Struggle for Trost

Chapter X: Kill Zone

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The image of the Colossal Titan looming over Wall Maria reappeared in Anja's memory, a nightmare made flesh. She could still feel Heinrik's hand clutching hers as they stared up at the monstrous face, frozen in horror. The memory threatened to overwhelm her, but she shook it off, turning to Annie with desperate urgency.

"We have to move!" Anja shouted over the rising chaos.

Annie nodded, her eyes still wide with shock. She turned as if to run, but then stopped abruptly, throwing out an arm to halt Anja's progress.

"Annie!" Reiner's voice cut through the panicked din of the crowd.

Annie flinched, her body going rigid. She turned to face Reiner, her expression a mix of guilt and defiance.

Reiner's brow furrowed as he closed the distance between them, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and concern. "Where were you? What are you doing here?"

Anja stepped forward, bristling at Reiner's accusatory tone. "What does it matter? We have to get back to headquarters now!"

Reiner seemed to wrestle with himself for a moment, his jaw clenching. Then he exhaled sharply, his posture shifting as he reined in his emotions. "Right. We've got bigger problems. Let's go."

Annie fell into step behind Anja, her head bowed and shoulders hunched. Anja could practically feel the tension radiating off her friend, the way her fingers twitched despite her apparent calm.

A cacophony of chaos descended over the city, heightened by distant screams of terror. Anja looked up, her heart seizing as she realized the Colossal Titan had vanished. It had breached the wall and disappeared like a mirage, leaving only destruction in its wake.

"This is Shiganshina all over again," Anja whispered, dread coiling in her gut.

Reiner clapped a hand on her shoulder, his grip just a little too tight to be entirely reassuring. "Don't think about that now. We have to stand our ground."

Anja nodded jerkily, forcing her leaden feet to move. They pushed through the panicked crowds, the clanging of alarm bells and shouts of soldiers trying to direct the chaos, a discordant symphony in their ears. Fear etched onto every face they passed, but beneath it, Anja saw the grim determination in the soldiers.

Trost hadn't given up yet. They would fight to their last breath.

As if to punctuate that thought, the thunder of cannon fire erupted overhead, a percussive beat that seemed to shake the very stones beneath their feet. Anja saw soldiers zipping through the air on ODM gear, blades flashing in the smoke-hazed sunlight as they raced towards the front lines.

Maybe they stood a chance this time. If they could prevent the Titans from entering the city, if they could hold the line long enough, maybe they could keep the Armored Titan at bay...

The cannons continued their steady rhythm as Anja, Reiner, and Annie pushed against the crowds through the streets. Thick plumes of gunpowder and steam rose across the walls. Headquarters loomed ahead, a tall bastion nestled in the heart of the city. It was a hive of frantic activity. Soldiers rushed in and out like ants from a disturbed nest.

The constant hiss and clank of ODM gear filled the air, underlaid by barked orders of officers trying to wrangle the chaos.

Inside was no better. Multiple soldiers shouted over each other, their voices blending into an unintelligible cacophony. Shell-shocked cadets stood in clusters, some openly weeping, others staring blankly ahead as if still processing the nightmare unfolding around them.

Anja paused just inside the doorway, a sudden, terrible realization striking her like a physical blow. She cocked her head, straining her ears past the clamor.

"Why did you stop?" Reiner demanded, impatience sharpening his tone.

"I don't hear the cannons anymore," Anja said slowly, a leaden weight settling in her stomach.

Reiner cursed under his breath, scrubbing a hand over his face. "All the more reason to hurry. We're wasting time here."

Annie met Anja's gaze, something inscrutable flickering in her icy blue eyes before she looked away. She jerked her chin towards the milling soldiers, a silent 'let's go'.

Snatches of panicked conversation drifted past as they pushed deeper into the building.

"Where's Commander Pyxis?"

"We need those supplies at the front, now!"

"Send for reinforcements!"

Anja's attention was caught by a familiar mop of brown hair. She veered towards it, Reiner following close behind. Eren was surrounded by a knot of people, Mikasa and Armin at his side as always. Anja felt a rush of relief at seeing them unharmed.

"Eren was there," Armin said without preamble, his blue eyes wide and haunted. "At the wall, when it appeared."

Anja turned to Eren, concern furrowing her brow. "Are you alright?"

