Coming for your soul

Chapter 50

Eren POV

The battle behind them, Eren cursed himself for having to leave his family and friends while he ran away like a cockroach to flee into the small, dark world and its ugly corners like a coward.

Only having Ida's back in front of him, where she clung to Ceadda, kept him from turning around and doing what his heart longed to do. His fingers itched to do something, and his second half growled at the frustration that led to a stream of hissed thoughts in his head – all telling him to save what he had left.

"Get your head out of whatever hole you've stuck it into.", Levi hissed and the prince flinched when he noticed that the other man had caught up to him and was now prowling through the dark with him. Armin and Lio also stayed close by their side and just hearing the sound of their footsteps on the cold ground, earth and stones mixed together beneath their shoes...it gave him some sort of reassurance. It kept him going.

Moving forward.

Why was the wall still so far away? The heavy breathing of the children too loud in the darkness with so many enemies around each corner, Eren forced his feet further and further through the gardens.

"Get down!" Levi's calloused hand suddenly pushed his head down until Eren fell to his knees. He held his breath, his eyes focused on Armin, who was hidden behind one of the trees with his back pressed against the wood.

Ceadda pressed his small body into Eren and the prince quickly held the two children against his body with Levi shielding them in front of them. A few soldiers ran by with their swords held tightly and raised to attack whoever surprised them in the dark. They didn't exchange a word beneath their dark veils.

Eren held his breath and begged his heart to calm down.

Only when the sounds of the battle were far away again, the distance between them and the enemy big enough, did Levi push them forward and Armin urged them on with their voice. His hand was intertwined with Lio's and his frantic glances in all directions not the least bit reassuring.

They moved on and step by step the wall came closer until they stood right in front of it. Armin carefully dodged Lio in the direction of the hole where he and Eren had slipped through back then when they had met up with the Queen.

"Crawl through it.", he ordered the boy softly and pressed a kiss on the back of the child's head. "Don't stop. No matter what you hear. No matter what happens. You just need to get out and hide."

Despite the young boy's scared face, he did as he was told and fell down on his knees, quickly pushing his small body into the darkness until not a single limb could be seen by them anymore.

Eren put a hand on Ceadda's back and rubbed a thumb against his clothes. "You too. Follow Lio and wait for us on the other side."

"What if you won't follow us?", the boy asked and Ida's grip tightened where she held on to her brother. Eren kneeled down next to them and Levi instantly took a protective stance behind them, eyes on their surroundings while Armin took a deep breath and then continued to follow Lio through the hole.

"I told you that I wouldn't leave you, didn't I?", he asked gently and caressed the boy's cheek. "Give me a chance to prove it to you."

Ceadda swallowed, his eyes wide and unbelieving but in the end he nodded and turned around to let Ida down on the ground. He directed her in front of the hole but was the first one to crawl through.

Eren helped her put her small fingers around Ceadda's ankles. "Hold on to your brother, Ida. Don't let go and trust him to tell you when you're good to stand up, alright?"