Usurper
Eren seethed with anger as he clung to the girl within The Paths, bearing witness to the memories of the Founder, Ymir Fritz; whose life comprised of being enslaved, mutilated, and hunted. Only to end up as the First Titan, used as nothing but a tool to wage wars and wreak destruction in the name of her master, the first King Fritz. All leading to the day she sacrificed her own life to save Fritz, and then the cannibalization of her body by her own daughters. Thus began the long spiral that forged a world ruled by the terror of the Titans for thousands of years.
Eren hated it, he hated all of it. Every last memory of Ymir. He wanted to end it! End everything in this accursed world that King Fritz had created. End the Age of Titans once and for all! But...
The Attack Titan's power pulsed back to him, the memories of the future reminding him of where this would all lead. Where everything had been leading, since even before he inherited the Founder and the Attack Titans. The End of these Paths.
The Rumbling. The crushing of the world and the final battle with his friends...
Mikasa's so-called choice.
All had been building to this moment. The Founder and the Attack Titan made past, present, and future becoms as one. Creating a path with no hope of deviation or altering. He searched, desperately for a way out until he found he could only go with the flow of this wretched fate. No way to make peace with a hateful world that wanted Paradis raised to the ground, no way to escape the thirteen year curse that would end him in four years, and no way...
No way to save Sasha. Just like there had been no way to save Hannes, or his mother. It was so horrible it was hillarious.
Yet, here at the precipice, he felt something. Something he hadn't felt in years; Rage.
True, genuine, wrathful, defiant, hateful, Rage.
He seethed and boiled at his situation, the powerlessness it brought him. Stuck behind walls, stuck on the island, stuck in this stream of time. Nothing had changed. He was still trapped.
"I reject the world's desire!" Eren cried out as he held her tighly. "And I reject yours, Ymir!"
She flinched harshly within his hold. Overhead, the very branches of the Path groaned and bent as they pulsated with light upon his declaration.
"Eren! What are you doing?!" Zeke yelled, running towards them frantically. He didn't know what was happening but it would not end how he wanted it to. The way the world needed it to.
"You're no goddess, no slave. You're just a human. And I won't be your puppet!" Eren yelled forcefully in her ear as she trembled in his hold. "Whatever I do now, whatever future I carve, it will be of my own free will and nothing more!"
"Ymir! Remove the ability to reproduce from the Subjects of Ymir! Do it now!" Zeke tried to command, desperate as he felt his long sought goal slipping away from him right when it was within his grasp.
"You've waited two-thousand years. You guided me here," Eren said to the girl in his embrace, somehow both despising and sympathetic towards her all at once. "But I can't free you, Ymir. Neither can Mikasa. Only one person can free you."
Ymir looked up and finally revealed her eyes as she gazed onto the Paths. Her blue eyes were wide and streaming with tears down her face, twisted into an agonized expression from an eternity of suffering.
"Ymir, I am-!" Zeke screamed out, almost reaching them-
only to be launched back by a sudden force of wind emitting from the pair, blowing sand all about like a mighty twister.
A great screeching howl filled the sandy realm, and Eren winced as a blinding light bursted from the back of Ymir's neck. Something...lurched out from her spine. It was small but long with many small limbs, and brilliant in its brightness. Before he could react, it sprung around to the same spot on his neck.
Eren gritted his teeth and bore through the agony as the entity literally began to burrow into his back, into his very spine.
The great tree of lights emitted a mighty and terrible groan while the event went on. The ancient spirit of the founder struggled in Eren's grip, thrashing to get free of him now, but he did not let her go. As he acclimated to his own pain, he realized that Ymir was not actually fighting him. She was silently screaming in pain, lurching about in while the thing tore itself out from her body. Or, perhaps, her very soul.
Zeke stared on in confusion and horror, having no comprehensible guess for just what he was baring witness to though the sand and wind. "Eren! What's going on!? What have you done!?"
Eren had no idea. For the first time in years, he had truly no idea what was happening or going to happen anymore. The future he had been tumbling towards was gone and all that was left was the unknown course he broght himself to. It was the greatest feeling he ever known. Perhaps, finally, this was Freedom.
