chapter 2

In today’s world, humanity has reached the peak of its development. Towering skyscrapers fill the skyline, neon lights flash in every corner, and technology has become so advanced that it shapes every aspect of life. The streets are always bustling with people, and everything is at the touch of a button—from transportation to communication, all seamlessly integrated into the flow of modern life.

But beneath the glittering surface, in the shadows of the everyday world, there exists a secret. A secret so deeply hidden that even the most curious would not dare to look.

This world, where humans walk freely under the light of the sun, is also the home of beings who have long been forgotten by the majority of the population. They walk among us, living their lives unnoticed, their true nature concealed beneath the veil of normality. They are shifters—beings who can transform from human to animal, or from human to bird, or even to creatures of the sea. They are not human, but they are not quite animals either.

At one point, in the far past, shifters lived openly among humans, their existence accepted as part of the natural order. The peaceful coexistence was something everyone took for granted. Shifters were healers, warriors, guides, and companions. They lived freely, and their magic—the ability to transform—was seen as just another part of the world’s beauty. They were revered, respected, and, in some ways, loved.

But as time went on, human society began to evolve. Technology advanced, and the world began to change. What had once been accepted as a gift of nature became something to fear. The rise of scientific experiments, the thirst for power, and the desire for control led to human experimentation. Shifters, once regarded as allies of nature, were now hunted, studied, and dissected in laboratories. They were seen as anomalies, threats, and tools for the advancement of human knowledge.

Slowly, the shifters retreated into the shadows. No longer could they live freely in the open. The world had changed, and so had they. They went into hiding, taking on human forms and blending in with the rest of the population, careful to keep their abilities secret. The bloodlines of the shifters were kept alive, passed down in whispers, hidden in the blood of ordinary-looking people. There were those who lived in the open, walking alongside humans without ever showing their true selves. Others lived in seclusion, choosing to stay hidden, too afraid of what would happen if they were discovered.

The most important rule now: never reveal what you are.

Shifters can be born to anyone, and in some rare cases, a child born to entirely human parents may awaken the ability to shift. It isn’t something passed down predictably, but a rare and almost mystical occurrence that happens at the time of birth or through specific circumstances. There are no guarantees that a child born to a shifter will be a shifter themselves. It’s the blood of nature, unpredictable, and beyond human control.

In the cities, the world moves forward, unaware of the magic that still lingers, hidden in the shadows. Children go to school, families go to work, and no one questions the ordinary lives they live. But the shifters are watching, quietly moving through the world, still clinging to the ancient gifts that were once a part of the natural order.

And among them is the next generation, the children who carry the gift of transformation—the next shifters—who may change the course of this hidden world forever.

The Present Day

Today, life goes on as usual. The streets are filled with people who have no idea about the mystical beings among them. The shifters—now fewer—live in the hidden corners of society, blending into the crowd. They have adapted, become part of the world, while keeping their true nature locked away from public view.

But things are changing. Something stirs in the heart of the hidden world of shifters. And soon, the fragile balance between the ordinary world and the hidden, magical world will be tested.

The secret cannot stay hidden forever.

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