You are my Soul

☾hapter LXXXII

Third person POV :

Connie had already made it a good part of the way to his village with Falco, arriving in the forest at nightfall. The dense canopy overhead blocked out most of the fading light, casting eerie shadows that seemed to dance in the dimness.

While Falco fell asleep against a tree, his rhythmic breathing indicating a peaceful slumber, Connie sat a short distance away, by the crackling fire. The dancing flames mirrored the turmoil within him as he contemplated his choices.

Leaning forward, he absentmindedly poked at the fire with a stick, his thoughts swirling like the smoke that rose from the embers. 

" What do I need to do to get Mom to eat Falco ? Do I have to use force, after all ? If I hurt him and he figures out that he has Titan powers, it's all over for me... I can't fail here... Something... I need to think of something". Connie thought.

He glanced over at Falco, who lay sleeping peacefully, unaware of the internal battle that raged within Connie. Such an earnest kid, he thought, marveling at how Falco had taken everything in stride. 

Not once had he complained about sleeping out in the open or questioned Connie's motives. It was baffling, and Connie couldn't help but wonder if Falco genuinely trusted him or if he was simply too naive to suspect anything.

Doubt gnawed at him like a persistent insect, but he couldn't afford to show it. He needed to appear trustworthy to Falco; otherwise, their journey would be in vain. He gritted his teeth, his mind racing to find a way out of this moral quagmire. Connie put his hands on his head, gripping his hair tightly, trying to suppress the turmoil in his mind.

Memories of his friends' expressions flashed before him. The mix of worry, fear, and uncertainty had been evident when he had left with Falco. He felt an immense burden on his shoulders, one that threatened to crush him if he didn't tread carefully.

" Damn it... What should I do ?". He muttered, his eyes fixated painfully on the ground. 

The fire crackled and flickered, casting dancing shadows across his anguished face. 

Connie's night was far from restful; the sun finally rose, signaling Falco to wake up. The two boys resumed their journey on horseback, and before long, they arrived at their destination. As Falco looked around, he couldn't help but notice the desolate state of the village, with houses in ruins and nature reclaiming the land.

" Um... Weren't we supposed to go to the hospital ? Why are we in an abandoned village ?". Falco questioned, his curiosity piqued.

Indeed, Connie had initially told Falco that they were headed to a hospital to tend to any injuries he might have sustained during the battle in Shiganshina.

" There's something of interest here. I thought we could take a look". Connie replied without making eye contact.

Falco's eyes widened as he surveyed the surroundings once more, his nerves making him break into a cold sweat.

" This is Ragako village...". Falco murmured, recognizing the place.

" How did you know that ?". Connie asked, taken aback.

As Connie stopped in front of a tent and tied his horse's reins to a fence, Falco dismounted his horse and gathered the courage to answer.

" I overheard you talking to yourself last night... You were contemplating your options". Falco admitted.

Connie couldn't bring himself to say anything or meet the boy's gaze as he turned toward him.

" You knew who I was all this time... but you pretended not to, and still brought me here. Why ? Are you planning to seek revenge on me ?". Falco inquired, his nerves evident.