"Okay, the starter device still works and you've got all my swords," Armin finished transferring his remaining gas to Mikasa's ODM gear atop a roof. He was relieved it hadn't taken too much damage from her fall.

"But please, let me keep this one..." he held up a shorter, damaged blade, yet still sharp enough to do its job. "I don't want to be eaten alive..."

Armin had played his part. He helped Mikasa up from the streets and resupplied her with gas. That was all he was meant to do, all he could do. Besides that, there was no reason left for him to advance with the group; he'd just slow them down. There was no reason left for him to live either; he was weak. How could he allow his friend to die? How could he have not done anything but sit back and watch Eren get eaten in front of him? Even after Eren had fetched him out of that Titan's mouth to save his life? There was no place in the world for someone so horrible. And yet he was still inadequate enough not to go out the same way. It seemed that was all he ever would be, even in his death; a worthless coward.

"Armin." Mikasa placed a hand on his shoulder. Looking at him with a firm gaze, she took the detached blade from his hand and threw it off the roof.

Armin watched it drop further and further down. The stainless metal glinting under the darkness of the houses, almost mocking him. It met the cobblestones with a jarring clang. His last hope. Gone. With it.

"N-No..."

"I won't leave you here." Mikasa gripped his shoulders, helping him up to his feet. Her mouth pressed into a tight line, brows furrowed with resolve.

"B-but... Carrying someone, while leaping through a Titan-filled area —"

"Enough! We have to go now!" Connie, growing impatient, wrapped a hand around Armin's wrist and yanked him forward, running along the roof to make their advance.

'No... Please stop. If you don't, I'm going to cause another friend to die!'

Why did this always happen to him? Why must he always be rescued like a burden, only for his friends to suffer in his stead?

Eren died because he couldn't fight, because he didn't act. And now so were Connie and Mikasa.
There was no way he could let it happen again. He had to stop this.

'I need you,' a faint echo resounded in his thoughts. 'Your weapon is your mind. But how will you fight if you can't clear it?'

As the ledge of the roof neared closer and closer, Armin stole a glance at the peculiar, 15-meter Titan from behind, the cogs turning in his brain.

That thing was not normal; it wasn't like the rest.
Yes, it too was going on a murderous, destructive killing-rampage, but it wasn't directed at the soldiers. It, however, was pummeling its own kind to the ground as it tore, bit and stomped on their heads, mashing their brains out. It even saved Mikasa from a Titan.

And in the oddity, Armin saw an opportunity.

"Wait!" He pulled Connie back, breaking his wrist free from his grip.
"Listen to me, I have a plan!"

"A plan?" Connie came to a halt along with Mikasa and crossed his arms, skepticism written all over his face.

"I know it sounds crazy, but we're going to need to use that Titan."

"A Titan? You want a Titan to save us?" Connie crossed his arms, slightly annoyed.

"It attacks other Titans. It's not interested in us at all. So if we lead it to the supply area, it will defeat the other Titans and we'll get our gas. We'll all be saved!"

"Lead it?! How would we do that?! We can't-"

"Connie. Let him talk," Mikasa interjected.

Armin turned away to the 15-meter, placing a hand under his chin. The strange Titan was currently bashing a head in on the wall of a nearby building.

"I think it's fighting instinctively..." his blue eyes narrowed. "If Mikasa could kill the Titans near it, that should make it move to find more. It would most likely head toward HQ."

"Wh- No! We can't do something that risky on a hunch!"

Yes, Armin knew his plan was absolutely insane, even Mikasa looked at him as if to question his sanity. But there really was no other option.

"If it works, we could clear out all the Titans swarming HQ! We could go home!"

For a moment, a silence hung between them.
Connie looked conflicted; he had never heard a plan this reckless in all his 15 years. If that was the best they could come up with, it would be better to just dig a hole in the earth and die.

"It's worth a try." Mikasa spoke up.

"Huh?! Are you serious?!"

She shifted her gaze to meet Connie, unwavering under his  scrutiny. "Better to try something than to simply wait for death."
Mikasa tightened her crimson scarf around her neck.

"We're going with Armin's plan."

"And that's just final? We'll fight the Titans with a Titan?"
Connie lowered his head, weighing his options. He tried. He really tried to think of something better.
But in the end, it looked like Armin's idea really was the only option.

He lifted his head and Armin's eyes met his, a pleading almost swirling in them.

"Alright..." The tension in Connie's jaw released, making way for a smirk.
"If we fail, we'll be a laughingstock..."