Eren nodded jerkily, his hands clenching into white-knuckled fists at his sides. "I was so close," he bit out, self-loathing and frustration warring in his voice. "It was right there, and I almost had it. But then it just...vanished."

He punctuated the last word by slamming his fist into the wall, the dull thud making Armin flinch.

Anja hesitated, almost afraid to ask. "Did you see the Armored Titan?"

Eren shook his head, his jaw tight. "No, but there were so many..." He swallowed hard, his eyes unfocused as if seeing it all again. "The cannons were holding them back when we left, but..."

He gestured vaguely. The cannons had fallen silent for a while now.

"Attention!"

An officer's bellow cut through the din, commanding instant obedience. Anja snapped to attention on pure reflex, her spine straightening and eyes locking forward.

They quickly assembled in the courtyard. The officer had sunken, haunted eyes, beads of sweat fell freely from his forehead. A thick brown beard covered his quivering lips.

"I want everyone split into four squadrons, just like in training," he barked, his hawkish gaze sweeping over the assembled soldiers.

"You will be our last line of defense. All squadrons will be responsible for supply running, message relay, and combat. The vanguard will be led by the intercept squad. Cadets, you will make up the middle guard under the support squad. The garrison elites will hold the rear. Defend your positions at all costs."

"The advance team has been wiped out," the officer continued grimly, each word falling like a hammer blow. "The outer gate has fallen. Titans have breached the city. It is only a matter of time before the Armored Titan appears. And when it does...the inner gate will be lost."

Anja felt like she'd been doused in ice water, a chill racing down her spine. This was really happening. The nightmare that had loomed over them, plagued them for years, was a reality once more.

The officer leveled them all with a stare that could cut glass. "Vanguard, be ready to move out. You will be facing the highest concentration of enemies. All of you, your mission is simple: defend the city until the evacuation is complete. Desertion is punishable by death. Lay down your lives if you must. Dismissed!" With that, the officer quickly retreated, followed by his aides.

A beat of stunned silence, the weight of their duty settling over them like a shroud. Then the spell broke, soldiers scattering like leaves in a gale as they rushed to their positions.

Anja turned to her friends, trying to memorize their faces, to etch this moment into her mind. This could be the last time she ever saw them. The thought clogged her throat, pressing down on her chest until she could scarcely breathe. No, she shook her head, burying that away. She clung desperately to hope.

She wanted to say something, anything. A joke to break the tension, a heartfelt confession, a promise to see them on the other side. But the words wouldn't come.

In the end, all she could do was nod, infusing that small gesture with all the things she couldn't say. Eren met her gaze, his green eyes blazing with the same fire that had always driven him. Mikasa inclined her head, calm and resolute as ever.

Armin stared forward, his body visibly shaking. Anja offered her hand, but it had no effect on him.

"We've got this," Reiner said firmly, quiet conviction thrumming in his voice. "Stick to the plan, watch each other's backs. We'll get through this."

Anja nodded, drawing strength from his steadiness. She glanced at Annie, trying to catch her eye, to offer some form of reassurance. But the other girl wouldn't meet her gaze, her eyes distant. Annie left straight towards the armory, followed closely by Bertholdt and Reiner.

With a final, fortifying breath, Anja turned to follow them. She would do everything in her power to fight for all she held dear.

The armory buzzed with activity, soldiers hurrying to gather their gear and weapons. Rows of blades gleamed in the dim light, gas canisters lined the shelves, and the smell of oil and metal hung heavy in the air.

Inside, Annie was flanked by Bertholdt, adjusting the belts of her gear. Her face held no apparent emotion, but it was as pale as snow. Anja remembered how earlier Annie had come looking for her. Unanswered questions packed away in the back of her mind. What did she want? It had to be important.

Anja approached the tables sorted with equipment, her fingers deftly checking over her ODM gear with the ease of long practice. She looked over towards her friend, who was already testing the weight of her blades.

"What got into you earlier?"

Annie's jaw tightened, her gaze fixed straight ahead. "It doesn't matter now, Anja."

Anja opened her mouth to press further, but the weight of Reiner's gaze stopped her. She could feel his eyes boring into her back.

"Is something wrong between you two?" Reiner asked, his tone cautious.

Anja shook her head, brushing off his concern. "Just asking a question," she said, her voice clipped.

