The boy stands in a dark world. A world that has been crushed in the heat of battle. Darkness has overcome it... A pitch black space where only blood occupies the rough cement and filling the crevasses in the ground.
The only source of light is what he holds, a white wax candle with the end emitting a light orange glow in the form of a flame. It flickers all the time even there is no wind, the wax melts even though there is no heat, the wax freezes even though there is no frost.
The boy is relatively short with his once blonde hair dyed crimson and his once large ocean coloured blue eyes coated with a darker shade as they had been filled with blood. His skin is pale due to lack of food but he does not starve.
The world grew red a few days ago, but Armin does not know what time is anymore. It seems like months or even years, but he has not spoken since that day. His friends and comrades dead bodies are scattered across the ground, limbs strangely bent and head severed. Their bodies were drowning in blood.
As his wide and crazed blood-stained eyes crosses over the pale faces of his friends, he finally finds his voice.
"On that day, mankind received a grim reminder."
Armin is almost surprised to find that his voice is much deeper and mature and it used to be, with a cello sounding tone accompanying it, his tone shows no emotion.
"We lived in fear of the Titans..."
He pauses for a moment, struck on what to say anymore as his voice sounds much to foreign, but he continues anyway.
"... And were disgraced to live in the cages we called walls."
Armin recalls Eren - his best friend - who always used to say that he wanted to go outside the walls and discover new things. He himself agrees that the walls couldn't protect them forever. How right he was. Not only that, but the first look at the outside world wasn't as exciting as he thought it would be as a child.
Thinking longer, his scarred mind recalled events and he decided to speak more.
"Over a century ago, mankind faced a new enemy. The difference between mankind and their newfound enemy was overwhelming. Soon, mankind was driven to the brink of extinction.
"The surviving built three walls: the Maria, the Rose and the Sina. Then they lived the next century in peace, under their protection. However..."
Taking in a deep breath, he continued the story right to the very end. The gruelling, cruel end. Everything that had happened during that was bad enough, but that final moment was just...
Why was he the one he survived? He wasn't skilled physically, smart maybe but that doesn't help when it comes to battles. Why didn't Captain Levi survive? He's strong physically and mentally... He can stand this.
But Armin can't. He's weak and useless. A monster finished being made. Standing while being drenched in blood that will never dry, it will always remain fresh and moist on his face and flowing over his soft skin endlessly. Why was the candle here?
"... Mankind lost to the titans and the world was set in an eternal darkness. Nobody was known to have survived."
Except him at least. Why is all the light gone? Is the light actually there but the darkness in his mind overpowered it? Is he holding a flickering candle in the daylight where it's useless and where the moonlight shines over it like a demanding god?
Why is he insane? Because of all he's been through? He thought he'd gotten stronger but at the end of the day it's all the same it was. Weak and a heretic. Believing that life outside the walls would be a dream come true, with lands full of water and that water full of salt.
But salt is salty, salty makes your eyes water if you have too much. So do tears, pain makes your eyes water if you've had too much of it. Armin is crying now, but why isn't the blood on his face going away?
All of a sudden the orange glow intensifies slightly and he can see more of the land in front of him. Armin hesitates for a moment but then decides to move forward a few steps. His footsteps feel heavy and forced, like he hadn't walked in centuries. How long did it take for him to tell those stories?
His feet feel drenched and he looks down. Water? No. Armin smiled anyway.
At least he finally got to see the ocean. An ocean of blood.
XOXO
A/N: Based on the shot in the second opening of the anime where Armin is covered in blood. Somebody mentioned (in a tumblr post or something) that the narrator of the anime is voiced pay Armin's voice actor, indicating he might be telling the story and him being the only one surviving.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed!