HUMANITY'S CURSED EYES
CHAPTER XIII | SPECTER

The specter of enemies

Swords appeared from around her. She awaited her victim, or rather believed enemy, on top of a branch in a tall tree. She could hear the horse hooves of an entire brigade nearing the area down below. She stood in kneeling position and concealed her nose and mouth with a black cloth. The sun had began to set down in the horizon leaving shadows to protect her presence.

"I took heed to your atrocities against my kind." She tied her brown hair into a ponytail before wearing her black hood. "Sick whoreson." She clenched her teeth in distaste. Gravity began to fuse her towards the leading man galloping on a white horse in front of the entire group. All men including the leader wore green coats. She transported beside him, ready to strike.

"Enemy on sight!" A man with a five o'clock shave beard and disheveled blond hair, yelled to his leader. The man heading the group didn't have time to react as the feeling of boots knocked him out his white stallion.

"Commander!" His men yelled.

She didn't have an accurate description of the leader but that of blond hair and tall height. Also being the head group, which claims her mentor, was behind the murders of her family and people possessing the power of the Krazestones.

Both landed on the rough dirt with a hard thud. She lifted her sword and prepared to strike his broad chest. "Not when I'm up and running." A plain male voice interrupted her scheme. She turned to one of the leader's men wearing his hood over his head. She was shoved to the ground by the average five foot man. She lowered her gaze and quickly escaped from his grasp.

She grips on her majestic blade with symbols embellishing its edges. "You've got some gripping blade there." The small man remarks and draws out his long keen blade. "Like to see them penetrate your brain."

______

Today marks the second day of the Reincarnation Development, the process in which Ermoza a.k.a Aji, has sixty days to decide whether to reincarnate the titans or vanish them, and if cavet to eliminate the orbs, three forces should be found. The process seems unreal. There must be something deeper than what Hange explained to Aji, something beyond the worn out book Hange explained.

"Today's activity is..." Erwin retrieves three golden marbles from his right pocket and shows it to the entire brigade, standing in parallel lines. "...Hunter."

Aji watches few soldiers groan in annoyance, some smile in excitement meanwhile, others bite their lips in concern. She turns her attention to the golden marbles sending rays of light from the effects of the sun.

"What's Hunter?" Aji whispers to Eren.

"A game that lasts for three days." Eren rolls his eyes. "The captain should have explained it to you."

"What the hell is your problem?" She rests her hand on her hip.

Eren points a finger to her. "You're the problem."

"Eren." Armin intervenes.

"Because of you, we haven't gotten to the basement yet." Eren's turquoise eyes scream hatred.

"Don't put the blame on me." Aji defends.

"Don't listen to Eren. His being offensive lately." Armin pulls Aji away from a furious Eren.

"Look kid." Aji slaps Armin's hand away from her arm. "I don't need you to defend me." Armin looks down.

"Armin was trying to help." The Japanese girl name Mikasa joins the argument.

Eren yanks Aji from the collar. "I wish we have never found you. I bet you're our enemy to begin with." Aji pushes Eren away and fixes her collar.

"Sick lunatic." Aji murmurs.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this." Jean shakes his head in disbelief. "Eren is right."

"Then you guys shouldn't have brought me in." Aji retorts back.

Erens steps to Aji, nose to nose. "Your mere existence is the problem."

"Talking about holding a grudge." She taunts in amusement.

"You won't live long." He murmurs.

"You should concern yourself with your own." She holds her ground. "You may find yourself sentence to an early unavoidable death if you keep that rude attitude flowing around."

"Knock it off." Levi grips Eren's brown hair and yanks it backward. "Remember you were once looked upon if not still looked upon as a threat." Levi sends Eren a glare. "Or did you forget?" Levi let's go.

Eren clenches his hands into fists and  clenches his teeth. "No. I haven't."

"Then loose the steam." Levi snaps. "Last we harbor is your transformation." He scolds Eren.

"Captain-" Eren protests.

"Get ready for the activity." He shoves Eren towards the group of soldiers preparing for the activity but Eren returns.

"Captain Levi. Do you believe her to be an ally?"

"No." Levi responds. "But we've got no choice."

"What choice?" He ridicules. "What makes her presence so important to the delaying of our mission?"

"You'll know soon." Levi gestures Eren to leave. After a few seconds of tension, Eren reluctantly prepares for the activity with the entire squad following behind him.

"Ermoza." Levi whispers.

"What is it?" She dusts off invisible dirt on her green coat.

"You're forbidden to transport or use any other ability in this game."

"Why?" She arcs a brow. "Is it going to startle the other soldiers?"

"Erwin hasn't given a proper introduction of your abilities."

"Why?" Levi shakes his head from Aji's inquiry. She feels him slide his hand on her back and gently push her to the others.

"Get ready for the activity."

She steps away from him. "Ease it there a bit. Since when in your rightful mind do you consider touching me alright?" Levi does his best to not look perplexed. Levi and Aji kissed yesterday night. Is she ignoring what occurred or did she forget entirely?

"Since assaulting Eren." Levi instead answers. "Perhaps Eren is indeed right. Your mind could have been fully responsive in those two attacks, pretending to be possessed by a damn curse." He remarks suspiciously.

"If I'm a specter to Eren's assassination then consider me an enemy." She rounds Levi. "I've said truth. I know little." She lowers her eyelids, revealing the beauty of dark long lashes. "Like if you will believe me anyway." She sighs meanwhile tapping her foot to the ground. "Anywho. My position is your call." She gestures nonchalantly.

"The dungeon cell then." Levi dictates. "Erwin." He calls to the Commander. He gestures with his head and hand that Aji will be taken to the prison cell. A disappointing demeanor washes the Commander as Levi and Aji enter the Headquarters.

"Friend or foe? Ermoza." Erwin whispers to himself. "Which side?"

______

Aji is forced to the wall after entering the dungeon cell. Levi's blue eyes scan for any response. "Off those hands." She shoves him away. Not the response he seeked for. He believed Aji could have felt uncomfortable demonstrating a wince of affection in public so he sought for a change in behavior seeing no distinct eyes are present in the parameter. Guess he misunderstand.

Thirsty for the truth, he dares to ask. "Do you recall what happened last night?"

"Last night?"

"Yes. Last night." He snaps.

She sits in the bed. "What, you saw the stranger I saw in the trees as well?"

"No." He waves it off. "After your chest pain."

"I left after you decided hugging me was the cure for my timed suffering." She watches Levi in concern. "Why the question?" A chilliness overpowers the warm atmosphere.

He kneels in front of Aji without losing eye contact. "You can't recall?"

"Recall what exactly?" She whispers. He rests his palm onto her own to find them cold. Her skin pales substantially in a matter of seconds.

The burning torches illuminating the dungeon start to diminish gradually one by one. Aji rises abruptly. "Something isn't right." She notices the fire dying out and the presence of a silhouette in front of the open door cell. Her head begins to throb as the call of winter washes her somatosensory system. "Who is that?" She points to the stranger.

"Who is who?" Levi turns to the open door cell. "There's no one."

"No one?" She steps back.

How can you not see it? It's holding a sword.

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