(Chapter 1)
The heads of all the military branches met in a dark room, the events of the last few days still fresh on their minds. The royal government had been toppled and Historia Reiss was now queen. There had been several meetings like this since the military took control of the walls. But this meeting was different. It was shrouded in secrecy. Not even the head of the MPs, Nile Dok, was present. The only ones attending were Premier Darius Zackly, Commander Pixis, Commander Erwin Smith, and the two highest ranking members of the scouts, Hange and Levi.
The topic of the meeting was what to do with the syringes found in Rod Reiss's bag. All the scouts knew was that the syringe was filled with a formula that turned humans into pure titans. Three syringes were found before the cave collapsed. The best course of action was to capture a titan shifter, then inject the serum to a dying soldier. Said soldier would than turn into a titan and consume the shifter, becoming human again and inheriting the power of the titan shifter he/she had consumed. This apparently is how the Reiss family was able to transfer the power of the founding titan from generation to generation.
It was decided to give the three syringes to humanity's three greatest warriors. Levi, Hange, and Mikasa Ackerman would be given the syringes. Erwin would not be given one due to the condition he was in.
With that said, the scouts set out to recapture Wall Maria…
Levi Ackerman stood shocked. He had come so close, he thought. He had defeated the beast titan, only for that damn four-legged titan to come up from behind to rescue the bearded avatar. Was it all for nothing? No, Levi thought. He would not let Erwin's sacrifice be in vain. Levi jumped into action, shooting his ODM blades into the necks of the titans still in the field. Moving faster than he ever had, he caught up to the cart titan. In the greatest physical feat of his career, he flew down from the clouds and landed on the cart titan, cutting its nape the moment he landed. A young woman was ejected from its nape while the now still carcass threw out the bearded man who had controlled the beast titan. Levi, exhausted, fell to the ground. He did it. He had defeated both the beast titan and cart titan. Quickly slicing off their limbs and pulling their unconscious bodies by the hair, he now begin the journey back to Shiganshina.
Sitting on top of an abandoned building, Eren Yeager was devastated. His best friend, Armin, was dead. As he sat contemplating his next moves, Floch arrived. Surprised that the red head had survived, Eren was even more shocked at what Floch had with him. The wounded, bloodied body of Erwin Smith. Floch was screaming at Eren, demanding to know where Hange or Mikasa was so they could save the commander. Before Eren could speak, Mikasa arrived at the scene….
Mikasa, despite tearing up at the sight of Armin's body, told the pair that Reiner had been captured and that Hange was preparing to use her syringe on Connie, who had volunteered to become a titan and eat Reiner. Connie had volunteered because he hoped to find a solution to change back his mother, Mikasa explained. Seeing that Erwin had survived, Mikasa quickly pulled out her syringe to use on Erwin who could than eat Bertolt. But than they heard a cough from Armin…
(
(Chapter 2)
Mikasa stood still. Both Erwin and Armin was alive? There was no debate. She started heading towards Armin while Eren held back Floch. But than Captain Levi arrived at the scene…
Mikasa, Eren, and Floch were shocked. Levi had brought with him the two titan shifters he had defeated. Eren quickly explain to him what had happened. Both Bertolt and Reiner had been defeated and that Hange was in the process of turning Connie into a titan, who could than eat Reiner. Levi rushed over to Erwin to inject him with the titan serum. Mikasa did the same for Armin, while Eren and Floch stood guard over the unconscious woman…
Zeke opened his eyes. He was still incredibly weak from the previous battle. Steam was coming out of his arm sockets as his limbs started to grow back. But it was over, and Zeke knew it. All his plans he had made with Mr. Ksaver were up in smoke. Zeke knew what came next and accepted that. Soon he would be with Mr. Ksaver, his real father. Still, he could not help but to scream as the blond-haired titan monstrosity that was once Erwin Smith chewed him up. His last sight was that of his half brother Eren. His last words? "EREN I AM YOUR BROTHER!"
The Survey Corps did it. They had reclaimed Wall Maria from the titans and defeated the enemy that had brought down the wall five years ago. Not only that, but they had also reached the basement of Dr. Grisha Yeager and found out the truth of the world. Humanity had not only survived, but had thrived, as well as overcoming the dangers of the titans. Plus, they were decades ahead technology wise. These facts spread like wildfire across the "island".
The military debated its next course of action. Many decisions needed to be made and fast. But first, what to do with the young woman that had been captured? The MPs demanded she be executed for her role in the death of thousands. Erwin and Pixis wanted to interrogate her for more information on "Marley". Zackly, backed by Queen Historia, ruled with the scouts. The unnamed woman would be imprisoned deep under ground until more facts could come to light.
Eren and Erwin were sitting across each other at a small table. They were stationed outside the capital Mitras, in Orvud District. Officially a training mission, Erwin only brought with him a few trusted soldiers. Hange, Levi, Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Connie, and Sasha were outside preparing camp. Eren had wanted to speak with Erwin alone.
Eren shared with Erwin something startling. When Eren had kissed Historia's hand while accepting his medal during the ceremony to honor the heroes of Shiganshina, Eren was able to briefly see the future. And what he saw shocked him. He had to tell someone, and he felt Erwin was the best choice. Eren and Erwin talked for hours. Finally, they left to join the others, having decided to keep the conversation private for now….
(Chapter 3)
To say the meeting was tense was an understatement. Commander Theo Magath had reported unthinkable news. After a month of waiting, the naval vessel that carried Zeke and Pieck had return with no warriors. Zeke, Pieck, Bertolt, Reiner, and Annie were MIA…
It was unknown what had happened to them, but the military council presumed the worst. Assuming the warriors had been defeated (or worst defected), panic set in. Magath was promptly arrested for failing to properly vet the warrior candidates. The remaining leaders argued furiously on the next course of action.
It was inevitable that the other nations of the world would soon find out and declare war. And how would Marley defend itself? While it was the largest nation on Earth, it had relied on the power of the titans to build its empire. Plus, who knew what would happen with Paradis now having seven of the nine titans. It did not matter that the ship carried back a peasant girl with the powers of the Jaw Titan. It was a fucking disaster….
