The cadets found themselves on the rooftops of Trost. The mood was beyond sombre. Half of the people she had seen that morning were gone.

  All living things die one day.

  But they were young. Too young. They had dreams. Too many dreams.

  Vivienne’s heart almost stopped in her chest when her emerald-green eyes failed to find Connie and the others in the crowd. But then she saw him standing next to Armin. She took a deep breath, and her heart started pumping blood again.

  "Connie!" she cried, running towards the two boys with a smile on her face.

  But it quickly faded when she saw Armin’s expression. It didn’t take long for her to realise something was wrong.

  "Where are Eren, Thomas, and the others?" she asked.

  Armin’s face fell, and Vivienne turned to Connie. He shook his head slowly, without saying a word. Her eyes widened, and her lips parted slightly.

  How?

  How?

  How could this be?

  That morning, Eren had been the only one of their group brave enough to fight the Colossal Titan. He wanted to fight. He was the bravest of them all. He was the one who had encouraged them. He was the one who had convinced Connie and the others to join the Survey Corps. He was many things, but he wasn’t reckless. So how...?

  Armin walked past her without a word. Vivienne started to call after him, but Connie stopped her with a shake of his head. They didn’t need words to understand each other. Armin needed time alone. And even if the world around them was falling apart, they could give him that one small moment of peace.

  Vivienne followed Connie, stopping when they spotted Jean sitting on the roof tiles. Their eyes met, and for the first time, they weren’t teasing each other. For the first time, there were no sharp words exchanged.

  And yet, even though she sometimes wished he’d become Titan food, she felt a small sense of relief that he was still alive.

  A few more people gathered, but not many. She could count them on one hand. Her fingers clenched into a fist, nails digging into her palm.

  Gone.

  All of them.

  All the faces she had seen that morning.

  Almost all gone.

  "Oi, Jean! What should we do?" Connie asked, his voice serious.

  Jean, who always had a comment or a plan, stared at the ground, his arms resting on his knees.

  "There’s nothing we can do..."

  He stood and put a hand to his head. "They’ve finally given the order to retreat, but we can’t climb the walls without more gas. So we’re all going to die... because of those cowards."

  Vivienne’s nails pressed deeper into her skin. She hated to admit it, especially now, but things were more than just dicey. Their group had run into far more Titans than she would have liked. Constant fleeing and trying to save others had cost them valuable fuel.

  Connie looked down at Jean. "The supply team... what happened to them? Were they wiped out?"

  "They’re too scared to move. I can understand why... but abandoning their mission to resupply us, just to hide in HQ? Unbelievable. And of course, the Titans have swarmed them, so we can’t get any more gas..."

  "Then we have to take our chances and try to clear out the Titans around HQ! Sitting here won’t do us any good... The Titans will be here soon! And if we keep running, we’ll just waste what little gas we have left. Without our manoeuvring gear, we really are done for!" Connie said, his voice loud and firm.

  "I’m surprised to see you using your head for once, Connie," Jean muttered.

  "He’s right, Jean," Vivienne said calmly. Both boys turned to her.

  "Do you really think we can do this with our numbers?" Jean asked, hesitation creeping into his voice.

  Vivienne hesitated too, her gaze sweeping over the group.

  "Let’s do it, guys!" Sasha said brightly. "Come on, get up… If we all work together, we’ll be fine! I’ll take the lead!"

  But her words didn’t sit well with the two boys at her side. And Vivienne couldn’t blame them. One of them had almost been eaten—twice. They had watched others devoured right in front of them.

  In the end, she couldn’t even say they had accomplished anything.

  All they had done was run.

  The landscape was bleak.

  Hope was gone.

  Even though they were physically alive, one look into their eyes told you they had been dead for a long time.

  "There’s no way any of us are making it out of this town alive. I knew I could die... but what am I dying for?" Marco murmured, staring up at the sky.

  Vivienne knew she could die.

  Had this moment really come so soon?

  No. She didn’t want this.

  It wasn’t fair. It couldn’t be.

  But life wasn’t fair.

  Loud footsteps echoed across the rooftops. Mikasa. She ran straight to Armin.

  Vivienne glanced sideways. She had always found Mikasa’s devotion to Eren a little strange, but there was no denying how much he had meant to her. Probably more than anyone else.

