This is it. The moment that will define the world as we know it. We have trained for this and now it's going to be put to the test.
Eren and I are staring at the Colossal Titan in front of us. We have our weapons out, ready to fight. Eren's expression is that of rage and it's pretty hard not to notice. He's manifesting all of the anger that he has inside of himself ever since what happened to our home. The only reason he hasn't done anything reckless is because I've been able to get him centered.
I, on the other hand, am calm. I'm just as angry as Eren but I don't show it. Guess you could say that I'm in a perfect state of Tranquil Fury. I could just change into my Titan form but I don't want to risk more people dying. Besides, I don't think I could fight Bertolt and win without dying first. So for now, I'll hold off until I deem it necessary.
"Eren, I'll get his attention while you take him out from the back. Got it?" I asked him with authority. He looks at me and nods. We then run towards the big monster and do just that.
As we do, the Colossal Titan sees us and goes for the attack. He raises his arm and slides it along the top of the wall to try and kill us as well as destroy the weapons there. He partially succeeds as both me and Eren jump high in the air to dodge it. I use the 3D maneuver gear to attach the cords to the side of the Titans face while Eren does the same for the back.
I'm in the air, practically floating it feels like, looking at the Titan eye to eye. We both know what we have to do. This is our fight and only one of us will kill the other. The Titan tries to grab me with his right arm but I dodge and speedily head towards his face. As soon as I do, I raise my blades up and stab the fucker in his right eye.
The Titan roared in pain and tried to grab me from where I was but I dodged. Meanwhile, Eren goes for the back of the Titans neck to end this but as soon as he is about to strike an explosion of hot steam forms around him. The Titan is changing back to his human form.
I see Eren being pushed back by the blast. It looks like he's about to fly off. So I go to him and and grab him back to the top of the wall. Once we were safe on the wall, we look back and see that the steam has cleared away. The Titan just vanished. Eren is shocked by this.
"How could something do big just disappear?" He asks out loud trying to make sense of what just happened.
"There maybe more to the Titans than we realize" I deflected. Didn't want to draw attention of my knowledge on Titan shifters.
Eren just nods in acceptance, having no other explanation for this event.
"Don't worry Eren. Pretty soon, you'll know about the shifters. I just hope that I can delay your change for later" I thought to myself as this was the moment where he will transform. I don't know if I should change that or not.
Then Thomas appears on the top of the wall.
"Guys are you ok? Did you kill the Colossal Titan?" He asked us.
"No, he just disappeared just like back then. We need move before the rest of the Titans show up" I told him to which he nods in understanding. On cue a random soldier shows up.
"The strategy to handle the Colossal Titan is in immediate effect. Report to HQ at once and anyone who has seen the Titan should report every detail!" He said to us as we salute to him.
"Understood sir!" We said in unison as the soldier goes outside the wall.
The bells are ringing. Those dreadful bells that are only sound in times of great terror are ringing. The lives of these people are changing again and there was no way to stop it. The civilians are running for their lives but a good amount of cadets and soldiers are doing their best to guide and comfort them as they reach to the evacuation area.
As this is happening, the more experienced soldiers are planting a net to prevent the Titans from getting through the destroyed gate. They seem ready for a fight but I think only a few are willing to fight to the death.
The Titans are approaching and the soldiers are arming up their artillery. As the beasts get close, they fire their weapons. They land some good hits which seemed to kill a few and wound a dozen. The soldiers then go out to finish the job.
Meanwhile, all of us are in HQ to which we are getting our orders. Cadets that I told to help in the evacuation were sent here as well. In front of us was a soldier who was giving us orders.
"You recruits have completed training and graduated into proper soldiers. I expect you to actively participate in this operation too" he said to us as the rest of HQ is on alert. Gathering weapons and defenses for the attack ahead.
I can see that everyone was afraid but when they saw me return from the wall, they had a resolve to overcome their fear and keep going. I helped them find their will to survive and fight. Let's hope that it's enough. I then see Armin very shaken up as he is assembling some steam tanks for our gear.
"Armin, breathe. Just breathe. Remember what I taught you" I told him as I grab his hands to stop the shaking.
"Do not go gentle in that good night. Rage, Rage at the dying of the light" Armin chanted repeatedly as a mantra. This is a poem from my world that I introduced into this one.
FlashbackTwo years ago...
A year has past since we've started in boot camp. Every day was just as intense as the last. But there were some moments where we would get some downtime.
Currently, all of us are gathered around a campfire after a rigorous day of training. We were exhausted but there were moments like this where we gathered together to try to think happily on things that were and hope for things to be better.
This wasn't one of those moments. Our instructor Keith practically did his upmost to tear our souls apart. He told us that with every skill learned through training, it may not be enough to save us from the Titans. He told us that we will die badly if we believed that that us being here meant assured victory. There is no victory for what we are about to face. Only a stalemate at best or mutually assured destruction at worst. There was no victory he would keep telling us and in the end we didn't matter.
