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Magic. That's how it began. Usually such a statement brings nothing but foreboding, and I would like to make a statement right now that I have not written this book to make people fear. I have written this treatise for the exact opposite reason, if truth be told.

Nine and a quarter centuries ago humans had truly conquered Earth. Of course, the price had been high. Pollution and corruption plagued the world, disease was rampant and to many the end was nigh.

Politically, the world only had two powers left, each controlling the territories claimed by the megacompanies. The United Nations, a global conglomerate of countries that believed in democratic elections, freedom of speech and a very liberal social stance. It was this group that gave birth to the other two. In 2014 a radical group of terrorists began to conquer the Middle East. Many sanctions were placed on it, but in the end, it proved futile. Meanwhile other parts of that area fell into chaos, but no investigations could see, or at least prove the link.

Then came David Wagnes. David began as a soldier serving the United Nations, and he eventually fled the war in Iraq, witnessing the horrors that could not be stopped. He returned in 2017 with his own militia group. He called them the Children. And he was their father. The man was a tactical genius, and several small villages soon were liberated. But while he may sound like a saviour, he was a bloodthirsty dictator. The oppressed he freed, but the enemy was given a single choice: join or die.

Many were intelligent enough to join his cause, swelling his ranks. As for those that chose death? He chose the most public and barbaric of punishments. Crucifixion, fed alive to ants and burning were but a few of his methods. And possibly the cleanest. He began indoctrinating those who followed him to give up their religions, and follow him instead. He decried all gods as impotent, and gave a solution.

In 2018, twelve months after he had returned, all of Iraq was his. At that point, the United Nations and the USA began to ship in troops, to free those under Wagnes' dictatorship. Every soldier who entered the country was given that same choice: join or die. Never before had the country been so united behind one man, one cause. It was a fanaticism unheard of.

As more chaos spread throughout the Middle East the United Nations was clearly losing control of the situation. Iran was clamouring for war with the USA, a war which would clearly lead to nuclear obliteration, Israel and Palestine were killing thousands of each other every day and civil wars had consumed Egypt, Syria and Lebanon. Without enough resources or troops to stop the tide of blood, Wagnes invaded Israel and Palestine both, using their complete lack of order against them. Once again he perpetrated the most heinous acts to ensure that the populace was too afraid to challenge him, and once more the banner of "Join or Die" subdued the country and swelled his fallen ranks.

Wagnes now had global attention. A single man, a mere soldier, had somehow gained the complete adoration of his subjects. And why shouldn't he, some argued, for in his wake public services increased, freedom of religion came about and the general well being of the people improved. That alone would make almost anyone serve him, but in these countries that had known nothing but war for centuries, they had discovered something alien. Peace.

Once again the United Nations sent their diplomats to convince the dictator to join them, to hand over the conquered countries to self governance. But Wagnes would not listen, citing that only a strong dictator could unite this world. Perhaps he was merely greedy, but his greed and ambition saw that by 2025 all of the Middle East had fallen. Pakistan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and even Dubai had all fallen to the warlord's lust for power.

It was only then, once Wagnes had conquered the Middle East that he finally treated with the United Nations. Now controlling most of the world's crude oil, a primitive fuel, Wagnes was able to force the United Nations into a treaty, whereby they recognised his right to rule his united Middle East, now known as Wagnes Imperium. Trade resumed and globally the world began to enter a new era of peace.

However, this was not to last. The Children, the fanatical religion that the followers of Wagnes adhered to, began preaching their beliefs across the world, and the belief spread rapidly. A new age, where the spiritual and the physical will be one. Where those in power would be toppled. The world would be re-ordered to ensure that it continues with an abundance of life. To many this was simply another cult, but the spread of it troubled many governments, as those who joined the Children often challenged social constructs.

Eventually, David Wagnes was exposed for what he truly was. For years, he had demonstrated himself as a tactical genius, a charismatic leader and a vicious enemy. But then he began preaching a new doctrine. The time of Convergence was coming. Once again, this end-of-the-world scenario was dismissed, but every portent he said was coming came true. The British Royal family was wiped out in 2031, killed by nothing more sinister than a gas leak in Buckingham palace. In 2053 North Korea fell into civil war, which soon engulfed its southern neighbour, halting one of the worlds mega companies. Then, in 2060 the USA suffered a devastating terrorist attack on both New York and Washington. Two nuclear devices were set off, wiping out the head of the government and the economic centre of the country. A side effect was the United Nations headquarters was also wiped out.

Finally, as world peace began to crumble the final portent of the Convergence occured. David Wagnes, leader of the Imperium, passed away, leaving the government in the hands of a democracy. This portent began a countdown, as David had predicted the event would occur seven years after his death. During the next seven years the world began to crumble. Country after country began to fall to civil unrest, economies fell apart, crime spread and even world resources like oil began to run out.

