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The City Of Hell ( Attack On Titan )

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THE CITY OF HELL

Historia Riess

One . . . two . . .

Historia inhaled slowly, detecting a hint of sweetness in the breeze.

Three . . .

Muscles tensed, she felt the pressure against her feet pressed firmly to the brick alleyway, her back against the wall.

Four . . .

A dark wave of nervousness rolled around her stomach like a swarm of insects.

Five . . . six . . . seven . .

She exhaled.

Eight . . . nine . . . ten . .

That's it! I can't take it anymore!

"Will you stop?!" She whipped around, ponytail slicing the air and barely missing Levi's face.

The glare he leveled at her rivaled her own.

"Stop what?" He demanded, taking a step towards her. Too close.

"That!" She hissed, jerking back.

His frown deepened. "We set pretty clear conditions. You don't leave my sight. Ever. So what's your problem?"

She held back an eye roll. "This," she made a circling gesture around herself, "Is my space. I'm not going to die if you aren't standing within a meter of me."

Levi snorted, making her ears turn red.

"Don't laugh! You're hovering!"

Realization flickered on his face, but he hid it with a sneer. "Whatever, I'm not here to coddle you." Thankfully, he shuffled back a few steps, casting his eyes across the courtyard outside the alley they stood in.

As Historia's nerves calmed after chastising the Captain, she immediately regretted the outburst. His hovering wasn't that bad really...just annoying. With his back to her now, she kicked herself. Why couldn't she just deal with it? Her bodyguards at the palace were much worse. There, she could hardly go to the bathroom without someone close enough to hear her pee. That was beyond awkward.

And at least Levi could be reasoned with. Plus, Nile didn't hover at all. In fact, the longer she spent around the Police Commander the more indifferent he acted towards her royal title. It was different, but strangely refreshing to be treated as a human and not a queen.

Oh well, She sighed, following Levi's gaze into the courtyard beyond.

It bustled with the activity of a day winding down. Merchants packed up their carts, the smells of their baked goods fading as they did so. Golden sunlight danced around small feet as children chased each other across the cobblestones. Mothers chatted idly while carrying their shopping from the day.

Orange clouds rolled sparsely above them, shattering the blue with dark shades and vivid light. In the dead of summer, the warm and humid days usually chased off any clouds, but these remained. As if god himself painted the sky with a few quick strokes.

The beauty of the simple moment struck her more intensely than she expected. What must it be like to live a normal life? Without responsibility? No politics or war to fight, only sun and life. Her legs itched to join the thrall of kids, dashing through their mother's skirts. She longed to go shopping and smell the flower bouquets.

Especially with where they were about to go.

Stop getting distracted! She chastised herself.

The knot in her stomach returned.

She searched for Nile's short choppy hair on the rooftop across from them. Spotting his dark shape against the golden light, she frowned.

"How much longer until the guard changes?"

Levi fixed his eyes on Nile. "Soon. Be ready."

Historia sucked in a shaky breath.

Why am I so nervous?

Levi glanced at her, noticing every one of her small movements. Her annoyance flared, but thankfully, he made no motion to move by her. He looked like he was about to say something, or like he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. After a moment, he turned back to Nile.

She grimaced. He probably hates talking to me...I'm so young and clueless and he's so composed. Either that or he's nervous too—

Suddenly, he stiffened.

"Nile's gone." He whispered.

Historia tensed.

"Get ready to move. He'll be here any second." Levi motioned her over.

THUD

Her heart hammered against her chest.

Here we go

Historia moved to Levi's side, straining her ears for Nile's heavy footsteps over the din of the courtyard.

Carts rumbled down walkways. Birds chirped on tall rooftops. Children laughed and squealed.

There!

A distinct, hard footfall thumped it's way over to them.

She found her throat dry as she swallowed. This was her last chance to change her mind, to cancel the operation. This was her last moment being untouched by the world below.

Once again, inadequacy struck her. Who was she to boldly announce a rescue operation in a realm she'd never come within a hundred meters of? Who was she to nobly sacrifice for people who didn't give a crap about her or humanity above the surface?

What if it was all a bad idea? The delusions of a child who had never held true power?

Nile burst into the alleyway, his grey cloak trailing in behind him. They all wore them. Dark and nondescript.

"Let's go." He announced.

A flurry of cloaks and the alley was empty.

"How long do we have." Levi asked, pulling his hood over his head as they entered the courtyard. Historia did the same. None of them could afford to be recognized here. That would set them back hours, if not days. Levi didn't have that time, and she needed him in on this. She was still beyond grateful he was coming at all...even though she had definitely guilt tripped him into it.

"I had some men leave a little wine outside the check in station, just in case." Nile chuckled, heels clacking against the cobblestones. "It ought to keep them occupied for a while. Lovof might pay his men well, but nobles attract nobles, laziness attracts laziness, and lazy men love their drink."

Historia couldn't see Levi's face with his hood up, but she saw him give a slight nod in Nile's direction.

"Perfect." He remarked. "I'm glad we could count on your expertise in alcohol and laziness."

Nile shot him an annoyed look.

That makes two of us Nile. Historia thought, a half smirk forming on her face.

They continued across the courtyard.

Their target building stood in the only part of the area that wasn't busy with customers. Wooden rafters and decorative brick lined the normal looking structure. If Historia hadn't been told otherwise, she never would have suspected the newer store as a front.

The Violet Palette the sign on the door read in a fancy script.

Mannequins lined the store windows, boasting styles and swatches of bright fabrics. Vivid laces and silks draped around flashy dresses, and Historia found it all repulsing. In her opinion, only the finest and most haughty of noble ladies wore such wretched things. Terrible people.

Although, she noted, maybe the store did give itself away partly. No one would wear the dresses hanging there, let alone buy them. The styles were too outdated. With how picky the nobles she knew were, she felt a flash of pity for the owners of the store.

"Did you trigger the distraction?" Nile asked, skepticism dripping off his voice. He and Levi walked in step just ahead of Historia as they crept along the shaded corners of the courtyard.

"I know you aren't one for patience, but it will be sounding off any second now." Levi pointed out.

As if on cue, gunshots started ringing through the alleys and side passes. People in the courtyard reacted immediately. Screams and yells echoed right alongside the explosive sounds.

Smoke started pouring from the alley they'd come from as well as several other side passageways. People flooded from buildings, and seeing the chaos, added their cries to the throng. The courtyard turned to mass panic. Mothers grabbed their children, vendors abandoned their goods.

Most importantly, the employees of the Violet Palette spilled out onto the street.

"Tch," Nile clicked his tongue. "Always so dramatic with you isn't it."

Historia watched people rush past them as they neared the shop. Some brave ones ran into the alley the smoke originated from. Although she and Levi had hid the smoke bomb and cracking powder well, it would be discovered quickly. They didn't have much time.

"Those men just ran into the alley." She voiced to her comrades. "We should hurry."

The three of them ran the last few meters to the shop doorway, which had been left open. Nile ducked inside, but Levi stopped at the frame, motioning her inside ahead of him. She slid into the room, pausing to see what caught his eye.

His gaze was fixed on the setting sun. So intense. So...desperate. As if he was drowning and the sun was his only lifeline.

It terrified her.

His eyes flicked to her as if realizing she was watching him.

"What?" he growled.

"Are you coming?" She said, covering a flash of embarrassment.

He didn't answer, but sighed and moved inside.

The two of them ducked behind shelves of fabric, moving further into the building. If possible, the dresses that hung here were even more extravagant than the ones in the window. They hung from racks around the small space, billowing and flamboyant. However, now Historia actually found herself grateful for their sleek folds and boisterous skirts. No one would see them from outside.

They located Nile by a door in the back. "It's got to be somewhere back here…" He muttered under his breath. The hinges creaked as he pushed open a musty storage room.

A blast of cold hit her face.

"Looks more like a closet to hell than an entrance to the underground." She remarked.

"Is there a difference?" Levi deadpanned.

Nile moved ahead of them into the room. "Levi, come help me look in here. It's completely different with the store renovation, but I think the entrance is in here."

