Petra stood in the rows of soldiers, looking up at the royal balcony with her hands behind her back, her feet spaced evenly apart. Her new uniform itched a bit. It was totally black, with plated armor at the breast and stomach. The harness for the new ODM was also black. Everyone in the crowd was dressed identically. They looked up at the king as he stood upon the balcony. Behind him and to his right was Queen Historia; to his left, Levi. Her husband gazed ahead stoically, his usual expression.
He also wore his green Survey Corps cloak, though that had been out of fashion for years now.
Petra fought a smile. Levi never let go of things he liked.
"My soldiers," Erwin said. His voice boomed without the aid of a microphone. He was also dressed in black gear, but wore golden trim to designate himself as king. Levi's trim beneath the green cloak was silver, as second. Only Historia wore white. "Today begins the first step in our plan to reintegrate Paradis into the world's society. It is the first step on the long road to Eldian rehabilitation. Today we safeguard our shores, our families, and begin to liberate our brothers and sisters who live and die in bondage. You are part of history today."
"Erwin!" Floch cried out. He stood a row down from Petra, and saluted with a frightening intensity in his eyes. "King Erwin! The king!"
"Er-Win! Er-Win!" The men and women began chanting his name. Erwin held up a hand to call for silence, though Petra saw the tiny smile. He was pleased. She saluted along with the others, but didn't shout along with them. She glanced at the kids around her—because they were mostly kids. Some weren't even fifteen yet. How many would be dead before this operation was over?
Erwin knows what he's doing.
She heard Levi's voice in her head, and chose to believe it. Connie, Sasha, and Jean were shouting along with Floch and the others. Mikasa remained stoic and focused, as usual. Only Eren appeared lost in thought, a million miles away.
He wore a unique uniform, black with red trim, to signify that he was special. A shifter. A man with a different place in Erwin's plan.
Petra shivered as a cool October wind sighed over them. The sooner they got to the airships and took off, the happier she'd be. In truth, leaving Kuchel back at Brigitta's this morning had been hard. The girl was now old enough to miss her parents, and she'd started screaming and sobbing when Levi and Petra tried to go.
"No! My Papa! My Mama! Papa!" She'd screamed and sobbed and clung to Levi's leg and bawled until she was red in the face. Petra had almost forgotten the mission and agreed to stay behind with the child. Getting back onto her horse and riding away while Kuchel sobbed and begged her to come back had almost broken Petra's heart.
This is my last mission.
Petra would remain in the military after this, but she'd never see action again. Not like this. Not with Kuchel old enough to wail.
Then again, if all went right—and it should if it was Erwin's plan—they would not need to go on any missions after this. Tonight would finish everything off. Tonight would see the entire world change.
"Dedicate your hearts one last time to the cause!" Erwin shouted, positively glowing with a sea of willing soldiers calling his name. He saluted them all, fist over his heart. "This is my full and sincere salute. Your names shall live on so long as there are Eldians to speak them. Tonight the world will know your sacrifice, and your triumph! Tonight is the culmination of over one hundred years of struggle. The dead look to you to make their sacrifice worthwhile. Do not disappoint them! Tonight, we reawaken the slumbering giant that is Eldia! Dedicate your hearts! Dedicate your hearts!"
"ER-WIN! ER-WIN!"
The shouts grew almost deafening. Petra glanced over at Eren once more.
His head was hanging. He stared at the ground, looking haunted.
Once they were dismissed, the soldiers headed for the convoys to take them to their air and naval ships. Petra found Eren in the crowd before they disembarked.
"Hey," she said quietly.
"Oh. Hey." He blinked at her. It had been almost a year since that night in the cabin, and she had barely spoken to him. It was too frightening. Too painful. "Good luck."
"I'm sure you know whether or not we survive," she said. He stayed silent. "I'm not an idiot. You have some kind of power to spy on us, don't you? Is it because of the Founding Titan?" No response. She sighed. "It almost feels like…when you said Armin was my son, obviously he wasn't here yet. But he will be?"
"What are you saying, Petra?"
"You can see the future, can't you?" she whispered. She glanced up at Levi and Erwin, talking on that balcony with Historia. Just saying it sounded so ridiculous. But what other explanation could there be? "So tell me, then. Do Levi and I come home?"
"If Armin isn't born yet, wouldn't you say you come home?" He closed his eyes. "You're going to have two more children. Both boys. Born the same year."
"So. Twins?" She felt quietly shocked. Eren shook his head.
"No. You're just…very busy."
He walked away from her then, leaving Petra reeling. Yet as she followed him and the others out to the convoys, she felt strangely light.
