Epilogue

All Liesel could see was blood. It was as if she was one hundred seven years younger and she was still a young woman who had her brother. The German soldier who killed people with her own hands. The young woman who spilt her own brother's blood and caused his death. As she stood and stared at the carnage surrounding her, Liesel saw the blood soaking in the ground and the fallen body parts. She heard the cries and the moans of death, similar and yet not similar. The Survey Corps cloak she now wore beneath of the same uniform that she wore when she was found was stained with blood, and as Liesel looked deeply at the sky, she wondered how this world could ever become a peaceful place.

Two months to the day after Eren had eaten the Female Titan, the 58th expedition had taken place. The Survey Corps had suffered heavy losses but finally managed to retake Wall Maria. Amidst the battle against the Armored Titan and the Colossal Titan, Ymir, the Titan-shifter who Liesel had heard spoken so lovingly across Historia's lips, betrayed her comrades and killed them respectively as Eren Yeager rested to battle against the Ape Titan. Although the people of the Walls needed her, Historia was determined to fight with the Survey Corps. "If Ymir dies and I could not see her face…I will never forgive myself." Ymir had been held in Historia's arms as her blood leaked out from the wounds that refused to heal. She cupped her lover's face as she cried and softly smiled.

A rare peaceful expression echoed across her face. Historia's shocked expression as Ymir's lips caressed her own and the small "oh" that escaped her lips would never fade from Liesel's mind. "I have lived my life. Now you must live yours." Seeing Jean and Armin comfort each other in their last moments, both defending each other until the last moment they closed their eyes, had made Liesel weep as she held both of their hands in her own. She had closed their eyes as the last of the blood ceased to weep from their gruesome wounds. Erwin had died alone, his body devoured by a Titan. Now, however, as she walked across the fallen trees and the stained grass, there was one last person she wanted to see.

Levi was lying against the tree, his breathing shallow. Both Eren and Mikasa stood in front of him, but parted when they saw Liesel. Her bloodied hands reached for Levi's damaged ones, feeling the gaping fingers. She stared at his face. There were no tears. Not then. After the Titan-shifter had been defeated, Levi had been confronted by Kenny, who had managed to survive and escape to Wall Maria by the superior Titan form of Rod Reiss. Liesel herself had fought against him. The monstrous battle was engrained in her memory, and she felt the wounds from her Titan body as if they had not healed. Kenny had been killed not long after Rod Reiss had met his end, leaving Levi bleeding heavily and wounded with Liesel almost collapsing with her body burning from the memory of her injuries and weakness. They had won. Ich… Liesel felt Levi's glare before she opened her eyes.

"Why are you taking….your time?" His voice was raspy and weak as blood seeped from his mouth. "Do it…now." Liesel expression did not waver, even as Levi faintly tried to escape from her hand's embrace. His one eye, the other permanently shut, clouded with stubbornness. "Eren fucking….Yeager…what are you…doing?" Tears were trailing down the young man's cheeks, and his eyes stared mournfully at the man he had come to respect.

"Levi…" Liesel whispered. Her voice choked with tears yet to be unshed. Her voice was halting, just had it been so long ago. "Danke…danke. Thank you for allowing me to love you…and for you to love me. I will…live for you now." Her hands left his, and she softly unclasped the chain around her neck. Liesel stared at the silvery substance. The dark hair, once again slick with blood, was felt against her trembling fingers as she lifted the bottle to his mouth. She felt him swallow and allowed warm tears to trail down her face and onto his own. "Ich…liebe dich…" Tenderly, Liesel pressed her lips against his own and stared at the peaceful expression before her. She closed her eyes and smiled. As she watched Eren transform and cradled the dying Levi almost like a child in his arms, Liesel allowed herself to think of the memories she had because of what had happened one hundred seven years ago. "Isabel used to say she would always be happy with me as long as we looked at the same sky. Sometimes…she didn't come home for days, and would annoy Farlan and I from what she would say. Even though I keep the badges of my comrades with me…I truly believe that if we truly believe in our hearts that we are not alone, we can stare at the same sky and know they can feel our true hearts."

"Ich werde immer unter dem gleichen himmel wie sie sein…Levi."

I will always be under the same sky as you…Levi.

There was a roar.

