Chapter 5: To you, in 2000 Years

Far away, off the coast of Marley, stood a small island in the middle of the sea. The island of Paradis. The very island the Warriors were sent to attack. An island that’s populated by evil Eldian devils that built themselves a paradise atop a mountain of corpses.

However, not everything is as it seems. The only devils on that island were the thousands of Pure Titans roaming about the lands outside of the three enormous walls protecting the islands inhabitants.

Behind the three walls, Maria, Rose, and Sina, the remnants of the Eldian empire have lived in peace and solitude for hundreds of years. Every single citizen going about their daily lives, completely unaware of the fact that there are civilisations beyond their island, or the fact that they’re even living on a tiny island.

Ever since the 145th king used the Founding Titans powers to wipe their memories of the outside world and making them believe they’re the last of humanity, the people of Paradis have known nothing but peace. Exactly what the king wanted from the start.

The people within the walls were vastly different compared to the rest of humanity. Their technology and development was drastically behind the rest of the world. Unlike Marley which has developed cars and airships, the Paradians are stuck using horses and carts. A society frozen in time.

As of right now, the majority of the people in the walls were struggling to survive after recent events forced the citizens of Wall Maria to flee behind Wall Rose.

The incident involved the Titans, who have managed to break a hole in Wall Maria within the southern district, Shiganshina. Afterwards, Titans managed to get in after years of being unable to get through the walls.

Many people were killed during the attack. Most were eaten by the Titans, while others were crushed to death by falling debris, or trampled by crowds desperately trying to evacuate.

Those who were fortunate enough to survive were able to escape to Wall Rose. And those who were even luckier, escaped without a single scratch. Other survivors were not so lucky.

One such survivor was a young boy who was sleeping in one of the many hospital beds within one of Wall Rose’s hospitals. Many other patients occupied the room, all of them with serious injuries. Some patients have been traumatised by the events, their minds and spirits broken.

The boy who was sleeping in the bed nearest the door had bandages covering a third of his whole head, with only his left eye and cheek being left exposed. His mouth was covered by a breather mask, stabilising him as he slept. His hair was dark brown.

A woman was standing over him on the right side of the bed. She opened his left eye (which was brown) and shined a light on it, checking him for any signs of trauma. She was dressed in what appeared to be a soldier’s uniform. The jacket appeared short, only covering the top of her body while her waist was exposed. The jacket had a wings emblem within a shield on her back, which was most likely their military’s symbol. She also wore a set of round glasses and had her hair tied back in a ponytail.

“Hey, four eyes!”

Startled by the sudden callout, the woman jumped and let out a little “eek” at the sound of whoever addressed her.

She turned around to see a short man standing before her. He has short straight black hair styled in an undercut. He had narrow, intimidating steel blue eyes with dark circles under them and a deceptively youthful face. Although he was short, he physique is well-developed in musculature. He was wearing an expressionless frown as he looked up at the woman.

“You scared the crap outta me, Levi!” The woman childishly complained to him. “Had you come in any earlier, I could’ve blinded him to death!”

“The only thing that could possibly blind him to death is the sight of you coming into the bathhouse… Something I’ve yet to erase from my mind.” Levi blankly mocked.

The woman started to blush uncontrollably which then led to her screaming and clinging to the sides of her head. Grabbing Levi by his shirt and pulling him towards her, she proceeded to vent her embarrassment.

“That was a one-time mistake, Levi! ONE TIME! I’ve learned from my embarrassing mistake since then, and have furthermore avoided walking into the men’s bathhouse while you or anyone else was in there!” She tried so desperately to cover up her mistakes.

Levi however remained unconvinced and batted her arms away, readjusting his shirt and smoothing it out.

“I just got this thing cleaned.” He annoyingly thought to himself. Deciding to change the subject, Levi turned his attention to the sleeping boy she was examining. “How’s four eyes junior holding up, Hange?”

“He’s still in a coma, but he should come out of it soon.” As she’s talks, she continues to examine him. “He’s suffering from severe injuries due to impact of the debris that struck him when the Armoured Titan breached the inner gate.”

“Is that what we’re calling it?” Levi questioned. “What about the big one that kicked down the gate in Shiganshina?”

“Everyone’s calling it the Colossal Titan. A fitting name for a brand-new species of Titan. I can’t wait to study it someday.”

Levi rolled his eyes at Hange as she started making that creepy face she makes when it comes to science and Titans. He turns his attention to the comatose victim laying before him. Although he doesn’t show it, he is thankful that the kid is still alive.

