Chapter 23

"Think it's gonna be that easy, big guy?!" gelgar shouts as he cuts off the fingers of the one titan managing to climb up the tower.

As it tips back, Nanaba performs a 90 degree turn from her nose dive and slices off it's nape, its decaying body falling on the titans below and slowing their ascent.

Gelgar laughs nervously, body full of adrenaline, "Hot damn! You little ones should really watch where you're going! Dumbasses!"

"Now's not the time to be reckless gelgar!" Nanaba admonishes.

Below, the remaining scouts continue their battle, Eld and Calian both sticking together as they take on one Titan at a time. Rotating between each other; first with Eld being a distraction for a titan with Calian sneaking in and going for the kill then seamlessly distracting the next while Eld does the killing. Going back and forth as it happens. Together they're able to take out a good chunk of the larger titans that are surrounding the base of the tower. Eld narrows his eyes as Calian shoots too much gas to kill two more titans, "cal regroup on the tower now!"

Growling but doing as he's told, Calian pulls back next to Nanaba. "What gives Eld? We were on a roll!"

"And you were using too much gas! Nanaba is right this isn't a time to be reckless! We're deep in titan country with no other significant anchor points than this tower. We need to be as frugal as possible with our resources!" Eld scolds the younger Scout.

"He's right, Gelgar don't waste your blades anymore, even if they're getting dull we have to make due!"

"Fine! But you still better chalk that one up to an assist it was my kill!"

Nanaba scoffs, "Aren't you the hero."

Her eyes bug out, "Lynne, what're you doing!"

Said scout quickly kills a pinned titan, narrowly escaping the grasp of another as she gets back to her second in commands side, "Sorry, but the titans have found their way inside the castle!"

Calian's alarmed by the news, "Shit, they're gonna kill everyone!"

He makes to drop down but is stopped by Eld, "Let me go!"

"Stop and think for a second Howlett! This is no time to freak out! We're soldiers dammit! We have to keep our heads level!"

"but the titans—"

"are what your friends trained to kill! They made it this far so you have to trust that they can find a way to survive! And the only way they'll have that chance is if we take out the major threats out here! If they get past us then this castle will fall along with everyone inside, do you understand me Scout?!"

Calian glares intently at the Titans reaching for them, not meeting Elds eyes. As much as he hates it, he knows he's right. Sasha already dealt with this herself. Ya gotta trust everyone else can too. "Do you understand me Scout?" Eld asks again.

Through gritted teeth, Calian replies, "Understood sir."

Satisfied, Eld nods to Nanaba who instructs Lynne to warn the other cadets, "Get them to barricade themselves as best they can!"

Turning back to Calian, "Let's kill these fuckers Howlett!"

"With pleasure!"

Cal takes a nose dive, roaring as he does so and slips underneath a 10 meter titan, cutting it's feet completely off by the ankles with Nanaba appearing and delivering the killing blow. Gelgar flies up and shoots a flashbang flare, blinding the majority of the titans and allowing them to be easy picking for the Scouts, who manage to kill majority of the titans that're covering their eyes in pain. Slowly but surely they mmake head way. Depsite their exhaustion, the Scouts continue to fight as their hearts bear hope, seeing the crowd of Titans slowly reducing in size. They regroup to catch their breath with Cal, in between pants, noting, "I think we got rid of all the big guys so far!"

"Good! Means it's almost over!" Nanaba says with no shortage of relief.

Lynne rushes up, slowing down enough to inform Nanaba, "We'll check on the recruits!"

"Oka—"

They all stop as they hearing the sounds of whistling before a crash, exploding areas of the castle around them. Eld recognizes the sound and quickly orders, "TAKE COVER!"

The scouts quickly fly around, avoiding the rapid debris that's flying towards them with the force of a cannon. Eld catches the sight of a particularly large boulder heading directly towards lynne and the other scouts and he flies up as quickly as he can, "LOOK OUT!"

