Attack On Titan: Wings Of Crystal
Chapter 83: The Dawn of Humanity
General Magath watched the Azumabito ship move away from the spot it was docked in and begin to explore the open water. He noticed the Yeagerist blockade blocking their only way out but was confident Bertolt would clear them out. He was proud to finally see him do his part as a member of the Omega Unit.
He quickly charged up the stairs with his rifle firmly against his chest. The Yeagerists he was chasing after were already near the top, there was no way he could catch up to them in time. The moment he reaches the top they'll have already readied the airship for takeoff. He couldn't let that happen, so he distracted them the only way he knew how.
He raises his rifle, takes aim at the bottom Yeagerist and fires a single round into his back, causing him to stumble over the edge of the stone steps and begin rolling back down the hill. His body crashed hard into the side of a building, there was no chance he'd survived that.
"Enemy spotted! One stayed behind! Get him before he takes any more of us out!"
The Yeagerists stop in the middle of the last row of steps and open fire on Magath. The Marleyan general returned fire as he headed up the second row, hoping to take them out as quickly as possible. But as he was heading up the third row the sounds of their guns firing had stopped and were replaced by grunts and bodies hitting the ground. From the sounds of things, it seemed someone had managed to take out the Yeagerists before he did. But who?
He soon finds out as soon as he reaches the top of the stairs. He quickly raises his rifle upon stepping onto the top floor and aims at the culprit behind the Yeagerists' assassination. He was a soldier judging by his uniform, but he did not bear the mark of the Yeagerists on his back. It was the symbol of the Scout Regiment. He appeared to be around the same age as him and had plenty of experience as a soldier, he could tell by the look in his eyes.
"You're the one who took out their reinforcements, aren't you?" He asked the commandant.
"I am." He simply replied as he placed his blades back in their holsters. Magath lowers his rifle, recognising him as a friend, not a foe. "Why didn't you take to sea with the others?"
"Someone needed to stay behind to take out that airship over there. The moment it gets airborne humanity will lose its hopes of being saved. I need to destroy it. I assume that's why you're here?"
"Yeah. Since we both have the same objective, I'll give you a hand."
The two veterans quickly head inside the hanger and board the airship through the open hatch. Once aboard they watched each other's backs and quietly made their way through. They had to assume that there were already Yeagerists aboard and most likely prepping the airship for takeoff. They had to blow it up before they could do that.
Keith took the lead and led Magath to the cargo bay where all the fuel, gunpowder, and other supplies were stored. The commandant locks the door and keeps an eye out for Yeagerists through the door's porthole whilst Magath opens up some of the fuel barrels and tips them over, allowing fuel to leak out all over the floor. He then cuts open a couple of bags of gunpowder and spreads it on top of the fuel. He made sure it was spread evenly all over the room and within range of the other fuel barrels to ensure they all went off once he lit the match.
"They'll be here soon," Keith whispered with warning.
"Let them come, this'll be ready to blow before they break in. Last chance for you to jump out and run back down those stairs."
"Nah, I'll stay. I've been looking to a good end to this life."
"What made you decide to help us out? There's a chance that you've doomed your island" Magath asked.
"I saw your allies in Shiganshina. I noticed that they were being led by a former ally of mine, Erwin Smith."
"You know him?"
"Yeah. He was my second in command when I was commander of the Scout Regiment. I knew back then I made the right decision to put him next in line. When they said he was killed I didn't believe it. He had a warrior's spirit, unlike anything I've ever seen. When I realised what his plan was, I was moved. And my former students still follow him even now. I was proud to see how much they've grown."
"If you hadn't stopped that train, they'd be dead, and they're not the only ones in your debt. When the dust settles, you'll be known as one of the heroes who saved this world. That's what your old comrade said to me before I left."
"Well then, that makes two of us."
The two middle-aged veterans continued to bond as Magath was finishing off the setup for the big bang that would occur in a few minutes. Eventually, one of the Yeagerists spots them and starts banging on the door, demanding they open it. But they ignore them and keep the focus on their final act as soldiers. Keith hands the rifle back to Magath who places it down on the ground, facing the the pile of gunpowder soaked in fuel. He places his finger on the trigger, ready to instil his final act, but not without acknowledging the last friend he'll ever make.
"Before I shoot, who are you?"
"My name is Keith Shadis. What's yours?"
"Theo Magath."
They both smile and hold their nerve as the general gently pulls the trigger, firing off his final shot. It was a shame it had to come to this, both of them thought. But it was to ensure that both their students and allies could reach Odiha, assemble the Flying Boat, stop Eren and Oppenheimer, and save the whole world.
Maybe in another world, the two of them could've become the best of friends. They both had so much in common. But alas, it was not meant to be.
The ship quickly sets sail out to sea once the enemy blockade is wiped out. Bertolt exited his Titan body and used his Cloud Zero gear to get back aboard the ship safely. He was greeted by Pieck who praised his efforts with a warm hug. Though Bertolt's body was exhausted and in a lot of pain to enjoy it.
"I thought you abandoned us for a second there." She muttered, saying what everyone else who'd seen him was thinking.
"What were you thinking leaving us like that?" Annie suddenly butted in, not at all happy with how he handled that. "I know you said that you didn't want to fight anymore, but you didn't have to pull a stunt like that. Were you trying to drown yourself or get shot in the water?"