Whatever Eren could see—whatever he'd become—she trusted at least that he was right about this. That she and her husband would come home.
And when they came home, they'd stay.
Erwin had mere moments before the convoy departed, but he needed to say a final goodbye. He left Historia and Levi and walked to the western wing, where he knocked on Marie's door. He received no answer, and knocked again.
"Mmm? Yes?" she called. He opened and went in. She was seated at her vanity mirror, her cosmetics laid out around her rather sloppily. She stared at her own reflection as he walked over, placed his hands on her shoulders.
"We're leaving. I'll see you soon."
"Mmmhmmm."
He frowned. "When I return, the world will be different."
"Yes. I know it will."
He leaned down to kiss her, and stopped. She reeked of liquor. Marie turned hazy eyes up to him, her pupils dilated. Liquor, and some narcotic. Probably milk of poppy. He straightened up.
"You know I hate it when you're like this," he said quietly.
"Oh. M'mistake. Sorry." She reached for a pot of lip coloring. It slipped through her fingers and rolled off the vanity. Erwin picked it up, fuming. "Yes, go off an' make the world different. That's what you do. Everything so different."
Erwin sighed heavily. "You could have at least waited until I'd gone to do this to yourself." She'd been taking more drugs and more drink recently. It was almost a full year since his marriage to Historia. Marie had been stable for the first few months, but over time being unable to attend state functions, watching Historia parade about on Erwin's arm in public, began to wear on her. That always gave him a pang of guilt.
But why did she have to behave like this?
"Is His'ria going with you?" She fumbled with a brush, finally flung it at the mirror.
"You know she is."
"Yes. Of course. You have to show off your beautiful young queen. The world has to know she's your wife." Marie scowled at him. She looked especially ugly when she did that.
"I always thought you had more sense than this," he said coolly.
She responded by wobbling to her feet and shoving him. He didn't even waver. She burst into tears then and staggered over to her bed. She flopped onto the mattress.
"Yes, off you go. Off you go and have your glory. I'm jus' sit here and be the king's fucking whore. Nothing to do but spread my legs in secret."
"You're not doing a lot of whoring these days," Erwin said icily. He was starting to forget when they'd last had sex. He was starting to forget the last time he'd wanted to have sex with her.
"No, no. Yer right. You want someone else these days."
"For the last time, Historia isn't—"
"Not her," Marie growled. She dug her fingernails into the comforter. "If L'vi ever finds out, he'll kill you."
Erwin shut his eyes. One time. The last time they'd had sex, weeks ago, he'd needed to focus on something to stimulate him. He'd said Petra's name just once, but once was more than enough.
"I'm sure you'd like that. Him killing me."
"How could we ever do without the great King Erwin?" She sat up, wavered on the edge of the bed. Her blonde hair was in disarray. She patted it down haplessly. "Prob'ly want her because she's young."
"No." He meant it. "It's because she has purpose and dignity."
"I had both of those. You t-took them away."
"I didn't tell you to leave Nile. I'm starting to wish you hadn't." He turned for the door, then stopped. What was he becoming? How could he speak to her like that? Erwin closed his eyes, went to her. Marie quietly sobbed into her hands while he sat next to her and touched her back. "I'm sorry. I don't mean that."
"You do."
"No. You saved my life in so many ways, back then. I care for you. I always will."
"But you don't love me anymore. Do you."
The answer was painful.
"Love can grow as well as diminish." It could grow again, if they both tried. If she would be bold and brilliant again instead of a wrecked shell of herself.
I turned her into that. When I married Historia, I should have provided for her but set her free. She could have lived with dignity then. It's my fault.
"Maybe it would be best if you returned to Trost for a while. Perhaps some time away from court would help you." If she didn't feel she had to be kept out of sight and fucked in a broom closet, she might go back to being herself.
"If I leave you and live somewhere else, it'll be the end of us." Fuck, she might not have been wrong about that. Marie sniffed. "And I'm not letting you go. You're all I have left to be proud of."
He kissed her cheek and tasted her tears.
"When I come back, we can talk. I promise I'll listen."
"Yes. Another talk." She sounded weary. "All we have now are words."
Erwin got up and left her staring into the gathering dark. When he shut the door on her room, he felt weary to his bones. Floch approached him, all vibrancy and purpose. The young man grinned at Erwin—the grin of a weasel, Erwin thought. Of all the survivors of Shiganshina, Floch was the only one Erwin truly disliked, though he kept that to himself. The young man was useful, at least. An obsequious bootlicker, but useful.
"Majesty, we're ready to depart. The train's at the station, we'll be at the harbor in twenty minutes."
