Chapter 19
Deterrence
"It was a careless decision, commander." General Connor sighed, frustration lining his words as men moved out on the fields behind his window.
"I concur, sir, and I take full responsibility."
"Full responsibility? Christ, Zoe, you might as well have put the entire world at risk!"
Hanji Zoe remained at strict attention.
"I understand my people haven't dealt with the circumstances of yours. I can't imagine being in the situation you were… but damn it, you know better than anyone there are protocols that need to be followed!"
"Indeed, but if we could get rid of one existential threat, I, and I must emphasize that it was I alone, deemed it was worth the risk."
Connor sank into his chair with a deeper sigh.
"You gambled… you gambled and you won this time. You still gambled."
"We in the Survey Corps have had to gamble a lot, sir… our first encounter with your forces half a year ago was a gamble… trusting Eren was a gamble… trusting you was a gamble… defending-"
"I get it… I can't say you'll pay for what you've done. What you've risked… if he'd suddenly decided to unleash the wall titans… well, maybe Arrowhead could've stopped it, but we'd be almost helpless. Our ammo was already spread thin…"
"I know… but Eren…" she pursed her lips, "Eren's desire for freedom seems to have overcome such temptations."
Connor shook his head.
"How is he?"
"Alive. Without his titan ability, he can't fix his spine…"
"And… that's all that's left?"
Connor turned to the sealed jar. In it lay what could easily have been mistaken for a tree's roots, floating in a transparent gel.
"Indeed. Your scientists say it's-"
"I know, I know… I just want to make sure you didn't try to hide some for your own research…"
Hanji smiled slightly, saying "I'd lie if I said I wasn't tempted… no more titans. The only discoveries I could hope to make about them lay within this… creature. And I suppose your people will keep it hidden far away."
"That's not up to me, but I doubt you'll be forbidden from looking at it. This… coordinate as Marley calls it… it's public knowledge here. No use in pretending it doesn't exist."
"Perhaps, but at the very least titans are all gone… the question now is how we move forward…"
"More cautiously than what you did."
Hanji nodded, then smiled slightly, turning to the computer on the desk.
"But you're still gambling a lot on this."
"Not at all."
"Oh?"
"It's not a gamble if you know you've got aces and the other guy has a bad hand."
"Confidence doesn't suit you, sir."
"It's not confidence. It's only a question of how many people they're willing to sacrifice before they raise the white flag."
He was silent for a moment, watching the laptop as well. The map of the Marleyan coast showed two red dots slowly inching towards the port of Liberio.
"Though after this past week… only God knows where that limit lies."
"I read the Germans held out until the end during the Second World War. You had to use nuclear weapons to get Japan to stop, too."
"Like I said… only God knows."
…
"My… God…"
Osman slumped against the brick-and-mortar wall behind him, staring at the aircraft dropping enemy troops onto Liberio. A soldier quickly placed bandages onto his wound to stop the bleeding, the white cotton quickly becoming soaked in crimson. More bandages were rapidly applied, but Osman waved them away.
"Radio! Have you contacted the air defenses?!" he screamed, gunfire still echoing throughout the city.
The soldier only shook his head.
"Damn… damn it all!"
Armored cars drove rapidly past him and, barely capable of doing it on his own, he got up and stopped one. A somewhat easy task given their slower movements, and he managed to support himself on the armored car's hood, briefly admiring its sloped steel armor before saying "Back to headquarters! Now!"
"Sir?"
"I need to direct the battle from higher ground! Deny the enemy what advantages they might have…" he choked out, getting into the vehicle.
"General, you're bleed-"
"It matters not! We must destroy Liberio immediately! Get me to the station now!"
The driver responded diligently, turning the car around and accelerating up the steep road that was thankfully empty of civilians. Osman eyed the abandoned homes and shops. As though it were early morning and people would be seen walking around like any other day.
"We must prevent this from appening elsewhere… How far off are the armored trains?!"
…
"Seems the trains are on time… armored one's on station and we see smoke from the second one coming in…" Crow sighed into his radio, sneaking back behind the partly closed station window, too aware of the World Union guards milling about, their eyes glued to the scene on the horizon as the American paratroopers floated towards the port town with a deceptive grace.
All the better for us…
The room had been locked… had… and now his SAS operators stood inside, monitoring the mysterious armored trains of the World Union.
They were nothing necessarily impressive for the 21st century. Large trains with steel armor and large artillery guns from both ends. He assumed those were 105s, though it wasn't entirely a deal of importance. Trains like these may have been capable of defending forts or protecting troops and VIPs during the First World War, and perhaps it could've been useful against other opponents, but in the age of drones and smart bombs, it was woefully obsolete.
Internally he could feel a degree of sadness watching the men load it up with such care. There were some large machine guns, very similar to the old Vickers of the late 19th century, and a few even larger ones, similar to the old QF-2s of the British Empire, all polished and well-oiled. Clean. Well-taken care of. It even sparkled for crying out loud.
It was clear the men they were fighting weren't losing for lack of trying. Their decision to evacuate Liberio and try to mount a defense there may have worked. They had underestimated how quickly a modern Army could mobilize, however, and in war that was a fatal mistake. The decision had already been anticipated and several American and British special forces had been inserted into the town. They'd been gathering intel since negotiations were still ongoing and their operating capabilities had only increased thanks to their friends in this world's Japan equivalent.
Peace had been offered, no one on his side of the portal wanted a war.
The offers had been rejected, the diplomats had to go on their way, and now soldiers had to do their job. If the distant gunfire was anything to go by, their enemy was only now finding out about their folly and still didn't quite grasp its significance.
Just surrender, you bloody idiots…
He gripped his C8 a little tighter, hoping for good news as a voice called out rather loudly down below.
"Ready the cannons! We are to destroy the Eldians in Liberio immediately!"
That was not good news.
…
Colonel Theo Magath watched the pair of Mid-East Alliance troops rapidly move to the munitions boxes and frowned. He swiveled slowly in his wooden chair, his rifle by his side as they waited for the train to arrive.
So, they're finally doing it…
He glanced at his own men. They stood around silently, not aiding the men of the Mid-East alliance, but not stopping them either.
Why should they? They all hated the Eldians just as much as anyone, but… a part of him didn't entirely see it as very fair. Oh, sure, life was unfair, but there was perhaps a sense that it could have been just a little better. His mind went to his Eldian- former Eldian subordinates. The warriors had all been dedicated. Either out of a genuine desire to help Marley or to protect their families, not unlike the men under his command now. They weren't the island devils hated by the world and he wondered if there would be any justice for them.
Then one of his younger men burst through the door.
"Colonel! The Liberio Ghetto's guards have been engaged!"
"The Eldians attacked?!" he asked quickly.
"We're not entirely certain, but we saw enemy paratroopers and now General Osman-"
The man burst in after the young private with a fury in his eyes that challenged even that of the mad titans he'd seen before under Zeke's control.
Osman rapidly shouted "The traitorous Eldians had moles in Liberio and now the enemy rains from the skies! How could you let this happen, Theo Magath?!"
Magath stood straight and glared right back at the man, not bothering to ask about the stained uniform and bloody rags peeking under his shirt. The general had discarded his Mid-East uniform, gripping it on his left hand, letting his blood-soaked undershirt and his paling skin demonstrate exactly what had happened.
It mattered not to Theo Magath.
"We have been keeping up with the traffic going in and out of the port! We've been investigating the vanishings of Zeke Yeager since all this started! If some enemy troops snuck through-"
"Snuck through?! Look out the damn window! They're flying in and no one is firing at them!"
He glanced outside, only now seeing the rapidly descending enemy paratroopers, seemingly landing down on the docks and outer part of the city entirely unopposed.
"Parachutes… What happened to our air defenses?!"
"I'm the one who should be asking you that! Why are your men not responding?! What about the Germanic Soldiers you stationed there?! Why are we failing, colonel?!"
"I haven't-"
He was cut off as the general grabbed his collar and pulled him in.
"I swear to you, Magath, if we lose the war here I will have your head!"
Magath did not reply.
"Make yourself useful and have your men assist mine! Now!"
"Yes, general."
Osman let him go, then whirled around, shouting "Ready the Gas shells! Now!"
…
She reloaded her Honeybadger, then rapidly fired four rounds over the corner of the Ghetto's entrance, the corner above her exploding as rifle fire slammed into the cement and she managed to duck back inside, blowing some of her blonde hair out of her eyes with an angry huff.
