Chapter 69: Bound by Promises
Erwin watched from the window at the mass crowd of people who had all come to listen to Alphonse as he gave his speech. Arms folded he leant against the window sill watching as people threw their hands, tool or weapons into the air.
A part of his felt proud at the two this; managing to rally people around them at a time like this, when they needed a united front now more than ever. Though he couldn't shake the fear of the two possibly getting attacked being this close to so many people; an old habit of wanting to keep his greatest assets safe.
They are my comrades, not my tools.
"Those two sure do have a thing for speeches." Nanaba commented watching "You give them any advice on that?" she turned to him with a cheeky smile on her face.
"Those two have their own experiences to draw from." Erwin replied as he walked away from the window and back to the long table. "Come, the Marley officers will likely be back any second now." There were a few collective groans and sighs as the others took back their seats. "Spirits up people, the fate of humanity hangs in the balance."
"It was easier fighting Titans than it was doing this." One of his officers remarked.
Erwin gave a sharp laugh "That was more dangerous, this is more tedious." He understood the frustration of his comrades; he'd had experience dealing with difficult individuals during his time as the scout commander, back before their uprising and with dealing with different groups around the world.
"I think I'll take dangerous over tedious at this point." Nanaba said. "Could you imagine if Squad leader Hange or Captain Levi were here?"
Moblit chuckled "Hange would have hid her frustrations with this a lot better but no doubt she'd want to crack open a few heads after a while." He remarked "Levi…"
"He would have killed someone at his point." Nanaba laughed.
Suddenly there was a knock of the double doors as it was opened, they all stood up from their seats as Magath and his officers entered the room, taking their seats.
"Welcome again." Erwin said. "Should we resume from where we left off?"
"Yes." Magath said as he sat down, putting down a large folder. "I see there's a lot of commotion nearby, one of the Elrics seems to be entertaining their followers, should I be concerned?"
"Not at all." Erwin replied "In fact he was urging his followers to set aside differences and look at the bigger picture." It wasn't exactly that, but Erwin needed every advantage he could get to persuade the general to his way of thinking.
"Yes we had heard a part of it." Magath said "All sentiments and ideas until we can agree on something."
"Indeed, I would discuss the issue around-"
Suddenly the doors behind the Marley delegations were opened, everyone turned to look at who entered.
"Miss Kiyomi?" Moblit said standing from his seat "You shouldn't be here!" anxiety seeping from his voice.
"Hush now, Squad leader, I think this is exactly where I need to be." She said as she approached the end of the table, she looked to her escorts clapping her hands. Her two guards quickly rushed to get her a seat, placing it behind her as she took her impromptu in the discussion.
"I should have known you'd have made some connections to this lot." Magath said looking at her.
"Please Magath, it is my profession to be reach out to people and represent the interests of Hizuru to all nations of the world." She reach out her hand to one of the scout, asking for their briefing, the scout officer handed her the documents "That includes the nation of Paradis, who have been nothing but gracious hosts and amicable friends."
"You're how they've been getting messages across the world." Magath continued to stare at her "You should consider yourself lucky you hadn't destabilised the world helping them transport weapons to their rebel friends."
"The only thing that was 'destabilised' was Marley's power over other people." One scout commented.
"It is Marley hegemony that keeps the world safe!" one of Magath's officers declared. "It is what's kept the peace!"
"Is that why you had a war with the Mid-East Alliance?" one of the scouts shot at them, invoking some frustration and fury from the Marley officers.
"Gentlemen, please, settle down." Kiyomi said raising her hand up slightly "These are negotiations, not some academic debate of global politics, have some maturity now." She skimmed read through the document going 'tut, tut' every so often before she placed it down on the table "You have spend near enough a week squabbling over these details.
"Those 'details' could shape the next decade of global security and our world as we know it." Magath shot back "We have to get this right."
"You were always so fatalistic, wanting to get things right." She remarked, she held her hands together and placed them onto the document as she leaned forward "If we don't form some kind of agreement, even a first draft of such, and form some kind of partnership it doesn't matter who wants what, we'll all be dead when the zealots and their allies backed by the colossal titans arrive."
A silence descended across the room.
"Now, lets get down to business." Kiyomi said "It has been exhausting having to endure the back and forth between you two with no breakthrough." She turned to Erwin "So Erwin, what were you going to discuss before I interrupted you."
Erwin smiled at her "I was about to discuss the possibility of setting out clear boarders around our waters."
She giggled slightly "Not like you start off so small, lets think big." She pressed her finger onto her lips as a devilish smile formed on them "Lets start with the real diving line, the thing that's been on everyone's mind… Alchemy."
Magath entered into an office room that the warriors had taken up as their own space within the ambassadors' mansion during the negotiations; inside he saw Pieck and Porco with Pieck tucked in between them sitting patiently on the couch by a low table, cups of tea near them.
War chief Reiner stood behind them gripping the couch and Colt stood to the side, gripping his hands anxiously as Magath took a seat opposite Pieck and Porco. The air in the room was thick with the aroma of tea and tension.
It had been almost an entire day of negotiations between the two sides with Kiyomi acting as an mediator between the two sides and somehow, either by skill or by a miracle, a preliminary agreement had been formed.
"We have a tentative agreement with Paradis about what happens after this war is over." He felt some of the tightness in his chest loosen as he said those words, almost not believing it himself.
"What was agreed?" Pieck asked first.
"First thing first, the colossal titans will be disposed of, whether Eren Yeager ends up using them or we manage to stop him first, they will be destroyed." Magath announced. "There was also the issue of Zeke and Eren Yeager."
The whole room collective held its breath.
"Commander Erwin has informed us that Zeke Yeager is of royal descent." Magath said "Which explains how he was able to control titans injected with his spinal fluid."
