Attack On Titan: Wings Of Crystal
Chapter 54: The Alphas Part 2
With the success of the Alpha Unit's very first mission, Marley continued to plan out and execute more well-thought-out missions to cripple the Britannian alliance. Each victory brought them closer and closer to their overall goal of destroying the Britannian Empire and claiming their place as the world's strongest nation.
Word of Marley's victories and the all-powerful Alpha Warrior Unit that fought on their behalf spread throughout the planet like wildfire. Many other nations have chosen to turn their back on the alliance to save themselves and accept Marley's rule. Of course, there were still others who continued to fight despite the odds. They believed that Marley was a corrupt country whose only ambition was to rule and control everything. It was a world they would rather die than be a part of.
Michael and Lazarus continued to watch Dante and Lydia's unit completely demolish the competition with ease. Some battles they did get more involved in, to Lazarus's satisfaction.
His father fought like a beast fighting in the wild. Stalking and pouncing on enemy locomotives like they were his prey. He used his superior strength to lift them off of the tracks, spin them around, and throw them into one of the enemy watch towers.
His mother had shown herself to be just as athletic and skilled at hand-to-hand combat as Lucia and Annie. However, the way she used hardening was unlike anything they could do.
A crystallised curved blade forms on the back of her left leg as she reels it back for a roundhouse kick. The cannons on the tower she was facing all targeted her. But she hardens her whole body, creating a thick layer of Titan skin. It was identical to the one the Winged Titan had that he inherited from the Warhammer. Only hers were temporary and shattered instantly once the cannons ceased firing.
Before they could have the chance to reload, she swung her hardened leg at the tower with such speed that the tower broke before the shockwave took effect.
Both Lazarus and Michael were shocked by her display of power. The blades on her legs not only destroyed the tower but managed to slice it in half through its base, cutting through it as if it were made of butter. It was such an incredible display of strength and precision.
However, Marley was still holding back on the use of the Colossal Titan's power. But it was for a good reason. Lieutenant Magath had just discovered that Britannian spies were hiding within Marley's borders. Trying to gather intel and relay it back to their motherland. A cowardly tactic. But it worked enough to give Britannia an idea of what islands were being attacked and what strategies were being used to conquer them.
The war had gone on for two years. The alliance was crumbling, yet it still refused to yield. The latest attacks didn't go as smoothly as the first couple did. Britannian forces now knew what they were up against and were using any means necessary to push Marley back. Both nations were now at an impasse.
But both sides knew it wouldn't last long. They needed to spend what free time they had to plan out one final showdown that would result in the end of the war.
The ones planning that showdown were all the members of the Alpha Warrior Unit gathered together in one room. They all agreed to meet in the boardroom to discuss the situation and the best methods of beating Britannia.
Dante was sitting at the head of the table with Lydia sitting beside him on his right. Sitting beside her was Marlene. On Dante's left were Malcolm and Otto. And Bruno was sitting at the other end of the table a few feet away from the others. He preferred to keep his distance from them.
Lazarus and Michael were standing against the wall to the left of the table watching them converse with each other.
They both noticed how different they all acted amongst themselves compared to their generation's Warrior team. They don't see each other as friends as they did. Dante and Lydia were close, but the others didn't seem to share that level of closeness. Otto was mostly mute. He preferred to let his actions speak for him, only speaking when he felt it was necessary to be heard. Marlene looked like she was in her own world at that moment. Malcolm appeared to be frustrated because he had not once used his Colossal Titan in battle. He'd already mastered its power. He had every right to use it as much as the others. The only issue was that the moment to use it never presented itself.
And Bruno. He never showed any signs of apprehension, nor any interest in getting to know his comrades. He despises Eldians with a burning passion and still feels disgusted with the knowledge of being one. Hatred was part of the Warriors' training. It was something they were brainwashed into believing when they were kids. Some didn't believe it to be true, whilst others took it to heart and embraced their hatred. The other Warriors, to him, were simply comrades he needed to fight beside to ensure victory for Marley. All so he can live and die as an honorary Marleyan.
"Hard to imagine Mom and Dad getting along with individuals like these," Lazarus commented. "Some of them aren't too bad. But the old man over there acts more Marleyan than Eldian."
"It's impossible to befriend every soldier in your unit. Dad taught me that." Michael replied as he looked over the Alpha Warriors. "Even the Scout Regiment has some soldiers who don't get along with one another. But what makes it work is that soldiers are trained to let go of all attachments in the field of battle. Romance. Rivalries. None of that has any value in a war."
"But some of those concepts can benefit a squadron if done properly. Take me and my unit for example. What makes us so successful in our missions is the complete trust and understanding we have in each other. The Scouts seemed to be the same from my brief time spent as one of them… It all comes down to the people and their beliefs." Lazarus added.
Michael agreed with him there. But it was clear to him that the Alphas didn't operate like they do. But it was the differences that made them so strong. They all had a common goal. To defeat Britannia and secure victory for Marley. This goal continued to remain in their minds and granted them the ability to utilise each other's abilities and work together as a team to achieve that vision as soon as possible.
"What's going on, Dante? Why'd you summon us here? And where's the Brass?" Malcom asked.
