Prologue

Five hundred years ago in an era once known as the twenty-first century, the world was struck by an outbreak, the likes of which none had ever seen. It happened in an instant and no one could say for certain how it started. At first it came as an illness that swept across all continents and try as they may, doctors failed to discern exactly what it was. What was really terrifying about the unknown illness however, is what came after.

The illness had claimed millions of lives with thousands more teetering on the brink of death when suddenly the dead were reanimated. Those who had been reborn wreaked havoc on the living, killing them mercilessly and devouring their flesh. The lucky few who had encountered them and lived to tell the tale called them Wanderers. Before long, a war had erupted, a battle between the living and the undead. Humanity was pushed to the brink of defeat as every casualty on their side only served to increase the number of their enemies. Eventually, soldiers fled the front lines and panic began to spread amongst civilians. Almost overnight, governments crumbled and anarchy reigned supreme. What had once begun as a war quickly turned into an extermination of all mankind. Many of those who still lived opted to hide and live on the run instead of fighting a futile battle while a handful continued to fight on, hoping that one day there would be an end to the threat.

Three hundred years passed since the outbreak and the total global population was less than a fifth of what it once was. Humanity was all but gone; many aspects of life in the days before the outbreak were almost completely forgotten. It had become quite rare to find someone who could read or let alone write, but the remaining few who still had these skills did their best to pass them on to others so as to ensure that once the war had been won, civilization could be rebuilt to its former glory. However, things took a drastic turn at the three hundred year mark. The tide of war shifted and for the first time in three centuries, there seemed to be hope for humanity.

There appeared a man who wielded the ability to control the Wanderers with only but a thought. He would enter a battle field and will them to fight amongst themselves until not even a single one of them was left standing. Everywhere he travelled, he would amass legions of followers, people who were once filled with nothing but despair and little to no hope for the future. This man called himself The Messiah.

Together with his new followers, he built the city of New Jerusalem, where the living could be free from the terror of the Wanderers. However, not everyone was so quick to believe in him. Many found it strange that he was able to control the Wanderers to such an extent. When questioned about the true nature of his powers, he was quick to show his true colours. All those who questioned him were executed, and those who refused to follow him labeled enemies of New Jerusalem. In order to make certain that no one dug too deep into the matter, he decreed that anyone who was caught reading or writing was to be killed on the spot. He kept a handful of scientists and intellectuals at his side in order to forge him weapons and build his city. Over time, he strengthened his monopoly over all knowledge. Driven by fear, many followed his commands and did as he had instructed. Soon after the completion of New Jerusalem, The Messiah had become more feared than the Wanderers themselves.

His territory grew with each day and after a few decades, the city had grown too large even for him, and so he divided it into twelve territories; Yaakov, Kephas, Elior, Shimon, Yochanan, Bar-Talmai, Mattityahu, Tau'ma, Theudas, Andreas, Fillipos and Yehuda. Each of these lands was given one ruler who would sit at The Messiah's table and rule by his side. The few who dared oppose the Messiah's rule formed various military guilds outside New Jerusalem and would occasionally lend a hand to those who needed their services - at a price. A new war was waged and this time it was the living against the living. Those who fought for The Messiah did however have a distinct advantage in that they fought with the help of the Wanderers thanks to the abilities of their leader. Two hundred years passed and those who refused to submit to the forces of New Jerusalem lived in hiding under the protection of the military guilds, which at times were no better than the tyrannical Messiah.