Knowing the capabilities of Levi, you knew that he was best suited to dealing with the forces outside. Meanwhile, you could rush inside and take on Amea and the remaining guards. But there was also the possibility that she would be heavily protected. After a brief consideration, you made up your mind.
"I'll take on Amea." You said, looking over to Captain Levi, "Captain, you can deal with the outside; your men have more experience with this."
He scoffed. "If you need help, call for it. Don't be a hero, dumbass." The Captain replied, his tone gruff, but there was a hint of approval. "Now, let's go." And with that, you all jumped off from your vantage point and flew off in different directions.
The wind rushing against your face was exhilarating as you weaved through the city, moving quickly towards the tower. The fires of the city made for good cover in the shadows. The gunshots that could be heard below were soon drowned out by the whistle of the gas from the ODM gear, and the occasional thud of a fellow soldier.
Emelina was close by, a few feet away, and she signaled you when the way was clear. There was no time for words; everything was being communicated with simple gestures and glances. And the others were also close. Petra was at the flank, following Levi's lead. While Nifa and the others were hanging back a bit, ensuring there was a quick exit route if things went south.
Finally, you arrived at the tower. The base was surrounded by several Dove soldiers who were looking around at full alert, and they did not take long to notice your presence. A whistle was blown, and a shot was fired in your direction. But it was not accurate enough to hit, the wind of the night shifting it away.
Levi and the others made a pass over them, distracting them with their movements, and that gave you the opening you needed. Emelina used a signal flare, the bright light illuminating the courtyard below and making the guards cover their eyes.
You, Annie, and Mikasa did not waste any more time and launched yourselves into the tower from above, cutting down the ropes holding up a large wooden structure that the Doves were using as cover and letting it fall down on them.
Immediately, the three of you handled the Doves atop the tower, fighting them with quickness. Mikasa swiftly dispatched one, while Annie used her momentum to wrap her legs around the neck of the second and twist it until it broke with a loud crack. The sound made you wince, but you focused on the third, who had managed to reload his rifle and aim at Mikasa, but before he could fire, you threw one of your blades and sliced his wrist, making him drop the gun and scream.
Fighting humans was no joke. This was no place for half-hearted attempts; you had to go for the kill.
You then grabbed him and slammed him into the wall, and with a clean movement, you stabbed his chest. His death was quick, but the expression on his face, that mix of terror and regret, stayed with you for a moment.
Emelina came from above, her hood falling back, and her silver hair flowing behind her. "There is an entrance here!" She motioned to the hole that had been blown open in the side of the tower, likely during the initial chaos of the coup. The Doves were trying to get it repaired but had not done so yet. It was your way in.
Without further ado, you went in, with Mikasa, Annie, and Emelina staying back for a moment, securing the area around the tower.
As you went inside, you saw darkness inside the castle, with illumination provided only by a few lamps; all the while, the sounds of footsteps and whispers came from different directions. It seemed that Amea was well-guarded and not making any of her presence known, and yet, she had to be there somewhere. You decided to trust in your hearing and moved quietly towards one of the whispers.
It was not long before you spotted a group of guards, but they had not seen you. Instead, they were too focused on their conversation. Annie moved right behind you; she placed a hand on your shoulder, then signaled to Mikasa to flank the left. The blonde hair of Annie barely shone under the low light as she got in position, her body tense, like an animal about to strike.
It took mere seconds for you all to deal with the group of men. A slice of your blades across their necks, a muffled scream, and the blood splatter on your cloak. No words exchanged. Only efficiency.
Mikasa looked at the bodies, her eyes cold as always, while Annie checked them for any valuables. "Anything useful?" You asked her.
"Their rifle and ammunition," She replied. "These could come in handy." She then picked up one of them and checked it, checking the chamber with quick, practiced movements. "Never hurts to have one of these...Especially when I am so small," She teased. You just smiled in response.
Mikasa moved ahead, her head moving to scan the surroundings, and then she turned to signal. More footsteps and voices could be heard down the hall, from a room that was lit up. You could hear what sounded like an argument. Maybe it was the leader herself?
You motioned to your group, and the three of you began to move in that direction. Your senses were heightened, ready to take on whatever or whoever was inside that room.
It was not going to be easy, but it was the only way to get close to the enemy leader. The sound of voices grew clearer, but it was difficult to make out what they were saying.