Yes. The greatest addition to Paradisian infrastructure: the railway.
"Thank you, Floch." He followed the young man, then stopped cold.
Shit. He'd forgotten they were coming.
Senta, Isolde, and little Eva walked toward him. They'd find their mother a drunken, drugged-up wreck. Well, that was Marie's fault. She'd known they were coming for a visit.
Eva and Isolde looked like Marie, both blonde and pretty. Eva was almost four now, Isolde ten or eleven. The younger children smiled at Erwin; Senta did not. The brunette had to be almost seventeen by now, but looked a decade older. Her dark hair was pulled back in a tight bun. She clutched the younger girls' hands. She'd taken over Marie's mothering duties admirably, even if it was somewhat tragic.
Unlike Isolde and Eva, Senta did not smile at him.
"Hello, Majesty," she muttered. The younger children curtsied adorably. Erwin smiled at them.
"Your mother's a little sick. She took some cold medicine, so she might seem groggy. I'll have some tea sent to her room for all of you."
"Thank you!" Isolde grinned cheekily, then took off holding Eva's hand. They knew their way at this point. That left Senta glaring at him.
"How's your father?" he asked. Nile was staying behind along with Pixis and other senior officials. They'd await the good news.
"Fine." She was curt. Senta lifted a brow. "You're going into battle, too?"
"Yes."
She nodded. "I hope you die out there."
She brushed past him and went on her way. Floch blustered, his cheeks flaming with indignation.
"H-Hey! Majesty, let's get the guards and put her in a cell. Wishing for the king's death is treason!"
"No, Floch." Erwin watched the young girl walk away. "She has every right in the world to wish that."
Zeke really wasn't fond of this Erwin Smith. He complicated everything.
He looked out the round window of the airship onto the glittering evening skyline of Valle. The sun had just gone down, and the air to the west was a soupy red tinged with molten orange. How pretty. He enjoyed seeing beautiful things, especially as he had so few opportunities. Life in a cage or a war zone offered little in the way of pleasing aesthetics.
"Zeke. What're you thinking about?" Reiner asked. The young man had started growing facial hair, a thin beard in (Zeke thought) small imitation of his own. They were both of them—all of them, Zeke, Reiner, Porco and Pieck—dressed in their Marleyan uniforms, the color of sand. Here in the large hangar, Pieck's team was on hand to strap her titan into its armor. The gun sergeants were ready to shoot at her side.
The three younger Warriors thought they were headed back to Fort Slava. They didn't know that in approximately three minutes and thirty-seven seconds, fire would rain from the sky.
Damn that Erwin Smith. Zeke didn't know how he'd managed to twist both Magath and Willy Tybur, but they now danced to his expert tune. Zeke had underestimated the king of Paradis. When Erwin had led that final charge against him in Shiganshina, Zeke had thought it mere schoolboy heroics.
Really, it had been a trap. Damn clever. Stupid prick.
What had Reiner asked…?
"Ah. Nothing." Zeke looked back out the porthole to the city lights.
"It's strange," Pieck said. She was curled up on a bench, lying rather like a cat. The young, delicate woman had more animal than person in her at this point, after the combined months and months of running around on all fours as a titan.
"What is?" Zeke asked.
"Magath is sending us into battle again."
"That's not odd, is it?" Porco asked. The cocky little shit strutted back and forth, hands on his hips. He also kept glaring at Reiner for good measure. Boys would be idiots, it seemed.
"But we were pulled out of Fort Slava six weeks ago because of their artillery. We were outmatched." Pieck yawned, cat-like, her long, dark hair falling in her face. She always looked sleepy.
"Yeah, and now we're trying again," Porco grumped.
"Then why are they sending us with fewer soldiers as back up? And why are we going past Valle? The quickest route is going down the center of the continent, but they're flying us along the coast."
Very good, Pieck. Exactly right. Zeke fought a smile. Dear little Pieck. Of all his fellow Warriors, she was his favorite. An odd, sleepy-looking young woman whose mind was almost as sharp as his own. Really, what a waste that she was Eldian. She could have been so many things if her blood hadn't borne the taint of Ymir.
"No point overthinking it," Reiner grumbled, though he looked troubled as well. Reiner scowled and ignored Porco's consistent attempts to irritate him with the constant circling. They were like a great, grass-fed ox and a sleek, spirited pony sharing the same corral. Not the best of neighbors.
"Maybe it's the new surprise strategy," Zeke drawled, but he kept his eyes wedded to the lights below. Liberio was a desert backwater compared to this tropical haven. Sometimes he dreamed of what it would be like to sit in a café and be served with a smile, to idle in shops and discuss politics and art at the opera. As an Eldian, he was allowed only the most rudimentary forms of culture. For a man of his considerable intellect, it was an additional torture.
