The Path Back to You | Levi x OC

Chapter 58 - Under a Dark Moon

Anastasya

Night had swept across the land and fear had followed closely in its wake, dampening the spirits that had burned so brightly just a few hours before. Every tree and every boulder was beginning to look more and more like a Titan lurking in the shadows, and nerves were about ready to snap as the Scouts travelled towards Shiganshina. Upon reaching the forest, they'd all dismounted and drawn their hoods over their heads so as to stop Eren from being immediately recognisable, but it had also reduced visibility further still as they crept almost blindly over the uneven terrain. Anya, having opted to resume the role she usually held in the Scouts each time they went on Expeditions, was acting as a relay between the squads until they reached Wall Maria. Somewhere far behind her was Levi, guiding their squad through the darkness. However Anya was currently walking with Erwin. She and Levi had agreed that she would be the one to protect him while Levi led Squad Anvi.
"We made the right choice to do this on the new moon," she murmured.
She was leading Nightmare and Erwin's huge grey horse while Erwin carried the lantern filled with the glowing ore they'd extracted from the Reiss' chapel. It had been a godsend, especially for Expeditions.
"Agreed," he murmured back.
For years they'd believed that Titans only moved during the day, powered by the Sun, but after collating Anya's data from her time beyond the walls and what the 104th had seen when Wall Rose had been breached, she'd come to the realisation that, as moonlight was reflected sunlight, some Titans had the capacity to use that to continue motion at night.
"Are you sure you don't want me to ride ahead?"
She desperately wanted to go on to Wall Maria alone to see if there were any signs of Reiner and Bertholdt, but Erwin had forbidden her citing it as far too dangerous not just for her but the mission as a whole. If she was spotted the element of surprise that they were so heavily relying upon would be well and truly lost.
"Anastasya. We talked about this."
"I know, I know." She sighed. "I just want to be as ready as possible."
"I think we are. Don't you?"
"I suppose we'll find out, sooner or later."
They continued on in silence, as though there were some unspoken agreement that anything of significance could wait until after the mission, though Anya couldn't help but feel like each word uttered between them before then was precious and so she vowed to treasure them all. They left the forest just as the sky was beginning to lighten, and it wasn't long before Wall Maria was sighted. Erwin issued the command for everyone to mount up and then turned to Anya. His piercing blue eyes were wide with excitement.
"This is it," he said.
Heady exhilaration rushed through her; her whole body seemed to sing with it. She nodded, itching to ride forward. Erwin nodded back, the faintest smile dancing on his lips, and he led the charge into the unknown. As the farmhouses and other buildings near the foot of the wall began reappearing, Erwin called out to the Scouts.
"Be on guard for Titans hiding in the shadows! Our operation begins now!" He let go of the reins and threw out his arm. "All troops, switch to ODM gear!"
Anya rose, graceful as a swan, to stand on Nightmare's back as the horse cantered beneath her. She withdrew her blades before expertly deploying her gear and landing on top of Wall Maria. Levi soon joined her, and they began sprinting along to the outer gate. Time was of the essence.
"Don't stop!" Levi snapped as he ran past Eren, who was gazing down at his hometown. "Head for the outer gate!"
"Roger!" Eren shouted back, breaking into a run.
"Carry on," Anya told Levi. "I have to check something."
He didn't reply and instead carried on running, Eren and Mikasa following closely behind. Anya stopped and jogged back to what had caught her eye. Armin had noticed it too, and they both stood examining it for a moment. Scorch marks and ash smudged the top of the wall.
"Well, well," she said. "Someone's been camping."
"It's the remains of a fire!" Armin agreed.
Anya turned to her right. Erwin and his squad were twenty or so metres away. She whistled and he walked over with a few of the others.
"They're here, and close," said Armin. "Bertholdt and Reiner!"
"Go down and investigate," she told the young recruit.
"Roger!"
Erwin contemplated the scorch marks, just as Hange fired the green smoke signal to tell Eren it was safe to seal the outer gate. Moments later, he shifted into a Titan and plugged the hole. More smoke signals were fired shortly afterwards to relay his success, but there was still no sign of an attack from the enemy. Anya nibbled the top of her thumb.
"It's strange. We've not seen a single Titan so far," Dirk remarked. "Were they not prepared for our sudden assault?"
"We can only hope, but...considering what you and Arlelt have discovered," said Erwin, looking at Anya.
At that moment, Armin re-joined them.
"I looked into it," he reported. "I'm pretty sure someone was camping. The pot was cold, and lights were scattered on the ground. They were drinking something like black tea. In fact, there were three cups with drops of a black liquid in it. At the least, there were three people atop the wall."
"Th-three you say?" Dirk stammered.
Anya narrowed her eyes.
"Was the metal pot completely cool?"
"Yes," Armin replied.
"I find that odd," said Erwin.
"Agreed," she said.
"Th-the pot?" asked Dirk.
