They searched for a good time and still came up with nothing.
"There's nothing suspicious," said Hange as if she can't believe it.
"Erwin's intuition can't be so off. The fucking basement has to have something," stated Levi.
"Language Levi, language," Lyla reprimanded him. Levi just rolled his eyes. Lyla continued to say, "The basement has to be it. Ever since I set foot into this house, it bothered me. There must be something."
That's when they heard Mikasa call out.
"Eren,"
Eren turned around.
"There's a keyhole here."
He stood in front of a desk drawer. All of the others went to him and saw the keyhole. A matching keyhole.
"Well?" Levi said expectantly. Eren gulped and put the key in. It fitted perfectly. He slowly turned the key and the lock opened with a small click. Eren slowly opened the drawer only to find it empty.
"Well, that's a shame," said Lyla.
"Hold on, brat," said Levi. He skimmed his hand over the bottom and stopped in one place. He dug his fingers in and pulled out the bottom wood, revealing three books.
"It's a double-bottom."
Hange pulled out a bottle and sniffed it.
"It smells of pepper oil and charcoal. Is it processed for moisture-proof insect repellent?"
"Has to be," Lyla stated. "There's no other way the book could be undamaged after all this time."
"This is the thing we're looking for," said Levi as he placed a book in front of them. When they opened the book there was a picture.
"Is it a portrait?" Eren asked.
"No, it's a photo," said Lyla. Everyone looked at her. Hange took the picture and looked at it.
"Surely, it's too sophisticated to think that a human drew it," she said. Mikasa pointed at the back of the photo.
"That's Mr. Jeager's handwriting."
Hange flipped the photo over.
"This isn't a picture," she read out loud. "This is engraving the reflection of light of an object on a special paper. It is called a photo. I'm from outside the walls where humanity lives with class. Humanity did not go extinct. I wish who finds this would be a friend…"
Eren opened Grisha Jeager's diary and started reading it aloud. When he finished, everyone seemed shocked. Well, at least Eren and Armin did. The rest's faces were blank as ever.
"So the fucking world is our enemy. That's a joke I can't laugh to," said Levi.
"Did you know this Lyla?" Hange asked. Lyla slowly nodded.
"But I didn't know until I turned 14. Before that, I believed what the Empire taught me to believe. I remember that my family ran away from the Empire into these walls. I was about 4 or 5. At that time I didn't know why we had to run away but thinking back… I think my father wanted to save the Eldians. The descendants of Ymir."
There was a heavy silence. That's when Eren pulled something out from the journal.
"There's a letter. And it's addressed to you Lyla."
Lyla's eyes widened as she looked at the letter.
"It's from my father," she said in a trembling voice. She hurriedly opened the letter.
Dear Lyla,
If you're reading this letter, I guess that means I'm gone and you know the truth. But there is a thing I haven't told you. The origin of the titans.
As you know, there are many types of magicians with various talents. And there are magicians who brew potions and create magical substances we call the Alchemists.
They had created a thing that they should've never created. The titan serum.
The nobles of the Marley Empire wanted an immortal life and desired something that was never theirs, the power as a magician. They reached out to the Alchemists who wanted to quell their thirst for knowledge. They were curious, you see. They were curious if such a thing was possible. An artificially born magician.
The Empire, not wanting to use its own people, conducted experiments on the Eldians.
The closest they created to a magician is the Ackermans. I already told you about them. As magicians have soulmates, the Ackermans have their masters. They possess inhuman strength and speed. But that wasn't enough, they were still mortal.
The Alchemists kept on experimenting, at last creating the titan serum. But they realized that indeed you would hold power and be immortal, but you have no ego. You're just a mindless monster that gobbles up people.
The Alchemists have already crossed a line but they decided to cross another. They decided to use the serum on a fellow magician. And it was as they wished. She didn't lose herself in the power and she was immortal, they thought. But there were unexpected side effects. The new power given to her was too much for her body, and at first she didn't seem to age. But she started to age rapidly after some time.
Upon her death, Ymir split her power into nine, making nine titan shifters. The titans and the whole Eldian society sought for vengeance against the Marley Empire and the Alchemists. War broke out and for centuries the Eldians ruled the world until the Empire managed to retrieve seven titans and take back its regime.
The King of the Eldians fled with most of his people to Paradis Island, vowing that he would keep his people from committing such a deed again. But if anyone dare to disturb them, he would awaken the titans and bring hell once again.
The King made three sturdy walls to protect his people and erased their memories. He made them believe that the human race was extinct outside the walls and caged his people, believing that that was peace…
The Empire quickly discovered that the serum will only work on the Eldians. The test subjects the Alchemists used were all Eldians, hence the serum was made based on them. Knowing the danger and consequence of it, the Empire decided to use the Eldians once again instead of making a new serum.
The Empire separated the left behind Eldians. They taught the people distorted versions of history and made them believe that it was all the Eldians deeds.
This is where you must come in Lyla. If you're reading this, it means that I have failed. And my mind rests heavily on you. It's a big responsibility. But I believe you'll be able to do it. As the successor of the Peltner household, and as a magician, you must turn your people back and undo what our ancestors have done.
Look through your memories, and I'm sure you'll be able to find someone who can help you. I have also given you a key to work your way out within this basement.