“What happened to his caretakers?” He asked Hange.

“They’re both dead. He was the only survivor.” Hange replied regrettably. “Erwin’s not going to like this.”

As the two scouts continued talking with one another, they were completely unaware of the fact that the boy had only just opened only exposed eye and is listening in on their conversation.

He wanted to speak up and let them know he was awake, but he didn’t have the strength to do so. His throat felt closed-up and his breathing was ragged, forcing him to breath through his nose for less discomfort.

His body was too weak for him to move, so waving his arms was out of the question. All he could do was just lay there and wait until one of them finally notices his presence.

Unfortunately for the boy, his eyelid was starting to feel heavy, slowly lowering until his eye closed and he drifted off back to sleep. His mind began to reminisce on his life before things started to go wrong. How did this happen? Why did this happen? And more importantly… Will he ever see his father again?

A couple days earlier before the breach, the people of Shiganshina were going about their normal lives. Life within the walls was a lot different compared to the outside world. The lack of progress made things slightly more difficult for the people. But they didn’t know any better, so what reason do they have to complain?

One such citizen was the boy in the hospital bed. Before his injuries he was an average looking young man dressed in clothes that looked more appeasing compared to what the people in Wall Maria wear. His hair (now visible) was slicked more to the right, and he wore a pair of rectangular glasses.

Though he’s currently staying in Shiganshina, he was originally from Wall Rose. He lived there with his father, who was a member of the Scout Regiment. One of the three military corps formed to protect the remnants of humanity within the walls.

Whenever his father was away, he would often stay with his caretakers in Shiganshina, who were childhood friends of his father who went to school together.

The Scouts would go away on missions almost weekly, so he rarely gets to spend much time with his dad. It worried him. Because whenever the scouts ventured outside the walls into Titan infested lands it usually ends with very few coming back, forcing the poor boy to constantly worry of seeing his fathers name on the deceased list.

It's because of these thoughts that he didn’t really go out much, always hiding in the guest bedroom of the caretaker’s house.

The only time he does go out was when he needed to carry out tasks and buy groceries for his caretakers. Though they were completely capable of doing it themselves, he insisted on doing the chores, as it gave him something to do whilst waiting for his father’s return.

Right now, he was standing at a small stall that sold fruits and vegetables. The stall was run by a sweet old lady who smiled at him as he picked out the items written down on his list.

“Hello Michael, how are you today?” The old lady greeted him.

“I’m fine thanks, Misses Bodt. Just getting some groceries for dinner tonight. How’ve you been?”

“Same as usual.” The stall owner replied. “You’ve been in Shiganshina for quite some time now. I would’ve thought your father come pick you up by now…Unless he-

“He’s not dead if that’s what your thinking.” He interrupted her, letting out a sigh in relief. “I saw him returning with the rest of the scouts… What’s left of them anyway. I don’t know what happened, but I’m sure there’s a reason he hasn’t collected me yet. I’ll just until he does.”

Misses Bodt was relieved to hear the confirmation of Michaels dad surviving the Titans. Not many families were as lucky as him. She remembers being there the day the scouts returned. The current commander had given a grieving woman - around her age – the severed arm of what belonged to her son. She’s thankful that her own grandson will be avoiding such a horrific fate by joining the Military Police Regiment, living within the safety of Wall Sina.

Michael snaps her out of her daze by handing her the amount of currency needed to pay for the food. They both extend a friendly wave to one another before he took a hold of the bag and walked away.

As Michael was making his way home, he noticed a group of boys running towards him. At first, he thought they were after him, but the look of fear on their faces said otherwise.

“Why are we running?!” One of the boys shouted to his friend up front.

“You remember what that girl did to you last time! Do you really wanna go through that again?!”

They were completely consumed with fear that the didn’t even notice Michael in front of them. Luckily, he moved out of the way just in time, avoiding a disastrous collision that would’ve ended with his fruits and veg getting bruised.

He sighs in relief as he clung to his bag of groceries, watching the boys continue running until they were out of sight.

“That’s right, you better run!”

He looks back towards the path they came. In the distance he can see another young boy - around his age – catching his breath. Standing next to him was a young girl wearing a white dress and a red scarf.

After regaining his breath, the boy helped up another boy who was down on the ground. He had blond hair, blue eyes, and wore what looked like a farmer’s getup.

They looked oddly familiar to Michael. Where had he seen them before? Until suddenly, like a brick to the face, it hit him.