Willy Tybur, the true leader of Marley, sat in his office pondering his next move. His entire life, he was content allowing the military to run the country. This allowed him to live a life of leisure, acting as Marley's chief diplomat meeting with other world leaders. But the events of the last few months concerned him. The nation had grown increasingly militaristic. And yet, the military council had lost five of its titans. To their greatest enemy, Paradi island to boot. The only titans still controlled by Marley were the Warhammer Titan controlled by the Tybur family and the Jaw Titan, which apparently switched hands to some peasant girl on the island. And now, word was spreading on diplomatic channels of a new "Mideast" alliance to reclaim lost land from Marley. Willy picked up a nearby phone and started dialing…
Things were happening fast in Marley. General Calvi assumed "emergency" powers and disbanded all local civilian councils. Marley was now firmly a military dictatorship. Calvi than declared martial law in the Interment Zone. The families of the Warriors were arrested and promptly executed by firing squad, in the town square. Most accepted their fate but the man who was apparently Zeke Yeager's grandfather suffered a nervous breakdown and starting to beg for forgiveness from his two dead children as bullets hit his body…
Meanwhile, Porco Galliard was fuming. He was sitting in a comfortable leather chair in a large mansion belonging to the military. General Calvi told him he would be receiving the Jaw Titan from a filthy peasant girl named "Ymir". Calvi said Warriors had betrayed his brother and fed him to a random titan, then defected to Paradis. "How could they?" Galliard thought. His own friends betrayed him and Marley. His brother was dead. He knew Reiner should never have been given the Armored Titan.
War has been declared. The Mideast Alliance had declared war on Marley. He was about to fight…
(Chapter 4)
A year had passed when the first scouting ship from Marley approached the island of Paradis. General Calvi, not quite sure if the warriors defected or were captured, sent a dozen vessels to scout the area and hopefully find any survivors. Also, to see if Paradis showed any sign of retaliation.
The first ship that was spotted was greeted by a very excited Hange, who distracted the ship long enough for Eren in his titan form to sink it. Ship after ship were sunk, with Eren, Erwin, Armin, and Connie taking turns overturning the vessels. Eventually, the scouts stopped sinking them and started capturing the vessels. This would continue for several weeks…
Pieck sat in her cell. She was distressed and lacking options. Up until this point she had refused to cooperate with the Eldians of Paradis. They were the hated devils after all. She knew Zeke, Reiner, and Bertolt were gone. Annie was unknown but according to Reiner's most recent report before the Battle of Shiganshina, Annie had been captured by the scouts. Rescue by Marley seemed unlikely, especially since so long have passed since the start of their mission. She worried about her father, who was already in poor health before she left Marley. The thought of her never coming back might kill him. Worst, Marley might punish him for her failure, but Pieck refused to think this way.
Suicide seemed the only choice. Crushing herself by transforming underground would do it. It was only a matter of time before the devils got sick of her silence and transferred her power anyway. One final act of loyalty to Marley she thought.
But things were changing fast. Her guards (all female to avoid any incidents, as ordered by the Queen) were whispering of captured Marlean ships.
Pieck realized she finally had leverage….
Erwin, Hange, and Levi sat in a conference room to discuss recent developments. Pieck had finally opened up and told them intel on Marley. In return, she demanded her elderly father be rescued from Marley and brought to the island to live out his days with her. Rather this operation would be approved was still being discussed by the brass. The other things she told them were startling but confirmed by the captured Marlean sailors.
Pieck talked about the interment zone and the conditions the Eldians experienced as second-class citizens. How she and Zeke turned the people of Ragako Village using titan fluid, by gas attack.
She also talked about the warrior program and how Marley possessed technology far ahead of Paradis. Automatic pistols and rifles (some of which were seized on the ships). Artillery the size of houses and that could kill titans miles away, as well as level entire communities. Airships that could carry hundreds of soldiers across countries. Even more shocking was the fact that Marley's military forces outnumbered the entire population of Paradis.
The only reason they had not invaded, Pieck explained, was the threat of the founding titan. The founding titan could unleash the millions of wall titans in a "rumbling" and level the entire planet. (Interestingly enough, most of their land forces were Eldians who were willing to fight for Marley). The mission of the warriors, elaborated by Pieck, was to secretly seize the founder's power without waking up the wall titans. Said power could than be used by Marley to crush the rest of the world which was rapidly developing anti titan weaponry. Pieck also mentioned that the ship the bought her and Zeke to reinforce Reiner and Bertolt most likely return Ymir back to Marley to be consumed by another warrior candidate.
Erwin was concerned by the last thing Pieck had told them. Zeke had figured out that the royal government had been overthrown and that Eren Yeager, his half-brother, had the founding titan. Zeke also knew that Eren could not use the full powers of the founding titan. Pieck said Zeke died without telling Marley this message, and this was only shared between the warriors before the battle. Still, the trio were not sure if they could believe her. They had no realistic way of knowing if Marley knew about the coup and now lack the ability to use the full extent of the founder's power unless the scouts went to Marley.
Erwin look down. He did not tell Hange and Levi, but he secretly knew how to use the founders power. Eren, who was now close to Erwin, had shared what happened when he encountered the titan of Dina Fritz. For now, Erwin would not tell the others. He promised Eren he would assist in protecting Historia.
The trio also discussed the stories told by the sailors. Marley was now in a war with the rest of the world because they had lost their titan warriors and were losing badly. Perhaps Paradis could benefit from this? Erwin laid out the next steps.
In the next few months, a lot changed in Paradis. Captured engineers (under heavy guard) from the Marlean scouts ships starting to work on a port and a very rudimentary rail line. They were promised better treatment if they cooperated. Factories started to mass produce the self-loading pistols and the scouts began to carry them standard issue. A few sirens from the ships were installed on a guard tower built on the coast, to warn of an invasion. The captured engineers helped install better wiring to process the iceberg stone, allowing light to come to the more backwards parts of Paradis. Hange was even able to figure out how to use the "radio" before the battery died.
