Attack On Titan: Wings Of Crystal
Chapter 86: The Battle of Heaven and Earth Part 1
When The Rumbling reached Liberio, the Warriors and their candidates believed there was no chance for their families to evacuate in time. Even if there were time to evacuate, the Marleyans would likely save themselves before allowing any Eldians to. They'd probably just leave them to die.
That would have happened had it not been for Annie's father who'd started an opposition and commandeered the steam train to Fort Salta. Despite the Marleyans' intentions to leave them behind, the Eldians brought them along not to save them, but to show that they are the better people who can see the bigger picture. Right now, there was more at stake than this bitter hatred for the Subjects of Ymir. If they are to survive The Rumbling they must work together.
Leonhart held a gun to the train driver's head to ensure he didn't try anything. As an extra precaution, he threatened to shoot his wife and children too. It was cruel but the Marleyans had it coming for exacting that same cruelty on his people for decades.
"That's Fort Salta on the mesa, right? Are there really airships there?" He asked the driver.
"Couldn't say, but you bet everything on a long shot planning to steal one. I guess we won't find out if your gamble paid off until we get to the end of the line, will we, Eldian?"
Leonhart pushes the gun further into the driver's side. "Careful how you talk to me, Marleyan. That gamble is the reason you're not a stain in a foot-shaped crater. If it doesn't pay off your family dies in The Rumbling like the rest of us. If you betray us, you'll die here of a gunshot wound. But if the plan works, you'll get to live to see another day. I don't give a damn if the odds are against us, we're all gonna come out of this thing alive!"
He sounded so confident in this gamble, though there was no telling what they'd find once they reached the fort. For all they know, others may've had the same thought and beat them to it. There may not be a single airship left to steal.
Everyone else in the train cars was growing restless and afraid. All of the Eldians aboard had removed their armbands because they felt there was no longer a need for them with the old world they were tormented in coming to an end. Most of Marley had been wiped out. If there was a slim chance they'd all survive and The Rumbling ends there won't be a Marley to discriminate them anymore. Many often wondered what the world would be like without it, but never thought they'd live to see the day… If they survive.
Gabi and Falco's parents were grieving the potential loss of their children. Even if they believed they were alive they were trapped on Paradis with whom they still perceived its inhabitants to be island devils. They're more convinced after learning that the same Eren Yeager who announced their destruction was also the one who'd murdered Karina Braun. Pieck's father was there too but he refused to get rid of his armband. His daughter gave up everything to earn it and save him. It was too precious to simply toss out the window.
"Look! Up there!"
Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and rushed to the windows. They were horrified to see that the airships of Fort Salta were already departing without them. They're too late.
"Oh no, they've taken off."
"Full speed ahead! Even just one will be enough!" Leonhart shouted authoritatively.
The driver increases speed without talking back to his capture. None of that mattered now that their situation had grown more desperate. But it didn't stop there. Far off to the west as the train was circling up the mountain, the passengers could see a huge wall of smoke in the distance. The Rumbling had caught up to them, and the airships that launched were all heading towards it.
Every man, woman, and child, both Eldian and Marleyan, exited the train the moment it reached the end of the line and raced for the hangers, hoping to find at least one airship they could escape on. But they were too late. Every last one of them was gone. They were stranded.
"Perhaps they'll come back" One of the survivors muttered under his breath, but that was clinging to false hope.
The Marleyan train driver was the first to realise that the airships weren't evacuating any survivors that got to the fort first. They were planning to attack The Rumbling itself. It's a bombing run. They'll attack the Titans from the sky where they can't hit back. It was an even bigger gamble than coming here to steal a zeppelin. Betting the future of humankind on one huge air raid.
Many people doubted this attack would make a dent in their numbers, but some continued to believe instead of focusing on the negative. Their muttering was silenced by the sound of a microphone turning on, letting out a high-pitched feedback noise before an unknown voice talked into it.
"Attention, all airship units and soldiers stationed at Fort Salta, this is where we make our final stand. The last bastion of mankind. The immeasurable weight of this moment now falls upon you. But in victory or defeat, the burden is not rightfully yours to bear…"
This announcement was not only being broadcast all over the fort, but to all the approaching airships as well. This message was to help the men involved in the bombing raid remain calm and aware that their actions may not stop The Rumbling, but at least slow it down. The message also had another meaning. The man behind the microphone wanted everyone to understand that all of this was only happening because they abused power and desired to conquer and kill the very people who sent these Titans.
"… That responsibility lies with those of us who came before you. We cultivated hate. Nurtured our resentments. We'd let ourselves believe that could save us. And what came of our failings we simply dumped onto the island of devils… This is the result. Those failings gave rise to the monster you see, and it's marching our hatred back upon us. So if, somehow, we can secure a future for our world, I vow to never make those same mistakes. So help me, God."
The man behind the announcement was an older-looking Marleyan who seemed to be the commanding officer of Fort Salta. On the surface, he may seem like another Marleyan, but this one was different. His announcement led many to believe he was among the very few Marleyans who never viewed Eldians as devils, and they'd be right.
Before continuing, he pulls out his pocketwatch and opens it. His eyes were filled with sadness as he looked at the time. If only he had more of it, he thought.
"I hope you will make that vow with me, to break away from this era of mutual hate…"
"Continuing approach. Airships are in formation." Said the dark-skinned man using the binoculars.
"Preparing for bombardment. Descending to altitude." The man on his right announced.
The base leader clears his throat and wraps up his speech. "… To build a new world of mutual care and understanding. And let today be our last goodbye to our own monsters."
The back of the airship opens, giving the crew members a good view of Eren's Founding Titan below. They all gasped once they noticed that it was carrying a massive city on its back. One of them pulls out his binoculars to get a closer look. He could swear he saw something out of place standing at the top of the tallest tower.
He zooms in on the tower and spots a man standing there, waving up at them with a malicious grin. "What the hell? There's somebody down there!"
Before anyone could snatch the binoculars from him to get a look for themselves, the crew were all blinded by the sudden appearance of a bright yellow light forming near the centre of the Crystal Citadel in between buildings. The light was so bright it could be seen from the fort.
"The Attack Titan is making a move!"
"Commence bombardment!"
