Attack On Titan: Wings Of Crystal
Chapter 80: Night of the End
The Warriors all reunite in Shiganshina. Annie and Bertolt were the first to find where Michael and Reiner were hiding out, still recovering from the battle. They couldn't get a wink of sleep due to all the noise from the Wall Titans. But now that they've all left the island, they practically passed out.
Bertolt remained by their side, keeping an eye out for Yeagerists. Annie was lying on the couch in the other room. She'd been through a lot of stress today thanks to Ludwig and needed a moment to calm herself.
With everyone asleep, there was nothing for Bertolt to do but recap recent events. That Titan he saw in the vault, he could swear he recognised it. He's seen a lot of Pure Titans over the years. Each one heavily resembled the person they used to be. When his fellow Warriors were transformed before his eyes he could tell who they were by their appearance. Even their Titan bodies after receiving six of the Nine took on their physical attributes. But this one he still can't wrap his finger around who it could be.
An unexpected series of knocks on the front door startles him to the point he almost falls out of his chair. He shakes it off and approaches the door. He was understandably hesitant to open it. It could be Yeagerists for all he knew. Then again if it were why would they knock and not just kick the door down? Holding his breath, he grabs the doorknob and slowly opens it.
He was beyond relieved to see that it wasn't Yeagerists or Ludwig, but their unit's new War Chief, Lazarus, back from the dead once again, dressed up in a black hooded cloak.
"Lazarus! Thank God you're here. We all saw the blast and thought there was no chance you were coming back this time. Are you alright?"
"I'm still recovering but for the most part, I'm fine. Are the others in there with you?" He quietly asked.
Bertolt nodded and stood to the side to allow him entrance to their temporary hideout. Upon entering he was tackled out of nowhere by Annie who'd heard his voice from the other room. She was ecstatic seeing her man back in one piece. She clung to him like a vice, sinking her face into his chest. Lazarus smiled, wrapped his arms around her tiny body and laid his head atop hers. Even though they'd only been separated for a few days it felt like a lifetime for the young couple. Neither of them wanted to let the other go. They just wanted to hold each other and not think about the world just for a moment.
"I thought I'd never see you again." They both said at the same time. They both break off the hug and lock hands, their fingers intertwined.
"I searched for you in the wreckage, I couldn't find a trace of you anywhere. I was scared you were gone for good." Annie sorrowfully muttered, tears building up in her eyes.
Lazarus wipes them away with his thumbs and holds her head in place, forcing her to look at him. "I'm sorry, Annie. This is all my fault. I couldn't stop Eren in time. He made contact with Zeke in a fraction of a second as I was devouring his body. He's now going to destroy our home because of my negligence. Our baby won't have a place to live."
"What?! You know?" She shockingly expressed, only to be replaced with a frown. "Pieck told you, didn't she? She promised she wouldn't tell! I'm gonna kill her!"
"She did the right thing telling me. Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant from the start?"
"I don't know, I… I was scared of how you'd react. Neither of us asked for it, especially at a time like this. I didn't want you to worry about us and lose focus on your mission. You were so busy with the Wings of Crystal, building new ODM gear, preparing for Eren's attack, and trying to come up with a plan to stop The Rumbling. I thought keeping it a secret would help stop this… but it didn't work out in the end."
"Oh Annie…" Lazarus gently pulls her in for a loving kiss. The two lovebirds hold it for what feels like two minutes before slowly breaking it off. "I'm sorry I made you think that my mission was more important than you. This plan was only invented to make our lives better. To put an end to this cycle of hate. You, Michael, Bertolt, and every one of our friends is what matters to me. I love you guys more than anything else in this world and I will do whatever it takes to protect you."
Annie and Bertolt were so moved by his words that they failed to notice that Lazarus hadn't come alone. Armin was peering through the open doorway watching the reunion between the Female and Winged Titans. He was holding another whole pie in his hands. They'd finished the first one but decided to steal another to feed the others in case they hadn't eaten yet.
Lazarus notices him out of the corner of his eye and decides to properly announce his presence instead of taking the others by surprise. "Guys, I didn't come alone. I brought help." He directs them towards the front door.
Armin raises his head and lowers his hood so they can get a good look at his face. Both Annie and Bertolt could not believe their eyes. This had to be a hallucination, right? Armin can't be here. He died in the aftermath of the Battle of Shiganshina. He was turned into a Titan and force-fed Lazarus. No Titan that ate him survived.
The farm boy just stood there shyly. He felt awkward seeing them again remembering how his last proper encounter with them went. Annie was looking down on him, Eren, and Mikasa with a creepy smile and laughing like a mad woman before transforming into The Female Titan. And he tried to reason with Bertolt only to be told all he wanted was Eren and the deaths of everyone in the walls. He was the reason he was almost killed. Just looking at him forced him to relive the moment when he could feel his whole body burn to a crisp.
Now here he was standing before them again with a pie in his hands and the world coming to an end around them. In a dire situation, there was only one thing he thought to say to them after all this time.
"…Hello."
Once the others had gotten over the shock of Armin being alive again Lazarus explained to them what happened. Bertolt finally understood the Titan in the vault was Armin all along. It was ironic. Before Lazarus came along, he was meant to be the sacrifice to whoever received the Titan Serum. Had Armin eaten him instead he'd be the controller of The Colossal Titan. Maybe in another world that did happen.
As soon as they were all caught up Lazarus checked on Michael and Reiner. They were alive but still asleep much to his relief. He didn't blame them one bit for wanting a couple of hours of sleep. The sounds of The Rumbling made rest next to impossible. Annie and Bertolt helped themselves to a slice of the new pie they brought them. Lazarus places two more slices beside the sleeping Warriors for when they wake up.
Lazarus places his hand on his neck, feeling the empty spot where his crystal sword necklace used to sit. He and Michael agreed to take them off before the attack on Liberio occurred. Good thing they did. It never would've survived the blast that obliterated him. They have been safely locked away in the jewellery box Michael's mother used to keep her jewels in at his house in Odiha. Hopefully, The Rumbling hasn't reached their home yet.
As he watched him sleep, Lazarus remembered the conversation they had in The Paths Realm. Michael had been acting against him from the start and only agreed to help so he could kill Ymir. He thought he knew Michael. He was a different person when he lost his memories and he assumed he'd be normal again when he got them back. But it was all an illusion. Now he knows how his former friends in the 104th felt.
"Uhhhh, my head."
Michael mutters in his sleep. He lets out a big yawn and stretches his arms out to the sides as he pushes himself to his feet. His eyes blink a few times trying to adjust to the light of the room.
"Mmmm, nice nap." He muttered as he felt for where he left his glasses. Lazarus hands them over to him which he graciously accepts and puts on, clearing his vision. His tired mind takes a second and a half to register that it was his best friend who'd given him his glasses alive and well. When it finally did, he was staggered.