"Annie lay off of him. He just saved us from the Yeagerist's fleet. He saved us, right?"
Before answering, Bertolt thought back to what Reiner said to him atop Wall Maria before the Survey Corps arrived and after Lazarus left to rescue Annie. He then remembered the agreement they had back in Liberio before the festival. Reiner always had his back when he needed him, and Lazarus always had a way of making him feel wanted even though he didn't think so. He had to return the favour in some form.
"… Back on that ridge where we watched the others fighting, I saw the battleship on the far side of the docks. I had a hunch more of them could show up and try to block our escape and kill us. I know what I did wasn't part of the plan, but like Falco, I couldn't just sit there and watch Reiner and Lazarus get annihilated. I couldn't call myself their friend if I didn't use my Titan to help them or be a part of this alliance by doing nothing."
"But you couldn't have known where the ships were coming from. The Yeagerists could've anticipated your first move and made you a bigger target. We could've lost you and The Colossal Titan." Annie scolded him.
"That's enough, Annie." Commander Erwin stepped in as he approached them with Willy. "Had Bertolt not stepped up like he did none of us would be standing here.
With a heavy sigh, Annie stands down and apologises to Bertolt for her behaviour and thanks him. She and Pieck then help guide him down the left side of the ship to join the others. As the ship smoothly sailed away from the island the members of the Alliance took this time to relax and gather their bearings. They've won this battle, but they haven't yet won the war.
All the members of the Alliance are unaware of General Magath's absence, who stayed behind to ensure the Yeagerists didn't follow them in the captured airship Hizuru supplied them. The last person who saw him was Erwin. It was now down to him and Hange to lead the Alliance now that they were down one leader.
All of Willy's guards who volunteered to join the Wings of Crystal had lost their lives in the Shiganshina invasion and the recent port battle. Erwin, Lazarus, and Michael were all that remained of their resistance movement.
Onyankopon and Willy took charge of the ship in the control deck and the Azumabito mechanics were in the engine room, filling it with coal to keep the boiler going. Everyone else was on the outer deck getting some rest to pass the travel time.
Lazarus, Bertolt and Reiner were placed down at the back of the boat, giving them a clear view of Paradis Island which only grew smaller as it became more distant. The other Warriors sat together with them. They wanted to be together as a unit for the majority of this trip. It may be the last time they'll find the chance to sit together again.
Falco was lying on the floor beside Lazarus with his head resting on his leg. The white-haired man smiles as he strokes his forehead like how a father would soothe their child. Annie watched from the opposite side and formed a warm grin of her own. "He would make an excellent father in a few months", she thought.
"We were really lucky the general got to him," Gabi commented as a means of breaking the silence.
"Yeah, things were looking pretty bleak back there." Replied Pieck.
"I still can't believe it. Falco's Jaw Titan was unlike any I've ever seen before." Bertolt commented as a means of breaking the silence.
"Yeah, it looked like a Beast. Has to be a side effect of ingesting Zeke's spinal fluid." Reiner added. He then turns to the Warriors' new leader. "What do you think, Laz? … Lazarus?"
He was too focused on watching General Magath fend off the last remaining Yeagerists to pay attention. His bird's-eye view saw him approaching the top of the stairs and meeting up with the most unexpected ally. It was Commandant Keith Shadis, the man who trained them when they were cadets. He wondered why he was here until he remembered the train exploding earlier. He was the one who took out their reinforcements, so he was against The Rumbling as well. But why would he choose to intervene now and not join them instead?
"Hey, Lazarus!" Reiner raised his voice slightly, finally snapping him out of his train of thought.
"Oh, sorry, Reiner. I just saw the general go over to the airship hanger. It looks like he's heading inside with, get this, Commandant Shadis."
"What?! The general's still on the island?!" Gabi panicked slightly, completely changing the topic of discussion before the others could question why their old drill sergeant was with him. "Why would he stay behind?"
"Because he's making sure we won't be followed," Erwin stated as he came into view with Michael, Hange and the others. "I've already told everyone else what I'm about to tell you… I'm sorry, Gabi, but Theo Magath will be retiring from this war."
All the Warriors gasped. Before anyone could voice their concerns, they were all startled by the loud, bright explosion going off in the hangar to their right. Gabi knew instantly what had happened and ran to the railings, reaching out helplessly whilst bawling her eyes out.
The shockwave shook apart the whole building, bringing it down hard. The flames quickly spread all over the runway and continued to grow until the entire area was ablaze. Pieck held her from behind, comforting her. Lazarus and Michael were both just as saddened as everyone else was. They all continued to watch as the black smoke rose into the air like a mushroom cloud the further they drifted from the island.
Erwin raises his right fist and performs the Paradis military salute as a way of honouring the general's noble sacrifice. Everyone else joined in and stood tall and proudly.
"In his final moments, he asked me to pass on a message to all of you, his Omega Warriors. He says he was sorry for dragging you into this war. For making you breach our walls. And for seeing you just as weapons and not the good kids you could've been. He gave his life not only to give us this one chance to save the world but for the hope that one day we could all get the chance to live normal lives… Though he was born Marleyan, he grew to look away from the evils of the past and saw a future that would allow us to earn our place in this world. When it all ends, he will be remembered as one of the heroes who saved everyone."
