Attack On Titan: Wings Of Crystal
Chapter 65: Assault
The Devils of Paradis. Marley's Warriors have met their match in these soldiers who soar through the air. Ever since their attack had begun, they have had plummeted the Winged Titan into the sea, captured Annie and Bertolt, taken down the Jaw and Crystal Titans, and now Eren has possession of the Warhammer. Though his teeth aren't strong enough to crack the shell Lara encased herself in.
Galliard just couldn't understand why a bunch of humans were gaining the upper hand against almost all the Titan Shifters. But Michael did. He knows as much as they do how strong, determined, and courageous they are when dealing with threats to their future. The reason his Titan was lying there now was because he chose to act on his emotions.
Sasha had only confessed her love just so he'd lower his guard, allowing Eren to take the Warhammer and Levi to cut him down. Every time his limbs healed, Levi severed the nerves all over again, preventing him from getting back up. Both his eyes had grown back by now. Levi hadn't attempted to cut them out again. He wants him to watch as Eren eats the Warhammer.
Things weren't going so well for the Omega Unit. But Galliard didn't come alone. The Cart Titan arrived on the scene not too long after him, armed with her face armour and quadruple back-mounted turrets operated by her Panzer Unit. They were the reason they escaped Lazarus's pit thanks to that clever thinking by Pieck just before Annie went missing.
All four guns fired ceaselessly, taking out a fair number of Scouts. They dropped out of the sky like rain. Jean attempted to get close and fire a Thunder Spear, but neither of them could get anywhere near it. He quickly dives through a window into an abandoned house and ducks behind some cover, avoiding the hail of bullets.
Michael and Galliard were relieved to see her here. Her heavy machine gun armour was the perfect counter to their ODM gear. It was worth the time to equip it.
With Levi out of the way, Michael was able to focus his energy on healing his limbs at a faster rate. He only needed to heal one arm so that he could unleash another barrage of spiked pillars at Eren.
Lara doubles the attack with her own pillars. The combined hardening from both Titans was enough to completely skewer Eren in almost every part of his body. His nape remained untouched thanks to his quick thinking of using his hardened arm to block the spike, which could be interpreted as a good thing or a bad thing. Michael would agree that killing him will prevent the future Lazarus saw, but he needs him alive to gain access to the true Paths Realm. And Lazarus needed to erase the Winged Titan's power within him. Killing Eren would only prolong the inevitable and make finding the Founder more difficult.
With that done, Michael continues to heal the rest of his Titan body. That crystal trap won't hold him for long. Best he recovers as fast as he could and take him down.
Just when some of the Scouts didn't think things could get any worse, another competitor arrived on the scene to increase the Warriors' chances of victory. That being the Beast Titan himself, Zeke Yeager.
Levi hides in the shadows of an alleyway and gazes up at his greatest foe. It had been four years since he'd last seen his furry ass. The day he failed to carry out Erwin's last order. To kill the mastermind behind it all. Nobody wanted him dead more than he did, and he would not let anyone have the privilege of ending him other than himself.
"There he is… The Beast Titan." Jean commented as he poked his head out the broken window.
"It's Zeke! Those guys are so screwed now!" Galliard internally praised.
Michael wasn't so pleased with his arrival. He's here, yet Annie, Reiner, and Bertolt aren't. And Lazarus was still missing. One Titan Shifter may not be enough to turn the tide of war in their favour, especially with Levi around. He'll just end up taking him down the same way he did before.
"Zeke, where are the others?!" Michael telepathically demanded of him.
The Beast Titan ignores Michael's question and addresses the Cart and Jaw Titans directly. "Kill them all. Let none escape." Then he turns to Michael "Now's not the time to be lazy. Get up, Michael."
The Crystal Titan growls in response to the Beast's taunt. Properly incensed, he manages to heal his legs enough to stand back up. However, he still couldn't walk properly and had to deal with limping until they healed completely.
"I said… Where is Lazarus? And why aren't Annie, Reiner, and Bertolt with you?"
"Lazarus is being held prisoner at the bottom of the sea by enemy reinforcements. Annie and Bertolt are assisting with the evacuation… As for Reiner, I don't know where he is." He answered him through telepathy this time rather than speaking it aloud.
"Stay alive, that's an order!" Levi instructed as he drew his blades, ready to battle. He and the Beast Titan charge for each other, ecstatic to kick off Round 2 of their battle.
As the battle was raging on above their head, Falco had finally managed to break free of the collapsed debris of the building thanks to Reiner. Had he not partially transformed, he and Falco would've been crushed by Eren's Titan.
His eyes could not believe how much he'd missed. The Scouts were engaging the Beast, Jaw, Cart, and Crystal Titans in the square. Both sides appeared to be equally matched though that could only be because Lazarus, Annie, and Bertolt aren't involved.
Suddenly he remembered Lazarus being in danger. He needed their help. Falco climbs back inside the Armoured Titan's closed hands and shakes Reiner's shoulders. He wasn't responding to his cries for help. He appeared to be unconscious, or that's what he was hoping this was.
"Vice Chief Braun! It's me, Falco. I'm sorry, it's all my fault." Worried he might be dead; he places two fingers on the side of his neck. He felt a faint pulse. He was still alive, much to his relief.
But something was wrong. Reiner's body wasn't healing. The power of the Titans can be utilised if its user has the will to live. But after hearing him beg Eren to kill him, he's started to lose that will. There was nothing he could do for him. He'll have to find and free Lazarus on his own. It was a stupid plan, but he couldn't call himself his friend if he sat around and did nothing to help.
