Attack On Titan: Wings Of Crystal
Chapter 35: Noah's Arc Part 3
At long last the Curse of Joseph Ackerman had been broken for the determined Noah Suurvalta. With the voices of his ancestors silenced from his psyche, he was finally free to live his life however he chooses.
Unfortunately, all his efforts led to the curse only being suspended for him for the remainder of his years. Eventually, he will die, and the Crystal Titan will randomly pass down to the next newborn of the Ackerman Clan unless he chooses a successor. Once a new wielder has been chosen, the curse will befall them, forcing them to repeat the process of having their mind altered by the Founder all over again.
As much as he wanted to put it all behind him and live his life, his days of researching and planning were far from over. Johnathan Reiss told him there was no other way of breaking the curse, but he refused to accept that.
A few days after he'd returned to Marley, Noah began making preparations to ensure the Curse of Joseph would be permanently broken and free the captured souls of his ancestors.
He inherited the old house he was born in from his late father in Odiha and got a job at the newly built car factory where the warehouse he killed the two Marleyan boys used to be. Though he – like all Eldian employees – was kept in the dark about the true purpose behind the factory that took place below their feet.
Whenever he wasn't building cars, he spent his free time immersing himself in Titan research, trying to find alternative ways of breaking the curse for future Ackermans. Though he can no longer hear them, he can still feel their presence within his mind. With his connection to Joseph and his descendants severed, all they could do was watch him through his eyes, unable to manipulate his actions as the Crystal Titan.
Despite the torture he endured listening to them for years, they were still members of his distant family. They deserved to move onto the afterlife and rest in peace, not remain in purgatory under the control of the Founding Titan. Somehow, he'll find a way to free them all.
Years later, Noah meets a young Eldian woman and decided to settle down with her. In the year 795, he and his wife are blessed with two born twins. A son named Jonas, and a daughter named Greta.
Throughout the years, Noah's been living his new free life in Odiha, he'd never once heard from Alicia and her now husband, Frederick. Though he heard that the two of them had moved to the bigger Eldian town, Liberio. Part of him hoped he could patch things up with her, but he knew he made the right choice pushing her away.
Time had flown by him much faster than he would've liked. Noah and his wife's children are now mature adults who have just graduated from school and are now free to go follow their paths, leaving their parents and starting families of their own. He is now in his sixties and in his last few years of working until his retirement.
Within those passing decades, Noah lost his wife to time, and his kids to opportunity. He was back to living all alone in his birth house. With him out of a job, his wife dead, and his children moved out, there was nothing left for him to do except continue researching alternate means to break the curse.
He'd told his wife and kids all about the Crystal Titan, its curse, and the lengths he went to break it. He went through so much pain and sacrificed a large chunk of his life to get this far. He would never put any of his children through the torments he endured. He wanted both of them to be free to choose their destiny. But now that he was nearing the end of his own life, time was running out for him to choose a successor for the Crystal Titan.
Skip forward another couple of years. Year 815 to be exact. The now old, silver-haired, wrinkly-skinned, Noah had fallen asleep at his desk in his bedroom. The whole room was dark with only a hint of sunlight shining through the crack in the closed curtains. The floor and desk were littered with tons of research notes, books, and historical documents. There were also a couple of empty plates, bowls, and cups stacked on the bedside table that had crumbs and stains in them, implying that they'd been used and neglected for some time.
Noah always saw himself as neat and tidy, but he started getting lazier and lazier in his old age, to the point where something as simple as standing up was too much of a pain. The only times he's been bothered with getting up was to eat, sleep, or use the bathroom.
He was suddenly startled awake by the sounds of someone knocking on the front door downstairs. A piece of paper was stuck to his head as a result of his sleeping atop his research for hours on end. The knocking started again, forcing his brain to start acknowledging the world around him. He merely grunted in annoyance as he takes the paper off of his forehead and grabs a hold of his cane leaning against the left side of his desk, and mustered as much of his strength as he can to stand up.