The crew mobilised every fuel barrel they had and started rolling them down the ramp and down towards the Titans. They didn't plant any explosives, but they believed the heat generated from them would be enough to ignite the fuel.
Ludwig notices them and quickly takes shelter inside the tower before they hit. Hundreds of barrels impact the Founder and the Wall Titans closest to it. The explosions were enough to take out a couple of the Wall Titans, but only did minimal damage to the Crystal City. The damaged structure simply repairs itself by growing more crystals to replace what had been broken.
The whole area was consumed in a fiery inferno. The black smoke emanating from the flames conjoined with the white clouds of the Titan's steam, adding more density to the haze. From an outsider's viewpoint, it should've made some difference, but The Founding Titan itself remained intact.
"They're too high! The bombs aren't landing on target!"
"This is our only chance." The base leader picks up the microphone and raises his voice into it. "All units release payloads immediately!"
The airships proceeded to drop every last fuel barrel they had onto The Founding Titan. But no matter how much damage the buildings took, it just kept on repairing itself. Ludwig was taking shelter in the corner at the bottom of the stairs to ensure the highest chance of not getting caught up in the blast. He'd come too far to allow himself to die here.
The airship raid seemed to have forgotten about the bright yellow light earlier and hadn't realised that it was the sign of another Titan joining the fight. And the best one for the job of blasting them out of the sky was Zeke's Beast Titan. Its body had formed in between two buildings and simply used them to climb above the city until it hung to the side of the tallest tower.
Something was different about The Beast Titan's appearance. Its body was now a pristine white, the same colour as the citadel itself. It also behaved differently compared to how it usually is. Instead of ripping out chunks of the building to use as projectiles, it was able to conjure its own ammunition of hardening in the palm of its hand and throw them at the airships instead.
The shrapnel of Titan crystal breached the hull of the closest airship, piercing any remaining fuel barrels it had and causing it to explode instantly. The flames from the blast spread to the other zeppelins next to it and were consumed with it. The Beast Titan summons more stones and reels its arm back for the second strike.
Everyone back at Fort Salta stood helplessly and watched the entire fleet go up in flames behind the thick fog of black and white smoke. All they can see is the remnants of the airships raining down like meteorites falling from the heavens. That was the last line of defence for humanity. How are they expected to survive now?
"All airship units… have been lost. No survivors." The leader regretfully addressed the people with sadness in his voice. "Forgive us, children… We've failed you again."
The people wallowed in despair and decided to spend their last moments in the company of one another. They should have known this gamble wasn't going to pay off. It would have been too much to ask that they all get to live to see tomorrow. The only silver lining for Mister Leonhart was that his daughter was safe on Paradis and would continue to live once it all ended. Though he cannot know how long that will last.
"…What's that?" A little brunette girl was pointing at the sky, forcing her family to look in that direction. She could swear she saw something in the clouds that wasn't a Titan.
This prompted more people to look up and they were all surprised to see some kind of plane heading towards them. It was the Flying Boat carrying the last hope to save humanity.
Onyankopon and Willy were trying their best to get the Alliance to Fort Salta. The Flying Boat was running on fumes, they barely had enough fuel to reach it. Both propellers were constantly stopping and starting as the plane was losing altitude.
"Damnit! We're nearly dry!"
"Hold her steady! We're almost there!" Willy encouraged the Courlander.
In the back, the members of the Alliance were all geared up with Lazarus' Cloud Zero gear. All except Erwin and Sasha who volunteered to wield the two special forces ODM gear Lazarus had been working on. Erwin was wearing the Founder's Bane, the quadruple Gatling Gun gear the albino used against Eren during the Liberio Raid.
And Sasha was harnessing the other one that hadn't had the chance to be unveiled until now. It was an ODM version of the Anti-Titan rifles with dual guns, though they were much smaller than the ones built by Marley. Like The Founder's Bane, it came equipped with thicker cables for the anchors and a bigger gas canister on her back. It was given to Sasha because she was the best markswoman in the team. This gear would be testing her sniping skills.
Both advanced gears were too heavy for either of them to lift when they first put them on, but Lazarus transferred some of his Titan energy to give them the strength of a Titan to have an easier time using them in battle. He'd also done the same with others to increase their chances of coming out of this alive. All of them were donning the Wings of Crystal uniform and were ready to stop Eren and Ludwig once and for all.
The Flying Boat eventually found a path out of the clouds and into the clear sky. Willy and Onyankopon were the first to get a clear view of The Founding Titan. They were both beyond shocked to see the massive city resting on its back, more so than the airship crews.
"Everyone, we have visual on the Founder, but… You may wanna see for yourselves!"
Lazarus was nearest to the cockpit and was the first to get a good look. His reaction was just as to be expected. "Michael, you remember how you said you'd lost focus on the Crystal's hardening? … I think I know where it all went."
Michael pushes past him, desperate to get a good look himself. He too was horrified by what he saw. Joseph warned him that Ymir had given control to Ludwig and he now had the power to instruct The Crystal Titans of the past to construct whatever he could think of, but he never could've imagined they'd build an entire city on top of Eren.
"What's wrong?" Erwin asked them.
"Earlier Levi said it's a massive pile of bones. It's not!" As Lazarus says this the others all rush to the windows and are just as stunned to see the city. "It's not just a pile of bones anymore. It's a moving city!"
Michael noticed some of the others were looking at him, expecting him to have the answers, but he didn't. "Joseph said that Ymir had given the focusing shard to Ludwig, and this is what he's done with it. Now our chances of finding him and Zeke are even lower.
"Do not be alarmed," Erwin assured them. "All they've done was give us a bigger target. With the extra weight of that city on his back, Eren may be moving at a much slower pace. That gives us more time to stop him before the Titans reach Fort Salta."
"INCOMING!"
The crew all hold onto something as Onyankopon pulls some evasive manoeuvres to dodge the incoming barrage of hardened shrapnel coming their way. The Flying Boat lost one of its pontoons but fortunately, its rotors were still intact. Lazarus spots The Beast Titan hanging from the tallest tower. He wondered why Zeke was even trying to take them out. He should be against Eren's plan, right? Unless he wasn't the one in control.
"It's Zeke! I see him!" Lazarus alerted the others.
