Chapter 6 - Aura and AI.
You want to know how I felt on my first trip to another dimension. I almost fainted from fear. The situation was very precarious and for all we knew, we could have been shot down by accident. Or at least imprisoned, as one general had planned. Well, we managed to establish a good supply and medical point there, as well as their partial military support. Because of the Grimm, we couldn't hope for more.
The second one on the same day? I don't know. Ask those who were there. All I know is that they met some lady doctor who was in charge of some operation mining some tech artifact with guys with red triangles on their foreheads. And that they were technologically at the level of GA, while those we met, only slightly more than you. Potentially. Different technological paths so you can discuss who was more advanced then.
Interview with Jean Kirschtein, 10 AW
=location: Paradis Island, 57 days after invasion=
Attempting to take control of the colossal titans within the walls was risky, but the test was finally carried out. Huge plasma blades from the Planeptune slashed the walls in places so that only one of the Titans was ripped out. Then his legs were destroyed so that he fell off the wall. The cut parts were finally sealed before sunrise. The entire operation took days of planning and negotiation and was completed in a matter of hours.
In the morning, the Colossal Titan was under Eren's control. Large amounts of magic and technology were required to gain control of the Founding Titan, but he succeeded. Previously, they tested it on Pure Titans which were made of mass murderers and psychopaths in prisons. A colossal titan will be sent through the portal after more colossal titans have been extracted from the walls.
But more important research was to take place in the vicinity of the new port.
"Ready Martin." - the operator said from a safe distance. Martin stood in the middle of the field with numerous cannons and Eren Jaeger in his Titan form. Martin just signaled and prepared to inject himself with the new Titan Serum.
Although he was a native British, a new serum made with the power source currently in Eren could turn him into a new Smart Titan. The chance was slim, even with all the technology and magic involved in the process. In case of trouble, they can even kill him. A huge risk, but Martin took it anyway.
The last time he remembered talking to Eren.
=memories=
"Are you afraid?" - Eren asked.
"Yes." - said Martin - "I want to do it, but this is the first time a non-Edlian has turned into a Titan. And it's a new Smart Titan. I've seen the wonders those from Gameindustry and even UEG create. But it's taking it to a new level."
"And why do you want to do that?" - Eren asked.
His eyes pierced his skin and stared straight into his soul. Martin knew this, and after a moment of silence he said - "A few years ago, Marley was at war with Iberia. According to the Alliance, Britain was supposed to help. We have been reduced to dust. I was still young then, only 10 years old, but I saw it with my own eyes. In one night we lost the capital and most of our forces in Iberia. After we signed the capitulations, Marleta occupied all of Iberia, and we hid on our island. I had many friends who died then, caught in the crossfire. Many more now live under occupation. As soon as the war with the monsters is over, I will do everything I can to retake Iberia."
Eren smiled slightly and said - "We're the same. You want to save your allies and friends from Iberia, and I want to protect Paradis. So I will give you one piece of advice. If you ever hesitate, remember what you're fighting for. The day when Marley has humiliated you and the fear will disappear on its own."
=present time=
Martin injected the substances and suddenly appeared in some field, staring at a huge white tree.
"Martin?" - Eren said standing next to him in human form.
"Eren?" - said a voice behind Eren. Martin looked over there and saw Armin Arlelt and some girl.
"Annie?" - someone asked on the other side.
"Reiner?" - said the girl identified as Annie.
"What is going on here?" - said the confused man standing next to Reiner. Behind him stood another, probably from the Tybor family, a young man, and a young woman. Both are from the Marley Warrior Unit.
"Anyway, something brought us here, so there must be a reason." - said the man with the goatee - "The uniforms indicate that it is only Marley and Paradis, and Mrs Tybor and a British soldier. I'd say they're all Titan Shifters, except for the gentleman from Britain. Unless he's an artificial Titan. Maybe an experiment."
"It will probably be the last." - said the girl next to him - "But what do you expect from island devils."
"What did you say?" - Eren said with clenched teeth.
"I think we should calm down for now." - Armin said, placing his hand on Eren's shoulder - "We don't know where we are or what we're doing here."
