The year was 2088, the year it all ended. Our lives, our homes, our very planet was devastated in a cataclysmic event known as the Great Shattering. The only ones who lived to tell the tale were those saved by an enigmatic force known as the Conglomerate. They appeared from the shadows, their technology and power unmatched, rescuing the remnants of humanity from the brink of extinction. In gratitude, we serve them-mind, body, and soul. Now, 200 years later, we still revere the Four Princes, the mysterious leaders of the Conglomerate. It is 2288, the 200th anniversary of the Great Shattering, and whispers of rebellion begin to stir. As the dark secrets of our saviors start to unravel, we must confront a chilling question: what did we truly sacrifice for our survival? Pledge Of Faith Hail the Conglomerate, for they are our saviors! We pledge our souls, our lives, and our afterlives to their divine will. For the Four Princes, we offer our unwavering devotion: To the Prince of Prosperity, we surrender our wealth and labor for the betterment of mankind. To the Prince of Dreams, we relinquish our desires and aspirations for the glory of mankind. To the Prince of Tranquility, we sacrifice our voices and resolutions for the peace of mankind. To the Prince of Safeguard, we offer our very lives and spirits for the protection of mankind. Hail the Conglomerate! They delivered us from the abyss and continue to guide us back to the light that was torn from our grasp. Hail the Four Princes, the halos of purity, and most of all, hail the Conglomerate, our eternal guardians and masters!

After escaping a stalled elevator into a zombie apocalypse, Emily must learn how to trust people again or risk losing everything in this terrifying world. ***** For Emily, every day of the last two years have been a blur. She keeps her head down, takes her college courses online, and only goes out to work at her mandatory internship. But all that changes on the day the office elevator breaks down, leaving her trapped when the screams begin. And when the doors finally open, revealing a dystopian world ruined by bloody teeth and disease, Emily is launched into a terrifying run for her life, caught between the strangers she's not sure she can trust and the man-eating monsters that hunger for her flesh. Now she must learn not only how to survive in this new and dangerous world, but also how to overcome her own inner demons before they cost her something more precious than her life. [[Wattys' Shortlist]] [[Promoted by AMC]] Content and/or Trigger Warning: The story contains some gore, violence, strong language, and dark themes. [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]