Her earpiece crackled to life then.
She winced.
"God… damn it!"
She quickly slumped against the wall, anger in her eyes.
All around her, gunfire was still ever present, the Marley volunteers, both willing and unfortunately unwilling were using the Liberio Ghetto walls as cover while outside several Mid-East Alliance troops kept firing at their positions.
A large, lumbering figure ran towards her, ducking as he sprinted past the main gate, now torn to pieces by gunfire, and she could only frown at the now stained Marley uniform of the older officer.
"You're responsible for this?!" Captain Koslow demanded, his rifle not aimed at her as he slumped against the wall as well, face pale.
She noticed the blood wasn't pouring out from his wound, and only said "Don't think that matters much now, sir."
"You Eldian-"
He shut up as a gunshot, not from outside, slammed inches from his head.
Yelena approached from behind a house with several men in civilian clothes following after, smoke pouring from her pistol's barrel.
The CIA woman only said, "Doesn't matter now. They want you guys dead, too, now tend to your men and go!"
Captain Koslow didn't seem to have much bravado left to argue, adjusting his helmet and rushing away, barely dodging bullets as he ran back across the broken entrance.
Turning to Yelena, she said "Those the vets?"
Yelena smirked, saying "We did as told."
Hope you didn't have to kill anyone to do it…
Instead, she shouted over the gunfire "Change of plans! The armored train has chemical weapons and they're planning on shooting them here!"
The men in civilian clothes paled at that.
"Any basements people can hide in?"
Yelena yelled back "Against a gas attack? Not likely!"
An older man calmly said "Wet cloth… it won't stop it completely but it will save many…"
"And the hospital has thick walls. We can shelter people there." Another said.
The CIA woman nodded, then shouted "Get to it! We'll try to keep them from firing but no guarantees!"
The same man then said, "Do you know Annie Leonhart?"
She narrowed her eyes at the man as she recognized him, nodded, and said "She's alive… get through this and I promise you'll see her again!"
There wasn't much of a reaction from the Eldian veteran, but she thought the light in his eyes brightened ever so slightly.
He simply tilted his head towards the other men, and they quickly moved back out.
The CIA woman turned back to Yelena then, about to give some more orders when her train of thought was rudely interrupted by far louder and far more rapid bursts of gunfire.
Her earpiece crackled then, Sasha's panicky shouts coming in a little too clearly for her comfort.
"Armored cars! They're here!"
One of the guard towers, the one with the radio, was suddenly pelted with heavy rounds that tore the metal posts and wires like nothing, shredding one of the men inside to bloody pieces of flesh and bone, the other three men barely survived as one either jumped down or fell, hitting the ground like a ragdoll, his head moving slightly as he lay on the dirt.
"Can you take out the gunner?!" she shouted.
The response came not from Sasha but from the armored vehicle, the heavy machine gun cutting into the town as the car burst through the shattered gate.
Yelena grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her away as other volunteers tried firing into it, rounds bouncing off like nothing.
"Sasha, fall back! Tell the others to get ready with the grenades, the damn thing's headed their way!"
Captain, your boys better get here quick!
…
Captain Levi watched as some of the Americans hit the ground and immediately began packing up their parachutes and kit. It wasn't exactly as organized as he'd expected but not as disorganized as he'd feared.
They'd rapidly landed fairly close together, and he could already hear them radioing each other, setting up their positions, securing buildings that they knew were all empty by now.
Petra kept the carbine steady, the Germanic soldiers in red uniforms standing silently with their hands raised almost as stiff as the pikes on their helmets. Their anti-aircraft guns remained silent, and more than a few were already on fire.
Eld turned to Levi as smoke began to pour out from the Liberio Ghetto, a silent query as gunfire continued to ring throughout the relatively empty town.
Levi remained silent, his ODM gear missing the blades and the short-barrelled American M4s made them far more mobile than before, but their duty to gather up and neutralize enemy AA meant that they were away from where the big fight was now happening.
Several men began to approach then, Americans.
"Captain Torres, 82nd Airborne… Levi team, I presume?" the tall man in the lead asked.
Levi nodded.
"Let my guys handle the POWs, you get over there and give what support you can. Arrowhead's air support will be here in a few but we can call them and have them scramble sooner if needed."
Once again, Levi nodded, then turned to Petra and Eld with a quiet "Let's go, people."
…
Marco shakily placed the grenade into the M203, his mind screaming at him that this wasn't his job. He'd learned radio, he could communicate, he could fight titans… but fighting other humans? Sure, serving the king would have theoretically seen him having to protect the king from other people, but that felt different than this. Even the engagement back in the capital felt different than this.
A lot had changed since then…
The fight was still for survival but also about securing a future. No longer was it man against nature, but the fight for the right to exist.
And now, because he was remotely good with a radio, he'd gotten dragged along a mission like this. Same as Sasha though at least that girl seemed to enjoy going places if it meant eating different and new types of foods.
He shuddered as the gunfire intensified, nearly dropping the 40-millimeter grenade as he tried securing it in place. He kept it from falling to the floor, but it still rolled right out once he heard a long burst of machine gun fire.
And now his hands were shaking like crazy.
Great.
He glanced out the window as the other radio operators scrambled to grab their weapons. He froze, seeing civilians running and a few others stepping outside. The sound of gunfire was only intensifying in the distance and now… he grabbed more 40-millimeter grenades and prayed this didn't turn into another battle at the capital.
…
"Miss Pieck?! What the hell is going on back- Are you alright?!" Colt asked as he rushed out the door, Pieck nearly collapsing as the men tried keeping her on her feet. Gabi and Falco were rushing after them in a panic, teary-eyed as their smaller legs managed to keep up with the men dragging the injured girl.
"Paradis forces… they've infiltrated the district…" she managed.
He glared at his kid brother but instead turned back to Pieck.
"What happened at the base?! Did they do this?"
"No… this was a courtesy of our allies in the World Union… they were here to clean house."
"What?! But they just told us to-"
"That was the special announcement… now the enemy forces have dragged a whole group of Marley troops down with them and started a fight and… then those paratroopers showed up."
"What… what should we do?" he tried.
"Didn't Zeke pick you to inherit his titan?"
"Yes, and I'm drawing a blank at the moment! Are the civilians that went ahead-"
Gabi shouted "We're moving them inside as quick as we can! I think they shot the radio or something, so…"
Pieck said "Our best hope now is to try and get a message out… maybe get more World Union forces to try and calm things down or… maybe even the paratroopers that dropped down."
"What?!" Colt nearly exploded.
"They're not here to kill us. That much is clear… unfortunately all we can do right now is think of our families, so if you can Porco can get to the radios in the hospital, maybe we can-"
"Miss Pieck, you can't-"
The little girl didn't get to object further.
The rumbling of the ground behind her suddenly revealed the Armored Cars. A pair of them. Their sloped edges appeared sleek and not unlike a medieval soldier's armor. Atop rested a lone machine-gunner that quickly began to spray the street with no discernment for adult or child.
Machinegun rounds exploded all around them, lifting up dirt and dust in tiny eruptions. Falco fell to the ground with a pitiful grunt, Colt rapidly picked him up, seeing the flowering circle of blood forming on the child's shoulder.
Pieck had faired even worse. The two men that had helped carry her away were on the ground now, their bodies riddle of with holes. Pieck shakily glanced behind her, staring more at the armored car than the gaping wound on her back.
"Get to Porco's house! Get the kids out of here now!" she tried.
The machinegunner was cursing loudly now, racking a handle back and forth on the weapon. The second car began to move into position ahead of them, firing a burst into the surrounding homes. Screams grew louder.
Colt only lowered himself, further, trying to inch away as Pieck tried to move on her side.
Gabi had other ideas.
She ran towards the armored car, grabbing a rock before chucking it towards the machine gunner as hard as she could.
It bounced off his head.
She stood there, hot tears burning her eyes as she screamed "Stop it! I'm not a devil!"
"Gabi!" Falco barely managed.
Both cars exploded then, less in a fiery ball and more in a cloud of dust. Gabi was still sent flying backwards, hitting the dirt hard as she rolled onto Pieck.
Pieck whirled around, staring at the second floor of a nearby house whose windows had been shot apart.