"That furry shit bags in the field," Levi uttered venomously.
"Good, then we don't have to look for him. You know the plan; The Beast Titan is priority one! Destroying him could end this battle in one shot. Lazarus, prepare to jump and transform. Provide us with cover fire as we close in on The Founder!" Erwin ordered.
"Right!" Lazarus turns the valve wheel, unsealing the door before opening it. Levi stands with him despite Erwin not giving him an order to.
"Don't forget he's mine! Just get me to him."
"You got it, Captain," Lazarus replied.
"As for the rest of us, be ready to follow me on my signal. Tybur and Onyankopon will get us as low as they can, but not for long. We can't afford any more losses before we begin. It's time to stop The Rumbling!" He declared with a raise of his left arm still clinging to one of the dual Gatling Guns.
"We're getting closer!" Willy warned them.
"NOW LAZARUS!" Erwin shouts.
Lazarus kicks the door open and free falls out of the Flying Boat. He waited two seconds before biting his hand and triggering his transformation. The people at Fort Salta spotted the second ball of brightness in the sky and knew it had to be The Winged Titan. It was the only one that could confidently transform in the air like that.
The Winged Titan formed as he was falling. As the wings finished growing the wind caught them, allowing Lazarus to take flight. Levi then dives out of the Flying Boat and fires an anchor into The Winged's shoulder before reeling himself in and landing atop his head again.
The white Beast Titan lines itself up for another throw and switches target with The Winged, unleashing another flurry of stones at them.
"Hold on tight!" Lazarus performed a barrel roll to dodge the incoming projectiles whilst Levi was holding on for dear life, grasping his white hair as tightly as he'd ever grabbed before.
With The Beast focused on them, Onyankopon and Willy lower the Flying Boat towards Eren's lower back along the bones closer to the legs. The city was mainly being held near the front and middle. If the others planned to jump now was the time because the plane was beginning to pull up. If they stay low for less than a second, they'll crash into the crystal walls.
"ALL SOLDIERS JUMP NOW!"
Erwin was the first to jump out of the Flying Boat the moment they were low enough. The others all proudly followed behind their valiant leader and free fall towards The Founding Titan armed with upgraded Cloud Zero gear with Thunder Spears attached on each arm.
The Beast Titan was readying itself for another throw but was unexpectedly blasted back by a huge fireball, knocking it off balance and causing it to fall. The Winged Titan increases its free-falling speed and dives straight into The Beast with a thunderous roar. Both Titans came crashing down hard in the south end of the citadel, with the Beast taking the full brunt of the impact, skidding across the crystallised roads until finally coming to a halt.
Lazarus flips The Beast onto its front, exposing the nape and allowing Levi easy access. The revenge-driven captain wasted no time wailing on the nape the same way he did to him the first time they fought in Shiganshina. This time he intended to kill him quickly, not even giving him a second to react.
Reiner and Pieck then transform as they are free-falling. Reiner lands at the back end of the Founding Titan with the others whilst Pieck transforms a few meters above, sliding down one of the giant spines. The Cart Titan has the explosives from the Flying Boat wrapped around its body for later use in the plan.
Onyankopon and Willy were struggling to pull up again. Both of them planted their feet on the dashboard and pulled on the steering wheel with everything they had. Their fuel gauge was dangerously low and there was little wind to ride on. The citadel was stretched too high for them to get clear in time. There was nothing they could do.
Luckily Michael was there to save them. Though his hardening was untamed, he was still able to transform into The Crystal Titan as he was falling. Once formed, his Titan roared as it conjured a gigantic, jagged blade on its right arm that grew heavier with each size it increased. He uses the momentum behind its weight to slice off the top parts of the closest buildings, giving the Flying Boat more room to pull up before hitting the bony surface.
The Flying Boat barely climbed back up in time with how fast the buildings were regenerating. They wound up losing the other floater over the edge of one of the structures but still made it nonetheless.
The people at the fort continued to watch in awe. Just when all hope seemed lost, the forces of Paradis arrived to save them.
"Tha- That's the Winged Titan! The Armoured, Cart and Crystal Titans are there too?!"
The fort leader snatches the binoculars away from the man on his left to get a look for himself the moment he mentions The Winged Titan. He'd heard rumours about it in the mainland but never actually believed it to be true. The same goes for The Crystal Titan.
"Lucia mentioned a manmade Titan in one of her letters. I never thought I'd see it with my own eyes." He then spots the people standing with the remnants of the Omega Warrior unit. They were all wearing ODM gear. "It's them! The forces of Paradis are trying to end The Rumbling!"
The Scouts and Warriors regroup at the edge of the citadel at the back of Eren's Titan once they've recovered from the intense drop-off. Armin was the first to stand tall and stare down the arches between the buildings, attempting to try and spot Eren at the front. He was miles away from his head, but philosophically he felt even further away.
"Eren, you said there was nothing to say, but you were wrong. I've got a question and you will answer it… What do you really mean when you say you're free?"
The Winged Titan and Levi were the last to rejoin the others. The gaps between the shining pristine white buildings were wide enough for his Titan to walk around/past. It felt like he was wandering through an empty street in a human-sized town again. The buildings stretch taller than his Titan and there were many twists and turns that could've taken him down a wrong path had he landed further in.
Once he is out in the open, Levi departs from his shoulder and reports what they found to Erwin. "Looks like the Beast we fought was just an empty husk. Killing it accomplished nothing."
"It is just as we feared. The Warhammer's abilities are being used to hide the real Zeke somewhere in The Founding Titan." The Winged Titan spoke in its raspy demonic voice.
"What?! You're telling us that we have to root one tiny human body from this giant mass of bones. Before when it was just that was difficult enough, but now we have a giant city in the way! There's no way we can find him or Ludwig! It can't be done!" Jean stated as he turned to Erwin, knowing this was yet another gamble of his. "I'm sorry, Commander, but it's time to face the facts. Whatever knowledge you think we need from Oppenheimer, it's just not worth it. Our best bet would be for Lazarus to drop us all off at the fort and then blow this whole thing up."
