57th Expedition(4)

(Erwin POV)

Erwin observed the prey trapped before him in midst of the huge pine green scenery. A gust of wind blew the smoke that stank of gunpowder right into his face.

He sliced his blade downwards."Fire!"

The wooden barrels boomed once more. At his orders, the Survey Corps sent another round of sharp steel plunging into the Female Titan's skin.

Erwin scrutinized the titan for any bits of information he could gleam. He sacrificed many good men to get to where they were and owed it to them to give their deaths meaning.

He had lost count of the number of times his heart was plagued with surges of pain, whenever he saw a flare being fired. It was a reminder that added guilt to his shoulders, but he would not let it show on his face. Not in front of his men.

"I think we've done it," Miche said as he flew up right beside him. "I wonder who's the person inside?"

"We'll find out about that monster's identity ... soon enough." Erwin sheathed his blade as the last harpoons were shot. The special weapons had worked, allowing them to restrain the titan. The previous successes of the Survey Corps made it easier for him to secure funds, allowing those equipments to be built faster and the expedition to be carried out two weeks ahead of schedule.

"Ya-hoo! How's that? You won't be able to move an inch ever again … probably forever."

An excited voice came from someone standing beside the bushes below. There was only one person that would be so turned on by titans in the midst of an expedition - Hange.

She let out another burst of laughter that unnerved him. Creepy.

"I hope you don't run into her once the expedition ends, Miche ."

"Y-Yeah."Miche swallowed a lump."I don't think I can handle the hour-long conversations … I mean the speeches she is going to give about titans again. I feel sorry for her squad members..."

He nodded, before a third voice sounded behind him, along with the hiss of gears.

"Erwin."

"How was it?"He asked, his gaze still glued to the enormous figure in front of him.

"I engaged the Female Titan as you ordered, with the intent to fully kill it. No good."Levi grunted."That thing can harden her nape, at an incredible speed. Blades don't work ."

Erwin raised a brow. He didn't answer.

"You knew it didn't you? That something like that might happen."Levi said.

"Eren told me before about his fight with the Armored Titan. I can't imagine our enemies being foolish enough to come without having some kind of countermeasure. Given Eren's abilities, they would be digging their graves. We have to find out as much as we can. " Erwin turned his head and inspected the bloodstained person beside him. He had clearly been through a rough battle. "You've done well ."

Levi's head bowed a little, his voice became low, but not soft as he spoke. "It was all thanks to sacrifices of the rear team and the people who fought, they brought us valuable time." He paused, his tone returning to normal."Mikasa and Eren too, seeing how we've succeeded in the capture ."

"In any case, the deaths of our comrades were not in vain." Erwin's shoulders dropped as a lightness struck his senses. He stared at the hands covering the Female Titan's nape , and decided to probe the abilities of this titan shifter further. It was a valuable chance, he wouldn't let it slip away.

"So, what now ?" Levi asked.

"Miche. Levi. Draw your swords."

"I told you already. Blades don't wo-"

"Let's test her abilities a bit more," Erwin said evenly. "Levi. You go for the hands on her nape. Miche will strike the left shoulder at the same instant. Begin on my command ."

"Roger." Two voices replied together. They launched off towards the trees using their odm gear.

Erwin raised his right hand and inspected the Female Titan again. He wondered if the hardening ability of the titan extended to other parts beyond the nape, as well as the limits of it.

"Go!"He commanded and dropped his hand.

Levi and Miche's figure flew towards the titan simultaneously, the duo swung their swords as their bodies spun.

The sound of steel, steel breaking, and steel tearing filled the air.

Erwin fixed his attention on the Female Titan's shoulder where Miche had struck, blood was spraying everywhere. It seemed the titan could only harden only one part of her body at any given point - she chose to do so for her hands but not the shoulders.

The speed of the hardening was lightning fast. Was it a unique feature limited to only her? Or did other titans like her have it as well? Would they be able to harden that quickly if so? Questions raced through Erwin's mind as his brows furrowed in thought.

He glanced at the gloomy clouds that hung over the forest and motioned with a hand, the gusts of wind that occasionally stirred the branches were getting stronger. Time was short, they couldn't afford to waste any more of it.

With the rustling of leaves, someone landed beside him

"Have your team prepare the explosives, Nigel. We'll blow off her hands ."

"Yes, sir ... But there's a chance the amount of firepower we are carrying, may vaporize what's inside as well."

"In that case, set the charges to amputate the wrist ."Erwin strode forward, and pressed a hand on Nigel's shoulder."Set them all off together on my signal."