Annie didn't respond, her focus solely on her gear. The tension in the air was thick, a palpable weight pressing down on them. Bertholdt shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting between the two girls.

Reiner cleared his throat, breaking the uneasy silence. "Now's not the time for distractions. None of us can afford to lose focus. The mission comes first, you heard the Captain. There will be plenty of time for talking once this is all over."

Anja bit back a retort, frustration simmering beneath her skin. But before she could say anything more, a sharp voice cut through the tension.

"Cadet Wolf! Over here. You'll be part of Squadron 19. Get ready to move out in five." It was a Garrison soldier, his face grim and weathered.

Anja snapped to attention, her fist thumping against her chest in a crisp salute. "Yes, sir!"

She quickly secured her gas canisters, their weight reassuring against her thighs, the supple leather of the harness creaking as she adjusted the straps. Anja selected her blades, slotting them into the hilts with a satisfying click. She turned back to her friends, trying to infuse her voice with more confidence than she felt. "Just be careful out there."

Reiner nodded, something like approval glinting in his eyes. "Same to you."

Anja gave Annie a final, lingering look, trying to convey all the things she couldn't say. The blonde's face remained inscrutable, her icy blue eyes betraying nothing. With a heavy heart, Anja turned and jogged towards her assigned squad, her pulse quickening with each step.

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Squadron 19 assembled quickly, a tense but determined air hanging over the small group. Anja was glad to see familiar faces. Marco stood at the head, his freckled face set in lines of concentration as he surveyed his team. Connie fidgeted with the straps of his gear, his usually playful demeanor subdued. Hannah and Franz, the inseparable couple, huddled close together, drawing comfort from each other's presence.

Franz was tall and lanky, with a buzz cut and laughing brown eyes that now held a glimmer of uncertainty. Hannah, petite and delicate, leaned into his side, her round face pale beneath its smattering of freckles. Anja didn't know them well, but their devotion to each other was clear.

Anja fell in beside them, trying to ignore the twisting knot of apprehension in her gut. The distant booms of the cannons and the occasional ground-shaking footsteps of the Titans were a constant reminder of the hell that awaited them. From afar, she could only make out the giants' heads, most hidden behind the buildings.

An officer stood before them, an older man with a receding grey hairline and the typical beer belly that could be found amongst many of the almost-retired Garrison officers. Though he wasn't entirely out of shape, his appearance didn't exactly inspire confidence. The cadets exchanged uneasy glances.

"Follow me," the officer said, his voice gruff. "You'll be reinforcing our position. Stay close and do as I say, and we might just make it through this."

He led them deeper into the city, the hiss of their gear echoing in the eerie stillness. They moved along the rooftops, the officer pushing ahead of them. Anja's eyes kept constant vigil, jumping at any sort of movement. But the streets were deserted, the only sounds were the constant clink of their gear and the rasp of their breath.

"It's too quiet," Connie muttered, his eyes darting nervously.

"This is it," the officer said as he landed , gesturing towards a forked road below them. An improvised barricade had been set up with upturned carts. Two cannons guarded the street, aiming at the intersection.

The grizzled officer glanced back, his weathered face set in a reassuring smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Don't be afraid, cadets. You trained for this. Stay behind us and cover our rear. If you spot any Titans, give us a heads up and we'll handle them. I don't want any of you dying on my watch."

They all nodded, some more hesitantly than others. Marco stepped forward, his voice steady despite the tension that permeated the air. "Shouldn’t we get closer, sir?"

The officer waved off his concern with a confidence that seemed only slightly forced. "Relax, there's no need. We've got this covered. See this intersection?" He pointed down with his blade. "It makes for a perfect kill zone. No Titan will get through as long as we have ammo. The only way they can come up on us is from behind, so stay sharp and be ready to fall back if we give the order."

As if on cue, a shout rang out from ahead, urgent and commanding. "Titan approaching! Cannons, load!"

The cadets watched, equal parts awed and terrified, as the Garrison soldiers burst into motion. They scrambled to their positions, manning the cannons with a speed and precision. It was clear they hadn't been slacking off these past five years.

A 7-meter Titan lumbered into view, its grotesque mouth open, eyes alight with hunger as it reached towards them with grasping fingers. Anja's breath caught in her throat, her hands tightening convulsively around the grips of her blades.

The officer descended, taking point behind the two cannons. "Take aim!"

"Fire!"

