Beneath The Flies • 《 Levi × Reader 》

《 Chapter 19 》• The Throat of The Lamb

《 Three Years Ago; The Retake of Wall Maria 》

The pungent air carried the promise of unmet demise, the tall grey walls imprisoning us eternally in the belly of war. Wall Maria stared down at us, eagerly awaiting our arrival, hungry for the blood and bones of our men. The sun was a blade that plunged into the heart of the battlefield as the Scouts raced on horseback, each and every one of us nearing the forgotten town of Shiganshina.

I could feel my breathing stiffen as I clutched the reigns of my horse, eyes peeled for any threats that could potentially be hiding behind these rustic buildings. The hypnotic sound of the horses hooves booming below against the solid ground kept me steady, telling my brain and heart that this was it.

This was the battle we've all been waiting for...

I was prepared, and I was ready to fight for humanities guaranteed survival.

I ushered my horse forward, speeding up to meet the rear of the frontal formations. The blocky shadow of the Wall traversed through the lines of Scouts, cutting past the different sections.

Up ahead, I spotted the broad shoulders of the Commander; Commander Erwin Smith.

His thickly grown blonde hair was thrown back in the wind, his eyes locked on the gargantuan hole in the Wall up ahead. Then, he proceeded to pull his hazy green hood up over his head, shielding his identity from the naked eye.

"Be on the lookout, titans could be anywhere!" His low voice boomed over the hoards of soldiers, carried across the skies. "All troops, switch to ODM gear!"

At his command, everyone leapt up onto the saddles of their galloping steeds, balancing themselves without breaking a sweat. Then, the familiar sound of ODM wires shot through the barren land of abandoned buildings and reminents of the past, hundreds of Scouts pouring into the sky one-by-one.

Everyone had their cloaked hoods pulled up over their heads, including me.

All soldiers will commence the mission with their hoods over their heads to conceal their identity from the enemy. This way, Eren can make way to both holes in the Wall more efficiently.

That was the plan.

So I rose to my horses leather saddle, pulling out my blades from their sheathes, the sunlight reflecting off the forged metal. I pressed the pressurized triggers, the gas spurting and shooting me up into the openly vast sky. I spun around to efficiently change the trajectory of my direction, hooks latching into the large Wall and carrying me up to the flat surface. I landed smoothly, both my feet placed in proper positions to balance myself.

Commander Erwin was already directing squadrons to their designated locations, everyone diving off the sides of the Wall to get there faster.

I was a Section Commander.

And my squad was behind me.

Anastasia Langrove, Pildo Harriet, Ally Valentine, and William Fisher.

All of them were exceptional young soldiers.

I waved my arm to gesture them in, all of us turning toward Erwin. I delivered him with a curt nod, heavy and knowing.

We were to remain here on lookout.