Devil Of Light | Attack on Titan x Male Reader

Chapter XXXIV

Freya and Armin sat on the ground, leaning against the trees at the edge of the clearing. Armin pressed a cloth against the cut on his forehead trying to stop the bleeding.

The wound was shallow but stung like hell, a thin line that stretched just above his eyebrow. The surrounding skin was swelling and a trickle of blood ran down the side of his face, mixing with the dirt and sweat.

Freya tore a strip of cloth from the hem of her shirt, ignoring the way her hands trembled slightly as she worked. She wrapped it around Armin's head, tying it tight to keep the bandage in place.

Her ribs hurt with every breath, a deep bruising pain that spread across her chest. She knew it wasn't broken but it was hard to move without wincing. Her uniform was dirt-streaked, but somehow it remained more intact than the others only a few buttons missing, the hem frayed from earlier scuffles.

Armin winced when she tied the knot. "Sorry," she murmured.

He managed a weak smile, "Thank you..."

"Left wing is done for," Armin muttered. "Are we the only survivors?"

Freya tightened the bandage and looked at him, "Possibly. But we can't stay here. We need to move."

The metal hooks of their gear were bent and twisted, the wires frayed and tangled like bird's nests. The gas canisters were punctured, hissing faintly as what little remained inside leaked out. "But... we have no weapons," he pointed out.

Freya straightened up brushing a bit of dirt off her sleeve. "So what?" she shot back. "We need to support and assist in any way we can. That thing took off toward the forest where Jaeger is."

Freya wasn't much better. She could feel the tremor in her own hands, the cold sweat on her skin. Her thoughts drifted back to Müller... to the formation, to his sister, and Captain Levi's squad. She swallowed hard trying not to think about what might have happened to them.

Krista suddenly appeared, riding her horse with two more in tow holding the reins tightly. "Lieutenant! Armin!" she called out.

They turned in surprise to see Krista riding up. She slowed her horse, guiding it carefully over the uneven ground. "I... I was able to find them, not too far away," she said, a little out of breath.

"You should've stayed here, Krista. I told you, we're in an open area,"

Krista flinched but stood her ground. "But Lieutenant you were right... there are no Titans here. They must all be on the other side of the formation."

Krista rubbed her shoulder. She had taken a hard fall and her arm hung stiffly at her side. The joint felt like it had been twisted in its socket and every time she moved it sent a sharp pain shooting up to her neck.

Freya climbed onto her horse sitting there for a moment. "We're riding," she said quietly, "but... take a few minutes to get yourselves together."

She looked over at the recruits. Their uniforms were torn, stained with dirt and sweat. Armin's sleeve was ripped, the fabric hanging loose at his wrist. Krista had a patch of mud on her trousers, and her hair was a tangled mess from riding hard. Freya's uniform was somehow the most complete, though the fabric at her ribs was tight where her breath came short.

Krista dismounted and began to help adjust the straps on the horses, making sure everything was secure.

Freya sighed deeply, "Very well... we move,"

Armin frowned at her. "Lieutenant, with all due respect, we're in no condition to keep going like this. We have no gear, no weapons, and we're exhausted. If we run into that thing again, we're as good as dead."