Chapter XIV: Crimson Horizon(Part I)

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The dawn broke over Trost, painting the sky in soft hues of pink and gold. The sleepy district slowly stirred to life, the usual morning routines punctuated by an air of excitement. Today, the Scouts were setting out on another expedition.

A small crowd had gathered near the gate, a mix of eager cadets and curious civilians. Their cheers and well-wishes filled the air, a stark contrast to the somber silence that often greeted the Scouts' return. Children perched on their parents' shoulders, straining for a glimpse of humanity's bravest soldiers.

At the gate, the Scouts made their final preparations, green cloaks fluttering in the morning breeze. Commander Erwin Smith stood at the forefront, his imposing figure a beacon of strength and determination. Beside him was Miche Zacharius, his second-in-command, a tall man with a scruffy beard and an uncanny sense of smell.

"We've had reports of unusual Titan activity in the southern sector," Erwin said, his deep voice carrying over the rhythmic thud of hoofbeats and the murmur of the crowd. "Scattered sightings, erratic behavior."

Miche's brow furrowed as he inhaled deeply, testing the air. "Could it be related to the Colossal or Armored?"

Erwin's eyes narrowed, considering the possibility. "It's been five years without a sign of them, but something has the Titans acting off. It could be nothing, but it warrants investigation."

Miche nodded, his keen eyes scanning the horizon beyond the walls. "Better safe than sorry."

As the sun crested the wall, bathing the world in golden light, Erwin raised his hand. His voice rang out, clear and commanding, "The 56th expedition begins now. Scouts, move out!"

With a thunder of hooves, they rode through the gate. The crowd's cheers swelled, hands waving frantically as the Scouts passed. Atop the walls, the day's patrol of Garrison soldiers watched the procession, some offering salutes to their comrades-in-arms.

The Scouts pressed on, the wind whipping through their hair and tugging at their cloaks. The walls of Trost grew smaller behind them, the familiar silhouette gradually fading until it was nothing more than a distant memory on the horizon.

The landscape opened up into rolling hills and sprawling fields. The Scouts fell into formation, spreading out to cover more ground, their green cloaks billowing behind them in the gentle breeze.

For several hours, the expedition proceeded without incident. They encountered a few stray Titans, dispatching them with practiced ease. But as they approached the area of the reported sightings, the Titan presence began to thin, to the point where they appeared nonexistent.

"It's been an hour without a flare," Erwin noted, a hint of concern in his voice. "We should be near the site, Miche?"

Miche's nose twitched as he scented the air, his scruffy beard catching the light breeze. "Nothing... But, the wind… It carries a strange smell."

Just then, Hange Zoë, the regiment's resident scientist, rode towards them, her brown ponytail bouncing with each gallop. An ecstatic grin spread across her face, her eyes sparkling with excitement behind her glasses. "Erwin! You have to come see this!"

As Erwin, Miche, and Hange arrived at the scene, they found the Levi squad gathered around a Titan lying still on the ground. Oluo stood with his arms crossed, trying to mimic Levi's nonchalant stance. Petra hovered nearby, her hand never straying far from her blade, while Gunther and Eld maintained a cautious distance, their eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Hange exclaimed. "It's almost as if it's ill. But Titans don't get sick... do they?"

"Hange! Don't get too close," Petra warned, her hand clutching the grip of her blade.

Undeterred, Hange inched closer. "But it looks harmless." She poked at the Titan with a stick, narrowly escaping being bitten as the creature suddenly snapped at her. Hange jumped back, laughing. "Can we take it with us?"

Erwin ignored Hange's request, focusing on examining the Titan. Its reflexes seemed slow, but nothing appeared too out of the ordinary. The creature's gaze occasionally shifted towards Eld, but Erwin thought nothing of it.

Levi approached, his face set in its usual scowl. "The bastards are dumber than usual today," he remarked, waving his hand in front of the Titan's eyes, which failed to follow the movement.

"Abnormals?" Miche asked.

