Have any of you heard of the Five Races theory? No? I expected as much. It's not much talked about outside of the 'scholars of the esoteric' community, but those who do study the kinds of people I described in the last chapter tend to reference Five Races a lot.

A summary of the theory: Sometime in the last century (though the exact time is a point o contention among many), nonhuman, sentient humanoids began appearing en masse. Evidence points to some existing long before that, but they are, for the most part, outliers. Sometime in the last hundred years, five different, clearly-identifiable variants of humanity appeared. Homo Metahumanus, or Metahumans, Homo Superior, or Mutants, Homo Magi, or magic-users (though this overlaps with the final category somewhat), Homo Inhumanus, or 'inhumans,' and "other."

The most widely-accepted metavariant of humanity is the Metahuman. This term describes, for lack of a better phrase, a human, who has 'super-powers,' but gained them in a unique manner than that of a mutant or mage. Most simply develop their powers, either through random happenstance, or what Metahuman Psychologists call 'trigger events.' Some scientists believe that only a specific combination of events and contingent environmental circumstances, such as being struck by lightning while touching chemicals, can cause someone to become a Meta, but they mistake the specific circumstances, ignoring the overlying theme, essentially missing the forest for the trees. In every situation where a 'freak accident' happens to someone, resulting in their powers, they were under high stress during the event. When some people, linked by a heretofore-undiscovered genetic mutation, are put under high stress, they can, potentially, 'trigger,' causing Metahuman powers to manifest. That said, I do not advise you to try to force one of these, as those who have the capacity to trigger are in the vast minority, and even the, a fiftieth of those with the gene will ever actually trigger.

The second common metavariant is the Mutant. These people are the easiest to understand, genetically. They all have an 'M-Gene,' marking them as a Mutant (note: the term Mutant refers to those with he M-Gene, not all genetic mutants.). They manifest powers around puberty, and are typically around the same power level as Metahumans. This bears the least explanation, and the sociological side of Mutant-Human relations is a territory best avoided.

The least-understood sub-race of humanity is Homo Magi, or magic-users. Unlike the previous two, they cannot randomly, or even automatically, manifest powers. Magic-users are born with the trait completely randomly, unlike the hereditary Mutants and Metahumans. It takes a mage to recognize a mage, most of the time, and the Gift requires training. If you want to be half-decent, years of it, and if you want to rival the likes of me, lifetimes. How I remain in my twenties and yet have lifetimes of experience is a question best left unanswered. Since magic is still not accepted as real by some, dismissing it as a versatile, yet coming Metahuman power, few studies have been undertaken on the subject, so the nature of Magic remains a mystery.

Here's where shit really gets complicated. The 'inhuman' theory. I'm sure you've heard of them, the Dark Vengeances and Pre-Mortems of the world. They lack powers, but they don't seem like it. Access to technology they shouldn't be able to use, or even understand, and the ability to shrug off gunshot wounds or perform feats that normal humans would die trying, nine times out of ten. They, genetically, possess none of the genes marking them as magical, mutant, or metahuman, but they seem special all the same. This is, simply, because they are 'inhuman.' The term refers to people with some of the highest possible human physical and intellectual capabilities, who don't seem to be otherwise special. The theory that those people are a less-common metavariant that many dismiss as 'unique cases' is ridiculed by some, but personally I think it fills in many gaps.

The vague 'other' category describes the rest. From literal, Tolkien-esque Elves to nGods and 'Force-sensitives,' there are plenty of groups similar to those I describe above that have relatively small numbers, or don't actively make their presence known on Earth like the rest of us do. Some, like the Elves, have been around for years, but only chose to venture into the world at all when the other races appeared. Some are literal aliens, and just now have arrived on Earth. Either way, the existence of these begins only supports the second theory I'm going to be talking about in this chapter: UGE.