A young man with what she could describe as an enemy rifle lowered it. The second shooter, unseen, began shouting at the few people still out on the street.
"Stay inside! Help is on the way!"
Gabi shakily tried standing back up, but didn't get the chance as Colt picked her up with his free hand. Pieck was finally able to stand up, her pain only increasing as she did so. Her ability to regenerate gone, she now had to rely on her body's natural ability to heal over time.
Assuming it could.
She didn't like the amount of blood oozing onto her already tattered uniform.
A familiar voice called to them then.
"Colt! Pieck! Come on!"
"Porco?"
"Hey! What are you-"
The now ex-warrior candidate froze as he saw the burning husks of the armored cars.
"Doesn't matter… come on, we're getting everyone into the basement at the hospital… we'll treat the injured there!"
"The basement?" Pieck managed to ask.
"Yeah… radio started broadcasting a warning… the World Union is gonna hit Liberio with gas."
…
"Say again, gas!"
The captain of the USS George HW Bush froze. It couldn't have been more than a second, but he felt the entire Command Information Center freeze up, as if everyone stopped breathing for just enough time for it to be noticeable. He did his best to compose himself as his officers weighed the options on hand.
It wasn't much of a debate.
"Copy, captain. We're proceeding to phase 2 of Rockbell immediately. Tell your people to mark their targets and try to hold out."
"It'll be danger close, sir. Too much activity for us to properly pull back."
The man nodded.
"We'll give you what cover you need, captain. Out."
He then proceeded to step outside of the CIC and onto the bridge. He stared silently at the waves, eyeing the nearby Destroyers, trailed by their SH-60 Seahawks, free to fly now out of the portal and onto open waters.
He hadn't had the time to appreciate just how insane the situation was.
Here he was, in another world, with a fleet that had enough munitions to bring a nation to its knees in a week, all headed to take a small coastal town that, from the looks of it, was about to be destroyed by those that were supposed to defend it.
He then glanced at the top of the carrier.
The wing of Navy F/A-18 Hornets sat with their engines idle. Their pilots already on the cockpits, waiting for the order to fly out.
Not long now…
…
Osman swallowed the alcohol and tried his best to ignore the searing, burning, indescribable pain where the enemy round had pierced him.
Why him?
Of all the people, why him?
Devils, he knew, never played by the rules, but if they hoped for any chance of negotiations, attempting to kill him was not what they wanted to do!
"General, the toxic gas has been prepared and loaded onto the armored train's batteries… all of them, general." an older captain reported then.
"Good! Tell them to target the Eldian Internment zone and fire immediately!"
"Sir, with all due respect, would it not be more tactical to fire into the town itself? Our forces haven't been able to meet the paratroopers and given our heavy troop presence in the ghetto at the moment…"
"Didn't you hear me?!"
"General, I was just-"
"I gave an order, now relay it or I'll find someone who can!" Osman roared, smashing the alcohol bottle onto the wall, allowing his hand to become cut by the shards of glass that exploded from it.
His subordinate was not impressed.
"General, you've lost a lot of blood… and the recent losses have clearly weighed too heavily on you."
"Captain Emre Berat… I only asked you to relay the order to kill the damned devils in the town just a few kilometers in that direction… that is all I-"
"And I believe the rounds would be better utilized against the enemy or not at all." the man responded a lot louder than Osman had expected.
"Repeat that, captain."
"The city has been evacuated and the enemy has neutralized our air defenses. Most of the heads of the World Union have already evacuated-"
"The head of the Tybur family still supports-"
"They have been discussing possible negotiations and you know it! This war is unsustainable!"
"I will not stand for this insubordination!"
"General you are unwell!"
"What did you-"
Now the captain bellowed as loudly as he had, shouting "You ordered our men to attack the ghetto instead of pulling back to defensive positions! You then retreated back up here to sabotage any sensible responses to the attackers! Do you simply hope to kill as many as you can before the war is declared over?!"
"My desires are irrelevant to you carrying out my orders!"
"General you are unfit to lead! Everyone can see it!"
Osman's gaze moved behind the captain and to the Marleyan colonel who was standing just outside the station. Arms crossed.
"Cowards… you are all…"
As if on a whim, he grabbed his revolver and whipped it across Captain Berat's head, the older man falling to the floor as Osman dragged him by the collar out into the station.
The man struggled somewhat, though the confusion caused by the hit to the head had confused him enough the resistance was minimal. Kaman then tossed him onto the side of the armored train, aimed his revolver, and, in as swift a motion, shot all six rounds of his revolver into his now-former subordinate before anyone could protest or question him.
The gunners stared in silence.
His men stared in silence.
No one spoke.
Osman spat at the corpse, then shouted "Anyone who dares assist the devils, this shall be their fate! Target the ghetto and fire! And radio to the incoming train as well! We'll show these devils what our hate can do…"
He smirked as he saw the 100-millimeter guns of the armored train begin to slowly swivel towards the town below.
…
Captain Torres ducked into a house as his men fired at the incoming Mid-East alliance troops further down the street.
He got on his radio and frowned at the words coming over the line.
"Yeah, drone already picked them up. Guns are moving and… It's not looking good. Anything your guys can do about it, captain Crow?" The CIA woman sounded shaky and he could hear the cracking of rifles over the line as she spoke.
Crow's reply was quick and clear.
"We already called the Arrowhead fleet… they're going to scramble their Hornets but… maybe we can try a little distracting of our own, but we probably can't get through that armor with our rifles. What about your boys?"
Torres glanced at the guys carrying the heavy crates into a building.
"Can't be helped… Captain Torres, are your boys in position?"
"Almost. We got some guys on these rooftops, and are setting them up… we might just be stretching its range, but not by much. We'll be ready to fire soon."
"Might be cutting it a bit close, captain."
As if on cue, a window shattered and a paratrooper peeked out, giving a thumbs-up.
"We're set, ma'am. Crow, get your boys down."
We'll hit them with everything we've got…
"Copy."
He then glanced at the home in silence.
A lieutenant watching the drone feed turned to him as the view briefly switched to the streets nearby as men moved rapidly in formation towards them.
The man said, "We'll have more company soon…"
Torres only racked back the charging handle on his M4, ensuring a round was chambered before saying "Armored train first… we have our PPE… the civvies over there don't."
There was a bright flash of light that was followed immediately by smoke, not unlike a firecracker going off. Nearby windows shattered into pieces from the backblast, small shards of glass and wood bouncing off his Kevlar. Then for a brief instant, he saw the projectile almost pause in mid-air, almost as if it had been misfired, and almost about to fall to the street below. But the missile rapidly angled itself upward and shot off into the air, flying over the mostly abandoned port town.
The FGM-148 had been designed for this very purpose, replacing the US military's M47 Dragon as a man-portable anti-tank missile. Its command launch unit could lock onto enemy armored vehicles well over a mile away, and the missile cleared that distance in a terrifying leap. Now three of them were being directed at the armored train, all three locked onto a specific cart, all three flying high into the air as they crossed the town, speeding steadily towards their target at great speeds exactly as advertised.
It only took seven seconds.
…
Osman had still been walking away, listening as the men began to murmur.
"Did he just kill Captain-"
"Quiet, you!"
"But-"
"He deserved it! Anyone who helps the Eldians must die!"
He smiled slightly at his troops' devotion.
Men who understood the threat they were trying to contain…
The thought gave him pause. Did he understand what they were trying to contain? Eldian Devils were no longer the main threat if it was true that the power of the titans had been eliminated, but…
He turned around, listening to the gunfire as he eyed the corpse of his lieutenant.
No… no, we must defeat them… if not us, then our future generations will certainly suffer…
It was finishing this very thought that the large 100 millimeter guns on the train stopped moving. Any moment now he could expect the booming explosion as the main guns fired the 100 millimeter rounds. He anticipatefd the first two salvos alone would kill the Eldian Ghetto, but they had enough for the entire Liberio Port city, which was easier to hit from the station itself.
Briefly he wondered if it would work.
"General-"
And that was all he heard before the world around him turned into a hellish orange that burned all around.
He was off his feet and rolling across the station's floor like a dry leaf in the autumn winds. Pavement scraped off his bandages and he started bleeding once more. His lack of uniform left his arms and shoulders scratched as he landed on his left side and shakily craned himself to look at the damages.