Levi moved to follow the tall commander, but paused, turning to her.

"Stay here." He motioned. "But keep watch and tell us immediately if someone starts coming this way."

"I will!" She promised.

She folded herself into a rack of dresses, the musty air of day old perfume filling her nostrils. From her vantage point, she could peer out into the activity filled courtyard but still had eyes on the two men in the storage closet.

The air grew quiet and still, much in contrast with the continued chaos outside. Historia watched as several Military Police appeared, uniforms crisp and clean, confusion lining their brows. One of them, a younger woman with short chopped hair and glasses, questioned a bystanding vendor. Her eyes flashed and she bolted off in the direction of the smoke. Two other officers followed.

The distraction is working.

Historia allowed herself to let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Although her nerves about the underground came at her with a twisting force, another part of her stressed about being discovered before they even made it down there. If someone from the Military Police or worse, the Scouting Legion, discovered her and the two high ranking officers sneaking around she'd never be allowed to enter the underground district. It would take months to develop a "safe" enough plan for her to travel into the gloomy place. Months that she knew children down there didn't have.

She huffed at the ridiculousness of it all. The queen, not be allowed to do as she pleased? How much power did she even hold?

Plus, Nile and Levi would both suffer great consequences from aiding her in the 'technically' illegal conquest. Their ranks would be stripped at best. She didn't want to consider more terrible fates.

And it would all be her fault.

She shook her head, clearing the thoughts from her mind.

She did another visual sweep of the courtyard when, crap!

One of the vendors outside was talking to a new MP and pointing in the direction of the shop. Alarm growing, she watched as the MP nodded and cautiously made his way over to the exuberant store.

Suddenly feeling very exposed, despite being folded into a puffy orange flower of a dress, she quietly called out to the men in the room.

"Someone's coming! An MP!"

Levi met her anxious expression. He opened his mouth to respond when

CLICK

A sound, loud enough to echo through the store, rung from the small room.

"Yes!" Nile whooped.

"Shhhhh!" Historia hissed, ducking out of her hiding spot. She glanced back out the window at the MP only to find him gone.

Where did he go-

CREAK

The front door of the shop groaned open and Historia froze.

The small room stretched open just meters from her position...across an aisle visible from the front door.

Levi kept his eyes trained on her, one hand raised toward Nile in a cautious motion.

Historia saw a gaping black expanse behind an open doorway inside the room.

They had found the entrance!

CLACK

Footsteps against the unpolished wood floor probed into the store.

"Who is in here." The voice of the MP boomed.

Historia exhaled softly, daring to breathe. She could lie and say she had been dress shopping and hid when she heard the gunshots. Or, she could sneak around the racks and shelves and knock the man out from behind.

Her eyes flicked to the shadow cast in the golden light of the sun as it approached her position.

Neither of the options struck her fancy.

"I SAID WHO IS IN HERE!" The MP shouted again.

Movement from the storage closet drew her eyes back to Nile. He abruptly pulled his gun from a hidden holster in his boot and quietly moved to the doorframe. Eyes as wide as saucers, Historia watched him bring the gun to his face and cock it.

She shook her head furiously, but that didn't stop him from bursting into the aisle, barrel pointed directly at the MP.

"Ahhh!" She heard the MP shout.

"Hands in the air-Soldier..?" Nile feigned surprise.

"C-commander Dok!" The MP stuttered out. "What are-why-what are you doing?'

Nile relaxed his hold on the pistol, resting the barrel down at the ground. Levi met her eyes again as she visibly relaxed.

Nile's got this. He seemed to say.

"I could ask the same for you. And my apologies for startling you..uh, you have a name soldier?" Nile questioned, gesturing to the MP.

"Coleman Sir! Lance Coleman!" came the reply.

"Lance, eh?" Nile chuckled. "Well sorry again for that display a moment ago. I was out in the town with my wife and saw three crooks scrounge in here a few minutes back. I came to check the place, but found it empty. When I heard the door open I thought it was one of them coming to off me."

"Of course not, Sir!" Lance said. "And my sincere apologies too, Sir!"

