Bad news

Everyone was assembled. The drill sergeant had a grim expression on his face.

"Recruits, I have bad news. Shiganshina has been breached, as well as Wall Maria. People are being evacuated."

Dolph felt despair. Few people thought that they would ever fight titans. Now, everything had changed. He looked, and saw the horror and pain in other recruits' faces.

"Humanity is calling. The King is asking for recruits to volunteer, and calling in the reserves to help evacuate Wall Maria. If you join, you will be given a salary and graduate early. Step forward if you want to volunteer."

Dolph stepped forward. He thought about those who couldn't defend themselves. Maybe it was the youthful bravado, but he didn't feel fear.

Felix, Nanaba, Anna, Dirk, Bernard, Magnus, Saul and Angela all stepped forward.

"You're going to stay behind? People are dying, and more will die if we don't act." Angela shouted.

The others did not move forward.

"You cowards. You bastards. You're not soldiers, you're dirt." Felix shouted, spit flying from his mouth. He could see that Klaus was getting angry.

"I am not a coward" Klaus said, stepping forward. Talia followed him.

"And I can't let you risk your lives while I stay here" Hanna said. There were tears in her eyes.

There were four recruits still standing behind. Eva, Eden, Shira and Ingersol. Dolph wondered how they could remain there.

"What have you been training for?" Dolph said. They avoided eye contact, and the volunteers shouted every insult, manipulation and threat they could at them. The stay-behinds didn't offer any counter argument, hoping that the others would stop.

"You're going to leave your comrades to die?"

"What if it was your family in Wall Maria?"

Then, the drill sergeant shouted, and all of the recruits shut up.

"This decision you make will affect what I write in your reports." he said.

The stay-behinds all stepped forward.

"You'll all ride the wagons. Then you'll be given orders by the commander once you arrive."