the struggle for trost



Your teeth were chattering swifter than the drumming of your heart as you struggled to muster up the courage to fight.

Your feet reluctantly began to move across the concrete floor before you pushed your index finger against the accelerator of your omni-directional mobility gear. Your dilated eyes were tightly pinched shut; your brain attempting to gather all of your lessons of titan-fighting together.

You repeated Marco's words in your brain whilst feeling your boots lose touch of the ground.

'You are more than your fathers daughter.'

Not wanting to disappoint, you opened your eyes with your body levitating from the ground: arching your brows with a forceful confidence.

The thick wind travelled through your clothes, crossing up the sleeves of your leather jacket. The autumn-breeze bellowed into your eardrums as you anticipated witnessing your first real titan sighting.

Your speed was increasing to match your assigned Squad's as their silhouettes swept through the air, narrowly missing the towering buildings that their gear was attached to.

Your E/C eyes scoured the area. Your body meticulously swooped above the steeple, both your dread and elation increasing as the roar of a titan echoed from the far-distance: followed by a shattered, pain-filled scream.

The Squad-leader gestured their arm to the left as the groups momentum inflated, following the Captain's direction.

Filled with the courage of Marco's words, you gained the strength to fly closer towards the echoing roars with your blades at the ready as you watched the silhouette of a fifteen-meter titan blur into your vision. Your blood curdled, the taste of fear lingering on your tongue as his large, hateful eyes bounced between different Scouts: choosing its next prey.

You launched your body until you could feel it's heat against you, then swung your blades down in a swift motion. The daggers sliced through the soft flesh of his nape as the beast screamed wildly. Thick, hot steam mustered from the deep cut in his neck as the titan collapsed to the floor.

Your first kill. A success.

However, your victory was soon cut short as the next titan approached, and then the next. Each being a sufficient, yet tiresome, ordeal.

ΰΌΊβ™°ΰΌ»

Your Captain demanded an order with a bellowing Richie as you fell behind the rest of your Squad, your pupils analysing the dismay that surrounded you.

Crumbled buildings passed you whilst you soared beneath the autumn sky: the tangy-orange mist of the afternoon casting shadows amongst the stone buildings of the city. Garrison soldiers and Military Police flickered past your eyes as you fought titans with your assigned Squad.

Your gear had stiffened from overuse, jolting ever so often whilst you soared through the air.

After two hours of fighting, you wondered how many lives had been lost: how many of your friends were still standing amongst the soldiers.

You felt another jolt.

Whilst mindlessly slaughtering titans, manoeuvring your figure through alleyways and above rooftops, your gear was becoming more deranged: the screws and clips were twitching - the sound of clicking was coming from the engine inside.

You felt another jolt.

Your E/C eyes glared downwards at the metallic gear that was sinched to your hips, realising that you were close to running out of gas. You cursed your own ignorance, your lips parting widely to warn your Squad that you were in dire need to refill your fuel.

Then suddenly, before you had chance to speak, your gear retracted.

Your body suddenly began to plummet to the concrete floor.Β  You were screaming mercilessly, your yelps blending into the cries of nearby soldiers. Gushes of wind soared through your shirt and over your jacket.

Your stomach was winded; your lungs deflated of air. Your screams were silenced by the thick wind as your brain became scrambled and dizzy.

And then finally, impact struck.

You groaned.

Your ribs had flared up with a sharp, stabbing pain. It spread through your body like a wildfire. Your body had abruptly landed on top of a bundle of hay-straws: the hay had broken your fall, but the pain very prevalent.

You felt defeated, to say the least. You were usually too stubborn to back down until your mission was over, but the pain in your body restricted your movements.

You screamed your Squad leaders name.

You screamed for help.

You screamed for anyone, but no one was coming to your rescue.

You lay, motionless, for a while. You weren't quite sure how much time was passing as your eyes became transfixed on the shifting clouds, your body too fatigued to move. Your hitched breaths were shaky, unsure on what your next move was.

