AUTHOR'S POV:
The Attacking kept limping towards the Beast titan.
Suddenly, he stopped as the Jaw titan was trying to bite off his leg.
After the Jaw Titan bit off the Attacking Titan's leg, the Attacking Titan threw a side fist punch straight to the Jaw Titan's nape.
.
Reiner gasped. "Galliard!"
.
The Attacking Titan slowly removed his bloodied hand from the Jaw Titan's nape.
.
Half of Porco's face was gone because of the hit.
.
The Attacking Titan kneeled beside him and hit three more times at the Jaw Titan's nape.
When the Jaw Titan lifted his head up a bit, the Attacking Titan hit his face, breaking the bone like structure of his face.
The Attacking Titan brought his hand up with a roar, ready to hit again. But, a shot from the anti titan artillery came piercing through his firearm and head, severing his hand.
The Attacking Titan brought his head down.
.
"Founding Titan hit! It stopped moving!" Koslow exclaimed.
"Good. Put another in the beast." Magath said.
Floch and some Yeagerists came flew by beside them.
"Don't let 'em shoot!" Floch yelled.
.
"Would you piss off already?!" Pieck angrily yelled.
.
The Cart titan turned her body around and hit a Yeagerist with the pointer of the anti titan artillery.
The Yeagerist fell off in a distance and to the ground.
.
"The Cart Titan! We've gotta deal with her first!" Armin said, looking at the Cart titan, kneeling on a rooftop.
"Armin!" Mikasa exclaimed and took Armin with him as soilders began to shoot there.
Before landing on another rooftop, she threw a thunder spear into the house the Marley soilders were shooting from.
The place exploded.
"There are in the houses!" Connie exclaimed, landing near Mikasa and Armin.
.
"Fall back! This way's no good!" Jean said then he and Faye took off from that rooftop.
.
"We've gotta take out these soldiers." Mikasa said while flying.
"Yeah." Armin said, flying beside her.
.
Several Eldian soilders were riding horses, holding rifles.
"Wrap behind!" An MP yelled. "Let's go behind 'em!"
The soilders split off from a corner.
.
Armin landed near Mikasa, Faye, Connie and Jean.
"He's got the right idea. We can't fight them head-on." Armin said and looked at his side. "Let's sneak behind 'em!"
.
The Garrison soilders sneaked behind the Marley soilders and shoot them down one by one.
.
Flying by, Faye launched a thunder spear on a rooftop, full of soilders.
The rooftop exploded, killing the soilders.
.
Yelena was sitting on the edge with closed eyes.
.
Zeke was laying face first inside his titan nape.
Part of his back and hands were gone because of the anti titan artillery.
He slowly opened his eyes. 'I fell... To the ground. Was I... Shot?'
.
The Armoured titan had tackled the Attacking Titan to the ground.
The Attacking was holding the Armoured Titan's neck while the Armoured titan was holding the Attacking titan's hands, pinning him to the ground.
.
"Eren..." Reiner said then looked at the Jaw Titan's direction. "Get up, Porco!"
.
The Jaw Titan's face was completely disintegrated while Porco was unconsious.
.
"Find the strength, Gilliard!" Reiner said.
.
With a growl, the Armoured titan brought his hand towards the Jaw Titan and touched his head.
Blue lightning crackled around his fingers and Porco started getting Marcel's memories.
.
.
.
Marcel, Annie, Bertolt were sitting around a camp fire while Reiner was standing near Bertolt.
"I am sorry, Reiner. I'm sorry." Marcel said in a sorrowful voice.
The three of them stared at him with wide eyes.
"You were never meant to be chosen as a Warrior." Marcel said.
Reiner stared at him with a shocked expression.
"I talked you up and criticized my brother to influence their decision." Marcel said. "I... Just wanted to protect my brother."
.
.
.
After seeing the memories, Porco had a shocked expression on his face.
.
Several Yeagerists were shot down by the Marleyan soilders.
.
"General Magath!" The Cart titan called out.
Magath looked down and his eyes widened.
.
The Beast titan was attempting to get up.
.
"Zeke... Is still alive!" Magath exclaimed.
.
The Attacking Titan brought his head up and looked at the Beast titan with a gasp.
.
"It's time to summon the Titans." The Beast titan said and took some air onto his mouth.