Armin's eyes softened in an instant, the same smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "But if we win, we'll survive."

"Then let's get going already."
And with that, Mikasa sprinted forward, the soles of her boots clacking rapidly on the tiles. No sooner had Armin turned his head to catch a glimpse of her than she sprung off the roof, ascending into the air with a boost.

He felt Connie latch onto his left arm, pulling him forward. With a grunt, Connie hoisted Armin up and launched himself off the ledge, tailing Mikasa in the air while carrying him.

Armin saw the strain in Connie's face; it looked like he was holding his breath trying to keep up with the weight of the both of them. In that moment, he wished he had been a little lighter. He'd have to apologize soon after this.

One Titan after another, Mikasa brought them all down with relentless precision, making way for Connie and Armin to breeze by. Her metal cables crackled in the air like a whip.

Armin's eyes could barely keep up with her form as she snapped from point to point like an elastic band, bringing her blades down on every nape in sight. The headquarters were nearing. Faster than expected. This might actually work.

Yet Armin couldn't shake off a feeling that had been gnawing him this whole time. One large hole in his tapestry. It loomed large at the back of his mind, its unease plaguing him.

Y/n

Where was she?

The last he'd seen of her was atop those houses, before his team was called to the vanguard, before they were all slaughtered. Before Eren...

How would he face her? How would he look her in the eye and tell her he let her brother die? It had been hard enough with Mikasa, but with Y/n it would be insurmountable.

He hated himself even more; for not doing anything, for betraying his friends. The guilt ravaged his soul. It inflicted deeper wounds than any Titan ever could.

What's worse was he didn't even have a clue of where she was or what she was up to. If she needed help, if she was stranded, trapped or fighting for her life. Or maybe even...

Armin shoved the thought deep. He shut his eyes to erase the image. Losing Eren was more than enough. He refused to let his mind go there, not without seeing it for himself.

For now he had to focus on what was ahead and clearing his thoughts. Just like Y/n wanted him to. As soon as they had the chance, he'd be the first out of there to search for her. Armin refused to endure the loss of another friend.

* ｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈•ﾟ｡ *

Felix's condition was deteriorating. Fast.

It had been one hour now, and no one had come to their rescue yet. Time was slipping from their fingers.

Another hour and Felix would be beyond medical treatment. The blood loss was a ticking clock, threatening irreparable damage.

He was going into hypovolemic shock, the symptoms becoming painfully clear: pale, sweaty skin, dizziness, fatigue, shallow breathing with quick, labored inhales, rapid heart rate, anxiety and a pulse that thumped faster than a war drum.

Y/n tried her best to keep him calm and breathing, even engaging in a little conversation. But the panic and torment was etched onto his face, his breaths more ragged and uneven by the second.

By now, all the skin and hangnails around her fingers were no more. She had peeled them raw, her own blood mixing with Felix's on her hands.

Was anyone coming to save them? Would they ever make it off this damn bell tower? How long could Felix hold out for? He was practically slipping in and out of consciousness. This couldn't keep going on, she had to do something.

But what could she do? How would she escape? There was no way she could just carry Felix and climb down a 10-meter building. And even if they did make it off, the Titans below would be ready to chew on their bones. It was hopeless.

A sudden thudding from afar emanated from HQ. But it wasn't mindless like the ones of the Titans swarming the supply rooms. This was different, powerful and with purpose.

Y/n looked up from her hands, her eyebrows raising in surprise.

A large Titan of about 15-meters of height wreaked havoc around the supply building. But it was behaving abnormally.
Y/n squinted her eyes, was she seeing this wrong? It was attacking other Titans.
After every kill, a booming, guttural roar tore from its throat. She felt it prickle her skin all the way from the bell tower. Was it... Helping them?

"Felix, are you seeing this?"

Even Felix's mouth was agape, truly speechless. For a moment it looked like he had forgotten all about the excruciating pain he was in. As if the foreboding sense of doom was swatted away with every punch of that beast.

Unexpectedly, the Titans clawing at the bell tower below them had lost interest. Like machines, they stopped for a moment, then immediately turned around to face the peculiar 15-meter. And in hoards, they tramped towards HQ, as if the abnormal Titan's roar was drawing them in.
Yet something felt off. Their eyes. No longer were they a slate so blank, they were devoid of any humanity. Those once chilling, soulless eyes now flickered with an anger, a hatred so profound, Y/n never thought was possible.

It was as if this was all they could ever feel, for this one creature only. It seemed they wanted it dead even more than the humans. Even the aberrants were practically throwing themselves over houses to get to it quicker.

