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 reared 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 crafting 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.

  The sun pulsed, 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.

  Ripping apart the law of conservation of energy that most of the universe holds dear with its very essence. for mana can both replicate itself endlessly and consume other energy to become more of itself.

  Indeed Mana could be considered a cosmic virus, devouring stray energy from across the void, and using it to propagate itself infinitely. spreading more and more. pervading the souls of its wielders with its power.

  As the ever-powerful finger of mana touched Zalua, the root of power that connected this storm directly to the core of this planet, it pressed and pushed tainting Zalua's core and forcing it to produce more.

  The process was scarring. the 12 planets started to deform, rivers burst. oceans sank and rose. supporting the planet's evolution further, even their very crust began to fold in on itself. pushing for a larger change to come.

  Directly in the center of this Mana finger was a small farmhouse, inside was a mother giving birth. the unrelenting energy passing through them both. the newborn unaware of the strength coursing inside its veins, shading them a deeper blue.

  As the mother, she thought this strength only to be the natural course of things. a staple of evolution to help a mother push through the agony of childbirth, yet this strength was too much for her weak body to handle. especially at a time of weakness such as this.

  Her life waned, as her body was slowly corrupted by a power far too strong for someone amid such weakness to bear. she used her last remaining strength to give birth to a creature blessed by Mana's grace. a creature called Zach.

  ...

  "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. whatever was still happening to us, the lucky ones just died directly, the smarter ones died with the new power filling their bodies. usually scientists and alchemists. becoming newborn liches and undead necromancers. they retained a shred of memories but not much. yet they gained powers beyond our comprehension."

  "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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  "Our Empire's capital had it mostly 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 the rest of the platoon cleansed the city, forty powerhouses equipped with our empires strongest armor, each of them could apparently hold off 10 trained soldiers. yet they stood equal to the zombie's newfound strength."

  "Not even our emperor is strong enough to stop whatever's happening, however. the hordes outside are more numerous, dangerous than anything the capitol could ever imagine. I've been told they bordered up the gates, sealed the sewer grates tight, and hid behind their walls. not that I can blame them. no, you must rely on yourselves."

  "Yet outside the cities' borders this type of protection was nearly unheard of, noble estates were wiped out, and less than 20% of them survived, I guess taking so many maids and butlers has its downside. I wonder how my- never mind."

  "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. One zombie could wipe out a town, without guards or soldiers even the strongest town village was defenseless."

  "We only survived thanks to your mother Zach, she didn't let her newfound state affect her too much, even as a zombie, or well, whatever she had become. 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 quill, dull white and faded dropped onto the wooden desk, splattering the remains of its ink across the two pages. The man writing, Zach's father. stood up, and stared into his reflection in the cabin's mirror. pitch-black veins protruded across his face, stretching down his neck. his right eye completely black.

  The man opened his mouth seeing his teeth blackening before his eyes. "not much longer left" he sighed.

  It reached out his hand. the same 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 started fading away. a faint blinking light echoed in the darkness of his vision. the transformation nearly complete. his leg muscles bulging inhumanly beneath his ripped shorts. those black streaks of veins covered these too.

  This Creature. formally known as Waylen pushed open the door. using as little strength as it could. yet he could feel it flooding his body. this power, this urge to kill. yet those last remaining vestiges of humanity forced it to ignore the two pieces of meat hiding so miserably behind the bushes.

  It growled. skin darkening and rotting, nails shredding through the soil as they pounced on arms and legs through the darkness of the forest.

  "Don't follow it. lets quickly go inside." the older of the two said quietly.

  The younger man, looking like he barely stepped into his teen years ran into the cabin with a un-natural speed not befitting a child of his age. "T-There's a baby 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, 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. the surprise he felt when he saw living humans develop the same prowess as a lich.

  "And finally.. stay safe in this new world of ours.."