Freedom Fighters League of the Exiled

Desert Raid: Part 1

The next few days were spent just perfecting our mission training run-throughs. We ran into a few problems the more we thought about this setup. We were forgetting that we actually needed a plan to enter the camp. Last time we were fortunate enough to be able to portal straight in, but we don't have the manpower to walk in and start the fight instantly. After doing a few runs where we tried to work out a way around this issue we decided that we would have to either fight or stealth our own way in.

Pixis's team had a plan for that with Hitch and Rico on their team they could easily go with either option into the camp, but with our team, we had to have a plan set into place. Pixis asked me if we needed to move back the mission so I could make one. I had to turn down the offer cause no matter what I wouldn't be able to make a plan until I was actually seeing the situation.

Coming up with a plan on the spot isn't ideal, but it will have to work. The only other plan I could think of would be tunneling in again, but that would take way too long as well as take Petra and Levi out of commission for the actual fight.

The day of the mission came up and I could tell I wasn't the only one stressing about it. Even without Levi's powers, I could feel how stressed everyone was. We packed everything behind the walls and let mom and Molbit hide behind them before getting ready for the mission.

"Eren, how's your team looking," Pixis asked, walking up to me.

"They're worried," I mumbled.

"We all are," he sighed, "it's fine I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Yes because the last time we went on a camp raid it went swimmingly," I said sarcastically. "Sorry, I didn't mean-."

"I know. We all are just on edge," he gave me a pat on the shoulder, "try and talk to your team and get them in a better headspace before we have to go. I'll do the same for my group."

I took a moment to collect myself before getting my group's attention. Before I could say anything I froze up. What was I supposed to say? That nothing is going to go wrong. That we've got everything under control. That no one's going to die this time. I can't say any of those things because they are all lies. We don't know if anythings going to go wrong, we don't have everything under control, and we sure as hell can't guarantee that everyone is going to make it back.

I didn't even notice Levi move next to me until he started talking. "Listen up everyone," he said, drawing everyone's attention off of me and to him. "This mission is going to be hard, we are short on people, but is that going to stop us from giving it our all? We're going to do this quickly and effectively. We have the element of surprise. We know the layout, and we know they are short-staffed. Remember why we're doing this."

Everyone stayed quiet for a moment until Christa spoke up, "for the innocent people trapped in those cages," she nodded.

"To free our fellow exiles," Berthold added.

"For Ilsa," Reiner whispered.

"For our own freedom!" Ymir shouted.

"Damn right!" Levi yelled back, "now let's do this!"

I gave Pixis a nod to let him know we were ready and he finished getting his team ready too. "Why were you able to come up with a pep talk so easily?"

"Because it wasn't a pep talk. All I did was have them remind themselves why they fight. I didn't motivate them to fight, they motivated themselves. Each of them fighting for their own reason so reasons may match with everyone else's, some are more personal, but everyone has a reason."

"Ready," Pixis called out, giving Erwin the thumbs up. We were having Pixis open a small portal and having Armin check out both to make sure it was safe to enter. Thomas connected Erwin and Pixis so they could communicate when they needed their portal reopened.