"Coming! Coming!" He shouted down the hallway at the knocker. His voice sounded much older compared to how it usually sounded. Another example of him not being as young as he used to be.
He slowly starts making his way downstairs, treading carefully to avoid falling and breaking his neck. Eventually, he reaches the front door. He struggles with the keys at first, until he finally manages to open the door.
Standing behind him was a strong, confident, and beautiful young woman with long flowing black hair and hazel eyes. She was dressed in a soldier's uniform and had a yellow armband on her left arm. Noah immediately recognised her as a Warrior Candidate. But he had no idea why such an important individual would show up on his doorstep.
"Sorry to bother you, sir. But are you Noah Suurvalta?" She addressed him with an angelic-sounding voice.
"Yes. And who are you?" He asked rudely. He didn't trust her because she was a Warrior Candidate. Marley's lapdogs.
"My name's Lydia. I'm guessing you're not warming up to me because I'm a Warrior Candidate?"
"Marley cares nothing for people like us. They're just using you to harness the power of the Titans. I don't understand why you're so willing to limit the years of your life to thirteen. Wasting them to fight for a nation that hates you."
"You sound like my mother. This is the reason I'm here… My mother is Alicia."
Noah's eyes widen slightly and direct themselves towards the young woman. He hadn't heard anything from his old childhood crush in decades. Now all of a sudden her supposed daughter shows up on his doorstep and is a Warrior Candidate of all things. If he didn't believe in karma and coincidence before, this may finally convince him otherwise.
"You're Alicia's daughter?" He uttered still dumbfounded by the reveal. "… How is she?" Was the first thing that popped into his head at this time.
"She's well, her and Dad. Haven't spoken to them in a while. They're not too pleased with my decision to join the military either… She told me all about you when I was a little girl and I figured I'd come to meet you since I just moved into the area with my husband." She directs his attention towards the house standing right next to his. "This is our house right here."
"Oh, so you're the new neighbours that just moved in there yesterday?" Noah clarified.
Lydia smiled and nodded in response. "Would it be alright if we talked more inside? It's cold out here."
Noah glances over his left shoulder at the inside of his own house. The rest of it was in just as much a mess as his bedroom was. Not the best condition to invite someone in for a chat.
"Uh, why don't we go to your house instead? I wasn't expecting company, hehe."
"Oh, not a problem, sir." She then offers him her arm. "Need some help getting there?"
"I'm not that old yet, girly. I can make a couple of steps on my own." He boasts, only to end up hurting his back as he stepped out of the house.
Lydia quickly rushes to his side and catches him before he could fall over and hurt himself even more.
"You sure you don't need help, gramps?" She teases him.
Noah annoyingly grunts in response. Despite the wounding of his pride, he allowed the girl to help him walk next door to her own house.
Eventually, they both reach her new house which was still being renovated. All the furniture was put out. All that remained were a dozen unopened boxes that contained knickknacks, cutlery, and much more.
Lydia sits her guest down on a comfy rocking chair before heading to the kitchen to make some coffee. Whilst waiting for his cup to arrive, Noah admired the inside of the house. He could tell that Lydia shared her mother's tastes in décor as well as her angelic looks. Hanging above the mantle was a portrait of a much older Alicia standing next to another woman who looked identical to her. Standing in front of them were two 10-year-old-looking girls, one of which he assumed was Lydia. There were a couple of smaller photographs laid out atop the mantle. One of them showed Lydia wearing a wedding dress, standing next to a tall, muscular man, who he assumed was the husband. He wore a black suit, bow tie and a Stetson for some reason.
"Looks like you've done well in life, Alicia. I'm glad to know you moved on instead of wasting it waiting for me… You have a beautiful daughter. She may have Freddy's black hair, but she has your eyes."
"Here's your coffee," Lydia announced as she gently set his cup down on the table in front of him.