The train, its ammunition, and his men were gone. All that remained was a burning husk of molten steel and charred body parts mixed with a few intact bodies, torn apart by the shrapnel caused by the sudden explosion.
Briefly, he wondered if the train had a malfunction but the thought quickly died as he could just faintly see the smoke trail that led back into the town rapidly dissipating with the wind. His eyes widened with rage and wirelessly he began standing back up.
It was Magath who got to him first, shouting "Did anyone see where that attack came from?!"
Osman eyed the town once more, an unholy fury burning within his dark eyes as the ringing in his ears failed to subside.
He shakily stood up and shouted "Get me a damn radio!"
"General Osman-"
"Marley's Air Force has some airships nearby, yes?! They can bomb the area, yes?!"
Magath froze at the request.
"That's why they're here, are they not?!"
"General, I-"
"Forget the Eldians! We must destroy the entire town! The ports, the buildings… we may go down, Colonel but we will go down fighting, I assure you! And get the second train ready to fire once it arrives- No, wait!"
He paused, then grabbing his side, shouted "Get the train to fire into the town as it approaches! Surely we have a range advantage from that distance!"
Magath didn't object as another soldier ran to the radio room.
"This is our duty, colonel… look to your men…" Osman said as he began limping away.
Magath said nothing.
…
The second armored train chugged along steadily over the bridges. Its officers probably already aware of the orders and its main guns already in position. That simply had to be the case as those same guns began firing almost immediately and all Sasha could do was continue focusing on escorting the civilians into the larger building as the large projectiles flew overhead.
A few people gave her angry looks but none complained as they were taken into the secure hospital.
"H-hey… you!"
She turned around once she heard the familiar voice.
Forcing a bright smile, she said "Hi, Niccolo!"
Her smile vanished the second she saw him, concern rapidly overwhelming her.
"Wah! You're hurt!?"
She rushed over, his guys carrying him as he limped on his left leg.
"You… you're one of them?"
Sasha nodded, then added "I am."
Niccolo was silent, eyes wide. The two men in now dust covered uniforms appeared awkward as other men moved past.
"Do you need more bandages? I-"
"No… no, I… I'm fine but… you're an Eldian?"
"I am."
Silence once again, though the moving civilians and soldiers rushing as the distant artillery fire from the armored train echoed inside the district more than filled their senses.
Sasha finally said "Look, go on inside. I think we destroyed the first armored train so they won't be firing gas shells anymore."
"Gas?!"
"Yes, but that's gone now so while we wait for help, we just have to deal with regular artillery." She punctuated that with a smile as a 100-millimeter round slammed into a building several blocks over. Wood and brick flew into the sky, a few smaller fragments landing nearby.
Niccolo seemed like he had a lot to say, so Sasha put a stop to it, taking a cautious step forward. When sne wasnf stopped, she took his hand and forcing a smile once more, spoke.
"We'll try to save as many as we can. Hopefully you can make me some dinner later."
"You… you want-"
"Yup! But right now… right now we have to keep you guys safe so… please go inside."
Another explosion rocked the district.
No one else spoke as they entered the hospital.
Sasha shuddered.
How much more of this?
…
He hadn't expected the order.
Not yet, at least.
But there it was, coming over the radio lines in garbled, almost completely incomprehensible words that were just audible enough to be made out.
"Bomb Liberio. Flatten it. Leave nothing alive."
No confirmation of who was ordering it, no identification numbers… not much else.
But it was on the official radiowaves, and he knew the man in charge there.
"So it begins…" the captain sighed.
The airships weren't a new invention. They had been around for quite a few decades by that point. Even now they were essentially at the end of their service lives. The invention of aircraft was likely to lead humanity in the evolution of flight, and if the reports from Paradis were anything to go by, this other world had already walked that very path long ago.
Aircraft were simply far more maneuverable, faster, and arguably easier to maintain than these old balloons that were, for all intents and purposes, flying warships.
However, for all their technological limitations, there was one thing their old airships could do that their newer, nimbler, and more agile aerial rivals couldn't.
"Ready the firebombs and keep a lookout in case we detect any enemy aircraft… we'll hit Liberio and the invaders with everything we have, then pull back." the captain ordered calmly.
"Sir, what if it's a trap?"
"It really doesn't matter all that much. Is it a trap? Then we're dead. Is it not a trap and the enemy has gotten a foothold on the mainland… I'd rather die than live under the rule of a second Eldia Empire…"
They'd all heard the stories of the empire that devoured those it conquered. The horrid images of eons past had all been deeply ingrained into their psyche.
"And if bombing the old port city will slow that down, then so be it. Man the machine guns and steele yourselves, gentlemen!"
"Yes, sir!"
The six airships slowly turned from the nearby mountains, and steadily began heading towards the coast.
…
"There's that son of a bitch…"
She couldn't help muttering aloud. The second train was too far for the 82nd and its Javelines, and as it stood, it was firing blindly into the abandoned city. High explosive rounds from the results she could see. But now the tables would turn once again.
Yelena climbed up the steps to the roof, followed by a very tired Onyakopon.
The CIA woman only asked "Civvies?"
"All in the district's central hospital. Alongside all the wounded."
She noted Yelena's emphasis on the word "all", but said nothing.
Onyakopon quickly added "The men at the entrance have pulled back and the Marleyans aren't following us in at the moment but… well, Captain Koslow wants to know your intentions with… that."
Win a glance at the Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder, the CIA woman only replied with a cold "We're going to kill that train and trap any officers the WU has on station right here."
No one spoke.
With a frown, she added "This is just to send these people a message. We can come and take your land. We can hit you where you don't expect it. We can end this war violently. It's escalation without any room for doubt. Now we're on the offensive and they're on the defensive and even with the home advantage it's going this poorly. They can either accept that and keep going before dying a horrible death, or accept it and start talking terms to end this damn scuffle."
Yelena scoffed, saying "Scuffle? You wiped out several waves of WU forces last I checked."
The CIA woman said nothing.
"Will it be enough?" Onyakopon asked.
There was no response.
The Delta operator turned to her and nodded.
"Alright… send it."
…
They hadn't necessarily been prepared, or at least as prepared as they would've liked. But no plan truly survives first contact with the enemy, so the US Navy pilots simply shrugged away the inconvenience and flew steadily ahead.
Ideally, a missile strike using Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles would have neutralized all defenses set up by the World Union.
But no, the bastards had to get paranoid and start employing a final solution on the remaining Eldian population once the civilians had been evacuated. So now they had to manage a hasty paratrooper operation while the Special Forces already there neutralized nearby air defenses, and they got ready for a surgical strike.
And then things worsened again when whoever the general in charge was decided to move things along faster, and promptly started a shootout in the Eldian district.
The good news seemed to be that the World Union troops were now very disorganized. The bad news was that now they had to move in to hit targets in the middle of an active combat zone, in a region they didn't have proper GPS established yet.
Not a huge problem as they had partly coordinated the area, but still. Less than ideal.
As her F-18 Super Hornet led the rest of her wing, the town below came into view and already at that distance her systems began to identify the marked targets.
She sighed, figuring sending an entire wing of Hornets was overkill, but at this point she also had to wonder what would make the locals realize that there just wasn't any winning in this fight. It was sad, but then who was forcing them into the war to begin with? Belief, certainly, and perhaps fear and hate, but when exactly was that an acceptable excuse?
Ultimately it didn't matter. Her mission and the mission of the rest of her wing was to deal with the threats on the ground, and that's precisely what she would do.
…
"Fire!"
They had to cover their ears as the 100-millimeter cannons fired once again into the town. The unfortunate souls holding the next rounds simply had to deal with it as they rapidly loaded them in once again.
Were they hitting anything?
They didn't have time to care as they kept lobbing shells into Liberio, which as far as they were concerned, was now enemy territory.
The Middle-East Alliance had long planned to go to war with Marley, developing weapons for precisely that. The nation that sheltered and employed the eldian devils would have paid dearly for its actions.
But ironically they now had to work to defend it.
It didn't matter to them. They would do what they could and that was that. The rounds were loaded once again and the guns shifted slightly as the armored train sped along the tracks.
"Fire!"
Again the explosion, again the rocking of the car, again they covered their ears…
But something was wrong.
The train suddenly began to stop, its wheels screaming on the tracks as the breaks forced the heavy locomotor to slow its advance rapidly, even the gunners shifting where they stood as they nearly lost their balance.