Although, the rapid development was overshadowed by the arrival of a Marlean ship with a white flag….
(Chapter 5)
Sirens started to go off along the coastline. Eren and Connie quickly bit their hands and turned into their titans forms. Levi led his squad towards the cliff, ready to take prisoners or kill if necessary. The vessel, coming roughly a year after the first ship appeared, did not appear to have any weapons, calmly docked at the still unfinished port. One of the captured engineers frantically told Hange that the white flag meant they did not intend to fight. Not knowing if it was a trap, the scouts were about to strike when a blond man appeared….
Willy Tybur left the boat from the side opening and started walking down the dock with his hands up. Levi and several soldiers ran up to him, guns drawn, demanding he kneel. Willy did as he was told and was restrained. With the two titans on both sides of the vessel, it was quickly boarded, and the support crew were arrested.
Willy was brought to a nearby tent where he met with Erwin, Hange, and Levi. What he said was shocking. "Hello friends. Let me introduce myself. I am Willy Tybur, and I am the King of Marley" …
Willy told the leadership of the scouts several shocking truths. That he was the true leader of Marley, descendent of the royal family that stayed on the mainland. He told them the history of the "Great Titan War" and how the infighting of the royal families and shame of King Fritz made him lead his people to Paradis, threatening the rest of the world to leave his people alone. As penance, Marley (secretly ruled by the Tyburs, who possessed the Warhammer Titan) would now rule as the supreme military power of Earth and someday come to destroy Paradis Island.
Willy also explained how his family, despite good relations with the rest of the world, was content to allow Marley's military to run things and oppress the Eldians and use them as cannon fodder in their wars. But with the lost of the warriors, things have gotten much worst. Marley had lost the war with the Mideast Alliance, losing most of its territory. It was the efforts of the Jaw Titan that prevented total defeat. General Calvi had become a dictator, imposing severe punishments on the Eldians who were blamed for losing the war.
Finally, Willy explained the true purpose of his mission. He had come to Paradis secretly to ask for help. Marley had assumed that the titan warriors it sent either defected or were defeated. Figuring that the loss of the scouting ships and warriors meant Paradis was no longer interested in hiding behind walls, Willy explained that he wanted to form an alliance with Paradis. If their titans assisted in killing General Calvi and returning Willy Tybur to power, he would sign a peace treaty with Paradis. He would also stop the oppression of the Eldians on the mainland and assist Paradis in opening trade relations world, as well as bring them up technology wise. If not, eventually Calvi would notice the missing ships and realize Paradis was awakened again.
At the end of Willy speech, Levi walked up to Willy and held a blade towards his face….
(Chapter 6)
Willy was blindfolded and had his arms restrained. They could not be sure if he was the Warhammer Titan. The scouts secretly transported him to the capital city of Mitras where he would be imprisoned. After three days, he was asked to speak with Premier Zackley to repeat his story. Willy once again told Paradis of the panic in Marley ever since Marley had lost its precious titans. He also shared that he knew the warrior families had been punished, but he did not know how.
There was an intense debate at HQ on rather to trust Willy. Many assumed it was a trap to regain the titans. Even Commander Pixis thought this. While Marley losing the war and General Calvi coming to power seemed to be true based on intel from previously captured ships, there was no way to confirm Willy's story. Nor did Willy mention rather Marley knew about the lack of the founding titans power. It was decided that Willy would remain imprisoned for the time being until more intel could be found. That said, Willy's lodgings would be comfortable. If what he was saying was true, then they would not want him to be pissed off.
Erwin, Hange, Levi, Armin, and Jean sat on some couches in the residential room of Erwin Smith's house. They were deciding the next course of action. Armin sat in at the meeting because of his intelligence and Jean was there because he was being promoted to captain.
Premier Zackley had authorized a scouting mission into Marley for more intel. If they confirmed what Willy Tybur said, they could return to kill General Calvi and allow Willy to return to power. This would supposedly solve all of Paradis' problems for the time being. They was also the matter of rescuing Pieck's dad, as promised for her cooperation.
Armin brought up the mistreatment of the Eldians in Marley and other countries. If Willy's plan ended up false or failing, would Paradis do anything to help them? Hange pointed out the sad fact that most mainland Eldians hated Paradis and probably would not accept any help.
It was decided for the scouting mission to go ahead. They would use one of the captured ships…
Laura Tybur was sitting in her estate. She was knitting mittens for her nieces and nephews. While her family could have servants do it, she enjoyed the activity. It reminded her of her grandmother, the woman she inherited the Warhammer Titan from. While she was knitting, she heard a loud roar…
Suddenly the Jaw Titan crashed through the walls and consumed her. The last thing she saw was General Calvi busting through the doors with a squad of men.
"We have the Warhammer sir, but Lord Tybur is missing" said one of the soldiers. Damn it, Calvi thought. Willy Tybur was the last thing standing in his way of total domination of Marley. Only than could he reclaim Marley's lost glory. It was critical they find the shadow king. If he fled the country, then he could rally the other nations to restore him to power. While it was unlikely he would leave his family behind (especially the Warhammer) Calvi could not take any risks….
(Chapter 7)
Erwin, Hange, Levi, Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Connie, and Sasha finally set out for the first scouting mission outside the wall. They boarded one of the captured Marlean ships and set sail. Using maps that were found on the various captured ships, they set sail for one of the new "autonomous republics".
According to Willy, Marley was forced to give up most of its colonies after losing the war to the Mideast Alliance. The Mideast Alliance demanded a buffer zone, keeping Marley at the tip of the continent. Marley really had no choice, as a rebellion led by a mysterious woman named "Yelena" liberated several areas under Marley's control. After the war, these areas became a dozen weak micro nations, acting as a buffer between Marley and the other major countries.
