Juliet Diekman is the daughter of a well-respected Marleyan scientist who works alongside the military.
In a new proposal, he is asked to go on an expedition to Paradis for research purposes before planning their big attack. He agrees, only if his b...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
━━━━━━
A YOUNG BRUNETTE BOY STANDS at the highest point he can be, his arms outstretched wide, embracing the open sky as if he's soaring. The wind sweeps through his tousled hair, causing it to dance wildly around his head, "This is it!"
His face is filled with pure joy, a big, infectious smile stretching from ear to ear. His eyes gleam with wide and gleeful excitement as the world before him crumbles at his feet. The sunlight bathes him in a warm glow, and for a moment, it feels like nothing else exists but the breeze, the sky, and his boundless satisfaction, "Freedom!"
The boy pauses, lowering his arms as he takes in the breathtaking view below—the insane amount of steam playing the role of clouds in his vision. His chest rises with an excited breath, heart pounding with the thrill of the open world laid out before him, "We finally made it. This view...this is it!"
He turns back, eagerly searching for his blonde friend's reaction. His eyes lock onto them, full of hope, waiting for that spark of shared wonder, for the approval of the person he wants by his side at this moment, "Right, Armin?"
Armin stands in the eerie vastness of the Paths. The sky above is a mesmerizing swirl of colors—deep blues, purples, and greens—blending like the northern lights. It's breathtaking and unsettling all at once.
In the center of it all is a radiant, glowing light that pulses like a heartbeat, sending shimmering threads of light stretching out into the endless sky. They connect the luminous paths above like veins in some celestial body, holding everything together in this strange, otherworldly space.
His breath catches in his throat, and his eyes widen, overwhelmed by the confusion of it all. Standing just a few feet away is a familiar figure. The young boy, dark hair tousled, eyes full of something that makes Armin's heart race.
It's Eren—Eren as a child, looking at him with an expression that's hard to read.
Armin's chest tightens. His pulse quickens. He takes a step forward, his voice trembling, "Eren."
The vision leaves Armin as quickly as it appeared, dissolving into the blinding light of the sun's reflection on the water.
One moment, he's staring at the younger version of Eren, standing in Paths, and the next, the image vanishes—gone, as if it were never there at all.
In an instant, Armin finds himself back on the boat, the gentle rocking of the waves beneath his feet and the cool sea breeze brushing against his face. His wide eyes blink in confusion as he tries to make sense of it all, but the memory of what he just saw begins to slip away, fading like the mist that lingers on the water.
His mind regains clarity, focusing instead on his surroundings—the deck of the ship, the sound of the ocean, and the flock of seagulls trailing behind the boat, their cries carried by the wind.