“Wait a minute. Aren’t those the kids who started that fight in the square yesterday?” He thought to himself. “Looks like they’re trying to cause trouble again. At least this time those guys were smart enough to run away.”

It didn’t take long for the girl to notice him staring at them. He couldn’t hear what she was saying because of the distance, but by the way she was pointing at him, he knew it was about him.

He then decided to take his leave and head home, worried that the arrogant faced kid might attempt to pick a fight with him… A fight he would not win.

From the sky above, Shiganshina looked a lot more peaceful compared to how it is on the ground. Unfortunately for the people, the only ones who can experience that peace were the flock of birds that flew above the clouds.

Every now and then they would migrate from their nesting grounds to wherever the wind takes them. They would always pass over Paradis on their journey, occasionally looking down at the humans trapped within their walls, whilst they were free. If they could feel human emotions, they’d probably pity them.

But nothing lasts forever, especially peace. A shadow loomed over the flock of birds, causing them to panic and disperse their V formation, thinking that a predator was after them.

What came out of the clouds was a predator of sorts, but not one for birds. But rather… for humanity.

Out of the clouds came the Winged Titan. It had finally reached the walls after a long flight. Using its enhanced eyesight, it was able to scour the entirety of Shiganshina in seconds.

“So, this is the paradise the island devils have built.” Lazarus thought as circled the district, staying high enough to be out of the devil’s line of sight. “The 145th king built all this in the name of peace. But in doing so, he trapped his own people in those walls.”

Lazarus started to get angry, but he quickly calmed himself down and focused on his mission. He can see for himself if what he was told was true once they get inside, which was easier said then done. They couldn’t just walk in, it would compromise their mission and lead to people asking questions, eventually leading to the realisation that there is life beyond their island.

He didn’t like what was about to happen next, but there was no other alternative. The moment they landed on the island, things had been going horribly wrong for them, forcing them to improvise and do things the hard way. He was ready to deal with the consequences, the question is… are his teammates?

“Reiner, Bertolt, Annie. I found the entrance to the wall. I’m circling around it now, making it easier for you to find it.” He telepathically communicated with his friends.

On the ground miles away from the walls, the Female Titan was running towards Shiganshina gate. Reiner and Bertolt were resting in her palms looking out for the Winged Titan.

Bertolt points towards his location in the sky, signalling Annie to head towards him. Behind her was an army of Pure Titans, chasing them down to eat them and regain their humanity.

Before the they were about to exit the line of trees that kept them hidden, the Winged Titan let out a roar, causing all the Pure Titans to come to a halt. Annie kept going until she reached the gate. She drops Bertolt off before quickly disappearing back into the trees with Reiner in case anyone was watching.

“Ok Lazarus, I’m in position. Now what?” Bertolt mentally asked.

“When I give the signal, you will transform and kick a hole in the gate. It’s the weakest part of the wall from what I can see. Once the Titans enter, you’ll use the chaos to sneak in undetected.”

“What will you do?” Reiner spoke up.

“I’ll keep watching from the sky, make sure everything plays out exactly as we planned it… You remember your role, Reiner?”

“Yeah. Once we’re inside, I’ll use the Armoured Titan to smash through the inner gate. Afterwards, we’ll blend in with the refugee’s and decide where to go from there.”

Lazarus was pleased to see that Reiner was still onboard with this plan despite what happened between him and Annie after losing Marcel. Though he still mourned over the loss of his friend, he’s determined to see their mission through to the end. They must, or else Marley would kill them and their families. And he couldn’t go through seeing his loved ones die, not again.

“This is for you Marcel. And for you, Lucia!”

Back in Shiganshina, Michael was sitting by a fountain reading his favourite book. It was a history book about the walls and theories on what lied beyond them. It was given to him by his father for his tenth birthday. He’d read over a dozen times by now.

After finishing the current page, he decided to put it down and take a moment to look up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set. He could tell by how yellow they sky was getting.

Normally he’d be in his room, laying on his bed. But after the dinner he had with his caretakers, he decided to give them some privacy to celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary.

At first, he was annoyed that the people who always welcomed him into their home suddenly decided to kick him out. But he understands why. People who have been married for seven years should express their love for one another, as well as be reminded of the reason they fell in love in the first place.

As he looked around the square, he noticed that there were other couples being intimate with each other. Only holding hands and hugging though, nothing too indecent compared to what he assumed his caretakers were doing.

He shook his head intensely, removing such thoughts from his mind. He came out here for some peace and quiet, not to indulge in dirty thoughts.