  And so, through tears, Armin confessed that everyone in Trainee Corps Team 34... was gone.

  Everyone except him.

  Silence.

  No one could believe it. So far, only a few people from each team had survived. But the biggest shock of all was that Eren...

  The boy who had wanted so desperately to fight the Titans.

  Was gone.

  Tears rolled painfully down Armin’s face as he choked out the truth—Eren had sacrificed himself for him.

  Vivienne hadn’t known how she had imagined Mikasa’s reaction. Anger? A complete breakdown? Tears?

  One of those things.

  To her surprise, however, Mikasa was eerily calm. She told Armin to pull himself together, that now wasn’t the time to get emotional. Then, she helped him to his feet and turned to the rest of them.

  "Marco, if we kill the Titans surrounding HQ, we can refuel and climb the walls. Isn’t that right?" she asked.

  "That’s right, but... but even with you here, there are too many..."

  "I can do it," she cut in sharply. "I am strong! Stronger than you. So I can defeat these Titans! Even on my own! You’re not just weak—you’re spineless cowards."

  Mikasa waved one of her swords in their direction.

  "I’m disappointed in you. Just stay here... stay here and watch."

  Then, without another word, the girl with the dark hair turned and leapt off the roof.

  For a moment, no one spoke. The only sound was the distant, echoing roar of Titans somewhere below. Mikasa was already gone, vanishing into the chaos without hesitation.

  Jean let out a sharp breath, dragging a hand through his hair. "Tch... I hoped for nicer words," he muttered, but there was no real bite to his words. Only frustration. Maybe even admiration.

  Then, he turned to Vivienne. "Oi, Viv. You know ODM gear better than any of us. If we’re really doing this, what’s the best route to get there without running out of gas halfway?"

  Vivienne blinked at him, taken aback for a second. Jean wasn’t the type to admit when he needed help. The fact that he was asking her meant he was serious.

  She exhaled slowly, forcing herself to think. "That depends on how much fuel we actually have left." Her gaze swept over the others, sharp and expectant. "I need everyone to be honest. Tell me exactly how much gas you have left. No guessing. No pretending you have more than you do."

  There was a brief pause before Marco nodded and checked his canisters. "I’ve got... about a quarter tank left," he admitted.

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  "Same here," Connie said, frowning. "Maybe a little less."

  Sasha clicked her tongue. "Ugh... not great. I’ve got barely enough for a few more minutes of movement. If I don’t conserve it, I’ll be a sitting duck."

  Jean sighed. "Half a tank. I was careful."

  Vivienne nodded, absorbing the information. She quickly checked her own supply—about a third of a tank. Not ideal.

  "Alright," she said, mind racing. "We can’t afford to waste fuel on unnecessary movement. No high jumps unless absolutely necessary. No full-throttle bursts unless we’re cornered. We’ll need to take the shortest route with the fewest obstacles."

  She turned, scanning the rooftops and the streets below, mentally mapping out their best course. The Titans had begun to spread out, but they were still clustered around HQ.

  "There," she pointed. "We use that row of buildings to glide as far as we can without using too much gas. We drop lower near the main street, but not too low—we don’t want to end up in grabbing range. If we cut across that alley and take the scaffolding up the side of HQ, we should make it with just enough fuel to spare."

  The others nodded, some more confident than others.

  "Alright," Jean said, cracking his neck. "Then let’s stop wasting time."

  Vivienne looked at each of them one last time, their faces lined with exhaustion and fear—but also determination.

  "Stay close," she said. "And whatever happens... don’t stop moving."

  And with that, they launched themselves after Mikasa.

  They mostly ran across the rooftops, using jumps to gain momentum. Vivienne knew this was the best way to conserve fuel. Finally, they activated their ODM gear, soaring through the air. Vivienne stayed close to Connie and Jean.

  "Mikasa!" Armin shouted as he abruptly changed course. The others turned to see the girl with short black hair land on a nearby rooftop. He would never abandon an important friend like her.

  "Damn it," Jean cursed.

  Connie drew both swords. "Jean, you take over. I'll go after Armin."

  "I’m going too," Jean said, picking up speed to match Connie’s pace.