As he spoke, Erwin could feel the presence of his old comrades standing behind him and the members of the Alliance. Among the new ones who'd joined the circle were Dot Pyxis, Nile Dok, and now Theo Magath and Keith Shadis. He didn't have to be Eldian to earn his place among the courageous fallen. To Erwin, a soldier is defined by how strong their hearts and souls are regardless of race or gender. Every single person around him had something to believe in, a desire to give everything they've got to bring their people one step closer to true salvation.
Lazarus then decided to step in and mention the commandant's involvement. "And so will Commandant Keith Shadis. He was the one who destroyed the train carrying the reinforcements. If not for his efforts, we never would have escaped the island. We will honour them both by winning this war and stopping Eren once and for all!"
Everyone nods in agreement and holds the salute for a few more minutes. Michael glances over at Lazarus and makes a mental note to have the long-awaited talk/apology Sasha asked him to have before the final battle starts. Now wasn't the best time. The apology would be much more meaningful if it took place in the one place where their brotherly bond was at its strongest. Odiha.
Half an hour later, the crew gathered together to go over the plan that was discussed in the basement back at the port. Hange explains to them that the ship is currently on course for Odiha, where the Azumabito will begin assembling the wings of the Flying Boat and making it airborne.
"We agreed with Michael's plan and decided to head for Odiha, though to be perfectly honest, we didn't have any other option." She then turns to the Warriors with a guilty look on her face. "I'm afraid this means we can't save your hometown. Liberio's doomed… I'm sorry."
Annie and Bertolt's eyes widen with horror. Annie's father is still somewhere in Liberio right now. She's been worried about him ever since Eren told all Subjects of Ymir he was coming to kill all outside Paradis. She promised she'd spend time with him after the festival and brace for the inevitable teasing about her singing on stage in a pretty dress. But she never got that chance. Zeke kidnapped her before she could, and now she may never see him again. She never even got to tell him that he's gonna be a grandfather.
And Bertolt felt even more useless than ever before. He had nothing left to fight for now. He lost both his parents after returning from the Middle East and only kept going because of his and Reiner's pact. He wanted to believe Lazarus' plan would help everyone, but that was before he realised that even if it worked all of Marley would be gone. What was the point of fighting anymore?
"If that's true, then I'm done!" He muttered under his breath. He drops to his knees and lowers his head. Tears build up under his eyes, trickling down his face and dripping onto the wooden floor. "The only reason I kept going this long was because I had faith in Lazarus' plan. But if so much of the world is gonna be destroyed anyway, what's the point?"
"Better to lose some of the world than lose all of it," Mikasa commented. It was a sad but true fact.
"Even if all went well and we stopped The Rumbling in its tracks, Liberio and Marley… were always going to be trampled flat. Magath understood that, yet he chose to give his life so that we'd have the chance to push forward. He died not for Liberio or Marley, but in the hopes that it would save at least one more stranger whose name he'll never know."
Lazarus turns to Annie and pulls her into a warm embrace. "I can't say your father will be alright, that would be false hope. But I know he is as strong a fighter as you are. If there's even a chance he was able to make it out alive it is possible with him… Annie, as soon as we reach Odiha, you need to stay on this ship with the Azumabito. Without the Female Titan, there's not much you can do. You could die, and I don't wanna lose you."
"You won't. And I already told you back on Paradis that I intend to keep our baby safe. That's all I want … Just promise me you'll make it back. That you'll stop Eren and use the Founder to become normal again." She says as she gazes up and into his crimson eyes.
Lazarus breaks off the hug and looks over every one of the others, specifically Eren's friends. "My only chance to be human again is for me, and me alone, to be the one to kill Eren. So I ask all of you, will you let me do it? Think hard before answering. If I were to eat him and take the Founder, what would you do? Will any of you get in my way? Do you think you can sit by and watch as I devour him?"
Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Connie, and Sasha all look at each other, unsure if they even can answer that question honestly. They get why it needed to be Lazarus who had to kill him. If anyone else did, it would fix all Eldians except him. He'd continue to be The Winged Titan forever. Everyone would grow to fear and loathe him just for existing and his child will grow up inheriting all that hate, and their children's children, and so on. Lazarus would get to watch every generation of his family grow old and die while he remained the same. Deep down he was a good guy and didn't deserve to live a life like that.
"I understand if you can't answer. But you need to understand, I have to be the one to end this, not just to save myself… But because The Rumbling is as much my fault as it is Erens!"
"Don't say that." Michael butted in, trying to calm him down. "He decided to start it, not you."
"Only because I pushed him to do it in the first place!" He shouted back, showing how serious and full of regret he was over this. "Ever since I've been having these visions of The Rumbling, I've been so desperate to try and change the future. I've been so blinded by what was yet to come that I failed to notice my involvement in building up to it… Eren has every right to retaliate after everything we put him through. I've been acting like this self-righteous asshole and never acknowledged Eren's pain despite being the cause of it. Some hero I turned out to be… I have to take responsibility for turning him into this villain we're about to face. I have to make amends for what I've done."
