the beginning

In the distant year 5076, Earth, our once-hospitable home, had turned inhospitable due to environmental decay and excessive radiation. Yet, the indomitable human spirit prevailed as we harnessed the power of advanced technology to traverse the cosmos and find refuge on distant planets. With each leap, we distanced ourselves from the unstable star, The Sun, seeking stability and safety in the unknown depths of space.

As technology expanded, so did humanity, adapting physically and biologically to the diverse ecosystems of the planets they inhabited. Despite these remarkable strides, not all were able to evolve in harmony with their new environments, pushing the human race to the precipice of extinction. Yet, a determined few, who had successfully adapted, embarked on a mission to seek out new worlds, leaving behind the remnants of their kind.

Guided by technological advancements and a relentless quest for survival, these evolved humans journeyed beyond our galaxy, away from the Milky Way's confines. Their travels unexpectedly brought them to a colossal planet, The Zeroes, dwarfing even Jupiter in size and mirroring their ancestral Earth in astonishing ways.

With only 27 survivors left, the evolved humans forged a new beginning on The Zeroes. They assimilated the peculiar flora and fauna, gradually establishing societies and cultures. The timeline marked 1092 when a disease, carried by a creature known as 'peto,' affected the humans. Initially benign, the disease evolved within human bodies, catalyzing unprecedented brain development and comprehension.

With the passage of time, this once-harmful ailment morphed into a remarkable gift. Undetected, it expanded human genes, leading to heightened intellectual capacity and greater insight. Harnessing their newfound enlightenment, humans accelerated their technological prowess, evolving at an astonishing pace, both physically and mentally.

By the year 2132, humans had reached a pinnacle of enlightenment and power. Despite their advanced state, only a quarter of The Zeroes had been explored, their low population contrasting their high intelligence. Two distinct categories of abilities emerged among them:

1. **Psionics**: The power to manipulate physical matter.

2. **Alchemy**: The ability to create physical matter.

These overarching powers branched into various specialized skills, contributing to humanity's dominion over the environment and technology. A golden era of harmony and tranquility stretched for fifty millennia, but then, an unforeseen adversary arrived.

In the shadowy year 5xxxx, five Ikarians, driven by a mixture of boredom and curiosity, stumbled upon The Zeroes. Their initial assault spiraled into fascination as the planet remarkably withstood their onslaught. Some Ikarians seethed with frustration, while others were intrigued by the defiance they encountered.

Humanity's advanced powers resisted the invaders, even succeeding in killing one Ikar. However, the Ikarians wielded an overwhelming strength that outmatched humanity's capabilities. A brutal two-year war ensued, a cataclysmic clash so fierce that the very planet became a battleground, fragmenting into six distinct regions.

The aftermath of the war pushed humanity to the brink of annihilation once more. Over the subsequent 5279 years, humans, relentless and determined, rebounded and grew stronger. Despite being subjugated by the Ikarians, they never lost hope. In time, the history of their origins became clouded and distorted, with the Ikarians themselves being mythologized as "the beings who ascended to greatness," a twist of fate that mirrored the struggles of humanity's long journey.