The Fight for Mankind

Battle Lines

AURORA

I pushed the horse beneath me harder than I had ever pushed Kano because right there, up upon Reiner's Titan, strapped to Bertolt's back, was the one I had sworn to be there for no matter what, that I had vowed to protect and no Titan, armoured or not, was going to stop me from just doing that.

Hold on, Eren! We're coming!

Guiding the beast as close as possible to Reiner's leg, avoiding the earth thrown up in the Armoured Titans wake, I unhooked my feet from my stirrups and pushed myself to stand upon my saddle, blades drawn and ready as I looked for my opening.

"HE'S MOVING TOO FAST!" Rian called out in warning as he rode beside Reiner's calf and attempted to hack the Achilles heel, his blades shattering in the process, "AURORA YOU WON'T MAKE IT!"

Yes, I will... I have too....

"COVER ME!" I shouted before throwing my grapples up and engaged my ODM gear, eyes fixed on Eren as he jerked his head frantically in warning when suddenly the air beside me began to shift and instinctively spinning, Ymir's Titan arm swung beneath my body as she attempted to swat me out of the sky, narrowly missing by a hair's breadth. 

Oh, that was a mistake. 

Pulling my grapples back, I used my gas to change course before I propelled myself towards the stunned Ymir who clearly didn't expect me to correct myself so quickly and snarling, I slashed my blade across her eye, taking the appendage with me as a warning as she screamed in agony, clutching the steaming socket where here eye had been mere seconds ago. 

Stay the fuck down, or I will end you!

Twisting my body back around, sights set on my original purpose, I met Bertolt's fear-stricken face as he watched me come around and with eyes of burning hatred,  I grappled towards him, blade raised and ready, to take his treacherous head clean off this time.

No more fucking around, he dies here and now!

"REINER PROTECT US!" Bertolt cried as he ducked and narrowly avoided my killing blow before running like the coward he was toward Reiner's neck column and giving chase to end this once and for all, I was forced back when Reiner's armoured hands locked down around his neck protecting Bertolt within as he stared out through the gaps in Reiner's giant fingers with the eyes of prey startled by a predator.

"GIVE HIM BACK!" I screamed as I attempted to drive my blade through Reiner's hand, but it was no use, the only thing I achieved was breaking a perfectly good blade and as the metal fractured off it flew back and cut the side of my face, but I barely felt the sting or the hot blood rolling down my face because all I could hear was Eren's muffled screams of rage as he struggled against his captors.

He is so close and yet I cannot get to him!

"AURORA!" Mikasa's voice broke through my tunnel vision and twisting around, my heart clenched in horror as I watched her grapple her line too close to Ymir who swung her arm up ready to swipe Mikasa out of existence. 

NO!

"MIKASA! LOOK OUT!" I cried as I ran over Reiner's shoulder to cut Ymir down when the Titaness swung her arm out, but instead of hitting Mikasa like I thought she would, she swatted at thin air as moments before a flash of green had sailed passed as Rian collided with Mikasa, knocking them both onto Reiner's shoulder and out of harm's way. 

Fine! You want to die so badly Ymir, then have it your way!

"ALRIGHT THEN," I snarled as I engaged my ODM gear and flung myself at Ymir's nape ready to make good on my word, "YMIR GOES FIRST!"