They settled into a routine remarkably quickly. During the first few passes through the trees Eren had felt surges of fear—flying towards the unknown, immersed in darkness, surrounded by friends but friends who couldn't speak—and then Eren felt a sharp nip on his right ear.

It was Petra. At first Eren thought she was just trying to get his attention but she continued tugging at the same lobe, her mouth too full to even chirp at him. After an uncomfortable few yards Eren started targeting trees to the right of him and he smiled when Petra pulled back.

That's how she lead them: more right, more left, still left, straight as you're able, Eren—no easy task given the layout of the forest. They never encountered anything that could be termed a clearing, just trunks and shadows that grew thicker the farther they traveled. By the time Eren was flying only a few feet between each tree Petra had begun scratching at the back of his neck… they were almost there; a good thing too because both canisters of gas had begun to sputter.

Navigating with his right hand Eren wrapped his left arm tight across Armin and cupped his smallest passengers within the hollow of his neck. They dropped, hitting thinner branches on the way down, but for all the scratches and scrapes they received Eren still managed to keep his feet upon landing. Although… two toes did bend backwards as he stumbled and Eren yelped like a kicked dog. Armin slapped a cool hand over his mouth.

It was more than a little silly. If Irwin had indeed sent someone they could have followed the sound of releasing gas or even the dull thunk every time Eren connected to a tree. His muffled whines as he hopped about wouldn't make much of a difference. Still, Eren understood that desire for caution. So when he'd hopped his fill he let Annie and Petra creep quietly down from his shoulder. Armin stepped soundlessly onto the ground. Quietly Eren disengaged the canisters (they were useless now anyway) and quietly they moved towards the path they could just barely see ahead of them.

They were so quiet that when the squeaking started Eren jumped liked he'd heard a gunshot.

Squeaksqueaksqueak—the fur along Annie's back began to rise.

Squeaksqueaksqueak—Petra took up position on top of her.

Squeaksqueaksqueak—Eren formed two fists and was shocked to see Armin pull a ragged dagger out of a book. He shouldn't have been though. The markings under his eyes looked like war paint.

Just as there was a collective decision made to charge… a light appeared, halting them in their tracks. Slowly the darkness receded and was replaced by a yellow crescent moon. That moon then became a full circle as something rounded the path's corner.

Eren squinted as Armin took his hand.

"Is… is that a lamp?" he asked. Then Eren groaned. "Oh, c'mon. That's actually a lamp, what the hell."

He'd seen a lot of strange things since landing at the bathhouse and Eren fully expected to see more before he left (and he would leave—he would he would). The thing was, 'strange' had a tendency to equal 'fucking awful' around here. So when Eren was trapped in a dark, hostile forest and heard an ominous squeaking edging closer from around the bend… Well. He imagined an evil, deranged android of course, or a demon baby in its black carriage, sneaking up on squeaking wheels. Something worthy of Armin's knife. Not a fucking lamp.

A ridiculously cute lamp at that.

It hopped closer (squeaksqueaksqueak) in a welcome halo of light and despite the lack of features it nevertheless expressed a tangible cheer at seeing them. When it came to a stop, bathing them in yellow, Eren saw two stick-thin arms attached that ended in white gloves. The lamp suddenly bent towards him and those arms shot up to fold into what could only be a salute. Fists formed (mirroring Eren's own), one arm slapped diagonally across its front (chest), while the other went parallel behind its back. The lamp then straightened with respect, seemingly waiting. Eren blinked at it.

Then he felt a cool tap on his shoulder. Armin's dagger melted back into the paper and his book now read, "Erwin." When Eren continued to stare the word reshaped itself to say, "soldier."

"Right." Eren said. "Right."

He'd explained his encounter with Erwin during the boat ride, including the sorcerer's insistence that Eren was a soldier, someone who fought… and someone who won. It sorta made sense that a salute—even a weird one—would be a hint at the lamp's sender. Not that Eren expected something so cute and cheery to come from Irwin. The bastard was devious but sending this little guy would have just been unnatural on his part.