Everyone was taken aback by what he told them. He was right, this was all his fault. But they didn't think he'd ever come to that realisation on his own. It shows how much he's grown as a person since the start. As kids, the other Warriors knew him as a determined soldier who wanted to prove himself a hero worthy of living up to the legacy his parents built. To the members of the 104th, he was a Scout who always put himself before anyone else and acted as an inspiration for those who were less hopeful of a better future. All of that was ripped away when they found out he was The Winged Titan. All they saw from then on was an enemy who hid behind a mask.
Michael once saw him as the little brother he felt the need to watch out for, especially after his parents took him in and raised him as their own. Looking back on their childhood he wondered how his life would've turned out had he never inherited The Crystal Titan. Had he never had to leave him and erase his memories of their upbringing would he have still become The Winged Titan if he stayed? Would he even have become a Warrior? Probably not.
But had he been brought up a regular Eldian like everyone else in the Internment Zone he never would have grown into the man he is today. The sins he committed are big, but he's not the only one. Everyone in this room had a weight on their shoulders. But owning up to his mistakes and admitting he was the reason Eren became the monster that he is has got to be the strongest thing he'd ever done.
Erwin then steps in and places his hand on his shoulder, forcing the War Chief to glance up at him. "Yes, you are the cause of leading Eren down this path, as are your friends. But you are also the solution to all our problems. I don't know what kind of force is pushing Eren to take things this far, but in the end, it was his choice. You feel responsible? Then do everything in your power to put it right. Do you understand?"
Lazarus takes a deep breath and regains his composure before addressing the reinstated commander of the Scouts. "Yes sir. I will give this alliance everything I have and more!" He glances back at the others. "We all will!"
The others all nod and take a step forward, agreeing to have his back in the Alliance. Lazarus was touched. He knows this isn't enough for them to forgive him but it's still progress. He was happy to have them as his comrades again, his brothers and sisters in arms. Maybe one day he could earn the right to call them his friends again.
Before the meeting was about to conclude and the other could retreat to their cabins, Bertolt had more he wished to say to his white-haired friend.
"I'm sorry, Lazarus, but I won't be joining you in the fight against Eren."
"What do you mean? We're gonna need the Colossal Titan."
"I know. Which is why I ask that you please transfer it to someone who'll be more able to use it to its full potential."
The Warriors all stop in their tracks and glance back at Bertolt in surprise, aside from Annie and Michael. They remembered what he said to them in the tunnels about not wanting to fight anymore. The poor guy was tired. He already expressed how sick of this whole thing he was.
"Bertolt…" Lazarus tried to ask why but Bertolt was already one step ahead of him with the answer.
"I've tried to hold on for the sake of your mission, and I want more than anything to see you succeed in it. But I don't have what it takes to support you anymore. I've always felt like this even when we first arrived on Paradis. I felt useless to you as a Warrior, and I feel useless as a member of this alliance. All I was ever needed for was to blow something up." He pointed out.
"Oh Bertolt, I didn't mean to make you feel that way."
"I know you didn't, It's not your fault. I've just come to realise that I'm more like my parents than I thought. Just a gutless coward. I tried to be brave in Shiganshina when we fought the Scouts just like you and Reiner told me, and tried to think for myself instead of following your lead all the time. But in the end, I wasn't able to change. If I go with you, I'd only be a liability, and we can't afford any setbacks. So please give The Colossal Titan to someone who can do much more with it than I ever could." He pleaded with him.
"I…" He pauses briefly to exhale a big amount of stored air. "Alright. If that's really what you want, then I'll do it. But who do you want to give the Colossal to?" He looks over all the other Eldians on the ship. All of them seemed like worthy candidates but it was a difficult choice to make.
He turns to Erwin hoping he'd volunteer. But he refuses with a shake of the head. "I need to be on the frontlines when we march into battle. Perhaps we-
"I'll do it."
Everyone turned and reacted shockingly towards Armin who'd been hiding in the back of the group for the majority of this meeting. He pushes past Jean and Connie and steps into view next to Bertolt.
"It was either gonna be me or the commander anyway so I might as well. At least I get a choice this time."
"Hold up, why you?" Jean interrupted. "I mean, no offence, but you only just became human again. Wouldn't becoming a Titan again stir up some traumatic memories or something?"
"You don't have to force yourself, Armin. There are others more capable of using the Colossal then you." Mikasa added.
"I know, but I want to do this! Eren's my best friend and he doesn't know that I'm here with you. I want to do more to stop him than just fly around on ODM gear. I want him to know that it was I who stood against him." He looks over towards Lazarus.
"Truth is you're not the only one who feels responsible for what Eren's gone through. I am to blame as well… My grandfather's books. The ones about the world beyond the Walls. If I hadn't have shown them to him, he never would have developed this fantasy of the real world being like that only to be heartbroken to see what it's really like. We both made him this way, Lazarus. Maybe it was fate that you were the reason I and the commander both got to live that day. It's like the world itself is giving us a chance to all come to this realisation. And by doing so we have come to an even greater understanding of one another and what must be done." He explained philosophically.
Lazarus did not expect something like that coming from the young farm boy. He couldn't think up a response for that. Fate? Destiny? He'd be a hypocrite if he said he didn't believe in them. He literally had been seeing the same future of The Rumbling play out in his dreams every night when he went to sleep. The possibility of him being fated to save Armin and Erwin instead of forcing the Scouts to have to choose didn't seem all that far-fetched. Perhaps he was right.