"Lazarus! You survived! I knew you would." He spots Annie and Bertolt to the side eating pie. They respond with a single wave. "You're both here too, great. At least we're all together now."
"Oh, so now you care about us." Lazarus scoffed at him.
Didn't take long for Michael to figure out what he meant. This was about what he told him in The Paths. He then proceeds to share what he said to the other members of the Omega Unit. Their reactions were identical to their leader's which is to be expected.
Annie was so pissed she straight up kicked Michael in the face, knocking him into the wall and his glasses fall to the floor. "Yeah, I deserved that." He thought.
Bertolt, however, seemed to be with Michael on the idea, agreeing with what he said about Marley being untrustworthy to keep their word. Lazarus ends up distancing himself from him, no longer able to look at him without remembering those hurtful things he said.
"…You have every reason to be pissed at me, Laz. But I stand by my reason behind my actions. Had I killed Ymir in that moment none of this would be happening. Eren would lose the power of the Founder and The Rumbling would've never come to pass."
"And I would forever be The Winged Titan!" He callously reminded him. "You just don't get it, and you probably never will. As long as I'm The Winged Titan I will always be feared. People all over the world fear me because of my monstrous power. I don't want to be feared anymore!"
"I understand-
"No, you don't! You were never experimented on! Forced onto some cold table with a bunch of doctors stabbing needles into you regularly! You've never been killed over and over and OVER again to test the limits of your immortality! THIS is what being The Winged Titan has given me! Nothing but pain and misery!" As his anger increased, he began emitting heat and his eyes began to glow, putting the others in a state of panic.
"And you want me to stay this way just to keep The Crystal Titan legacy going?! You of all people should've had my back on how fucked up Ludwig made my life! But you decided to take advantage of it instead for some plan your ancestors forced you into! Ancestors, who may I remind you, tried to control you! Joseph tried to kill you in The Paths!"
Annie takes his hand which feels warm to the touch and slowly increases in temperature. His body heat was reacting to his emotions. She needed to calm him down before he accidentally unleashed another Hellfire Force.
"Deep breaths, Laz. Do it for me."
The War Chief nods and follows her orders. He takes a few calming breaths before he can address his "friend" again. He couldn't bring himself to look at him and continued his rant with his back turned to him.
"You see what just happened, pal? I can't even properly express myself without causing some form of disaster. That's why I always keep a level head because I have to… You and Zeke deserve each other. Both of you claimed to be my brother when all you really wanted was to stab me in the back!"
Lazarus waited for Michael to try and talk his way out of this one if he was even capable. But there was no response, prompting the albino to swallow his pride and face him. Michael wore a look of utter bewilderment. Not quite the reaction he was expecting but he was pleased the message came through loud and clear.
"A-A… Armin?!" He pointed behind Lazarus. He and Annie glance over their right shoulder at the farm boy. He had been hanging out in the corner all this time and hadn't been noticed by him until just now. His sleep-deprived mind must be playing tricks on him.
"Oh, hey Armin." Lazarus addressed him like it was normal, adding to his surprise.
"Hey, Armin?! So… he's not a hallucination?"
"No, I'm not." He confirmed.
Michael pauses as he tries to figure out how Armin is alive when he is certain he died. Like Bertolt, he deduced that he was the Pure Titan Ludwig kept locked up in the vault. But unlike the tallest member of the Warriors, he figured out that it was Lazarus' scream triggering his spinal fluid still in his system that changed him back.
"Hange had kept you locked up underground this whole time. Does Eren even know?" He asked him.
"I don't know. My mind is still hazy from being a Titan for four years."
"I think he does know." Bertolt intervened. "Hange has no reason to capture Titans for research when the knowledge in Doctor Yeager's basement would've provided all the answers. They'd have no reason to keep a Titan locked up unless it was to feed one of us to it. Eren still saw hope to get you back, that's why he had me captured."
"He's right," Armin added. Though they're on the same side now, it still felt weird for him to agree with Bertolt. "But Eren most likely doesn't know Lazarus' spinal fluid was still inside me. He might think I'm still a Titan."
"No." Michael shook his head in disagreement. "If he thought you were still a Titan, he could've changed you back with The Founding Titan's power. I wouldn't be surprised if he hated Lazarus even more for doing it first considering Laz is technically the reason you remained a Titan all this time.
Lazarus briefly glances at Michael in response to hearing his name. Whilst they were busy talking about Armin and what it was like to be a Titan for so long, he was checking up on Reiner who is yet to awaken. He places a damp cloth on top of his forehead to keep his temperature low.
Ten minutes of silence fills the house. Michael and Armin catch up. Bertolt was lying down on the sofa, gazing up at the ceiling. And Annie was leaning against the wall beside Lazarus who was trying to wake Reiner up but had no luck.
"Hey, Bertolt. Do you know what happened to Willy?" Lazarus asked as he fluffs Reiner's pillow.
"We got separated when we came here looking for Reiner and Michael. I think he was with Erwin. He should be fine."
"Well, we better go out and look for them as soon as these two wake up. Pieck may still be with Magath." Michael suggested.
"What exactly is the plan from here on out?" Annie asked her man, ignoring Michael completely. She still hadn't forgiven him for what he did yet. But to her surprise, it was Armin who decided to come up with the plan first.
"We need to track down Mikasa and the others and convince the lot of you to work together. That won't be easy considering your actions, but I can always act as the peacemaker. Lazarus saved my life, I'm sure that'll be enough to get them to listen."
Lazarus chuckled a little and applauded Armin's idea. "You've still got it, Armin. That's exactly what I would've said. You're absolutely right. If anyone can convince the others we're all on the same side, it's you and Erwin. The only question is where do we find them?"
Annie shushes everyone before either of them can even think to take a guess. She heard something ominous outside. Without the noise of The Rumbling flooding their ears the world outside was quiet enough for her to pick up anything that might be a threat to them. She inches over to the window and plans to place her ear up against the wall to figure out if what she heard was authentic. But the looming shadows passing over the closed curtains were enough to convince her they were not alone.
She hand-signals the others of the approaching unknown, telling them to hide Armin and get into position to fight back in case it was an enemy scouting party. Bertolt lightly shoves Armin into the pantry and closes the door behind him before hiding behind a wall. Michael reaches for a pistol he snatched from a dead Marleyan soldier and flips the safety off. But Lazarus raises his hand, telling him to hold his fire.
The looming shadow of the mysterious presence seeps into the house through the underside of the door prompting him to cock the gun and ready to aim. But whoever was standing outside the door chose to knock and announce themselves instead of kicking the door down like they were expecting.
"Michael! Reiner! It's Gabi! I found Falco. Can you please let us in?"
Lazarus checks behind him before giving Annie the all-clear to open the door, making sure Armin is out of sight in case they are followed. Michael hides the pistol behind his back as Annie opens the door. He and the War Chief were so glad to see the kids standing there unharmed.
