The Birth of Freedom

We Fight Or We Die

EREN

"Out of the fire and into the frying pan cadets! Time to put your training to work, I have faith that each of you will be a credit to your regiment" the drill sergeant boomed as he began directing all the cadets to their official deployments. Since the Colossal Titan appeared, chaos has reigned over the city, evacuations had already started with people fleeing in mass droves and the chain of command was barely holding together in the onslaught. The Titans would be upon us soon if they weren't already in the walls.

I was helping Armin and Mikasa to gear up in the bowels of HQ as upon arrival, I had found Mikasa dragging Armin to the basement and had joined them in preparing for what would be the fight of our lives. Mikasa had equipped herself in her usual cold calm manner that reminded me so much of Rian, Armin on the other hand, was beginning to slip. I watched him fumbling to hook up his gas canisters in worry as sweat poured down his face, fear radiating from his entire body.

"Armin, what's wrong?!" I asked as I grasped his arm to steady his shaking, he needed to pulls himself together and to do it soon. 

"I-I'm fine! Just give me a second for my nerves to settle! This is bad, isn't it? There's a hole in the Wall eight meters wide, and we don't even remotely have the engineering know-how to plug it! The big boulder near the front gate was our best bet, but we couldn't figure out how to hoist it in place! Unless we seal the breach, the entire city's as good as dead! How long do you think before they take Wall Rose? Seriously, how long?" he sobbed, his eyes had a wild look in them that had me fearing for his sanity, "Think about it, any time the mood strikes them they can wipe out the human race in an afternoon! The scouts are the only ones with the battle experience to make a difference in this fight and they are beyond the Wall! How will they get back if Wall Rose is lost, Rian and Aurora could already be dead, and we would never know. I can't do this without them, Aurora saved me last time, and Rian made me leave to get help! I'm useless without them!"

Hearing enough about how Aurora and Rian might be dead, I grabbed his shoulder and spun him to face me, the canisters in his hands clattering to the floor as silent tears slid down his pale face.

"Armin! Listen to me. You're focused on the past, look ahead. We're not going to be the victims anymore! Aurora and Rian are coming back, and we need to save this city so they can come home! It's our turn to protect them. They need you!" I urged. What I had meant to say was that I needed him to keep his calm, but right now, he needed me to be his strength, so that's what I'll be. His eyes stared into my own, searching, and I saw his resolve harden when he found what he was looking for.

"Sorry I'm... I'm okay" he sniffled as he picked up his canisters. This time when he connected his gas, his hands were steady.

********************** 

"I expect you all to man your posts knowing the advanced team has been wiped out!" the crowd erupted into panic as Captain Weilman gave his address, "That's right, the outer gate is history. The Titans are in the walls! This means the Armoured Titan is likely to reappear, if and when he does the inner gate will also be history" 

The advanced team was gone, how was that possible? They were elite soldiers, how could they have been wiped out that quickly?

"Quiet!" Weilman ordered, "The vanguard is currently engaged with the enemy! Your mission is simple, defend the Wall until the evacuation is done! Also, be aware that desertion is punishable by execution! If it comes to it, lay down your lives! Dismissed!"

"Sir!" everyone saluted in Unison and I left the square in search of Armin who was to be in my squad supporting the vanguard. I weaved through the masses of cadets looking left and right as panic ran rife through the courtyard when I felt a body slam into mine.