Attack On Titan: Wings Of Crystal

Chapter 84: A Noble Sacrifice

The Rumbling has finally reached Marley's mainland in the south, and the army of Colossal Titans begins marching north, trampling the port city and everything within it. The first line of defence had been eradicated with relative ease. Every armed ship in the world had been blown out of the water, barely making a dent in their numbers.

The people had been forced to evacuate their homes days before the attack occurred and ordered to run for their lives and leave all personnel belongings behind. But no matter how much of a head start they had on The Rumbling; it will always catch up with them. Nowhere is safe to avoid it. It is inevitable.

Two young foreigners were hiding out in the woods completely unaware of the approaching danger. The oldest boy, Ramzi, had been building up a secret stash of coins he'd been pickpocketing from other people. Like Eldians, the Marleyans viewed his people as mongrels with no place in this world. They were refugees and forced to live in the cold wilderness in small tents. It was a hard life and he desperately wanted to make it better for his family. It had cost him his right hand, but he was determined to keep on saving up for them.

Eren once had the misfortune of meeting Ramzi on his first visit to Marley. He, Mikasa and the others were first brought there by Onyankopon disguised as foreign travellers from another nation. For obvious reasons, it was best they didn't announce themselves as Eldians, especially ones from Paradis.

Ramzi had been caught by Levi for stealing Sasha's wallet. They were immediately shown just how despicable the people on the other side of the sea could be, talking about maiming a child for such a minor theft attempt. He wasn't even Eldian. Marley will just discriminate against anyone who isn't them.

A few days after their arrival Eren rescues him from a bunch of grown men who were beating him up in an alleyway. At first, he didn't think he should get involved; he would end up killing him with The Rumbling anyway so why delay his fate? He thought he could deny fate, but he ended up saving his life anyway because it's just the kind of person he is. Saying he had the freedom to choose to save him or not would be a gross understatement. His future was already set in stone, every action he foresaw had already been played out before his eyes. Saving Ramzi was just one of them.

After saving him, Eren broke down and looked upon the boy with tear-filled eyes. Consumed with guilt, he apologised to him and begged for his forgiveness. But why would he do that? What he did was a good thing, why would he feel bad about rescuing him, he thought?

It didn't make sense at the time. But when he and his brother saw the army of Colossal Titans marching towards them, kicking up gigantic steam clouds and setting ablaze the wildlife close to where they were stepping, he started wondering if this was what he was apologising for. It wasn't just the townspeople, all the wildlife populating the forest were fleeing out of fear to avoid the march of destruction.

Eren's Founding Titan, now carrying a gigantic crystal city on its back, soon made landfall and joined the march. Ludwig continued to watch from the balcony of the tallest tower, standing at the top of it all. It was one hell of a view. He can see the landscape being transformed by the burning feet of the Titan army. He was deranged with excitement, deluding himself into thinking he was witnessing the end of an era.

Eren was disgusted with him. How can someone feel joy over something like this? But then again who is he to judge? He'd be a hypocrite for calling Ludwig deranged when he is just an observer. He was the one who instigated the world's end, not the Marleyan scientist. He was in control. Or was he?

By this point, he's unsure what is or isn't in his control anymore. If he truly was in control then he could either stop The Rumbling or make it so much worse. With the full might of the Founder's power, he could easily turn all Eldians around the world into Colossal Titans and have them join the march. Who knows how many of them were stationed all over the world? He could destroy it all in a day if he wanted to. On top of that, he could also take away the Titan Shifter's power to transform to minimise resistance as Ludwig suggested. The only ones he couldn't stop were Lazarus and Michael. But what could they do against him and an army of Colossal Titans alone? They would just burn through their stamina and collapse. Lazarus would live but only to see the world burn.

No, he wasn't in complete control here. He didn't believe it. If he hadn't seen his future he might've done things differently, but it was not to be. He believed Lazarus was the one who took his freedom, but the truth was he'd lost it long before they even met.

If his mom were here what would she think of him? Would she be horrified by his actions? Would she believe it would be best for the people of Paradis to die? What if the king of the walls was right to choose death even if their island was wiped out? The loss of one tiny island would be nothing in comparison and if the Eldian people disappeared the Titans and all their strife would be gone.

It made the most logical sense, and it was the best way to keep bloodshed to a minimum. But it was something he could never accept. His brother, Zeke, wanted to slowly erase Eldians in the next 100 years or so to eradicate Titans. Michael wanted to kill Ymir to erase all Titans except his and Lazarus to always have power over Marley. Lazarus wants to change the Eldian Race and eliminate all that made them stand out from the rest of humanity. All of these were much better plans than Eren's, but he doesn't have it in him to accept them. Doing so would mean admitting that they were better than him.

It seems the future won't change. He once told Reiner that he was the same as him, a half-assed piece of shit. Only now does he realise that he's far worse than him, Lazarus, or anyone else. Ludwig can go on and praise his actions all he wants; it will never make him feel better.

Through his Titan's eyes, he watches the poor, unfortunate Ramzi and his brother get crushed under the foot of the Titans. A single tear ran down his actual face inside the mouth of his new Titan, constantly repeating the words, " I'm sorry" in his mind.

Once The Rumbling had passed over the first town on the mainland Ludwig leans over the railing to look back at the result of the Titan's trampling. The town was gone. Everything in it, people, animals, plants, buildings. Everything was wiped away. All that was left in their wake were smouldering footprints and ash. It was like a barren desert with no traces of life or evidence of the civilisation that stood there moments ago. It was like it never existed.

"I know what you must be feeling, Eren. But you already know what must be done. From the moment you were born, the stifling walls of Paradis were the furthest you can see. But you wanted to see beyond that. To see the world I come from. It's nothing at all like you'd imagined. But now you and I can shape it into what you envisioned. You said it yourself, to witness what may be the greatest freedom this world has to offer… you must take it."

The deranged scientist then lifts his shirt and unveils his bare chest. Last night he thought he'd hallucinated Ymir and Joseph, but there was no denying the evidence embedded in him. Stuck in the centre of his chest was a shard of the crystal that Joseph had found rooted in the tall tree he climbed to escape Fritz. In The Paths it took on the form of a sword he named "Ymir's Damnation". But in the real world, it was just a small piece of stone no bigger than his hand.

Ludwig delicately strokes the crystal, sliding his fingers down its surface, generating a strange, light musical sound. It sounded like someone was gently dragging their hand along an instrument that sounded like a strange combination of a violin and a wind chime.

"Ymir herself wants you to succeed as much as I do, which is why she's entrusted me with control over the souls of the past Crystal Titans and built this beautiful fortress on your back. Imagine it, an elder Marleyan like myself is more loyal to her than the actual Crystal Titan. A testament to how much better the people of the world will become once The Rumbling ends if I do say so myself."

There was no sign of a response from Eren's Titan. He either couldn't hear him, or he could and chose not to listen. No thoughts were going through his mind, he was completely focused on continuing his approach. This town was only the beginning. He has one more major target that needs to be dealt with before he can continue with his mission. He already saw what was in store for him once he reached his destination. But only time will tell if it'll all play out exactly as foretold or not.

