— Enjoying the company of the barbarian wenches? — Sigrid asked with contempt.

Hodritz was sitting on the grass with three Paradisian women. Sigrid's face showed hints of disgust.

— I'm enjoying our time here, seeing as we're stranded on this island until Hildegard decides what to do with these people. — He then looked at one of the women with a playful expression. — I've been teaching this one some phrases in our language. Come on, Saoirse, say it!

— Lord Hodritz strong and handsome!

The women giggled as he laughed heartily. Sigrid remained serious and waited until he stopped with the jesting.

— Stop playing with those animals. We need to talk. — She stated.

— Whoa, calm down, Tybur. I'm listening now.

— Good. I thought of a plan…

— Before we begin, mind telling me why it seemed as if you were submitting to Hildegard? — Hodritz interrupted her with an inquiry.

— It was an act to make her less suspicious. Jurgen Fritz is still the rightful heir to the throne and the Founding Titan. Any more questions?

— You had an answer right up your sleeve. — He commented. — Go on, tell me about your plan.

— Did you notice the exact moment in which Hildegard commanded the titans to attack?

— Yes, it was when Sören… — He seemed to realise something. — I see where you're going.

— We can use that to leverage our claims against her. Not only that, but we can also trick her into doing it again. — She pointed her finger at Hodritz. — That's where you come into the scene.

— Do you want me to fight him again? Sören is a weakling, but the Founding Titan can easily turn the tides.

— That's why our plan will be executed in Eldia. With the ministers and prominent members of the titan clans watching her… emotional display, Hildegard's reputation will be greatly damaged. — Sigrid explained.

Childhood memories flashed in his mind. He remembered when Sören stubbornly defended Heinrich, taking punches and kicks for him. "I never liked Brandt… He wasn't able to understand my side. I was always behind my brother's shadow. Sören is the only one who brings back those memories." It felt nostalgic and unpleasant at the same time. "Focus on the real world. None of it matters now that Heinrich is dead, and I've inherited the Beast Titan. We must continue moving forward for the glory of Eldia."

…

Awestruck, Gunnar observed the great explosion from afar as a mushroom-shaped cloud formed and strong winds blew in all directions. A few moments later, only a gigantic silhouette stood amidst the scorched earth which had formerly been a small town Marleyan soldiers were using as a base to carry out their skirmishes and raids across the Eldian border.

— It's overwhelming… — He whispered. — The Colossal Titan is truly the god of destruction.

— Lord Jung, shall we move to the next location? Pardon me for the tone, but we should not waste time. The raids are becoming ever more frequent. — An advisor recommended.

Gunnar simply nodded without averting his gaze from the enormous skinless titan walking towards their direction. The large amount of steam it emitted seemed to blend with the clouds. After reaching a safe distance from the Eldian camp, it slowly knelt to the ground. "Guess that's where I come in." — Gunnar thought. He took some distance from the camp and transformed, running like a swift beast towards the Colossal Titan. He climbed the hulking body and reached for the nape. Emmerich awaited him patiently. His expression was serene.

— Onwards to the next battlefield, Jung. We have more souls to liberate.

Emmerich Grautaz, in contrast with the Colossal Titan, was a short man. His overgrown curly hair and beard reminded Gunnar of Marleyan philosophers, and much like them, he discussed matters of faith and the nature of the world with nobles and plebeians alike. Gunnar held him in one hand and climbed down the Colossal's body.

— Here they come. Prepare the horses, we're leaving now! — An Eldian general ordered as they approached the camp.

"I don't think I have ever heard one of Emmerich's sermons. It's said that he will end up founding a new religion." — Gunnar thought. He gently lowered his hand so that Emmerich could climb down once they reached the camp.

— Another glorious liberation, my brethren! I shall pray for those who were freed of their less divine bodies so that they can be reborn as children of Ymir. — Emmerich said as more than half the people present attentively listened to his words.

Gunnar jumped to the ground after leaving the Jaw Titan's nape. He scratched his temples before asking:

— Can I talk to you later? I want to know more about what you preach.

— You would do well to listen to the believers first. Most of the people present here serve the Grautaz clan, and they have been enlightened by my words.

He gestured for a tall woman to approach. She bowed in respect once in Emmerich's presence.

— What was the greatest change in your life? — Emmerich asked.

— When I ceased to curse my own blood, my lord.

— How exactly did that happen? — Gunnar inquired.

— My father is Eldian. I was raised among non-Eldians and was mistreated for as long as I can remember. I always felt that my older siblings, who did not bear the blood of Ymir, received special treatment and love from our mother. — Her eyes welled with tears. Emmerich touched her shoulder and tenderly gazed at her.

— These days are in the past, young one. You will feel better once you testify.

— Thank you, Lord Grautaz. — She then continued: — The years passed and an Eldian officer came to my village, summoning every child of Ymir. I didn't want to go, but my family forced me. I was relocated to the capital to serve as a pure titan under the control of King Anders. Coincidentally, Lord Grautaz was there in the same day I arrived. I can still recall the words that changed my life. I learnt to forgive my family and all non-Eldians.

— I am flattered, young one. This is enough, I will speak with the Jaw Titan myself.