"Sit tight, sir. I'll get help. I'll find Lazarus and bring him to you. He'll know what to do." He gently places his hand on Reiner's chest. "You know there are people out there who aren't enemies. Udo and Gabi. Zofia. All of us are on your side. Just hang in there, ok?"
Back on the surface, the Beast Titan was reeling its arm back and throwing a barrage of crumbled-up stones at the approaching Scouts, forcing them to fall back. Two of the cocky new recruits attempted to take him out from behind with Thunder Spears, but they were blasted into a bloody pulp by the Cart's turrets.
The Crystal Titan attempted to shield them from the bullet storm but wasn't quick enough.
"What are you doing?" The Cart Titan bellowed.
"I was defending Zeke." Michael mentally lied. The two soldiers he tried to save earlier he recognised from his Scout Regiment days. They were among the Military Police recruits tasked with watching over him in his cell when he was accused of being a threat the day his Titan was first discovered. They were nice to him. Shame he couldn't repay that kindness.
Pieck was too distracted with the enemy to question his intentions any further. Galliard defended her from another Scout, and the two of them watched as Eren broke his teeth trying to bite into the chrysalis.
Michael conjures a crystal whip in his right hand and swings it towards Eren. But it wasn't him he was after. It was Lara. The whip wraps itself around the Attack Titan's wrist. Before he could react, he pulled on it with all his might, severing his hand from his wrist. Lara's crystal flew over their head until it landed safely within the Crystal Titan's grasp.
He then attempts to make a run for it. If he can't get Eren now, he can at least make sure the Warhammer Titan is kept out of his reach. Mikasa closes in and fires a Thunder Spear at his left leg. But Michael jumps out of the way just in time, dodge-rolling into a ruined building.
Levi notices his retreat and acts quickly. He switches targets and goes after him. But the Beast Titan would not let him go until they settled their rematch.
"We're not done yet, Levi!" The Beast roars as he immediately throws another barrage of stones at him.
Levi skilfully dodges around them, and the stones end up hitting the Crystal Titan instead, gravely damaging the armour in his back. Michael trips and falls forward from the force of the impact. Sparks fly out from under him as his crystals skid across the stone ground.
Eren soon exits his Titan form and transforms into a fresh one for a third time. His endurance had greatly improved over the years thanks to Hange's training. So much so that he was quick enough to catch up to Michael and get on top of him. He grabs the discarded Lara crystal and proceeds to beat him over the head with it, hoping to crack it, and Michael's head open at the same time.
"Your Titan has always been stronger than mine. My hardening could never top yours. But I can tell by your movements that you're getting tired. With the beating I gave you before, and all the Thunder Spears and cuts you got, your body is reaching its limit. If you had any strength left, you would've used your powers to pierce my neck by now. You don't have any moves left to play. You're spent, Michael! I've outlasted you."
The Attack Titan continued to beat the crystal shell into the back of the Crystal's neck and head. Though he was able to shatter some of his armour, Lara's chrysalis remained undamaged. But all is not lost. Eren can take this chance to rip Michael out of his Titan and hand him over to Levi.
But Michael refuses to let Eren get the best of him and elongates the crystals sticking out of his back to pierce Eren's body. Then thrusts his body backwards, crushing Eren under his weight whilst pushing the spikes deeper into him. So much for being spent.
Mikasa and the others attempted to get involved, but Levi halted their approach, fearing their Thunder Spears would damage Eren as well as Michael. But Eren didn't seem bothered. He just made his attempt to grab Michael a lot easier.
With the damage dealt to the neck armour, the Attack Titan hardens its fingertips and embeds them through the cracks. He then proceeds to rip the armour, and the nape itself, open. The Crystal Titan roars with agony and attempts to get back up, but Eren keeps pulling him down, using the same takedown move he used on Reiner during their first battle beneath Wall Rose.
"It's over, Michael! I have you right where I want you! I'll rip you outta your Titan and feed you to Mikasa! Then I will eat the Warhammer. Once that's done, I'm going after Lazarus- Huh?"
When Eren finally reached deep enough, his Titan eyes widened with shock upon noticing Michael wasn't inside his Titan's nape. Instead, all he found was a crystal copy of him attached to the strands of muscle used to control it. Enraged, Eren punches the fake Michael, shattering it into tiny shards that end up flying into his eyes, blinding him. It's as if Michael was mocking him.
The Attack Titan roars in a mixture of pain and annoyance. Just when he thought he'd finally got the jump on Michael, he was able to stay one step ahead of him and abandon his Titan body whilst putting it on automatic.
But when? When did he do this? Was he ever in his Titan form at all? The Scouts knew he was there, they've been keeping tabs on him during the festival. They saw him transform in the plaza to confront Eren. So how and when did he manage to slip away without any of them noticing?
Levi was the first one to figure that mystery out. As he was examining the spot where he cut the Crystal Titan down he spotted a little hole in the ground. This wasn't the hole Eren made when he dug out Lara Tybur. The edges were smooth, and it was only large enough for a person to climb out of… or climb into.
"So that's how he did it. He was lying on his back the whole time. While I was cutting up his arms and legs, he dug himself out and built an escape tunnel directly below the nape. He placed a copy in his place so that he could control his Titan remotely from a safe distance… He might still be down there now." He thought as he shone a light down the hole.
