22 Chapter 22

Eren couldn't tell anyone precisely what was in the books. It wasn't due to the fact he had forgotten, rather, it was because memories that were not his own assaulted his mind. Some of them aligned with what the books his father said, while others played out, never mentioned in the book.

What really struck Eren was the surreal feeling of being there. The emotions his father felt impacted him as if he was experiencing them himself.

It was refreshing, in a way. Emotions that were evoked were ones he never thought he would have the pleasure to feel. Regardless, he didn't want to feel them nonetheless.

The feeling of complete despair followed by hope and dedication.

However, the things he saw within the vision were complicated.

For one, he now realized that Zeke Yeager was actually his brother, half brother to be precise. However, that smiling Titan that had caused Eren grief so long ago was actually Dina Fritz, a blood royal.

It meant that Zeke had royal blood coursing through his blood.

It would explain how he was able to control Titans, if only a little.

But that wasn't completely what Eren was unsure about. No, he didn't doubt his ability to defeat a foe like him. What he was concerned about was the state of the world outside.

How could the people of Paradise island gain some form of foothold considering the fabricated past that was made up? There was no way to rebound from such accusation unless there was abundant evidence waiting to be shown.

And even then, would anyone believe them?

As Eren mulled over these things, the only path he knew that would leave to all their problems being solved was the realization he had when meeting with that demon once again.

"These… visits have been frequent." The demon of Ymir spoke. He held the figure of an average human, with the only oddity being his spiral-like horns. Clothed in nothing but white sheets, the demon sat in a chair as he faced Eren.

"Well, now that I realized I hold the founding Titan, the main source of your power, it's easy to contact you."

"You've been doing it lately." The demon raised an eyebrow. "Do you seek assistance?"

"No, I just find it easier to sort through the various memories of the other shifters with your presence, oddly enough."

"What?!" The demon stood up at Eren's statement. "You mean you have access to all the Attack Titan holders memories?"

"As well as the Founding Titan, yes."

"Im… Impossible…"

The demon remained standing as Eren simply observed, a dull gaze plastered on his face.

"What… What do you plan to do?" The demon asked hesitantly.

"Why did you give Ymir the source off all organic power?" Eren suddenly asked.

"It's complicated."

Eren gave a sigh.

"I see. You could have just said you loved her and wanted to protect her."

The demon gave a flinch at Eren putting it bluntly.

"But I want to thank you. Because of your response, I now know that the next course of action is the only way."

"What do you mean?"

The demon asked as he reached out for Eren, but failed to grab anything as Eren simply smirked and walked away, shattering the place of meeting as he left the surreal dream-like place.

Eren opened his eyes as he heard the shuffle of feet. Taking a stance, he began to move forward.

He had just finish severing all contact with the Demon of Ymir. His mind made up, he now knew what he had to do.

But, as of right now, he was stuck with the duty of attending this inauguration of sorts. A ceremony held by the Queen to thank each and every Scout and Cavalry for their bravery and courage, as well as dedicating the few who didn't make it back.

With so many people, it took time for Eren and Levi Squad to be honor. Bowing before their once classmate, each one was given a thank you and a kiss on the palm by Historia. Eren pondered if these semantics were tiring her, but it seemed she still held a face.

With Eren being the last member of the dedication, Historia seemed hesitant.

Eren, not looking at her, gave her a nod. Seemingly, he had nothing to say to the Queen.

She took his palm and brought her lips to it. The dedication was short for the long-lasting ceremony, but as soon as it was over, Eren made strives towards an unknown destination to anyone.

He had to speak with Hugo.

But first, he needed to talk with the Commander of the Scouts.

"Resign." It was all Eren said to the man who had been his Commander all this time.

"So you realized, then." Smith said with a bittersweet tone. "That I really only cared about proving my father right and finding the evidence to say he was right."

"Yes, you have no desire to fight the enemy that is Marley. Resign."

"You're really pushing for this, are you not?"

"We don't need a Commander who is half-assing it. Resign."

"Heh," Smith gave a slight chuckle. "I already saw myself unfit. Not to worry, as per my arrangement, Hange will soon take full control of the Scouts."

"I see." It was all Eren said as he began to leave.

"Do you plan to take control of the Cavalry?" Smith asked out of curiosity before Eren left.

Turning back, Eren answered with a smile.

"Yes."

As he left, he wandered where Hugo had gone. He would most likely be doing an inspection of the Zeppelin, no doubt.

Eren couldn't help but give a sigh of relief.

The only man who would notice his movements and actions and have the power to stop him and had officially resign. Eren now had free reign to take his plan into the final stages.

It was high time he gained all nine of the Titans powers all to himself.