"No," Erwin responded calmly. "In The Paths, we've learned from Joseph that he's taken control of The Crystal Titan's power. Killing him would not solve the problem, it would only weaken Michael's Titan, or worse, kill them both. We need him alive so that we can take it back. On top of that, a mind that gave birth to many conventional weapons and holds the secrets of the Atomic Bomb is too important to lose. If he were to die here and Marley had backups of his research, they'd be coming after us again. And this time there will be no Titans to stop them when Lazarus erases them. The plan hasn't changed."
Everyone gathers around Erwin as he gives them a very brief recap of the plan. The Alliance will split into three teams, each with an Ackerman and a Titan Shifter. Team Crystal will be led by Erwin with Michael acting as both the Ackerman and the Titan and Armin. Their mission is to infiltrate the citadel, locate Ludwig, and capture him alive, though Erwin didn't specify in what condition.
Team Armour included Reiner, Levi, Connie, and Sasha. Their job is recognisance. They have to find Zeke somewhere within the Founder's body and assassinate him to stop The Rumbling before the Wall Titans reach the fort and the survivors.
Finally, Team Cart comprised of Pieck, Mikasa and Jean. They will be bringing the explosives to the front of Eren's body and wrapping them around the nape of the neck to hopefully kill Eren. However, there was another part to this plan that Erwin hadn't told them yet.
"What do I do?" Lazarus asked the commander.
"I want you to take to the skies and give us a layout of the entire citadel. Use your telepathy to inform the other Shifters of the fastest routes and keep an eye out for danger. You will also serve as our pickup once we've accomplished our tasks. You will carry us all over to Fort Salta where we'll be safe, then you are free to unleash the Hellfire Force. Only this time, don't hold back. That's an order!"
"I… Understand, sir." He hesitantly replied, still sceptical about using a full-scale Hellfire Force. Even if they're all at Fort Salta, he's still unsure how big the blast will be if he went all out. Fortunately, Eren is still miles away, but that could change if the others took too long to carry out their tasks.
"Ludwig's aware that this attack might be coming, so I can't imagine there won't be some form of resistance. Be prepared for anything. If his imagination can construct all that, then there's a high chance he's summoned an army to protect it and keep us from Eren. Though our numbers are few, we all wield the strength of the Titans themselves thanks to Lazarus' energy transfer."
Erwin steps on top of one of the spines, standing taller than his comrades, giving them one final inspiring speech before they get ready for the fight of their lives. Everyone, human and Titan, gathered around him.
"This is it! Today marks the moment that'll change the world forever. Either we fight to stop The Rumbling and end the era of Titans, or we all die and our people continue to suffer. THAT IS NOT AN OPTION! Our fallen comrades have perished to ensure we got this far. We owe it to them to see this through to the end!" He looks over to the members of the 104th on his left. "Some of us are victims who'd lost so much since the Fall of Wall Maria."
He then turns to the Warriors on his right. "Others were the instigators that caused us so much pain by following orders without question… But today none of that matters! Today we are humanity's last chance of survival, and we will give everything to save this world! They may not be worth saving, nor will they accept us. But they won't forget this day when we, the very island devils they've persecuted for centuries, are the reason they get to see the sun rise another day! So raise your fists high, because after today we will never again live in fear of the Titans!"
Erwin raises his right hand high with the dual minigun still attached. Everyone else, including the Titans, follow his lead and join in. They then all turn to face the massive crystal city standing tall in front of them. Nobody knows what to expect when they enter it, but they'll be ready to fight anything that gets in their way.
"ALL SOLDIERS CHARGE! FIGHT THROUGH THIS CITY AND CARRY OUT YOUR TASKS! YOUR HEART AND SOULS TO THE CAUSE!"
"OUR HEARTS AND SOULS TO THE CAUSE!" They all shouted in pure devoted harmony. The four Titans all roar just as enthusiastically as their human allies.
The three teams split up as they charge for the southern side of the citadel. The Winged Titan spreads its wings outwards and leaps high into the air before ferociously flapping them to get airborne. He continued climbing until he was high enough to get a proper lookout at the entire Founding Titan. He could see all of his teammates heading down separate paths with dozens of crossroads. The whole street they were heading down was designed to look like a maze, traversing it would've been impossible without his help.
"Pieck, can you hear me?" Lazarus telepathically communicated with her as he watched The Cart Titan racing down a narrow archway between two buildings with Mikasa and Jean riding on her back.
"Loud and clear. Can you see a faster route to Eren's head?" She asked.
Lazarus spots a bridge linking two roads stretching over the bumps on Eren's massive spine. "There's a bridge connecting two sections of the citadel a few clicks east of your position. Turn right as you approach the next crossroads and keep heading forward, then take the last left, the bridge is straight ahead. Once you reach it you and the others should have a clear shot to Eren's head."
"Roger that." The Cart Titan starts picking up speed, causing Jean and Mikasa to hold on tightly. "I know a faster way through, hold on!" She warned them as her Titan started sprinting as fast as her arms and legs could carry her.
Now that Team Cart was heading in the right direction, he shifted his bird's eye gaze towards Team Armour who were heading slightly more to the right in the centre of the city. As the Armoured Titan ran, Levi, Sasha and Connie were keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of Zeke. Searching for him in a whole city of crystal made things even more difficult, but they had to at least try.
Team Crystal was on the far right and making their way inwards. They were heading towards the tallest of the buildings, suspecting Ludwig may be hiding in there. The buildings can be explored from within, but due to the size of the doors and windows embedded in every one of them, only humans can enter. Armin volunteered to go inside and search for him alone whilst Erwin watched Michael's back.
Something wasn't right about all this, Lazarus thought. Why would Eren simply let them land on his back without running into some form of defensive force? His eyes actively scanned the entire Founding Titan for any signs of trouble. Though he was not expecting to see the Founder, Ymir, herself standing atop the tip of the tallest tower. Her eyes weren't visible to the albino, but he could tell she was watching him. He then started to remember what Joseph warned them about in The Paths.
"… Because I refused to play any part in The Rumbling. In my lifetime I was always known to be an honourable warrior. I would only raise my sword in defence of my people, never to slay the innocent. This Eren Yeager whispered lies into her ear, manipulated her into lending him her power to kill everyone! She entrusted its power to the Marleyan because he shared her vision to kill all her enemies. But he is not one of her subjects, he can't harness the sword's power without her aid."
