The Path Back to You | Levi x OC

Chapter 59 - Blood and Dust

Anastasya

Anya dared to shift her attention from the looming Titans to glance up at Erwin. His teeth were clenched, his eyes wide as he stared out at the monsters about to take the lives of yet more Scouts in an inevitable massacre. Seeing him so shaken chilled her to the bone. However, more chilling still was the fact she couldn't determine just why he was so afraid; was it for the lives of their comrades, or was it because their mission to discover the truth was now in serious jeopardy? She looked back at the hulking great Beast Titan. It had an enormous, brown-furred body with long, gangly arms that reached its knees. Its torso was hairless, revealing a bulging gut and an impossibly broad, oddly-muscled chest. In comparison to the rest of its body, its head was small with pointed ears, sharp teeth, and an upturned nose. There was a cruel intelligence in its glowing eyes, and Anya's gut twisted as they locked gazes. She quickly looked away. She could only wonder as to the nature of the real beast piloting the Titan. It moved, reaching down to scoop up a huge boulder as though it were nothing more than a child's ball. It shifted it from hand to hand a few times before getting into position and hurling it towards Shiganshina.
"BOULDER INCOMING!" Erwin roared. "GET DOWN!"
Anya pulled him into a crouch with her, and they watched as the boulder crashed into the hole where the inner gate of Wall Maria should have been. With great caution, they straightened up.
"Did he miss?!" Dirk asked.
"No... That was good aim," said Erwin. "He plugged the entrance. Now the horses can't pass. They'll aim for them and then surround us in order to block our escape and annihilate us here. We're both hoping for the same thing; to settle it here, once and for all." Erwin withdrew his blade. "Humanity or Titans?! Which side will live?! Which side will perish?!"
"I'm hoping it's us who lives," said Anya, hands on hips as she tried to quash her unease.
Levi strode over to stand beside her.
"Erwin, he's gonna climb up."
Almost as though he'd heard, Reiner charged towards the wall and leapt at one of the supporting beams, readying to start his ascent. Erwin narrowed his eyes.
"All troops! Avoid clashing with the Armoured Titan! Stay away from him!"
"Roger!" a chorus of voices replied.
Anya pointed to a particularly ugly Titan on all fours. It had black hair and a huge, extended jaw.
"See that one? It's got luggage on its back. I bet you that was the scout."
"In which case... That quadruped down there is an Intelligent Titan!" Erwin informed the soldiers. "There might even be others!"
The Beast Titan raised an arm in the air and, roaring, slammed his fist into the ground. They felt the vibrations even at the top of the wall, and Anya watched in horror as all of the two and three-metre Titans began charging straight towards them. She could tell that Erwin was thinking furiously, his thick brows knit together. As the seconds went by, she prayed for him to hurry up.
"Commander! The Armoured Titan is close!" Armin warned. "And we still don't know where Bertholdt is!"
"Yes, I know," Erwin replied, keeping his eyes on the enemy beyond the wall as he fell into another silence. When he at last raised his head again, Levi spoke up.
"Are your finally ready to say something? I could've had breakfast during the wait."
Erwin spun round to address the Scouts.
"Dirk Squad and Marlene Squad! Protect the horses at the gate with Klaus Squad! Anvi Squad and Hange Squad! Take down the Armoured Titan! Employ the Thunder Spears at your own discretion! Achieve your objectives whatever it takes! This moment! This battle! The survival of humanity depends on it! Once more, for humanity... GIVE YOUR HEARTS!"
"YES SIR!"
The Scouts scrambled into action. Anya made as it to run towards the Armoured Titan with Levi, but Erwin called them back along with Armin.
"Wait! I did say Anvi Squad, but Anastasya, Levi... I need you to stay."
"To protect the horses and not Eren?" Levi asked.
"That's right. And to strike him down when the chance comes," he said, pointing his blade at the Beast Titan, who stood grinning in the distance. "You two are the only ones I can entrust to take him on."
Levi's steely gaze was full of determination and it gave her strength.
"Understood," he said. "Since I failed to kill that armoured brat earlier, I'll make up for it with the Beast Titan's head."
"Not if I get there first," Anya teased him.
"See you down there, then."
Be careful, she urged him. He nodded, understanding her expression perfectly well, and then jumped over the wall. However Anya hung back, waiting to hear what Erwin said to Armin.
"Armin, I have a plan for the Armoured Titan."
"Sir?"
"There are two halves in this battle for humanity's fate. And one of them... I'm putting on Hange's and your shoulders. Yours too, Anastasya, should it come down to it. We need to use Eren as bait."
He issued Armin with the instructions, and then the young recruit zipped away to share them with the rest of Squad Anvi. Anya hesitated, frowning as she tried to determine what Erwin was thinking.
"You don't want either Levi or me to lead our own squad?"
"Not at the moment. You've always told me that your refusal to become a Section Commander was largely down to the restrictions that that role comes with in terms of where you have to be in battle. I trust your instincts, Anastasya. Go where you think is right."
She arched an eyebrow.
"If you're sure. I won't let you down."
"I know."
Just like that, ice-cold calm descended upon her, her focus suddenly razor-sharp. She saluted, cracked her neck on either side, then ran and leapt from the wall to join Levi.
"I'm catching up to your kill count," he called as he flew past her.
"Beast Titan is worth fifty," she shot back, smoothly slicing through the nape of a particularly ugly Titan.
"It's mine, then."
She stuck her tongue out and danced her way through the corpses she left in her wake.