Realm Of The Befallen

Chapter One: Dystopia of Decay and Disease

Long ago......The Kingdom of Terraconia rule the continents of Meru. The villagers, and residents of the kingdom helped create a utopia where nature becomes bountiful and in return, they get all resources and continue flourishing the land to trade products with other kingdoms as well. The king, a selfless man with a huge ambition to maintain peace on His domain. So he made a rule: that anyone who are found to disobey the law, will be forced to be thrown away from the kingdom as outcasts. The land is full of beauty and peace...No one would dare to destroy such utopia. But alas! As years and decades has passed by, a meteor from the sky had struck into the deepest parts of the forbidden forest .... The Death Woods.

The mist grew thick as rain came pouring, only to find animals with boils and cysts oozing off from their corpses. The atmosphere became miasmic and nauseous, spreading to the villagers while the wind carries it towards the Gates of Terraconia. The residents fell ill in their beds, finding boils grew out from their skin, becoming huge as an apple. Doctors desperately try to find a cure but no avail, as the air became too toxic.... only to lock their doors to avoid getting infected with the disease. People find it hard to eat as everything began to taste tasteless, they began vomiting frequently that their stomachs could not digest food any longer.... the stench is too strong that one would breathe on it, gets infected as well.

The magistrates and the high Prosecutors are very worried with the situation, that they sent a message to the King for any response to control the situation. Days and days has passed on, the King gave no response and the High Leaders, Magistrates, High Priests, High Prosecutors, and General Officials were enraged as the situation began to worsen itself. People began having difficulty walking as others began limping with black cysts dripping from the boils. Some have abnormal body composure with heads enlarged, abnormal growth of limbs around the body, some became blind with their eyes being infected as well. Reports have shown that those who died because of the disease came back to life, only to become rabid with their body parts becomes necrotic. No signs of human consciousness nor any humane behavior observed as they attack any human in their sights.

Sir Anthone III, a rookie doctor, survived from the occurring pandemic while wearing his mask as he headed towards the forest to forage some herbs and food to sustain himself without catching the attention of the Infected. His heartbeat raced as his anxiety began to rise from the level of tension he could endure. The air is humid and calm but he could sense the probability of danger he is into as he searched on his way to the shrubs, only raspberries and oregano leaves are in avail. Suddenly, he heard the rustling of leaves from the trails of his footsteps. He knew he is bound to his doom that he knew there is no escaping from his fate. He took a deep breath and dropped himself to the ground, didn't moved a muscle as he began stiffen himself like a log. As sound became closer and closer, his mask began to dampen in sweat as he is to face the inevitable that he would rather wished it would be quick than to join the Infected. As soon as he felt something  standing between of his feet, his eyes were locked on the shadowy figure as it dragged him off somewhere. He closed his eyes to accept what lies ahead of him as he knew what he is done for.

He imagined...... being chained up as they feast on his living flesh, screaming in terror and agony with the shrieks of Infected, spewing their infectious fluids from their decaying mouths. Sir Herald and Sir Patriche told him to flee to the indent they made from the mighty walls of the gates as they hold off the Infected to buy him enough time. Their shouts of pain and growls made him flow tears from his eyes as he escaped from the impending doom that had fallen upon them. He would never forget their selfless act but it gave him a heavy heart for not able to help. He felt guilty for their deaths as he rushed his way out and hid himself in their hideout before the pandemic became unbearable. The screams and wailing of children, the agony and terror rings into his ears and the sound was deafening  him. His mind became blank and empty as he seems to be falling into a void of nothingness . But suddenly, he heard a voice ......

WAKE UP...... YOU ARE OUR ONLY HOPE!! STAY DETERMINED ROOKIE!!!

WAKE UP!!!!!!!

He woke up, sweating as he gasped for some air. He can't move due to the chains bounded with his wrists and legs on a brick wall. The torch gave a dim light , making him befuddled on where is he. "So, you're awake? Hmmph , I thought I'd found myself some fresh meat to consume...."

He heard the voice, a voice of a woman but unable to recognize whom it belongs to. " Who are you and what do you want?" he asked.

"My name is unimportant to this matter, what matters here is that you'll make a fine meal for me before I hear a word from you doctor~."

He was shocked as he heard the word 'doctor ' from his captor and asked," How did you know I am a doctor?  Show yourself!!"

A hand emerged from the darkness, full of bandages .....wrapped around from the wrist to the fingertips; grabbing the torch and lit a lantern, revealing the captor's identity.  The face was covered with an owl-shaped mask,wearing a dark robe with a tunic full of ancient Elven symbols woven together. A bow and a few arrows are seen visible from her back, a sharp dagger  sheathed in her belt and a few flasks of health potions hanging  on it. His eyes widened as he saw something like no one have ever seen. Albina Morfir, the rumored Elven archer from the South of Meru, Guardian of the Wild Elves, who won many battles and yet no one had met her in person but heard through myths and legends.

" I know you doctors are the reason why this tragedy was born!!!"