Deviant: No Longer Human

The date was May 22nd, 2026. A silver BYD Tang SUV zipped along the northbound highway leading into Beijing, China's sprawling capital.

The vehicle, a blend of modernity and efficiency, was a capsule of familial dynamics, carrying within it four distinct individuals, each absorbed in their own thoughts yet bound by blood and shared history.

The patriarch of the group, an elderly man with a flowing white beard and skin etched with the tales of years gone by, broke the silence with a chuckle that seemed to fill the cabin. "Haha... Xiao Sheng, we are finally going to get you into college," he said, his voice tinged with pride and a hint of nostalgia.

In the back seat, Wang Sheng sat with a stoic expression, his brows knitted in a frown that seemed out of place on such a youthful face. "I don't want to study. Why make me study? Why can't I just not study like sister?" he protested, his voice a mix of defiance and resignation.

Beside him, his sister, Wang Ling, turned to face him, her own expression mirroring the seriousness of their conversation. "Xiao Wang, you should appreciate what grandpa and grandma are doing for you. They're giving you the chance to go to university," she reprimanded, her words sharp yet laced with concern.

From the front passenger seat, another voice joined the fray, softer and tinged with understanding.

It was their grandmother, her face framed by gentle wrinkles and eyes that held decades of wisdom. "Hey, leave him alone. He's just stressed," she said, her tone defensive, siding with her grandson in the face of familial expectations.

"Humph, grandma, you always come to his rescue. But he needs to learn respect..." Wang Ling countered, her words heavy with a mix of frustration and love. Her gaze lingered on her brother, reflecting a complex web of sibling rivalry and protectiveness.

The car continued its journey towards Beijing, the old man, ever the mediator, glanced at his grandchildren through the rearview mirror, his eyes reflecting a mix of hope and concern.

"Life is not just about doing what we want, Xiao Sheng. It's about finding our path, even through the things we might not enjoy," he offered, his voice a bridge between generations. "And sometimes, we find our passion in the most unexpected places."

Wang Sheng, silent now, stared out the window at the passing landscape, the words of his family members swirling around him like leaves caught in a gust of wind.

Was it rebellion he felt, or was it fear?

As the family navigated their way through the complexities of their conversation, the atmosphere within the BYD Tang was abruptly shattered by an unforeseen peril.

"What!?"

The old grandpa, who had been the voice of wisdom and calm, suddenly let out a surprised gasp, his eyes widening in shock as he caught sight of an impending disaster in the rearview mirror.

"Watch out!" he exclaimed, a note of panic lacing his voice as an out-of-control truck barreled towards them at full speed.

The family's conversation ceased instantly, replaced by a tense silence punctuated only by the urgent honking of their car, a futile attempt to alert the reckless driver.

But the truck didn't stop. In a heart-stopping moment, the driver of the truck, realizing the imminent collision, made a desperate leap from the cab, abandoning the vehicle to its deadly trajectory.

"Quick, grab something!" the grandmother cried out, her voice trembling as she reached out instinctively to shield her grandchildren.

Wang Sheng and Wang Ling, their earlier bickering forgotten, clung to each other, their faces a mask of terror and disbelief.

Screeeeech!

The sound of tires struggling for purchase on the asphalt filled the air, a harrowing prelude to the inevitable.

CRASH!

The truck slammed into the back of their SUV with the force of a battering ram, the sound of crumpling metal and shattering glass a deafening cacophony in the confined space.

Whoosh!

The impact was so severe that it sent their vehicle careening off the road, breaking through the safety railings with horrifying ease.

As they hurtled towards the bottom of the mountain, time seemed to slow.

The grandfather, in those fleeting moments, thought of his lifetime, the love he had for his family, and the hopes he harbored for his grandchildren. "Protect them," he whispered silently, a final plea to the universe.

Wang Sheng, holding tightly to his sister, closed his eyes, a storm of emotions raging within him—regret, fear, and an overwhelming desire to protect his sister from the inevitable. Wang Ling, tears streaming down her face, whispered, "I love you," a last confession in the face of their shared fate.