UGE, or Unexplained Genetic Expression, refers to the fact that all of these groups have come into existence around the same time. And the fact that it's really goddamn confusing. Why? Why are there mutants, metas, and everything in-between, but only now? Mutant and Meta extremists claim that they're the next step in human evolution, but that doesn't make much sense from a genealogical standpoint, as any evolutionary biologist will tell you. Our powers are simply too far removed from humanity for that to make any sense? Another theory, credible from some perspectives and completely insane from others, is that some higher power, be it the Abrahamic God, any of the many pantheons that used to reign over Earth, or Ancient Aliens, nudged us in this direction, through any number of means. This is a rare sentence, and hopefully I won't have to say it again, but... I don't know. And unless Crystal Dragon Jesus decides to show himself, I don't think we ever will.

Anyone remember Iceland? No, not that one. This one. Yeah, that time my dad and some other jerks took over a small nation.

They took over a nation, well, partly because they;re not very nice people, but also because... it was easier. Easier, specifically, than running for office. Since the advent of superhumans, people have been able to, either through sheer personal power, or having enough power to draw similarly powered allies to them, take over entire countries. And hell, I won't deny it, even if I don't agree with his philosophy, he made Iceland into something better. What happened after he disappeared, along with his friends, and left the country to my uncle, Hadrian... is a subject best not broached, even in this book.

Why is this? Why not run for political office, say? I mean, if I wanted I could disguise myself magically and enhance my own charisma with a few simple spells, and you all would vote for me, you'd simply need to. Now, I've had power long enough, and never abused it, for that not to be a problem, but... as one of my favorite authors ever once wrote, Thus it would amuse me to do so, if I meant to rule.

So why do people not choose to do that? Well, besides the fact that mind-influencing powers aren't that common, running for office takes time, and its boring. I've been known to enjoy combat, and my theories on powers, and how they affect the brain, are all over this book, so I won't bore you by reiterating. Basically, without all the psychology and pontificating, my theory (for the thousandth time, I know) is that superhumans are driven to fight. Some of the 'capes' of the world are non powered, but sadists, masochists, and the like are all naturally occurring. What I think really proves my theory, though, is that in a word where I'm wrong people like myself would spend more time doing what I like to do: improving the world. I mean, there would be supercriminals all the same, but instead of altruistically-motivated superhuman seeking out those who rob banks with their powers, they'd be doing more mundane things. Hell, people with eye-beams could stare into a room all day and generate renewable energy forever. No, our powers have a psychological effect on us. And the natural end-point of that, especially when the amoral and ambitious gain powers, is Empires.

Take, for example, that time Adrian Hastings* tried to take over Nebraska. (Yeah, I know. I wouldn't want Nebraska either.) The man was really rich, enough to have adamantium-plated space ships and other weird shit. He could have bought Nebraska if he wanted. Hell, as far as I know he was just a human, so my theory isn't relevant. Why did he bother to attack, when he knew that superhumans would try to stop him, if not a tactical nuclear bombardment from the US Military? Because, he was insane, yes. But also because it simply seemed easier. The global paradigm has shifted dramatically, because now there are people who can simply walk into a room and kill everyone inside. Or worse, an entire country. And the fear of someone like Saddam or Hitler having the power to do that? That nightmare has already happened, and I should know. He's my dad.

*Here's a funny anecdote about the Hastings family. Maxwell Hastings, Adrian's kid, is also a magic user, and like me his dad made himself into a robot and then died. It's strikingly similar.

Anyone remember Iceland? No, not that one. This one. Yeah, that time my dad and some other jerks took over a small nation.

They took over a nation, well, partly because they;re not very nice people, but also because... it was easier. Easier, specifically, than running for office. Since the advent of superhumans, people have been able to, either through sheer personal power, or having enough power to draw similarly powered allies to them, take over entire countries. And hell, I won't deny it, even if I don't agree with his philosophy, he made Iceland into something better. What happened after he disappeared, along with his friends, and left the country to my uncle, Hadrian... is a subject best not broached, even in this book.