"He managed to mask it as a new ability of the Beast titan." Pieck said, almost frustrated that a secret that big could be hiding under their noses. "He used Marley scientists ignorance of the powers of the founder and royal blood."
"Crafty bastard." Porco lamented.
"What happens to them?" Colt asked of his former mentor. "Do we… do we kill them on sight?"
Magath was silent for a few seconds "That's what has been agreed, if we have to kill them then so be it. However after some 'discussions' we came to an agreement; if captured alive then Zeke Yeager will be placed under our custody and Eren Yeager will be kept under theirs."
"We would let Eren Yeager get away with what he's done?" Porco exclaimed.
"From the way Erwin had spoken seems that many in their government have their own gripes with the younger Yeager, Zeke will have his titan transferred immediately if we don't have to kill him."
"They'll still have the founder." Pieck pointed out.
"Which will be useless without a titan with royal blood." Magath replied "If they want to alienate the Elrics and transfer the holder of the Female titan, someone who I've been informed is 'close' to one of the Elric brothers, to their Queen then by all means they can do so, we'll just watch another civil war tear this place apart from across the ocean."
The room went silent at the observation.
"What else was agreed upon?" Reiner asked.
"We'll also get access to alchemy." That seem to catch everyone's attention, some shocked stares but had a hint of concern.
They know the implications of a world where alchemy replaces the power of the titans…
"It will be within the timeframe of either twenty or thirty years." He said "We will put an exactly date after Eren Yeager is stopped."
"I'm guessing they're hoping to get it to thirty." Porco remarked.
"Wouldn't that just give them enough time to develop their nation further?" Colt said "How do we hope to catch up to them if they have more time to build up weapons better than ours?"
"That's why we also agreed upon a fifty year non-aggression pact between us and them." Magath continued "They'll have a head start by yes but we'll at least have a chance to develop ourselves before the end of the pact, not to mention after the end of it we both agreed to immediate negotiations."
"Is that all we got?" Gabbi asked.
Magath gave her a tired smile "Some trade and access to resources were agreed on with Hizuru."
"Hizuru?"
"It turns out that the diplomat Kiyomi Azumabito had been working with Paradis for years and had been hiding out nearby when we had arrived." Magath explained. "I have half a mind to expose her to the other nations and force Hizuru to disavow her but she helped form this damn thing."
"Did she- Hizuru get anything in this?" Reiner asked.
"Only what had been agreed with between Hizuru and Paradis before us; access to this island's resources and the first nation outside of Paradis to have access to alchemy, no doubt they will ask for more before all is said and done."
"What did… 'they' get?" Porco asked hesitantly.
Magath breathed in deeply first before speaking "Paradis wanted the ability and freedom to talk and negotiations will the world and delegates unhindered instead of using Kiyomi's backchannels and a seat in the international community." He flipped through some of the papers in his hands "Clear boarders in the water between Marley and themselves with demands that their sovereignty is respected by the nations of the world." He paused as he readied himself for Paradis' next term "It was them who suggested the fifty year non-aggression pact so they'll get that and… full rights for all people of Ymir."
There was a collective gasp among those in the room.
"You're… you're willing to give that?" Colt asked cautiously.
"In some form perhaps, though I know that other nations across the world will likely kick up a fuss about that, other alternatives will have to be thought of afterwards." Magath explained. "No doubt there will be an uproar in Marley over this, I'll be spending years dealing with infighting from officers and upstart generals but… it might stop the path our country finds itself going down."
"Anything else, General?" Pieck asked.
"Some minor points; POWs exchanged, weapons and equipment returned and payment for damages." Magath finished "But that's the agreement so far."
"Does Commander Erwin even have the authority to do this?" Colt asked "I thought he was just one commander in their army?"
"As of now, he's the only commander left standing." Magath clarified "He's effectively their de facto head."
"Our enemy is divided… and yet each side is capable of destroying us…" Pieck observed "So we have to work with the side that doesn't wish destruction."
"So this is it then?" Porco said "We have an agreement and now we just work together?" he looked perplexed and almost offended. "After everything they've done, turning our home into rubble?"
Magath turned to look at Porco "Not yet." He said "The officers will have a deliberation about this first before we sign off on the pre-liminary agreement."
"You should do it." Reiner spoke up, all eyes turned to him "Commander, you must take this." There was a pleading look in his eyes.
"I was your idea to come in an attack Warchief Braun, was it not?" Magath questioned. "Now you urge for peace?"
Reiner was silent for a second, looking down at Gabi "This… this can't go on, we can't go on like this." He walked around the couch, his hand gliding around the edge before then gripping it "This was… what we are facing now is because of us." Magath stayed silent as Reiner spoke, Gabi looked ready to interject when Reiner continued "If we had just left them alone, if we never broke down those walls then Eren's mother wouldn't have been eaten and both Edward and Alphonse would be on their world instead."
"We don't know that." Pieck said.
"Maybe, but that's what happened, we don't know if things might have gone better or worst but they are as they are now." Reiner spoke, stepping forward to Magath "Commander…" he then looked to Gabi "Gabi, I was… I was selfish; I didn't do it to save the world I- I thought it would get my father to love me, I wanted to be great." He looked around at those in the room, his eyes glancing to the warriors "I think we all wanted something more than just protecting Marley…"
"What's your point?" Magath asked.
"These people, they've suffered enough because of what we wanted." Reiner said "We have taken so much from them and now we suffer for it, this has to end, it can't go on like this. There was this recruit back when Bertholdt, Annie and I infiltrated them… his name was Marco, he was always looking to help others, watch out for them… he was a real annoying guy."
