Fighting Hearts In Foreign Lands

In celebration of the new year, I’ve taken my top favourite photos from each month of the last year and made a calendar to bring in the new year. Due to the photo limit of this platform I’ve had to split this post into two parts, so if you haven’t seen the first part, I highly recommend it.

Tin calendar pt. 1

July, “Across The Sea”

August, “Smoke”

September, “Autumn Skies”

October, “Wanderer”

November, “Tea Time”

December, “King of the Woods”

2025 has finally dawned, and with the coming of the new year and closure of the last, we take time to reflect on the past and look forwards to the times yet to come.

In celebration of the new year I’ve taken my top favourite photos of each month taken last year, and am pleased to present this calendar.

All that fuzzy gunk aside— due to the photo limit of this platform, I’ll be splitting this post into two parts. Outrageous.

January, “Crossing The Frozen Creek”

February, “A Quiet Repose”

March, “I Think You Dropped Something”

April, “Stand Guard”

May, “A Timid Beast”

June, “Apple Flowers”

Pt 1 “The Blood Moon”

Pt 2 “Phoenix”

Spoilers for attack on Titan

“You’re Awake…”

Levi’s words are soft in the silence of the room, a gentle breeze wafting through the open window facing the rising sun. Erwin’s shoulders sit slumped, burdened with the weight of the lives he’d taken. The captain had come harbouring a letter, but shrugged, seeing the confrontation could not be dismissed by elegant lines and a wax stamp, he had to apologize face to face.

“Erwin—“ His voice falters, the sound quickly swallowed in the silence of the room, but he pushes forward, “please, forgive me”.

Erwin smiles, though it doesn’t hide the pain in his eyes.

“I understand your decision… Thank you, Levi”

A year passed, and the reclamation of the territories lost was slow, though aided with advancing technologies. Soon, the district of Shiganshina saw its surviving citizens return home, for the fist time in nearly 6 years, and the Survey Corp rode to the edge of the sea.

As awe struck eyes gazed into the sea, Erwin rallied their attention, his voice firm, though ever patient. He had been vindicated.

“Beyond these endless waves of water, lies our enemies, and a dream. The dream my father died believing.”

There’s a moment of pause, his countenance never wavering in its resolve, and his voice powerful with the passion of humanity’s rage, “the dream to which so many have dedicated their hearts, The dream of humanity!”

Pt 1 “The Blood Moon”

Spoilers for attack on Titan

There’s references to hard vore in this one (there’s a Titan who consumes a person), so if that’s not your thing feel free to scroll by, you have my blessing

“Everyone get out of the way, wouldn’t want Erwin accidentally eating one of you”

Erwin’s eyes open, his irises pale blue as the stormy sky, a piercing gaze eternally fixated on a distant dream, far on the horizon.

Levi watches from a distant rooftop as Erwin rises from the smoke, now a Titan, reaching fourth and plucking Bertholt off the tilled rooftop, before lifting the struggling form up towards his face.

Bertholt’s eyes flutter open, his body still recovering from the battle just fought. His expression soon drained into horror however, as the shadow of a Titan cast down over him, and striking blue eyes bore into his soul.

“ANNIE, REINER! HELP ME!”

Terror spread through his veins like wildfire, and choked his breath like rising smoke. His heart thundering in his chest as Erwin lifted him up towards the tempestuous azure, his wails falling upon deafened ears. The futility was crushing, his struggles merely the frantic flutter of the wings of a butterfly caught in a spiders web.

After a moment, the Titan falls to the ground with a deafening crash, and from the nape Erwin emerges, though fragile and still unconscious.

All around him his comrades watch with unveiled eyes at the monster before them. Their quiet souls filling the atmosphere with a gentle stillness, as Erwin’s heartbeat gently thrums in Levi’s embrace.

When Erwin’s eyes open again, he reaches out towards the soft light of his recovery room, the gentle thrum of the clock and whistling wind against the window are the only sounds. To his astonishment, his arm had been made anew, as if sculpted carefully by water and endless grains of sand.

Pt 3 “The Sea”

Spoilers for attack on Titan

There’s a character who injects another character with a syringe, so if that’s not your thing feel free to scroll by, you have my blessing

“Send them to hell. I’ll take down the Beast Titan.”

Levi’s words fell upon the silent bodies of the soldiers like gentle rain, their faded eyes upturned to the gentle light of the pale sky. The soft grass reached and painted trails of crimson blood on his boots as he trod through the lea. Rocks as keen as needles and shattered bones at last rest, but amongst the fallen, there’s only one on his mind.

“He’s still alive…”

Levi’s hand trails above his commander’s battered face, the faintest breath wafting the cold air between his fingers, battling against the gentle breeze, a grain of sand in the tide of endless waters which threaten to sweep his life away.

Erwin’s horse seems to comfort her fallen rider, though neither have the strength again to rise, their blood pooling together in the darkened sod. With great strength, Levi lifts the noble mare from Erwin, and hoists him upon his shoulders, bidding his steed a longing farewell.

Carrying Erwin upon his shoulders, he brings his fallen commander over the wall, to find his comrades had secured victory, but by the skin of their teeth. The battle had been devastating, and few survived. Among them were Eren, a crippled cadet of the 104th who promised humanity so much, now crying over the body of Armin, his lifelong friend.

