Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan

Rated M for gore violence, language, and sexuality

Enjoy

Southern Wall Maria, 850...

Raisa led the regiment through the darkness of the forest. Everyone else held lanterns to light their path, but Raisa didn't need one. Plus, she needed to keep her focus on any movement. Her vision was clear despite the moonless night. She stopped and turned to Arden. "How much farther on the map? I don't see the edge of the forest."

Arden moved the map into the light of his lantern. "Not sure. Shiganshina should be close by once we reach the foot of the mountain."

Raisa exhaled in annoyance. Something was bothering her. The entire trip had been quiet. Suspiciously so. She casually glanced left and noticed a titan sitting against a boulder. She snatched up Arden's lantern and shined the light. "Titan! Nine o'clock!"

Everyone stopped. More Scouts shined their lanterns onto the sleeping giant. It showed no reaction to their proximity. Raisa internally cursed herself. How did I miss it? I can see fine, but...maybe because it was so still? Hange was the only one to step closer to it, inspecting it's demeanor. "It's all right. He's asleep...sort of. Doesn't seem to be one of the ones that can move around at night."

Oskar breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

"Such a shame," Hange noted.

"Leave it be," Raisa said.

Moblit shivered as the Scouts resumed formation. "I can't believe we're this close to one...and it's just ignoring us."

"Yeah, but it's worth it." Hange sighed as glanced up. "It's a good thing we're using the new moon's cover. Moonlight is really just reflected sunlight. Minuscule compare to what we get during daylight, but it's enough for those titans at Utgard. Man...hope we can capture one someday!"

"Hange," Raisa scolded.

Movement to her far right caught her attention. Raisa whipped her head, scanning the area quickly. Some hundred yards away, bushes were waving about. Like someone had just pushed through them. There was nothing. No animals save for the birds sleeping in the high branches. Erwin stopped beside her. "What is it? Do you see something?"

"I thought I saw...I don't know." She turned to meet his gaze. "I didn't get a good look. I'm not sure what it was."

"Hopefully, it's nothing." He gestured to the trail. "We need to keep going. It's almost dawn."

"Yes, sir."

Raisa returned to the head of the vanguard. By the time they had reached the foot of the mountain, they sky was beginning to turn purple. Light blooming from the far east. Shiganshina was within sight. Erwin gave the order to mount the horses. The soldiers moved in unison. Their movements were drilled into their bones. The gallop of a hundred horses sounded like thunder as they approached the inner gate. Eren remained in the center, surrounded by Levi Squad, Raisa Squad, and Hange Squad. "There could be titans anywhere, so keep your guard up!" Erwin ordered. "This operation has officially begun!"

The Scouts entered the outer part of the city, barreling through the main road. Erwin waved his hand. "All troops, switch to ODM gear!"

Levi Squad, Raisa Squad, and Hange Squad moved first. As their horses ran, they hopped up onto the saddle and flew into the air, drawing their blades. Hange and Raisa led their squads atop the wall to head to the outer gate first. Every single soldier had the hood of their cloak up, keeping their faces hidden. Eren followed after Mikasa to the top, but he paused upon seeing his hometown for the first time in 5 years. Levi ran past him. "Don't stop! You get to that outer gate!"

Eren snapped out of his trance. "Sir!"

Erwin reached the top of the wall with the rest of is command squad and Cassandra. The squad spread out while the other soldiers continued over the walls. Cassandra stayed by Erwin's side. I 'll permit you to go, she remembered Historia saying. But your safety is paramount, Cassandra. No unnecessary risks. Stay beside Erwin, got it? Cassandra glanced to her left and noticed Armin waving his arm. "Commander Erwin, I think Armin found something."

At the outer gate, Raisa and Hange stood back-to-back while their squads were positioned along the bottom and top of the gate. "I know we're overdue for some luck," Hange said, "but how have we not seen any titans yet?"

"I don't know," Raisa said as she pulled out her flare gun. "No turning back, now."