Still miles away from Odiha, the members of the Alliance finally caught their breath. They were successful in escaping Paradis and putting an end to most of the Yeagerists' reign on the island. With Floch gone they didn't have a leader to rally behind and no way to go after them with their airships and cruisers destroyed. All they could do was maintain their control over the island and pray Eren and Ludwig come back. If they come back.

Most of the crew were sleeping in their cabins, saving their strength for the inevitable final battle against Yeager and Oppenheimer. Yelena was locked in the brig with Levi keeping watch over her. Erwin, Hange and Willy were on the bridge with Onyankopon discussing the best strategy to defeat Eren.

Michael decided to spend some more quality time with Sasha just in case either of them didn't survive what was to come. But Lazarus' enhanced hearing can pick up that there was more going on in that cabin than just talking going by the sounds of their heavy breathing and skin against skin.

He just had to pick the cabin that was right next to Sasha's. He purposely chose the one furthest from Michael in the hopes of avoiding him for just a little while longer until he felt ready to properly confront him about what escalated between them in The Paths.

He chuckles to himself despite the situation and quickly leaves the cabin area, making his way to the upper deck at the back end of the ship to get some peace and fresh air. His eyes were greeted with the bewildering sight of the deep blue ocean that stretched on as far as the eye could see. It was one of the few sights he never gets tired of no matter how many times he'd seen it. By now he felt he'd seen almost every part of the world from the skies. Most of it was from when he needed to fly from Marley to an enemy nation, but nothing was stopping him from getting in a little sightseeing on the way.

He assumed at first that he would have the whole deck to himself and give him a moment's peace to clear his head. But over to his right, he spotted Annie sitting against the railing curled upwards. She quickly noticed him and greeted the man she loved with a friendly smile and wave.

Lazarus approached her as he waved back. "Hey, Annie. I didn't expect to see you here. How're you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Better now that you're here." She pats a spot next to her, telling him to sit down beside her. The new War Chief didn't need any convincing to do otherwise.

"So, what brings you up here? Did you need to get away from the others? It sounded like you needed to after what you told them… Do you truly believe The Rumbling is all on you?" She asked him in a slightly worried tone.

"Not entirely, but most of it I know is my fault. The others deserved to know that. I can't go on with the plan without acknowledging that I am responsible for Eren's change… Now that they know, maybe I can finally let go of whatever arrogance I still had."

"And do you feel like you have?"

Lazarus takes a deep breath and looks up at the seagulls gliding over their heads as he answers. "Yeah, I think I have. The others still don't trust me but at least now they know I'm not holding anything back. All we can do now is forget the past and work together so that we can have a future."

Annie nods in agreement. The two of them sat in silence for a couple more minutes until Lazarus felt the urge to mention the other reason he came up here.

"I also came here to get away from Michael."

"You're still not talking to him?"

"I-I… I still don't feel ready to forgive him yet. I want to, but what he told me really hurt. I'm so used to hearing how people wished I was dead. But whenever I do hear that I often agree with them. I do want to die for real someday. Michael was the first one who wanted me to keep on living, which to me is about the worst thing anyone could ever say to me. Why should I have to live forever just to keep his legacy alive? A legacy I have no say in. If that were to happen, the only certainty is that I'll end up alone. That to me is a fate worse than death."

Annie sighs and places her hand atop his on the wooden floor. "…That and I was sick of hearing his and Sasha's moaning."

Hearing that triggered a response from Annie who quickly removes her hand from his and turns to him with a look of surprise. Lazarus could guess as to what her mind was currently thinking at this moment.

"Y-You mean they're…"

"Yep, I'm sure of it. Those two were getting pretty well acquainted in the cabin next door. Curse these well-enhanced ears of mine!" He muttered that last part to himself. "Looks like those two have finally admitted their feelings for each other. They both probably think either of them could die when we confront Eren and are making the most of what little time they have left. Kinda like you and me the day before you were captured in Stohess… Man, what a magical day that was."

Annie's face reddened with embarrassment as her unconscious mind tried to picture the two of them in bed together. Lazarus reminding her of the day they consummated their relationship didn't help either. She had no idea this would happen given recent events. Sasha had betrayed Michael twice and he betrayed her once. She thought for certain that the ship had sunk.

Lazarus quickly decided to change the subject before things could get awkward between them and brought up something that had been lingering in the back of his mind since before the port battle started.

"Hey, Annie, how does it feel to be free of The Female Titan?"

Annie regains her composure and takes a breath before answering him honestly. "I'm… relieved. It feels like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I feel like I'm not a burden to the Alliance anymore. The Female Titan will be more useful with Gabi than me… That is if she and Falco are even going to be taking part in the final battle."

Lazarus paused. Erwin said that all Titan Shifters were needed to pull off a successful attack, but he seemed to have failed to acknowledge that they were still kids. Granted they were also Warrior Candidates with the training to become capable fighters, but this was going to be a battle unlike any other. The chances of everyone else dying were high. He promised Colt he would protect his little brother with his life. His death would break that promise.

"If it were up to me, I'd have them stay behind with you and Bertolt. But this mission is Erwins. He has the authority to decide who takes part in this battle or not."

"I thought this was your mission." Annie reminded him that the mission for him to eat Eren was all his idea, not Erwins.

"Erwin was the one who decided to go through with my plan, only because he viewed it as one that benefited everyone. He should be in charge. I told you back when we first arrived on the island that I don't have what it takes to be a leader and I was right. You saw what my decisions led to. I have no right to assume command over this alliance."

"But you do have the right to lead the Omega Unit. Zeke may've been chosen to lead us, but we've always looked to you. Yes, you did make mistakes, but every leader does. It's when they admit them that they prove themselves worthy to lead. A good leader admits their mistakes, but a great leader admits that they're not the best candidate for the position." Annie explained wisely.

"Who told you that? Your father?" He asked her.

Annie nodded with confirmation. "How do you think he taught me how to fight all these years? He was a leader of a military back in his homeland before he came to Marley. His men once had a lot of respect for him back in those days."

"Really? What happened?"

"In his reckless youth, he led a small number of Eldians into battle against Marley by blindly charging into their military outpost. He had no idea at the time how well-guarded that place was. The Marleyans outnumbered his men five to one and they were running across open fields with nowhere to run to. You can guess what happened."

"…They were all gunned down, weren't they?" He assumed.

"My father survived by running away like a coward, leaving his men to die alone. He feared Marley would ship him off to Paradis and turn him into a Titan, so he stowed away aboard one of their supply ships and fled to Liberio. Since then, he tried to redeem himself by training me to be an unstoppable killing machine. To prove that he can still mould helpless children into soldiers. The rest is history."

Lazarus remained silent as he listened to Annie's story about her adopted father. Now it all made sense why he'd been so hard on her growing up. He was taking out his failings on his daughter, believing it would make her stronger. He can remember the day he first met Mister Leonhart in the streets. The man was kind enough to invite him into his home for some tea as thanks for saving him from that Marleyan guard.

He encouraged him to change his ways and start behaving like a father to Annie rather than a soldier and help him realise she was more than just a ticket to an easier life. That was the moment Annie started to fall for him.

Thinking about Leonhart reminded the pair that he was most likely killed by The Rumbling. Hange just told them that Liberio may be lost now. Annie was devastated by this news. She made it clear that he was the reason she kept going, it was never about saving the world. But now she had another reason to live. To give birth and raise her child and give them the proper upbringing she and Lazarus had been denied. More than anything she wanted to be a mother.

