The Titan Queen - Levi X Reader

Chapter 9 - The Yield

Erwin Smith stood, proud and strong, in front of what little people he had managed to amass. For an army, they were a pathetic number.

But for a rescue mission, they would do well enough.

Beside him, Dot Pixis had gathered the third years of his school and had added them to his own numbers, doubling the size of the crew that Erwin had hastily rounded together. The scout's numbers weren't depleted entirely – but there were only so many that the leader could order to run at full speed at any single instance. As the two men had faced each other, two leaders of two different generations, Pixis had nodded formally to Erwin and had gestured to the red-haired girl – who had stood, stone-faced, silently at his side.

"Blame my presence on this one," he had slurred, gesturing to Isabel Magnolia. "She got a letter from your second, it would seem, telling us to be ready. I assume this was the purpose."

Erwin hadn't seen her in the last couple of hours, whilst they had waited with bated breaths for the Mikasa and Armin to make their appearance. The letter that Erwin had received had been from the blond-haired boy, written in a hand that had looked like it had forgotten how to after a prolonged absence from literature. Armin had told him how they had found the titan's home, hidden deep within a forest, and how they were going to get Eren Yeager and Y/N L/N out. Arlert had then, with a cheek that had amazed him, demanded Erwin's army as support.

But there was just something about the sheer amount of time and effort that both Mikasa and Armin had spent out in the wilderness, risking their lives to find the base that Erwin had allowed to become lost into the unknown, that had called to the leader of Survey Corps. So, Erwin had immediately jumped into action.

And that was how he was now here, in front of a meagre number of titans with a small army at his back. Armin was panting at his side, and if Erwin was stunned at his wild appearance, then it was nothing compared to what Eren looked like. Erwin had seen the boy mere months ago; the torture that was evident deep within his face proved he was a boy no longer.

Eren was on his knees, looking at him like Erwin was nothing short of his hero – before the boy slumped into the ground. Mikasa grinned a thin-lipped smile at the sight of the army – Erwin had to stop himself from swearing at the state of her black eye – before she turned coolly back to the leader of the titans.

"What is your name, beast?"

"Orion, at your service," the brown-haired thing replied, looking hungrily at the body that was slung around Mikasa's shoulders. "And you have stolen what is rightfully mine. Give her back to me, and there will be no trouble."

"You are in no position to be making demands," Erwin firmly said, stepping forwards. He allowed his masterful aura to fill the clearing, knowing that everyone's attention was now on him. Even Orion looked at him with watchful eyes, taking in all of him. "We came for two people who are rightfully ours. We will take them."

"Do you think that you're invincible just because you've got a few people behind you?" Orion said softly, and then - to Erwin's horror - he started stalking gently forward. He skirted around Mikasa, who watched him with hatred seething from her every movement. He moved like water, calculating, gently and sternly at the same time. He stopped merely a meter away from Erwin, but the human felt gratified that Orion still had to look up to meet his eyes. "Do you think that you can really beat us, human? Our base is only a short distance away... All it would take is a single shout, and all of those beasties would all come rushing. We haven't had a feast in so long," Orion crooned, and Erwin felt almost sick at the thought of his men being under the mercy of the beast in front of him. "And I know of more than a few that would love to repay a favour to the leader of the army that ambushed us a few months ago -"