Unbidden Eren's head tipped to scan the skin, searching. There were no birds of prey circling… at least none that he could see. Eren kept breathing.

"Okay," he finally said. The lamp wasn't actually hopping anymore but it was bouncing, bending and popping back up in an exuberant show of impatience.

"Erwin?" Eren questioned just to be sure and the lamp tilted on the edge of its base so it could do a happy twirl. "Great."

Beckoning to them Eren watched as a heaving Petra flew a tired looking Annie back to his shoulder. He offered a hand but Petra just sort of sniffed at him. Independence, then. With what might have been a chuckle Armin pocketed his book.

Eren eyed the lamp. "Well, let's go then…"

They started off, the four of them deliberately huddled together under the light. The lamp periodically glanced back to check on them and in doing so shown the light directly against Eren's eyes. He blinked, tears catching on his lashes before they tumbled down his cheeks. Whatever. Except they didn't stop once the lamp turned away. If anything they poured faster, silent.

Walking through the circle of light, a part of Eren began to miss the darkness.

He was very much afraid of the dawn.

There was no time for that though. Really. So often before Eren had felt the need to stop crying, just because. For stupid reasons probably but now it was actually important that he stop because he could just make out a house up ahead. They were here.

As Eren brushed tears away the lamp began to hop faster, clearly eager to reach its home. As its light bobbed erratically Eren caught glimpses of what was ahead: two stories, shutters, planes of wood standing straight as a brigade, distorted reflections against glass, a high-placed doorknob, the edge of an outdoor flowerpot… with every detail Eren learned more and he might have concluded that he was approaching the cabin of an average woodsman, if he hadn't known better. Maybe that was the point.

They were nearly at the doorstep when Eren acknowledged something else about the house—its light. Though the upstairs was dark the right-hand window was aglow and then, just when they were a few steps away, a shadow inside passed them by. Eren felt a potent mix of trepidation and relief.

"Well," he said. "He's here."

The lamp turned to nod at him a little crazily. It then pulled ahead in a whirl of pumping arms until its light touched the other light emanating from the window. That calmed it and the lamp settled back into immobility. It should have looked ridiculous there, a seemingly electric tool with two arms and gloved hands, standing guard outside a deceptively rustic cabin. But it didn't. Eren thought it looked right at home.

Armin patted the lamp on its shade as they passed. Eren raised his hand to knock.

The door swung inward before his knuckled had even touched the wood though. There was Erwin. He stood smiling, dressed in brown pants, a white collared shirt, and an apron that read, "YOU'RE MAGICAL, DARLING."

Eren said, "What" at the same time Erwin exclaimed, "Excellent! You made it."

They stood in shocked silence a moment—Eren looking at that apron, Erwin staring at the remaining tear tracks—and it was exactly what Eren needed, that single pause, because he'd been so afraid of seeing Irwin… and this was so very, very Erwin. He didn't need to know the man to understand that. The evidence was literally right in front of him.

Eren coughed. "Uh… so am I the 'darling'?"

"Absolutely," Erwin smirked and ushered them inside.

Eren took a tip-toe, then a larger step that brought him over the threshold. He entered with only the tinniest bit of hesitation and was bolstered when Armin swept past, making a beeline for the roaring fire. Petra and Annie followed suit, with Petra once again flying her heavier friend over to a nearby table. Annie slumped against a bowl upon landing, gave a mighty yawn, and curled up with a very impressive snore.

"She's been pushing herself too hard," Erwin said and Eren jumped. He hadn't heard him coming up from behind.

Stepping back Erwin held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. On it's surface it appeared natural enough but Eren could see the muscles in his arms, the wide stance of his legs. This wasn't a man who surrendered easily… if at all.

"Sorry," Eren shrugged.

