Prologue: A Few Too Many
There is a mythical creature in ancient folklore that is said to be the most long-lived creature on Earth. Some would go as far as to say it's even immortal. It had the size and the fierce appearance of an eagle, a body that resembled a lively rainbow of red and gold, and a cry that epitomized the meaning of a beautiful melody. This creature was called the phoenix.
The phoenix can live on for a thousand years, spending half of its life wandering the earth and the other building its own grave; a nest of cinnamon, spikenard, and myrhh on the branches of an oak tree. As it neared the end of its life, it would fly into its nest and set it on fire, allowing itself to be consumed by the flames.
When the fire dies down, the phoenix would rise up from its own ashes and begin another cycle of its lifespan anew for a thousand years before consuming itself in flame and be rebirthed again. Some say that this mythical creature still flies in regions unknown to this day...
Prelude: State of the World
It has been 31 years since humanity's new enemy appeared before them. They don't know who or what they are, they don't even know if they possess even a single iota of intelligence. Whatever they are, humanity colloquially refers to them as "Titans:" Large humanoid-like beings towering from 4m tall to - at most recorded so far -15m.
It is a mystery how they came to be but all that history recorded is that they appeared at the climax of World War II on the islands of Japan. From then, they struck terror on the human nations, striking first the inhabitants of the Asian and European continent. Once bitter enemies of a bloody international war fought side by side, fortresses and front lines that were meant to push against enemy nations became the last line of defense against the Titan terror devastating weapons meant to inflict severe harm to humans became the only thing that stood between survival and death. As valiantly as the Asian and European nations resisted, they fell swiftly. The Titans seized Asia and Europe, eventually migrating to Africa and finally, somehow, tread the oceans to the Americas, Australia, Great Britain, and Ireland. These were the last remnants of humans that remained and despite their preparations, they could only hold them back for so long.
A squad of American soldiers lead a daring raid into Tokyo, Japan in an attempt to gather information on the origins of the Titans and they believed that finding the source will bring them the answers they seek. Humanity's hope lied in the success of this operation. This is their first ambitious mission into the heart of Titan territory and they hoped that the rewards would be well worth the extreme risk.
1st Raid of Japan (Tokyo, Japan, August 13, 1976)
Tokyo's urban metropolis remained unchanged from the end of World War II. Many buildings were severely damaged or reduced to burning debris piles due to the American bombing campaigns, and also from Titans tearing their way through the city as they chased down whatever humans remained. When there was no one left on the islands, they roamed about passively, either staying in Japan or moving on to another continent to find another community of humans to terrorize and snack on. Just recently, they have become active again and headed towards Tokyo's former city hall, hoping to get a chance to feed on another group of humans in Tokyo. Sounds of gunfire, shattering glass, and cracking concrete reverberated between the buildings as the human soldiers ran out of the former city hall, guns blazing. Several lower class Titans varying from heights of 5m to 7m followed them out of the building, with a dozen more approaching rapidly from adjacent buildings.
"Once you get into the vehicles, head straight to rally point Coxwell, don't stop for anything," the leader of the squad barked out. "Dispersion pattern Delta, execute!"
The soldiers got inside a convoy of 5-door transports, their engines roaring to life. Standard recon operating protocols made sure that if the recon team was detected, they could have a quick way out to safety. This was the solution: retrofitting civilian hatchbacks for military use as they were the only available vehicle fast enough to perform such recon operations on Titans. There was no need for heavy weapons or tank-grade armor: remaining long enough in Titan territory to warrant the use of such things against them only equalled death.
The convoy at first travelled along the main road leading away from the city hall then splitting off onto different roads, each of the three vehicles in the convoy attracting several Titans. Along the road, they see what used to be food stands, entertainment buildings, and what remained of a few manufacturing companies, signs that looked like the previous inhabitants were barely given a chance to pickup and leave. The charred structures, the numerous bones that littered the surface and the tattered fabrics of what used to be clothing were a chilling sight for the soldiers.
The squad captain tapped a button on the vehicle's radio console. "Barnes, Akido, report in."
There was a brief moment of static before the speaker burst out with another man's voice. "Barnes here Cap'n, we're evading lower class Titans at the western main road, ETA to convergence point 4 minutes."
"Akido here," another voice on the radio called out. "Burning rubber with these winding roads but we're managing. With Orido's driving, we can reach the convergence point in 2 minutes."
"Alright, don't stray any farther than you have to, we just need to delay them until the transport's ready, they're underway now."
