Attack On Titan: Wings Of Crystal

Chapter 49: Revival

Once it was up and over the wall, the Cart Titan ran on all fours out towards the open lands beyond the walls. Right into the heart of Titan country. The battle of Shiganshina had taken a heavy toll on the Warriors.

Pieck was the only one who hadn't sustained any form of injury during their last stand against the Scout Regiment. The same could not be said for Reiner and Michael, who were still healing from the injuries they'd sustained from the Thunder Spears. Zeke was recovering from his first encounter with Levi. And Bertolt was still frozen within his chrysalis identical to the one Annie was imprisoned in.

With the Omega Unit in full retreat, they were forced to find a place to rest up, recuperate, and wait for the inevitable return of Lazarus. If he hadn't been captured.

Once Reiner had regenerated enough, he pointed Pieck in the direction of the old Scout base they camped in when they first arrived on Paradis. It was miles away from the walls and completely out in the open, allowing them to see any approaching Titans from any direction.

Micheal just sat on the back of the cart in silence, not even paying attention to the others. He wore an empty look on his face. He looked exhausted. Both physically and mentally. He had already gone through two stages of loss. The first one was him lashing out at the others, mainly Zeke, for abandoning Erwin and not bringing his body with them to give him a proper burial. The rage then turned into sadness and despair. He'd been crying his eyes out for about twenty minutes until his body had reached its limits. Now all that remained was a deadpan, emotionless expression. All he had left was a small glimmer of hope that Lazarus would rejoin them soon. At least he'll still have him, even though all his family are gone now.

"Reiner. Michael. You were both very lucky today." Zeke commented after twenty minutes of complete silence and listening to Michael's bawling. "So were you, Bertolt. Though you probably can't hear me right now."

"Lucky?" Micheal addressed him. "You were prepared to leave him behind! He survived today because of me!"

"I am aware, Michael. I was there."

"We should've gone back!" Michael continued, raising his voice in a more serious tone. "Lazarus is all alone back there and probably being tortured by the others. He may be immortal, but they don't know that. What happens when they do?"

"It makes no difference." Zeke calmly replied. "I've known Lazarus for many years. He's too stubborn and too strong to be contained. Even If they were to figure out he was immortal, what difference does it make? He'll still be unbeatable to them. He'll be here. He has to be. Otherwise, how else are we gonna get off this cursed island?"

Michael grunts in response and turns away from him. He didn't want to say it to his face, but Zeke did have a point. The Winged Titan has powers akin to a God, so capturing him would be a challenge for the Survey Corps. But what he fails to realise is that Lazarus is not cold and calculating like the Warrior's War Chief. He would never destroy Shiganshina and all their friends on the opposite side of the war just to save himself. Immortality gave him the luxury of doing things the hard way with minimal consequences.

But none of that will change the fact that he's now lost a second father. Even if the war is won and Lazarus erases all Titans from the world. Even if all the people in the world could learn to get along and accept each other, it wouldn't change the fact that he'd end up living the rest of his life alone.

When it's over, Lazarus will most likely start a family of his own with Annie. Which meant there'd be no time for him. He didn't want to feel like a third wheel in their relationship.

And Sasha… He knows now that she shared the same feelings for him that he had for her. But they were from two different worlds. It wasn't possible to have a future with her. Nor one where things could go back to the way they were before in the 104th Cadet Corps.

He sat in silence for only a few more minutes, as the Cart Titan had just pulled up outside the abandoned Scout base. To Reiner, it hadn't changed one bit since they first came here as kids. The only difference was more vines were growing alongside the walls compared to their last visit.

After checking to see if there were no Titans in the area, Michael helps Zeke and Reiner down from the cart, since their limbs were still in the process of growing back. The Cart Titan gently places the crystallised Bertolt down on the ground with its teeth and leans him against the castle wall.

Just when they thought they were in the clear, the peace was interrupted by the sounds of rustling coming from within the tower. Someone was already inside.

Michael draws the two guns from the Gun Gear he stole off of an Interior Squad soldier and slowly, but carefully, approaches the wooden door. He signals Zeke, Reiner, and Pieck to hang back and keep quiet while he goes inside and investigates.

Holding his nerve, Michael violently kicks the door open, hoping to catch whoever's hiding in here by surprise. His eyes widened with shock upon learning that the culprit was none other than Annie Leonhart.

