Leo Simon
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Hope for The Damned Chapter 1
🕑 Added 2023-12-07 20:59:26 +0000 UTCLiberio, Year 743
It was clear, at least to Jack Flynn, that Eldia was all but completely gone.
The once great Empire had lost everything, all because of that coward Karl Fritz. Eight of the nine Titans were gone. That pitiful weakling Karl had taken the Founding Titan away to Paradis island, one of Eldia's oldest colonies, and took over a million of their people with him to rot away surrounded by their transformed brothers and sisters, whilst any of the millions of Eldians on the mainland were left defenceless against the mess left behind by the 145th king!
But, if that wasn't bad enough, Marley had taken over everything. The whole continent was under there control, as were over two thirds of Eldia's war machine. The power of the Titans was stolen, the noble families massacred, and the Subjects of Ymir were left to burn.
They were damned the lot of them!
Jack held his seven year old son, the last of his once large family, close to his chest with one arm as he tried not to shed tears at the sight of his city, or what was left of it, engulfed by a storm of fire.
His son needed him to be strong, and if he succumbed to despair and cried like a child then his only remaining offspring would lose whatever safety he felt in Jack's arms. He needed to be strong, and not cry at the sight of Liberio burning in the distance.
"Dad, what happened?"
Jack didn't know how to answer, so he just offered what little comfort he could by placing a gentle hand on his son's back to make sure he was close; and safe.
"They took our home, Jayce. Remember this day, turn it into strength." The roaring of the Colossal Titan vaguely rung out in the distance, it's hulking, giant, monstrous visage only serving to make Jack pull his son closer.
"Why did they do it, what did we do wrong?" Jayce innocently asked, crying into his father's chest.
If he was an ignorant man, overly prideful of his nation, then Jack would have said something along the lines of Marley fearing Eldia, that they were power-hungry and wanted to exploit them for their power. That wasn't exactly wrong, but it wasn't wise either.
Eldia had been using Titans for centuries to control the world, and it worked, many people died in that time. Women raped to spread the Titan gene, children eaten alive for as little as a few laughs, and blood spilt because of the hubris of man.
In the end, the tables had merely been turned. Still though, Jack wasn't about to lie down and let himself be the victim. Nor his youngest, and only remaining, child.
"Because we were born this way, Jayce. The people in this world are cruel, and they'll abuse their power. Be better than them, if we want this all to stop, then we need to be better than this."
Jayce went silent, as did Jack.
Jack's golden eyes glowed for a moment, and he grimaced as he spotted the faint forms of the Female and Armoured Titans. He did his best not to sneer at the traitors, but his face did crinkle in distaste. It wasn't safe here.
"We need to go. Remember Jayce, our home is each other now. I'll protect you, until the day you're next."
Placing his son down onto the dirt floor, Jack swiftly walked until he was a good dozen meters away. Hardening his resolve, he slashed his hand with a knife. He didn't care about the future, all he knew was-
Sparks flew off his skin, and Jack felt energy surge through him. His regular body became engulfed by yellow electricity, and from the steamy remains emerged the blond, fierce, and muscular form of the Attack Titan.
He wanted to protect his last child.
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Unknown Location, 858
"Chocoraton is nearly brought to it's feet, general. Victory is at hand, all we need is your word, and our forces could easily crush them. We don't even need the power of a Titan to win this battle."
The council surrounding the table murmured in agreement, with one of the older men declaring. "Oh please, we won't be able to expand if we show them the power of men! Men can be beaten, men are mortal, and men bleed! Titans though?! They'd win us the day in an instant, and our new colonies won't even need to resist if we can show them Marley's power!"
The commander of Marley's navy smirked. "It would be easier if they see our power first hand. Maybe if we were flashy enough, our future enemies won't even put up a fight. We could charge right through them and take-"
"That's enough babbling!" The general of the Marleyan army, Croven, narrowed his eyes and scowled as the other military leaders fell silent. "Sending all of our Titans to such a short battle is a waste. Our military is as powerful as our Titans are, and their power might be absolute, but that just means we'll be leaving ourselves vulnerable if we send them all out to battle down south. The Jaw and Armoured Titans are down there, they are more than enough, so do tell me if that's all you fools wish to speak about."