"They're not here yet. I wanted us to take the time to discuss the matter amongst ourselves first before reporting to our Marleyan superiors."
"Did you get permission for this?" Marlene followed up with her own question.
"I did, from Lieutenant Magath. He's positive there may be Britannian spies among the Marleyan military. To avoid giving our strategies away, he allowed us to discuss our plans in private. As long as we fill him and the General in after we're done here." He explained.
As Dante is discussing his plan, Lazarus walks through the table they were sitting around and takes a peek at the gramophone sitting in the corner of the room. From what he could tell, the Marleyans had not tampered with it in any way to spy on their conversations. Perhaps they had not reached that technical stage yet, he wondered.
"What are you doing?" Michael questioned, confused by his fascination with the gramophone.
"Zeke told me that sometimes the Brass listens in on any meetings we hold. Even though we've proven ourselves loyal to them, they still feel the need to spy on us. But I don't think that's the case this time. I guess Magath was true to his words."
"…In the past two years, we managed to take down a total of six other nations that have allied themselves with Britannia. Each one with carefully calculated strategies." Dante concluded.
"But?" Bruno quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Those victories have only backed the Britannians into a corner. And usually, when an animal is backed into a corner it lashes out as a last-ditch attempt to kill its predators. Lydia and I believe that is what's going to happen when we launch a direct attack on their motherland."
The Warriors all look at each other. In the beginning, they weren't so sure about Dante being the leader of this unit. Between the six of them, he and Lydia hadn't done a lot of fighting compared to the others. But over time they've come to appreciate him for his analytical skills. Something they did not expect from a muscular farm boy. And when teamed up with Lydia, who was a master in strategising. They're able to guide the team to fight and think as one, in ways no other unit had ever thought possible.
Lydia places a map of Britannia on the table for the others to see. The continent it was built on was much smaller than Marley, about the same size and a half as Paradis. A couple of drawings of buildings were shown on the map, marking them as military outposts. The largest of the drawings served as the main headquarters at the heart of the nation. Alongside it were several other drawings of trains, airships, and tanks. And one of the newest conventional weapons invented by the Britannians. A mobile cannon they described it as.
There were also the capital cities of Britannia that stood between the fortress and them from all directions. Should they decide to launch a ground assault, they'll have to charge through it, presumably killing a massive number of civilians in the process.
"From the looks of it, the Britannian mainland looks well protected. Attacking it blindly won't accomplish anything and will result in the deaths of all of us. If we are to pull off a successful coup, we need to think twice about what our first move should be." Lydia pointed out.
"Couldn't agree more, dear." Dante agreed. "The problem with Britannia is that they're using their own cities as a defensive wall to keep us out."
"I bet they'd be willing to sacrifice a few of their people to act as obstacles in our way." Otto anticipated.
"I wouldn't put it past them," Marlene added. "At this point, they're growing desperate to try and win this war."
"Exactly," Lydia interjected. "And that's what makes them both dangerous and vulnerable. They want to know what we know to gain an advantage because time and time again we've been using our Titan powers in ways they couldn't predict. But they haven't seen the full power of the Alpha Unit yet."
It was around this point that the meeting was interrupted by the younger Lieutenant Magath. He had been pacing back and forth behind that door all this time, keeping both eyes and ears open for any potential spies hiding in their ranks. He also had his most trusted men guarding the windows outside just in case. The direct attack on Britannia is only a month away. He couldn't afford any mistakes.
The only reason he chose to intervene now was because he had just received news from the northern border. Whatever it was left an impression on him. One of fear.
The Warriors all stand up and salute their commanding officer. "Lieutenant Magath. Did the General send you here? Is something wrong?" Lydia asked, concerned about the look he was giving them.
"I've just received news from the northern border. Our spies have informed us that Britannia is planning their next move much sooner than expected!"
"They're coming here?" Bruno asked curiously. "Surely they have a death wish if they believe they can pull off a successful attack on our motherland."
"It is not the motherland they're going to attack." Magath quickly scans the room, making sure that they are alone.
He walks over to the windows where Michael and Lazarus are currently standing and closes them. Michael felt a small shiver riding up his spine as he was directly in front of the pre-promoted general. He knows that he can't see or hear him right now. But the way he was looking at the closed window behind him made him feel as if he was staring directly into his eyes. It made him uncomfortable.
Thankfully, it didn't last long. The lieutenant gathers around the Warriors and quietly whispers Britannia's intentions.
"They're going to attack Paradis."
"WHAT?!" Everyone simultaneously shouted. Even Lazarus and Michael couldn't resist.
"Shhhh!" He whispered sternly. Were they trying to let the enemy know that they know, he thought?
"The Island of Paradis? Why the hell would they go there? Those island devils aren't part of their alliance." Bruno vented.
"Not yet." Malcom cut in. "Maybe they're trying to recruit them to rise against us."
"No." Lydia dismissed their claims. "The Eldians who live there are as much Britannia's enemy as they are Marley's. They would never ally themselves with them. They must be after something only they have. Something that may grant them the means to end the war."
Lydia was right on the money. There was only one thing that Paradis had that no other country possessed. A weapon that exceeded every other, including the seven Titans they have under their control.
"The Founding Titan!" Michael and Lazarus managed to call out the answer at the same time before the others could.