"R-Roger."

A line of gas strewn from where Erwin stood, Nigel had landed on the ground beside his squad and began to gesture at them to carry out his new orders.

Erwin switched his focus back to the captured prey. Levi was standing atop the Female Titan's head, stomping at her sunflower-blonde hair while he spoke - too far for him to hear. He was likely furious at the lives she had taken.

Although he rarely displayed his emotions, Levi cared a lot for the people around him - especially Petra. When would Levi finally find the courage to confess to her and stop deceiving himself?

In his Periphery, Petra's eyes were completely glued to that short figure. Perhaps once the expedition was over, he should do something for Levi … and for Eren as well.

A soft sigh escaped his lips. He eyed Miche standing atop a tree opposite him and signaled him to come over, they would have to make plans on how to keep the capture of the Female Titan a secret while returning to Karanes .

Her allies might attempt a rescue along the way back if they found out, he already came up with an idea but wanted his friend's opinion about it. New perspectives were always helpful, and Miche possessed good insight, in sniffing out both flaws and objects alike …

"Miche. I believe it would be best t-"

The Female Titan unleashed a piercing cry that interrupted Erwin's words, huge swathes of violent air laced with foul, bad breath swept against him. His ears throbbed in pain as he tugged his cloak tight to keep them from flying off.

When the noise calmed down, an eerie silence haunted the atmosphere. A chilling sense of foreboding encased him, the scream definitely held a meaning behind it.

"W-What in the world?"Miche's voice was shaking."Erwin, it stinks. "

"From where?"

"Multiple sources. All Directions!"

Erwin grasped the hilt of his blade and drew it out."Ready those explosives."He barked."NOW!"

"The first wave will come from the east. They're almost here! "

He counted five titans sprinting towards them at an incredible speed. Were they all aberrants?

"Escort Team, Intercept!"

Three figures took off to confront the onrushing titans, but failed to draw their attention; They simply ignored them and continued racing forward.

"LEVI!"

No sooner did the words leave his mouth, Levi's body had already spun past four napes, a line of red drawn across them as their faces bit the dust on the ground.

"One got through. I`ll handle it." Miche sprang towards the 4-meter class sinking its oversized teeth into the Female Titan's flesh.

Erwin's eyes widened, the aberrants were acting in a strange manner. They paid no heed to the humans earlier, just to go after the Female Titan?

"C-Commander … T-Titans from all directions!" A panicked shout came from a soldier nearby.

Heavy footsteps stacked on top of one another, the ground quaked as huge figures filled his vision from every angle in the distance.

"All units, engage! " Erwin bellowed. "Defend the Female Titan, even if it costs your lives!"

His chest tightened as the carnage unfolded. Blood spurted everywhere as his soldiers charged atop the trees into battle. They had some success initially in stopping the waves, those present were men that had survived and been with him even before the Fall of Shiganshina - Elite members who could hold their own against a titan. However, the stream of titans that came had no end.

Realization struck Erwin as his body froze. Wasn't that what happened in Shiganshina and Trost? This Female Titan … was probably the one who lured them there after the gates were broken by the Colossal Titan.

"It's n-no use ... W-We can"t stop them all!" Miche latched onto a trunk beside him. Panting, he switched out his broken swords before jumping back into the fray.

Erwin squeezed his fingers against the controller grips. Droplets of warm titan blood stained his cheek as the melee continued. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Everyone, RETREAT!" He looked on at the Female Titan being torn apart ."We are returning to Karanes."

When his men fell back to the trees, only the munching sounds remained. Erwin continued to study the scene before him.

Levi flew and landed beside him."Erwin, y-"

"We've been had, our enemy … was willing to sacrifice everything. "He explained."I never expected the Female Titan to destroy herself along with the evidence, by inciting the other titans to devour her."

"Tch. Don't tell me our troops died for nothing ..."

Erwin squinted his eyes. The Female Titan's head and torso were completely nowhere to be seen. If only there were some traces of evidence, that would help them to find out the identity of who their opponents were. The thick steam that rose from it obstructed his sight. Wait, the steam …

"Levi."Erwin unstrapped his gas canisters and blade compartments. "Take my gear, I haven't used them much, so they should be almost full."

"Huh?"

"Go after Eren and Mikasa with your squad. At once.Whoever was inside the Female Titan..."He spoke in a heavy tone."Is still alive."

A/N: Almost 1.8k words. 1st Chap of the week.