With the debriefing now over, it now came time to discuss what to do with this information.
"Our foe is the world," said an MP.
"That information should stay in this room," said a second MP. "If became public knowledge, they'd be chaos."
"Yes, I concur," said a third MP. "Regrettably, we can't let this get out until we fully grasp the situation."
"Shall we deceive the people once more?" said Alvin. "That's what you're suggesting, right? Then we keep our citizens complacent and blind as the late King did? If we do that, then by what ideals did we oppose King Johann? What right did we have to seize his crown?"
The MPs immediately fell silent.
"Then let's announce it," said Historia, and everyone turned to her. "It's only fair; this is information that the people once knew before my predecessor stole it from them. As the people of the Walls, all of us will share the same fate, which is why we must now unite as one and work together."
With that, they immediately made the information public, and there was quite a mixed reaction. Valka and Eret were having a cup of coffee with Roy and Sigurd about this information.
"The monstrous Titans that have attacked us so are in fact human," said Sigurd. "They are known as Subjects of Ymir or Vikians, and we share a common ancestry. When our king are erected these the Walls a hundred years ago, he altered our memories using Titan powers. So as to make us think that beyond the Walls, humanity had gone extinct.
In truth, there are countless people beyond the Walls, but when it comes to us subjects of Ymir that they believe that we are a race of devils. In the near future, the enemy will invade our lands in order to obtain the resources beneath us. Their plans began five years ago when they used the Colossal Titan to breach Berk."
"I know the Oracle has already published but is all of this as credible as you claim?" Roy asked.
"At the very least, it addresses most of the doubts and questions that we had this whole time," said Valka. "I know it's not the truth we would hope for, but it's what we have."
Roy poured Eret a cup of tea.
"Appreciate it," said Eret.
"So, how are people taking the news?" Valka asked.
"It's a mixed bag," Roy admitted. "Some just accept it, some laugh it off, some lash out at the military and insist that it's all a pre-conspiracy. Just as he feared, things have become somewhat chaotic."
"Makes sense," Valka sighed. "But there's really no helping that; it's our job to explore and report our findings. The taxpayers can treat that information as they will. That's something we've improved since the King was deposed."
"I can be proud of the work you've done," said Roy.
"Huh?" Valka blinked.
"Not only as a citizen of the Walls but one working stiff to another."
"Thank you," said Valka.
"Uh-huh, then why don't you fluff us up a bit in the next article you write?" Eret suggested.
Valka glared at him, but everyone else laughed.
"I have to ask what happens to us now?" Roy asked. "We've looked at the Titans with fear, with hate, with the wish in our hearts that they would disappear forever, and now we've learned that this is how the people of the world look at us. We're not human to them; we're monsters. They will attack us just as they did before. Why wouldn't they?"
Valka and Eret took note that his hands were shaking.
"This hell will repeat itself until the last of us are dead," said Roy.
A few days later, an award ceremony was being held for the survivors of the Battle of Berk, as well as a memorial service for those who had fallen.
"Well, if it is in the brave heroes of the Walls," said Hitch as she approached Hiccup and the others.
"Hitch," said Wartihog. "I'm surprised you came."
"I came to see you guys get your medals," she said.
"I see," said Wartihog.
"And I'm glad that you got out of there alive, Wartihog," Hitch added.
Wartihog rubbed the back of his head. "Wish I could say for the others who took part in the charge."
"Yeah, it was utterly terrifying," said Floch. "Though I will admit that all our recruits would have broken rank and panic if you hadn't stepped up as a leader."
"I'm nothing compared to Commander Stoick," said Wartihog.
"Well, I'll see you guys later, and I'll you mess up the ceremony," said Hitch and she walked off.
"Wartihog is right," said Floch glaring at the others, especially at Hiccup. "Why you didn't speak up when we had a chance to save the commander, I have no idea."
Hiccup sighed. "Look, I heard about what you did, Floch. How hard you fought to make sure my father would be revived."