"No need to apologize. You're welcome here, Eren."

"I am?" Hearing his name caused that flutter again, right around his heart. Eren swallowed around it.

"Absolutely. I thought I'd made my allegiances clear back in my dear brother's office but if you need further encouragement I suggest you rethink your reasons for coming here." Erwin tiled his head. "You certainly didn't have to."

Eren scuffed his bare toes against the rug. "No," he admitted.

"But you did."

"…Yeah."

"Why?" Erwin held up a hand. "I don't actually need you to answer that, Eren. Just think on it. Regardless, you're here now and we may as well make the most of it. So… pleasantries first, business after, agreed?"

Erwin guided him towards the table and Eren saw that the bowl Annie had appropriated was full of steaming soup. Stepping closer the aroma of tomatoes wafted up and Eren's stomach gave a tremendous rumble. He hadn't eaten since… since last night and that didn't exactly mean twelve hours around here. Shit.

Erwin caught on quick because he swept to the other side. Numerous other bowls were waiting, equally hot. "Eat," he commanded and Eren really didn't need to be told twice. He paused only long enough to urge Armin to join them and then he dug straight into the meal.

It was surreal.

Not just in the eating-with-a-sorcerer-in-a-frilly-apron-and-his-spirit-friends sort of way. The bowl Eren sat before was small, the level of the soup was low, and the spoon he picked up was sort of monstrously large. He expected to finish the meal in just a few bites but when he dipped in the level hardly changed—nor did it change nearly ten minutes later when Eren was still stuffing his face. He hardly noticed that though because the taste… the taste was phenomenal. There were tomatoes yes, but also rice and spices he couldn't name and what might have been sherry because it tingled along the back of his throat, like a pleasant echo of what Dot had given him. The soup was as rich as butter and it settled in Eren's stomach with an exquisite weight, filling a hole he'd been ignoring, encouraging him to make super embarrassing noises.

Eren only caught on when he heard Erwin chuckling at him.

"It's quite alright," Erwin said. He lifted the bottom of his apron to wipe his mouth. "I can't imagine you've had time to indulge in meals the last few days and my brother isn't known for charming his food. Too much wasted magic, wouldn't you agree?" With a sarcastic twirl of his wrist Erwin summoned a steaming loaf of bread. "I personally think it's worth the effort though," and he started breaking off pieces, two gluttonous portions for Eren and Armin, and a fluffy bit from the middle for Petra. Leaning against Annie she chirped her thanks. Eren paused only long enough to confirm that, yeah, the bread was amazing before swallowing it down just as quick.

"Can't you change them back?" he mumbled behind a mouthful. Eren gestured towards Petra.

"Certainly, though they seem quite content as they are, at least for now. Besides, breaking the spell would wake Annie."

Eren nodded and gave Armin the rest of his bread when he made grabby hands for more. Erwin had long since finished his own meal but he sat patiently as they continued to eat. Eren only stopped when he was able to admit that he was stalling more than enjoying the taste, his stomach long since full to bursting. Armin put down his spoon as soon as he did.

"Done?" Erwin asked.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"You're very welcome but you're not done yet I'm afraid." Erwin stood and moved towards an overhead cabinet. At first Eren thought he was getting dessert—which frankly, full or not, he wouldn't have refused—but instead he pulled down a small collection of scrolls. Taking the one on top he spread it carefully out over the table. Eren saw a whole lot of writing with his own scrawl marring the bottom.

"That's… mine," he said. Then in an explosion of movement Eren lunged forward to snatch the paper. "This is mine!"

The scroll felt as thin as air between his hands but the name at the bottom was a solid, unmistakable thing. Eren's eyes knew it well, the fingers that traced the letters recognized its curves and dips, the only part of him not keeping up was his mouth. Eren tried forming the syllabus and could only emit a growl of frustration when they wouldn't come. Desperately he looked up at Erwin.

