Starlight [Attack on Titan Fanfiction: Levi x OC]

Chapter 12: A Heart's Devotion

Today, it is not the uproar of soldiers racing down the hallway outside of my room that compels me to the training grounds at the break of dawn. Simply enough, it is the sky that beckons me to the entrance of the forest where I like to indulge in my craft. Naturally, I am not the kind of person whose circadian rhythm guides them awake so easily. If nobody were to stop me, I am sure I could sleep well into the afternoon hours without waking up.

However, I cannot explain why this morning is different. Nothing particularly special is happening. Commander Erwin Smith wanted us to focus our studying on plausible formations in the battlefield; consequently, we will be spending several of our upcoming sessions in the classroom. He thinks this, along with the understanding and implementation of different signal flares, are most essential if one wants to mitigate mortality rates during expeditions.

The morning sky is a pale blue. It is the same blue as a shirt I often wore in the underground city. I remember this because my mother bought that shirt for me as a gift a couple of years ago. It ended up being way too large on me, but she was convinced I would eventually grow into it. She was wrong, of course, but I chose not to say anything. After all, I secretly enjoyed the comfort the oversized piece of clothing provided me with.

After getting ready for the day, I head outside. I am surprised I have such confidence venturing out in public given yesterday's situation in the stables. However, I do not question it or probe into the matter any further. I continue forth.

I notice that not many soldiers are outside. Upon glancing at the large clock near the entrance of the training grounds, I realize it is because it is well before breakfast time. Soldiers who practice in the mornings will typically do so closer to mealtimes because food is a satisfying incentive for hard work.

I decide to take advantage of the solitude and begin warming up. My sparring routine begins with around ten minutes of stretching. While doing this, I make sure to focus on my breathing techniques. I learned that I have a bad habit of holding my breath when performing certain tasks, so I often have to remind myself of oxygen's importance in giving my muscles stamina.

As I deepen into my current leg stretch, I allow myself to exhale slowly but also forcefully enough to watch my breath condensate into a cool mist. Although it is still fall, these days are fairly cold. I have yet to see snow, but I admit I am looking forward to its arrival.

After following up my stretches with a sprint through the forest, I slow my pace to a light jog as I approach the same clock from before. 5:41 A.M. A few more soldiers have trickled in since the time I first got here, but not nearly enough to be considered busy. I grab a wooden sword from the main post so I can begin practicing.

The hard part about practicing by yourself is that it is your own discretion to decide if you executed a move correctly or not. It is completely possible that you think you are approaching something correctly but are actually quite far from it. What I am trying to perfect today is one of those moves: a direct lunge attack.

Hange was right in telling me my defense is much better than my offense. While my attempts at carrying out direct offensive attacks are not bad, per se, they are certainly subpar. It is either I have the correct posture and incorrect timing or the correct timing and incorrect posture. I tend to think I have more time than I actually do.

I put myself in position, making sure my left leg is bent slightly forward with my knee directly above my ankle while my right leg is grounded behind me. One must note that it is not so much the jabbing of the arm, but the body thrusting forward that makes the move so effective.

I carry out the lunge by first extending my sword, and then pushing off of the ground with my right foot to give myself the momentum needed to move forward. I follow through and am satisfied by the feeling of the wooden weapon cutting through the stiff air. I practice this, along with several other offensive moves, repeatedly, but at faster speeds and while focusing on factors like breathing, ensuring exhalation upon execution of the attack.