"He told us Ludwig alone can't harness the power of the Focusing Crystal, nor can Ymir physically touch it in the real world. But if the two of them were to control it together, they could do more than just build a city. They could…" He suddenly spots another Titan hiding behind one of the buildings. The shadows in the narrow space made it difficult to see what it looked like, but he knew instantly that it wasn't one of his allies.
"…They could summon an army of Titans!"
The Winged Titan telepathically reached out to all his Warrior comrades to warn them of the approaching danger, but by the time they could react, each group was jumped by a strange-looking Titan. An Okapi Beast Titan was clinging to the side of one of the buildings and jumped on top of The Cart, causing her to slip and fall forward. Mikasa and Jean bailed just before it struck and retreated to the safety of another tall structure.
The Armoured Titan was clotheslined by a Beast Titan with a long snake head that stretched its elongated neck outwards towards the other side of the street. The Crystal Titan ended up getting skewered on a large red spike by another Crystal Titan with a feminine figure and red crystal armour.
Everyone stops in their tracks and looks around in horror at what they're seeing. Those strange Titans weren't alone. There were hundreds of them all strewn about the citadel. Many were standing in the streets whilst others were either hanging off the walls or standing on the rooftops. All of them had umbilical cords attached to their napes. Erwin traced the other ends of them to the large spines of Eren's Founding Titan.
These weren't Pure Titans. They were all different versions of the Ten, minus the Colossal and Founding Titans. All of them were pure white in colouration apart from the other Crystal Titans. Each one had a different colour of crystal armour covering their bodies.
From Lazarus' point of view, he can easily see that they were vastly outnumbered. These Titans covered almost all of The Founder's back like a swarm of ants emerging out of their nest and surrounding their attackers. Their odds were even slimmer than before, especially with the kind of foes they were up against.
The Flying Boat just barely makes it to the top of the mesa outside of Fort Salta. With both of its legs out, Willy and Onyankopon braced themselves for a crash landing. The wings shattered on impact, and the body skidded across the red rocky surface until it finally stopped just at the edge of the mesa. Luckily the people managed to get clear long before they landed.
As soon as it was over, Willy carefully pushed the pilot door open and climbed over the Courlander to get out. He then proceeded to pull Onyankopon's unconscious body out to safety. The poor man hit his head in the crash and was out cold. The good news was that he survived, though the bad news was that he may require medical attention.
Some of the Eldians rush to Willy's side and help him lift his body out of the wreckage and carry him away in case the aircraft explodes. Nobody needed to be caught up in it and end up dying before their time, which may or may not come much sooner than they expected.
"He's not moving, is he-
"No, he's alive." Willy denied any thoughts of him being dead. "He took a bad hit to the head."
"Willy? Is it really you?"
The head of the Tybur family froze as he gasped with wonder. He recognised the voice that called his name. In a tone of disbelief, he stands up and slowly turns around hoping it is who he suspected it to be and was overjoyed to see it was.
It was his family. His wife was the one who called out to him whilst holding their youngest daughter, the same one Erwin once rescued and kicked off the alliance between him and Willy. Tears were building up in his eyes as he was beyond delighted to see them again. Part of him was afraid they all died in The Rumbling, but here they are.
"DADDY!" His children ran towards him with a mixture of excitement and joy. Willy smiled as he knelt and stretched his arms outwards, ready to accept their embrace. He showered them with kisses and held them close, he wanted to take it all in for as long as he could before his beating heart could calm down.
"My beautiful children! I've missed you all so much."
"We've missed you too, Daddy." One of his other daughters replied.
"I knew you weren't dead. I knew you'd come back for us. You promised you would." His son added.
"I'm so sorry I left you for so long." He tearfully responded.
"You're here now, that's all that matters." The eldest daughter said.
As much as he didn't want to stop hugging them, Willy inevitably let go so that he could face his wife and show her how much he missed her too with a kiss.
"Honey, I heard about what happened with Lara. I'm sorry. I should've stopped her from going back for you."
"No." Willy interrupted as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "She did her duty as a maid, my sister, and The Warhammer Titan. Lara died because Eren Yeager declared war on the world. He's the one who took her from us… Him and this world where the only way people can find comfort is by abusing Eldians."
Willy turns around to get a good look at The Rumbling far in the distance. It appeared much closer to the fort now than it did when the survivors first arrived. This terrified the people, but Willy didn't show a shred of fear. He was confident that the Wings of Crystal, the Warriors, and the Scout Regiment would save them all. He had faith in them.
"I've learned a lot since I first met Erwin Smith. Through him, I learned that every Eldian on Paradis is as human as the rest of us. They do have a place in this world. And hopefully, they'll be the ones who'll make it a better place."
"Excuse me." Leonhart cuts into their discussion and addresses Willy himself. "You came from Paradis, right? Do you know Annie Leonhart? She's my daughter. I need to find her! She went missing after the attack at Liberio. Do you know where she is?" He asked desperately.
"Calm down, sir. You have nothing to fear. Your daughter is alive and well." Leonhart sighs with relief. He could feel his stress melting away knowing that she was safe.
"But where is she? Is she over there fighting The Rumbling with the others?"
"No, she is on a ship en route to Hizuru. The Warrior candidates, Gabi and Falco, are with her. They're all safe. You have my word on that."
Gabi and Falco's parents overhear what he'd just said and cry tears of joy. They all thought for certain they had perished on Paradis and had lost all faith in making their family whole again.
"However, our fates have yet to be decided on whether we will survive this crisis. During the festival, I told you what the world would be in for if The Rumbling ever came to pass. I had no idea just how horrible it could truly be until I saw it with my own eyes… Our only hope of survival is in the hands of those brave soldiers from Paradis and our Warriors. But I cannot promise you that they'll succeed long before the Titans reach us. All we can do is wait and watch them fight for us all."
Ludwig watched from the safety of his tower as the army of reincarnated intelligent Titans attacked the invaders. He felt inspired, getting to see every incarnation of the Ten appear here all at once, all with one singular goal in mind. Protect Eren and eradicate the outsiders before they can stop The Rumbling.
