"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do" – Pele
0000000000
Within the Armoury, a group of three Cadets and one Garrison soldier were hiding behind some side turned tables, from the windows the faces of Titans could be seen peaking in, searching desperately for the survivors they could smell inside.
They had been lucky to be inside when the Titans took the Armoury, but they couldn't get to their ODM Gear leaving them defenceless, so they had held up inside with the hopes of flagging down someone from the windows but the Titans peering in put an end to that plan and now they couldn't get to the door without being spotted, leaving them stuck and listening to the screams of the few survivors being found.
The three Cadets where shaking, one young girl was covering her mouth terrified of making a single sound that the Titans may hear while the other two boys both focused on the floor, too scared to peak over the table and see what it was like outside.
The one Garrison soldier meanwhile was busy cleaning a single shot pistol that he'd found, currently he was cleaning the barrel to make sure that nothing was blocking the shot, his focus on this has kept him occupied, to the three cadets it had seemed like he was oblivious to the surrounding Titans.
A soft click echoed out around the small room they were in getting the attention of the cadets, "Ah finally" the Garrison soldier grinned looking over the weapon before taking out a small round bullet, cloth and vial of gunpowder, "Good thing I keep these handy".
"Sir, what are you doing?" the girl whispered.
"Oh don't worry kid" he said casually as he poured the vial down the barrel then wrapped the round shot in the cloth before stuffing it down the barrel, "This is just an emergency measure" he said as he used a small metal rod to push the round down further.
"For what? That'll do nothing to a Titan sir!" she questioned looking at the pistol in horror.
Slowly he pulled the cock back until a small click echoed out louder than the last, "Oh it's not for the Titans" he grinned.
He jammed the barrel of the gun into his mouth to touch the roof of his mouth and pulled the trigger, that a large bang echoed out followed by a splatter of blood on the wall and the gun cluttering to the floor.
Finally the girl let out a harrowing scream that echoed across the Armoury.
0000000000
"It'll act like an arrow formation" Sky said to the cadets who gathered around, "We'll work in three units, the guiding squad, the support squad and the rear squad".
"I'll be leading the Guiding squad, I'll be taking Lieutenant Dietrich, Cadets Akerman and Leonhart with me, our job will be to set a path the rest of the unit will follow exactly, and engage the first of the Titans".
"Now if we miss any, it falls to the Support squad" he looked around the gathered Cadets until her set his eyes on Marco, "Cadet Bodt is it? I hear you're a capable leader, you'll be in charge of the Support squad, now pick five to accompany you".
"S-Sir?!" Marco leaned back in shock surprised he has such authority placed on him, "Shouldn't the Lieutenant take command of the squad?".
"No, I need the most combat capable fighters with me, we'll be the first to engage and thus draw the attention of the Titan's to us leaving them open to your unit" Sky answered calmly not waving in his choice, "Lieutenant Dietrich is the second most capable here, and Mikasa accompanied him at the rear then finally I hear nothing but praise for Annie's combat abilities, so that leaves you".
"Reiner ranked higher than me in final scores, really he should-".
"The rankings don't matter to me Cadet, whether they come first or fifty-first on the battlefield is where a soldier really proves himself, nothing can compare to real combat with Titan's, the sooner you realise that, the better off you'll be" Sky instructed, "Now pick your five, you've seen them in real combat now, so make your call".
Marco swallowed a ball in his throat as all eyes fell on him, "Uh I'll take…" he looked around to everyone thinking about what he'd seen them do on the battlefield, "Reiner and Bertholdt definitely, then I'll take Sasha, Conny and…" his eyes darted around trying to remember exactly what he'd seen until his eyes settled on one trying to hide behind the other cadets, "And Jean sir!".
Jean's faced turned from hiding downwards to a pissed looking one as he glared at Marco before reluctantly moving to his side as Sky continued his instructions, "Good, now you're duty is simple, as my squad moves up yours is to mop up anything we miss, there is no stopping to go back, if we miss it, the duty falls to your unit and if you don't get it, it's on the rear squad which is made up of the rest of you".