"It appears that Britannia has been copying our tactics and have started recruiting Eldians into their cause. They realise that Marley's greatest strength comes from the power of the Titans we'd obtained at the end of the Great Titan War. Though we've only gained seven of them. Britannia is hoping to obtain the other two."
This was troubling news indeed, everyone thought. But there was a silver lining. The Attack Titan power is the only power they'll be able to control should they obtain it. But the Founding Titan can only be controlled by an Eldian of royal blood. Even if they were to obtain it, they wouldn't be able to harness its full power. That is of course if the Eldians under their control even cooperate.
But everyone knows that all Eldians despise Marleyans for the centuries of war they've waged on them even before the power of the Titans existed. Should any other enemy of Marley approach them with a proposition to bring their oppressors to their knees, their first instinct would be "Sign us up!".
There was also the matter of whether Britannia had the same knowledge of the Titans as they did. If they knew about the royal blood it would cause problems. It depended on how much intel their spies managed to scavenge.
No matter the assumption, they couldn't afford to take any chances. Their chances of winning the war have fallen dramatically short in the span of a few minutes. If they are to defeat them, they'll have to plan and launch their attack as soon as possible.
"Lieutenant, do you know when exactly they plan to invade Paradis?" Dante asked.
"Our spies estimated sometime between the 18th and the 24th this month. Today is the 17th. So this attack could start from tomorrow to next week."
Dante takes a moment to think things through very carefully. He glances over at the middle window that was cracked open slightly, allowing him to take a look outside. It was noontime and the sky was clear blue. Seeing the sun shining through the crack onto the floor, for some reason, cleared his mind enough to think up a plan.
He then leans over to Lydia and whispers something in her right ear. "Did you do that thing we talked about last week?"
"Yes. Hopefully, it hasn't been discovered yet." She whispered back.
"What are you two whispering about?" Magath questioned. Now wasn't the time to be keeping secrets. Whatever's so important they can discuss it in front of them.
"Lieutenant, we may have a plan to take down Britannia once and for all. We did have to go behind the Brass's backs to do it, but if all goes according to plan, the entire war could be won. But for it to work, we need to attack Britannia in two days from now."
Magath and the Warriors all wore a look of confusion as to what the Averbach couple could be planning. Why in two days? Why not tomorrow? They still don't know when exactly Britannia will launch their invasion of Paradis. It could happen at any time between the 18th and 24th. Attacking tomorrow increases the chances of catching them off guard before they can do so.
"I know how this may sound, but we assure you that it will help everyone if it works." Dante began to explain his and Lydia's plan thoroughly so that everyone could understand their motives.
"A few weeks ago, Lydia had already begun the first of two operations we've come up with to weaken Britannia from the inside. As for the second operation, it can only take effect on the 20th at precisely midnight."
"Why is that?" Magath asked again.
"We can't tell you in case of spies. All we ask is that you relay what we're about to discuss to the General and ensure everyone in the military, Marleyans and Eldians alike, are fully devoted to what hopefully may be our final battle against them.
The other members of the Alpha Unit were intrigued by the War Chief and Vice Chief's plan. Whatever it was it sounded like it had been in the works for a long time. Maybe after their first successful mission on the field. They had no idea whether it was a good idea or not. But neither of the Averbachs had let them down before, and they doubted they would now.
Magath was disturbed by the thought of two Eldians going behind their backs and acting of their own volition. Under normal circumstances, he would take this as an act of treason. But desperate times called for desperate measures. The Marleyan government had already gone so far as to ask their Eldian citizens for help in this war. Surely it wouldn't be too much trouble to trust in their plan… just this once.
"Very well. Explain to us every single detail of this plan of yours. If I think it's a good plan, I'll report back to the higher-ups and merge it with our plan of attack… I'm taking a mighty big risk trusting a plan concocted by two Eldians. But taking high risks is what war is all about."
He sits down at the opposite end of the table, forcing Bruno to sit next to Otto and Malcolm. But he didn't care at this moment. He was too focused on hearing this brilliant plan his comrades came up with.
"Before we begin. Tell me the names of these two operations you've invented." He ordered.
Dante and Lydia sat back down in their chairs and complied with the order. Lazarus and Michael close in on the table and lean into it to get a better look at the map. They too were interested in hearing the details of this grand two-part operation.
"We're calling them "Operation Grapevine." Lydia started.
"And Operation Midnight Moon," Dante concluded.
Lazarus and Michael soon fast forward through time two days into the future to watch the final battle between Marley and Britannia play out before their eyes. Both of them were just as shocked as the other Warriors were at the level of detail put into Dante and Lydia's plan.
Magath believed it to be a foolproof plan that may just grant them victory. The General was inclined to agree and made sure to have all Marleyan and Eldian soldiers be prepared for the upcoming invasion of the Britannian mainland.
Now, the 20th has arrived. It was dusk. The Marleyan forces began their attack by launching an armada of airships from the south side of the enemy continent and making their way north, using the clouds as cover.
According to the map, and what their scouts were able to discover, Britannia has defences on all sides of their headquarters. All of which consists of open fields littered with trenches and tunnels should the soldiers need reinforcements or retreat when the situation worsens. The soldiers also had several watchtowers set up to provide a lookout, so they would be able to see them coming a mile away.