"Felix, look! They're all leaving. They're not surrounding us anymore."

"Y/n, what's going on? What's gonna happen with us?"

"I don't — I don't know, I'm just as confused. But I think..." Y/n gawked at the strange Titan in the distance before shifting her eyes to the ones below hurrying for HQ.

"I think they're heading towards that abnormal, like they want to kill it? But how is anything like this possible..."

A Titan, hated by other Titans? It would seem like a joke if you didn't see it with your own eyes. Was she maybe hallucinating this? Maybe, subconsciously, she wanted so bad for something to happen, hoping so desperately for a miracle, that she was conjuring these images in her head?

Whatever it was — real or not — she had to act.

"Felix," Y/n looked back to meet his eyes, her expression now very serious.
"Listen to me very closely. I don't think anyone's coming for us anytime soon, honestly maybe not ever. But that leg — any longer and you'll be beyond saving..."

She took a moment to pause, studying his face to see how he was holding up. He said nothing and was whiter than paper. But it looked like he was following her. Good sign.

Y/n swallowed hard, accepting what she needed to do soon. "The Titans have... probably left a few... corpses — here and there. And likely also ODM gear, with gas."

"And you're gonna go down and search for it on foot?
In a Titan-infested area?" Felix finished for her, his expression still unreadable.

"I know, I know. It's dangerously stupid and I don't know if I'll even be lucky enough to find actual gas — but... We can't just stay stuck up here."

Felix remained silent but he didn't need to say it; Y/n already caught the fear in his eyes, the anxiousness, the quiet protest. She didn't want to have to leave him alone, she probably shouldn't have, but what else could she have done?

"Look. I promise you, on my life, I will come back. Alright? I'm not going to leave you to die here alone. I'll get the gas, come back to carry you and we'll scale the Walls. You want to see your mother again, right? You have to. I'll make sure of it."

She got up from her spot after gently placing Felix's shattered leg back on the limestone. Unease rippled through him, his eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears, a silent plea for her to stay.

"Maybe they're coming for us right now. You don't have to go. It'll be fine — I can hold out for longer-"

"I really hope they get to you before I do," Y/n slowly neared the edge, peering at the challenge she was to face below. The ground — such a far drop down.
It was almost taunting her, trying to psyche her out and, waiting. Waiting till they met with a hard, deadly slam.

"I'll be quick. And until I'm back, Felix, try your best to keep calm. And keep your breaths as even as possible. You don't need anymore stress than you've already got."

Y/n brought a hand to her golden necklace for comfort, planning her descent in her mind. Her brows furrowed in concentration. One misstep and it would be over. One misplaced movement and she would plummet to her death. The pressure bore down heavy on her chest.

"Don't die."

Y/n turned around, the anxiety washing away somewhat. Felix lay on the floor, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead. His jaw was tense in an attempt to keep the agony of his injuries at bay as his mouth quivered.

Y/n held his gaze for a moment and nodded; a soundless farewell.
Then she turned away to face the darkening sky. That one bright patch of blue from before was now no more.

She now stood firm, positioning her feet in the center and out of the way. Then, without hesitation, Y/n fired a grappling hook into the ground next to her, embedding it deep into the limestone with a metallic clang.
Slowly, she sat herself on the ledge, her legs hanging over as her heart already began to pound.
What a long, long way down.

Tearing her eyes away from the daunting ground, she surveyed the hook, the cracks and the broken bits and pieces of limestone that jutted out. She prayed it wouldn't dislodge.

'Here goes nothing.'

Y/n placed both palms on the stony surface, holding her breath, and, with a final, silent prayer to the sky, pushed off.

Drop.

She gasped. The metal components whirred, the ground rushed up to meet her, the wind whipped past her face.
Fast. Too fast. Her heart raced.

In an instant, she clicked a button to control the cable. The line went taut, yanking her upward with a force as inertia kicked in, her body still wishing to descend.

The abrupt stop felt like gut-punch, her stomach lurched and her heart throbbed in her throat.
The sudden force of deceleration jolted her like whiplash.

Her harness strained against her as she dangled precariously in the air, her feet hovering just above the narrow platform below the belfry of the tower.

She was alive. She was still here.

Y/n let out a big huff of air from her lungs, as though she were blowing off steam. Her breathing steadied gradually as her heart slowed down.

But it was far from over; a long, long descent was still ahead of her.

Y/n released the hook.
Her feet met the platform with a clack as the cord retreated into her gear with a sharp snap. She turned around to face the wall and, this time, fired two grappling hooks into the bricks of the belfry.