"Lazarus… do you think Marley deserves to be trampled?" She asked out of nowhere after five minutes of silence and bird-watching.

Lazarus looks over at her for a brief moment before facing forward again. He felt it was better to not look her in the eye as he gave his answer.

"Want me to be honest?" He asked rhetorically. "…Yeah, I think they do. But at the same time, I feel for the very few on the mainland who weren't bad people. When I defected, I threatened to destroy Marley myself, and I would've done it the second they go back on their word. Everyone has thought others deserve to die at least once in their lives, it's impossible not to. When I say Marley deserves to get trampled, I mostly refer to the nation itself rather than the individual citizen."

"But not every citizen thinks of us Eldians as people, you know that? Do you think they deserve to die too?" She asked.

"Yes." He answered without hesitation. "Marley is rotten to the core and most of its people are scum. But it's not completely selfless. I've met my fair share of Marleyans who've been good to me, and others like me. They're not blinded by centuries of pride and prejudice like most of them are… Marley as a whole deserves to be punished for what they've done, I won't deny that. But I don't think the rest of the world should be. Most of them were forced to be a part of Marley after we've helped conquer them just as the other Warriors before us."

He then decides to face Annie for his last statement. "I also believe that we deserve to be punished as well for the role we played on Paradis." Annie was slightly taken aback by that.

"Even though that's true, why say that?" She questioned.

"You missed a lot after you were imprisoned. You never saw what we did. As soon as the truth got out things went to hell. We were forced to fight those we once called our friends in Shiganshina. At the end of that battle, they'd lost so much whilst we lost nothing. That's just not fair to them. We should've been punished that day to give them some peace of mind. I realised that the day we returned to Marley."

"If that's true then why not let them have it?" She asked, referring to their comrades from Paradis. The only reason they were all still alive was because Lazarus defended them. So why not let them die?

Lazarus looked at her in a way that seemed like he was insulted she'd ask him such a question. "Because it is something I just can't allow to happen, even if I know in my heart they have the right to punish us. It's another thing Eren and I have in common. He won't accept that the world will be better off without Paradis in it, that's why he's determined to destroy the rest of the world. He wants all the people he cares deeply about to be happy and live peaceful lives whether they deserve it or not. That's exactly how I feel about you, Reiner, Michael, and Bertolt. We all deserve to be punished for our sins, but at the same time, I cannot allow it to happen. It's a really hard decision to make. You guys mean everything to me, and I want you all to live your lives even if the world doesn't think you deserve it. If that makes me a selfish person then so be it."

Annie was stuttered by his response. She hadn't expected a single question about Marley's fate to turn into this. What he said about their sins was accurate. If any outside observers watched what had transpired from the beginning of their attack on the Walls to now and got to see both perspectives behind it, most would argue that Paradis was the underdog of this story. They would feel like they suffered too much and deserve to see their oppressors face justice. Like how a kid would want to see their bully face punishment from their teachers for how they endlessly tormented them. Marley and the Warriors were viewed as the bully whilst Paradis was the tormented kid. It didn't help that the Warriors were taking win after win with each conflict, even when they lost, they won. Though they didn't get Eren they got The Crystal Titan and Paradis' best commander as compensation.

Paradis deserved a win, but The Rumbling should not have to be their only means of getting one. An entire class shouldn't be punished for the actions of one misbehaving child. The best thing the bully can do is own up and apologise for their behaviour. That is essentially what the Warriors are trying to do now. It's all they can do to try and make things right and earn the right to live a happy life.

The Alliance's ship docked in Odiha in the middle of the night. The whole town was dead quiet and the streets were deserted. Every resident had been evacuated hours ago when news of The Rumbling reached them. Lazarus and Michael were thankful their home was still standing. Odiha was further up north, and the Wall Titans had reached land on the south side of the continent. However, that was no reason to take their time with the Flying Boat. According to Hange's hypothesis, Liberio is most likely in ruins by now. At the rate the Titans are moving she estimated they have until dawn at the earliest until they reach them.

Reiner and Michael transform into their Titan forms as the boat docked to help push the Flying Boat into the hanger so the Azumabito mechanics can begin assembling the wings straight away. Kiyomi and her clan gasped at the appearance of Michael's Titan. This was the first time they'd ever seen it in person. They've only heard stories and seen a small demonstration of its hardening abilities back on Paradis. It is a shame they'll never get to harness it for themselves once the war is over and Titans are no more.

Erwin, Hange and Levi stood at the edge of the port and observed their squad getting to work, moving their supplies from the boat to the hanger. Everyone was fully decked out in the Cloud Zero gear Lazarus made and most of them were now donning the Wings of Crystal uniforms, except for Levi who still viewed himself as a Scout which Erwin admired.

"It's so quiet here," Hange uttered as she gazed out over the town.

"It would appear that the residents of Odiha have already fled. All the ships set sail before we arrived." Erwin explained.

"So, this is where you've been hiding all this time," Levi commented in his usual deadpan voice.

"Not hiding, plotting." He corrected him. "I've already told you both my reasons for staying here. But it wasn't the only reason… This place is a nice area to live in once you get used to it." He points them in the direction of the houses furthest in the back sitting atop the hill slopes. "Michael and Lazarus' family homes are somewhere up there. They got to wake up and see the whole port from their bedroom windows."

"I didn't think Eldians were allowed to live here." Hange pointed out.

"They normally don't. But both their parents were high-ranking officers within the Marleyan military. Because they were part of the False Founder Project, they were given special permission to remain here even after Marley found out."

He then points them over to the centre of the town where Eden's Nest was located. All the damage caused by the explosion was finally rebuilt, though there was still evidence of the blast in the form of the almost filled-in crater.

"That was where The Winged Titan was born. Where Eden's Nest resided."

"Really?" Levi replied. "Too bad they just finished covering up the damage only to have The Rumbling destroy it all again."

The three of them look towards the Azumabito in the hanger. Jean and the others help them remove the explosives before the tarp, being careful not to set them off and destroy the flying boat.

"We gotta hurry! Get the cover off!" Jean ordered.

"Shit, the explosives are in the way," Connie added, hesitant to try and move them in the fear that they could explode.

"Cut 'em off and toss 'em." Reiner implied.

"Wait, we might be able to use these for something. Load them up once the cover is off." Armin suggested.

The boys nod and help him carefully remove the explosives. As they were doing that Armin and Bertolt left the hangar to look for Lazarus, wondering when they should proceed with the transfer of The Colossal Titan. But the albino was nowhere to be seen.

"Lazarus? Where is he?" Bertolt asked the farm boy next to him who was just as clueless as he was.

"I see him." Michael spots him walking away from the group in the distance.

"Where's he going?" Sasha asked him.

"…Home. He's going home… I-I should follow him. Sasha, help the others remove the explosives, I'll be right back."

Sasha responded with a single nod and rushed over to help the boys pull off the tarp. Once it and the explosives were out of the way, the Azumabito immediately got to work.

Erwin, Levi and Hange watch Michael chase after his stetson-wearing friend. At first, the captain thought they were bailing on them, but Erwin assured him that wasn't the case. He saw this as the perfect chance for those two to talk and try to get past their issues. They've already done a good job of that with the rest of their former comrades in the 104th. Hopefully, they can do the same with each other or else this alliance will crumble.