Nile waved a dismissive hand in the air. "All is forgiven Lance. Just an embarrassing mistake."

"I was talking to a vendor outside who said there were three people wearing dark clothing that came in here. We think they may have been the ones who caused the disturbance outside."

"That's probably the case." Nile's brow creased in thought.

Shit! Historia thought. Nile is wearing dark clothing!

"Well," Nile continued firmly, "There's no one in here. I just finished checking the back room when you burst in here. They must have escaped through the window or something."

Comotion burst from outside, and all of them turned to listen.

"Sounds like they found something." Lance voiced.

"You go on ahead of me." Nile pointed. "There's one more thing I want to check before I join you."

"Of course Sir!" Lance announced before Historia heard the rapid click of his boots leaving the store.

Nile shook his head, annoyed, after the MP disappeared.

"Seemed like a good kid. And, if he's a good cop too, he'll be back. I don't think he fully believed me."

Historia dashed across the aisle and into the small room, grateful for the time Nile bought them. She stopped short, faltering at the entrance to the underground.

Cool air from the gaping black expanse streamed across her cheeks, rustling the loose strands of her hair that were too short for her ponytail. Light barely touched the deepness, disappearing less than a meter past the doorway. It opened up like a scar in the Earth, the vein of it trailing down its very heart.

It was terrifying.

And exhilarating.

This is it. You can't change your mind now.

She took one step, then another. Her feet crossed the threshold, while her heart screamed at her to turn back.

Nile trailed in behind her, shutting the door to the entrance behind them with a hiss. The light from the evening sunlight disappeared entirely leaving them stranded in thick blackness.

Historia tried to suppress a shiver.

She heard Levi and Nile shuffling into the expanse and moved to follow them. Ice crawled up her veins.

Oh my god...it's so dark!

She couldn't breathe.

There was no air in here.

Instead of thinking rationally, she reached her hands out in blind panic, scrambling for something, anything, solid in the darkness.

Her right hand smacked into something soft.

"Oi," Levi's voice hissed from her right. "Are you trying to take out my back?"

Her face flushed.

"Sorry!" She whispered immediately, jerking her hand away. "I-I just—I can't see a thing!"

"Please tell me you brought a torch." Nile's dry voice came from her left. "And tell me you weren't planning on us literally walking blindly to our deaths.

Historia didn't dare take another step forward. She heard movement from the right and then gasped as a hand gently wrapped around her left arm.

"Relax." Levi sounded near her ear. "It's just me."

Hands trembling, she tried to calm her furiously beating heart. "Sorry!" She breathed again.

She heard more movement then Nile let out a choked breath.

"What are you—?" He hissed. "Oh hell no! No offense, low pockets, but you're the last person I want to hold hands with."

"Fine by me." Levi retorted in a low voice. "I'd rather see you walk off the side of the stairs to your death anyways."

More shuffling.

"I'll just-er...hold your cloak." Nile said.

Historia could practically see Levi rolling his eyes.

"Come on." the shorter man said. "Let's go."

He began moving forward, lightly pulling on her wrist as he did so. Historia stumbled a little moving further into the darkness.

How can he be so confident?

Her body stopped shaking, but she still shivered every few seconds.

"Stairs." Levi warned.

She froze, stretching out an unsteady foot. The uneven ground disappeared before her, and as she lowered her foot into dark uncertainty, it finally made contact with another low patch of familiar rocky ground.

She let out a shaky breath.

I can do this.

Levi slowed, seeming to understand her hesitancy. Her next foot fell downward until connecting with her second step down the underground stairway.

Then the next step passed under her and the next one.

She grasped onto Levi's guiding hand, hoping he wouldn't notice the death-like intensity it held. The stairs were moderately steep, but in the cool darkness each one felt like a slick boulder, waiting for her to slip and fall to her doom.

Eventually, the air around them grew denser, as if hitting a wall. Their footsteps stopped echoing in the void, and they came to a stop.

Levi let go of her hand, and she stifled a gasp. She was all alone in complete darkness.