"Annie? Where's Michael and Reiner?" Gabi asked.
"I'm here you little munchkin." Michael playfully mocked. Gabi giggles and rushes to his side. She was happy to see he'd recovered but also worried Reiner hadn't.
"What about Reiner?"
"It's ok, he's still sleeping. Just give him time, he'll come round." He reassured her.
"Lazarus!" Falco pushes past them and embraces his idol. Lazarus smiles and returns the hug.
"I'm so glad you're okay, both of you… I'm sorry about Colt." He offered his condolences.
Falco starts breaking into tears remembering his older brother's gruesome demise. Lazarus comforted the boy by patting him on the back. Gabi walks up to him and holds his hand, adding to it.
"I'm the one who should be sorry, sir… I ate Mister Galliard and took his Jaw Titan."
"You are not to blame, Falco. It was Zeke who turned you. He's responsible for this. And he'll get what's coming to him, both he and Eren." His mentor assured him.
"Um, guys. We didn't come alone. There are some people you may know here." Gabi muttered under her breath, worried how things would escalate from here.
Lazarus, Michael, Annie, and Bertolt turn back to the front entrance and are slightly taken aback to see Mikasa, Connie, and Sasha standing there glaring at them. The seven of them proceeded to have an intense stare-off, each one thinking back to the last time they'd seen one another and comparing it to this reunion. It wasn't long ago Lazarus suggested they try and find them. What are the odds they'd find them instead?
Mikasa coldly stared into the crimson eyes of The Winged Titan. The one person who always surpassed her as a fighter at every turn. He claimed the number 1 graduate spot in the 104th. Since then, she alone suspected there was more to him than meets the eye. The last time they met he smashed her into a building with the barrel of the massive quadruple Gatling Gun gear he'd built. Hopefully, the moment will come for her to get some payback.
Michael was having conflicting thoughts about seeing Sasha again. He hadn't forgotten the stunt she'd pulled on him in Liberio. Now his relationship with her and Lazarus was on the fritz.
To say that there was bad blood between them was a gross understatement. Every thought between them was negative. Gabi and Falco could practically see the fictional bolts of lightning passing between their eyes. One of them will have to break the connection at some point, though they didn't expect it to be Reiner. He finally awakens from his deep sleep, diverting all eyes towards him.
Reiner spots his former comrades in the 104th to his left and then turns to his allies on the right. He looked like he'd woken up at the most convenient time.
"Wh- What's going on here?"
Now it was vital Gabi and Falco step in between the two groups and try to calm things down. "We were just about to tell the others that we brought them here," Gabi tells him.
"It's okay, though. They have no desire to hurt us. We're all on the same side now, right?" Falco asks Connie in the middle.
"Yeah…" Connie uttered; his eyes fixed on Lazarus' horns. This was the first time he, Sasha, or Mikasa ever got to properly see them. They didn't get the time to register them atop the wall when they transformed moments after.
"Where's Jean?" Michael asked.
"He's with The Cart Titan in the forest. That's where we're all supposed to meet up." Sasha replied first. She looks away from Michael in shame, intimidated by his stare all of a sudden.
"There's not much time, let's go," Connie spoke again.
"Go where?" Reiner questioned.
"To end this and save the world."
"Wait," Lazarus spoke up, stopping them from heading out the front door. "I wanted to thank you for not harming the kids. I know you didn't do it for my sake."
"Don't want your thanks." Connie retorted. "I was actually close to feeding the boy to my mother. The only reason I didn't is because Sasha convinced me that returning him to you was the only way to get you to help us."
"Well, you'll be pleased to know that I was planning to ask you to help us as well. Glad we're on the same page… Look, I know you don't trust us."
"Oh? What gave that away?" Mikasa responded in an emotionless tone with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
The albino Warrior ignores her comment and continues. "You all have every right to hate us for the things we did. But know that I don't hate any of you for your involvement in the Liberio Raid. You were only getting retribution and that's fine. But if we're all going to work together, we need to learn to put our hatred aside and try to understand that bigger things are happening here than our animosity… When we reach the others, all I ask is that you listen-
"There is nothing you can say that'll make us forgive you." Mikasa interrupted him.
"And I'm not asking for it, nor for you to like me. I just want you to understand. I know nothing I say will convince you that we've changed, so I brought along someone who might be able to… You can come out now!" Lazarus turns his head over his right shoulder and calls out to Armin in the pantry.
Mikasa's hands latch onto her blades, ready to strike whoever they've got hidden back there. The pantry door creaks open and Armin shuffles into their point of view. He gently lowers his hood and reveals his face to the others.
Mikasa, Sasha, and Connie all gasp with shock. They couldn't believe their eyes, especially Mikasa. Armin Arlert was standing before them with a warm smile on his face, happy to see his friends again. He couldn't believe how much older they all looked now. Connie's hair grew out. Mikasa's had gotten shorter. And Sasha's was in a different style. But to them, he looked exactly the same as he was when they last saw him alive. Same neck-length blonde hair. Same skinny physique. He was even the same height and age. This had to be some kind of trick, the Ackerman girl thought to herself. Lazarus was trying to manipulate her somehow.
She was overwhelmed by her emotions, struggling to accept what she was seeing. She bares her teeth in anger, draws her swords and is about to attack Lazarus. But she was stopped by Armin who stood in between her and the War Chief with his arms stretched out to the sides.
"Don't hurt him, Mikasa! It's not a trick." He places his hand on Mikasa's left cheek. She shuddered in response to his touch. His hand felt warm against her cold face. He was flesh and blood. "… It's really me. I'm here."
Mikasa's rage is quickly replaced by a strong wave of happy tears. Her grip on the blades loosened, allowing them to drop to the floor. She immediately pulls Armin into a tight, loving hug. She continued to cry as she held him, similar to how she reacted when she saw Eren emerge from The Attack Titan's nape for the very first time in Trost.
Connie and Sasha hung back but shared Mikasa's shock at seeing Armin alive, and even more so to see him defend Lazarus knowing he was once their greatest foe.
Nobody dared to break up this heartfelt reunion between the two childhood friends. Armin can explain to the others what Lazarus told him once they've joined up with the rest of the alliance. In the meantime, he will relish this momentary happiness.
Deep in the forest in the dark of the night, an unlikely rabble of Marley stragglers and island fugitives attempt to put their hatred aside and talk things out without killing each other.
Erwin was the first to make his presence known to the others once they arrived with the Warriors. Their reaction was just as he'd expected. But he ended up sharing their shock when he saw Armin with them. Just as he was explaining to the others what he told Levi and Hange, Armin explained to him how he managed to survive. It would seem that both of them owed Lazarus their lives.
Jean was just as unnerved as the others to see the Warriors whom he once trusted show their faces again. He still held a personal grudge against Michael for pushing him down the stairs back at the restaurant even though it was mostly an accident.