"That's right, you should be dead, and Stoick should be standing in your place," Floch spat. "I'm not alone in thinking that. All of us do; everyone who read that report had the same thought. Why wasn't Stoick the one that was saved?"
"And what do you know about Hiccup to justify in saying that," said Astrid. "Not a damn thing!"
"Yeah, you're right," Floch glared. "I'm not a childhood friend of his. Hell, I'm not a friend of his at all, but I can still tell you why he's the one standing here now." He then glared at both her and Ragnar. "It's because you too got emotional, and Captain Eret did the same. You made an irrational choice; you treated that syringe like it was yours and wasted it. He's alive because you think your friends are more important than the rest of us."
Astrid looked at him furiously and marched up to him. "I think it's about time you shut your mouth."
"Astrid, you know I'm telling the truth," he said, narrowing his eyes. "You let your feelings for Hiccup get in the way of your judgement."
"Astrid, just leave him be all right," said Ragnar calmly.
"At least Ragnar acted like an adult out there; I saw him give up in the end," Floch continued.
"Jeez, what the hell is wrong with you two?" said Snotlout breaking them up. "Hey, Floch, let's not do this during a memorial for our fallen comrades."
"What's done is done, so there's no point in dredging it up again," said Heather.
"Yeah, there's no use crying over spilt milk," said Tuffnut.
"Maybe you should calm down, Floch," Fishlegs suggested.
"As for you four, you may not have acted against your superiors, but you didn't try to stop Astrid and Ragnar either," Floch reminded them. "You didn't do anything but watch. Medals for what? A memorial for who? When you guys start rebuilding the Survey Corps, you had better tell your recruits the truth, or else you'll end up with cowards like me in the ranks. What the hell are we supposed to do now that we have lost Stoick? I know that I'm just fodder, I understand that my life is expendable, but still, I should get a call it like I see it and decide whether this causes worth dying for."
Hiccup sighed. "Floch, I wanted my father to take the syringe; he should have been the one that should have been saved. However, I don't know which choice was right because none of us knows what the future might hold. I don't know what lies beyond the Walls, but my family have spent the past hundred years proving that humanity still exists beyond them. Now it's up to me to chart a new course so that we can finally be free."
Ragnar wasn't certain whether there was possible as he lived through his mother's memories, but this was neither the time or place to discuss it.
"All right, you brats," said Eret stepping forward. "It's time, line up."
Everyone then gathered within the throne room, the remaining Scouts kneeled before Historia, and she began handing out their medals. A new medal had been commissioned after the aftermath of Berk, and it was known as the Wings of Freedom in honour of the Scouts who perished.
Historia stood before them, saluting and then kneel before her doing the same. She then began handing out the medals one by one. Every time she did, they kissed her hand.
'What did we find in that cellar?' Ragnar pondered. 'Was it hope, or was it just despair. Our enemy is tremendously powerful; did nothing changes for the better soon, that calamity will only repeat itself. I would give up my life in a heartbeat if I was certain that in doing so, I could make a difference.'
Historia and finally reached him and began presenting him with his medal.
'But I'm not about to sacrifice Historia,' he said, looking up at her. 'I can't help anyone about this, so what should I do?'
He then began kissing her hand and then saw flashes of Freida's memories when she confronted Johann and his family.
"I am a Vikian from beyond the Walls!" he announced to them. "I am Subject of Ymir just like all of you! King of the Walls, I beg of you kill the Titans attacking Wall Maria! If you truly care about your people, bebop houses of people eaten alive!"
Ragnar just knelt there, stunned as he began processing these images. He then noticed that everyone was staring at him, and he realised that he was still holding Historia's hand. He quickly released her, but everyone noticed that he had a distraught look on his face.
'Valka's Executioner, which had been crushing Titans day and night, went silent just as the snow began to stick. Months later, when the snow started melting, the military formally announced that Wall Maria having cleansed of Titans at last.
By the time the elevators on Trost's Walls were free for use and work began on paving the main road, there were flowers in bloom and butterflies dancing between. Maria's refugees were finally permitted to return to their homes roughly a year after what had been called humanity's first victory in Trost. And so six years after the Colossal Titan's burst devastating attack, the Scouts resumed the expeditions, exploring the world beyond the Walls once again.'