She was just sitting there on a chair in the middle of the room, eating what appeared to be a slice of apple pie. She was so startled by Michael's sudden break-in that she almost spat out her current mouthful. The two of them just stared at each other, dumbfounded by the awkward situation. What made it more awkward was that she was wearing Lazarus's hat with her cheeks puffed out due to her mouth still being full of chewed food.

"A- Annie?!"

There was no response from her. It would've been rude to talk with her mouth full, she thought. So, she decided to finish chewing her current mouthful and swallow it quickly, acting like a starved animal.

As she was about to speak, she was interrupted by the sudden, and unexpected, reaction from Michael. Who, for no apparent reason, started bursting out with uncontrollable laughter whilst pointing at her.

"HAHAHAHAHA! FIRST TIME I SEE YOU IN WEEKS, AND YOU'RE STUFFING YOUR FACE WITH PIE! HAHAHAHA!"

Micheal suddenly loses the feeling in his legs and collapses onto his back, rolling about on the floor with more unstable laughter. Annie just sat there, unsure of how she should react. From her perspective, Michael was acting like a lunatic in an insane asylum. The only reason she was eating so vigorously was because she hadn't eaten or drank anything since her imprisonment.

What made matters worse was that Michael's insane laughter started to slowly transition into more crying. She wondered what about her situation upset him so much. Last time they met he was stopping her from escaping Wall Sina. A lot of time has passed since then, but nowhere near enough to change his view of her and her actions.

She soon realised that this was no longer about her. Something must've happened within the time between their last meeting and right now. The only explanation she could come up with was that he'd recently learned of Lazarus's true nature. Someone he thought he knew not being who they say they are, it's enough to break anyone down if their bond was strong enough.

Michael then started muttering to himself. He was blaming himself for not being able to save Erwin. Calling himself a failure. An unworthy Crystal Titan. Saying things like he should've let himself be eaten by Mikasa. Claiming she'd make a better Crystal Titan than he ever could.

Annie didn't know what to do. She wasn't the best person to turn to for a pep talk. On top of the problems she's had to deal with, she hadn't the faintest idea of how to lift Michael's spirits.

Thankfully, she didn't have to. Reiner had managed to regrow his arms and used them to crawl over to them. By focusing all his energy on his destroyed arms, he was able to speed up the healing process.

"What's going on in here?" He pauses when he notices Annie standing before him over the weeping Michael. "He did it." He thought to himself. The fact that she was standing right there showed that Lazarus had succeeded in rescuing her from Stohess. At last, their unit was whole again. Minus the absence of their Vice Chief.

"Annie… It's good to see you. How are you?"

Annie scoffs in his direction. She was in no mood to speak to him right now. Despite what Lazarus told her in the sewers, she still wasn't ready to move on from the mistakes Reiner was responsible for. Or how he forced her to take off Marco's ODM gear.

Reiner sensed her animosity towards him and decided not to press her for answers on her well-being. Changing the topic of discussion, he approaches Michael and lets him know of the Winged Titan's approach.

Michael finally stops crying and uses his jacket sleeve to wipe away his tears. He agrees to step outside to greet his friend.

Michael picks Reiner up and carries him out on his back while Annie follows behind. Once outside in the open, they all spot the Winged Titan flying towards their location and making its descent a few feet away from them in an open field.

It then slowly walks over to the others. Zeke was the first to notice that he was clutching someone carefully in his hands, keeping him up against his chest.

"He'd done it! He's recovered Eren. Victory is ours!" He thought to himself.

The Winged Titan reaches them outside the outpost and kneels. He then slowly lowers his hands to the ground and opens his fingers up, revealing who he's been carrying.

Everyone was shocked to learn that it wasn't Eren. But rather, Erwin Smith. He was still unconscious from the injuries he suffered from the Beast Titan. Michael was the most mortified to see him in Lazarus's hands except Eren.

"Dad!" Without thinking, he drops Reiner on his ass and rushes to his side. He places his right ear to his chest, listening for a heartbeat or any signs of life.

"What is this? Where's Eren?!" Zeke demanded as he gazed up at the Winged Titan.

"Commander Erwin? I thought he was dead. Why'd you bring him here?" Reiner added.