Noah smiles up at her before taking a small sip of his coffee. The sweet smell and bitter taste of black coffee were almost overwhelming for him. He'd been drinking nothing but whisky ever since his kids left him. He'd forgotten how satisfying a hot drink good can be, especially in the company of good people. Though he was sceptical at first, she might've just won him over with the coffee alone.
The two of them conversed as they drank. Both of them shared stories to pass the time. Noah tells Lydia about how he met her mother and almost came close to winning her heart. The part where he had to let her go in favour of fixing his own life brought a tear to her eye.
"…I can't imagine how hard it must've been for you to reject her like that. I don't think my husband could ever do something like that. We both have a dream that we share. Alone it's impossible to accomplish. But together we realised it may be possible."
"Dream you say? Is that the reason why you joined Marley's Warrior Unit?" Noah asked, to which she answered with a head nod. "What is this dream of yours? Must be important for you to wanna live only thirteen years."
"It is." She slowly replied. "My husband and I are hoping to gain the Marleyan's trust and change the nation from the inside. We're hoping to become the greatest Warriors Marley has ever known. One they would grow to need and look past our devil heritage. We want to use our Titan powers to one day reclaim the Founding Titan and use its powers to erase all Titans from this world and make all Subjects of Ymir human. In its place, we will build a new world. One where people don't have to eat other people to gain power. One where all are treated equally. One where we don't have to live in fear of The Rumbling..."
As he listened to her "hopes for a better future" speech, Noah started to think back to his encounter with the noble Reiss family. Where his curse had ended. Since that day he hadn't made any progress in finding a more permanent solution to the Crystal Titan curse for future wielders. Maybe listening to her might open the door to new possibilities he hadn't considered.
"… Of course, to get there we need to pray we get chosen. My husband and I are among the ten candidates selected. But only six will be made Titans, so we need to hope our test scores are good enough. My husband is at HQ now being tested. Once he returns, we'll see if he's been chosen or not." She stops as soon as she noticed the lack of interest on his face. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I invited you over to talk about old times, not my intentions. Please forgive me." She bows her head embarrassingly.
"Oh no, it's fine. What you said might work out." He reassured her. He then turns his attention towards the portrait of Alicia, Lydia, and the other two women. Deciding to change the subject before she could question what he was talking about earlier, he asks her about it. "Who're the other two women in the picture with you and your mother?"
"Oh, that's my aunt Maria and cousin Dina."
"Strange. Your mother never mentioned having a sister to me when we were kids."
"They don't talk a lot these days. My aunt wanted to fight for all Eldians and rise against the Marleyans, whilst Mom just wanted no part of it. My cousin and I agreed with our aunt about making a difference but had completely different ideas about doing it. Long story short, we fought and agreed never to see each other again. That's why I moved to Odiha instead of living in Liberio like most Eldians."
"I see…" Noah replied softly. He already had a vague idea as to why Alicia would choose a life of peace rather than get involved in more conflict. What went down between them and the Marleyan bullies was a lot for children their age to deal with. And he didn't help matters by using her to steal books from a library.
They continued chatting away until sunset came. Both individuals were having too much fun in their discussion that they hadn't even noticed.
"…How long were you married for?" Lydia asked him.
"Almost forty years now. How about you?"
"Me and Dante have been married for just one year. We first met by the docks here. That was four years ago now."
"Four years? That's a bit quick to get married, don't you think?" Noah questioned.
"Well, we both knew life was short for Eldians like us, and it'll be even shorter if we become Warriors. That's why we're thinking about having kids before then."
"Well, I wish you, and your husband, all the best… I'd love to be a grandfather one of these days. Both my kids wanted to do their own things, and I respect them for it. Still, though, it would be nice to have someone carry on my legacy before I-
He halts his current words just in time. He'd only now just realised that he'd been letting his guard down the whole time he's been there. He almost came close to revealing his secrets to this woman. As far as he was aware, Marley is unaware of the Crystal Titan's existence, believing it to be nothing more than a myth. Though Lydia was the daughter of his oldest friend, it did not change the fact that she was a soldier who'd go to any lengths to claim the power of one of the Titans. Revealing his secret to the Brass would be a surefire way of proving her loyalty and becoming a Warrior.
