Your Wings - Reader X Levi Ackerman

Chapter 21: Rescue

The sound of thundering hooves fills your ears as you ride alongside Armin, Mikasa, Jean, and Connie. Erwin leads the formation ahead, his rigid posture embodying urgency and resolve. The sky is shifting into hues of deep orange and gold, signaling that nightfall is approaching—and with it, the unknown dangers. Erwin's gaze stays locked ahead, his sole mission to retrieve Eren before darkness makes the task seem impossible.

Time stretches, each second dragging into an eternity. Then, just ahead, you spot the forest Hange mentioned. Towering trees stretch toward the sky, their dense branches casting eerie shadows over the land. As your group draws nearer, your heart skips a beat—silhouettes of titans loom behind the trees, their massive bodies eerily still as if they've been waiting. Watching.

Fear creeps into your gut, but there's no time to dwell on it. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light explodes from deep within the forest—the unmistakable burst of a titan's transformation. The searing brightness reflects in everyone's wide eyes. Hange was right. 

Erwin's voice booms over the pounding hooves. "The enemy is near and has transformed! All units, deploy!" His words are sharp, deliberate, leaving no room for hesitation. "Find Eren and bring him back at all costs! Do not engage the enemy or the titans—just retrieve Eren!"

You furrow your brows, gripping your reins tighter. A knot forms in your stomach, something doesn't feel right. You exchange glances with Mikasa, her expression a storm of determination and worry, and with a slight nod, you make your decision. The horses can't navigate the forest as well as you can with your ODM gear. You'll search from the treetops.

"Let's go," you say sharply, kicking off your horse and firing your hooks toward the nearest branch. Mikasa, Armin, Connie, Jean, and a few other soldiers follow close behind, grappling through the air as the trees blur around you. Below, you catch a glimpse of Erwin and the rest of the scouts steering their horses around the forest, leading the titan horde away from your position.

The cool wind bites at your skin as you zip between branches, each one creaking under the force of your cables. Your eyes dart in every direction, searching for any trace of movement. Leaves rustle. Branches sway. Then—something catches your eye.

"There!" you call out, signaling to Connie on your right. He twists mid-air to follow your line of sight, his face set in concentration.

"Over here!" Connie shouts to the others, motioning toward the movement you saw. You all converge on the spot, your hearts pounding in unison as you hear it—the loud, guttural roar of a titan.

Your eyes narrow, and then you see her. Ymir. She clings to a tree, her titan form pressed close to the bark, her black eyes wild and scanning her surroundings. Confusion grips you. What the hell is she doing here?

"Ymir!" you shout, grappling onto a branch just above her. "What are you doing here? Where's Eren?"

But she doesn't respond. Her dark eyes flick past you, barely acknowledging your presence. Connie and Jean land on nearby branches, bewilderment etched into their faces.

"Hey ugly, talk to us!" Connie yells, his voice thick with frustration. "What's going on? How did you escape?!"

She remains silent, her eyes darting anxiously as if she's searching for something—or someone. 

Before anyone can press further, a high-pitched, cheerful voice cuts through the tense silence. "Ymir!"

Your heart sinks as Historia flies toward her, joy radiating from her face. She looks genuinely relieved, ecstatic even, as if the nightmare has finally ended.

"Ymir! You're safe! I knew you'd—"

Before the words can fully leave her lips, Ymir moves. With terrifying speed, she lunges off the tree she was perched on, jaws wide open.