The world as it was known ended not with a bang, but with a whisper; a ripple through the fabric of reality that no one saw coming. It began on a cold November night no more than a century ago.
At first, it seemed like an atmospheric anomaly; the auroras that danced across the skies, once confined to polar regions, appeared everywhere. From the bustling streets of New York to the deserts of Namibia, the heavens were ablaze with shimmering lights of green, blue, and violet. Scientists speculated it was an unprecedented solar storm, but their theories fell apart when the auroras persisted for weeks, growing brighter and more erratic with each passing day.
Then, the changes began.
Across the globe, people woke up with abilities that defied common sense. A farmer in Brazil discovered he could make crops grow with a wave of his hand. A child in Tokyo accidentally shattered their bedroom windows with a scream. An office worker in Paris found themselves floating in midair during a routine meeting. These powers were unpredictable, varied, and often terrifying. For some, they were a blessing. For others, a curse.
This spread throughout the world, with almost every individual possessing one ability or the other ranging from fire to energy manipulation. The most common abilities were the elemental abilities turning out to be the ones to advance easier when compared to the other types of abilities there were.
But humanity wasn't the only species affected. Domesticated animals - harmless creatures that had lived alongside humans for centuries - began to transform into much larger, deadlier and sinister versions. A housecat in London grew fangs like a saber-toothed tiger and tore through its owner's living room. A pet dog in Johannesburg, once a loyal companion, mutated into a monstrous predator, its eyes glowing with an unnatural light. Zoos became war zones as once-docile animals turned feral, breaking free of their enclosures and wreaking havoc. Even the smallest birds, rodents and insects were not spared, their behaviors shifting into something more primal and predatory.
The balance of power between humans and nature collapsed overnight, leaving behind nothing but a battlefield - for humans against their fellow humans as well as humans against beasts - where only survival mattered.
***
Within weeks, governments crumbled under the strain. Emergency services were overwhelmed as fires raged unchecked, riots broke out in cities, and entire regions descended into intense chaos. Military forces tried to maintain control, but even their might was no match for the new reality.
Soldiers including the ones who possessed different abilities faced not only rampaging beasts but also ordinary citizens wielding extraordinary powers. To make matters worse, power intoxicated military personnels deserting and antagonizing the military force further escalated the anarchy. In one infamous incident, an armored convoy in the United States was annihilated by a single individual who conjured a storm of lightning.
The world's interconnected systems including trade, communication, transportation disintegrated. Nations dissolved into isolated territories, their borders meaningless in the face of the spreading chaos. Cities became fortresses, their residents scavenging for survival while fending off attacks from both beasts and rogue humans. The countryside transformed into a dangerous wilderness, dominated by feral creatures and lawless wanderers.
But even in the darkest moments, certain individuals rose above the chaos.
Among the countless people who gained powers, a select few stood out. They were stronger, faster, more intelligent than the rest. They were regarded as 'forces of nature' in human form. These individuals, later known as the 'Primarchs', were the first to realize that survival required more than brute strength; it required order.
The Primarchs began to establish control in the regions they claimed. Some did so with benevolence, offering protection and stability to those who submitted to their rule. Others were tyrants, ruling through fear and violence. They formed alliances, waged wars, and divided the remnants of humanity among themselves.
Their influence grew as they gathered followers, humans who saw them as saviors or conquerors. Over time, they created the 'Sentinels', a new class of enforcers. The Sentinels were not as powerful as the Primarchs, but they were still formidable, their abilities honed through rigorous training and augmentation. With the Sentinels acting as their hands, the Primarchs imposed their will on the world.
By the time the dust settled, nearly a century had passed and humanity lived in a world that bore little resemblance to its past. The Primarchs ruled from towering citadels, their word law in a fractured society. Each Primarch governed their domain differently, but all adhered to a strict hierarchy.
At the top were the 'Primarchs', whose powers placed them beyond the reach of ordinary humans. Below them were the 'Sentinels', the enforcers of their will and guardians of the fragile order. The rest of humanity, known as 'Dwellers', toiled under their rule, their lives dictated by the whims of their superiors. Above the average dwellers were the 'Mages', who were considered the local authorities over districts.
Outside the cities, the wild zones stretched endlessly; a deadly expanse of overgrown wilderness where nature had reclaimed its dominance. These zones were inhabited by the feral beasts that had once been ordinary animals. Few dared to venture into the wild zones, and those who did rarely returned.
Though the system brought stability, it came at a cost. Freedom was a distant memory, replaced by the harsh realities of servitude. The Primarchs' rule was absolute, their power enforced through fear and awe. Dissent was crushed ruthlessly, and any signs of rebellion were met with overwhelming force.
Yet beneath the surface, the embers of resistance smoldered. Among the Dwellers, there were those who dreamed of a world without the Primarchs; a world where humanity could once again stand on its own. In the shadows, they whispered of rebellion, their voices growing louder with each passing year.
***
A world reborn from chaos, governed by power, and teetering on the edge of change. The jungle that had once consumed civilization had been tamed, but the question remained; for how long?