Sky looked around them all, "You two" he pointed between them both, "Ymir and Christa, correct?" both girls nodded, "I want you both in charge of the rear squad, all you need to do is make sure the others follow along our path, pick a few to stick with you, you'll both have separate squads to deal with anything we completely miss".
"Yes sir!" both nodded before swiftly picking a two skilled cadets each, Ymir took Floch and Franz while Christa took Hanna and Daz.
"Good now Armin and… Milieus, isn't it?" Sky looked to the two boys who still looked partly shook but the Ash blond did nod to confirm his name, "You two will be at the rear of the company, you'll be no good in an engagement so hang back, but we're not leaving anyone behind, so you Milieus will be carrying the small girl" Milieus nodded in understanding.
"Now I need a volunteer to carry Eren back" he looked around but saw no hand raise, everyone knew how difficult it would be to fight with someone on their back, especially if they were dead weight.
"I'll do it sir!" the tank of a man Reiner extended his hand up, "I'll be fine with the extra weight" Sky nodded and beckoned for them to get the two injured attached.
Reiner picked Eren up to carry on his back and once he was in a comfortable position Annie helped attached Eren's remaining straps to Reiner's to keep him in place and as she finished, Annie reached up to grab Reiner's face forcefully, "Don't you dare drop him Reiner, got that!" she hissed.
"Don't worry about me!" He snapped, "Just remember what your duty is meant to be!" he added before shoving her off and walking to join Marco's unit leaving Annie to glare at his back before casting a look at the still unconscious Eren bobbing up and down gently on his back.
His face looked almost peaceful still, by just focusing on him you could forget there was hell going on around them, it was as if he had just fallen into a deep sleep across the courtyard from Annie and here, she was standing only a small ways from him, just the two of them and not a thing was wrong.
It would be so easy to simply walk up and be beside him, just for a few moments where everything would be okay again, everything was peaceful and nothing was wrong, when they were cadets again and everyone was friendly, together and most of all, alive.
"Annie" a voice abruptly broke Annie from her trance, her mind returning to Trost, their living hell.
Turning she saw Mikasa standing beside her, for once with no look of malice, "The Captain is looking for you, we need to move out" she said looking to Annie as sincerely as she could, "Reiner will take care of Eren won't he?" she asked her tone shifting to one of more concern.
Annie did a double take, not expecting Mikasa to be this forward with her of all people, "Yeah, I made sure he would, I even triple checked the bindings so he won't fall, we can trust Reiner" Annie insisted.
"I can trust Reiner you mean" Mikasa insisted turning away from Annie, "It wouldn't be like you to care either way, if he died you'd just repress and move on, like you always do" she commented her tone changing back to that of serious.
"You…".
"You told me yourself, emotions are a weakness, whatever feelings you show of him you'll forget when it's convenient" she muttered, "That's just the person you are Annie, you lie to them and yourself for your own reasons but you'll abandon it all when it's time, you were ready to do so at graduation already, so do us all a favour and stop pretending like you care" she scolded walking away.
"But I…" Annie wanted to retort but stopped herself as Mikasa's words sunk in, was this really all just a farce in her own head, had she just tricked herself into believing she really cared about them.
She looked over her shoulder to where they were loading up Mina, her frightened eyes still wide open and unblinking, the wave of guilt returned over Annie upon seeing the poor girl like that then remembering the deaths of both Thomas and Nack, "This is my fault… if I cared, why didn't I do something…" she muttered looking to her hand.
"Leonhart, it's time to move!" Sky said from the end of the roof getting her full attention, shaking her head of these thoughts she approached the Captain so he could quickly brief the three of them.
"As I explained, the three of us will guide the unit in, our job will be first engagement but no matter what don't stop moving, we don't have the supplied to double back, so if you can't take the Titan kill on the move just draw it's attention so the Support squad will have an easier time taking it out".