Lazarus ignored their requests and turned to Michael who was attempting to revive him with CPR.

"Michael… does he still breathe?"

"…Only just." Michael hesitantly answered.

"Then there's still time to save him." He reassured him.

Michael looks up at his friend with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He wasn't gonna waste time and ask him how exactly he'll save him. Every second they waste talking, Erwin grows weaker.

After ordering everyone to stand back and give him some room, the Winged Titan began its attempt to heal him. Everyone stayed quiet, curious as to how he'd be able to pull it off.

The Winged Titan slowly lowers its face to the ground, hovering its right eye right over Erwin's body. Its eyes started building up tears underneath them. A single drop of the Titan's tears lands atop Erwin's body. To him, it felt like someone had just dropped a bucket of water all over him, completely soaking him.

What followed afterwards, was a bright glowing yellow light that completely covered Erwin's body. It was identical to the bright lights that occurred during a Titan Shifter's transformation. Only it wasn't as strong as theirs, nor did it involve lightning coming down from the sky.

Erwin's wounds started to close up. The tiny pieces of stone shrapnel left inside him were pushed out of his body as they were completely sealed up. All the blood staining his clothes evaporated into steam, identical to the steam that was coming out of the Warriors' wounds. But what surprised them, was that that single teardrop not only healed Erwin, but it also managed to regrow the arm he'd lost during their second failed attempt to capture Eren.

The light fades as soon as Erwin is completely healed. He looked like a new man. Every part of him had been effortlessly repaired, except for his clothes. Micheal approaches him one more time and places his left ear on his chest again. This time he was able to hear a steady heartbeat and a calming breathing from his lungs. He truly was alive and well.

Michael started to break down crying again. Only this time they were tears of joy. All the despair and survivors' guilt he'd been carrying since they'd left the walls had been completely washed away. All he had ever wanted since he'd gotten his memories back was to return to his old life in Marley and live it alongside his father. And now, thanks to Lazarus, he can make that dream a reality.

"But- But how?! How did you do that?" Reiner asked him, dumbfounded by what he'd just seen.

"Healing tears. One drop can cure any injury, no matter how severe. Yet another one of my many talents. I've used it on you before, Michael."

"What?" Michael asked in confusion, still clinging to Erwin.

"Remember that drink of water I gave you in Trost to help you recover after Eren almost crushed you to death? I put some of my teardrops inside it when you weren't looking. It's also how I saved Franz after we allowed Titans to swarm Trost." He explained.

Reiner couldn't help but gag a little at the thought of Michael drinking his tears. Michael would've as well. But right now, he didn't care. He was just thankful that Lazarus possessed a power like that. He could always question the healing tears later.

Lazarus inevitably cuts himself out of his Titan's nape and slides down one of his wings, joining the others on the ground again. Because of his violent death to Armin's Titan moments ago, most of his clothing had been shredded to pieces. All that remained were the top part of his trousers. Everything else was burned off in the Colossal Titan explosion. Even his beloved Cloud Zero gear had not survived the blast. His actual body had fully healed within his Titan ever since he'd first emerged from Armin's Pure Titan.

"Glad to see it's worked. He'll still be unconscious for a while, but he should wake up soon. Best to just let him rest."

Michael approaches Lazarus and embraces him. He didn't even care that he was shirtless at the moment or his body still being hot from being in his Titan's nape for too long. He was just grateful to see him, not only alive. But also chooses to save his father's life, even when he knows it would've cost them the mission.

The tender moment was then ruined by a very angry Zeke Yeager who pulls Michael away and gets all up in Lazarus's face. Like Reiner, he channelled all his energy into his limbs to grow them back quicker. Though they were just muscles, he had enough strength to walk over to Lazarus and pull Michael off of him. He wasn't pleased with Lazarus's decision. Not one bit.

"What the hell have you done?! Did you forget the plan?! The whole point of this battle! The risk of being captured by them! It was all for this one final chance to recover the Coordinate. Despite our setbacks, I held onto the hope of seeing you come back with Eren. But instead, you brought back a useless soldier! Our entire operation! All those years of training and planning have been wasted! All because of your selfishness and lack of responsibility!" Zeke furiously yells down at him, followed by a sudden push. Sending Lazarus down to the ground.