Then you saw it. Through the door left ajar, a room filled with maps, plans, and a woman standing at the center, her back facing you. She was wearing a hood and the emblem of the White Doves. And her hands were on the table in front of her, her posture straight and proud.
Emelina looked at you; her eyes confirmed that this was the one, Amea Gann, the leader of the group. This situation, however, felt a bit off, as if it was too easy. However, you had to bring an end to this attempt at a revolution, for good or ill.
Then, without warning, the women began to talk. "The Survey Corps is more competent than I thought, Emelina...Your betrayal did not go unnoticed. Tell me...was it worth it?" She sounded so sure, so in control.
It sent a chill down your spine, and you knew you had to act fast.
Emelina wasted no time, rushing in and drawing her blades. But the moment she did, a shot rang behind her, and you felt it as it fell on the wall in front of her, inches away from a trajectory that would have hit her straight on the head.
"Shit..." Annie cursed as she looked back, and there were indeed several White Doves aiming rifles at you, from behind cover, making a perfect line of sight for all of you.
Meanwhile, Amea just stood up and turned, a gun in her hands as well, a smaller one compared to the ones the others had. And she aimed it at Emelina, a smirk on her face. "Do not move, traitor." She ordered.
You could see your sister's expression, though the mask made it hard to read. But her eyes, they showed defiance and a hint of anger. She stopped, not willing to risk your life'.
"Let us guess," Amea continued. "You want to stop us...But why? Haven't I taught you that this world of yours is but a fantasy?" She moved around her. "That the only path forward is to throw down this false peace...to join in the building of a new humanity," She continued her speech, almost like she was enjoying the sound of her own voice. You were about to respond when she shot at you. At this distance, it was impossible to dodge, so all you could do was brace as the bullet hit you in the arm and left a trail of pain through your limb. The sound of it was enough to make Annie move, but she was stopped by the other Doves. "Tsk...No talking unless I let you, understand?"
It was a dangerous situation. But she seemed more than confident about her control over you all.
Mikasa's teeth were gritted as she stood still, the blood on your arm slowly healing, but the pain not fading as quickly as you wanted. You knew it was a tactic; she was stalling you for some reason. "Why are you doing this?" You finally asked her, trying to keep your voice steady.
"Why?" She chuckled. "It's because the royal family has failed, the false king is a joke, and this country is but a relic of a past era...There is no need for it. It must be discarded." She then shook her head. "But why do I tell you? It would fall on deaf ears...No, the point is, the world beyond is changing. The Titans will soon be the past...Nevermind...They are the past, aren't they?" She said, silently walking over to Annie. "A little birdie told me that you, the soldier from Marley, are in the Survey Corps. You must know it yourself: how Marley is obsolete, their Titans have lost their advantage." She spoke, then caressed Annie's face with the gun's muzzle. Annie, in response, glared back.
"Though, we cannot blame them for trying to make their move before it was too late...This continent is no longer a mystery, and the ones who sit here, clinging to the lies of the first king, will not be spared." Amea explained. Her expression was almost gentle, but there was no pity in her voice. "That is why we have to cleanse this place...To give it the proper leadership, one that does not fear change."
It sounded noble, and you knew many people had joined the group with such an ideal in mind. But the deaths, the destruction...Was this the way to do it? No, it was not.
Mikasa felt reminded of Annie's betrayal; her otherness and her expression, even now, felt cold.
Annie looked at the woman with disgust, but she was silent, biding her time.
"Emelina...you, who have seen this place's cruelty from within, should know that we do not act without purpose...Even if I may not be able to make you understand, know that it is for the best," Amea said, turning back to Emelina, her voice soft. But you noticed that the other Dove soldiers had started to move. They were not just pointing their rifles at you; they were getting closer. "I've sent a signal in a couple of days; a force will land on this island, and we will kill off the royal family...This will be a new world...A new beginning." She took a few steps away and put a finger on the trigger.
"Do you really think that you can take the Survey Corps and all the other forces alone? That the people of the Walls will just accept it?" You asked her, trying to keep her attention.
She just smirked and shrugged. "Of course they will. You saw the reaction yourself...They have been lied to, and once we kill the king, their illusion will fade, and they will see that we are the ones in charge." The arrogance of her words was so thick, so overconfident. It made you angry. And it seemed your friends were feeling the same way. Their hands moved to their swords, slowly.