He only manages to catch a small glimpse of Michael at the bottom who was wearing crystal gauntlets, boots, and some kind of helmet. The tunnel seals itself shut before he has any chance of getting after him.
"That's the second time now he's shut the door in my face. Next time I see him he's getting a major ass kicking."
Down in the dark tunnel he'd constructed, Michael takes a moment to catch his breath and breathe a sigh of relief as the crystal remote gear shatters off him. That technique he'd just done to control his Titan body remotely was something he was originally incapable of doing until Lazarus transferred some of his power to him.
He could only use it for a short amount of time, which was why he chose to grab Lara and run away rather than fight back. But Eren made things difficult. He couldn't believe that after all that he still had lots of fight in him. He'd underestimated how much stronger Eren had gotten. A mistake he won't repeat.
"… God, that was exhausting. Grandfather's research said that Crystal Titan users could control their Titan bodies remotely. But it was a technique that could only be pulled off if one were to train for fifty years, to master the art of separating the consciousness from the body and transferring it into the copy I installed. It was difficult enough to master the power to transfer it throughout my nervous system, but this was on a whole other level… Had Lazarus not given me a power boost before the performance began, I could've killed myself… I see now why every other user has been afraid to try it. If done incorrectly, I could've risked permanent damage."
He attempts to get back up, but he has no strength left in his whole body. Both the technique and the fight with Eren and the Scouts had taken so much out of him. It could take days for him to recover completely. In this state, he'd be easy to capture.
But as much as he wishes he could stay hidden down here, he can't. Lazarus and Erwin still need his help. And Gabi and Falco are still out there amidst the chaos. He could never forgive himself if anything happened to those kids.
As bad as things appear to be, the Warriors do have the field advantage. They were fighting on their turf where they had control of the battlefield and its surroundings. All they have to do is tighten their net. The enemy took to the field wearing ODM gear, so they had a limited supply of fuel and ammunition. During his battle with Eren, he noticed that none of them bore the Wings of Crystal symbol, so they hadn't stolen from their supply. They are stranded in enemy territory with no support as far as they know.
But to be on the safe side, Michael needed to get back to Lucia's shop and make sure none of their advanced ODM gear had been stolen. Erwin should still be there keeping guard, but anything could happen.
"Well, I guess now is as good a time as ever to test the other thing I wanted to try back on Paradis Island."
Michael struggled to get back up on his feet. Even using the wall of the tunnel he was leaning against did very little to help him stand up. But he wasn't planning on running back. He just needed to stand upright.
Crystals start forming in the ground beneath his feet and crawl up his boots until they've covered them completely. Then something bizarre happens. The crystals started moving him forward through the tunnel, carrying him whilst he focused on staying upwards. The crystals in front of him dug into the earth and pushed it apart as they carried him forward, using a map of Liberio he memorised to guide him in the direction of Lucia's shop. Once he arrives, he'll meet up with Erwin and begin the next phase of their plan. Until then, he hopes Zeke, Pieck, and Galliard can keep Eren from eating the Warhammer Titan long enough for Lazarus to join the fight.
The incoming Marleyan reinforcements have finally arrived and surrounded the Internment Zone. There was no escape for Eren and his followers within. They all believed that Eren never stood a chance of opposing Marley in a proper war, even if he had the aid of all of Paradis. They didn't have enough people or resources.
All the more reason for the Warriors to take the Founding Titan now. Once he loses the power to start the Rumbling, he'll be helpless. Eren was Paradis' ace up their sleeve. Which makes it more important to proceed with caution.
From what they've gathered, Lazarus had been ambushed by the enemy, Michael could be presumed dead, and it's unknown what happened to Bertolt. Three of Marley's strongest have been taken out of commission before they knew what hit them. Which made protecting the War Chief from Levi their secondary objective.
"Sorry, Eren, but I'm not here to fight you. I have another opponent." The Beast Titan spoke in its deep, menacing voice. "Let's continue our rematch, Levi. Come out and show yourself! You're running out of time, right?"
He throws two hands full of stones into the sets of houses on both sides of him as a scare tactic to lure Levi out of hiding whilst making himself look menacing in the eyes of his enemies.
Falco was running for his life in the safety of a narrow alleyway. He was confident that Zeke would be able to stop the enemy. Especially the lying and deceiving Eren.
"Grice?"
Up ahead General Magath was there. He rushes over to the young candidate and looks him over, checking to see if he is injured.
"General Magath. Please, sir, listen. By the stage-
"What are you doing?! You haven't been injured, have you?" He asked him with great seriousness in his voice.
"N- no sir, I'm fine."
"Then you need to get the hell outta here."
"But sir, Vice Chief Braun is underground behind the stage! He's not moving! It's like he's in a coma!"
"What happened?" He asked calmly, noticing the stress in his words. The poor kid has been through a lot by the sounds of his breathing.
"It's my fault. He saved my life." He uttered while gazing at the floor.
"Who'd he save you from?"
"It was… Eren Yeager."
Gabi shows up with a rifle grasped tightly in her hands and baring her teeth in anger as he says that name. The name she'd grown to loathe hearing the moment he destroyed her home and got people she cared about killed. All she could think about right now was revenge, and that was putting her at risk.
"Gabi? What are you doing-
"Where is he?!" She interrupted the General without a care in the world. "Where is Michael?" She demanded of her superior.
At any appropriate time, he would've scolded her for addressing him in that tone of voice. But he understood why she was so angry. He is too. Everyone who'd lost loved ones to Eren's sudden attack was overwhelmed with emotion. He decided to let this go and tell her what happened.
