Upon seeing Mikasa and I walk out the dense steam of the Attack and Colossal Titan, with Eren's severed head carried in Mikasa's arms, Armin bawled for his fallen friend.

Unable to shed tears anymore, I stand a few steps away, letting my green cloak whip in the quiet wind as Armin takes Eren from Mikasa. She kneels beside him, letting Armin weep. "Armin… You remember now too, don't you? When Eren...came to visit us."

"Yeah. I heard the result of your choice would make the Power of the Titans vanish from the face of this world."

"In the end… Eren did as he said he would. He defeated and destroyed all the Titans who enslaved us." I turn to the distant shouts hidden from our sight. Like Armin, every Titan has reverted to their human selves, including those who possess the ability to shift. Jean, Sasha, Historia, Connie, Gabi, and the Eldians at the fort are fine.

But what I see, or think I see, causes my mouth to drop. In the veil stands familiar faces, faces I haven't seen in four years or, in one case, not nearly a day ago. Thomas Wagner, Marco Bodt, Mina Carolina, and that scum bitch Ymir Fritz. Behind them are Moblit Berner, Hange Zoe, and Erwin Smith, all saluting their hearts. And if the tears might've returned just at the appearance of them, two more figures appear, two people haven't seen since they were killed by the Armor Titan outside of Shiganshina.

"Mom… Dad…"

The figures vanish before I can let a tear fall. Wiping my eyes, I turn back to Armin, seeing Mikasa walk away from us, carrying Eren. Armin faces me with a pained smile. He'll rest where he always rested. It's appropriate, right?"

Understanding, I nod. "Yeah."

"So...who is the hero here? Who will lead us to what Eren wishes for us?"

I sigh and look up to the sky. "You, Armin, are the one. I'm done."

"But… How? How can I do it?"

"Mikasa and I have done our parts as soldiers. It may be a lie in the end, but no one is better with words than you. So the one who killed the Attack Titan Eren Jaeger and saved the world should be the one to lead the world to peace, and that, Armin, is your task."

Armin looks in the direction of the fort, knowing his task begins there, then back to me. "What will you do?"

"For now, stick with Historia. No telling what the Yeagerist faction has done, but I do know they believe in Historia. We still have our people too, so...at best, we can prevent retaliation both at home and abroad. Heh, guess I'm not done."

Armin smiles and extends his arm. "Well, good luck to us both, huh?"

I nod. "Indeed."

Three years later

Three years have passed since the day known as the 'Battle of Heaven and Earth'. Those who have suffered after an unfathomable number of lives were taken still seem to be tormented by their unhealing scars. As the world suffers through this loss, their worst fears have, so far, been held at bay.

On Paradis Island, the Yeagerist and their opposition, the leaders siding for peace, wage a political war. Fearful of retaliation from what is left of humanity on the other side of the sea, the Yeagerist and their supporters yell out as one, "If we win, we live. If we lose, we die. If you don't fight, we can't win. Fight. Fight. Fight." The fight may not be over until either Eldia or the world is defeated. Eren once said that and he might be right...but some believe otherwise.

And so, the opposing faction led by Queen Historia has slowly begun to win back control of the situation and push the Yeagerists back. This is the Paradis Eren fought so hard to free, and to let it burn in retaliation without the chance to coexist in this world… He wouldn't have wanted that. He left this world in the hands of those he left behind, the world we live in now.

"A world without Titans…"

Reiner snatches the letter from Armin's hands and sniffs it. "I never get tired of Historia's beautiful handwriting. It even smells nice."

"How many times do I have to tell you to not lust after a married woman? Creep. Joshua would kick your ass if he was here."

"You seem awfully concerned about how your hair looks yourself, Jean," Pieck says as she faces the man straightening his hair in the mirror. "Trying to look good for someone?"

"...For all the girls who ever open a history textbook."

"Don't you mean a field guide to horses?"

"It's a damn shame you got a new lease on life, Reiner."

"Paradis is within sight now," Annie announces as she enters the room and faces Armin. "Armin, do you really think this is going to work? We destroyed the walls. We betrayed the island. We killed Eren, a man revered by the people of Eldia and we're the Allied Nations' ambassadors for peace talks?"

"Personally, I wouldn't be shocked if they sunk our ship right here."