"The second you see a Titan call it out then I'll instruct you on combat formation, but whatever you do don't be stupid and try and handle one by yourself, and finally once we reach the Armoury the four of us will break off into two's and clear any stragglers around the Armoury so the other squads can enter first, once they are all in we can enter, Ian you'll be paired with Mikasa and Annie you'll be with me" They nodded in understanding as the other groups came in ready to depart.
"Looks like it's time…" Sky muttered pulling his blades out and turning to the Armoury, "Remember, do not stop no matter what happens, if a comrade runs out of gas you have to leave them and if you're the unlucky bastard to run out, get inside the nearest building and hide as deep inside as you can!" Sky gave a final order, getting a resounding 'Yes sir' in response.
"Good, now leave a five second interval between each unit!" he called as they all readied, "Guiding unit on my mark!".
Ian, Mikasa and Annie stepped up to the edge beside Sky all awaiting his call as his eye darted between each of the Titan heads the could see bobbing above the buildings, waiting for the right moment to move.
"NOW!"
The four jumped from the roof latching on to the nearest roof using the smallest burst to get them across before running across letting Sky take the immediate lead, swiftly he moved to skid down the roof to the right, the others following him down to a small street where they fired hooks ahead and ran along the side of the building they were just on.
"Support Squad go!" Marco shouted jumping from the roof followed by his unit taking the same manoeuvred as the Guiding unit trying to stay as close to their footsteps as they could.
"Titan, right side!" Ian called his eyes narrowing upon it, following his gaze they saw a small 8 metre trailing along to intercept their current path in on a crossroad ahead.
"Mikasa! Annie! Take the legs, Ian take the nape" Sky echoed out as they transferred back to the roof two either side of the street now.
"Sir!" they echoed back, Mikasa and Annie re-entering the streets to propel themselves as fast as they dared meeting the Titan as it entered the crossroads and slicing clean through it's ankles no stopping in their movements leaving it to tumble over as just as swift was Ian jumping from the roof and taping the nape out as it fell killing it before even hitting the floor.
But none had time to celebrate as another two more 10 metre's turned back to look at the approaching unit who changed back to the roofs, "Two ahead, Ian, Mikasa take the right one, I'll handle the left!" Sky said jumping before they could respond firing two hooks ahead and shooting off.
He tucked his arms close to his chest letting his momentum carry him before he released his anchors and firing them back into the thighs of his Titan propelling himself between it's legs and up behind it then firing his hooks back into the nape and shooting himself forward cutting it clean open before it even knew he was there.
"Such speed…" Annie muttered amazed by the Captains manoeuvrability before looking to the other two, Ian ran along the roof drawing it's attention before shooting his hooks into it's head and propelling himself over the top making the Titan follow him with it's arms outstretched desperately.
Mikasa ran up behind and fired, propelling herself towards the vulnerable Titan her eyes eyeing the nape as Annie shot past the other side leaving it to her, but as she neared the Titan seemed to notice her approach and began to turn.
Mikasa had no time to adjust resulting in only catching part of the nape as she shot past, "Damnit I missed!" she exclaimed as she turned to look back, as the flew through the air, "I'll quickly finish it!".
"Mikasa!" Sky called to her from the roof above, "Trust your comrades!" he shouted, and sure enough as the Titan focused on her it's nape burst into blood with Sasha shooting out from above it as it fell.
Nodding she turned back to the front taking her position back on the roofs behind Ian, "Kid, you're not the only capable soldier here, those have been fighting on the frontline here all day, they know what they're doing, just trust them!" Ian said back to her getting a nod in response.
"Four Titan's dead ahead!" Sky exclaimed getting all their attention as they eyed the mixed heights of Titan's only one of which had noticed them and had began to approach.
"Two more right side!" Ian exclaimed back eying up two small 5 metre's approaching.
"Adjust left, take the street's roof's are damaged!" Sky ordered as they jumped back to the street attaching to the corner of a building and using it to pivot around the bend into the left hand street, then taking off with their ODM gear having no other choice, many of the buildings here having been destroyed by either cannon's or Titans.