"I'm very sorry, Gabi… But it looks like Michael is dead." He pauses for a moment to let that sink in with her. Her anger was quickly replaced by shock, which was to be expected. "I saw Eren rip his entire nape open and punch his body inside. Nobody could survive a blow like that… Gabi, he's-
"Still alive." She interrupted him once more.
"Look, I know you and Michael were close. But you're not thinking straight right now. Your mind is clouded. You and Falco should get as far away from here as possible. I can't risk losing either of you too."
Falco grabs a hold of Magath's jacket sleeve before he has a chance to get away. He still had more to report.
"That's not all, sir. Eren said that his comrades had ambushed Lazarus over the ocean. They've got him pinned underwater. We have to help him!" He warned him.
"I know. My men stationed at the border have reported this to me. That's why I've gathered as many cruisers as we can to smoke out Averbach's attackers and rescue him. Like it or not, we need Lazarus. He's the only powerful enough to defeat Founding Titan."
Throughout the majority of the Liberio raid, The Winged Titan remained trapped at the bottom of the sea. It's a good thing he can't drown or else he'd be counting his blessings.
But every time he regenerates and regains enough strength to try and break free from the netting that has anchored him down, the lone Scout soldier bombards him with a Thunder Spear, injuring him all over again. It was clear to him they were trying to keep him out of the way and buy Eren as much time as they could to get what he came for. Once The Winged Titan shows up, it's all over.
Eventually, the Scout had to run out of Thunder Spears – which he had – and was forced to retreat before the naval ships arrived. Unfortunately, there was no way for Hange and her new allies to get to him right now. For the emergency ladder to reach him, they'd have to go lower and risk getting spotted by the Marleyan navy.
In the end, they had to sit and watch as one of the ship's gunners blew him and his boat out of the water. Hange wanted to go down, but her accomplice made it clear that leaving him was the only way they'd keep the element of surprise. In the grand scheme of things, sacrificing one soldier meant nothing.
Once the wooden boat was out of the way, the ships' spotlights began searching for the Winged Titan. All the ships closed in on his location just outside the border, right underneath the airship.
"Sir, we've found The Winged Titan!" One of the navy soldiers addressed his commanding officer.
"The ships closest to him will fish him out. The rest of us must dock immediately! We need to reinforce the troops in Liberio quickly! I'm told they're taking devastating losses there."
The ships in the rear of the fleet begin loading up their harpoon cannons to pull the net off of the Winged Titan, allowing him to swim to the surface and finally rejoin the fight. But something felt off with Lazarus. When he was down there his bird's eye vision caught a glimpse of a looming shadow hovering directly above him and the entire navy fleet.
"Whoever attacked me is still here. Probably keeping tabs on me, making sure I don't go anywhere." Or so he thought. The hovering airship started inching out from over him and was flying closer towards the docks. "Wait, why are they leaving? What are they planning to do?"
Back on the airship, Onyankopon was easing his way ever so slightly forward to the docks, trying his hardest to keep them concealed above the clouds whilst trying to get close enough for the next stage of their attack.
"That's close enough, Onyankopon." Hange calmly remarked as she patted his left shoulder. "Ready?"
Onyankopon gulps nervously before responding with a single nod. Hange then gives him the all-clear to lower the ramp at the back of the airship. He hesitantly inches his index finger towards the big red button and presses it. He lets out a long exhale. He had been holding his breath the whole time, releasing it along with their terrible cargo.
The ramp slowly lowered, and the full moon's light shone through the inside. Within an empty chamber were six Scouts with wires fastening them to the inner walls to ensure they don't accidentally fall out when the ramp lowers. But it wasn't the soldiers that stood out, it was what they were guarding.
Laying in the centre of the chamber was a bulbous 10-foot-long, metallic sphere-like device. It was shaped a little like another Thunder Spear, except it was much bigger, wider, and rounder than the sleek narrow designs they were familiar with. The six Scouts all work together and use all their strength to push the device down the ramp and straight down to the sea below.
It came down so hard and so fast that it ruptured the ocean surface, creating a series of waves that shook the ships side to side. Everyone aboard had to hold onto the rails to keep themselves from falling in.
"What the hell was that?!" One of them stuttered with fear.
"I don't know! I didn't see anything hit the water. Must've been the Winged Titan trying to break free down there or something."
The mysterious object sank to the depths and landed a few feet away from Lazarus's position. He stopped whatever he was doing to get a good look at this thing. He had never seen anything like this in his life, nor did he know what it was and why it was dropped from the airship. Whatever the reason, it can't be good. And he doubted they dropped it by accident.
"It's done. Move the ship away from the docks. Tell all arms to brace themselves." After giving the order, Hange pulls out her radio and contacts another one of her allies. "As soon as we're clear, you're free to detonate."
The mysterious figure picks up their radio and answers her call. "Glad to see the Courlander finally grew a pair. Very well, Hange. I'll give you five minutes. After that, feel free to sit back, relax, and watch the fireworks."
As the airship began ascending and blasting its throttle to full, the Winged Titan finally managed to push the net off of him and spread its wings. The hardest part now was swimming to the surface. His wings don't do well underwater. All they do is weigh him down and make his movements slower. And he was in a hurry to get away from there, for he just found out what this mysterious object was.
"Gotta get to the surface! That thing's a bomb!"