If fate has allowed them this then maybe it'll allow them the opportunity to stop The Rumbling as well. They can't save Marley and some of the other nations, but they can still save what's left. He doubts Odiha can be saved. For all they know the Wall Titans are heading over there now, one massive, fiery step at a time.
"Alright, if this is what both of you want, then I will perform the transfer. But not here, we'll do it once we reach Odiha." Lazarus explained.
"Why wait? Wouldn't it be a good idea to do it now?" Sasha questioned him.
"Too risky. The boat isn't completely stable and there are too many distractions. Remember that all parties involved in the transfer ritual must have a steady mind and body, including myself. One wrong move and we'll lose The Colossal Titan as well as the both of you." He explained again.
"Good point." Sasha sheepishly replied whilst scratching the back of her head nervously, embarrassed that she'd forgotten that important detail so easily.
Both Armin and Bertolt nod and shake hands in agreement. It was settled. Armin will inherit The Colossal Titan from Bertolt via Lazarus' transfer ability once the ship docks in Odiha. They were still hours away from the city, it would be dark by the time they'd reached it. Erwin concluded the meeting for real this time and orders all hands to return to their cabins and get some sleep. They'll need all the energy and will they have before confronting Eren for the final time.
Far across the sea, the Titans of the Walls have travelled far to reach the other continents and begin their traverse of destruction. One would think the ocean would be too deep for the 60-meter tall, skinless monsters, but who could ever imagine these slow, lumbering creatures would be fast swimmers?
The extreme heat emanating from their bodies boiled the seas, killing a huge amount of undersea life. The cool temperature of the water was what kicked up those huge clouds of smoke that stretched back to Paradis.
Ludwig Oppenheimer was the only man on Earth who got to witness The Rumbling from start to finish, standing proudly atop the head of Eren's Founding Titan. The anchors of the Ace Barrel gear he stole from one of the Wings of Crystal were embedded into the skull, keeping his body still so as to avoid falling over the side. A fall from the height of Eren's new Titan would be more than enough to kill him. Even falling into the sea will kill him, perhaps more painfully than hitting the ground.
Eren's Founding Titan was almost completely submerged in the water with only the top of his head and back sticking out, his soul-piercing green eyes only just above the water line. There was nothing for him to do but sit down and take in the view of the sky and ocean, admiring the old world one final time before it all ends. The sky was a beautiful deep orange due to the sun setting in the west, the water sparkled in response to its vibrant rays. Night was approaching and they still hadn't made landfall yet. Eren's Titan was moving too slowly to make it at the rate of a ship. But what did he expect? Eren's body is stretched out like a centipede, dragging its elongated ribcage across the ground. He wondered if Eren himself was feeling any discomfort from it.
Ludwig thinks back to the exact moment when Eren transformed. He saw the translucent spinal creature burst out of The Winged Titan's mouth and reconnect to his head. The creature itself didn't originate from Lazarus, but Eren's body that he swallowed. Now he sees what went wrong.
"Your transformation went wrong! Your Titan's like this because your head was disconnected from your body. The Hallucigenia could only reconnect your head to your body by elongating itself, it couldn't reattach it. Had Subject 14 or that stupid girl not intervened you'd have a proper bipedal body instead." He turns around to admire the giant spines of Eren's bones, stretching as tall as the highest towers.
"Fortunately, your new Titan body is too large for any obstacle to stand in your way. Unfortunately, you won't be able to defend yourself from any resistance. And believe me, there will be resistance. All your friends back on the island, I estimate they'll be conspiring with your enemies to stop The Rumbling. And we both know Subject 14 will be among them. Like a cockroach, he always comes back no matter how much you crush him!"
He turns himself around to look at Eren's head. Eren's Titan showed no signs of understanding a single word he's been saying since their departure. Can he even communicate with him as he is? Curious to find out, he lowers himself down to the side of Eren's right cheek, appearing in front of his right eye. The ODM gear held its grip as he dangled down. Eren's right eye shifts in his direction, gazing deeply into him. Ludwig felt a shiver run down his spine from the way he was coldly glaring at him. He can't tell if it was genuine resentment, or his Titan was just frozen that way.
"Forgive me for intruding, my friend, I'll only be a moment. I just want to confirm a few things with you. I will be asking you some yes or no questions to pass the travel time. One blink is yes, two blinks is no, understand?"
The Titan blinks once in response, answering yes to the question. Ludwig smiled; this confirms that Eren is still able to understand him.
"Very well, that answers my first question. Eren, did you hear every word I have been saying since we departed?" The Founder blinks once, answering yes.
"Good. So you understand that this wasn't supposed to happen. You realise that losing your head had cost you a fully functional Founding Titan body, correct?" Eren blinks once again.
Ludwig leans back to get a proper look at the whole of Eren's skeletal body. Though it may be a mistake he felt this form was most ironic considering its shape resembled the Hallucigenia itself. Which reminded him of the next question he wanted to ask him.
"Do you know what that creature was? The one responsible for the power of the Titans?"