As he continued to look up at the sky, he couldn’t help but start to feel bored. Ever since he’d been dropped off in Shiganshina it’s just been the same routine every day. Wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, do chores, have dinner, read a little, then go to bed.

He'll always be grateful for the life he was given, but a small part of him can’t help but wish for something, anything, to happen. Something that’ll give him some excitement in his dull life. Something like spending time with his dad, go on a little adventure, or even make some friends.

There were a lot of kids in the town, but none of them have ever approached him and offered their friendship. Some kids were annoying, some were complete jerks, and some were ungrateful brats. None of them had the qualities he looked for in a friend. Not here, or in Wall Rose.

His thoughts on friendships and relationships were soon interrupted by the sound of what he perceived as a roar. A roar that came from above.

He quickly looked up, trying to locate the source. Only to see a flock of birds disperse in multiple directions, avoiding what appeared to him was a bigger bird. No. It was no bird. Its wings looked bat-like. But there was no species of bat in his books that looked remotely like what he saw. If only he could get a better look at it.

Suddenly, a massive bolt of lightning rained down from the sky and struck the ground just outside the outer gate. The impact was strong enough to cause a tremor that knocked the people closest to it on the ground.

“What the hell was that?!”

Michael grabbed his book and ran towards the inner gate. A huge crowd of people have gathered there to see what had caused the explosion. What none of them had expected to see, was a huge plume of steam rising into the sky outside the wall… followed by a giant red hand.

A hand like that could only belong to a Titan. But that was impossible. The wall was fifty feet high, and the highest a Titan can grow is fifteen meters.

The giant hand tightly grasped the top of the wall, allowing it to stand up and poke its head over, staring down at the people bellow.

“It can’t be!” Michael says in denial. “It’s a- a… Titan!”

The Colossal Titan began to make its next move. It began to lift back its right leg, only to bring it back down again, smashing its foot into the outer gates.

The impact of the kick was very strong. Strong enough to send out a shockwave that blew people and the houses closest to it away, sending debris flying everywhere.

People started to panic and began running as far away from the gate as possible. Michael – having no reason to stick around – joined them.

As he ran, he was horrified over the sight of debris landing on some of the citizens, crushing them to death. He then comes to a halt upon seeing that one of the unfortunate victims was the nice old lady who sold him the fruit and veg.

“Misses Bodt?!”

Michael couldn’t hold himself back from vomiting at such a horrific sight, followed by an intense coughing.

Michaels outburst of despair was interrupted by another roar that came from the sky. He looked up once again, spotting the same unknown flying creature from earlier. But he was still too emotionally distraught to question it.

What followed afterwards were the Pure Titans that were held back earlier, finally making their move again. One by one they enter Shiganshina through the hole, wasting no time seeking out their human prey.

“MICHAEL!”

Michael - who was focused on the Titans – was suddenly grabbed by a man, who pulled him into a tight embrace.

“Thank god your ok!” The man exclaimed.

“We were so worried about you!” Said the woman behind him.

Michael quickly returned the hug, ecstatic to see his caretakers are completely unharmed.

“The wall… They’ve breached it!” Was all he could muster.

“We know, dear. Our house was destroyed by the debris. Luckily we went out looking for you when it did.” The woman replied.

Michael then broke off the hug, remembering that the Titans were getting in, and their focus should be on evacuation.

“Stan, Jennifer! We must get to the boats! The Titans are getting in!”

The caretakers instantly understood the situation. With no time to think, they both grab Michaels hands and ran off towards the docks.

During the chaos of Shiganshina, Annie, Reiner and Bertolt were able to sneak in through the hole they made and blend in with the panicking citizens. Lazarus – still in Titan form – continued to observe his allies, using his power to control the Titans into ignoring them. Once they were safely inside Wall Rose, he would join them.

A tear was running down the Winged Titans eye as he watched the army of Pure Titans, he summoned devour the people. Though he kept telling himself that he was only doing what was necessary to save the world, he still felt repulsed by his actions. He can’t even begin to wonder how his friends feel, especially Bertolt.

Putting his personal feelings aside, he focused on the mission. Down below, he can see the people evacuating by boarding giant wooden paddle boats.

“I don’t get it. Why hasn’t the king of the walls reacted yet? He should’ve unleashed the Titans in the walls by now. I need to find him so I can steal the Founder from him. Is he so much of a coward that he’s willing to let his people die, all to protect himself and his power?”

The Winged Titan growled in anger. He was hoping that he wouldn’t have had to do this, but he has no choice now.