He pushes them onto the roof next to Connie and the others, just in time as the boulder makes contact in the area they were in. The force of impact was too great though as the second in command is launched clear across the roof and crashing painfully to the solid rock that makes up the ledge. His head lolls to the side, his vision doubling and swimming in and out of focus. "ELD!" Connie screams, getting everyones attention as they quickly make their ways back up to the roof.

Calian quickly gets to the blonde and checks his pulse, happy to see that he's still alive but barely conscious, with blood pouring from his head. "Is he gonna be alright!?" Krista asks.

Cal quickly takes out his first aide pouch and cleans the wound as best he can, "I pretty sure, it looks like he's concussed so do me a favor and keep him awake!"

He stands but almos loses his balance as the structure is rocked by another wave of debris, still managing to stay upright but just barely. Nanaba and Gelgar treat the soldiers, who've survived thanks to Eld but ended up with scrapes and broken bones thanks to the explosion brought by the thrown boulder. Lynne yelps in pain as Gelgar splints her leg as best he can, "You're gonna be ok!"

"For how long?" She asks fearfully.

Gelgar is too scared and uncertain to give her a reply.

Connie watches in horror as a group of titans appear from the trees and head directly towards them, "Oh god, We've got twice as many as before heading right for us!"

Exasperated Gelgar falls back onto his ass, "You're kidding me?!"

"Dammit," nanaba curses, "It's like they're timing these attacks as some part of a larger strategy. This isn't random at all, we're being toyed with!" she states with a glare.

Calian steps forward besides Connie to survey the battlegrounds but is unnerved by the sight of a titan, "The fuck is that thing?!"

The remaining Scouts see a furry titan in the distance roaring with all it's might with its hands raised above its head. Suddenly the titans begin rushing the tower, digging their fingers into the stone. Ymir notifies Calian, "It's some type of beast titan. Every it's what's been throwing rocks at us and every time it roars these things kick it into overdrive!"

""holy fuckin shit!" Calian curses with a shake of his head, frustrated.

Nanaba unsheathes her blades, "Fight isn't over yet! Gelgar, Howlett! Defend the castle with your life!" She doesn't wait as she rushes back into battle.

Calian hesitates, looking back at his squad mate. Eld seems to have regained some of his bearings as he gestures to Calian, "Go dammit!"

Determined, The young man leaps off the building, his swords held high, "RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHH!"

He pile drives throw the elbow of one titan, obliterating the joint before rushing through its neck and out the other side, quickly slicing the nape from the titan behind. He pulls out a flame bomb and throws it at the face of the titan that tried grasping Gelgar, it screeches as it's flesh is burned and nanaba kills it. Gelgar drops down then back up, cutting the tendons and ligaments of the titan trying to destabilize the tower making it hang limply with Calian coming in and tearing the rest of it's wrist off and allowing it to fall down, with Nanaba once again delivering the killing blow and allowing it to crush the smaller titans beneath it's massive body. She pulls back up and feels a shimmer in her gear, Dammit! I'm running out of gas! She flies back up with Gelgar standing beside her, staring at the broken blade in his hand, Tiredly he says, "The tower's not gonna hold."

Trying to ignore the anxierty building she asks, "Hey my ODM gear's low on juice, yours?"

"Fresh out," Blood starts to pour from his scalp, much to his teammates alarm. "I've worn my blades down to the nub too."

"Gelgar?" She gasps.

Seemingly unaware, he continues speaking, "How many kills did we manage to rack up? 50 maybe?"

"Gelgar you're bleeding!" She shouts in alarm.

His grip begins to slack, his eyes drooping down, "I don't think I did too bad. O

H man," His voice starts to become strained, "What's a guy gotta do to get a drink around here?" He starts to drop down, "I'm sorry Nanaba, I must've bashed my head. I don't think… I can… Hang on."

His hooks release from the wall and he begins to fall, "GELGAR!" Nanaba screams.