This time Eren blinked twice, implying he didn't know anything about it. But Ludwig had an idea. That thing looked identical to one of the microscopic organisms he read about in his school years in Marley. One of them was named Hallucigenia which is why he decided to name it such.
"While I don't exactly know what it is, where it came from, or what its true name is, I do know that it is a lifeform that most likely existed long before humans, maybe even the Earth itself. I read about such organisms when I was about your age. One of them was called a Hallucigenia, so that is what I shall call it. I theorise the Hallucigenia is the personification of life itself. That is how it has managed to survive this long… But life is nothing without purpose. What is the meaning of life if it cannot be lived? Until Ymir came along it had no concept of purpose. Life adapts and changes to better suit its environment. It first gained purpose through Ymir but had to adapt when it was passed down to you. You know what else life is capable of?" That one was a rhetorical question.
"Evolution… All forms of life have to change with the times or risk getting left behind and dying with the old ways. Humanity is a good example. We've lived a long time on this planet, always changing and adapting to the times. But human beings can't stay the same forever. In the beginning, we started as primates/cavemen. We acted like any animal would to survive, until one human discovered the use of stone tools and how to make and control fire. One of the first truly life-changing events to shape us as a species was the discovery and invention of written language. Nowadays people don't think twice about such a small feat, but back then it changed everything. We as a species had the ability to write down our thoughts, our knowledge, our wisdom, and our memories onto a sheet of paper for future generations to learn from, becoming as wise as the last in a fraction of the time simply by reading. Evolution is the key for humanity to continue to grow. Even the power of the Titans may one day fade into myth after we succeed in changing the whole Human Race into Titans."
Eren's eye shifts in Ludwig's direction the instant he mentioned that. He kept his eyes forward throughout his philosophical rant, keeping his attention on the path ahead whilst listening to him. Ludwig noticed Eren's reaction and chuckled.
"You're probably wondering why I'm still determined to make Subjects of Ymir the dominant species of human on Earth if I believe they won't be around forever, aren't you?" Eren blinked once before he could even finish talking.
"I already told you before that the world works in cycles and eras. The Rumbling is to put an end to this era of human history to make way for the era of the new Eldian Empire. But evolution is a constant, changing cycle. My vision for the future won't be around forever, I estimate that a couple of thousand years from now another world-ending event will occur to destroy the world we seek to build and replace it with the next era. You didn't think your freedom would last forever, did you? Everything has its time and everything must end. But the good news is you and I will be long gone before that day comes, so we can enjoy the new world we're close to creating together for as long as we live."
Ludwig slowly raises his left hand, places it on the side of Eren's bony cheek and strokes it. Eren doesn't feel anything and decides to maintain focus on reaching the mainland of Marley. The sun was etching ever closer behind the horizon, night was almost upon them. The Marleyan scientist needed to fall back and find a secure spot on Eren's body to get some sleep, but he still had one more question he needed to ask his companion first.
"Eren, you do realise that your friends and foes back home are going to join forces to stop us, don't you?" Eren blinks once. "Then it would be in our best interest to stop them before they get the chance to. With The Founding Titan's full power at your disposal, you can easily cancel out all the Titan Shifters' abilities. All except the Winged and Crystal Titans. They're the only ones who can still stop us, but they can't do it alone. Despite that, we can't take any chances. The Colossal Titan has the power to blow apart this pile of bones and kill us both. We need protection. I have an idea but I'm gonna need your help… Can you contact the Founder, Ymir, on my behalf?"
There wasn't a yes or no answer from Eren this time. He must not know if he can which concerned the old doctor. "You don't know, do you?" Eren blinks once again. "I see… Well then, I guess I'll turn in for the night. Don't know where or if I can find rest on your bony back but I've slept in worst places. Goodnight, Eren. Be sure to wake me when we arrive in Marley. I do not want to miss its destruction." He snickered as he pulled himself back up to the top of Eren's head.
He then flies further down the body, looking for a spot he thinks would be safe for him to camp out on. As he looked over every aspect of Eren's body he spotted something very unusual. Or rather someone.
He lowers himself down to the middle section of the spine and sees a little girl standing there dressed in strange clothes that appeared too out of date for this generation. It looked like it was from the early hundreds. The girl also had blank, greyed-out eyes, making it appear she had no eyes at all. That girl was the Founder, Ymir.
"Who are you? How did you get up here?" Ludwig addressed her, not knowing at all who she was. The girl didn't respond or move a muscle.
Ludwig slowly approaches the girl and stretches his hand out intending to touch her to see if she was actually here or some form of hallucination. To his surprise, his arm was grabbed by a second individual who appeared out of nowhere. It was Joseph Ackerman. His hand that grasped Ludwig was covered in crystals to allow him to physically touch him despite being a spirit. He forces the old man down onto his knees. Ludwig grunts in response to the pain of his arm getting twisted. They were both real. But how can they be here?
"Filthy Marleyan! How dare you try to lay your fingers on Ymir! I should strike you down where you stand!" He spoke venomously in a deep raspy voice, practically spitting the name of the country.
"Ymir? Is she actually here? Then you must be the original Crystal Titan, Joseph Ackerman. Fascinating. But how can you two be here? You both died two thousand years ago."