Erwin flies around on the Founder's Bane and unleashes a storm of bullets into the red Crystal Titan before cutting Michael free from her spiked pillar. Reiner was getting swarmed by past Attack, Female, and Warhammer Titans. Connie kills two of them with his Thunder Spears whilst Levi cuts down the last one – the Female – with a swing of his katana blades.
However, the captain was unexpectedly crossing paths with a past Jaw Titan leaping towards him with its mouth wide open. Sasha acts fast and fires off a round from her left anti-Titan rifle. The recoil behind the shot sent her flying backwards into the side of one of the buildings. The shot managed to kill the Titan in an instant, though not without the one who fired it suffering some bruises. Had it not been for Lazarus' energy transfer she would have died on impact, or at least broken a couple of bones in her body.
Mikasa cuts down the Okapi Titan with ease, allowing Pieck to push herself back up. But now she, Jean and Mikasa were surrounded by more Titans, and so was everyone else. The Titans' overwhelming numbers force them all to back out of the citadel and regroup at the rear end of Eren's body.
"What the hell are these things?" Jean asked what they were all thinking. "Judging from their looks and how they act they don't seem like Pure Titans."
Michael partially pops out of his Titan's nape to communicate with the others. He knew what they were up against and needed them to hear him. "It's just as Joseph warned us. These husks are all the people who bore the power of the Ten before us. Ymir has summoned them to try and stop us. I don't know if their minds are still in there or not, but I'm betting The Founding Titan has the ability to resurrect them as many times as it needs to. This army of battle-tested Titans was built for one reason… To fight."
"There's no way! We can't beat that!" Connie stuttered with fear.
"Agreed, which means we can't afford to be so easygoing with this. And well, I'm not even friends with Eren." The Cart Titan spoke up. Suddenly she makes a beeline for the citadel and makes her way around the Titans.
"Pieck, wait!" Michael quickly retreats into his Titan and is about to rush in after her but is stopped by Erwin.
"Let her go! Mikasa and Jean will follow after her. It's clear we've underestimated the true power of The Founding Titan, but the plan hasn't changed! The world is still counting on us to win this war! True soldiers never back down from a fight! My soldiers will fight till the ends of the Earth! Now all of you get back in there and show these Titans the strength of humanity!"
"RIGHT!" Everyone determinedly shouted in unison as they charged back into the citadel. All the Titans of the past roar as they charge straight for them in numbers greater than their own.
As the two opposing forces close the gap between them, The Winged Titan swoops in and breathes a gigantic wave of fire that consumes the Past Titans before pulling up again. The Crystal Titan gives his friend a thumbs up as he begins his ascent once more.
Lazarus watched the others re-enter the Crystal City and fight off any Titans in their path. He will continue to monitor and guide them through the maze-like structure to reach Eren's head whilst providing cover from above with his fire and lightning. It was strange for the others to see all that power they once feared now being used to defend them.
The Crystal Titan shoulder charges through the wave of Past Titans coming his way, knocking them down like bowling pins. Erwin provided cover fire with the Founder's Bane, shredding their napes to bits. Armin was on high alert but mostly focussing on trying to locate Ludwig somewhere in the stronghold in the centre of the city and Eren's back, but he saw nothing. If what they said about him was accurate, he should be somewhere near the top where he can get a clear view of all the chaos raging below.
"Commander, why is it that all these Titans are white, but all the Crystal Titans have different colours?" He asked as he fired a Thunder Spear at a past Cart Titan.
"The Crystal Titan isn't an extension of the Founder like the rest of the Nine. It is a power separate from them with different rules. I don't think these reincarnations are like the others. Eren didn't summon them from his body. Look over there."
He points Armin and Michael over towards one of the buildings straight ahead. A strange cocoon was forming around its surface identical to the one Annie imprisoned herself in, or Lara used to control the Warhammer remotely. The cocoon then explodes outwards, shooting its shards in all directions as a newly formed copy of the red Crystal Titan they killed earlier stands tall, reborn and ready to battle again.
"The buildings. They're all growing out of the buildings, like a flower bud blossoming from the plant stem." Said Armin confidently. "But how are they doing that?"
"In The Paths, we saw Ymir cut the chains of the people that once controlled those Titan bodies. The Focusing Crystal is fused to Ludwig and needs a living body to stabilise them. We find Ludwig, we find the crystal, we free the Ackermans from his control, and Michael can utilise his Titan at its full strength.
"He's right." Michael thought. Though he can still transform he still can't conjure any weapons or anything to defend himself from the Titans of his ancestors. Capturing Ludwig and taking back the missing piece may not only restore what he lost but also erase all these past Crystal Titans and lessen their numbers.
Armin then managed to spot Ludwig peering out of one of the windows near the top of the fortress just as he was walking past it. "I see him! He's in that stronghold near the top!"
Michael's Titan takes the next left turn down a narrow path in the direction Armin was pointing. From there it was a straight shot for the fortress. But the path was blocked by another Crystal Titan. A white one. Erwin and Armin were both ready to blast it, but Michael raised his hands, motioning for them to stop. He recognised this incarnation. His Titan struggled to form words, only capable of uttering one word, but it was enough to give his two blonde allies an understanding of why he was backing away.
"Gr- Gran…grandfather?!" His Crystal Titan spoke with a jittery deep voice.
"That Titan is your grandfather?" Armin repeated for clarification.
Erwin nodded on his son's behalf. He'd never met his grandfather, Noah, but he did know he was The Crystal Titan before Michael. His Titan was much different from his, or any of the past incarnations he'd seen. His armour was smoothed over instead of being all jagged like usual. It was also a lot skinnier compared to the bulky size of Michael's Titan and had short brown hair.
Michael was hesitant to fight his own grandfather even if he knew it was just an empty Titan husk controlled by Ludwig. Noah's Titan took advantage of his moment of weakness and dashed for him. Huge gauntlets manifest on his fists as he reels his right arm back to deliver an armour-piercing punch. Erwin and Armin scatter before the strike lands, sending Michael's Titan tumbling backwards.
"Armin, head for the stronghold! Find Ludwig and apprehend him!" Erwin shouted as he dodged a surprise attack from a past Female Titan.
"What about you and Michael?!"
