Floch watched in despair as a Titan held him in its palm. Mikasa, in front of him, was also clutched in a Titan's hand. She looked as though she were sleeping peacefully, tear tracks covering the corners of her eyes.
"This meaningless life of mine." Floch closed his eyes in anguish, tears streaming down his face.
As thoughts raced through his mind, a dazzling bolt of lightning lit up the distant sky. The brilliant flash drew closer, so bright that Floch could not open his eyes. He felt a breeze brush past him, and then the Titan before him suddenly stopped moving, its grip on him growing weaker and weaker.
Floch struggled free of the Titan's palm and landed on the ground in bewilderment.
The next second, the dozen or so pure Titans before him all split neatly into four pieces at once, severed both vertically and horizontally, and collapsed to the ground.
Clad in a cloak, Chen Si slowly lifted the unconscious Mikasa into his arms, his back to Floch. Floch stared at his silhouette, as though he were a god descended from heaven.
"Thank you for saving my life, Lord Chen Si!" Floch dropped to one knee and shouted.
Mikasa's long eyelashes gave a faint, unnoticed flutter.
Grass Mud Horse soon came running over from the distance as well.
"Floch, ride my horse and take Mikasa to the Giant Tree Forest. Remember, find the tallest tree on the western side and stay up there. If you see Jean and the others, stop them from fighting, understood? The eastern side is about to be swallowed up by a horde of Titans."
"Grass Mud Horse, can you carry two people for ten minutes?" Chen Si asked, stroking Grass Mud Horse's head.
Grass Mud Horse raised its head and let out