"What were you thinking?! You had the perfect opportunity to grab Eren while their numbers have dwindled, and they were weak! This was our final chance to win this war for Marley, AND YOU RUINED IT! Because of you, this nightmare will never end!"

Michael was just about to have a go with Zeke, but Lazarus grabbed his arm and shook his head. The last thing he wanted was to see his two friends fighting over a decision he made. After getting back up, he calmly explains his actions.

"You're right, Zeke. I could've grabbed Eren right then and there and brought this war to an end. I could've saved the world… But the cost of doing so would've been Erwin's life. And taking both of them wasn't an option either. Eren made things difficult by assuming Titan form. Erwin was barely alive when I grabbed him. Any time wasted on ripping Eren out of his Titan's nape would've led to his death." He then turns to Michael" I made a promise to Michael that I wouldn't let anything happen to him. And I always keep my promises."

"Promises don't mean shit when the future of the whole world is at stake!" He responded, still fuming at his poor decision. "I understand that you're loyal to us, and I like that. But your loyalty to Marley is gonna be called into question after this. How do you think the Brass will feel once they discover that the mission, that's been in the works since your parent's time as Warriors, has now been deemed a failure because of you?!"

Lazarus looks over at the other Warriors. He could tell that they too were disappointed that he chose Erwin over Eren. Even Annie couldn't deny that Zeke was in the right here. Neither of them could ever see another opportunity to capture Eren occur in the future. For all they know, Lazarus's actions may lead to disastrous consequences.

Michael, however, was grateful to Lazarus for putting himself over the mission he was raised to succeed since his departure. Choosing between the people in your life and the rest of the world is never an easy decision. Not even a Warrior as strong as him can determine which was right.

"You're right, Zeke." He suddenly spoke up, drawing all eyes to him. "Lazarus made the wrong decision for the mission. But when it comes to the wellbeing of others, I'd say he made the right choice."

"He put his loyalties to all of us first before Marley. A country that's lied to all of you! They raised you to believe the people living here are devils. They don't deserve the right to win the war. We're the ones who risked our lives for them! We have a right to decide the fate of the world, not a country that hates Eldians, yet uses them as weapons of war!" He walks up to Zeke and locks eyes with him, glaring directly into them.

"It may be your duty to serve Marley as Warriors. But you also have another duty. A duty to the Eldian Race. To your friends and family. So go ahead. Tell the military what happened here today. Tell them how their science experiment chose to act like a human being instead of their weapon. How he decided to save one life instead of the world. Nothing they do can stop Lazarus. He can just wipe Marley off of the map with the Hellfire Force. And I have no doubt that's what he'll do if any of us are threatened… Do you really want that to happen?"

Zeke was impressed by Michael's threats. He could tell this was all a bluff. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel he might be serious. Lazarus had already demonstrated that he was capable of killing many citizens for the sake of protecting his friends. He'd also gone to great lengths just to get Annie back when the logical thing would've been to leave her.

One trait he'd always hated about Lazarus was his obsession with saving everyone. A trait that has now cost him Eren, and probably his only chance to harness the Founder's power to make all Eldians infertile. In the end, that was all he ever cared about.

"…No. But how exactly does saving this man benefit us in any way?" He addresses Michael.

"My dad is the Commander of the Scout Regiment. He has plenty of military experience. It could prove useful to us."

"And what makes you think he'll ever agree to joining us? From what I've seen, his loyalties are to the walls, and only the walls. How do you know he won't attempt to run the moment he wakes up?"

"I don't know. But now that the Survey Corps believes him to be dead, they won't be looking for him. No matter who he's loyal to, his only goal is to learn the truth about the world beyond the walls. If I offer to take him with us, he'll finally achieve his dream." He explained.

"It might be worth considering, Zeke." The Cart Titan added to the conversation, agreeing with Michael's plan.

Zeke looks over at Lazarus who was nodding along with Pieck's answer. Then he turns over to Reiner and Annie. They appeared to be in the middle on this one. Unsure if it's a good idea or not. And Bertolt was still frozen to provide him with his opinion.

He lets out a long, frustrated sigh. Nothing will convince him that this wasn't a grave mistake. But there's no use dwelling on it anymore. What's done is done. All he can do now is focus on what his next move should be. Should he tell the Brass exactly what happened and risk an all-out battle between them and the Winged and Crystal Titans? Or should he lie and tell them that their failure was on all of them? Why did Lazarus have to go and make things complicated for him?