The Scouts were now riding on horseback across the open plains, and so far, they have not encountered any Titans, just as they suspected.
"It's just that you thought, Valka," said Eret. "Most of the Titans had already gone inside Wall Maria, we've all but wiped them, and it only took us a single year."
"Then let's push forward, exactly as we planned," said Valka.
They kept on riding, making their due south; never before had any expeditions the Scouts had previously done before had ever reached this far. Then suddenly, they saw a red smoke flare signalling that the Titan had been spotted.
"A Titan!" said Snotlout.
"The one actually showed up?" said Tuffnut. "Let's take a look."
They soon reached the hill where Heather and her advance party were waiting.
"It's over there," said Heather pointed.
The Titan in question was practically a worm. It had a large head and body, but its arms and legs were minute. There was a large trail turned up grass indicating that it had crawled its way towards the Walls.
"Doesn't look like you can move all that much," said Fishlegs.
"Even with those limbs, it still tried to drag itself towards the Wall, bit by bit," Heather noted.
"Still can't get over the fact that all this time we've been killing our fellow people," said Fishlegs.
"I know what you mean," Astrid nodded. "It's ironic, the thing I wanted most was the kill every last Titan, but now we discover that they're us forced for into this form."
"Calling this place Paradise seems nothing more than a sick joke to me," said Ragnar.
After dealing with that Titan, they carried on with their objective, the road on until they hit a large sandy plain. This was the first time that anyone had witnessed seen so much sand; it was almost beyond words. Then as they turned around a large pile of stones, they saw a wall, and Ragnar recognised that from his mother's memories.
"I'm sure of it," said Ragnar. "This is the place where they turn the Vikians Titan. Which means, just up there…"
They then began to ride around the wall, and when they climbed up, the sand-covered hill completely took their breath away. All of them were staring towards a large body of water that carried on as far as the eye could see. Fishlegs was in complete awe, he had spent his entire childhood wanting to see the sea, and now he finally had the opportunity.
They didn't waste any time getting their boots off and stepped into the sea. The water was cold as it brushed against their feet, but it was the most glorious feeling they had ever felt. Fishlegs saw a seashell in front of him and immediately went to pick it up.
The twins were messing around splashing water at each other, and Snotlout even drank the water. He immediately regretted it as it was completely salty and began spitting it out.
"That's salty!" Snotlout yelled.
"My eyes they banned!" Ruffnut yelled as Tuffnut splashed some water on her face.
"And I thought I had seen everything ever since I joined the Scouts," said Wartihog as he stared at the endless body of water. "How far does it go?"
"According to our information, it covers about two-thirds of the world," said Heather.
"Unbelievable," said Wartihog.
Hiccup just smiled. "Makes you think what other wonders lie out there just to be found."
Valka was also having fun in the water, though Eret appeared to be the only one on dry land.
"I can't believe all this is salt water," said Valka.
"Valka, be careful not to touch anything. It might be poisonous," Eret warned.
Hiccup shook his head and smiled and wished that his father was here, and then suddenly he heard Astrid yells. He quickly spun around and saw that she had just entered the water. Clearly, the cold water took her by surprise.
She looked at him and smiled awkwardly, making him laugh.
"It seems like everyone is having fun," said Heather approaching Ragnar. "Especially Fishlegs, he's as giddy as a small boy on Snoggletog morning."
Ragnar merely smiled, and Heather followed his gaze, which was fixed upon Hiccup and Astrid, who were now holding hands.
"It's about time those two got together, it only took Hiccup nearly dying, but at least they're together," said Heather.
"I think we knew that before anyone else," said Ragnar, then he looked out to sea solemnly. "We may have defeated the Titans, but our real enemy is out there, and I have a feeling that our fight has only just begun. The question is, after it's all said and done will we be free?"
Heather just remained silent because there was no answering that question, nor did anyone else.