The Artist's Despair

Chapter Eleven - Bloodied

They did their best to move the barrels into church as quietly as possible. Once they moved the barrel into the church, Armin and Kenna tied cannisters of gas to the barrels. Kenna did her best to quiet the beating of her own heart. All of her friends except Mikasa looked just a little nervous about what was to come.

"Armin, Kenna, I heard you two discussing weaknesses," Captain Levi said as he looked at them. "What conclusions did you two come too?"

"It's their weapons, sir," Kenna said. "They only have two rounds everytime they load their guns. If we wait for them to shoot, we can stop them."

"Kenna and I also noticed that they fire and move in the same directions," Armin explained. "We have a lot more movement than they do once they fire."

"Good," Captain Levi said. "We'll use the barrels to cover our tracks. It'll be harder for them to hit us while also allowing to surprise them. Sasha, Armin, you two will stay on the ground with the barrels. You two will be responsible for having them blow and covering us in the air. As soon as we send down the first barrel,blow it up Sasha. Everyone else, you'll be in the air. I'll go up and get a count of how many enemies are in the room. Once we have a number and the location of our enemies, we strike without hesitation. Mikasa, you'll be with me. Everyone else, cover us with the signal flares. Once I have an accurate number, we'll take them out.These people are tasked with keeping us away from Eren, they will kill us if they are given the chance."

"All right," Armin said as he finished tying the last cannister onto the barrel. "We should be ready to go now."

"All right then," Captain Levi said as he looked at all of them. "Is everyone here ready? Cause you're all about to dirty your hands."

Kenna felt her heart start to pound. It mde her sick to her stomach to think that she was about to kill someone.

"Okay," Captain Levi said. "Send down the barrel."

Kenna felt her heartbeat out of her chest as they opened the door and sent down the first barrel. This was was going to get ugly and it would get ugly quickly.

They all stormed the door. Kenna stood at Jean's right side as the barrels exploded around them. Kenna's ears rang with the sound of the explosions. Kenna took her flare and started to shoot it in the air to Captain Levi and Mikasa. She watched as the pair zipped through the air. It was clear that their enemy wasn't expecting the smoke or the Captain and Mikasa in the air.

"Thirty-five enemies!" Captain Levi yelled out at them. "They're gathered on the upper part of pillars! Continue the plan! We'll take 'em all out right here!"

Kenna's grappling hooks shot out to the the nearest pillar. She watched as Kenny the Ripper's team flew towards them. In an instant, they were enveloped in smoke.

Kenna changed her trajectory and shot up to higher part of the cavern. As the men and women below her flew out of the smoke, Kenna and her friends were no where to be seen. Kenna took a deep breath before diving down to kill the people down below her.

Time slowed for Kenna as she came down towards her enemy. She saw the back of the person's head. They had short blond hair and a gray collared shirt. Kenna didnt' know why she was noticing these things now. The person turned their head as Kenna drew closer. Kenna saw that it was a man no older than her brother should of been. The bangs of his hair were badly trimmed like he had done them himself. His brown eyes were full of surprise and fear. Kenna couldn't allow herself to feel any sympathy or care for the perosn in front of her. The glint of the man's guns in her peripheral reminded her of the situation they were in. Kenna brought her blades up and brought them down on the man in front of her.