4 Chapter 3: Shiganshina

...

It was just another day...

Winter had just passed and the season of spring was now fast approaching.

It also meant that I was now nine months old! Which was a big thing in a medieval society as there were a lot of babies that don't make it past the winter.

It's tragic but you can't do anything about it unless you decide to kickstart the modernization of the whole society.

And I wasn't the prince, nor was I the son of a noble, and nor was I the son of a rich merchant. So there was nothing I could do even if I wanted to.

Leaving that aside, snow had just recently melted and I had grown up enough that my mother was now allowing me to go out of the cottage and the woods (under her supervision or Dad's but still!).

This was my first official voyage outside of the woods!

It was for nothing special, just to get some vegetables but it was still a big thing for me y'know!

"Look who's fully dressed up for his outing." Dad says in amusement as he looks at my fully covered form.

Yes... One downside of have loving parents was that they were fiercely protective of you. Like right now, when Mom had me fully dressed in winter clothing 'so that I don't catch a cold'.

It was a granted concern but still, doesn't mean I've got to like it.

I puffed out my cheeks in outrage and yelled. "Baba! Gugagugagu!"

I now realise that I probably looked cute as hell... because he breaks out in laughter. "Hahahahaha! Man you're cute as heck! Of course it's given since you're my son!"

"Language dear!" Comes down the voice of Mom from the bedroom.

"Yes dear!" Man... He's whipped.

...

We were on our cart as father also had some business in town (because of the heavy need of wood in the winter his business was booming). So all of us were currently heading to the nearest town, which was south.

It was a pretty peaceful cart-ride. I managed to see a lot of farms on the way. And one thing was clear from the get go.

That there was practically zero air pollution.

For me who had grown up and lived in a metropolitan city, it was practically the difference of night and day.

It was just so easier to breath... 

I just hope that the humans of this Earth don't follow the footsteps of the greedy capitalists of my old world.

Cause that would just be a tragedy.

...

"We're not far now." Dad says as I perk up. "Just after this forest we're going to arrive."

Excitement begins to fill me as I imagine how it would look like. How the people would be. How would the architecture look like.

I only hope that it's not like Game Of Thrones...

Crossing the line of trees, we arrive at a sight that leaves me frozen... In shock... And in fear.

Plain grassy lands... Clear blue sky... It was all very wonderful.

But what gave me such shock was what existed beyond those grassy fields...

Fifty-meter tall Walls made of smooth rock... Surrounded... Everything.

As far as the eye could see... there were tall grey walls...

A person who doesn't know of it's meaning would just think of it as just another quirk of this alternate universe.

But I... I recognised this sight... From my past life...

Specifically from the anime that I had finished watching not 2 days before my death and reincarnation.

'Attack on Titan...' I felt lightheaded. 'I'm on Paradis...'

The whole world seemed to be spinning...

Black spots were entering my vision...

And soon... I passed out.

...

I woke up not 10 minutes later.

My parents seemed to just think that I was asleep and weren't panicking, which was a small respite in this horrible situation.

But still, I did not cry. Or whine. Or throw a tantrum.

'Cause' what's the point?' There was just defeated acceptance.

'How did I not notice it before?' I wonder as I looked at the slowly moving clouds.

All the small details... All the obvious clues... And I didn't put any of it together.

'Do I not deserve to be happy?' I gulped.

What I naive fool I was for believing it to be so simple...

'There's nothing I can do about it now...' I looked at the sky in defeat.

I had gotten my family back.

I had gotten another chance at life.

And it was all going to taken away again...

Looking down to my right, I could see the source of all my despair and fear.

The eerily familiar Walls... That only I knew the secrets of...

I was here, where it all began.

Shiganshina.

It was as if I could just see it... The Colossal Titan kicking down the gates and the Titans pouring in...

The slaughter that follows as they consume man, woman and child without discrimination.

It was cruel.

It was cruel for God to give him everything he ever wanted. Just to show him how he would inevitably loose everything...

Everyone.

'But do you really accept that?' asks an familiar but much older mature voice. As if standing just behind me.

'Do you really accept defeat?' He asks. 'Are you really such a coward that you would just roll over and accept defeat!?' 

'But what can I do?' I asked him in despair. 'Even if I try to do something there's no guarantee that I'll manage to save them!'

'There is no guarantee in life!' He shouts back. 'Expecting God or Luck to help you is nothing but pure naivety!'

'But what can I do? I don't have any cheats! I don't have any super talent! I don't have anything!' I yelled back.

'Excuses!' He yelled back enraged. 'You have the most important tool that you would ever need...'

I went quite, but he continues. 'You have your mind Bryan. Use it. Protect Mom. Protect Dad. And protect everyone you love because God isn't going to do anything.'

Seeing me quiet with uncertainty, the voice seems to exhale in frustration and says something that enrages me.

'Can you imagine Mom being devoured by Titan?'

Images of Mom yelling, pleading as a Titan holds her and-

'Can you imagine Dad being devoured by a Titan?'

Images of my strong, fearless Dad charging towards a Titan with an enraged expression just as the Titan quickly catches him and-

'Can you really accept defeat so quickly Bryan?' He asks quietly.

'... no.'

'What was that?' He asks and an emotion that I had not felt in long time surges inside of me.

Rage.

'NO!' I yell as rage envelopes my mind.

Wrath.

'I'll Fight! Even if it kills me!' I yell as wrath envelopes my body.

Determination.

'I'll kill anyone that threatens them! Titan, Human or God!' Endless determination seemed to fill in my spirit. 

The voices seems silent for a moment before it says, almost in sadness. 'Attaboy...'

And for a moment. For a brief second that stretched to eternity...

I could see a tall, broad shouldered ripped man with a light tan and dark hair looking at me with sad and nostalgic expression.

It was someone so familiar, yet so different...

'Who are you?' I ask as my emotions calm down.

'You'll understand Bryan... In time.'

Just then his eyes looked into mine and my eyes widened in shock-!?!

His eyes-?!!!

Were like-!??!?

-!!?

And I woke up... Having all the rage, and endless determination... But not remembering the dream where I met-

Someone.

...

I abruptly woke up on the shoulder of Mom, as she negotiated the price for some vegetables.

I blinked. It felt like... I was forgetting something.

Weird.

But that small feeling was quickly forgotten.

And looking at the tall grey Walls in the distance, I was not dreaming about reincarnating in Attack on Titan.

And... That wasn't frightening me... Rather it was filling me with an endless determination...

Determination to protect the ones that I love.

To protect the ones that I had lost before.

To keep Fighting.

Until there were no more enemies.

It felt like I could fight the whole world...

But I know that this was not the case, this was just an high that will wear off after a while.

I was weak.

In this world, monsters existed. Strong giant tall humanoid creatures that were stuck in an eternal nightmare. Humans with hearts as black as night but with enough influence to end thousands of lives on just a order.

I was just a 9 month old child right now. As weak as a one could be...

All kinds of monster existed in this world.

And to protect my loved ones... 

I would have to become a Monster myself...

Even if I loose myself by the end.

In my past life there was a saying. Give a hungry beggar gold and he will protect it even if he has to give up his life...

...

===============

Well guys, here's the next chapter and with this one the "Prologue" part of the story is officially over.

From next chapter Bryan is gonna start preparing for the inevitable... His success or failure remains to be seen.

The next chapter should be released in less than a week so don't worry about me abandoning this story.

Till then, see ya!