He and Connie wondered if Lazarus had somehow brainwashed Erwin and Armin into supporting his plan. It didn't seem like something either of them would do. But they both explained that wasn't the case. Erwin reminded them that his only desire was to see what the world was like beyond the Walls. Once he got his wish his new goal was to take over Marley from within and extend relations with Paradis. But that all changed when Lazarus mentioned his vision of the future that is now set in stone.
Killing everyone was not the answer, Hange and Levi agreed with him on that. The three of them agreed to work with Magath and gather up more allies. The majority of the Wings of Crystal had been wiped out with only four soldiers remaining. Their numbers needed to be increased. With the combination of the Warriors, Scout Regiment, and Magath they have a fighting chance.
After an hour and a half of getting reacquainted the members of the alliance against Eren gathered around the campfire to begin discussing what their first official move as a fighting force should be. Hange was preparing stew for everyone with the ingredients brought over by the three Scout members. Magath provided the wine, though he wasn't too keen on sharing it with those involved in the Liberio Raid. The only one he shared it with was Willy who kept his distance from the island devils.
Pieck was still in her Cart Titan form lying on her stomach, watching the others work. Moments ago, Annie kicked her in the side of her jaw for telling Lazarus about her pregnancy, which was inevitably picked up on by the others. They all heard about it through Ludwig. They were disgusted with the idea of him using them as cattle for his experiments. They may not like Lazarus, but that doesn't mean his child should have to suffer for his actions.
The four remaining members of the WOC were the only ones who didn't join in on the meal because they were tasked with keeping a lookout for Yeagerist spies. Levi also didn't join due to the condition he was in. Erwin thought it best he slept it off and had an early breakfast tomorrow instead.
The Scouts and the Warriors sat opposite each other for everyone else's own good. Neither side trusted any of them to succumb to anger and attack the other. The whole point of this gathering was to talk and lay all their issues out on the floor so they could work it out, put it behind them, and move on. But it was easier said than done. The silence didn't help matters either. Even Sasha was too focused on Michael to even think about eating any of the potatoes sitting in the box behind Hange. That alone was worrying.
Yelena and Onyankopon were sitting to the right of the others opposite Magath, Tybur, and Pieck. The general continued to menacingly glare at her, resisting the urge to go up to her and break her arm.
Gabi and Falco were in between Willy and Reiner and Erwin was in between Michael and Hange. Both the former and current commanders of the Scouts came to the same conclusion that somebody had to break the silence and start things off. And the one to do that was Hange.
"… So, is anyone gonna help me out with these potatoes, or are we just gonna glare at each other?"
General Magath couldn't help but utter a small chuckle, gaining the others' attention. "Heh, we've gone from trading blows to breaking bread in a day, huh? And I thought there was nothing left to surprise me. Out of curiosity, what made you change your mind? If you let Eren Yeager succeed you'll be getting far more than you ever could've have hoped for. You Island Devils will have the world to yourselves. We were the ones trying to save it. We would've kept Eren and Zeke from coming into contact if you hadn't stepped in at the last minute and helped them!"
"I'm only repeating what I've already told you, General. Nobody here wants to be an accessory to genocide." Erwin spoke in defence of his old comrades. "All our paths may diverge, but they all end in the same place. I've gotten to know almost everyone here well enough to see that."
"That's why we're all hiding out in the woods eating stew instead of celebrating in town," Hange added.
"So you finally figured out who the good guys are, ey?" Magath uttered before taking a swig from the red bottle.
His egotistical comment sparked a triggered response from Jean. "Are you kidding me?! You seriously think you're in the right?! You're crazy! You people spent years trying to murder us all and we're the bad guys because we didn't just roll over and die? Screw that! We learned to fight like hell because the only other option we had was to let your Titans eat us all alive! We found a way to survive and you're gonna call us devils for it!"
The general continued to drink as he listened to his little rant, unamused and his attempt to justify his people's past actions.
"… That's right. You were exactly what we always thought you were. We let you fester for too long on Paradis. The world's about to pay for that mistake. You finally won your freedom, and we can all see what you're doing with it. What'd I miss?"
"Plenty," Jean replied. "Not a word about your shock troops destroying Eren's home and making him watch his mother getting eaten alive! That's what started this! If you wanna know why this is happening, go look in the mirror!"
"Right." He began in a sarcastic tone. "Everything was fine til your buddy lost his mom. Hmph, I guess all those centuries of Marley's people getting grounded under Eldia's heel don't count for anything in your mind."
"Now you're gonna play the victim over something that happened 2,000 years ago?"
"It's like talking to a child, it started 2,000 years ago. Compared to the sum of the carnage and misery brought on by Eldia, your island's suffering is a joke!"
This back-and-forth bickering between Jean and Magath was already a bad start to the truce. Lazarus was tempted to intervene and cool things down, but he knew that would only make things worse. Speaking out could cause a fight to break out and somebody getting hurt. He will only speak when spoken to. Michael had the same thought. He was still viewed as a traitor to his old comrades in the 104th, anything he said would only backfire.
Fortunately, Erwin stepped in and de-escalated the situation. "That's enough, General! If we're going to be at each other's throats, let's stick with arguing about stuff we live through ourselves. Look, Jean, our friend, the general, is having a hard time understanding why we're not acting like the devils we are. And how we were able to turn their greatest weapon against them."
Lazarus turns away from the others shifting their eyes in his direction, knowing he was who Erwin was referring to.
"Giving up our paradise to save a world who wants us dead? What devil in their right mind would do a ridiculous thing like that? Have we gone mad?" Hange rhetorically asked herself, averting their eyes away from Lazarus. "What you don't know, General, is the Scouts have spent a few months living in that world, so we could never go back to being the ignorant island devils we were."
Jean grunted in annoyance and returned to his spot beside the others. Magath went back to drinking, occasionally offering a swig to Tybur. Things began to calm down again until Annie decided to spark another argument with Mikasa.
"Tell me, can you honestly bring yourself to kill him?" Mikasa and the others all glance over at Annie standing in front of Lazarus. "Are you truly ready to kill Eren?" She repeated herself.
There was no response. She could tell they were still hesitant, especially Mikasa. She'll bet there may be some other way even if deep down she knows there isn't. Erwin already explained to them the plan to have Lazarus successfully eat Eren this time to undo all the mess that's been done to him and the world. But killing Eren was the only way that plan could succeed.
"I don't think that's our only option. We can find another way."
"Exactly what I expected you to say. So what? You gonna try and persuade him? He made the choice to slaughter every man, woman, and child on the planet. You think you can talk him back from that?"
"I… I'm not assuming we can, but we're never gonna know for sure unless we at least try." Armin replied.
"Sure, and say you fail. You make your case and he still refuses to stop The Rumbling. What's next? It's him or the world. Can you all see him as your enemy?" Again, there was no response. She should've known they couldn't. Annie places her left hand on her stomach and looks back at the man she loves, thinking about how the world will be destroyed because they can't see Eren as an enemy.