"I have already seen this place in my memories." - Eren said - "Path. That's what it's called. The place where all Eldians are connected."
"But I am British." - Martin said.
"That's why you shouldn't be here." - said a tall man with a crown, standing next to a young girl in tattered clothes.
"And who are you?" - Eren asked.
"King Fritz, the first ruler of Eldia, and she is Ymir, the first Titan." - said Fritz and continued - "With me, Eldia destroyed all her enemies, and defeated the Marley Empire. It was I who led Ymir and led to the division of her power among the 9 Titans. All this for one purpose. To ensure that Eldia will always be the most powerful. But you are trying to create new titan power and give it to other nations. That's not why I fought."
"The Eldian Empire has brought nothing good to the world but death and destruction." - Tybor said.
At this, King Fritz laughed and said - "This is the law of life. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten. Were it not for the power of the Titans, the Eldians would have suffered as Marley's slaves. Entire cities would be massacred by plagues. And we would have to fight for everything with every tribe, nation, country, or nature itself. This power is a gift to our people, and we should use it."
"But humans surpassed the powers of the Titans." - Armin said - "Any one of our men can easily kill a Titan. New weapons will easily destroy them from many kilometers. IA can send hundreds of planes to drop thousands of air bombs and the Titans won't be able to do anything. Even The Rumbling isn't more powerful than nuclear weapons. Currently, the powers of the Titans only bring suffering."
"But more people want to possess it anyway." - Fritz said - "If it wasn't the case, this man wouldn't be here. What about you, Eren Yeager, didn't you want to take away the freedom of all those who threaten you? Revenge for your dead mother. You have the Founding Titan, unleash its power!"
After a moment of silence, Eren said - "Once you would have agreed. But now I know that there are many across the sea who don't want to slaughter the people of Paradis, and even in other dimensions we can find other companions. When this monster war is over, I'm going to completely wipe out the Titans from the face of the planet."
For a moment, everyone stood in suspense, until finally, Fritz said - "If you really believe that, current Founding Titan and Attack Titan owner, then show your courage. Risk the existence of Eldians all over the world."
"It's not risking the Eldians everywhere." - Eren said - "But freeing them from being forced to turn into Titans. I understand the need for this power, especially for fighting monsters. But after that, it won't be needed anymore. Free Ymir and let her go in peace. She's suffered enough already, and we can take care of ourselves."
Then everything disappeared and Martini was left alone with Ymir and Eren.
"Thank you." - Ymir said to Eren with tears in her eyes and disappeared as well.
"What now?" - Martini asked.
"Ymir has always created Titans by molding them from the earth." - Eren said, kneeling and taking a handful of dirt in his hand - "At least that's how it is in my memories. Time passes much faster here, you don't have to eat, or sleep, and you don't feel tired. If you want these powers, create your own Titan."
After that, Eren disappeared and Martini started creating his Titan.
Back in the real world, lightning struck Martin and he turned into a Titan[1]. 17 meters tall, with arms and legs covered in what looks like scales. His mouth was divided into two halves by some device in the middle.
"Martin, do you understand me?" - the operator said over the loudspeaker. Martin nodded and the operator continued - "Come out of your titan for medical tests. We don't know how your body might have reacted. The power tests of this titan will take place tomorrow. That's all."
=location: portal to an unknown dimension, 60 days after invasion=
"Okay, listen up people." - said Captain Jean Kirschtein, Commanding Officer of Group IA of the 'Gripen' expedition, because his air escort is 4 SAAB JAS 39 Gripen. Also, he had 48 Scouts from Paradis equipped with ODM Gear from Planeptun. Better in every way with guns and plasma blades, and connecting up to 6 Thunder Spears. In addition, he had 48 UEG soldiers from the country known as Norway, transported in 8 Bell 412 transport helicopters. A small group, but it will have to do - "Apparently these creatures got smart and created a small portal that went unnoticed by us for a long time, so the monsters are several thousand. We're to fly over, help the local population, and survive until reinforcements arrive. Give your hearts!"
Moments later, 12 vehicles found a portal within visual distance with a large group of Viridis faction monsters. The fighters fired a few rounds and the space was clear for approach. They quickly found themselves on the other side of the portal. They found themselves right above the ruins of the city.