Freedom from fate, from a future he couldn't change, from Ymir herself.
The light faded as the creature fully left Ymir and merged into Eren. A great shockwave erupted the instant it vanished, sending Ymir flying out of his arms like a ragdoll. She landed upon the sand, splayed out and motionless, staring upwards with a blank and broken expression.
"I am sorry, Ymir," Eren said firmly as he glared at her. "But if someone threatens to take away my freedom, I won't hesitate to take away theirs. Even the freedom you didn't know you still had."
She said nothing, did nothing. She laid in the sand, unresponsive to anything now. If this was the real world, he might have thought she was dead.
He glanced back at the shuffling of sand, finding Zeke trudging towards him cautiously.
"Eren?" Zeke spoke up, his expression confused and uncertain. "I...I don't understand. What happened to her? What have you done?"
Eren paused, glancing back at the tree. "I'm not sure, Zeke," he answered honestly.
Zeke inhaled sharply when, in that instance, the serene blue tint of the Paths was replaced by an ominous shade of green.
"But I believe I just usurped the Founder from Ymir herself."
"What? But how would..." Zeke began, realization kicking in quickly. "That thing that entered your spine. It's the true source of the Power of Titans!"
Eren nodded as he touched the back of his neck and faced the Beast Titan user once more. He decided that Zeke deserved some answers in the end, his half-brother was owed that much after everything. "Ymir encountered it all those centuries ago when she lived. I don't really understnad how, but even in this place beyond Death, it was still technically bonded to her instead of those with the Founding Titan. Best I can understand, the creature decided I would be a better host after it responded to my will to live and to not-"
Zeke scrunched his brow as Eren trailed off with a troubled scowl. He shook his head and decided to seize the moment while there was still even a slim chance of getting through to Eren. "But Eren, don't you see? This may be our only chance to end this terrible history! To end the power of the Titans with the Eldians!" Zeke said determinedly. "The world-"
"The world can screw itself," Eren stated, calm and dispassionate. "You still haven't learned anything, Zeke. I won't sacrifice Paradis and our future. Not because I was brainwashed, not because of the desires of the Founder, and not even for revenge. But because we deserve our place in this world."
Zeke halted his argument at that admission. "Eren. The world will never forgive us. They will never accept us. Even if the power of Titans vanished from Eldians, the hatred for our ancestors has dug too deep to be ignored."
"More than likely," Eren agreed with a frown. "Even if the power of the Titans had vanished before the walls were breached by Reiner and the others, the world would have eventually come to wipe us out regardless. Marley did a thorough job in instilling hatred of Eldians across the globe."
"Then why don't you understand!?" Zeke implored, almost frantically. "It would be better if no more generations had to suffer-"
"I've seen the world, Zeke. Not all of it, but enough," Eren interrupted firmly, silencing his brother in an instant. "We are not the source of the world's sins, and you know it. Even if the entirety of our peoples dropped dead in an instant, it wouldn't change anything. People would still find something to hate and kill each other over. The end of Eldia wouldn't solve the world's problems. It would just makes them look for a new scapegoat. Then this "horrible history" you bemoan will just keep repeating, over and over."
Zeke said nothing to that, realizing that they were at an impasse. If Eren truly had usurped Ymir, than Eren was the only one in control now. And Eren was making it potently clear that he would not remove the ability to reproduce from Eldians. More importantly...
"You don't need me anymore, do you?" Zeke deduced grimly. "If you are effectively the new Founder now, the royal blood is no longer a requirement."
"It was never a requirement, really," Eren answered with a scowl, glancing out of the corner of his eyes at Ymir's limp and unmoving form. "It was her...obsession, I suppose."
Zeke raised an eyebrow but didn't press him when Eren didn't eleborated. "Then why am I still here? Why haven't you begun your true plan?"
"I suppose I'm just enjoying the moment," Eren said as he looked off to the side and...
Zeke became bewildered at the genuine, peaceful smile on his brother's face. The first smile he had seen it on the young man's face, ever. Any other situation, he would be happy to see it. But now, it only made him nervous. "You're different, Eren. You've changed from just a few moments ago. What happened?" he asked with a troubled yet, admittedly, still concerned tone. "One moment you made our father kill the royal family in the past and the next..."