Reiner smiled to himself as he recounted the memory to the others "He found out we were the colossal and armoured titans during our attack on Trost- I had to kill him, leave him to be eaten by a titan so he couldn't expose us." The smile vanished from his face "I… his last words before we left him was asking us to talk this through." He looked back towards Magath "Commander, please don't let this chance slip away."
Hange sat by Levi, he lay in an empty bed in the barracks of the abandoned prison as a medic properly treated his wounds and cleaned his bandages.
"Squad leader, take this." The medic said to her as she handed Hange a roll of bandages. Hange took the roll, unravelling some of it as she wrapped it around Levi's hand, the cloth covering the stubs of his hand, leaving on his index finger and thumb.
Oh Levi…
As she finished wrapping the bandages around his hand she held it in her own, making sure to hold his hand gently while gently squeezing it, as if to tell him 'I'm here, Levi' in his coma.
"We were lucky that this place wasn't ransack before and after it was abandoned." The medic said as she got up from her chair and placed the bandages back in her bag.
"Truly the Yeagerists believe that they will win." Hange said "Why else would they just leave this place with everything in it?"
Arrogance. The sheer arrogance of these people.
Hange looked upon Levi's sleeping face; the bandages covering half his face with deep scars covering the other half, she never thought she would see someone like him, Humanity's strongest soldier and one of her closet friends struck down so low like this.
The longer she stared at him the more sadness she was consumed by and the more rage that burned in her chest. In that moment she wanted nothing more than to take a long blade and shove it into the chest of Zeke Yeager.
Levi will be the one to do that.
Hange breathed in deeply and sighed "Keep and eye on him." She asked of the medic. The medic nodded her head at Hange.
Hange stood up from her seat "See you, Levi." She said before walking out of the barracks; the once quiet prison was now busy with activity as the convoy of Heaven's followers ran around the prison, moving supplies and weapons or fortifying the entrances and windows.
She felt unease watching them; she had argued with the rest of the leadership that they should be hunkering down to face a siege against a Yeagerists counterattack.
If the Yeagerists really do control the capital then they'll have access to the factories in that area, who knows how many armoured cars and trucks they'll have and that not even counting the weapons they can produce.
Our best option is to get in contact with Erwin, find out where he and the others are based and then link up with them or at the very least try and take over one of the districts with a train station to the port.
One of the followers quickly ran towards her, their rapid footsteps catching her attention "Squad Leader Hange!" they called out, stopping in front of her, slightly out of breath "We need you at the radio room, we've managed to get a signal with what we think is from the others."
Hange felt her breath stop at her throat "Lead the way." She told the follower and they both ran towards the radio room. Hange rushed into the room; inside Nifa and some others listened in closely to the speakers with the microphone to their lips.
"Hello?" Nifa spoke into the mic "This is lieutenant Nifa of the Scout Regiment, can you hear me?"
"Nif- is that yo-" came a voice on the other end of the radio.
Hange quickly sat down next to Nifa as she handed Hange the mic "Hello? This is squad leader Hange speaking, can you hear me?"
"Hang- squ- leader?" the voice asked.
"This is squad leader Hange Zoe speaking." Hange spoke confidently.
"Hange its- the -radio-" the operator on the other end spoke, Hange felt her heart almost leap from her chest "Squad leader, its great to hear from you again." The voice became clearer for just a few seconds "We- feared- worst."
"Well I was captured and almost executed so you weren't too wrong." Hange joked.
"Squad leader- wha- happened?"
"The rest of my squad is either captured or defected to the enemy." Hange said "Heaven's followers managed to rescue myself and Captain Levi."
"Captai- Levi, is he ok-"
"Captain Levi has sustained critical injuries but he'll pull through." Hange said "The Beast titan, Zeke that bastard, I don't know what happened but he almost killed him."
"The -east tita- where is h-"
"I don't know, but he's escaped, I repeat, Zeke Yeager has escaped with the Yeagerists."
There was silence on the other end for a second "Squad leade- find us-" said the operator on the other end "We're at-"
"You're breaking up, I didn't catch that." Hange said.
"I said we-" once more the signal broke at a critical time "Head to our-"
"We didn't catch that, say again?" Hange said into the microphone. Yet in the worst time possible, the signal had now almost completely broken away as only that could be heard was the dying squeaks of a voice trying to find it's way from the forest of static it was now lost to.
Hange lowered her head "Fuck!" she yelled as she slammed her fist against the table.
She pushed herself back from the desk and looked up staring into the ceiling.
"What do we do?" Nifa asked.
Hange contemplated her next move; she tried to go over every possible place that Erwin and the others could use as a possible base of operations until she landed on one.
"The Cart titan's prison." She said, looking at Nifa and then the others "If Erwin is holding out somewhere then it has to be there."
"You're basing that on an assumption." One of the followers pointed out.
"I am, and it's the best assumption I've got." Hange said "We need to move."
"We can't." the follower argued back.
"Can't?" Hange questioned pointedly as she stood up from her seat and faced him.
"We've already fortified the place well enough to repel any attack from the Yeagerists, if we move now then we are going to leave this whole convoy vulnerable." The follower argued.
"We'll be vulnerable staying here." Hange said "If the Yeagerists have the capital then it won't be long till they try and consolidate control over the rest of the walls, we need to join up with others."
"Or we need to deny them any more land and space to control." The follower pointed to a map laying on the table "This prison lays between Karanes and Chlorba, if we want to stop the Yeagerists from expanding their control then holding back their advance here will be vital."
Hange clenched her fist "If you stay here, if you and the other stay here then you'll be overrun soon."
"Then we die fighting, this is our home too." The follower placed their hand upon their heart, a black glove covering his hand "I owe it to the Elrics to hold back this tide of traitors." He released his hand from his chest as he removed revealing an automail hand.
Hange soften slightly, in that moment she could only feel pity for the man before her "They… wouldn't ask you to die for them."
