The Fight for Mankind

Our Actions Are All That Remains

AURORA

I had to stay calm. I kept on repeating that over and over inside my head as Reiner's golden eyes narrowed at me as I stumbled away from him straight into the arms of Reiner's friend and likely accomplice.

"Hey, you okay?" Bertolt fretted as he grasped my shoulder's to steady me, and I cursed myself for flinching when he touched me, "You don't look so good."

Get it together and calm the fuck down! 

"Urgh yeah, I'm fine... just give me a sec I need to cut its nape, then we can head back upstairs," I said emotionless as my body trembled with the effort to not give myself away. Shifting out from under Bertolt's grip, I freed myself from his hand and went to retrieve my blades that I had dropped when I had rushed to save Reiner's life as my stomach twisted painfully in fear.

Kill the Titan, get them all upstairs then get back to Gelgar and Nanaba and tell them what I know, from there we can work out-

"Aurora!" Reiner screamed, and my heart stuttered as I realised that I had completely ignored what my body was screaming at me. Spinning around on my heel, I barely had time to scream as the large saliva dripping teeth lunged towards me when I was suddenly shoved out the way.

"REINER NO!" Bertolt cried as I collided with the floor just as Reiner's pained screams filled the room and twisting around, I stared upward in horror as the Titan that had been moments ago, ready to sink its teeth into my head had its teeth into Reiner's forearm as he cried out in pain.

I don't understand...He saved me... he threw himself in the way...why?

Scrambling forward, I grabbed my blades and rushed to my feet to cut the Titan down when I froze in disbelief at what I was seeing. Grunting with effort, Reiner hoisted the Titan almost double his height onto his back as it continued to gnaw on his arm and began to painstakingly shuffle towards the bow hole as sweat poured down his determined face.

He's going to throw it and him out the window...

"Holy shit" Connie swore as he rushed down the stairs, "Wait... are you gonna jump out the window with it!?"

"I have no choice." Reiner gritted out as he stumbled towards the opening and began to push the Titan still attached to his arm out the window as my mind and heart battled with itself. Reiner was the spy that had led to Annie killing unspeakable numbers of my comrades, he was in league with the monsters that destroyed my home, that killed my grandfather and Carla and yet he had sacrificed himself to save my life. Do I let him die? Do I save him?

If we're going to die here anyway, shouldn't I kill them now and exact justice? Even if they are unarmed and defenceless?

"Just wait! I think I can cut its jaw open!" Connie cried out as he fumbled for his knife, putting an end to my internal debate and reaching up towards the Titans jaw he began to cut away at the muscle supporting it. Once free, Reiner fell back into Bertolt's waiting arms, and I rushed forward without thinking and slammed a high kick into the Titan's gut pushing it from the tower and watched it fall to the ground below as I made up my mind.

I may be a killer, but I'm not a murderer, if I'm going to die tonight, I'm not going to have that on my soul. Gelgar and Nanaba can decide what we do with them.

"Thank you," I said somewhat begrudgingly and schooled my face into an emotionless mask before turning back around to face Reiner and his bloody arm before moving back down the stairs, not once meeting his eyes. Moving to stand over the Titan trapped beneath what remained of the cannon, I slashed down across its nape before turning to the others more in control of myself.