Noah decided to use this excuse to leave. He'd overstayed his welcome more than he would've liked. He still had a purpose to fulfil, and he'd be damned if he was gonna let one little tea party distract him.
"Oh my gosh, look at the time. I better be going now."
"So soon? But we've still got so much more to talk about." Lydia attempted to stop him, not ready to end the gathering yet.
"You've only just moved in. We'll have plenty of time to talk more some other day." Noah reassured her before using his cane to get up from the rocking chair and slowly make his way to the front door. "This was a lovely evening, Lydia. Thank you for taking the time to invite me over."
As he was hobbling towards the front door, he was met with the sight of said door being opened by a tall, muscular man. He wore a blue jacket with a white collar, greyish-green trousers, and heavy black boots. He had slightly long black hair and brown eyes. He also had a yellow armband on his left shoulder and wore a Stetson atop his head.
He glances down at the smaller, hunched, old man standing in his doorway, unaware that he was invited into his home by his wife.
"Who're you? How'd you get into my house, old man?!" He asked in a threatening tone.
"It's ok, Honey. I invited him in." Lydia quickly rushes over to defend him. "This is Noah Suurvalta. He was a childhood friend of my mother's. He lives next door to us, so I invited him in for coffee."
"Oh…" He looks back down at Noah now wearing a look of guilt for assuming he was a threat. "Sorry about that, sir. I had no idea." He extends his arm towards him. "I'm Dante Averbach. Pleasure to meet you."
Noah slowly raises his right arm to shake Dante's hand. He could tell by the way he was gripping him that he was holding back his true strength, probably in the fear that he might break his hand if he held it too tight.
"It's alright. I was just leaving anyway. Nice to meet the famous husband I've heard so much about." He chuckled as he moseyed past him and made his way back home. "We should do this again sometime."
The young Warrior couple waves to him as he makes his way home. Once Noah was back inside, they re-entered their own home.
"Lydia, there's something I have to tell you…"
Since their first introduction, Noah started getting to know his new neighbours very well. With their frequent visits to his home, his social life was slowly picking itself back up. Lydia would often come over to help tidy up his house whenever she had free time whilst Dante was handling his new duties as the first chosen successor of the Warrior Program.
Lydia eventually followed suit and became the chosen successor for the Female Titan, which lead to more responsibilities, which meant less time visiting her neighbour.
Once again Noah was all alone, completely immersed in his Titan research. His interactions with the new Warriors had led him to try looking at the secrets behind the Ten Titan Powers in a different light.
And after many decades of research, he's finally discovered a solution that benefits all future Ackermans. And coincidentally, his new Warrior neighbours may be the only ones he can trust to help pull this new plan off.
Unfortunately for the old man, time was starting to catch up with him. He had just turned 95 years old in the year 824 and he can feel it. The Crystal Titan's power gave him more stamina and strength than the average man, but it was not enough to stop a man from dying of old age.
But God had decided to reward him for his lifetime of dedication and the wellbeing of others by extending his family. Some time ago, both his kids had returned from their trip overseas and both ended up married. He got the chance to live with them as a family, just the five of them.
He eventually introduced his now adult children to their new neighbours, and they all become close friends. This friendship then became something more, as both houses grew to trust and confide in each other over five years.
Both families agreed to throw a dinner party at the Warriors' house as a way of celebrating five years of friendship. They all gathered at a large dining room table littered with fancy silverware. In the centre of the table was a large roast turkey, a plate of roasted potatoes, carrots, Brussel sprouts, and a jug full of gravy. They also had a bottle of Marleyan red wine opened and shared among everyone, except Lydia and Greta who were pregnant and didn't want to cause harm to their unborn children.
Noah sat at the head of the table. His two kids and their spouses sat on the left side of the table whilst the Warrior couple sat on the right. All parties laughed and shared stories about each other as they ate. Stories such as how Jonas and Greta met their spouses – who were also brother and sister – in a distant land, became friends, which soon evolved into something more, and then later marriage.