Marco watched as more Titan's took interest and began to approach the unit, "Damn it the rear squad will meet them head on, Jean take Reiner and Conny left behind the Captain, Sasha and Bertholdt we'll follow around to the right over them and draw the attention away from the rear" he ordered getting understanding nods.
Jean's unit repeated the manoeuvre, pivoting to the left as Marco's propelled themselves over the smaller Titan's before taking a sharp turn left, getting just behind the Titan's to make them turn and drawing their full attention as they reached their hands to grab for them only to just miss them as they dipped into what remained of a small street.
Moving as fast as they could through the confined space, Sasha hazarded a glace back to see the Titan's desperately reaching for them and only a small 5 metre following them down slowly, "Ha, we got their attention!" she grinned looking to the front and narrowly dodging a sign before the street opened back up and they found themselves just behind Jean's squad and the rear squad not far behind them.
"Looks like your plan worked!" Conny praised as they caught up taking back to running along the roofs now some were intact.
"This time" Marco answered, focusing back to the Captain's unit.
"Bank right!" Sky called as they swerved back around to face the direction of the armoury again.
"Looks like you chose the right squad leader back there, those Titan's are too distracted with that alley now!" Ian praised glancing back to Marco.
"Maybe…" was all Sky answered eying up another two Titan's ahead of them, "I'll take this one's eyes, Annie, you finish it, Ian and Mikasa handle the one behind it!" he ordered before taking off again, captivating the young cadets again.
For Mikasa, time seemed too slow in the moment as she watched him move off, she watched every move he made, his body seemed to react on instinct to his needs, his limps tucked in the second he needed it to become more streamlined, not a worry that he'd crash into anything.
It was graceful to even watch, every move was deliberate, there was no hesitation for his next move, he just went from anchor to anchor just knowing that they would attach, there wasn't a single worry on the face of Sky that he would mess up.
In just the same grace and swiftness Sky angled his body and fired both hooks into the eyes of the Titan blinding it and making it let out a scream of pain as Sky pulling his hooks back in and flew over it's head as it covered it's eyes and stumbled slightly allowing Annie a clear shot on the nape which she acted on making a clean slice as she passed killing it.
Meanwhile at the rear of the unit, Ymir watched the movements of the other two squads carefully, following their exact pattern of movements and focusing on her own safety as she did, "Hey Ymir, what do we need to do?" Franz shouted from beside her making her roll her neck in frustration.
"Follow them you dumb idiot!" she shouted back not bothering to look around at him, this hadn't been the first time he'd asked the question.
"But shouldn't you be doing something more, like ordering us?" he questioned again.
Ymir sighed as she jumped across a roof top followed by Franz then taking back to using ODM Gear over the streets with Franz again copying her actions leading to an annoyed grunt, "Am I ordering you to copy my every move Franz?" she snapped.
"No but I expected you to actually lead us or something?" he snapped back getting frustrated with her as he sped up slightly to get alongside her, "So far we're just having to copy you and figure out the rest!" he continued looking frustrated.
"Look at them up there!" she indicated to Marco's unit, "I'm just copying them, they're doing the busy work for us and all we have to do is just follow them along and avoid the bodies" she retorted shooting a look of annoyance Franz's way.
"That's not the point, what if a Titan get's past them, we need to be prepared!" he snapped tuning his body to look at her, allowing his ODM Gear to carry him along.
"Even if one get's through we'll just deal with it, besides the only things that'll get through are small ones, six metres or less" she scoffed before facing Franz, "Why are you so on this, worried your precious little Hanna will break a nail" she laughed.
"Hey you leave…"
"FRANZ!" Ymir attempted to warn but was too late, he didn't react in time, a medium titan burst from between the rubble of buildings and lunged forward, it's jaws open wide, and snapping shut on the lower half of Franz who never saw it coming.
In a snap of the fingers, the Titan propelled under Ymir not able to stop, it's mouth now bloodied as the top half of Franz went spiralling across the roof tops before disappearing down a dark alley, "FRANZ!" Floch yelled from behind catching up to Ymir.