Keith truly knows how to break someone down. It was truly amazing to have such a skill. Only Mikasa, Eren and I along with a few others were undeterred but everybody else just seemed broken. No words were said, no memories to relive. Only the harsh words that Keith said that we are nothing.
He is wrong. I have to do something but I don't know what to do. I then close my eyes and just recite some words that I once heard in my old world.
"Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light." I start to say which ends the silence.
"Though wise men at their end know Dark is right,
Because their words had formed no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night." I continue as some cadets look at me.
"Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a Green Bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men Who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night." The cadets are listening intently and I just continue on.
"Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light" I finished speaking and then opened my eyes. I see that everyone was looking at me. They seemed entranced by the words I had just said. Armin is the first to ask me something.
"Was that a poem? I never heard that one before" He asked me.
"It is. A poem from long ago. Lost but not forgotten at least for me" I told him.
"What did those words mean exactly? It sounded angry" Conny asked me. He isn't entirely wrong at that. The poem does have a hint of anger in it.
"The author of this poem wanted to convey a message or rather a lesson. He wanted to tell the world that we shouldn't give up. No matter how hard the path, no matter how hopeless it may be. When we face death, we must not accept it. We must fight for more time so as to complete the goals we have set for ourselves. And if Death does come, we will not go gently in its embrace. If it wants our lives, then we will give the reaper hell to try it." I answered the question. Everyone seems to like that idea. Fight everything even Death if it means to survive.
"Do you really think we could do that? You heard what Keith said, there is no victory to be had" the pessimistic Jean said.
"That is where you are wrong. Victory is achievable only if we believe we are capable of it. If not then everything that we are fighting for ends with us. I'm not going to let that happen. Are you?" I asked him. He doesn't answer. He knows that I'm right but he doesn't want to accept that. Everyone else was inspired by the poem and my explanation of it.
This brightens everyone up and we continue to talk about our dreams for the future as if what Keith said had never happened.
End Flashback...
The poem has laid the foundation of a brotherhood that was created that day and I was the one leading it. Those words have been like our creed. It's our motivation to keep fighting and with the training that I helped them achieve. It's something that will prove to be essential for the fight that we are about to enter.
Mikasa sees and hears the conversation Armin and I have to calm him down. She has a slight smile on her face. She too was inspired by those words and she vowed to protect everyone she cares about until the end.
Meanwhile, the Titans are entering Trost through the destroyed gate. The soldiers weren't able to kill all of them. Many of them were either eaten or crushed into paste. Bad ways to go.
We are now gathered in the central field in HQ standing in front of commanding officers. Then one of the commanding officers decides to speak.
"Just like in training, split up into your individual squads. You are under Garrison command. Your duties are to assist in providing supplies, communications, sweeping up the Titans." He informs us. "The first line of defense will be the front line of the Garrison. The second line will be cadet squads under Garrison command. The rearguard will be the Garrisons elite unit. We've already received word that the vanguard has been annihilated. The outer gate was destroyed and the Titans have encroached upon the city. This means that the Armored and Female Titans might show up and destroy the inner gate."
Everyone is silent. They don't show any sign of fear. This is what they trained for. This is where we draw the line.
"The frontline guards are already in combat. There is but one goal in this defensive operation: Defend Wall Rose until every civilian is evacuated." No shit Sherlock "Also, in case you forgot, let me remind you that desertion is a capital offense. Vow on your hearts to devote your lives. Dismissed!" He finished and we salute him in recognition.
We all then go get ready.
"Why does it have to be today. I was supposed to go to the interior tomorrow" Jean lamented on his own personal tragedy. This annoys me as I grab his collar and push towards the wall.
"How about you shut the fuck up and listen Jean. This is it. Our chance to prove ourselves worthy of being warriors. This fight will be in membrance to what we have lost. This is the time for vengeance. If you want to make it to the interior then stop sulking and move your ass. We have Titans to kill." I said to him as I let him go. I leave to get ready and he is just in shock. Shock about the Titans being here and shock that he was somewhat agreeing to what I said. He hates himself for doing that but there is no way that the Titans are going to kill him before he reaches the interior.
Everyone looks ready to go. I hope that our training and motivation will get them through. Otherwise, their deaths are on me. I then see Eren and Mikasa.
"You guys ready?" I ask them.
"Ready as I'll ever be" Eren replied.
"I'm prepared for anything" Mikasa added. I smile at their determination and give them a hug. They hug back because this fight has a high degree of uncertainty. We don't know if all of us will survive this but we have to fight with everything that we have or else mankind is done.
"Stay alive. You hear me?" I basically ordered them.
"Yea/Understood" they said respectively.
We end the hug and then head to our squads. Mikasa was assigned to the rearguard because of her elite skill. I was supposed to be assigned there as well but I convinced the commanding officers that I'm better suited in the first or second line. They didn't like that but couldn't deny that I too have the skills necessary to kill these fuckers. Plus it'll be useful for me to hide should I need to transform.
