Chapter 1: Prologue
Chapter 1: The Disease
The world had never been the same since the outbreak of the Disease. It started with a few scattered cases, but soon spread like wildfire, ravaging cities and towns, leaving death and destruction in its wake.
Civilization took a devastating hit from the widespread impact of this infection.
Countless indescribable horrors that could never be fathomed were suddenly woven into existence during this chaos, causing the world to experience a supernatural phenomenon.
In the aftermath of this chaos , a few cities survived and formed powerful factions, trying to resist the Disease and it's horrors.
They built protected settlements, isolated from the outside world, with high walls and armed guards providing protection against the dangers that lurked beyond.
Each settlement had at least two hospitals and four medical professionals, including doctors, therapists and researchers. Those settlements were the last bastions of hope in a world gone mad.
Beyond the walls of these settlements the world was a desolate and unforgiving place.
Ruins and decay stretched as far as the eye could see.
The once thriving cities of America, with their towering skyscrapers and bustling streets, were now mere shadows of their former selves, reduced into ruins, a clear testament to the devastating power of the Reawkening Madness Illusory, also known as the Disease.
In these cities , known as the fallen cities or infected settlements, the streets were empty and silent, save for the occasional distant scream or the rumble of crumbling buildings.
The city's infrastructure was in shambles, with broken water pipes, shattered windows and streets littered with debris.
The once blue skies were now a perpetual grey casting a sickly pallor over the desolate landscape.
The air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke and ash, a constant reminder of the fires that had burned unchecked through the cities .
In the deserted streets, countless humans, infected and forever changed by the Disease, wandered around with the desire to devour anything they set their sights on.
The once intelligent humans, now known as Crazes, no longer retained their rationality but were instead occupied by madness and bestial instincts.
Their physical structure mutated and corrupted by the level beyond their limits. Their presence spelled doom for those who had yet to attain the horrifying illness.
Beyond the city limits, the world was a vast, uncharted expanse of wilderness and ruin.
The forests were twisted and corrupted, their trees grown grotesque and menacing.
The rivers were choked with pollution, their waters stagnant and deadly.
The world was a dark and foreboding place, full of unknown dangers and untold wonders.
The threat of the Disease loomed over everyone like the shadow of death with no telling when or whom it would strike.
Inside one of the fallen cities of America, Alex navigated through the desolate streets.
He was a seventeen year old boy with an average height of around 5'8" and a lean , athletic build.
His short, dark brown hair was messy and unkempt, his bright blue eyes seemed to gleam with a fierce determination.
Alex wore a pair of tattered and worn jeans held together by threads and patches.
His black leather jacket was scarred and battered, with deep gashes and scratches etched into the surface.
A white top tank underneath the jacket was stained with sweat and dirt.
His feet were clad in a pair of stuffed and worn combat boots, with thick soles and sturdy laces.
He was also carrying a bark backpack that was filled with food and other essential tools for survival.
As he walked Alex's thoughts turned to his family.
He had lost them in the early days of the outbreak, four years ago when the Disease was still a mystery.
He remembered the pain and the grief clearly, but also the anger and the determination.
Alex's footsteps echoed through the empty streets as he made his way to to the library.
It was one of the few buildings still standing, a testament to the city's former glory.
It was also a place that was rumored to be an unclaimed stardome, so it was understandable why he wanted to rest here.
As he approached the library, Alex sensed a presence watching him from the shadows.
The sensation was farmiliar to the unsettling feeling of being stared at, by a Craze.
The moment he felt the presence, he suddenly turned around, his eyes locking onto a tall, gaunt figure with sunken eyes that seemed to bore into the his very own soul.
The moment it was spotted, the gaunt figure which was taking cover inside the comfort of the shadows spoke, its voice carrying a hint of amusement.
Now that is interesting..."
The voice came from the shadows—low, layered, like multiple people speaking at once.
"I didn't expect to be seen. Not yet."
Alex turned, his eyes locking onto to the figure which was half-submerged in the gloom.
It had a face, but the features weren't right like a half-remembered dream.
"You humans..." the Harrowed One said, tilting its head unnaturally. "You keep surprising me.
Your minds so loud with memory. So... stubborn."
Alex gritted his teeth. "Who are you?"
The figure did not respond, leaving silence to reply to Alex.
If Alex didn't know better, he would have thought that, the figure had left.
But since he could still feel that unsettling gaze, he knew that it was still out there watching him from the shadows.
The moment he didn't get a response, Alex frowned, his confidence growing as he declared.
"Let me warn you, if you have any malicious intent, l'm a capable fighter. Many have underestimated me before, and they didn't live to regret it."
At that moment, a sinister laughter suddenly echoed from the shadows, followed by a voice that was equally as sinister.
"Is that so, then l guess should be terrified?"
"l wonder-"
It paused for a moment, before later resuming.
Then, its voice resounded once again.
"The ones like you... we wonder what you'll become."
"Ahh never mind. Although I do wonder if you'll survive your trauma, or if it'll become you."
Its dry laugh echoed through the street. "But not today. We'll see you again, boy. And when the time comes... I'll choose."
Before Alex could even understand what was happening, a sudden gunshot echoed through the desolate streets, shattering the tense standoff.
Alex's instincts took over, and he sprinted towards a nearby ruined building, seeking cover from the potential threat.
He darted between the crumbling walls, his eyes scanning the sorrounding area for any signs of danger.
The gunshot seemed to have come from the direction of the library, and Alex's heart sank as he realized that his potential refuge was now compromised.
He slowed down, his senses on high alert, as he tried to get a glimpse of what was happening.