Chapter 9 - VIII

🌪️ Destruction Unleashed: A Gate to Hell

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The explosion shattered the sky.

The Colossal Titan towered above the Wall, steam pouring off its body like smoke from a burning city. Then came the sound—the boom—a sonic tremor that split stone and reason alike.

With a single kick, the outer gate was obliterated.The impact echoed across Shiganshina like thunder.Brick and steel burst outward like shrapnel.A wave of debris rained down, destroying homes, crushing bodies.

Eren, Mikasa, and Armin stood frozen.

It felt like the end of the world.

Armin gasped, voice caught in his throat.

"We… we have to go. Now. Before they come—before the Titans—"

But Eren was already running.

"My mom—!"

"Eren, wait!" Mikasa shouted.

He didn't hear her.Or maybe he did—and just didn't care.

...

The streets were chaos.

Smoke and dust filled the air. People screamed. Horses bucked. Sirens blared.

Eren turned the corner to his street—and stopped dead.

What had once been his home was now a crater.

A massive boulder had slammed into the house, pulverizing wood and stone. Fire had taken root where the stove used to be. Half the roof was gone. And beneath the wreckage, buried by broken beams—

"Mom!"

He dropped to his knees, digging.

Mikasa caught up seconds later and joined him without a word.

Together, they clawed at the rubble, splinters tearing into their hands.

"Eren," a voice rasped.

They froze.

Underneath the wreckage, Carla Yeager was alive—but barely.

Her face was covered in soot, her hair matted with blood, but her eyes were open. Her body was pinned beneath two thick beams. She couldn't move.

"Mom, hold on—we'll get you out—"

"No! Eren—listen to me—my legs—"

Carla coughed, blood flecking her lips.

"I can't feel them. Even if you lift the debris—I can't run."

Eren gritted his teeth. "We'll carry you!"

"You don't have time!"

Then—A roar.

Low. Distant. Getting closer.

Carla's breath caught in her throat.

Her eyes widened.

"Eren, Mikasa—RUN!"

"We're not leaving you!" Eren screamed.

"You have to! That's my last request—please… don't let me watch you die—!"

...

The ground trembled.

A shadow fell over the street.

And then—it came into view.

A Titan. Grinning. Skinless lips stretched wide.

Ten meters tall.Sunlight catching on its yellow eyes.Head tilting slightly, like a curious animal.

Mikasa's hands clenched. Eren stared, unmoving.

They were out of time.

Then—

"Move!"

Hannes charged into view, ODM gear hissing as he zipped forward, blades drawn.

He landed between the children and the Titan.

Eren's eyes lit up. "Hannes!"

The man's face twisted with determination.

He faced the Titan.

It roared.

And Hannes… stopped.

His legs locked.

His hands trembled.

The smell of death in the air was too strong.

He looked back.

Saw Eren.

Saw Carla.

Then cursed—and grabbed both kids.

"No! Let me go!" Eren thrashed. "You said you'd protect her!"

"I'm sorry, kid—I'm sorry!"

He ran.

Eren screamed.Mikasa fought silently.Carla reached a hand toward them as they disappeared into the smoke.

And the Titan stepped forward.

She closed her eyes.

"I love you—"

The Titan grabbed her.

Lifted her.

Its mouth opened—

...

But the jaws didn't close.

The Titan stopped mid-motion.

It blinked.

Twitched.

Then slowly… turned away.

Still holding Carla's bloodied form, it walked—without reason—toward the street behind.

A figure stood in the path it walked.

Kaelen, his face still as bored and uncaring as usual, however, his eyes carried a new depth, the pale blue of his eyes, glowing with more than just power, hope.

His face was pale, his eyes sunken with exhaustion.

He could barely stand. His breath came in shallow gasps. A tremor ran through his limbs.

But his eyes… were focused.

His voice was barely audible.

Walk somewhere else.

The command wasn't spoken.It was implanted.

The Titan turned.

Its grip loosened.

And Carla's body fell, crumpling into the dirt.

Kaelen stumbled forward, falling to one knee. Blood trickled from his nose. His vision blurred.

He reached Carla's side.

She was still breathing.

Barely.

Her legs were gone below the knee. The bleeding was rapid, pooling around her like ink.

Kaelen pressed a hand to her shoulder, checking her physical state.

"I'm lucky," he whispered. "This was close..."

Carla mumbled; she was hallucinating for sure, because she could see her son, Kaelen. God must have shown her mercy in seeing him, and knowing Hannes had saved Mikasa & Eren.

"You're alive," he said clinically again, his calm voice cracking slightly. "That's good."

Carla blinked. She saw his face, he was talking to her, she felt somewhat wet yet warm on her face, it was probably blood.

"…Kaelen?" She spoke, not really, she made no sound, she simply mouthed his name or did she think it? It didn't matter since he clearly heard her.

He nodded once, as the dark spots in Carla's eyes danced, growing bigger and larger... it seemed time was up for her.

Then lifted her, arms trembling, arms that were far stronger than any human male felt what was exhaustion for the first time in his life.

...

Every step sent pain shooting through his spine.

He wasn't strong enough to fight again. Not now. One more Titan and he'd die here.

So he ran.

Ran toward the inner gate.

Toward safety.

Toward the people.

Behind him, the Titan wandered. Lost. As if it had forgotten what it was.

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[Auther: In case you don't get it yet, Kaelen was made alongside one of my imaginary friends, they were female. So Kaelen = Yaoi MC protagonist, meaning he's the cold, stoic, g*y, 'hot' type of guy.]