"Do you have anything on the radar?" - Jean asked.
"Yes, sir." - replied the pilot - "Many flying units, including several airships."
"And communication?"
"Looks like a general alert. Some 'Grimm' have appeared in the middle of the city and are wreaking havoc. An unknown number of casualties."
"This will probably be a place where they fight monsters. Can you take us to their positions?"
"Wait a minute. The ships courses... I have their positions. Probably."
"What's 'probably'?" - Jean asked irritably.
"Ships are heading for this place, while many other ships are trying to avoid it. That's probably where the fighting is going on."
"So we're going there. Full speed." - Jean ordered, took the loudspeaker, and said - "Everyone, get ready to fight in the city. We will support local forces in battle. Team Sergeant Astrid Barsness will be left behind and will act as a backup and will be responsible for communications with the local government. That's all."
The fighters quickly reached the battlefield and immediately began shooting down the larger black bird-shaped creatures. Beside them, some vehicles flew around the airship. The pilots avoided each other and even made a few air raids. Simultaneously, these vehicles released a huge number of some kind of metal humanoids onto the battlefield.
Soon, more flying vehicles joined, including UEG helicopters. The soldiers immediately began to get out of them and secure the area. All around, black creatures with red eyes in the shapes of werewolves, bears, great scorpions, wild boars and giant birds fell under the firepower and various weapons of the white local forces. Scouts flew their ODMs blasting plasma and bombarding any monster clusters with their Thunder Spears. And it worked until the Viridis faction appeared.
"What is this?" - shouted one girl with some thin shimmer, in a white dress with white hair.
"Monsters that explode with acid or poison or something." - said one of the UEG soldiers next to her, firing a burst from his Heckler & Koch HK416 at one of the dog-like creatures, from which green liquid began to gush.
"So hand-to-hand combat is out." - said a girl in a red uniform with a big scythe. Suddenly it turned into a rifle and started shooting from it. Several more explosives flew into the opening, killing dozens of these creatures.
Elsewhere, Jean was standing with some Scouts who had already used up their Thunders Spears. Beside them stood two men shooting black creatures and green abominations.
"Too many of them." - said Jean, activating his radio to open the channel - "Everyone, back off the square and make a perimeter around it. Send information to those at the top that they will soon be able to shoot at will without endangering their allies."
"This seems to be our best option at the moment." - said the woman with blonde hair, green eyes and glasses, and a wand as she threw rocks at the monsters.
And so everyone began to retreat between the buildings while the robots distracted most of the monsters' attention. The Atlas kingdom's gunships quickly began firing on dozens, then hundreds, then thousands of monsters. They had been coming for an hour and the Vale and Atlas troops kept firing at these positions. The square became one big mass of monsters' bodies, and a poisonous cloud began to leave it.
In the meantime, the IA vehicles were allowed to land at one of the Vale airfields and regroup together with the leaders.
"Captain Kirschtein, I have a casualty report." - Astrid Barsness said and quickly continued. -"2 slightly injured, Private Julian Ostenson and Private Jo Jahr. Private Reidar Kolberg is badly wounded, and to be precise, he lost his arm. The last one is Private Kaja Boyum, who died in battle. According to the accounts, one of these creatures bit her leg and then several others also pounced on her. Soon after, a grenade explosion killed her and at least a dozen of those monsters."
"Did you know her?" - Jean asked.
"Yes. We were in one training corps even before the war. We completed the training a month before the attack." - Astrid replied.
"Losing comrades is hard, but that is the price of war." - Jean said.
"I have to agree." - said a middle-aged man with a cane and a cup of coffee in his hand - "But that's the truth. I hear you wanted to see a government official, Captain Kirschtein. I am Ozpin, a member of the Vale Kingdom Council and headmaster of Beacon Academy. I won't say your arrival was very confusing and upset some people."
"That's why you have several hundred troops in the area and our vehicles haven't been refueled." - Jean said.
"Even if they use the same fuel." - added Astrid.