  "What are you doing?!" Connie shouted. "The Titans are still out there! We need your skills. Follow Vivienne’s route and get the others to HQ!"

  Then he swung away. Jean grimaced, pain flickering across his face. Vivienne closed her eyes for a moment. She could only hope she’d see the three of them again. Her breath caught in her throat. She had never been so afraid of losing someone.

  She remembered the restless nights spent desperately waiting for her uncle’s letters. The times she went to the post office three times in one day, just to make sure they hadn't lost it.

  This pressure, this feeling of helplessness…

  She pressed her hands together.

  Armin… Connie… Mikasa… please come back.

  Jean and Vivienne landed on a rooftop. Focusing, she scanned her surroundings.

  It was her responsibility now. Out of all the cadets, she knew ODM gear the best. She had to find a way to get them to HQ. Her breath shook, and heat rose in her chest.

  There were more Titans in the streets below than she had realised.

  Think, Vivienne… Think!

  A whimper snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked down, and so did Jean. A boy stood frozen in the street, trembling as he clutched his swords. He was out of fuel—unable to pull himself back up.

  Jean gritted his teeth, and anger burned inside Vivienne. I told them to be careful. She had warned them to jump from roof to roof, to conserve their gas. Even if they were scared. Even if it was hard.

  Jean was about to jump down to help, but he hesitated as two Titans charged towards the boy.

  "Stay back!" the cadet cried.

  Vivienne couldn't watch any longer. She stepped forward—only for Jean to grab her wrist, stopping her.

  "What are you doing? We have to help him!"

  Jean didn’t respond immediately. His jaw clenched, lips pressed into a thin line. His eyes met hers.

  "Jean! Let me go!" She struggled against his grip, desperate to tear herself away.

  But then, to her shock, Jean pulled her into his arms, holding her from behind. Vivienne fought against him, fury rising inside her, just as she was about to curse him—

  "Vivienne! It’s already too late!" Jean shouted.

  She opened her mouth to protest.

  "Tom! I’m coming to get you!" another boy yelled. He and a girl rushed to help, but…

  Jean was right.

  It was too late.

  All three of them—gone.

  Jean's breath trembled against her ear. "I’m sorry."

  Vivienne’s eyes widened. It was the first time she had ever heard him apologise to her. His grip tightened slightly, as if afraid she might disappear too.

  "I just couldn’t let you die."

  Her breath hitched at those words. For the first time, she stopped fighting him. Instead, her hand rested gently over his.

  Jean was afraid. But more than anything—he felt guilty.

  He knew that if he had reacted a little faster, maybe they could have saved them.

  Maybe, just maybe… they would still be alive.

  Jean clenched his fists.

  Maybe—just maybe—if he had reacted a second earlier, if he had ordered Vivienne to move instead of holding her back, they could have saved them. Together.

  But he hadn’t.

  And not just because he was scared.

  The moment he saw her step forward, ready to throw herself into danger without hesitation, something in his chest tightened. A strange, suffocating feeling clawed at his ribs. He had lost too many people today. More than he could even process. But the thought—the stupid thought—of losing her?

  It shook him in a way he wasn’t ready to admit.

  And so, he had pulled her back.

  Jean exhaled sharply, releasing his grip just enough for Vivienne to move if she wanted to. But she didn’t. She remained still, her fingers lightly resting over his.

  The distant sounds of screaming filled the air, the scent of blood thick in their lungs.

  “We have to keep moving,” he muttered, his voice rough.

  Vivienne stirred slightly, and when she finally turned to look at him, there was no anger in her eyes. No sharp retort, no insult at his hesitation. Just a quiet understanding.

  She had felt it too.

  Jean swallowed hard and forced himself to focus. “We’re running out of time. Can you still figure out the best route?”

  Vivienne blinked, the weight of reality settling back onto her shoulders. She turned her gaze back to the ruined city below, scanning the paths, the rooftops, the positions of the Titans.

  “We have just enough gas to make it if we follow the east side,” she said at last, her voice steady. “But we’ll have to move fast.”

  Jean nodded, stepping back. “Then let’s go.”

  Neither of them spoke about what had just happened.

  They couldn’t afford to.

  Not now.

  Not when people were still dying.

  Vivienne took a breath, lifted her gaze to meet his one last time, then launched herself forward. Jean followed without hesitation, the ghost of that feeling still lodged deep in his chest.

