Zalua was a war-torn world, filled with strife and conflict between the human race, although other races were present here they took a backseat, either being enslaved or slaughtered by the humans' superior numbers when said species would show its head. humans effectively dominated the surface world, having cities and empires on nearly all continents. although life was hard with their limited technology, the world was slowly advancing, blacksmiths making sharper swords and sturdier armor. Scientists experiment with new materials and formulate discoveries year by year. all in all the world was being brought in a better direction.
It all started from the sun, a gust of energy billowed out from its core. spreading an ethereal light blue energy throughout the solar system and beyond, this energy 'Mana' as it would be called brushed past the 12 planets making up this solar system tainting them with its energies, and giving them the means to produce more. for once a planet gets touched by Mana's grace, it too will echo that grace outwards. breaking the law of conservation of energy apart from its very essence. for mana can both replicate itself endlessly and consume other energy to become more of itself.
It could be seen as a cosmic virus if not for the fact that it generates mostly good. only its wielders can make mana turn bad.
As the ever-powerful finger of mana touched Zalua, directly in the middle of the Mana stream was a farmer's hut, inside was a mother giving birth. the unrelenting energy passing through them both. the child unaware of the strength coursing inside its veins. and the mother this being her first childbirth thought this strength to only be the natural course of things. yet this strength was too much for her weak body to handle. especially at a time of weakness such as childbirth. and she was destined to not live past the night. a night the whole world wouldn't forget, the night when the world changed forever. the night when Mana descended.
...
"the next morning the sun rose, its rays blotting out the sky and dyeing that dreaded morning scarlet red like the sky was crying blood, the world's influx of strange energy showing. not all races and certainly not all humans could withstand whatever happened to their bodies. the lucky ones just died directly, the smarter ones died with the new power filling their bodies. becoming newborn liches and undead necromancers. they retained a shred of memories but not much. however, the majority of deaths to occur, came from the zombies. humans, lizard-folk, dwarven, and even 1 or 2 elves were hit by the mana hard, harder than thought possible. like their bodies just felt repulsed by this energy entering them, and became something beyond death, turning their gaze upon the living they needed to feast, rending flesh with teeth stronger than steel and nails sharper than swords, arms and legs moving with lightning speed."
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"The Empire's capital had it under control.. most of the hordes appearing were made quick work of by the highly trained king guard, this decisive leader had most of this platoon abandon him, leaving merely 6 to guard the throne as a platoon cleansed the city, yet outside the cities borders this type of protection was nearly unheard of, noble estates were wiped out, less than 20% of them survived, yet the villages and town's in our borders had it the worst. one zombie quickly became 10, then 1000, and it spiraled out of control just as fast. we only survived thanks to your mother Zach, she didn't let her newfound state affect her too much, even as a zombie she held back long enough for me to take you here. out of our village and into this cabin we found years prior. her, no our love for you was too strong to stop it. it's been two weeks since then, and whatever this scratch has filled my veins with. it's not fading. I tried all I could Zach, I really did. but father has to go. I have to follow your mother's footsteps it seems. I love you Zach, we both do, never let this be forgotten".
a worn-down man with but a few streaks of black covering his blond hair dropped the quill beside the note, he reached out his hand. black veins filling it as his nails/claws stretched out and turned darker. he used all his remaining willpower to resist ripping his son to pieces, to hold off from tearing into the ever so juicy looking skin, "goodbye son, survive." he turned away, pushing towards the cabin door. the corners of his vision fading away. the transformation nearly complete. his leg muscles bulging inhumanly beneath his ripped shorts. black streaks of veins covered these too.
He stepped out into the dark forest, his mind acutely aware of the 2 men watching him from the bushes. but that's ok he knew of them since his transformation started. "take care.. of son" he virtually growled out, his voice tearing itself apart to form a sentence. before rushing back out into the woods at a speed that would make even the fastest athletes shudder. bounding through the tree line into the unknown.
"don't follow." an aged voice said gently. his hand pressing against the younger one's chest. "I don't know what that was, but he was barely human. go check on the cabin, and see if he left us anything."
the younger man, looking like he barely stepped into his teen years ran into the cabin after waiting a couple minutes. "T-Theres a kid in here. alongside two letters!" the kid's voice yelled out. shocked as he looked at the other letter.
"dear owners, I heard you come back a couple of days ago, yet you wearily stayed outside and watched us. I'm not sure if you know but the world changed, read the other letter for more details, but I don't think anywhere is safe. please raise my son as if he's your own. and try to properly dispose of any bodies you see." it leads on to describe in detail all that Zach's father had seen in his travels. the weaknesses of the zombies and the liches that wield strange magical powers. he even saw a human develop a magical spell too.
"and finally don't follow me. and stay safe in this new world.."