The front door to Michael's house was unlocked when Lazarus reached out to turn the knob. Either he, Michael, or Erwin had forgotten to lock it before they left, or someone had broken in. Whatever the reason, it didn't matter. Their homes couldn't be saved so who cares if some of their possessions are missing? At least that's what he thought about most of them. But there were two precious items he hoped were still where he left them. The only thing that was worth wasting time on the Flying Boat to acquire.

He raced up the stairs, turned the corridor to the left and kicked the door to his bedroom open. The room was still the same way he left it minus all the dust and cobwebs. He wasted no time pulling the top drawer of his bedside table open and felt the stress melt away upon seeing what was inside. It was his crystal sword necklace and Michael's crystal shield, sitting comfortably in the drawer as the only items occupying them.

" Thank goodness they're still here." He sighed as he pulled them out of the drawer and dangled them in front of his face, getting a good look over them before removing his hat and placing his sword necklace around his neck again. It felt like it had been years since he last wore it even though it had only been a month.

"It's a good thing we decided to take them off before the Liberio Raid, huh?"

Lazarus was not at all surprised by Michael's presence. He sensed him coming a mile away and predicted he may follow him back to their house to try and smooth things over with him

"This necklace was a gift from my best friend. A boy who I always believed was much stronger than me but never thought of me as weak. He accepted me as part of his family even though we weren't of the same blood. He once told me that these crystals will guide us back together again and hopefully one day rekindle the friendship we once had." The War Chief places his hat back atop his head before turning around to confront him. The look in his eyes shows that he is still hurt by Michael's betrayal.

"But he was wrong. The crystal only led me to some stranger living in his body. I once blamed the royals of Paradis for what had become of you and thought if Zeke undid their brainwashing, I'd finally get him back… But I still don't see him. All that stands before me is a double agent!" He angrily snarls at Michael before storming out of the room, shrugging past him on his way out.

"Lazarus, wait!"

Michael followed Lazarus who decided to channel Titan energy into his feet so that he could propel himself upwards and blast straight up through the roof, making a hole in the ceiling. He knew immediately what he was doing and followed after him by generating a ladder of hardening and climbing through the hole.

Once through he finds his old friend sitting atop the roof in the same spot they used to sit together as kids. It used to be their favourite place to hang out, chill, and talk as friends. The one place they can have true peace and nothing else in the world matters. Lazarus probably wanted to get one last look over their wonderful town before it all got trampled. Even with all his power, there was nothing he could do to save it. Michael can't imagine how this must make him feel.

He decided to take a seat a few feet away from him instead of taking his regular spot next to him. That would only piss him off more. He needed to make things right with him before they departed. They'll be a liability to the alliance if they don't fix what he admits he'd broken.

"I get that you wanted to come up here one last time, but did you have to make a big hole in my roof?"

"It's all gonna get destroyed anyway. Who cares if it's damaged before then?" Lazarus replied in a cold tone.

"Ok, already this talk is off to a bad start" He didn't even stop to think about what his first sentence should be. He just said the first thing that popped into his mind. He'd better change the subject and quickly. The Azumabito could still use his expertise in engineering to speed up preparation for the Flying Boat.

"Listen, Laz, I know you're still mad about what happened in The Paths, but you can't keep ignoring me forever. You heard what Dad said. We have to put our differences aside to work together. The Flying Boat can be finished a lot faster if you helped the Azumabito… You have every right to hate me. I once hated you for breaching the Walls, but I learned to forgive you. Why can't you do the same for me?"

There was no reply from the albino, he didn't even look in his direction. He'd rather watch the others in the distance working than face his supposed "friend".

"Lazarus, please, talk to me. We could always talk up here." Michael sighed deeply as he etched himself closer to him without detection. He too decided to take in the wondrous view of their hometown before it was reduced to ashes.

"This place holds so many memories. It was our home." He points over towards the edge of the port right next to the entrance to the beach. "The ice cream stand used to be there all the time when we were kids. It was where we tried it for the first time… Haha, I remember your reaction to it. You were so happy that you wound up dripping some of it on your shirt… Where did those times go?"

The silence still lingered between them. Lazarus hadn't even reacted to that story. From his current angle, Michael could not see what kind of expression he was wearing. He didn't hear so much as a chuckle. Perhaps this was all a waste of time after all. Sasha said he should talk to him, but how can he if he won't let him? He might as well return to the hangar and help the others.

"That's not how I remember it."

Suddenly he stops and turns back around. Lazarus does the same and glances over at Michael over his left shoulder. "…As I recall, the one who got ice cream on their shirt was you, not me." He finally spoke back to him.

"No, that was you. It wasn't me."

"Oh yes it was. I remember your mother cleaning up the mess you made with a handkerchief she kept in her orange bag. You were crying when it happened because you humiliated yourself in public for the first time in your life. You were only five years old when it happened, but that didn't stop the Marleyans from saying hurtful things to you. Your father stood up for you and ended up getting locked up in a cell for two days. The only reason he was released was because Thomas Tybur bailed him out. Since then, you pretended it didn't happen and whenever you thought about it, you told yourself it was me who'd been humiliated. Telling yourself that you were the responsible one trying to protect me… No wonder I was good at lying. I learnt from watching you."

Michael groaned with annoyance. Nothing he says is working. In fact, it only seemed to make things worse. Why is he so bad at reconciling? Why can't he just say the right things and turn this all around? And why is it only now he felt like he'd been taking their past friendship for granted?

"I should've realised back then that this would only be the start of the many ways you'd manipulate me," Lazarus spoke up again. "Before you left you altered my memories so that I would forget you. You said it was so I would be safe, but I think you did it because you didn't have the courage to tell me the truth. I never wanted to admit it, but you seemed more at peace when you'd lost your memories and lived your life as a citizen of Paradis. No longer burdened by the responsibilities of The Crystal Titan and this plan to kill Ymir. You were, in a matter of speaking, normal. But you changed the moment you got your memories back. You made me believe all was well between us again, but you lied."

"Lazarus… You're right. Everything you said is true. I was-

"Please let me finish." Lazarus interrupted in a slightly calmer tone. He takes a deep breath before continuing. "…You're such an asshole. You know I wanted to be free of The Winged Titan as much as I wanted Eldians to be free of this terrible power. I thought you and I were on the same side."

"We still are. We just have different ways of ending this cycle of hatred. And no matter how many times I will beg for your forgiveness, I will NOT apologise for doing what I believe is the best thing for all of us. I don't want you to live forever, but there is no other choice here… I can't bear to watch you die for real after the world's saved. Apart from Dad, you're the only family I've got left. You're more than just my friend. You're my brother. And I can't let the world thank you with death. You don't deserve an end like that."

"Well, maybe I do!" Lazarus retorted. "I don't want to die before I've lived my mortal life, but I would embrace it if it finally put the lives I've tormented at ease."

"What about Annie and your child? What if your death isn't enough to make up for it? What if they kill them too?"

"Then I'll fight them with everything I've got! I deserve to be punished but not them. Annie and my son or daughter should at least get the chance to live." Lazarus pauses for a few minutes to regain his composure. He then turns himself around so that he can properly face Michael.

