A/N Sorry for the shortish chapter but I've been feeling lazy recently.
A big pot hanging over the fireplace was what Levi spotted first. Some kind of broth seemed to be boiling inside the pot as wisps of smoke rose from it. Tall shelves filled with various jars and flasks stood on either side of the pot. Levi also noticed another shelf full of books and several scrolls of parchment.
"Take a seat young man. I presume that you prefer tea?" asked Maggie. Levi shifted his eyes from the pot to the old woman. Lyla was already seated at the table and was patting the seat beside her. Levi slowly sat down. Lyla looked like she was at home and by the hug they shared before he guessed that she is quite close with this woman named 'Maggie'.
"I'm glad you have enough sense to not appear in your uniforms and wear civilian clothes along with cloaks. And I see you have a lot of questions," said Maggie as she placed each a cup of tea in front of them. She looked at Levi and Levi couldn't help but feel like she looked right through his soul. Maggie smiled and sat down opposite of them.
"So how much do you remember dear child."
"Almost everything except that day when my house got torn down. Things from there until I met the Jaegers are a little hazy."
"Ah, I see."
Maggie took a sip of her tea. She said in a soft voice.
"Before I elaborate on anything why don't you introduce me to that young man beside you?"
Lyla slightly blushed and said in a flustered manner. "Oh yes. Levi, this is Maggie. She's the Magician who will be helping us."
Lyla then gestured toward Levi.
"Maggie, this is Levi. Levi Ackerman. He's the Captain of the Survey Corps."
"An Ackerman?" said Maggie with slightly raised eyebrows. She then frowned for a moment but it soon vanished.
"Maggie," Lyla called in a quiet voice. "Why couldn't I remember anything when I woke above the ground. More importantly, how did I even end up there?"
Maggie sighed deeply.
"You know that your father betrayed the Marley Empire and ran into these walls."
"Yes, he wanted to save the Eldians and turn the titans back. And that's why I'm here."
"You see, Magicians haven't used magic involving magic circles. Magic circles are ancient magic. Not many could do it. You've been trained to use it by your father. When the Emperor's huntsmen crashed into your house, your mother used the teleport circle. But in her haste, she didn't set a specific coordinate. The only thing closest to a coordinate was the command to send you 'as far away as possible within these walls'. Which means you were teleported a long distance without an exact coordinate. That's almost impossible. It's a miracle you're actually alive so a side effect like memory loss is bound to happen."
Lyla gave a slow nod. She took out the box with the injection from under her cloak. Maggie eyed it for a moment then said,
"So I see you went to Grisha Jaeger's basement."
"How did my father know the Jaegers? Did my mother know this too?"
"Your father frequently visited the upper ground through his own dog hole. During his titan studies, he met Grisha Jaeger. Whether your mother knew or not… I'm sorry dear, I can't see that far."
Lyla again nodded. Maggie picked up the injection.
"I'm presuming you want to study to become an Alchemist?"
"Yes. Every spell or potion has a counterspell or an antidote. This injection shouldn't be any different."
"You're right. But first, we need to see if you have the talent to become an Alchemist. Thankfully it's a talent that can be developed, unlike your other two powers. Those you need to be born with. How much time do you have dear?"
"Three months," Lyla answered as she bit her lower lip. And just as she worried Maggie sighed and furrowed her brows.
"That's quite a short time. Considering you need to develop a new talent and train the other two. Though I guess you'll manage. You're the daughter of Evan and Anabelle after all."
And that is how Lyla's training began. Every morning at 7 a.m. Lyla would get up and start out with training her body so she could use her crystals more efficiently.
"Focus child, focus. Imagine what you actually want to do with your power. Don't just shoot it around mindlessly."
Lyla huffed out in frustration as she managed to hit everywhere except her target.
After that was training her ability to communicate with nature.
"How did you manage to use this power until now."
Lyla scratched the back of her head and said, "Well…I just asked them and they would do it."
Maggie sighed out.
"You've been really lucky until now. Perhaps they were good-natured because nature around here doesn't really have experience with Magicians. Some might have been quite frightened to find out that some humans could talk with them."
Maggie this time gave Lyla various seeds.
"Plants grow. With your magic, you can speed up or slow down the process. Try to grow and bloom those seeds into flowers. While you're at it, I'm going to have a short talk with that young man over there."
Lyla nodded.
"Please, be gentle. He's not that good with people," she said. Maggie just smiled. She walked toward Levi, who noticed her and seemed more awkward than ever.
"Don't worry young man. I don't bite."