"We're in the clear, assuming your calculations on the blast radius are correct." Hange addressed the one behind the making of the bomb.
"My calculations are always correct." He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a handheld detonator. The button on top was covered up by a small metal dome which he unlocked by turning a key in the slot at the bottom. "Just a heads up, I strongly recommend everyone aboard stay away from the windows, cover their ears, and not look outside no matter what. The light may be bright enough to burn your eyeballs right out of your skull, or the very least blind you. And the shockwave will rupture your eardrums in an instant. We certainly wouldn't want that now, would we?"
There was no reply on his end, so he assumed they understood and stayed away from the windows. He waited a few more minutes to ensure everyone was ready. Then he flips the dome up and presses the button with a simple motion of his left thumb.
What followed after was silence. A silence that lasted only moments before the booming sound of a giant shockwave spread outwards, shaking the ocean. When it reached Lazarus, it shattered his hardened armour like glass. He covered his ears to drown it out, but it was too late. His eardrums have already exploded, resulting in them bleeding and him going deaf, screaming in pain even though he can't hear it.
And that was only the beginning. Immediately after that, blinding light and intense heat completely engulf him, the naval fleet, and the docks. Enormous amounts of heat are released into the atmosphere, achieving temperatures of several million degrees in the explosion itself. The explosion was much bigger than the one produced by the Colossal Titan. It was so bright that all of Liberio could see it from afar. It practically lit up the night sky, simulating day.
Eren, the Scouts, and the Warriors all saw the blast spreading outwards from the docks. It was blinding to look at, even from afar. A giant mushroom cloud began to form at the centre of it all, stretching higher than Bertolt's Colossal ever could. Everything within range of the blast had been obliterated. All the seemingly indestructible Marleyan ships were blasted into the air and exploded from the heat, adding to the already massive explosion.
And Lazarus suffered the worst of it. The Winged Titan's body was disintegrated into dust almost instantly. He had the misfortune of feeling his blood and the water around him boil him alive before the blast ripped his flesh and bones apart, reducing them to ashes.
Gabi and Falco just stood there and watched the devastation unravel before their eyes. It was down to the General to snap them out of it and push them away. They weren't close enough to get swallowed up by the flames, but he'd rather not take any chances.
"Why… Why would Bertolt betray us?" Gabi muttered under her breath.
"This wasn't Hoover. I don't think that was even from the Colossal Titan. That explosion is far too powerful, even if he went all out… No, this is something else."
Before he could wonder what, the shockwave from the bomb reached their location and blasted them across the streets. Several buildings around them exploded outwards, forcing the General to drag the kids into a nearby shop at the other end of the street to shield them from the flying debris.
Fortunately for Erwin, Lucia's shop was stationed north of Liberio near Odiha, so he was fine. It was also nowhere near the central plaza, so he didn't have to worry about the Scouts or Marleyans finding him.
But the blast from the explosion was so powerful he could see the brightness of it reach him. He takes a quick glance out the window and gets a full view of the ginormous mushroom cloud stretching high into the sky. He quickly ducked back inside before he gave anyone the chance to spot him.
He knew something was wrong. After seeing it for himself during the Battle of Shiganshina, he understood the raw power behind the Colossal Titan's transformation. But this wasn't it. Like Magath, he came to the same conclusion that this blast was the result of some other force of destruction. One that didn't belong to Marley.
His ears twitch when he suddenly hears the sounds of what feels like rubble being blasted away echoing from below his feet. Someone was in the secret basement where all their advanced ODM gear was being stored.
Erwin gently tiptoes towards the back end of the store and unveils the hidden trapdoor. He opens it slowly to not alert any suspicion and gently makes his way down whilst clutching a handgun tightly in his right hand.
When he reaches the bottom of the ladder, he quickly jumps through the archway and points his gun in the direction the sound had come from. But instead of finding an intruder as he was expecting, he found a very exhausted Michael lying on his front at the edge of a hole in the wall. He'd succeeded in finding Lucia's shop and interpreted exactly where the basement was.
"Michael!" He puts his gun away and rushes over to help his winded son off the floor. Michael was still dizzy from the effects of utilising the remote-controlling technique. It felt like the whole world was spinning around him like he was in a drunken state.
Erwin carries him over to a workbench chair Lazarus sat in whenever he was building equipment and sits him in it. He gently shakes his shoulders, trying to snap him out of his daze.
"Uhhhhh… Wha-Where am… I?" He weakly muttered.
"You're safe, son. You've made it back to the shop."
"Willy Tybur… Eren…"
"Willy is safe, thanks to you. I helped escort him and his family out of the city before the attack began. Though his sister, Lara, went back to stop Eren." He explained.
"Oh shit! Eren's still got her! I've gotta-
"You're not going anywhere!" Erwin sternly interrupted him. "One of our recruits filled me in on your battle with Eren. He could've killed you. You are too tired to continue the fight… Besides, we've got an even bigger problem… You feel that?"
Michael gets down from the chair and places his left ear on the floor. He could feel a faint vibration in the earth. It was a tremor from the bomb explosion.
"I've felt this before, the day we fought in Shiganshina. Did Magath order Bertolt to transform into the Colossal Titan?"
"No. This was something far more powerful than the Colossal. The fact that you can feel the tremors here proves that…It seems Marley is not the only one with a powerful bomb under their control." Erwin replied as he gazed back at the ladder whence he came.
