For a mere ten seconds, an oppressive silence enveloped us. Every soldier on the wall froze, our eyes locked on the towering figure of the colossal Titan before us. It felt as if it was observing us too, its massive eyes scanning, calculating our every potential move.
Suddenly, a scorching blast of steam erupted from the Titan, sweeping across the wall like a tempest. The air turned blisteringly hot, searing my lungs as I gasped for air. The force of the steam threw me and the other cadets back, our cries muffled by the overwhelming roar.
Instinctively, I activated my gear, the pressurized gas hissing as the grappling hooks shot out, anchoring firmly into the wall. With a swift tug, the gear retracted, pulling me securely against the stone surface. I glanced up to see eren, just a few feet above, his hands clenched as he too secured himself against the sudden assault.
In the chaos, as the steam began to clear, a desperate shout cut through the air. Samuel was falling. My heart lurched, but then I caught sight of Sasha sprinting along the wall towards him. Despite her usual carefree antics, Sasha was remarkably capable in a crisis, her movements precise and swift.
As I steadied myself, scanning the aftermath, something else caught my eye-a chilling sight. There, at the base of the wall, was a gaping hole, stark and menacing. It was a haunting echo of the past, a breach that could spell doom again.
Connie, not far from me, had seen it too. His voice cracked with panic as he echoed the dread pooling in my stomach, "They're gonna get in. They're gonna get in." The fear in his voice mirrored the pounding in my chest.
Above me, Eren's voice rang out with unwavering determination. "This is it, people! Do or die!" He swiftly unsheathed his blades, and with a confident flick of his wrist, his cables shot upwards, hooking onto the wall's edge.
"Eren, wait! We need a plan!" I yelled, panic edging my voice as I hastily fired my own cables. The gears hummed and the cables tightened, pulling me up with a swift surge.
I landed atop the wall next to Eren, catching the tail end of his muttered greeting to the titan. His voice was low, laced with a menacing glare directed at the massive creature. "You, it's been awhile," he said, as if the titan could comprehend his words. "Eren, stop-you don't have a plan," I interjected, trying to capture his attention.
"Try to distract him, draw his attention to you! I'll target the cannons at his weak spot!" I yelled urgently. Eren nodded, determination setting into his features as he took off running along the wall swiftly, to engage the colossal adversary.