Even if they were to get past their first line of defence, they still had to get past the impenetrable wall that is their capital city. The enemy fortress lies within the centre of it. The citizens hadn't been evacuated. If they had, it would indicate they knew they were coming. And one of the key elements to winning this battle was to take them by surprise. The chances of innocents getting hurt were high. Dante and Lydia didn't like the odds, but there was no other way around it. Today marks their last chance to secure victory. If they fail, all of Marley will be destroyed. Which was weird for them to think of as a bad thing. It may be corrupt, but it's the only place they can call home.
The battle began the moment Britannian soldiers spotted the approaching airships and sounded the alarm. The enemy higher-ups were startled by this sudden attack. They weren't expecting Marley to arrive so soon. They weren't prepared at all.
Michael and Lazarus were standing in the middle of the battlefield watching the Marleyan forces charge out of the shrubbery and open fire upon the Britannian soldiers in the trenches. Both of them flinched at first, instinctively dodging the bullets, only to remember that they were ghosts at this time.
"It's started," Michael stated the obvious.
"You think this plan of my parents will work?" Lazarus asked.
"Considering Marley is still standing and Paradis hasn't been invaded by them, I believe so. Still, I can't wait to see how exactly they carry out this plan." Michael stated.
"So far it looks like the Marleyans are going through with their plan of attack first. But what Britannia doesn't know is that this full-scale assault is only a diversion for the main event."
The Marleyan and Eldian soldiers continued their charge into battle. Many of them were gunned down by the Britannians tucked behind cover. It appeared as though they were at their mercy. Which was exactly what the Alpha Unit wanted them to think.
Just like their first mission, the Jaw Titan took the Britannians by surprise and busted out of the ground underneath the trenches. The soldiers closest to the point of impact were killed instantly by the unearthed debris. One unfortunate soul happened to be directly beneath Marlene and ended up getting shredded to pieces by her sabre teeth.
Once Marlene was above ground, she proceeded to dig up the remaining trenches, block off all the escape tunnels, and slay any enemy in her path. Those that escaped her wrath met their end with a bullet or two flying into their bodies.
The south side was completely under siege. Just as the Warrior's predicted, the Britannian had all defences take up position on the south side. This didn't leave their other flanks exposed, but now their defences have been weakened enough to carry out phase two.
Otto transforms into the Armoured Titan and makes a dash for the city on the east side of the continent. The Britannian citizens started to panic and attempted to flee, but many of them ended up getting trampled underfoot by the living bulldozer that was gunning for the military fortress's warehouses where all the advanced weaponry they'd moved from the other islands that had been lost to Marley.
The Britannians barely had enough time to mobilise their new tanks to roll out into the city streets and form a barricade. The Armoured Titan halts its approach and stares down at the many tanks standing between him and the warehouses.
The tanks all open fire upon him, forcing Otto to raise his arms to shield himself. They continued to fire upon him, refusing to give him the chance to counterattack. Otto stood his ground and took every single shell. The explosive force wasn't even enough to knock him down. Though he was surprised to feel actual pain from the impacts. Normally the cannonballs and bullets that hit him simply bounce off without him feeling a thing. But these tank shells had a more aggressive force behind them. Like he was being hit with bombs.
When the tanks finally ceased firing, the results of their test shots were shown. Otto was shocked to see his armour cracked from the bombardment of shells. They may not have been able to completely break through his armour, but the idea that they have weapons that can damage it has shown how fast conventional weapons are being developed. If this keeps up, they'll soon become stronger than Titans.
But within the nape of his Titan, Otto was not succumbing to doubt. He was laughing. "Hahaha! The General's spies were right. Their new tanks do have the power to damage my armour. All I gotta do is hold out and wait for the signal from Dante."
His Titan looks up at the sky and watches as the sun disappears behind the landscape and darkness starts filling the sky.
"Won't be long now."
On the opposite side of the continent in the west, the Cart/Crocodile Titan was carrying out a separate attack on the Britannian railway station. It invaded the city via the underground sewer system and used its hardened snout to break through to the surface. Some poor residents ended up getting swallowed up by the giant croc's gaping mouth. But civilians weren't what Bruno was after. His target was the military transport trains. Their last method of escape was only to be used as a last resort to evacuate their motherland if it was beyond saving.
As he was stomping through the train yards, he thought back to the meeting they had two days ago, reminding himself of what his objectives were.
"With Otto and Marlene keeping the enemy distracted in the east and south, the Britannians will start to prioritise their safety. They'll attempt to evacuate their people using the many railways they've constructed. That'll take them to the port located in the north. Bruno's task will be to derail the trains carrying their soldiers and weapons. We can't afford to let any of their commanding officers escape." Dante explained.
"And what of the people?" Bruno asked.
"We have no reason to destroy them unless they give us no choice. Killing the higher-ups in their government is our only priority."
With that in mind, the Cart Titan ran on all fours for the train that had already set off down the tracks, attempting to outrun him. Normally he'd have no trouble catching up to it when sprinting at full speed. But for this mission, his Titan is weighed down by four man-operated turrets atop his back. The soldiers inside them were shooting the soldiers stationed at the back of the train defending it from their approach.
