CHAPTER SEVEN

"Get clear!"

Eren's group within the Scout Regiment moved clear of the target. A sound of thunder erupted as a cannon blasted a shot upward. The shell buried itself in the upper chest of the titan and exploded a moment later. The blast showered the immediate vicinity in gore. Mikasa and several others jumped from trees and took out a few titans close by. The area outside the walls that was free of titans had expanded by a mile in diameter in just a few days. The military had expanded outward, outside Wall Maria, trying to clear the path to resources available outside the walls. The invention of lighter, more powerful cannons meant they could bring their artillery with them. They could build shells with explosive in them and launch shots that would explode on contact. The blades, produced by better means and superior technology meant that they would break less frequently and cut deeper and easier.

On the opposite side of the island, Armin had cleared a huge section of the island. In one day, the entire southern half of the island became titan-free. The military had insisted that he allow them to do the other half, so as not to rely entirely upon him for their needs. He had misgivings, but ultimately, the human race needed to prove itself, he decided.

Taking a break from his titan clearing and using his powers to locate the resources buried deep underground, he flew to the palace in Wall Sina to give his report to the military leaders and to Historia, who would give the final order. The populace looked up to the sky as the familiar streak passed overhead. Some looked at their savior, some looked at a potential devil in disguise, but his arrival always garnered crowds of attention. He touched down in the exterior opening to the gates. The mass of people clustered around the gate stepped aside as he landed gingerly in front of the armed guards.

"I'm here to give my report," Armin said.

They gave a word to another guard inside, who relayed it to someone in the palace. The word came back a few moments later. "Come in," one of the guards said.

The gate opened and Armin stepped inside. Soldiers either noticed and said nothing or bowed. Some quickly turned and went the other way. The luxurious hallways led to a huge inner chamber, where Historia sat at a huge table where an expansive map had been laid across, and Dot Pixis as well as Dhalis Zachary and a number of others made comments about various aspects of the island. They noticed him at once. "Armin, do you have new locations to report?" Pixis asked.

Armin approached and pointed to specific places on the map. "Here's a few," he said. "This one," he pointed to a specific spot, "has a huge vein of titanium ore a few hundred feet down."

Historia and Armin exchanged glances. "So we can make the tools and weapons Zor-El told you about?" she asked.

Armin nodded. "It's as strong as steel and lighter," he explained. "Also, the southern end of the island is titan-free. I haven't heard from the scout regiment yet."

"So," Pixis said, "once the island is titan free, we can focus on preparing for war without distraction?"

"I think so," Zachary agreed. "If we're going to have to repel invaders from all over the world, we won't stand a chance unless we can build this new technology at incredible speed."

"There's never been so much work," Historia said, glancing around. "For once, we have everyone helping. It's incredible. We've never built so much so quickly."

"It may not be enough," Armin admitted. "That's why my father and I are working on a new project in my spare time."

"What project?" Zachary asked.

"Getting factories ready to build Kryptonian technology," he said.

Pixis drew back in surprise. "Really? How do you plan on that?"

"That's why we're catching people up," Armin explained. "Honestly, I just need people to understand some basics. Details will come with time."

"So," Historia said, "will we be able to win this?"

"Yes," Armin said. "I'm not going to simply win. I'm going to try and save as many as I can."

On the northern end of the island, the scout regiment took a break after expanding their titan-free zone by another half mile. Eren sat down and took a drink from his canteen. Mikasa sat next to him and wiped her brow. They'd killed scores of titans in the last few hours. Near the outer edge of the group, Bertolt and Reiner sat opposite each other, eating as they regarded the group. Annie didn't want to sit too close to them. She kept to herself and did her job. All three of the foreigners to the island had a lot weighing on their mind. Bertolt felt he didn't know what to make of things anymore. He would not get a chance to bring down the government, nor would he be able to finish his mission. On the other hand, the people weren't the demons he thought they were.

Reiner snapped Bertolt out of his funk by smacking him a few times on the shoulder. His comrade startled, then they pointed up at the sky. A familiar sight flew in.

"Armin!" Eren said. He stood up and ran to hug his friend.

"Hey, guys," Armin greeted, setting down the crate he was carrying.

