A Promise (An Attack on Titan Fanfic: Erwin Smith)

Enemy Reveal

The cosmic mass of light was already rising high above the walls, bright rays piercing the land and signaling another day when the group of Scouts led by both Isanna and Hanji reached Utgard castle.

What both soldiers pictured as an olden yet habitable fortress was now in shambles, ruins of the hard slabs now crumpled down to the ground with not a single tower standing, and swirling clouds of dust were still curling around the area—a clear sign of a recently hard-fought battle.

When the group cantered nearer to the wreckage, they could finally make out several titans climbing out of the debris, surrounding a few unequipped soldiers who were the 104th recruits. What caught Isanna's attention however, was the small titan with dark hair and beady eyes that was currently being pounced on by the titans.

Isanna straightened herself on her saddle and bellowed to the soldiers behind her. "Equip your maneuvering gear and engage the titans!"

"Backup group, disperse and check the surroundings!" added Hanji.

Affirming their orders, Scouts steered their horses away while some leaped, and soon, flying figures accompanied with swooshing movement pierced the air as they began slaying the titans that were cluttered atop the remains of Utgard castle.

Just as Isanna was about to get off her own mare, she heard Eren release a grunt and she looked to see him shooting towards a titan, blades brandished while his gas propelled him forward.

"Eren! Stay back!"

"DIE!"

God, he's such a maniac.

Isanna held back a grumble as she watched him slice past the nape of the titan with a clean cut, him rejoicing in his first kill as a Scout before he made a rather embarrassing landing. 

And a dumb one, too.

Isanna shook her head, telling herself to give the kid a break since she'd been impulsive like that in the past as well. After ordering a soldier to keep an eye on Eren, she jumped off Fish's back and joined the fray; soon, the vicinity was finally clear from the titans with no significant casualties on their side.

The recruits who were not equipped had been safely led away from the scene and was currently relaying all the events that had transpired the whole night to everyone.

Eren and the others were dumbfounded at the revelation: Ymir was a titan shifter.

"How's her condition?" Isanna asked as she neared Hanji, who was currently crouching beside Christa and Ymir, the latter in a mangled bloodied state with some of her limbs gone and steam emitting from her wounds. There were also the familiar titan shifting marks below her eyes.

"Awful," Hanji said with half-worry and half-interest at the way some of Ymir's wounds began regenerating while Christa clutched on to her body.

Isanna noted the worry lines creasing on Christa's forehead, and she looked like she was on the verge of crying in relief when Ymir slowly fluttered her eyes open and peered at her.

"My real name," Christa began, ".. is Historia."

At the disclosure of Christa Lenz's real identity, Isanna and Hanji exchanged looks.

The two were aware that the mysteries concerning their world were slowly beginning to unravel with these recent events, but instead of getting answers, the questions seemed to be piling up.

"You handle these two," Isanna instructed Hanji. After receiving a curt nod, she brusquely rounded her heel and ordered the rest of the soldiers to mount back on their horses and head to the wall; with the condition of Utgard castle, using it as their temporary base was out of the question. Now that it was morning, they should at least gain some sort of vantage ground and continue searching for the breach.