And then you heard a thud.

Your head rose, anxiety fuelling your blood as a stench entered your nostrils.

The misty air around you became still and thick as you raised your brow.

In the time you'd been laying on the hay (mindlessly transfixed on the sky), you hadn't realised how silent the world around you had become. You swallowed nervously, finally beginning to sit yourself up with a wince.

The oxygen had become thick with a taste you couldn't depict: not quite salty, but not quite sweet. You pressed your lips tightly together, your palm travelling up your neck to cover your nose and mouth; you coughed deeply into your hand.

You struggled to your feet, stumbling forwards before clutching onto a nearby wall for balance.

You heard another thud. This time closer.

You could hear a muffled cry from far away, followed by another thud; you followed your own conscience which was demanding you to get out of the area as swiftly as possible.

With your hand still tightly clasped over your lips, you began to weakly jog away.

And then,

crack! Smash!

A large Chapel fell in front of you, blocking the way: the thick, stone bricks were crumbled on the floor, scattered all around.

You yelped out, struggling to steady yourself as a silhouette of twenty meters toppled out in-front of you. You gasped for air, feeling like all the oxygen in your lungs had suddenly been forced out.

You screamed instinctively, able to see the titan more clearly now in front of you.

It's humongous body loomed above the buildings of Trost, it's yellow eyes wide and alert as it searched the gaps in between each house and tree for something to kill.

It's bony fingers were practically twice the size of your entire body. You watched it's fingers extend, releasing a limp body from its hand. You could hear the thud on the brick-floor, and the clash of metal ODM gear as blood left the murdered Soldiers body.

It's mouth was a dark-yellow with plaque that caked each individual tooth; its lips were painted in a dark, crimson blood that poured down its chin and neck.

Bright blood. Fresh blood.

It's head snapped to the side to stare at you. It licked the blood off of its lips hungrily. It's eyes devoured you whole.

And so you ran.

You ran harder and faster than ever before, adrenaline coursing through your veins. You turned a corner; and then another. You twisted and turned through the maze-like streets, praying that a nearby soldier would see your distress and help.

Your eyes were stinging from the thick, cold wind; your throat tightening to stop vomit escaping your salivating mouth.

You screamed once more, but alas, it was deemed useless as you felt the titans body heat grow closer.

You instinctively yelped out once more: "Levi!"

The abnormal titan was throwing itself relentlessly against buildings, it's crooked, splindly arms reaching to grasp you but barely missing by an inch.

"Levi, dad! Anyone!"

One of its fingers finally began to trace against your thigh: a wave of shock swarmed through your body as your face immediately dropped.

You moved your feet faster, before realising that you could no longer hear your ebony boots rattling on the brick-stone pavement. Your feet had taken flight off of the ground - your body in control of the abnormal titan.

You desperately tried to claw at the beasts skin with your fingers, your body violently moving to squirm away. You attempted to reach for your silver blades but the titans pale fingers blocked them from your reach.

You squealed like a pig ready for slaughter.

The titan arched it's neck - mouth cocked open - with a hungry grin. It's parched lips were puckered and ready to be satisfied with a feast as it playfully dangled you above its tongue.

You were going to die.

Your fate was inevitable.

Thick, warm tears fogged your vision and steamed down your face as you dug your nails into the titans soft flesh, but it was completely unphased by your desperate pleas for life.

Your eyelids locked shut: you were gritting your teeth so hard that your jaw throbbed.

You imagined what the world would look like when you next opened your eyes.

Your eyes peeled open to glare upwards at the sky: the tangy-orange mist covered the serene pinks and lilacs of the new-day. Deliciously fluffy clouds were slowly floating through the pretty, pastel sky. The golden rays of sunshine absorbed your skin and highlighted the nearby area. The oxygen tasted sweet.

You wondered how people would react to your deaths: would they even care? Or would you just be another deceased soldier?

And then, you finally began to fall.

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