"What's done is done. For now, we'll rest up and let our wounds heal. Michael will keep watch over the soldier at all times. Make sure he's chained up, so he doesn't make a run for it. Pieck will remain outside and keep a lookout. The rest of us will head inside and discuss our next move after Lazarus's little slip-up."

Everyone nods in agreement and follows him inside. Michael carries Erwin inside and takes him down to the basement of the outpost while the others sit around a fire Lazarus had set up for Annie in the fireplace. The Cart Titan remained outside and began surveying the area for any Pure Titans or Scouts.

Inside the castle, Lazarus finally gets around to undoing the hardening around Bertolt while Michael is with Erwin in the basement. They both agreed that it should only be him present when he awakens while the others stay upstairs.

Whilst he was doing that, Reiner and Zeke relaxed and allowed their bodies to regenerate. Once their limbs had grown back completely, they went outside to unload one of the boxes Pieck carried with her on her back. The box contained their new Marleyan military uniforms and their armbands. Zeke put his on no problem. While Reiner was hesitant to do so. Looking down at his armband brought back memories of the family he left behind in the motherland. A family he might've never seen again if he hadn't been lucky.

He was thankful to still be alive. And even more grateful that everyone else made it as well. He then looks over at Lazarus who is now halfway through Bertolt's thawing. Deep down he knows he made the wrong choice. But he won't deny that it wasn't the right thing to do. Leaving Erwin to die would've made Michael's mind just as broken as his. Not only did he prove himself a good friend to him. But he's also guaranteed Michael's loyalty to the Warriors. Who knows. Maybe having Erwin on their side might provide them with more advantages, he thought.

The sounds of heavy gasping for air filled the room as Bertolt was finally released from his temporary stasis. Lazarus and Reiner help him off the floor and provide support until he's able to stand on his own again.

"Uhhhh… wh- where am I?"

"Easy, Bertolt. You're safe. We're all safe outside the walls. Thanks to Lazarus." Reiner softly answered.

"What about Eren and the others?" He muttered, still feeling a little woozy from his sudden awakening. He wasn't in there for as long as Annie, but it was still an unpleasant feeling.

"We're outside the walls in the old Scout building we camped out in when we first arrived here… As for Eren. I-

"He chose to abandon the mission and bring back the Scouts' commander instead." Zeke interrupted, bluntly reminding Lazarus of his poor choices.

Bertolt's eyes widen. He looks at Lazarus in surprise and horror. Lazarus just looks away from him, confirming that his claims are true. The mission had failed because of him.

"But Lazarus…why?" He questioned him quietly. "I thought we all agreed that we'd end this once and for all."

"I know. But I had to. Because I've come to realise that some things are far more important than saving the world." He pauses for a moment to look over at Annie who is sitting alone by the fireplace still stuffing her face with the contents of the canned food.

"I do still want to save the world. But not at the cost of seeing the people in my life die or suffer. Bertolt, you were almost eaten. Annie was captured. And Reiner was almost killed. None of you have the luxury of immortality like I do. I want to ensure all of us get to live peaceful lives in this new world we're trying to create. I'm more than willing to put the mission on hold if it means you get to be a part of it."

"And what makes you think we'll get another chance at this?" Zeke approached him. "For all we know, this WAS our last shot, and you ruined it! We all escaped today because we got lucky. But luck is like resources. Eventually, it's all gonna run out and we'll be dead. The Brass won't take our losses lightly. They will punish us for our failure."

"Then I'll take responsibility," Lazarus responded immediately, not even hesitating for an instant.

The other Warriors all look over at the two chief Warriors squabbling. They were surprised to hear that Lazarus was more than willing to take the blame for the mission's failure. Reiner then decided to speak up on his friend's behalf.

"The way I see it, Zeke. The mission wasn't a complete loss. Yes, we didn't take back the Founding Titan. But we did recover the Crystal Titan. And on top of that, we also have the Paradis military's most cunning leader. Both can prove highly useful to us. Without the Crystal Titan, they have no way of maintaining the power to harden. And without Erwin leading them, they might as well be a flock with no shepherd to guide them. Their numbers have vastly depleted throughout the battle. They don't have the numbers to launch an attack against us. And Eren can't take on all of us alone, even with the Founder's power… So yeah, we failed. But at least we have some compensation for our efforts."