Michael manages to recover enough energy to properly react to that assessment. But he couldn't help but question how Paradis was able to get their hands on a weapon with this much power. And he knows this isn't Lazarus's doing. The Hellfire Force has the destructive power to annihilate all of Marley in a single blow. This explosion was bigger than the Colossal but smaller than the Winged.
"The best logical explanation would be that Hange has reached out to other nations who were against Marley and formed an alliance. By using their advanced technology, they have made my former regiment strong enough to tackle any, if not all, of the Eleven Titans." Erwin explained.
"Just as you've stated in your hypothesis… You're right, we can't do this alone. We need Lazarus."
Erwin sighs with regret for what he is about to tell him, knowing what his reaction will be. "Michael… Lazarus was in the vicinity of the docks when the explosion occurred. I doubt there'll be anything left of him to regenerate from this time. Eren knows he is Marley's greatest trump card, so Hange ensured he'd be dealt with before the attack began… I'm so sorry."
"Don't be, Dad. Because everything is gonna turn out alright."
That wasn't the reaction Erwin was expecting from him. He just told him that Lazarus had been blown into nothingness. There may not be so much as a single atom left for him to grow his body back from. Yet he's acting like everything is fine.
Michael decides to show him what he means and hobbles over to the far-right end of the basement past the shelves filled with boxes of advanced ODM gear. As he watches him, Erwin spots Lazarus's hat hanging on the top of the shelf. He always wears that thing everywhere he goes. Why would he leave it here?
His answers came to him when Micheal placed his hands on the wall. Blue Titan energy emits from his palms and spreads outwards, revealing a rectangular outline around him. A large chunk of the wall begins to crack until it reaches the edges of the outline before crumbling to pieces.
Behind it was another hidden room. It was big enough to be a walk-in cupboard. The only thing occupying the room was a giant crystal identical to the one protecting Lara Tybur. Inside the crystal was an unconscious Lazarus Averbach. He was almost completely naked apart from his black trousers. Attached to the side of his head, arms, legs, and back were several crystallised strands of flesh. The cocoon was held upright by more of those strands, sticking it to the wall like a spider's web. Behind it was a massive hole with a bundle of glowing veins travelling down it.
Erwin was dumbfounded by what he was looking at. If Lazarus was here this whole time, then who was operating the Winged Titan? Instead of a lengthy, wordy explanation, Michael decided to show him what led to this moment by placing his hand on the side of his head and channelling his Titan energy into him, the same way he used it to erase Lazarus's memories of him and give him the knowledge on how to navigate the labyrinth of tunnels on Paradis.
On the same day Erwin first met Willy Tybur, Michael and Lazarus were at their house discussing some of the necessary precautions they should consider just in case Eren, and his followers, do manage to get the better of them and the Warriors. They remember how close they came to losing them during the Battle of Shiganshina. That action and the times they've spent fighting beside them were enough to convince them that the Scouts were not to be underestimated.
"…You think that'll work?" Michael questioned his friend. "Even if I can pull this off, I can only hold it for a few minutes. That's nowhere near enough time to Keep Eren occupied while I escape."
"True. But with my help, you can last longer. Back in Stohess, I supercharged Annie's Female Titan with my own energy, making her faster and stronger whilst increasing her stamina. That's how she was able to overpower you and Eren. If I do the same to you, you'll be able to hold on much longer than a few minutes."
"I thought she was fighting dirty." He joked. "What about you? You may be immortal, but I doubt that'll stop Eren from trying to kill you. For his attack to succeed he'd need both of us out of the way."
"I came to that same conclusion and have already come up with a solution. If they plan on subduing the Winged Titan first then I just have to make sure I'm not in my Titan body when they do." He explained.
"Oh?" Michael quirks an eyebrow, curious to hear what Lazarus has up his sleeve.
"The Crystal and Warhammer Titans can control their Titan bodies remotely. My Titan has fragments of all of them. My skills in hardening came from the Crystal Titan, not the Warhammer. What I inherited from that was the ability to control my Titan from a distance."
"If that's true, why haven't you ever used this ability before?" Michael questioned him.
"Like you said, I'm immortal. I can survive anything my enemies throw at me. At the time I didn't think it was worth trying to master this technique. But if what Erwin told us is true and the Yeagerists try to get to me first, I need to make sure they think they've got the upper hand. Once Eren and his followers are preoccupied with the Warhammer and his guard is down, we will strike". He raises his fist to his face, signifying his confidence in this plan working.
After hearing that exchange of dialogue, images of Lazarus entering the massive field where he was meant to transform for the demonstration appeared. He was being extremely cautious, making sure nobody was around or spying on him from a distance. But his enhanced eyesight and hearing picked up no trace of Yeagerist spies from any direction in a 10-mile radius. He was alone.
Satisfied, he begins the process of telepathically controlling the Winged Titan from a distance. For it to work he needed to follow some very complicated steps. His Titan needed a piece of his flesh to transform from for the connection to work.
Following the research in Noah's books Michael showed him, Lazarus starts by constructing a small platform of hardened crystal around the size of a dinner plate. What came next, he was not looking forward now. He had to cut a piece of himself off. But it couldn't be something as simple as a finger or a lock of hair. The power of the Titans all originates from the nape of the neck. For this to work he has to cut it out.
Lazarus gazes down at the knife in his hand and stutters with hesitation. This was going to hurt like hell. One would think his body would be used to intense pain after getting sliced up, shot at, blown up, etc. But nobody is immune to pain, not even him.
