Mask-An Attack on Titan Fan Fiction

Chapter Thirty-Two

I was shaken awake by Mikasa. Her precious scarf was haphazardly draped over her shoulders, and her eyes were dazed. Her whole being had a fragile kind of urgency as she gripped my arms. The moment she saw I was awake, Mikasa let go and took a step back towards her gear.

"Get up," she said, "Everyone's being summoned."

Late night drills had not been uncommon during training, but this was the first I had experienced as a real soldier. I sat up, still half-asleep, my ears gradually picking up the tollings of a bell.

"Why are we being summoned?" I asked, getting out of bed and beginning to dress, "Are we under attack? Is it the Female Titan?"

"We'd be dead if it was," Mikasa replied, "I'm guessing it's some screwy kind of exercise."

Her voice gave an overall sense of off-handedness, but held an anxious undertone that made my blood run cold.

I quickened my preparations. Something had Mikasa worried, and when Mikasa was worried, you knew it something was up.

As we finished dressing, we heard doors banging open and feet thudding over the floorboards. Muffled shouts echoed above us.

I fastened one last buckle on my gear and rushed to the door, straining to hear what the voices were saying, but there was nothing distinct that I could pick out. Mikasa darted out the door, and I followed, fear stirring in my heart.

I sent prayers up to the heavens, hoping beyond hope that this was just a drill, and that I'd be back in bed within the hour. We dashed down the stairs, turned through corridors, and eventually ended up at the courtyard, where soldiers were filing into place before the commanders.

None of the leaders' faces displayed any emotion as I rushed next to Armin, who was looking worried as well.

"Do you know what's going on?" I asked Armin.

He shook his head, staring ahead. I could almost see the cogs in his head turning at a mile a minute.

"My best guess is that this is a drill," he murmured, causing a sigh of relief to escape my lips, "But that is simply because there are a few officials off to the sides holding documenting books. However, I'm not sure what kind of-"

Armin was interrupted by Erwin Smith's voice echoing against the walls of the courtyard. The mass of soldiers fell into salute.

"Soldiers," the Commander said, "No doubt you are wondering why you have been called up at this time of night."

Here, he paused, his eyes searching across the sea of faces. Someone gave a groan in assent.

Commander Erwin's eyebrow twitched in amusement. Corporal Levi rolled his eyes as he muttered to the Commander, who smiled and answered back quickly before returning his attention to us.

"You all are aware of our resident Titan-shifter, Eren Jaeger. He is an important asset to the success of the survival of humanity, but there are still many questions we have that must be answered about his abilities."

Jean, who was situated a few rows behind me, snorted.

"Tonight, on the request of Squad Leader Hanji Zoe, we shall be conducting an experiment involving Cadet Jaeger. It is essential that you all pay attention to the instructions that Squad Leader Zoe will give you."

Commander Erwin stepped back, motioning for Squad Leader Hanji to step forward. I felt some of my apprehensions seeping away. No one was in any immediate danger. It was just a test.

"Alright," Hanji began, "The directive of this experiment is to test the extent of Eren's powers. Since Eren's human strength is sometimes weakened after his transformation, I want to test how long he can remain a Titan without sustaining extensive physical exhaustion."