“Reiner, you’re up.” He signalled his friend. “The king of the walls isn’t taking us seriously. We have no choice but to up the stakes. Use the Armoured Titan to breach the inner gate.”

Reiner was horrified by what he’d just heard. Like Lazarus, he too was hoping that breaching the outer gate would be enough to get the kings attention. But nothing ever goes their way.

“Lazarus.” Annie mentally spoke as she looked up at the Winged Titan in the sky. “You realise that this will lead to the deaths of hundreds of people.”

“Yeah, I know… But you must remember, Annie. These Eldians are not like us. They’re devils! If we have to choose between them, and our loved ones back home. We must always choose them, no matter what!”

“He’s right.” Reiner stopped in his tracks. “We’ve come too far to wimp out now. Marcel would’ve wanted us to keep going, and that’s exactly what we’ll do.”

Annie rolled her eyes at Reiner. She was almost tempted to kick the shit out of him again for assuming what Marcel wants, considering it was his fault he died in the first place. But she trusted Lazarus’s plan and went along with it, for now.

Once she and Bertolt were out of the way, Reiner cut his hand and transforms into the Armoured Titan. The moment the transformation was complete, he started heading towards the inner gate. Each step he took carried a thundering tremor that lightly shook the ground.

As he got closer to his target, Reiner began to reflect on his actions up to this point. Thinking back on the reason for him wanting to become a Warrior in the first place.

“I wanted to become a Warrior because I wanted to make my moms wish to live with my father come true. But my father never wanted any part of us.

At last, the armoured Titan was directly in front of the gates. A good distance between him and it. The perfect distance for a runup.

The soldiers manning the cannons in front of gate starred in shock at yet another new species of Titan. At first, they were confused as to why it was just standing there, staring at them. Until it took a runner’s stance.

Suddenly, with a quick burst of speed, the Armoured Titan began its charge. The momentum of its body causing an entire street full of houses to explode into pieces.

“Mom lived for a dream that she knew was helpless. I should’ve never been chosen. I should’ve died today.”

Panicked, the soldiers all opened fire upon him. But the cannon fire didn’t so much as scratch the Titans armour, nor did it slow it down. It began to pick up speed as it was closing in on the inner gate.

“HURRY! CLOSE THE GATE! WE’RE BEING CHARGED!” One of the soldiers warned the others on the other side of the gate.

There was nothing they could do to stop it. This was an entirely new Titan that they had no knowledge on how to stop. Therefore, running away was the only option. But no matter how fast they ran, they could never outrun a fifteen feet tall armoured monster with the speed of a cannonball.

“Why apologise? And why save someone like me? Reiner asked himself as he though about his final moments with Marcel before his death. “This can’t end with me doing nothing. Knowing nothing! Before I die… I need to change something!”

Michael and his caretakers managed to get through the inner gate safely. However, they were facing a real problem. The boats they needed to board in order to safely get inside Wall Rose, were now at max capacity. And they were not on board.

Many people were desperately trying to fight through the soldiers to get on board. Some even going so far as to jump across the cannel to the boat and failing miserably.

Michael was heartbroken by their desperation. He can’t help but feel that he’s to blame for all this. If he hadn’t have wished for something to happen, then maybe all this death and destruction could’ve been avoided. Why did he have to tempt fate like that? After this, he vowed to never jinx himself – or anyone for that matter – ever again.

“Don’t worry, Michael. We’ll make it to Wall Rose.” Jennifer reassured him.

“And when we do, your dad will probably never let us see you again.” Stan joked a bit.

Michael was really glad that his dad didn’t come for him. Had he been caught up in all this he probably wouldn’t have survived. Scouts don’t often survive if they were alone.

The crowd of people soon focused their attention away from the boats, to the sounds of cannon fire coming from the other side of the gate. As well as the sounds of rapid thundering footsteps.

Michael only catches a glimpse of what was causing them. Shocked to see that it was from a Titan, sprinting towards them.

The people started pushing and shoving each other, desperately trying to get away from the inner gate. But their efforts were futile. The inner gate instantly shatters from the impact of the Armoured Titan.

Parts of the wall, soldiers, and cannons were sent flying in all directions. Stan catches a glimpse of a boulder falling towards them. Putting Michaels safety first, he shoves him out of the way moments before it impacted him and his wife, killing them instantly.

“STAN! JENNIFER!” Michael shouted as he reached out to them.