Satisfied with their positions, Y/n slowly brought her feet closer and closer to the edge of the platform, looking behind herself cautiously. With another prayer, she pushed off from her legs, her cables unraveling as she descended.

Almost immediately, Y/n clicked again, coming to another abrupt halt. She instinctively gripped one cable with a slick palm and slammed her boots on the stone bricks for balance.

Every muscle in her body strained, becoming sore as
her core tightened. If she even relaxed for just a second, she'd swing and spin her way to death.

Steadiness; the very first ODM lesson Y/n was taught. She recounted the victorious feeling of her success. On her first try, though with some effort, she managed to balance herself well enough to even receive praise from Shadis himself, however brief it was. The proud grin that Reiner flashed her replayed in her mind, making the butterflies in her stomach flutter.

There was no way in hell she was going to mess this up, not even if it felt like her body was being torn apart.

With a finger still pressing down firmly on the 'halt' button, Y/n released a bit too much and felt her heart stop with a yelp. Gravity pulled her down with an alarming speed as the world around her blurred; the cords unraveling with a zip.

Just as panic settled in, her hand shot to her harness, pressing the button again with a trembling finger as she came to another jolting halt. Y/n, definitely more awake now, didn't dare to even move her finger by a millimeter.

She felt winded, as though the air was sucked from her lungs; a harsh reminder of the thin line between chaos and control.

After she regained herself, Y/n planted her feet on the wall again, planning a more cautious approach.
This time, she lifted her finger just a smidge to unravel the cables slowly. Then, she treaded her feet along the wall, the bricks providing stability as she inched downward.

One wrong misstep and she'd spiral out of control. If she lifts her finger by more than a hair, the ground would meet her with a bloody splat. Y/n didn't even dare to look down.

She had nothing else to think about besides pure and utter concentration. The muscles in her thighs tightened and cramped, the cable dug into her palm as the joints of her fingers solidified.

"Step by step, step by step," Y/n repeated to herself, locking her eyes on her footwork as more sweat began to seep into her clothes.

Right now, the world narrowed down to this singular moment, as if the chaos around her wasn't really there. For a second, Y/n felt as if she was in her own world. A simple world progressing only with every step she took, not with bloodshed and horror. Even the beige, brick wall swallowed her line of vision, becoming her new sky. She almost forgot where she was, as her prior memories blurred along with the sounds from outside. Time felt both moving and standing.

Suddenly, instead of the usual crouched step with a bent knee, Y/n felt a swift shift that straightened her leg. In a dazed state, it took a few moments for her to realize.

She had made it. Solid ground. She had reached the bottom.

A jarring moment; the earth beneath her feet offered a rush of relief, allowing her to finally breathe. She could kiss the ground just about now. Turning around, she stumbled slightly, regaining her balance.

Y/n was met with the rubble and destruction of Trost, the houses in disrepair and the many footprints left behind by the Titans in the ground; that rush of relief now fleeting.

Oh, right. How could she forget? This wasn't the world of her descent from the bell tower anymore. This was reality.
Felix was trapped high up, bleeding out. She had no gas, so she was doomed to be stuck down here and that strange Titan, beating the other Titans to death in the distance. Its roars resounded through the city.
Y/n reminded herself; she was on a mission. There wasn't any better time for this.

Carefully, she took a step forward, trying to make as little sound as possible as the ground crunched beneath her foot. Sure, most of the Titans were getting their asses kicked at HQ, but that didn't mean there weren't any lurking out of sight. She couldn't take the risk.

As she made her advance, her pulse drummed in her ears. It was all up to her now. The whole life of a person laid in the palm of her hand. If she died, she wouldn't be the only one killed, but she would kill Felix too.

Among the rubble and wreckage, there had to be at least one discarded ODM gear. Even just a small canteen of gas would suffice. Y/n wasn't too thrilled to rob a corpse, but there was no other choice.

She had to find it.

✼ •• ┈┈┈┈๑⋅⋯ ୨˚୧ ⋯⋅๑┈┈┈┈ •• ✼

A/N: Whew, I finally finished this chapter. I haven't posted in a while to take some time to recover, so you can imagine my surprise when I come back to OVER 1K READS ON MY BOOK WHATTT.

Y'all when I tell you how shocked I was 😭🙏 I'm still trying to process it. Going into writing this, I didn't think anybody would read it, but boy was I wrong 💀
Thank you all so much for taking the time to choose and read this book, it means a lot 🥹🫶