"What the hell was that?!" the officer demanded only for a second explosion to rock the ground.
They never saw the bridge ahead that would have been the entrance into Liberio explode as two laser-guided bombs slammed into its frame. The bridge was a priority, for the Americans to hold, but they could easily fix it if needed.
Right now, preventing the armored train from getting closer to the city was its goal.
Or perhaps, the proper goal was to keep the train from moving.
The AGM-65s slammed into it the armored train and it wouldn't have mattered if it had been moving or staying still. Its ammunition reserves detonated and the flames engulfed the entire train in a fireball that elevated into the sky as black smoke was carried up by the wind.
It all happened so fast that the crew aboard wouldn't have had the opportunity to realize they had been killed.
But General Osman very much did.
The older general shakily stepped back away from the tracks, wondering how so much destruction had been delivered without him being able to see from where. It couldn't be artillery as he would have seen the flashes in the town and it wasn't the strange rockets from earlier as he couldn't see any trails.
It was by pure chance that he glanced up in time to catch the glimmer of the aircraft high above.
Magath watched the old general rush to the radio once again.
He didn't bother stopping him.
"Airship squadron! You need to get here immediately! The enemy aircraft have arrived and are wreaking havoc! You have to move faster!"
"It would be better to tell them to pull back." Magath sighed.
"Shut up!"
Magath said nothing.
"Liberio Command, we understand. We are approaching-"
The radio began to crackle as the line seemed to get cut, only for something new to begin broadcasting over the waves.
"To all World Union forces in Liberio, surrender immediately. There is no escape. If you surrender you will live. If you do not surrender, you will die."
"You bastards! You can't-"
"We have taken control of your radio waves with our own. You will not be able to communicate with your forces unless we allow you to. This message will repeat until we deem it necessary. To all World Union forces…"
"Bastards!" Osman screamed now.
Magath only sighed, muttering "So that's it then…"
"It… it can't be… we have an entire town to work with, we can force them to fight for every inch of-"
"If you had to take a town that only had enemy combatants, would you bother fighting for every inch?"
Osman shakily glared at the radio, the message continuing to broadcast as said.
"Let's just agree to their terms. We've done all we can."
"Liar… you Marleyans have been dragging your feet the whole time! You are just as much to blame for this!"
Magath didn't bother replying, simply walking over to the radio, taking it in his hand and saying "This is Colonel Magath… we accept the terms of-"
"What are you doing?!"
"What do you suggest I do, general?" Magath asked calmly.
Osman seemed to want to argue, but fell silent.
Magath sighed, then said "I say again, this is Colonel Magath. We accept your terms. Please broadcast as such so we may stop the fighting in the city."
The message suddenly cut, and a calm, eerily cold voice replied "Understood, colonel. We have men nearby which will accept your surrender."
"What?" Osman managed.
Above them, the stares creaked as someone began marching down.
Several men emerged, the black rifles in hand as they spoke with what could best be described as a southern Eldian accent.
"Good day, gentlemen, you may call me Crow, I'll be accepting your surrender today." the SAS officer said politely as he extended a hand.
"Y-you bastards were up there the whole time?!"
"Correct, general. Please order your men to stand down now. It's over."
"W-we still have the airships…" Osman tried.
"Not quite."
Osman whirled around, seeing the shorter figure emerge, both his and Magath's men moved aside as the three figures with green hoods and other black rifles landed.
"They're being ordered to land as we speak. See, those planes that destroyed the second armored train? They can shoot down all six of the Marleyan airships from over a hundred kilometers away."
"A- a hundred?!"
"At the least."
"That uniform… you're from Paradis, right?" Magath asked.
"Captain Levi Ackerman… Survey Corps."
"Devils…" Osman hissed.
"To be fair, general, his people didn't try to use civilians as human shields."
Osman blanched at the statement.
"There are laws against that, sir, but we'll deal with that when we deal with it… your weapons, please."
Osman whirled around, and grabbed his revolver, but it was a useless effort.
Levi grabbed the man's arm and knocked the firearm from his hands before it could even be lifted up to hit anyone else. In an equally swift action, Levi forced the general to the floor and pinned him down.
"Y-You… damn… devil…"
"Shut up… And somebody get him cleaned up, he's all filthy." Levi sighed, glancing at his bloody hand.
Crow nodded, adding "Was that an attempt at getting killed before trial, general?"
Osman was silent.
"Trying to make yourself a martyr? Trying to die honorably?"
No reply.
"Bah, doesn't matter…we've dealt with your kind before, and I'm sure we'll deal with your kind again."
"You… you can't just simplify-"
"Shut him up, give him a sedative, and tend to his wounds. Sparrow, let's start broadcasting the all-clear… hope this gives your higher-ups the right idea."
Levi eyed the injured general as he was carried away by the SAS operators in silence, Magath turning to him and his team with a questioning glance.
"Levi Ackerman, huh? Your people served the old king directly?"
Levi only said "Not anymore. Things change."
"I see… understand that after so much history of bloodshed, even if this victory gets some kind of ceasefire or even total peace, the rest of the world will likely fear your kind even without the titans being a threat anymore."
"Not much we can do about that, now is there?"
Magath said nothing, seemingly surprised by the quiet acceptance of the Eldian.
"We can't control how the world around us works, we can only control how we react to it… the same goes for your people."
Magath pondered this as the other man in a green hood fired a green flare into the sky. The American aircraft flew back out to sea as he did so, the faint roar of their engines audible as they did.
The battle for Liberio had been won and lost in a matter of hours.
…
Mikasa stared at the heart monitor as Armin slept soundly on the nearby sofa. The night sky outside remained illuminated by stars and the lights of various vehicles continuously moving in and out of the gate. She glanced away from the heart monitor and to the sleeping figure of Eren, who was blissfully still asleep.
The knock on the door got her attention.
It had already been opened, it seemed, and the man stepped inside.
"How is he?" Zeke Yeager asked, his eyes never meeting hers.
"Still stable. Still sedated…"
"Well, at least it seems he'll live a long and happy life…" Zeke sighed resting against the wall opposite her.
Mikasa ignored the passive-aggressive tone the older man usef, instead deciding to ask something else.
"Do you really believe your plan was the only way?"
"Only? No. The best option? I would argue it was."
"I think humans would find plenty of reasons to hate each other. Eldians dying out wouldn't have changed that."
"Probably not. But it would have permanently solved some problems… you cannot deny that."
Mikasa frowned, saying "Yes, but only in the same way murdering a victim solves the problem."
Zeke shrugged, saying "No real use dwelling on it I suppose. He made his choice. Now we must live with the consequences."
Mikasa turned away from him and back to Eren.
"My grandparents seem to at least be adjusting… knowing my mother and father weren't killed that day probably lifted a weight from their shoulders… and Eren… well, I suppose we'll just have to cross that bridge when we get to it."
Mikasa shrugged.
"When He wakes up, tell him his side won." Zeke finally said.
"Huh?"
"The World Union, Marley, the Mid-East Alliance, Romanovs… it's over. They're suing for peace."
"Where did you hear that?"
Zeke said "I'm keeping an ear open to what these other-worlders are saying. I'm sure we'll hear more tomorrow."
"But… so soon?"
"Seems so..."
Mikasa frowned slightly, asking "What will happen to the warriors?"
"Reiner, Annie and Bertholdt?"
She nodded.
"Well, they were just children when they did what they did... but they were willing to help Yeager eliminate the power of the titans, as well... odds are they will be given some leniency, but I can imagine they'll have to suffer some consequences as well..."
"They killed so many people."
"Yes."
"And I assume you did the same."
Zeke sighed, saying "War is an ugly think, miss Ackerman. Injustices like these aren't uncommon... in a way I can understand why Eren in another time may have wanted to completely end it all... but in a way this ending gives us some more flexibility while allowing injustice to remain."
Mikasa turned away, anger in her eyes.
"Eren ended the war... even if justice isn't brought to everyone, I'll be happy if he's happy."
"Sounds a tad selfish of you."
"I don't care."
"Pity. But then again, I suppose I can understand why that is. He's all you have left, yes?"
Mikasa said nothing.
Zeke turned away, slowly nodding as he said "Then perhaps this was the happiest ending he could give you."
Mikasa remained silent.