Ah, but if Erwin Smith had his way, this world would become very new for Zeke and very quickly. There was part of him that wanted to see it…but also part that fumed inwardly. Because if Erwin thought he could ever turn around the world's hate, he was a bigger fool than Zeke had imagined him when he led that suicide charge. No, Zeke's true plan—Mr. Xavier's plan, dad's plan—still had to come about for their race to ever have any kind of peace.
He imagined all of them eventually closing their eyes and drifting into a dreamless, eternal slumber. What a heaven that sounded. And maybe, knowing that the Eldian race would die out in seventy years, the world would be a little kinder. Allow them all to simply slip away into the twilight of humanity.
Zeke sighed quietly. Yes, Eren. Our plan can still come to fruition.
Yelena had spoken with the boy, she'd returned his answer. Zeke only needed to get to Paradis and see the young man. My little brother.
The idea filled Zeke with the warmest kind of pride. Yes, he'd do for Eren what Mr. Xavier had done for Zeke. He'd save the troubled boy and show him a peaceful world.
But first he had to deal with Erwin Smith's infernal plan…
"Hey. Does that look weird to anyone else?" Porco asked. He crowded Zeke away from the window and stared down at the city. He looked like a fox with the pointed, upturned nose and the swept-back red hair. Like a fox, he bared his teeth. "Shit. Reiner. Pieck. Look."
Ah yes. There they were.
A series of long, elegant naval ships were gliding in to Valle's harbor. Zeke watched as bursts of brilliant orange shone in the night. The guns were firing onto the city.
The Mid East attack on mainland Marley had begun.
All according to Erwin Smith's plan.
"What the—?" Reiner looked pale with shock. Pieck chewed her lip as she studied the attacking cruisers.
"How did they know?" she asked quietly. Clever girl. The Marleyan navy was absent from its two main ports, Liberio and Valle, tonight. A twice-yearly changing of the guard, in a sense. Tomorrow morning, both navies would have been at their posts. But morning was many hours away.
Valle and Liberio were now mostly left open to surprise attack. All they had were a few scraggly army units…
And the titans.
Well. Might as well put the plan into motion. Zeke remembered to appear flustered but quick-thinking. His friends couldn't know that he'd had any prior knowledge of this. No, they had to believe him to still be utterly one of them.
"Reiner, Porco. Grab parachutes, we can transform closer to the ground. Pieck, let them land the airship a few miles up the coast, then transform and suit up. Move fast. Let's go!" he barked, and the kids all snapped to attention. The boys followed his word at once, and Pieck began coordinating with her gun unit. Zeke slipped into his parachute, smiling bitterly as he did.
The Warrior unit would defend Valle. As for Liberio…
Hope you know what you're doing, Your Majesty.
"I just don't see why we couldn't go to Fort Slava," Gabi grumbled as she stormed through the internment zone, Falco and the others bobbing in her wake. Falco muttered something, but Zofia and Udo didn't seem to care much either way.
"Don't worry, Gabi." Zofia glanced slyly at her. "Everyone knows you're a shoo in for the Armor. Reiner's not going to lose it before then."
Ugh. Zofia could be so irritating. Gabi made a face at her friend, who kept grinning that contained, catlike grin.
"Don't worry. You'll get your chance before the year's out," Udo said. He worried his glasses. "They say the Mid East Alliance is going to try for a final push on mainland Marley."
"They wouldn't dare," Gabi said hotly. Not while I'm here. They'd have to be idiots to take me on.
"I don't know why you're so desperate to go back to the battlefield," Falco muttered. Ugh, Falco. What a sweet guy, but what a wilting flower. Gabi rolled her eyes skyward.
"Because I'm gonna show them I should have the Armor. I'm the only one who should." And she'd show the world once again that she was a good Eldian. That good Eldians existed more than the bad ones. Then one day the world would be fairer to them. Yes. It would work. Gabi grinned at the daydream she most cherished, where the rulers of all the countries around the world placed medals around her neck, and the crowds cheered.
She'd show them what a good Eldian looked like. Gabi clenched her fist.
Then they'll let us walk out of the internment zone. I just need to make them see how good I am.
"Hi, kids."
The four had wandered over to the internment zone's gate. Two of the night guards were already there, a couple of plain-faced guys Gabi knew only as the Gate Guards. But they were nice to her and the others. Gabi didn't think she'd ever heard them use the phrase 'devil bloods', at least when she was around.