"He's right."

Zeke glances over at Annie, who has finally had her fill of food, stands up and addresses him.

"I'm not agreeing with him that not taking Eren was a smart choice. But I do agree that bringing the Crystal Titan and Erwin back with us might be enough to make up for our failures. From someone who's witnessed up close what Michael is capable of in his Titan form, I'd say we gained another powerful ally. One Marley could make use of."

"You're only saying that because you are indebted to him for bringing you back here against my orders." Zeke dismissed her.

Annie approaches the tall, bearded man and looks up at him with her usual stoic expression. Only this time it wasn't the look of someone who didn't give a damn about anyone or anything. It was the look of someone who'd just been given a new lease of life and was determined to keep it this time.

"I told you before that I don't give a shit about saving the world. All I cared about was getting home to my father… But I've learned a lot since I first came here. I learned that some people are worth dying for. That maybe this world isn't completely cruel." She briefly glances over her shoulder at Lazarus. "That there is more to life than being a weapon of destruction."

"Inside that chrysalis, I was led to believe that I would never see the light of day again. I truly believed that I wouldn't be free until years later. Do you know what I was doing during all that time?" She asked rhetorically before continuing. "I was thinking. Thinking of all the things I've always wanted to do but never got the chance to do. Either because of my father or because of my duties as a Warrior. I kept telling myself that if I ever were to escape and make it home, I would finally be who I wanted to be. Not what a corrupt nation designated me to be! … Too bad some of us don't know when to quit."

With her rant over, she returned to her spot by the fireplace. Lazarus, Reiner, and Bertolt were in awe at the display of authority she displayed to the War Chief. Even Zeke didn't know how to respond. Usually, Annie always kept to herself and didn't care about others. She'd changed a great deal since the last time he saw her. This left him to wonder what changed her. Was it her love for Lazarus? Or was this a new form of gratification for getting her life back? Whatever the case, it made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

Letting out a deep sigh, Zeke decided to stop pressing the matter and get some sleep. In the morning when his mind is clearer, he'll decide what needs to be done.

Whilst the Warriors were recovering on the surface, Michael was sitting in a dark, cold basement underground. The wooden beams were rotted and were covered in moss. The only source of light was a few torches hanging on the walls. The floors were made of stone. It was cold and wet to the touch. He even managed to spot a rat or two in the far-right corner.

There was not much furniture down there apart from a couple of chairs. All of which were rotted and covered in dirt. Michael had no desire to sit on any of them, so he decided to craft his chair out of crystal and sit on that instead.

As for Erwin, he was lying on a crystal bed big enough for one person. It even came equipped with a crystal pillow. Though it wasn't as soft as all pillows should be. He also had a crystal shackle attached to his left ankle and connected to the wall under the bed preventing him from escaping, should he choose to make a run for it.

Michael sat by his father's side for what felt like an hour, waiting for him to wake up. He occasionally overheard the conversations from the Warriors above him. Given they were sitting near the stairs, it was impossible to ignore them. Especially when they started yelling.

"Come on, Dad. Wake up. Please… I need you." He uttered in his direction.

Erwin started to stir in his sleep, muttering inaudible words that Michael couldn't understand. Until he suddenly raises his right arm, like how a student would if they had a question for their teacher.

"Ex-excuse me… but how can we be sure that there aren't any other humans… living somewhere far away from the walls?"

Michael was both shocked and relieved to see that Lazarus's healing tears had worked. Though his body had healed, he feared Erwin may end up in a coma. Laz's tears could only heal physical injuries. It's not enough to repair a man's mental state.

From what he heard; it appeared Erwin was dreaming of his childhood with his father. Specifically, the part where he asked him about the possibility of people living in the lands outside the walls. That moment was what sparked his dream to learn the truth. A dream he'd give up anything in the world to gain. Which was what Michael was counting on to persuade him to come back to Marley with him.

"Dad?" He starts to gently shake Erwin awake. "Dad, wake up! It's me, Michael!"

Erwin groaned as he was slowly regaining consciousness. His eyes flickered open, trying to adjust to the dimly lit room he was in. Though his body was healed, he could still feel the pain from the points the stones impacted his body, causing a bruising sensation. He also couldn't feel anything in his right arm, as he was unaware that it had grown back.