"… If God had granted me one wish it would be to go back to how things were before you left. Back when life was simple, and we were happy. Before I turned into a monster. I wish I could just tell my past self to stand up against Marley and use my powers to destroy it rather than let it control me. All of our lives could've been much better. Porco and Marcel would still be alive. Reiner, Bertolt, Pieck, and Annie would be doing what they wanna do… And Lucia would probably entrust her shop to me after her death. Everyone on Paradis would also get to live peacefully too."

"Yeah, still trapped behind the Walls." Michael pointed out. "That was what started this whole mess. Had things been different maybe a lot of lives would've been spared. But I doubt Eren would've changed. He still would've wanted to see the world beyond the Walls. Even if Marley ceased to exist, I imagine he still would've been enraged to see that this world is nothing like how he perceived it… We can't change the past, Laz, but we can affect the future."

Lazarus looks down at the shield necklace still grasped in his hand and sighs. Both it and his sword necklace glowed close to each other. It was said the glow represented Noah's spirit. His unbreakable will that encouraged them to fight and keep moving forward as a team. But the glow was fainter compared to how it used to be. Was this a sign of their bond being fractured? Or could it be something else?

Deep down the War Chief knew in his heart that he couldn't hold onto this grudge forever. He understands Michael's intentions but can never accept a never-ending life of fear and hate focused solely on him and all closest to him.

"I just… My gut's saying I can never forgive you for what you did. But my heart says I should… You've already forgiven me for the pain I've caused Paradis. It would be selfish if I didn't do the same for you… Once this war's over, things will never be the same between us ever again. But I would still like to be your friend."

He holds out his arm holding the shield necklace towards Michael. Michael sniffles a little. He slowly takes hold of it and puts it around his neck. He now feels as complete as the albino Eldian.

"I'd like that very much. And I promise to protect you if Marley even so much as glances in your direction once you're mortal again."

"Does that mean you've finally accepted my plan?" He asked.

"Not really. I still believe my plan's better, but I know it's never gonna happen no matter how convincing I am to my father. He and the others already agreed upon it ages ago. Besides, I doubt I'd be able to find a way back into The Paths without the aid of Zeke… Come on, let's go. We've wasted enough time. The others need our help."

Lazarus nodded. He and Michael leapt off the side of the roof and landed hard on their knees. Their Titan stamina minimised any damage, allowing them to walk it off like it was nothing. Both boys were pleased they were finally able to look past their differences and rekindle their friendship, or at least part of it. But as Lazarus said, it can never be the same as what it once was.

"By the way, Michael, how does it feel to no longer be a virgin?"

Michael froze up and almost tripped over in response to this sudden, abrupt question. What the hell inquired him to ask him something as random as that?

"What the hell are you talking about?!" He yelled with a red face.

"You can drop the act. I know what you and Sasha were doing in the cabin next door. I'm honestly surprised you worked through your issues with her as quickly as you did ours."

"How- How did you even know?! Our cabin was ten feet away from yours!" He questioned with blushing red cheeks.

Lazarus gave him a deadpan expression and pointed to his ears, reminding him that one of his abilities was enhanced hearing. Michael facepalmed and felt even more embarrassed upon realising that. He should've seen this coming. This was karma for all those times he'd been teasing Lazarus about Annie back in their Scout days.

"Relax, I'm not gonna make you go into the details, and I won't let Sasha know either… For what it's worth, it's a good thing you did it when you had the chance. What we're about to face tomorrow may be the end for some of us." Lazarus reassured him. However, it didn't make things any easier for Michael. Hopefully, he can make himself forget about this humiliating moment by distracting himself with aiding the others.

By the time they returned to join the others, Pieck had just got off the boat after explaining everything Erwin and Hange discussed on the ride over to the kids. Lazarus asked how he took it, which wasn't very well. Poor Falco is convinced that his family back home are all dead. He has no one left. Gabi was less expressive about her grieving but felt the same amount of pain. Neither of them was fighting fit to use their Titans for the upcoming final battle. The wise thing to do is to have them stay on the ship and head for Hizuru with Annie, Bertolt, and the Azumabito once the Flying Boat is finished.

Erwin was the one who suggested this idea. Their Titans would be useful, but their unstable mental state would only get them killed. It was for the best they sat this out.

"Have the two of you found what you were looking for?" He asked the other WOC co-founders.

"Yes sir, we've talked it out. What do you need me to do?" Lazarus asked the commander.

"Help the Azumabito assemble the Flying Boat. I'm aware you don't know the ins and outs of their ingenuity, but your experience should speed things along. Remember that we're short on time."

"Understood." He responded with a nod before running straight for the hangar to assist Jean, Reiner, Connie and the mechanics.

"What about me, Dad?"

Erwin pauses and turns his back to him, facing the ocean, prompting a concerned Michael to stand beside him. "Dad? Is everything alright?"

"…Something doesn't feel right." He muttered to himself. Michael raised an eyebrow at him. "Some of the pieces still aren't fitting into place."

"What do you mean?"

"Eren has access to The Founding Titan's full power. There are many different ways he could stop us. He could turn us all into Titans to add to The Rumbling or take away the Warrior's powers, yet he hasn't. I doubt the thought never crossed his mind that he could do that. Ludwig would've whispered those suggestions to him. So why? If his goal truly is to eradicate the world then why not do it more effectively or minimise any resistance?"

Michael was taken aback; he wasn't expecting his father to drop something like that on him all of a sudden. However, he does bring up some good points. The Founding Titan was used to turn millions of Eldians into the very Titans walking across the world right now by the 145th King. Eren should be able to do the same. Had Ludwig been in control of the Founder he can't imagine how much worse The Rumbling could go.

Michael had been wondering those same questions for a while now but only now was able to figure out an answer. Is it possible that Eren wants to be stopped?

"Erwin!" Levi called out from the top of the ship's ramp, interrupting Michael's train of thought. He and Hange climb down from the ship and tell the commander what they've learned from Yelena.

"Yelena told us that Eren's next target is the airship research base in the southern mountains. A place called Fort Salta. She says they could pose a threat to The Founding Titan. He's already wiped out the united fleet of Cariva, now he will go after the airship base." Hange explained.

"Did she tell you where that is?" He asked her.

"I know where it is." The three Scout leaders were soon joined by Willy Tybur. "I've visited that place during my travels. I know how to get there from here."

"And what makes you think you're coming with us? You're not exactly a fighter." Levi pointed out.

"No, but I need to be there as sole witness to the end of this war." Willy turns to Erwin, remembering the deal they've made back in Liberio. "My role in this alliance is to tell the rest of the world who its saviours are. I'm the only one they'll listen to. You can go and tell them yourselves if you desire, but nobody will believe you. The belief that you people are island devils has been ingrained into the minds of humanity for centuries. One simple act won't be enough to change that without solid proof."

Hange turns to Erwin as well. "So that's why you had Michael intervene in Liberio. You believed he could tell the world that our island is not what they think it is."

"I have a way with words, but even I have to admit that he is better at changing minds than I am… However, we cannot let you stay on the Flying Boat with us when we reach Eren. Onyankopon will drop you off at Fort Salta and keep you both out of harm's way. This plan won't work if you're dead."

