【Liai】Horizon

Shall not perish but have eternal time

The man had been sitting in that position, in the darkness closest to the beam of light coming through the stained-glass window, brushing past that light.In the church at six o'clock in the evening, the noise from the street outside became unreal here.The flaxen-haired priest sat beside him in a black robe, flipping the pages of the Bible with his old hands.

"For God loved the world that the gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

"Amen."

Hearing a soft answer from the man beside him, the priest clasped his hands together, closed his eyes and prayed.Too quiet time, words are trapped in the dusk.When he opened his eyes again, the crucified Jesus was still still in the warm orange halo, just like it was thousands of years ago.The person sitting next to him just now has disappeared, no gods have arrived, no demons have left, and everything is safe and sound.

Levi walked out of the church, hailed a taxi, put his luggage in the trunk, and sat in the back.Spring in the eastern part of the United States has really come. Seeing the new green leaves on the roadside, he thought of the red maple he saw in front of the church a few years ago. It was as dazzling as fire, but it also had the softness of flowers.

Next time I'll take that kid with me.

While thinking this way, his fingertips had already slid across the screen of the phone and began to edit the text message.

"I am back."

BERLINGER2014.3.14

"Legends say that humans in the age of giants lived within three huge walls, and generations of people could not really see the world outside the walls. This fragile and comfortable life was soon broken, and giants repeatedly invaded, using special devices The young soldiers went on to the battlefield one after another, and there were countless casualties."

Armin Aruret took off the microphone, took a few deep breaths, and took a short rest.Alan Yeager gave him a thumbs up and walked towards him, patting him on the shoulder.The rest of the classmates who were previously scattered throughout the museum floor also gathered here because of his explanation.

"There are only a small number of documents preserved today. You can browse one or two in these two showcases. The birth of giants has always been an unsolved mystery. Historians' research shows that the victory of human counterattack in the final battle has passed Thousands of years ago, the names of countless heroes in that bloody history have been buried in the sands of history—"

"May the heroic spirit live forever."

"It's really amazing!! Almin, it's only a winter vacation, you've already done a good job as a commentator!!"

"Hey, I didn't expect to spend so much time here, I just took the attitude of giving it a try. I didn't expect Mr. Rattle to like this kind of explanation very much."

"You have been very interested in this history from the very beginning." Mikasa stood behind the two, staring intently at the cultural relic in the window - a broken sword.

"Hey, tell me." Jean walked up to Mikasha and stood still, then pulled Connie and Marco over.

"If we lived in the age of giants in our previous life, what would it be like?"

"Ah, it's a boring question. I'm not a coward. I must be a warrior!" Connie said confidently.

"War is not a computer game. It's not something you can do just by saying it." Christa shrugged at him, and then pointed to the three patterns on a piece of parchment inside the glass window - unicorn, rose and wings. "Almin, these three patterns represent the Gendarmerie, the Garrison Corps and the Survey Corps, right?"

"Well, yes."

"You who can't even beat Arnie, don't pee your pants when you see a giant." Ymir took the opportunity to hurt Rang.Seeing that he lost face in front of Mikasha, Jean retorted unconvinced, "I am the one who is willing to give my heart to Wings of Liberty!"

Die Flugelder Freiheit

Such a word suddenly broke into his ears, and Allen froze for a moment.Wings of Liberty.So it's really similar, compared with Levi's family crest.The overlapping black and white wings seem to be imprisoned on the coat of arms as if they are about to take off.

"Hey, Jean. What did you just say...? Wings of Liberty?"

"Well, the name chosen at the scene is cool." He pointed at the pattern, "Don't you think? Those who don't want to be imprisoned in the wall, while fighting back against the giant, are also pursuing freedom."

Oh, Jean Kirchstein, seems to have said something great right now.

"I think it fits well." Elmin smiled, "Jean is right, fighting for freedom, Wings of Liberty."

"Every one of us is free from the moment we are born. It doesn't matter how powerful the people who block us are. Whether it's the water of fire, the land of ice, no matter what, we can see it with our own eyes. Those who see those things are the ones who have the greatest freedom in this world."

You said that a long time ago.

The others agreed, as if someone had said it before, as if the idea had been in the back of their minds from the beginning, without thinking about it.

"Hey, if it was Allen, he would definitely choose to rush to the forefront and join the Survey Corps."

"Hmm... Where's Mikasha?"

"Wherever you go, I will be there."

"Hey, hey, Alan, you kid—"

……

You are in supreme peace.

Allen looked at the broken sword in the window, suddenly a little dazed.The stains on it have been carefully cleaned after it was unearthed, and the dull blade surface still reflects light under the spotlight.A sword is a warrior's companion, and behind a broken blade lies countless blood, mud and tears, projecting a cruel and tragic history.Death can't cover up the hero's glorious soul, it is there, together with the unearthed sword, it will last forever.

The long-lost, familiar auditory hallucination reappeared—if it could be called an auditory hallucination.It's just that there are more familiar voices this time.

"For the future of mankind, what about life, because outside is our dream, so let's go, I want to join the Survey Corps."

"As long as I'm with you, I can do anything."

"I'm going to win no matter what, and I'm going to live no matter what."

"I just don't want to feel depressed looking at...whose ashes are."

"The world is cruel but also beautiful...whether you expect it or not, the morning still comes."

"People, you only lose when you give up fighting. As long as you keep fighting, you haven't lost yet."

And those three coats of arms, Allen looked at them, and his eyes finally settled on the wings of the Wings of Liberty.This is the name they just gave it, perhaps, its original name.There is a tempered glass between him and it, but there seems to be no gap at all, it is always there, in the heart.

The phone vibrated, and the boy regained his senses.After seeing the content of the message clearly, the boy couldn't help but curl his mouth.

"I am back."

"What time will you arrive in Berlin? I'll pick you up at the airport. By the way, I suddenly want to ask you something..."

"what."

"Is there any connection between the pattern and naming of your family crest—the Wings of Liberty, and the logo of the Survey Corps during the Giant War a thousand years ago?"

After a pause of a few minutes, the other party sent a reply.It's not "yes" or "no", it's really an answer that I can't guess, the boy put the phone back in his pocket, and returned to the discussions and jokes with his companions.

"I asked the same question when I was a kid.

Who knows, as far as I know, my wings of freedom are talking to corals in the sea. "

Allen laughed, why didn't he realize that this man had such a humorous side before.

—You are in supreme peace.The heavy story behind the history can now also be told lightly by the parties concerned, in a half-joking hypothetical tone.You look at your companions, and suddenly feel that at this very moment, in front of these relics of heroes thousands of years ago, in this museum with dazzling lights and crowded with people, at the moment when your companions laugh heartily after arguing, you suddenly feel that you are So free and fulfilling.

Allen Yeager suddenly had an urge, which was a message sent by every joint in his body.

In front of him is the broken sword, which may have belonged to a great captain, and the three coats of arms, listen, they speak, in the ancient and pious language...

So he did as he did, the boy stood up straight, chest out, his left hand behind his waist, and his right fist resting on his chest.

His heart was still alive, beating with a strong rhythm.

He didn't know what he was paying tribute to, maybe it was the ghosts of those heroes, maybe it was freedom.That's what he did.

His companions were already greeting him, and the boy turned and left with a smile.

——If you stand behind this group of young companions now, if you are in a daze for a moment, you may suddenly find that everyone has another appearance of themselves beside them.Interlaced and then overlapped, it seems to be the silhouette left by time.

To you after 2000, everything is safe and sound, and everything still exists here.

not perish, but have eternal life.