"We'll hold them off! The Titans can't follow you inside! Go! We'll cover you!"
Armin didn't like their odds, but he trusted the commander to make the right decisions. Taking a deep breath, he soars over the Titans with his anchors embedded in the tallest buildings as he blasts away at full speed. His tank was full when they first arrived so he should be good on gas for a while.
Two Jaw Titans chase after him, leaping from building to building, desperately trying to catch up with him. On top of that, a Warhammer Titan was firing an arrow at him from a giant bow it constructed. Using his brain, Armin perfectly anticipates the timing of the next arrow's trajectory to hit the Jaw Titan closest to him just as he moves out of the way and closes in on the stronghold. He straightens his legs as he makes a dive for one of the open windows in the middle section of the castle. Once inside he ends up tumbling across the crystal hallway until he manages to come to a stop on his left knee.
Erwin sighed, pleased to see that he'd made it. Now all he and Michael could do was fend off the other Titans and stop them from trying to get after him. Unfortunately, Michael was having his hands full with Noah, who was readying his huge fists for another strike.
Michael gets up and manages to catch his fists, stopping his advance. Grandfather and grandson were at an impasse, using their strength to try and push back the other. Within the nape, Michael was still torn on how he should defeat him. On one hand, he's another obstacle in the way of their mission. But on the other, he's all that remains of his real family.
"Grandfather, are you still in there? You're not like the others. You broke free of the curse. You shouldn't be controlled by Ymir. You tried to warn me about the focusing crystal, remember? Please, if you're in there, fight her! Don't let yourself be controlled again!"
Noah's Titan roars and lands a knee on his grandson in the stomach, winding him and allowing him to pull his arms free so that he can land another devastating punch on him, sending him through one of the buildings and knocking it down in the process.
As Michael slowly gets back up, he notices the building is regrowing itself. All the debris the old structure broke into was being magnetised back into the structure and the cracks sealed themselves as if it hadn't been destroyed at all.
"The buildings can repair themselves?!" He thought with disbelief.
"That's not the only thing." He suddenly hears Lazarus' voice speaking to him from the sky. "Michael, this whole citadel is not just a replica of whatever town Ludwig was born in… I think it's alive! I can see Eren's Titan energy surging throughout it. Any damage done to it can be repaired like how our wounds can be healed. This whole thing is just an extension of Eren's Titan where the same rules of hardened skin apply."
Pieck's Cart Titan continues charging through the city with Mikasa and Jean attempting to catch up up. Remembering her new War Chief's instructions, she ran to the bridge and leapt off the side, giving her a straightforward shot to the head. Many Past Titans attempted to get in her way, but her Titan was too fast for them, though that didn't stop them from chasing her.
The Winged Titan circles around the northern part of the citadel and shoots hardened projectiles at the Titans behind her, allowing Pieck to reach the head undisturbed and wrap the explosives all around the neck. All she had to do now was exit her Titan, slam down the plunger, and Eren's head would explode.
"No matter how you look at it, the head is the place to hit first! This has been my goal from the start!"
"No, wait!" Mikasa reached out in desperation.
Pieck was too pumped up with adrenaline to listen and was moments away from triggering the explosives. "This nightmare ends right now!"
She was so committed to blowing up Eren's nape that she failed to anticipate the possibility that Ymir would have a Titan guarding it. Out of nowhere, a giant trident made of black crystal flew into Pieck's path and impaled itself into her Titan's body through the back. She was very fortunate it didn't strike her nape. Pieck responds to the pain as if she were feeling her actual body getting stabbed in the back and drops the detonator as her whole body goes limp.
Mikasa and Jean hang back once they feel the tremors of a nearby Titan's footsteps heading their way. It must be a really big one to cause this level of quakes. They were both shocked to see another Crystal Titan emerge from the north end of the city and wander into the open of Eren's upper torso. This was much bigger than the standard fifteen-meter-tall Crystal Titan. This one stood at a whopping twenty meters and was covered in black crystals. The armour itself looked like an exoskeleton with sharp claws on its hands and feet. Its head looked like a skull with curved horns and glowing ocean-blue eyes in its otherwise empty sockets. It was the Titan form of Joseph Ackerman.
Joseph's Titan approaches the paralysed Pieck and digs the trident into the bone, pinning her down. With her stuck, there should be little difficulty executing her. The black Crystal Titan conjures its signature weapon in its hands, a giant scythe, and raises it high, ready to behead The Cart Titan and its human host.
"Oh no you don't!" Jean shouted as he fired off one of his Thunder Spears. Mikasa does the same from another angle, hoping to attack him from different sides. There was no way he could deflect both attacks from two opposite directions at the same time.
Jospeh's Titan pauses and spots the two Thunder Spears heading his way out the corner of his non-existent eyes. He backed off from Pieck and spun his scythe around like a rapidly spinning propeller. His elongated blade slices both Thunder Spears in half almost simultaneously.
"No way! He deflected them both! How did- Holy shit!"
Jean was suddenly attacked by Joseph's Titan. He ended up getting hit by the bottom of the scythe on the backswing, sending him flying back into the city through the arch.
"JEAN!"
Reiner catches a glimpse of Jean heading his way and quickly rushes to his rescue. He was able to catch him by jumping as he raised his right hand. Unfortunately, that manoeuvre left him vulnerable to attack from a Jaw Titan which belonged to his former comrade, Porco Galliard, whom he recognised immediately.
"Galliard?!"
Porco's Jaw Titan slashes him across the face, leaving a huge claw mark in its place. It even took out one of his eyes.
"Hang in there, Reiner. I'll blast it out of the air!" Sasha called out as she aimed at Porco from the top of one of the buildings. As she was lining up her shot, she was snuck up on by the Jaw Titan of the other Galliard brother, Marcel.
"Sasha, behind you!" Connie warned.
Panicked, Sasha raises her other anti-Titan rifle to the other side and fires off a round right through the Titan's forehead. The recoil launches her off the roof and causes her to fall over the edge. But Connie was there to save her before she could hit the bottom.