She fired a green flare, signaling that the coast was clear for Eren to proceed. Levi Squad pushed forward with newfound haste. Eren hurried along the wall as the others took their positions. He hurdled up and over the wall, letting himself free-fall towards the gate as he bit his hand. Thunder rumbled as Eren transformed right before he hit the ground. In an instant, his titan form harden, sealing the hole and fusing with the stone. Eren popped out of his titan body before the hardening completed. Mikasa swooped down and snatched him up.

"Survey the seal!" Raisa ordered.

"The enemy could strike any second!" Hange added. "Stay on the lookout!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

As they took off, Mikasa appeared with Eren. Hange hurried over to him. "Is your ODM gear secure?"

He quickly checked. "It's fine, but I lost my cloak." Mikasa took off hers and draped it over his shoulders. Eren pulled the hood up. "Thank you."

Levi kneeled down at the edge to shout to the soldiers below. "How's it look?!"

"Looks good over here!" Rashad shouted from the district-side of the seal.

"Yeah, our end's plugged, too!" Arden announced from the other side.

They fired their flares in unison. Hange heaved a sigh of relief. "We pulled it off. Thank god."

"Eren, are you okay?" Raisa asked.

"Not even tired," he reported. "All that training's paid off."

"Perfect. There's no time to waste." Raisa turned to her squads. "Everyone, head for the inner gate! And keep your faces hidden!"

"Eren, stay with Levi," Hange ordered.

"Yes, ma'am!" Eren hurried to catch up with Levi and the squad. They ran along the top of the wall, and Eren glanced back at the inner gate. "Did I actually do it? It felt too easy."

"Don't doubt yourself," Mikasa encouraged. "I saw it. Everyone did. Have faith in your strength."

"We're not finished," Levi snapped. "You can plug the gates all you want, but they can just break them again later. Until we've killed Reiner, Bertholdt, and whoever else may be with them, the operation to retake wall maria won't be over."

Eren deepened his frown. "Yeah. I'm well aware."

At the outer gate, Cassandra re-adjusted her cloak to make sure it was covering her torso completely. The wind was cold, and she was trying not to shiver. She thought she'd be able to withstand it...and her snug-fitting pants. Fucking 10-lbs. She glanced around, seeing the recruits below with the horses. The escort squads were making their way back. The city was still very quiet. She turned back to Erwin. "Sir? Is it just me or is there something wrong here? There aren't any titans, and we haven't seen a any enemies. Think they ran?"

"Hopefully," he admitted. "But considering what Armin found..." his voice trailed off as Armin appeared.

Armin hopped up onto the wall, and jogged over. "I looked into it, sir. Someone was definitely camping on the wall. I found cups and a cold pot on the ground, near where I spotted the ashes. They were drinking something like black tea. Also, I found at least three cups."

Cassandra blinked in surprise. "Three?"

"Was the pot completely cool to the touch?" Erwin asked.

"Yes."

"That's troubling."

"Agreed."

Cassandra glanced back and forth between them. "Why is that still bad? It means they're long gone, right? A hundred horses can be heard a mile away, not to mention this high-vantage point. Wouldn't they have seen us and bolted?"

"If that were the case, they'd have no more than two minutes to do so," Erwin explained. "But a pot over flame wouldn't have cooled in that short of time. I'd wager they've had plenty of time to prepare for our arrival."

"How?"

Armin pinched his chin in thought, growing more paranoid as his thoughts ran wild. "Then they must've had a scout in addition the three here. No, there could be countless enemies lying in wait."

"Sharpen your focus on the enemies that are nearby," Erwin suggested. He recalled Raisa's suspicions of seeing something in the woods. "I trust you. That mind of yours has save us from disaster countless times. Now, do it again."

He raised his arm, waving over the standby squads. "You can take as many soldiers as you need. If the enemy's hiding nearby, find them." Erwin turned to the soldiers. "As of now, you will obey Armin Arlelt's commands. He'll tell you how to proceed."

The soldiers blinked in surprised. Marlene cleared her throat. "Uh...understood, sir!"

Dirk stepped forward, startling Armin. "We searched the wall's perimeter thoroughly!"

"What are your instructions, Arlelt?" Marlene asked.