"Hi, Mr. Gate Guard," she said. She parked her group in front of the men for a chat. "Everything okay tonight?" The sun had just set.
"Oh, fine. You kids should be home, shouldn't you? It's gonna get cold."
Yeah. But it was cabbage soup night. Mom and Aunt Karina could tell her over and over that cabbage soup was delicious. Didn't mean it was.
"Thought you all would be down in the Mid East with the other troops," the other guard said. Gabi frowned. Yeah. So weird. They'd sent all the shifter Warriors off to fight, but left the cadets. Ugh, why was everything run so badly? One day, she'd show them how to fight a war.
"Maybe next time," Falco said quietly. Gabi glared at him. He really could be such a whiner. No one liked a glum Eldian. They should all be good, cheerful, and helpful to show people they weren't dangerous.
"Next time I'll take 'em all down myself," Gabi said proudly. The guards laughed, but it was the truth. She could do it. Just get out of her way and let her.
"Well, I'll be sure to celebrate when you come home victorious." Mr. Gate Guard smiled fondly at her, and Gabi's heart swelled. See? He thought she was a good Eldian. And she was, she was.
"What's that?" Zofia asked. She was looking straight ahead, past the gate.
"What's what?" Gabi looked where the other girl was pointing. It looked like…
Firebursts? No, cannon fire. It was hard to see from this distance, but Gabi knew where to look. She saw the faintest bursts of bright orange against the gathering night. Huh. What the…?
All the kids jumped in fear when the sirens began to scream. They wailed high and then low, high and then low. Gabi's heart beat faster as she recognized the sirens. They only sounded in case of attack.
The Mid East Alliance is planning to make a final push on mainland Marley.
"No way," Mr. Gate Guard whispered. He went white with shock.
"We're under attack?" Udo looked ready to pee himself. "From the MEA? But how? Why didn't the navy stop them?"
"Because they're sailing down to Valle," Gabi muttered. "And Valle's navy is sailing…up here."
Oh shit. They were unprotected. Most of the Liberio troops were already down south, or in the Mid East. Gabi bunched her hands into fists and stared past the gate. If only she could leave, she could go grab a gun and help. She was a crack shot, even Zofia said so. What if Gabi could finish off the entire attack with only her trusty rifle and her cool, steady nerves? She'd be a real hero. The whole city would love her. The generals in the Marleyan military would—
"Gabi, go home." Mr. Gate Guard looked stern now. "You don't have a permit to leave. Don't do what you're thinking."
"Gabi, let's go." Falco tugged at her arm; Zofia and Udo were already running away, headed for their apartments.
But I have to save us. It's my home. It's why Colonel Magath left me behind really: to protect everyone.
"Gabi!" Falco cried. "Let's—"
But his words were cut off when they heard the thrum of the motor overhead. Gabi, Falco, and the guards all gazed up in astonishment as a large airship cruised by overhead. Lights blinked on the underside. Gabi saw a hatch open in the ship's hangar, and then bodies tumbled forth into space.
The MEA? No. They don't look like Mid East or Gaolin soldiers.
As Gabi and Falco watched, open mouthed, the people deployed some kind of hooks attached to their belts. No, not hooks. Gabi recognized them. It was…
Reiner said it was ODM equipment. From the devils' island.
"No way," she breathed.
"We only get one clean pass at this, so everybody deploy in your correct groups," Hange shouted. She stood behind Onyankopon's seat, as the young man expertly piloted the aircraft. Levi hated the fucking roar of the engine; not a moment to think with this much noise. "Group Alpha! Go!"
Levi watched as Petra got into formation with the others in her group. He caught his wife's eye just before she barreled out of the hangar. She gave him a soft, quick smile, and then she was gone. Group Alpha protected the inner area, especially the internment zone. Less chance his wife would see action here. Small comfort.
Levi glanced at the lines of other soldiers sweating and waiting for their chances to deploy. Beta and gamma squads went next. Delta, Levi's squad, would take the fighting near the front of the city. The most elite soldiers were in Delta, including Mikasa. He and the brat stood side by side, ready to go. Levi checked on his cousin. She showed no fear, same as him.
"Is Eren in position?" he asked her. She'd know.
"Yes."
"Good. Don't fuck up. Stay loose."
They'd only fought human beings one other time. The girl would kill if she had to, but he worried she'd hesitate if there were civilians around. She'd never hurt an innocent. But Mikasa only nodded.
"Yes, sir."
This was about as close to familial as they were gonna get.