.
Eren gasped.
.
The Attacking Titan brought his hand up towards the Beast titan, signalling him to stop.
.
"Stop!" Eren said.
.
Reiner gasped.
.
Zeke stared at him with wide eyes.
.
"Wait!" Colt called out, holding Falco's wrist. "Falco got some spinal fluid in his mouth: Please don't scream, Zeke!"
.
Zeke gasped.
.
Eren's eyes widened.
.
"What... Was that?" Reiner asked.
.
"I'm inheriting the Beast to keep my family from being sent to paradise!" Colt yelled, hand on his chest.
"Let's go, Colt!" Falco said, trying to drag Colt but Colt didn't budge.
"To be honest, I rarely understood you. even before you betrayed us!" Colt yelled in a pained voice.
.
Zeke was staring at him with wide eyes.
.
"But I don't think you're someone who'd drag kids into this!" Colt yelled. "I'm not saying you should just lie down and die! But wait till Falco's out of range of your scream! After that, slaughter away! Kill as many Eldians and Marleyans as you want! Just don't drag my brother into this!"
Gabi stopped before them on a horse. "Falco, hop on!"
"Stay back, Gabi!" Colt yelled.
.
Zeke with closed eyes was gritting his teeth, conflicted.
.
"Colt..." The Beast titan said with closed eyes. "Only too well do I understand the feelings for one's brother."
Colt and Falco starred at him with wide eyes.
"Zeke-san..." Colt trailed off.
The Beast titan turned to him. "So... It's a shame."
Falco and Colt gasped.
The Beast titan started screaming, sending sound waves accross Shiganshina.
.
Colt was hugging Falco tightly.
"Get away from me, Colt!" Falco yelled with a terrified expression while tears were rolling down his face.
"It's okay, Falco." Colt yelled with closed eyes. "I'm here for you!"
Falco looked to his right at Gabi who was trying to reach him.
.
Suddenly, the Eldians who had drunk the Marleyan wine, started glowing blue.
.
Pixis was about take a sip from a bottle then he slowly closed his eyes.
.
Suddenly, blue lightning struck at various parts of Shiganshina at once, sending steam waves everywhere.
Once the steam was cleared, there stood 100s of pure titans.
.
"What the-?" One Marleyan soilder said, looking at the Titans.
"The enemies... Turned into titans?"
The first soilder turned to the second soilder. "Quick! The anti titan cannons!"
Both of them looked back too see their comrade's head getting crushed by a Titan.
A titan came at them from the steam and ate them.
.
Titans started to run around and eat Marley soilders.
.
Reiner gasped with wide eyes as he saw Falco's pure titan who had a long neck.
.
Falco titan was standing near the Beast titan, looking up.
The Beast titan was still looking down. "Get him, Falco."
Reiner gasped as Falco titan looked at him.
Reiner yelled as the Falco titan charged at him.
Reiner didn't want to kill Falco so he didn't put a fight.
The Falco titan easily tackled the Armoured titan to the ground.
.
Gabi slowly sat up and looked at the Colt. "Colt...?" She gasped and her eyes widened when she saw Colt's burnt body. She looked down and began to cry.
.
The Armoured titan had pinned down the Attacking Titan and the Falco titan at the same time despite their protests.
.
"Falco...?" Gabi sadly said, looking at them.
.
The Falco titan tried to grab the Armoured Titan's face.
.
'I can't fight both of 'em. Eren will get away.' Reiner thought.
.
The Attacking Titan was trying to remove the Armoured titan's hand off his face.
.
'The one to end Falco...' Reiner thought with a horrified expression.
.
The Falco titan had his mouth wide open.
.
'...is... me?' Reiner thought.
.
The Attacking Titan slapped the Armoured Titan's face. Then he wrapped his legs around the Armoured Titan's head and threw him away using his legs.
The Attacking Titan quickly turned around, stood up and was about to run when the Armoured titan grabbed his ankle, causing him to fall face first.
.
"Eren!" Reiner yelled.
.
Suddenly, the Falco titan started to bite the Armoured titan's nape.
.
Reiner gasped. "Falco! My nape!"
.
The Attacking Titan sat up and began to kick the Armoured titan's face multiple times to break free.
.
Suddenly, Magath fired another anti titan artillery at the Beast titan's nape.
