The empire's capital 'Bastion' was relatively unscathed during the apocalypse's beginnings, the streets were still lively. And the population, who was similarly unscathed thanks to the emperor's quick action, looked forward to the future with this new world.

  Rumors of people acquiring unheard-of magical prowess were beginning to circulate in the noble houses based within Bastion, yet the tradesmen and commoners didn't have time to pay attention to such rumors, unless they themselves were the cause of them.

  ...

  2 weeks had passed since the zombies first appeared in Bastion City. Most appeared in the merchant streets, and although many merchants lost their lives. Their goods were redistributed amongst the remaining sellers. Leaving most of the humans left alive, happy with the turn of events.

  The emperor himself, emperor Julius Pegasus was swamped. Between finding and survivors who witnessed these zombies' transformations, dealing with the 'accident' in the alchemist labs beneath the throne room. And all the issues of defending the capital. And more issues plaguing his throne.

  "My emperor. Duke George Marsh wishes for a meeting" an honor guard. Dressed in full adamant steel armor. Painted dark red with white decor lines running along the extremities, their helmet had two decorative wings crafted into it, reminiscent of Pegasus wings.

  "Tell him I'm busy". The emperor didn't even spare a glance at the honor guard. Before turning his attention back towards a pair of informants. "continue."

  The informant on the left, butler Sergius began his statement "Ah as I was saying my liege, the guards in our laboratories have been requesting backup, cannon fodder or something. The creatures in there have strength beyond belief, our men cannot get close enough to put them down".

  "Captain Asfolia directly said to lock down all the doors to our laboratories and blow them up, yet we need your permission beforehand."

  "Sergius, the throne is too understaffed to be able to bring more soldiers. If it will get my men out of those damn tunnels, blow them apart, suffocate them, do whatever you must. You have my permission, now Jess. What brings you here?"

  As Jess, the informant on the right began to speak. The honor guard coughed lightly before speaking. "forgive me for speaking out of line my liege. Yet Duke Marsh is not alone. Most of the nobles within our borders are requesting to convene with you, and with how worried they all are, they might go up in arms against us should we not comply."

  The emperor sighed. And at this moment a small amount of regret for taking the throne was born. "fine, let them in."

  Quickly streams of humans dressed in fancy clothes, and decorated in medals swarmed the halls. At least a hundred of them, from the lowliest of barons to even Julius's brother himself arch-duke Ferdinand Pegasus. Every noble that was within Bastion's grounds as the apocalypse began entered the spacious halls.

  "My liege, we have convened today to request a small portion of our armies to assist us in reclaiming territory, and securing our estates." said a man with a head full of platinum white hair, yet a visage that defined his age as being not a day above 30.

  "Duke Marsh, I'm sure you have seen the state of our walls. How do you expect to get even a single troop out of our city gates alive?" the emperor asked before shouting. "Do you not see the state of our city, even if we could leave our walls, the city would crumble before the next dawn." Julius slammed his fist down upon his throne.

  ..

  Meanwhile, in a nameless village on the southern borders of the pegasus borders.

  Slumped over his greatsword, a mercenary dressed in full plate mail was staring at a floating blue box directly in front of his eyes.

  "huh? What is this thing?" he muttered to himself as he reached up to press it. The second his finger physically reached it, his hand went right through, yet as if the box knew what he wanted it continued.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "What the fuck, the fuck is this?" a young drunkard such as Thorim needed a second look, so he looked behind him only to find the screen following his vision.

  But luckily he found what he was looking for, past a long line of bodies belonging to both normal humans and zombies, across grass and rock splattered in blood and rot was his brother-in-arms "Hey asshat get over here!" he shouted.

  His 'brother' visibly deflated before running over, although not brothers in blood Thorim and Caiden had been together for years, they grew up in the same orphanage of a neighboring kingdom before setting out as mercenaries for hire. between protecting carriages to looting towns. they had done it all together.

  They were just crossing the borders between two nations when the apocalypse descended.

  "Caiden you see this thing in front of me?" Thorim called out the second that Caiden got close.

  "No, have you finally gone insane or what? what blue box?"

  "It says a bunch of stuff about my 'stats' and some other stuff, and it's telling me to 'start my evolution' or something, maybe I have" The two of them started laughing at the idea.

  "Well, Mr 'Evolver', go on starting this so-called Evolution then." Caiden said.

  "ok then, let's do it. start evolution?" he muttered the last bit under his breath.

  'Oh, okay then, add 5 in constitution and 5 in strength' he mentally said to the screen. after giving it 0 thought.

  The second he finalized that choice Thorim felt like he could lift a house, his muscles filled out his armor, to the point that the plate mail almost burst open.

  He immediately looked around to find something to test his strength on, before his gaze landed on poor Caiden.

  "Hey Caiden block!" he threw a punch at the same time, the punch whistling as it ripped through the air.

  Caiden barely having any time to react lifted his shortsword, the blade cracking as it collided with Thorims strike.

  "WHAT THE HELL THORIM, my fucking sword!" Caiden felt a tear well up in his eye as he watched the crack propagate throughout the steel blade.

  "Phew thankfully it didn't break, let's hope a blacksmith can repair that or I'll have your hide you brute!" he gently slipped the shortsword back into its sheath.

  Caiden looked up at Thorim, only to see him gazing into the void.

  "Lesser titan!" Thorim basically yelled out before his body dropped to the floor, unconscious.