Beyond The Wall {BxB} Book 1 #COMPLETE

20 - End

The day the walls collapsed was the day humanity reclaimed its stake on the world after many, many years. All was said and done and here they were, spacing out. What the monarchy hid about the true history of the walls was uncovered and is now printed in every history book. After that day of many losses, there has yet to be another cloudy day. The sun was always out at day and the silvery stars ruled the sky at dusk. Picking up the pieces was the next difficult step. It was time vexing, but it meant another big leap for humanity for the namesake of progress. It was the start to new a beginning. The beginning of the end.

Marco smiled as the breeze hit his face, gently caressing the permanent scars on his body.With the walls being torn down, the breeze feels better. Just standing on top of the wall had given him a sense of freedom, but this was something else. Something far more empowering. He opened his eyes and stared up at the clear sky with a few passing clouds acting as a minor umbrella from the sunshine. It was a spectacular day. He laid sprawled on the silky grass that was outside the wall when Maria still stood tall like a goddess that protected humanity from their demons. His bare skin was tickled pink by the swaying blades of grass. It was tranquil to be secluded from everyone else for a short time. Gazing up toward the baby blue sky with only wisps of cloud here and there was like an open door. All the memories of the fallen, no longer trapped under the overcast skies, are now flying into the heavens with the mourning from the living trailing after from down below. His head was cushioned by his rolled up uniform jacket, with the rest of his clothes laying in a pile beside his right hip. Each time his chest deflated from expelling CO2 from his body, his heart every so slightly picked up the pace. The drumming against his chest reminded even, after everything he has done, that he's still alive and here on this Earth. In spite of his body resembling a war torn land, Marco was breathing. In spite of friends turning on each for a short time, they all were still here. Well, for the most part. The landscape around him was painted in a deep evergreen, with droplets of dew sparkling under the yellow ball of fire gases in the sky high above. The blades of grass that tickled his bare skin left tears of dew on his body, as if crying for him. As if smearing their grief onto him.

"Marco!" He opened his eyes only to gaze up into the familiar eyes of Trinity's excitable pools of gold. Sven appeared at his side, smirking; arms folded over his chest.

Marco sat up, scratching his head and smiled. "Hey guys, what's up?"

Trinity plopped down beside him, pulling his knees to his chest. His green cloak was wrapped around him like a blanket, protecting him from the elements. His eyes sparkled under the glowing sun high above the Earth.

"Well," Sven lowered to the ground, sitting beside Trinity with a sigh. "This shit with the titans is over with and humanity is reclaiming territory piece by piece. So, I say all is going well so far."

Marco nodded, leaning back on the palm of his hands and tilted his head back to feel the breeze caress his face as well as his scarred body.

It's all over. Finally. No more destruction, no more inevitable sacrifices, and no more genocides. We can breathe at last without keeping our guard up. No more fatalities, well, to the titans at least.

"So, what's your next step, Trinity?" Marco asked, closing his eyes as the wind scraped against his healing wounds gently.

"Well, I...." Trinity hesitated, balling his hands into fists. "I'm not a hundred percent stable, but I'm not completely uncontrollable either. I-"

"Well, well, well," A familiar deep voice interrupted them from behind, causing them to turn their heads to the source. Commander Arik looked at each of them fondly. He took a seat beside Marco, his arm wrapped in a sling.

"Looks like I found the brats of the pack slacking off," He joked. Marco scowled, elbowing his side. Arik chuckled in response, shaking his head.

Trinity sighed heavily, as if feeling a weight of lead being lifted off his chest. He laid on his back, arms folded under his head. The breeze tenderly tickled the underside of his noise. His eyes wandered up to the open blue sky and could feel his breath being cut from his lungs. It was beautiful to see a sky, free from the oppression of the heavy clouds from before, so clear blue. So, wide and open. Not a puff of cloud sailed by. Instead, seedlings torn from dandelions floated above them in clusters, swirling in the playful spring breeze. He hadn't realized he faded out from the bantering going on between Sven and Marco, but it frankly brought a smile to his lips.