Levi tore open the crate, revealing extra supplies. There was extra food and water, as well as several pieces of clothing. "What's this about?" he asked.

"These are the new uniforms," Armin explained. "More moisture resistant means greater durability and fewer rashes in wet weather. Also, the new three-dimensional maneuver gear has fewer moving parts and less failure rates. So far, we've only got a few of those."

Mikasa took her old boots off and put some new ones on. "Wow, these are a lot more comfortable!" she exclaimed.

"But this," Armin said, removing a large pack from his back, "is my favorite." The large leather pack landed on the ground with a thud. The sound of jostling metal came from within.

Erwin opened the pack and pulled out what looked to be the strangest weapon he'd ever seen. "What," he said, turning it over several times in his hands, "the hell is this?"

Armin pulled one out of the pack. "It's a semi-automatic rifle," he explained.

Levi cocked his head. "Semi…automatic?"

Armin smiled at his superior officer's question. He marked a target on a tree at a distance of a few hundred meters with his eye beams. "Normal single-shot rifles wouldn't possibly be able to do this," he said. For good measure, he marked a few other targets higher and lower on the same tree. He aimed carefully at the tree. Squeezing the trigger, the rifle sounded with a crack. A fraction of a second later, he raised the rifle to the higher target. The rifle sounded again. He lowered it to the third target. A final depress of the trigger, and the rifle bellowed it's final call. There were three holes in the tree, dead on in the center of the targets.

Erwin stood with a gaping jaw. "W…wow…"

Levi jostled his head left and right in a second. "You…fired it three times in two seconds without reloading," he exclaimed.

Armin pulled the magazine from the rifle. "Thirty shots before reloading," he explained. "Semi-automatic means you fire a single shot with each pull of the trigger."

Connie Springer walked over to the tree. "You hit the target at four hundred meters," he quickly estimated. "And the shot went all the way through the tree."

Armin unloaded the round from the chamber and put the magazine and the spare bullet in the pack. "Take a look," he said, offering the gun to Reiner.

The muscular man examined the inside of the barrel close. "There's grooves inside," he noticed.

"It's called 'rifling,' and it causes the bullet to spin inside the chamber." Armin took a spare bullet and demonstrated. "Since the bullet is spinning, it is more likely to travel in a straight line. Old fashioned round balls bounce around inside an unrifled gun, which is why none of your rifles are accurate over a great distance."

"If this bullet can pierce a tree this thick," Connie noticed, "then our shots will be able to pierce titan flesh!"

"That's not all." Armin reached into the bag and retrieved a pistol. "Watch this." He marked eight targets on a tree a few hundred meters away. This time, he fired off eight shots in record time. "A semi-automatic pistol. Ten shots per magazine."

"That's amazing," Erwin said.

"I don't like the idea of people killing each other," Armin said, "but if it's going to happen, I want my friends not to be massacred."

"Armin, do you think you could do us a favor?" Levi said.

The fair-haired youth turned to his commanding officer. "Sure."

Levi looked at Erwin Smith before turning back to Armin. "We've been fighting for awhile now," he explained. "Could you finish up here for us so we can head home?"

Armin nodded. With a gust of wind and a blur, he took to the skies. About ten minutes passed, and he returned. "There," he said. "I'm done. The island is officially titan-free."

With the mission completed, the group sat for a few minutes longer before heading back to the world inside the walls. Armin walked close to his friends, with the three traitors walking in the back. They felt somewhat odd with the fact that the youth from another world didn't bother to keep a close eye on them anymore. It spoke volumes to them about how familiar he had become with them, and them with him.

Eren draped an arm around Armin. "I can't thank you enough," he said.

Armin looked over at him. He still had to get used to the fact that he stood modestly taller than the excitable boy. "You mean for everything?"

A chuckle escaped Eren. "That's a bit broad," he admitted. "Honestly, we're free, and yet, at the same time, we aren't."

Mikasa walked close by. "The nations of the world think we're evil monsters," she said.

"And even if that wasn't a big enough problem," Armin admitted, "our supply of natural resources means they can't ignore our island."

Erwin decided to enter the conversation. "I know you probably can't talk too much about what you've discussed with Historia and the military high command," he said, "but tell me honestly your thoughts on the war."

