The Fight for Mankind

No Road Left But The One Before Us Part One

EREN

I stood in silence and anxiously watched Mikasa tie-up Aurora's hair with Sasha's spare hair-tie as Rian and Nifa hoovered nearby protectively, their eyes fixed on Aurora as she sat staring vacantly ahead. Connie had explained what horrors had befallen them since the Titans had arrived and my heart ached for Aurora and Rian, who had just lost their entire squad in one day.

We should have got here sooner; we could have saved them.

Finishing up, Mikasa moved around the front of Aurora and leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead before looking over to Rian with worried eyes as Aurora began to rise to her feet. Her face was cold and emotionless, except for her eyes which were burning and following her line of sight to our two objectives who stood not far away, I saw them watching Aurora with nervous and slightly fearful expressions.

Reiner...Bertolt... what did you do?

Moving forward, Rian came over to our sister and placed a hand on her shoulder to break her hateful gaze and startling, Aurora turned to and grasped his hand as a look of desperation took over her face making my anxiety rise even more.

"Rian, I need to tell you something, about Rein-" Aurora attempted to speak but Rian cut off her words by crushing her body to him in what appeared to be a heartfelt embrace between siblings except it was more than that, and bringing his lips close to her ear, Rian told her not to say another word. 

She knows.... if she knows then they must have done something for her to suspect them...

"We know," Rian whispered as Nifa moved slightly closer, blocking everyone but our small group's line of sight as to what was actually happening.

"I don't think you do-" Aurora began to protest, but Rian squeezed her tighter.

"Aurora, we know" Rian emphasised, and Aurora pulled back to look into his face in shock as Rian brought his hands up to cup her cheeks, "We know, and we have to be ready for anything. We need you thinking clearly, are you with us?"

"Always" Aurora answered without hesitation and smiling in relief, Rian leaned down and pressed his lips into her hair before moving away and holding his hand out for Nifa to take, leaving just Aurora, Mikasa and me looking at each other unsure what to do next as he went for a mission update.

Lure and contain Reiner and Bertolt underground... I can't believe we are doing this...

"Did you bring spare blades and gas?" Aurora asked Mikasa after a short silence, gesturing to her ODM gear, "I need to restock before we move out."

"Yeah, this way. I'll show you" Mikasa smiled softly and held out her hand for Aurora to take. I followed closely behind as Mikasa lead Aurora to the supply wagon and started to restock her gear, not willing to let her out of my sight once because if I knew one thing for sure, it was that whatever these visions were, I wasn't going to let them go to waste, I was going to use them to save Aurora even if it would be the last thing I do.

I watched my mother die; I won't watch her die too.

"Those of you without horses, double up, we move out in five for the wall!" Hange's commanding voice rang across the ruins, and everyone hastily jumped into action, myself included.

"Ride with me." I beckoned to Aurora as she sheathed the last of blades, thoroughly equipped for battle. Walking together, we reached my horse and I allowed Aurora to mount up first before I followed and settled myself behind her with my arms wrapped around her midriff as she gripped the reigns. 

I have to keep her close until I'm sure I have saved her, I couldn't bare it if... No, I'm going to stop that from happening, Aurora is going to live!