Time goes, people grow, events unfold, and actions are sown.

Eren couldn't help it as he looked down from the Zeppelin from the destruction he had wrought upon the Marley nation.

He had nailed two of their Titans, the Warhammer and Jaw Titan. The battle between both had been an oddity, but Eren had come out on top. It was only the cause of the Armored Titan, Reiner, to force him to retreat.

But he had succeeded in accomplishing what he had wanted.

With the flames of the port within his view, he looked over to Armin, who seemed to have a downcasted gaze.

"You destroyed their entire port?" Eren asked a little shock. It was the sensible thing to do, as with their main port sustaining such damage, as well as the loss of two Titan holders, it would take a while for them to restore order and commence a counter-attack against them.

Armin didn't seem to care to answer.

It mattered little to Eren, he even gave him a slight pat on the shoulder as a show of sympathy. Eren didn't really care for Armin's grievance for the many he had slain when he transformed into the Colossal. No, it was the fact that now his plan was in motion and there was no turning back.

Walking past Armin, Eren headed to one of the many compartments with the Zeppelin. It was a lot smaller than the original, metal designed one that the Cavalry had used. The government had ordered that many more of these be built, the Scouts and Cavalry jumped on it.

With this being a Scout ship, it met that Eren was only surrounded by Scouts.

However, as he got to the brig, he saw the person that had caused them many a few strifes years ago back on Paradis Island.

With Levi keeping a cold stare upon him, Eren walked up to the man.

"Should I call you older brother?" Eren asked smoothly.

"Zeke, is fine."

"So then, as per the plan, we will be heading back to Paradis where you will be detained."

"Of course."

Eren and Zeke knew this to be a lie. They had already exchanged letters with each other, describing in detail just what it was that Zeke was planning.

Eren had said he would join Zeke.

It was a lie.

Eren's only desire was the all the nine Titans. Zeke had wanted to end the suffering of all Eldians by not having them give birth anymore. The way they would achieve that is for Zeke to obtain the founding Titan power.

Eren had lied that he would help, when in reality it would be Eren that devoured Zeke.

However, anymore conversation was ended when everyone heard a bang.

Eren, looking outside the door, saw two little kids surrounded by members of the Scouts. Sasha laid dying on the floor, if not already dead. Eren didn't even flinch at the corpse of his comrade, going over to the group of Scouts that held down the two kids, Eren gave the order to lock them up and detain them.

"You're not allowed to give orders." Jean suddenly shouted. "We're here because of the mess you got us in!"

"Jean!" Hange shouted. "While I do agree that Eren needs to be made aware of the trouble he is causing, I have to agree that we should lock up the kids. Unless you want to kill these mere children?"

With that, Eren was escorted back into the brig with Zeke.

Eren sat on the creaky bed, detained in a jail high above in one of the Military headquarters. It seemed that the people of the walls still trusted him, as they held no doubts that the hero of the walls wouldn't transform and kill many innocent people.

They were, actually, outside protesting Eren's own arrest. The man who became humanity's savior was in chains, something they couldn't tolerate.

It would make his plan easy all the same.

A door opening and a shuffle.

A guard had come down and placed a tray of food upon the table near Eren's bed. It was a feast fit for a king, one that someone wouldn't normally find served for a mere prisoner.

"It seems that Rommel is cautious of your movements." Before leaving, the guard spoke in a hushed tone.

"It's far too late for him to do anything."

"It seems he has taken Scott and those originally of the Levi Squad to an unknown location."

"I have an inkling of where they may have gone… Any movement on Erwin Smith?"

"None, he is simply content with resting by himself on some countryside."

"How is the situation with Zeke?" Eren continued to question his aide who had infiltrated the Garrison ranks.

"Levi had taken a squad of Scouts to one of the large forests."

"If everything goes to plan, he should be making his way to the predetermined location… Which reminds me, how many have ingested his spinal fluid?"

"distributing it through wine, those who are against you have drunk it."

Eren gave a nod at the information. It was Zeke's plan to do such a thing. Apparently, it was his trump card to ensure that all those opposed him would no longer be able to. Eren found it ironic just how far Zeke was willing to go to "save" the Eldians. Surely, turning half of them into mindless Titans to eat their fellow countrymen was part of it?

Zeke's plan was horrendous, not in the fact of morality, but that it simply was purely idiotic that he wanted to end Eldians suffering by not allowing them to reproduce.

That was not the way they should be saved.

No, what Eren planed far exceeded that. He simply needed all nine Titans. However, his way of getting them was no doubt detestable, as seen as how Rommel had already picked up on it, parting ways with the Calvary and even taking some of the Scouts with him.