"We charged here at full speed using horses and ODM gear," Erwin explained. "Had they noticed our approach by sound or by sight, they'd have two minutes to react. A pot in use wouldn't cool in just two minutes. They had to have known we were coming for five minutes or more. Meaning they've had plenty of time to prepare for us."
"B-but how?"
"Th-There must be a lookout in addition to the three on the wall," Armin suggested. "No, we have to assume there's many more enemies in hiding."
"I don't suppose we can just assume they happened to leave hours ago?" Anya suggested with little hope. "No? That would be too easy, wouldn't it?"
"For now, locating the enemy is our priority," said Erwin. "Arlelt. With that brain of yours, you've saved us from disaster countless times. Right now is one of those times where we need you."
"Huh?!" Armin asked, eyes wide.
Anya gave him a reassuring smile as Erwin beckoned his and Dirk's squads over, before turning back to Armin.
"Take as many soldiers as needed. Find out if enemies are hiding near the inner gate or not."
"As of now," said Erwin, addressing the squads, "You obey Armin Arlelt's commands. Continue the search!"
"R-Roger!" the soldiers replied, staring at the bewildered boy for a moment before bombarding him with their reports.
Anya and Erwin took a step back and watched him handle his new authority. For a moment he froze, before suddenly beginning to issue orders and sending the squads to search both sides of the wall. Anya's breath caught in her throat as an unpleasant thought occurred to her, and she turned to face Erwin.
"What is it?"
"I think," she said, "that the third accomplice might be the Beast Titan Conny reported. The...the furry one."
"What makes you say that?"
"Conny thought that when Reiner and Bertholdt saw him, they reacted strangely. I mean, more strangely than you normally would, seeing a Titan like that. They have to take their orders from someone, and he's the only other known Titan with intelligence."
"What else?"
She almost wished he didn't know her as well as he did so that she could simply swallow down her hunch and forget about it.
"The Beast Titan appeared the same day that all of the inhabitants of Conny's village disappeared, presumably because they became Titans. Erwin, what if the Titan power that this Beast Titan possesses...is the ability to create Titans?"
Horror flooded Erwin's face just as Armin fired an acoustic shell. They went over to where he landed on top of the wall and were soon joined by the squads flocking to hear his news.
"Where are they? Did you find them?!" a soldier asked.
"No, not yet. Everyone needs to search the walls!" he cried.
"I told you, we already did!"
Armin looked pleadingly at Anya, and her mouth dropped open.
"Inside," she said. "Of course!"
"There must be a spot where someone could stay inside for a long time," Armin agreed.
"How do you know that?!" one of the soldiers demanded.
"It's a hunch..."
"Do you have any idea what sort of situation we're in?! We don't have time to waste on hunches!"
"Think about it!" Armin urged, becoming desperate. "The enemy always attacks us using Titan powers in ways we never imagine! If we constrain ourselves to common sense and reason, we'll never be able to gain the upper hand."
Erwin glanced at Anya and then fired a red shell, halting the operation.
"There are times to be strict," he told the soldiers, "and times to be flexible. Adhere to the principles you vowed while giving everything you've got. Obey the chain of command. The reason we are here is to claim victory."
Armin threw out his arm to direct the squads.
"Break into two groups again and search the surface! Especially above the gate! Commence the search!"
The men and women paused, still unsure. Anya contained her exasperation and narrowed her eyes.
"Do as he says," she said, voice cold as ice. "Now."
"Roger!" they cried, leaping from the top of the wall immediately.
Armin gave her a grateful nod and hurried after them.
"Shit," she muttered.
For a tense couple of minutes she waited with Erwin and Dirk, listening as the Scouts below tapped on the wall, searching for irregularities. At last, one of them fired a shell.
"There's a cavity here!" the man cried.
Seconds later, a blade was plunged into his chest. He toppled backwards and splattered upon the ground. There was no time to stand gawping. Anya was about to launch herself at the killer, whose identity was still hidden, but Levi was closer. He zipped to the wall just as Reiner emerged. He didn't give the blonde brute a chance, piercing him straight through the neck with one blade and jabbing the other into his chest. He ran down the wall with him then suddenly let him fall, jumping back to a safe distance about halfway up. It seemed as though he'd killed him until Anya saw the confusion on his face.
"Shit!" he cursed.
"Captain?!" Armin asked.
"Is that another Titan power?! I was so close, but I couldn't finish him!"
Reiner coughed up a glob of blood and transformed.
"Keep on the lookout!" Erwin cried. "Locate his allies!"
Anya grabbed his arm and span him round to look out at the surrounding fields. She didn't care that her fingers were digging into him or that she was trembling and apparently, neither did he. Titans were appearing from everywhere, as though they were simply materialising from the air itself. Lightning blinded Anya but when she could see again, she immediately spotted him. Towering above all of the other monsters was the worst of them all. The Beast Titan's eyes glowed crimson, his lips curled back in a grotesque grin to reveal sharp, jagged teeth.
"Don't you just hate it when I'm right?" she whispered.