Prologue

The Walled City

The place where 'The last of Humanity' resides.

The three rings that are said to house humanity and protect them from the threat known as the Titans. For 100 years people struggled and survived in the protection and safety of these rings, thinking that nothing from the outside could get in and destroy them. This was the way it was told for many people.

But, not all of humanity lies within the enormous structures of stone and wood.

In the time of the first Titan attacks, Humanity consisted of two species. The first was that of those who later retreated to the walls for safety. But the other, was one that many thought to be of fairytale and mere legend.

This race, while they were of human race, were gifted with something that was inhuman, the gift of magic. Before the Titan attack 100 years ago, they were known as the Mages, those who were gifted with the abilities of magic and alchemy. However, because of their gifts, they were out casted from the rest of Humanity, forced to always be on the move, trying to find a proper place to call home. When the titans attacked and most of Humanity retreated to the walls, not a single Mage was seen, so time passed on saying that the race went extinct, crushed under the titan's feet, and disappeared into myth and legend, never to be brought up again.

But the race, did indeed, survive.

For several miles away from the Walled City, laid an oasis, an underground peninsula whose shape was similar to that of a bowl, with the ceiling broken and open to the sky above. This was where the Mages resided, believing that the stone basin would prevent outside destruction from entering, be it the giants known as titans, or the more dangerous threat, nightmarish, flesh eating creatures called Wendigo's. But for the last hundred years, none of the Mages have seen or heard from these beasts, mostly because these humans chose to stay away from the outside world, much like those in the Walled City.

A hundred years had passed since that day, and over time, the Mages changed their names to something more appropriate for them, the Gypsies. Guilty of nothing but loving their freedom, they lived without law and order, taking what they needed and doing as they pleased, all while staying in the oasis, renamed as The Realm of the Seven Trades. The Gypsies did have a king, but he was not bright in control and equality, so the realm did not have a true source of power or rule. Not once has the Gypsies thought of going out and fighting the Wendigo's to understand the species or regain their freedom, but one group of ten was able to do so, a small clan called The Hellfires.

For ten years they went out and made attempts to understand the deadly threats to humanity and have done successfully, earning a stable and honored reputation as the realms freedom seekers. But, their reputation would be destroyed by a simple act of belief. Because of this act, the Hellfires left the realm and exiled themselves from the land they once called home. Living beyond the basin for seven years, the group had started to understand the threats more and understood their own abilities as Gypsies. Feeling out casted, the group decided to leave the land, but did not know where. Their leader managed to find a way to the Walled City, which to Gypsies was considered dangerous and a perfect death wish. The Hellfire leader insisted that what they were told before were nothing but lies and persuaded his gang to follow. And so they set out on the safest path, but complications prevented them from succeeding. The rest of the Hellfires had no choice but to travel to the Walled City by land, where both Titan and Wendigo would test their need for survival.

It wasn't long before the young outcasts ran into trouble. On that cold October night when the group set out for the inner parts of the Walled City, one of the members was separated from the group during the attack and forced to retreat to the insides of the walls alone.

And so, the story begins.

Author's note: I am holding a poll on another account, but for those who don't have a Deviantart Account, you can comment here on what you think the story should be called. This will be going on until December 19th. Here are the choices:

Flames of Salvation

Vim and Acumen

Vim and Acumen: The Flames of Salvation

Crossroads: the paths of vigor and acumen

Vim and Acumen: The Crusade to Freedom

Crusade of Acumen and Vigor

So, let me know which title should work best for this fanfiction in the comments section. Remember voting ends on December 19th so cast your vote before its too late.

Also, other comments are appreciated as they will help me with my confidence in writing this story. No spams or flames please, and constructive/helpful criticism if you wish to give advice. Thank you.