Joseph ignores the old man's curiosity and turns back to Ymir. "Why have you come here? We don't belong in this world anymore. We don't…" He stops when Ymir pushes past him and removes his crystallised arm from Ludwig. She then helps the old man back up onto his feet much to his confusion. "What are you doing? He's a Marleyan! Why would you help him?"
Ymir slowly turns around and looks up at her much older brother figure from her time. Her eyes focus solely on the crystal broadsword attached to his back and stretches her arm out. The sword starts twitching, like an invisible force was trying to pry it off of him. Joseph was shocked to see it float off his back and land carefully into Ymir's hand. She had reclaimed her damnation.
"What is the meaning of this? Ymir, you entrusted me with that sword. It is what focuses my power! You can't just take it away!"
There was no response from the slave girl. Even if she was capable of speaking, she had nothing to say to him. She aims the sword at Ludwig and reels her arms back, ready to thrust it through his torso.
"Ymir, no! Please! Everything I have done was to protect you! Throughout the ages I have always defended you. I followed all your orders through my descendants. I've always served you out of love! So why? Why would you cast me out and entrust my power to scum like him?! WHY?!" He angrily demanded of her.
Ymir briefly looks back at him with a cold, blank stare. It looked like her mind was made up. However, he noticed that she was crying a single tear in her left eye. Did she have some guilt over what she was doing? Or was she crying for somebody else? Certainly not for a Marleyan like Ludwig. Before either of them could figure out why, Ymir quickly thrusts the sword through Ludwig's torso.
The old scientist gasped and scanned the area in a panic. Something was off. Ymir and Joseph just disappeared. He could swear they were both standing in front of him moments ago. It was like he blinked and all of a sudden they were gone from his field of vision. Even the pain he felt from getting stabbed went away in an instant. He lifts up his shirt to try and feel any scarring but there was nothing there. His chest was completely fine. "What just happened?", he thought to himself. Were they really just a hallucination after all?
"I must be more tired than I thought." He yawns upon thinking that, like his body was in agreement with his mind. No longer caring about where he should rest, Ludwig decided to lay down atop one of the spinal columns along the vertebrate and rest there, he places his cane into a little slit that held together two of the spine columns. His anchors were embedded in the side to keep his body still as he slept. It felt as hard as concrete against his aching back, making it difficult for him to get comfortable. But it was a small price to pay for witnessing Marley's demise come the next day.
Eventually he was able to doze off into a deep sleep unbothered by the sounds of Eren's Titan dragging itself across the ocean floor and the waves crashing against his enlarged ribs. Unbeknown to him a crystal bed was forming underneath him, pushing him off of the spine and straightening out his body. A faint glow was emanating from the centre of his chest underneath his clothes as it occurred. Ludwig continued sleeping away, completely unaware of what was happening.
And it didn't stop with just a bed. More crystals started slowly growing out of the boney surface and stretching high into the sky. Crystals also started spreading along the surface of Eren's skeletal Titan body, coating them in thick layers of Titan crystal. Ludwig's unconscious mind seemed to be building something, but what could it be?
The sun rises off the coast of Marley, and a new day is beginning. Yesterday saw the start of a brave new alliance. Today will bring apart the end of an old one.
An allied global fleet of battleships form a straight line across the endless sea. Nearly all of the world's largest guns ever manufactured have been gathered from across the globe to form this line. It served as Marley's first line of defence against the approaching doom that is The Rumbling. The combined brain power of the world's nations has focused entirely on resolving this shared crisis. It took nothing short of a miracle to even assemble a fleet of this magnitude, and by that miracle alone humanity still clings to hope. For salvation from this Rumbling.
The gifted scientist, who helped develop these weapons, has now awakened from what strangely felt like a decent night's sleep. He could feel his old bones click as he struggled to pick himself up and stretch his arms out. It didn't take him long to notice that he'd been lying on a bed made of crystal. Strange? He could've sworn he fell asleep on Eren's bones. When did this bed get here?
But the bed was not all that caught him off guard. Before he knew it, he practically jumped out of bed in pure shock when he saw the environment around him. He wondered why he didn't feel any cold wind blowing against him in the night. It was because there were walls of crystal erected around him.
He scans his surroundings and realises he is currently standing in what appears to be a crystal-clear version of a castle bedroom. But how is that possible, he thought? It couldn't have been Michael, there was no way he could have reached them on his own. If he came with Lazarus, Eren would've warned him or at least reacted.
He grabs his cane and makes his way down the hallway. The floor beneath his feet was so crystal clear he could see Eren's Titan through it, like looking through a glass floor. He felt a little on edge just from stepping on it, fearing it will break and he'll fall through. But he doubted whoever constructed this would make it so fragile.
At the end of the hall, he comes to a crossroads. To his right were more hallways with even more twists and turns. To his left was a staircase leading up. The smartest choice would be to take the stairs instead of getting lost in what may be a giant labyrinth where all the halls look exactly the same. From what he could see above him, there were a lot of stairs. It looked like it went on forever. It would take hours to reach the top with his rickety old legs. But he was too smart for that. He simply scaled up the middle of the stairs on his ODM gear and pulled himself straight to the top.
When he reached the top, he found an open arch leading to a balcony outside. He was in awe at the sight he witnessed. Ludwig has seen and done so much in his lifetime; he was convinced that nothing would surprise him anymore. But this. This was on a whole other level.
