The drama was over for now and the focus could return to the battlefield. The marleyans were bound to send a counter attack. It was only a matter of time. The storm would first have to pass then further actions will be taken. Zeke cannot be trusted, his plan to remove the possibility for eldians to reproduce cannot be allowed. His blood however is required to control the founding titan, something which could be overcame. If they were to make Historia for example take over instead of Zeke they could use Eren's founding titan powers and command the titans without having to deal with the pesky problems of genocide. Unfortunately they couldn't have Historia take over Zeke while a war was brewing over the horizon and the capital could be attacked any moment. Eren would have to be put in prison for the time being, he disrespected direct orders and put everything in danger by going to Marley and meeting up with Zeke. Once everything is dealt with there will be consequences for everything. Until then however they would have to prepare and wait for the inevitable retaliation.
We are doomed to fight.
Your actions brought us...
My actions brought us all together towards one simple goal! Removing the titan powers from this world. If trampling over Marley one more time is what's required for us to achieve peace then so be it!
Gustav! You and Eren attacked...
The declarations was already signed. We were at war when we attacked!
You've signed the war declaration by striking first!
It matters not, as long as Marley stands we eldians can never know peace. The other nations are weak, devastated by Marley. Those who joined their alliance against us did so out of fear. If we use the power of the titans to awaken the wall titans and destroy their nation then there will be nothing holding them together.
You'd become what they think we are Eren! You cannot murder indiscriminately.
That's exactly what they've done to us!
You kill a man because he's a soldier or because he's your enemy?
What kind of question is that, you kill your enemies!
What about the children? Are the children of marleyans also worth killing?
If they are a threat to our nation...
What the hell is wrong with you?
I've accepted it Gustav, the truth you and all the other ideologues don't want to accept. Soldiers die in war for momentary peace, I'm just prolonging the duration.
What's to stop the other nations from uniting against us?
We trample them all.
I will eat you if you continue like this. You're going insane! Are you planning on starting a war with the whole world?
Yes, as long as the titan powers are still dangerous, as long as we still the most devastating weapon in history, I'll trample them all underfoot.
This is getting nowhere. Erwin says breaking up the fight between the two.
Eren, we cannot decide the fate of the world on a whim. We must seek peace before more drastic measures. On the other hand we cannot afford to lose our titan power yet, Marley and their alliance are still after the land and resources on Paradise Island. Our hands are still tied.
They aren't. Eren says as the door is kicked open.
I hoped you'd be persuaded, but it seems I must take the matters in my hands. I will free paradise island from the rest of the world. Ten soldiers enter inside the room, four of them armed with guns, six of them armed with incendiary explosives. If Gustav was gonna try and counter attack he would be burnt to death. Erwin and Gustav are taken to an underground prison as where the rest of the scouts are imprisoned.
You can't keep us in here! Gustav says menacingly.
I might not be able to kill you, but I'll personally come down here and shoot you in the head every time you're about to return to life if you don't keep quite. Just bury your head in the sand, pretend like nothing is happening and let us save Eldia from the rest of the world.
Sometimes I regret acting like a human shield to save them.
You want some tea? Sasha says inviting the two to sit down.
We need to find a solution. Eren is mad with power and the whole military is infected with his soldiers.
Zeke is still hidden right. As long as the two don't meet then there's always the chance of stopping them before that.
If Eren has fanatics hidden inside the whole army then Levi could be in danger. He could be surrounded by Eren's men just as we speak.
We have to get out of here as fast as possible. So we wait.
Who are we waiting for?
Haven't you noticed there's a lot less tension in the room than normal? Pieck will come around any second now ready to open us the gates.
You could have kept your mouth shut a little longer. You never knew if the one around the corner was a guard and not me.
I told you, I can recognise your footsteps. Pieck arrived as foreseen and freed them. She stole the keys from one of the guard and... Loud explosions stops them just as they are leaving their cells.
Marley's counter attack must have started already.
Commander Erwin, what do we do?
Defend Eren at all costs, we will deal with his insurrection later, the best thing we can do right now is defend him and the founding titan. Scouts! Move out.
Congrats Pieck, you're the newest scout recruit. Sasha and Cony says as they rush to the armoury to pick up their gear.
We're heading out commander. If necessary I'll put Eren out of commission and Pieck will take him out in the woods while we deal with the Marley forces.
Don't take any risks Gustav. If you're theory of taking down the Devil titan is true we'll need your titan too to deal with him.
I have reasons to return Commander! Gustav says before rushing first through the corridors. He kicks open the outer gates and sees the city in ruin.
They are gassing the city! Evacuate the civilians! Voices were shouting in the distance as the city was burning. The marleyan air ships were bombarding the whole area from the base of the walls all the way up to the citadel where Eren was standing. At the base of the citadel Eren and the Jaws titan were locked in battle as the Armoured titan was rushing towards them.
Face me! I stand for all of us. Gustav shouts jumping in front of Reiner tackling him to the ground.
You've done well to fight this far. But you are not fit for war any more. Don't you want just for this once to rest? Reiner does not stop. Even though Gustav tackled him into the ground he stills wants to move towards Eren. What a pathetic scene that was. There was no longer a battle between two soldiers, that was a battle between a desperate idealist and a starved dog pleading for death. Gustav having mastered his crystallisation powers after so long turns his fingers into the head of a hammer and smashes Reiner's shoulders. He rips off his hands and strikes two of the battle ships flying above the city forcing them to land. The eldian forces were rushing out of the citadel ready to retake the city.
Put the Jaws down Eren, he cannot fight any more. We need him to save Eldia and bring the peace. Eren did not put the jaws down however. He ripped open it's back ready to eat Galliard.
