I WILL PROTECT YOU

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟗

3rd POV

  Out in the open field, Connie rode his horse faster than the others. He quickly led the way to his village while they tried to keep up. "Connie, wait!" Reiner yelled. "Calm down! There could be titans anywhere!" He warned. Connie didn't listen and was beginning to leave the group in the dust. "Get back here, Connie!"

Arriving at his village Connie scanned the area as he rode past familiar buildings. His eyes were wide at seeing the houses damaged, broken in, and collapsing.

"This can't be..." Going over the rubble that covered the path he called for anyone. "Is anyone there?!" Not hearing any response he shouted out, "It's me! Connie! I came back!" It was quiet. No call for help or a single sound, it seemed he was the only one there. That's when it hit him. Facing a certain direction he led his horse.

"My house!" Making his way to his house he thought of his family. Dad...Mom! Sunny... Martin! The images of his parents and siblings burned in his mind. It's been three years since he's seen them.

"Please be okay!" Biting down on his teeth he lowered his gaze. He didn't want to imagine the worst, that he lost his family before he could see them one last time. His family was everything to him...

In the top of his eyes, he noticed a large figure and immediately halted his horse. At seeing what was exactly in front of him he completely froze, his yellow golden eyes wide at what was on his house.

A titan...

It was crushing his house completely as it laid on its back. A large smile was on it as it stared back at Connie. And somehow... the titan seemed to have the same wide-colored eyes as him.

"Connie! Get back!" In came the voice of Reiner as he made his way to the shocked boy. Grabbing his arm he tried to pull Connie away from the titan. But he stopped when hearing what Connie said.

"It's...my house. My..."

A slight gasp escaped Reiner while letting go of Connie and saying his name. The two fell silent, a vet rode in front of them and pulled out a blade at the sight of the titan.

"Fall back, you two!" Gelgar ordered. In the back, Lynne rode past them. "I'll scout the area!" She said. Gelgar went ahead and rode his horse around the titan to see what situation it was in. But as he reached the side of the house he felt flabbergasted.

"Wait, it's...It can't move?" Saying to himself he saw the limbs of the titan. They were unbelievably skinny and small compared to the rest of its body. Its arms didn't even reach the ground.

"Not with those legs..." Lynne said. From above the titan had four large bones piercing out of its body. It had a large chest, its rib cage being visible through the skin, and a thin waist.

"Th-Then... How?" Stuttering his words Gelgar and the others didn't understand how this could be. "How did it even get here?!"

-

Connie stared at the titan, he held two unlit torches as he dismounted his horse to help find anyone. Behind him, Reiner jogged to him and called his name again.

"Connie! Are there any survivors?" He asked, Bertholdt also made his way to Connie and stood behind Reiner.

"No..." Connie uttered. Looking down at the ground tears started to form and roll down his cheeks. "None at all. It's all over... My hometown...It's gone forever."

Reiner jerked back and trotted closer to Connie. Placing a hand on his shoulder he appeared to be in distress for his friend. In the back, Bertholdt watched the two in the corner of his eyes. A bead of sweat rolled down his chin.