The cannon belched smoke and flame, the sound deafening in the narrow street. The shot tore through the Titan's face, obliterating half its head in a spray of steam and ichor.

But still, it kept coming.

"How are we supposed to fight those things?" Hannah whispered, her voice trembling with barely restrained panic.

Franz gripped her hand, his knuckles white. "Don't worry. I'll protect you."

The cannons fired again, the barrage tearing into the Titan's leg. It stumbled, crashing to the ground a few dozen meters before them. The Garrison soldiers were on it in an instant, their blades flashing as they carved out its nape with ruthless efficiency.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The officer turned back to the watching cadets, a fierce grin on his face as he pumped his fist in the air. Marco let out a shaky laugh, relief lightening his tense features.

"They have a plan. We just need to hold out," he said, sounding like he was trying to convince himself as much as the others.

Connie elbowed Anja, a shadow of his usual impish humor glinting in his eyes. "At this rate, they won't leave any for us!"

Anja managed a smile, though it felt stiff and unnatural on her face. "We'll join in on the fun soon enough. Just try not to get that shiny bald head of yours bitten off." Despite her teasing words, she kept glancing back at the alleyways. The cadets had chosen their spot well; the buildings next to them were connected by passages too narrow for a Titan to fit through, at least not the large ones.

Another boom shook the ground, the cadets instinctively hunching their shoulders as the flash of the cannon lit the shadows. The soldiers were already hauling the smoking weapon around, taking aim at the next target.

"Looks like they've got another one!" Connie whooped.

But Anja wasn't listening. She felt the strange sensation that they were being watched, a prickle of unease running down her spine. She turned to look back at the alleys, the street, nothing. But her searching stopped when she glanced at Hannah, whose face had drained of color as she peered down the street behind them. "Um, guys? I think I saw—"

Her words were lost in a sudden, earth-shattering crash. Shards of brick and mortar sprayed through the air as a Titan burst through the building beside them, its grotesque body plowing through the wall like it was made of paper.

Time seemed to slow as Anja took in the sight. It was a 12-meter class, its disproportionately long arms swinging by its sides. But there was something strange about the way it moved, a jerky, twitching gait that set it apart from the lumbering motions of the other Titans.

It hit her then, a bolt of pure, icy dread. An Abnormal.

The Titan's blank eyes fixed on the cannon, drawn by the noise and movement. It let out a roar, the sound reverberating in Anja's chest, and charged.

"Look out!" Marco cried.

The Garrison soldiers were still facing the wrong way, focused on the Titans approaching from the intersection. They had no time to react as the Abnormal bore down on them, its speed belying its size.

Anja watched in helpless horror as the Titan's massive hand lashed out, faster than a striking snake. In one terrible swipe, it crushed one cannon like a tin can, sending shards of metal flying. The soldiers operating it disappeared in a spray of crimson, their screams abruptly cut short.

The remaining Garrison troops scattered, some bringing their blades to bear in desperate defense, others fleeing in pure, blind panic.

"We have to help them!" Anja cried, surging forward, but Marco grabbed her arm, holding her back.

"Don't. Look." His voice shook as he pointed.

Two smaller Titans were coming from the gap the Abnormal had made, cutting off the Garrison soldiers' desperate retreat. And there, at the intersection, another one lumbered into view.

Screams rent the air, high and terrible. Blood sprayed in arcs, painting the cobblestones. Limbs pinwheeled through the air, trailing streams of steam.

In seconds, the entire squad was gone, reduced to cooling chunks of meat and spreading pools of blood, crushed like insects.

Someone was yelling, the sound torn and raw. An unlucky soldier dangled from the Abnormal's mouth, still kicking feebly as it bit down. The smaller Titans gathered at its feet like gruesome children begging for scraps. The Abnormal's pale eyes settled on the cadets, gleaming with mindless hunger.

"Scatter!" Marco bellowed, his voice cracking with panic. "Fall back!"

Anja didn't remember deploying her gear. One moment she was standing frozen, the next she was airborne, the wind screaming in her ears as she hurtled away from the carnage. Beside her, Franz and Hannah moved in tandem, their faces matching masks of terror.

The Abnormal lurched after them, its arms swinging erratically. Anja saw its hand flash out, longer than a grown man was tall. Saw it close around Franz's cable, snapping it like thread.