No doubt, he would tell them of how Eren was amassing machinery and an army fit to invade the world.

"Oh, subject number one as been spotted infiltrating this very city."

"Really? Already? She acts fast. Tell the costal guard to initiate protocol Caelum Lookout, we should expect something from the Marley soon if Pieck is already within the city when not even a week has passed on my initial attack…"

Eren told the guard what to do, and with a nod, he did it immediately.

All by his lonesome, Eren thought back on just what he discovered with the memories of the past Titan holders. Especially Ymir's, the original Titan that held all nine powers. He could look at all the past memories and experience of any Titan holder he had, however, he could never look to the future.

Probably because, when Eren succeeded, there would be no Titans in the future.

Gabi was conflicted.

Here was a family that had helped her and Falco. She had learned who they were. It was there that she learned that they had lost a daughter, a member of the Scouts. Apparently, she was killed on the return trip from the recent attack on the Marley nation.

The woman who was their daughter match the same description of the soldier that Gabi had killed.

It didn't take long for them to find out it was she who had killed a girl named Sasha Blouse.

Cascading events unfolded that resulted in Falco drinking some whine when he took a hit from the bottle meant for Gabi when someone close to Sasha found out it was her that killed Sasha.

Gabi zoned out as she saw Falco's limp body bloodied and prone simply laying on the wooden floor. It wasn't until she realized she was being sat down that she realized that Eldian troops had taken her into custody.

They sported their signature military as well as a colored handkerchief wrapped around their arm. The soldiers left her chained to a wall for a surreal amount of time.

Finally, the door opened.

Only, it revealed the person who she least expected to pay her a visit.

Eren Yeager walked in.

Scott drove the horse-drawn carriage down the dirt pavement as fast as he could. They were quite some distance, but they had to arrive at the current residence of Queen Historia as soon as possible. It was dark, and in the wagon held members of Levi Squad, with Rommel and a few loyal guards.

Rommel was currently explaining the situation to the members of the Scouts as they listen in disbelief.

The Scouts had heard rumors of how Eren might have been controlled by Zeke into doing his bidding and how Zeke would bring destruction upon the world, but what Rommel relayed to them shattered that belief.

He provided evidence and accounts of just what Eren was planning, or what it looked like he was planning.

It was Scott who found out about the increase in personal. He later discovered that a disclosed draft had occurred, leading to the Cavalry to have young, fresh men join their corps. It was an oddity that he took to Rommel.

They later found out that every single member was being trained for an ambiguous landing.

Their invasion point, the Marley nation.

Take into Eren's sudden shift in attitude, Scott should have seen this coming.

No doubt, Eren seemed distance from the world. He acted like the tyrant facade he had created long ago, although this one was real. He no longer held any emotions.

It was why Rommel had contacted his comrades from the 104th corps. If anyone could take them down, it was them. Along with that, Rommel had already contacted the Commander of the Scouts, Hange. She was currently en route towards Levi, where she would give the order to execute Zeke Yeager and bring Levi along to take out Eren before he becomes a threat.

Scott heard the heavy debating in the back about what Eren had just become and what he had been doing, but eventually Rommel was able to convince them, albeit taking a few hours to do so.

Their objective was to head to Historia, where Eren would no doubt enact his plan by turning her into his puppet for the world.

Scott finally realized the reality of the situation.

Eren had finally taken the crown of The Führer.

With a cold sweat breaking down his neck, Scott struck the reins once again, urging the horses to go faster.

Levi sat in the middle of the road, battered, bruised, bleeding, and most likely dying.

Zeke, the bastard of an ape, somehow managed to transform his allies into mindless Titans.

With it, he was trying to escape. Levi had brought out all the stops to try and stop him.

Naturally, Levi succeeded. Trapping Zeke by a noose and Thunder Spear. If the man tried to move, he would pull the string that activated it and blow himself up.

It had been nearly sunset when Levi had been making his way towards the residence of the Queen out in the countryside. She had still taken a liking to run an orphanage and was remaining there with Annie herself as a guard to the Queen.

Levi didn't bother to learn the details, but Annie somehow became a member of the Cavalry. News of her… affair? Love story or whatever with Eren circulated and allowed people to accept the traitor as one of their own.

Regardless, she was protecting Historia along with a few other royal guards.

However, Levi recalled, he apparently never made it to the destination. He heard Zeke mumbling to himself and checked on him, only for Zeke to jerk the noose, activating the Thunder Spear.

That was all Levi recalled, as he awoke with the sun rising. He had taken damage from the Thunder Spear, if his condition spoke of anything. He looked at the wreckage of the wagon, noting that the flames and smolders had long gone out. However, there was no sign of any of Zeke's remains.