Eld shrugged. "Maybe, but I'm not about to complain. Gets easier when they sit still."

As Erwin considered what they’d do about it a bird darted through the air above them, in a blur of motion, the previously inert Titan sprang to life. It jumped, its jaws snapped shut around the unsuspecting bird, the crunch of bones audible in the stunned silence that followed.

Before anyone could react, Levi was in motion. In a flash he carved through the Titan's nape with deadly precision. As the creature fell, its flesh began to evaporate at an alarming rate, far quicker than normal. The Scouts watched in shock as the Titan's remains dissolved into a thick, steaming slurry that seemed to be absorbed by the earth itself, leaving no trace behind.

"What the hell was that?!" Oluo exclaimed, his composure was lost, his eyes wide.

Petra's voice was shaky as she asked, "Since when do Titans eat animals?"

"Fascinating..." Hange murmured.

Erwin followed the trail the Titan had left, noting how its body had marked the grass. His brow furrowed as he surveyed the scene. "Stay alert, everyone. Let’s see where this one came from."

As they pressed on, the unease grew with each passing mile. The lush greenery they had been riding through began to give way to patches of barren earth interspersed with the remaining greenery, creating a patchwork landscape. The was grass withered and dry, crumbling beneath their horses' hooves. As they crested a hill, Hange let out a sharp gasp. "Look!" she cried, pointing to the valley below.

Before them lay a small clearing at the edge of a forest of towering trees. Scattered across the ground were the carcasses of various animals – birds, deer, rabbits, and even a few large bears. Some of the bodies were brutally mutilated, while others appeared to be sucked inwards, their fur pale and brittle.

Hange dismounted immediately, her curiosity overriding any sense of caution. "Oh... Our friend was making a collection, maybe?" She approached one of the carcasses, tapping it with her sword. The body crumbled at her touch, completely desiccated and hollow. "Huh, only a husk left…" she muttered. "It's as if something sucked the very life out of them."

"That Titan couldn't have done this, right?" Petra whispered, her face pale. "A disease, maybe?"

Hange shook her head, still examining the corpses. "Beats me..."

Levi's usual bored tone was tinged with tension as he spoke. "Whatever it is, I doubt it’s friendly."

Erwin's jaw tightened as he surveyed the scene. Every instinct told him to turn back, to retreat to the safety of the walls. But the mystery before them demanded answers.

Levi's sharp gaze took in every detail of their surroundings. "There's a trail leading into the forest," he said, pointing to a line of broken branches and trampled undergrowth.

Erwin considered their options. He didn't like this one bit, but if they had stumbled onto something significant, they needed to know. At the very least, they had to find where that abnormal had come from. Then they could return more prepared.

"We press on," he said at last, his voice firm. "But with extreme caution. Miche, you stay back here. If anything goes wrong, we’ll fire a flare, you know what to do. Keep a tight perimeter." He turned to Hange. "Your squad stays too."

After some quick arrangements, they continued, the group now consisting of just Erwin, Hange, and Levi’s squad.

As they ventured deeper, the forest grew denser, the giant trees casting long shadows. Their horses became increasingly restless, nickering nervously and balking at the darkness between the massive trunks.

"They won't go any further," Eld reported, struggling to control his mount.

Erwin nodded grimly. "We'll proceed on foot. Levi, take your team and scout ahead. Hange and I will secure the horses and follow. If you encounter any danger, retreat immediately."

Levi's squad moved out, their ODM gear hissing as they took to the trees. Erwin dismounted, beginning to tether the horses. Hange joined him, her usual manic energy subdued by the eerie atmosphere.

"You've been unusually quiet, Erwin," Hange observed as they worked. "What's going through that mind of yours?"

Erwin's brow furrowed as he secured a knot. "So far we’ve seen too little, there’s too many unknowns. But whatever's happening here, it's new."