He screamed as he was yanked backwards, his other cable tearing free from the wall with a tortured shriek of metal. For a single, crystallized instant, their eyes met—and then he was whipped through the air like a ragdoll, caught helplessly in the Titan's snare. His panicked screams pierced the air.

"Franz!" Hannah's scream was agonized, her voice cracking. She looked back frantically towards him.

He was still alive, kicking and flailing, his swords cutting wide arcs through the air.

"No!" The word tore from Anja's throat, raw and despairing.

She didn't think, didn't plan. She just moved. Her blades were in her hands, her body corkscrewing through the air as she launched herself at the Titan. She could hear Marco screaming at her to stop, could see Connie and Hannah's horrified faces as she flashed past.

Some small, analytical part of her mind registered the wrongness of the situation. The Titan wasn't even looking at her. Its dead eyes were fixed on Franz, on the struggling morsel in its grasp. It was as if she wasn't even there, no more than a gnat buzzing around it.

She swung, a scream of rage tearing from her throat. Her blades slashed out, aiming for the Titan's wrist. If she could just sever the tendons, make it drop Franz...

The blades hit the skin, barely scratching the surface. She gave herself a boost, trying to bury them deeper, but they shattered against the sudden strain, shards of metal pinging off her face and hands. Anja stared in disbelief at the ruined stumps, numb incomprehension crashing through her.

The cuts weren't deep enough, its flesh already mending.

The Titan's free hand swung towards her, almost lazy in its speed. Anja barely had time to register the danger before it slammed into her, a casual backhand that felt like being kicked by a horse.

She flew backwards, managing a half turn, the breath crushed from her lungs by the impact. Her shoulder and head took the brunt of the hit, cracking against a wall. Stars exploded across her vision, darkness crawling in at the edges. She couldn't hang on. She fell to the streets, her blood burning in her veins.

Through the ringing in her ears, the world strangely muffled and distant, Anja saw the Titan tip its head back. Saw Franz's legs kick frantically as he was lowered into that cavernous mouth. Heard his muffled screams, abruptly silenced by the crunch of teeth through bone.

A distant part of her registered the splash of crimson painting the Titan's chin, the way its throat bobbed as it swallowed. But it was all strangely abstract, like watching a play from far away.

She was helpless, crumpled at the base of the wall like a broken doll. Easy prey. Through her foggy vision, she could only see Franz's face, frozen in a rictus of horror as the Titan chewed without mercy.

Something shifted inside her then, a spark igniting in the depths of her being. A scream, primal and savage, fighting to tear free from her throat.

Heinrik...

She saw him then, his face superimposed over Franz's, contorted in agony as he was devoured. Was this how you died? She was helpless, it had all been for nothing. So much blood... Dripping from the monster's mouth, wetting the cobblestones below.

It was as if something was clawing its way out of her, shredding through muscle and sinew, fighting to break free of the confines of her flesh. Ravenous and ruthless, howling for blood.

The Titan turned to face her, her brother's half-eaten body still hanging limp from its mouth. Something like curiosity flickered in its dead eyes as they settled upon her, a mockery of human emotion.

Rage, incandescent and all-consuming, exploded through Anja's veins. It burned away thought and reason, leaving only the feral need to rend and tear.

A roar escaped her throat, guttural and inhuman. Her body coiled, muscles bunching as she prepared to spring. The Titan's hand loomed above her, reaching out to pluck her from the ground.

But Anja was already moving, faster than she'd ever moved before. Crimson fog crept at the edges of her vision as she launched herself at the Titan, a fresh pair of blades flashing in her hands.

She was moving on pure instinct. Her blades cleaved through the back of the Titan's legs like a hot knife through butter, sending it crashing to its knees. She didn't stop, couldn't stop. She hooked onto it and leapt, twisting in midair, and slashed out with all her strength.

The Titan's arm fell to the ground with a meaty thud, steam billowing from the stump. It roared in agony and rage, its remaining hand swiping at her, trying to crush her.

She dodged the grasping fingers, rocketing towards the Titan's face. It opened its maw in welcome. The half-eaten body that hung from its jaws fell, hitting the ground with a sickening crunch.

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Anja flew straight into the Titan's open mouth, her blades drawn forward. They scraped against its teeth, the impact juddering up her arms. But she didn't feel the pain, didn't feel the hot blood sluicing over her hands, the razor-edged shards of her own blades slicing into her palms.