— I can only thank you, my lord! — She said with a wide smile before leaving.

— Do you believe that souls can be reborn in other bodies, Jung?

— Can't say I do. This is a new concept to me. — Gunnar answered.

— Once a soul inhabits an Eldian body, its fate becomes clear. Ymir guides it through the path to paradise when the flesh can no longer hold it.

— What about non-Eldians? Do their souls go to paradise as well?

— They become stuck in a reincarnation cycle. That is precisely why we need to reduce their numbers and raise ours. The more Eldians there are, the greater the chance their misguided souls will inhabit blessed mortal vessels.

— So we're helping by killing them... Well, that's not too far off. The Founding Titan can indeed perform miracles on Eldians. Curing diseases, increasing our lifespans... — Gunnar pondered.

— Eldia would be an empire free of strife were it not for the conquered who refuse to assimilate. They are not the chosen people, but we can make them become like us. So let us pray for those who were born as simple humans, so that they can join as branches of the great tree of Ymir!

"That will take a long time." — He thought while Emmerich went on preaching as an increasing number of people gathered around him.

— And we shall live forever in paradise! And those less divine shall join us in eternal bliss! Blessed we are and blessed the world shall be in Ymir's grand design! — The euphoric crowd exalted his words.

…

An unofficial meeting of the Paradisian tribes was called to decide which course of action they should take. Marley's position was clear. The bulk of their population had already departed from the island, leaving only thousands of warriors who would fight to death in almost empty cities that became too big for them. Cliodhna, seeking more allies and giving the Paradisians a last chance, decided to take part in the meeting despite the previous experiences.

— Why are we even here? — An elderly man wearing a headdress with deer antlers asked. — The bitter end is just a matter of time. It's simple, if we resist, we die.

— And if we submit, we will be absorbed by them. The women will be forced to bear their children! Our tribes will vanish in just a few generations! — A muscular man with green facial tattoos replied.

— I say we let our people breed with the Eldians and send the children to the mainland as soon as possible while we quietly reproduce among ourselves. — Another man suggested. — I heard their queen uses them as weapons by turning them into titans.

— We're not breeding sows, you idiots. — A pale woman commented. — We have our ways of dealing with "undesirable" offspring if the rumours of ethnic cleansing are true. Besides, submitting to Eldia will be good for the economy. We've been isolated from the world for far too long.

Cliodhna quietly observed as the chieftains discussed. "There really seems to be no way out of this. But as long as there is even a remote chance of winning, I will risk it all."

— Those who wish to fight back, raise your hands. — She declared.

Roughly a third of the tribal leaders raised their hands. Some of them questioned Cliodhna:

— We know the Fomhóire are working with the devils. Aren't you just trying to drag us into the titans' maws?

— My tribe is pretending to collaborate with them to gain easy access to their territory. I have met the queen herself and I am sure she would parley again if requested to do so. — She wondered for some seconds. — In fact, she seems to be a reasonable person, but it's obviously an act.

— Surely! How could the devil goddess be kind to a non-Eldian? — The man with green tattoos questioned.

— And I've gained the trust of Marley. They are willing to help us.

An elderly woman cried out:

— Cliodhna, please remember Druid Cynwrig's prophecy! No one wants to be killed by a titan!

— I agree, it won't be a fair fight if your plan fails, even with the help of Marley. — Another man exclaimed. —The elders are right!

She slammed her fist on the table with incredible force, startling all the chieftains.

— Fools who look for answers in a prophecy! Seeking out a lie, an illusion!

She paused and looked at each person in the eyes. Tension pervaded the meeting room.

— Our opposition is drawing near. We might not be as powerful, but knowing a titan's weakness, we can fight back.

They remained silence in fear of agreeing and running to their deaths or denying and being seen as cowards. Cliodhna's face reddened in frustration. Turning her back on the tribal leaders, she alone left the meeting. Her brother, Darragh, and a few other Fomhóire bodyguards waited for her outside.

— How was it? — Darragh kept looking at the entrance. — Wait, why are you the only one leaving?

— It matters not. The other Paradisians are complete cowards. We're yet to lose lands and to see giant monsters devouring our families. That's why the Marleyans will fight, and the people of this island won't.

— Do you mind detailing what happened? We were counting on this, weren't we? — Cliodhna did not answer him. — Oy, what are we going to tell the Marleyans?

— That the island barbarians are as useless as they thought. — She answered bluntly.

They rode back in silence. The chances of killing the queen were becoming ever lower and Cliodhna was deeply ashamed and angered at the other tribes. In Paradisian myth, all the tribes were founded by a single family that came from distant lands. Generations later, there was infighting and war within the island, until a terrible monster awakened from a deep cave on the middle of Paradis. Only then did the tribes unite again to fight a common enemy. "That could only be a folktale. There's no way that..." — She thought as tears fell down her face. She sped up the horse and made sure to be in front of her tribesmen.

— Cliodhna... — Darragh called out to his sister.

She remained silent. "What will I feel when I hear Darragh calling my name while a titan brings him to its maw?" Even more tears flowed from her eyes. There was no other option. Fangs and claws become sharper and shine the brightest during a fight for survival. A simple war for resources could never be compared to the situation of Paradis.