Hange's eyes gleamed with barely contained excitement behind her glasses. "Oh, the possibilities are endless! Could it be a new type of Titan? Or perhaps some kind of Titan disease? Maybe they're evolving, or—"

"Hange," Erwin cut her off gently, "let's not get ahead of ourselves. We need more information before we can start formulating theories."

Hange nodded, though her mind was clearly still racing. "Right, right. Observe first, hypothesize later. But Erwin, you have to admit, this is fascinating! Terrifying, yes, but fascinating!"

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the silence became oppressive, broken only by the soft crunch of leaves beneath their feet. The air felt thick, almost syrupy, making each breath a conscious effort.

They hadn't gone far when Gunther's voice rang out, tight with barely controlled panic. "Commander! You need to see this!"

The group rushed forward, emerging into a small clearing. What they saw there made even the most hardened veterans among them blanch.

Strewn across the forest floor were more animal carcasses, but these were different. They were wrapped in what looked like congealed Titan vomit, the substance black it looked like tar but it had a putrid smell. The area around the bodies was completely barren, the trees twisted and decaying, the grass crumbling to ash beneath their feet.

"What in the name of all that's holy..." Oluo whispered as he covered his nose, his usual bravado completely evaporated.

Hange knelt beside one of the corpses, her brow furrowed, deep in thought. "This substance... it's similar to Titan vomit, but... different. More concentrated, perhaps? And look how it's affected the surrounding area. It's as if it's corroding everything it touches."

Erwin knelt to examine it closer, covering his mouth against the overwhelming stench. The smell was strong enough to make anyone gag, his eyes felt irritated by the substance. Hange, was already taking samples in a small tube.

A twig snapped in the distance, the sound unnaturally loud in the oppressive silence. Every Scout tensed, hands flying to their blade handles.

Erwin's head snapped up, his eyes scanning the shadows between the trees. For a moment, he thought he saw a flicker of movement, a darker shape against the gloom. But when he blinked, it was gone.

And then they came.

Titans burst from the treeline, at least seven of them, their movements jerky and uncoordinated, yet somehow more terrifying for their unpredictability. Parts of their bodies were covered in the same black, decaying substance they had just seen.

"Engage!" Erwin roared, already reaching for his blades.

The Scouts leapt into action, but something was terribly wrong. The Titans moved with an eerie synchronicity, as if guided by some unseen force. They ignored some Scouts entirely while fixating on others with an unnatural intensity.

Levi was a blur of motion, his blades flashing as he cut down Titan after Titan. But even he noticed something odd - the Titans didn't seem to be trying to eat them. They were blocking, evading, and when they did attack, it was aimed at the cables of their ODM gear rather than the Scouts themselves.

"Where the hell did they come from?" Gunther shouted, his voice strained with confusion and fear.

"More abnormals?!" Hange called out, her voice a mix of terror and fascination.

As each Titan fell, their bodies began to evaporate at an alarming rate, far quicker than normal. Their remains dissolved into a thick, steaming slurry that was quickly absorbed by the earth itself, leaving no trace behind.

"They're like the other one!" Petra cried out, her eyes wide with disbelief.

In the chaos of the battle, Erwin caught a glimpse of something that made his blood run cold. There, at the edge of the clearing, stood a figure. It was too far away to make out clearly, but something about its stance, the way it watched the battle with an almost detached curiosity, sent a shiver down his spine.

"Help! It caught me!"

A scream tore through the air, snapping Erwin back to the present. He turned just in time to see Eld being dragged away by a Titan. But instead of devouring him, the monster simply carried him off, disappearing into the shadows of the forest.

"After it!" Erwin bellowed, but even as the words left his mouth, he knew it was too late.

More Titans poured from the trees, cutting off their pursuit. Erwin couldn't shake the feeling that these weren't random attacks - there was a purpose to their movements, a strategy that defied everything they knew about Titan behavior.

"Damn it!" Levi snarled, launching himself at them. His blades sang through the air as he dispatched one Titan with ease. As he pivoted to engage the next, a sharp tug on his cable threw him off balance. Levi twisted mid-air, slicing through the offending Titan's nape, but the damage was done.

