Attack on Fortress

Chapter 12: A Deal with the not so Devilish Devils

Big thanks to abranca38 for spell-checking and beta-reading this chapter

It was a common misconception among the more rural communities deep in Wall territory that the major Districts were wholly located within the Wall outcroppings. They were actually allowed to extend past their Gates when the population dictated it. Before the fall of Wall Maria, Trost extended out from both its Entry and Exit Gates with several suburbs located in this extension. After the Fall, Trost's Entry gate was expanded from the influx of refugees. The first year the area was awash with so many tents it looked like the Walls' armies had encamped there. Three years on those lanes upon lanes of tents were transformed into buildings. Apartments, offices, warehouses, and barracks were dotted all around the extension area. This morning, this place was a bustle of life and a happy example of what true Wall living was like. Now, Pixis was reminded of that same day back in The Fall.

The Trost Extension was bigger of course but the rows upon rows of tents surrounding the extension gave Pixis that dreaded sense of déjà vu. The smell of fire and smoke billowing over the Wall created a pit in his stomach. Pixis was no stranger to such disasters, having lived through the aftermath of the Fall after all, but this would be the first time he'd witness a district under siege and be the one to try and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. A monumental feat seeing the numbers he had.

Currently arriving over the last hilltop crest a few kilometers away from the Trost Expansion, his convey only consisted of 600 soldiers and only a handful of heavy equipment. He had collected well over 1200 souls upon his departure at Ehrmich but left half of his forces to manage the Trost evacuees coming up the main road and the river Gjöll. He hoped that his forces would be enough to tip the scales and at least establish a foothold within the city, but as messages came back from the front, he realised all his forces could achieve was filling in the gaps of their defense line. A grim realisation indeed.

Working their way down the slopes and onto flat terrain, the convey spurred into a canter to close the distance. It wasn't long before they passed the encampment border and into the maze of tents. Supply, bedding, armory, and medical tents dotted around to spread the injured soldiers apart to not attract the Titans if the Entry Gate fell. Pixis grimly noted just how much the medical tent outnumbered the others. "Make way for the Commander!" the leads of his convey called out as they began to pass soldiers on foot.

They all stepped off the road and snapped into a strong salute as Pixis and his men passed. Pixis gave them a nod in return. Despite how pale and gloomy each soldier he passed was, he took solace in their faces brightening with hope as his convey made way to bolster their forces. The further they traveled, the thicker the crowds. Eventually, they made it to the Trost Extension itself. The many buildings being repurposed for the Garrison. It was here that the bulk of his convey spit off into their squadrons to be filtered out into whatever position the main Trost force needed them to be at. Only 50 men were left in Pixis' personal squad.

His squadron was led towards the forward operating base managed by one of his most elite soldiers, Rico Brzenska. His squad rode on the road that ran parallel to the river and dock. Several ferries were lined up and packed so close their sterns and bows were almost scraping together. Soldiers were rushing about to unload cargo and load in the bodies of those who were injured too severely or had fallen in battle. Grizzly stuff but par for the course.

They arrived at a shipping yard with a large canvas tent embroidered with the Garrison emblem taking up the whole of the yard. Dismounting their horses and handing them off, Pixis and his men made their way to the tent. Two sentries stood guard and gave him a salute. Out of the large walkway came the acting commander herself. Rico and several men behind her stood to attention. With a salute, she says clearly. "Commander Dot Pixis. Trost is under your command."