He takes a deep, calming breath and ties his hair up into a bun before sticking the blade into the back of his neck. He bites down on his jacket sleeve to muffle his screams as he slowly carves the blade down and around his nape. The pain was enough to send an ordinary man over the edge, but Lazarus bit his sleeve harder, bore the pain and kept going until he was able to cut out an entire chunk of his nape. He gritted his teeth and groaned in discomfort as he used his free hand to remove the piece of flesh he'd cut out. His hand was stained red with his blood and was shaking, still feeling the effects of his self-infliction.
He needed a moment to regain his composure before placing the piece of him atop the crystal plate. Upon contact, dozens of glowing wires rose out of the plate and latched onto the piece of him. He assumed this meant he managed to set up the connection from this end. All that remained was hiding in an isolated area where nobody could find him and set himself up for the second part.
The next vision showed him and Michael in the very basement they're standing in now. It was revealed that Michael had constructed a crystal tunnel from the hidden spot they found Lazarus's body in and connected wires he conjured to the spot where Lazarus placed his piece. The wires looked more like veins pumping Titan energy into the plate.
Lazarus was holding back on regenerating or triggering his Titan transformation. He needed to transfer his mind into the piece of his nape he left behind before transforming. That way his consciousness will be possessing his Titan body while his actual body is suspended in a hibernated state within his chrysalis.
He removes his hat and places it on the top shelf where Erwin finds it. He then takes off his jacket and shirt, exposing his ripped chest and wing-shaped burn mark that Michael couldn't help but take notice of when he had his back to him. He almost forgotten he had that scar after receiving his powers. The last time he'd seen it was on that hilltop they used to sit at to look out at the amazing view of the lake and the mountains of Paradis. Back when he was known as Michael Smith.
Lazarus continues to strip down until only his trousers remain. The ground felt cold beneath his bare feet. He had cold feet literally as well as figuratively. He glances over at Michael with a nervous look on his face. There was still so much he didn't know about this process. What'll happen to his consciousness if his Titan body gets destroyed? Will he still be able to come back even if his mind had been removed from his body? There were so many questions and so little time.
"Are you ready for this?" Michael asked calmly.
"I- I'm not sure. I've never done this before. It'll be a weird new experience for me." Lazarus gulped nervously.
"It'll be weird for me too. But I'm confident I'll be fine thanks to that energy transfer you just gave me… Just try to relax and clear your mind. For the transfer to work you have to be calm. Just remember what you told me and Gabi. Follow your advice and you'll be fine." Michael reassured him.
Lazarus nods and follows his advice. He closes his eyes, relaxes his body, and opens his mind. More of the crystal veins come out of the wall behind him and latch onto his limbs, his back, and the sides of his head. He stuttered a little in response to their sudden grasp but maintained his focus. The veins begin to lift him off the ground. A crystal shell begins to form around him similarly to Annie and Bertolt. Lazarus can feel his consciousness being pulled away from his brain and flowing into the veins like a cable carrying a signal. His actual body went into a comatose state as the crystal finished forming around him. More thicker strands then latch onto the sides of the cocoon and hold it in place, preventing it from falling and disrupting the connection.
Once it was done, Michael conjured up a fake wall to cover up the small space and altered its appearance to make it appear as if it had always been a part of the wall. There were no signs of cracks or crevasses anywhere. It was perfect. A little something, he picked up after looking into the memories of his ancestor who helped construct the three walls of Paradis.
The memory flashes end and Erwin is forced to take a step back. He wasn't used to this kind of mind-melding he and Lazarus have adjusted to. He grabs the side of his head as if he is suffering from a headache even though he isn't feeling any discomfort.
"After that, I rushed back to the square and only just made it back in time for the beginning of the speech. Sorry we didn't tell you, Dad. We were being extra cautious. I didn't wanna risk anyone finding out."
As soon as Erwin had gotten over his momentary episode, he was about to assure Michael that he did the smart thing hiding this from him. But they were both startled by the sounds of the crystal shattering to the right. Lazarus's actual body collapses to the hard ground, severing the mind-transferring veins from his body. The gaping hole in his nape heals almost instantly. His eyes shot wide open; his head rolled back as he gasped for air like he'd been holding his breath for a very long time.
The two Smiths quickly rush to his side, grab him by the shoulders and carry him over to the desk chair. Lazarus continued gasping for air as he coughed up some kind of glowing liquid. Michael rubbed his back in a circle a few times to ease his nausea while Erwin grabbed his clothes and placed them on the desk behind him.
"Lazarus? Are you alright? Look at me!" Michael turns his head to face him and holds three fingers up. "How many fingers am I holding up?"
"… B- Bub- Ba…" Lazarus stuttered in a failed attempt to communicate. Instead, he ended up vomiting more of that glowing, silvery substance.
"Come on, Laz. Try and get it together."
Erwin decided to take charge and turned Lazarus's head towards him instead. "Lazarus, I can't understand what kind of emotional state you're in. But we need you to focus. Please tell us what happened to you." He asked slowly and clearly.
Lazarus waited for his coughs to subside and his head to stop pounding before he was able to answer that question. What he'd just experienced was way too much for the human mind to process. His brain was still telling him that he was still drowning in the sea and feeling the full power behind the explosion that had consumed all of the port, the naval fleet, and his Titan body. He was convinced he was still there and it's still happening.
As much as Michael and Erwin wanted to give him all the time he needed to mentally recover, they didn't have that luxury. Every second they waste here increases Eren's chances of obtaining the Warhammer.