Noah just sat there in silence and smiled as he watched everyone get along with each other. He was pleased to see his kids warming up to their neighbours, completely ignoring the fact that they had red armbands on, labelling them as Marley's Warriors. They'd gotten to know each other well enough that it no longer phased them.
"Hold on." Dante interrupted Jonas and Greta's story. "How were you two able to get on a boat to another nation without getting caught by the Marleyans? Eldians aren't allowed to travel anywhere except Paradis if they've broken any rules."
"That's simple. We just removed our armbands and pretended to be normal humans." Jonas confessed, only to immediately regret doing so in fear that they may report them. "You're not gonna-
"Don't worry, we won't report you," Dante reassured him. "Lydia and I may be Warriors, but that doesn't mean we trust Marley one bit. We're just trying to win their trust in the hopes of one day changing their government for the better. However, we cannot do that unless we obtain the Founding Titan."
"Being a Warrior does have its perks though. The public views us as honorary Marleyans and we get paid a lot of money. The pay's been especially high after we've successfully defeated the Britannian Empire. Hence how we were able to provide this exquisite meal for all of you." Lydia added. She then turns to Jonas's wife, Victoria. "Thanks for helping me prepare it by the way. You're a really good cook."
"Well, I was a chef back in my homeland before I met Jonas." She pats the shoulder of her brother Jacob, Greta's husband. "And Jacob here is a musician."
"Those are good jobs." Dante complimented them. "Before I joined the Warrior Program, I was just a simple farm boy. Used to help my parents breed, raise, and sell horses to people. But when cars were invented people no longer required our horses, apart from those who couldn't afford a car. I joined the military in hopes of becoming an honorary Marleyan to pay off my parents' debts. But they both passed before they even got the news." He feels his Stetson atop his head as he talks. "This hat is the only reminder of the old life I have. Maybe one day I'll pass it on to my son, or daughter."
The Suurvaltas take a moment to process Dante's story. Afterwards, they turn to Lydia and ask her what she used to be before joining the Warriors.
Lydia takes a breath before answering. She doesn't like talking about her past as there weren't that many happy moments in it. She's only told Dante and Noah. But the Suurvaltas have been more accepting of her than her actual family ever was, something Noah still had a hard time believing. He could never visualise Alicia as the disapproving type.
"There's not much to tell, I'm afraid. I was just a foolish young girl who was too stubborn to accept the reality of the world that we live in. Ever since I was a child, I've dreamt of making a difference in the world. I never believed all those stories Marley tells us about our ancestors being evil devils that slaughtered millions. Even though it did turn out to be true, I thought it was unfair for Marley to blame the Eldians that live today for the actions of their ancestors. The rest of my family saw it a different way, which led to me falling out with them and eventually moving out. Joining the military was the first, and only, profession I've ever had."
The two Suurvalta couples couldn't help but feel sorry for Lydia. Having her whole family shun her because she was the only one brave enough to want to make a difference? Why would any Eldian even consider accepting the fact that the way things are is the way things are?
Noah knows that this was not the real reason why Alicia had disowned her. It's because she became a Warrior that forced her to shut her out for good. He remembers Lydia telling him once that when She, Frederick, her sister, and her niece were offered to become honorary Marleyans, they rejected it. Refusing to call themselves Marleyan. In their eyes, Lydia has become Marley's slave.
"…Maybe one day when our unit invades Paradis to take back the Founding Titan, my mother may want to be a part of our family again." Lydia finishes. She rests her head in her hands with her elbows on the table, sighing in defeat. "Problem is we don't know how to control the Founder's power if we do reclaim it. Its power can only be used with someone of royal blood, and whenever someone with said blood inherits it, they're immediately under the control of the 145th King's Vow Renouncing War… It's just impossible to win without its full power."
"…There is another way."
Everyone seated at the table instinctively turn their attention towards Noah at the head of the table, wondering what he had to say.