"They never needed to ask, we all know it's what's needed. We never asked for what they've given us yet it was what we all needed." The follower said solemnly, as if he had resigned himself to such a fate.
Hange looked to the floor before then turning her head up to look at them "We still need to go." She told him.
"We won't stop you." He said "I'll have some of the men escort you, Nifa and Levi, we'll hand you some supplies for the journey too."
Hange nodded her head "Thank you."
The man placed a clenched fist over his heart "Dedicate your hearts, Hange Zoe."
Erwin stand across a large table now, this time he has the General Magath standing beside him as opposed to in front of him; it had only been less than a day since the two had been able to reach an accord thanks to the help of Kiyomi's intervention, and now they had a battle to win and a future where the terms of the deal that were so tenaciously agreed upon can be put in place.
Erwin's officers stood around the table, along side the Elric brothers and warriors of Marley.
Two groups of people who had been at each other's throats for years now having to work together…
A Large map of the island lay in front of them on the table with the three walls and the port clearly highlighted with small wooden soldiers representing the armies taking part in this and the two sides that were able to clash.
A scout radio man stood in front of them, a dossier in their hands as they prepared to read it to them.
"Commander Erwin." The scout said, their eyes glanced over to Magath as if unsure if to continue with him in the room.
"Please continue, soldier." Erwin insisted.
"We just had radio communication with Squad Leader Hange Zoe." They said, Erwin leaned forward, hands gripping the table. "Zeke Yeager has escaped his containment, what had happened to the men under Captain Levi's command is unknown yet what we do know is he has sustained critical injuries."
Erwin held his breath as he swallowed the air in his mouth at the news.
Another one of my comrades… dying on my orders once more…
"Continue." Erwin said.
"What Squad Leader Hange has told us is that she expects Captain Levi to make a recovery from his wounds." The scout said "But the main thing is that Zeke Yeager has joined with the Yeagerists."
"This is bad, really bad." Magath muttered under his breath, he placed his hand under his chin "If Zeke Yeager gets into contact with Eren Yeager then those two could initiate the rumbling then nothing is going to stop them."
"Nothing except this whatever weapon those two have apparently." Porco commented as he looked over to Edward and Alphonse. The younger Elric tried his best to ignore him while the elder only stared daggers at him. "This secret all powerful alchemic weapon that they're only saving for the worst possible time?"
Erwin bit the inside of his cheek; when some of his informants in the Shiganshina district had alerted them that the Yeagerists were aware of the philosopher stone he knew that it would only be a matter of time before their new Marley 'allies' discovered; making sure to control the messaging, Erwin had vaguely explained that the Elrics had a back-up plan should the Rumbling happen but declared they would only use it in that event only.
Even from his side of the table, Erwin could see Ed's jaw clench and now doubt, after knowing the older Elric for long enough, he knew Ed wanted to throw his clenched fist into the warrior's face.
The philosopher stone is a sore point for them…
"That is none of your business." Edward retorted through his teeth.
"I think it is." Pieck spoke up this time. "Do you two have something up your sleeve? An advantage that could win us this war? If so then why wait to use it? Why use it during the cataclysmic event and not to prevent one."
"We don't need that kind of power to beat Eren Yeager or Zeke Yeager or the Yeagerists." Alphonse said "The alchemist battalion will be in support so we'll have that edge over them but 'that thing' you're talking about, we can not risk losing that in a battle and it falling into the wrong hands."
"But you're willing to risk losing when it could guarantee our victory?" Porco questioned "Do you lack the guts to use it?"
Even Erwin winced at Porco's chose of words, he glanced over to Edward, standing still yet he'd known him long enough to see that silent fury of his bubbling.
"We do not lack the guts to do anything." Ed growled at Porco "What we have is little thing called restraint, maybe you should try it some time, perhaps you all wouldn't be in this mess-"
"That's enough, Corporal." Erwin quickly interjected. "We can discuss morality another time, right now we have an operation to plan." He tried to command his authority among the group, he pointed towards to the map once more. "From what our informants have told us, Eren Yeager will be here; Shiganshina."
"Chosen the sight of Paradis' victory over us, funny guy." Porco remarked.
"It's his home." Alphonse corrected him "That district is his home, it's where he grew up."
"And it's the district that has the closer rail station to the port than the other outer districts." Erwin once more interjected, sensing the tension "If he wanted to launch an attack on us then it would make for a good staging area and its walls also makes it fortified for an attack."
"Can't lay siege to the place if we can't cut off the district entirely." Magath said, pointing to the rear entrance of Shiganshina "We also don't know who close to possible reinforcements they are or how close Zeke will be."
"Our only hope lies with getting to him quickly and knocking out the heads of the Yeagerists as soon as possible." Armin said, pointing towards the district's military HQ "If I had to bet, I'd say that's where they'll be."
"An obvious target." Pieck said.
"They're confident." Armin stated "It's also the only place which has the facilities to house troops, store weapons securely and act as a central hub." He placed down a marker in the district and then the port "If they're planning to attack the port, then they'll be using this district as their base of operations."
"We have to strike first then and stop before this whole thing becomes a full blown civil war." Nanaba said.
"Indeed." Erwin agreed "This will be a joint operations between our forces." He said looking around the table at those around him "Leadership on the ground will be an even split of officers." Erwin brought out a list of names "From has been agreed upon; ground operations will be covered by the following: Squad leader Nanaba, Captain Alphonse, Lieutenant Armin, Corporal Mikasa and Lieutenant Marlowe will and be joined with Warriors Reiner, Porco and Pieck with Colt acting as the link between Marley ground forces and Heaven's followers." He looked to Nanaba "Nanaba, you will lead the scouts and followers on the ground for this operation, you'll coordinate with General Magath who will direct Marley troops."