"Group Delta! Go, go!" Hange shouted, waving them out of the hangar. She and Onyankopon were going to fight in the sky, ready to maneuver around and pick soldiers up if necessary. Levi stood at the lip of the hatch, felt the wind run icy fingers through his hair. He glanced out to the horizon, where the Mid East's and Gaol's ships were coming in. If Erwin was right, it'd mostly be Gaols up in Liberio.
He went. Levi hurtled through the night, deployed his hooks and caught himself on the roof. He swung up into the air, letting the city lights guide him. Below, he saw the first incursion of ground troops making their way into the city. He saw flashes of gunfire, heard people's screams. The sobs of children.
They're dying for Erwin's plan.
Erwin had 'slipped' information on the Marleyan military to the enemy. He'd planned for this day. He'd wanted a great, frightening attack on Marleyan soil.
He'd known some civilians would die. Erwin had shuddered at the knowledge.
"Levi. Please save as many as you can," he'd whispered on the train ride to the southern end of Paradis.
I'll follow your orders, Erwin.
He sped off through the night, careening off of lamp posts and between buildings, hurling himself up high and spinning through the air until he came upon a whole host of Gaolin soldiers shooting their way through a square of people. Levi sped down out of the night and sliced one of them through, took the head clean off. The Gaols started screeching when they saw him, tried to shoot at him as he swung back into the air before coming down with another killing blow that took three of them out at once.
These weren't his enemies, really. He had no idea who they were, or what they wanted.
But he just had to spill a little more blood. Just a little more.
Up ahead, he saw Mikasa killing her way through a whole squad. An armored vehicle was trundling down the street towards them. Hard to destroy it, even for one Ackerman.
But two could probably do the job. He shot his hooks and flew off to join her.
"Lieutenant? Think we're doing okay?" Sasha shifted her rifle from one shoulder to the other, the only tell she was nervous. Petra stood alongside the girl on the rooftop, looking down into the internment zone. She saw people fleeing through the streets, headed for their tenement buildings. Below, she saw two men in guard uniforms, and a cluster of children. One of them, a girl with dark hair, was looking intently up at them. Petra raised her hand.
"It's all right," she called, just as a shot went off and narrowly missed her. Fuck. The guards had aimed for her. She fell away and yanked Sasha back when she started to take aim. "No!" Petra yelled. "Erwin said we don't fire on Marleyans and especially not on Eldians."
"Yeesh. Hope this plan works. King knows what he's doing, I reckon." When she got nervous, Sasha slipped back into a south Marleyan accent. It reminded Petra of Giulia.
"Sasha." Petra pointed at some soldiers in blue Gaolin uniform rushing down the boulevard, shouting and firing at civilians. Petra gritted her teeth and unholstered her handgun. She sighted down the barrel, squeezed the trigger, and watched a man's brains splatter as he fell to the ground.
My second human kill. Petra's hand trembled for only an instant. Just a little more blood, and it would all be behind them. That's what Erwin said, and he was never wrong. Not about things like this.
"Make sure they don't get through the gate," she said to Sasha, then deployed her hooks and jettisoned to the street. Petra raced on foot, dodging behind a car as another shot went off, shattering the windshield. Fuck. Teeth gritted, she waited until two more soldiers came into view, then took them both out quick and clean.
Levi hated using guns, insisted on wielding his swords even in this new technological world, but Petra was grateful. She didn't want to look in a person's eyes as she killed them. The distance stopped her from going insane. She kept her back to the wall and moved slowly, peeking around the corner with her gun up and ready. Petra shot her hooks and went skyward as a group of soldiers hurried down the street, shouting in a nasally language she didn't understand. Petra secured herself on top of a roof, then took them out one after the other. Four, five, six. Her heart contracted with every kill, and she left her body. This was a game, she told herself. They were toys in a game. She had to think like that, or she wouldn't be able to function.
Levi was so much stronger than her. Or more damaged. Either way.
Then Petra gasped, because one of the soldiers dodged her last bullet and made for the internment gates, his rifle lifted. He shouted something as the guards were too slow to react, too slow to prevent the man from firing on them and killing them and the children.
A shot rang out. The attacking soldier jerked back as the bullet caught his brain, and he collapsed to the earth.
Sasha truly was exceptional. Petra noticed the little dark haired girl gaze up at the soldier on the roof. Sasha waved, and the child waved back in awe. Petra looked toward the coast as Sasha arrived beside her.
"You get the other snipers around this perimeter," Petra said. "I'm going to check on beta company." Petra was a 'drifter', a jack-of-all-trades who could fill in anywhere she was needed. She knew Levi would prefer she stay here, in the safest zone. But she couldn't stand by, not if she could help somewhere.