"Forget about it and keep moving!" Ymir ordered sending a glare back at him, "We have to stay on course, unless you want to end up like him" she indicated back before focusing her attention to the units ahead.
Floch looks back with guilt but knows Ymir is right, they have to keep moving no matter what and now they could all pass over that Titan without problems, "Damnit, I'm so sorry Franz… and you Hanna…" he grumbled not liking the circumstanced but understanding it's what he was stuck with.
The others shot over the Titan focusing more on just getting past than looking into what it was doing but soon the very last two shot over the top of it as it finished it's meal, looking up at them with renewed interest but was too slow to react, instead it began a slow walk after them.
Milieus looked into the bloodied face of the Titan in horror, the memories as Nack flooding into his head as his breath began to quicken and hands started to shake again, "Milieus stay with me!" Armin shouted from his right getting his attention, "Don't let your fears take a hold again, you need to protect Mina now, and get her out of here!".
Milieus glance over his shoulder where Mina's head bobbed in the wind, she was so defenceless right now, if Milieus was to fall or lose his composure her life could very well be forfeit just like his, especially with that Titan after them now, "We can't do anything for Nack or Thomas, but we can do something for Mina, we have to protect her!" Armin continued.
Milieus looked over and saw the look of determination on his face, Armin understood what they had to do, their sole duty was to protect the vulnerable Mina and he wasn't going to abandon that no matter what, "It's what they would both do!" he added with a smile.
Milieus nodded and looked back to the front, "You're right, they'd both protect Mina, no matter what!" he nodded a look of focus taking over his expressions as he put his thoughts of fear to the back of his head.
Back at the front of the unit, Sky narrowed his eyes on a small Titan stepping out of an alley, swiftly he skidded across the ground the side of his sheathes sparking across the ground as he neared the target before he anchored into the nape and shot past slicing it wide open then joining his unit back on the roof.
Ian looked Sky up and down before settling upon his left leg noticing a slight hitch in it whenever he moved "You're slower…" Ian muttered as they jumped between two roofs.
Sky glanced with his one eye to Ian, noting his remark but ignoring it to focus on the upcoming conflict ahead around Armoury that had become much closer, "It's a straight shot from here, keep pushing ahead!" he called to his unit.
As they neared, the nearby Titans paid them little mind, being extremely focused upon getting to whoever remained inside the Armoury.
An 11 metre that was clawing at some windows slowly turned as it smelt their approach but could do nothing as Sky lined up with it's head and swung his blades forwards releasing them at the precise moment to send them spinning forward and embedding themselves deep into it's eyes making it screech in pain before falling back into the armoury indirectly covering it's nape while it's hands remained over it's face.
Sky swiftly pulled out his last set of blades and shot off towards a nearby Titan and slicing down it's arm cutting it to shreds and drawing the full attention of the monster but as it turned to reach after him, Annie came in and took the nape out before returning to following behind Sky.
Ian and Mikasa ran across the roof of the armoury getting the attention of three Titans who began following after him desperate to satisfy their unending hunger for humanity but as they gave chase they cleared a space between the windows allowing a clear shot in as Sky and Annie drew the attention of more Titans.
Marco saw this opening as they ran across the roof tops, "There, between the Titans, push through towards it!" he ordered as his unit followed close behind him.
"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!" Jean began to complain as they got closer, "You've got to be kidding me, we're running into that Marco!" he shouted after his leader as he watched the four from the guiding unit float around the Titan's keeping their attention.
"We are, there's no choice Jean, it's the only way to the Armoury, once we're inside we'll be safe!" he called back but kept his focus upon their opening to the objective, "We need to do this now, there is no other choice!".
"Yeah, Jean stop crying about it and get a move on!" Reiner shouted from beside Marco as Jean began to leg behind, slowing down as they neared the number of Titans.