"You've already stopped Lazarus from eating Eren before. And now we're all fighting to protect our homeland and do what we need to do to ensure he succeeds this time. But the moment we try to help you're going to turn on us to try to save your friend. And you know it, don't you, Mikasa? Tell me I'm wrong. … You can't do it, right? You care about nothing more than him. Can you imagine turning against him?"
Mikasa suddenly draws her blades and takes up a fighter's stance. "If you want me out of the way then just come out and say it!"
Annie retaliates by unveiling the spike on the promise ring Lazarus gave her back in Stohess. The new War Chief was about to stand up and get in between them but Michael and Bertolt grabbed his arms and held him down. Michael assured him that neither one of them would attack. For the sake of everyone here, they better be right.
"Leonhart!"
"Ackerman!"
"Stand down!" Erwin and Magath sternly ordered simultaneously. Annie was the first to lower her ring and after a moment, stretched out her other hand towards her as a gesture of making peace.
"I know exactly how you feel, Mikasa. My feelings for Lazarus are as strong as yours for Eren. Had our lives been swapped, I would have wanted to find another way too. I'm not fighting Eren because I think the world's worth saving. I'm doing it because my dad's in Marley and I don't want him to die without getting the chance to meet his grandchild. But I can't save him without your help. If you really can change Eren's mind that's fine with me. But until you get the chance, we shouldn't be fighting."
Mikasa relaxes, lowers her arms and turns her back on Annie. Lazarus was impressed with the results. He thought for certain Mikasa was going to strike her down. She almost did to him a few hours ago had Armin not gotten in the middle.
Hange distracts everyone by tapping the inside of the pot with her wooden ladle, proudly announcing the completion of her stew. Everyone lined up in front of her and waited for her to pour each of them a bowl. Once they have it, they return to their spots around the campfire and dig in. Erwin was the first to compliment her cooking. He was surprised she had a knack for it. The whole time she'd been with him she never cooked a meal for the regiment. They had chefs take care of that for them. Even her enemies were enjoying it, though they tried their best not to show it and inflate her ego.
Everyone sat in silence and enjoyed their meals. Some of them sneak a glance or two at the person across from them now and then but don't start any more arguments.
Once everyone's had their fill of stew, Hange explains the first objective of their mission to stop The Rumbling. With the huge amount of people gathered here and very few horses available, most of them would have to ride on The Cart's back. The Warriors agreed to it since they've had plenty of experience with Pieck's mode of travel. But even with the horses rested they've still got a five-hour ride to the port. Kiyomi mentioned that the Azumabito have a flying boat in the harbour and were planning to take off in it to observe The Rumbling from the air. The Winged Titan alone isn't big enough to carry everyone by itself and it was best for Lazarus to preserve his strength for the battle against Eren himself.
The problem was they needed to find The Founding Titan first and they won't have enough fuel to fly around looking for him. That's where Lazarus comes in. He can use his Titan-tracking ability to pinpoint Eren's location and guide the flying boat towards him.
"Lazarus…" Erwin addressed him without warning. "Are you able to track Eren now?"
The young Averbach closes his eyes and drowns out all the outside noise to help him focus. He already picked up the presence of his fellow Titan Shifters, but he was having difficulty locating Eren. He has three Titan powers inside him, that should make his presence three times stronger than the others. The only guarantee he can't sense him is that he is out of range. He opens his eyes and regretfully shakes his head.
"He's too far out of range for me to get a read, I'm sorry… Unless."
"What's wrong?" Michael asked worriedly.
A realisation struck Lazarus like a bullet to the head. This wasn't the first time he was unable to get a read on Eren's Titan. He was unable to sense him underneath the stage in Liberio's square. This all but confirmed his hypothesis.
"I think Eren has somehow discovered a way to hide himself from my Titan Sense. I couldn't sense him when he attacked Liberio. The power to sense other Titan powers originated from The Founder itself. Eren must be using his own Titan Sense to counter my own."
"Think, Lazarus. Is there anything you tell us that can give us any indication of where he'll be heading?" Hange asked with a hint of desperation.
"We don't need to cling onto false hopes," Magath stated. He points everyone in the direction of Yelena who hadn't uttered a word since she'd been brought here. "We captured this one because she knows exactly where Yeager's headed. So, tell us, where is Yeager going first?"
"What makes you think I know?"
"Because Ludwig would've told you. If not directly then he must've mentioned it in that letter he wrote, right?"
Yelena's eyes widen and her hands dive into her pockets, trying to find the letter. She stopped when she noticed the general was waving it around for everyone to see. "Give it back!"
"You didn't think I'd have you searched before bringing you here? I know Ludwig wrote this; I recognise his handwriting. You and he told Eren about the mainland. You gave him the knowledge to plan this attack. He's going to be picking his targets based on what you taught him. That's exactly why he's with him right now. As we speak, he is whispering into The Founder's ear, telling him where to strike first. You're close with Ludwig, you should at least be able to make a guess."
"Kiss my ass!" She rudely retorted. "What makes you think Doctor Oppenheimer and I are close? He's just another Marleyan swine like you. What makes you think I'd save your godforsaken hellhole of a country?"
"How about the fact that it's your only chance at seeing another sunrise?" Bertolt suggested.
"That won't work. She doesn't want to live." Jean mockingly stated.
"I thought you started the volunteers because you wanted to liberate your homeland from Marley. Are you gonna let your country get flattened just to spite the Marleyan swine?" Sasha asked with a mouthful of stew. She was enjoying the soft potato chunks the most.
"The answer's yes." The general immediately answered. "Wanna know why? Because she is a purebred Marleyan pig herself. More than that, she's the spawn of Oppenheimer."
Almost everyone was shocked by this discovery, most of all Onyankopon. Now it all made sense why she recruited him out of nowhere and gave him a higher position as a volunteer.
"You- You're Ludwig's daughter?!" Lazarus voiced what everyone else was thinking first.
"Niece!" She corrected him. "Why does everyone keep getting it wrong? We don't even look similar!"
Magath then proceeded to remove the letter from its envelope and read it aloud for everyone to hear.
"My dearest Yelena. If you are reading this then it means The Rumbling has begun and I am no longer at your side. The reason for this is that I will be standing at Eren's side, watching him cleanse the old world in fire and footsteps, preparing the continents for the next Human Race. I am so sorry, my dear niece. From the moment you told me of Zeke's plan I've tried to get you to see things my way. But you were too caught up in your fantasy to listen. Yet another fault of mine you've inherited… Zeke's plan means the end of the Subjects of Ymir. I cannot condone it."
"Throughout history, Eldia has shown its potential, and like the trigger-happy fools we humans are, we challenged them. We have discriminated against them out of fear of their powers whilst using them for our own selfish desires. We even built weapons to try and combat their natural gifts. Humans are an evolving species, yet we try to grow through means of technology. Subjects of Ymir are a natural new form of human, and they have every right to claim this world as their own."