A sharp, metallic snap echoed through the air, followed by the sputtering of Levi's gear. He cursed as he plummeted, bouncing off branches in a barely controlled descent. The forest floor rushed up to meet him, and he braced for impact.

To their surprise, the remaining Titans, instead of giving chase or continuing to fight, retreated into the forest with the same synchronicity as before. They disappeared into the shadows.

"Fall back!" Erwin roared, raising his arm to fire a red flare into the air. The crimson smoke billowed above the treetops as his voice cut through the din of battle. "Back to the horses!"

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As they fled, Eld's screams grew fainter, lost in the depths of the forest. The Scouts burst from the treeline, sprinting for their mounts.

Petra's voice cracked with desperation. "We can't leave Eld behind! We have to go back for him!"

"He was right beside me," Oluo muttered, his face ashen. "I should have—"

"We don't have a choice," Levi cut in, his voice tight with suppressed emotion. "We go back, we all die."

Gunther gripped his blades, knuckles white. "But Captain—"

"Levi's right," Erwin interjected, his tone brooking no argument despite the grim set of his jaw. "We don't know how many more of those things are in there. We can’t risk it."

The Commander's cool logic contrasted sharply with the raw anguish on the faces of Levi's squad. Erwin's mind raced, weighing the life of one soldier against the unknown threats that could claim them all if they lingered.

As Erwin swung into his saddle, he froze. There, at the edge of the forest, stood that mysterious figure. For a split second, their eyes met - piercing blue locking onto fathomless black. A chill ran down Erwin's spine, a sense of wrongness that defied explanation. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the figure melted back into the shadows.

"Move out!" Erwin commanded, wrenching his gaze away.

The Scouts spurred their horses, racing away from the nightmare behind them. The red smoke of Erwin's flare still hung in the air, a grim beacon looming above the retreating forest.

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Her eyes were fixed on the distant red smoke billowing against the ashen sky. The acrid scent of gunpowder hung heavy in the air, mingling with the metallic tang of blood and fear. The wall beneath her feet trembled with each distant impact, a grim reminder of the Titans prowling below.

Around her, chaos reigned supreme. Officers barked orders, their voices cracking as they struggled to maintain some semblance of control. Soldiers milled about in barely contained panic, their faces ashen and drawn. Some huddled in small groups, whispering frantically, while others stood frozen, staring at the crimson beacon with hollow eyes.

"It's over," a soldier nearby muttered, his voice quavering. "We're done for."

"Just a matter of time now," another added, despair dripping from every word.

"This is my fault... I opened my mouth, what did I get Eren into?" Armin whispered guilt etched across his face.

Anja's fists clenched at her sides, nails biting into her palms as she fought the urge to lash out at such blatant defeatism. Instead, she turned to her friend. His blue eyes were wide with worry.

"What do you think happened?" she asked, her voice low and tense.

"I—I don't—" Armin began, his voice faltering as he struggled to form a coherent thought.

Without warning, Anja grabbed Armin's arm and started running along the wall, her eyes set on that red smoke. "Come on! Whatever it is it’s not good!"

They pushed through the frenzied activity atop the wall. Anja collided with cadets carrying gas canisters, nearly sending them sprawling. She didn’t slow her pace. They weaved around a group of shell-shocked soldiers, their vacant stares following the pair's progress.

They passed wounded being carried on makeshift stretchers, their agonized groans cutting through the cacophony. The coppery scent of blood grew stronger, and Armin's eyes were glassy as the full weight of their situation hit him.

"So many people..." he gasped between labored breaths. "They're dying because of my plan. I'm responsible for—"

"No!" Anja interrupted fiercely, her grip on his arm tightening. "Everyone's risking their lives because this is our only chance. Your idea is working, Armin. It could save us all. That's why we can't fail now!"