"Argh damnit!" Jean shouted slightly picking up his pace, "Just speed up and get us through already Marco, I'm tired of this shit and just want out!" he shouted running back to his positions as they prepared to switch to ODM Gear for one last time.
"Good, now use all you have left, no point holding onto it, make it a straight shot!" Marco ordered as they neared the end of the roofs, "Not yet!" he called waiting for the right moment.
Annie swung past another Titan getting it's attention as she saw the support unit getting close, namely she saw Eren getting closer to safety, "Hurry up already Reiner!" she cursed feeling her gas triggers losing pressure as her booster began to sputter, "Get him safe!" she hissed dodging the hand of a Titan that swung for her.
"Now!" Marco called and they fired their hooks anchoring them into the sides of the Armoury and firing their gas as much as they dared propelling themselves straight for the windows that had been freed to them but as they neared a single Titan began crawling over the roof from the courtyard.
It eyed them with a greedy smile as it stretched a hand out in desperation for it's meal but before they got too near, Sky landed on top the nape, using his boot to push the head down opening and gap allowing a clean slice of the vital point leaving a limp Titan to dangle over the armoury.
The way now clear, Marco's unit smashed through the windows covering their faces as they beached and landing on soft carpet some tumbling forward into the opposite wall but managing to slow enough before hitting it hard.
"We made it!" Jean cheered throwing his hands into the air in joy before scrambling to check his gas and seeing it was empty, "And just in time…" he muttered under his breath glancing outside before quickly scrambling away from the windows to the far back of the room.
"Yeah we just made it" Conny said knocking the side of his cylinders hearing them ring out, "Nothing left in either of mine" and agreeing nods went around the room as Reiner set Eren down and looked him over with Sasha for any new injuries but there seemed to be none.
From his back corner of the room, Jean watched the windows hoping no Titan would take notice of them, but oddly he heard a sound of whimpering coming from his right, he saw a young girl with darkish hair and blood splattered across her, she was covering her mouth as she hid below a leaned to bookcase.
"Y-you must be from the re-supply unit…" he muttered slowly pointing an accusatory finger at her, "Where the hell were you!" he shouted yanking her out from her hiding place to shake her shoulders furiously before being forcefully separated by Marco.
"Knock it off Jean!" he shouted at him before looking to the girl, "You're okay now, we're here to help" he smiled but the girl just stared at him, here eyes as wide as Mina's making it clear she was in shock.
Slowly he guided her over to sit beside Sasha and Eren, "Sasha, keep an eye on her!" he nodded and got one in response before he turned back to face the outside of the windows.
"Captain, I'm out!" Annie called landing on the roof looking out towards Sky who was busy keeping six Titan's distracted by his presence.
"Retreat inside already!" he called not noting if Annie responded or not but she nodded any way before running across the roof and climbing down to jump inside the window surprising the others but she didn't move to reassure them, instead making a beeline for Eren who was laid upon the ground.
"Is he okay?" she checked.
"He'll be fine, really we need Christa here to treat him, she knows more about this stuff than me" Sasha said looking him over focusing on where his leg was missing below his upper knee.
"Annie, take Eren further inside and away from here, Sasha go with her the rest of us will wait here in case more come in wounded" Marco ordered getting affirming nods as the two girls carried his body inside with Sasha quickly coming back to take the re-supply unit girl with her too.
"I just hope they get here soon" Jean mumbled as the five boys looked out the windows as the final group began to approach.
"Head straight for the armoury!" Ymir called ignoring the protests of any others, "We all want out of here and that's out only shot!" she called again readying herself to jump from the roof.
"Ymir we should slow down and wait for an opening!" Christa called out as she saw more Titan's approaching from all around, but the freckled girl ignored her.
"God damn it Ymir just wait!" Floch called trying to keep up with her as she leapt from the roof heading straight for the windows.
They tried following her but there was little coordination between the Cadets who up to now had just been running straight, a few had already used up their gas and helplessly fell too the streets below.
They tried to scramble for the houses but it was futile, many were swiftly grabbed by the small Titans creeping down the alleys and along the open ground and devoured.