.
Eren looked back and gasped.
.
Reiner gasped too.
.
"He is a goner this time." Magath said, looking at the Beast titan with his telescope. "I'm sure of it. Crisis averted."
.
Floch was hanging from the Wall with his gear. "Shit! Guys! Is anyone alive?!"
.
Magath pointed the anti titan artillery at the Attacking Titan who looked at him.
"That leaves the Founding Titan." Magath said.
.
Eren was glaring at him with gritted teeth.
.
"We've got no need for your head- just your spinal fluid!" Magath said.
Suddenly, a thinder spear hit the anti titan artillery, right behind Magath.
The explosion injured Magath.
.
"We were too late!" Armin exclaimed, after launching the thunder spear.
"Bring him down!" Koslow yelled, pointing his rifle at Armin along with another soilder.
Suddenly, Mikasa came spinning from behind them and sliced their nape.
She landed behind the Cart titan.
The Cart titan turned to her. "It's over! It's over for you guys!"
Mikasa just glared at her.
.
On the ground, only the skeletal remains of the Beast titan was left.
.
The Attacking Titan just sat there, looking at the skeleton.
.
Reiner had a shocked expression. 'It's over...? Eren can't use the Founding Tikan's power now. We fullfilled our duty.'
.
The Falco titan kept biting the Armoured Titan's nape.
.
'I can just let it happen. Right?' Reiner wondered. 'Once undo the hardering on my nape, I'm done...'
.
Gabi just stood in a distance, looking at them with a defeated look.
.
'The one who will inherit the Armor...' Reiner closed his eyes.
.
The hardening from the Armoured titan's nape began to break.
.
'...is Falco.' Reiner thought.
.
After biting for another few moments, the Falco titan stopped and looked behind him.
.
Reiner gasped and looked back at him.
.
Behind them, a half headed and bloodied faced Porco was standing as steam was emitting from his face.
"I am all out of power to heal my body." Porco said, looking at them.
The Falco titan fully turned to him.
"But I ain't dying for nothing." Porco said.
The Falco titan began to make its way to Porco.
Porco started walking towards it. "I saw my brother's memories. He fooled the military to make your lousy ass a Warrior- to protect me.
.
"Wait... No!" Reiner yelled.
.
The Armoured titan brought his hand up to gesture Porco to stop.
.
The Falco titan started to run towards Porco, mindlessly.
.
"Porco!" Reiner cried out.
.
Porco smiled a bit. "There's no denying it now. I was always better than you.
The Falco titan slided down the ground and picked up Porco with his mouth.
.
Gabi watched the scene while a tear rolled down her face. "Huh? Gilliard?"
.
The Falco titan chewed Porco and gulped him down.
.
The Armoured titan turned around. With a roar, he threw a fist at the Attacking titan's face, bringing him to the ground.
The Attacking titan's eyes glowed and he hardened his body along with the Armoured titan's hand.
.
Reiner gasped.
.
Breaking the hardening from the nape, Eren got out and fell to the ground, rolling a bit.
Once on the ground, he started running towards Zeke.
.
Reiner gasped. 'Could it be...?'
.
Zeke was hiding in his titan's skeletal remains and the steams were covering him.
"Glad you noticed, Eren." Zeke said. "Imitating Pieck and pretending to be dead worked perfectly."
.
Eren continued to run.
.
"We're close!" Zeke exclaimed.
.
With a roar, the Armoured titan broke his hand free from the Attacking titan's hardening and brought his hand to grab Eren.
Suddenly, one thunder spears hit the Armoured Titan's hand and another one hit his face and another one hit his head, stopped him.
Eren looked up to see Jean, Faye and Connie flying by.
Zeke brought his hand up. "Come on, Eren!"
Suddenly, Eren felt someone's presence on his right.
He looked to his right with wide eyes as Gabi had pointed the anti titan rifle towards him.
.
Jean, Faye and Connie stared with wide eyes.
.
The Cart titan was trying to catch Mikasa who flew up a bit and came towards the Cart titan to kill her.
.
With teary eyes, Gabi shot the rifle at Eren and the bullets severed Eren's head from his body.
Zeke stared with wide eyes as Eren's severed head spinned in the air, leaving trails of blood everywhere.
.
.
.
