Chapter 1: Prelude

The story goes somewhat like this.

On a sunny day, people went about their lives. Unbeknownst to them, an invisible force covered the entire world. It amplified the negative emotions of everyone within it. What that meant was, people who would usually just angrily shout at someone now had thoughts of beating them to death. The whole ordeal lasted for a solid hour. The end effect, on the other hand, would haunt humanity possibly forever.

Everyone affected by the force felt an even higher influx of negative emotions, which manifested into physical transformations, turning them into nightmarish abominations.

The monsters, standing at 4 meters and higher, with bodies a blend of muscles and bone, had thousands of sharp black teeth and huge bluish razor claws. What made them particularly eerie were their sewn eyes. They madly went after everyone and everything in sight without a second thought. I say that, but technically, the mindless creatures couldn't have any thoughts anymore from the moment they lost their humanity.

These savage beasts were named Dreadspawns. In the face of this new threat, humanity found itself helpless. None of the weapons seemed to work on them; bullets would ricochet off their skin, and explosions wouldn't even make a scratch, so the chaos was at its peak. The event was known in history as the "Emotional Apocalypse." The reason it was so terrifying was that out of close to 15 billion people in the world, 12 billion were transformed, leaving 3 billion unaffected.

As it seemed like the world couldn't get any worse, suddenly, all around the world, huge blood-red spheres of light appeared with hundreds of thousands of deadly Dreadspawns sprawling out. Those spheres resembled portal gates, so they were simply called Gates. Out of 7 continents, 6 were completely wiped out and abandoned, with nothing but bloodthirsty and nightmarish creatures infesting them. Millions of people and their families were being mercilessly killed, second after second. The last continent left was quickly being invaded.

The world truly looked like a hellhole... until it didn't.

Out of nowhere, most humans started to see strange things. They found their left hands bleeding for a while. Everyone, still in disarray, brushed the blood off and looked at a mark on their hand. It looked like a huge black wheel with a white point in the middle. They touched their hand, and a screen appeared before them, showing different sentences for each. Amidst all of them, only one phrase echoed in everybody's minds:

[You are blessed with a Shaft.]

Just like characters in video games, it seemed like people had been bestowed with ungodly abilities, such as inhuman strength or pyrokinesis, which could easily break through the monsters.

These abilities were called Shafts, and the people who possessed them were called Shifters. With everybody's help, hope appeared in people's eyes, and they managed to successfully fend off most of the monsters from their last territory.

After some recuperation, several people created an association called "Hope's Vanguard" in the middle of the continent, a beacon of unity and resilience in a world of turmoil. Dedicated to bringing together individuals with Shafts, Hope's Vanguard provided support, training, and resources to empower them in the fight against Dreadspawns. With their commitment to protecting humanity, Hope's Vanguard stood as a symbol of hope in the face of adversity, lighting the way towards a brighter future for all.

***

70 years have passed since the Emotional Apocalypse wiped out more than three-quarters of humanity. In the heart of the continent, Hope's Vanguard's established headquarters proudly stood, with tall skyscrapers all around it. The streets below seemed lively and full of activities, as Shifters and non-Shifters went about their daily lives.

In the aftermath of all of the occurrences, the last continent was divided into 5 parts. 3 regions were ruled by a monarchy, 1 was under control of the government, and 1 was simply a barren wasteland.

The core of the continent is called the Kingdom of Freedom. It is where the Hope's Vanguard is located, and is relatively protected from the Dreadspawns. The region is the biggest out of 3, both in population and land. It's full of towering scyscrapers and advanced technology. Research labs, training academies, medical facilities, anything you could ever ask for, are scattered across the place. The Kingdom of Freedom has fortified walls around it with fully automatic defense turrets, capable of turning a couple of Dreadspawns into mincemeat in a matter of seconds. Freedom is ruled by Efe Gözütok, who upholds trust and equality, with 4 of his loyal knights by his side.

The Kingdom of Emberfall is on the western side of the continent and is known for having rugged landscapes and warrior culture. The Kingdom is home to many powerful Shifters, mostly specializing in offensive Shafts. The people of Emberfall value bravery and strengh above all else. They play a crucial role of assaulting the Dreamspawns and securing the western front. Emberfall is ruled by the royal family, with Petro Kotlyaretskii at the top. The man is considered as the world's strongest due to her Shaft, which makes him nearly invincible in battle.

The Kingdom of Temperance lies to the east, and is a moderate and balanced region dedicated wisdom and discipline. This place has lots of centers providing meditation and training. The academies of Temperance educate Shifters and scholars about strategic and calm thinking. The citizens value balance and harmony, and the community contributes greatly by supporting the overall resistance efforts. Temperance is ruled by Dai Luong, whose personality is adored thought his kingdom. The king is known to be kind and humble to his people, yet ruthless and unrelenting against his foes.

The southern region, known as the Frontier, is under the direct control of the remnants of the world government. Despite suffering a significant blow when it failed to protect its citizens from the Dreadspawns, it became the first of the three regions to establish a sanctuary for non-Shifters. However, despite its setbacks, it should not be underestimated. The Frontier has demonstrated resilience and adaptability, swiftly responding to crises and showcasing a commitment to the well-being of all citizens. Its cohesive governance and unwavering dedication to safeguarding its populace make it a force to be reckoned with.

Now, the region of the north is completely different from the rest. What used to be a somewhat inhabitable region with peasants and commoners is now just a piece of desolate plains filled with deadly Deadspawns to the brim from an absurd amount of Gates. The north is now more commonly known as the Wastelands, where the atmosphere and the society, same as before, is in complete shambles.

Now, there can't be any stories without a protagonist, right? Since we are at it, let's go back to where it all began.