TEN YEARS, The Kenny Ackerman Story BOOK TWO~ FUTURES, by Melly O'Hara

DREAMS

CHAPTER 17 DREAMS

The heat inside the Cavern was hotter than anything, anyone had ever experienced before. It was as if the sun had crashed to earth and exploded inside the depths of the Cavern. The unrelenting steam burning the occupants, as Rod began his transformation from human to Titan. The orange and red flashes of light; blinding, as the chain reaction of metamorphosis continued to re-write Rod's DNA, into an expanding sub-creature, that no longer bared any resemblance to anything even remotely human.

As Rod's Titan grew and the Cavern walls cracked against the strain; the battle between the Scouts and Kenny's Squad extended their fight into the main body of the Cavern. The Scouts had rolled barrels of gunpowder and oil down the entrance steps, setting them alight using flaming arrows; camouflaging themselves in the smoke they produced. In the chaos of the battle and Rod's transformation, three of the Scouts; Jean, Connie and Levi made their way through the commotion to help Historia free Eren, whilst the rest of the Survey Corp dodged their way through the haze; avoiding the bullets fired from the enemy's guns.

The Scouts were outnumbered seven to one and out-weaponised; having only their swords, which required being close to the enemy to be effective. Flying through the smoke on their ODM gear, using the smoke to their advantage, they swung high; positioning themselves behind their adversaries and struck from behind, where they could. Gradually they whittled down the opponent's number, until the fight was even.

Engaging his nephew, in an effort to keep Levi out of the fray, Kenny zipped and darted across the Cavern columns. Shooting near, but never at Levi, Kenny took all of Levi's attention as Levi followed his quarry. Cockiness taking over as he baited Levi; Kenny ducked and weaved his way through the smoke, yelling his taunts of, " Still wanna play", as Levi followed him. Under-estimating Levi's panic and skill, his over- confidence causing his guard to slip and misjudge the angle of Levi's knife; as it sunk deep into Kenny's side.

The warning screams from Levi's Squad drew Levi's attention, as the roof of the Cavern strained against the bulk of Rod's Titan, deep crevices appearing in the crystalline ceiling as the Titan's girth filled the underground Cavern. In desperation, Eren reached for the vile of liquid Historia had stolen from Rod's bag, and reading its description; Hardening Ability, ingested its contents. As the ceiling collapsed, Eren transformed into his Titan, and with the serum, was able to replicate the same hard crystalline substance the Cavern was made from and create a pocket that protectively enclosed his Squad from the Cavern's collapse and the ever increasing heat, that emanated Rod's Titan produced as it grew.

Badly burned and losing blood, Kenny yelled at what was left of his Squad, to get out; valiantly waiting for them by the opening that led to the surface, as he pointed the way to freedom. As Traute made her way to safety, the ceiling collapsed, crushing her. And killing the remaining members of the Anti Personnel Control Squad. Only Kenny made it out alive.

Lying on the still warm grass, Kenny watched Rod's Titan obtain its full form. One hundred and twenty feet long, a glowing, burning sub-human Titan. Slug-like it crawled its way along the terrain; uprooting trees, mountains. Anything in its way. Its puny, stick-insect arms dragged the humongous torso through the ground, its beetle like legs pushed its bulk forward as it headed toward the wall containing Orvud.

Finding the musty, abandoned, old wood man's hut; precisely where Kenny had said it would be, I had searched for loose branches with which to start a fire, while the horses grazed outside the wood. The blinding flash of light in the distance and guttural roar, halted my labours; driving me back to the edge of the forest. At first I thought that it was Kenny. That the Ceremony had taken place. That for him, it had been a success.
The shaking of the ground and the unrelenting glow of residual heat convincing me, I was wrong. Racing toward the Chapel, I could hear the panicked screams of those still inside fading, the closer I came,as they were silenced by the crashing of the collapsing roof.
Kenny. Where was Kenny?