"No please someone help!" a cadet screamed from below was they were back into a corner and waved their sword frantically.
Christa looked sympathetically at the Cadet, feeling a sick feeling in her stomach as she knew there was nothing she could do, turning to face away as the Titan's were able to grab a hold of them and begin devouring.
Many cadets were being picked out of the air by approaching Titans that weren't yet distracted by the guiding squad but luckily a number managed to get through and burst through the open windows themselves, "Made it!" Ymir screamed in joy knowing her problems were over as other cheers of excitement began to echo out.
These we cut off by the screams of terror from outside, running to the window they saw a number of Cadets that had been grabbed from the air being brought to the mouths of the Titans.
"Samuel!" Daz screamed out watching in horror as multiple Titans began fighting over a small black haired boy caught between them, but there was nothing he or anyone could do, the gas was all used up, they were now subject to simply watching the horrors unfold but soon the screams fell silent.
Milieus and Armin darted through the Titans while they were distracted, trying not to think about the deaths of their comrades happening around them, they saw a small opening within the Titan's and took it, hooking on to the last Titan in their path they propelled themselves ahead and shot through the smashed windows landing safely inside the armoury.
"Milieus, Armin, good you both made it" Marco greeted with a smile, "Quick take Mina deeper inside, we already have Eren and other injured resting there" he ordered getting curt nods from both boys.
Outside, Mikasa and Ian watched as the last two went in, "That's it, we're done here time to retreat" Ian instructed before they both skirted around the Titan's which they were distracting.
But as they came about, Ian's gear began to sputter out on him losing all his momentum, he crashed into the side of the armoury leaving him dangling from the walls.
He clutched at his blades as he desperately depressed his gas but it was dead, the realisation dawned on him as a shadow loomed over him, looking over he saw a single Titan peering down at him, drool dripping from it's mouth as it eyed him up.
"Not like this!" Ian grunted getting his feet under him before jumping from the wall pulling his hooks in as he lunched before embedding his blades deep into the eyes of the Titan sending it stumbling back as it desperately tried to bite for him but Ian kept his legs high but saw no where else to go.
Luckily for him, Mikasa had come back about and swiftly sliced the nape of the Titan making it fall forward putting Ian closer to the windows, thinking on instinct he detaches his blade and jumped for the windowsill grabbing a light grip upon it as Mikasa flew in a different window.
Slowly Ian was able to hoist himself up inside getting an arm up to the other side as Reiner and Marco ran over grabbing a hold off his arms and pulling him the rest of the way inside tumbling them all to the floor, "Good spot cadets" he praised running a hand through his sweaty hair before slowly pulling himself up followed by the boys who helped him.
"It was no problem sir" Marco responded with a curt nod then looking outside the window, "I think that's everyone who made it".
Ian looked around the room at the gathered cadets noticing only one oddity, "Where's Captain Sky?" he questioned not seeing the tall Scout with the others prompting the other to turn their head searching for the man.
"He's not here!" Reiner exclaimed running towards the window desperately looking outside followed by Ian.
"Sky… where the hell are you?" Ian muttered searching for any sign of him as the Titans drew attention back to the windows.
Outside, the eyes of a Titan split into a burst of blood as Sky shot past blinding it but not having enough time as more were still after him.
Stopping on the side of one of the armoury's towers he surveyed the area, "No more gas trails, they must have made it inside" he muttered to himself looking to his handles and gently apply a small amount of pressure to his gas triggers feeling a small bit of resistance, "Just a bit left…" he muttered.
A groaning to his right caught his attention as a large Titan reached for him bringing it's hand around to slam into him, acting quickly Sky jumped from tower as it exploded into debris at the impact.
Sky fired a small burst to push himself in a different direction to avoid the awaiting hands of smaller Titan's on the ground that were eagerly reaching for him sending him crashing into the roof of the armoury.
He stumbled a moment before getting his footing under him and trying to run across the roof to the opening but having to resort to a light jog as he left his left leg beginning to burn with pain and almost giving out on him.