"Well, I'll wish you the best… I'm going out for a while. Tell him his older brother wishes him a happy life in case we don't see each other for a while. Maybe I'll see him around once he's free to move around again but... you never know."
Mikasa didn't object as Zeke walked out silently.
She did wonder what exactly had happened that finally brought their enemies to the negotiation table after so much suffering failed to do so.
…
"Damn it, we surrender!" He screamed, waving the white flag, which was really several handkerchiefs tied together, higher and faster.
The Russian T-80 main battle tank still fired another shot, obliterating the nearby wooden fence and sending thousands of tiny splinters into the Romanov troops crouching behind it.
After that, however, the man inside the tank hopped out, waved hello, and with a Georgian accent shouted "You enemies of the people are to give up your weapons and identify yourselves!"
"We already threw our rifles away minutes ago!" The soldier with the white flag protested.
"Good man! You may inform us of your families and give us access to your radio so we may-"
"You blew up the radio tower!"
"Oh?"
He glanced at the T-80's gunner who only shrugged.
"Well that's a problem… how are we supposed go get a message out now?"
"We can ask for another R-168 from further back?"
"Ah, I suppose so… alright, Yuri, drive over and round up the prisoners and… I don't know, read them their rights or something while we get a working radio…"
"Yes, sir!"
Turning to the surrendered man, he called "Hey, you! Soldier with the white flag!"
"Huh?"
"How far are we from your capital?"
"Capital?"
"Yes."
"It's thousands of miles in the opposite direction. Didn't you know?"
There was a moment of silence. He glanced at another officer who only shrugged.
"Well, I suppose our intelligence was somewhat off…"
Perhaps not having a working radio is a blessing for today… excuses the blunders…
…
Matt White kept his glare steady as the representatives stepped onto the dock once again. He could feel the dust and dirt of the previous battle still on him. No time for baths and little time to properly care for oneself given the recent events. Even as things settled down. At least no time allocated to bathing just yet. Around him, several troops that had repelled the recent invasion attempt stood at ease by their vehicles as they overlooked the still-damaged docks.
Jake let out a tired groan, muttering "I get we want to make a point, but you'd think the giant warships looming near their tiny pre-dreadnoughts would do the trick."
Dave only said "After all those deaths? Let 'em see what they did…"
Matt glanced at the nearby troops. The few operatives of the German KSK, the French Foreign Legion troops, the Canadian artillery battery, and the Paradis forces from the Garrison to the Survey Corps… All ashen-faced, all exhausted, and all still standing.
They all watched the representatives of the World Union approach in silence.
Willy Tybur raised his hands first, presumably to greet them all, but quickly lowered them, along with his gaze.
"Look at the size of their warships…" the Germanic representative sighed.
"No wonder they overran the forces of Hizuru…" the Romanov representative sighed.
Willy took a mental note that the Azomabito woman seemed to smile at that assessment, and a part of him was now wondering exactly what this woman expected or hoped to gain given the new global reality. Hizuru had always been a nation that had been suspected of having Eldian sympathies but they'd all been so quiet it was impossible to confirm. For all he knew, the enemy spies and soldiers that had appeared in Liberio had arrived through some other methods, but a part of him had to wonder if somebody was helping them...
But it mattered not anymore.
He could see the American- no, otherworldly warships. The reality that they had declared war on another world and not just the nation helping Paradis truly dawned on him as he walked down the docks. All the warships were massive compared to the World Union navies. Even the ones that he could recognize, the pair of battleships and several destroyers, were purely alien in his mind. The battleships were massive and heavier than the biggest they could offer, the destroyers had strange devices that rolled around the tops of their deck, and he could only imagine how their roles had changed given the century-wide gap between both sides.
They'd never stood a chance.
The Paradis forces and their allies were staring at them. He presumed with disdain. Could he blame them? After so much?
He entered the building- well… what was left of it.
The shelling during the first day of battle had left nothing but part of its northern wall standing, resulting in the "building" being more of a pronounced rectangle in the ground with some debris scattered about, as though there had been a hasty attempt at cleaning before the meeting took place. Well, debris and now the several earth-side representatives, sitting silently within the destroyed hut. One exhausted-looking Historia Reiss among them.
He swallowed.
No one spoke as they each took a seat.
Daniel Caine locked eyes with them all, but didn't speak.
It was, perhaps to the shock of some, but not to him, Historia Reiss who spoke first.
"Are we finished? Can we stop this now?" she managed.
There was a mix of emotions in her voice, as though it was shifting between anger and pain.
The Germanic leader, without a hint of emotion, said "You defeated our armies… what are your intentions with the rest of our world?"
Historia Reiss appeared indignant at the question but quietly said "We have no intentions. The Eldian Empire is long dead… all we are is people trying to get by, same as anyone else."
"You devils-"
"Oh, enough with the Devil-talk garbage!" Daniel objected and all eyes turned to him.
"You lost. You couldn't destroy Paradis, and you won't be able to hold any port towns as long as we deem it necessary. You threw half a million of your men at us to no avail. If this was the Eldian Empire of old, do you think for a second we'd be sitting here talking about peace?!"
Silence.
Daniel adjusted his tie and stood up.
"Ma'am, with all due respect, if the purpose of this meeting isn't to discuss the total ceasing of hostilities between our worlds then none of us have a reason to remain here."
Historia didn't even acknowledge the words as she continued to stare at Willy Tybur for a spell, not replying, not even hinting at her unspoken query.
But he knew.
Willy stood up then and loudly said "I agree. Hostilities must cease immediately… we were rash, all aggression was on our end… I will take full responsibility."
Now the others were silent for a spell. The sound of ocean waves crashing on the rocky beaches of Paradis filling the air.
"That's not what we or any of us wants."
All eyes turned to Historia then.
"We'll treat this as any other war… those who committed crimes are to be punished by an international court. No more revenge killings. No more cycle of violence… not senseless at least."
"It was never senseless! You-"
Willy raised his hand, silencing the Romanov representative.
"So, you wish for an international military tribunal to look into atrocities?"
"Indeed. We're all certain the people of each country would want those who sent so many of their boys to their deaths without just cause to pay for these actions, no?" Caine added. "And we wouldn't want it to appear as though we're the ones forcing this on you like some new overlords, now do we?"
Tybur stood there, turning to his fellow representatives. None objected.
"Is that all?"
Historia said, "I believe so."
Caine added "Once the end to hostilities and… quite frankly the end to this war is properly over and done with, we can work towards other goals, such as adopting proper trade deals and drawing borders. We're also ready to begin repatriating prisoners of war as soon as hostilities end."
Tybur asked, "About Liberio-"
"It stays under US command and will act as the sole connection to Paradis outside its territory assuming no other nations wish to open their ports to Paradis. It'll also act as a demilitarized zone for further meetings. We can negotiate its exact status further once the war officially ends. We are not opposed to it returning to Marley."
Tybur glanced behind him.
"Sounds… reasonable." He admitted.
"There's a lot more to discuss, primarily the status of some territories as well as what to do with Eldians living in other nations, but that's the gist of it… You all leave Paradis alone and can choose whether to trade with it or not, and we'll leave you all alone."
"Hold on... what do you intend we do with Eldians still living within our borders?" the Germanic representative asked.
It was the representative of Germany that replied with a simple "We're already working on an immigration program to accept refugees if your people are truly intent on removing them even after the power of titans was eliminated."
"H-how can we know for certain?"
Historia said, "We encourage scientists visit the island to confirm that the wall titans and the power of titans has been permanently removed. We have no desire to repeat the mistakes of the ancient Eldian Empire. We also hope no one here wishes these mistakes be repeated as well."
Silence once more.
Daniel added "Any objections?"
Silence.
"Fine then. We shall reconvene aboard the USS Missouri, the big battleship over there if you couldn't tell…"
"Your nation's flagship?"
"Museum piece. We brought them in as a show of force."
"M-museum piece?!" The germanic representative balked.
"She as well as her sister are well over sixty years old… very much past her service life. Our carriers rule the sea at the moment."
They all glanced at the large, flat-topped ships with aircraft parked on its deck.
"To think we ever stood a chance…" Tybur sighed.
The Romanov representative, a touch sheepishly raised his hand.
"Sir?"
"About the invasion of our land…"
"You'll have to take it up with Russia's representative… Mister Alekseyavich should be available for more direct talks regarding that matter."