It was frustrating for Bruno. He had to slow his pace enough to not rattle about the turrets on his back whilst also making sure to keep steady so the soldiers would have little trouble aiming at their targets.
On the side of the right turret was a logo of a shield imprinted into the metal. Lazarus recognised it as the brand logo Lucia Muller uses to mark her creations.
"That symbol… it is Lucia's signature. She puts it on everything she's built in her shop." He slowly turns to Michael. Seeing that symbol reminded him that his parents aren't the only ones he misses. Lucia was as much a mother to him as Lydia was. He'd give anything just to see her again. Now that they are in the Paths, that wish can be granted.
"Michael. Before we leave… could I see Lucia one last time?"
Michael smiled and placed his left hand on his shoulder. "Of course. She meant a lot to you. Without her, you wouldn't be standing here beside me. I'd also like to see what she's like for myself."
"You would've liked her. She's one of the most talented people I've ever known."
As they were talking, they happened to notice the Cart Titan reach the train and grab the end of it with its long jaws. It then dug its claws into the ground, trying to bring the locomotive to a stop. The pressure in the train's engines started to overheat until it reached critical mass and exploded.
The flames from the blast quickly spread to the grassy valley around them. The oil from the train caused the whole area to go up in flames. All the passengers onboard likely perished in the explosion or burned to death from the fire.
The Cart Titan tosses aside the piece of train car it managed to rip off from the rest of it and scours the wreckage. The soldiers in the turret pods confirm there are no survivors. Bruno stood proudly knowing his role in the plan was done. Now he just needed to wait for the signal.
High in the sky the Marleyans airships have managed to reach their destination of the capital city. The fortress was directly underneath them. More of their developed tanks were rolling out of the fortress walls and taking up positions in the open areas. Their guns simultaneously point upwards, ready to blast the airships out of the sky.
And to make matters worse, there was another fleet of airships coming their way. They too started to unleash all the firepower they could muster, determined to destroy their oppressors as quickly as possible.
One by one, the Marleyan airships were blown apart by the flying shells of the tank guns and the airship's machine-gun turrets. At this rate, they'll all be dead.
Lydia was standing within the airlock of the ship waiting for the doors to open in front of her. Malcolm was standing beside her wearing a parachute. He was itching to finally utilise his Titan in the field of battle. For the sake of keeping their most powerful weapon hidden from enemy intel, Marley had instructed him not to get involved in the conflict. Forcing him to question what's the point of becoming a Warrior in the first place.
"It's almost time. Be ready to make your grand entrance." Lydia instructed her comrade.
"Don't worry, I'm ready. I've been ready since I first got this power." He glances over at her and only now notices that she is the only one who hasn't got a parachute. "Where's your parachute?"
"I don't need one. You'll see why in a moment."
As she finished her sentence, the airship doors opened, allowing high-altitude winds to blow through the ship's hull. The soldiers all covered their faces from the intense breeze whilst Lydia embraced it and closed her eyes as she felt the wind blowing through her hair.
The two Warriors waited until they were within reach of the fortress centre before being the first to leap out of the airship. The rest of the militia were ordered to jump once they were in the northern part of the city. The only part that isn't under attack and the most likely place the Britannians would be now that they've got them cornered.
Malcom deploys his parachute and begins his descent into the fortress. His task was to sneak inside and venture into the underground bunkers. The building on the surface was but one part of the enemy base. They had a whole secret base underground that acted as the true Britannian fortress.
"Once he's landed, Malcolm will infiltrate the enemy base and find the source of the city's power. Once he does, he will transform and destroy the entire underground system, as well as the fortress above ground." Dante's explanation played out in his head as he got closer to the base.
"What about the hundreds of enemy squadrons and tanks on the surface? Transforming underground means the explosion will have less of an effect. There's also the matter of whether Malcolm will even survive the transformation. What if he's buried alive in a cave-in?" Marlene questioned her leader.
"If I were any ordinary Colossal Titan I would agree with you. But mine is different than the others. My Titan has hardening capabilities I unlocked by looking through one of the past incarnation's memories. But I can feel the power fading from me. It's on the brink of disappearing from the Colossal forever." Malcom stated.
"Then use what you can to protect yourself whilst also making sure the underground facility is decimated. Once their lights go out, they'll be lost in the darkness. And darkness is where my Beast is at its strongest."
"Sounds good. But how will we be able to take out the surface forces? If enough of their tanks survive the explosion they could blast our entire fleet out of the sky." Magath pointed out.
"That is where I come in." Lydia stepped in with her play in the plan. "Before Malcolm transforms, I will initiate Operation Grapevine and clear out the surface forces."
Once Lydia had received word that Malcolm had managed to evade enemy detection and was now infiltrating their fortress, she began making her move. She takes a deep breath to calm her nerves before sprinting for the open door and performing a huge jump over the edge. Gravity took hold of her and started pulling her down.
Lydia opens her eyes and pulls out the knife she had strapped to her left thigh, wraps her fingers around the blade and pulls it out, drawing out a gush of blood.
She transforms into the Female Titan and holds her arms out as they are forming. Michael, and – especially – Lazarus, were worried that she may get shot in her free fall. But not as worried about how painful the impact will be. Even in Titan form the fall could kill her with the amount of distance between her and the ground.