"That's fine by me. I'll still be able to see your heroic antics through my trusty binoculars."

Whilst they continued to converse, Erwin instructed Michael to help Lazarus with the heavy lifting of the wings for the boat. Even with Titan's strength he gave off the impression that he was struggling.

Michael nodded and ran for the hanger. As he did, he thought more about what Erwin said and wondered if Eren really was the one in control of The Rumbling. If there was any hesitation Ludwig would sniff it out and manipulate him into continuing by using his hatred for Marley for how it's treated his people. He was very good at playing with people's emotions to get what he wanted. Perhaps it was he who was controlling The Rumbling through Eren, he thought.

He suddenly stops in his tracks and grasps the side of his head in response to an unexpected jolt of pain passing through his head, forcing him to grunt with discomfort. Within his mind, his consciousness saw a brief image of his grandfather, Noah, calling out to him in distress. He looked like he was standing in complete darkness. He assumed it was The Crystal Cave, but something looked off about it. The lights emanating from giant crystallised roots attached to the non-existent ceiling were going out.

"Grandad?! What is this?"

"MICHAEL! You've got to help us!" He barely heard his grandfather telepathically address him.

" What's wrong? Did Joseph do something to you and the others?"

" It's not Joseph! It was…" Michael was starting to lose the link between himself and Noah like something was trying to cut their connection before he could reveal anything.

"Who?! Who was it?! Eren?" He asked desperately.

" The Crystal Titan! They're trying to take-

Another bolt of psychic energy shot through Michael's brain, cutting off his connection to Noah.

"NO!" Michael drops to his knees and punches the ground in anger. "Grandad?! Speak to me, please!" But there was no reply. What just happened? Why would Noah contact him out of nowhere only to get cut off before he could warn him of whatever it was that severed their link in the first place?

Panicked, Michael looks at his hands and focuses his energy on them in an attempt to construct something. He suspected Noah was trying to warn him about the possibility of his Titan being stolen by Eren. But that shouldn't be possible. The Crystal Titan isn't connected to The Founder like the rest of the Nine. He was his own Titan; it can't be manipulated by anyone. Had he still been under the Curse of Joseph then maybe it could, but he broke free from it.

From what he could see forming within his palms, his hardening powers were still intact. But he could feel something was… wrong. His constructs weren't coming out precise and sturdy like they've always been. In his mind, he pictured a statue of Sasha, but what he produced was an unstable mass of crystals in the vague shape of a person. The face and body had tiny shards sticking out like the spines of a porcupine, and the arms were twisted and bent in the most disturbing ways. The statue didn't even have legs, only a stump.

"Wha- What's happening to me?!" He mentally panicked even more. It grew even worse once he saw his deformed sculpture shatter into dust particles and scatter into the wind. Not only did his crystals come out unstable, but they could no longer hold their forms for long periods. This must've been what Noah was trying to tell him. But how did this happen?

"Michael, are you alright?"

The last Suurvalta took a few deep breaths before slowly turning around to face, to his surprise, Mikasa. She was carrying a box of canisters for the Cloud Zero gear to the hanger. Further along the port was Annie sitting alone. She must have stopped to chat with her for some time before approaching him.

"Mikasa? What are you doing out here?" He asked her whilst trying to hide his distress.

"I was unloading your friend's ODM gear off the boat. Why are you on the floor?"

Michael hesitated to answer. Whatever's going on with his powers is a really big concern and threat to their mission, the others all had a right to know about it. However, he fears that bringing this up now would distract the others from completing the Flying Boat. Dawn was fast approaching and so were the Titans. Finishing the assembly of the boat must be their top priority. He'll tell them what happened after they've got it off the ground.

"I-I just needed a moment to register that in a couple of hours, my hometown will be trampled. It's… strange. This now feels like the second time I'll be watching my home get destroyed by the Titans. The first time was back in Shiganshina when Lazarus and the others breached Wall Maria. Back then I was so damn angry over the loss of my caretakers, the nice couple who'd often look after me whenever Dad was away on scouting missions. I… I can't even remember their names… It's painful enough going through a pain like this once, but twice? That sounds like it'll be hell." He uttered.

Mikasa could tell he was keeping something from her, it was shown in his body language. Even now he's still keeping secrets from the group. She had every right to call him out on it and force him to tell her the truth, but she still had an assignment to carry out. Whatever this is, he can spill it later.

She turns away from her distant cousin and walks over to the hangar. But Michael stops her, for he has something he wants to say to her now that opportunity has given him the chance.

"I wanted to apologise to you, Mikasa."

"For what?" She asked, glancing over her right shoulder.

"Ever since we met, I thought you were obligated to follow Eren no matter what just because he saved your life one time. That nobody else mattered. But after hearing what Eren said to you at the restaurant, I know now that I was wrong. The fact that you're here helping us stop him shows that you were against The Rumbling and that you do have a will of your own. One Eren could've taken from you had you inherited my Titan."

"I see." She simply responded. "But my will is not entirely my own. I'm an Ackerman. I am a part of The Crystal Titan whether I've inherited it or not."

"That's not true." Michael stands up to properly explain himself. "We may be descendants of Joseph Ackerman, but we're all more than that. You can show Eren that when you kill him… That is if you have the will to do it."

"…I won't kill him. Eren has strayed too far from home, all I'm doing is bringing him back." She continues to walk away after that. This was her final response to him. Truth was she was still in denial over killing him being the only option. She kept clinging to the false hope that she could save him somehow. The fact that she still had his scarf proved that. Even Armin believed there was no other way. When will she?

It took hours for the Azumabito to attach the wings and make the Flying Boat capable of flight, even with Lazarus' help. They had to give him a brief description of the mechanics behind the vessel before they would even permit him to tamper with it in any way. The albino respected their craftsmanship and listened carefully to their instructions.

The assembly of the wings couldn't be rushed even if they were pressed for time. Tensions rose even higher when the others began to notice the sun was beginning to rise in the east, brightening up the deserted town. Now that the wings had been attached and calibrated all that remained was to fill it with fuel. Jean, Reiner, Michael, Connie and Sasha all helped with that to allow Lazarus to leave the hangar and get to the next urgent step of preparation. Transferring The Colossal Titan from Bertolt to Armin.

On the way, he approached Annie, Falco and Gabi to bid them one final farewell. She'd already said her goodbyes to Reiner and Pieck, treating it like it could be the last time she'd ever see them. She does hold onto hope that they'll survive but not raise them too high to be disappointed.

Annie and Lazarus share one last kiss before departure, promising her that the next time they reunite he will be mortal again. Until then she had one final duty to carry out for the Alliance. Look after Gabi and Falco and keep them safe.

As much as he wanted to stay by her side a little longer, they were still pressed for time and needed to get the transfer underway. He meets up with Armin and Bertolt by the end of the port, sitting by the water and taking the beautiful sights of the early morning sky. It looked like the two of them were in the middle of a deep discussion before he interrupted. They both gaze up at the War Chief, adjusting their heads slightly so that they can block out the sun behind him.

"Is it time?" Armin asked him.

"Yes. The others can take it from there. Dawn's here, it's now or never." He focuses his attention on Bertolt. "If you have any doubts or changed your mind, speak now. You already know what'll happen if you do while we're doing this."

