Their Embrace (AOT fanfic)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14- 1k Special

    Thank you all so much for 1k reads!!!!

    Hanje loved to learn, even as a young child. She could remember the day her parents told her about the light outlines on certain parts of her body.

~Flashback~

    "Hanje, long ago the god Gaea created human beings. She watched them from afar thrive and grow, until one day a woman approached her hiding place. Gaea hid herself from the woman and watched as she climbed a tree. She hung her legs over the edge, and leaned forward. Gaea watched as her creation fell, but she refused to let a young soul like hers die. She rushed forward and caught the woman.

"Child," she said, "why do you wish to die?" The woman opened her eyes and wept.

"I cannot find love anywhere. I've searched far and wide, but I cannot find it." Gaea looked at her and thought. Gaea set her child upon the floor and knelt in front of her.

"Look at me child." Gaea reached her hand out and grabbed a leaf from the ground. She started to trace patterns while humming softly.

"This is your tattoo. The other half of your soul will now have the exact same one. And when you meet, euphoria will fill your body. Some bonds will have more than one, and others might not have one. The marks connect your heart, soul, and mind to one another." The woman's weeping had started to soften, until she was silent.

"Mother, why did you split our souls in the first place." Gaea froze, and sighed softly.

"When I first created a human being, they had two souls. My children were happy, and loved. Their souls were connected, but one soul had a change of heart. Her name was Delilah, and she didn't want to be connected to anyone. I understood her wish, and separated her from her other half. While he left, she stayed and begged for the magic I used to separate them. I said no, but she continued by my side for years. She begged and pleaded, but she was my friend. I finally gave up and gave her a little magic. Delilah left me soon after. Years later a large explosion poisoned the air killing all of creation. Delilah and August, her soul mate, used my gift to end my creation. They were greedy, and hungry for control. I had to take my magic back, and destroy Delilah and August. In my sadness and anger, I created a humans again, but this time with only half souls. I now see that my emotions have gotten in the way of my children. I shall change this."

    Gaea worked for a night, before she had created a sweet mist that covered the Earth. Every human being woke the next morning to next tattoos. Some people didn't find their soulmates in their city, some did. This is how it all began Hanje.

"But where did she go?" Hanje whispered.

"Gaea has been missing for a thousand years. It is said she will come back one day, when the descendant Delilah shows her power. Delilah had a child with August, and left her with a small bit of Gaea's magic. The magic will fester, through every descendent until it manifests."

~End of Flashback~

"Hanje, what are your thoughts on a new squad leader." Hanje looked to her running partner and raised an eyebrow.

"Erwin, you know the Commander wouldn't ever let that happen." Erwin sighed and continued running. Hanje had just finished getting her last medical degree, and Erwin was close to graduating from the cadet core. They had met by chance, when Erwin found her standing atop the walls taking notes. Hanje had shared her notes with him, and they became quick allies. She wanted to be in the Scouts, but she was physically unprepared. Her body was skinny, and she didn't have any muscle. Erwin wanted to learn more, and he believed she could be a good friend.

~Time skip~

    Hanje was finally a squad leader, and Erwin was the Commander. She was so happy, but it was soon ruined when she saw the carriage coming back to headquarters. Erwin had pissed her off the other day, then was gone before she could find him this morning. Commander or not, she was going to kick his ass. She stood from her desk and ran for the entrance.

"Commander!" Her shout was loud, loud enough for the people in the carriage to hear. Erwin glanced at the others in the cab.

"She will most likely jump for me, so let me get out first." Erwin opened the door, and sure enough Hanje jumped him. She started to scream in his face that he can't just take her files about people. Three people exited the cab and stood behind watching the scene.

"Hanje, we have new soldiers." Her fists froze at this and she glanced up. Two men, and one woman stood in front of her. She stood quickly and dusted her uniform.

"I am squad leader Hanje Zoe, I would like to know your names."

"Isabelle."

"Farland."

"Tch- Levi."

    After introductions, Hanje walked away but felt a small tug in her heart. She ignored the pain assuming it was heartburn. In her study work awaited, but she had something better in mind. She walked to the roof, ODM gear attached to her legs. Moving swiftly she traveled to the outer wall and sat quietly. Someone had been following her, but she had a feeling she knew who it was. The sound of someone landing nearby alerted her to his presence.

"Levi, right." A small tch sounded.

"That's right shitty glasses. Why are you out here?" Hanje hummed.

"I didn't want to work, plus you've been watching me. So, I was hoping you'd follow. So, Levi, why watch and follow."

"You feel the tug, I saw you tense when you left. I saw it throughout today. Funny thing is, I feel it too. Hanje, I think you're my soulmate, but I want to be sure." Hanje looked at the standing man and sighed. She stood slowly and walked to stand at an arm's length from him. Placing her palm face up in front of her she waited. Levi glared at the woman's hand before his hand went into his pocket pulling out a handkerchief.

"Please wipe your hands off." Levi dropped the handkerchief in Hanje's hand. She looked at it, then at Levi before laughing. She used the handkerchief to wipe off her hand before putting it back in front of her. Levi set his hand atop her, both of their visions going white.

    Hanje found herself in what seemed to be the forest. Levi infront of her, his hand now squeezing hers.

"Shitty glasses, what did you do?" He whispered.

"Nothing, but don't move." Hanje looked around waiting to see if this was some sort of trick.

"Hello, my children." Hanje froze at the sound of a woman's voice. The hand in hers seemed to tense before squeezing hard. She turned her head quickly, finding a woman in white standing next to a tree. Her skin was a deep mocha brown, her hair filled with beautiful green curls. Her dress was pearl white, reaching down to her ankles. She was stunning.

"My name is Gaea, and I need to tell you something. You are soulmates as can now see." She gestured to their arms. Hanje looked to her inner bicep seeing a beautiful dark dagger now resting there. She pulled down the shoulder of the uniform, only to see the second tattoo still a light shade of gray.

"But your last soulmate is special. She holds in her a festering piece of my magic. Her name is Chrysanthe, and she has seen many things. She will be the savior for humanity, but you must help her. When you all finally connect she will bond with me, and we will discuss the plan. Now you must be along, as it seems the sun will be rising soon. I am going to erase these memories until you finally bond with her." Gaea reached out her hand touching Hanje's and Levi's connected ones. Hanje's vision was filled with light again before opening to see she was laying on the ground across from Levi.

"What just happened Levi?"

"I guess we must have been too stimulated to function shitty glasses. Get up, we have things to discuss." Levi waited for her to stand before leaving the top of the wall. Hanje froze for a second, a weird feeling in her gut. She shivered once, before deciding it was the cold and following Levi.