Then, after much waiting, it happened. At 8:34am on the 15th July, 2069, the world changed. Much of the photographic and video evidence has been lost or corrupted, but many reliable first-hand accounts remain, and all speak of the same event.

Seven years after David Wagnes passed away a strange energy wave reverberated across the planet, knocking out satellites, wiping computers and causing untold chaos. What followed was an abundance of what can only be described as portals. These portals were prismatic, changing hues much like a rainbow would, and were of various sizes.

There seemed to be no pattern in the placement of these portals, though later research demonstrated that larger portals appeared near areas ancient cultural significance. Then came the Spiritkin.

Spiritkin is a loose term, I know, but it still remains the best terminology to describe all the non-terrestrial life and creatures that came through the portals. Dragons, anthromorphic animals (later dubbed Wildkin by anthropologists), spirits, vampires, fey and all other sorts of creatures attributed to myth and fantasy.

We, the human race, had no idea how to react. They were intelligent and just as various in talents, motives and ideas as we were. Some were even capable of magic, which led to a slew of new sciences. The new creatures changed society. Many people thought them beasts and this led to much violence, and in the chaos many laws were broken, general society fell apart.

A century of darkness followed. Global collapse saw all the world's nations fall into civil war as human and Spiritkin came to terms with a joint world. Wars were common and millions were killed. Sometimes it was a war for territory, other times a religious war going back to when men lived in mud tents and were lacking in science and reason. Other wars were more primitive, as men and Spiritkin, especially the Wildkin, waged war, determined to wipe the other side out. And some were simply for wars of conquest.

Eventually six nations formed and still last to this day.

In the European continent, what had once been the European Union became known as the Kingdom of Flemria, ruled over by the most powerful of the Spiritkin, the dragons. This kingdom had no need of sciences for the people, and instead relied on magic to advance their goals. Relatively peaceful, the dragon nobility had absolute power, and often were accused of being tyrants by quickly silenced rebels.

In Africa, the people fell to the Wildkin, who were far more powerful than their primitive shamanism would lead one believe. This land soon became known simply as Wilds as once great cities crumbled. Tribal life became common, and human beings became little more than slaves. Only one city remained, the great tent city of Ronash, where the tribal chiefs answered to their own lord, the High Chief of the Wilds.

On the American continents humanity had prevailed to achieve dominance and, though many Wildkin also called such a place home. Calling themselves the American Federation, the became a powerhouse of industry, though due overpopulation and lack of resources poverty was rife. Many tried to argue that magical research could aid the situation but the all human senate forbade all magic within their territory.

Asia and Australia had no choice but to rely on each other during the events after the Convergence. Thus led to them combining their resources, finances and even governments to form the Australasian Republic. Powering their economy on both science and magic they created a whole new style of living, and with such technology they became a powerful trading nation, though lacked any real military outside their own territory. Humans and Wildkin seem to enjoy equality in this nation.

The final nation grew out of necessity. As some of the Spiritkin were little more than monsters, namely vampires, werewolves and goblins, and others were tricksters who caused mischief, such as djinn, fairies and rare imps, many people begun to persecute them. Both these groups were dubbed the Etherkin, and many attempted to capture, enslave or wipe them out. In the end the vast majority of Etherkin fled to the British Isles, and banded together to form the Etherkin Alliance. They welcomed all as tourists, but those who attacked citizens were punished severely.

And in this new world, now with new cultures and races, tensions began to grow.

Then a hundred years ago, as nations began to ready their armies for war once again, sanity prevailed. A group of citizens, from all the nations and consisting of Spiritkin and humans, those who followed magic and those who adhered to science, had studied world history and had seen the constant warfare and loss of life. They called themselves the Order of All, and dedicated themselves to the survival of life on Earth in all its forms.

Travelling to the frozen continent of Antarctica, they used advanced science and magic to create a city that delved deep into the ground, and walled it off to protect the city from the environs, and vice versa. A glittering wonder of beauty, the Order then invited the five nations to use the city as a neutral ground and forge a treaty of peace.

Having known bloodshed for so long, the countries agreed, and the Treaty of Unity was signed in the walled city of Juroch. Within Juroch all people would be equal, be they human or Spiritkin and this allowed diplomacy to prevail, and slowly the tensions between the countries lessened. Here trade flowed, deals were made and magic and science led to great leaps and bounds, leading to better healthcare, environmental issues and new modes of transport.

Even war began to be a thing of the past, as the Olympic Games were brought into the new age, incorporating all new events to suit the Spiritkin, magic and even sexuality, redubbed the Unity Games. People loved the games, and soon these games became a way for the five nations to resolve issues in contests of skill, not in one of bloodshed.

And thus began the new world, and in 2964AD the Council of Juroch, the council created to administer the Treaty of Unity, declared that this was a new age for the planet Earth, that such peace and unity across all people required a new age, an Age of Unity.

~ Taken from Dr Eric Odgen's A New World Order (1AU)