COMRADES • Eren Jaeger

CHAPTER 41: Paths

A/N: I'm back from the dead. This chapter is very heavy on the AoT lore. It may or may not be confusing depending on how much you understand how the Paths dimension works.

Many thanks to everyone who beta read this.

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THE MEMORIES CAME IN WAVES, drowning you under their weight and washing you away in their current. As young Founder Ymir brushed strands of hair from your eyes, Eren gazed at you, his taut back to the bright tree structure behind him. Beneath your skin was the endless expanse of sand, soft but coarse against skimmed flesh.

"We're in the Coordinate where all Paths converge."

You nearly jumped. Sitting crossed-legged a few meters away was Zeke. A metal collar was chained around his throat. He wore little except for a pair of trousers. A chill ran through your spine at the sight of him. When did his hair get so long? His face was gaunt, beady eyes turning into black holes that had no depth. It seemed as though he had waited endlessly for ages and ages hence.

"This dimension around us is where the royal family who inherited the Founder came when they used its power."

"Brother." Eren's words were not a greeting. Instead, they were merely an acknowledgment. "How much time has passed?"

"I'm not sure. What takes place here, passes in less than a second out there."

Out there. You tried to recall what happened. Marley attacked Paradis. You led your team into a fight, and one of your subordinates died. You talked to two brothers, watched helplessly as they tried to bargain with Zeke. Then, you and Eren were running. You got shot. You shrieked as your arm dislocated from your body, shrieked even louder when Eren's head got blown off.

Then, you had touched Eren and Zeke. The world out there faded away, and by the power of the Founding Titan, you were brought to the Paths realm, where your memories were stored away in broken shards.

"Gabi tried to aim for Y/N's heart but missed. She blew off her arm. So she went for you instead, Eren. But we made contact before you died. We succeeded."

Ymir let go of you when you slowly stood. Your muscles trembled as you pushed yourself up. You wondered, how long had you been sleeping? Out of instinct, you looked to Ymir for answers, but she began to walk away. She did not even turn back to look at you, eyes only set on the descendant of the Fritz family. Eren and Zeke watched, waiting.

"Founder Ymir rebuilt our bodies with this sand below us and brought us back to life," said Zeke. "She has always been here, molding Titans from this clay, every time we sought their power."

It did not show, but you could tell that the three of you tensed up at the same time. The distrust and the discomfort were hanging in the air, your heart turning heavy and cold, as though sinking to the pits of your stomach. Nevertheless, Zeke's voice rose hopefully as he spoke to Eren, adamant about getting the job done immediately.

"Brother, my dream, and your dream, please, tell our Founder to give every Eldian a body that will never again be capable of creating a child!"

You watched as Eren spoke slowly.

"You want me... to euthanize every Eldian."

He scoffed, his face twisting into an expression of utmost cruelty.

"Sorry, brother. There is no way I could ever go with a plan that fucked up. I only ever wanted to get here."

A sound escaped Zeke's throat, much like choking. "As long as there are Eldians, this hell will never end!" he screeched. He turned to you. "Y/N! Tell Eren, that this bloodshed will only repeat for eternity!"