Liesel Eichenlicht stood and her dark blue eyes echoed against the blue sky. It had been a year since the Titans fell. The Walls had disappeared, leaving the survivors to lead their lives however they wished. The people had been stunned and enraged by the knowledge of the true history of their former world, and had worked at establishing the peace that Liesel had dreamed of during the years of war. The Underground where Levi and his beloved Isabel and Farlan had lived now ceased to exist. The government of the people, wise and benevolent, was framed of the governments of the past, when the world had been at peace. Historia had directed the lost and forgotten people into a better life where they were granted citizenship and lived under the sun.

The basement that had belonged to the Yeager had unfortunately been crushed beyond repair in the battle during the Titan-shifters, but Eren Yeager seemed to accept it. "All I wanted was to explore the outside world." The young man had been devastated by the deaths of his comrades, especially Armin's. It was he who had erected statues of the fallen over the former places where the Walls had stood. He and Mikasa were now exploring the world, and Liesel remembered of how a small smile echoed across his face as they said their farewells. Sasha had been covered in dirt and had seeds stuck in her hair, but the brunettes embraced all the same. Connie simply nodded to both of them, the formerly non-existent hair now light brown and wavy. He had been one of the many veterans of the Survey Corps to serve in the new government. Liesel had said goodbye to her comrades as well, six months after the war – as what she had thought of it – had ended. It was only later that she learned that Eren and Mikasa had both died a month after they had started their journey, a tragic accident that should not have happened after what had happened to them. Liesel had cried for them, but she took comfort in the fact that they were with Armin now. The trio reunited.

She had built a small cottage near the outskirts of Wall Maria. She knew that her friends and of her dear brother and family who had left her behind could feel her true heart, just as Levi had described. Her heart still ached for them, however. Liesel could see their faces in her mind.

Armin…Jean…Edmund…Claudia…Nina…Levi…

Friedrich…

Liesel thought that she would live her life determined by solitary existence, transcribing history to not repeat the mistakes of the past, and reminiscing.

Which was why, she was surprised to hear a knock on the door one spring morning. Liesel opened the door and found a young boy with dark hair with his bangs covering his eyes and his clothing ragged and his feet barefoot. A familiar annoyed expression framed his face.

A jolt overcame Liesel, and she stared at the young boy whom she recognized. Then she smiled, a smile she had only reserved for her two precious people, knowing that somehow he had returned to her. Reincarnation, huh? You couldn't leave alone, and decided to torture me with this new form. The young boy - Levi, although he had forgotten his memories of her and the life he had lead - flinched when Liesel crouched down to his height and caressed the bangs from his face. She could see his eyes, dark as storm clouds and alive, with the life that had been taken from him when during that terrible rainy night. She brushed her forehead against his when the dark haired boy scowled and moved from her embrace.

"It's okay, brats!" Liesel almost laughed at his choice of words, staring at his small figure. "You can come out now." There was a lightness to his voice that reminded Liesel of that time when he had smiled peacefully. There was a small child with dark red hair and green eyes running towards the dark haired boy, crying for her brother. There were two blond haired children, one taller than the rest with brown eyes. The familiar blue eyes that Liesel had missed so much bored into her own, drowning in fear and trembling. The smallest of the child, a girl with ginger hair and amber eyes, was speaking to the boy with darker blond hair softly while she looked at the reincarnated Levi in concern. The six children were suddenly surrounded by another, grounding his teeth at Liesel as he stated the unspoken words that didn't need to be stated. Eren... The dark brown haired child was pulled from behind by another, this time with light brown hair and hazel eyes, barking at him before they fought. Jean... Liesel felt tears caressing her cheeks as she realized who they were. A young girl with dark long hair pulled two fighting children apart as the others watched in apprehension as their undeclared leader watched in annoyance. Leisel continued to watch them, unconcerned that she was now silently weeping. You came back. All of you...came back.

There were squirms and squeals as Liesel sharply hugged them. All eight children were engulfed by Liesel's embrace, feeling the warmth seeping from her being and felt her bright smile as she held them. They would no longer only be a memory.

Welcome home…everyone.

I thought the first edition was too sad, so I made everyone who died come back, as they were reincarnated. The comrades Liesel had during the war did not come back because she accepted their deaths and moved on from her past.