*

"He did it!"

The dust slowly clears around us as my grip was subconsciously tightening on Levi's shirt, while my panting slowly came to a slow steady pace. The earth stopped trembling, and the heat slowly dispels from around us. Pushing myself to my two feet, my vision was hazy while trying to understand what had just happened. It was like a blur for a moment, before recalling what had happened.

A short leaves my lips, "Eren!"

My hair whips over to rush to the nape of his form, realising it was icy blue and hardened to which we've been trying to do for the past few days. At the time, Eren finally managed to do it. Somehow. 

"Akira!" Levi calls out, but I rush out from beneath the titan form and locked my grappling hook to the top. 

Fear struck me hoping Eren was alright, knowing that in hardened form he might not have a way to get out. Mikasa's desperate jabs, and grunts and crying out to Eren, meant the hardening skin was definitely durable and hard to break through.

"Can you hear me, wake up!!!!!!" She cries out, her blades blunted against the crystalised skin.

Landing upon the shoulder firmly, Mikasa attention rose to my sudden presence.

"Watch out!" I warn her, while raising the butt end of my blade in hand. With all my strength I chip the stone forcefully, cracks running along in different directions. The second was a charm, managing to finally break through as his body limply falls into Mikasa's arms.

"Eren!" Jean exclaims, with concern.

A breath of relief past my lips the moment I see Eren's eyes, consciously flickering around with confusion. Soon I usher the two to carefully lower Eren down, hoping he will recover. With a transformation like that, he might be too exhausted to hardly move right now.

Reaching the others down below, I couldn't help feel a shiver run down my spine.

"Connie, Sasha," turning to the two. "Find some way out, any openings, any crevices........find an exit for us!"

They salute, "Yes Ma'am!"

The two began to scout around, while I couldn't help wonder if Hanji, Moblit, Lena and Armin were alright. 

My head snaps behind me as I scan the cave in of the aftermath of Rod Reiss' transformation. I could easily tell by now, as Historia and Eren are with us currently now. Darkness continues to grow further and further down where we originally came from, seeing blood splattered and bodies crushed.

Wonder if he was crushed with them, if so, I might be relieved.....

"Not too shabby, Eren," Levi's voice breaks me out of my thoughts, turning to see the young boy astonished by his work. "Even after we cut you from it, the titan hasn't disappeared......this could be a game changer."

I place a warm hand upon Eren's shoulder, "We knew you could do it, but how did you manage to do this with such little time?"

His eyes were still wide before lowering them hesitantly, "I almost forgot," He spoke up, as if he remembered something important. "Listen, before I transformed, I drank from a bottle that said 'armour'."

"Gotcha," Levi says. "Guess that's all you needed to pull it off, because this time you did it easily. You saved all our lives. You came up with and built everything we see here in the blink of an eye......" as we all glance around the stretches of the crystalised branches that kept the ground from caving in. "....It's not exactly pretty, but I can see it's potential. I bet this is how the walls were made too."

I was indeed taken back by how amazing it was, as it securely protected us.

"Beautiful," I murmur to myself.

Levi soon kneels before Eren, "Guess what? This means we finally have a real shot at plugging the hole in Wall Maria," he says, bringing some faith to our efforts. "A lot of enemies and allies have died on the way and getting this far hasn't been pretty, but for as ugly as it's been, look at the position we're in now."

"Corporal! Captain!" Sasha calls suddenly, causing me to crane my head up to see her and Connie not far from us. "We've secured an exit!"

"Hanji's fine! Armin, Lena and Moblit too!" Connie adds, sliding down following after Sasha.

A heavy weight lifts from my shoulders, "That's good,"

"I'm glad to hear it!" Levi calls to them.

Both Sasha and Connie reach the ground and rushed towards the titan boy, with relief in their eyes, "Eren!"

"You okay?!"

Sasha falls to her knees, "We're all safe!" bowing to him. "Thanks to you, but to be completely honest, when I saw you run off into the light stumbling like a drunk and wailing like a baby, I thought we were screwed! You looked like an idiot and my fate was in your hands! It was awful! Quit your bawling! Have some dignity!.......That's what I was thinking anyway."

My hand covers my mouth trying to stifle my laughter, tilting my head away to excuse my relief. Levi seemed to glance in my direction, but I couldn't understand what was going on in his head.

