Prologue

A brief note from the author: The main goal of the prologue is to introduce the reader to the world we are about to explore and to set the scene by narrating past events. Although it is important and enriches the reading experience, it should be noted that it is entirely possible to skip it without it having a major impact on your understanding of the main plot. Nevertheless, I highly recommend taking the time to read it, as it will facilitate a better apprehension and immersion into the story that is to follow.

The world was once at peace... People lived and worked without worrying about the future. Humans did not have to fear for their survival, they could afford to enjoy their life, which was then peaceful. Then, a cataclysm occurred...

It couldn't be said where it came from or how it worked. For good reason, the first few weeks were the most terrible in the history of humanity. Talk of human extinction was rife. Corpses accumulated in the alleys and buildings turned into wandering cemeteries.

Streets that once vibrated with life were now reduced to desolate stone walls and deserted roads, the cracked tarmac covered in ash. The joyful noises of everyday life had been replaced by a deathly silence, sometimes broken by the distant rumbling of an indeterminate creature.

Nature itself underwent a dramatic transformation. The fertile lands of old had become hard and sterile, making agriculture nearly impossible and food a precious rarity. Fields that were once green and lush were now barren and dry, trees stripped of their greenery. Forests that once teemed with life had become dense and sinister places, making transport difficult and walking through the forest a game of death. Water, once clear and refreshing, was now contaminated and had taken on a dark color, evoking a witch's potion in legends. Acid rains falling from the sky only worsened the situation.

Humans took time to begin to understand this new world and its new rules. Yes... let's talk about the new rules... The proud humans who reigned over all types of terrain and all types of climate became the prey, the hunted. Creatures with sharp claws and teeth, advanced vision and flawless hearing. Predators that would overshadow the best of the animal kingdom while retaining a unique aspect. Nothing on earth has ever existed that was as dangerous for man. Or almost nothing...

One thing could be as dangerous as these demons and appeared at the same time as them. A fog, or rather a highly toxic atmosphere. Sneaking everywhere, it circumvents any defense system put in place. It makes you sick over time and is known to bring death where it settles. Strange phenomena occur in these specific places, but very few people manage to escape.

Yes, let's talk about these famous humans. The humans who had to flee and understand what they were going through. Many perished, others ended their lives so as not to live another day in this low world, and others survived. Among them, those who were the most able succeeded in adapting, but left something important behind. Some say they left their family, but in reality, the only thing they left was their humanity.

Time passed and humans got used to it, or rather, they tried to get used to it. Going from a population of ten billion inhabitants to not more than one billion creates changes. And changes there were, starting with the infrastructure. Big cities became areas where setting foot was unthinkable. Roads became inaccessible, congested and in a questionable state.

The most capable humans, beyond surviving, got used to this life and even developed useful skills, or for some, quite powerful ones. Humans endowed with this power were called the chosen ones by some... and others called them the chosen ones from hell...

The stories that revolved around them were not pretty to tell, all were out of the ordinary and unthinkable to live through before this cataclysm. Communities gathered around hidden villages in the mountains or forests, and if caves were available, that was even better...

Human weapons became more and more vital, but unlike before, technology became more and more useless. Factories became unusable, manufacturing impossible to carry out, and transport far too risky. The weapons used by the army were effective at first, but over time, their effectiveness became weaker and weaker. Other weapons appeared but they were rare... too rare to be available for everyone.

Year after year, humanity succumbed and rose again. To talk about balance would be overly optimistic, and to be optimistic was to condemn oneself in this world. It was more of a new era, like the Bronze Age or the Iron Age, but this time, it was the Dark Ages that humans were going through.

The story begins in this village nestled in the heart of a forest. The inhabitants here were survivors from several cities who were escorted here, by whom you might ask? By the military at the very beginning of the catastrophe. Once the military stopped coming, the villagers tried to develop on their own. Years passed, people died... all gruesome deaths. Humans were also born, children who have known nothing but this environment, this atmosphere of impending death. The chosen ones gradually began to develop and ended up taking the place of the old soldiers.