"I already told you that I don't want to fight anymore. I have no second thoughts. Let's just hurry up and get this over with." Bertolt replied sternly, proving how confident he was to go through with this decision.

"Then follow me," Lazarus instructed. He leads the two of them away from the hangar and further down the port until they are a good enough distance away where the sounds of the others shouting can't disturb them.

"Okay, this should be far enough. Give me your hands, guys."

Armin and Bertolt nod and conjoin their hands with Lazarus. They both stand absolutely still, close their eyes, and clear their minds of any intrusive thoughts and distractions. They've already seen how it is done with Annie and Gabi, so the War Chief spared them another lengthy explanation. Lazarus then closes his eyes and opens up the paths between himself, Armin, and Bertolt. Like with Annie and Gabi, he can see the internal layout of their bodies. A bright glow was rippling within Bertolt's spine whilst Armin had nothing. Steadying his breathing, he begins guiding The Colossal Titan's power away from Bertolt's spine and through his veins towards his left hand that was conjoined with his. It would still take an hour to complete, and he can't afford any distractions.

The power within Bertolt's veins was slowly making its way towards Lazarus, but for some reason, it wouldn't enter his veins. Bertolt was tempted to ask his red-eyed friend what the problem was but didn't want to disrupt the transfer. The reason he stopped was because he felt a very faint shaking in the earth beneath his feet. It was barely noticeable and could've been nothing more than the tide smashing against the edge of the port. But his enhanced hearing picked up the sounds of a flock of birds flying away in a panic. That was enough to persuade him to cancel the transfer and move the power back to Bertolt. Luckily it hadn't entered his body yet or else some of his flames would've seeped in and burned him alive.

Lazarus' eyes shot wide open. He lets go of Bertolt and Armin and backs away, following that up with a sudden drop to the ground and pressing the left side of his head against the concrete.

"Lazarus, what's going on? Why'd you stop?" Bertolt asked with confusion and a hint of worry.

Lazarus ignored his questions and focused his hearing on the ground. He could feel the earth shaking again only this time it was growing stronger. This was no ordinary earthquake. No, this was the sound of death approaching.

"Shit! We've run out of time!" Lazarus stuttered as he got back up on his feet. "The Rumbling! It's here!"

Armin and Bertolt were so terrified by this news that they quickly ran back to the ship as fast as they could to warn the others and pray to God they'd got the Flying Boat operational.

Back at the hangar, Onyankopon happily informs Hange and Erwin that the Flying Boat will be ready to travel in an hour once they've all finished loading the rest of the cargo from the ship.

Erwin orders his soldiers to give their new ODM gear one final check to make sure they are in proper working order. Everyone but Erwin and Sasha were equipped with the Cloud Zero. Hange was utilising an improved version of the Cloud Zero gear she got from Lazarus. She modified it to enable the use of Thunder Spears. She started as they were travelling to Odiha and only just finished an hour ago. There was no time to test it yet, but she had faith in her ingenuity.

As for Erwin and Sasha, they will be using the two special class ODM gear Lazarus had been working on back at Lucia's shop. The shop was located back in Liberio, so it was certainly in ruins now. Thankfully they cleaned it out before the Marleyans launched their counterattack on Paradis.

The members of the Alliance – most of them at least – all sat down on the floor in the hangar to eat some rations to get their strength up for the final battle. It was still hard to believe that today was the day they would determine the fate of the whole world. They've only got one chance to stop Eren and Ludwig, failure was not an option.

"Erwin… Do you think they're still watching over us? The comrades we've lost. Do you think they'd be proud of what we're doing here?" Hange asked the reinstated commander.

Erwin smiles and holds his head high. "Yes, I believe they would be. The courageous fallen. The valiant heroes who gave their lives for us to get this far." He glances back at her and Levi. "It cannot all be for nothing. Their memory serves as inspiration to give us the strength we need to push forward."

Levi couldn't help but turn away from his respected colleague. He remembered the brief encounter he had with Annie on the boat where she apologised for killing the members of his old squad, Oruo, Petra, Eld, and Gunther. He thought about them every day and often wondered how they would've reacted to the truth beyond the walls. How much of a difference they would've made if they were involved in the Liberio Raid?

He then spots Lazarus, Armin and Bertolt running like the wind towards them shouting at the top of their lungs, getting everyone's attention.

"THEY'RE HERE! WE'VE GOTTA GO NOW!" Armin screamed the loudest he'd ever shouted before.

The others heard their cries and stepped outside to see what all the fuss was about. Everyone's eyes widened with horror when they noticed the huge clouds of steam over the mountains in the south. The Rumbling has reached Odiha.

"MOBILISE! EVERYONE WHO ISN'T FIGHTING, BOARD THE SHIP AND GET OUT OF HERE NOW! THE REST OF YOU GET THE FLYING BOAT AIRBORNE!" Erwin shouted authoritatively as loud as he possibly could.

The Azumabito panicked as they put as much fuel into the Flying Boat as possible before takeoff. They have no idea how far Fort Salta is from here so they're gonna need all the fuel they can get. Luckily there weren't any interruptions that would've slowed the boat's progress.

The Wall Titans clear a path through the smoke and make themselves known as they climb down the hills. One of them accidentally slips and falls down the slippery slope, knocking a few others down. Unfortunately, it did nothing to slow their progress.

"What are we gonna do?! They're almost right on top of us! We'll never get clear in time!" Sasha stated in a panicked tone of voice.

"Laz, tell me you were able to complete the transfer," Michael demanded of him.

Lazarus regretfully shakes his head. "There was no time. The Azumabito needed my help with the Flying Boat. We still have the Colossal, but it's still inside Bertolt. "He glances over at the tallest member of the Omega Unit, noticing a scared look on his face.

"I'm sorry, Bertolt. I know you've been through so much and don't want to fight anymore, but you have no choice. We need The Colossal Titan for the upcoming battle. You don't have the freedom to choose anymore."

Hearing that changed Bertolt's expression from scared to stoic. "You're wrong. I do still have a choice… I can stay here and buy you all some time."

"That won't work. We're gonna need you against Eren. You're our fallback. Go! I can cover the rear." Reiner butted in only to have his moment of bravery ruined by Hange.

"You think that's any better? If we're going to stand a chance we can't use any of our Titan power yet… We wouldn't be facing this situation if it wasn't for me. I dragged you all here over the bodies of your comrades. It's time I made it right."

"Hange." Erwin stepped in. The others hoped he'd talk some sense into her, fearing she was volunteering to stay behind to buy them time instead. But that wasn't the commander's intention. "I am glad that I chose you to lead the Scouts in my absence. It is thanks to you they've all made it this far. You have earned this outing."

"Dad, you're not seriously giving her permission to kill herself, are you?" Michael asked, dumbfounded by his wording.

"The Azumabito are moving the Flying Boat out of the hanger as fast as they can, but it won't give us enough time to get on and take off. The Titans will crush us long before then… Someone has to stay behind to fend them off long enough for us to escape… I'm sorry." He spoke with a guilty conscience.

"This was my choice, and I am sticking by it," Hange stated clearly to the others before turning around to properly address Erwin. "Erwin Smith, I hereby return leadership of the Scout Regiment to you, its rightful leader." She said with pride in her voice.