"'Eren,'" he spoke and Eren relaxed a little at hearing his name. Petra and Armin drew closer.

"I'm afraid the contract isn't yours though."

Eren's eyes snapped back up. The food in his stomach dropped. "What?"

"Not officially. Not in any way that matters." Erwin sighed, reseating himself across from them. "It's a copy, Eren. I receive one every time my brother makes a new higher. Not for everyone in the bathhouse of course," he waved his hand at the open cupboard. The pile of scrolls couldn't have been more than ten. "Just the ones he draws up contracts for, the ones he's worried about. It's how I know your names if he takes them, even when you don't know them yourself."

Eren absorbed that, still tracing the letters of his name with a slightly shaking finger. On his left he saw that Armin had summoned another book. He was diligently copying "Eren" over the pages again and again. Each word sank away as soon as he lifted pen from paper.

Erwin smiled sadly. "It won't stick, friend. So long as my brother holds the contract I'm the only other person capable of retaining these names."

"Why?" Eren grit out. "Why you?"

"It's part of our agreement, our own contract, if you will." Erwin stood, retrieving another scroll from the very bottom of the pile. It was larger than the others and when he unscrolled it Eren could hardly recognize what he was seeing as text, the words were so ornate and they pressed so close together. At the bottom, just like his, were two names. One might have started with an "E" and the other an "I."

"My brother…" Erwin stopped. His fingers crinkled the edges of the paper. "My brother has always coveted power. Even when we were children, long before we ever died and had the means of obtaining it…."

Smiling at the wide-eyed stares Erwin seated himself once more. His own contract was placed reverently between them. "Yes, Eren. We were human once too. That was a long time ago though, so long that it's hardly worth mentioning. You think moving to a new town is scary? Try watching the world itself change, over hundreds of generations, the spirit world changing with it. Watch cities crumble and magnificent creatures who once ruled disappear. Moving? Yes, Eren, that's terrifying. Times that feeling by a thousand and you have a sense of the sort of fear that drives my brother."

"Fear?" Eren said. He scoffed… but he did know the feeling and now something like it was rolling around in his chest. "Irwin isn't afraid of anything. And how the hell did you know I was moving?"

"Thresholds, travel," Erwin gestured to his own front door. "It's a specialty of mine. When we first began to discover our gift for magic I sought mine through others. What friendships could I make simply by inviting someone inside or through offering them a bit of food?" He pointed now to Eren's still full bowl, the bread crumbs that dotted his shirt. "I keep watch. Yes, I heard you on the road long before you reached us, Eren. You're one of the many who've come through these parts and to my chagrin I ignored you in favor of the others I heard. A child upset about change… what's unique in that? In my defense though, had I noticed and had your father continued down the wrong path, I would have steered him right—a suggestion to turn around or even a shortcut you'll only ever find once—but by the time I looked again…" Erwin swallowed. "It never occurred to me that he might drive straight to the boarder between our worlds. So few humans do. Most… feel… they feel, Eren, that this isn't a place to approach. But by then your family had already eaten Irwin's food. Night had fallen and I fear that, for the moment, you were well beyond my reach. Though it did set into motion another friendship that I cannot regret, no matter how terribly it may have come about." Reaching forward Erwin took his hand, just giving it a quick squeeze. "More than a friendship, I'd say. This is what I do, Eren. I meet others through travel, I listen to them, I help, forge bonds, give freely… and in return I receive magic. There's great power to be found in alliances, Eren. I personally believe that it's the greatest power there is. Irwin disagrees."

Sagging suddenly Erwin ran a hand down his face. It quivered slightly. "There's not much else to the story, Eren, though I fear it's one you've no doubt heard many a time before. In books, in films…" Blue eyes peeked out from behind his fingers. "Irwin always believed that true power came from controlling others. What better way to command the majority of spirits than through the one place they all eventually came to? The bathhouse. All he had to do was take it from the Reiss family, an easy enough task given that none of them have ever possessed magic."