"Guys!" Marco's voice rang out behind them. He and Jean were scrambling up from lower on the wall, their faces etched with concern. "The red flare—what's happening?"

"I don’t know!" Anja shouted back, not breaking stride. "We're going to check!"

As they continued their headlong rush, Armin seemed to regain some of his composure. "You're right," he panted, his keen mind already dissecting the problem. "We can't afford to fail. Best case scenario, they've just encountered more Titans and need backup... but that's unlikely."

"Why?" Anja asked, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Eren could have handled ordinary Titans easily," Armin explained, brow furrowed in concentration. "We saw him transform…So it has to be something else.”

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Anja and Armin's figures grew smaller in the distance, Jean turned to Marco and Sasha, his face a mask of barely contained frustration.

"Where the hell are they going?" he demanded, running a hand through his hair.

Marco's expression was grim. "They’re going to see what’s wrong... If Eren's failed—"

"Hey, don't go writing him off just yet," Jean interrupted his tone forcefully light. "This is Jaeger we're talking about. That suicidal maniac is too stubborn to give up so easily."

"You're right," Marco nodded, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. "We have to believe he can still pull this off."

"Fat lot of good that'll do if we just stand around," Sasha growled, her knuckles white around her blade hilt. Her eyes gleamed with a dangerous light, a far cry from her usual carefree demeanor.

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by an officer's bellow. "Cadets! We've got Titans peeling off! Form up in groups of three! We're luring them back to our position!"

Their conversation was interrupted by an officer's shout. "All cadets! Listen up, we've got Titans peeling off! Split into groups of three! Check your gear, we'll be luring them back towards our position!"

"Be better if we just killed 'em," Sasha muttered, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous light.

"Don't be an idiot," Jean snapped, grabbing her arm. "It's a damn swarm down there. You'll get yourself killed in seconds."

"What's the situation?" Annie's cool voice cut through their argument. She approached with Bertholdt and Reiner in tow, her usual mask of indifference slipping to reveal a hint of concern.

"Something’s up with Jaeger, probably." Jean explained quickly. "Wolf and Armin just took off to—"

"What?" Annie's composure cracked for a moment, worry creasing her brow.

Reiner stepped forward, his broad shoulders set with resolve. "Whatever's happening, we stick to our orders," he said, his voice steady and authoritative. "No heroics from anyone. Our job is to keep the Titans away from that breach, no matter what."

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Their lungs burned as they finally reached their destination, the familiar silhouette of Eren's Titan form coming into view. Armin and Anja skidded to a halt, taking in the grim scene before them. Two Titans lumbered nearby, their massive forms casting long shadows in the fading light. The Garrison elite fought desperately, their ODM gear hissing as they zipped between the monsters.

Eren's Titan body was slumped against a giant boulder, steam rising from his face and hands. Mikasa stood before him, standing atop a fallen Titan, her blades dripping with evaporating Titan blood.

"Mikasa!" Armin called out, his voice cracking with exhaustion and fear. "What happened?"

Mikasa's eyes flickered to them, relief washing over her features briefly before the gravity of the situation reasserted itself. "Stay back!" she warned, her voice tight with tension. "Eren lost control. He tried to attack me, then hit himself. Now he won't respond."

Without hesitation, Armin leaped down towards Eren's slumped body, his face set with determination.

"Armin, what are you doing?" Anja cried, her heart leaping into her throat.

Armin latched himself to Eren's nape with his ODM gear, the cables hissing as they embedded into the Titan flesh. "He came out of the titan's nape before… Must be how these things work," he shouted back, his voice barely audible over the chaos around them. "I'll pull him out!"

Anja watched, her breath caught in her throat, as Armin measured carefully with his blade. "As long as I don't hit the center, Eren should be fine," he muttered, more to himself than to them.

"This might hurt…" Armin called out, his voice strained. "Trust me Anja! Help Mikasa, buy me some time."

Anja nodded, forcing confidence into her voice. "Be careful."

