On the first of March, 2126, a child was born. Not just any child — the first of their kind. A superhuman.
Their birth sent ripples across the globe. Soon, more children like them appeared everywhere. At first, they were seen as curiosities, then as the next step in human evolution. Little did anyone realize how profoundly these "super-kids" would reshape the world.
Jobs vanished. Who needed farmers when crops sprouted at a snap? Who needed armies when citizens were bulletproof? Governments grew fearful of their own people — which, in my opinion, was a good thing. But instead of adapting, leaders clamped down. They hoarded wealth, deployed armies, and tried to keep the world "normal."
It backfired. Badly.
By 2157, the global economy collapsed.
—Lia's holographic slideshow flickers with images of ruined cities, skyscrapers being used as vertical farms and long lines of people bartering their possessions for food—
The super-kids were now adults. They watched powerless parents lose everything. Some saw them die at the hands of soldiers sworn to protect them. Rage followed.
Three years later, in 2160, war erupted. Humanity pushed back. And with superhumans leading the charge, the war was short — three years to dismantle every government and army. - Lia's slideshow moves to images of superhumans in action. A child is seen holding a melted gun in their hand, a person shooting energy blasts from their palms and a squadron of humans flying without tools or machines-
The foremost heroes were a group called The Hand, known only by their monikers:
Oracle — the genius tactician
Aftershock — earth manipulator
Glitch — the hacker
Flora — plant manipulator
Wildwhisper — speaker to animals
"Teacher Lia, isn't The Hand a kinda corny name?" Kaylee asked.
Lia smiled. "It's all about perspective. Hands can create, nurture, comfort, and protect. They can also form fists to destroy. And most importantly, a raised fist is defiance. Fitting, don't you think?"
Kaylee sighed. "As usual, you give me no room to argue. But how do you know so much about them?"
"I don't," Lia replied. "I'm just a history teacher. My job is to connect the evidence we have. These are my thoughts, nothing more."
"Where do you think they are now?"
"That, dear, I cannot answer. They vanished after the treaty was signed."
A chorus of voices erupted. "WHAT TREATY?!"
"In 2163, the Treaty of Equality was signed by a hundred people from across the world," Lia explained. "They vowed that never again would one person rule over another. Not in any way."
—An alarm buzzes—
"Oh dear, that's all we have time for today. Leave your questions on the virtual notice board, and I'll respond soon. For now, I have a meeting with some old friends. See you tomorrow!"