"Reiss?" Eren asked.

"Krista Reiss, or Historia as she prefers to be called, when it's safe of course. She's the closest thing we have to royalty around here. Her family has owned the bathhouse far longer than I've been dead."

"Oh."

"Indeed."

Turning mechanically Eren was glad to see that Armin looked about as shocked as he felt. Well shit. Tiny Historia ruled that massive place, she was supposed to be governing all the spirits there… tiny Historia who swept around the bathhouse like… well, like she owned the place. It actually explained a lot.

"She forgot to mention that."

Erwin barked out a surprised laugh. "No doubt." Then he sobered. "Irwin grew worse over the years. Slowly, he had the time to, and he knew he needed it because even without magic, taking a fixture such as the bathhouse is no easy task. The power lies there in its structure and the ties the Reiss family claims; those are difficult to break. I never thought my brother would have the chance, except…" Erwin grew quite. Gently, he extended a hand to stroke along Annie's back as she twitched in a dream. "There are many more powerful than us… older too. Annie is one such sorceress. All it took was a moment of vulnerability on her part and my brother was able to trap her inside that crystal. I didn't even know he could draw out magic from another being until I saw him violating her for the first time. No doubt he stole from others in order to capture her in the first place."

Erwin drew back his hand before he could hurt her. He made two fists and Eren copied them, shaking.

"Then what?" he grit out.

"Then I did what I could… which wasn't much at all. I played on my brother's vanity and convinced him that one small handicap couldn't truly harm him. We struck a deal. I would cease my 'awful meddling' if he agreed to a simple request: let anyone who asked for a job at the bathhouse receive one. I was to be given copies of any contracts he drew up." Erwin looked to the two scrolls before them. "Irwin took the bathhouse and the first contract to appear on the table was Historia's. Few came after that. Irwin quickly decided that he only needed complete control over those he feared and who among those workers could truly threaten him? Workers came and went, many of whom were friends of my own. I sent them in for information and they all came back with the same story—Irwin ruled with an iron fist and he was getting worse still. I raged the day I learned he was turning problematic spirits into those titan beasts. I wept the first time I heard that he'd fed them a wandering human." Erwin looked up with wet eyes. "You are far from the first human to be lost, Eren.

"Nevertheless… I did not truly regain hope until Historia visited me one day, years ago. She said she'd remembered her name a few days past, that she'd confronted Irwin about it… which of course came to naught. He only tightened his magical bonds… but she had remembered her name and that was certainly something. The bathhouse is hers after all, my brother is a fool if he thinks he can control her completely within its walls. Luckily this time she came straight to me—brave of her, really—and we decided this time something had to be done. Something new."

The silence stretched too long for Eren's liking.

"Something like what?" he finally snapped.

"Corporal," Erwin said and Eren sucked in a breath. Beside him Petra chirped. "Yes, my dear. You too. And Gunther, Erd, Oluo, Mike… you met Dot didn't you? I spoke to him and he said that if any group of spirits could take my brother down, it was them. Instead I received six new contracts and Irwin gained six new slaves."

Petra gave a dejected peep, to which Erwin tried to muster up a smile.

"Now, now," he said. "If anything the failure is mine. I saw what my brother was becoming long before this occurred and I did nothing to stop it because… well, because he's my brother."

Erwin looked to Eren. A single tear swept down his cheek. "Can you understand that?" he asked.

Reaching across Eren took Erwin's hand and though it was warm, all he could think was that is wasn't Mikasa's.

"Yeah," he said.

That sat in silence a long time.

"Thank you," Erwin eventually said and he smiled at the three of them in turn. Leaning back he delicately wiped at the tear-track.