He slowly turns to his right and notices a joyful Michael sitting across from him, happy to see him alive and somewhat well.

"Dad, you're awake! Thank God." He takes hold of his regrown right arm. "I thought I'd lost you forever."

"Michael?" He quietly uttered. He sat there in silence for only a few minutes, until he slowly began to realise that he was no longer lying in the fields alongside his soldiers but was now in a dark basement with his son. "Am I… Dead?"

"No, Dad, you survived! Lazarus brought you here and healed you." He shows him his right arm still clutched within his grasp. "Look. Your arms grown back."

Erwin's eyes widen slightly. He raises his newly grown arm and gazes at it. He flexes the muscles within the wrists and fingers, trying to readjust to the feeling of having two arms again.

It wasn't until a few minutes later that he finally had the strength and mental capacity to understand his current situation. It didn't take long for him to realise that he was no longer with the Scouts and was now a prisoner of the enemy Titan Shifters.

"I know how this may look to you. But I want you to know that the others upstairs are not going to harm you in any way. As for the chain, it was Zeke's idea, not mine. It's just a precaution on their part. You would've done the same if it were the other way around."

Erwin said nothing in response. He just sat up straight in his bed, staring blankly at the wall. Not even acknowledging his son's existence. Michael kept trying to talk to him, but he got no response, causing the young man to start worrying. He wondered if Erwin hated him for bringing him here instead of letting him die out on the field of battle with honour.

"Dad… please say something. If you hate me, then say it. Please. Just say the word and I'll let you walk out of here. You can go back to the Scout Regiment if that's what you want… Dad?"

"… I was ready to give it all up." He finally responded without batting an eye at Michael.

"Before leading my soldiers to their deaths, I told Levi that I would give up my dream and go out in a blaze of glory. It was the hardest thing in the world to do. But I did it so he'd have a chance at taking down the Beast Titan… Everyone died, except for me. And the Beast Titan is still breathing upstairs. As well as Annie Leonhart. Which means Miche and the others have been killed by Lazarus. Only those on the side of humanity have sustained losses, whilst your people haven't had a single casualty… It's as if God himself is taunting me. Maybe it was because I hadn't fully given up on it."

"What do you mean?"

"My father's dream. I said I would give up on it… But deep down, a small piece of me couldn't do it. And now I'm suffering the consequences of not letting it go." Erwin slowly continued. His voice carried a lot of regret for his actions.

Michael wondered why he was acting like this, instead of getting angry at him for cheating him out of what was going to be a heroic and noble sacrifice. He was emotionlessly prepared to take all the blame he would've thrown at him. But instead, he decided to blame himself for not doing a better job of leading humanity to victory. He's now a prisoner of war for his captors to do with as they please, which was a fate worse than death in the eyes of a soldier.

Erwin looks over at Michael before gazing down at the chain attached to his left leg. There was nothing for him to do. Even if he could run away, where would he go? The Scouts, or what's left of them, have probably returned to Wall Rose by now. And he was in no shape to fight any of them.

All he could do was sit there and wonder why he was there. What possible use could they have for him? It can't be information. And it can't be just to be their prisoner either. He knows them well enough by now that they're the kind who take no prisoners. So why capture him?

"What do you plan to do with me, Michael?" He calmly asked his son. "You said Lazarus was the one who healed me. Why would he do that?"

Michael attempts to move in closer, but Erwin scoots back a little on his bed. He took that as a sign that he should respect his wishes and give him his space.

"He saved you because of me." He simply responded.

Erwin quirked an eyebrow in his direction, curious to hear what else he had to say.

"As I told you before, Lazarus and I grew up together in our hometown. We're practically family. I'd do anything for him, and he'd do anything for me. The others may see you as an enemy. But Laz always saw you as the man who saved my life and gave me a home after I've lost my memories. You could've just given me to anyone. But you chose to raise me yourself. I never questioned why you'd choose to be a father to me. I was just thankful I had someone like you to point me back down the path I needed to take to remind me of who I am."

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. Lazarus knew this better than anyone. That's why he chose to save you instead of grabbing Eren. The very reason they came here in the first place." He explained thoroughly.