As Anja moved to join Mikasa, Eren's Titan form let out an earth-shattering roar. Armin had pierced the nape and now clung desperately as the Titan thrashed in place, screaming. Anja and Mikasa tensed, their bodies coiled and ready to spring into action if needed.

"It has to work," Anja muttered, her nails digging into her palms.

Mikasa's face was a mask of focus, her eyes darting between Eren and the approaching Titans. Four more were coming from the breach, one from the wall. Anja's stomach churned as she realized they might have been drawn by Eren's scream.

"We can't handle them all," Mikasa said, her voice low and grim. "Even with two Garrison elite teams… if they group up, we're finished."

Anja tightened her grip on her blades, the leather handles creaking under the pressure. She felt the familiar surge of bloodlust rising within her, a primal urge to tear and rend. 'Not now,' she thought, forcing it down with every ounce of willpower she possessed. "I've got your back, Mikasa."

Mikasa turned to her, dark eyes burning with intensity. "Anja, remember what's at stake. Eren and Armin's lives are on the line. Don't push yourself, don't go off alone. We stick together. Understood?"

"Yeah… I know…" Anja replied, swallowing hard.

Mikasa nodded, and they set off towards the nearest Titan – a 10-meter class that had managed to slip past the Garrison elite team. It moved straight for Eren, its massive feet shaking the ground with each step.

They moved in sync, their moves hammered into their muscle memory after countless of hours of training.

Mikasa went from behind while Anja approached from the side. Anja shot past the Titan in a blur, her blades slicing deep into its flank. The monster stumbled, giving Mikasa the opening she needed. She struck from behind, her blades carving a perfect, lethal arc through the Titan's nape.

They landed on a nearby rooftop, Anja panting heavily as the Titan's blood steamed from her blades. Mikasa gave her a quick nod of approval before her attention snapped to the Garrison elite struggling with two 12 meter Titans. Without a word, she launched herself towards them.

Anja took a moment to survey the hellish scene. She glanced back at Eren; Armin still clung to his nape, lips moving rapidly as he spoke to his friend. Her gaze shifted to the breach where three more Titans poured through, then back to the wall. Four?! A sinking feeling settled in her gut as she realized their strategy was unraveling.

How long can we keep this up?

She glanced down at her blade, watching as the last of the Titan blood evaporated. In the reflection of the clean metal, something caught her eye that made her blood run cold.

Behind her, barely visible on the blade's surface, loomed a Titan, with ashen sickly skin.

It was hairless, its jaw hung slack, strings of blackish saliva, like tar, dripping from its maw. But its eyes... they were different. Not the vacant, mindless orbs she was used to, but filled with an unsettling intelligence.

Pure, unadulterated terror froze Anja in place. The Titan watched her, its gaze boring into her with intense predatory focus. She had no idea where it had come from, how it had managed to slip by unnoticed. Her body moved on instinct, even as her mind reeled in shock.

Just as she began to fall back, the Titan's massive hand reached for her. A blur of motion crossed her vision. Mikasa struck with lightning speed, her blades slicing clean through the Titan's nape. It fell back into the street with a thunderous crash that shook the buildings around them.

"Anja! Are you alright?!" Mikasa called out, landing beside her with catlike grace.

Anja stood there, stunned, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst from her chest. "It—It just—"

"Keep it together!" Mikasa snapped, grabbing Anja's arm and pulling her up. "That thing could have eaten you."

As Anja regained her footing, she looked to where the Titan had fallen. It had already disintegrated, leaving behind nothing but steam hanging in the air. "It came out of nowhere..."

Mikasa's brow furrowed, her eyes scanning their surroundings with renewed intensity. "I'll stay closer to you... Something's not right. There are far too many coming. There aren't enough of us to draw this much attention, unless..."

"It's Eren," Mikasa concluded, her voice tight with worry. "They have to be coming after him..."

As the gravity of their situation settled over her, Anja felt something shift inside. Her movements felt sluggish, lacking the strength she knew she possessed. She was holding back, she realized, restraining the part of herself that could make a difference. Even now, that darker side of her was screaming to be released, the need to kill growing louder and louder.