Most were silent, deciding to stop their whispering at the orders of their general, but one soul did decide to speak.
Commander Wagner, the head of the Warrior division and the Eldian forces, stood from his chair. "General, we've one of our spies has located the main base of a group of rebels in the north. They're consisted of Eldians, and number at about a hundred, but they aren't exactly well armed."
General Croven raised an unconcerned eyebrow. "And why would that be important? A hundred filthy devils are nothing we need to get involved with, just send some officers after them to-"
"Also, if they're being truthful, the leader of this group is in possession of the Attack Titan."
Silence followed, but after a moment the shock settled in, but that quickly dissolved into the uneasy realisation of Wagner's words. Several officers, remembering that they were missing a Titan power, were showing panic and fear, whilst others were smirking at the thought of adding another Titan power to their ranks. The general though, he wasn't amused, his previously bored expression changed into a serious one.
"And how can you be certain of this? The Attack Titan hasn't been seen in fifteen years, yet a random rebel group has their hands on it? I'm sorry, but it sounds a bit outlandish to believe this source of yours."
Wagner wasn't dejected, he simply argued back. "This could be a golden opportunity general, and I can personally vouch for the credibility of this spy. The Attack Titan's power might be something we can never get our hands on again, and getting the eighth Titan power for our side will give a massive boost to our military might. And whilst yes there's a chance, though small, that the Attack Titan isn't in some rebels hands, we wouldn't be losing anything. Depictions of the Attack Titan always displayed it as a regular Titan but muscular, and with the Beast and Female Titans here in Liberio, we could overpower it if a fight did break out. We have nothing to lose, and another Titan to gain."
Considering it for a moment, the general conceded. "I suppose you're correct. Fine, you can send two of our Titans to this supposed rebel group, and lets hope we can actually capture the Attack Titan. Still though, our priority is in winning this war, and this power isn't truly anything remarkable. So, position the Colossal and Cart Titans in the east. Once we've finished conquering Chocoraton, we'll begin another war in Alaban. Starting with the destruction of their capital."
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Jayce opened his eyes, feeling surprisingly refreshed considering what the rest of his day would consist of, and for a moment he wanted to lie down and rest for the day.
Unfortunately though, he had a job to do. A service for Eldia, and a duty to his kin that needed to be done.
Isabel was woken up from his shifting, with her lovely charcoal blue eyes opening, and she gave him a beautiful smile as they woke up next to each other.
She placed her cheek near his, the action making his shoulders drop their guard slightly. "Morning Jayce, are you ready for today?"
He briefly pondered his plans, but felt certain after a moment. "Yes, I think I am. We can't keep hiding forever, and if nothing changes then we'll never even get to act. Still though, I can't help but wonder, what if I failed? Everyone is counting on me, and what happens if I just... can't beat them?"
Isabel broke away as she sat up, the cloth on the bed hanging loosely over her nude form, but that wasn't what he was focused on.
She smiled at him, and honestly stated. "Well, we'd all die, Eldia will be finished, and Marley will become too strong to stop... still though, at least we'd die knowing we fought to the end. Your father would be proud of that."
Jayce smiled at her words, kissing her cheek. "Thank you. Also, I know you're strong, but today could be dangerous. Is it too much to ask that you don't die?"
Isabel rolled her eyes. "I'm touched by your concern, but I'm more than capable of handling myself. We Ackermans are meant to have the strength of Titans in us, and I'm strong enough to kick your ass in a fight."
"Not if I transformed." He was quick to counter, though inside he had his doubts that even as a Titan he'd be able to beat her.
They both got dressed and Jayce was quick to reminisce about how long it had been since he became the leader of the Eldian resistance. It was five years if his memory served, and the weight on his shoulders felt much too heavy for his liking. Still though, his worries came second to his peoples, and as the only Titan they had willing to fight, he knew that his power would make or break the Eldian people.
They were outnumbered, desperate, outgunned and outmatched. Still though, each one of them would fight Marley down to the last breath. If they couldn't beat Marley head-on then they could only arm themselves using their wits and determination. Hopefully that would be enough.
Every step they made through base felt heavy, and Jayce forced his expression to remain steeled and his back to stay straight. He needed to be strong in front of the men and women he commanded, each and every one of them needed to believe in him and be willing to stake their lives on him.