Armin glanced back and forth between them, struggling to string together a coherent thought. Then, his mind became clear. "We'll send one group to each side of the wall. Search the interiors of any buildings near the gate. If you find something, fire off an acoustic shell. Does...does that work for you?"

The soldiers swiftly turned and headed for the edge. "Understood!"

Cassandra resisted the urge to take off with them. It was almost a reflex. Still not used to staying on the sidelines. She noticed Eren and the escort squads were about half away between the inner and outer gate. "Commander, Eren's on his way. Shouldn't we halt the operation until we find Reiner and Bertholdt?"

"No. We'll lose a prolonged campaign we've worked so hard for."

"But, couldn't they just break the walls again? What's to stop an endless cycle of trying to seal the holes?"

Erwin met her gaze. Internally, he was extremely impressed. They had leaned on Historia because she was legitimate, but Erwin had no doubt Cassandra would've been as equally a suitable queen. "Time is of the essence. Our only chance at succeeding is by defeating the enemy. With that in mind, I know how daunting it is because we've been in the dark for so long. For all we know, all of this could've been anticipated by the enemy."

"So what're we supposed to do if that's true?"

"We deal with it."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow as she frowned. "A lot of what we do is adaptation," he added. "In any case, the enemy isn't the only ones who came prepared."

That much is painfully true, she thought as she touched the braces on her elbows. Memories of Reiner flashed through her mind. Her thoughts lingered on the memory of when he held her in his armored titan hand...when she was completely at his mercy. Cassandra deepened her frown. I wonder...if he knew, would he still have- A sharp ring broke her thoughts. Armin reappeared atop the wall, and the two squads returned.

Dirk reached him first. "Did you find them? Where?"

"The walls," he answered. "Everyone scour the walls!"

"We already did," Marlene interjected. "We searched all around them."

"There isn't anywhere for them to hide," Harold added as Erwin and Cassandra walked over.

"Check inside them."

Marlene huffed in disbelief. "Inside the walls?"

He nodded. "Yes. Look for a small cavity that someone could hide out in. It may be covered."

"How do you know that this exists?" Dirk asked.

Armin flinched. He lowered his gaze, self-doubt beginning to creep in. "It's a hunch."

The soldiers exchanged bewildered glances. Dirk latched onto Armin's shoulders, shaking him. "Damn it! Do you have any idea what kind of situation we're in? We don't have time to waste on your hunches!"

"But-just think about it!" Armin grabbed Dirk's wrists to stop his shaking. "The enemy always gets the better of us by using titan powers in ways we could never have imagined. If we constrain ourselves to normal tactical reasoning, then we'll never be able to gain the upper hand!"

Erwin raised his flare gun, and fired a red flare, surprising everyone. Eren and the escort squads immediately halted and flew to the top of the wall. Erwin lowered his hand. "There are times to be strict and times to be flexible. Uphold the principles of your vows," he ordered. "Do what it takes to win. Follow the chain of command and keep your eyes fixed on the path to victory."

Armin inhaled deeply, having a newfound confidence. "Form two groups again and check the wall's surface. Start your search above the gate! Go! Quickly!"

The soldiers blinked. "Uh...right!"

They hopped back over the edge to begin their search. Cassandra walked to the edge, watching curiously. "Inside the walls, huh? Think it's a long shot?"

"We'll see," Erwin said.

The soldiers spread out in two-meter intervals. They started at the top and began working their way down, tapping the walls to check for hollow spots. Armin was one wall section over, checking with the inner squad. Danel was to Armin's left, but was checking faster. He was about two meters below Armin. He stopped next to a large crack in the wall and tapped with his blade. Thud, thud.

He gasped at the different sound, and fired an acoustic round. "Right here! This part of the wall is hollow-!"

Armin glanced down. A blade shout out from inside the wall, striking Danel straight through the gut. Armin gasped as Danel fell off the wall. He immediately recognized the enemy as he jumped out from his hiding spot. "Reiner!"

