Chapter 1 : Prologue

High above the desolate streets of the city, Daniel stood atop the crumbling remains of a once towering 30-story building. He surveyed the bleak landscape below, a world forever changed by the ravages of a devastating plague.

Smoke, ruins, fires, screams, death.

In his mind, Daniel reflected on the world that was – a world of bustling streets, vibrant communities, and the promise of tomorrow. Now, all that remained was a shadow of its former self, overrun by chaos and despair.

As he watched, a group of survivors emerged from the twisted wreckage of a nearby building.

"Run, they found us. We can't handle them," one of them yelled.

"How many are there? 20 or 30 at least?" another combatant-like survivor yelled.

"Don't scatter. We need to stick together. Safety in numbers," one who seemed to be the leader of their group tried to keep them together.

"We need to find another way around. We can't take on those things. There are too many of them."

Their frantic cries echoed through the silent city as a horde of infected pursued them, their twisted forms lurching forward with unnatural speed.

They clung to makeshift weapons and shields, but those would not save them for long

"Aaaarrghhh," one cried out.

"Ugh, nooo," another groaned.

Two guys tripped, and the infected rushed toward them.

"Help me, aaaargh," pleaded the third.

The guy was visible, crying, as three infected were feeding on him. He still clung to a slight hope of being saved, but that was it. It marked the end of his journey or whatever survival stories he had before.

"Kya, help him," cried one girl.

"Oh my God, please help him. Jonah," the girl continued, hoping somebody would save her dear friend.

"Sister, sister, we're scared," three children among the survivors said.

"Leave him, Sarah. He's gone. He was dear to me too, but there are too many of them," a guy said, trying to convince the girl with a sad face, knowing someone who once stood by his side had fallen.

"Nooo, Jonahhh.." Sarah sobbed as she was being dragged, forced to accept the harsh reality.

"Damn it, Gideon... I told you not to save those kids. They're slowing us down," another thug-looking survivor angrily yelled at their situation. He pulled out his rifle and started shooting at the infected.

"Viper, stop it. The loud gunshots will attract even more," the leader-looking guy yelled.

"F#ck you, Gideon. We're all f#cked because we listened to you," the thug guy desperately shot at the group of infected.

Even louder screams of the infected echoed in response to the gunshots. The survivors were stunned, the sound chilling them to their spines. They knew those echoing screams were a declaration of their impending fate.

The group seemed to be in a nightmarish situation, with all odds against them. They kept struggling towards their doom.

While gazing down upon the struggling survivors, Daniel thought, "This is how the world is now. Losing someone dear to you, barely surviving just to die another day." He looked at his family picture in his hand.

"Is there any hope for this world?"

"Olivia, Ethan, Noah"

"Why… me?"

"This is it."

Daniel tightened the scarf around his face, closed his eyes, and then, without hesitation, jumped from the edge of the building, hurtling towards the ground below.

For a moment, it seemed as though he had chosen to end his own, to escape the horrors that surrounded him. But no, as he came nearly to the ground, his eyes opened with grim determination. His eyes blazed with an ethereal, golden brightness, casting an otherworldly glow, while the veins in his neck and arms pulsed with the same radiant hue as if coursing overflows with energy. As he landed gracefully on the pavement below, with a booming sound, it became clear that this was no suicide – it was a leap of hope.

With unparalleled strength and agility, Daniel sprang into action, darting through the chaos to reach the beleaguered survivors. He took a spear from the fallen survivor. With each swift movement, he dispatched the infected with valor. His movements blur with speed and precision.

As the survivors looked on in awe, some with fear mixed in, they could scarcely believe what they were witnessing – a lone figure with capabilities beyond anything they had ever seen. A human? No, surely no human could do such things. Yet here was a person, taking down a horde of infected single-handedly.

Was he a beacon of hope in a world consumed by darkness?

"Thank you very much, sir. My name is Gideon. You saved us. May I know our savior's name?" Gideon thanked him while offering his hand with a firm and solid gesture.

"Ptuih… we've seen it all. No human can do those things. And those glowing veins of his while fighting, you see that. Not to say, even a fully armed army would struggle against such numbers," Viper remarked, eyeing Daniel suspiciously.

"Viper, shut the f#ck up! The guy saved us, and he saved us from your stupid gunfire," retorted Gideon, barely managing to hold back his emotions.

Though they asked for his name, Daniel remained silent, his gaze fixed on the heavens above. There was a reason he covered his face; he didn't offer them his identity.

"You should keep moving. More are coming, but I will give you more time," Daniel said, walking ahead and ignoring their questions.

"But you can call me… Hope," he added softly, his voice carrying on the wind. "For in a world gripped by despair, it seems that is what the world wants me to be."

And with that, he vanished into the shadows, leaving behind a glimmer of hope in the hearts of those he had saved.