Why is this? Why not run for political office, say? I mean, if I wanted I could disguise myself magically and enhance my own charisma with a few simple spells, and you all would vote for me, you'd simply need to. Now, I've had power long enough, and never abused it, for that not to be a problem, but... as one of my favorite authors ever once wrote, Thus it would amuse me to do so, if I meant to rule.

So why do people not choose to do that? Well, besides the fact that mind-influencing powers aren't that common, running for office takes time, and its boring. I've been known to enjoy combat, and my theories on powers, and how they affect the brain, are all over this book, so I won't bore you by reiterating. Basically, without all the psychology and pontificating, my theory (for the thousandth time, I know) is that superhumans are driven to fight. Some of the 'capes' of the world are non powered, but sadists, masochists, and the like are all naturally occurring. What I think really proves my theory, though, is that in a word where I'm wrong people like myself would spend more time doing what I like to do: improving the world. I mean, there would be supercriminals all the same, but instead of altruistically-motivated superhuman seeking out those who rob banks with their powers, they'd be doing more mundane things. Hell, people with eye-beams could stare into a room all day and generate renewable energy forever. No, our powers have a psychological effect on us. And the natural end-point of that, especially when the amoral and ambitious gain powers, is Empires.

Take, for example, that time Adrian Hastings* tried to take over Nebraska. (Yeah, I know. I wouldn't want Nebraska either.) The man was really rich, enough to have adamantium-plated space ships and other weird shit. He could have bought Nebraska if he wanted. Hell, as far as I know he was just a human, so my theory isn't relevant. Why did he bother to attack, when he knew that superhumans would try to stop him, if not a tactical nuclear bombardment from the US Military? Because, he was insane, yes. But also because it simply seemed easier. The global paradigm has shifted dramatically, because now there are people who can simply walk into a room and kill everyone inside. Or worse, an entire country. And the fear of someone like Saddam or Hitler having the power to do that? That nightmare has already happened, and I should know. He's my dad.

*Here's a funny anecdote about the Hastings family. Maxwell Hastings, Adrian's kid, is also a magic user, and like me his dad made himself into a robot and then died. It's strikingly similar.

Introduction.

If you picked this book up for a reason other that to put on your coffee table on the hope that it looks classy, you're probably wondering what the title means. Simply put, some scholars of the esoteric divide history into 'Worlds,' which most people would interpret as ages. Later on, I'll explain what Worlds preceded our own, but all you need to know right now is that a World is marked by a distinct shift in society. For example, the Industrial Revolution changed society from relying on farming and manual labor to reliance on machines. The Sixth World is a similar shift, but instead of being heralded by a change in technology, it's a change in us.

Humans are different. Some of us, the mutants, manifest powers at a certain age. Some of us, the metahumans, manifest powers in times of high emotion, called by some a 'trigger event.' Some of us use plain old human technology to become something more, a cyborg or an AI. And some of us work for power, reshaping reality with magic. By 2075, human society will look completely alien. Massive leapfrogs in technology mean we'll have colonized other stars, even other dimensions, and the average human will be able to cast spells, 'jack in' to a shared virtual reality, and fly under their own power.

We live in a world where there's an extra continent, a world where eleven day empires and the eradication of cities is commonplace. What's considered normal has changed so much that even I feel old, and I'm... well, that's complicated. So welcome, ladies and gentlemetas, to the Sixth World.

If you're unfamiliar with these, familiarize yourself with them.

Table of Contents.

1. One Through Five- What were the Worlds that came before this one?

2. nuHumans- What links those touched by magic, the metas, and the muties?

3. UGE- The Five Races theory.

4. Cops and Robbers- Why is it no prison can hold super villains?

5. DO NOT MESS WITH TIME- Seriously. Don't.

6. Empires- Armed takeover is more expedient than running for office.

7. Tinkers and Thinkers- The super-intelligent are fast-forwarding past technological dead ends.

8. Blood in the Streets- What happens when people stop paying attention to the men in spandex punching each other above New York?

