2000 Years Apart (An Unofficial AoT Sequel)

3. A Dim Light Amid Despair

AUTHOR'S POV:

...

The sun shone brightly in the afternoon sky, casting its warm and golden rays on the ocean below, which was unusually hot that day.
__

The water, however, was not blue or green, but red.

It was a sea of blood and flesh, a sight that stretched as far as the eye could see.
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Giant footprints were everywhere, leaving deep and wide marks on the surface with steam emitting from them.

The water was tainted with the remains of a carnage.
...
....

A carnage that took place because of a payback.

A carnage that took place because of someone's desire for freedom.

A carnage that took place because of someone's destiny to see the carnage itself.
....

On one of those giant footprints, on the bloodied water, sat the past 19-year-old Eren and Armin, face to face.

Eren was staring blankly at his hand with ripped hair, pieces of flesh, and teeth on it while Armin appeared to be defeated and hopeless as he continued to stare blankly at the red water below.

After a moment, Armin's eyes widened slightly. He reached out into the water and searched for something for a moment before pulling a seashell out of the water, his hand soaking with the bloodied mess. He looked surprised for a moment before his expression softened a bit as he held the shell in both of his hands. "I get it..."

Eren gasped slightly and looked at Armin with curiosity and mild surprise.

"Wanting to erase people from this world..." Armin said. "I have felt that too."

Eren kept staring at Amrin for a moment before his expression softened. "Liar. You woul-"

"Nobody would believe it... considering I'm a hero who saved twenty percent of humanity." Armin said. "Still, it was me that showed you the book about the outside world."

Eren frowned slightly and looked down.

"The one who put the idea of a free, unoccupied world in your head... was me..." Armin continued.

Eren turned back to Armin and his gaze fell on the shell he was holding, his expression changing to that of a curious one. "What is that?"

Armin's expression softened and he smiled, lifting the shell a bit. "So, you finally noticed it? It was at our feet the whole time, but you were always looking off into the distance." He looked back at Eren and held the seashell out for him to take.

Eren reached out and took the shell from Armin's hand.

"Thank you, Eren." Armin said with a gentle and sincere smile.

Eren's eyes widened and he stared at Armin with surprise, his mouth open, while holding the shell.

"For showing me what was beyond the walls." Armin said. "For showing me this sight. We did this. So after this, we'll be together forever, won't we?"

"After this...?" Eren asked with an uncertain tone, his face showing a clear surprise. "Where...?"

"In hell, assuming it exists." Armin said, still smiling gently. "We'll suffer for the sin of killing eighty percent of humanity. Together."

Eren and Armin kept staring at each other for a moment before both of their expressions saddened.

After a moment, both of them leaned forward and got on their knees before embracing each other tightly, their eyes closed.