"Well, that's another problem." - Ospin said - "According to our information, none of you have an unlocked aura and you're using completely impractical vehicles with a strange power source. As far as I can understand the problem with properly building vehicles and relying on other sources of energy like fossil fuels is, to build these things you need infrastructure and technology that is only available in 4 kingdoms. The Menagerie is the most likely location, but the lack of markings and the fact that there are no Fauns in your group disproves this theory. The final option is that you are a new kingdom founded on the Dragon-Shaped Continent, but the angle of your approach belies that. It's like you're not from this world. It's the only option left."
"You take it quite calmly." - Jean said.
"Young man, if you lived as long as I do, some things wouldn't surprise you anymore." - Ozpin said, sipping his coffee - "But I have more important questions. What are these things that have appeared next to the Grims and how to stop them? While we managed to get through this without any casualties in our ranks, we only made it through luck, and relying on luck never ends well."
At this, Jean takes the smartphone out of his pocket and puts it on the table - "This device has all available information regarding the creatures that attacked you and other types that may appear. It's like 2-3 centuries before Paradis technology, but it should be at your level."
Ozpin took his smartphone and quickly checked - "Looks like a Scroll model from a few decades ago. We should deal with it. Although I don't know how you can own something that's several centuries too advanced and still be wearing this combat gear. It's certainly more advanced than any of our counterparts."
"Because this 'Scroll' is from UEG and they got this ODM Gear from Planeptune." - Astrid said - "And believe me. You won't find anyone more technologically advanced than them. They'll take whatever you have and in a week they'll make a version better than it in every way. The rest of GA doesn't deviate much from them. Together, they even found a way to seal the immortal god of destruction."
"Oh." - Ozpin said. There was only a second of shock on his face - "It's really very interesting, but we're straying from the main topic. Why are you here?"
"Have you seen these creatures?" - said Jean - "As you said, we are from another dimension. These creatures fly around and destroy any dimensions they encounter on their way. While most individuals are no more than mindless creatures charging at you without thinking, they are guided by some higher intelligence. All nations and species from all dimensions must unite to stop them, or we will all perish."
Ozpin was silent for a moment. He took another sip of coffee and said - "You've come to the wrong place when it comes to help. You've seen the Grimm. They control most of the planet and are constantly attacking us. The populace will soon learn of these new enemies and will be frightened. Fear is a negative emotion. Negative emotions attract Grimmy."
"Then you can't help us." - Astrid said.
"We can provide some help." - Ozpin said - "Older android models, weapons, food, medicine, an expeditionary force of, say, a dozen ships, tech exchanges, and trade. But don't count on more help. At least not for a while."
"It's still better than the others." - said Jean - "In about 16 hours, a task force of several thousand troops should arrive with air and armor support. They will kill the rest of the monsters around the portal we came in and they will move towards the city, along with the representatives who will take care of the conversation for us."
"I see." - said Ozpin - "I will pass the information on to the Vale Council."
After that, Ozpin left and quickly ran into General James Ironwood.
"Did you learn anything?" - Ironwood asked.
"A lot." - said Ozpin - "But that will have to wait. Their actual envoy will be arriving soon. These guys here are just scouts. They will take a large military force, several thousand soldiers, which will eliminate most of the creatures that attacked next to the Grims and will bring representatives. And most of the information you need is on this device."
Ozpin took the Scroll out of his pocket and told Ironwood - "It seems a few decades behind our current technology."
"I thought so too, James. And that's technically true. But their alliance consists of many different factions that have different levels of technological sophistication."
"So they are a potential threat to our security."
"Or an ally against Salem."
Ironwood looked at Ozpin - "You're not serious. You just met them."
"James, you know my plan and you don't like it."
"Because he's too passive." interrupted James. "Technology continues to improve our living standards, and our population and military strength continue to grow, so I understand wanting to wait until you have an absolute advantage. But that's just leaving the problem to the next generation. In the past, maybe it was a good strategy, but now we are ready. That's why I wanted to go on the offensive, you know that. But relying on these newcomers is stupid."
