MONSTER OF THE UNKNOWN

PROLOGUE

The events of this chapter take place a long time ago, some time between 800 to 900 AD (the exact year doesn't really matter), in a world quite similar to yours, but with a distinct difference. A somewhat 'genetic' one. In this version of earth, there are essentially two types of people. You're either a zegen or a normal. The zegens are the ones born with unique supernatural—or should I say magical—abilities, and they make up more than 80% of the entire human race. The abilities can be as simple and straightforward as controlling basic elements like fire and air, or as complex as matter manipulation. On the other hand, the unfortunate persons born without these gifts are referred to as normals.

You're probably thinking that with such a significant physiological disparity between these two groups, there'd be some sort of social hierarchy. Well, you guessed right. With zegens being the most egotistical creatures imaginable, being born a normal is the worst possible fate. The latter is constantly deprived of the most essential of resources, even water. Considered nothing but play things by the zegens, they are used as guinea pigs for the 'strong' to test the fullest extents of their powers. Mutilation, mutation, straight up murder. There's no limit to the sadistic desires and interests of the zegens.

In a city that will later be known as Bucharest, there's a certain zegen cult led by a powerful family whose members all possess a dark power. One unlike the other gifts of their fellow supernaturals. The name of the cult is Zomer and they're well known for 'changing' life. You can think of it as superhuman mutation, if you consider turning a person into a rat hybrid 'superhuman', with their greatest masterpiece being Feto. The creation process for this particular monstrosity is known only by the cult members themselves, but what comes after is far from being hidden.

Less than a week after Feto's synthesis, it breaks free from the research containment facility of the Zomer and becomes a worldwide plague. Possessing powers far surpassing even the strongests of zegens, it begins to destroy everything and everyone-zegens and normals alike. With unfathomable speed and an attack range spanning almost an entire country, the whole of Europe is on fire in only a matter of days, and the rest of the world not too long after.

More than a year passes and a team of normal scientists and alchemists who have been studying and examining Feto begin to meet in secret to devise a counterattack against the creature. Each being a specialist in a different field of knowledge from the other. Biology, physics, transmutation and so on. Using all the information they obtain from observing the beast, they work towards manufacturing a weapon capable of vanquishing it, with their leader being a man named 'Pavel'.

Months go by, experiments are performed and lives are lost, but there's still light at the end of the tunnel. Pavel has a sudden intellectual breakthrough and the normals finally succeed at creating a canon-like weapon that they are convinced can get the job done. Many sacrifices are made, but with the aid of their fellow normals, they are able to pin point Feto long enough for the canon to be used. The armament is launched and the monster is hit. It collapses to the corpse-filled ground of the battlefield, its skin rapidly decaying. It's dead at last.

To their surprise, something is left of the creature's body. Something that seems alive. An orb-like object that appears to be Feto's heart. After multiple failed attempts, the sphere is deemed indestructible. So, in order to prevent the recent ruinous events from repeating itself, all the leaders from around the globe come together to form UDAP [Union des Désastres Anti-Paranormaux], a secret organisation charged with the duty of safeguarding the artifact.

With the catastrophe now a thing of the past, the zegens slowly begin to change their perspective on normals, and they even agree to grant them constitutional rights. Pavel even becomes the president of the country to be later known as Romania. Equality between zegens and normals flourishes more and more.

As centuries go by, the entire tragedy turns into nothing more than folklore and is eventually forgotten by the greater public. It becomes like nothing ever happened.

'What happened to the Zomer cult and its followers?' you're probably wondering. Well... I can't answer that right now, but I can assure you even though the leading family was wiped out by their own creation, the fellowship isn't dead. At least, not completely.