"Are… are your people not involved with that?"
"Unfortunately, no." Caine sighed as the Russian man stood up with an eerie smile.
"Good friend, we have much to discuss regarding the Romanov Empire! Please, come this way."
They watched the two men walk on, the other representatives standing up awkwardly, as if unsure where to go next.
Tybur glanced at Historia, saying "Those are the soldiers that defended the island?"
She nodded.
Tybur said nothing, watching their tired and perhaps angry expressions. It had all been a horrible mistake, he'd known it, everyone had known it… yet they'd gone ahead anyway with the war effort. His hands balled into fists. The desire for peace was now minuscule compared to his shame.
"I hope we avoid conflicts like this going forward, sir… much has been sacrificed, so… let's not let those sacrifices go in vain." Historia sighed.
Tybur could only nod.
…
Lara Tybur watched solemnly alongside her grandfather as the old man was dragged away by his own soldiers.
"Unhand me, damn it! I'm a general of-"
The young private only barked back "Hepsi senin hatan. Sessiz ol!"
Lara watched the Mid-East alliance troops place the still-wounded general inside a car, with several men observing in silence as it sped away.
General Calvi sighed, saying "He's the one wanted by seemingly everyone… a decent scapegoat, no?"
The elder Tybur only said "I intend to pay my fair share as well… this loss weighs heavily on us all."
"Grandfather…"
"Lara… though the power of the titans is gone, you must still protect our family. We've done our best to ensure peace and… well… failed. I'll take the fall. Let Willy continue to be the beloved diplomat and you his silent assistant… we must make it up to those who've perished, after all…"
He glanced over the old port city. The sun now beginning to set and casting everything in an orange glow. It sillhouted the warships our at sea and the machines coming and going from the now very much occupied port town. American helicopters and smaller crafts went to and from the town now, though exactly what they were doing was still up in the air to him.
"I still fear this will only make things worse, general Calvi…"
Calvi shrugged, saying "We feared completely slaughtering the Eldians would make things worse, and then we feared the opposite… perhaps we should have been more rational in our decision making, but… no changing that now. Simply learning from it is all we can do right now."
Lara nodded slowly, but then, perhaps with some melancholy, said "I don't believe everyone will agree…"
The older man sighed, nodded, and walked on.
But perhaps it's not about agreeing…
Lara eyed the warships in the distance. Their capabilities to simply deny them of their best weapons so easily, the fact this was only a portion of the capabilities of those they were fighting against, the fact even she and her Warhammer titan could have been simply knocked aside from miles away… No, it wasn't about agreements, but about ensuring those that disagreed did not, in fact, try to violate the agreements come upon by both sides.
A new age was beginning, but whether it would bring peace or not wasn't something she could decide.
"Lara?"
"Apologies, grandfather, but I would like to go for a walk if that is alright."
The elder Tybur did not object and she wondered if he ever would. His position, respected as it may have been, was likely meaningless now. No need for the Tyburs to try and force a kind of global peace when there was no way they could do such a thing. Now humanity would have to walk down unexplored paths without any guidance from the titan paths or the Eldian empire. As she pondered this, her legs began to almost move automatically, taking her around the port city.
It had been left in a hurry by the Marleyan civilians now expecting an invasion, then purposefully evacuated by the World Union... except for the Eldians of course.
She stopped at the smoldering entrance to the Ghetto.
A few people were still up and about. Milling around and chatting now. Their armbands were gone but she could tell all too well who they were.
"Miss?"
She glanced down, seeing a young child tugging at her skirt.
Lara only raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the child. His complexion wasn't local, so...
"Were you with the diplomats? The ones that went to Paradis?"
She shook her head.
"Oh..."
"My brother is, however. We're also helping them organize things now."
"Oh... good... um... miss?"
"Yes?"
"The war is over, right?"
"Yes."
"And the people of Paradis won, yes?"
"Yes."
"Will... will people like my mother and I... will we ever be welcomed back home?"
"Home?"
"My mother and I... we're Eldians from the Mid-East Alliance... secretly I think she hoped that... that if Paradis won Eldians wouldn't be hated anymore... do you know anything?"
Lara forced a smile.
"What's your name?"
"Ibrahim..."
"Well, Ibrahim... with the future as uncertain as it is, I see no reason not to see why such a miracle couldn't happen."
"Miss, that sounded rather pessimistic."
"It was meant to sound encouraging."
"It... really didn't."
"Well... then I shall work on that as I work with others... I do hope your mother's wish come true."
Yes... perhaps a little optimism after all this suffering isn't unwarranted...
…
Captain Levi Ackerman hopped off the boat and back onto the docks. He eyed the fixed docks, the new infrastructure in place to allow for larger ships to moor there. Still, he walked on without a word, his team following behind him as they did the same.
Opposite them on the dock was a single-file line of men from various nations. Some coldly looking onward, some averting their gaze entirely, some covering their faces, some with bandages, some with clean uniforms, some with long distant stares… all appeared ashamed.
Eld quietly asked "Prisoners of War, huh? Think they'll be welcomed back as heroes in their countries?"
Levi didn't reply.
Petra filled the silence, saying "Honestly, that thought scares me more… the idea they won't take all this as a sign they're wrong and try doubling down…"
"That won't happen." Levi finally said.
"Captain?"
"Not after the blow we gave them. People adapt whether we like it or not. Maybe they won't care for us at all, but they'll know better than to start another war like this."
"Captain, are you trying to encourage us?"
"I'm saying you should expect less direct opposition from the outside. Maybe they'll deny trade or try to guilt trip us somehow…" then, quieter, "But Erwin seemed to always have a more positive outlook of things, so… yes, maybe you should try to be a little optimistic now."
"Captain…"
"Captain Levi!"
Petra froze and Eld sighed.
"Captain, if I may…" a man called as he approached them from outside the dock.
Eld said "I'll take my leave, sir. Family's waiting for me as well."
Levi didn't reply, nor did he acknowledge Eld giving Petra a light tap on the shoulder, the girl cringing away and appearing as though she wished the earth would just swallow her up.
The man walked over, an ever-present smile on his face as he said "Captain, I'd hoped to meet you sooner, but… well, the wife and all… ha-ha… ah, Petra!"
Levi didn't comment as the girl's father pulled her into a tight embrace.
"I got all your letters! In fact, I wanted to bring them to the captain since… well, given recent events."
Levi eyed his subordinate, the girl's expression only reddening.
"Now, captain, maybe you can opine a bit on this, but… See, I believe my daughter's still a bit young for marriage…"
"Marriage?"
"P-p-p-papa!"
"Now, now… I know she's skilled and she's my daughter so I know she must be good at whatever she puts her mind to, but… as I said, given recent events and changes, well… what would you think, captain?"
Levi was silent for a moment. His mind briefly went to the thoughts of comrades lost, worrying about who'd be left at the end of whatever journey he and so many others had chosen to embark on when they signed up for the Survey Corps. Those he'd cared most for sometimes were the ones lost faster, and those he expected to lose often became indispensable. The letters to families who'd lost someone, the fact he'd lost his own so many times. On and on until now, it seemed.
To suddenly have to be concerned over such silly things like a father's concern over his daughter's taste in men…
For the first time in a long, long time, Levi Ackerman smiled.
…
Eren Yeager's eyes slowly popped open.
No, this wasn't a hospital bed, but it wasn't the Path's realm either. Everything around him was a brightly colored ray of what he assumed was light of some kind. He felt around, realizing he was sitting at a table with something in his hands.
He winced, realizing he remembered all too well where this was.
There was a quiet clapping that got his attention then.
"Well, I'll admit it. I didn't think you'd survive to the end of this story."
"Ugh… Rory Mercury, right?"
Rory rested her chin on her palm, smiling warmly as she said "Truly, the fact you're alive after all that… I mean, you destroyed your spine, you know?"
Eren faced away from the black-haired girl.
"Other versions of you wouldn't have done that… at least not the ones I'd met. But they were older. Jaded…"
Eren was silent.
Rory sighed, adding "I suppose that naivety we lose as we grow is something valuable after all…"
"Huh?"
"Oh, just the ramblings of an old woman… pay me no mind and enjoy the tea."
"I'd rather not…"
"Suit yourself."
Rory began sipping from her own cup then. Eren glanced at the nearby bird cage, seeing the imp-like Hardy sitting down quietly, glaring at a wall as though disappointed.