"Relax," Connie breathes out.

"Let's go," Levi ushers us. "We have a big-ass titan to catch."

With a nod we all headed to the opening where Sasha and Connie located, but finally coming to reality a stinging sensation lingers in my shoulder. My hand sharply grips the same area where I was shot and stabbed, blood squelching beneath my hand. Dark crimson seeps through my fingers, while waiting for the children to get up one by one.

"Come on," Levi lends me a hand, as I took it willingly. 

Carefully we maneuver our way up to the surface, as a familiar face greets me from above. Lena's face filled with relief was all I needed to see, that everything was alright on her end. With a firm monkey grip she hauls me up, with Levi pushing my feet up to give me some kind of leverage.

"I thought you would make it," She almost tears up, but all I could was chuckle.

"Can't get rid of me that easily," I assure her. "How is Hanji?"

"Awake, thankfully," She replies, which made me more relieved. "Except she doesn't want to admit about her wounds, or anyone to worry."

"Typical Hanji," I sigh deeply.

Finally after I reach up onto the surface, I take in the fresh air that lingered in the night air. It felt refreshing to meet the sky again, especially after almost being caved in and suffocated. Hauling Levi up, the children soon collected themselves before taking in the amount of destruction of the church, or what was left.

From a distance my eyes slowly widened with horror, finally getting a view on the titan itself. Heat radiated from it, and a fiery path trails behind. Yet, it was crawling slowly south west from here, as the ground was burned or torn from the oversized weight of the beast.

The heavy stomps shook the earth, shivers running down my spine coldly.

"We can't stand here and watch," I sternly spoke up, ignoring the pain in my shoulder. Everyone turns to me, "Let's mount up, everyone! I can't risk anymore casualties, got it?!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Eren and Historia, you will join Hanji on the wagon," I instruct firmly, my eyes narrow with concentration but calmly. "Hanji's wound is worse than it looks, so I need someone to clean her wound so it won't get infected. I assume we have some little canteens of water, if need be!"

Turning around I saw Lena, "Do you have any cloth or rag?" I ask, while gripping my wound to prevent further bleeding. 

"Um I think we might, hang on!"

She walks off leaving me to my horse, as I smile softly to see her again. Thankfully a few of the Scouts brought a few horses in, to give us more support with our situation. My hand leaves my arm and gently caresses her neck, while my eyes sank further away from reality.

~

'You don't understand, what I had to do go through since your mother fled our home!" he snaps angrily, eyes lit ablaze with bloodlust consuming him. "You don't understand the pain that was inflicted upon me, when your mother left us defenseless!!!! My own damn sister!!! You even let her die! It's your fault that she's isn't here!!!! Your whole existence is meaningless, so rot in hell after I kill you!'

~

My fault? My existence?

Did he say my mother was his sister? Wouldn't that.......wouldn't that make him my uncle? Then why would he.......why would he try to kill me? 

I don't understand, and I want to understand.......so what was my mother trying to keep from me? What happened to our clan, and why is my uncle trying to hunt me down?

"Akira.......Akira!" My eyes snap open, to see Lena standing in front of me. She passes me some kind of cloth, as I thank her with a weak smile. 

"Thanks, could you help me tie it around here," I gesture to the bloodied area, that tore through my black sleeve. Her eyes widen in surprise, but didn't question it as she helped me tie it with a certain comfortable pressure. Thanking again, I grab the pommel of the saddle painfully, while my other grips the cantle as I slip my boot into the stirrups.

Hoisting myself up, we all follow suit after the large glowing titan. After a matter of minutes, it wasn't long till we caught up with a Scout group with Erwin leading them all. I couldn't help but feel relieved to see him well, especially after the amount of shit he went through.

Men held torches up, lighting the night up from afar.

"Commander, good to see you're doing well," I greet, approaching him slowly as the wagon behind slowly comes to a halt. 

"Likewise," He replies, before turning to everyone. "Anyone hurt?"

I lower my head not wanting to address the fresh wound, but it wasn't fatal. Just a stitching, clean up and gauze and I'll be good. Hanji was worse, taking a full hit from a grappling hook. That damn blonde bitch really did a number on Hanji, and it made me really pissed off.