But the barrage wasn’t over yet. More debris continued to rain down on the citizens as the Armoured Titan came to a screeching halt. The smaller chunks of wall ended up smashing into Michaels face, severely damaging the right side of his head. He accidently inhales some of the dust into his lungs, causing him to cough uncontrollably as he collapsed to the floor.

The smoke soon clears, revealing the Armoured Titan’s appearance to him and the surviving citizens. It opened its mouth, releasing powerful jets of steam. It then got back up and looked up at the sky, unleashing a loud roar. This one sounded much different compared to the first two he heard earlier

Michael looked up at the sky again, curious if he’ll hear it again. The Armoured Titan received a response in the form of another roar from above its position. The exact same one he heard before Shiganshina’s fall. That confirms it. That flying creature he saw is yet another new species of Titan. A Titan that can fly.

He soon began to lose consciousness as his head hit the ground, catching a glimpse of the Winged Titan flying above him.

“Hey kid! You ok?”

Michael fought as hard as he could to stay awake to address the one speaking him. The voice belonged to a Garrison soldier with short blonde hair and small beard. He was too hurt to utter a response, something the soldier took notice of.

He picks Michael up and makes a dash for the last boat that was heading off to Wall Rose.

“Wait!” He called out to the soldiers who were about to board the last boat.

“Hannes? What are you-

“Shut up and help me get this kid on board!” He interrupted him.

“We can’t. The boats over capacity as it is. We can’t make any more space.”

“Oh, come one! You can’t make room for one small child!” Hannes spat back. “Look. This kid is injured, he needs a hospital.”

“And you think the people on this boat don’t?” Another soldier spoke up.

“You don’t understand. This boy is no ordinary child… He’s the son of the Scouts captain!” Hannes explained. “If we let him die here, it’ll be our heads! And you know how much he cherishes his son.”

The two soldiers look amongst each other for a moment before finally agreeing to take him aboard.

Michael was barely able to keep himself awake as the soldiers placed him on the boat and returned to the rest of the people.

Everything happened so fast. The Titans breaching the wall, the evacuation, the sudden deaths of his caretakers. It was all too much for his mind to process. He didn’t know what to do first. Should he mourn over his caretakers or worry about what the fall of Shiganshina would bring to the citizens of Wall Rose now that the residents of Wall Maria are coming into their lands?

“I’m gonna put a stop to this!”

It takes a lot for Michael to slowly turn his head to the right in response to a familiar voice. It was the same group of kids he saw earlier in the day, the ones who chased off the group of boys.

“Eren?” The blond boy attempted to reach out to him, only to have his arm smacked away by the angry Eren.

“I’ll kill them all! Every last one!” He exclaimed as he looked out to the Titans as they began to enter through the inner gate.

Michael turned away from Eren and his friends as he was unable to keep himself awake any longer. He stared down at the book he was still holding in his right hand. One of his tears fell onto the book. Clenching it tightly in his hand, he decided to follow Eren’s example and vow revenge on the Titans. Particularly, the flying Titan that he knew deep down was the one behind it all.

Those thoughts stayed in his mind as he slowly closed his eyes and passed out. His grip on his book loosening, causing it to fall to the floor beside him.

Michael woke up once again back in the hospital bed within Wall Rose. That sleep was just what he needed as he had regained some of his strength, enough to sit up and gain the attention of Levi and Hange.

“Well, well. Look who finally decided to wake up.” Levi said in an emotionless tone.

“Thank god. For a moment there I thought you’d never come out of it.” Hange says as took a hold of his hand.

“Levi?... Hange?” Michael weakly muttered.

“Don’t speak.” Hange covered his mouth or attempted to as it was covered by a breather mask. “Your lungs are still damaged. You need to focus on breathing.”

Michael only now notices the mask and bandages covering his face. He attempted to feel them, but was unable to, due to his wrists and ankles being bound to the bed.

“Why am I tied down?” He asked.

“You were talking and moving in your sleep. The straps are for your own safety. Last thing we needed is for you to accidently break someone’s arm.” Levi explained.

Hange got in front of Levi and waves her hands in denial, reassuring Michael that he was doing no such thing. “He’s just kidding.”

Levi however pushes her aside and looks down at him with his cold stare.

“No, I’m not. I taught the kid how to fight, remember? I broke the arms and legs of several adult men when I was his age. If I could do it, so could he.”

Michael let out a small chuckle in response to the back and forth banter between Levi and Hange. But his laughs were cut off by a sudden painful slew of coughs. Hange quickly stabilises him, removing his mask to give him a glass of water, to which he downs in less than a second.

“What’s happening to me?” He asked worriedly.