But their eyes widen with utter amazement and disbelief at the miraculous feat she was conjuring. Using her power of hardening, Lydia's Female Titan starts forming what appeared to be angel wings out of her back made of hardened crystal. The wings formed almost instantly. Each feather was moving in sync with the others as she spread them out to the sides. The wind catches them, allowing her to slow her descent and start gliding over the battlefield.
"No freaking way! My Mom's a Winged Titan too?!" Lazarus uttered in amazement. "Look at her. She's like a majestic angel!"
"I- That… Why didn't I think of that?!" Michael annoyingly asked himself. "All this time I could've made my own wings with my crystals. Would've given me an edge in our fight."
"I don't think you can do it. Look at her. She can't fly with them like I can. They're connected to her back, but she can't move them. My wings are a part of me whenever I'm in Titan form, so I can move them independently like I would my arms and legs. But with her, it's more like she's glued them to her back with no means of moving them. She can glide with them, but not fully fly. Other than that, her Titan is much lighter than yours. Your Titan is as bulky as Reiners. Plus, you've got all those crystals sticking out of your body weighing you down." Lazarus attempted to make sense of the situation.
"Good point. My Titan's biggest weakness has always been its mass. I often feel heavier in Titan form than I do as a human."
The two of them continued to observe Lydia's Angel Titan glide over the fortress. Her arms were fused to the hardened wings, allowing her to control which direction to move them. It was like she was strapped to a giant kite and guiding it through the air, whilst constantly banking side to side to avoid the tank guns.
"It's time to see if all those hours of sitting around and being injected with needles paid off." Lydia thought to herself as her Titan took a deep breath.
It then unleashes a really loud Titan scream that echoes throughout the base and the city. All the people on both sides covered their ears, attempting to drown it out. Even Lazarus and Michael defended their eardrums. They may be ghosts but that didn't mean their senses were unaffected by outside influences.
All of the Eldian soldiers fighting on behalf of Britannia stopped what they were doing and froze up. Their bodies briefly glowed a bright yellow before erupting into hundreds of bright lights that emerged all over the city and the outskirts.
All the Warriors on the field stopped their attacks and held back as the Eldians in the vicinity transformed into Pure Titans. The Titans wasted no time going after the first group of humans their eyes could see. The entire fortress was thrown into utter chaos.
The other Warriors used this distraction to retreat out of the city. They had no idea when Malcolm was going to transform, but they didn't want to get caught up in the blast when it hit. Lydia's flying Female Titan circles the fortress, watching as it is getting swarmed with hundreds of Pure Titans. She was pleased to see that Operation Grapevine was a success.
"Oh! I get it now." Lazarus suddenly felt the urge to speak his mind. "I understand what Operation Grapevine is. It's referencing the spinal fluid wine plan."
"Say what now?" Michael stuttered.
"Back when we were kids, Zeke and I were reading historical books about past battles Marley had involving Titans. It was so we could use some of their strategies for future battles. One of them spoke of a secret plot to smuggle wine into enemy countries that have been contaminated with the spinal fluid of a Titan Shifter with royal blood. All Eldians who drink it can be turned into Titans with a scream and can be controlled by the one who turned them."
"Like you?" Michael interrupted momentarily.
"Not exactly. I can do it by shedding my hardened skin. But my mother doesn't have that ability. And spraying it over the city as a gas wouldn't work either. On a small village yes. But this city is as large as Marley's capital. No amount of spinal fluid can be converted this way."
"Unless the fluid was taken in small doses and distributed in the wine every couple of days." Michael finished for him once he got his head wrapped around it. "It's a horrible tactic. But it works. Has there been any other record of this?"
"No. The book said it only occurred once, which was right here right now. My parents invented this tactic. They probably chose the name Grapevine because all wine is made with specific grapes that grow on vines. Remarkable." Lazarus praised his parents. But it didn't last long as he started to realise that his father had yet to play out his role in this battle.
"But that leaves one last question. What is Operation Midnight Moon?"
"Let's keep watching and find out," Michael suggested.
Time seemed to have passed considerably faster than expected. It felt like they'd only just launched their attack when in reality it had been an hour and a half. Midnight was almost upon them with only thirty minutes to spare.
On the northern side of the continent, Dante's Beast Titan and the Eldian soldiers with him had just assumed control of the docks. With his enhanced, animalistic strength, he was able to pick up a whole boat over his shoulders and take aim at the battle cruiser that was anchored a few feet away from shore in the sea.
He unleashes a powerful roar as he musters all his strength to throw the ship overhead and straight into the battlecruiser. Both ships blow up on contact and send out a powerful shockwave that is strong enough to send him falling on his furry behind.
It was around this time his wolf ears picked up the faint sounds of the Angel/Female Titan's scream in the distance. Followed by the hundreds of bright lights all going off at the same time.
"She's done it." The Werewolf Titan spoke in a deep, growled voice. "Those Titans should clear out the last of their weapons. But just to be on the safe side, I better get over there."
The Werewolf Titan gets down on all fours and races across the streets. Using its enhanced sense of smell, he manages to pick up the scent trails of his fellow Warriors. He closes his eyes to focus entirely on the scent of his wife's Titan so that he can track her down like a dog tracking a fox on the run.