  They flew forward. HQ was getting closer, and they could see Titans trying to climb it. It wasn’t the sight Vivienne had hoped for.

  They ran along the rooftops, their movements swift but tense. Marco landed next to Jean, breathing heavily, and gave him a grateful look. "Thanks for helping us get this far," he said.

  Jean accepted with a small smile before they launched into the air again, their ODM gear propelling them forward.

  They swung and manoeuvred around the Titans, dodging their grasping hands. Then a scream pierced the air.

  Vivienne glanced to the side. A Titan had caught one of their own.

  Her grip on her swords tightened.

  She knew not all of them would make it. She had accepted that much. But knowing there was nothing she could do about it—that hurt more than anything.

  Still, she pressed on, following Jean.

  They crashed through one of the headquarters’ windows, glass shattering around them. Vivienne tumbled inside, landing unsteadily on her feet. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her hands trembling.

  She had made it.

  They all had the same expression—shock, exhaustion, disbelief. Vivienne’s gaze flickered around the room, her stomach twisting.

  Was this really everyone who had made it?

  Jean ran a hand over his face, the weight of guilt pressing down on him. So many had died under his command. Their deaths had given him a chance to survive, and that knowledge made his chest ache.

  His eyes landed on two cadets cowering under a desk.

  "Aren't you with the supply team...?" he asked, his voice eerily calm.

  One of them hesitated before nodding.

  Jean didn't wait. He grabbed the boy by the collar and punched him square in the face.

  "Jean!" Vivienne shouted as Marco lunged forward, grabbing him from behind. "Stop it, Jean!" Marco yelled, struggling to hold him back.

  "You’re the ones who left us!" Jean snapped, his voice raw with anger. "Because of you, more people died than necessary!"

  The girl who had been hiding under the desk rushed to the injured cadet’s side, panic in her eyes.

  Vivienne took a step closer and placed herself between Jean and the others. "Jean," she said softly, forcing him to meet her gaze.

  "I'm angry too," she admitted, her voice steady. "I know we could have been saved sooner if we had enough gas to get up the wall."

  She hesitated, then looked around at the survivors once more.

  "But I also understand why they were afraid. Does that make it right? No. Especially not after training for this for three years. But I do understand it."

  She exhaled slowly.

  "And fighting each other now… It’s not going to change anything. It’s only going to make things worse."

  Jean’s chest rose and fell sharply, his fists still clenched. His jaw worked as though he wanted to say something, but no words came. The anger was still there, bubbling under his skin, but Vivienne’s voice had cut through the haze.

  Slowly, his fingers uncurled. He exhaled a shaky breath.

  Marco, still gripping his arm, felt the tension ease and let go. "Jean…" he started cautiously.

  Jean shook his head, rubbing a hand over his face. "I know," he muttered.

  Vivienne studied his expression. The guilt was still there, pressing down on him, but at least he wasn’t about to throw another punch.

  The supply team cadet, the one Jean had hit, pushed himself up slightly, clutching his bleeding lip. He was shaking. "We… we didn’t mean for this to happen," he stammered. "We were trapped! The Titans swarmed the building. W-we didn’t think anyone would make it!"

  Jean scoffed, turning away sharply. He looked ready to snap again, but Vivienne touched his arm lightly. "Jean," she murmured, her voice firm but calm. "Enough."

  A sharp hissing sound cut through the air.

  Reiner peered through one of the shattered windows. His eyes widened.

  "Get down!" he shouted as the cadets looked around frantically.

  A Titan's face came crashing through the wall, the sheer force of it sending two cadets flying.

  "Damn it! Too many people in one place," Jean cursed.

  It didn’t take long for panic to spread.

  Screams filled the air as everyone scrambled to escape further into the building.

  Horror was written all over Jean and Vivienne’s faces. She still had her hand on his arm.

  This was the reality they lived in.

  Two massive Titan faces loomed before them, their vacant eyes locked onto the group.

  Vivienne’s grip on Jean’s arm tightened. They had to fight.

  But then—something impossible happened.

  Before their very eyes, a colossal fist slammed into the Titans, knocking them away.

  Vivienne’s breath caught in her throat.

  What had just happened?