Armin took a breath. "Sir," he explained, "I think we're looking at war from all sides. I'm honestly expecting the nations of the world to set aside their differences to kill us. If we stand a chance of survival, it'll be through overwhelming technological advance."

The scout regiment leader nodded. "That's what I suspected," he admitted. "So, what's next on the agenda?"

"Technology-wise?" Armin paused to think. "We've got coal power and electric lines are being built, so we'll be able to run electric machines soon, but I've been scouting around for a specific fuel source even better than coal."

This intrigued both leaders. "What's that?" Levi chimed in.

"Crude oil," Armin explained.

"The stuff we make lantern fuel out of?" Mikasa asked.

Armin shook his head. "The crude is turned into kerosene, alright, but there are other products that can be used to power engines and are more convenient and easier to move around."

Erwin remembered something. "Is that why Historia ordered the lantern oil makers to conserve the bi-products?"

"Exactly," Armin said. "My father and I have been working with chemists to develop industrial-scale oil production. We're going to win this war with machines more powerful and advanced than theirs. That's only going to happen with better fuel."

"It's a whole new type of thinking," Levi stated. "Now that we're preparing for war against people, we're worried about what they're capable of."

"Huh," Eren noticed. "I never thought of that. Titans are just mindless monsters, for the most part."

It took them a few hours to make it back to the wall and to the end of a long journey. The soldiers went back to their resting spots and the commanding officers to their private quarters. Erwin and Levi headed towards a gathering spot specifically for higher ranking officers. Eren, Armin, and Mikasa found a restaurant near the main street of town. As the gate went down with the evening sun, they ordered their food and sat for a relaxing evening.

Eren stared at his plate, a laugh escaping his mouth. His meal of lamb and potatoes intrigued him. "It's funny," he said. "Not that long ago, meat like this was for rich people in the inner wall."

"No titans means more livestock," Mikasa noted. "Now just about anyone can have meat."

Armin chuckled. "I've had ham before," he said. "This is what, lamb?" A thought came to him. "Now I know how Sasha always feels." This brought a torrent of laughter from his friends. He took a bite. As juices and flavors he'd never before experienced hit his tongue, he closed his eyes. "Wow."

Mikasa and Eren took their time with their food. It was easily the best meal they'd ever had. The military rations had gotten better since the increased food production—but even then, they'd never had access to this. A curious look had drawn itself over Mikasa's face.

Armin noticed. "Something wrong?"

"Hmm?" She turned his way. "Oh, I was just wondering. If you and your father can get us this far in this amount of time, imagine what wonders Krypton must have had!"

Armin gave a slight smile. "My dad and I've been talking about that," he told her. "We both think it would've been amazing."

"You ever miss your home world?" Eren asked.

"This is my home world," Armin reassured. "As much as Krypton would've been great, as much as this place sucks, it's the place I call home."

"I'm glad," Mikasa replied.

Armin ate his meal and enjoyed his friends' company. His words rang true in his ears; as much as he enjoyed his father's dialogues about the wonders of Krypton, and the three-dimensional displays of what the planet had been, he could not replace his times with his friends on this primitive world, he couldn't imagine not being around Eren or Mikasa, or even people such as Bertolt and Reiner, treason or not. This world could be free of war, he pondered. And everyone would be better off.

That evening, as his friends retired to bed, he visited his fortress. The crowds of people entering the large structure were asleep in their homes. He walked into the inner chamber, and the metal walls reshaped into a personal room. Zor-El's specter appeared. "What troubles you, Kar-El?"

Armin sat on a seat that appeared. "Tell me more about our family," he asked.

Zor-El held his hands behind his back. "As you know, your uncle," he explained, "my brother Jor-El became convinced our world was doomed. Our work together indicated it was true. The ruling council did not agree." He blinked noticeably. "They censored his work. He sent his son—your cousin, Kal-El—here as well."

"I know that," Armin argued, "but why did I get here first?"

"If only I knew," Zor-El said. "It could be that he was delayed by our planet's destruction."

"Are there any other survivors of Krypton?"

"Doubtful," Zor-El replied. He racked his brain. "There are the prisoners of the Phantom Zone, but with any luck, you'll never have to encounter them."

Armin jerked to his feet. "What?"

