Chapter 48: Clash of Titans(5)
"... Got it? Our objective are it's eyes. The whole squad will approach it at the same moment we strike to confuse the target. We just need to buy time for Erwin's plan."
Amidst the galloping of hooves and Miche giving out his instructions, Mikasa hadn't taken her eyes off the Armored Titan the moment it came into view. Her attention fully fixed on the hands that appeared to be covering something - most likely Eren was there.
"Is everyone clear?"
Mikasa nodded, but her heart had been in turmoil ever since Eren was taken away. The fear of losing him had gripped her by the throat, and she could barely speak without the words choking her up.
"Mikasa."
It was the same five years ago. She was forced to the side, watching helpless as her parents were killed before her eyes. After Eren had saved her, the peaceful life she had with her new family was upended and she watched her adoptive mother - Eren's Mother; eaten alive by a titan as they fled from the chaos in Shiganshina.
"Mikasa, hey."
She swallowed a lump in her throat; she didn't want to lose anyone from her family any more, anyone dear to her, anyone she loved.
"Mikasa, calm down. Eren will be fine, I'm sure of it."
Lifting her face, she saw Armin looking right at her. Mikasa then realised she had completely lost awareness of her surroundings for an instant; a fatal mistake that she shouldn't be making as a soldier in the battlefield. She couldn't die yet - Eren was still waiting for her.
Armin placed a hand on her shoulder. "It'll definitely work out. The Armored Titan is all by himself and isolated. Given how fast we managed to catch up to them, they haven't been able to reach the forest to rest yet. "
"S-sorry."
"We'll save Eren, for sure."
Miche's voice thundered over the galloping hooves of their horses. "Get ready!"
She readied her gear, her hands gripping the hilt of her blades. She would never forgive those who harm Eren, if Reiner even dared to even lay a finger on him …
In front of her, Miche waved his arm. "Engage!"
She squeezed her triggers and vaulted off, approaching the Armored Titan from behind.
Mikasa made her gear go at maximal output from the start, and swung around to the Armored Titan's face with incredible speed, aiming for his left eye. However, the lack of tall structures caused her trajectory from the Armored Titan's face to be further than expected; not enough to deal a meaningful blow.
Her blades only scratched the surface of the eye as she flew past him.
Right behind her, she turned her head to see Miche standing on the Armored Titan's nose. He had actually managed to navigate in his ODM gear to such a vital point despite the unfavourable flat terrain. She understood now why they called him the second strongest soldier after Levi in the scouting legion.
"Hmph!" The man plunged his swords into the eyeballs of the Armored Titan, and jumped away.
"The Squad Leader did it!" There were cheers coming from the soldiers all around them.
"The Armored Titan is still moving, press the attack!" Miche yelled. "Don't let him regenerate its eyes!"
The titan was now moving at a much slower speed than before. They just had to keep it that way a little longer.
She leapt off from her horse, firing her hooks once more and curved towards the Armored Titan's face.
This time, she didn't miss. Mikasa thrusted her blades into the titan's already destroyed eyes and flew away. Blood splattered across her uniform and face, steaming as it vaporised.
Landing back on her own horse, she clicked a new set of swords into place, preparing to press the assault.
"Good Job, Ackerman." Miche yelled. "The commander's here! Prepare to rescue Eren once the titan's armour is broken!"
Atop a hilly terrain, she eyed several green dots galloping towards her, and a horde of titans chasing after them.
"All units, Disperse!" The squad's captain's voice sounded again.
She pulled back. The other titans that were lured over surrounded the Armoured Titan, clinging all over his body - he could no longer move.
Her attention was fully focused on the Armored Titan's hands, the moment he moved them; that would be her chance.
The carnage continued to unfold in front of her. The Armored Titan was surprisingly stubborn in not wanting to use it's hands at all. It did it best to shake off the various titans, but there were too many of them - clinging on to it like a pack of ants. It was almost hard to see it properly anymore as the various titans lured over by the commander continued to swarm it.
Miche drew his blade, signalling to his squad. "Anytime now! Get Read-"
*BOOM*
Mikasa heard a series of explosions in the distance that sent the ground beneath her shaking. Turning in the direction where it came from, she saw the bright light fade away to reveal a row of titans that stood in front of the forest.
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"New enemies from the left flank! Spread yourselves out and prepare for combat!"
Erwin yelled, trying to steady his nerves at the same time. What in the world was that thing? A number of titans had just appeared out of nowhere from the forest. In the middle of it stood one titan of abnormal size, covered in fur, that towered menacingly above the rest.
With such numbers and distance, Miche should have detected their presence well before they got so close. He suspected they might be titan shifters who had hidden themselves before they transformed - that was the only explanation.
The light that enveloped the area when the titans emerged bore an uncanny resemblance to the one Eren emitted when he entered into his titan form.
Regardless, his priority now was rescuing Eren. They had committed far too much to retreat.
"Incoming! T-That thing's throwing titans at us!"
A soldier's panicked voice drew his attention back to the dire situation facing them.
He watched in horror as the huge titan hoisted a titan beside it, and flung it right at their direction with stupefying speed. The titan crashed into an unlucky garrison soldier who was too slow to react.
They couldn't ignore it if they wanted to rescue Eren.
He made his choice.
"Miche, Hange. We'll designate that thing as the Beast Titan. Take half of your squads each and flank it from two sides. We need to split it's attention."
"Roger."
As two of his squad leaders galloped away with their soldiers, guilt gawned at his heart. His men had always trusted his commands, even the most outrageous ones at the cost of their lives. The order he just gave had a slim chance of success - it was literally charging into a group of titans on flat ground, many would perish, but yet they showed no hesitation in complying.
He had to make their sacrifice worth it. It was his duty.
"Attention!" Erwin tightened one hand onto the reins, the other raising his blade high as he addressed the remaining soldiers around him. "The fate of humanity will be decided at this very moment. There is no future where humanity can inhabit these lands without Eren, we recover him and immediately retreat!"
He felt gazes focused on him. Fear, despair, helplessness reflected in those eyes; but they would have to overcome it.
He would make his men do so. He would have to be the first to lead them into hell.
"Dedicate your hearts! For Humanity!" He kicked at his horse, causing it to break onwards into a full gallop. "Advance!"
He heard the sounds of the hooves and roars of the soldiers right after.
It would be another sin for him to bear. Those that were going to die, those there were never going to come home-
Several of the titans noticed them, their hands reaching in their direction.
The pound of his heart was all that remained. One, Two … he dodged their grasps. Behind him were shrieks and cries.
From his periphery, another dived right at him. Except …
… that it was too close. He yanked hard at his horse, trying to swerve himself out of harm's way. His head was a mere hair breadth away from becoming titan food, but his hand was not so fortunate.
Pain shot through his right arm as the titan's teeth sandwiched it, lifting him up from his horse. He let out an anguished cry.
"C-commander Erwin…" Many of the soldiers halted, fear and dread written all over their faces.
Erwin gritted his teeth. The pain was so intense, so numb that his vision had dimmed.
No not yet … he still had to see this through to the end.
"Advance!" He yelled through his clenched teeth, mustering every ounce of willpower he had. "Eren is right in front of us. ADVANCE!"
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