“When you arrived in Wall Rose you were barley alive. The Garrison Regiment brought you and the other patients here. The doctors were keeping you stable until I arrived.” She looks back at Levi. “And Levi’s here for an update on your status to get back to your father.”

“Is he-

“He’s fine.” Levi interrupted him. “Focus on getting better first before thinking of reuniting with him.

Hange grabs a hold of a clipboard on the end of Michael’s bed. She looks over it before reading out the diagnosis to the patient.

“The right side of your face has been smashed by the debris during the Armoured Titans charge. I was able to fix the damage, even managed to save your right eye. I got the swelling down and bandaged it as best I could. But I’m afraid there will be some permanent scarring… As for the coughing. To put it bluntly. Your lungs are damaged due to the amount of smoke and ash you breathed in. The rebreather has stabilised your breathing for now, but until I am able to make you a portable one, you’re stuck here.”

Michael was terrified by this news. He’s glad to be alive, but now his mind is flooded with even more questions. He began to collapse back onto the bed. Hange attempted to reach out to comfort him, but she was held back by Levi grabbing her shoulder.

“Think that’s all he can take for now. Let him rest and think it over. I’ll report back to your dad about your recovery.”

Levi takes his leave, allowing Hange to take a seat beside Michael, placing the breather mask over his face again.

“How bad is it?”

Hange looked down at her patient.

“My face.” He repeated. “How bad does it look? Am I still gonna be pretty when it heals?”

That got a little smile out of Hange. A smile that faded when she realised that she now has to show him his scarred face. The doctors said that it was fine to remove them now, but she was hesitant to do so, fearing what it’ll look like.

“You sure you wanna know?”

“I’ll learn to live with it… eventually.” He replied.

She was afraid he would say that. Taking a deep breath, she began to unwrap the bandages round his head. By the time it was done, she got a good look at his face. She was at a complete loss for words over what she was seeing.

“That bad huh?”

Hange only nodded in response.

“Let me see.” He demanded.

Hange nodded again and reached for the handheld mirror on the side table. Reluctantly, she holds it up to his eye level, giving him a good look at his face.

Michael was shocked at what he saw in the mirror. He can barley recognise himself anymore. There were only two words he could say in response to his horrific distortion.

“Holy shit!”

Within Wall Rose, many of the refugees from Wall Maria have been gathered together to what appeared to be a homeless shelter. All the injured people were immediately sent to the hospital, leaving everyone else to rest here.

After a successful infiltration, the Omega Unit were gathering their bearings within the shelter. Reiner and Bertolt passed the time by talking, whilst Annie was asleep. They were still awaiting the return of their leader, who has yet to re-join with them.

“What’s taking him so long? He should’ve been here by now.” Bertolt asked. He started to worry over the absence of Lazarus. “What if he got caught?! Without Lazarus to lead us we-

“He’ll be here.” Reiner reassuringly interrupted. “He’s probably struggling to find a secluded place to land within Wall Rose that’s close to where we are. Even if he’s lost, he can track us with his Titan sense. He’ll be here.”

Bertolt still remained unconvinced. He knows that Lazarus cannot be killed, but that didn’t mean he was unstoppable. Should anyone spot him emerge from his Titan, it would cause some massive problems and even ruin their mission. He started to think that maybe going back to Marley was the better plan after all.

It didn’t take long for Annie to awaken from her much needed rest. She stretched out her arms as she let out a long yawn. All that running around, herding the Titans into one spot had taken a lot out of her. Luckily, her efforts helped their plan succeed in the end.

“Where are we?” She asked tiredly.

“In Wall Rose.” Bertolt answered. “We’re safe now.”

Annie looks over at Reiner and Bertolt. She quickly realised that Lazarus wasn’t with them, forcing her to look around worriedly.

“Where’s Lazarus?”

“He had to fly somewhere far from here and land somewhere out of sight.” Reiner explained. “Lazarus will show up soon, we just gotta be patient.”

“Sooner than you think.”

They all turn around in unison, relieved to see their leader standing before them completely unharmed. Annie got up and ran up to him in order to hug him. Lazarus returned the hug and patted her head. He then walked over to Reiner and Bertolt and pulled them both in for another hug.

“I’m so glad to see you all made it.”

The happy reunion has quickly died down as the four Warriors sat together in the shelter. They were all silent for some time, until Lazarus decided to speak up again.

“I know you guys are having a hard time with all this, believe me I am too. But what’s done is done. There’s no use in feeling guilty over it. This was only the beginning. We still have a mission to complete. There’s no turning back now.”