Reiner turned, instantly meeting Armin's fearful gaze. He raised his blade, his intentions crystal clear. Armin was completely frozen. Reiner paused upon seeing movement out of the corner of his eye. A blade slashed through the air as Cassandra suddenly appeared. Her sword cut seamlessly through the back of Reiner's neck, but it didn't quite decapitate him. She released the blade then thrusted her other into his chest. The sword slipped under his ribcage, tearing straight through his heart. He's dead! I did it! It's done!

Reiner's golden eyes stared off at nothing, and then...he shifted his gaze to meet hers. What the-?! Shit! Cassandra pressed her foot against his stomach and yanked her sword free as she anchored herself to the wall. Reiner bounced as he slammed into the ground. Cassandra flew back beside Armin. "Cassandra?!"

"Goddammit!" she cried out in a mix of frustration and despair. "A fucking blade to the neck and he still won't die!"

Reiner's body erupted into light. Lightning struck as his titan body formed, the thunder echoing through the district. "Keep your eyes open!" Erwin ordered. "We still need to find his allies-!"

Behind them, a hundred bolts of lightning erupted at once. Erwin turned around. Numerous titans rose, all lined up in a perfect semi-circle around the city with the Beast Titan at the center. The monster stood up and grabbed a large boulder next to it. He held it close and then threw it. Erwin's eyes widened. "Incoming boulder! Get down!"

The boulder arc-ed through the air and crashed directly into the hole of the inner gate. Dirk peeked over the edge, feeling a bit relieved. "He missed!"

"Not so. That was a well-placed shot." Erwin raised his glare from the blocked gate to the smiling Beast Titan. "There's no getting out. We're surrounded. They mean to slaughter us here and now."

Armin and Cassandra returned to the top of the wall. She slumped her shoulders, seeing Levi's furious glare as he and Raisa were jogging over. Erwin was also starting, clearly disappointed. "I'm sorry, sir," she told him. "I failed to kill Reiner...and I'm sorry I disobeyed your orders to stay by your side."

Erwin softened his disappointment ever so slightly. "We'll have to address the issue later."

"Commander," Levi called. "The fat bastard's about to climb."

Down below, Reiner was already up on his feet. His fingers and toes steamed, forming hardened claws. He latched onto the wall and began his climb. "Soldiers!" Erwin called. "You are not yet to engage the Armored Titan! Maintain a safe distance!"

"Yes, sir!"

Raisa turned to Erwin. "Why don't you want us to attack?"

"I'm thinking," he told her.

"Well, think faster, sir." She pointed in Reiner's direction with her sword. "The Armored Asshole is already half-way up the fucking wall. We need a plan, now."

"Is that what you saw in the woods?"

"What?"

Erwin pointed with his sword. Pacing behind the Beast Titan like some sort of dog was a dark-haired titan on all fours. Strange enough, it had cargo strapped to it's back. Raisa widened her eyes. "Oh, shit...I think it is."

"It must be another shifter like Reiner and the others," Erwin concluded. "That's how they got ahead of us."

The Beast Titan roared as he slammed his fist onto the ground. The smaller titans all moved in unison. They took off at top-speed, heading straight for the city. Erwin deepened his frown. Damn it. This is how they plan to pick us off one-by-one?

Armin glanced back and forth between the approaching 2-3 meter titans and Reiner steadily making his way up the wall. "Sir, what now? The Armored Titan is almost up! Bertholdt hasn't shown yet, but he must be nearby!"

"I'm well aware." Erwin stared at the Beast Titan in thought. The enemy's plan was clearer to him now. Eliminate their escape routes and wait them out. In titan form, they most likely can wait us out until we starve to death. Erwin inhaled deeply as he drew his sword.

Levi noticed this, and raised an eyebrow. "Finally ready to say something, Erwin? Been waiting so long, I could've made breakfast."

"Dirk Squad and Marlene Squad, too! Join Klaus Squad and protect the horses at the gate!" He turned to point at Reiner. "Levi Squad, Raisa Squad, and Hange Squad! Take down the Armored Titan. Employ the Thunder Spears at your own discretion! Do whatever it takes to win! This is our moment! The fate of humankind depends on this battle! Lay down your hearts and lives...one final time, for humanity!"