Nanaba look to hesitate for a second "Yes sir."
"Reiner and Porco, you'll both be on stand-by in case this whole thing goes to hell" Magath said looking at the two him.
"Of course, general." Reiner said as both he and Porco saluted him.
"Hopefully this will be the decisive battle against these bastards." Magath said "I trust that when all of this is done, Paradis will keep to their side of the agreement?"
"Of course, General." Erwin assured him "I am a man of my word."
"We shall see." Magath said "Officers, Warriors, pass the orders down the others and tell them to prepare for the operation, one way or another, I will have Zeke's head for this."
The officers saluted Magath as they rushed out of the hall.
"Nanaba, ready the scouts and the followers for battle." Erwin orders "The rest of you, prepare your equipment and supplies, load any extra equipment in the airships; prioritise weapons, ammunition and medical equipment."
"Yes, commander." Nanaba replied, placing her clenched fist over her chest.
"Afterwards, get some rest, we have a big day ahead of us." Erwin "It is no exaggeration to say that the fate of humanity, the fate of the world, may very well be decided in Shiganshina once more." There was a knowing silence in the room as the gravity of Erwin's words settled on them.
Those in attendance saluted their respective commanders as they left the room and began their preparations, Erwin looked towards the window, afternoon sun shun on the ocean, he wondered beyond that at the world that awaited them. The one he hoped would accept them should they win.
I hope we can make a world you are proud of...
Laura wondered the halls of the now occupied military HQ, there was an almost mystique to the way the people of Paradis build their cities and it's buildings; it was a call back to the days of the previous holders of the Warhammer, a time before her own.
A time when they were ensnared to the will and promise of that cowardly king who abandoned his people.
But I know better now…
Every since that day, when Eren had opened her eyes to the suffering of Eldian people, the suffering that her family, past holders and even herself had wilfully been blind to, she could not help but hate them, hate what they had allowed, what they had become and… hate herself for remaining so ignorant of it all.
All for the sake of peace… a painful peace, a false peace.
Yet as this had consumed her thoughts, a part of her still clung onto her old teaches, the old lessons, the old ways of thinking that kept them in the dark. A part of her that remembered the mission of Willy.
I wonder brother… are you still alive?
That part of her held onto the hope of his survival.
"Laura." A voice called out to her, it had not direction and was spoken in an empty hallway with only no one but herself but she knew the voice, she knew it well. And for a moment, she was brought somewhere else. A peaceful land of sand under a beautiful night sky.
"Eren." She said, a soft whisper. "How are you wounds?"
"They are recovering well, I should be back to myself soon." He said "Very soon."
"That is good." Laura said. "I assume you still wish to spare you friends, even as one of them had tried to take your life."
"Armin… he is stubborn in his own way, but he is smart; he shall see to sense soon enough or, at the very least, know that his cause is a lost one and that the only path survival for our people is the one we have chosen."
Laura nodded her head "And the Elrics are still to be disposed of?"
Eren was silent for a while "If they choose to stand in our way…."
"You hesitate?" she asked, trying to not sound as if she was questioning his judgement.
"If faced with the choice to kill your brother, would you not hesitate to act?" Eren asked her, Laura looked to the ground; floor tiles and sand switching places beneath her. "Trust that I shall do what is necessary to ensure our victory, the victory of Eldia and her people."
"Of course, Eren." Laura said "I hope to see it as you have done. Our victory."
"It shall be soon, the wait is almost over." Eren assured her "The world I have seen, the one where the banner of Paradis flies over the liberated lands of our people is in sight."
"I will do what I must to ensure that." Laura declared "What is it you require of myself."
"Our enemies believe themselves safe, they believe they can trick us, face us in battle and walk away victorious." Eren told her "But I know better, when the time comes to fight you shall do so; support our allies with me in the fight." He told her "They would like us to believe they are stronger now that they have allied with the Warriors and Marley, but they have shown themselves to be desperate."
"I shall fight alongside you when the day comes." Laura said.
"I know, and Laura, I will not ask you to kill your brother." He told her, a part of Laura felt relieved by that "I will ask him to join us, make him see the error of his ways as I did for you."
Laura closed her eyes "Thank you."
"Dedicate your heart, Ms Tybur."
A week later.
Hange peered through the telescope, she wanted to breath out a sigh of relief when she spotted the fortress yet held her breath fearing the worse.
If this place had fallen into the Yeagerists hands… then God help us all.
She hoped that the others had secured Pieck and the area, that the Yeagerists didn't seek to press their advantage and take any rural strongholds or prisons, she held onto the hope that was the Yeagerists total confidence that allowed them to leave defendable position open to their enemies.
As she and the others approached the fortress, she felt the breath from her lungs leave her mouth of its own volition as she spotted the plain clothes volunteers of Heaven's followers standing upon its walls.
Still I have to be careful.
"Wait here." She ordered the others "If anything goes wrong, be prepared to lay down fire and make a retreat. Hange rode her horse up to the gate. The guards quickly spotted her and pointed their rifles at her, for but a moment Hange believed she may have made a mistake but yet she held her nerve, staring them down "Are you Heaven's Followers."
"We are." One of the guards replied. "And who are you?"
"I am Squad Leader Hange Zoe of the Scout regiment." She told them "I work with Erwin, I believe he had held this position not so long ago."
"Squad Leader Hange!" the guard yelled. "Yes, the commander and the Elrics had mentioned you!" he turned to one of his comrades "Open the gate!" he ordered. Hange lowered her head.
Thank God…
She looked towards her team and told them to move towards her, making their way on the drawbridge and into the prison fortress. As she dismounted her horse, one of the followers, an older woman, approached her "Squad Leader Hange." She said, offering her hand, Hange gave it a firm squeeze. "It is good to finally see you, the others at the port had been sending us messages asking about your whereabouts."