"What did you say, Dad?" Jonas asked.
"There's a way to break the Vow Renouncing War." He repeated himself.
"Really? What is it, old man?" Dante demanded as he leaned closer to him.
Noah takes a deep breath before sharing his decades' worth of research with the others. But before he could so much as utter a single word, his breathing started to get ragged. His body started to spasm, and he started feeling an intense pain in his chest where his heart is. He starts to lose the feeling in his legs, causing him to fall off of his chair and collapse to the floor, dragging the tablecloth and whatever's left of the food down with him.
"DAD!" Both Jonas and Greta panicked.
"MISTER SUURVALTA!" The others shouted in unison.
They all rush to his side and attempt to help him.
"Oh shit! I think he's having a heart attack!" Jonas announced to the others. "We've gotta get him to a hospital, ASAP!"
Without any need for clarification, the six adults all work together to pick Noah up and carry him out of the dining room. Jacob quickly opens the door whilst Dante and Jonas carried the dying old man on their shoulders. They refused to let him die like this.
In the end, they were able to get the injured Noah to the hospital in time. The doctors and nurses quickly moved him to the isolation wing and stabilised him as best they could. The Suurvaltas and Warriors were forced to wait outside while the doctors operated on him.
Dante and Lydia cared as much for Noah's well-being as his kids did, but they didn't have the luxury to sit around and wait for an update. They still had their duties as Warriors and must report in first thing in the morning. Both of them wished the Suurvaltas luck before departing, praying Noah will make a full recovery.
Jonas, Greta, Jacob, and Victoria decided to stay sitting in the hospital lobby and wait for the doctors to deliver the news relating to the man's condition.
It wasn't until the year 832 was nearing its end that they would finally be allowed to visit Noah. Why it took them so very long to get permission, they'll probably never know. The Suurvalta's all arrive at the hospital as quickly as they can. Neither of them was mentally prepared to handle what they assumed would be the news of Noah's passing. That was the only logical explanation. By this point, Greta was shown to be pregnant. Approximately three months. All the more reason she was praying to God to save her father's life. She didn't want him to die before he even had a chance to meet his grandchild.
After what felt like hours of waiting in the lobby, an older-looking man wearing a long white coat enters the lobby and approaches the two couples. He looked physically exhausted as far as they can tell. Perhaps they've been operating on him all night to ensure the highest possible chance of him pulling through. Though they're hoping that isn't the case.
"Are you the Suurvalta family?" The doctor asks them.
"Yes. I'm Jonas and this is my sister, Greta. We're Noah's kids." Jonas introduced themselves to him.
The doctor shakes his hand, introducing himself as well. "Doctor Yeager. I've never had the privilege of meeting Noah, but my father told me he delivered him when he was born. I was still a physician in training at the time, hehe."
"I don't mean to be rude, but can you just skip to the part where you tell us how he's doing?" Greta interrupted.
"Right. My apologies." He bows his head to them. "… The good news is your father is in good health. It took a while, but he was able to recover."
"And the bad news?" Jacob hesitantly asks.
"He unfortunately fell into a coma. He'd been out of it for almost three years. He only recently woke up two days ago. It's a miracle his body is stronger than most men his age, otherwise, he would've died a long time ago… However, I do not think he's well enough for you to bring him back home. He'll have to stay here for the remainder of his life until he inevitably passes… I'll take you to him. Follow me."
Doctor Yeager leads the Suurvaltas out of the lobby and down the hallways until they reach the room Noah is being kept in. Neither of them had any idea that he was being kept in room 10 on the third floor. The same room Noah's father was laying in before he died.
And like his father before him, Noah was laying in the exact bed he once laid in. His right arm was hooked up to an IV fluid bag hanging on a stand.
The four Suurvaltas gather around Noah, who wore a wholesome smile across his face, pleased to see his whole family was here for him.
He attempted to speak but he was stopped by his daughter. "Don't speak, Father. You've been asleep for a long time. You need to focus all your energy on getting better."