Erwin and Hange met with this "Yelena" and her right hand, Onyankopon. They introduce themselves as ambassadors from Paradis and wished to establish relations with the rest of the world. Yelena straight out told them that her newly founded republic was barely holding on and had no pull with the rest of the world. (Something that was startling Erwin and Hange was the painting of "Zeke Yeager" that was in Yelena's office, but they did not mention it.)
Yelena noticed the pair staring at her portrait. She bluntly says that she knows Paradis killed Zeke. Her "beloved" had mentioned working with Paradis and him attacking the island was only a ruse so Marley did not suspect anything. Because of that, she was willing to help them out. In return for 10 ships filled with grain to feed her people, she would assist in securing more syringes and titan fluid formula from Marley. She just so happened to know where this material was kept, on the account she was a former Marlean soldier. She would also help the scouts sneak int and out the Interment Zone in Liberio and maybe even facilitate a meeting with more potential allies. Pleased with the deal (but not fully trusting Yelena), Erwin and Yelena shook hands…
Led by Onyankopon, the scouts entered Liberio, the capital of Marley. They explored the city and were dazzled by things like automobiles and soft served ice cream. But Eren was not happy. Every step he took unlocked memories that he inherited from his father, and he was reminded of all the mistreatment the Eldians suffered. Despite pressure from Mikasa, he could not enjoy himself. Following instructions laid out by Hizuru, the scouts arrived at the estate of one Kiyomi Azumabito, chief diplomat of the nation of Hizuru. Apparently, Hizuru was the one nation on Earth that did not hate Eldians…
The scouts introduced themselves and explained the situation to Kiyomi. They asked if Hizuru would be willing to open diplomatic relations with Paradis and assist economically. Kiyomi was honest and said it was doubtful Hizuru's leaders would care enough to do so. That said, Paradis having seven of the nine titans put it in a powerful position. Perhaps Hizuru could send a team of scientists to explore Paradis for anything of value, Kiyomi said. While no agreement was signed, seeing Mikasa (and the revelation she was an Asian) made Kiyomi give her word a diplomatic/scientific mission would be made to Paradis soon enough.
The next morning, the group split up. Onyankopon and a few volunteers sent by Yelena would break into the Marlean scientific reserve building to steal more titan spinal fluid. Jean, Armin, and Sasha would look for Pieck's father. Erwin and Eren would focus on intelligence. Levi and Mikasa would sneak into a nearby military prison to break out some guy named "Commander Theo Magath". According to Willy, he could not return to power without the units in Marley's military still loyal to Magath. He was someone that could be reasoned with, according to Willy, despite having once led the warrior unite. Finally, Connie and Hange would protect their escape route out of Liberio and be backup. The events of the next few hours would greatly alter global affairs…
(Chapter 8)
Eren walked down the streets of his father's old neighborhood. Despite Eren never being there, he knew where everything was. Memories flashed through his mind. He could see the spot where his father and aunt would play as children and where his father would pore gravel to earn pennies as a teen. He walked by an empty house, his grandparents house. "What happened to the Yeagers?" he asked a nearby woman. She gave Eren a weird look. "Don't you know, the government kills all traitors and their families". Eren knew instantly what had happened. He walked farther down and saw another empty house. Eren could not read Marlean, but he knew what the word above the door said… "Braun". After all these years, Eren no longer had hatred for Reiner. Seeing the kids in the street and hearing about his childhood from Pieck, Eren saw that Reiner was just like him. A kid forced on a mission. Erwin, who had been talking to some locals about the "news", walked up to Eren.
Together they walked towards Grisha Yeager's house. Surprisingly, it was not empty, but a family occupied it. "Lets go" Erwin said. He told Eren that enough time would have passed that the government would have given it to another family. It was unlikely to have anything of value Erwin said. Talking to the locals, the pair learned many things. The situation in the Interment Zone was deteriorating fast. General Calvi, blaming the Eldians for Marley's defeat in the war, had cut rations in half. Protests in the zone were becoming more frequent. The guards in turn had become far more violent and would randomly shoot into any crowd for it to disperse. Yet they put very little effort when it came to Marley's citizens breaking into the zone to lynch Eldians. The guards were always "busy" when this happened. Worst yet, the Eldians in the Interment Zone would sometimes form rival gangs and fight each other. One side wanted Marley to treat them better while the rival group wanted to show more loyalty to Marley. According to Willy, there were some talk in other countries in improving the lives of occupied Eldians, but these talks usually went nowhere.
Elsewhere, things were happening fast….
Mikasa and Levi reached the military prison before dawn. Despite the heavy guard around the perimeter, they were able to scale the fence and enter the prison yard without detection. This reminded Mikasa when the scouts were looking for Eren and Historia during the coup and had to break into a local MP guard house.
Levi knocked out a couple of guards and stole their uniforms. According to Willy, Magath would most likely be held in the top level with the other high-ranking prisoners. They moved silently to the end of the hallway and took a "elevator" to the top floor (which was a gas-powered shaft similar to the devices used by the scouts move horses up and down Wall Maria)
The Ackermans reached the top floor and saw some guards. One looked up from the newspaper he was reading. "Hey, you two aren't authorized to be up here…" were the guards last words as Mikasa and Levi ran up with superhuman speed and split their throats. Four guards down. Mikasa took some keys and started trying them out on a cell. Theo Magath, sitting in his cell, looked at his "rescuers" confused. "Who sent you" he asked, but the pair refused to answer. "Your coming with us", Levi said, clutching his blades. Magath had no choice but to comply and accompany the pair back to the elevator shaft. Suddenly sirens started to blare across the prison….
Jean walked up towards a newspaper stand and bought a copy. He could barely read it (although he pretended to for appearance sake) but Armin insisted they return with as much written material as possible. This was the only way for Paradis to learn more about its enemy. In this regard, they have been mostly successful. Sasha "accidentally" bumped into someone and stole their library card. Armin had taken the liberty and checked out several books on engineering, geography, and history. Placing them in a satchel bag, he left the library with Sasha and met up with Jean, who was standing outside with his newspaper.