"Yes, ma'am," Sasha said. Petra flew off into the night.
Too bad Zeke was down in Valle, doing his monkey show and killing all the MEA assholes he could find. If the ape had been up here in Liberio, Levi might've found an opportunity to 'accidentally' kill him in some friendly fire. If killing Erwin and the others at Shiganshina hadn't been enough—and it had been—the ape asshole had also hurt and embarrassed Levi's wife. Fucker should die for that alone.
"How are we?" Mikasa asked. She was at his back, surveying the streets towards the internment zone. Good. The bodies were thick in the avenue, but they were mostly Gaolin soldiers. Still, Levi saw a few of his own black uniformed brethren. Kids came to a foreign country just to die. Made him feel sick.
But he had a job to do. The ground fighting was starting to clear. Time to set off phases two and three of the Liberio operation.
"You stay down here and regroup with Jean," Levi said. "Time for Eren's signal."
Mikasa grunted in agreement, and Levi flew up to a rooftop. He grabbed his flare gun and a red flare, loaded, and fired. It zoomed skyward, the red a bloody color in an already bloody night. Tch. Levi squinted at the orange lightning flash on the horizon. Eren had been waiting patiently down near the waterfront, where the first ships were landing. He waited until it'd be harder for them to turn their guns on him, until most of the Gaolin soldiers were rushing back to the boats.
With a roar, the Attack Titan started smashing ships and tanks and men alike, barreling his way across the docks. Good. Time for Erwin.
Levi loaded a blue flare just as he felt his skin tighten with goosebumps. Fuck. He could feel the man about to squeeze the trigger, turned around in what felt like slow motion while the sniper on the other roof aimed and—
Bam. The Gaolin soldier slumped over, the shot left unfired. Petra swooped down, standing over the soldier's body as she reloaded her gun. She quickly deployed over to Levi's roof, and stood alongside her husband. Her chest rose and fell heavily with her breathing—adrenaline was some type of drug.
"Glad I came now?" she asked sweetly.
"I would've survived," he grumbled.
"Maybe. Maybe not." Cheeky little bitch. "I've got your back. Signal Erwin."
His wife stood behind him while Levi fired the gun, and the blue flare rocketed overhead.
Come on, Erwin. End this. End it now.
He'd left the ship two miles behind and motored out into the center of a war zone. Erwin could have chuckled as he positioned himself between the ships that were ready to head into port. Ahead, in the distance, he saw Eren's transformation, watched the clouds of destruction rise higher and higher into the air, heard the wail of sirens.
It hadn't been hard to let the Mid East Alliance 'discover' Marleyan intel. Erwin had known they would take the opportunity for a land invasion. They were growing desperate, and needed to make a bold move.
He understood that. He sympathized.
"Oi!" someone called overhead. Erwin looked up as a light fell upon him. He squinted; the Gaols were only dark blurs now. "Qui va là? Qui va là?"
I'm sorry. You were what I needed.
Erwin raised his hand, and sank his teeth into his thumb. There was a bright flash of pain, the coppery taste of his blood. Then the world became very small.
One instant he heard the rush of waves, the screams of the soldiers, sirens. Then everything became quiet. The ships, so massive mere seconds before, became little more than toys. The force of Erwin's transformation blew several of them to pieces. He knew that the coastline would suffer some rough waves, but nothing to be done about that. Erwin slowly reached down for one of two remaining ships. Only thing he hated about his colossal body was how slow it moved. He picked one ship up in his hand, lifted it out of the water. He saw the people squirming on deck, moving like ants.
He would make it quick.
He tore the ship to pieces, and from up here he could not hear the screams of terror and death. He picked up the other one, and squeezed it to a pulp.
There were a few more ships on their way, but the Paradisian fleet would finish them off very quickly.
Once the ships were all dead, Erwin knew it was time. Slowly, he began to walk out of the sea, heading for the bright Liberian lights.
Zeke picked up the broken shards of what had been a fashionable apartment building. He ground them into rubble, and launched the volley at a whole battalion of soldiers as they made land. The Valle waterfront was almost destroyed by now, but none of it had been the Warriors' doing. The Mid East soldiers had shelled much of the more fashionable port area, but they'd made very little progress inland. Pieck and Porco were chasing down any enemy soldiers that had made it into the streets. Reiner and Zeke had taken the main job of crushing whoever made it ashore. Zeke broke up some more rock, and this time hurled his projectiles at the enemy ships in the harbor. Bullseye.
The rocks ripped through the ship hulls, and the things instantly became useless. He destroyed the guns on the decks, killed hundreds in a few measly seconds.
Well. At least he hadn't lost his pitching arm.
