The Pawn

Chapter Fourteen: Black Out

The overwhelming metallic scent filled my nostrils before our squad was dispatched to scale the wall. I had learned to suppress my feeling and emotions, especially after all the psychological abuse that I had experienced living with my father as a child. Yet, once my leather boots planted themselves on the highest peak of the reinforced wall behind Maria, I felt a rush of emotions explode in the depths of my chest.

The entire Shiganshina District swarmed with tons of Titans, wandering the city's ruins for no doubt the last remaining citizens that managed to survive the damage the "Colossal and Armored Titan" Erwin titled them had caused. My eyes had never beheld so many Titans in one setting before, each ranging in different sizes and shapes.

The adrenaline coursed through my veins as my eyes landed upon the humanoid cannibals one last time before Levi gave a small gesture, signaling our squad to branch off into two men pairs and descend.

To my dismay, I was paired with Levi. I deemed the decision quite strange considering he often liked to work alone. Any other time, I would've protested and refused to work with the fractious man, but as the haunting screams filled the air of the city beneath us I couldn't scramble together any other thoughts other than eliminating every Titan that crossed our path.

I had to admit that Levi and I were an unstoppable force as we moved together in synch, slashing the napes of numerous Titans and assisting to clear a path for the last few straying citizens trying to escape the hell they just experienced.

Panting and struggling to regain my breath, I landed on a nearby crumbled statue of what used to be someone's home. I could feel the calluses on my hands start to crack and bleed as I tightened the grip on my blade handles. My hair was tousled, falling in waves around my shoulders as I tossed my head back shaking the loose strands away from my face to clear my vision.

I noticed Levi's solemn expression from the corner of my view, a small flicker of admiration reflected in his eyes as I turned to face him.

I could feel myself flustering under his gaze, the butterflies in my chest rising once more as his hand slowly rose to my face, tucking a loose strand of hair of hair that I had missed behind my ear. The sensation of fingertips brushing against my cheek was enough to make my breath visibly hitch.

He took a few steps back to distance himself from me, as he shook his head softly and occupied himself with wiping his blades free of the titan blood and debris.

He's just as shocked that he did that, as I am.

Our moment was short lived, as Erwin gave the signal to retreat. Glancing behind my shoulder, I could see more Titans swarming the wall, that we had just managed to clear. Scattered remains of citizens and soldiers could be seen in the distance, and I could only envision the devastating loss that we had suffered in our attempt to reclaim the Wall.

I gave another quick glance to Levi before enabling my gear, readying myself to scale the wall before me. It was then my eyes caught a familiar glimpse of Oluo on a frantic search at the top of the Wall, grabbing and twisted people to face him. I could see his mouth widening as he seemed to be calling someone's name.

My eyes widened as my heart dropped as his lips formed the familiar sequence of a name that I was all too familiar with.

Charlotte.

Disabling my gear, I fell backwards letting my green cloak to become a meal to a Titan only meters from my body. I could hear the muffled echo of my name being called, maybe it was Erwin? Levi? No, Hange?