For a Letter in Which May Never Reach You

For a Letter in Which May Never Reach You - Chapter 13

And four months of vigorous traveling later, we near the place we thought would always be just beyond our reach.

"We should arrive by tonight, so be ready to document whatever important information you find. Though we can not send letters, it is important that we do not discard any piece of new knowledge that is discovered."

Erwin commands on a fine, clear morning. The summer air is warm, and it seems to whisper 'almost there... almost there...' as we pack our camp up for hopefully, the last time.

"No, no, no. See, it has been documented before that the moon's gravitational pull affects large bodies of water. The wind causes waves, yes... but at night, everything quiets and the stars take over. The ocean almost grows... the tide comes further into the shore and sweeps away anything the day had left."

Armin is telling Elizabeth and Franklin.

"Well how big are the waves, then?"

Elizabeth questions, and I can see the glint of happiness float across Armin's eyes at the opportunity to share this coveted knowledge with her.

"Some are very, very small... and others can destroy entire forests!"

He demonstrates this with an exaggerated gesture of his lanky arms, throwing his hands high into the air with the whoosh of his flannel shirt.

"Woah! Really?"

"Yes, really! They're called 'tsunamis!'"

I can't help but a small, careful smile at his enthusiasm.

"Armin is a seeker of knowledge, isn't he?"

I look over to see Erwin watching me watch the three ahead of us as they are lost in their own world, and I move closer.

"He is."

Hanji is off to the side, a little behind the wagons as she plucks plants and flowers from bushes and tress along the 'path' we follow. Erwin and I stay silent for a while, enjoying the feel of the other beside us. I can hear him breathing and I know that he is alive. I feel my own lungs expand and contract and know that my heart is beating alongside his, and everything is alright. I breathe in and out slowly, my feet almost gliding along the earth after so many months of the soles of my boots connecting to solid ground. I can easily maneuver in amongst the trees and grasses, and I wonder if I still could do as much in a city filled with monsters.

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Eight hours pass, and the damp earthy ground begins to become rough... brighter in color as the greenery seems to fall away. We come to a line of trees. We stop. We all know that this is it. This is the moment where our past and future collide; where the fear of armies melts away into the fear of the unknown. Armin steps forward, breathing in deeply.

"See that line of trees ahead?"

His voice sounds so small and unnatural as he refers to the tiny patch of forest that stretches out in to the horizon, the leaves blowing furiously on a breeze I cannot feel.

"That's the sea... right beyond them."

I expect him to start on the scientific explanation as to why it is there, and why it is so beautiful... but instead he stays quiet. Stepping through the tall grass tapering off at the edge of the wood.

He looks like an angel all in white.

The way his hips move so comfortably seems to give us the courage to walk behind him as well, slowly and carefully feeling the ground. Erwin steadies me, putting a firm yet gentle hand upon my back. I can now taste that the air is salty, and the breeze has become something more like a song than just a tune. There is something on the ground by my feet. It is white and shiny and its surface is pearled with tan and blue stripes and dots: a seashell.

Armin notices it, too, and we all begin to walk a bit faster, finally hitting the edge of the trees. There is something moving beyond the dense shrubbery in front of us, and as wee carefully step through vines and flower petals the sun seems to become brighter. Everything seems to be a lovely shade of blue. The dirt below our feet becomes fine, white sand and Armin is the first to be graced with open-air.

For the first time in over 2,000 years, a human has set foot on a beach. Somewhere that used to have a name. Somewhere that was both old and new. Somewhere that existed before the titans appeared and everything was destroyed. Somewhere like I have never seen before.

A vast, blue body of moving water bobs and crests and flows before us. It stretches further than the eye can see, rounding off with the steady curve of the earth. I finally see the waves, and they are like everything and nothing; curving, foaming and flowing like the biggest river you've ever seen. Everything melts away as the hypnotizing ebb and flow pulls me in... until a pair of strong arms grip me.

Erwin is holding me, suddenly, and Hanji is laughing the happiest, most wanton laugh... her smile lighting up the sun and reflecting off the majestic waters. Elizabeth and Franklin are staring in awe, holind hand with Armin until he steps forward, his eyes glassy and his expression unreadably complicated.

I bury my face in Erwin's chest, fighting the urge to laugh just how Hanji is, now. My smile, I'm sure, is brazen and full of joy.

"We made it, Commander. We finally made it."

I mutter, and I wonder if that is the last time I will ever call him that.

I pull away as I turn my attention to the blinding blue. There are small, silent tears forming upon Armin's cheekbones, and I know exactly what he is thinking of... or, who, rather. And I take a moment to acknowledge his absence. Eren always wanted Armin to see the ocean. And I'm sure that he is watching us, from wherever he may be, with a grin that would match ours.

I watch the blonde man in front of me as he pulls out a small, brass key from his pocket. He smiles sadly, draping the leather cord around his neck before taking a deep breath and looking out hopefully across the brilliant waters before us.

"It's beautiful, Eren... it truly is."