Crossfire

act I ; chapter 1 ; "Crowley"

The roar of the marching, complimented by the wagons squeaking due to being overburdened weighed heavy on this mans heart. Sitting in the back of a wagon, he scribbled vigorously in his journal. The worn out leather had told the story of how used and loved it was. The dark haired boy raised his head to examine the fear on his comrades faces, keeping their horses at a steady pace to make sure the unconscious Eren had not tumbled out. He bit back his own horror, and closed the journal.

"Faster, Connie!" Armin yelled, turning his back to the titan herd.

"You can only go so fast with something this big!" Connie retorted, Armin looking back at the mass amounts of titans.

Looking back on Eren, Mikasa watching with not a hint of fear or hesitation, the boy that accompanied the two made his decision. He reached over and set the journal next to Eren. Mikasa knew what was going to happen, yet she still asked.

"Wait, Kacper, what are you doing...?"

Kacper stood up, not answering the question. His grey eyes filled with vigor, the confidence and rage could rival Commander Erwin himself. His hair caught wind, the once tidy and long locks now resembling that of a fandom. Sasha and Jean looked up at him, the look in their eyes indescribable. He unsheathed his swords and made the move to fire the hooks. In that very moment, Mikasa reached out to him, in desperation of what had already been lost. And yet, his back turned, no response, no words. The stance of a soldier. She could hear him, his voice, his thoughts. Calling out to her. Out to all of them. His friends.

"Dedicate your heart."

Armin turned around, watching as Kacper finally hooked onto a tree, and maneuvering quickly above the first titan. While he was lacking in strength, he speed made up for it. His small body and agile frame gave him a kick, his momentum was almost on par with the veterans. He cut through the first titans nape, and was already done with the second titans ankles. He had been keeping up a steady tempo, and taking down as much as he could. Even while the land was flat and there wasn't much to gain air on, he made use of what he had. The titans, the trees, even the ground. He could feel everyone's eyes on him, their feelings weighing heavy. He knew they hoped he'd come back, and he hoped he would be able to come back too. But he also knew that there was no way he would be able to. With this many titans, his gas and blades would deplete before he knew it.

"Render unto me your sorrows. Your burdens, your hatred." Kacper muttered under his breath, a final prayer to his friends, to himself.

Kacper kept fighting, until his blades chipped, until his last breath. If this was what had made a soldier, then so be it. If he died knowing that his friends had been able to live one more day, then he didn't mind his fate. It had all been a grand suicide scheme anyways. He had joined the Survey Corps to kill himself. The Armored Titan had killed his parents, and he was left with no friends until 15. Life had been nothing but a play to him. If he died getting eaten by a titan, he wouldn't protest. And yet, something inside of him screamed to stay alive. To rip through the titans, even with damaged blades. It clawed at him, raved, stay alive, stay alive it said. See the future. The emotions that had been dormant all these years suddenly rose up in a chorus, giving him the edge he needed to stay alive for just a little longer. He was going to make it to the Armored Titan- no. Reiner. Reiner Braun. He was going to rip Reiner out of his pathetic excuse of a titan and tear him to shreds.

Kacper screamed, a roar so full of vigor, one that resembled a lion. It carried through the plains and towards the convoy. Armin readjusted, and Eren lifted his head. Mikasa, Sasha, and Jean, who had been watching Kacper, illuminated by the sunlight, couldn't keep their eyes away. It gave them all the hope and confidence that the soldier would make it through. None could tear their gaze away. Kacper tore through another titans flesh, right into another nape. His adrenaline pumping, screaming, and his rage peaked. He was covered in blood, his hair wet and sticky, his uniform drenched, his hands splattered, and his face covered.

While Kacper's warpath saw no end, he started making moves to conserve gas and make his way to Reiner. From the last titan he cut down, he fired his anchors into the next's shoulder. Making his way towards the horizon, and tactfully dodging any lazy grab the titans made at him. By now, the titans had been turning their attention onto him, and him solely. He bought the scouts all the time they needed. Maybe this had been his final act, a gift to his comrades. With that crescendo, he was finally out of sight for the scouts. An uncomfortable silence filled the air, the fate of their comrade undecided. No one dare to speak, a silent salute to their friend. Kacper's gas was nearing its end, but he wasn't far now. He had felt heavier footsteps harmonizing with the regular titans stomping. The titans had lost him, and he was making use of the trees. He was amazed that he was alive, being able to outrun a herd of titans like that. The initial strength and energy from the adrenaline rush had washed over, leaving him nearly breathless. His gear was heavily damaged, and the titans blood had definitely left its mark, although gone by now. Eventually, he heard a deep voice ahead of him, and swung in close to a tree. Doing his best to remain calm and stay as hidden as possible, he peered around the tree and saw the source of all his problems. Collapsed in front of a titan made of pure horror, was the Armored Titan. Bertolt was standing next to the steaming body of the Armored Titan, but Kacper couldn't point out where Reiner's body was. But the minute he saw a little bit of movement from the Armored Titan, he threw himself at the group. He fired his hook into the tree to gain height, and boosted himself with the last bit of his gas towards Reiner's head. Yet before he could prepare himself to swing, a massive amount of pressure hit his back. In that very moment, he swore he could hear back break. He opened his mouth to gasp, and blacked out.

While Kacper's consciousness was not present, he could feel the steady tempo of what seemed like a horse. Time was nonexistent, and reality seemed to tear at the seams of distinction and definition. Alone, in this dark empty space, it felt as if his body was drifting along the River of Styx. Yet, a heavy air covered him, almost suffocating. He could not make sense of anything, this unfamiliar and terrifying feeling. The fear rose into his throat, and he jolted up. He was stopped quickly due to something strapping him down. He choked out a cough, feeling the weight of the air dissipate. His body screamed in pain, the burning sensation rising from his back and all over his body. His arm left particularly, Kacper felt as if he could feel every bone that had shattered in there. He winced, finally taking the moment he needed to freak out. His hyper-awareness towards his surroundings overwhelmed him. The uncomfortable thin mattress he was laying on accompanied by the tough leather straps chaining him to the cot made him feel like a caged animal. The bustle of machinery- locomotives, ships, and the like- slowly got louder. People's voices faded in and out, some yelling, and some hushed. He couldn't make out what they were saying, the new sounds of this region drowning out his capability to understand. Among the pain that rifled through his body, he felt sick. Whether it was overstimulation, or the fact that he couldn't tell if he was dead, he didn't understand.

Kacper gagged, which brought the attention of a gruff man. The man leaned over Kacper, his glasses reflecting the little light the room had. The blonde hair and full beard intimidated Kacper, the fact he couldn't move made him hyperventilate. The mans lips moved, but it had been muted. The panic must have shone clear on his face, because the man's brows furrowed with pity. The man lifted his head and ordered someone off to the side. The straps loosed around him, and he could finally move up. Before he could raise his head, someone shoved a glass of water into his face. He shut his eyes tight and chugged it, not realizing how thirsty he was. Before he finished the glass he reeled as far back as he could, and gasped. That was the first good look he had gotten. The blonde haired man stood next to the cot, a kind-looking young woman next to him. At the other side, there was Reiner, holding the glass of water. Kacper's eyebrow twinged, slowly realizing the situation. He was no where near Paridis.

"Well, well, seems our devil is awake."