Rise of the Walls

Part 1 – The First Titan

By: you741

This story takes place when the titans first started appearing. The information in this story is just based off speculation and has nothing to do with what the author of the real manga plans. Enjoy my speculation (it takes a while until you see the relation to the anime/manga, but eventually you'll see some small relations). By the way, I might be a little graphic with the violence, so viewer discretion is advised.

Year 735 – Outside Unknown City in Germany

My name is Eric. Eric Yeager. I was born and raised in this rural farm. Our closest neighbors are hours away.
My father died 5 years ago, when I was 7, of an illness. The doctors had no idea what it was. I lived with my mother, and often helped her clean.

"ERIC! Come down and help me clean the kitchen please!" my mother yelled.

I started down the stairs, not even replying to my mother.

I was a quiet kid. Never spoke much. I also didn't like to talk to strangers, I have xenophobia. It might be because of the strange man that lives a couple hours south. He was always in his house, strange sounds coming out of it. Sometimes he would come out in order to collect some sticks and leaves on the ground. One time I saw him holding a dead squirrel.

My mom told me he was an eccentric scientist, who never really had a social life, or a childhood. That's because he spent all of his childhood studying, in order to join this famous university. They thought he was improper to be a student at their school. He had no parents, nor did he ever go to school, so they didn't let him in the university. Since that day, he has been obsessed with an experiment he was working on. No one knew what it was, as it was in the basement of his house, and no one dared to approach the madman. Although some people say he kidnapped small children and tested his experiments on them.

Since the day I heard about him, I never wanted to talk to strangers anymore.

"ERIC! Are you listening? I said come down!" my mother yelled again.

My mother's name was Maria. Since father died, she has never been the same. At night, she wouldn't sleep. I could hear her cry sometimes. As for me, I became far less talkative the day he died.

It was 5 minutes later when I finally finished helping mother clean the kitchen. I am a pretty fast cleaner.

"All done Mom", I said

"Thanks, son", she replied.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake.

What could be happening? We rarely get earthquakes, and they are never this powerful! I thought. Then, I looked out the window.

It was one of the most horrifying experiences I ever had. Outside my window, instead of blue sky and green grass as usual, there was…

A giant face! Staring straight at me!

Danger, I thought, I don't know what the giant wants, but it must be dangerous!

"MOM!" I yelled, "GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!"

Mom was on the floor cleaning. She started to get up, but before she could, a giant piece of the ceiling came down upon her!

"CRACK! " I heard as the ceiling fell down on her petite body.

Then I saw the giant's hand come down from the ceiling. I had no idea what it was, and was frightened to death. However I did know one thing - that giant wanted to harm us… most likely kill us.

My mother screamed in agony, and then said, "Eric, leave me! Save yourself!"

"No mom! If I leave, you'll – you'll probably DIE!" I yelled, "I CANT LOSE YOU! I ALREADY LOST DAD!"

"LISTEN TO ME! WHETHER YOU STAY OR NOT, I AM DEAD", mom yelled, "MY BONES ARE CRUSHED. I CAN'T ESCAPE THAT MONSTER. BUT YOU CAN! NOW DO IT!"

"But-", I started.

"IT'S AN ORDER! DON'T MAKE MY DEATH BE FOR NOTHING!" she yelled.

I saw a tear slide down hear cheek. It was clear she didn't want to die, but I was only 12. I was too weak of a son to protect her, so I ran, tears streaming down.

I was so scared, but yet I looked back…

I saw the monster, the titanic brute, eat my mother.

The giant raised her to his mouth, and she screamed, "NOOOO!"

Those were her last words.

I will never forget my mother's terrified face. Or how her blood simply splattered all over the monster's mouth and on the ground, as if a messy kid was eating fruit.

The memory angers me, fills me with hatred for that, that wretched thing!

That was the day I made a promise. The promise that I would…

KILL THE MONSTER WHO ATE MY MOTHER!

I WON'T EVEN SPARE ONE OF HIS KIND!

