Prologue: A Tale To You, Living Behind The Wall…

Human Or Monster?

His back touched soft, white fur as he snuggled up against his companion. It was warm and comfortable. And safe. Even as he could hear the beating of iron hoofs against the ground, he knew that inside the den, there was nothing to fear. With him, he was protected.

Shouts and roars rang out in the forest, then at long last, they died down. The iron hoofs retreated. Whoever's victory it was, it couldn't be told. Whenever they came, they never ventured out from the safety of their hiding place. He had told him it was dangerous.

"A tale!" he cried, daring to raise his voice once again.

"A tail indeed," his companion told him, moving his razor-like tail out of the small creature's reach. "Your skill of observation improves by the day. Mind you, my tail is rather sharp, so you'd better not touch it."

"No, a story."

"You want to hear a story, huh. What are you curious about?"

"Them," he replied.

"Fine," his companion said with a resigned sigh. "A story about humanity."

And so he was told a story about cruel beings, who treated his own kind as slaves, bringing about terrible destruction in the world they shared. He was told about wars fought for meaningless, foolish reasons: for the pursuit of even greater power, devouring whatever came in their way.

But he also learned about the Nameless Hero, who emerged from among his kind, gifted with a mysterious power that turned the endless wars around into their favour. What small number remained of humanity was driven back behind fortified walls, and his kind became feared for what they called the 'Giant Monsters'.

The world was divided: humanity lived inside the Fortress, and his kind dwelled outside in the Wilderness. However, peace did not rule for long, for there were humans who left the confines of the Walls, and kept returning to disturb their everyday lives outside. From time to time, a legion of men would come, riding iron-clad beasts – creatures belonging to his kind, but tamed by the humans, not even aware anymore of the humiliation of being used as mere tools.

He was told to fear and despise humans. Still, his young mind was curious to learn more about them, who lived behind walls, who appeared so terrible in the tales, as if they were heartless monsters. But his own naïve heart wanted to believe otherwise.

He didn't know at that time, that when he hatched from the dragon's egg, he was born for a purpose: to bring hope that the world could be restored to its former state, so that humanity and his own kind could share it again in peace and harmony. But for that purpose, he had to know the ones who were called his 'enemy'. He had to go out, and meet them someday…

"Did my tale bore you so much that you've fallen asleep on me, brat?" his companion asked in mild irritation.

He was awake, only trying to make his immature mind think about what he was told, and what remained untold, but it was like chasing butterflies by the riverside. Colourful images swept before his mind's eye, too swiftly for him to grasp or understand their full meaning. Of one thing, however, he felt absolutely certain.

"I want to see the Wall," he stated firmly.

"Well, that's a rather foolish request."

"Show me the Wall," he insisted, in spite of the rebuke he received.

"What a wilful little rogue you are," his companion chided him. "Fine. One day, I'll take you to the Wall," he promised, giving him a gentle nudge. "Once you finally grow proper limbs of your own. I can't carry you around the way you're now."

As he lay back in his comfortable place, he realized that the soft white fur was stained crimson. Slowly, he began to understand why, and it made him sad.

He never wanted to hurt anyone. He never wanted to be seen as a monster. Young as he was, he had already resolved as much.

Next Chapter

The ones seeking the truth behind the ideals, celebrated as humanity's heroes or condemned as foolish adventurers of the Outside – the Explorers are riding through the border town of Shiganshina. In the innocently glittering green eyes of the boy looking on, those brave soldiers are the embodiment of everything glorious in their present time. In the burning charcoal of his sister's eyes, they bring nothing but disturbance into their forthcoming days. In the cold blue gaze of the soldier passing by, there is no recognition of the past. In the mirror of dreaming violet eyes, disconnected in space and time, there is a reflection of both family and enemy…

Those Who Keep Chasing Dreams

The Outsider & The Outside