In one evening, Zeke and Eren were leaning on a wall, behind the hospital in Liberio.
"First, I want to thank you for agreeing to come here and talk with me." Zeke said. "You've already heard my thoughts from Yelena." He looked at Eren. "Will you help us with our Eldian euthanasia plan?"
"Four years ago, something triggered my father's memories to open themselves up to me." Eren said. "Specifically, the memory of when he slaughtered the royal family of the walls." He looked at his palm. "He crushed those children the way you'd swat a bug. I even remember how it felt." Zeke looked down with sad expression. "If those children had survived, the Founding Titan would've gone back to the royal family and humanity within the walls would still be bound by the pledge and waiting for death." Eren closed his palm. "Those children's deaths allowed us to live."
"I see. So our father was correct." Zeke said. "Is that what you think?"
Eren put his hand down. "No. Dad was wrong."
Zeke gasped and looked at him.
"And me and Faye are just another one of his mistakes." Eren said. "If Eldians had never been born, everyone here and elsewhere who's going to be swept up in our plan wouldn't have to die. There's no greater salvation than not being born into this world." Eren and Zeke faced eachother at the same time. "I'll do it. The two-thousand-year history of oppression under the Titans will end by my hands. We'll keep moving forward until the day we accomplish that. Right, brother?"
Tears formed in Zeke's eyes. "Yeah." He straightened his glasses. "Yeah, that's exactly it. Let's do it." He brought his hand up. "I'd love a firm handshake right about now..." He searched for something in his pocket. "But it probably wouldn't be a good idea for us to touch each other just yet." He took out the ball and hold it out for Eren. "Instead, take this. Eren." He bounced the ball at him. "We have to save everyone."
Eren brought his hand up to catch the ball but it fell on the ground beside him.
Eren looked at it. "I dropped it." He stepped a bit forward and bent down. "Hospital life must've made me sluggish."
Zeke stared at him with wide eyes and opened mouth.
Eren picked the ball up and turned to Zeke.
Both of them just kept staring at eachother.
.
.
.
When Eren's severed head fell on Zeke's palm, upside down, it's was as if time had stopped around them.
For Eren, everything turned black for a moment.
Then he found himself going through a blue, glowing tunnel.
Then he began to get memory shards.
.
.
A 9 years old Eren, wrapping the red scarf around Mikasa with a smile while blushing.
.
.
.
Eren blinked.
.
.
.
A 10 years old Mikasa looked back at him, carrying firewoods.
.
.
.
Eren blinked again.
.
.
.
Carla, pulling his ear with a smile.
.
.
.
Eren blinked again.
.
.
.
An injured Mikasa, about to kiss him but he just sniffed and stood up.
.
.
.
Eren blinked again.
.
.
.
A blushing Mikasa stood before him with opened mouth, at Marley, infront of the refugee camps.
.
.
.
Eren blinked again.
.
.
.
Grisha's sister, Faye, walking along with Grisha somewhere with a big smile on her face.
.
.
.
Eren blinked again.
.
.
.
Frieda, looking at the mirror in surprise while brushing her hair.
.
.
.
Eren blinked again.
.
.
.
Eren, talking with Falco at Marley in the name of Kruger.
.
.
Reiner on his knees, begging Eren to kill him.
.
.
Little Armin and Faye, running somewhere with smiles on their faces.
.
.
The Reiss Family, standing side by side on a pool of blood.
.
.
A kid Kruger, staring with wide eyes as his parents were being burnt alive.
.
.
Dina, turning to a pure Titan.
.
.
Kruger, telling Grisha about his true identity.
.
.
Grisha, using the Attacking Titan's power for the first time.
.
.
Grisha screamed, kneeling on the ground.
.
.
A bird, flying towards the horizon.
.
.
Grisha, giving the basement's key to a young Eren.
.
.
Mikasa, sitting beside the grave of Eren, weeping.
.
.
A bird, flying over the ocean.
.
.
A man with brown hair and green eyes, turning to him.
.
.
.
Then everything turned white.
When Eren opened his eyes, he found himself in a mysterious barren land with white sand, dark sky filled with stars and a giant glowing blue coloured tree right infront of him.
Eren stared at the coordinates with furrowed eyebrows. "This is...?"
"The Coordinate where all Paths converge, I believe." Zeke said.