I remember very little when escaping the giant. I hid in the forest until it was out of sight, than I made a beeline for the nearest neighbor we have. It took me about 2 hours to reach there. I told them what happened. The nice couple who lived there were dubious and horrified, but they believed me when they saw the expression on my face. They took me down to the city on horseback, saying they knew an elderly couple who could shelter me until I was 18.

The one thing I remembered clearly on the way to the city, was the crazy man's house. The eccentric scientist's house was completely destroyed.

"Wonder what happened to that madman…" the man said when he saw the house.

"An experiment gone wrong perhaps?" said his wife.

Funny thing was, it looked as if the house collapsed in on itself. Perhaps there really was an earthquake?

No, the couple's house wasn't damaged at all. I had a hunch at the time that the scientist had something to do about the appearance of the giant.

Later, I would find out if I was right or not…

Year 740 – Unknown City in Germany

It's been 5 years since the appearance of the giant, but I have not forgotten. It turns out that giants were rumoured to have been spotted around the city, but none of the sightings have been confirmed by the government.

I knew why. No one could confirm their appearance because everyone who encountered them is dead. Except me that is. I told them I really did see the giant, but they said that one witness with no evidence wasn't enough to consider it a problem. That won't stop me from preparing.

Although it's been 5 years and there hasn't been a single appearance of the giants since, I have been preparing. Every day I train and get work hard in order to get stronger, smarter and faster. Tomorrow I would be 18, and I will join the army. Not to defend my country, but to get stronger. To kill the giants.

I haven't told anyone about my ambitions, not even my caretakers. The elderly couple that takes care of me are really generous, saying that all I had to do was help out with the cleaning once in a while. I was okay with that. Cleaning reminds me back to the days of when I lived with mother… I still haven't taken off the face garment I wore when I used to clean back at mother's place. It's the last thing I have from those times.

The old woman who took care of me was called Rose. She was really nice, and did the primary cleaning of the house.

The old man was a banker. He made the money in order to support the household. I don't eat much, so it was enough. His name was Thompson-Rutherford, but everyone calls him "Trost".

I usually called them Mr. and Mrs., even though they said I didn't have to. It just felt right to call them that. They know tomorrow is my 18th birthday, and kept pestering me about what I plan to be after I was an adult. I told them it was a surprise, and they replied that if I needed a place to stay they were always open.

Today was the day I tell them of my plans.

"Hello Mr. – ", I started.

"Ah, stop callin' me that already! Just call me Trost boy! That's what everyone calls me!" Trost said humorously.

"Ok… so 'Trost', I will finally tell you what I am going to become when I turn 18" I said.

"HEY ROSE! COME HERE! THE BOY'S FINALLY GONNA TELL US WHAT HE'S GONNA DO WHEN HE BECOMES A MAN!" Trost gleefully shouted.

"In a second, honey," Rose replied, slightly sarcastic. Rose wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as Trost was. I could tell she was in the middle of cleaning something, because here hands still had dust on them when she came.

"So what have you decided Eric? You know we will always support you," Rose asked.

"I have decided, to become…" I started, but before I could finish, a loud rumbling occurred. As if it was an earthquake.

No, I thought, it's not. It's the exact same sound as 5 years ago… the giants! They're back!

I won't lose these two. Not like mother!

"GUYS! GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!" I shouted.

"O- Okay!" Trost nervously whimpered. I could tell he was frightened.

Rose didn't even say anything as she followed Trost outside, but I could tell by her expression that she was scared out of her mind. I can relate. I felt the same way 5 years ago.

Then I realized I made a mistake.

In the rural countryside, the area was vast and large, and there were trees close by where mother and I could've hidden. However, down here in the city, it is impossible to escape the giant. There would be no place to run. And there aren't any hiding places close enough for them to escape to. The nearest one is the alley 2 km east from here. The giant would be on them by then… I knew I had to stop them.

"WAIT! I MADE A MISTAKE! DON'T GO OUTSIDE!" I shouted

But it was too late. They had already opened the door. And outside, was the very same giant that ate my mother.