BACKGROUND: Royal Privilege

All full-blooded Royals and related families are monitored for genetic drift and for protection against inbreeding defects. If current genetic markers rise above a 25% mutation level, out-sourcing is required to protect bloodlines (BL).

All Royal BL are considered important and vital to the community as a whole. This is because one particular BL might be instrumental to protect the overall population. A previously inadequate BL might be needed in the future and contribute to the health and well-being of the population.

Royals have a key feature that distinguishes them from the rest of the general population, feathered wings. The wings were introduced during the reign of Pharaoh Ramah Sa Ahzlu.

His father mated with a celestial (aka angel) as part of an experimental eugenics program. The mating produced Pharaoh Ramah. Such a mating (cat to celestial) mutated typical family BL traits (which will be soon explained).

While other races that mated with celestials produced predictable-generalized characteristics such as wings, improved healing factors, enhanced strength, 360° vision etc.

These characteristics generally had the same level of enhancements across all races. Additionally, these traits could be passed on for up to 4 generations without additional celestial back breeding.

Even past the 4th generation, traits could lie dormant and may emerge randomly in later generations. These phenotype traits typically manifest at birth, unlike other races where these traits manifest during puberty or traumatic event.

Inversely, family bloodline abilities would manifest by some sort of life-changing event: puberty, life-threatening event, some sort of stress or sexual stimulation are uncommon, but not unheard of.

This can occur in 25% of the cases reported. When the celestial influence and feline BL’s mix a strange cross-ability can and will often occur.

This occurrence is called the Nephilim Effect. The Karacmar, or Royal Family Doctor, who first discovered this reaction, noticed the change in the eyes but also reported cases where certain abilities can manifest.

While normal celestials have to follow certain rules, the feline race doesn’t. If (for example) a celestial kills a mortal without bringing them back to life or healing them up, a permanent loss of powers occur.

Even in ½ breeds, they would experience a temporary loss of abilities. The cause of this is not fully known. Full blooded cats (with a > 1.0% trace of non-cat blood) would instead gain powers. This is unknown as well.

These abilities can be stacked up to 9 times with new powers developing at each level. The 9 levels of the Nephilim Effect are jealously guarded secrets by the noble families.

Often times they will kill or memory wipe those who whiteness these powers in action to preserve their secrets. These powers are often used a used as a weapon of terrors, as so-called “fear of the unknown” factor.

***

“Wait, if I am dead, why am I not fighting the people I’ve killed?” I said to myself.

My mind drifted back to the stories my mom told me of No-Name the Mercenary, how she was plucked from the Ghetto the stories of her trials by my mom when I was a kitten.

“I only killed a few ratkin and maybe punched a guy in the face and he got really sick. Does that count as a kill?” I asked out loud, expecting no answer.

Not thinking things through I saw my body and tried to get back into it by lying on top of me.

I fell into my body, deep into the core of my being. As I descended the world grew smaller and smaller above me till I landed with a thud on the bombed out street. Buildings watched over me, looming as if about to fall on and consume me.

Down the long narrow street a brand new building with green trees and a tall iron fence around it. It was my old (or this case new) private school.

I started to stand up when someone extended a hand to me. I took it, expecting to see a knife in the other. It was me, well at least an older version of me who helped me to my feet!

“Arise little knight,” he said.

It was what my mom always called me.

I, or future me, was a bit taller with groomed nails and nicer hair. The idea finally hit me, like a bolt of lightning. I somehow jumped forward in time and I was not dead!

“I know this is a bit confusing, so let me explain,” my future self said.

I interrupted me, “Yeah, I already know. I was taught this is school. Somehow I managed to fall through time and I am here to warn me about paradox. Don’t worry, I won’t ask about the future or anything stupid like that. We just need to locate a Time Mage or a Science Cat so that can send me back and….”

“What?” future me asked.

“Did the Time Mages change their names again or something? Maybe we should just skip them and just ask the Science Cats to fix this. By the way, how DID I jump in time?” I asked my future self. “Or am I not allowed to ask that?”

“Hit the afterburners, you got it all wrong,” he said.

“Well, I know I’m not dead, or you’d be a ratkin or something,” I snapped back.

He let out a sigh and shook his head, “I know this is cliché’ but I AM your father!”

“Wait, so I traveled back in time?” I asked.

“Damn you son, how can you be so thick?!?!?! Ok, let me break this down to you in big crayon and coloring book,” he said. “You jumped out of your body, or as they say you had an out of body experience. Instead of jumping back in, you went too deep and went into your core or your true self. From here you can access all memories of your past.”

Still puzzled I asked, “So why are you here?”

“Finally a good question,” my father responded “You needed help and you pulled me from your memories or if you really want to get technical, your DNA.”

I pondered the thought for a second. The clergy during Mom’s wake told us that our Ancestors always talk to us. Everything they have learned and experienced is passed on to us through your DNA.

“Precisely,” he said.

“What? You can read my mind?” I asked.

“Well, technically I am your mind,” he responded.

Another idea popped in my head, he may know why he left us.

“I don’t know, I can only give you my best guess,” he responded.

“Oh, yeah the mind thing,” I replied.

“I can only tell you what I know up to the point where I got your mom pregnant. You know, the DNA thing,” Dad responded.