The Fight for Mankind

From Womb to Tomb, We are Bound

AURORA

Tears continued to leak from my eyes as the brightness that had taken away my vision slowly began to recede and taking in a deep shuddering breath, I rubbed my eyes clear before freezing in place as and endless night sky lay above me.

I'm not in Karanes anymore...

"Aurora..." the delicate, childlike whisper I had grown to dread floated around the stale air and forcing myself up to meet whatever was in store on my feet, proud and defiant, I followed the light still flowing from my body, ignoring the eyes of the souls around me standing on the white sand, to the beacon of pure white light cutting into the night sky, shifting and pulsating with power like I had never seen before, drawing me to it like a shelter in a storm.

It feels like ... home...

Stumbling my way forward, feet heavy and unsteady, I pushed on towards the light, the feeling of home growing stronger till the light suddenly flared, bathing me in its radiance, and shielding my eyes from the light, I wept harder as a burning, cleansing, fire ignited within me, rising and falling with the rhythm of my frantic heart, only growing softer when I felt a gentle tugging on my hands. 

Uncertain or perhaps afraid, I kept my eyes tightly closed as the light dimmed behind my eyelids and it wasn't until I felt the soft caress of fingertips on my face that I opened my eyes and met the familiar blue eyes of my brother as he stood before me proud, the wings of freedom blazing on his breast pocket, and unharmed.

"Hello, sister." Rian smiled softly and choking on a cry that was clawing its way up my throat, I flung my arms around him the same time as him, and with wracking sobs, I felt my heart shatter at the coolness of his touch reminding me once again that he was no longer amongst the living.

"Am I dead too?" I whispered into Rian's broad chest, my mind thinking that was the only rational explanation as to why I was here with him, and yet that made me even more distraught as I pictured the faces of those I had unwillingly left behind. 

Levi...

"No, but you gave it a good go didn't you?" Rian laughed softly, and I felt the rumbling deep within his chest as he brought his hand up to stroke my hair, "You know when uncle Alert said to not go where the other can't follow, I don't think he meant the afterlife."

"Is that what this is?" I asked uncertainly as I pulled back slightly to look at his face with sadness, "The afterlife?"

"Not exactly. This is a place where paths meet, or more specifically our Paths meet. It's a coordinate of sorts, a place where the memories and experience of our ancestors meet as one. You are in caught limbo between your world and this place, though I suspect that won't be for long, you always did have a strong will." Rian explained softly, and my stupid heart leapt at his words, desperate for that need to undo what had been done, for him to be alive when suddenly it all made sense and that hope I had felt withered away to nothingness.

Your world... not ours... 

"What's wrong?" Rian asked, his thick brows drawn in concern and sensing my discomfort, he dropped his arms and stepped back to look down at me with a sudden understanding.

"You died," I cried as I wrapped my arms around myself, "I felt your blood splatter on my face, I saw what was left of your body. I left you lying there, corpse mangled beyond repair to save Eren. I chose him over yo-"

"You saved the living over the dead Aurora, that isn't a choice." Rian argued, his head shaking vigorously in denial before he stepped close and wrapped me in his once again, "What you did choose was to get up and keep on fighting, to not lie there and take what fate had dealt you, to survive, and before your time is done, you will have to make another choice."