Both Galliard brothers leap over towards the same building so that they can both attack Reiner at the same time whilst his guard is down. The Jaw brothers were mere inches away from slicing their former comrade up and cutting him out of his nape. They moved so fast, but Levi was moving even faster. Using his famous spinning blade technique, he slices both brothers' napes with ease, killing two Titans in one shot.
He lands atop Reiner's shoulder to check on Jean who was still recovering in Reiner's palm. "Anything broken?"
"No, Captain, but it still hurt like hell!"
"What happened? You're supposed to be with Pieck and Mikasa."
"Pieck's down, sir! We were attacked by another Crystal Titan. But this one was a bigger, faster, and deadlier fighter compared to the others we've fought. No wonder Eren's got him guarding his nape- argh!"
Levi looks to his left and catches a glimpse of Mikasa fighting Joseph's Crystal Titan. He knew immediately that this was their greatest ancestor she was up against. The root of all Ackerman strength. No way she can take him on alone.
"Alright, new plan. You lead Team Armour and find Zeke. I'll help Mikasa deal with our great - times a thousand - Grandpa." He carefully instructed before heading off in Mikasa's direction.
Jean only needed a few more minutes to recover until the pain subsided enough to allow his body to fight again. Reiner's Armoured Titan puts him down in an alleyway as he tackles another Armoured Titan. He couldn't tell from the pale colouration, but he had a feeling it was the Titan form of the Warrior he inherited it from.
The Winged Titan was constantly on the lookout for his friends and coming in to defend them whenever the situation was dire enough for it. From what he saw, Michael was facing another Crystal Titan whom he heard from his friend was his grandfather, Noah. Erwin was mowing down Titans attempting to stop Armin from reaching Ludwig. Mikasa and Levi were taking on The Reaper himself. And Reiner, Jean, Sasha, and Connie were fending off more Titans.
He then looks over to Fort Salta to check on The Rumbling's progress. The Wall Titans were getting closer to their target. Now would've been the perfect time to unleash the Hellfire Force and blow them all away, but he can't with all his allies still in the way. If Ludwig hadn't placed himself there and had the one thing that focuses Michael's power, he would've done it by now, blowing Eren and Zeke up in the process. All he can do is continue to provide a lookout and cover fire from above.
He continued to circle The Founding Titan until something peculiar caught his eye. A past Beast Titan was standing atop a tall tower in the southern part of the citadel. The sound it made was what drew him to it, only it wasn't a typical Titan roar. It sounded more like… A wolf's howl.
On closer inspection, Lazarus' eyes widen with fright. This was no ordinary Beast Titan; it was a werewolf Titan. The same kind of beast his father controlled.
"Dad?!"
A shadow looms over him as he closes in on his father's Titan. For his whole life up to this point, he, as The Winged Titan, was the ruler of the skies. He had no reason to ever look up. Why would he when he was the only flying Titan ever to have existed? That's what he believed until he saw the lives of his parents and realised that there were other Titans that could fly before him. One of which was hovering above him right now.
He didn't get a chance to look up as he felt his wings and back getting bombarded by sharp, hardened feathers digging into his hardened flesh and tearing holes in his wing flaps. Lazarus screams as he starts falling out of the sky for what feels like the tenth time now, maybe more. His Titan crash lands on Eren's ribs a few feet away from the entrance to the southern side of the citadel. The impact hurt him more than it did Eren. He wondered if he could even feel all the fighting happening on his back.
Lazarus looks back at his precious wings and gives them a little flap to rate how bad the pain is. From the level of volume in his grunts, it was pretty high. He'll have to wait for them to regenerate before he can get airborne again. Unfortunately, his attacker wasn't through with him yet and was coming in for a ground assault.
The one who knocked him out of the sky was revealed to be none other than the Female Titan his mother controlled. The only one in history to have harnessed hardening to construct crystallised wings to fly. The wings disintegrated as she made a touchdown and started approaching her son. The Werewolf Titan slid down the buildings, dragging its claws through the smooth surface so that it could land safely and stand beside his wife.
Lazarus could not believe his eyes. Both his parents, as Titans, were standing before him, looking down at him, acknowledging his existence. He had always dreamed of what a union with them would be like if they were alive. But he never wanted it to be like this.
"Mom. Dad… I know Eren could bring back past Titan Shifters, but this is too cruel, even for him. Why them? Why are you forcing me to battle my own parents?! DO YOU HATE ME THAT MUCH?!" He shouted at the top of his lungs.
Things were looking very bad for the albino Warrior, and it was only gonna get worse from there. It wasn't just Dante and Lydia's Titans he was forced to fight. The other members of the Alpha Warrior unit had been summoned from the dead to face him. The next to arrive was Otto Roth's Armoured Titan with the same honeycomb-style armour. He was followed by Bruno Gerhand's Crocodile Cart Titan. And coming up from underneath was Marlene Weber's monstrous-looking Jaw Titan. The only member who wasn't present was Malcom Kaiser, the Alpha's Colossal Titan.
Even without the aid of their Colossal, Lazarus still had to take on all but one of the Alpha Warrior Unit. The unit Marley, and the nations conquered by them, designated to be the most powerful generation of Titan Shifters ever trained. The unit that ended Marley's 10-year war against the momentous nation of Britannia. It is clear to him that Ymir summoned them for the sole purpose of defeating him and never unleashing the Hellfire Force, whilst the rest dealt with his allies unaided from their winged comrade.
The Winged Titan stood tall and stared down at the Alpha Unit, more notably his parents. He has no choice but to fight them alone. Like Michael, he was conflicted about harming his mother and father even though they weren't really there. He even doubted if he even had a chance of defeating all of them at once. But the Alliance were counting heavily on him to be ready to blow this pile of bones and the city attached to it when the time came. He can't let them down… Not again.
To Be Continued
Author's Note: We finally made it to the Battle of Heaven and Earth. I'll be honest with you all, part of me is feeling relieved to nearly be at the end of this story. When I started writing this fic I hadn't realised how difficult and complicated AOT's storyline is. But I still have no regrets. Looking back on some past chapters I thought "Maybe I could've done better" but I'm not giving up now when I've come so far. This story will get the ending it deserves, guarantee it.
I also had a lot of cool ideas for my version of the final battle but I didn't want to show you all of them in this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it and feel free to let me know what I can do to make the battle even better ;)