Many breakthroughs have been made in the past decade. It is now a largely accepted belief that radiation from the Calamities caused many humans to mutate, with most dying off. Those who survived developed abilities over the course of generations and became the Silvers we know today. Scientists are also circling the general hypothesis of competitive evolution. They now believe that Reds were constantly evolving alongside Silvers, and the presence of Silver abilities forced some Reds to adapt abilities of their own for survival.

At present, the Nortan States, the Union of the Lakes, and the Piedmont Federation stand in alliance with the Free Republic of Montfort. All have democratic governments with equality of blood at their cores, unlike the Silver-led nations of Tiraxes and Ciron and many fiefdoms of Prairie. Some detractors accuse Montfort of empire building, as it appears to hold sway over the other governments. The balance of power has certainly shifted, and the remaining Silver nations strive to maintain peace with the Equal Alliance. Some are making strides toward their own transformations. Tiraxes, for example, is introducing equality laws and representation for its Red citizens, while the Warlady of Fourskulls in Prairie recently married a Red.

Who can say where the paths lead, or how the scales may balance in another decade? I suppose I can, but that is my curse. To watch, to see, until the ending of all things. We destroy. We rebuild. We destroy again. It is the constant of our kind. We are all a god’s chosen, and we are all a god’s cursed.

—JON