"There's a door here," He said. "Hang on."

Historia was glas no one could see her face, feel her heart trembling. The walls she couldn't see pressed in on her, trapping her. Suffocating.

*CLICK*

*HISS*

A crack in the darkness opened and...

Light.

Beautiful light.

It slugged it's way into the tunnel, orange like fire, illuminating the rock walls like feeble moonlight.

She tripped over herself hurrying towards it.

The three of them spilled out onto a wooden landing in a larger tunnel. Bright, fiery torches lined the walls, lit every few meters. The landing led to, unsurprisingly, more stairs, which trailed on downwards.

Despite the torchlight, the air chilled her to the bone.

"How far down do we have to go?" She dared to ask.

"Until the air isn't fresh and you feel like you'll never be warm again." Levi's expressionless face peered down the stairs.

Nile mouthed my god and rolled his eyes. "It's not much further Princess." He winked, trying to lighten the mood. "They didn't renovate this part. We just go down this passage and BOOM! Underground city!"

"Oh wow, that close?" She appreciated his attempt to keep the atmosphere light, but her stomach twisted relentlessly anyways.

"Yep!" He said, popping the 'p'. "But look at the bright side, at least we don't have to hold hands anymore.

Levi glared as he shut the door to the landing with a CLANG that echoed down the brick-lined tunnel. "Are you all done chatting or should we keep waiting here?"

"Shorty's right." Nile announced, cracking his back. "Best not to stand around. Shall we?" He gestured downwards.

"Lead the way." Historia smiled.

He chuckled, jumping down to the first steps. She followed a moment later, Levi bringing up the rear.

Despite the light, none of them spoke as they descended through the dim tunnel, as if they were trudging to a funeral. Historia found her mind wandering yet again. What awaited them at the bottom of the steps? What lives would they change? Would any of them expect their queen to fall so low as to bring them up from the dust?

She decided it wasn't danger that filled her with unease. How could it with her present company? She trusted the two men with unwavering confidence. Unless something went drastically wrong, which was unlikely, their safety was guaranteed.

No, it wasn't thugs or knives that scared her.

If anything, the thing that kept her awake at night, that set her heart trembling and filled her with doubt was herself.

Was she really brave enough to face this, or was it all a mask that would crumble at the first sight of trouble?

The stairs evened out onto another landing, cutting off her thoughts. A metal door awaited them, dull gray and bricked into the wall.

Nile strode up to it, pulling at the handle. It swung open easily, revealing an unknown dimness on the other side. Not dark per say, but she couldn't make out anything except vague shapes

"Well, here we are." He announced proudly, as if he was showing them something he'd created himself. "Not too bad of a view, is it?"

She walked through the the door and immediately lost her ability to speak.

Levi took three steps out of the door, past her, and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Shit." he announced.

"Is that the only word in your vocabulary?" Nile scoffed, moving to stand beside him.

Historia pushed them out of her way, unable to believe her eyes.

The city.

Amidst the gloomy dampness, the underground city stood like an old resolute house against a windstorm. It spread across the massive space like a wildfire, burning with color and life. Spires, buildings, and towers stacked up onto rocky slopes and down cliffs. Hundreds. Thousands! All cowering under the cavernous ceiling as giant stalagmite-like columns stretched from the ground to high above them. Streets carved their way through the void, lights twinkling through all of them.

Darkness loomed around every edge, a reminder of the eternal night of the underground.

"It's...it's...huge…" She breathed.

"What did you expect?" Nile retorted.

She opened her mouth to answer then shut it. She didn't know what she'd been expecting...but it certainly hadn't been this.

This changes everything . . .

"Still have that death wish of yours?" Levi drawled. "You might understand better now, this won't be an easy operation. It's not too late to turn—"

"No." Historia answered with more firmness than she felt.

If we turn around now I'll never come back.

"We're not turning back. We can't" She finished.

Levi shrugged as if to say suit yourself. "In that case, let me give you a proper introduction."

He flourished an arm dramatically over the expanse, drawing her eyes to each area of it.

"Your Majesty . . . welcome . . . to the City of Hell."