"Yes, sir!" The soldiers shouted in unison as they took off.

"Hey, you three wait," Erwin ordered.

Raisa, Levi, and Armin halted. "Raisa, take command of Levi Squad.," he said. "I'm going to need Levi on this side of the wall."

"Levi's protecting the horses instead of Eren?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly. Because you, Levi, are the only one capable of taking him down." Erwin pointed to the Beast Titan. "He's the mastermind behind all this. If we eliminate him, the rest will follow."

"Understood, sir. It'll be my pleasure to take the Beast Titan's head." Levi glanced at Raisa then jumped off the edge to join Dirk Squad.

Raisa turned back to Erwin. "I take it you have a plan for the Armored Titan, too?"

He nodded. "I do."

She smiled in relief. "Alright. Tell me what we need to do."

Reiner latched onto the edge of the wall, finally having reached the top. He pulled himself up and knelt down. He scanned the other side of the wall. The Scouts were engaging the smaller titans, keeping them from getting further into the city. Reiner noticed the horses tied up in a small courtyard. He motioned to stand, but stopped upon noticing Erwin and Cassandra to his left. Erwin stood in front of Cassandra, his arm keeping her back. Reiner grunted and reached out to grab them.

A flash of lightning drew their attention. Reiner turned around, shocked to see Eren standing in the main road. Eren turned on his heels and began running towards the outer gate. Cassandra drew her swords, but Erwin kept her back. "Wait."

Reiner let out a growl. He glanced at the both of them, his armored eyes narrowing. With another grunt, Reiner scooted to the edge and slid back down. "Eren is their priority over anything else," Erwin said as Cassandra went to the edge to watch Reiner. "I don't know the reasoning behind it, but...my guess is that you won't matter to them nearly as much unless they have Eren first."

"I can't imagine how important my royal blood is. Especially considering I have Ackerman blood." Cassandra pushed her hood back off her head. "Rod seemed to think it lessened my value or whatever."

I wouldn't be so sure. Erwin noticed the squads getting into position as Reiner sprinted after Eren. "Regardless, Reiner has no idea what's in store for him."

Two minutes ago...

"He wants to use Eren as bait?"

"Yes," Raisa said. "He sent Levi to protect the horses and kill the Beast Titan once he has an opening."

Hange scoffed in bewilderment. "Hold on. He does realize that he's risking Eren's capture, right?"

"Uh, yeah."

"But even if we try that, Reiner might just go after the horses anyway," Mikasa pointed out.

"Oh, he'll definitely chase after Eren, sweetheart." Raisa said with a confident nod. "It's the best course of action for him because even if he does go after the horses, Eren can head north to bypass the Beast Titan's formation."

"A pincer attack!" Hange gasped. "Okay, okay...I get it now. Cause even if things don't go according to plan, they don't expect Eren to flee. This just might work. However, the only question is can Reiner see that far ahead?"

Eren thought for a moment, recalling his cadet training. "Knowing him...he should work it out pretty quickly."

"Okay. This is where we'll bring down the Armored Titan," Raisa declared. "Hange, you're the best schemer. I think I should take point while you command our squads."

"Perfect. Let's go!"

"Wait a second!" Armin begged, stopping everyone before they took off. "There's one more factor we need to consider. He's still hiding, but Bertholdt must be nearby. The last time they fought, Eren outmaneuvered Reiner and had him on the verge of defeat, but then Bertholdt caught him with a surprise attack, and he ended up their captive."

"So, what're you suggesting?" Hange asked.

"As a simple-counter measure," Armin looked to Eren, "do what you can to keep the fight away from the walls."

Present...

Eren came to a halt in the center of the city. He raised his fists, the skin hardening on the backs of his fingers. Reiner surged forward, throwing his fist in a straight sucker punch. Eren ducked and dodged to his right. Reiner fell onto his knees, and Eren grabbed his shoulder, keeping him down. He shoved Eren's hand off and punched at his head again. Eren easily avoided it and then slammed his fist into Reiner's face. His armor shattered like thin ice. The force of his strength cause Reiner to tumble away, and Eren roared loudly and defiantly.