After the three met up (and forcing Sasha not to stop at every food stand), they walked towards a nearby apartment complex on the outer edge of the interment zone. According to Pieck's instructions, this was where her father lived when he was not at the hospital. They looked up at the third floor but saw the windows were boarded up. Armin asked a young child sitting in front of the building what happened to its inhabitants. He told the trio that the old man living in the building had been arrested and executed along with the rest of the warriors families. The three had dark expressions on their face. It was too late to save Pieck's father. "Damn that Willy, he should have known this" Jean thought. They started to make their way to the pre-determined meeting spot when they noticed several young men overturning fruit stands and igniting fires in trashcans. Than Jean, Armin, and Sasha heard sirens….
General Calvi was sitting in his office reading reports on the state of the military. He was currently planning on a way to regain the autonomous republics. Without their resources, Marley could not rebuild its military. Those resources were needed if Marley was going to invade Paradis. Only with the founding titan could Marley return to its place in the world. Did the missing ships mean they did not have the founding titan anymore, Calvi pondered?
Before he could ponder some more, a young lieutenant busted in and said he had an urgent message for the general. "What is it" demanded Calvi. "There has been a break in at the prison sir. Rioting had started in the interment zone. Plus, we have reports of titans in the city". Calvi and the lieutenant heard an explosion. They looked out the office window and saw the Attack Titan…
(Chapter 9)
Mikasa, Levi, and Magath reached the roof of the main building. Levi smashed the elevator shaft controls while Mikasa cut the wires. This would buy them a little more time. The three took cover behind an industrial chimney (used to power the building) while guards from other buildings in the prison complex started to rain bullets on them. That is when they heard a roar….
The Attack Titan, running towards the prison building, busted through the three barbed wire fences and started climbing the buildings that held the trio. Once the Attack Titan reached the top, he grabbed the three and started to climb the other side of the building away from the fire. While he did so, he slammed his giant fists on every Marlean guard they saw. A few miles down the road, Erwin had turned into the Beast Titan (which was a Bison) and started to pummel military vehicles driving towards the prison.
In the sky, a large airship started to descend on the prison…
Riots had broken out across the interment zone. General Calvi had ordered all units to make their way to the prison complex, right outside the zone. Seeing the soldiers leave their post in mass, numerous groups of Eldians started to riot in the city. Fires and fights were breaking out in the streets, as families rush home to avoid the violence. Sirens were blaring across the city.
Jean, Armin, and Sasha started to run frantically pushing, through the commotion. The situation got much worst when the titans appeared. Every Eldian in the interment zone could see the titans engaging the Marlean army units. This caused a panic as thousands of people started to run in every direction. The trio continued to rush towards the town square. If they did not reach it on time, they would be stuck in Marley. Armin was nervous. If the airship missed them, than he would have no choice but to transform into the Colossal Titan to escape. This would kill thousands of innocent civilians in the Interment Zone. This thought made Armin run faster…
In the airship, Hange looked down at the chaos brewing in the Interment Zone. She had hoped for a quick getaway. The scouts would retrieve Magath without alerting the guards and made it out the internment zone where they could board the airship and fly back to Paradis before the guards even knew he was missing. That was not the case. When she and Connie heard the sirens, she directed Onyankopon to take off and fly towards the military prison. Hopefully, their entire party would reach the designated pickup…
Liberio was being engulfed in flames. Eren and Erwin had been busy clearing the prison yard of Marlean troops. Still clutching Levi, Mikasa, and Magath, Eren jumped out the prison yard and into the general military zone in front of the military HQ building (which was right next to the prison). The group was about to shoot their ODM gear into the airship overhead when the Jaw Titan appeared…
Galliard, controlling the Jaw titan, nearly bit the neck of the Attack Titan. If he were a few seconds faster, he would have gained the Founding Titan. But right before, Levi jumped up and slit his kneecaps. Galliard fell down the side of the building he was on and landed on his stone lion face. Galliard than summoned a spear (with the Warhammer powers), shooting up from the ground and impaling the Attack Titan. Eren emerged from the neck and look down at the Jaw Titan. "Now commander" Eren said as a barrage of rocks landed on the Jaw Titan.
"Eren, lets go" Mikasa said as the airship was flying overhead. Eren, continuing to stare at the now bloodied Jaw Titan, relented and followed Mikasa. They both shot their ODM gear up towards the airship, with Levi and Erwin following suit. Soon they would be joined by Jean, Sasha, and Armin. In the airship, Magath looked on as his home country burned…
(Chapter 10)
The scouts arrived back to Paradis Island. Their mission had mixed results. The scouts had brought back critical intel on Marley and the rest of the world. Onyankopon was successful in retrieving back multiple syringes and titan spinal fluid formula. Onyankopon was also able to bring back several blueprints of more advance technology, such as steam engines and artillery (as well as a secret bag he handed to Erwin). And of course, they had retrieved Theo Magath. But the scouts were not able to bring back Pieck's father, nor were they able to prevent dozens of civilian casualties.
One bright side was that Hizuru was very impressed with the mission and had sent a diplomatic ship to Paradis, with Kiyomi Azumabito acting as ambassador. In return for exclusive mining rights of iceberg stone, Hizuru would assist in developing Paradis Island to modern standards. But Hizuru was still very reluctant to act as a mediator between Paradis and the rest of the world.
With that, Erwin and Eren were putting things in motion….
Willy was fuming. His plan was falling apart. The scouts had made his situation much worst. Theo Magath had refused to cooperate with Paradis or Willy, deciding they had done more harm than good in Marley. He was promptly arrested. The scouts told him that the boy holding the Jaw Titan could create weapons out of thin air, meaning his beloved sister was dead. And the attack had united the military around General Calvi. Willy really did not have any base of support in Marley left. His plan to return to power was finished.
He would be the last true monarch of Marley. A failure. Unscrewing the leg of a chair in his room, he busted the window and threw himself out...