.
Zeke's beard and moustache had grown long and he seemed old.
His neck was chained up to the ground.
.
Eren turned to him.
"Those who use the Founding Titan's power must come here." Zeke explained, still looking down. "Those with royal blood, that it."
"Brother..." Eren said. "
"The wait's been exhausting, Eren." Zeke said. "It feels like I've been waiting years for you to recover and wake up."
"Years... Have passed?" Eren asked and turned to the coordinates.
"I'm not sure. Here, everything happens in an instant." Zeke said and Eren looked at him. "Your head was blown off by Gabi, but you made contact with me before you passed on. We succeeded. We obtained the power of the Frending Titan." He looked up. "Whoever the Founder is, has stopped showing himself since the day the walls on Paradise were formed. But, the holder of the Founding Titan could command him through the coordinates and he'll obey it."
"Is that so?" Eren asked.
"Yeah." Zeke said and picked up some sand. "I imagine this is where the Founder makes Titans... Expending untold years whenever we seek the Power of the Titans."
"All alone... Here?" Eren said, looking at the coordinates.
"Eren, command the Founder." Zeke said with a small smile and Eren turned to him. "The time has come to fulfill our dream."
Eren gasped slightly. "Those chains..
"Finally noticed them, have you? I appreciate your concern." Zeke said and held a chain. "They're to restrict my freedom. It's the vow renouncing war. As I thought, only you can move freely here." He looked up at him. "Only you can command the Founder..." His expression changed to a sad. "To fulfill my, Mr. Ksaver's, and your dream. Please, save the world."
Eren didn't reply but just stared at him.
"Eren..." Zeke said with a distressed expression. "Tell him to make Eldians unable to bear children till the end of time. Crushing the military with the rumbling can come later."
Eren turned back to the coordinates. "Euthanize every Eldians..."
"Eren...?" Zeke said in disbelief.
Eren looked back him from his shoulder with furrowed eyebrows. "There's no way in hell I'd go along with such a messed up plan!"
Tears started to form in Zeke's eyes as he listened to Eren.
"Sorry, Brother. I was only playing along in order to get here." Eren said and turned to the coordinates and started walking towards it.
Zeke stared to tear up, covering his face with his shaking palms. "As long as Eldians exist, this hell will never end! If you don't go through with it, the bloodshed will never stop! All we've been through will just cycle for eternity." He put his head down a bit. "Why, Eren?! Answer me!"
Eren stopped in his tracks. "Because I was born into this world. The Founder, lend me your powers."
Suddenly, his hands were chuffed with two chains to the ground.
"Huh?" Eren said in confusion.
"I thought as much, Eren. I hoped, if anyone would understand." Zeke said, still covering his face." He removed gis hands and looked at Eren who had a shocked expression. "Is this the result of Father's brainwashing again?!"
"What does this mean?" Eren said, looking at the cuffs on his wrist.
"In the time it took for you to wake up, I learnt many things." Zeke said. "The Founder can make anything, even these earthen chains." He pulled away the restraint from his neck and it turned to sand.
Eren's eyes widened at the sight.
Zeke stood up. "As long as I, with royal blood, wills it." All the chains on his body fell to the ground and turned to white sand. "Unlike the kings of the Walls, I'm here without being tainted by the First King's ideals. And in the mind-numbing time I spent here, I managed to nullify the vow renouncing war." He starched the back of his head. "Though possessing, tremendous power, whoever the Founder is, he is still a slave with no will of his own like Ymir Fritz. The Founder believes those with royal blood are his masters and obeys them. I've obtained the Founder's power."
"Impossible." Eren said in disbelief.
"You were no more than the key, Eren." Zeke said. "I'm glad I waited to hear your true feelings." Zeke's expression changed to a pained expression. "It's not your fault. You, Faye and I are tragic victims born by the vile father." He put his hands on Eren's shoulders. "But I had another father who saved me." Eren furrowed his eyebrows. "You need somebody to save you, too. I will never abandon you I'll fix you with the Founder's power!"
"Stop. It's pointless." Eren said.
Zeke held Eren's head. "When save the world, it'll be with you!"
Both of them stared at eachother and collided their forehead and blue sparks of lightning crackled around their forehead.
'I will save you... Eren.'
______________