"She's right, Dad. You gotta hang in there. The Crystal Titan never gives up a fight for survival. You taught us that!" Jonas added.
Noah looks over at Jacob and Victoria, worried about how they were gonna react to the sudden revelation of him being the Crystal Titan. But the two in-laws put his mind at ease when they revealed that they'd learned all about the Crystal Titan from their spouses a long time ago.
With those worries out of the way, Noah once again attempted to speak his mind to his kids, refusing their advice to save his strength. They needed to know what he knows before the chance of kicking the bucket arrived much earlier than he anticipated. He'd gotten lucky the first time with the coma. But luck never strikes twice.
"The Crystal Titan… Is keeping me alive… It gave me the strength to wake up… But it won't hold forever… It needs to be transferred before I die." He struggled hard to word out that single sentence to his family.
"Then transfer it to me!" Jonas volunteered. "Lydia and Dante work for Marley, they can smuggle us some Titan serum. Then all I have to do is inject myself, turn into a Titan, and eat you. That way the power won't randomly transfer to another Ackerman."
"Jonas, no!" Victoria protested. If you inherit the Crystal Titan, you'll also inherit its curse! I won't let you throw your life away like that!"
"There's no other option! Greta's pregnant, and neither you, nor Jacob, have Ackerman blood. I'm the only one who can bear the responsibility."
"But the curse will start affecting you too," Greta warned him. "Dad's voice will end up being added to the voices of our ancestors, chatting away inside your head. No offence, Brother. But you're not as mentally prepared as Father is. You'll lose yourself."
Jonas hated to admit it, but Greta did have a point. He was never born to be a fighter. He was a man who couldn't stand the sounds of cicadas endlessly chirping away in the trees. He could never handle hearing the voices of the dead arguing with each other. He'd be driven mad on the first day.
"Grrr! Then what do we do?! We can't just give up the Crystal Titan to any of our distant relatives on Paradis. In the wrong hands, its power would bring only disaster. But you can't inherit it either. Your son, my nephew, needs you to teach him the ways of our family. Something Jacob could never do." He glances over at his brother-in-law. "No offence."
"None taken." He simply replied.
"Enough!" Noah interrupted them, drawing all their attention to what he had to say. "There is another strong enough to wield my Titan and handle its curse long enough to travel to Paradis and break it." He slowly raises his left arm and places his hand on Greta's pregnant belly. "…My grandson will be the one to inherit my power."
The room fell silent as no one wanted to disturb the other patients resting in the neighbouring rooms. But it was proving especially difficult for Jacob. He wanted to get mad at his father-in-law for even thinking of passing on such a burden to his unborn son. But at the same time, he couldn't, given the condition he's in, and the fact that he doesn't have much time left in the world.
"Are you serious, Dad?! Why would you even entertain such an idea?" Greta demanded furiously. "How could you justify cursing our child?!"
"…I know how this sounds. I can't explain it, but when I was in a coma, I saw…visions. Visions of events that are yet to be. I saw someone. A boy. Wielding the Crystal Titan in ways I never could. I have a strong feeling that my grandson is that boy. Not only will he be strong enough to break the curse for himself, but for future generations too. If he is anything like me, or my children, then I know he'll be a greater Crystal Titan than I ever was."
"But Father-
"It'll be alright, my daughter… Even when I am no longer of this world, my spirit will watch over him. I will help guide him down the same path I took to break the curse… He will be the one to finish what I started all those years ago." He starts to cough a couple of times before he could continue. "How long until he is born?"
"It should be no less than three more months, I think." Greta estimated.
"I will hold out until then." Noah attempted to assure them. "I will transfer the Crystal Titan to him when I am on my last breath."
Noah kept true to his word. Using the powers of the Crystal Titan, he preserved his energy, keeping his body alive long enough until his grandson was born.
It was at the start of the year 833 when Greta had finally given birth to her first, and only, born son on the second floor, below where Noah was being kept.
