He Told Me to Live

28 | Destroy Everything

Just before sunset, as if the grand star was greeting us goodbye, standing atop the wall and gazing down at the city below.

"You have quite the fanbase." I mentioned once Levi and Hange arrived on top with their horses.

Cheers and screams of joy and encouragement came from the city - none of which the Survey Corps was used to.

"I would've thought that you'd step away from the edge so the sound was somewhat muffled." Levi said. "But you're so close to it that your feet are dangling from the edge."

"Perhaps I am intrigued by this unfamiliar cheer, hm?" I held out my hand and Levi grabbed hold, pulling me to my feet. "Besides, I see your eyes soften as you gaze upon the crowd."

"You see nothing." His face scrunched up in annoyance.

Of course, my enjoyment of the praise was at the lowest level compared to a few of the cadets, swinging their arms in the air and assuring that they would return Wall Maria to humanity.

"Erwin, I see a light in your eyes." I notice, tilting my head in questioning. "The support is unfamiliar, is it not?"

Erwin nodded. "As far as I know, this is the first time it has had such a thing." His lips curled up and his fist pierced the air with a battle cry I've never heard from him before.

I flinched away from him as his sword was used as a sign. "The operation to retake Wall Maria begins!"

•••

"Y/N, can you see anything?"

"Nothing more than trees." I muttered, not loosening my hold on Levi's hand. "Ow- Who's horse?"

"Sorry, that was mine."

I let out an irritated sigh, rubbing my thigh where Kamilo, Eren's horse, had kicked me. He normally can see quite well in the dark, yet he seemed to kick me on purpose.

My ear twitched and I squeezed Levi's hand. "River. I hear a river." I used my free hand to point a bit west. "There should be a path there."

"You make it sound like you grew up here." Armin said with a crooked smile.

"I didn't. I just had to go through these forests when I was small."

"Why?"

I didn't answer that one. "Here's the path. We should be able to follow it down and Shiganshina will be in our sights by sunrise."

•••

"Commence operations! All units, switch to your ODM gear!" Erwin gave me a nod and my hands went to my lips, allowing a piercing whistle to sound through the air.

The horses separated as their mounters swung into the air.

I swung on top of the wall and my vision darted around, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, only Armin finding my eyes and raising a flare. I swung over to him, seeing the traces of a fire that marked the area in front of him.

"This was recently?" I questioned, tracing my finger over the darkened stone.

"I'm not sure."

"So your former comrades are nearby..." I turned to Hange, shaking my head to say that the enemy was no where to be found. "This is the only trace you noticed?"

"Yes."

The smell was faint, never to be noticed by normal means. But if there was even the smallest trace of an enemy nearby, then we wouldn't be able to leave.