"Subject 14 was too simple-minded to see that. But not Eren. Only he understands what needs to be done. He and I will wipe the slate clean and grow a new utopia for the first generation of the evolved humanity on Paradis. Never again will be attempt to defy nature. Fate had blessed the Founder, Ymir, with the power to evolve and stand tall above her oppressors. Now fate will allow us to finish what she started."
"Deep down I know this is evil, but it's what needs to be done for the world to move forward into the next era. I will face justice for my crimes but only after our mission is done. My only regret is that I won't get to share this glorious moment with you, my only family. But I will ensure you will have a purpose in the new world. Before I die, I will share with you the secrets of the False Founder Project. Teach you everything you need to know to take my place as a scientist. I hope you do the right thing, and I hope you have a great life… Love your uncle, Ludwig."
The whole camp was paying close attention to Ludwig's words escaping the general's lips. Everyone had mixed feelings about what they were hearing. Willy was shocked to hear him praising the Eldians and claiming that his race had the right to rule the world as the dominant species. Whilst Magath, Erwin, Lazarus, and Michael, among others, were enraged at how far this deluded old man was willing to go.
Hange seemed to be the only one who can kind of see where he was coming from. As a scientist herself she can see the logic behind his way of thinking. But genocide will always be seen as wrong no matter how you justify it. But he was right about one thing, humanity is always evolving, always changing. She watched her people evolve from believing they were the last of humanity in a world ruled by Titans, to discovering that they were but a tiny nation in a vast open world of different cultures. Cultures that'll be wiped out by The Rumbling.
"Son of a bitch! I knew he couldn't be trusted! Damn him!" Jean muttered under his breath.
Lazarus knew from the start how twisted that man was. He knew it from the moment he strapped him to that operating table, as he did Annie not too long ago. But he hadn't let the contents of the letter make him forget what the general said earlier. Yelena is his niece.
"Pieck, did you know about this?" The albino Warrior asked his comrade. The Cart Titan inches itself over towards Yelena and lays down behind her.
"You really caught us off guard with the Liberio Massacre, Yelena. But we got a bigger surprise when we looked into your past. You were born and raised into a typical Marleyan family, but you wrote yourself a new life story when you met Zeke. One where you are from another country. You and Ludwig are more alike than you think. You looked into his backstory and sought him out, hoping he would be the only one in your family who understood you. But he turned out to be a deceiver. You were too caught up in your fantasies to notice the manipulation. You wanted to have a fairytale ending about saving the world with your prince and proud uncle, and in time you hoped it would find its way into the history books. Your commitment to the lie is impressive."
The tall woman did not indicate that the quadruped Titan behind her was getting to her. Even when all eyes fell on her, staring with such intensity, she kept her nerve. She turns around and lightly strokes The Cart Titan's nose, petting it like a horse. Pieck even reacted how an animal would, which looked adorable in a bizarre kind of way.
"Save the world? Those must be the sweetest, most alluring words a person could hear, don't you think? Who wouldn't want to imagine themselves as the saviour of hundreds of millions of innocent lives? To wash the bitterness of hatred out of their mouths with the honey-sweet taste of righteousness. From where I sit it looks like that's exactly what all of you are doing right now. Seems to me you need to have your memories jogged."
She focuses her eyes on Lazarus in particular. She thought of him amongst the others when talking about being a hero and writhing in the glory of doing good. It was what had been driving him to become a Warrior. What made him pull through the experiments aside from his royal blood. Marley took advantage of his desires and gave him a villain to fight in the form of the Devils of Paradis, not even considering the possibility that he was being manipulated. A child's mind is easier to control than an adult.
And now when the world is calling out for a hero to save it from The Rumbling, Lazarus no longer feels worthy. He wanted to save the world, but he felt it shouldn't be him anymore. He's already tarnished his name by suggesting they attack the Walls. If only he could go back and tell his past self what he knew now.
But the burden wasn't only his to bear. His three friends sitting beside him all shared the consequences of their misguided actions. Yelena decided to poke the bear with the stick by reminding them of their sins.
"Reiner Braun, you were the one who breached Shiganshina's inner gate. Do you know how many Eldians had been devoured by Pure Titans because of that?" Reiner looks away in shame, prompting her to turn to the person next to him.
"Bertolt Hoover, you were the one who started it all when you kicked the outer gate. Your actions caused the death of Eren's mother." He too looked away from the others and stared at his own hands, fiddling with the spoon laying in his empty bowl.
"Annie Leonhart, I hear you've killed more than a few Survey Corps members in your time, and that's before we get into the innocents you've trampled trying to fight your way out of Stohess." Instead of looking away like the boys did, she just narrowed her eyes.
"And Lazarus Averbach…"
"I see what you're trying to do, Yelena." Michael interrupted. "You're trying to guilt trip them by reminding them of what they've done. Or trying to remind the others to try and disrupt our alliance. It won't work, so you might as well save your breath."
Yelena raises her index finger to her lips and shushes him. "Don't worry, Michael. I'll get to you soon." She then clears her throat before continuing where she left off.
"Lazarus Averbach, the mastermind behind it all. Everything these three did was under your orders. You watched them cause chaos and death in Shiganshina from the sky. And let's not forget the fact that you murdered the soldiers who stayed behind to stop you from rescuing Annie. You called yourself a hero, but to them, you were the villain that plunged this island into anarchy."
Lazarus angrily scowls at Yelena, implementing his famed crimson glare. It did not affect her. She had a creepy glare of her own she showed to the Scouts when the Marleyan fleet attacked Shiganshina.
Michael waited in anticipation for her to start talking about him next. To remind everyone of how he turned his back on the Survey Corps and joined the enemy, unknowing of how he'd recently turned on them too. But instead, she targeted the members of the 104th next.
"But let's not forget the liberators of Paradis. There's Armin, the level-headed one who spent four years of his life as a Titan, nice to finally meet you by the way. Not to sell the rest of you short. Everyone gave a heroic performance in Liberio, Jean most of all. Little Falco here threw himself in front of you to protect the Cart, but you didn't let that stop you from firing your Thunder Spear, did you? You all went through training together. Went through hell together."
"Are you done talking?" Erwin bluntly asked.
"Not yet. I can't finish without talking about the Smiths. Or should I say, Smith and Suurvalta? You, Erwin, once led the Scouts to war against the Titans, believing the secrets in Grisha's basement were well worth all the lives you've gambled away. Many of them willingly threw themselves into Zeke's path to die with you and give Levi an opening. But you survived and went into hiding behind enemy lines. That's not what an honourable leader does, is it?"
Erwin ignored her elongated ranting and focused on finishing his stew, though he could feel the others gazing at him, possibly wondering why he didn't just come back after his revival. They believed he'd been taken by force back to Marley. It would've made perfect sense to bring him back as a consolation prize to make up for their failure to capture Eren.