Eren. At least when this is over, I'll have my passage to Paradis. We'll be together soon. I promised I would save you. I promised.
Zeke's moment of idleness almost cost him. He roared when a cannon nearly got him across his nape. Shit. He ducked down, collapsing onto the streets and shaking the place. He heard the thud of Reiner's footsteps as the boy crushed the tank that had made landfall and nearly taken out Zeke. Stomp. Stomp. A few moments later, and the tank was a squashed bug.
Zeke knew he shouldn't enjoy simply stepping on the enemies, crushing them like bugs, but he derived something like childish glee from the process. Well, his every movement had been curtailed from the day he was born; maybe that's what made it that so enjoyable to rampage as he pleased. He took care, though, not to squash Marleyans. In fact, he made sure to show exaggerated caution when the citizens were near.
Most of these men and women had grown up knowing of Marley's wars in the abstract sense. They'd cheered on their soldiers like they would a local sports team. They'd read of conquest in the paper before wrapping fish in it, or turning to the entertainment columns.
For the first time in over a century, Marleyans were witnessing the brutality of war on their doorstep.
They witnessed as Eldians fell from the sky to save them from the foreign hordes.
Clever, Erwin. Clever. Zeke had to begrudgingly admire the man. He may've gotten a few thousand innocent people killed tonight, but he'd save hundreds of thousands of Eldians and Marleyans both. So he believed.
Only Zeke knew the world could not be changed. Merely managed.
And then, behind him, Zeke felt the heat of a titan transformation. He grimaced as crystal spread along the streets, titan crystal engulfing the enemy and suffocating them in half a second. The War Hammer Titan rose up and sent its power towards the enemy. It impaled them on spikes, encased their tanks in crystal.
Mere seconds later, the battle against Valle truly was over.
Zeke flicked his ear, concentrating on the surrendering enemy soldiers. Valle's local troops cornered the men, but everyone tonight had seen the titans finish off the enemy.
Everyone here had seen good Eldians at work.
How is Liberio, Majesty? he wondered.
Zeke noticed cannon fire on the horizon, but wasn't worried. Those were friendly ships hunting down the last of the MEA.
Hizuran ships.
Erwin tried to steady himself as the water grew shallower. Eren had already laid waste to the MEA's first naval attack. His plan, it seemed, had been successful. The Paradisian soldiers were plentiful, and had many of the remaining Gaolin soldiers in different states of surrender.
Through the crowd, some Marleyan officials wandered over to gaze up at Erwin. They had to be confused to see the Colossal Titan again.
They had to know what Erwin's presence meant.
He saw, far down below, Willy Tybur as well. He imagined Willy looked sick. Magath was down in Valle; Willy was here to help sell Erwin's final piece of the plan.
The Marleyans held up guns to Erwin, but with so many Paradisians around they were convinced to lower their weapons. Erwin slowly sank to his knees, careful so that water didn't surge over what remained of the dock and soak everyone. That would be too funny.
As he slowly knelt, he saw Petra and Levi standing together. Her now-long hair was tied back in a braid; Levi's eyes watched Erwin with half-lidded caution.
I promised you both a better world for Kuchel to grow up in. The time has come.
Erwin, on his knees, slowly leaned forward and braced his titan's hands against the shallow sea floor. The heat of his skin boiled the water a little.
He was now only fifteen feet or so above the crowd. Erwin emerged from his titan, his torso bare. They'd turned on floodlights below, which played over his body. Erwin heard gasps in the crowd. He wasn't ignorant of his own handsomeness; it was having an effect, as he'd hoped it would.
"Who are you?" one of the Marleyan officials called. Erwin looked at Willy, grim-faced and quietly furious. He looked at Hange, standing with the gamma unit around her, grinning. He saw so many of the people he'd brought to this land, to fight and perhaps die in it. He was overwhelmed with gratitude that the casualties appeared to have been few.
"Who are you?" another man yelled.
"I am Erwin Smith," he called back. "I come from Paradis Island, where I wrested the title of king away from the evil Fritz family and restored order and decency. I have come with my subjects to assist and safeguard Marley in her wars, and to restore true peace throughout this world as compensation for the crimes my ancestors committed."
The officials gaped, and looked to Willy Tybur. The man, hands behind his back, gave the lightest nod.
"Then welcome, Erwin Smith. You've saved our city tonight. We will hear whatever you have to say."
Erwin smiled as he heard the cannons firing behind him, as Historia's ship blew the last of the MEA stragglers out of the water. She would arrive soon. Then the performance would truly begin.
Erwin Smith descended from his titan, and asked for a shirt.