Venus and Rose

Chapter Eight: Lifeline

The vibrations of each distant step made you flinch as you stood on the rooftop with the remaining members of your squad huddled behind you. Stephen Sichern who you always thought was such a quiet and calm person now let out a loud sob at the high-pitched screams coming from the ground. One of your squad had run out of gas, and now she was already in the clutches of a titan. Grinding your teeth at the sounds of her screams, you barely felt the hot tears on your cheeks and your hands trembling fiercely as you held tightly to your blades.

The Colossal Titan had kicked a massive hole in the wall and next disappeared in a blast of steam. After being nearly blown off the wall from the steam released by the Colossal Titan, you and the rest of the cadets regrouped at the military base inside Trost. The massive titan had disappeared, and along with everyone else, you wondered how it could have vanished like that. You were assigned squad leader over five other cadets, and it had taken a great deal of encouragement for them to follow you. Nearly all of them were in various states of shock, but somehow you remained steady.

Holding Sasha, you had promised to find her later. "Stay safe, Rose."

Sasha leaned her forehead against yours and held your gaze. "You too, Venus."

Seeing the Colossal Titan seemed to have gotten you through the initial shock, so while the others struggled with their emotions, you could focus. A member of your squad was quickly killed, so you had ordered the others to stay back to just evade titans and you did your best to protect them.

Unfortunately, your gas levels were running low and the others weren't faring better since they were often having to evade titans. Your squad was sent to the Eastern part of Trost, and were currently heading for the wall in preparation for the signal to retreat and climb. You had already eliminated two four-meter titans, while two of your squad managed to kill a three-meter.

In an effort to save gas, you ran over the rooftops, your remaining squad members following closely. However, one of the cadets had slipped and fallen off the building. She had seemed unhurt by the fall, but her gear stopped working when she tried to return to the rooftop. Before you could descend, a quick abnormal titan leapt towards her. Ushering the rest behind a chimney, you couldn't help but cry at her screams for help. What could you do? The abnormal was so fast, it was like it had appeared out of nowhere.

I could have done something! You screamed at yourself as the cadet's cries mercifully cut out.

With the abnormal distracted, you gestured for the others to follow you off the final rooftop and run for the wall. You and the others were nearly there before your relief shattered at the thuds of approaching footsteps. "Go! Go!" You screamed at the cadets and you faced another titan. A six-meter titan stared down at you with a wide grin splayed across its cheeks and had its blonde hair blocking one of its squinting eyes. Drawing the titan away from the other cadets, you barely managed to dodge a massive hand reaching for you.

Using your ODM gear, you shot onto a rooftop and turned to meet the gaze of the titan. Leaning on a chimney to catch your breath, you glanced over the titan's shoulder to see the flash of Stephen's bright red hair at the bottom of the wall, while the other two cadets were already halfway up the wall. Dodging the titan's hand again and leaping onto the next roof, you heard a crash as the chimney collapsed from the impact where you had just been standing.

It couldn't be helped. In order to help Stephen, you had to take out that titan. The image of Sasha flashed across your eyes, and with new determination you gripped the swords tighter. Jumping from the rooftop, the ODM gear hooked onto the titan and you swung gracefully around towards its neck. Slipping past its grasping fingers, you slashed your swords neatly across its nape. The body of the titan carried you down to the ground, sending you flying off into the dirt. Groaning, you rose and ran to Stephen, who was frantically fumbling with his gear.