But her words implied that he went with them willingly, backing up the evidence of him donning a different uniform. But he already told them why he left and why he formed The Wings of Crystal. He shouldn't have to repeat himself to make it painfully clear he's always been on the side of Paradis.
"And finally, Michael. You were just like everyone else in the Survey Corps, determined to defeat the Titans and secure freedom for your people. Except they were never your people. You were born in Marley and invaded Paradis to break your family curse. You were reborn a different person after that. Some may consider it to be the better version of yourself. But you chose to throw it all away and joined the very Titans you vowed to destroy. Then you turn on them to try and kill the Founder so that you and Lazarus can be the only ones with Titans. If I had to choose which of you was the worst of all, I would most likely say you." She finally finished with a proud smile.
Those who didn't know about Michael's true motives wound up staring at him in a mix of shock and anger. Even Erwin had no clue about it. He can't help but feel disappointed in him. But he will at least allow him to explain himself on his reasons why.
Michael told him what he told everyone back at the house. He only did it to maintain their control over Marley, knowing they would go back on their deal the instant Lazarus lost his powers. Marley could never be trusted. He also wanted to give Paradis some semblance of power over them in case they, or any other nation, decided to retaliate against them after The Rumbling stopped.
But if Erwin's plan to use Willy Tybur to be the voice of Paradis works out, they won't have to rely on their Titans. The Tyburs are still a well-respected family, they'd listen to him even if they didn't like the sound of what he was saying sometimes.
"Mmm, this stews pretty good, Hange. Got enough for seconds? Jean asked his commander, secretly hoping to distract everyone from the mood Yelena set.
"Oh we've got more than enough, so don't be shy." She graciously refilled his bowl with more stew.
Whatever plan Jean had seemed to be working. More and more people decided to get a refill of stew to fill up their bellies. Willy even passed the wine bottle around so the others could have a drink. Connie and Sasha were hesitant to have any because of Operation Grapevine, but Willy assured them it was harmless. He'd already drank plenty and nothing happened to him. Even if it was tainted, Zeke was far out of range to turn them.
"I wanna thank you for this, Yelena. You were baiting us into airing out our grudges so we could get it out of our systems and get our heads on straight, right? You could've had someone to vent to yourself if you hadn't blown all your friends' brains out to keep your fantasy alive. Now you've got nothing but a head full of cutting remarks and a death wish. So, this is actually pretty selfless of you." He soon raises the bottle to his lips for a quick swig of wine. This one tasted sweet compared to the ones they made on the island. He wondered if all Marleyan wine was this delicious.
"…Right, almost forgot." She spoke up suddenly. Looks like she wasn't finished after all. But who else did she have to talk about, Jean wondered.
"You mentioned another name. He was already dead by the time we met, but I remember you said you were good friends. What was it… Marco?"
Hearing that name almost caused Lazarus to choke on his current spoonful of stew. Marco. He remembered that name all too well. How could he forget? He was the first friend he made on this island whom he had to kill. He has killed before, but Marco was the first he got to know.
Michael turns to face him on his left and notices the fear in his eyes. He knew it was only a matter of time before the secret got out. He figured it out long before everyone else that Marco was killed by a blade before the Titan got to him.
The other Warriors shared their leader's guilt over what went down that day. Jean was shocked too but more than them. Just when he said they got all their grudges out in the open to let them go, Yelena dropped another heavy load on their shoulders.
"As I recall, you told me Annie had something to do with his death, didn't you? Did you ever ask her for details? I'll bet she'll tell you."
Now that the cat's out of the bag, all eyes were on Annie, waiting for her to explain to them what really happened that day. She never forgot the screams of desperation and begging for his life Marco spewed at her as she removed his ODM gear. She thought she'd gotten over it, but like disease, it sneaks up on you and takes over when you least expect it.
"I stole his ODM and left him where the Titans could get to him. Marco only got eaten because of me-
"Annie was only following the orders I was giving her." Reiner quickly butted in, defending her before Lazarus was about to. Reiner figured he'd try to stick up for her. But most of the animosity for the Warriors was aimed at their albino leader. It wasn't fair on him. He was at fault for what happened to Marco, and he should be the one to take the blame.
"… During the fight in Trost, Marco overheard me, Bertolt and Lazarus discussing something secret. If we'd let him go he could've exposed us, so we decided we had to silence him. We figured nobody would think twice about a Scout getting eaten by a Titan, so I tackled him onto a roof, pinned him down, and ordered Annie to strip off his ODM gear. Then… we just left him there. Marco was stranded on that roof without a rig and a Titan got to him."
Lazarus looked to Reiner with a glint in his eye. He purposely left out the part where he stayed behind to finish Marco off himself before letting the Titan eat him. Why would he do that? He understood that he may be doing this to protect him, but this was wrong. This alliance will only work if it's built around trust. But how can anyone trust them if they keep secrets?
He wouldn't have it. He needed to come clean and tell them the whole story. This will most likely lead to Jean losing it and attacking him, but he doesn't care. If any of them wish to vent their rage upon him then he will embrace them.
"That's not it." He added, drawing everyone's attention to him. "Everything Reiner said is true, but he left out a few things. You all deserve the full truth."
"Laz you don't-
"I want to do this, Reiner. I have to do this. Let me, that's an order from your new War Chief." Michael gives Reiner a nod, telling him to do as he says. Reiner nods back and sits back down.
"... After Eren plugged up the hole and we found Marco's body, Michael discovered a stab wound in his chest, implying that someone murdered him and let the Titan eat his body to hide the evidence… I was the one who stabbed him."
The others lightly gasped with fright with Jean being the most affected by this revelation. They should've made the connection long after they found out he was The Winged Titan. But with everything else going on immediately after their betrayal nobody had the time to connect the dots.
"Why?" Jean muttered under his breath. "Why'd you kill him? Why not simply let the Titan eat him?"
Lazarus lowers his head. "I did it because I didn't want him to suffer inside the Titan's mouth. I've experienced first-hand what it feels like to be chewed up into tiny pieces between giant teeth and it was horrible. Perhaps among the worst ways I've died. I didn't want Marco to go through that same agony, so I made it quick and painless for him with a stab to the heart… He was a good guy. He deserved better than that."
Silence swept over the 104th veterans. Lazarus could tell they were all trying so hard not to let this knowledge get the better of them. Mikasa, Armin, Connie, and Sasha were holding it together, but Jean was struggling. His mind attempted to recreate the moment Reiner described with the added detail of Lazarus mercy killing him. It wasn't perfect though. He couldn't even imagine what Marco might've said in the moment. Did he beg for Lazarus to spare him? Did he ever question who they were? Was he even given the chance to? He needed to know.
"So, did he- Did he say anything before you killed him?"