When he got to the centre of the city he noticed Otto, Marlene, and Bruno's Titans were getting jumped on by some of the Pure Titans in the area. Instead of stopping and wondering why, he leaps over to them and takes out their napes with his sharp claws. He even manages to rip off one of the Titan's heads using only his canine teeth and tossing it into one of the enemy tanks.
"What's going on?! Why are Lydia's Titans attacking you? They should be following her orders!" Dante asked his comrades.
The Cart/Crocodile Titan was the only one other than Dante who could speak in Titan form. "She was under attack from the enemy airships. They're trying to-
He was then rudely interrupted by the loud bang of a tank's gun going off a few feet away from them. The Beast Titan was horrified to see where the gun was pointing.
The shot was aimed at the Female/Angel Titan. It hit one of her wings, shattering it like glass. Lydia's Titan was sent spiralling out of control until she crashed into one of the sets of houses below. Both her wings had shattered, and her arms had been broken off from the fall since she didn't have any time to undo the hardening that fused them to the wings.
Enraged, Dante grabs the body of the Titan he'd beheaded and throws it at the tank that shot her down, destroying it instantly.
"Dante, I hate to interrupt. But there's only minutes left before midnight." Bruno warned him.
Dante shoots his head straight up at the sky and confirms his statement. There was a full moon positioning itself in the centre of the star-filled sky. Already he can feel his Titan body undergoing another transformation. "Damnit! I thought I had more time."
His Beast Titan started writhing in pain on the ground. Its claws were digging into its head, trying to stop the painful headaches. It felt as if someone was constantly beating his head like a drum. The other Warriors were just as clueless as their spectators, Lazarus and Michael. What was going on with him?
"Grrrr! Get Lydia out of here! Get yourselves out! NOW!" He practically roared at them.
The Warriors decided not to question him and obeyed their War Chief. Otto's Armoured Titan picks up Lydia's clipped Angel Titan and evacuates the area. Marlene's Jaw Titan led the way, clearing out all obstacles in their path while Bruno's Cart guarded the rear.
Deep underground in the true facility of the Britannian military base, Malcom finally arrived at the core where the source of the city's power supply was kept. He had to kill a couple of soldiers until he found one that had the same size uniform as him along with removing his armband, just to sneak in undetected and reach the heart.
The time had almost come to carry out Operation Midnight Moon. His orders were to remain stationed behind enemy lines until the stroke of midnight. Then once that time comes, he is to transform and blow the entire base to smithereens. He wasn't aware that some of his comrades were still within the blast zone. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't hold back. He was instructed by the General himself to initiate the destructive blast no matter what complications arose.
He looks up at the clock hanging on the wall and realises that midnight has struck. It's time to make his Colossal Titan's first appearance. Hopefully, the others are well out of range when that happens, he thought.
With a simple prick of his finger, Malcom unleashes the gigantic explosion that is the Colossal Titan's transformation sequence. The blast completely consumes the entire base, incinerating everything and everyone inside. They didn't have any time at all to process what happened. It was a quick and instantaneous death.
The blast inevitably breaks out of the ground and starts to spread outwards. The fortress was the first to be annihilated. Then it claimed the lives of the Pure Titans and whatever soldiers happened to be in proximity to it. It was unknown how many of them were Britannian or Marleyan. Not that it bothered the Warriors. The Marleyans were still their enemies, and they would continue to discriminate against them. Even winning this war wouldn't change a thing between them.
But right now, the Britannians were the greater of the two evils. They planned to invade Paradis and use the power of the Founding Titan to destroy the Eldians and Marleyans together.
The blast eventually cancels itself out, wiping out a huge chunk of the city off the face of the continent. Dante's Beast Titan was only caught up in the shockwave of the blast which sent him flying into several buildings until he finally landed atop a hospital building. The building collapses on top of him, burying him alive.
"Dad!" Lazarus cried out even though it was in vain.
"He'll be ok. Both your parents will survive this. If they died here, then you wouldn't have been born… Take a deep breath and calm down." Michael reassured him.
They then see a gigantic arm burst out of the massive crater where the enemy base used to be. It belonged to the Colossal Titan. But what they didn't expect to see was its fist being covered in hardened crystal. The arm was followed up by the rest of the Titan's gigantic body slowly climbing up to its feet. At long last, Malcom's Colossal Titan was revealed to them.
His looked identical to Bertolt's in terms of appearance, size, and amounts of steam emitting out of it. The biggest change was its facial features looking identical to its user, and the most noticeable of all, the hardened arms, shoulders, back, chest, and head. He most likely hardened his body to prevent himself from getting crushed to death. And it looked 100% terrifying, the two of them agreed.
"As if the Colossal Titan wasn't scary enough already. Thank God Malcolm is the last one to utilise the power of hardening before passing it down to Leonardo." Lazarus commented.
"Laz, look! It's your dad!"
The young Averbach jolted his head in the opposite direction and was met with another terrifying sight. On one hand, he's glad to see his father back up on his feet. But something was different about his Beast Titan.
