Chagara - Chaos in the Darkness (Levi x OC Fanfic / AttackOnTitan)

71. "Is this the end?"

The timbers groaned as soldiers from the Garrison Regiment opened the door to the lift. Ayumi waited until Lucky left the lift and transferred to the outside lift behind Peter's horse. Slowly the sun came out. Whether the end of the night let also disappear the countless questions that were haunting the minds of the team? Would Zeke and Pieck actually take the route marked on the map? Was the map right? Would they even catch the two? How many would die? And how many would come back in the end? Would they still have enough weapons and gas when they found them? The Colossus Titan and the Armored Titan had destroyed Wall Maria with ease and yet Peter believed that Zeke was more dangerous. What power and strength did Zeke have after he had transformed into a Titan? And, could they defeat him at all? Did they even stand a chance? And Pieck too: Did her severe leg injuries indicate that she was going to the limit? So she was no easy opponent either? "And will you ever forgive me for this, Levi?," Ayumi thought as she patted Apple. The horse followed her quietly into the other lift.

From a distance, Steve watched the goings-on. While his old team with equipment and horses entered the outside lifts at the top of the Wall Rose, the soldiers of the Garrison Regiment took position at the gate. They would open the gate in a few minutes. The gate through which a good 250,000 people were sent. Steve pressed the paper in the pocket of his doctor's coat. "Have I become your treasury or why have you also given me the map besides the key to the escape gates?", Steve asked himself and turned to the side shaking his head. Startled, he raised his eyebrows. Levi stood beside him.

"Is Ayumi awake already?," he wanted to know from the doctor.

"He has no idea." Steve buttoned up his doctor's coat. "Erwin didn't mention it. Probably because he needs ihm badly out there." With a shrug of his shoulders, he replied: "Probably. I have to go. Making preparations. You better not end up on one of those stretchers."

"Tch." Levi looked up at the wall. Whether the first team was coming back? "Probably not."

"When we are about to reach the ground, the gate will open," Peter said as the lift began to move. Ron looked down and closed his eyes. As soon as he moved his head faster, he felt dizzy. Carefully, he felt over his forehead injury. At least it had stopped bleeding.

"And remember, we avoid any unnecessary fighting. Our targets are Zeke Yeager and Pieck Finger." How many times had Peter repeated those sentences? "Once we have ground under our feet, we don't look back. The solution is in front of us."

There were hardly any Titans to be seen, as Ron noticed. Were they still asleep? Or were they obeying Zeke? Would they all be led into an ambush? "At least the sun seems to be shining today," Ron thought, smiling faintly.

***

Little Cloudy hopped to the edge of the crevice where he had found shelter. Why were the people here so lively? He watched as some whispered hectically below him, while others went into the nearby caves. Toshi's sister, his father as well as his grandfather were running around the beach. Only his little friend was nowhere to be seen. Had he disappeared? Or ... Little Cloudy looked at the cliffs. Was his friend climbing along there? Just as he had once sworn to do? Apparently Toshi's grandfather had the same thought, because he hurriedly ran to the dangerous stone path that connected the secret valley with the outside world.

Soaring through the air, the eagle looked at the sea. It had calmed down since yesterday. "Papa!," the bird heard Yoko cry out in panic behind him. Toshi's father had slipped on the wet stones. With difficulty he climbed back up. Little Cloudy kept flying and hypnotised the hardly passable path underneath him. Had Toshi already fallen into the water?

***

Ayumi's head was throbbing. She felt sick. Blood flowed down her forehead. Was she even still on the right path? How long had she been riding alone? Did she still have a chance? The last time she had faced Titans, she had not been able to completely dodge one of the huge hands. Although she had managed to save herself on a tree, her comrades had continued riding as ordered. With every second it became clearer to her that she must have broken her left foot. Fortunately Apple was a loyal soul and had not run away. And now they were galloping across an open meadow. But was it the right direction? Should she use beacons to signal her location? But it would also attract Titans. And she was alone. And injured. "Is this the end?" Spotting a small cluster of trees out of the corner of her eye, she briefly considered hiding there. But for how long? She had no food supplies. She would only get weaker. And why should she wait? What if there was no one left? "If no one else comes?"