She shook her head violently, memories of Nac's agonized screams and Annie's terror-stricken eyes flashing through her mind. No, it was too dangerous. She couldn't risk losing control, not when her friends' lives hung in the balance.

A grim resolve settled over her. If push came to shove, if there was no other choice, she would draw the Titans in and fight to her last breath. But not now, not when so much was at stake.

She'd do whatever it took to ensure Eren succeeded.

Just as this thought crystallized in her mind, another roar shook the air around them. Eren's Titan form stirred, muscles tensing as he began to move.

Hope fluttered in Anja's chest once more, fragile but persistent.

They weren't beaten yet.

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An eerie stillness had fallen over the streets of Trost, punctuated only by the distant echoes of battle. Sasha, Marco, and Jean crouched behind a crumbling wall, their eyes fixed on two Titans clumsily moving nearby. Sasha's fingers tightened around her blade hilts, her body coiled like a spring ready to release.

The Garrison officer that had been leading them muttered a curse, his weathered face etched with worry. His uniform was stained with sweat and grime, a testament to the grueling hours of combat. Marco turned to him, concern furrowing his brow. "Sir?"

The officer's gaze darted between the Titans and his squad, his voice low and urgent. "For some reason some are falling back. Remember your orders - do not engage. Lure them to the wall, nothing more." He paused, his tone softening. "I won't have any of you dying on my watch—"

"Movement!" Sasha's hissed warning cut through the air like a knife.

Before they could react, a massive hand shot around the corner. The officer's words twisted into screams as the Titan lifted him, its teeth sinking into his neck with a sickening crunch. His cries gurgled and faded, replaced by the wet, tearing sounds of the Titan's feast.

Sasha was moving before the officer's body hit the ground, her ODM gear hissing as she launched herself skyward. Blades glinted in the sunlight as she arced towards the Titan's nape.

"Sasha, no!" Jean's desperate cry went unheeded as he scrambled after her, heart pounding in his ears.

The battle erupted in a blur of motion. Sasha's blades sang through the air, carving a deadly path through the first Titan's nape. As it began to fall, the second Titan's hand came crashing down. Sasha twisted mid-air, the wind from the massive palm buffeting her as she narrowly evaded its grasp.

Jean seized the moment, swooping in from behind. His blades bit deep, and the second Titan collapsed in a billowing cloud of steam.

They landed hard on a nearby rooftop, chests heaving. Jean rounded on Sasha, his face a mask of fury and fear. "What the hell were you thinking?! We're supposed to fall back!"

"Don't be a coward!" Sasha snarled, her eyes wild with a cocktail of grief and rage.

Jean's expression hardened, his voice sharp as steel. "Enough with the heroics! I've had it with people dying!" He gestured violently towards the officer's mangled remains. "You think your death would mean something? Wake up! We're here to lure them away, not throw our lives away! One wrong move and you'd have ended up just like him!"

Marco joined them, his calm voice a stark contrast to the tension crackling in the air. "Jean's right, Sasha. Our job is containment. We have to trust the others to do their part... or all of this is for nothing."

Sasha's knuckles whitened around her blade hilts, her voice low and dangerous. "No, you're the ones who don't get it. They're the only ones who win if we hold back." She jabbed her bloodied sword towards the fallen Titans, steam still rising from their corpses. "They took one of ours? We take two of theirs. That's how we avenge our friends. Leave them alive, and they'll just come back to eat more of us."

"Sasha..." Marco began, but his words were drowned out by a bone-shaking roar that split the air.

They all flinched, heads whipping towards the source of the sound. "What was that?" Jean breathed, eyes wide.

Without a word, they fired their grappling hooks, soaring to a higher vantage point. Their eyes strained through the haze of battle, searching for the source of the earth-shattering cry.

In the distance, a massive form came into view. Marco squinted, trying to make sense of the chaos. "That's..."