"Believe in Historia and Joshua," Connie says. "Her Majesty's first move was to protect Jean's relatives and my mom. They've done all they can so far to stop the vengeful Jaegerists from controlling the country. Both of them are in the same boat as us, so I know she'll defend us too."

"Us weak little things."

Armin sighs and stands up. "Annie... Conflict will never vanish, But when they see us all together like this, they'll have to want to know about our story. Why those who tried to kill one another for so long have appeared on Paradis to advocate for peace. They'll want to know what we saw. Joshua and Historia have done all they can to allow us to speak. Let's tell them everything..."

"Chairs so close, a room so small. You and I talk all the night long. Meager this space but serves us all well. We comrades have stories to tell… Hey, no need to sound so annoyed, Sasha."

Sasha rolls her eyes and snuggles her head between my left shoulder and neck. "Your singing voice is horrible now."

"What?"

"Yes. It sounds like a horse braying."

"So...Jean? Huh."

Sasha giggles for a moment until a streak of gold passes us on short legs. We watch in concern as that streak tumbles on the ground, but instead of crying out, it simply rolls and continues laughing. However, the chaser, Kaya, runs over in fright. "Are you okay? You shouldn't run so fast."

"I'm okay, Big Sister Kaya!"

Kaya sighs and looks around, spotting us sitting against a tree. "Oh, Joshua, Big Sis, I didn't know you two were out here. I thought you'd be heading to meet with the Allied Nations representatives."

I shrug. "We'll see them soon. My bravery for politics has waned."

Sasha, once again, scoffs. "You just don't want to see Reiner get all lustful on Historia and all."

"Well, you go! Jean and Connie will be there?"

"Nah, we'll see them at the wedding. Just four more days."

Kaya smiles and looks at the young girl tugging on her dress. "Oh, I better keep this one company. See ya later!" As Kaya picks the girl up and takes her away, Sasha smiles wistfully.

"Historia's girl is so cute, but mine will be cuter."

"Why are we having girls?"

"Just a girl. One boy, one girl. I've already named the girl, for now." Sasha reaches up and grabs the small trinket around my neck. "I think it's fitting to name her after the one who gave you this, after all."

I take hold of the necklace, kissing Sasha on her head. "I think I'd like that. And in four days, we can get to work on that."

"Vulgar, Commander."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Few days later, Shiganshina District

Reiner follows Jean and Connie as they enter one of the backrooms of the chapel. They all take a seat as they watch Armin help adjust Joshua's jacket. "Well, look who is looking all spiffy today."

"Armin, who let a horse into the church?"

"Wasn't me."

Connie cracks up as Jean mumbles to himself. "Somehow that joke never gets old. What's that other one we like, besides Sasha and potatoes?"

Joshua turns around and glances at Reiner. "Someone asked about whether Titans had a weak spot in their ass."

"Ah, right. Now we'll never know."

Armin scratches his head. "Actually…"

"...No way."

Joshua nods. "I presented the idea to Hange one time, and, well… Unfortunately, not a weak spot. At least, not on Pure Titans."

Reiner sighs. "I'll take some happiness I cannot shift anymore then."

"Mhm… Armin, Jean, Connie, can I speak to Reiner privately for a sec?"

"Just a second?"

"A few minutes, you balding ass." Connie sticks up the finger up as he follows Armin and Jean out the door. Reiner turns away from the door to Joshua as he grabs a chair and sits down in front of Reiner. Reiner reactively tenses up, not knowing why Joshua wants to speak to him like this but it reminds him of when Eren did the same.

"Joshua…"

"Twelve years ago, our story began. It's not there anymore, but I still remember the exact spot that boulder landed. But you know that story. For five years, I wondered why such a thing had to happen, and for the following four, why we who were isolated from the world were such a threat? I knew how my mother and father died, but for what reason did they need to if the perpetrators are humans?"

"You know the answer."

"I do. So understand that, for a moment, I was with Eren. I hated the outside world, I wanted to destroy it...then we visited the outside world. No one knew we were Eldians or, furthermore, Paradisians, so we saw the world our people didn't. And...it was beautiful. It was the dream we all had for us when we thought of ourselves as the last bastion of humanity. That's when I realized that if I did what I desired, I would be no better than you. I, too, wanted to save the world. But… I still lead the attack on Liberio. I allowed Eren to make Paradis a target, and had not Falco and Gabi been there, I would have killed Pieck. And heavens know I wanted you most of all. But I couldn't get my revenge on you…"

"Why?"