He wasn't sure if it was his imagination toying with him, but he could swear he'd gotten bigger. Before he was around fifteen meters tall. Now he's grown up to seventeen meters. His muscle mass had grown larger too. And he appeared to have more fur covering his body.
But there were no hallucinations strong enough to fool the obvious red glowing veins covering his entire body. Even his eyes were glowing a bright red. The two of them look up at the full moon, then at the transformed Beast Titan. They knew what this was. It looks like the nickname Werewolf Titan had a double meaning.
"This must be the other half of Operation Midnight Moon." Michael estimated.
"Your dad said that his Titan can be at its strongest in the darkness. This must've been what he meant. Whenever there's a full moon his Wolf Titan undergoes a second form… Lazarus?"
"I've seen this power before." He hesitantly uttered. "It's called the Berserker Effect. It's a rare, but powerful, ability that a Titan Shifter can utilise to gain a temporary boost in strength, speed, stamina, and power. I always thought it was just a theory. But that all changed during the Scouts' capture of Annie… when we saw Eren use it."
Michael's mind flashes back to that moment. Now that he mentioned it, he remembered seeing Eren undergo a similar transformation which gave him a one-up over Annie. In that state, he was a mindless brute who didn't prioritise the well-being of others. Now that he thinks about it, he never once took the time to question that power when he saw it. He was busy with other things.
"I thought this was a power only the Founding Titan had. Your mother has royal blood, but your father doesn't. How is it he has a power like that?"
"I don't know." He replied regretfully. "I think it depends on the type of Titan you have and the kind of person controlling it. I don't have a power like that. But it works vaguely similar to my own Hellfire Force. Maybe all Titan Shifters have this power, but only a few can draw it out." He theorised.
"Or maybe the user has to be in an extremely dire situation to draw it out. For Eren, it was the physical and emotional damage he received from Annie. For your dad, it was the light of a full moon, plus seeing his wife getting hurt… It could be that all Beast Titans not only gain the forms and natural abilities of the animals they become but also their biological instincts. Wolves often live and hunt together and are very overprotective of their pack members. Seeing Lydia hurt must've awakened those instincts. Combined with the light of the moon, those instincts have now completely taken over his mind. He may not be thinking clearly right now." Michael slowly explained, worried how Lazarus might take it.
Suddenly, the whole area where the hardened Colossal Titan stood was being bombarded with a heavy rain of bullets coming from above. Both Titans looked up and immediately identified the Britannian airships as the culprits of this attack.
The Colossal Titan responded by holding its right arm up to its face, using its hardened arm to shield its face from the barrage of bullets. It then uses its free hand to scoop up some crushed tanks and some debris from the collapsed base and catapult them into the air. It only managed to take out one of the airships with the one on its left suffering small amounts of damage, but not enough to knock it out of the sky.
The Werewolf Titan growls in response to Britannia's last futile attempt to wipe them out. Within the Titan's nape, Dante was struggling to maintain control of his Titan form. The moon's light, combined with his animal instincts, made things difficult for him.
"No! We've come too far to lose now! I-I must… stay in control!" He grunts in pain, trying his hardest not to succumb to raw instinct. He needed to use this power boost to his advantage and destroy the last of the Britannian military.
He glances over at the approaching airships first, then he looks over at the Colossal Titan on his left. He had an idea of how to end this battle once and for all. But it was a high risk with a very slim chance of success. But as of this moment, he didn't care.
The Werewolf Titan unleashes a powerful howl at the sky above with the moon shining down on him. The veins on his body glow brighter and his fur starts to envelop in red Titan energy. It looked like he was charging his body.
It then lunges forward and sprints on all fours as fast as its legs can carry it. He was gunning for the next pile of debris the Colossal Titan was about to launch into the air. He barely reached the palm in time as it was about to unleash its next handful up at the airships.
Dante's Titan stretched its claws forward as its body was hurled into one of the airships. Upon contact, the Beast Titan tears away at the balloon, causing it to lose altitude and crash. He repeats this motion with the other ships. Using the enhanced strength in his legs, he leaps from ship to ship, tearing them all to pieces with his claws and teeth.
When he reached the last of the airships, he forced its trajectory a little to the left away from the Colossal Titan. He then proceeds to ride the falling zeppelin back down to the ground, leaping off of it at the last second to avoid getting caught up in the explosion.
Miles above in the Marleyan airships, the General and his officers watched in utter bewilderment at the display of adrenaline and precision the Beast Titan unleashed upon the last of the Britannian forces.
"It's over." The General muttered to himself. "It's finally over! The Alpha Unit was successful in taking down the Britannian regime. After ten whole years, Marley has finally conquered the nation of Britannia!"
All the officers behind him let out a cheer that shook the cockpit. They all raised their fists with pride. All except the young Theo Magath. He won't deny that his people have finally tasted victory here today. But a small part of him knows that this isn't the end of it. Britannia may be no more after this, but that won't be the end of war as a whole. This plan of theirs to take the Founding Titan made him realise that there was still another nation that posed a great threat to them. The devils of Paradis Island.
Someday the Alpha Warrior Unit will have to finish what their enemies have started. Reclaiming the Founder was the only guarantee that the world would be completely free of war. But for now, he will let them, and their fellow Eldians, revel in their victory. They've earned it.
To Be Continued