Jacob held his wife's hand as she held their baby in her arms. Both of them smiled at each other before directing their love to their son. But those smiles didn't last long when they remembered Noah's instructions during the times they visited them. Now that he was born, the first stage of Noah's plan is to deliver his grandson to him to transfer the Crystal Titan.
Within the stillness of his hospital room, Noah impatiently waited for the arrival of Greta and her newborn baby. He spent his final moments of privacy thinking over every single detail of his plan. He wanted to make sure there was not a single flaw in it. Whatever it was he saw in his dreams was but one possible future. Ensuring how it plays out depended on him, and if his grandson was as strong as he assumed he was.
Jacob finally arrives, pushing his wife in a wheelchair whilst she cradled her son in her arms. Jonas and Victoria were with them. Jonas holds the door open for his sister and brother-in-law, allowing them to enter the room first. He then proceeds to lock the door and pull down the blinds, covering the windows. Nobody needed to know what was going on in that room apart from them.
"Let me see him," Noah uttered.
Victoria pushes the front side of the mattress upwards, using the cushions of the chairs to act as support to hold his upper half upright.
Greta slowly hands her baby over to Noah, allowing him to hold his grandson in his arms. His eyes filled with tears upon seeing his little eyes open for the first time and look at him.
"He's beautiful." He says without taking his eyes off of him once. "…What is his name?"
"Jacob and I have decided to call him… Michael."
"Michael Suurvalta… I love it." Noah then lovingly embraces his grandson. His body was so fragile that he tried so hard not to put too much pressure on the hug. This was his first and last time holding a baby. He never wanted this moment to end.
But all good things eventually must come to an end. His grasp on life was on the verge of breaking. Every second he spends delaying his death, caused his spirit to weaken severely.
"Is it time?" Jacob asked his father-in-law.
Noah slowly nodded in response. He holds baby Michael in one arm to use his free hand to conjure up two small crystals from his palm. Most likely the last time he's ever going to use his Titan powers. Small sparks of blue energy shoot out of his fingertips as he closes them around the crystals.
The glow in his fist only lasts moments before he opens up his hand again, revealing that the two crystals have been transformed into two pendants. One was shaped like a sword, and the other a shield. He places the shield pendant around his grandson's neck.
"These crystals contain pieces of my essence. I've discovered throughout my years of research that if a Crystal Titan wielder pours a fragment of their soul into a crystal they've constructed, then their soul won't fully succumb to the curse and be trapped within the Crystal Cave… As long as you wear one of them, my spirit will be able to watch over, protect, and guide you to finish the mission I've started." He then holds up the sword pendant in front of Michael. "You keep one, and you must give the other one to a very special person. As the new Crystal Titan, you will encounter many dangers. There's a chance you may lose yourself to the curse. To save yourself, you must give the other pendant to someone you trust. Someone who will help you build a better future for all of us… I know you will find that someone. Though I won't get to see you grow up, I will always be with you, Michael".
He then holds him out, leaving the others to wonder how this transfer will play out. Suddenly, Noah's head shoots back and his eyes start glowing. His whole body is surrounded by a bright white aura that looks like an aurora borealis lighting up a night sky. The energy starts flowing out of him and into Michael. His frail old body starts weakening in response to his Titan powers leaving him.
"You've given me a wonderful life… I love you all." He uttered as he exhales his last breath.
When the transfer was complete, his grip on the baby begins to loosen, forcing Jacob to quickly catch him before he could hit the floor. Noah's body goes limp and falls back down on his bed.
Jonas and Greta break down in tears and embrace their significant others. Jacob still had Michael firmly clutched in his left arm. The mourning embrace was soon interrupted by a bright glowing blue light, forcing everyone to break off their hugging and see what was causing it.
The bright light was coming from Michael. His whole body was enveloped in the glowing blue light, as well as his ocean-blue eyes. The transfer was a success. Michael Suurvalta is the new Crystal Titan, as well as the successor of Noah.
To Be Continued