Rigel Rising

Stage 8- Irradiated

Where to begin?

To be honest, this information was handed down by an orphanage matron that took care of me here when I was just a child.

An orphan shuttled from the kingdom back in Gearth to the space colony.

Most of my companions back then got immediately adopted before our feet barely touched the port.

With all the publicity and fame we are getting, I knew, or wish, maybe hoped fervently that I too will get my turn to have a family.

But days turn to weeks, weeks to months, and months to years, and no one came to even look at me.

Anyways, back to my matron.

She said that the reason why no one is adopting me is that I am Irradiated.

She knew the secret my deceased parents only knew and brought to their graves because she is also like me.

A radioactive outcast.

Yes.

Radioactive.

You see, the Irradiated's powers came from space radiation. The reason why we are so rare of a breed is that our mothers are accidentally at the wrong place and at the wrong time when small waves of radiation from the heavens above managed to pierce our planet's atmosphere and fall through unsuspecting women early in their pregnancy.

The matron said that that knowledge is a common one with the science field. Inhumane experiments have been carried out, not sanctioned by the royal family, of course, through the turn of the century to replicate the event and produce more like us to no avail.

It seemed that there is a specific variable, one could say a random chance that an unsuspecting pregnant woman, be it she is inside her home or out and about, be affected by the cosmic rays at an exact most inopportune time without her knowing at all.

Well, one, this is for sure, though. The larger your country's landmass, the larger the chance you will get Irradiateds.

That is why the Empire of Nero has the advantage over the Kingdom of Reginald and the Principality of Baldur. It has a greater size than the two times many over.

Though only recently coming into the light, our kind has been documented well throughout our world's history, way back when we are just pointing and drawing lines on the stars during the night.

Great generals, gifted musicians, talented artists, feared dictators, revered scholars, godly healers, unbelievable inventors, and other venerated people, heroes and heroines almost long forgotten are now said to be Irradiateds.

They performed incredible feats well beyond their time and capabilities, some invented machinery that we are unable to improve over until now.

They said that the founding fathers of Nero and Reginald and the founding mother of Baldur are Irradiated themselves, and there is more than sufficient evidence to back that claim.

Changing color of eyes, inhuman, almost mythical abilities, and debilitating illness are well noted among the empire, kingdom, and principality's scholars, who all agreed unanimously that their founding leaders are worthy of being put on the highest pedestal of their respective nations.

Those were called the golden age of legends. When mankind accepted demigod-like mortals for their feats and glorified them.

But as we all know, admiration comes hand in hand with jealousy and envy.

Praise turns to disgusts, applause to punches, and veneration to fear.

Those who are envious of the abilities of the Irradiateds began spreading falsehood about them.

That they are evil beings that feed off the spirits of the people. Vile creatures deceive and fool people into believing that they are doing something extraordinary when they are just masquerading as someone they are not.

And so began the witch hunt for our kind. Many of my people are murdered, killed brutally for sins they never committed. All born with inhuman capabilities are either shunned, hidden, disowned, or worse, perish in the hands of their own parents or relatives.

With the stigma now associated with Irradiateds, there are no longer people who spur greatness in others. There are no trailblazers, no great teachers, or scholars to cultivate the next generation of children who will bring about another technological progress in mankind, among other significant cultural and spiritual comforts our kind has given to our fellow humans.

Thus, Gearth entered the Dark Age of Stagnation. Where nations war among themselves for a sliver of glory or piece of land for their own cannot support their people without innovation for centuries.

The world would have fallen into chaos, but surprisingly, three powerful Irradiateds emerged from the c*****e of war.

Neroia the Conqueror from the north. A man of great size and strength is said to be undefeatable, and that is hard to dismiss since he conquered virtually the vast northern continent of what is now the Empire of Nero.

Regis the Stalwart from the east. Cold and calculating, it is said that whatever territory he claims as his own will be nigh-impregnable to attacks, and with the entire eastern continent of what is no the Kingdom of Regeinland practically untouchable, it is all the proof the claim needs.

Baldura the Charmer from the west. Beguiling and silver-tongued, it is said that she can bring even a barbaric caveman into the negotiating table without a single word.   With the alliances and defensive treaties she forged from her dangerous neighbors easily secured, she really earned the title.

From the ashes and blood of the fallen nations rose these three territories, and they will inevitably go to war with each other.

But it didn't happen...

Under an ancient warfare law, the three leaders met before the start of the conflict and, right there and then, forged a peace treaty.

For these three are Irradiateds. They refuse to go to war with each other when humans are all too happy to kill them if they are no longer of use.

After all, what's the use of killing each other who shares the same fate as you? Who suffered and understands the life you lead and the future waiting for one another.

They parted ways and went on to lead their respective lands without interference with each other and instructed their successors and people to leave the other nations alone.

You might assume that with Irradiateds now firmly controlling the remaining three countries in Gearth, their kin will finally emerge from their hiding.

But the opposite happened.

The three great founders made sure that they are remained hidden, away from prying eyes, jealous adversaries, and greedy men and women who may want to use their abilities for their own gain.

Instead of exalting their brethren, they used their position and influence to push the existence of Irradiateds to near mythical status. That kind of people doesn't really exist, a product of wishful humans expecting tremendous and impossible things from others because they cannot do something on their own.

Records and books documenting these demigod-like beings are purged from the three nations' archives until all but remained are the vestiges of the founders who renounced their deified status and relinquished their positions quickly to their blood successors, thus starting the ruling dynasties of each nation.

Irradiateds born after this are thankful for these actions that saved them from a lifetime of pain and allowed them to lived a life they wanted.

Some are even unaware of their real natures and went on with their lives, ignorant of their natural powers.

I would have been the same.

I was ignorant of what I really am, if not for the matron who opened my eyes and ears to the truth. She did this because my own powers are related to the battlefield. A sought-after quality of the army.

She quickly noticed my proclivity to strategy, tactics, and

logistics when I excelled on board and in virtual games.

The matron wanted to give me a choice for myself. She knew that once the army, heck, even the king himself, caught wind of my abilities, I will be forced into service without even knowing why.

You see, she can sense our kind, and her blood is potent enough to endanger her life. Mine is nothing compared to her.

If a drop of mine can be used for studies and research. A drop of her own blood can heal wounds, sickness, and maladies instantly.

She is forced to flee her home and live different lives. When I met her, she is posing as an orphanage matron. When I entered the academy, she told me that she will be working next in the space mining industry as a clerk.

Well, I guess that is for the primer of how our kind came to be.