With a wave of his hand, the elder member of the El family brought up a display. A crowd of shackled prisoners were marched before a judge and jury. With a wave of his finger, the judge brought a brilliant white light upon the crowd of prisoners from a strange cannon of sorts. In a moment, the group became encased on a two-dimensional surface that floated about midair. The scene ended, and Armin stood with mouth agape. "You must understand," Zor-El began.

"No!" Armin protested. "They're trapped in there…forever?"

"These were the worst of murderers and violent rabble," his father assured. "We had just finished a planet-wide civil war not long before, and we were not about to return to capital punishment."

"It's better to kill someone than to lock them away forever!" he countered. "Better not to have someone's punishment be eternal!"

"Krypton made many mistakes. That's why I wanted you to be the better person. You can embody the best of both worlds."

"I have the feeling I'm going to be seeing them again." He let out a sigh. "That's how things work out, apparently."

"You worry about impossibilities, my son," Zor-El said.

"I hope you're right," Armin said. "I'm going to bed." He departed his father with a hug. He returned home and slipped through the window. The scout regiment's altered schedule meant his friends and he could occasionally sleep in their own beds. He drifted off to dream with his friends in his view and his mind. Soon they would have to kill not just titans, but people. Furthermore, now he had the worry of other Kryptonians. Would the fighting never end?

The dark of night passed, and the light of morning came streaming in. Armin was up with the dawn and headed out to begin the process of helping the workmen set up the next bit of the plan. Hours passed, with various military units working construction. Setting up oil wells, which had never been built before by these people, required careful attention. After their hero finished his rounds putting things together, he went over to a clearing near a cliffside, where Erwin and Levi had a specific plan in mind.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Eren asked.

"We're going to war," Levi stated. "You're a titan shifter. You need to get it under control."

Eren stood, fists clenched, staring at the soldiers around up on the cliff, and Armin hovering overhead. With everyone staring, sweat dripping off his forehead, he held his hand up to his mouth, closed his eyes and recalled his anger and the way that he felt, his powerlessness. He bit his thumb.

Lighting blasted rocks to powder as a gust of steam exuded from around him. In a moment, a fifteen-meter titan stood tall. All stood in awe of the newly-formed monster out of what once had been their comrade. Armin held his breath and lowered to his level.

"Eren, how are you feeling?" Armin asked.

A growl emerged from Eren's mouth. He swung a fist at Armin, who dodged. "What's wrong?" Armin's question resulted in another attempt. "Get a hold of yourself!"

"Get him under control!" Erwin shouted.

"I've got an idea." Armin flew close to Eren. He swung and his opponent dodged at the last possible moment. The titan's fist connected with his own head. He collapsed in a booming thud on the ground as dust kicked up.

"What the hell is going on?" Levi asked.

"Baby steps," Armin said. "We can't assume he'd get it right on the first try."

An idea appeared in Armin's mind. He landed and positioned himself under Eren's left shoulder. With a heave, he flipped the massive body face down. He sat on the shoulder, next to the nape of the neck. He tapped on the flesh. "Eren, you're better than this! Wake up!"

Eren found himself in a dream. "Armin," he said. He sat on his bed. He turned around. His friend tapped on the window of the house. "Everything's fine in here."

"Wake up! Eren!"

Eren shook his head. "What?" he exclaimed. All at once, memories flooded him. Eating his father, gaining the power of the titan. His purpose returned. The dream world shattered into a thousand pieces.

Armin floated back up. The titan clamored quickly to a standing position. "Eren, if you're in control, give me a noise." His friend growled once. He stepped forward. He held up a hand and Armin gently touched it.

"So, how long do we have?" Levi asked.

"I don't know," Armin said.

For the next twenty minutes, Eren followed basic instructions. He managed to assemble a crude house out of logs. He managed to unblock a passage by moving rocks. His mouth proved incapable of speech, but he maintained control. After a good half hour, his control began to slip. He stomped around, demolishing the structure he'd built. Armin had to pull him out of his titan body.

"How did I do?" Eren asked.

"You don't remember?" Erwin asked.

"You were great for about thirty minutes," Armin said. "Then you stopped responding and I had to pull you out."

"Weird," Eren replied. "I don't remember much of it."

"That's what the training is for," Levi said.