The Titans saw this and began to slowly follow him trying to reach for him, though he remained just out of reach as he neared the window trying not to use his gas until he absolutely needed it, knowing her had only one good burst left.
As he neared the roof over the entry windows the Titans behind were now following him from below un-able to reach him but still desperately trying to reach up towards him though it was to little avail.
Sky stopped above the windows to peek over the edge, seeing the swarm of Titans surrounding the area meant that if he fell there was no chance of him making it but that wasn't the part that bothered him, it was the few Titans that had now put their heads in the way of the windows facing inwards blocking him from entering.
He watched the Titans in the way intently hoping they may just back away enough for him to slip past, but they were fixated on the inside.
Sky racked his brain thinking of a way to move them as he saw more Titans closing in from the distance but as he had almost resorted to looking for a new entrance and large shadow overcast him.
Looking back, he saw a Titan had clawed it's way up from the interior courtyard and was now staring intently down at him, the blood and fabric still clung to the teeth as well as the smell of death lingering around it.
Sky glared at the Titan as it smiled greatly and outstretched a hand towards him it's other being used to hold itself to the roof, Sky noticed this and cocked his eyebrow, "I have a use for you…" he muttered.
Ian stepped back ushing the other cadets away from the sides as the Titans peered in, he was unable to tear his eyes away from the dead eyes peering into the room, he felt a feeling of dread over take him as he glanced to the other cadets, too afraid to move feeling as if they were trapped.
The Titan's had them fixated on their mere looks and it was almost as if they knew that fact as one reached a hand up to hold onto the pillar between the now open windows it's bloodied mouth briefly coming into view as it fixated it's position.
Ian watched as they seemed to be figuring a way to get into their supposed safe space, he reached down for more blades but realised his last set were still embedded into the eyes of the Titan outside, "Shit…" he cursed looking around the roof for any escape before his eyes settled on the open double door at the back which everyone must have been too scared to notice.
"Everyone make for the door quickly, get as deep into the building as you can, hurry!" he ordered shoving a few cadets forward who stumbled away towards the exit.
"But what about the Captain!" Bertholdt called from the back knowing as well as everyone he was still trapped.
"There's nothing we can do!" Ian called back, "We have no supplies, but Sky is smart he'll be fine, our only strategy is to get re-supplied and away from those-" but Ian didn't get to finish as he glanced back to the windows where the Titans were about to try and reach in, but as they reached back to try and get their hands through the gaps, the large body of another Titan came tumbling from the roof crashing atop the ones by the windows.
The large body combined with their positioning meant that they were all pulled down away from the windows allowing an almost immediate figure to swing down from the roof and through the window, "SKY!" Ian called seeing the man come flying in.
Sky out of habit tried to brace his landing with his left leg but as it touched the floor as his weight fell onto it, the limb finally gave out on him sending him tumbling into the floor and across the roof before coming to a forceful stop against a bookcase.
Sky leaned against the bookcase hitting his head against it as he gritted his teeth in pain leading to a few books tumbling down on top of him much to his annoyance, "Damn leg!" he grunted as he pulled his injured leg closer to his body.
"Sky, you made it!" Ian said running up to him and kneeling down but noticing him clutching at his leg, "Just as I thought you were injured" he muttered in an annoyed tone.
"I am, but that doesn't change anything" Sky muttered trying to push himself to a reasonable level, "We need to keep moving!" he ordered glancing to the windows before trying to haul himself up past Ian, though as he moved to step away from his support, he immediately keeled over unable to put any weight on his left leg anymore.
"Shit, I'll help hurry!" Ian said offering a hand to Sky who looked at it a moment longer than Ian would of liked but Sky did take his hand eventually allowing Ian to throw his arm over his shoulder and help support him as they ran out of the room as fast as they could.
The Titans watched them from the windows, hands clawing eagerly as they ran through the doors and into the depths of the Armoury.
0000000000
All reviews welcome.