I cannot allow you to cost us our peace! Eren! Gustav says charging Eren before being impaled by a spike. He forgot, Eren did ate the warhammer titan.
You were always an imitation of the real power Gustav. Only the nine titans were created through Ymir's powers, you are nothing but a failed project. It was time for you to return to the dirt. Eren thinks to himself while he was rising his hands above his head. A shaft manifested and at the end a sharp blade, an axe meant to cut Gustav in half. Eren drops down the blade of the axe but it did not hit Gustav. It hit Reiner straight in the face.
I'm tired, so tired of war. Gustav, if your actions are going to bring peace between our people, if I can ever have the right to dream of such a future, then let my sacrifice protecting you be my redemption. Reiner jumped in front of Eren's axe twice and protected Gustav first with his face then with his back and shoulders. That was enough time for Gustav to exit his titan and manifest himself once again behind Eren. He holds the Jaws titan with one hand and rips away the right arm and leg creating a sword out of the flesh. Gustav throws the Jaws titan into Reiner's Armoured titan and tells him to run and take Porco to safety.
Defending those who've killed your companions? Defending those who've killed so many? You've done it now Gustav. You'll see no mercy from me. Eren uses the powers of the Furnace titan and immediately closes the distance between him and Gustav smashing his axe into his side. With half of the blade in his abdomen Gustav uses the short sword he created to stop the swing from ripping him in half.
Damn it, Eren! Two spikes erupt out of Eren's back and strike Gustav through the eyes reaching the other side of his skull.
It is too late now Gustav. With the power of the Warhammer titan you can never... Eren was lost in his thoughts as a spear passes through his right calf.
Now, twelve meters, three to your right! Strike! Pieck shouts instructions for Gustav to strike. During their time in the marleyan army the two developed a coded language to target enemy positions. Usually Pieck was the one giving orders and Gustav was the one aiming the cannon. The Knight titan moves his right hand back and strikes Eren right in the Jaw sending him spinning through the air. As Gustav was removing the spikes from his eyes Pieck was leaving her titan body behind for him to use and armour up. Gustav takes the Cart's body and turns it into a shield before heading out to beat some sense into Eren. With some of the flesh he took from the body he wraps his sword around and turns it into a mace then jumps and attacks Eren with it. Eren hardens his hand and blocks the first strike but Gustav slams his shield in his face breaking his guard. Attack after attack he keeps pushing Eren back not giving him a second to get on his feet. Eren picks up his axe and tries twice to hit Gustav with it.
Don't accuse others of imitating you, if you don't know what you are doing! Eren was trying to use a weapons, something he didn't had much experience with. He strikes with the axe over head and Gustav rises his shield. The sharp border of the shield cuts through the axe's blade destroying the weapon. In this moment of confusion Gustav takes his mace and hits Eren in the head with it ripping his head off his shoulders. Eren's titan body falls to the ground but it was not over yet. By the time the mace hit his head Eren left his titan body and was on his way to create his second one. From the ground he appears and tackles Gustav to the ground disarming him of the mace. Gustav still has the shield in his left hand but Eren grabs it by the borders with his crystallised fingers. First he pushes the edge in Gustav's face then he pulls it back and slams him in the head with it. Gustav turns his fingers into spear tips and stabs Eren through the jaw ripping it off it's body. The two start punching one another with crystallised fists until the brawl is stopped by a projectile attack hitting Gustav through the head making him fall to the ground. The Eren loyalists managed to capture an anti titan weapon and hit Gustav in the head. They release a flare and call Eren to follow them. They managed to find Zeke's location and they will lead Eren to him. Eren runs and jumps over the walls leaving Gustav on the ground defeated. The loyalists aim the weapon at Gustav again but it was too late. Pieck already jumped on his body and removed his human form from the titan's nape.
We've got to follow them. Eren cannot meet up with his brother.
Commander Erwin! Gustav shouts from underneath Pieck's titan hair.
You're alive and good I see. Erwin looks around seeing the city being overrun by Eren loyalists.
There is only one thing we can do now. We have to extend our hands toward Marley. The city is lost to the loyalists and Eren is on his way to start the apocalypse, we need allies now.
We must search for general Magath, he is in charge of the marleyan army. If we can reach him we could convince him to become our ally in stopping the end of the world.
We can take you to him. Reiner says carrying Porco in his arms. The two were battered and Porco was badly wounded slowly healing.
Scouts! To me! Erwin shouts with a commanding voice.
It has always been our duty to protect humanity from the threat of the titans. Today we are challenged to chose what humanity means to us! Is it just a label created by geography or history, or is humanity a higher concept we are honoured to protect? We have many deep wounds between us but humans are humans and all will bleed the same way if we allow Eren to go forth with his plans! Today we become humans and save humanity! Erwin shouts calling the core scout regiment to his side. Armin, Mikasa, Jean, Sasha, Cony, Gustav and Pieck.
Just for this once you'll have the honour of gaining back your title, just for today. Reiner, Porco...
There's one more! There's one more ally inside the city we can take with us! Armin says pointing at the basement of the citadel. In the deepest cell under the fortress there she was, Annie waiting to be awoken. In the end they did put to the test Gustav's theory of being able to break Annie's crystal with his weapons. He turned his fits into a hammer and anvil and struck the crystal in between his hands until it broke freeing Annie from her year long slumber. Coughing she looks around her seeing member of the scouts and member of the warriors working together to stop the apocalypse.
If there's food I'll join your plan. The scouts were complete! The world saving team was assembled, only two of their members were missing.
No, we are missing three of them. Eren is not himself and it stands to us to save him. We must put it right, we must make him see reason and stop him from destroying the world.