Humanity's Future

The Armored Titan

Rachel

"Something is amiss." Even as I said these words, I felt as though Spark and I were being watched. We had only ventured across one Titan thus far, but usually we killed at least five on every patrol.  Perched up in the lower branches of a tree, I felt the earth began to shake lightly, and then it suddenly stopped. "What do you suppose that could have been? It didn't sound like the footfalls of a Titan..."

She shook her head, her long, black hair swaying with the motion. I quickly made my way to the ground, and kneeled as the shaking started again, stronger this time. After determining where it was coming from, I motioned for Spark to lower her palm and raise me back up to the upper branches of a tree.

"It sounds as though it is coming from that direction. Should we take a look?" Spark nodded in confirmation, and began a steady jog on the direction I had gestured to. I made good use of my wings and glided from branch to branch, staying as high up in the trees as I could. We were getting awfully close to the edge of the forest now, and I glanced over at Spark in confusion. "Was the trembling not within the borders of the forest?"

Spark shook her head, seemingly just as confused as I was before she stopped. My eyes trailed forward as bright light streamed through the thinner trees, illuminating the path to the plains.  I leapt forward and kept to the uppermost branches, and I didn't see anything unusual in the landscape as I scanned the wide, open grassy area.

"There is nothi–" I let out a shout of surprise when the tree I was on suddenly began to sway. Quickly relocating to the next tree over, I glanced down to see the previous tree was falling, its roots ripped from the ground. I wasn't able to see what had caused such a large object to topple, but I knew it wasn't good. It finally gave way and began to fall, leaning in the direction of the plain. With a loud crash, its massive bull impacted the ground, sending a small tremor racing through my body to the tips of my wings.

   "Spark!  Get ready, there may be something dangerous ahead!"  I shouted, directing my words over my shoulder to the Guardian.  When my eyes scanned the environment and found no sign of her, however, I gasped as a distant sound reached my ears.  It sounded strangely like the 3DMG...

   Pushing myself against the tree in order to conceal my appearance, I watched in awe as a Titan was thrown from the edge of the forest and into the open plain.  Dust rose in the air, and I squinted slightly in order to focus on the place where I saw the Titan disappear, my heart racing in anticipation as I attempted to listen to the telltale signs around me.  Soon enough, the air cleared enough for me to spot a dim figure.

   I gasped.

   In the plain, standing tall and regal, was Eren in his Titan form.  His brown hair was tangled and fell to his shoulders.  His posture was tense and expecting an attack, and my eyes moved left until I spotted a Titan I also recognized.

   Reiner.

   His blond hair fell just below his ears, bangs barely falling into his eyes as he glared at Eren.  I growled as the Armored Titan sprinted forward, waiting for Eren to make his move.  I watched as the two battled ruthlessly, Reiner using his brute strength as his advantage as Eren parried and retaliated.  The battle was fast-paced, so much so that I could barely keep up when sweeping my eyes left and right, observing the moves thrown at one another as the enemies continuously fought.

   It was then that I noticed other soldiers in the trees, waiting for an opportunity to attack Reiner.  I desperately searched for Levi or Armin, but was unable to spot them as a low rumble met my ears.  Snapping my attention back to the fight at hand, I was paralyzed by the sight of Eren pinned to the ground, fighting fruitlessly against Reiner.  I began to spread my wings in preparation to help when the soldiers in the trees sprang into action.

   Before Reiner could make another move, the Corps members shot forward with their gear, charging at him from the tree line in a horde of swords and green capes.  I, myself, gripped tightly at the hilt of my modified sword in the makeshift sheath by my hip, wishing with all my might to join them in their assault. 

   Reiner was snatching the soldiers out of the air left and right, but he wasn't killing them.  No, he was doing something much worse– he was crushing their legs, crippling them for life.  My feathers began to expand, anger flaring them outward as my wings spread open, preparing for flight.

   Tilting my head, I furrowed my brow in confusion when a distant sound reached my ears, barely distinguishable.  It sounded almost like a horn of some sort, and it set my nerves on edge.  Then, before I could move, Reiner let out a mighty shout before leaping off of Eren, shaking off all of the soldier's hooks buried in his thick skin.  He was preparing to sprint off when a tree came flying out of the forest, impacting the Armored Titan square in the back.  Reiner went flying, landing on his stomach as everyone froze.

   "You..." I was slightly startled when Spark's voice rang in my head.  "You destroyed my forest."  Her voice was quiet, barely heard.  I could tell the Armored Titan was going to sprint away again before Spark leapt out of hiding, kicking him down and setting a foot on his back as she leaned down, her face 15 feet away from the back of his neck.

   "Die."

   With that, she plunged her fist into the weakness of the monster.