"Understood, we'll see you in 5 minutes," Akido acknowledged the message and signed off. "We'll see you in a bit Captain," Barnes also acknowledged.
The captain tapped another button on the console to end communications and leaned back, only slightly fazed by the winding path the vehicle was taking to avoid debris on the road.
"Captain," another soldier called out from the backseat. The captain turned around, his demeanor expressing worry. "Captain, we're not going to be here any longer than we have to right?"
The captain gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry son, we won't. Everyone is relying on us to get this information back to Command, and we'll get it to them before breakfast tomorrow, understood?"
The soldier nodded his head, and then responded confidently "yes sir."
The captain nodded and turned to face the front. This is the first time a mission of this caliber was executed. Of course there were bound to be some setbacks but so far, the mission was proceeding as planned. They managed to obtain several records from the archives of Tokyo and they hoped it would indicate something about their enemy.
"This is Alpha-Echo-One, cab ride's waiting," a voice called out from the radio speaker in the car.
"Damn right," the corporal remarked.
The captain tapped the radio console and replied. "Acknowledged, we're headed to the runway now."
This was only a recon mission, and though they got what they needed, the consequences of coming here showed early in the mission. The captain could only imagine how much worse the consequences would be if it were an escalated assault against them.
'In the next 50 years, we'd be more effective at combating these sons of bitches,' he thought bitterly. 'This better be worth it.'
"Sir, we're approaching the convergence point," the driver reported.
The captain's sense of time was distorted by the various noises around him: its slick-grip tires were screeching almost endlessly on the worn pavement, the inline four turbo engine was giving a powerful roar in response to the driver's command, and a dimming sound of pounding from a distance as they finally reached the convergence point.
'Thought it'd be a few minutes more.' He looked at the driver of the car. 'What did Tsuchida say he did before enlisting again…?'
They arrived just as Akido's car pulled over to the right side of the road and signalled his lights. The driver side door opened and Akido's driver got out. Two other soldiers exited the vehicle and stretched their legs. They opened the hatch to break out some rations in the trunk before going back into the car.
"Thank you," the captain acknowledged. He picked up the radio mic to signal the other members of his squad. "Akido, we're pulling up to you now, get in position. Barnes, what's your location?"
There was no immediate response from Barnes, so the captain signalled him again. "Barnes come in, over."
Tsuchida stopped the captain's car behind Akido's and stepped outside to stretch his legs. The soldiers in the back seat lay back, taking the opportunity of brief respite to relax.
"Barnes, stop messing around," the captain said over the radio sternly.
"Must be all the debris interfering with the radio, captain," a soldier remarked from the back seat.
"It better be the debris," the captain replied. "If it's not, I'm going to leave-"
"Captain!" a static-ridden voice shouted from the radio. "We got a-"
The sound of crunching metal riddled through the headset and the voice was suddenly cut off.
Soon after, the sound of tires screeching and the slamming of an engine rev limiter echoed out not too far away, followed by the sound of erratic gunfire. The captain looked in horror to see a 6m Titan clinging onto the roof of the car, the bottom half of a man's body protruding from its mouth. Blood and chunks of flesh were spat out of the Titan's mouth as it chewed up the body. The way he was dressed and equipped, the mangled corpse looked hauntingly familiar. It was Barnes.
"Holy shit!" the second soldier in the captain's backseat yelled out.
The soldiers in both cars dismounted and readied their weapons. Their palms were sweating uncharacteristically which made it difficult for them to steady their aim.
"No! We need to go, now!" the captain yelled. He couldn't risk attracting more Titans to their position. Tsuchida and Orido wasted no time in getting the cars underway again, and the soldiers, dismayed at what they are witnessing, got back into the cars. They had no choice but to leave Barnes' team behind.
"We can't shake him!" the driver of Barnes' car called out on the radio. "Shoot the fucking thing off!"
As much as the captain wanted to help them, he knew that if he did, he would be putting the rest of his squad at risk. It was only a single Titan on the car but they were short on time, and the captain knew that if they stopped now, there is a chance that they will all die from the Titans.
"No! The last thing we need is to have more men die for this mission! I'm sorry, you need to manage on your own!" the captain put the radio mic down and hit the side panel of his door in despair. 'Goddamnit!'
"We need to stop and deal with this sir!" the worried soldier urged.
"You know I can't do that Corporal!"
"Captain what the fuck! We don't leave our men behind! Not to those… those fuckers out there!"