Its jaw snapped close like a trap, but she had already pierced up through the roof of the Titan's mouth, slicing the soft flesh parting cleanly, then diving straight into its nape. She carved through bone and muscle, letting out a scream of pure, unfettered rage that reverberated in the cavernous space, echoing against the monster's dying growls.

The Titan convulsed, its massive body going slack as it crumpled to the cobblestones. Anja rode it down, still hacking and slashing, painting the street red with its steaming blood.

She carved her way from the ruin of its neck in a spray of gore, drenched in blood, the hot, viscous fluid running into her eyes and already steaming away, filling her mouth with the coppery taste of slaughter.

Her chest heaved, ragged gasps tearing from her lungs. She looked down at her hands, shrapnel lodged in them, the steaming blood coating them to the wrist. Her blades were gone, shattered in the frenzy of her attack, nothing but useless hilts clutched in her white-knuckled grip.

Slowly, she raised her head, her eyes bloodshot, pupils blown so wide the green was nearly swallowed by black. She was shaking, her whole body vibrating with the force of the bloodlust singing through her veins.

She heard her name being screamed, the sound distant and muffled as if coming from underwater. Marco. Connie. Their voices high and desperate, begging her to stop, to come back.

But she couldn't.

More! Her body screamed, hungering—

A scream rang out over the thunder of her pulse, cutting through the crimson haze like a blade. Eren. His voice, raw with desperation and fury.

Anja surged to her feet, her head snapping around, seeking the source of the sound. She leaped from the Titan's body, her ODM gear carrying her in a swift, deadly arc towards the screams.

"Wait!" Marco's voice, pleading. Connie's, cracking with fear.

She was beyond hearing, beyond reason, heading at full speed towards Eren. The fog was back, drowning out everything but the siren song of slaughter, the thirst for blood. She flew through the streets, a deadly specter wreathed in steam and gore.

The world had narrowed to the pounding of her heart, the rush of blood in her ears, the searing need to kill.

A scream pierced the air, high and terrified. Her head snapped towards the sound, nostrils flaring, pupils blown wide. She launched herself towards the source, muscles coiling and releasing like a predator. She burst into a narrow street, where a scene of desperation and horror greeted her.

A figure, pressed against a wall, eyes wide and pleading. A Titan, looming over it, fingers etching towards its prey. The Titan's long brown hair hung in stringy curtains around its oversized head, its bulging eyes fixed on the cowering human with mindless hunger.

Anja slammed into the Titan like a cannonball, blades sinking deep into its flesh. It stumbled back from the force of the impact, twisting to face this new threat. It shoved her away, sending her flying into the middle of the street.

One of Anja's blades remained lodged in the Titan's body as she skidded to a stop, her remaining sword held at the ready. The Titan charged, its footsteps shaking the very stones beneath her feet.

At the last second, Anja leapt, using the Titan's momentum against it. Her blade sliced through its neck in a spray of steaming blood, nearly severing its head. The Titan crashed to the ground with her, its body already beginning to dissolve as Anja wrenched her other blade free from its disintegrating flesh.

She tore at the carcass, breaking free, heedless of the damage to her own body and gear. Her ODM gear creaked and groaned, the mechanisms straining under the brutal onslaught.

Another scream rent the air, another lure. Her head whipped around, blood dripping from her chin.

Something dangled from the grip of a large-mouthed Titan above. A leg, barely attached to a torso, exposed flesh and glistening bone visible through the shredded remnants of a uniform.

The scent of fresh blood filled Anja's nostrils, electrifying her veins with a thrill. She flew towards the Titan as it gnawed on its prize with a sickening crunch. The mangled body crumpled to the ground, discarded in favor of the new target.

The Titan lowered its gaze, its wide arms reaching out to grasp her. She fell right past it. Her ODM gear exploded, the abused mechanisms finally giving out under the strain.

She tumbled and rolled across the roof. For a moment, it seemed she might go over the edge—but she caught herself at the last second, fingers scrabbling for purchase on the tiles.

With a snarl, she ripped the deteriorated straps of her gear away, letting the ruined contraption fall to the streets below. Blades in hand, she charged the Titan on foot, a roar tearing from her throat.

The Titan's hand closed around her, crushing, constricting. Anja's blade flashed, slicing through flesh and bone. The severed hand fell away, and she clambered up the Titan's arm, using her blades like climbing picks.