May the ancestors watch upon you as always.
Love, your Father, Eden Peltner.
Lyla stood their stalk still. It was as if the time has stopped. When she came into this basement she thought it would only be the others who would find the truth. Oh, how wrong she had been. Lyla stared at the letter in her hands as she tried to process the new information.
'So the titans were made by magicians… and it's my responsibility to undo that curse?'
Lyla's hands trembled with fear. She didn't know if she could do it. She didn't even know where to start.
"Oi, Lyla," Levi called. But Lyla didn't hear it as a single line from the letter flashed through her mind.
'I have also given you a key to work your way out within this basement. What did he mean? Wait…remember Lyla, all the Magic Circles you've learned.'
Realization hit her. Lyla threw the letter on the desk and started to look for a pencil.
"I need something to draw with."
Everyone looked at Lyla in bewilderment.
"I don't know what was written in that letter but I'm sure this is no time for drawing, brat," said Levi in an irritated tone. Lyla ignored him and insisted. Finally, Hange, still confused, handed her a pencil. Lyla quickly started to draw some kind of circle and when she finished she placed her hand upon it and whispered.
"Exhibeo"
With that word, a book fell from a shelf. From that place, Lyla started to pull and push various books to form another kind of circle. While Lyla was doing this, Levi went to the forgotten letter and read it through. After finishing, he said quietly.
"So now you're suddenly the ultimate key to our survival."
This time everyone turned to stare at Levi. Lyla replied in a calm voice, never stopping in her motions.
"If you want to call it that."
"Then may I ask what the hell are you doing?" Levi asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Finding the key hidden in this basement," Lyla replied.
By this time, everybody was reading the letter and by the end, they all had that shocked face again. Even Hange and Mikasa.
Finally, Lyla pushed in the last book and took a step back.
"Patefacio"
At her words, the bookcase slowly creaked open, revealing a secret vault. All of them huddled around Lyla to take a look at it.
"Shit… it's locked," Lyla muttered out.
"Well, what's the problem? Draw another circle and say some kind of magic word," Levi said impatiently. Lyla rolled her eyes.
"As much as I want to do that. This one has a spell that would exactly prevent me from doing so. If I try to open it with magic, it won't open for the next 5 years."
"That's oddly specific," Hange quipped. Lyla started to inspect the keyhole and stretched a hand toward Eren.
"Give me the key. The one that Mr. Jeager left you."
Eren did as told with a bewildered expression. Lyla put in the key and turned it. With a dull click, the vault opened, revealing a rectangular box.
"Now this box looks really similar to the one Kenny gave Levi," Hange stated. And as if to answer to Hange's words, when Lyla opened the box, there lay an injection of the titan serum.
"Another one of those troublesome things," Armin muttered out.
"So this is the key? That's somewhat anticlimactic as there's nothing we can do with it, except making another titan shifter," said Levi.
Lyla shook her head.
"No, this is the perfect thing. Every curse or spell has a way to be undone. This serum is no different. If I find out what it's made of and what kind of magic is involved, I can undo it. The only problem is… I'm not an Alchemist nor am I trained to be one. Levi, do you have that piece of paper I drew on?"
Levi just stared at Lyla with a quirked eyebrow.
"You know, the one I drew on when I was…a living doll if I put it your way," Lyla further elaborated. Levi's eyes slightly widened. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the piece of paper he had kept ever since Lyla drew on it. Lyla took the paper with a nod.
"Thank you. I'll be keeping it from now on."
When they left the basement and told everything to the rest of the Survey Corps all of them were in shock, and more so when they heard about Lyla.
"So, she's a freak from outside the walls?" Floch said. Levi glared at him.
"I would watch my mouth if I were you," he said through gritted teeth. Lyla gently patted his arm.
"It's fine. I know it's a concept quite difficult to understand but yes, I'm a magician."
...
...
As much as they wanted to, it was impossible to take all the corpses of the dead soldier back. Lyla and the others aligned the corpses on the ground for a short funeral.
"It would be best if we could dig their graves ourselves and set tombstones but I guess there isn't much time," Lyla muttered. She opened her arms and started to sing in a lulling manner.
"Mother Earth, open your arms. Take these lives back to your care. They have fulfilled their duty in the living world, and desire to go back to your embrace."
The ground dug itself and buried the corpses. Seeing this, Lyla started to sing a sad melody. It had no words, but it had a heart-pulling sadness to it. Along with the song Lyla started to dance. She ended the dance with a bow and the song ended as well. When Lyla stood up she saw everyone staring at her.
"The Song of The Requiem," she said. "It's a tradition for the Silver Tongue or another magician sing for the dead. To pay respect and hope eternal peace to those who fulfilled their lives."
The others just nodded and prepared to return to the inner walls.
"You're taking all of this pretty well," Hange said to Lyla. Lyla knew what Hange meant by 'all of this'. Certainly, it was a lot of information to process and the new responsibility bestowed upon her weighed heavily on her shoulders. But…
"It's not like I can have a mental breakdown right now. Even if I want to," said Lyla with a forced smile. Hange also laughed hollowly.
"I guess that's true."
A/N Finally things about Lyla are explained! Thank you, readers, for reading this far!