"Yeah, Hanji's our only casualty," Levi informs him. "Akira also was shot a day ago, but she's managing."

My eyes rest upon Hanji's weak state, "Doesn't look like anything too serious," Erwin observes, noticing Hanji's wound has slightly reopened again. He glances in my direction, while I give my best nonchalant expression to put on a facade. Clearly I needed my wounds to be properly treated, but I have enough strength to not give a shit at the moment.

"Akira, you sure you can manage," Erwin asks, eyeing my bled out arm. My hand covers it, as I give him a firm determined nod.

"Yes sir,"

He sighs, "Good, you've done excellent work!" he calls to everyone. "All of you!"

"Akira and I got a whole slew of things to report," Levi asserts. "But first....."

"Anything on that titan?" Erwin questions.

I share a grim look to Levi, "It's Rod Reiss," he replies, earning a gasp of surprise from the Commander. "Look forward to hearing your thoughts on this Commander."

"Regardless," Erwin says. "We don't have time to stand and chat. Return to Wall Sina."

"You're going to let that big ass crawl right up to the wall?" Levi asks, while my eyes narrow in response to Erwin's retreat. Another decision I wasn't certain of, especially if Rod could sense the heat wave of people within the walls. Still, I must have faith in the Commander, if we've come this far.

"To Orvud District, actually," He clarifies, steering his horse around towards the walls. "That's most likely where it's headed."

"Shit," cursing under my breath.

*

"So let's put this all together," I hear Hanji speak up, while I flanked beside Eren and Historia. "Basically, Rod Reiss was after the Founding titan, the titan power inside Eren......However, unless it's in someone with Reiss blood, you won't get it's true potential. Though, even if a Reiss obtains the founding titan's power, they're controlled by the first king's will and refuse to liberate humanity from the titans.....Eh? Well, isn't that interesting....."

Just thinking about it all, twists and turns my mind completely. Seriously, who's idea was it to carry such a burden?

"...According to the fit King, this is true peace?" Hanji rhetorically questions. "Now that's a weird way to look at it."

"In other words.......we still have an option," Eren spoke up, as my eyes tilt down to see Eren's eyes shift with a troubling expression. "If that titan eats me, Rod Reiss will return to a human. Which means it's still possible to have a true founding titan..."

"You can't....." Mikasa pleads.

"Seems that way," Levi speaks up. "We could capture Rod Reiss once he becomes a human, undo the first King's brainwashing....If we could do that, it might open a path to save humanity....."

My eyes slightly widen, "What if--"

"Plus, Eren......are you saying you're fully prepared to let that happen?" Levi asks him, with seriousness. The boy lifts his head turning around, noticing the dark shadow casting over the boy's eyes.

"I am,"

Everyone around was hesitant by his response, and it even made my stomach churn at the thought of him taking his life for something we might know of, yet.

"Eren, you can't......" Mikasa refuses his suggestion.

"You're also forgetting our other option," Historia spoke up, more sternly. "First of all, the current plan is full of flaws. One, there's no proof that you can undo brainwashing from Rod Reiss. No matter how you restrain him, if he alters humanity's memories, it's over."

"True....." Armin turns to her, still leading the horses upon the wagon. "Even if Rod Reiss eats Eren, we have no guarantee he'll return to normal."

Historia nods, "On the other hand, all we've ever known is destructive pacifists," She continues. "But as it stands, the Founding titan was taken from them. This is a once in a lifetime chance for humanity......yes," She turns to Eren again. "Your father was trying to save us and humanity from the first King. He stole the founding titan from my sister.....murdered all of the Reiss children.....because he had no other choice."

I could see in Eren's eyes, that he was still registering and processing everything that's been spilled. He was finding it hard to clean up, what was being put down as he was coming to realisation.

He grips his head, "Dad......."

"That's right!" Armin declares. "The Dr Yeager I know wouldn't do something like that for no reason at all."

Mikasa nods, "Right, even without having Reiss blood, there must be a way to save humanity," She says. "That's why he left you the key to the basement."

"What basement?" Sasha questions, before chuckling quickly. "Oh, that whole thing? You mean it's actually important?"

"Uh.....yeah..."

"We've finally got a way to plug up the wall," Jean says. "The way I see it, there's only one choice."

"That makes life a little easier," Levi says, with relief.

