Deviant: No Longer Human

It was a time when the air buzzed with a mysterious energy, a fifth element beyond the familiar ones of today, known as Aether.

"Wait? Humans existed back then?" Wang Xiao interjected, prompting Aurora to roll her eyes in exasperation.

"They did. Don\'t question the how or why! I said to save your questions for later. Let me finish first," she retorted, her words tinged with a mix of irritation and urgency.

Wang Xiao nodded, signaling her to continue.

Aurora exhaled, weaving her tale once more.

The humans of that era bore little resemblance to the people of today; they were beings of immense strength, their physical might a hundredfold greater than that of any modern human.

Their intellect was vast, their senses razor-sharp, harmonizing with nature from their very inception and wielding the power of psychokinesis with ease.

Yet, their most profound ability was the mastery of Aether.

This wasn\'t merely another gas mingling in the atmosphere; it was the breath of the divine, a source of power so profound that its wielders could only be described as sorcerers in the eyes of today\'s humanity.

Modern science, in its never-ending quest to demystify the concept of magic, has failed to turn its gaze backward, to a time when the improbable was possible.

If the mere doubling of oxygen in the atmosphere once allowed creatures to grow to colossal sizes, then imagine the transformative potential of a mysterious element like Aether.

Aurora and her companions, often mythologized in the annals of history as fierce warriors, were in truth the sheltered princesses of their time.

Far from the paragons of strength that the era demanded, they were delicate flowers in a field of stone.

The Pangean Continent, a vast, unbroken landmass, teetered on the brink of monumental change.

Under the ambitious vision of Emperor Aegis, it was inching toward an unprecedented unification.

The days when the continent was splintered into myriad provinces were fading, as Emperor Aegis harbored dreams of a singular, united empire.

To achieve this grand unity, princesses from each major faction were chosen not for their prowess in battle but for their political value.

The supercontinent was cleaved into precisely eight segments, each bestowed upon a major faction to govern.

These princesses, stepping into the realm of political marriages and oaths, were all betrothed to Emperor Aegis.

Their duty was twofold: to oversee the functioning of their respective territories and to report their successes directly to the emperor.

This strategy was Emperor Aegis\'s masterstroke—a political maneuver designed to divide and rule the disparate tribes without sowing seeds of dissent.

During these tumultuous times, the population of the Pangean supercontinent was scant, ravaged by incessant wars that had the power to level mountains.

Yet, as the continent began to stabilize under this new order, the people saw a resurgence.

Prosperity bloomed like a rare flower in the desert, promising an era of peace and growth.

But tranquility was not to last. An unimaginable threat, whispered to have descended from the stars, loomed over Pangea.

This alien enemy, singular in its might yet unbeaten in battle, forced Emperor Aegis himself to take to the field.

Despite the passage of millennia, no victor emerged from this struggle of titans.

The continuous onslaughts, a clash of cosmic fury against the might of millions, tore the very fabric of the earth apart

The once-unified Pangean supercontinent fractured, each shard drifting apart to form the continents as we know them today.

The day the sky celebrated in radiant jubilation marked a turning point for the inhabitants of Pangea.

It was as if the heavens themselves were alight with joy, casting a brilliance the world had never seen.

But this celestial spectacle was a harbinger of doom, as meteorites—perhaps remnants of the cosmic battle—began to rain destruction upon the earth.

Colossal beasts, now known to us as dinosaurs, were reduced to dust, with nowhere to hide from the cataclysm.

The continents, already fractured, drifted even further apart.

From millions, the population dwindled to mere thousands, the once-abundant Aether now scarce, its diminishing presence a silent testament to the world\'s plight.

Emperor Aegis and the celestial visitor, the protagonists of this age-old conflict, vanished, consumed by the very havoc they had unleashed.

Legends whisper that in his final moments, Emperor Aegis harnessed an ancient treasure, offering himself in sacrifice to shield the remnants of Pangea from total annihilation.

What remained was a generation scarred by loss and desolation—children and women, primarily, for the warriors had already laid down their lives.

These were the intended bearers of Pangea\'s legacy, now martyrs of a bygone dream.

Surviving a war that spanned millions of years demanded more than the longevity afforded by Aether; it required resilience beyond measure.

As peace finally descended, Aurora and other constorts faced the challenge of guiding a new generation, one raised on tales of war, living in the shadows of fear and oppression.

Among the survivors were individuals like Aurora, privileged with access to the dwindling resources and protection that their status afforded.

Emperor Aegis, having never consumated his marriage nor fathered children, left his legacy in the hands of his eight consorts, pledged but never wed.

With his passing, these women inherited the stewardship of the now fragmented continents.

Unprepared for rulership, their reign spiraled into chaos. Internal strife and conflict erupted, plunging the world into one of its darkest epochs.

Haunted by their collective failure, the consorts abdicated their thrones, disappearing into the annals of history as if unable to bear the weight of their inherited world.

The once-great vision of a unified Pangea, now fragmented into realms, each grappling with the aftermath of a war that reshaped the course of history.