From the Ashes of the Wake

A reconnaissance mission was the last thing Corporal Levi had in mind. When the orders were given to go beyond the walls in search of a tribe of migrants headed from Russia, he never thought they would be worth the risk. Why bother wasting precious resources on a small rescue party when he knew the inevitable?

The Titans were unstoppable. There was no way a lowly tribe hiding in the woods, especially a time where Titan attacks were becoming more common, would be able to stop the incessant waves of monsters from taking their lives away from them. It dawned on Levi that such thoughts only eroded away what little humanity he had left in him. Perhaps he should try and look on the bright side. 'Hope for the best', as what Hanji would always say with that wide, toothy grin.

In the end however, it was the same story: a large number of the squad would be decimated and mission objectives would rarely be achieved. He thought it would be a better idea to make the trip alone, assuring Commander Erwin he would find things much more efficient with no brats to constantly babysit. Water started dripping from the gloomy clouds above into a rhythmic pitter-patter as he arrived to his destination. The lingering scent of uprooted trees and charcoal wafted into Levi's nostrils, as he clambered down from his horse and continued deeper into the forest.

"Shit…." was all that escaped out of his mouth as his eyes took in the scene before him. As he trudged deeper into the forest, he saw the crippled and limp bodies of the tribe that had inhabited the huts and makeshift tents that were once settled here. All that remained was the aftermath of a rampage. Dried blood stained the wood on the trees and the broken shelters that were torn apart and kicked like mere toys. Dismembered bodies lay littered on the fresh grass as the rain gently washed away the blood that was left on their bodies.

Levi knew there was nothing left to do. He was used to seeing rubble and carnage in his time served in the Survey Corps. What's done is done. They're all dead. There's nothing to pry back, and no one left to save. Shaking his head, he started to walk back to his stationed horse. He internally sighed. Is there anything that can push back the endless onslaught of such monsters?

Lightning flashed. He blinked to shield his eyes, and knew instinctively he was being watched…

An abnormal titan. 8 metre class. It was hurtling towards him at an insane speed. Levi instinctively pulled out his swords and mapped out a strategy within a few seconds. It was closing the distance rapidly. Sprinting, he looked up into the titan running towards him, and saw a flash of pain across its face.

Levi stopped immediately, confused. The titan went down with cracking thud, face first into the ground. He stared into the Titan's neck. This wasn't a clean kill; the nape was slashed diagonally with an uneven cut. Who killed this titan…

But what he saw next bewildered him. In front of him stood a 17 year old male with long, spiky grey-blue hair. The stranger glared at him with cold, calculating walls of greys, sizing up a new potential threat. His dark, tattered clothes exposed his deep cuts and scars all over his body. In his hands was a single bloody sword that bore the mark of his fresh kill. A simple white linen scarf covered his mouth and neck, and ran right down just above his waist.

Levi stared in disbelief, eyes widened. This stranger from outside the walls had just killed a titan using a simple sword and no 3DMG gear to boot. Regaining composure, Levi took a step forward, to which the stranger only raised his sword and tensed into a fighting stance.

"That was impressive. The way you killed that titan." He quickly admitted, hoping to defuse the situation. Levi hoped it would ease the tension between the two killers. He was curious about the boy; how was it that he accomplished a kill purely from acrobatic athleticism? It would take a normal Survey Corps soldier years of practice to take down a large abnormal, yet this kid had just plucked this one like a feather from a chicken, that too with no movement gear. Levi had been captivated by the blunette's seemingly natural ability.

The stranger stood motionless, sword still raised. The rain was still hammering down upon them and a crackle of thunder bellowed over the two males. The stranger, still wary of Levi's presence, simply lowered his sword and his scarf to reveal his whole face. He had pale white skin, covered by two cobalt triangles either side of his cheeks. His glare visibly softened but failed to put its guard down completely. Seeing no threat from the stranger, Levi offered his hand, speaking clearer and more confidently:

"The name's Levi. Levi Ackerman."

The stranger continued staring at Levi. Hesitantly, he grabbed his hand firmly and shook it.

"Kai. Kai Hiwatari".

Levi felt a twang of mystery and excitement as he felt a burning glow emanating from the blunette's body. Could this kid rival the skills of Humanity's Strongest?

Levi smirked slightly at the thought.