Emelina's expression remained unreadable behind her mask, but you saw her fingers flex as if to grasp her blade tighter.
It was now or never.
Immediately, Emelina grabbed the rifle pointed at her and redirected it towards another Dove. Annie and Mikasa took that chance to rush to the rest and began the battle, with Annie taking a grenade and throwing it back at the Doves that had been standing further behind. The explosion sent debris and fire around, while Mikasa was slicing and cutting with brutal precision.
Amea's eyes widened for a second before she recovered and moved back, taking aim with her pistol again. She tried to shoot at Emelina, but she was quicker and rolled away, the shot hitting the map table instead.
You ran after Amea, ready to stop her. But she moved swiftly through the room, evading your attack, and then pointed her pistol back at you. The gunshot rang in your ears again, and this time you were hit in the shoulder, making you drop one of your blades.
"You never give up, do you? The true monsters, the Survey Corps...So pathetic," Amea sneered. She moved again, this time trying to run out of the room. But Emelina was already on her tail, not letting her get far.
However, before she could reach her, a soldier aimed his rifle at Emelina.
"Emelina! Watch out!" You warned.
But before she could turn, the shot was made. The silver eyelashes of your sister barely registered the angle of the shot as it went to her.
The impact was hard, immediately forcing her leg to give way and sending her falling on the ground, the bullet having found its mark in her hip.
"EMELINA!" You shouted in anger, rushing to the Dove and taking your sword in hand, cutting the gun in half and slicing his chest. His blood sprayed onto your face, warm and sticky. Then you were by your sister's side, picking her up. She grunted, her breathing fast, her mask falling off to reveal her pained expression.
"Dammit..." She cursed with a smile. "That hurt..." She looked at her hip, where the blood was flowing, the hole of the wound clear as day.
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Mikasa and Annie continued to fight off the other soldiers. The sound of shooting continued on even as Amea made her way out; however, it seemed they had a large number of men in this headquarters...It wouldn't be too long until you were overwhelmed. Still...to have your sister hurt and bleeding like this. It felt as if that moment at the castle had happened all over again.
"I have you...I..." You wanted to tell her she would be okay, but there was no guarantee of that. "Can you still move?"
"Maybe..." She looked at you with those steel-colored eyes of hers, a small grin forming on her face despite it all. "But you shouldn't be soft...Get that bitch..." She whispered, nodding in the direction of the fleeing leader.
"I can't leave you..." You protested.
Annie looked over and called out, "Go, we will handle this!" Then, she turned her back on the enemy, taking another bullet, this time to her shoulder. It didn't go all the way, though, as she turned around, grabbing her rifle and shooting the soldier down.
The way her blue eyes were determined made your decision clear.
"Emelina, first I will make sure you are safe," You told her. With that, you quickly placed her in a corner, near some furniture, where she could be hidden. Then, you grabbed both of your swords and dashed to take out the nearest Dove.
The strength with which you wielded your blades was enough to send the other soldier stumbling, but you were already slashing through the air to take his head off. The anger flowing through you was enough to power your swings with great momentum.
You kept going forward; there was a clear exit that you needed to reach. Mikasa joined your side without any words; the synchronization you two had on the battlefield was impeccable. Soon, you were punching, cutting, and slashing at any of the soldiers that tried to get to the two of you. You even kicked one on the ribs, making you feel the breaking of bones as the person was thrown to a nearby wall.
Mikasa enjoyed the dance; she contained within herself the thrill, but even she raised an eyebrow at your brutality. "Conrad...are you trying to rip them apart?" She asked, a smirk forming.
"No..." You replied. "I just don't have the time for niceties."
Once the path was clear, you and Mikasa made a break for it. Using your ODM, you pursued the Doves' leader and managed to find a glass window. Below was Amea, already in the courtyard, surrounded by her bodyguards, as Levi and the rest of the Survey Corps attempted to keep a significant force of the Doves at bay. Captain Levi himself was making quick dives between the rooftops, trying to minimize the time exposed to the Doves' rifle fire as best he could. He had several of them already on the ground.
But you couldn't think about the other fights. The person in front of you, who had shot at you, had also shot at your sister...That couldn't be left to anyone else. "Let's do this!" You called out, not waiting for an answer.
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Mikasa nodded and immediately jumped out of the window as well. You both launched your hooks and moved around the enemy, attempting to land on Amea.