"I was held captive by the Yeagerists till Nifa and some of your guys had saved me." Hange explained, the woman nodded her head "I must get to a radio quickly." Hange said "I have to tell the others…" the wounded were brought in, quickly tended to, Levi was carried off and placed in a stretcher as they brought him inside the building. "The Beast titan, he and Levi must have gotten in a fight or something, we found Zeke in the body of a titan and Levi… he was lucky to be alive, no doubt if your men hadn't of saved us, then he would be put to death."
"The Beast titan… he's free?" the follower asked, trepidation in his voice
Hange nodded her head "He's free and with the Yeagerists." Hange clarified "We need to radio into the port and into Erwin and the others, we have to make sure that they do not reach Shiganshina, they can not reach Eren."
"Of course, I shall radio in-"
"Rider!" a voice from the wall called out to them "Rider coming from the north! Heading for the Gate!" everyone around them prepared themselves, readying their weapons as the others quickly pointed them at the rider. Hange quickly climbed the stairs and up onto the walls. In a lookout tower was a pair of ODM Gear, she quickly clipped on the gear to her straps and looked over the wall.
There was a alone rider, hunched over their horse as he padded its way towards the now closed drawbridge.
"What is this?" she muttered.
"Must be some kind of trap maybe?" Nifa observed.
"No… Yeagerists aren't as subtle." One of the followers said.
Hange took the handle of her ODM gear and climbed the fall, hopping off it and zipping towards the ground.
"Squad leader, don't!" Nifa exclaimed, yet she did not listen.
She cautiously approached the rider as the horse came to a stop, Hange placed her hand gently on his face "Easy there, girl." She cooed the horse, stroking it's mane as her other hand lifted the hood of the rider. Hange sucked in air quickly "Open the gate!" she commanded to those behind her "Open it now!" the drawbridge quickly opened, almost slamming onto the ground as Hange grabbed the reins of the horse and jogged it into the fort as the bridge was closed.
She helped the rider down, catching them in her arms.
"Mina…" she said "Mina, are you okay?" she placed her hand over Mina's mouth and nose, offering a silent prayer "She's still breathing…" she looked to the others "It's the Female titan…"
Mina began to open her eyes, slowly they began to look around at the people who crowded around her. "Hange…" she murmured "Is that really you?"
"It's me, you're safe now." Hange assured her.
Before Hange could say anything else Mina shot up from her arms in a panic "We- we have to get to a radio- God I must have been riding for near a day non-stop, we need to get to a radio now!"
"Mina, what's wrong?" Hange swallowed slightly "Where… where's the rest of your team? Where's Rico?"
Mina let out a deep sigh "I… I failed, I couldn't beat her… Captain Rico, she-" she covered her eyes, tears threatening to escape them before Mina breathed in deeply and recomposed herself
Hange stared at her, Rico was dead.
No, damn it. Not another person.
"What happened?" Hange asked.
"We… we were ambushed when we arrived at the prison of the Warhammer, the Yeagerists had already captured it."
"Fuck." Nifa muttered as others around her mummers similar sentiments.
Hange rubbed her face and neck
"Damn it… this is really bad." Hange said "That must mean the Yeagerists have possession of the Warhammer, did you see her at least? Was she still in the facility?" in her mind Hange tried to formulate a plan; they couldn't lose both the Warhammer and allow Zeke to escape. "I'd wager they might still be keeping her there, she-"
"No, the Warhammer she…" Mina trailed off, as if struggling to find the words "We have to pass on a message to the commander." She told them "The Warhammer titan, I don't know how or why, but she's broken free and she's working with the Yeagerists.
Everyone around them either gasped or were stunned into silence but the revelation.
"How- how?" Hange muttered "How could the Warhammer join with Eren? She hates us! She hates him! He tried to kill her brother, how could-" the thought quickly entered her mind, an answer "The coordinate, he must have used the coordinate and bent the Warhammer to his will."
"It must be." Mina said "She and the Yeagerists ambushed us at the prison, I tried to defeat her but… I couldn't, I was outmatched.
"What happened to Rico and the others?" Nifa asked solemnly, in her heart and mind she knew the answer.
Mina looked to the ground "Rico… when I was injured in battle, the Yeagerists tried to chase us, we were picked off until it was just us, she sacrificed herself to save me; held them off just long enough for me to escape.
Hange shut her eyes.
Rico… the others would have proud of you.
Hange looked around at everyone "Doesn't matter now, what matters is that we have to tell the commander, we need to warn them that Eren and the Yeagerists have both the Beast and Warhammer titans on their side." She tried to stand tall "We can't let their sacrifices be in vain, we owe it to them to win this!"
A couple hours later
Under the cover of darkness, Alphonse watched from the wall of Shiganshina, beside him was a few other scouts keeping watch of their side and the bodies of the Yeagerists whom were manning their section of their wall, there was a chill in the air, the coming of the morning was almost upon them and with it the end of the advantage and the start of the battle ahead.
The scouts quickly dropped their bodies onto the other side of the wall, hoping to keep their arrival a secret for just a little longer. Alphonse pressed the small telescope to his eye as he watched a small stream of people carrying tools, boxes, lumber and bricks on wagons into the district, an angry yeagerist arguing with one of the followers who posed as a worker.
Alphonse heart beat out of his chest as he hoped the man would just let them in.
C'mon… please…
The yeagerist spoke to another one of their comrades who then waved them forward as they began to search the wagons one by one.
Alphonse held his breath; his friends were hidden just in the floorboards of the wagon.
They were thick enough to walk on when I did them.
As yeagerists approached the wagon that carried both Armin and Mikasa, he signalled to the others to get ready in case of any trouble, watching with baited breath and wrecked nerves as they swept underneath the wagon and then entered inside for a short while. Then his heart began to race.
