CHAPTER 1 - Regret

Thirteen years had passed.

The island of Paradis was completely titan free now.

The walls were not needed anymore, and as such, with the help of Eren and Historia, the titans within were eradicated as well.

The country of Marley was at the brink of destruction, their titan shifters insignificant compared to the technological advances of their neighboring countries.

Thunder spears were upgraded into the more effective Ackerman spears, the name a tribute to the family line who were so efficient in taking down these mindless, human-eating giants.

An Ackerman spear had enough power to kill a titan in a single blow.

Unfortunately, what remained of the Eldians inside the country of Marley was killed, their internment zones burned to the ground.

They had failed to retrieve the Founding titan two times over, and Marley declared it an embarrassment only punishable by death.

The rest of the world knew the real truth of Eldian history by now.

They were not devils that used to cleanse the people of Marley in the past, they had brought prosperity to the land instead. Ymir, the first woman to ever inherit a titan, was benevolent. The people of Marley were jealous and anxious that this amazing power was going to be used against them sooner or later. So they spread lies, and once they gained enough power, began to oppress the Eldians. But now, the tables had turned. The Eldians of Paradis had allied with the neighboring countries of Marley, and they agreed to split the ground evenly if Paradis shared their resources with them.

Eren's time, unfortunately, had finally come; his thirteen years were up. He had accomplished his dream. In the end, he had crushed all the titans. He had been so ignorant of the world when he made that promise. He didn't know anything about the titans at that time, only that they ate humans and brought humanity almost to extinction. How foolish he had been that his mind didn't expand further than the walls he used to live in.

All the titans were his own kin: Eldians doomed to wander Utopia for eternity until they died, and humanity certainly wasn't at the brink of extinction either. It was all Marley's fault.

They brainwashed the Eldians who were left behind into believing that they—the people of Paradis—were devils.

Only if humanity inside the walls had perished, could the Eldian race be restored into its former glory and their sins be washed away. Pretty words that bore no meaning. They were empty promises, only believed if they were forced into your head the moment you were born.

Eren guessed the same could be said for him, and all the people who were born inside the walls. Their whole life was one big lie as well. Nobody ever told him differently. He was sure that if Bertolt, Reiner and Annie hadn't attacked, he would still live his life in obliviousness of the outside world.

Yet, with all his accomplishments, Eren felt empty. Mikasa hadn't left his side the entire day. She tried to remain strong, but he could see she was seconds away from breaking down. It teared him up to see her in such disarray.

He knew he had to leave her soon. Even when she knew this day was going to happen eventually, she wanted to marry him. They had done so exactly one year ago.

Right now, he was chained, ready to hand over his two titans. The Survey Corps discussed heavily about who was going to be Eren's successor. In the end, it was decided that Jean was going to inherit the Attack and Foundation titan.

''Eren,'' Mikasa whimpered with teary eyes. He was not used to seeing her in such an emotional state.

She was always the shoulder he could cry on.

He cursed himself for not kissing her that day when they were about to be devoured by the smiling titan.

He'd wanted to spend so much more time with her.

Why couldn't he have realized he loved her sooner? He'd been so dense, only fueled with anger to take revenge for his mother's death.

''Eren,'' she whispered again, her hands holding his cheeks gently. Her touch was filled with passion, tears flowing freely from her face. ''My whole life, I dedicated to you. The moment you saved me and wrapped that scarf around me, a feeling welled up inside of me that grew every day I spent with you. I did everything in my power to keep you safe, but even I can't stop the curse of Ymir.''

''Mikasa…''

''Shh,'' she shushed him, laying a finger against his lips. ''It's okay, Eren I—I knew this was going to be the outcome.'' She hiccuped and closed her eyes, her sniffles turning into whimpers of agony. A sob escaped her lips, followed by another until it spiraled down into nothing but emotional despair.

''Why?'' she cried angrily, her head turned low. She balled her fist and hit Eren on his chest. ''Why? Why? Why?'' she repeated, each hit filled with less strength. ''Why do you have to leave me?'' she whimpered in a soft tone.

''I love you.''

Mikasa closed the gap between her and Eren, and pressed her lips wantonly against his. Her lips quivered, salty and wet from her tears as she poured all her emotion into the kiss.

''Mikasa,'' Eren thought, his own eyes tearing up as she was kissing him for the final time. ''I'm so glad, that I got to meet you, and that I was able to marry you.''

Mikasa didn't want to let go of him. Eventually, Hange and Levi had to pry her away gently. She was unable to watch any longer, her soft crying breaking Eren's heart.

He looked around the room and saw his friends, all in an emotional state or trying to console Mikasa. ''My friends,'' Eren thought, ''how many of them did I lose?''

Only a handful had survived after all was set and done, and that pained Eren more than anything. ''So many lives and they're all gone. Why did this have to happen?''

Eren closed his eyes. He saw Hange approach Jean with a syringe, ready to inject him, who was trembling in fear. Eren did not want to see how his friend would turn into a titan and devour him.

''If I could do it all over again, I would. I would save Paradis, and all the other Eldians living inside Marley.'' It was strange how calm Eren felt when he thought about this.

''Jean, if you're ready, then let's begin,'' Hange informed him.

Jean had to steel his nerves and swallow to get his dry throat wet again. He was going to eat one of his best friends. He almost couldn't stomach the thoughts.

''Eren!'' he screamed suddenly, snapping him out of his thoughts and making him look up.

''I swear to fulfill my duties as titan shifter with honor! I promise to take care of Mikasa in your absence and I'll make sure to spread peace so that the Eldians can prosper again. So stop your crying before I have to beat the shit out of you, you hear me!?'' His voice was heavy as his emotions got the better of him. Jean's tears streamed down his face as he gave Eren a look of absolute sorrow and respect.

For the first time, Eren smiled, and closed his eyes again.

''Jean… Thank you.'' Eren let his eyes wander the room one more time.

''Everyone, thank you. We all stand here today because you believed. You believed humanity could one time get outside of the walls. All of us made that dream into a reality. It was because of our hard work that we stopped one-hundred years of living as caged birds.''

Eren saw everybody listening intently, their hearts filling with hope for the future. Yet, why felt he so miserable? He couldn't shake the feeling that he had failed.

''So many people,'' he thought again. ''So many innocent people.''

''Jean… It is time,'' Eren concluded. His friend nodded and gave the go-ahead to Hange. At the same time, Eren saw his life flash before his eyes. 

''Mikasa, Armin, Connie, Levi, Hange, Jean… please take good care of this world.'' Eren felt the pressure of a titan shifting close by, he knew it was only a matter of seconds before he felt those sharp teeth crush his flesh and bones into nothing.

''Is this what my father felt when I was about to eat him?'' At that moment, an incredible fear took over Eren's body. 

''No, I don't want to die yet! I want to grow old with Mikasa and have children. I want to see the nation of Eldia rise to its former glory with Historia as its leader. I want my mom to hold me!''

Eren didn't know where that last thought came from, but he held on to it.

He imagined how his mother would always soothe him when he had hurt himself. Mikasa would look at him with a scowl on her face.

He always wondered why she was mad at him at such a moment, but only now realized it was because how much she cared and how afraid she was to lose him.

''Mom… Please hold me for a while longer.''