Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

ONE-HUNDRED-AND-SIXTEEN

'Love makes us foolish.'

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

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ONE-HUNDRED-AND-SIXTEEN

Somewhere in North-Western Titan Country

Levi rode with all haste to find her.

The main bulk of the battalion was currently making a mad dash back to Falkirk— a last effort so at least a few of them would survive this.

Not Levi, though. At present, the battalion and this damned mission were far from his mind. He rode in the opposite direction to safety, caring only about finding Lorelai and getting her out of this mess.

The storm was rapidly worsening as well. The brief calm they'd had earlier had been short-lived. The churning gale had quickly ushered in a fresh slew of bitter, spitting rainclouds.

Levi could barely see anything. His cloak and uniform were drenched. But, even more than that, he couldn't help feeling as though the rain was a grim warning.

Everything had gone to hell so quickly.

Between the storm, the dwindling ammunition, and that beastly scream, he didn't know what their chances were.

But he had to try.

It was twenty minutes of riding blindly through the gale before he encountered someone. A bad sign. This part of the rearguard should have been the most fortified. And yet, the countryside was empty.

Levi squinted through the murk. Two figures were approaching on the horizon.

From the fog emerged Gabriel and Thersa on horseback. Both were frantic and spattered with steaming titan blood. It seemed the pair of them had narrowly escaped certain death.

"Captain," Thersa panted as he approached them. Her eyes were wide. "Please don't head in that direction."

"You don't have leave to give me orders, cadet."

"I'm sorry, sir." She wiped a smear of blood from her forehead. "But-"

"Thersa's right," Gabriel butted in. "We encountered the rest of the survivors moments ago, but the titans... there were so many. They're responding to that scream."

"I know. An army of the ugly beasts is currently chasing the battalion to Falkirk."

"Dear Larken..."

Thersa was gazing off after where they'd just come from. Her eyes were wide with silent fear.

"What is it? You look like you're about to piss yourself."

"Captain..." She gulped nervously, unable to meet his eyes. "We just saw Lorelai."

"Where? When?" he demanded. Thersa hesitated. "Tell me, damn it."

"About an hour ago," she stuttered. "She went off after Elske... I, I don't know how either of them would be able to survive all those titans."

"Get to the wall." Levi spurred his horse into a gallop.

"Captain!" they called after him. But it was no use.

Always the hero, Levi thought bitterly. Of course she wouldn't make a break for it like everyone else. Lorelai would always be the one to make the sacrifice play. He didn't know why he was surprised.