The Masquerade // Levi Ackerman

Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Hold me back

Everything was going so fast, before I knew it I was swinging my blades through a few necks.

"Get your head in the game, Natalia!" Captain Levi yelled as Natalia swung her blades missing the titan's neck.

"Yes sir!" She replied and used her ODM gear to swing herself back and cut it's nape.

We found Reiner and Bertholdt, they had Eren with no arms and legs and it was weird to see. It was weird to see the child I once took care of looking like that, he looked tired and sad.  I needed to save him today, we will get him back I'm sure of it.

"I'm getting Reiner!" I heard Natalia yelled at her squad.

"No! It's too risky." Captain Levi shouted at her and they both landed on the same tree.

"It's now or never, I've got your back." I landed on the same branch and turned to Natalia. "Let's end them."

Captain Levi sighed deeply before turning to me with a glare.

"Oi, I'm the one who gives my squads orders not you. Get lost." He cursed.

"You know I'm getting really tired of you speaking to me in such a bad manner." I spat and walked closer to him. "You can leave your stupid grudge back at the training grounds but we're in battle right now and if Eren dies I'll never forgive what happened here."

Captain Levi furrowed his eyebrows at my words, he looked back at Natalia before turning back to me.

"Athena," He ordered. "You stay back, I'll go in with Natalia."

Huh? Why didn't he let me fight? Why is he putting someone with less experience to finish this off? Is it because she's apart of his squad. Are you kidding me? What is he doing?

"I'm sorry what-" Me and Natalia started only to be cut off by him.

"If I see you in battle-" Captain Levi stopped himself abruptly before choosing his words carefully. "Just- Just stay here. I'm not your captain but that's an order... Coming from me. Just stay here, please."

I felt my eyes widened at his words and stood dumbfounded with a slight nod, I felt myself relax at his words and I didn't feel any negative emotions towards him. Something began to grow in me, it wasn't just care that I felt for him. It was something else. 

I saw Natalia going towards a few titans and I felt this sudden worry because of how lost she became, she was spacing out and I could tell she wasn't paying attention to the titans. Fuck, and what was I doing? I was just standing and watching following Levi's orders like I was in some sort of trance, what the hell! He wasn't my captain! Yet, I felt that I would disappoint him if I went into battle and I didn't want to disappoint him. Why didn't I?

I saw how Armin yelled at her and she was in Reiner's hand before Armin sliced his way through, there was no doubt that he's grown stronger and he's more confident. They really do have each other, do I really need to worry about protecting him anymore? 

I think it'll be fine.

They'll be fine.

I smiled softly before replacing my blades and tighten my ponytail, then I saw Natalia being swung into the air and crash into my tree down below.

Armin pushed her out of the battle.

Why would he do that?

"Athena!" I saw Levi swoop onto my branch and place his hands on both sides of my shoulders.

"What's going on? I have to go check on Natalia!" I shook my head with my eyes frozen up, I peered over the branch to see Mikasa by Natalia.

Suddenly, I saw a huge explosion and I think... Holy fuck is that flames? Is that fire?

"Athena!" He shook my back and I felt his grip tighten on me which made me uncomfortable. "Listen to me! You do not and I repeat you will not run out into battle okay?"

"What are you even talking about!" I screamed as I tried to break from his hold. "Let me go! I don't like being held like this!"

I see Armin flying into the fire and I see Bertholdt on fire, it was really scaring me and I couldn't do anything but watch. I felt my heart break and I've never felt my entire body shake like this.

"Levi!" I shouted as I tried to push him away but he moved from holding me with his hands to him hugging me tight, I was shocked at his actions but that didn't stop me from trying to slice his body open. "Let me go! I need to go save my brother! Levi! He's my brother I have to help him! Levi!" 

I felt tears running down my face and I wanted to beat the living shit out of Levi right now.

"Let me go! That's my brother! You can't just-" I fought again to be freed from Captain Levi's hold.

"You can't help him, I'm- I'm sorry but I can't let you go there." He held me back with his arms.

What the fuck was the use of being strong and quick when I couldn't even save my brother. What was my point in life if at this very moment I'm being held back from helping my brother, I'm a disappointment and I can't recover from this if he dies. He can't die, why the hell would this happen? Did Natalia know? Did Mikasa know?

My eyes squeeze shut as a bigger explosion happened and I felt Levi finally let go of me, he stood to look at my state but I breathed out harshly with my eyes closed and I felt my body fall forward and I was in the air. 

I was falling to my death, I didn't care to see if Armin survived because I knew the truth and I knew looking at it would kill me.

"Athena!" I heard a cry as my body was being lifted so quickly, I opened my eyes and see Levi bringing us onto a roof but I couldn't even feel thankful for him.

I felt defeated and anger, I saw them pull out a syringe and I instantly knew what they were contemplating on.

"Give it to him! PLEASE!" I cried. "Please give it to Armin, he- he is smart! He can lead us! He's a good kid!"

"He can live! He is a good leader! He's smart!" Mikasa cried. "Don't let him die!"

"I have people I want to bring back too!" Hange replied. "Think about this! Armin is a talented young boy but we can't just waste a syringe on him! What if something happens to Erwin or anyone else more important?"

"Captain," Natalia breathed out. "I'm nothing without him, if you decide to inject him or not.. It's not up to me but if he goes then I go. We both know how smart he is, he's barely lived his life... Who else do you want to inject? We need him."

No one else was as badly injured as him and they had the syringe for a back up plan if anyone important were to die. Armin was fried, I couldn't even look at his body I felt sick and I wanted to leave. I couldn't even hold him because of how disgusted I felt.

I saw Bertholdt's body limp on the roof with no arms or legs, he wasn't dead yet but I sure wanted him to be and I wanted to feed him to Armin if it were up to me.

Captain Levi suddenly stared into my eyes with a stern look.

"I'm doing this because I believe in him, not because you asked me." He said carefully as he turned to Armin who laid burnt on the roof and injected him with a syringe.

I closed my eyes shut as I felt Hange hold me tight, I heard screams and soon enough I knew my brother was a titan. 

Oh Armin.