A serum Levi possessed could save the life of one of them, to trade their humanity for just a few more years of life. Their dreams surfacing in his mind, washing over him with Erwin’s stuttering breaths, whispering in the breeze.

The decision was hard fought amongst his remaining comrades, tired and desperate from the fighting, but the decision was his to make. Although he knew the choice was a selfish one, he chose the person he believed could save humanity.

Erwin’s eyes open to meet a warm light. The savoury aroma of spices roaming the air, and the soft smell of simmering broth fill his senses. He rubs the tiredness from his eyes, his gaze slowly gaining its focus, when his father calls him to dinner.

“C’mon Erwin! It’s time for dinner!”

“I had the strangest nightmare…” the thought quickly grows quiet, replaced by the gentle sound of clinking utensils and creaking floorboards.

“Okay…”

“But…” the thought continues, it’s cadence soothing in his mind, the nightmare quickly fading, “I’m awake now”

“Are you sure there’s no one living outside the walls?”

Erwin looks to his father again for answers, the candle light glaring off his glasses and obscuring his eyes.

“Well… no, let me tell you what I think, Erwin”

The air becomes still as Mr. Smith takes a seat at the table, and Erwin lifts the warm bread and broth to his lips.

“I believe humanity exists beyond the walls”

If such were the case, then Erwin would prove them all wrong.

Steam rises up from the hot bread as he takes a bite, the metallic tang of the broth filling his pallet, spilling fourth and running down his chin. As he bastes in the comforts of this distant memory, the world fades away and grows quiet once more.

Black flares fly and the ground tremors from the sound of heavy footfalls. As the titan approaches the centre of the formation, Mike readies himself to strike, preparing to be its reaper…

A continuation of A Quiet Repose

The thunderous sound of gigantic footfalls fade as pedals wilt and drop from the floral bouquet on the shelf above, and Schofield builds the courage to see what the giant had left for him…

A note…

“I left you something…”

Schofield reaches out towards a miniature jar, and inside, a white flower in bloom…

The air is sweet with the scent of ripening strawberries, as it’s carried on the hot summer breeze, and the pair of wanderers follow the guidance of the wind.

“I’m sick of eating flower petals… when are we going to get something edible?” Blake’s voice is anxious, as he follows Schofield through the lofty brush of trident-leaved foliage.

Pulling back the crowd of reaching stalks, Schofield reveals their hidden treasure, “Well it looks like today is our lucky day… look here.”

They quickly begin picking, filling their crates and their stomachs…

Blake looks over to Schofield’s crate, a hint of jealousy bleeding through his words, “How come you’ve got so many?”

“I haven’t eaten all mine”

“Levi… Let go…”

“Commander Erwin!”

A continuation of “Be still for me”

Soft light flickers through the trembling branches, breaking as they sway in the gentle breeze, lacing the fallen rose pedals in gold as they dot the ground with spots of pink.

Inside the farmhouse, a gentle ambiance fills the atmosphere, the stillness broken only by the drum of time striking against the clock face, and hum of foreign machines.

Warmth touches Schofield’s cheek, as his eyes open to meet the mid-day light, his vision filled with abstract colour as they focus. He wills himself to move, his bones aching as he pulls his hand into view, which had been neatly wrapped in fresh bandaging.

A continuation of “Memories Of Home”

Warning: contains ptsd and a character reliving a traumatic event

“Shhh… it’s okay…”

“Be still for me…”

Schofield is brought into the kitchen by the farmer to assess his injuries, much to his dismay

“Your hand… it looks infected”

“Please!”

Schofield tries to fight as the giant removes his blood stained bandaging, while preparing a disinfectant cloth for his wounds.

The burn of the cloth on his open flesh launches him back into the terror and chaos of the Great War, the thunder of artillery exploding and carrying with them the flesh eating yellow clouds of gas…

“You’re hurting me!”

“Please, stop!”

With tears welling and rolling down his cheeks, his thoughts turn quiet, his eyes gazing upwards, and beyond their tortured blue haze, death from the sky rained…

After several months of work, I’m finally proud to be finished this sculpture of a British cavalry horse during the Great War.

Colonel Mackenzie stands gallantly holding the flag of his home country, keenly watching the great creaking forest spruce, which seem to touch the sky.

The trees creak and sway in the wind, as clouds churn overhead. The damp spring air is sweet as the whispering forests slowly wake, and Schofield, starving and exhausted, searches for something to eat.

A distant voice, it sounded familiar. Schofield calls out for Blake, but to no reply. That voice was unforgettable, soft as the spring rain, trailing in the breeze, it was his mother.

Warm memories come flooding back, the savoury smell of their home, the bustle of family company when the food they shared wasn’t much, but always enough. Her somber voice sung of sailors getting lost at sea, calming the storm when he couldn’t sleep.

Before he knew it he began to run towards the wonderful call of home. He ran until his legs threatened to buckle and his head felt like it were being crushed.

Slowly the voices began to fade away. They were only visions of a lost past, as he collapses at the feet of a colossus, whose roots collected his memories and buried them deep in the earth, bringing them to be with the fallen leave’s rotten musk.

Without strength left to fight, Schofield submits to the will of the brutal land, passing out from exhaustion. Not to wake again, or so he thought…