Armin and Hange were briefing Queen Historia and the Military Council on the findings from their recent expedition outside the walls. It was confirmed that the outside world was far ahead of Paradis. Confirming that they indeed had anti titan weaponry, Hange made it clear that Paradis was in danger. The rest of the world did indeed despise Paradis but were still too scared of the rumbling. If they ever found out they could not actually summon the wall titans, there was nothing stopping the world nations from destroying Paradis. Armin also added that Marley, despite being severely weaken, still posed a significant threat to Paradis. With Hizuru showing no sign of assisting with diplomatic relations and Willy dead by suicide, the fate of Paradis seemed uncertain.
Premier Zackley, who was now seen as the true ruler of Paradis, said he would ponder what was said and summon the council again in the morning.
Premier Zackley had finished sipping on his tea and started to remove his uniform. Zackley had dismissed his aide Louise for the night. He had enjoyed the tea she had given him, which was quite good. He put on his evening gown and turn the light switch off for the night. Just as he shut his eyes, he started to choke on his own blood…
(Chapter 11)
All the newspapers across Paradis erupted with the news. Premier Zackley was dead. His wife had found him the next morning in a pool of his own blood. The autopsy suggested he had a heart attack and choked on his blood after his lungs gave out. Commander Pixis was elected Premier by the military council and this decision was given Queen Historia's blessing.
After the ceremony making Pixis' promotion official, several odds things happened. Queen Historia quickly left the reception and "went back to her farm". Nor were Commander Erwin or Eren Yeager anywhere to be found. Armin and Mikasa grew concerned, but Levi told them to calm down. The two were probably on another adventure in the woods to experiment. But Hange had no idea either, which was odd. A new recruit quickly came into the reception room to tell Premier Pixis a message. Pieck was missing from her cell…
Pixis addressed all the military heads in the room. Queen Historia, Commander Erwin, Eren Yeager, and Pieck Finger were missing. Nile Dok suggested an enemy spy ring was at work, a prelude to invasion. But Pixis dismissed this theory. Queen Historia had displayed unusual behavior at the ceremony and left in a hurry, suggesting she was involved in some way. And at the prison, there were no reports of anyone but MPs entering and leaving. Pixis insisted everyone stay calm. Perhaps this was an experiment? Roeg said it was weird that all this happened the same day Zackley died, but Pixis dismissed this as nonsense. Besides, several doctors confirmed Zackley had died of a heart attack. For now, they should wait things out and keep everything confidential.
Hange, Mikasa, and Armin were in Pixis' office. Pixis was angrier than he was at the larger meeting a few minutes prior. "Does anyone know what the hell is going on?" Pixis said. The three scouts were just as confused. Mikasa did point out Eren was acting strange the night before and Hange mentioned Erwin was a little odd these last few days.
Pixis explained that two other scouts did not report to their posts that day. Floch Forster and Louise Müller. Louise, Pixis pointed out, was the last person seen with Zackley. Both scouts had an unusually high devotion to Erwin Smith. Pixis leaned back in his chair. He was sure Erwin was up to something, but what?
Suddenly the ground started to shake….
Pieck sat in her cell. She was eagerly waiting for the return of the scouts. In return for her cooperation, the scouts would go and retrieve her father. Maybe they could live together on some remote farm. She had long given up on returning to Marley. With seven titans, Paradis was probably safe for a few more years. Pieck only had four years left and her father being in poor health would not live much longer than that. She had grown weak, not seeing sunlight for two years.
Commander Erwin approached her cell. "I'm sorry Pieck. Your father died before we could retrieve him" Erwin said. Pieck busted into tears. Her cell opened and Floch and Louise busted in and grabbed her. Weak from lack of sunlight, she could not resist as Floch sedated her.
Eren and Historia were walking along the bank of a small pond. They were near her farmhouse. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Eren asked. Historia sighed. No, she did not want to become a titan. But it was her duty as Queen to protect Paradis. Eren stared at her and gently stroked her hair. Historia blushed. "No matter what happens, we'll be together" Eren said as they embraced each other…
Historia stood, staring up at the cliff. An unconscious Pieck Finger was laying at the top. Historia was in the exact same situation two years prior. But this time it was different. Then, it was to save a corrupt man who claimed to be her father. Now, she was protecting her kingdom. Protecting the man, she loved. She injected the serum into her veins as Erwin Smith and her lover Eren Yeager watched from afar….
General Calvi was finalizing his plan to invade Paradis. His staff was briefing him on the final details. As they spoke, the army was boarding airships and naval vessels across Marley. Calvi was running out of options. The harvest was weaker than expected, meaning rations had to be cut again. The other nations were making noise about invading soon. All seemed lost until the strike from Paradise.
After the fires were put out, the propaganda department went to work. For a very brief window, it seems that the entire nation was united against Paradis. Even the Eldians in the Interment Zone were returning to the army without incident. More importantly, numerous reports said the Beast Titan was a different animal. This meant the warriors had been defeated, not defecting. This meant Paradis was not unbeatable, their titans still being new. Maybe they did not have the Founding Titan's power after all.
If they unleashed the rumbling, so be it. Marley was doomed either way, let the rest of the world die with them. If they succeeded, Marley would rule unchallenged for eternity.
General Calvi, Supreme Leader of Marley, gave the go ahead for the invasion to commence….
(Chapter 12)
Flegel Reeves was barking orders to his employees at the Reeves Warehouse in Shiganshina. To assist in the rebuilding efforts for the city, the Reeves company established a division, the first out of Trost. Flegel was now respected by the citizens of Shiganshina, for he had provided work and housing for anyone who had lost their home after the fall of Wall Maria.
Felgel heard a loud rumbling noise and screaming. He ran outside and to his horror, the walls started to crumble…
The Marlean fleet was approaching Paradis. The commanding admiral, Henry Frick, was looking out at the horizon. If all went as planned, the air fleet would be making contact now. They air corps and its paratroopers would establish a beachhead and launch a surprise attack on Shiganshina. The naval fleet, carrying most of the men, would arrive a few hours later. Admiral Frick looked up at the sky and was shocked. He saw the airships, which should be far ahead, going the opposite direction.
