STRONGEST HOPE (ERERI❤RIREN)

CHAPTER 38 - THE FIGHT (PART ONE)

As they approached the clump of titans, Commander Zoe and Levi's squad surveyed the battle field from atop the wall. Down below stood the inactive beasts. They were indeed in a circle of three rows deep, facing outwards. Two hundred yards west and parallel to the wall was a line of thick trees that served as a gateway to the forest behind.

To the south, in a thin section where Steiner Castle sat nestled between the wall and the edge of the forest, Erwin, Armin and Moblit would provide direction. It sat higher than the rest of the field and gave them the best view of the area. It also provided them with a long balcony that they could observe from.

New recruits flanked the west wall of forest trees, as well as the south and north perimeter lines. There, with a couple of squads of veteran soldiers, they would kick back into play any titans from the clump, as well as thwart any titans that might emerge from the forest. Under no circumstances were they to try and kill titans, unless their lives depended on it. Their job was simply to redirect clumped titans in, and emerging titans out. If for some reason, defense was necessary, the veteran corps members would engage before new recruits. Hange, Erwin and Armin all agreed that these recruits were not up to fighting speed, but without them, the veteran squads would have their hands full just managing the load, let alone killing any.

The veteran sections meant to fight the clumped titans parked their horses to the south behind Steiner Castle walls. They hoisted themselves on top of the wall to join Hange and Levi's squad. Eren waited for orders to shift, and would only do so if a black flare went up. They still weren't completely sure if he would be able to transform, given his difficulty after the rescue.

The clump of titans below stood perfectly still. There were 15-20, and at most 10-12 meters tall. There was an energy teeming from them despite their stillness, like they were straining at the bit and slightly leaning forward.

Hange looked to Levi and told him to take his squad and survey the clump just above their reach. Levi gave the order, and the seven of them whizzed into the air and dropped down, swinging out and around their heads. After a couple of minutes their feet touched lightly onto the wall again, and they regrouped.

"Sir, their eyes are moving!" Mikasa pushed forward.

Connie and Jean's heads nodded vigorously. "Dude," Connie said, "It's fucking creepy. They eyeballed me the whole time."

Levi and Eren looked at each other. "Commander, they're perfectly conscious, but they're unable to move," muttered Levi.

"We should poke their eyes out," said Sasha. "It's worked for me in the past."

"But how long before they regenerate?" asked Krista.

"Doesn't matter," Jean answered. "If we take out their eyes, we can start killing them immediately. That way if they start moving, we can still take out a large number before their eyes regenerate."

Hange looked at them. "It's not a bad idea." She glanced at Levi. "What do you think? Inward or outward?"

The Captain bit his lip. Something about this felt really off. "This is too easy, four eyes."

"You think something else is up?'

Eren nodded along with Levi. "What's the point of making them sitting ducks?" asked Eren.

"If there's someone behind this, they have to know that we're fighting thin right now," added Jean. "For all we know, Reiner and Bertholdt are to blame. They know our strategies inside and out."

Levi hummed in response. "Jean, that's good thinking," he nodded at the boy. "They know that we'd use our veterans to take them out...not to endanger the new recruits."