“We should’ve turned back and went after Jaws.” Annie spoke up. She then turned her attention to Reiner. “But this asshole convinced you to continue leading the mission. It’s because of him we lost Marcel!”

“The decision to continue was mine, not Reiner’s. Lazarus interrupted her. “Marcel getting eaten was nobodies’ fault. Looking back on it you think you could’ve done something. But in the moment, we were all frozen with fear. Marcel died because he was the first to react. He saved Reiner’s life… I’m supposed to be the leader of this team, and I already let one of my comrades die.”

Lazarus’s eyes filled with tears as he thought back on that day. He could’ve easily killed the Titan with his fire and lightning. Or if he had reacted fast enough, he could’ve pushed Reiner out the way and got eaten instead. Even if it ate him, he wouldn’t die, he would’ve transformed within and burst it to pieces. He said Marcels death was no one’s fault, but in actuality, he blames himself.

Wiping away his tears, Lazarus looks up at his friends. The look of sadness was gone, replaced with a look of determination.

“I won’t let it happen again! We will complete this mission, and we WILL return home.” He locks hands with Annie and Reiner, who then lock hands with Bertolt. “All of us! That’s my promise to you.”

Reiner holds himself back from unleashing his own series of waterworks. He’s shed enough tears for one day. Lazarus made his promise, so he will make his. He will fill Marcels shoes and do his part in completing this mission. He will prove himself worthy of being a Warrior. It was the only way for him to redeem himself in the eyes of his mother.

“Annie, Bertolt, Lazarus… I’m sorry.” He addressed his allies. “I’ll be the Warrior I should’ve been… For Marcel.”

Lazarus and Bertolt smiled at him. Annie however was still not convinced. He’ll need to use more than words to convince her he can take Marcel’s place.

“What happens now? What do we do?” Bertolt turned to Lazarus, hoping he had a plan.

“We need to learn as much of this world as possible if we’re to maintain our cover. It’s unlikely that these people know about the nine, or even the fact that Titans are actually human. Therefore, we should not reveal our Titans until I say so. We’ll focus on finding the royal family. We find them, we find the Coordinate.”

“How do we do that?” Bertolt asked again.

“We infiltrate their military. That’s our best chance at finding the royal family. Once we do, I’ll devour the holder of the Founding Titan, and bring this cursed war to an end. The sooner we find them, the sooner we can leave without taking more innocent lives.” Lazarus explained thoroughly, making sure they understood.

He looks at each of his friends, seeing if they were all on board with this plan. Reiner and Bertolt both nod in agreement. Annie however was still unsure.

“Annie?”

“I don’t give a shit about saving the world. All I want is to get back to my father. If you believe this plan is the best way of doing that, then I’ll follow your lead.”

“It’s settled then.” Lazarus nodded. “We should all get some sleep. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

The others had no complaints with that. They’ve all had a long and rather depressing day, sleep should help take their minds off of everything, at least for a while. One by one, the Warriors nestled into their futons and let sleep take them.

Lazarus however had a little difficulty sleeping, as his mind began to wander, looking at all the people who’ve lost their homes because of him. These Eldians were nothing like how they were described in school. They actually acted like real people. People who are grieving over what they’ve lost. Families, friends, possessions, all of it permanently gone.

Everything he was taught about them was a lie. Being told their devils made it easier for him to not feel any remorse against them. But now that he knows that to be false, he’s unsure of what’s right or wrong anymore.

He wanted to be a hero. But now he feels like the villain who came here and ruined their lives.

“I don’t know what to do, Lucia… We all believed that the people within these walls are devils. But now that I’ve actually seen them up close, I’m not sure anymore.” He then reaches for the crystal sword around his neck and clutches it. “And my long-lost friend. If he’s here, then what if I got him killed?!”

As he thought that, another vision began to play in his head. It was the same one he saw during his final moments with Lucia in Odiha. The vision was telling him something. Maybe it was a sign that his missing friend isn’t dead and is still hiding somewhere on the island.

If that were the case, then he couldn’t afford to quit now. Recovering the coordinate was but one mission he had. He still needed to carry out his secondary objective. Find his friend, learn the truth about his visions, and return him back to Marley. Then he can put all his focus on saving the world.

“No! He’s alive, and I will find him. For now, though, I need my sleep.”

Lazarus lies back in his futon and positions his hat atop his face. He soon follows his friends lead and drifts off into a peaceful sleep.

To Be Continued