Heritage - (ARCHAIC Sense) Christians, ancient Israelites, or simply special individuals blessed to be seen as God's chosen children.
The year is 2008, December 14th. Earth's population was swarmed with a mysterious airborne virus that contaminated them with a genetic mutation called P11G9, also known as Potent. Due to the excessive "force of power" distributed within people, many couldn't handle this intake and literally exploded. Half of the world's population was decimated, leaving no more than 40% alive. This caused a toppling of Earth's societies as many nations fell into despair after what would be known as the viral "Anathema Crisis".
Many of the fortunate survivors of this epidemic were children and teenagers. Governments around the world, with the help of many nations' scientists; managed to synthesize a cure for the remaining population of Earth. Fearing that this "rambunctious combustion" within people could likely happen again, they were eager to distribute it. As a few years went by, many had to pay for the cure while most kids were the ones who weren't able to get cured at all. This was due to the fact that; for some reason anyone under the age of 18 was tolerant to it.
During these years many of the kids slowly grew a "potency" within them over time. Actually gaining "superpowers" that you'd read about in comic books or see in live action films... A name grew for these kids. They were labeled as "Potentials" amongst society. A lot of the younger audience; not having proper guidance, steered to mischievous tendencies and utilized their special abilities in abusive means. Though this didn't apply for all, as many tried to continue going about their day to day lives.
Some even grew to hate themselves due to their mutations. A great deal of people actually grew bitter of these special children, in some countries even becoming oppressive to them. On many occasions; people who didn't possess the virus anymore made derogatory terms towards them. Such as; "Aberrant" and "Spawns of Satan". The most common word of discrimination used against a Potential is "Deviant", which would be the new equivalent to the cruelest of racial slurs.
Eventually a spiteful man within the U.S. senate successfully established the "Martin Heath Law", which enabled numerous angry citizens of the non-potential surviving fraction to commit foul acts of prejudice towards various kids throughout North America. It grew so bad to the point that many teen Potentials started riots. This led to the creation of FBX Mark I. A gas that was able to personally attack the neural system within a Potential, rendering them unconscious.
The results were drastic though, since many teenagers received brain damage from the effects of this gas. It later created an uproar within the Western countries, forcing the U.S. government to "discontinue" it. 6 years later (current day: 2018, April 26), the government was given an interesting proposition from an upcoming member of the National School Boards Association, Don J. Morrigan. This proposition was the request to fund a national program called "The Coverage", that would give home to Potentials, as well as keep them from harming themselves or others.
Once an agreement was met, several "special" institutes for younger people with special abilities were formed all around North America. Publicly, these institutes in particular were solely based on the purpose of providing a safer workspace for students with P11G9 as well as helping them maintain their powers in the near future. Secretly the U.S. Government allowed a private detachment of the CIA known as "Complexus" to pluck kids away from the institutes who showed bizarre results in their abilities or misused them.
No one truly knows what happens to these kids, though rumors have surfaced that these kids undergo cruel experiments and other tests to turn them into "monsters" as if they weren't already. A lot of parents were still skeptical of admitting their children into these institutes and even though they didn't have to, it was likely better than suffering the cruel discrimination out in the real world. No one was able to properly distinguish a good Potential from a malicious one though, which caused a tumult within several schools; as many of them were cross-filled with delinquents, goodie-two shoes, and the everyday norms.
One of which would be Silverleaf Institute. Silverleaf is unlike the many other institutes for Potentials throughout the United States. What makes Silverleaf so unique is the lack of press and publicity it gets from the outside world. With it residing on the soils of Palouse, Washington; it is far more secluded than the other institutes. This allows for the free rein of the institute to function without the watchful eye of the outside world. On another note though, Complexus installed a private security force that answers directly to them.
They've done this same method for the various institutes throughout the U.S. to maintain secrecy amongst each school. The private security agency situated in Palouse is known as Bulwark. These guys are all paramilitary who have no need for the usage of weapons. They themselves are the weapons. Many members of Bulwark were amongst the first kids to be contaminated with the P11G9 virus. Bulwark Security specializes in disorientating, inhibiting, and completely rendering their targets of physical to potency capabilities.
Usually a member of this security force is likely to possess a great potency that has had years of training. Following this bit, every student inducted into the institute is given a smartwatch fabricated by Bulwark called the iPotency Watch. The watch in particular is used as a school ID, a phone for the students, potency tracking, and much more. Students need the watch for practically everything at the institute as far as needing to enter buildings and obtaining school lunch.
What most students don't know is that Bulwark Security implemented a tracker within the watch to keep tabs on every student at all times. Along with the students, the faculty are also unaware of this as well. They believe the security force is there to personally protect the students from outside forces when in reality, Bulwark works directly under the needs of Complexus. Most faculty members within Silverleaf are Potentials, too. Though many of them don't have greater potency training like Bulwark Security. With a few staff members amongst faculty who don't possess a potency; they mainly indulge themselves into gadgetry and research.
Upon graduation, a senior at the institute is interviewed by members of the Coverage School Board. This is to determine whether or not the Potential deserves to roam free in the outside world. If the senior does not qualify for officially graduating; the school board is to send them to a group home specifically for Potentials. If the person does qualify, though, he or she is allowed to freely live their lives within reason of the U.S. Government.
They're pretty much forced to do monthly check ups to continuously evaluate their mental state, well-being, and contribution to society. Those who fail their check ups are also sent to group homes. For the seniors who failed their graduation entirely, well no one truly knows what happens to them as there have been rumors of them not ending up in group homes at all.
So, there you have it. The Prologue… Brought to you by your friendly neighborhood narrator. The world fell apart, and somehow, we kept moving, like roaches crawling through the wreckage. The world didn't just end. It rotted. Oh, by the way, I'm the Teller and as you may or may not know, I'm one of the Potentials that I oh-so speak of. I was actually born way later on, after the whole Crisis mumbo jumbo. Seemingly, I possess the potency to recall all past, present, and future events; as well as cycle through events like tv programs with just the blink of my eyes. Pretty cool right? Well it's not! You try accidentally blinking back in time to relive the experience of your fucking birth.
Sigh… That's neither a here nor there. Let's keep this non-profane for all the little cupcakes and dinosaurs. Anyways back to the actual story. This'll follow the lives of several characters within their own perspectives. Some of their shitty lives are a tad bit boring so leave it to the Teller to make them seem more… "presentable" to the audience. Let's start off with my least favorite character…. He's a bit of the typical edgy princess who wishes to be the stubborn "save-the-day" MC. God, I hate main characters…