Note: The details below are only the beginning to avoid spoilers. As the story unfolds, deeper mysteries, hidden powers, and more about the history of the world and its inhabitants will be revealed. For now, this is what should be known to understand the stakes at play.
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Earth, forever changed, lies in ruins after the Harbingers, an alien race of conquerors, sent a seed to crack the world's core and release void energy. This cataclysm was meant to extinguish humanity, but instead, it sparked an evolution: the Awakening. Survivors discovered they could channel the void's energy, gaining extraordinary abilities.
#Awakening Generations
First Generation: Basic powers, like fire control or telekinesis, limited in scope but practical.
Second Generation: Users could harness secondary powers connected to their main ability, like wielding ice alongside water.
Third Generation: Rare, transformative abilities that combined powers, reshaping battles with their unique prowess.
Each power was ranked from Level 1 (weak) to Level 10 (devastating). Strength and generation defined a user's power, with higher-level abilities surpassing even the strongest First Generation talents.
#Voidstones and Beast Crystals
Voidstones, born of the planet's ruptured core, were the ultimate source of power. Their raw, concentrated form was far rarer than their alloyed version, which could be found within beasts aka beast crystals.
These alloyed stones—infused with void energy—were often sought after and used to enhance weapons and tools.
Meanwhile, beast crystals were formed from the creatures of the new world, categorized into:
Category 1 to 5: From common creatures like shadow wolves to the legendary titans, whose crystals held the potential to transform their wielders' abilities.
#The Harbinger Tiers
1. One Crown (Drifter): The basic, low-level Harbingers used for scouting and basic combat.
2. Two Crowns (Hunter): Skilled warriors, formidable enough to hunt and track their prey with deadly precision.
3. Three Crowns (Ravager): Harbingers at this level are highly destructive and feared for their relentless nature. They serve as elite assassins and shock troops, capable of decimating entire squads or cities.
4. Four Crowns (Reaver): A Reaver is a brutal force of nature, known for carving paths of destruction and leading aggressive strikes. They command with an iron will, driving fear into even the bravest warriors.
5. Five Crowns (Overlord): The supreme leaders of the Harbinger forces, Overlords are nearly invincible. They are the apex of Harbinger might, wielding immense power and strategic genius. Their presence alone can shift the course of battles and instill terror in their enemies.
#To avoid unnecessary descriptions in future chapters, here's a full scale description of what a Harbinger looks like :
The Harbinger Tiers are distinguished by the number of crowns, which are unique, spike-like projections that emerge from their heads as a physical mark of their power. These crowns are not only a sign of their rank but also a clear indication of their strength and status among their kind. Humans, who have studied these creatures, discovered that the more crowns a Harbinger possesses, the greater their power and combat ability.
Harbingers are bipedal beings, standing tall and imposing with long, muscular arms that reach down to their knees. Their bodies are built for combat, with a physique that becomes progressively more bulked and formidable as they ascend the tiers of power.
Their limbs are sinewy, ending in powerful hands or claws that can strike with devastating force. The more crowns a Harbinger has, the more their physique expands, with their muscles rippling under their hard, chitinous skin.
Their skin is an essential part of their identity, tough and durable with a color that ranges from deep, dark hues to metallic shades, depending on their rank. Drifters, the lowest tier, have a rough, ashen gray skin that provides decent protection but is relatively lightweight. Hunters display a slightly thicker, dark slate or deep green skin, tougher and harder to pierce, signifying their enhanced combat prowess. Ravagers are marked by a blackened, almost obsidian-like skin that seems to shimmer in the light, their formidable presence amplified by the strength of their armor-like hide. Reavers take this to the next level with skin that gleams like polished steel, reflecting their nearly indestructible nature.
Finally, Overlords possess skin that is a combination of deep, iridescent black and vibrant metallic tones, giving them an otherworldly, almost divine appearance. This final level of skin is resistant to the most powerful weaponry, reinforcing their status as nearly invincible entities.