Eren sighed, heavily, and Zeke couldn't tell if a great weight had been removed from or added to the young man's shoulders now. "Do you know what the worst hell is for someone that craves and values Freedom, Brother?" Eren asked tonelessly, glancing at the sands beneath their feet. "It's knowing what will happen and being powerless to change it."
Zeke paused, considering that for a moment. There was a truly torutred look behind Eren's eyes, of something painful that had finally came to an end. "And the future that Da-Grisha saw? The one he told me to stop?"
"I don't know. Not anymore," Eren admitted honestly. "I suppose that depends on Marley and the rest of the world."
"What do you mean?" Zeke asked, a flash of panic running in his veins.
Eren's eyes grew cold now, like all the cold of winter in a blizzard. "What it always meant: I will defend Paradis."
"Earlier you said it wasn't for revenge. Then what, pray tell, is it for?" Zeke asked, matching the expression. "Or did you come to desire the return of the Eldian Empire all on your own?"
"No, Zeke. It's because we were born into this world. And regardless of why, Marley and the rest of the world want to take away even that last freedom," Eren stated coolly.
"...If anyone takes away your freedom, you'll...," Zeke repeated in realization, eyes widening as a rather horrific implication came to mind. Grisha's plea to stop Eren was suddenly making sense. Horrible, terrible sense. "You're really going to do it, aren't you?"
Neither of them needed to say it, they knew what "it" was: The Full Rumbling. The crushing of all countries underfoot of the colossal titans. The End of the World
"If I have to," Eren said solemnly. "But now I have time to give the world a chance."
"A chance?" Zeke asked, not sure if he should be hopeful or not. "How?"
"That's no longer your concern," Eren said with finality. "We're done here."
"Wait, Eren-!"
Meanwhile
Gabi stared on in terror as she witnessed...something. Something that emerged from the decapitated spine of Eren Yeager. She barely saw it, moving with all the speed of a bullet, but was like a giant centipede. Except it looked otherworldy, alien almost. Whatever the creature was, it instantly latching onto the severed head in Zeke's head, and pulling it back towards the body before the corpse even hit the ground.
Many looked on in disbelief, emotions varying from horror to joy, but all none the less stunned as Eren Yeager arose once more. Even as his own blood trailed down his shirt, his hair shifting with the breeze, his face was as determined as ever, his eyes glowing softly...
The battle all across Shinganshina froze, the entire island trembling with terrible power. The walls around them began to crumble and burst, revealing the Colossal Titans that had long slumbered within them.
Gabi could only bare witness in horror. "He's alive...?" she muttered, unable to comprehend it. She had shot him. She killed Eren Yeager. She shot his head clean off, destroying the nape of his human body. He couldn't have survived that! No one, not even a shifter! So how-
The Colossal Titans began to move, to march, as their foot steps boomed in her ears.
It didn't matter how! She had to try again, shoot him again! In the brain this time, that would have to work! Gabi quickly began to reload the rifle, knowing she had to stop him, now, she had to-
Her blood ran cold as he looked directly at her, his eyes meeting hers coldly and dispassionately. He seemed as if to be reading her very mind with those emerald eyes. Her breath hitched in her throat as she felt...something rush through her body. Fear gripped her lungs while her vision began to go dark around the edges. She stared down at her hands, fading away into the blackness. Was she dead, dying? Did Yeager just kill her with a glance? No...no, she could still feel everything just fine. She wasn't passing out either. Her panicking heart, the rushing blood in her veins and pounding in her ears, even the rumbling earth beneath her. She was alive, just...
Going blind.
She looked back up with trembling eyes, her last sight being Eren Yeager, the army of Colossal Titans marching behind him under a crimson sky.
And just like that, Eren Yeager stole her very sight from her. And with the deafening sound of Colossal feet, she might as well be deaf too.
Eren turned his gaze away from Gabi, seeing the Armor Titan racing towards them deseperately, despite the punishment Reiner had taken. Eren flexed his hand, and all at once, the Armor Titan crumbled to the ground and began to dissolve, skidding to a halt before even getting close.
