Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

EIGHTY-EIGHT

'To give one's life for another is the noblest and most sobering of sacrifices. It goes against our every instinct, and yet, in the moment, it is most natural.'

-An extract from the book 'Evolutions' written by philosopher Adette Briggs.

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EIGHTY-EIGHT

Somewhere in North-Eastern Titan Country

The carnage below was almost too terrible for words.

Even from a distance, the group could see each inky splatter of blood against the grass. They could smell the rot of old corpses and decaying flesh.

It was a massacre, truly; there was no other word for it. There were at least twelve fallen soldiers as the base of the cliff, all of them laid still, their faces contorted with horror, leaking their entrails onto the grass.

It wasn't pretty. Half of them seemed to have been smashed against the side of the cliff, their bones broken and bodies mangled. The rest had been crushed into the ground like insects.

Lorelai heard Gabriel retch at the sight of it, but her face remained neutral.

There was only one question running through her mind. How did twelve Havasian soldiers come to die in a field in Titan Country?

And moreover, what, or, more likely, who had killed them?

"Lieutenant," prompted Thomsen at her side. "What is this? Are those Havasian uniforms?"

His voice shook her from her thoughts. "Come, everyone, let's get a closer look."

"I don't know if I have the stomach for it," Gabriel gagged.

"Have some respect," Elske shoved his shoulder.

"Alright, alright."

They followed Lorelai around the cliff's edge and descended to the valley below. The battlefield's horrors seemed to grow the closer they got— faces smashed in, earth soaked in blood, horses lying dead by their soldier's side.

"Look for any sign of how this happened," Lorelai ordered, dismounting and walking through the field.

Reluctantly, her squad began to look around.

She crouched down next to one of the corpses, the man's eyes were wide and staring. He'd been dead... three, four days now, Lorelai determined. These Havasian soldiers had somehow survived from when the Wall broke until now.

There had been survivors, but not in the Krüger Tunnels; they were in Titan Country this whole time.

How did they survive so long?

She stood back up, gazing around the valley. The forest would have been ideal for keeping away from titans, but, there wasn't an abundance of food or water in this part of Titan Country. They'd have to have found a supply shack.

Bingo. Tucked not far from the cliff face was an old supply shack. Its old wooden walls were groaning in the wind.

"Elske," Lorelai turned around, pointing out the little shack. "Go take a look in there and report back."

"Yes, ma'am." Elske hurried off.

Lorelai returned to investigating. She walked to Thersa's side, who was standing in the centre of the field, her expression shaky with grief. The little nurse had always had a lot of empathy.