Year 2010.
Kryox Kingdom – Alpha Region.
Alpha had no king.
It was ruled by a Committee of Seven, the most powerful governing body in Kryox. At its head stood Morris Vale — Chief Director of DRO operations and controller of Alpha's advanced technology laboratories.
Under his command, science replaced nature.
Power replaced freedom.
Beyond the shining towers and neon lights of Alpha, behind security walls and surveillance drones, lay the Backside District — a neglected region where the weak, abandoned, and surviving Feralis struggled to live.
Apartment 512.
Inside a small, dimly lit room, a 19-year-old boy slept.
His name was Kai.
Black glasses rested beside his pillow.
He was dreaming.
Heavy rain poured from a dark sky.
A girl stood before him, tears mixing with the rain.
"Zara…" Kai whispered.
Her eyes were red from crying.
"You never loved me," she said, her voice shaking. "You only came to me because of my father."
Kai stepped forward. "No, that's not true—"
"I'm leaving," she cut him off. "You will always be alone, Kai. That is your punishment."
The rain grew heavier.
"No… no… no!"
Kai jolted awake in his bed, breathing hard.
Silence.
From downstairs, his mother's voice echoed through the hall.
"Kai! Breakfast! You'll be late for work!"
He rubbed his face and sat up slowly.
A few minutes later, he walked down the stairs wearing black jeans, a white T-shirt, a long black coat, and his signature black glasses.
At the breakfast table sat his father, mother, younger brother, and sister.
His father looked at him with disappointment.
"Can't you leave this job and continue school?"
Kai didn't look up. "I can't."
His mother sighed gently. "We already discussed this. He will choose his own path."
His father frowned. "Your brother and sister will soon finish school and join the DRO army. Why can't you?"
Kai grabbed a sandwich.
"I'll be late tonight," he told his mother quietly.
Then he left.
Mora Export Factory
A container truck waited outside.
Inside, a middle-aged mechanic waved at him. "You're late. Get in. We're ready."
Kai climbed inside and glanced at the truck's interior.
"You never get tired of building these simple machines?" Kai said. "Look at other companies — high-tech, armored, advanced. And you still use old-style systems. I hate your taste."
The mechanic laughed. "Are you done complaining? Then let's go."
The truck moved toward the Backside District.
Alpha DRO Headquarters
Towering glass buildings pierced the sky.
Inside the central command room, Morris Vale stood before massive digital screens displaying security feeds and lab reports.
"Status?" Morris asked coldly.
His secretary, Julia, checked her wrist-band interface.
"Wall security stable. Laboratory upgrades progressing smoothly."
A phone rang.
"Chief, it's Victoria."
Morris exhaled. His wife.
"Put her through."
"Where is Elara?" Victoria's voice came sharply through the line. "She left without telling me!"
Morris closed his eyes briefly. "Again?"
"I'm serious."
"I'll track her."
He lowered the phone.
"Julia. Locate my daughter."
Moments later—
"She's in Red Code District."
Morris' jaw tightened.
"Prepare soldiers. If the Feralis find out she's my daughter, they'll kill her."
Red Code District – Backside Area
The truck stopped near crowded markets and damaged buildings.
The mechanic warned Kai, "Be careful. Many Feralis live here — abandoned after the war. They hate people like us."
Kai nodded silently and began unloading boxes.
Three sleek modern cars stopped near a popular underground bar.
The doors folded inward, transforming into wrist-bands.
Three girls stepped out.
Elara Vale.
Bati.
Rose.
Rose smiled. "This place is famous for wine and food. Let's try it."
Inside, loud music vibrated through the walls.
At the bar, three young men approached them.
"Dance with us?"
Elara's expression turned cold.
One step forward.
Slap.
The boy staggered back.
The girls left the bar.
Outside, in a dark alley—
"Hey, little princess," one of the boys growled. "You have to pay for that."
They forced the girls deeper into the alley.
Fear spread across Rose's face.
"Help!" Elara shouted.
From the shadow of a nearby building—
Kai stepped forward.
The boys turned.
"If you want to live," one of them sneered, "walk away."
Kai gave a small signal to the girls with his eyes.
Run.
They ran.
The boys chased them.
Kai grabbed Elara's hand and pulled all three into a side street.
"This way," he whispered urgently.
Footsteps echoed behind them.
"Inside that building!" Kai ordered.
They ran up the stairs to the rooftop.
Breathing heavily.
Elara stared at him. "What are you doing here? This area is dangerous."
Rose asked nervously, "Why?"
Suddenly—
The three boys stepped forward slowly.
"You kids are finished," Mike said, his voice suddenly deeper… less human.
A strange glow began to form in his eyes — golden, sharp, predatory.
Jedi's pupils narrowed, turning a piercing amber like a hunting bird.
Locus' eyes darkened into a thick, earthy brown.
Bati's voice trembled. "Their eyes…"
Mike's body twisted first. Bones cracked violently. His spine arched, muscles tearing through fabric. In seconds, where a boy had stood, a massive black panther crouched low, its golden eyes glowing under the rooftop lights.
Jedi leapt into the air as feathers burst from his skin. His arms stretched, fingers fusing, reshaping into powerful wings. A full eagle shrieked into the night sky, circling above them.
Locus dropped to all fours. His body thickened, skin hardening into armored grey hide. With a brutal snort, a full-grown rhino stamped against the concrete roof, cracking it slightly beneath his weight.
Rose stumbled backward. "They're Feralis…"
The rooftop filled with the sound of animal breathing.
Heavy.
Hungry.
Dangerous.
Kai did not move.
He did not remove his black glasses.
Under the lenses, something faint flickered — but no one could see it.
Not yet.