She releases herself as well, intent on reaching her friend, But her breath is knocked out of her as an arm catches her around the waste. She looks back with frantic and teary eyes to see a stone faced Calian holding her back. "NO! NO! NO WHAT'RE YOU DOING!? HE'S GONNA DIE I HAVE TO SAVE HIM!"

Calian starts reeling them back to the roof, "I'm sorry. I can't afford to lose anymore friends tonight."

She struggles through her cries, scraping at his arms and hitting him with all her might so he can release her but he doesn't budge, he keeps a fast hold on her. She screams for Gelgar as he's cruelly torn apart by the Titans below them, "GELGAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!"

A single tear falls from Cal's left eye as he whispers, "I'm sorry."

They reach the roof and he puts her down. The moment she's stable she smacks Calian across the face so hard she could've swore she broke a bone. She doesn't care, tears continue to fall as she glares hatefully at the massive teen. "I could've saved him!"

"Ya would've died." He answers in a strained voice.

"HE DID!"

"I KNOW! Dammit I know, I'm sorry." Her chin quivering she turns her back on him.

"Sorry won't bring him back." He hangs his head down feeling guilty.

…Could… could I have saved him? If I was faster… if I wasn't so reckless… could I have saved them both? The Titans continue tumbling towards the tower but the roof is silent and tense. No one knows what to do at this point. They're all low on gas, he's down to his last blades and the enemy is still clawing for them down below and yet the distance feels so much shorter than it actually is.

Dropping down to his knees, Connie dips his head down feeling dejected and grim. "That's it isn't it? There's nothing else we can do?" He grips his head and yells in frustration. "This is bullshit! We'll be wiped out before getting to finish what we started."

Calian wishes he could say something, do something that could give them hope but he can't. There's nothing at all. Nothing for him to grasp, nothing for him to give. There's no way they can kill all these titans themselves. Especially with how little their resources are. … This… This is it. He looks at each and every one of his friends and comrades. Ymir and Krista are having a heated conversation, Reiner and Bertholdt are both still staring at the beast titan with a look of terror he's never seem them wear before. Connie looks like he's accepted everyone's imminent doom. Nanaba is still crying while Eld seems to finally be able to wake up though still clutching his wounded head. He takes calculated and careful steps so that he can face the teen and places a gentle hand on his shoulder. "If this is it, I just wanted to let you know how proud I am of you kid. IF you had the chance, you'd have been one of the greats."

"Oi Oi Oi, ya seem a little too acceptin that this is the end."

He shrugs, "Life of the Survey Corps." He looks up at the stars, "Gotta say, the double vision sure makes the stars look beautiful." He smiles as he looks upon the beauty of the night sky.

Saying fuck it, Howlett does so as well, hoping that they can enjoy one last look at something lovely before their demise. "Wish I took more of a chance to enjoy the view."

Eld gives his shoulder a comforting squeeze, "At least your doing it now. Not such a bad way to go out I suppose."

Calian takes a full deep breath of the night sky, wondering if Sasha was looking at the same stars he was before he drops his gaze, only to see Ymir walking towards the ledge with purpose, a small knife in hand. "The fuck did I miss?"

Reiner seems just as confused as he asks, "Do you have a plan?"

The freckled girl smirks, "If I do, we'll learn what it is together."

She stops just as she places a foot on the edge then turns back to her Blonde love, "Krista… this is nothing more than a hope of mine." She looks down at the hungry creatures of horror. "I want you to live a life you're proud of."

With one last loving smile she leaps off the edge. Krista reaches out towards her, being held back barely by Connie, "YMIR!"

Everyone rushes to the edge just in time to see her cut into her palm and to their shock, yellow lightning flashes and in her place a titan appears. They all watch in disbelief as she begins rapidly hopping from one titan to the other, biting off their napes like as if it were paper. "Ya gotta be fuckin kiddin me her too?!"