The captain already knew that their fates were sealed when that Titan climbed onto their roof. He was not about to seal theirs trying to change the fate of doomed soldiers.
"And what do you want me to do about it Corporal?" the captain said. "You want us to face those fuckers out there too?!"
"Just do something!"
The captain sighed. 'The least I could do is put them out of their misery.'
He didn't want to risk the mission, but he didn't want to be responsible for a cruel death, especially for those under his command, to the Titans.
The captain tapped the radio console and began to give orders.
"Tsuchida, Orido, find us a position further ahead then put us in a barricade position. The rest of you, when I give the word drop whatever explosives you have along the road, don't arm them."
Reports of acknowledgement were received from the radio and the soldiers in the car.
"Now!" the captain signalled.
The car stopped in a defensive position. The soldiers dropped whatever explosives they had out the window on the ground below them, the captain saving one grenade.
Barnes' now shredded transport was approximately 30 meters behind and closing, still driving erratically trying to shake the Titan off the roof. Only Barnes's left leg was visible from its mouth now.
"I'm sorry about this," the captain mumbled to himself.
"Tsuchida, Orido, go!" he yelled. He pulled the pin on the grenade and dropped it along with the other explosives on the ground. The two remaining transports zipped away to a safe distance as they watch what happened next behind them.
Barnes' transport crossed the line of explosives and the grenade detonated, causing a chain reaction among the other destructive devices, spawning a huge fireball and a small shockwave which shattered the glass of the surrounding buildings and blew debris in various directions.
The corporal stared in shock. "Captain…"
The car went up in flames; whoever was inside surely did not survive. The Titan, shocked from the explosion and the debris which scarred its face, was thrown off from the car and against a building several feet away, cracking the concrete facing of the structure.
"Captain… what, wh-"
"You did what you had to," Tsuchida said. He continued driving the car behind Akido's, headed to rendezvous with their transport out of Tokyo.
"No, we could've saved them! For fuck's sake captain-"
The captain noted he was the only one who didn't throw out any explosives. His vest pouches were still full.
"Don't make this harder for him that it already is Corporal!" the other soldier intervened. "Sarge Barnes was like a younger brother to him, he doesn't need to hear it from you."
He looked at the captain through the rearview mirror and saw it in his face. His eyes met the captain's, looking intently at the corporal's face. It was only a moment before the corporal realized the captain wasn't actually staring back at him.
"… Captain, I'm sorry. We couldn't have-"
"No, no," he quietly replied. "I knew that this could happen. We all knew the risks." He glanced at the passenger side mirror, the fire from the car raging and Titans behind it giving chase.
"I'm sorry that this didn't turn out as well as I thought it would." But as composed as the captain was, he was on the verge of breaking down.
The two soldiers in the back seat looked at him bitterly. Tsuchida glanced at him. The only sound that could be heard was from the hum of the car's engine and the dirt road the two cars were now travelling on, rubber tires crunching the earth that remained untouched for over 30 years. There was a distant sound of aircraft propellers running up ahead. It was no help for the silence that reinforced the bitter mood. The captain regained his composure.
"Many have died, and many will continue to do so. For our own survival. We're not done here."
"And we're coming back for more of this shit? Are these commanders insane?!" the other soldier questioned.
"It's a necessity for survival," the captain answered. He and the two soldiers looked down in despair. "If we don't do this, then who will? Who's going to stand up against these assholes? If we don't, then we might as well be dead."
Silence remained in the vehicle cabin. The transports pulled up to a long stretch of wide road which led out of Tokyo's downtown and into a former airbase. A C-130 transport aircraft had its propellers running and slowly rolled down the runway away from the cars, towards the end. It slowly opened its rear cargo door to let the convoy in.
"Sir, we already lost Major Miller, Sergeant Reyes and his team inserting to this location," Tsuchida pointed out. "Exactly how many more 'sacrifices' are we making to finally end these bastards?"
It was clear to Tsuchida that morale was impacted but he wanted to be sure. The captain sighed and looked at the transport that was going to bring the squad out of Tokyo and back to the safety of their base. There were slots for four vehicles in the cargo hold, and only two of the four hatchbacks deployed to the captain's squad were coming back intact. 21 men deployed for what was supposed to be an 'in and out' recon mission, 21 men formerly in command of Major Ian Miller, even he could not survive the Titan onslaught despite his experience. Of the 21 men, only 9 survived the return trip to safety.
"A few more. A few too many."