He was standing on the balcony of the tallest tower of what he conceived to be a giant medieval-esc city of crystal spanning all over Eren's back. It was held up by thousands of strands of hardened flesh which clung to the tall spines sticking out to the side. The underside of the structure was fused in place by more crystals that coated most of The Founding Titan's skeletal body. Eren himself seemed to be unaffected by the extra weight of an entire city resting atop his back, he just stayed his course like it was no bother.
"This couldn't have been Michael," he thought. One Crystal Titan alone couldn't have constructed all this in one night. It would take months, maybe even years, to go into so much detail. But there was no mistaking that this was a man-made structure. It couldn't be Eren either because his hardening is nowhere near the level of The Crystal Titan. "This was Ymir's doing, had to be."
He thinks back to last night when he thought he'd seen her and Joseph, remembering the agonising yet very brief pain of getting stabbed through the torso.
" It really was her I saw last night; it wasn't a hallucination. I don't know how, or why, but somehow Ymir must have sensed my worries about Erwin's alliance trying to stop us. She built this stronghold to protect Eren and I. She communed with me, a simple Marleyan. I estimate no non-Eldian has ever had the privilege of seeing her. I didn't even think non-Eldians could." He then remembers seeing Ymir strip Joseph of his sword. That part he still had difficulty trying to figure out.
" Hmm, perhaps Joseph was against this grand plan Eren and I are about to carry out and she disposed of him. What does that mean for Michael? Is that it for The Crystal Titan? Surely it can't be that easy."
There wasn't any time to think about it, Marley was in sight. From atop his perch, he could see the large gathering of warships forming a line along the ocean. He could barely see the end on either side, and he wouldn't be able to count them all if he tried.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a tiny pair of foldable binoculars and brings them up to his eyes. Though they were small, he could see very far and clearly. He could see the admiral in charge raise his left arm high into the air. All of the ship's guns were targeting him and Eren. He was about to give the signal to open fire.
"Haha, fools! As if that's gonna make a dent in this impenetrable fortress. You know what to do, Eren."
Eren's Founding Titan stops in its tracks, allowing the army of Wall Titans to swim past him and lead the charge. A huge mass of steam clouds flies over them, masking their presence. But Ludwig's tower stood taller than the steam, at least for the first part, giving him a clear view of Marley's fruitless endeavours.
"FIRE!"
All hands on all ships covered their ears as every single Anti-Titan cannon fired off a handful of rounds into the sky, angling them slightly up so that gravity could bring them down hard on the approaching Titans. Some of the shots do manage to take out a fair amount of them, but that wasn't enough to even make a dent in their forces. The ocean started turning red from the blood loss of so many dead Titans.
The admiral orders the second strike and states that they should keep firing no matter what. He knows they'll never stop them, but at least they'll take a few more Titans down with them, giving the nation a less then 1% chance to affect the outcome.
And so the cannons fired ceaselessly, taking down a few more Titans with the occasional lucky shot. But just as Eren foresaw in his vision, they stood no chance. The Titans pass underneath their boats, kicking up a huge wave of boiling hot seawater and steam. All the crew members were incinerated from the intense heat, perishing before their bodies could even feel the pain of having their flesh melt off their bones.
The shockwave blasted all of the ships into the air. The heat overloaded their boilers, causing them to go up into a line of conjoined fiery explosions. The soldiers stationed on the mainland were forced to watch all that happen, generating an overwhelming fear among them. They were tasked to be the second line of defence to keep the Titans from setting foot onto the mainland. But now they have doubts they can do it. The strongest naval fleet in the entire world couldn't stop it, what made them think they could?
Those brave enough chose to open fire anyway, but their artillery had little to no effect on them. All they could do now was run away and save themselves. But how far can they run before inevitably getting trampled or burnt up like their allies?
They retreated to higher ground as the first of the Wall Titans set foot on land and began their march across Marley. Some of the soldiers stopped to look back at what was pulling up from the rear. They knew running was pointless so why not stare death in the face and see the beast for themselves.
And there it was, standing even taller than before with the Crystal Citadel on its back. The Founding Titan gazes down upon the land with its glowing green eyes with the intent to kill all of them.
"Is that?"
"Yeah, it can only be… The Attack Titan!"
The Titans continue their march. Eventually, Eren's Titan makes it onto the land and drags its ribs across the ground, kicking up all sorts of debris. From atop his perch, Ludwig stretches his arms out to the side and relishes in this glorious moment, similar to how Yelena acted when Zeke blasted Marley's airships out of the sky.
"Hahahahaha! Run humanity of the past, RUN! There's nowhere you can go that we can't find you! REJOICE! THE END OF THE OLD WORLD IS HERE! GO, EREN! GO! BRING ABOUT TRUE FREEDOM!" He declared proudly, driven insane by his desire to make history.
Eren didn't respond. He was remembering the one singular moment in his past that was the cause of all this. The day his mother died. He watched as she was eaten by a Titan, and now he will watch as the whole world suffers a fate much worse. Ludwig can go on and on about evolution and starting the next era all he wants; he only has one thought on his mind. The vow he made to himself that same day when he, Mikasa and Armin retreated behind Wall Rose.
"I'll kill them all! Every last one! The world will crumble!"
To Be Continued