chapter 36 | the alliance

732 34 14
                                    

━━━━━━

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

━━━━━━

ANNIE, JULIET, AND REINER crouch behind a crumbling building, their breath held in the tense silence. The sound of boots scuffling over the dirt and the distant rumble of footsteps from the Jaegerists echo faintly. They exchange glances, eyes sharp with focus as they listen, waiting for the signal that would set their part of the plan into motion.

Suddenly, a series of gunshots cracks through the air, not far from where they are hiding. Reiner flinches slightly, his hand instinctively reaching for his ODM gear. The three of them go on high alert, muscles tensing as they press their backs against the wall of the building.

Then, the unmistakable boom of thunder spears erupts in the distance. Juliet sighs, already knowing what that meant.

"Guess the plan didn't work," Juliet mutters, her voice dry as she clenches the triggers of her ODM gear.

There's no fear in her eyes—only determination and exhaustion.

Reiner takes a deep breath, his gaze lingering on Juliet and Annie one final time. He presses his lips together, then says quietly, "I've got your backs."

Juliet glances up, her eyes catching his for a brief moment, before giving him a small nod. Annie follows suit, her expression unreadable, but the subtle movement of her head speaks volumes.

With that, Reiner tightens his grip on his gear's triggers and launches himself upward, the cables of his ODM gear latching onto the building above. In a burst of speed, he darts toward the harbor.

Juliet and Annie exchange one more nod.

With quick, precise movements, they each fire their ODM gear in different directions, zipping through the air toward the harbor from separate routes.

Juliet's hair whips back in the wind, her dark strands billowing behind her as she soars between the buildings, her eyes locked forward. The cool morning air brushes against her skin and the sounds of distant chaos fill her ears. Every muscle in her body is tense, every move precise as she navigates through the narrow streets toward the harbor.

Ahead, Reiner and Annie have already made it, their ODM gear propelling them upward with ease. Their figures cross paths high in the sky, glinting briefly in the light as they soar across each other.

Reiner moves with brute force, his eyes set on the Jaegerists below, while Annie is a blur of grace and precision, the lines of her cables sharp against the backdrop of the harbor.

Juliet's heart races as she finally bursts into the open air, the wide expanse of the harbor coming into view beneath her. Her chest tightens with the weight of what she knows she has to do. She bites her lip harshly, drawing blood, preparing herself for the inevitable transformation.

Her hands grip her triggers as she maneuvers herself higher, ascending rapidly into the sky. The cold wind lashes at her face, and her pulse pounds in her ears, drowning out everything else. Her breath catches for a moment, but she pushes through, launching herself higher until she's in the middle of Reiner and Annie.

judas | armin arlertWhere stories live. Discover now