Eren almost smirked. So, he could still control even the remainder of the Nine. Good, that made things simpler.
He stopped to take in the sight of the Rumbling. In all his visions, he had only seen it as the one controlling it from on high. Down here was different, new. The constant shaking of the earth, the stomps blocking out all other sounds, the sky painted red as the dust rose high. All the while, the titans marched ever onwards to destroy his enemies.
The sounds of the Rumbling were that of the Footsteps of Doom.
He glanced back to Zeke's body, nearly destroyed by that cannon shot. He was still alive, but passed out finally. After fighting and regenerating so much in one day, Eren wasn't surprised. If not for Eren's own influence, his brother might have died just now. Still, he'd have to deal with him sooner or later.
His head perked up as he felt a familiar presence, several in fact. It was so strange, truly being the Founder. Not to command Ymir, but to truly weild the power. He instinctively knew where they all were: Jean, Connie, Armin, and Mikasa. He almost felt a piece of himself ready to crumble at the notion of confronting his friends. He didn't pry into their thoughts, but he could feel their emotions. Their anger, confusion, hope, fear, relief, and so much else.
He breathed a deep sigh. They had...a lot to talk about eventually. He had put them through quiet a bit up until now, instead of trying to get through to them about why he had to do all this. But they would have never agreed to the Rumbling. Thankfully, maybe now they wouldn't have to.
The sound of a house breaking jolted him back to the here and now.
Right, time to get to work.
Eren focused on his connection through the paths- and immediately stopped to grab his head, time returning to normal due to the stabbing headache that suddenly emerged. He grimanced, but bore through it as he reasserted his connection to the Paths.
It was...surreal. He was here, and yet, he was everywhere. Looking in every direction, at every Subject of Ymir all at once. Where was he? Where was Floch?
The Head of the Yeagerists appeared in his mind's eye, in the middle of pulling himself out of the rubble. He was hurt, but he'd live. Everyone else with him was dead though. Floch really had some strange amount of luck when it came ot surviving.
With barely a thought, he willed Floch's injuries to heal.
Turning his gaze in the path wide, he saw everyone hurt or killed by the sudden emergence of the Wall Titans. He couldn't bring back the dead. Gods only knew Sasha would be back already if he could. But he could save the dying.
That done, he fought off a grimace. The strain of using the Founder was the same exhaustive pain of overusing his titan, but all over his brain. A very new, very unpleasant feeling.
Still, he was a bit happy he returned to the regular world at that moment.
'-Even Wall Maria! But he doesn't need that many Titans to attack Marley!' Armin's voice came in his head. It was clear, and yet, also as if he was hearing his friend through water. "This is complete overkill! Just the wall around Shinganshina-'
'Armin, Mikasa.'
Both of them froze, suddenly hearing a familair voice in their heads.
"Eren!?" they both exclaimed, jumping to their feet and looking around in alarm.
'Calm down. I'm speaking to your minds through the Power of the Founder,' Eren answered simply.
"The power of...it can do something like that?" Mikasa said in surprise.
"Eren, what's going on?" Armin asked in confusion, and a bit of awe. He was directing his question skyward if only because he had no idea where else to look.
'Long story, and I'd rather explain in person,' Eren answered bluntly. "But like I said, I need you to calm down for a moment."
Both of his freinds gained looks of disbeleif. "You expect us...to calm down, after everything that just happened?" Armin asked dubiously.
'For a moment, yes,' Eren answered with a sigh. 'Or do you not want to know why I took down the walls?'
That quieted the blond, settling into a tense but curious look.
'The honest answer is that I'm still geting use to this power,' Eren admitted, lifting his hand, starring at it strangely. "The rest of the walls are intact. I only unleashed about a quarter of the titans in Maria.'
Both of his friends blinked, sharing a glance before Mikasa addressed him. "So, that part was...an accident?" she asked curiously.
Eren shrugged. It was this time at least. "This power is taking some getting use to. When the fighting is done, we'll talk. Actually talk. Right now, just make sure none of the other titans are attacking anyone."