"Who said we would rely on them." - Ozpin interrupted this time - "Their presence alone weakens Salem's influence. Now she has an additional opponent, whether she likes it or not. However, these monsters could be a problem if Salem managed to take them over. We've already seen them working with the Grim, or at least begin indifferent to them. Vale will certainly want to increase its military and security. The other kingdoms will probably do the same. And you have your greater military force all over Remnant. But truth be told, we'll have to meet their representatives first before we do anything. Until then, we should continue with the Vytal Festival as usual to reassure the citizens."
"What if they attack us!?" - asked Ironwood, clearly annoyed - "A few thousand is very vague. For all we know, it could be a hundred ships served by a few thousand. You're not worried about that?"
Ozpin stopped and looked at Ironwood with a look that weighed thousands of years - "Would they inform us about the approaching soldiers? Would they help in the battle? Sacrificing their lives? They won't attack us if we don't give them a reason. So you need to calm down and not try anything. Is it clear?"
After a moment of silence, Ironwood said - "Yes."
=Location: island of Dirbtinis, 60 days from invasion=
The expedition group concentrated on the island of Dirbtinis. UEG led this group alone. 4 Boxer IFVs, 10 Pasi APCs, and 20 trucks. In total, a battalion of soldiers from the Baltic States moved through the portal. Only one for now. Past experience has shown that it is better to start from one place. Especially when huge energy fluctuations are detected.
The soldiers went through the portal and found themselves in some strange ruins. After a quick survey of the area, they saw the camp in the distance. As it was the only source of civilization in the area, they rushed to it immediately. After a few minutes, they reached the camp, in front of which stood a group of armed men in uniforms. Their weapons looked advanced, something GA-level, and there was a red triangle on their foreheads. The convoy stopped in front of the soldiers.
"Stop." - said the soldier in the front - "You are entering the area of Guardians Operation. You must show your IDs."
"It won't be possible." - said CO, Lieutenant Colonel Ignas Grikala. Like many, he was a young officer given a special promotion so that they could actually control the growing UEG army - "We are from another dimension. We were supposed to meet your government."
"Wait what?" - said Colbor, and the rest of the soldiers began to whisper among themselves. Suddenly, the Colbor grabbed one of his headphones and after a while, he said - "Doctor Ciel wants to see you."
"Can the operation commander really be a doctor?" - Ignas asked a bit surprised.
Suddenly, almost all the soldiers looked at him with the intent to kill - "Don't underestimate her. She almost single-handedly ended the war with Neo Arcadia. Without her, there would be no resistance, no CIEL system, and no help from Zero. And she's the greatest genius of the last few centuries. If you see anything in the capital or any other settlement, she had a hand in it at least indirectly."
"I see." - said Ignas - "After this immortal, several hundred years old, gothic lolita with a big axe, I guess it shouldn't surprise me."
After a moment of silence, Colbor spoke again - "More detailed explanations will be needed."
Half an hour later, after more detailed explanations.
"And that's all." - Ignas finished.
"I see." - Ciel said.
"And I got lost." - Colbor said - "Some interdimensional mambo-jambo, demons, monsters, other species, and planets. I'm going to need some time to process this."
And so Colbor left and Ignas continued - "Honestly, I'm surprised you took it so quickly. Most other people needed some clear proof beforehand. Like a huge portal, flying ships, or other things."
Ciel simply said - "We detected you with this energy spike, so we knew it was at least some kind of teleportation. But when you arrived in these vehicles with these weapons, it was immediately obvious that you were from another era. No one in their right mind would come to this forest with such antiquated weapons."
"So you're several centuries ahead of us."
"Yes. I don't know about your support. You'll have to talk to the Legion, our government, about that. But given the situation, if you're not lying, you can count on my Guardians."
"Are there Guardians at all?"
"Guardians is an official military organization operating with the permission of the Legion. Our main goal is to fight the Marveriks who still control large amounts of the planet. But as long as they don't have leaders, they don't pose as much of a threat as they did in the old days. Anyway, we currently have several thousand men, a major ground base, a flying ship as headquarters, and a few smaller outposts on the planet."
"I see. I'll pass the information on to my superiors and we'll send delegations to the Legion leadership. But we will need information on the location of the capital and inform them of our arrival."