Levi didn't worry about this old lady hurting him. He was sure that he would be able to overpower her should she show any intentions of hurting him or Lyla. What did make him feel on edge was the fact that she knew so much. And those piercing eyes that would see through any lie or secret.
Maggie took hold of Levi's head and stared intensely into his eyes.
"You young man had a hard past…" she mumbled out. "Sturdy and hardworking... quite hot-tempered but kind-hearted I see…" Maggie continued to mutter on. Levi just merely stared at her, not knowing what to do. Finally, Maggie let go of his head and sat beside him.
"An interesting choice for a soulmate I'd say," Maggie concluded. "Ackermans are always a risky choice if you'd ask me. And as you recently lost your Master so you're a riskiest choice than ever."
She looked at Levi and chuckled.
"I see you're confused."
Levi did not answer. She sighed and said, "Perhaps I must explain to you a few things. How much do you know about Magicians young man?"
Levi couldn't get used to the way how Maggie kept addressing him as a 'young man' as he was hardly anything close to that. But then again Maggie looked like she was well into her 80s so he must be young in her standards.
"Not much," Levi answered.
"There are many types of Magicians," Maggie started. "But we call types of Magicians who can communicate with nature, like Lyla, a Silver Tongue. A truly rare talent. Lyla inherited that talent from her mother. She can speak to nature and make them bend at her will. She can persuade them to do her favors. Her other talent is to materialize titan crystals and strengthen her body with it. A specialty of her father."
"Then what kind of talent do you have?"
At Levi's direct question Maggie laughed.
"I, young man, am a Seer. I can see people's past and parts of the future."
Levi's eyes widened and Maggie again laughed.
"Just like all titans are connected through the coordinate, Magicians are connected through the Mother Tree. Through that tree, I get visions, voices, or images of a certain event. All Magicians must take their vow before the Mother Tree when they turn 18. If they not, the Mother Tree calls them to her and I'm sure Lyla must have heard her calling as well."
Levi remembered all those random nights when Lyla suddenly ran outside, saying that she heard some voice. Was that the said calling of the Mother Tree's voice?
"I see you're quite clever. Yes, that was the Mother Tree calling Lyla. Now that she is considerably closer to the tree I guess she won't be calling her so randomly though."
Levi stared at Maggie. Can she read minds?
"No, I don't read minds," said Maggie with a smile "I just happen to be good at reading body language and facial expressions. I'm pretty sure nobody will be able to read you though except me and some very close friends."
They both silently watched Lyla successfully bloom a flower from a seed.
"Every Magician has a Soulmate like you Ackermans have a Master," said Maggie. "A Magician always trusts its Soulmate and cannot live without one. If the Soulmate dies, the Magician experiences great pain, loss, and despair. One loses meaning in life and withers like a dry flower. It is the hardest time a Magician must go through. A Magician would do anything to protect its Soulmates. It is its number one instinct to do so I suppose. That is why I am concerned with Lyla's choice."
Levi raised his eyebrows.
"Lyla has chosen you as her Soulmate a long time ago. You bare the mark of a Soulmate."
Levi was again surprised.
"I'm sure you can remember when you got that mark," said Maggie as she tapped the center of her forehead. That's when Levi remembered that day when Lyla disappeared, the day she so tenderly planted a kiss on his forehead.
"You said you were worried about Lyla's choice," Levi said in concern. Maggie sighed.
"An Ackerman is always a risk because they also share a strong bond with their Masters. When the Masters die they tend to follow them not long after and that's a strong blow to the Magician. I saw that you lost your Master recently. A tall blonde man, I see."
"I'm not leaving Lyla anytime soon," Levi said firmly.
Maggie smiled warmly.
"I'm glad to hear that."
"Hey, Levi!"
Lyla came skipping towards them with a garland of flowers. She placed the ring of flowers on Levi's head like a crown.
"Wow, it actually suits you, Levi," said Lyla with a giggle. Levi just huffed out a breath with a clearly miffed expression.
"So I see you finished your task," said Maggie. A soft smile ever-present on her face.
"As you can see," Lyla proudly said as she pointed at the flower crown.
"Well done child. Now then lets us have some lunch move on to your Alchemy studies."
Lyla groaned out but nonetheless went inside. She turned back and said with a smile.
"Keep your crown on my King!"
Levi chuckled and placed the flowers on Lyla's head instead.
"I believe it suits you better…my Queen."
Levi's grin slightly widened at Lyla's blush.
"Geez Levi. When did you turn so cheesy."
Lyla gently slapped Levi's shoulder. Despite all of this, she kept on the flower crown the whole afternoon.
