her words, and gently squeezed her hand.
"You always know the right thing to say."
"Not always," she replied, smiling ruefully. "And don't think I'm saying it just to cheer you up. As difficult as it is, especially after seeing what I've seen this afternoon and evening, it's what I believe, truly."
He nodded, knowing that she wasn't the type of person to spout false truths just to please others. Even when she worked her PR magic, she always conveyed what she really thought.
"Did you speak to people in the city?" he asked.
"I did. They're upset and confused, but hopefully I remedied that somewhat. The Titan in the wall hasn't helped, though."
He realised that she was still grasping his hand, yet he did not want the contact to end. He hoped she wouldn't notice.
"Thank you," he said. "Where do you want to be, in terms of the response to the breach?"
"I'll go with Hange and Eren, like you said."
He nodded, having expected nothing less. It was the most dangerous option, but she was more than skilled enough to handle it, despite her injuries. He had seen as much today, when he'd watched her attack the Female Titan, though he hadn't failed to notice her slight fear and hesitation. A year ago, it wouldn't have been there at all. There was still something off about her, as she sat there in his office, and he was on the verge of saying something when her amethyst-blue gaze locked onto his.
"It seems odd, doesn't it?"
"What does?"
"The Titan in the wall. If they're throughout the wall, would other Titans really breach it? Perhaps they were put there as a barrier, like a shield to hide behind. We're still not sure how Titans know where we are, why they attack us and not animals, but whichever way you look at it, be it smell, hearing, heartbeats, heat... They should know where we are. They should be crowding outside of the walls every day, vying to get at us. Yet they're not. They only really come when a piloted Titan appears and orders them, save for the odd one or two. And during the last breach, it was the gate that was attacked; not the walls."
He frowned.
"You're right. You think they could be masking us somehow?"
"Quite possibly. And...we've seen that Leonhart is capable of hardening her skin. The Armoured Titan, too. I wonder..." She shot up, breaking the contact between them. "I have to see Hange."
"Anastasya, wait. What is it?"
She was already by the door, but she turned back to look at him.
"What if the wall itself is made of hardened Titan skin? What if they're not just encased inside of the wall, but they are the wall?"
He was too shocked to reply. He watched as Anastasya hurried from the room, and it was a good minute or so before he could gather his thoughts and move again.