"We need you to improve quickly," Erwin added.

Armin, for the first time, saw the strategy of war as a thing to worry about. Industrial improvements, societal education on the rise, these things could largely be done without worry. Eren's skill at using his titan form, on the other hand, was a problem that affected him personally. Bertolt, Reiner, and Annie were now something he had to worry about. He knew they still bore some strong tendencies towards Marley. The one thing that concerned him, was that their fate was one he could absolutely not interfere. The leadership would have to make their decision. He had to step back, and he knew it. He shot a look at the three of them.

"Commander," he said to Erwin, "we have to talk."

The leader of the group looked down. "There's a lot to talk about," he said. "You'll have to be more specific."

"Those three," he whispered.

Erwin glanced at them and back to Armin. "I'll bring up the issue with Pixis and he'll get back to me."

"That makes sense," Armin admitted. For the first time it struck him just how privileged his own position was. His actions as a would-be a savior of the world gave him access to high-ranking members of the government, but in the end, he was a foot soldier. It occurred to him how he threw his weight around. It bothered him that he knew it wasn't wise to interfere. No, he decided. He would let the leadership do their own thing. The human race deserved the opportunity to save themselves once in a while.

As the afternoon drew to a close, and Eren finished his training, the scout regiment headed back through the woods to town. The crowds of men headed back to their homes, to bathe and remove the dirt of working that day to build their future. Factories and oil wells & refineries springing up had put more of the poor to work than ever before. Stores that had closed now expanded and sold to more paying customers than ever before. What made Armin sad was the knowledge that the majority of these efforts and financial gains had come at the cost of war. Still, fewer people were in poverty every day and counting. Wealth had been transferred downward in greater amounts than ever before. His planet of origin had proven to be an enormous boon on the peoples of Earth.

"You feeling tired?" Mikasa asked.

Armin looked over. "Physically? No," he said. "Mentally? A bit."

"You're worried," Eren stated.

"This is stressful."

"I imagine," Mikasa replied. "You're having to do eighteen things a minute."

"That's not the concern," he answered. "I'm worried about you guys."

She took him by the shoulders. "I'm not worried," she admitted. "You know why?"

"Because you have faith in me," he guessed.

"Because I have faith in us," she countered. "We are strong enough. I'm not depending on you or me, or Eren. I think we can pull through this."

He nodded. "I think I can live with that," he said.

The three of them headed home. Armin felt a bit easier knowing his friends would be there come hell or high water.

Across the sea, forces gathered for war under the banner of eliminating the devils of the island. Generals discussed their plans of entry to the island, the size of the forces, and the degree to which they would have to sacrifice men, given which scenarios and whether or not the infiltration team had succeeded or failed.

The skies over Marley lit up like a second sun. At the time that Armin had fallen asleep over half a world away, a streak of flame descended from above. A huge mass of steel, glowing hot, crashed through a port town on the edge of Marley. A string of buildings was obliterated as the object carved a path of destruction on its way to a stop. A crowd gathered around the smoking crater as other crews clamored to unearth survivors from the downed buildings.

Half the metal object split open, and a hand gripped the ridge and the person pulled themselves out.

A person emerged, striding from the crater, taking the sights in.

"What the hell?" One person said.

"It's a woman!" Another added.

The figure in question, a statuesque woman of nearly six feet in height, looked at the crowd. She zoomed up to the rim of the crater and stood in front of three men. "Tell me where to find the survivor of El!" she ordered.

The people looked at each other, confused, both at her question and of her use of English. "I…I don't understand," one said.

The woman cocked her head. "He would be the most powerful man alive," she said. "The one who wields the greatest power. The survivor of the House of El."

"I…" A man struggled for answers. "Look, if it's power you're looking for, the demons on the island are what you want."

She perked up. "Tell me about these…'demons' on their island."

Another Marleyan cleared his throat. "Well, um, over in that direction," he pointed towards the sea, "the people of Paradis live. There apparently was a fireball from the sky some years ago. Blasted devils! Even the gods cry out for their destruction!"

The brunette let out a sigh of relief. "Ah, yes!" she exclaimed. "The return of Zod is at hand!"

She took to the sky.

The House of El lived on this planet. Her General's revenge on the El family would come at last.