Now I'm standing with Eren, Armin, Mina, Thomas, Milieus and Nack on top of one of the houses. We are looking towards the distance. Waiting for our time to fight.
"Hey Armin!" Eren calls out to him "Don't you think this is a great chance? If we prove ourselves here in battle, before we even join the Recon Corps, surely they'll promote us up the ladder!" He tells him with a smile. Armin and I just smile back at his ambition.
"Yeah without a doubt" he said to him.
"Not to burst your bubble but a few of us are aiming to join the Recon Corps this year" Mina said competitively.
"I lagged behind you and John earlier but I'm not losing this time." Thomas said to him. "Let's have a contest on how many Titans we kill"
"Oh I'm sure I'll beat all of you in that type of game" I commented which makes everyone laugh. Then, we get our orders.
"Squad 34, advance! Assist the frontline guard" said one of the soldiers on the building next to us.
"Alright! Let's go" I said to everyone and we move out using our gear.
We are speeding across the rooftops and maneuvering swiftly across the town. In a few short moments, we see that the Titans have advanced pretty far. This doesn't deter us. I taught everyone to expect things to get worse and prepare for it. This is what worse looks like.
Then I see in the distance an abnormal Titan. It sees us and prepares to attack
"Everyone spread out now" I ordered them as the Titan jumps to our location. They do as I say as I get closer to the approaching Titan. By a fraction of a second, I adjust my gear to go over its head and swiftly cut the back of its neck.
It was dead by the time it hit one of the buildings. Everyone saw this action and were amazed at it. I then land on one of the buildings and see my work unfold.
"Let's keep moving" I tell them.
They all do just that but as we do, more Titans approach us at least twelve of them. We all have no choice but to go our separate ways and deal with them.
I face at least three of them. Two small, one big. I deal with the little ones first since there movements are slower than the rest. I use my gear and zip away with impressive speed and cut the neck of one of them. I then adjust myself to do the same with the other small Titan. To which I did with enough force to actually decapitate it.
Now I'm facing the big one. He's fat and ugly but as soon as it sees me, it runs at me. This one is most definitely an abnormal. Pretty fast for a fat fuck. I zip out of its sight and come up from behind. It seemed to have noticed me and tries to attack me. I dodge and zip around the things body and was able to cut its neck. Killing it instantly as it lands hard in the ground.
"I'm starting to think that these things are smarter than they let on" I say to myself as I go find the rest of my squad. I hope that they are alright.
I start to zip to a high building and look for their locations. I then see Thomas and Mina are doing pretty well with the three that they are fighting. Their skill is amazing and swift. Next was Milieus and Nack who are also doing great with the three that they are fighting as well. All of them were able to instinctively fast enough to dodge the Titans attacks and suffer no injuries.
So far so good. It gives me pride to know that I was able to give them the tools to face these things. I then see Eren and Armin fighting their three. They were farther away than the rest of the squad. Armin is doing ok but Eren is more chaotic and erratic in his attacks. He trying to do as much harm as he can before killing it. His anger is dictating and delaying the fight.
"Damn it Eren. I thought you had that under control." I mutter to myself about Eren's anger control. I then zip as fast as I can to their location. I still have a clear line of sight on them as I draw nearer and nearer. Then something happens.
Another abnormal comes into play unexpectedly. The thing jumps towards Armin who was mid air after finishing off the last of the three Titans. Armin doesn't notice that he's about to get eaten and I'm still not close enough to save him. Then Eren pushes Armin out of the way taking his place.
A second later, the Titan bites down on Eren. It chomps off one of his arms and just disappears from everyone's sight. I'm just stunned. This isnt how it was supposed to happen.
Armin realizes what just happens and is in a paralyzed shock. His friend just saved him from death and he failed to notice the Titan coming. I soon get to Armins side and he looks at me. His eyes form tears and hugs me tightly
"I'm sorry John. Eren's dead because of me. It's my fault. Forgive me. Forgive me" Armin cries to me. I hug him back to try to calm him down. This isn't his fault. It's mine. I should've changed and used my Titan form to kill these things. But I can't change what happened.
This is the moment where Eren will change into his Titan form. Despite me knowing that this could happen, I wanted it to be different. I tried my best and yet it would seem that the hands of fate have decided to make sure that certain events happen.
"I see you soon Eren. I hope you are ready. You will be the one that reveals that shifters exist and mankind will not know what to do with you." I thought to myself as I do my best to calm Armin down and I look at the Titans with an angry expression.
They fucked with the wrong family.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Well got that done. Here's another chapter for you guys. I hope it was enjoyable. As you can see Eren is so far the first casualty in the fight but we all know that will be temporary. The rest of the cadets are doing well at fighting these things. Whatever fear they have is overcome by their will to survive.
I also added the poem Do Not Go Gently Into That Good Night Because I felt that it fit the story. To never give up.
Well let me know what you think and see you next time. This is me, signing out