And it did not stop until the yeagerist who ventured inside came out, shrugging his shoulders to his comrades and they went to check the other ones.
Alphonse let out a deep sigh of relief, taking the telescope from his eye "Lets move." He ordered as he and the scouts hopped off the wall and into the district proper, zipping onto the rooftops as quickly as they could. Against the darkness of the streets he could spot the patrols walking by. He signalled to the others to avoid their paths
Radio tower…
That was their objective.
He hopped onto the roof of a house just two streets away as the other scouts moved in, the infiltrators now quickly surrounding their target. He noticed a patrol beneath him, two men, standing around.
They'll see me if I jump.
He crouched on the edge of the roof, leaning forward just directly above them, the two talking not knowing he was about to strike.
He landed onto the first man, striking his head against the ground.
"Wuh-" before the other man could speak, Alphonse silenced him with a swift kick to the jaw, slamming his head against the wall. He picked up the two unconscious men and dumped them into an alleyway. Before quickly heading back onto the rooftops. All around the radio tower building he could see the lights snuffed out as patrols were picked off.
He landed onto the roof of the radio tower building, he clapped his hands together and touched the tower; it was small and to anyone else wouldn't have mattered, just some static flickering off the tower. But for Colt and Marlowe team, it was the signal they needed to know that the way was clear.
Alphonse turned towards the military HQ; somewhere in there were his friends who they were going to break out, the small boy whom the Marley soldier named Colt agonised over. And Eren.
Eren, show yourself.
He quickly zipped back onto the rooftop of a nearby house as he and the others quickly made their way to the warehouse where the wagons were being stored. As they approached the location he could see the followers stacking boxes from the wagons as they also dragged the bodies of yeagerists guards who were near the warehouse.
Alphonse and his team hopped onto the ground to meet the others who greeted them, clearing a way as some already took to their weapons and began to take positions around the warehouse. "The others are inside." one of the followers said to him, the reverence in their voice still as off putting as the first time.
"Thank you." He said, he turned back to the other scouts "Keep watch, alert us of any developments on the ground."
The team saluted him before quickly zipping away onto nearby buildings.
Being here was almost strangely nostalgic in a way, everywhere he looked he could still see the battle of Shiganshina before him; the ruined building, the sound of titans roar and the distant battle on the other side of the wall, the suffocating thick smoke of the Colossal Titan. He tried to block out the memory and remain focused on his mission.
Inside an office space he saw Armin, Mikasa, Nanaba and Pieck around a map on the sole desk in the room. "Alphonse." Armin called to him. "Good to see you."
"Were you able to clear a path to the tower?" Nanaba asked.
"Yes, Marlowe and Colt shouldn't have too much trouble heading there, then it's up to their team to take control of it."
"Good, once we establish radio contact with them then the operation can commence." Pieck said, she took a pen and circled around the radio tower "For now, this is ours." Before then circling around the military HQ and the entrance into the district "If we are to win this, we need to capture these two points."
"The Followers should have too much trouble, once everything starts to happen they'll quickly rush reinforcements to the HQ leaving other areas vulnerable." Armin observed "Of course, its capturing the HQ that will be difficult… and apprehending Eren."
"I shall lead the infiltration team." Mikasa spoke, the others nodded their head "Once we're inside the first priority will be to locate the others and extract them."
"Mikasa… if you see Eren." Nanaba said, knowing about their closeness. "I understand that this will be hard for both you and Armin-"
"I will do what I can to apprehend him." Mikasa said quickly "I must."
"I'll have the scouts and followers posted around the HQ, we'll be ready to ambush the yeagerist forces when it all starts." Nanaba said, she took her own pen and began to draw circles on certain roads and streets, forming a choke point around the HQ "Before that however, we'll form a defensive perimeter around the warehouse."
"Reiner and Porco are on standby for if anything happens." Pieck said "And if the situation becomes untenable then we still have our evacuation plans."
"Hopefully it shouldn't come to that." Armin said "If we can take Shiganshina and Eren in one battle, then hopefully the other Yeagerists will lose hope and surrender quickly."
"If we just stick to the plan then-"
A furious series of knocks broke their concentration "Squad Leader, we have a message from Alphonse!" said a person on the other side, they opened the door and hunched over, gasping for air.
"What is it corporal?" Nanaba asked.
"It's the military HQ, something is happening." The scout said "There, there's a large gather on the roof and armed guards around."
They all looked at each other, confused by the development.
"I think… I think I saw Eren Yeager with them." That had caught their attention to the fullest "The was a person at the front of them all, covered in a dark hood, he was next to a child."
Eren…
"Then we have no time to lose, Mikasa and Pieck join up with Alphonse." She told them "We shall not let humanity fall into their hands."
An hour before.
Eren wasn't too fond of having to sit in an almost completely dark room, but it helped him concentrate when it came to… having to do this.
Gently touched his cheek with his fingers, the scars of Armin's attack on him were now almost fully healed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the vial of blood, Historia's blood.
He didn't have a lot left now, only just a bit more to access path one more time if he was careful, he gently unscrewed the cap from the vial and pressed his thumb against the opening, quickly pouring the blood onto his thumb.
He took in a deep breath as it made contact with him. And as it had done before he was quickly transported back to Paths.
No longer was he in darkness, as the great towering tree of light stood before him under a bright night sky, streaks of green cut into the black with white gem like stars decorating the night.
Still so beautiful.
In the distance he could make out the image of someone; a small girl hid behind a mound of sand, watching him with eyes that were not there. He wanted to reach out to her, to speak the words he knew he would say to her, the moment was so close he was tempted to just do it!
No, I must hold off.