"I still don't know. But I know that I forgive you for the past. So, whatever vengeance you think I may still be seeking, I put it to rest the day I beat you here." Joshua holds his hand out. "So let this be a new beginning, for both of us."

Reiner looks at Joshua's hand and takes it. "Very well. I… I would like that."

"Just one thing though."

"What?"

"Historia is taken. I know it sucks."

Reiner sighs and looks to the floor. "But she's such a goddess."

"That...is something I probably shouldn't agree with today."

"Eren... Everyone will be coming to visit you soon, after Joshua and Sasha's wedding. Aren't you happy?" Mikasa stares out to the expansive lands beyond Shiganshina and sighs, unconsciously letting tears roll down her face as she slumps down. "I...want to meet you again."

The scarf around her neck slips down, but before she can fix it, a bird flutters down and grabs the fallen end of the scarf. It surprises Mikasa by wrapping it back around her shoulder and flying off. Gasping, she looks up to the sky, holding the end that was once fallen. "Thank you...for wrapping this scarf around me, Eren…"

"You plan on becoming bird food, Mikasa?" Mikasa looks away from the flying white bird to Armin and Joshua as they join her on the hill. "I'd hate for you to miss out on the festivities like that."

She eyes the men critically in their respective suits then smiles. "You both look...decent, for once."

Armin chuckles. "Well, even as best man, I can't outdo Joshua on his big day, can I?"

"Decent, huh?" Joshua looks away from the Asian girl to the stone to her left. The stone, to most of the islanders, means nothing, but to the 104th, the stone means everything. On it is etched "To the One Who Sought Freedom," and only they will know that person. He was their friend, their comrade, their hope, and now, the creator of their world. "How did the peace talks go?"

Armin shifts over to the stone and kneels, rubbing his hand over it. "I don't want to sound too confident, but I think we've gained more leverage for Historia's side. If not… Well, today is a new beginning. If it is all for nothing, then it is all for nothing, but for now, let's believe as Eren did, that it is for something."

Mikasa nods and gets up to her feet. "I...saw Ymir back then, after the battle. I think she's found peace after 2000 years. Hopefully, we can experience the same, starting with you, Joshua."

He smiles and holds her shoulder, leading her away from the tree. "You know, as my final favor to you as an unmarried man, I'll warn you...Jean is going to want to dance with you."

"Yeah, he said as much during the bachelor party last night. 'No matter what, I will make Mikasa dance with me!' That was after Reiner made the same decree with Historia."

"Hmm… Maybe I'll take Jean on his offer, just once…" Mikasa stops as she looks to the sky, a bird's cry traveling through the wind. Armin and Joshua stop with her and gaze up, seeing the white-feathered bird soar along the blue skies.

A bird, the ultimate creature. Of all the creatures that call the land or the sea their kingdom, only one has escaped the confines of a limited space to the unlimited. There is a top and bottom to the sea, a left and a right to the land, but in the sky, there are no barriers. It doesn't begin, it doesn't end. And so, that bird is not a slave to anyone or anything.

For so long as the wings of freedom flap, that bird is free.

And maybe Eren has found his freedom amongst the sky too.

If you read this previously and wondering what happened to this chapter, I accidentally deleted what was previously published instead of exporting then deleting it.

Oh well, I decided to add more instead of making a new short story, especially the conversation between Joshua and Reiner since it's been brought to my attention Joshua never forgave Reiner personally. Considering how important that is, that was an unintended omission because I thought I did so.

Guess AOT must have extended endings no matter what lol. Except here, I think peace will happen, even if it is fragile for a while.

So once again, thank you all for reading either one or both stories of Vengeance of a Human. I am thankful for the support and constructive criticism over the years, especially with the input on Sasha. In the previous version of this chapter, I said Historia would be the ending ship had I kept Sasha dead as a slick "fuck you" to Reiner, but I'm giving it to Jean to Eren as you read.

So whether it is AOT (though I have nothing planned for the future) or anything else I have, I hope you continue to support me. See you guys later, for real this time.