Atop the wall, Erwin was keeping an eye on both fronts. Eren's fight, and the titan horde. He had noticed that a few of the Scouts have already been either eaten or killed by some of the small titans. We've grown weak. He touched his right sleeve. It was a strange feeling. Sometimes, when he wasn't thinking, he'd forget his missing limb. The first installment in his debt settlement. "You don't want to die," Premier Zachary told him. "You're like me. Your life is more important to you than the fate of humanity."

That thought made his heart ache. "I know what kind of man you are. I know full well how far you're willing to go," Katya said once. "You're not as heartless as you think are."

But I am. I have a dream. A selfish dream, he thought. His entire life, he said things to inspire others, did things to get ahead. He recalled how he fooled everyone. How he convinced Levi to willingly join the Scouts after witnessing the deaths of his friends. How he encouraged Raisa, a bright-eyed, incredibly talented Cadet, to dedicate her future to "the cause". How numerous soldiers looked to him, and gave their lives for his dream...whether they knew it or not.

His eyes shifted to the city below. Before I die...I'd like to see it. The truth of our world. I have to know.

In the center of the city, Eren roared again as he kept punching. Reiner had his arms up to block, but it was futile. Eren's hardened punch broke through his guard, shattering more of his armor. Reiner roared in anger. He dropped to his knees to avoid Eren's next punch and moved to tackle him. But, Eren anticipated this. He pushed against Reiner's head and spun away out of his grasp. However, Reiner continued with the tackle, managing to grab Eren's right ankle. He roared as he got up and swung Eren up like a ragdoll, and slammed him down on top of a house.

Mikasa paused, panicking. "He needs our help!"

"Not yet," Raisa warned, adjusting the Thunder Spear on her arm. "Trust Eren to give us an opening. That's the only way this'll work."

Reiner dragged Eren out of the house and thrusted his fist down in pure rage. He pulled his fist back, but found Eren had tucked his head to avoid the direct punch. Eren used this opportunity to pull Reiner into an arm lock. He tried to wiggle out, but Eren's hold was too strong. Eren twisted Reiner's arm and then threw him with as much force as he could muster. Reiner grunted as he rolled off towards a street with tall buildings. Damn it!

He growled as he got up onto his knees. This isn't going to work. I need Bertholdt-huh? Green blurs zipped around Eren. Raisa and Hange suddenly appeared in front of his face, wielding strange rods. In unison, they each fired a spear. Nailing Reiner's eyes. They continued with the momentum, flying around Reiner's head and yanking the pin of the Thunder Spears. They hummed and then exploded. Reiner shrieked in surprise as his eyes burst from the ignition. Hange and Raisa landed on a roof, out of range as the rest of the squads swooped in.

"This just might work," Hange admired.

Raisa watched unblinkingly. Seeing every movement, every detail. The squads each fired a spear into Reiner's nape. As soon as they pulled the pins, dozens of spears exploded at once. Reiner lurched forward from the force of it. He braced himself, still stunned. Jean smiled in bewilderment. "We got him. The spears worked! The armor around his nape is in splinters now!"

"Whoa, it really worked?" Conny asked.

"We can actually do some damage," Sasha admired.

"Do it again!" Hange ordered. "Now! While he's distracted! End this!"

Sasha hesitated, furring her brows at the Armored Titan. "But...it's Reiner..."

"It doesn't matter," Mikasa said. "He's the enemy."

Jean gritted his teeth and raised his remaining spear. "She's right. We said we'd do it if it ever came down to this. So let's go!"

They moved in again. Without the armor protecting him, the spears dug deep into his nape. No, wait... His entire body shook as the explosions blew about his nape and shoulders. Reiner screamed as he felt a rush of cold and hot air. He was surrounded by flames. The smell of his burning titan flesh filled his nose. A figure broke through the fire and smoke. He gasped in fear as Raisa rushed towards him with her blade raised. "No, I don't want to die-!"

End of Chapter 25