After Apocalypse

Prologue

Five hundred years ago, in a time known as the twenty-first century, the world was struck by a disaster the likes of which had never seen. At first it came as an illness that swept across all corners of the globe and try as they may, doctors could not figure out exactly what it was. This however was only the genisis of mankind's demise.
The illness had claimed millions of lives with thousands more dying every hour when suddenly, the dead were reanimated. Those who had been reborn wreaked havoc on the living, killing them mercilessly and devouring their flesh. Before long a war had begun, a battle between the living and the undead. Humanity was pushed to the brink as each casualty on their side only served to bolster the number of their enemies. Eventually, soldiers fled the frontlines and panic became the order of the day. Governments crumbled and anarchy reigned supreme. What had once begun as a war quickly turned into an extermination of all mankind. Many who lived opted to hide and spend what little time they had left on the run instead of fighting a futile battle while a handful fought on, hoping that one day there would be an end to the threat. Three hundred years passed since the outbreak and the total global population was less than a tenth of what it once was. Humanity was all but gone, many aspects of life prior to the outbreak were almost completely forgotten. It was very rare to find someone who could read or let alone write. The remaining few who could, did their best to pass the knowledge on to others so as to ensure that once the war had been won, civilisation could be built anew. However, things changed drastically at the three hundred year mark. The tide of war shifted and for the first time in three centuries, there seemed to be hope for humanity.
There appeared a man who wielded the ability to control the undead with nothing but a thought. He would enter a battle field and will the undead fight amongst themselves until not even a single one of them was left standing. Everywhere he travelled he would amass legions of followers, people who were once filled with nothing but despair and carried very little hope for the future. The man called himself The Messiah and together with his new followers, he built the city of New Jerusalem. Here, the living could be free of the terror of the undead. However, not everyone was so quick to believe in him. Many found it strange that he was able to control the undead to such an extent. When questioned about the issue, he was quick to show his true colours. All those who questioned him were executed and those who refused to follow him were labelled enemies of New Jerusalem. In order to make certain that no one dug too deep about the true nature of his power, he decreed that anyone who was caught reading or writing was to be killed on the spot. He kept a handful of scientists and intellectuals at his side in order to forge him weapons and improve his city. Over time he had monopoly over all knowledge, almost all of it anyway. Driven by fear, many followed his commands and did as he instructed.
Soon after the completion of New Jerusalem, The Messiah became more feared than the undead. His territory grew with each day and after a few years, it had grown too vast even for him, and so he divided it into twelve territories; Yaakov, Kephas, Elior, Shimon, Yochanan, Bar-Talmai, Mattityahu, Tau'ma, Theudas, Andreas, Fillipos and Yehuda. Each of these lands was given one ruler who would sit on The Messiah's table and rule by his side. Those who opposed the Messiah's rule formed various military guilds and would occasionally lend a hand to those who needed their services at a price. A new war began and this time it was humans against humans. Those who fought for The Messiah did however have a distinct advantage in that they fought with the help of the undead. Two hundred years passed and those who refused to submit to the forces of New Jerusalem lived in hiding under the protection of the military guilds, which at times were no better than the tyrannical Messiah.