It flailed and twisted, trying to throw her off, to grab her with its remaining hand. But Anja was relentless. She stabbed over and over, her blades growing duller with each frenzied strike, until they were little more than ragged pieces of metal.

She gouged and tore with what remained. Finally, with a shuddering groan, the Titan collapsed, its nape a ruin of pulped flesh.

Chest heaving, eyes wild, frantic.

The crimson fog lingered; bloodlust sang in my veins.

More to quench the endless hunger.

Movement, a wounded prey. My head snapped around, lips peeling back from gore-flecked teeth.

It dragged itself across the tiles. Some limbs were gone, chewed away, a trail of viscera and blood smearing behind it.

I stalked towards it, ruined blades hanging loose in my hands.

It froze, its entire body quaking as its wide, terrified eyes found mine. Its mouth moved, a soundless plea.

No mercy. Only hunger.

Blades flashed in a frenzy.

The screams climbed into shrieks, into choked, gurgling wails.

It thrashed and bucked, a hand scrabbling weakly at my face.

One final, wet crunch, it was over.

It lay still, its ruined chest a gaping crater, its face frozen in sweet terror.

But then its lips moved, a single word bubbling up through the blood and bile.

"...Monster..."

The word pierced the fog in Anja's mind, a shard of clarity stabbing through the haze of carnage. She blinked, a tremor running through her blood-soaked frame.

The ruined blades slipped from her nerveless fingers as the pain hit, a tidal wave of agony crashing over her as the adrenaline began to fade. Her shoulder burned, dislocated and ravaged. Shrapnel peppered her face and hands, vicious shards of metal embedded deep in her flesh. The skin of her back was shredded, flayed open by glancing Titan teeth. Her legs, her arms, her entire body throbbed and screamed, a map of bleeding lacerations and contusions.

Anja staggered to her feet, a strangled moan tearing from her throat. Her mind reeled, trying to make sense of the slaughter.

Nac's face swam before her eyes, his body torn apart, his face frozen in terror and agony. She looked at the carcass of the steaming Titan nearby, confusion and horror warring within her. The pain made it hard to form any coherent thought.

Anja looked at herself, at the blood coating her skin, her clothes. So much blood, steaming and scarlet, some boiling away to nothing, some still clinging in tacky, congealing ropes or freely dripping wetting the tiles. The copper reek of it filled her nose, her mouth, until she thought she might choke on it.

Memories came in shattered fragments, disjointed flashes of blood and brutality.

Anja crumpled to her knees, retching and sobbing, pain and revulsion twisting her gut.

"Anja!"

Annie reached her first, her usually stoic facade crumbling as she took in Anja's battered state. Worry shone in her icy blue eyes, her lips pressed into a thin line as she knelt beside her. Reiner and Bertholdt were close behind, their faces a mix of shock and unease.

Anja looked up through a veil of blood and tears, saw them staring at her, at the bloodbath surrounding her.

"What happened?" Reiner asked, his voice tight as he surveyed the scene. None of them fully understood what had transpired - they saw only Anja, broken and bloodied, the mangled remains of Nac Tius, and the steaming Titan corpse.

"I... I don't remember," Anja whispered, her voice trembling. She looked down at her hands, blood coating them, a growing sense of horror welling up inside her. Did I do this?

Annie gripped Anja's shoulders, forcing the other girl to meet her gaze. "Anja, look at me. You're hurt, badly. We need to get you out of here, to headquarters. Can you stand?"

Anja shook her head, a sob catching in her throat. "I can't... Annie, I think… I think I killed him... I'm a monster..."

"Stop that. We don't have time," Annie said firmly, her voice brooking no argument. "We'll figure this out later.”

Reiner shifted uneasily, his brow furrowed. "Annie, we have to stick to the mission. We can't afford any distractions."

Annie rounded on him, her eyes flashing protectively. Before she could respond, Connie's voice rang out.

"Guys! Over here!"

Annie's gaze drifted briefly towards the sound, then settled back on Reiner. Her voice was low. "We can't just leave her. Not now."

Reiner hesitated, glancing between Anja and the distant sounds of battle. For a moment, it seemed as if he might argue further, but then his shoulders slumped, a look of annoyance crossing his face.

"Fine. But we need to move quickly. Bertholdt, help her, I’ll see what is going on."