He placed the vial back in his pocket and rested his hands in them as he waited. The others were always so late to these meetings.
"Eren." Came a voice, a familiar one; one he had heard both as a memory and as them, Eren turned around, the sand shifting underneath his shoes to see Eren Kruger before him. His eyes clear and opened, staring at him with purpose.
"Mr Kruger." Eren spoke "Always good to see you, sir."
"As you." Kruger walked around him as Eren stood on the spot "Why have you come back?" Eren was silent, looking to the ground almost ashamed of what he was going to say, before he could open his mouth, Kruger answered for him "Do you doubt our mission?"
Eren bit his lip and shook his head. "No it's not that it's-"
"You don't wish to kill your friends." Kruger said, he stared into and through Eren "Am I wrong?"
"No." Eren replied.
"You know how this all ends, yet you still have not made peace with it." Kruger said, he would always get under Eren's skin about this, whenever he had second thoughts about the future he saw.
Eren felt his mouth dry up "It's just… there has to be another way." He said, looking at Kruger.
"Is there?" Kruger asked him "You saw the future, multiple futures, each one end the same."
We win… and they… they lose.
And some of them die…
In each future he tried to convince his friends to join him, but in each one they oppose him, many of them die in most of them, some of them die in a few. And only a few die in just one.
He always dies in each one.
"There must be something we are missing!" he pleaded to Kruger. "There has to be another way, another way we can do this-"
"What? Peace?" Kruger said "The kind of peace that had me kill thousands of my compatriots to an endless hell as titans to roam the island praying for someone to either kill them or eat a shifter?" Kruger walked towards him, the two stood eye to eye and yet Eren felt as if he was being looked down upon. "The peace that saw your aunt ripped apart by dogs?"
"Stop this!" came another voice, they both turned their heads to see Galliard march up to them, he would try to make an appearance whenever he came here, each time trying to convince Eren to stray from his path. "Eren!" he exclaimed "Please, do not listen to him! We can find another way, please you must believe me!"
"Galliard, this again?" Kruger said "Do you ever get tired of this?"
"I can say the same to you!" Galliard questioned "After all these years, you still haven't let go."
"I do what I must, like you tried to do for your brother" Kruger shot back.
"Eren, please, don't do this." Galliard said "This will not end well for anyone, I do not wish for the fate that you are going down, there are so many innocent people that will be killed because of this, think of your mother; she wouldn't want this."
"Mother… " Suddenly memories of his childhood flashed before him, his time spent with Mikasa and Armin, the memories of the boot camp, the memories of meeting Edward and Alphonse. The memory of his mother dotting on him as a child flashed in his mind.
"There are people across the world not so different from you." Galliard said. "You know this, you can still make things right."
Kruger grabbed Eren's arm "You want to protect your friends? Then Marley must be crushed beneath our heel, the Eldian empire must rise again, our people must be free." He placed hand on Eren's forehead.
Suddenly the memories of his childhood was usurped with memories of something else; he saw people being kicked down the wall as they were turned into titans to roam the island, he saw endless hours of torturing innocent Eldians.
He watched Grisha plead with the Marley officer as Dina was thrown off a walk and transformed into a titan.
He watched Zeke betray them.
He saw his aunt Faye ripped apart by dogs as the Marley security forces watched and laughed.
He watched from behind a small crack in a cabinet as his family were set on fire.
Eren stumbled back, grabbing his head as he tried to piece together what were his memories and that of the other holders.
"He is right." Another voice spoke, this one he had not heard in years, he turned to see Ymir, his Ymir, standing before them "Marley will not stop until everyone on that island is dead." She said "It's just how they are." Ymir walked towards him, looking up at him as the two looked each other in the eyes "If you hesitate then Historia will be the one to pay for it, her child will pay for it."
He pictured Historia, in her orphanage, likely she was still pregnant.
It was the only way she could avoid being turned into a Titan…
"Eren please!" another voice, a different one but still very familiar, his eyes spotted Bertholdt, still dressed in the same clothes he died in, looking exactly as he looked on that day.
You never grew old…
"Please… my family, please, they haven't done anything." Bertholdt pleaded with him "Please, you can't do this, I'm begging you." He could see the tears fall from his eyes and onto the sand.
"Historia, Eren! We cannot let them get her!" Ymir urged him, trying to drown out Bertholdt.
"Do not make the same mistakes we all did, you can be different!" Gilliard spoke.
Eren stepped back, holding his hand in his hands, trying to drown out the noise, the talking, the yelling and arguing.
SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!
Within the shouting he heard one more voice, it did not call to him but he was still drawn to it. He blocked out the others and in a moment they were gone.
The four who stood before him vanished.
And only one person stood before him.
"Father." He said, his voice weak, he felt like a child once more.
"Hello Eren." Grisha said, a weak smile on his face "Look how you've grown."
Eren fell to his knees "Father… I don't know what to do, I know what I must do, what is going to happen but I still… I can't accept it."
Grisha was silent "What is it that you want, most in the world?"
Eren opened his mouth, the cold air seeping into his mouth "I want… I want my friends to be safe, for everyone to be safe, for the world to be theirs."
Grisha knelt down with him "Marley took so much from me… Dina, Zeke, my parents… your mother…. Faye." Grisha stood up, there was a fire in his eyes that Eren had known once. And knows once again. "No one should suffer that, not when we can change it."
"You want me to do this?"
"If you had planned to destroy the world then I would have urged against it… but you're not." Grisha said "You hold the dream that I held, the others I had known held, and that others now hold." Grisha offered Eren his hand "Free us, free our people."
Eren took his father hand and stood up, as he got onto his feet had his father disappeared before his eyes too.
For Faye.
"I know what I have to do." Eren said., he shut his eyes and found himself in the dark room.
I'm sorry Ed. But you're in my way.