You Are Free

Chapter 20 A Fleeting Moment

Back in the flying boat, everyone is having a gloomy mood, when Onyankopon tells them that Liberio is already destroyed, Annie is now depressed.

"Then... now... there's no point in me staying here..." Annie frowns. "I'm leaving..."

"Even if I stop and stand my ground, Marley and Eldian's destruction is inevitable. Magath and Galliard knew about this, but they risked their lives to save all of you. This isn't about Liberio or Marley anymore. It's about saving the lives of people you don't know, and they entrust you with this..."

At the same time, the Global Allied Fleet makes a stand against the approaching Wall Titans in Port Acrifa. "We have the world's largest cannons on the planet... I gathered it here. Humanity's hopes are aiming toward the same goals. This massive fleet can't be stopped. If we can't stop this... humanity will cease to exist. Employ ground forces!"

The ships are shooting cannons at the Colossal Titans approaching through swimming, but none of the cannons are working, and the Titans can scorch a ship's crew to death by swimming underneath it so that the heat of their bodies turns the water around the ship to steam.

On land, soldiers attempt a similar futile artillery barrage from the harbor before retreating to higher ground. Then not just the soldiers, but the people that welcomed Eren and the others back in the refuge camp, all of them are being trampled by the Rumbling. People are crying as some of them are still running, while some of them hug and wait for their doom.

Armin is sitting on the plane as he has been wondering what Eren said. "The world was right to hate us, to them, we will never stop being devils that can kill them all at any time! If I don't unleash the Rumblilng, you're going to be the ones to die next!"

Then he also remembers what Mikasa and Historia said. "If we let you stop the Rumbling, Paradis Island will sink into the sea of blood. The world will take vengeance on us, our people's parents, brothers, sisters, and children, they are going to be slaughtered. Maybe after a few years, you will gather all the alliance and declare war on Paradis, just like what Willy Tybur does."

"There are so many lives that I care about. And our enemies made deciding that easy 10 years ago. So... you're mistaken to seek any compassion from me. Because I'm out of room in my heart to care."

Armin holds his head and says, "Damn it... not just Eren... Historia and Mikasa as well... why would they..."

Annie comes and says, "Mind if I sit here?"

Armin nods, and Annie sits beside Armin. "I realized that I hadn't thank you yet."

"Huh?" Armin asks.

"For coming to talk to me over all those years. Thank you." Annie says.

"Oh, yeah." Armin replies.

"I was so lonely, I thought I was gonna lose my mind. The only thing I had to look forward to was listening to you and Hitch."

"Oh, Annie..." Armin sighs.

"Tell me... Why? Why bother talking to a rock that couldn't so much as grunt a response back?"

"Huh?" Armin is confused.

"I mean, there must've been girls out there more fun and cheerful than me, right?"

"That... no. Annie, I did it because... because I... I missed you." Armin frowns.

"Why?" Annie asks.

"Do you really not get it? Even after Hitch teased me so much?"

Annie has tears in her eyes as she says, "I don't..." She sighs and says, "What are we doing here? Right now, hundreds of millions of people are being trampled around the world... and us, what are we doing?"