With the whole group watching in awe, Eld taps Cal without taking his eyes off the battle. "Hopefully I'm not hallucinating. Howlett, you still got some fight in you right?"

"Always… but what're ya getting at?"

Eld turns to the remaining scouts and roders them to give him their blades and gas canniseters, "Give me your gear kid."

"What're ya doin?"

Eld quickly starts transferring the remaining gas each canister has into Calian's and loads all their blades even the used ones into Calians gear, "Kid, you're the only one of us who can still fight, I can barely see straight and everyone else is either physically or psychologically damaged." He straps Calian up and jabs a finger into his chest, "You get down there and provide any assistance you can, we're depending on you now!"

Setting his jaw, Calian brings out his blades, "Ya got it chief!" "Wait cal!" Krista stops him and grabs his hand tightly.

"Please, save her!"

"Ya have my word."

Quickly he flies down killing a titan that had actually caught Ymir and slammed her down. He quickly kills 3 more titans that were directly upon them before standing beside her, his guard still up. "Well now you're ugly inside and outside, what're the odds."

Ymir's Titan form simply grunts, tilting it's head as it eyes his blades, "Let's make a deal, I keep as much of these guys off your back and ya don't eat me. Sound good to ya?"

It grunts, a puff of it's breath hitting Calian in the face and making him gag.

"Please don't ever do that again." He grumbles. "GRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The pair begin their battle, ymir continues to kill the titans surrounding the Tower while Calian targets their back up and smaller ones, making sure that none reaches the inside of the castle again. He lands on the out reaching arm of one flesh eating monster and leaps across its face, his sword dragging through it's eyes. He leaves that blade there then pulls as much as he can, causing the titan to move toward him, tipping over causing a group to fall under it. Quickly he uses the downward momentum to cut the ankels and legs of the horde in front of him, making all of them fall into one big huddle, leaving them as easy pciking for the resident titan shifter. Suddenly the whistling assaults their ears again and Ymir quickly scoops up Calian and rushes them out the way of the thrown debris. She gives him cover and he peeks through her fingers, glaring at the beast titan that still seems to smile. "That smug hairy fucker." He checks and sees that there are still a number of titans there but not an overwhelmingly large amount as they had started out. Ymir could handle them I hope. "Hey, big smelly and ugly, how good's your throwin arm?"

The beast Titan grabs a tree and drags its hand tightly around it, shaving down the branches and making it more spear like. He holds it up like a javelin and aims towards the small titan, ready to kill it. But he stops just as he goes to throw as he notcies it throw something towarss him. The beast titan squints his eyes to look at the rapidly enclosing object and sees that it's… a scout?

Said scout bares both swords, bellowing fiercely as he finally reaches the beast titan. His sword drags all along his arm, causing him to drop the tree. The titan shifter inside is astounded by his speed and notcies him land on his shoulder, his glare is frightening and with no signs of fear at all. "If there's someone in there, I hope ya can feel what's gonna happen next!"

He quickly takes out the flare gun and shoots directly into the beast Titans eye. It howls in pain and Calian leaps off its rising arm and back flips under him. He perches onto it's muscular stomach and digs deeply into the flesh. He quickly rips it open as much as he can and much to the titan shifters shock, dives inside. What kind of psychopath does this!? Isn't he aware of the heat?! Isn't he aware im a ti—AAAAAAGH! The beast titan clutches its abdomen and doubles over and he feels the scout tearing him apart from the inside. Suddenly he feels an overwhelming amount of pain at the base of his spine and his legs stop working. He—He paralyzed my titan?!Calian explodes out from the back fo the beast titan in bloody fashion, roaring as he does so. "Let's see who's the little man compensatin in here." He grumbles darkly.

"N-No!" Calian stops, sword still in hand but shocked by what he heard, "Did… did ys just speak?"

Instead of answering it raises an arm and points at the castle. Calian, still shocked by its ability to speak follows where it's pointing and his stomach drops. He witnesses Ymir starting to pull the tower apart!. "Save your friends. Or kill me."