"What do oyu mean? You can control them, right?" Armin asked in confusion.
"Yes, and I believe I did. I have no idea if I somehow missed any," Eren said impatiently, wondering what was so hard to grasp that he hadn't perfected using this yet. "Now- one moment, you should hear this."
He ended his connection to his childhood friends as Floch landed nearby. The short haired soldier came up beside him and tried to yell over the marching of the titans. "What happened!? I thought you were marching with the Titans, with Rumbling?!" Floch yelled in question. Eren merely shook his head, the new Founder tapping the side of his own head. "What?!" Floch yelled in confusion.
'Can you hear me now?' Eren wordlessly responded through a new mental link. One made so the others could hear him and Floch, but Floch couldn't hear them. Or that was Eren's desire, but better to play it safe with his untested powers.
Floch looked surprised only for an instant before regaining his calm. 'Yeah. Yeah, that helps. But what's going on? Did the plan not work?'
'The plan changed, Floch,' Eren answered simply before pressing on to more immediate concerns. 'Is the city cleared?'
'The last of the enemies are being dealt with, but the Jaw and the Cart Titans are still at large with their commander,' Floch reported, accepting that explainations would have to wait a moment.
'The Jaw was devoured by another Titan. It'll be a blond boy, the one that was with the brat that killed Sasha,' Eren answered, nodding to towards where the Jaw titan use to be.
'Right, her,' Floch thought in distaste, glancing over to where he caught sight of said girl. He frown in confusion as saw her leaning against the side of a house while trying to stand, hands fumbling around the wall with a terrified look on her face. 'What is she...?'
'She's blind. Put her in a cell, but leave her be otherwise,' Eren instructed, glancing down at Zeke's unconsious form. 'Same with him and Reiner. Underground, obviously. They shouldn't be able to transform, but best not take chances.'
'Right, but shouldn't we just kill them now, have another Titan devour them?' Floch suggested with a raised eyebrow.
'I need to test something before that. Which brings us to why the plan changed,' Eren continued, pausing to collect his thoughts, considering how to summarize this in the breifest way possible. 'The simplest answer is that I've obtained the full power over the Founder. I don't need Zeke or anyone else to access it.'
Floch's eyes widened in shock before his face melted into a smile of relief and victory. 'That's wonderful! That means we don't need to worry about you losing contact with him!'
'I need you to get some of the Yaegerist to start searching through the rubble after the Titans get away,' Eren pressed on, glancing to where the walls use to be. 'There are some people trapped in there. I managed to keep them alive with the Founder, but they'll need help getting out.'
'Are you trying to make yourself like a god to Paradis?' Floch inquired with a grin, almost not believing their luck anymore.
'I'm also giving the world a warning shot,' Eren explained, making Floch stop in surprise. 'The full Rumbling was mainly because of my time limit and requiring Zeke. I thought this would be my only chance to use this power. For now, time is on our side.'
Floch digested that for a moment before nodding slowly, his gaze shifting to the giant titans marching away from the lands of the Walls. 'But you wouldn't need the entirety of the walls for just that, would you?'
Eren nodded in confirmation. 'I only sent out a fifth of those in Wall Maria. They'll destroy the fleet gathering to attack the island before flattening many ports around the world...and the northern end of Marley,' Eren concluded grimly. 'We've been at war with Marley since Maria fell here years ago. The rest of the world has this one chance to back out of this, knowing we aren't bluffing about the Rumbling.'
Floch nodded firmly, satisified with that. 'I'll have the shifters dealt with before continuing with the rest of the plan,' Floch stated. 'What about everyone else?'
'I'll handle Armin and the others. And do NOT attack the regular titans unless they start attacking. I sent them off to the north west corner of the city. They shouldn't attack anyone, but don't let your guard down,' Eren warned.
'Got it,' Floch said, turning to leave but glancing over his should. 'You'll think any of them will listen?'
Eren didn't need to ask who he meant. 'I want to say we at least tried.'
Floch nodded, leaving on his ODM gear.
Alone again, Eren turned his mental focus back on Mikasa and Armin.
'So...any questions?'