Vengeance Of A Human

Battle of Trost: Humanity Wins

"I'll do it. I'll do it! I don't know if I can seal that hole. But I'll do it!"

"Ahem...ATTENTION!" I'm impressed by Commander Pyxis' lung capacity to shout not only fifty in the air but to make his voice loud enough for the crowd of soldiers fifty feet below to be able to hear him. They must do, for he doesn't call the command again. "I shall now explain the Trost Recovery Operation. Our primary objective is to reseal the hole. As for how the task will be done, first, allow me to introduce you to someone. This is Cadet Eren Yeager." Eren steps forward to the Commander's side, saluting to the masses below. For some of our friends and other cadets, they're probably confused, but Reiner, Jean, Bertolt, and Annie, they know why Eren is up there before Pyxis says so. "This young man is the successful product of cutting-edge research. Cadet Yeager possesses the ability to manifest himself as a Titan."

What an excellent lie, Commander. Though the truth is much harder to explain...we don't even know it ourselves.

"Having assumed Titan form, Cadet Yeager will hoist that immense boulder on his back and seal the hole with it. Your duties are to protect him from other Titans.

"We don't actually need to fight them," one of the two officers standing with Armin, Mikasa, and I ask the blond boy.

"Sorry," Armin replies, "I know it's not my place to interject."

"It's all right. Just go on with what you were saying."

"Right. Titans are generally drawn to large groups of people. If enough of us collected in the corners away from the hole, we could lure the Titan's away from Eren's path. The Titans will be grouped together, so we can use our cannons and avoid casualties. Of course, we can't leave Eren defenseless. We'll need a modest band of Elites to act as his bodyguards. Also, there may be Titans that enter through the hole. He will depend on the competencies of his bodyguards."

"Okay, got it. We can alter the plan around that."

"The strategy depends on Eren being able to move that boulder. But there is nothing to assure us that he is able to do it."

"Of course. I worry, too. Sending people to their deaths is no laughing matter. But I can understand what the commander is thinking."

"Yes," the other senior officer says, "time is an issue. Titans are still lumbering into Trost as we speak. The longer we wait, the more Titans fill the town and our chance to succeed decreases."

"With that, the chances of Wall Rose being breached increase as well."

"There's something else, too. There's a limit to how we can suppress our fear." The woman's words fall flat to me because I know that to be true. Mikasa and I, admittedly the calmest of our group, each broke down in the previous fight, though our fears were either expressed as foolish rage or overwhelming admittance of defeat. But this time, we'll have to hold it in just long enough to win.

Looking up from my notebook the late Thomas Wagner gave me, I turn to Mikasa, both of us standing away from the planning trio but close enough to hear them. "Hey, do you believe this plan can actually work?"

She turns to me, nodding. "I believe in Eren and Armin."

I look down, continuing my logging of today's events. "That's good enough for me then."

"Anyone wishing to leave will be given by my order not be charged with treason!" Returning my attention to Pyxis' speech, I am not surprised to know some soldiers plan to desert. Our plan, at best, is not guaranteed to work as Armin plans it. There will be some hiccups. At worst... Not even the first step comes to fruition. And the previous battle had its horrors...I wear the gift of one death, the other in my hand. "Those who have seen a Titan firsthand will not be expected to relive it again. Anyone that knows the horrors of a Titan, leave us! Additionally, whoever knows the horror of a Titan but wants their own family to experience the same horror, leave us."