"Eren," Jean breathed, disbelief coloring his voice as recognition dawned. "The son of a bitch is actually doing it!"

They watched in awe as Eren's Titan form lumbered forward, the massive boulder balanced precariously on his shoulders. It was an incredible sight, one that filled them with a spark of hope.

However, Marco's expression quickly grew grim as his gaze swept the area between their position and Eren. "There are far too many Titans moving towards him. I count at least five, maybe more behind the buildings."

"They're drawn to him like moths to a flame," Sasha muttered.

Jean's brow furrowed, a hint of fear creeping into his voice. "The other teams must be struggling. There shouldn't be nearly this many in the area."

Marco's voice took on a note of command, his eyes never leaving the unfolding battle. "We have to try and herd them back, buy Eren as much time as we can."

He pointed to a cluster of isolated Titans. "If we can lure those away from the main group..."

Sasha opened her mouth to argue, but Marco cut her off, his tone brooking no argument. "We can't risk a direct confrontation. Not now, not with so much at stake. We draw them away, pick them off one by one if we can."

They sprang into action, zipping between buildings and shouting to attract the Titans' attention. At first, it seemed to work. A few of the lumbering giants turned, their dead eyes fixing on the small, fast-moving targets.

Jean swooped low, his voice rising above the chaos. "Come on, you ugly bastards! This way!"

For a moment, two Titans began to advance after him. But as Jean led them further from Eren, their movements became sluggish, their heads turning back towards the distant form of Eren's Titan.

"They're not following!" Sasha called out, frustration evident in her voice. She fired a grappling hook, swinging past a Titan's face close enough to feel its hot, fetid breath. The monster's hand swiped at her, but its movements were half-hearted at best. The Titan followed Sasha for a short distance before breaking off, continuing its inexorable march towards Eren.

Seizing the brief moment of distraction, Jean pounced. His blades gleamed in the sunlight as he carved through the Titan's nape in a spray of steam and blood. But even as it fell, he could see the others slipping away, drawn by some invisible force towards Eren's position.

As they regrouped on a nearby rooftop, Jean's face was grim. "Damn it all. At this rate, we'll end up caught between Eren and a horde of Titans."

"Where are the other teams?!" Sasha growled, frustration evident in every line of her body.

From their precarious perch, they could now see Eren more clearly. He moved with agonizing slowness, the massive boulder balanced on his shoulders seeming to dwarf even his Titan form. Titans poured in from all directions, and flashes of steel in the waning sunlight spoke of the desperate fighting raging around him.

"He's almost there!" Jean exclaimed, a note of desperate hope in his voice. Eren couldn't be more than a hundred paces from the outer gate.

Marco's keen eyes caught a flash of movement amidst the chaos. A small figure with blonde hair was zipping through the air with precise ODM maneuvers, heading directly towards Eren's position.

"I think I see Annie," Marco said, squinting to make sure. "That has to be her. She's heading straight for Eren. No sign of Bertholdt or—"

His words were cut short by a brilliant flash of yellowish light at the breach, accompanied by a deafening thunderclap. The sound reverberated through their bodies, shaking the rooftop beneath their feet.

Seconds later, a shockwave hit them, whipping their hair and stirring up dust as it passed.

As the light faded and the echoes died away, an unnatural silence fell over the battlefield. Steam billowed from the outer wall, obscuring whatever had materialized there. But through the haze, they could see two points of orange light, glowing with the intensity of hellfire itself.

The steam began to clear, revealing a form that made their blood run cold. It was a Titan, but unlike any they had ever seen. Its entire body was encased in what appeared to be plates of armor, gleaming white against the fading light. Its face was a mask of bone and sinew, those burning eyes fixed unerringly on Eren.

"What... what is that thing?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling.

Jean's face had drained of all color, his eyes wide with horrified. "No... it can't be..."

Marco's breath caught in his throat as the terrible realization dawned.

The Armored Titan.