One hundred years have passed since the apocalypse. Humanity still clings to survival on small remnants of civilization. It was written in the histories that nobody knew what caused it, but when the Zenon virus first appeared, everything fell like dominoes.
Billions died and were resurrected as mindless undead monsters. The old popular culture had a name for them, but it has since changed — evolved, perhaps. Nowadays, the people of this new world have a new name for these creatures from hell: Zenos.
Countries burned and kingdoms arose, the modern world fell, and a new world came. From the ashes of the end, a new form of society began. From this, a new way of life was born. One hundred years of strife can change a man, either they live with fear or develop an eternal hatred for the Gods.
Because the Gods are cruel beings, the devastation somehow granted a chosen few to wield the powers of the undead. Powers that give unimaginable dark abilities to make the world better or worse. The far gone call it a blessing, the hopeless call it a curse, but those who wield it prefer to call it their Zystem!
–
"You have stage four cancer."
The doctor said sullenly, leaning back in his creaky chair. He cleared his throat as he was sorting his tools on the table.
"You're going to die soon."
A young man with long hair that reaches his shoulders, wearing a ragged hospital patient's robe, blankly stares at the blaring light bulb. His mouth agape as he heard his diagnosis, he was in disbelief.
"But worry not, young man! I can arrange a post-death procedure for you so that your loved ones won't be bothered puncturing you in the brain once you hit the dirt and turn. That way, they won't see you becoming a hideous Zeno scum. The procedure will just take out your brain, stitch your noggin back, and voila, it will be clean and simple, and you can keep your… Handsome face!"
The doctor forms a smile, waiting for a response. His eyes twitch as he awaits further, but only receives the silent treatment. He clears his throat again.
"Look, uh, what's your name again? We need to wrap this up. I've got things to do. You know, places to be… People to meet? Where are you from anyway?"
The young man slowly closes his mouth, turns to the doctor, his eyes pooling with tears.
"Seth. My name is Seth… I'm from the city south of this one. I came here because I thought this city could help me."
"Look, Seth, don't make this harder for me. I am just doing my job. I know it sucks dying from a disease like that when the Zenon virus is literally the worst thing to ever happen to humanity, but come on, we got to keep moving forward!"
The doctor playfully taps Seth on the shoulder. The young man lets out a weak groan.
"I would rather be a zombie right now."
"Whoa, whoa, hey, dude, come on. Don't say the Z word. I know you are frustrated, but the correct term is Zenon. Keep it together. Don't let other people hear you, okay? Now, what will it be, will you get post-death coverage or would you rather let ma and pa pop you in the skull?"
"I don't have my parents anymore. I was sent here by the hospital I'm originally admitted to. I guess they gave up on me and passed me up here."
The doctor jumps from his seat, eyes widened, as he scrambles back to his papers.
"Oh, right, right. Yeah, uh, orphan. We got an orphan over here. Right, sure. So, it's going to be a pro bono brain puncture. I am sure your current budget can handle the miscellaneous fees."
Seth sniffs, wiping an escaped snot from his nose. He stands up and rubs his eyes. He feels defeated, his expression dooms him to utter gloom.
"Thanks, doc, but I'm good for now. I gotta go anyway. The caravan that brought me here should be leaving by now. I won't be surprised if they left already as well. I think I'm just going to die in the streets now…"
Pathetic. The doctor thought, but he also stood up to calm Seth.
"Whoa, whoa, where do you think you're going? If I let you out knowing you're going to die and turn, they will kill me! Better if we talk about your life after death, eh? This city's walls are big, but they ain't big enough to contain an outbreak from the inside!"
Seth walks away from the doctor, winces with every step, and accepts his fate halfheartedly, having decided what to do.
"Doc, I've always wanted to become a Zoldier. I want to see one before I die. I wanna see their Meltdowns and maybe an underling Zoldier if I'm lucky…"
"Hell no you ain't, they're probably going to get your head when they see you looking like you're turning already. What's so special about those Zoldiers, anyway? They're just men in fancy jumpsuits. Also, don't get me in trouble, they're going to freak out! Now, get your ass back here!"
The doctor followed Seth, attempting to prevent him from leaving the room. He pulled him away from the door. Seth stumbles and falls on the floor. It was relatively easy, since the young man is still out of his senses.
"I want to die on my own terms!"
Seth cried. He screamed his lungs out when he said the words. He lay on the floor in a fetal position as he continued to bawl.
As the minute goes by, the pitiful display continues. The doctor let Seth burst out his sadness. He figured he should let the young man mourn for himself.
The doctor couldn't help but clench his fists and grit his teeth. His face drew an annoyed expression as the young man's wailing grew louder. Pathetic, he always thought to himself. Then, he steps over Seth to reach a cabinet.
As he stands in front of one of its drawers, he adjusts his glasses, clears his throat, and starts searching inside.
"Damn crybabies and your stupid sob backstories, I promised myself I wouldn't be affected by your relatable sad predicament!"
The doctor mutters and continues to say some unintelligible and inaudible words while Seth still cries in the background. Slowly, he violently rustles the contents of the drawer and throws out some items on the floor.
"D-doc?"
Seth takes a pause and calms himself as he hears the commotion that the doctor is making.
"You want to die on your terms?! Guess what, in this world, you die, you just do! But lucky for you, I got something, something that will grant what you want! Now, it's not supposed to be yours, I'm not even sure who this should be for, but I guess it's you now!"
The doctor slowly becomes erratic as he continues digging through his drawer.
"Doc, I think I'm good, now…"
Seth wipes his tears away, thinking about crawling away from the doctor.
"You better use this wisely, you brat! Don't turn against us or else one of us will regret it! Remember who gave you these gifts! Remember who created you! Me!"
The doctor pulls the drawer, sliding it out of the cabinet, holding it by its knob with one hand. In his other hand is a syringe approximately fifteen inches long.
"The apocalypse gave us monsters beyond comprehension, and I'm not talking about Zenos."
The doctor's voice turned serious, and the sinister tone sent chills down Seth's spine.
"Doc, what are you doing, you're scaring me!"
Seth pleads, but he attempts to stand, only to find that the doctor is stepping on the hospital gown he is wearing.
The doctor forcefully slams the compartment on Seth's head, and the young man immediately falls, and blood starts to pool on the floor.
"You should be."
Seth groans as his vision begins to blur.
The doctor kneels, positioning himself to inject the contents of the syringe into the young man.
Seth vividly sees the doctor's eyes radiate a purple glow.
…
It was unclear. But in his dreams, Seth saw himself chasing the doctor in the forest. It was in the night. The moonlight lit faintly. The light slowly fades, and in the darkness, a horrifying creature stands in front.
Seth tried to flee, but he couldn't. He found himself crucified in a horizontal position, suspended in the darkness as if being offered to the monster in front of him.
Its teeth are pointy like needles, its eyes glow a deep green, and its face bores a thousand holes. In its chest, it possesses a thousand arms stitched carelessly with loose threading. Hands, alive and moving, creeping mindlessly.
One of its hands slowly stretches out, yearning for Seth. But it wasn't unnerving, it was instead begging.
Begging to be inserted inside Seth's mouth. So it did.
[Rise, underling, feel the Zystem in your veins!]