The stratum of the cloud blanketed the blue sky.
The hazy figure of the sun stubbornly peeks from behind the dullness, persisting to overcast the cold and bleakness, which permeates the atmosphere.
Feeling the chill, a pair of birds sitting on a tree branch moves closer to each other, sharing the warmth to dispel the cold.
Inside the Trost district, its streets reek of desolation; the hustle and bustle diminish to the occasional spotting of someone hurriedly rushing to their work or the frequent patrolling of the military.
Due to the recent events, the frequent case of the kidnapping of the military personnel, it creates a heavy atmosphere, like the Trost District has been hit by a disease.
The previous active market became lifeless; the vibrant and vigorous shouts of the hawkers and the vendors got shushed by the confining silence.
Seated behind the counter, an old man with receding gray hair and a frown formed by the concerned lines of wrinkles looks at the dust gathered on top of the shelves.
The old man sighs with resignation, gazing outside. The high walls, the sky—the weather—mirror the inside of him- bleak.
CLOP
CLOP
Suddenly in the silence, the sound of someone's footsteps striking against the cobblestone road sounded.
Which immediately grabs the old man's attention; looking at the approaching figure of a boy with blonde hair in the military uniform, the old man's mind clears up.
......
Reiner walks in solitude, his military boots clanking on the stony pathway.
Having completed his morning shift, he moves towards the military headquarters, with familiarity in his steps due to the frequent patrolling missions he had done.
Suddenly, looking at a shop ahead, he moves towards it with purposeful strides.
Arriving at the shop, Reiner looks at the slender figure of the old man inside and calmly asks him, "Sir, do you have a matchstick?"
Hearing this, the old man immediately replies, "Oh, yes—" The old man brings out a box of matchsticks from under the counter and quickly hands it to Reiner. "—here."
"Thanks, sir. How much for it?" Taking the matchbox, Reiner asks for the price, bringing out his wallet.
"Oho, there is no need for it, sir; it isn't much." The old man shook his head, denying the payment.
"But—" before Reiner tries to say something, the old man interjects, "Come on, sir, that small amount of money isn't going to make me a loss, and can't I do that little in exchange for how much you do for us?"
"I just hope you continue to maintain the peace."
Hearing the earnestness in the old man's words, Renier can't refuse and calmly accepts the kind gesture of the old man. "Thank you, old man, and you don't have to worry; soon everything will be over."
Saying that, Reiner bids farewell to the old man and continues to move towards his destination.
As he moves away, the old man gazes at his back and deeply sighs, "I just hope it all gets over as soon as possible."
...
With steadfast steps and resolution in his eyes, Reiner continues and moves towards the Trost district headquarters.
Looking at the grand building in the distance, with the frequent figures of the military personnel getting in and out of it—the Trost HQ.
Every military person stationed inside the Trost district has to report here, and all of the military supplies also get stored inside the HQ.
After the previous few days and the repeated action of the military personnel getting kidnapped, the strictness inside the workings of their structure increases; that's why now for every joining and relieving form, the duty has to be done from the HQ.
Suddenly, the steadfast steps of Reiner, which were moving towards the building of HQ, surprisingly diverted from the path, and with a sharp turn, the figure of Reiner entered inside an alley.
Inside the dark alley, the figure of Reiner crouches on the ground, rummaging through the wooden boxes placed there.
Sizzle
With the sound of the ignition, a little amount of spark illuminates the dark alley; the light shines on Reiner's face, whose dark eyes burn with resolution.
Soon, Reiner rushes out of the alley and swiftly moves in the opposite direction of the HQ, running back on the same path from where he arrived; he moves rapidly, and soon his figure rushes past the shop from where he got the matchstick.
The old man, who was looking outside his shop, suddenly got startled looking at the familiar figure of Renier rushing past his shop; he worriedly gazed at his back, wondering what prompted him to run away in a hurry.
Soon, the figure of Reiner got blurry as he ran away in the distance. Puzzled, the old man then gazed at the direction from which Reiner rushed back, looking at the HQ building in the distance with no such visible action, which explains the reason behind the run of Reiner.
Instead of the expected chaos, the familiar silence permeates the air.
Seeing this, old man have a sigh of relief, "Huff, the age is really catching up to me."
The silence, which previously haunted him, now makes him comfortable.
"Just let the situation continue but not make it worse." The old man silently prays.
Boom
Suddenly, a bell rings in the old man's ears, and in the next instance, chaos tramples him.
........
A loud, deafening sound reverberated throughout the Trost district, shattering the silence.
Reiner stops running and looks back at the rising black smoke.
Resolution flashing in his eyes, he then continues to advance, his every step carrying a powerful intent.
With the sudden explosion in the middle of the Trost District, chaos spread everywhere.
The already tense military suddenly sprang into action, orders getting fired at everyone.
Swiss
Swiss
Using the ODM gears, the military personnel soar above the buildings, flocking towards the site where the explosion occurs.
Some of them immediately move to calm the panicked civilians, while most of them spread in formation and surround the area from where the explosion occurred.
Looking at the destroyed area that is just near the HQ building, their back gets drenched in sweat.
Horror flashes on their faces, panic sweeps in their bones, and feeling the terror of the residual explosion, they gulp nervously.
Many buildings and houses collapse in heaps, fire and smoke rising from them, the broken pieces of the bodies lying around, some burning silently inside the debris of the buildings, while some are flung around.
The shop, from where Reiner buys the matchstick, crumbled, and inside, the figure of the old man lay under the debris, covered in the dust, his vacant eyes stared dead in the void, with a bleak expression ever present on his cold face.
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Phew~
Finally i got the time to write.
Since, we are back, i will try to maintain the consistency and hopefully, i will be able to upload a chapter daily.
Thank you guys.
Please point out the error and area where i can improve myself.
Power stones
Power stones
Power stones
Power stones
Power stones
Power stones
Power stones