Erwin smiled and responded with a respectful Paradis military salute. Hange responded in kind and walked away from the group. Had she been given more time she would have given them an inspiring retirement speech. As painful as it was to watch her go, Erwin was glad he at least got to spend time with his section commander one last time.

With no time to lose, the officially reinstated commander orders all parties to get to the Flying Boat pronto. The others watch the Hizuru ship set sail for their homeland. Annie, the candidates, and the Azumabito were safely aboard, though for how long will depend on the Alliance.

"Hey, that's your goodbye?" Levi uttered as she was headed his way.

"I know you get it, Levi. I've been waiting so long for this. My time has come. So please, I want to ride the high to the end and make a really awesome exit. Let it happen okay." She pleaded in a creepily excited tone, acting like someone who was on the edge of their seat reading a specific moment in a book, excited to see how it all ended.

Levi gently raises his left arm and places his curled-up fist on Hange's back in the spot where her heart is. This would be the last time he'd see her, so he had to make it a special occasion.

"Dedicate your heart."

Those were the final words he chose to say to her. Words Hange was convinced she'd never hear him say. It fuelled the passionate fire in her heart, making her more determined than ever to go out in a blaze of glory.

The Alliance sprinted towards the Flying Boat and climbed aboard just as Hange launched off the ground. Bertolt was the last to get in as the boat was rolling out of the hangar and picking up speed. He hung out by the still-opened door and watched Hange approach the Wall Titans.

The Flying Boat didn't have any runway to gain momentum, but thankfully it had a whole ocean to serve as its runway. So many thoughts and voices were running through Bertolt's mind as he watched Hange fly away to her doom.

" I've told you this plenty, but you don't have to always follow my lead. You should try thinking on your own for once, okay?"

Those words from Lazarus and Reiner kept on looping within his mind. It felt like they were trying to tell him something. Reiner said that he was needed to deal with Eren's Founding Titan. The Colossal Titan's explosion was the only thing powerful enough to destroy it. But the tall Warrior knew that wasn't true.

"Bertolt, what are you doing?! Close the door! We're taking off!" Jean shouted down from the front of the boat. But he didn't listen.

The Flying Boat was now beginning to gain altitude after dragging its underside across the surface of the water. If he doesn't close the door now, they'll get sucked out.

"Hurry up and close it!" Michael added just as loudly.

"Bertolt, what are you doing?" Lazarus demanded of him.

That was what finally prompted a reaction out of him. Bertolt slowly turns around to face all of his comrades/friends again. He bided his time looking over every one of them before what was about to happen next.

"You've all given my life purpose since the day we met. You all believed in me when I no longer believed in myself. You have all been my friends and my enemies. I just wanted to say… Thank you for everything… And good luck."

Before anyone could ask him what he was talking about, Bertolt shocked them by leaping out of the open door and plummeting down towards the ocean.

"BERTOLT! NOO!" Lazarus, Pieck and Reiner all rush to the door to get a better look at him falling. But he didn't stay falling for long. Using the canisters of his Cloud Zero gear, Bertolt blasts himself back towards Odiha as fast as they can carry him.

He kept on going until he was flying high above the horde of Titans. All they could see from there was a bright light converging around him. Hange spots it as she was gaining some height and figured out what was happening. Bertolt was transforming into The Colossal Titan the same way he did in Shiganshina. She immediately pulled back and took shelter in the empty hangar just as the gigantic blast went off in the centre of Odiha.

The blast hadn't gone unnoticed by the Alliance either. Onyankopon almost lost altitude after getting temporarily blinded by the brightness of it. The blast was identical in size, range and power to the one he instigated during the Battle of Shiganshina. All the Titans that were close enough were annihilated in the blast. Almost the entire first wave of them had died with one or two remaining. That was when Hange decided to join in and finish them off with her Thunder Spears.

Bertolt's Colossal Titan slowly rose from the crater it made which was – ironically – sitting in the exact same spot The Winged Titan's explosion occurred within Eden's Nest. Hange joined up with him and landed atop his enormous head.

"I told you that we couldn't afford to waste any of our Titan power! What the hell are you doing here?!"

Bertolt's Colossal briefly shifts its right eye in her direction before returning his focus to the second wave of Wall Titans. It stood up as tall as them and decided to unleash another tactic he once used in Shiganshina. Scooping up the burning houses and tossing them at the Titans.

The Titans were only slightly knocked off balance by the flaming projectiles and continued their approach. The enraged Bertolt roars at them and raises his arms to the sides, ready to tackle them. Hange was in awe at seeing two Colossal Titans wrestling each other.

"Wow! Titans truly are the most marvellous creatures."

More determined than ever, she uses Bertolt as an anchor to reach his opponent's nape and slices it with her dual katana blades. Bertolt then shoves the dead Titan backwards, knocking it into a row of other Titans and causing them to fall like giant dominoes. More Titans ended up tripping over them and falling forward, allowing Hange easy access to their napes.

Working together, the two of them were able to take out a considerable amount of them. But all the Titans gathering together in one place was rapidly raising the temperature from their combined body heat plus Bertolt's. Hange can already feel her body burning up. Her Scout cloak had caught fire and her body was coursing with pain like she'd never felt before. But she didn't let that stop her, laughing madly as she cut Titan after Titan down.

Everyone continued to watch as the Flying Boat flew further and further away from the town. The Warriors all crying tears of despair for Bertolt and Hange as they were reaching their limits. The heat from the Titans eventually caused her Cloud Zero to explode into a fireball that consumed her entire body. She gave it her all, but she couldn't hold back any longer.

Bertolt was so momentarily distracted by her gruesome demise that he allowed the other Wall Titans to overwhelm and surround him. He was shocked to see that they were no longer ignoring him and trying to flatten Odiha. They were heading for him instead.

Several big Titans grab Bertolt and restrain his Colossal's arms whilst the others start to rip and tear into his muscles, attempting to pull his Titan apart. Bertolt's Titan screams with agony so loud that it could be heard from the Flying Boat. The others can all see that he too wasn't going to make it. This was the end for him.

All Bertolt could do now was look up at the Flying Boat and watch the others fly away. His Colossal Titan shed a single tear down its left cheek which instantly evaporated from the heat. Within the nape, Bertolt was smiling and looking back on his life. He promised Reiner he'd die when he felt he had fulfilled his purpose, and now he has. He can die with his only regret being he'll never get to see the new world they'll build once the war is over.

" The sky looks so beautiful today. I hope you guys get the chance to appreciate it too someday… Goodbye, Lazarus. Tell the others I'll miss you all."

Lazarus grabs Pieck and Reiner and pulls them in for a tight embrace in the middle of the floor. They held each other close and cried so hard, weeping in despair. Neither of them could bear to even watch their friend get swarmed. But Michael did. He continued to watch for a few more minutes until Odiha was too far to give him a clear view.

" I've saved him once and he resented me for it… I couldn't bring myself to do it again… See ya round, Hange. Bertolt."

With a defeated sigh Michael slowly closes the door and locks it tight, preventing anyone else from seeing. It wasn't just the Warriors who were distraught by this, Armin, Sasha and Connie shared the same grief for Hange. Erwin sat down next to Levi and the two of them took this moment to remember her for her bravery, strength and commitment to their cause. Hange was one of a kind and there will never be another one like her.

To Be Continued