"What's her problem?"
"Hm? Oh, Hardy?"
"Should have used the Rumbling. Should have done a lot of things differently. Would have been much more entertaining that way, but nope!"
Rory sighed.
Eren said, "Was entertainment really all she was ever after?"
"Why do you think I usurped her?" Rory replied with an indignant huff.
Eren smiled slightly, but then, his expression saddening, asked "Was this the right choice?"
"Huh? Didn't Levi teach… oh, right… a lot didn't happen with you this time around… I'm sorry."
"What?"
"Eren, ask yourself… why did you ultimately do what you did? You could have activated the Rumbling, you know… sure, that Arrowhead fleet might've stopped it. I have a sneaking suspicion they brought in some nuclear submarines that would have indeed ended the Rumbling before it got too far, but it would have brought the same message across, no? Those that lived beyond the walls caused all this suffering, after all. Why not punish them a bit more directly?"
Eren frowned, looking away.
"You did as much with those thieves that tried to hurt Mikasa, didn't you?"
Eren nodded slowly.
"But this time it was different."
"I guess it's not right to steal the freedom of other people… if I condoned that then… well, them stealing my freedom to save theirs would have been justified."
"And I'm sure other versions of you came to the same conclusion… a situation where you can either kill or be killed… no third option… so you go with the one that ensured you and your friends were safe."
Rory shook her head.
"It's tragic…"
Eren said "But did I make the right choice? What if this only leads to more suffering? What if-"
"A choice with no regrets…"
"Huh?"
"Erwin said that to Captain Levi once… you can't go around torturing yourself by asking what you could have done differently. It's done. It's over. I can't just drop you off in some other world where the decision wasn't made, either. So don't focus on regretting what you did. Learn from it."
"But…" Eren frowned, adding "But if Mikasa and Armin and… and everyone…"
He jumped as the girl placed a hand on his.
"You know, Eren Yeager… you have the freedom to keep fighting for theirs. You have to tools to do so and the connections… you may be limited but… just because you're uncertain of tomorrow doesn't mean you're helpless now."
Eren winced.
He recalled Hannes carrying him away as his mother was devoured by Dina Reiss. How he'd been unable to do anything about it. How he couldn't do anything to help his friends during the years after Wall Maria fell. His uselessness… all of it.
Hardy interrupted his train of thought, saying "Come on, Rory, can't you bring that short guy in? At least he's eye candy… or why not bring in one of the girls?"
Rory hit the cage once, causing Hardy to bounce onto its side once, then back onto its surface in pain.
"Damned… usurper…" the imp groaned.
Rory sighed, saying "I just wanted to congratulate you, Eren Yeager… thanks to you, all the pieces fell where they should."
Eren said nothing.
Rory laid back slightly, saying "To think, all this started because I felt bad for a frightened girl who lived in a doomed world… all the bloodshed, all the horrible things, all the changes…"
She sighed.
Eren asked "Then what next? What happens next?"
"Well, cultural clashes, technological advancements, trade agreements… healing. At least ideally, you humans are always such finicky creatures when it comes to such topics, but… I'm an optimist."
"I'm optimistic they'll nuke you the second they get their hands on one… wake me if it happens cause I haven't seen a good old nuclear since the war." Hardy groaned before being silenced again by Rory slapping her cage.
Eren eyed the cage, then asked "Is she… is she right?"
Hardy said, "The future is not written, Eren Yeager."
"Not what I asked."
"Oh, Eren, can't you just let this be a nice moment? Think about it! The threat of titans is no more! You and your family can live freely now!"
Eren stared at her.
Rory sighed once again, then said "I'd be lying if I said there were no uncertainties, but those will be ever-present."
Eren sunk into his seat slightly, saying "Maybe… but not if I can help it… I promise I'll protect Armin and Mikasa and everyone through it all… I owe them all that much… I owe my mom and dad that much."
Rory's smile widened and with a clasping of her hands, she said "Keep moving forward, Eren Yeager… goodbye."
And with that, Eren woke up.
"Ah, Eren, you're awake!" Armin said excitedly, dropping the book he was reading.
"Huh? Armin?"
"Yeah! Yeah, you can see me alright?"
"Y-yeah, how… how long was I out?"
"Three weeks… There's been a lot of cleaning up and-"
"Mikasa? Everyone?"
"They're alive. Uh, the war... the war is over."
"Good… That's good."
Eren took a breath, then sighed in relief.
"Armin…"
"Hm?"
"Thank you, too. Thanks for telling me about the world outside…"
"Hey, that's nothing to get worked up about… ah! I should tell the doctor you're awake! No, I should probably tell Mikasa first… I'll be back!"
"Y-yeah, okay…" Eren sighed.
As Armin ran outside, he glanced at his legs.
He couldn't move them. No matter how hard he tried, they simply sat there. Useless. He wasn't surprised after remembering what he did. The feeling of his skin ripping apart like cloth as the strange creature was forced out of his body was fresh in his mind. The fact he'd managed to somehow survive the ordeal on his own shocked him. Such an action was and should have been more than enough to kill him, and yet…
He glanced at his hands which he could still move just fine.
Keep moving forward, Eren Yeager…
As Mikasa and Armin ran inside, chased by an exasperated Nurse Joy, Eren nodded to himself. As Mikasa pulled him into a tight embrace, his mind was once again made up.
Yeah… I will… I promise.
…
Jake stopped the Humvee and Ilse hopped off, grabbing her bags absentmindedly as she eyed the scratches and yet-to-be-fixed dents caused by the recent battle. She wasn't entirely sure how many rounds had been lobbed their way or how many they caught before the F-35s simply burned away all the attackers, but given the scratched-up Humvee had once been a nice green, the various spots of exposed steel and torn-off paint were more than noticeable. As though a kid had taken a razor to a car's new paint job.
Jake said, "We'll get her fixed up eventually… held up pretty well."
Dave nodded.
Matt peered out from inside and asked, "You sure you're good?"
"Yeah, I'm… I'm good. I need the break, same as you guys."
"Yeah… God, I can't believe it's been half a year."
Ilse nodded, adjusting her bag over her shoulder and saying "What'll take a lot longer to get used to is that."
The men glanced over the homes and at the now orange sky above. There were no walls obstructing the view of the horizon anymore. The structures had simply withered away on their own little by little before falling harmlessly to the ground until only the bare base of the century-old structures remained.
Birds no longer had to climb higher up get free, nor did the people. Even from a relatively low elevation, the mountain ranges were visible, as were some of the fields and forests.
Jake said "It's nice."
Ilse nodded silently.
"Got any plans?" Matt asked.
Ilse nodded, saying "I always intended to stay with the corps. Maybe one of these days we'll get to go explore some uncharted parts of the world or something. Probably not, but even then, I always wanted to write a book."
Matt huffed, muttering "Don't use my real name. A reporter snapped a picture of me way back when this all started and I have my lawyer on stand-by if she ever publishes it…"
"You never really changed, huh?"
"Change? Please, after all the recent changes? I'll take some stability in sameness any day…"
"Sounds boring. Jackson, Emin, back me up!"
Jake and Dave both shrank away slightly.
"Oh come on! All that time we spent together, didn't the spirit of the Survey Corps rub off on any of you?"
"Ilse, we're Army… we go where they send us and… honestly, I think we prefer the stability of a lack of change than the chaos of some change… or maybe that's just us." Jake sighed.
Ilse took note of the tiredness behind the voice. Her mind slowly went back to her actions during the battle, going from post to post, giving ammunition to those that needed it, praying to whatever god would listen that she didn't get hit by a stray round all while the enemy, other people- humans, were being slaughtered mere meters away…
She groaned, muttering "Oh, whatever… I'll see you guys later. Keep in touch, alright?"
Jake waved, Dave nodded, and Matt shrugged.
"See you around, Ilse."
"Say hi to your mom for me!" Dave called.
She waved as they drove off, smiling at the shove Matt managed to give Dave from behind his seat in the Humvee. She watched it turn a corner and disappear, leaving her in an empty street.
She glanced around once more, then smiled as she turned to her home, knocking on the door once. It was thrown open and her parents pulled her into a tight hug.
"Welcome home!"
Ilse smiled.
Well… maybe a little bit of boring stuff isn't so bad…
To be concluded...
