CURSED

Prologue

Five hundred years ago, the world was bestowed with extraordinary gifts—the senses heightened to magical proportions. Known as the Five Gifts, these powers enhanced sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell far beyond normal human capacities, turning everyday perceptions into supernatural talents.

Those endowed with strong manifestations of these gifts—Visus for sight, Sonis for hearing, Gusta for taste, Nexis for touch, and Auris for smell—were elevated to the highest echelons. They became leaders, innovators, and revered figures, shaping the destiny of their kingdom through these enhanced abilities. The most powerful among them were trained in grand academies, where they honed their skills and prepared to serve their kingdom in ways others could only dream.

But not all powers were deemed worthy. Those with subtle or weak manifestations faced neglect and ostracism, pushed aside in a world that celebrated only the extraordinary. These individuals were often overlooked and undervalued, living in the shadows of a society that prized exceptional abilities above all else.

Far from the opulence and the cutthroat politics of these kingdoms lay the humble village of Willowick. Here, the dramatic powers of the Five Gifts were scarce, and life followed a more traditional rhythm. Willowick was a place where community values and hard work mattered more than mystical abilities. The villagers, mostly ordinary folk without any magical gifts, relied on each other and the fruits of their labor to get by. They led simple lives, bound not by the power they wielded but by the strength of their relationships and their commitment to mutual support.

But unknown to all, the story of two very different individuals was set to intertwine, linked by the hidden threads of fate and the legacy of the senses. In a world where such powers could
elevate or condemn, their journeys would reveal the true nature of these gifts—whether curse or blessing.