Looking back and froth between the two Calian growls and stabs the titan with his blade, causing it to howl in pain again and detaches it, adding a new one onto the hilt. "This is isn't over ya big tooth bitch!"

Calian quickly uses the surrounding trees to launch him into the air, praying that he gets there in time. The fuck is she doing!? I thought she was trying to save everyone not kill them! Was she just tired of fightin and decide to give the titans somethin to feast on so she can get away? No she wouldn't do that to Krista she loves her too much… But then again what do I know about her, she can turn into a titan too…. What else was she hidin? … Who else was she hiding? Despite his best efforts, by the time he, to hi chagrin the tower was already falling.

He tries to ascend but unfortunately his gas is nearly depleted and he's barely able to get back into the air before falling down, thankfully one of his anchors is still attached to something and he swings, his body barely a few inches over the before it finally snaps and he tumbles painfully in the wreckage. Helpless, he looks up and is relieved to see Ymir appear on top, beckoning everyone to climb onto her. Guess she might still be on our side after all. Unfortunately, him stopping has left him in the direct path of the falling tower, to which a few seconds later he realizes it and begins turning back and running as fast as he can to escape the falling tower. At the last second he dives to the left, preventing himself from being crushed but being thrown painfully into a stray boulder from the force. He tumbles back down in pain, his whole body on fire, his lungs completely out of breath and begging for air. All the adrenaline in his body is finally leaving him and he begins to succumb to the sweet embrace of unconsciousness. He tries to get back up, giving everything he can to keep his eyes open but he fails, his vision slowly darkening to nothing.

"… lian…. Ca…. Cal!... –ou hear me?" A muffled voice tries to rouse the young scout awake. Calian groans as his eyes flutter open in time to see the worried face of Moblit and Section Commander Hanje Zoe.

Calian squints an eye open, "Boss? Mob? Tch," He falls back and chuckles, "Bout time ya'll got here."

The three share a grin with Hanje elbowing Moblit, "Told you he's alright."

"He should still get a checkup!"

Calian groans again as he stands, "I ain't hurt, just some scrapes, was just exhausted is all."

"You should still get checked!" Moblit stresses.

"Fine fine I will Mob ya ain;t gotta worry."

He shakes his head, with a relieved smile and gives him a knowing look, "At least I know you will listen to me!"

Hanje gives him a withering glare, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Absolutely nothing at all Section Commander!"

"Uh huh." She takes a moment to survey the scene, the wreckage and Krista boarding the wagon that Ymir is on. "So guess Eren ain't the only one. Whatcha thinkin Boss?"

"… nothing good."

Hanje then sees Mike being loaded to a wagon with Nanaba right at his side and decides to check on him herself. Calian is right behind her and he and Nanaba share a look. Her eyes were still angry but there was sorrow there as well, seemingly apologetic. Howlett hopes he was able to convey that he doesn't blame her or is upset with her as he turns back his attention to the still shell shocked Scout. Hanje checks him then asks Nanaba, "Has he been like this the whole time?"

Nanaba nods, "He hasn't said a word. Barely responds to anything."

Hanje pulls his head up so he can look at her eye to eye. "Mike? Can you understand me? It's me Hanje! Please tell us what's wrong!"

Mike stares into her eyes for a second before turning to Calian, unsettling the teen. His voice finally croaks out as he asks, "Y-… you heard it too."

Realization dawns on Calian as the group look back and forth between them. Hanje asks, "What did he hear?"

"The titan. The hairy one… It spoke."

authors note: so yea he fought zeke, yea it might be a bit strange that he was able to urt him so bad but honestly he caught zeke by surprise especially with how violent his attack was, i mean from what ive seen zeke seems to freak out pretty quick when someone comes at him like the first time levi attacked he panicked and couldn't even think then in the forest he again freaked out and was too frantic to stand a chance. so i just went with that. now if they have a rematch at so,e point, maybe itll go differently