"I believe you're familiar with the rest of the story," he said. "As I said, I'd lost track of you and your family and by then it was too late. Imagine my surprise though when you not only resisted my brother's feast but also wheedled him into giving you a job. This," Erwin tapped Eren's scroll. "This is by far the last thing I expected to see appearing in my kitchen. And yet…"

"Yet." Eren agreed. He clacked his spoon rhythmically against the side of the bowl. "You were watching us this whole time?"

"Yes."

"You sent that dream?"

"I did and I must apologize for it too. I wasn't expecting my magic to cause any physical harm." Erwin's eyes strayed to Eren's cheek. Only a faint line remained now. "We had yet to meet so I thought a familiar face—Historia's—would be best to spur you along. Particularly in keeping you close to Corporal." Erwin shook his head, fondly though. "He's a foolish boy, I'll admit that freely. He's dear to me but that doesn't lesson the idiocy of his actions. Stealing from Irwin, getting himself cursed…he's lucky you were around to break it."

Eren swallowed around the lump developing in his throat. He gripped the spoon harder. "I've, uh, been lucky too I guess. I mean, with Corporal and everyone and… stuff."

"You have." Erwin gently took the spoon and bowl away. "I'm not so blind as to believe that you haven't had help, Eren, but you are also to be commended. You've brought back something we haven't had in a very long time: hope. Your friends… your family. All of them would be proud."

Nodding frantically Eren plunged his face between his arms before the tears started up again. It really was ridiculous but that didn't mean it was any easier to control. He tried holding his breath and stifling the hiccups but when he felt Armin's hand along his back Eren let go completely. He didn't even know what he was crying about anymore—losing his family, maybe not getting them back, everything that Irwin had done to his friends, what he might still be able to do, exhaustion, fear… all of it. Eren just knew that it felt good to take a moment and keep breathing. Beside him the fire was warm and Armin's fingers were soothingly cool. Eren rested between them even as he heard Erwin stand. The sound of clinking dishes followed the scrape of his chair.

"Take this moment now, child." He cautioned. Eren heard him running water into his sink. "You'll need your strength come dawn."

"Stoppit." Eren hiccupped. "I'm not a child."

"Oh of course you are. That's not an insult, Eren. We're all children now and then. You've been an adult too much these past few days, so just cry for a while. I'm quite content to do the dishes."

So he did. Except that, oddly, soon after being given permission Eren's tears began to dry. He didn't lift his head though until he felt an ice-cold nose pressing against his knuckles. A yawning Annie stared at him, ruffling her fur.

"Hey," Eren said. She nipped at the sensitive web between his fingers. "Hey! Okay. I'm up, jeez, Annie."

Chuckling Erwin returned with a tall glass of water. "Both feeling better? Excellent. Here, Eren. Drink."

Probably for the best that he'd already finished crying. Eren blinked grainy eyes at the water.

"I'm gonna have to swim back," he whispered and chugged the thing in one long gulp.

Erwin tilted his head. "Is that a problem?"

Was it?

"Maybe. I just…" Eren shrugged. "I don't like it much anymore. Not always."

"That's odd, especially given your friendship with Corporal."

"What's that supposed to mea—?"

But at that moment a gust of wind hit the windows like a freight train. It rattled the panes and Eren, closest to the door, felt a breeze coming from the cracks, strong enough to ruffle his hair. Armin lay the flapping pages of his book still with one hand and shielded Petra and Annie with the other.

"The hell?" Eren yelped.

"Ah. Why don't you ask Corporal for yourself, hmm?" Erwin stood, peering out the dark windows with a satisfied smiled. "I do believe your ride is here."

"Ride?"

Goggling, Eren stumbled to his feet. Friends trailing behind he rushed to the door and flung it wide, his mind hardly processing what he found behind it.

Standing there—uncut and unbruised, radiating a healthy and all too familiar irritation—was a dragon. A very familiar dragon.

Eren never hesitated. He launched himself at the beast, letting out a shriek of unbridled joy. After that only one word tumbled out from his lips.

Corporal.