That last part sparked a reaction out of Erwin, forcing him to look behind him at the stairs leading up to the surface before directing his attention back to Michael.

"Lazarus… didn't capture Eren?"

Michael shook his head in response. Erwin could not believe what he'd just heard. The moment he'd discovered the enemy hiding within their ranks, it was obvious to him that they prioritised the capture of Eren over all else. During the Battle of Shiganshina, the enemy was putting all their cards on the table to ensure they won the war no matter what.

Lazarus had the remaining members of the exhausted Scout Regiment at their mercy. There were many ways he could've ended the war and secured victory for his team. But he chose to save him instead. Someone deemed expendable to the Survey Corps. Even he saw himself as easily replaced. That's why he made Hange the new commander before the battle began. This was meant to be his final mission in the field.

In the end, both sides have lost the war. The Scouts may still have custody over Eren and the Founding Titan, but they have sustained way too many losses. Whilst the Warriors had all their soldiers accounted for, they lost any hope of actually winning.

"You once called Lazarus a great soldier. A man who's dedicated to protecting the people in his life whose lives mattered to him. And that includes you, Dad. Because you matter to me more than anything else." Michael added compassionately.

"The Scouts believe that you're dead. Commander Erwin Smith may be dead. But my father is still alive…I appeal to you again. Come with us. Come home with me and be a father to me again. You can finally see the world where I come from and live in it with me." Michael then decides to get closer again, only this time Erwin doesn't back away and allows him to pull him into another embrace.

"I can't force you to come with me. But I want you to know that you're all I have. You and Lazarus. My real parents are dead, and my aunt and uncle gave their lives to ensure I made it here." He pauses momentarily before telling Erwin the truth about Marley, fearing it would degrade his decision. But he needed to be honest with him. He had every right to know what kind of place the outside world was.

Michael tells him all about Marley, Eldians, the Ten Titan powers, the Warrior Program, and everything else that he needs to know about the world. He tells him that the Eldian Race is hated by people all over the world. Viewing them as nothing more than devils that slaughtered millions during the Great Titan War. Throughout the ages, they've been bringing Eldian prisoners to the shores of Paradis and turning them into the very Titan's humanity within the walls have been fighting against.

Erwin was mortified by the harsh reality of the outside world Michael came from. He started having a vague idea behind why Lazarus and the other Warriors did what they did, and why they were determined to steal the Founding Titan. All his life he'd been dreaming about the day he'd see the outside world and learn what its society is like. But after hearing that, he'd started to wish he had died in the open fields. He'd been better off dead, never knowing the truth. He can't help but wonder how Hange and the others will react once they learn the truth for themselves. Presumably, the secrets locked in Grisha Yeager's cellar.

After Michael had finished his history lesson about the outside world, he decided to give his father some time to process all this information.

To Erwin's surprise, Michael unlocks the shackles on his leg, freeing him from his imprisonment.

"I wouldn't blame you for running back to the Scouts after what I've just told you. Like I said, I won't force you to come home with me if you don't want to. But Lazarus and I believe that you can help us make the world a better place. When we return, Lazarus and I plan to one day overthrow the corrupt Marleyan government and make a change to the system. Help all Eldians get accepted as people, instead of devils. With our combined powers, they'll eventually listen. And you, Dad. You can teach them what life on Paradis is really like. That deep down we're not so different. That we're all just people trying to live. Then, maybe one day, we can unite both opposing sides and accept them as allies. Maybe even one day our friends. Like how things were before."

"You don't have to make your decision now. You can just sleep on it and give me an answer tomorrow. And if you're gone by morning, we'll know you chose to stay here… Whatever you choose, I'll always love you, Dad." Michael compassionately told him before heading for the basement stairs.

But he didn't get in a single step. He was stopped by Erwin who finally decided to get out of bed and gently grabbed his arm. Michael slowly glances over his right shoulder back at him, scared as to what he may be thinking right now.

"I understand now, Michael. I know now what kind of world you and Lazarus were born in. And despite the things you've told me. I still want to see it for myself."

"Does that mean that you're-

Erwin raises his hand, cutting him off from what he was about to say.

"However, I can't give you an answer yet… Not until you carry out one last order from me as your former commander."

"And that is?" He hesitantly asked.

"I want to speak to Lazarus," Erwin answered seriously.

To Be Continued