Frick ordered his second officer to radio the air fleet while they were still in range and demand to know why they were turning around. But it was too late. Within moments, the wall titans emerged from the water crushing the entire fleet with no survivors….
Commander Erwin stepped out of his carriage in front of the military HQ in Mitras. As he did, Commander Pixis ran out with dozens of MPs, all aiming their gun at Erwin. "What have you done Erwin?" Pixis asked….
In his office and with several armed guards, Pixis listened as Erwin explained what had happened. Erwin explained that he arranged Premier Zackley's death, for he was becoming a monarch just like Rod Reiss. Even Pixis had acknowledged how sick Zackley had become regarding torture, Erwin argued. Yelena had supplied poison that could be snuck into tea and cause a heart attack, allowing no one to suspect murder. Louise was perfect to arrange this. She despised Zackley for all the unwanted sexual advances he made towards her.
Erwin explained how when he was in Marley, he observed how far advanced the rest of the world was. And how much it hated Eldians, Paradis especially. Erwin argued it was only a matter of time before the world advanced enough and attacked, and not even the rumbling could protect Paradis.
Finally, he revealed that he and Eren always knew how to use the founders power without the limitations of the first kings vow. That is why he kidnapped Pieck Finger and allowed Historia to eat her. When the process was done, Eren made contact and unleashed the wall titans on the world. Pixis was shocked. He ordered Erwin arrested immediately and every member of the military to look for Eren and Historia. Mikasa and Armin set out immediately to find their friend. But Armin was feeling dizzy. He collapsed as he was getting on his horse…
General Calvi looked out the window. He could see the thousands of Colossal Titans approaching at sea. He pulled out a pistol from his desk and aimed it at his head….
"Am I dreaming?" Armin asked himself. He walked along a beach. The sky was night, yet it was glowing with the might of millions of stars. Armin saw why it was so bright, for a massive pillar of light was beaming on the horizon.
"Hello Armin". Armin turned around and saw Eren. Except he was much older. Eren explained that they were both in "The Paths", a spiritual place that connected all Eldians.
Eren told Armin that he was at this spot in the paths, called "The coordinate" for hundreds of years. Using the founders power, he had unleashed a portion of the wall titans on the Earth. They were tasked with annihilating the world's military forces. Every military base, weapon storage site, fleet, airfield, and port would be destroyed.
Eren explained how neither he nor Erwin wanted to turn Historia into a titan shifter. Nor could they trust the military higher ups to allow them to act quickly. Eren went on to explain that as the holder of the founding titan, he could see the past and future in his dreams. He was even able to convince his father to kill the Reiss family, knowing it was critical for the future. Eren also saw the approaching Marlean fleet and told Erwin, forcing them to act.
In these hundred years (which was a moment in the real world), Eren spoke with his father. And his idol Eren Kruger. Even with his half-brother Zeke and warriors like Reiner and Bertolt. Their insight confirmed he did the right thing (although the Ymir they knew was not happy that Historia ended up with Eren, Eren chucking as he said this).
Armin was not happy. Even if the partial rumbling was better than a total rumbling, Erwin's plan still consisted of attacking industrial sites and national capitals. Eren acknowledged it was unfortunate, but it was the only way to make sure the world could not attack Paradis in the near
future.
Before Armin could continue (or complain that Eren should have ended up with Mikasa), a young girl ran by them. "Who is she?" Armin asked. Eren told Armin the story of Ymir, a slave forced to bare the power of the titans from an unknown creature. It was only when she meant Eren, a non-royal, did the chance exist for her to be free. And her help was critical in defeating the creature that had enslaved her just as King Fritz did.
The sand started to fade. Eren told Armin that the scouts needed to fight this last enemy. Than they could be free….
Armin awoke from his sleep. "How long was I out?" he asked. Mikasa told him he was only out for a few moments. "I know where Eren is" ….
Scenes of destruction were repeated across the planet. The wall titans followed a specific path that avoided civilian areas but decimated anything of value. Factories and ports were leveled as the world's military powers desperately tried to stop the rumbling. A last-ditch bombing raid by the Mideast Alliance failed at Fort Salta. Several capitals were razed, effectively neutering every government in the world. The goal was realized; the wall titans started to fade into steam. The rumbling had come to an end.
Historia held the unconscious Eren in her arms. They were sitting in a barn, in a forested region in Wall Maria. She knew he was exhausted. He did just save Paradise after all. She kissed his forehead and got up. She knew the next step and prayed it worked.
She walked out the barn carrying Eren. Floch and Louise approached them and assembled a device. The device was a "Anti-Titan Rifle". Louise took a step back and joined Historia. The group could hear horses. No doubt the scouts were coming for the final battle. Historia and Louise got into a carriage and drove off. Neither were in any condition to fight.
Floch aimed the rifle at Eren's head and fired...
(Chapter 13)
Erwin was leading the formation of horses towards the farm. He had convinced Pixis to let him lead this expedition. If it worked, the world would finally be at peace and Erwin would accept any consequences. Following him were Levi and Hange. Behind his two trusted lieutenants was his best squad. Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Connie, and Sasha. The carriage carrying Historia went pass them on the road. "Good" Erwin thought, Historia was safe. Just ahead, the scouts saw a huge explosion….
Floch was thrown back by the sheer force of the rifle. Floch was told by Eren before hand what would happen, but it was still shocking. A large centipede like creature was emerging from Eren's spine, growing larger each step it took out of Eren's body. Floch ran out and grabbed his thunder spears. It was time to be a hero…
The scouts jumped from their horses onto the trees. The area was becoming incredibly hot. Floch, noticing the scouts, jumped back to join them. Mikasa saw Eren's headless body and jumped down to retrieve it. She placed him in a safe spot for now, as it slowly repaired itself.
The centipede that had emerged from Eren's body was now fully out and growing larger by the minute. The steam emitting from its shiny body was engulfing the nearby trees in flames. The creature had started moving. Armin had informed the group what it was on the way there. It was the source of all the titan powers, having infected the original Ymir 2000 years ago. Eren, as host of the parasite, found a way to remove it from his body.