Together, they hauled Anja to her feet, supporting her weight between them. Anja cried out in pain, fresh tears streaking through the grime on her face.

"I'm sorry," she gasped, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm slowing you down. You should leave me..."

"Shut up," Annie said, her tone sharp. "We're not leaving you."

Anja sagged against them, her strength failing. She allowed herself to be half carried, each step an agony, each breath a battle.

They reached Nac's crumpled form. Anja flinched, turning her face away. Annie paused, then knelt and began to strip his ODM gear with brisk efficiency.

"What are you doing?" Bertholdt asked, his voice strained.

"She needs it more than he does," Annie replied shortly, already fitting the bloodied straps to Anja's battered frame.

Anja let her work, too numb to protest. Her mind was reeling, fragments of memory flashing behind her eyes. The Titan's grasping hand, Franz's screams, the taste of blood in her mouth...

She squeezed her eyes shut, a shudder running through her. She was afraid, terrified of the darkness lurking inside her, of what she might do if she lost control again.

Eren. She thought, her mind drifting to her missing friend. She had been looking for him, hadn't she? Before everything went wrong...

Slowly, painfully, they made their way towards the others. Reiner had moved ahead, speaking urgently with Connie.

"We're cut off," Reiner said grimly as they approached. "The way to headquarters is blocked."

Connie's eyes widened as he caught sight of Anja, his face paling. "Holy shit, Anja! What happened to you?"

Marco turned, his expression morphing from concern to horror as he took in her battered state."Anja, your injuries..."

Anja could only shake her head, the words sticking in her throat. How could she explain the inexplicable? The horror of what she had done.

Her gaze was drawn to the huddled forms of her fellow cadets, their faces etched with grief and shock.

Hannah wept uncontrollably, her sobs muffled against Marco's chest. Mina was curled into a ball, her shoulders shaking with silent tears.

And Armin...

Armin stood apart from the rest, his eyes wide and glassy, his face a mask of utter devastation. When he spoke, his voice was a broken whisper.

"Eren... Eren is dead."

The words hit Anja like a physical blow, driving the air from her lungs. She stared at Armin, uncomprehending, the world spinning around her as the full weight of their loss crashed down upon her.

Gone. Just like that.

It was happening all over again. She had failed... failed to protect the people she loved, just like with Heinrik, with her mother.

"Armin," Anja croaked, reaching towards him with a trembling bloodied hand. "I'm sorry... I tried to find him, I swear..."

But Armin seemed lost in his own world of grief, his gaze distant and haunted. He didn't even seem to register her presence.

Anja swayed on her feet, darkness tunneling her vision. Her wounds, the exhaustion, the shock of Eren's death... it was all too much.

She sagged in Annie's grip, her legs giving out beneath her. Annie lowered her gently, cradling her head in her lap.

"Stay with me, Anja," Annie pleaded, her voice threatening to break. "Don't you dare give up now.“

Anja's eyelids fluttered, her gaze unfocused. "Annie... I'm scared," she whispered, her voice small and broken. "Am I... A monster?"

Annie smoothed Anja's blood-soaked hair back from her forehead, her touch gentle despite the urgency of the situation. She leaned in close, her icy blue eyes fierce with determination.

"Listen to me, Anja. You're not a monster. You're a survivor, just like me… We'll get through this together. I’m here for you now.”

Her grip tightened on Anja's hand, as if she could anchor her to life through sheer force of will.

But Anja could barely hear her over the roaring in her ears. She stared up at the smoke-filled sky, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. In the distance, the Titans raged on, their footsteps shaking the earth, their roars mingling with the screams of the dying.

The world was fading away, the pain and grief and horror blurring into a distant hum.

"I need help!" Annie called out, her voice sharp with desperation. "She's losing consciousness!"

"...too much blood..."

"...need to stop the bleeding..."

"...Anja, stay with us..."

But Anja was slipping away, the darkness rising up to claim her. As she sank into oblivion, a single thought crystallized in her mind, sharp and clear amidst the chaos.

I failed you…. I'm sorry

And then there was only the void, freezing cold, endless and empty. With only the knowledge that she had failed kept her company, the thought that she let that darkness win.

Anja wondered, in that last moment of consciousness, if she would ever find her way back.

If she even deserved to.

The darkness swallowed her whole, and she knew no more.