Alive Again: Attack on Titan

Chapter 2: The Fall of Shiganshina

They first appeared over a hundred years ago, giant humanoid creatures with the taste for our blood. The brute strength of these apparitions trumped an average person's many times over. We were shoved to the brink of extinction almost overnight. The survivors erected walls Maria, Rose and Sina, withdrawing behind them in frightened huddles for what was to be a century of uneasy peace, and then...

Year 845, it was the day of my birthday and I had just turned 15. I stepped out to go to the marketplace for some things, walking down the sparsely crowded residential streets of Shiganshina, the wind blowing through my long, brown hair. "Happy Birthday, Xavier!" my mother had said to me the moment I got up for the day, a birthday was always made into a big occasion at my house and it can get tiring sometimes. That's why I left the house that day, volunteering to go to the market for things we need while also giving them time to set up their grand plan they've always had.

"Harken! These walls were a bulwark gifted by God! Ribbonrock? Stone border? No my brethren, they are baskets of faith, the will of Heaven's manifest!" I hear one of those religious nut-jobs shout as I get onto a main street, bustling with people passing right by him. He was one of those wall cultists who worship the three walls that shielded humanity from the man-eating Titans. The Titans...the one thing that I wish I could just forget about, the giant beings that preyed on us and forced us to live in this enclosed space, cut off from the otherwise massive world we live in. Ever since I learned about the titans, I couldn't help but get paranoid that they would find a way to break in, even though it was impossible, I still couldn't get the idea out of my head whenever they were brought up.

I shuddered as I approached a meat stall about to buy some meats before I allowed myself to browse the other vendors of luxury items. I've always liked to look at the various jewels and arts that would be on sale, for they inspired me with ideas for my sketchbook, my passion. The meat was for tonight, a little splurge for the party. We've always spared no expense with celebrations. However, before I got to the stall, the large bell sounded, echoing throughout Shiganshina and stopping me in my tracks, it was the sound I've been waiting for for the past few days, the return of the Survey Corps. I quickly dashed over to the main road of which leads to the outer gate, to get a look. The sides of the street were already crowded with people as the battered and weary soldier walked down the street. It was hard to look at the bloodied scouts, walking the street with their heads hung, that's when I noticed that there was a lot less of them coming back than had left earlier. "Can't see squat!" I heard a small boy say, scurrying behind me to try and get a better view.

The crowd filled with murmurs and silent comments as they passed "Sure taken a hit, haven't they?" One said.

"Yeah, the rest of them got eaten. That's what happens when pride takes you outside the walls..." Another answered.

Everyone went silent as a woman entered the road "Moses, Moses! Beg your pardon, where is my son? He should be with you all." She said as she approached one of the weary scouts. "Oh, please tell me he made it!" She grasped the man's dark green poncho.

"I wish I had better news... Give it to her." He told the bandaged scout next to him, who then proceeded to place a small item wrapped in bloodied cloth into her arms. Whatever was in there couldn't be good. I closed my eyes tightly as she hastily unwrapped it just to cover it up again once she saw; it was the arm of her son.

She started crying as she knew what it was "I'm sorry, it's all that was left of him..." He told her as she then fell to her knees, clutching the arm tightly. Watching this scene put an icy stake in my heart, it was hard to watch. I mean, he gave her her own son's arm!

The scout lowered to her level before she spoke again "H-he- he did good? H-he was brave? Tell me my son stood his ground to the bitter end; that his death meant something! Tell us his sacrifice gave us a better chance!!" She shouted, her trembling voice echoing through the silent street.