The creature was moving rapidly away from the group. Its goal, like the Rod Reiss titan, was to move to a populated area. But the creature could turn humans into titans, which complicated things. In response, Armin, Erwin, and Connie all transformed into their titans and moved towards the creature. But it was too late. The centipede was incredibly fast and was approaching Shiganshina. It was close enough for the steam to reach the city….
Keith Shadis felt weird. He was leading the cadets on a training mission in Shiganshina. He felt it would do them good to see the city where soldiers, who started as cadets like them, had liberated two years prior. Of course, he did not tell them this, instead they were tasked with construction to build their muscles. But now his body was tingling…
Hundreds of titans were pouring out the city. The steam emitting from the centipede had turned the residents of Shiganshina into titans. Armin and Erwin, in their titan forms, focused on holding off the titans. Connie, as the Armored Titan, was trying with all his might to slow the centipede creature down. Jean and Floch barely avoided breathing in that steam and were trying their best to back up the shifters. Levi and Mikasa, both armed with dozens of thunder spears, were frantically looking for a weak point.
Meanwhile, Eren's torso continued to grow back its head…
Eren was sitting on the sand, building a sandcastle with Ymir. He was trying to provide for her something she never had, a friend. When they finished, Eren spoke to her. He told her neither King Fritz nor the parasite could hurt her or her children anymore. Ymir looked at him and accepted this. After 2000 years, she was finally free. "I promise, you'll be reborn to a happy life on Paradis". Her soul started to fade, with a smile on her face.
Eren stood up and saw his father. "I'm proud of you, my son" Grisha told him. Eren nodded his head. He saw Kruger, Reiner, Bertolt, Zeke, Pieck, Galliard and Ymir. Eren had made peace with all of them. As their faces faded, Eren knew he had one more mission….
The scouts were barely holding on. Levi and Mikasa had flown all over the creature and fired almost all their thunder spears but had done nothing. Things were getting really bad. Connie could barely slow the creature down and it was moving rapidly towards Trost district.
But the creature started to slow down and was no longer emitting steam. It seemed to be getting weaker. Mikasa fired her last thunder spears and it seemed to have done some real damage to the creature.
Eren spoke to everyone, through the paths. "Everyone, fall back. Armin….DO IT NOW!". The scouts moved as far back as they could. Armin, having emerged from the colossal titan, prepared to transform once more.
"Ymir, thank you" Armin thought to himself. He then bit his hand….
(Epilogue)
Six months had passed since the final battle took place. The explosion caused by Armin's Colossal Titan had killed the centipede. It was Ymir forcing off the creature's influence on her that weakened it enough for the explosion to kill it.
With the creature dead, all the titans disappeared from the Earth. All the residents of Shiganshina turned back into humans. Walls Rose and Shina crumbled into dust. Eren, Erwin, Armin, Connie, and Historia no longer had the power of the titans, which meant the thirteen-year curse was gone.
The long war with Marley, that had started with the fall of Wall Maria, had ended. 2000 years of bloodshed had ended. The world was in shambles. Using Hizuru as an intermediary (which avoided the rumbling), Queen Historia and Prime Minister Pixis promised humanitarian assistance to any nation that signed a peace treaty with Paradis. Many did.
Any Eldian was welcomed to move to Paradis. Most of the Eldians of the world did. Those who stayed in their respected countries were promised better treatment (out of fear of Paradis). With the entire island now at their disposal for farming, Paradis experienced economic boom.
Hizuru and Yelena's republic, scared shitless of the rumbling, agreed to help develop Paradis and buy its iceberg stone at a fair price. When the world finally recovered from the rumbling, Paradis was now an equal power that could defend itself. The three countries formed an alliance, an alliance that would keep the peace for centuries to come.
Eren had recovered from the battle and was hailed as the hero of Paradis. He and Historia married and settled down on her farm, focusing on the orphans. Dot Pixis would run things on the island. Eren and Historia had a daughter, named after Historia's dear friend. Eren could not help but think she was a certain someone.
Mikasa was heartbroken that Eren had chosen Historia. But she accepted that he saw her as a beloved sister and moved on. She and Armin would visit Eren often, reminiscing about the past.
Armin would become a teacher and open the first library on Paradis. He even married Annie, having been discovered in a refugee settlement in Wall Shina, having been freed when the walls disappeared. Despite being suicidal when she found out her father died, Annie would eventually live a happy life with Armin, the man who kept her company all those years.
Jean would become a high-ranking official in the Survey Corps, even becoming commander for a time. He would later retire from service and join the Reeves company as head of the Shiganshina branch. Jean and Mikasa would get married and have three children together. Even in his old age, Jean could not help but get jealous when Mikasa went to visit that suicidal maniac. And yes, Jean's mom would still make her boy omelets.
Erwin would retire from the military and like his father before him, became a teacher. He spent his days amazing school children of his adventures.
Hange became Commander of the Survey Corps but would give up the title to Jean in order to head the new Science Reserve of Paradis. She would eventually find some foolish scientist to marry and annoy for the rest of her life.
Levi continued to serve in the military for several years. When he grew old, he retired to Eren and Historia's farm to help with the orphans, becoming a mentor of sorts to the more troubled children.
Connie and Sasha got married and live with Connie's mom, who had returned to being a human. Their villages were close to each other, so they divided their time helping at their parents' farms and just being weird with each other.
Eren, Armin, and Mikasa were sitting together. Now in their seventies, they had come together because their families had organized a picnic. They watched their grandchildren play in the field.
Jean and Connie were busy arguing about how to grill the meat. Annie, Historia, and Sasha were playing with the grandkids while Ymir was preparing the food.
Mikasa touched her scarf, smiling at Eren. Eren looked at her, blushed, and looked away embarrassed. Old man Armin could not help but laugh. Eren, trying to move the topic away, laid back on the tree and wondered when the young folks would finish dinner. Mikasa rested her head on his shoulders. Armin leaned in. The three friends shared a hug.
The end