The hallways of their base felt thin, and eventually the both of them walked into a room with several familiar and unfamiliar faces present. There was his second in command, Marcus, Isabel's father Noah, and her brother Cormac was also present. There were four other men, all of them with dark skin, and their faces were stone cold with no emotion in view.
Jayce could see it though, behind those masks of indifference, they were afraid of him. That was good.
He held his hand out, politely greeting them. "It's a pleasure to meet you again, especially you Mr Quallique."
The ruler of Chocoraton, though hesitant, did shake his hand and spoke with a heavy accent. Still though, his voice held relative clarity and grace.
"That is correct Mr Flynn. We have agreed to accept your aid, though I wished to meet with you in person before Marley made their final move against us. I consider myself a decent judge of character, so I invited you over here to talk. Was the lodgings acceptable to you."
Jayce honestly though the beds were a bit stiff, but kept that to himself. "They were perfectly fine. Though, any concerns you have about us are best gotten out of the way right now. So, do you have any questions?"
The other men stiffened, but Quallique simply asked. "How do we know that you don't wish to see the revival of the Eldian Empire? Whilst Marley will undoubtedly become just as horrific if their reign continues, what is stopping one monster if we create another? What I'm trying to ask, and this is personal, is what are your intentions?"
The Ackermans in the room glanced at each other, whilst Jayce answered simply. "Survival. Eldia fell years ago, and since then the Subjects of Ymir have been hunted down with extreme prejudice. I agree with the fact that the Eldian Empire was a horrible union, the Eldians are another matter. Maybe some of them were devils, but there are innocent Eldians who have met painful deaths because of a minority."
Jayce's golden eyes sharpened themselves on Quallique's form, with the other man being surprised by their intensity. "I don't wish to resurrect the Eldian Empire, but I do want to help form a new Eldia. One where my people don't need to suffer because of the mistakes of the past, and one where Eldians and normal people can live in peace. So, I'm asking you, will you help me make that dream a reality?"
The middle eastern man placed a hand under his chin, a contemplative look on his face, and he stated. "I don't believe that you're lying, and maybe under other circumstances I would have rejected you. Still, even if you have the blood of a devil in you, you're preferable to the al-am al-lanah of Marley. We have a deal, and if you say that you can drive off Marley then we believe you. Please, don't make me regret this."
Jayce let a ghost of a smile grace his lips, and just responded. "Of course Mr Quallique. We'll make them regret ever touching your country."
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Joseph gripped his swords tightly as he flew through the air with relative grace, grappling onto one of the surrounding trees, and sliced through a sandbag. He felt some dull satisfaction at the sight of another dummy being 'killed' but knew that a real Titan would be much more difficult to kill than a motionless statue, so he didn't linger on it as he landed on a branch and gave himself a moments rest.
It had been just under a decade since he became part of the Eldian resistance, and a lot had happened in such a short time frame. Their numbers still weren't massive, with only around five hundred Eldians spread across five different bases of operations- four now, he reminded himself- but they were finally going to act against Marley directly.
Joseph was sceptical at first, but now that it was actually working he had to admit that waiting so long was a smart move. Eldia had only fell fifteen years ago, yet Marley had already used the power of Titans to conquer the entire continent, and even beyond!
The Western area of the middle eastern continent was almost completely under Marley's thumb, with only two nations remaining. It made his blood boil. Eldia certainly weren't saints, but at least they were never so hypocritical that they'd proclaim themselves heroes before proceeding to turn around and send their Titans to destroy entire countries.
If that wasn't bad enough, they'd subjugated the Eldian race to a shell of what it once was! Oh sure, there might have been people left in internment zones, but the disgusting amount of their fellow subjects that had met their end was enough to make him wish for nothing more than Marley's fiery demise. Eldian Women raped, children and babies murdered for sport, and men whipped until their backs were bloody messes! All whilst Marley spouted that they were the devils, monsters waiting to be unleashed upon the world.
And, worst of all, Joseph bought into their propaganda. He was a child when Eldia fell, just seven years old, but he remembered it all so clearly. His family was there one moment, the next a yoke laid on his neck. He was alone, scared, confused, and in oh so much pain. The Marleyans who'd lash him would scream that he was a devil, that his blood was tainted, and that he deserved punishment.