Impossible, Zeke had managed to survive such a blast?

Levi suddenly became alert when he heard the sound of a horse's hooves on the ground.

Turning suddenly, causing himself some pain, he observed who it was that had found him.

Although she was a four-eyed filthy woman, he was for the first time in forever thankful to see her nonetheless.

"Gabi, was it?" A voice spoke as soon as her door to the cell opened. "You're the child that killed Sasha."

Two men entered the room, leaving the door open behind them. The first one she knew clear as day. He was Eren Yeager, escorted as to what appeared to be her unofficial warden in this pseudo cell. It was early morning, and she had a fretful sleep from yesterdays events.

She gave him a dead look. After everything she'd been through, it was difficult to determine just who was right and wrong. She felt complied to scream and rush the man, only the chains held her back. A part of her mind told her that the massacre that this man unfolded himself was justified revenge.

But the emotional part of her told her that this man had killed her friends and attacked her country.

Above all else, that single fact made everything else irrelevant.

"Let's see." He started forward with a deceivingly sweet smile. "I need your help with something. We have a radio, if you could-"

He was cut off as another figure joined the room, causing a ruckus as she quickly pierced the guard's throat with a knife, making him stumble down as he desperately grasped at his throat.

The noise caught Eren's attention as he made to turn to see the cause, but was briefly stopped as he came face to face with a cold barrel of steel.

"Not one move, Mr. Yeager." The girl spoke up. Gabi recognized that voice. Eren recognized the face.

"Pieck, was it?" Eren seemed almost glad as he gave a triumphant smirk. "Nevermind, Gabi. I had wanted you to make a statement to contact Pieck, but it seems she came to us."

Eren gave a sigh as turned back to Gabi.

"After all the trouble and planning I was doing just to get the last Shifter I needed, she just delivers herself to me on a silver platter…"

Pieck tightened the grip on the pistol she held to the man's head. Off put by his nonchalant manner, she half expected him to be off-put by his comrade's death. But this reaction spoke volumes of just what type of monster he was.

A flash of gray and a white-hot pain in her arm was the only thing she registered before stumbling back, gritting her teeth as she tried not to scream at the sudden pain.

Her arm that held the pistol laid severed on the ground in a pool of blood a few feet from her. Eren stood above it as he steam erupted from his arm, dispelling the blade he used to cut her. The grey material he had made, it was a power from the Warhammer Titan. He had materialized it while in human form?

"I wouldn't transform if I were you." He jerked his head back in the direction of Gabi. "She'd get blown away in the transformation."

Pieck's mouth turned into a snarl, not only in pain but in disdain at how fast Eren was to act. She hadn't expected this to happen.

"How naive are you?" He continued his monologue as he walked toward her. "Did you think that a gun would really scare me? Yes, you could have blown off my head, rendering me unconscious, but did you actually think I would allow that?"

He got close, so close she could feel his breath on her face as he spoke.

"Well, originally I had wanted Gabi to lure you out." She noticed it too late, blood dripping down his mouth. "But since you are here, I have no need for her."

He had bit his tongue.

All Pieck saw was a flash of grey and her world went white. The last thing she remembered was squinting through her burnt eyelids.

Only to come face to face with a giant, lipless maw.

Eren exited his Titan with no grace at all. He simply slid down the back and stumbled to the ground. He has had many sleepless nights due to the fact he had so much planning to do. His wits were at their end, but he still needed the last shifters to complete his plan.

"Sir!" A soldier wearing a band that signaled he was part of the Cavalry came and gave the standard salute of a fist over his heart.

"I'm here to report that a Marley invasion was disrupted by our forces at the coast. It was confirmed that ten flying blimps had made the cross over the ocean. We shot down three with our AA placements before they turned and ran." The soldier ignored the half decomposed Titan corpse and the fact that a house had just crumbled, no doubt killing the people inside. "We didn't even have time to launch our fighters before they ran. They never made it close to the port."

While Eren was a little off-put that no fighters had been in the sky after he gave the order to initiate protocol Caelum Lookout, he deemed it nothing more than incompetence.

It must have had something to do with Yelena and her supporters. Speaking of which.

"Sir," The soldier responded to Eren's question of the woman on his mind. "As per orders, all those who were loyal to Zeke had met an unfortunate accident. It appears… that one of the enemies fallen blimps fell on the building they were stationed in, resulting in a huge explosion that wiped out the surrounding areas."

"Good." Eren stated. "Gather the special ops trained for Titan annihilation. I have a meeting with the Queen."

And if Eren predicted everything, the final three Shifters on Paradis will be there.

All according to his plan.