I hum in agreement, "I agree,"

"If it means anything, I agree with that choice as well," Hanji groans out, still weak from her wound. "Though, are you sure about this, Historia? We can't exactly have a titan like that wandering around inside the walls. One that big, we can't restrain...meaning...." Hanji's raises their bloodied hand, point to the titans that slowly crawled towards the wall. "......We'll have to kill your father and there's no way around it."

It was a hard decision for Historia, and I knew it would be hard. She's been through too much, despite how she's humanity's main threat to the throne.

*

ORVUD DISTRICT - Military Branch 

Jumping down from my horse I grimace slightly, as my left arm was jiggered and had grown numb over time. The night still dressed the sky, stars dancing across, and the moon shining down giving us enough light to see the lands near the district of Orvud.

Exhaustion was slowly getting the best of me, but only a brief yawn left my lips to make me realise how much we've all lacked sleep. Taking a turn from my horse for a moment, my eyes fall upon Levi who was patting his horse's snout. Soon footsteps approach us both, as I turn to see a soldier.

"Please gather your squad in the hall," he informs us, with a firm salute. "The strategy meeting is about to begin."

"Alright," Levi dismisses him, while I gave the young soldier a nod.

"Thank you," turning to Levi, he meet's my eyes. "Once this is over, I'm gonna sleep really good..."

He smirks, "I bet you will,"

We then both began to head towards our squad as Historia jumps down from the wagon, with Eren helping her down. "Historia, forgot to tell you....." Levi calls, as I furrow my eyebrows with confusion.

"Levi?" I question, but he ignores me.

"We need you to do something," He continues, earning her confused attention. and everyone else's. 

"Yes?" She asks, not understanding what Levi was about to ask of her.

"Erwin's orders," he explains, straightforwardly. "When this battle is over, since you're the true successor to the throne, become the Queen."

Everyone gasps around us with surprise, and to be honest I couldn't blame them. I myself was surprised, but half expected that she would become our next successor to bring peace to this nation. 

"Q-Queen?! Historia?!" Sasha chokes out, with surprise.

"The coup d'etat was successful, but the people won't follow a regiment sitting at the top," He elaborates more, to his demand. "What we need is a story to spread....that a true heir retook the crown from the fake."

Gathering from Levi's demanding request, I place a hand on the child with a tender smile.

"Sorry, what he means to say is that you have a lot to offer to our people," I correct Levi's blunt statement. "I wasn't expecting this, but....having you as our Queen gives me hope......because I've seen you grow....." closing my eyes with a smile ".....Historia."

Her eyes widen before lowering them, "I....."

"Um, Captain......?" Connie asks, raising his hand up hesitantly. "I'm sure you heard what Historia said earlier, but....Well, uh...by leaving her father, she finally broke free from that burden, I guess you could say...and yet, again....."

"What? If you have something to say," Levi sternly says, hastily. "Say it."

I nudge Levi's hand, "Levi, don't be rude..." I seethe through my teeth.

"Oh....um..."

"I-In other words.......Connie's trying to say," Jean spoke up. "Historia broke free from the Reiss family and has finally found herself. Now you're forcing her into another role? Isn't that...? Isn't that...not fair to her?!"

"All right," Historia confirms, taking all of us by surprise. "My next duty is to be Queen, right? Understood."

Armin's breath grew shaky with concern, "Historia..."

"Thanks for your concern," She smiles weakly. "But whether not it's forced on me is up to me to decide, I think. However......Captain, Corporal.....I do have one condition."

"Hmmm?"

I raise my eyes, "What is it?"

"Since my fate is my own," She says. "I want to lay it all on the line."

I couldn't help but smile at how brave and diligent she's become, that I couldn't possibly say no. Turning to Levi, he already knew my answer through my calmed and contented expression.

"Request, granted by me," I softly clarify, turning my head to my boyfriend. "Levi, anything you have to say?"

He clicks his tongue, "You die out there, and it will leave a bad scar on humanity's safety," before turning on his heel. "Now, let's go, they're waiting for the meeting to start!"

"Yes!"

Striding over to walk in sync with Levi, his hand took mine with ease and gave it a gentle squeeze of assurance. 

He lowers his voice as we were ahead of the squad, "I'm sorry, your wounded and--"

"Levi, right now we have a