Being the impressionable and desperate child he was, Joseph told them what they wanted to hear. Whatever they needed him to do, he'd lower himself for them. He'd lay their bricks, meekly cower under their hateful rhetoric, and he'd beg for the scraps his people relied on.
It wasn't until he came, and his freedom was restored.
Joseph didn't remember much, but he could recall a ship they were being boarded onto. The Marleyans were talking about 'Paradise' and 'Titans', but he hardly even had the strength to remain conscious at the time. They were starved in the internment zones, and he was so tired at the time, and the time on that boat only made his will ebb further.
The Marleyans were in a panic at the time, why exactly he didn't know, but the fact he could feel their ship being lifted upwards was a bit of an indication. His chains held him steady, along with the other Eldians, but the Marleyans were falling all over the place. Their screams filled the air, and the sound of shots alongside blood spilling everywhere filled the air, and after a moment there wasn't much sound.
After he felt the ship shake violently, he'd later learn from being placed down, everything was silent.
He was rescued, fed, and taken somewhere safe. His wrists felt sore from the feeling of chains being bonded for so long, but he was freed by his kin that day. He was freed by a man named Jack Flynn. The previous Attack Titan.
Most would have been scared when staring into the golden eyes of a fifteen meter tall monster, but that day he didn't see a Titan. He saw a power that could liberate his people, and even if Jack was gone, Jayce still lived and was following his father's mission.
Joseph knew that Jayce could free the Subjects of Ymir and if he could help, even just a little, then he'd do his part. That was why he agreed to every single part of their plan, because his life meant little in the grand scheme of things.
A woman with red hair landed next to him, and smirked as she asked. "You getting tired already, Spier? You know, for someone so important, if this is the best you can do then maybe I should have been chosen."
Joseph didn't rise to her taunt, just replying flatly. "I'm just taking a breather, we'll finally be going to battle soon, and I don't want to go into battle with a body I've run through the mud. And, I earned the right to get it. What do you want?"
Aisha shrugged, her ponytail bouncing with the motion. "I just felt like talking to an old friend, is that so wrong? I mean, we could all die fighting Marley. We should enjoy life when we can."
Joseph narrowed his eyes. "It almost sounds like you think we'll lose."
"I never said that. We've trained for this, we've prepared for this, so we're ready as we'll ever be. If we got more Titans on our side then we could do it, but there's always the chance we'll fail."
Joseph stopped glaring at her, and conceded. "There's always a risk of failure, but if you want to win big you have to risk a lot. You can't expect to change anything without being able to risk anything, that's what Mr Flynn used to say."
Aisha huffed out a snort. "Sounds like something he'd spout. Honestly, that guy, it hasn't been the same since he bit it. Jayce has done alright though, maybe that's because he's Jack's son. They do say you don't die when you have a Titan, you just pass your soul onto your successor. I wonder what that feels like, oh I guess you'll find out at some point."
The reminder of the Curse of Ymir made Joseph feel a swell of fright, but he quickly pushed it down.
"Maybe. Still though, what's important is that we get the Armoured Titan power on our side. It'll be a big help in stopping the other Titans, and it's defence could even stop a few of the other Titans in their tracks."
Aisha retorted him playfully. "Hey now, the Beast Titan is pretty cool too. I mean, the power to turn into an animal is pretty cool. Imagine a Titan that could swim, or maybe it even had wings at one point."
He couldn't help but laugh at the idea of a flying Titan. Aisha was always a good one to speak with, she always managed to get him to relax, and he was glad she didn't make the cut to get a Titan. At least she wasn't going to be cursed to die young.
Aisha saw his laughing, and took offense. "Hey, I'm serious! Who says a Beast Titan wouldn't be a bird, hell, maybe there has been one that could fly!"
Joseph cut his laughter off, smiling at her fondly. He hoped that this wouldn't be the final time he could enjoy himself, even if he did become a Titan.
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So, this is an idea I have for a new fic. This is an AU, essentially what would happen if the Attack Titan staged a rebellion and gathered allies to overthrow Marley. Tell me what you think in the comments.