"Bo- B… Bomb! There's a bomb!" He finally managed to speak his mind. "The Yeagerists have a bomb that's even more powerful than the Colossal Titan's explosion! It destroyed everything in its path! The Marleyan reinforcements have been annihilated… My Titan was within the blast zone. I felt my entire body turn to ash! It was horrible!"
He started breaking down into stress-filled tears, encouraging Michael to embrace and calm him down.
"I was afraid of this." Erwin softly spoke up. "As I was telling Michael earlier, Paradis has allied itself with other enemies of Marley. We don't have the technology to construct an explosive as powerful as the one we'd just seen. Hange must've teamed up with some of the world's greatest minds to build the strongest Anti-Titan weapon they had the resources to make."
"If… if that's true, then Eren's much more dangerous than we realised. How could I not have foreseen this?" Lazarus frustratedly asked himself.
"It doesn't matter now. We've gotta get back to the plaza, confront Eren, and stop him!" Michael declared pridefully after breaking off the hug.
"You're not going anywhere, Michael. You're still weak from your own consciousness transfer. You can hardly stand, let alone fight." He places his hand on his son's shoulder. "Stay here and let your body recover. Gabi's not ready to carry on your responsibilities yet."
Michael's eyes widen at the mention of that name. He'd been too busy fighting Eren and Levi he'd forgotten that she, Falco, and the other candidates may be in grave danger.
"Gabi! I have to find her!"
"I told you no!" Erwin raised his voice at him. "I will look for the candidates. You stay here, that's an order!"
Instead of questioning him, Michael sighs heavily, obeys his father/former commander and stays put. Lazarus stands up, allowing him to sit in the chair for a while. He still has a task he needs to finish. With Michael too weak to carry on the fight, it's down to him to confront Eren and finally do what he failed to do on multiple occasions. Steal back the Founding Titan.
As he rushes to get his Wings of Crystal uniform back on, Erwin questions where he is going.
"Since Michael is incapable of going on and you'll be busy saving Gabi, Falco and the others, it's up to me to stop Eren before he eats the Warhammer and kills any more innocent people."
"You're in no better shape to assume Titan form and challenge Eren than Michael is." Erwin reminded him of his mental state despite Lazarus's claims that he was fine now. "Even if you've recovered enough to transform a second time you'd only end up getting shot out of the sky"
"I don't plan on challenging Eren as the Winged Titan this time. He and the others will be expecting that." Lazarus replied as he opened up the box labelled "Special Forces" and pulled out pieces of one of the two highly advanced ODM gear he'd been working on.
Erwin and Michael watch as he puts on his harness first before assembling the special ODM gear. They catch a glimpse of it just as he is attaching it to his arms.
It took some time, but Lazarus had finally managed to assemble and put on his brand-new, highly advanced, ODM gear. This was a firearm type, but it was nothing like the one Michael recovered from Kenny Ackerman's squad. It was a monster of a weapon.
Strapped to each of his arms were two long, massive guns with six barrels each, all connected. They resembled one of the Mid-East Allied Forces' newest weapons which they call Gatling Guns. A powerful, rapid-fire arm that can theoretically fire 3,000 bullets per minute, roughly three times the rate of a typical machine gun. Lazarus's newest toy looked like he'd taken four of them and welded them together into a new form of ODM gear. Both dual Gatling guns had a large ammo casing on their sides. Attached to his back was the gas canister, but it looked larger than the standard-sized ones. The anchor wires were also thicker than the standard ODM gear, which made sense for it to hold all that weight. The gear had a black and gold colour scheme.
Erwin was highly impressed with his ingenuity. But he can't help but feel like a weapon of that size would be a tad bit overkill. He can't even imagine Lazarus being able to fly around buildings with those massive guns weighing him down. His Titan strength allows him to lift them with no problem, but any ordinary soldier would not be able to. Michael recalled seeing a Mid-East Ally needing two hands to operate just one. Lazarus is holding two each with one hand on both arms.
"What. The hell. Is that?!" Michael asked in bewilderment.
"This is what I'm gonna use to take down Eren's Attack Titan. It's one of the two Special Forces ODM gear I've been working on. I only had enough time to perform a few tests with it, but I'm certain it'll be powerful enough to shatter his hardened skin." Lazarus replied as he lifted both his arms one at a time, getting the feel for how heavy they were, which was a lot. But not unbearably heavy.
"I haven't tested the piston-shot grapple hooks yet. All I can do is hope the cables are strong enough to hold me."
"You come up with a name for this one?" Michael asked.
Lazarus would have to admit that he hadn't. He only named his first creation, Cloud Zero, because it was the result of his first attempt at engineering/blacksmithing. He never really took the time to name anything else he'd built since then. But these quadruple Gatling guns are the first and most likely only one of its kind. It took a lot of his time to build and test and he can't see himself mass producing these in the future. It would be a good idea to give something this unique a name. There was only one he could think of at the top of his head that he deemed appropriate for its purpose, which was to take down Eren and retrieve the Founding Titan.
"Hmm… How about… The Founder's Bane?"
To Be Continued
Author's Note: For those of you wondering, The Founder's Bane weapon Lazarus is using is actually a powerup bonus you can use for a short period of time in the Attack On Titan 2 video game but only if your character has the gun ODM gear equipped. For swords the powerup is the Thunder Spears. Just a little trivia for you ;) PS, it's not called Founder's Bane in the game in case you wanna look it up.