As you might expect of Humanity, it all started because of War. The war in question, started in the early-thirties when I was only a little kid. The Chinese government was infiltrated by North Korean spies and overthrown from the inside. Over the course of eight years, the newly formed nation became one of the most prosperous powers throughout all of Asia's history. But because of China's dominance and North Korea's vengeance, it was not enough for them, the nation's new leadership declared war on the entire continent of Asia in 2033. South Korea, Mongolia, India, and Taiwan were some of the first nations to be 'Annexed' into the "People's Empire of Asia."
However, when they attempted to invade Japan, the gigantic navy was stopped by a minuscule group of 250 American soldiers. These soldiers were not just any typical soldier, but a new type of human that was later classified as Eldian. People said, that they swam all the way from the shore to the boats, at nearly 70kmph. Their gun wounds would heal themselves. They would throw people through walls. This technology was used for months to stave off the empire's immense forces. I can't know for sure if those stories were true, but seeing what they evolved into, I can't argue that even the unbelievable could likely be truth.
Eventually in 2034, the creators of this technology stepped into the open, a German company called Paradis Laboratories. This technology was to be used to enhance all soldiers in combative positions in the Militaries of the United States, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, and Britain. Soldiers who declined were told to leave the military, or transfer to a non-combative position...
About three years later in 2037, the enhancements were made available for purchase. Only the rich were able to purchase them at first. Intentionally built into them was a safeguard that only allowed Germans, Dutch, British, and Norwegians to be enhanced. This meant that America's army was comprised solely of foreign soldiers. Soldiers who could likely decimate the nation if they felt the need.
Shortly after, America expelled the Eldian soldiers, and allied themselves with the Asian Empire. Due to their bigoted paranoia of began the systematic genocide of "Sheldians," or what they called people who were capable of receiving the Paradis Enhancements. Canada, Mexico, and Europe all offered asylum for the Eldians who could escape, but undoubtedly, countless innocent lives were lost. My parents made the run to Mexico. After they passed into the welcoming nation, they were offered a place to live in Germany. They took it. A week after we flew to the continent, Mexico was taken over by the Asian Empire. It was around this time, that they changed their name to the Marleyan Empire.
In 2039, England, The Netherlands, Germany, and Norway united into the International Alliance of Eldia. This alliance would unite under the watchful eye of Paradis, and attempt to offer a safe haven for Eldians. At this point, Marley made peace with all other nations, focusing solely on Eldia. This was perceived by many as a political maneuver in order to make Eldia seem like the enemy to everyone. It seems this would do exactly that for years to come. Even during our exile.
In 2040, Marley launched a nuclear attack on Egypt, as an "Example". They then demanded all non-Eldian nations to forsake the Eldians or they would experience the same fate. All complied. Nobody knows why Marley didn't just drop a bomb on us. Perhaps they had inside intelligence on the existence of Titans and they were too afraid to risk the awakening of these monsters.
In 2046. Paradis was taken over by new leadership. The new head of the Paradis Laboratories was known as Professor Fritz. Ymir Fritz. She worked differently than the previous CEO. According to Mihael, she pored over ancient texts as though she'd been possessed. He says she wore a pentagram on her necklace. I never believed in the Devil, until Mihael gave me the evidence of some sort of demonic being. A picture of her consorting with the shadowy being. It had a face like one of those goblins in old fairy tales, and horns like a goat. If that wasn't Satan, then I don't know who the Hell it was.
In 2047, Marley launched an EMP attack. Leaving the general public without modern electronic devices. Unfortunately for them, our government had something better than an EMP. A Computer virus that literally caused their wireless devices to destroy any other electronics within twelve square miles, and promptly self destruct. Ironically, their attack led them to have an even smaller advantage on us.
The only reason that Paradis spared the humans, was because they claimed that it was the government's fault, not the citizens. We rebuilt our technology, back to something from the early 2000s. The general Marleyan citizen was back in the Middle Ages. Unfortunately for us, most of their military technology had been safeguarded against electromagnetic interference, and remained largely unscathed.
In 2048, Marleyan citizens rose up and attempted to overthrow the corrupt government. The corrupt empire massacred millions of their citizens. After this, they put all their effort into developing mass-brainwashing technology. In 2049, they broadcast soundwaves all over the planet, that brainwashed the entire world into thinking that the war had gone on for over a millennium. Somehow, Eldia was not affected. Perhaps for the same reason that Non-Eldians were not able to receive Paradis enhancements.
Finally, in 2049, I was accepted into Paradis University and given a scholarship. My one requirement for joining, was to help show a Japanese girl called Yuuki around the area. A bit of an odd request, but not a bad deal. Not a bad deal at all.
After that? Well, I think that'll take a lot more explaining then a few pages. It's a pretty long story, after all…