Prologue of The Five

Prologue

- Achilles -

The world changed after the Apocalypse.

Nothing is the same. Countries existed no more. The world lay in ruins. The few people that survived gathered together in different groups.

It all happened on that – that cursed day; the day that nations finally revealed their true colors. A massacre happened; a group of elite soldiers slipped into Gaza in the middle of the night and slaughtered tons of children. The Arabs Nations then united and became the strongest and biggest nation existing sent it’s own army to face their common enemy.

World War III broke out. The United States of America, The United Kingdom, France, The Republic of China, Russia, and Israel launched their nuclear weapons. Iran, Pakistan, and the Arab nations launched their own missiles and sent elite teams to attack.

Everything was destroyed. No technology was left on Earth, and all civilization was wiped out.

The Earth it’s self has been re-shaped. The Americas, the North Pole and South Pole, Britain and Australia no longer exist. South of Africa, Asia, and north Europe have been demolished.

Only North Africa, Southern Europe, and a large part of Asia still exist.

Although we survivors claim that we survived because of our wit and incredible timing, or we survived because our mortal parent were very important people that had to be protected, it is all a lie.

They saved us. No matter how much we wish to deny the truth. We were all saved by something ancient and celestial, yet real.

The Greek gods saved us.

Before the Cursed Day, the gods were beginning to regain their strength. People began to believe in them, pray to them, and sacrificed animals for their pleasure. Old Greek and Roman ways were revived to please the gods and lull their anger.

The prayer gave them strength enough to draw a piece of the gods back from the Void. Prayer was their secret of survival. The gods feed upon hope, prayers, and belief. It is also their greatest weakness.

However they deserve it because they saved us.

The fragment of Apollo that returned, the god of the sun, prophecy, and music, predicted the End. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, proposed a plan to Zeus.

The plan was to once again produce demi-gods for they would lead the Next World.

All survivors are demi-gods.

I am a demi-god, son of Poseidon. Poseidon, the god of the sea, earth-shaker, storm-bringer, and creator of horses.

My father brought me down to deep in the seas. Nothing and no one could reach us there. Finally when the war ended he sent me back to land to lead the demi-gods.

I am a descendant of the great hero Achilles himself. His armor, shield, and sword are all mine now. Each one of us was descended from a hero in ancient times.

I am Achilles son of Poseidon.

Mother insisted I’d be named after the best Greek hero of all time. Father, although a god, had no choice but to agree.

Every time I stare at this barren land I remember how it used to be.

Although I should be the leader, I am not, the stuck up son of Zeus is. All because his father is King of the gods. An idiot I might add, as he chose Africa to be our new homeland.

The two leaders of the existing demi-god nations met together to divide the land. The Greek Empire, and the Roman Empire were the only ones that existed. The Son of Zeus and Jupiter met together and divided the land. We got Africa and they got Europe. Asia was left empty because whoever went there never returned.

Europe’s natural structure gave it an upper hand over Africa. For example Europe has many natural harbors but not Africa. Such advantages must be studied before choosing a land. Not just listening to what your father says and doing it, even if your father is a god.

However what is past is past. There is nothing to do to change what has happened.

The barren land was never empty. Even though it seemed so. Romans and Greeks were at each other’s throats. Our leaders wanted us to co-exist like leaders of opposing nations would say. Behind the scenes both just want to get rid of the other.

As King of the Greek Empire, the son of Zeus, can’t fight or else he’d risk his life. The soldiers did all the fighting. In other words, we did all the fighting; we risk our necks for him.

I wait for the day when I can reach for my sword and cut off his head. Then I’d be truly happy. I’d put his head on the wall like an ornament.

The king is a traitor, worse than the king Agamemnon, who defied my great ancestor and face defeat because of his insult. Perhaps history will repeat itself.

But this time when Athena tries to hold me back from killing him. She will fail.