"He asked why I wasn't willing to talk to him. I told him I couldn't explain why. Told him what we were doing was much bigger than him. Bigger than all of us. And I apologised to him for ending up in that situation. Had he stayed put he'd probably be sitting with us right now." The War Chief answered honestly.
"I think that question still applies." Michael cut in. "We haven't been willing to talk. We all just started fighting and assumed it had to be to the death. Even the day I found out you guys were Titans I didn't stop to talk, I just decided you had to die. You even tried talking, Laz, but I didn't listen."
"But we can still change that," Erwin assured him and everyone sitting around the campfire. "A little while ago we were all ready to kill each other, and now here we are, talking. It's something, right? To think we'd all be sitting around a campfire, sharing a meal with people we once called enemies. This is a good first step for all of us."
Erwin's rant was cut short by the bellow of a distressed Lazarus. He was down on the ground wallowing in despair. His tears trickled down his face and dropped into the soil. Nobody saw this coming. Most of them were used to him being so calm, composed and narrow-minded. It was rare to see him in this fragile state. It was like a switch flipped inside of him, turning off his composure and letting all that pent-up guilt come flooding out all at once.
"Lazarus?" Bertolt uttered.
"He was kind to me." He attempted to speak in between his cries. "When we were put on the same team together, he told me I was a good leader. An inspiration. And it was because of my leadership we won Capture the Flag… Some leader I turned out to be. I got him killed. And not just him, but hundreds of people. I grew up believing I could become a hero and prove that my powers weren't evil, but they were right. I am a devil."
"We get it, Lazarus. You feel guilty over what happened nine years ago. We're willing to look past it." Jean begrudgingly stated.
"Well you shouldn't!" He raised his voice slightly. The number of tears building up in his eyes began to stain his face. "I haven't suffered enough to make up for the things I did. I can't go through with this. I can see it in your eyes, all of you." He holds his arms out to the side. "All of you attack me! Hit me as hard as you can. Don't hold back! Just channel-
He was immediately silenced by a full-force punch to the face by an enraged Jean, knocking him on his back. He didn't need permission. He was willing to throw down the moment he started crying. Jean roared as he pulled Lazarus up by the horns and threw a flurry of punches straight to his face.
"HEY! GET OFF HIM!" Michael and Connie quickly got up and rushed to his aid.
"STAY AWAY!" Lazarus yelled, halting their approach. "I deserve this…"
"Yeah, like I'm gonna let that happen," Michael muttered to himself. Completely ignoring his friend's wishes. He, Connie, and Bertolt quickly pull Jean off of him. But Jean wasn't done with him yet. He proceeded to stomp on the albino's chest, breaking a rib in the process.
Lazarus continued to lay there and take it, punishing himself on their behalf. He didn't think when he asked for this. His guilt must have taken over and blocked out all sense of logic. Telling him that his suffering is the only guarantee that they'll be able to tolerate working with them.
Poor Falco couldn't handle the stress of seeing his idol break down like that before his very eyes. Reiner was exactly the same when he confronted Eren in Liberio. He begged for his death because he could no longer handle the weight of his sins. Guess he was wrong about Lazarus being stronger than him in that regard. Underneath all that immortality he was just as fragile as everyone else.
He quickly gets in front of Jean just as he is about to kick him again and ends up taking the hit himself, winding him. Gabi quickly rushes to his side and holds him. The two kids were shielding Lazarus from Jean, finally shocking him out of his blind rage.
"Please don't hurt him, I beg of you." The young boy pleaded. Jean's eyes widened in response to this familiar sight. This was now the second time he'd had to see this little boy begging for the life of a Warrior, only this time he chose to stop.
"I know he's done some bad things on this island, but he's not a bad guy! Lazarus saved us. He saved Mister Smith and brought him to Marley to teach us what Paradis was really like. He always put our safety over everything else… He had Eren pinned down in Liberio. He could've stopped him if he hadn't turned around to help us when he threw debris at us. Eren tried to kill me and Gabi, but Lazarus saved our lives. To me, he IS a hero! One the world needs to help us stop The Rumbling… So please, we're begging you, let him help you save our families! Don't let Eren trample them! We're begging you!"
He and Gabi started repeating those three words over and over until Jean finally gave in and calmly asked Michael, Connie and Bertolt to let him go. After that, he turned around and walked away. Hange tried again to distract him with a fresh bowl of stew, but it's lost its effectiveness. The three men then help lift Lazarus back onto his feet. His entire face had been smashed in by Jean's punches. His high-speed regeneration kicked in almost immediately and repaired all the damage, though it could never mend the heart.
"Will you all please shut up." Levi tiredly uttered out of nowhere, annoyed with everyone else for rudely waking him up in the middle of the night.
Lazarus gently pulls away from his friends, thanking them for the help though he still felt like he didn't deserve it. Even after his wounds had healed, he was still crying. He didn't ask for their help, nor did he want Jean to stop.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Laz? Why would you let him do that to you?" Michael questioned.
"You know why." He replied bluntly and started walking away from the crowd. He was heading towards Hange from the looks of things. The Eldian scientist held out the freshly poured bowl of stew to him, thinking he wanted it. But he just lumbered past her and was walking towards Levi.
Levi sat still and looked up at the crying Warrior with the same deadpanned look he always wore. "The hell are you doing now?"
"Putting these tears to better use." Lazarus gently leaned over the cart the captain was lying in and allowed his tears to fall onto his uncovered arm.
"Gross! Go cry somewhere else!" Levi responded in disgust. "What'd you do that for?!"
"You'll see in a moment." Was all he felt the need to say before wandering off into the forest, leaving a repulsed and confused Levi to his own devices.
Everyone looked at each other in confusion. Hange was even more confused to hear Erwin chuckling to himself. He found that exchange amusing? She can guess why but now was hardly the appropriate time for jokes. But that wasn't why Erwin was laughing. He did it because he knew what was about to happen any moment from now.
Right on cue, a bright glowing yellow light completely covered Levi's body, startling everyone out of their current thoughts and stood up. But Erwin raises his hand and tells them that there is nothing wrong with their captain.
Levi looked over his glowing body from head to toe, more than slightly panicked to be lit up like a lantern.
"What's happening to Captain Levi?!" Sasha demanded.
"The same thing that happened to me when I was brought back." Erwin began explaining. "Lazarus' tears have healing properties. He used it to bring me back." He raises his right hand to his face. "Even regrew my missing arm."
As he was explaining this, the glow around Levi subsides and the captain returns to a sitting position where everyone can see the results of the healing tears. They couldn't believe it. All the wounds that were near fatal and hindered his movement had completely healed. His missing fingers grew back. The wounds in his torso closed up with no signs of scars. All the bandages he had on were burned away by the Titan energy, showing off his healthy body. Even his left eye was restored to full functionality.
Levi looks over himself once more, admiring his regrown fingers on both hands. He flexed each of them individually to loosen the joints. There was only one response he deemed appropriate to sum up how he felt.
"What the fuck?"
To Be Continued