9. The Super-Elite, Literally- Artificial powers and Case-53s.

10. The Shape of Things to Come- What all of this means for the future, and why you won't be there.

About the Author.

Jean Knightfall is a businesswoman, inventor, and mage, currently involved with one Mat Hadley. They live in northern New York.

Her interests include cats, magic, writing, and cats.

The Divus Dart.

The future of war. A weapon that costs sixty thousand dollars to make, and will be sold in individual units for twice that. Come with four shots, extra ammounition can be purchased separately. What makes the Divus Dart special? You might have guessed it already... it's made from nGod Crystals.

The Dart fires a single dart a a time, with two 'settings.' One is intended for medical administration, and uses one of the bottom two darts, injecting like a needle. It is guaranteed that injection with one of these darts will transform you or your soldier into an nGod, with beneficial powers that don't negatively effect your appearance or mind. The second setting is lethal. It will transform an individual into an nGod in a manner that will kill them, or drive them insane and lead them to kill their teammates.

• HUD linked for better aiming.
• Darts tipped with carbonadium to ensure penetration.
• Divus obtained through hunting for the crystals, and R&D to divine the effects of the individual crystals is expensive, though one crystal can be used to make many darts.

nGoggles.

Is your best friend secretly a metahuman? That bumbling, beglassed coworker moonlighting as Thee Champion? Winder no more, with the nGoggles. Through undetectable genome scanning, see the genetic structure that makes anyone a hero-- or villain. Find out secret identities, reconnoiter before missions, or peer through walls.

• Other features include thermal, infrared, and x-ray modes.
• Lenses only tint red when in use, otherwise appearing as normal sunglasses.
• Top-of-the-line HUD, able to like with any other KI device.
• Not guaranteed to protect you from a vengeful super who's family died after you outed their identity.

"I've had some redecorating done, yeah."

This house had a lot of bad memories for me. Some good ones too, but I watched my dad die on the lawn. So... I redid it. With magic. And science. And a nail gun.

Location and Layout.

Built inside of a large, magically-shielded waterfall near the US-Canada border, Knight Falls is home now to the third generation of Knightfalls belonging to an offshoot group originating from the Cold War. Each has acted differently, with Jean's grandparents using the home as a secret base of operations for their criminal enterprises, and Orpheus using it as a lab for testing weapons, both conventional and decidedly not. But Jean's designs for it are very different.

• Level One: The entrance to the facility, as well as a dining room, meeting room, and lounge are all that is found on this floor. Most visitors never get past this area, being meant for showing off, discussing the transference of obscene amounts of money, and playing video games.
• Level Two: This level is a continuation of the 'presentable, but insanely cool' theme from Level One, with guest rooms, an abridged library, and what is most easily described as a holodeck.
• Level Three: Access to this level is given reluctantly, but to trusted friends of Jean, or at least someone she respects. Her private office is here, which is locked at all times to anyone but her, an unabridged library, full of forbidden magical tomes and the like, and a workshop.
• Level Four: All of Level Four is a sprawling research room, including stasis tubes for holding critically injured subjects with unknown injuries, regeneration machines, and an AI nurse that handles most of the non-interesting things Jean is too busy for.
• Level Five: Jean's huge bedroom/private movie theater is the main attraction on this floor, which only two people have access to, one of which is dead, and the other, owning the entire house. However, a private workshop with Jean's pet projects is also there, and a spell research room that is very nearly indestructible, due to the often literally explosive spells tested there.
• Level Six: In Level Six is the myriad of unethical, terrifying, fringe-science experiments Orpheus Knightfall left to his daughter, which she promptly locked away. Only one thing from inside was ever allowed out, a hovering, telepathic 'housecoat' Jean adopted, as it had a simplistic, childlike intelligence, which is rapidly evolving at a frightening pace.
• Room 101: Everyone knows what's in room 101. Room 101 is the worst thing in the world.

Inhabitants.

Jean Knightfall.

Project Omicron-214 ("Omi").

Defenses.

Gallery

Interior.

Gallery