BOOM!

The car abruptly exploded upon impact at the mountain's base, a fireball erupting into the sky, its roar a stark finale to the lives and dreams it consumed.

Silence enveloped the scene, a haunting void that spoke volumes of the traged.

It was a silence that remained unbroken until the distant wail of sirens pierced the air half an hour later, a somber symphony of rescue and despair.

Emergency responders raced against time, their efforts a evidence to the fragility of life and the unforeseen dangers that lurk on seemingly ordinary journeys.

But for the family that had set out with hopes and dreams, the journey had come to an abrupt and tragic end, no one ever knowing the true mystery behind this accident.

__________

Meanwhile, deep beneath the surface of the South Atlantic Ocean, hidden within the labyrinthine embrace of underwater caves, existed a marvel of modern science and secrecy:

The Athena's Dome!

This facility, shrouded in the darkness of the ocean depths, was a evidence to human ingenuity and the unyielding quest for knowledge.

Its structure, a cube-like edifice coated in a matte black finish, rendered it invisible to radar and immune to conventional detection methods, a ghost amidst the vast, uncharted waters.

Inside this mysterious cube, amidst a hive of activity and technological prowess, lay a unique chamber.

This room, spacious and dimly lit, was dominated by a large screen that cast a soft glow across the faces of the personnel diligently working at their stations. Desks lined the left and right sides of the room, each one a cockpit of research and surveillance.

At the heart of the chamber, a peculiar feature caught the eye: a small pond, its water still and clear, a piece of the ocean brought within these walls. Directly opposite this tranquil body of water stood an elevated platform, bristling with computers and monitors, the nerve center of this underwater bastion.

In the command chair, Sakura Kimura, with her short, light pink hair that hinted at a personality as vibrant as her appearance, reclined with an air of casual authority.

A packet of chips in hand, she munched contentedly, her demeanor belying the seriousness of their mission.

The tranquility of the room was suddenly disrupted by a soft, swirling sound, as if the sea itself whispered secrets.

Splash...

The pond at the center began to stir, its surface rippling in anticipation.

Then, as if born from the water itself, Luna emerged.

Her entrance was both graceful and otherworldly, the water parting to welcome her back from the abyss.

Partially submerged, she stood there, a figure of resilience and mysterious power. Her clothes, adhered to her form, and her hair, wet and glistening under the artificial lights, painted a picture of someone who had just traversed realms beyond the ordinary.

Sakura, pausing mid-chew, stared in mild surprise before a smile cracked her composed facade. "Welcome back, Luna. But why do you look so... Messed up?" Her choice of words were carefull, a playful jab underlain with genuine worry.

Luna, with the grace of someone born of the sea, stepped out of the pond, her movements betraying a familiarity with the element that was both awe-inspiring and slightly otherworldly.

As she flicked her head, a cascade of water droplets flung from her hair, sparkling briefly in the artificial light before dissipating into the air. "What's going on with Zero? Their leader, Gabriel... How did that normal human become so strong?" she murmured, her voice laced with frustration and disbelief.

The room fell into a hushed silence, the usual hum of activity stalling as all eyes turned towards her.

Sakura, her brows knitted together in seriousness, pushed aside her snack and swiveled her chair to face Luna directly. "There's been an incident..." she started, her tone somber, the gravity of the situation reflected in her eyes. She gestured for Luna to approach, the large screen at the front of the room flickering to life with an array of images and cascading data streams.

"What's going on now?" Luna inquired, stepping closer, her gaze fixed on the screen, searching for answers.

"It's not just Gabriel. We've registered a significant increase in individuals with supernatural capabilities all over the world," Sakura revealed, her voice tinged with a mix of fascination and concern. "I've dispatched a few agents to collect samples, but it's as if..."

"As if they've suddenly decided to show up?" Luna finished for her, the pieces of a larger puzzle beginning to coalesce in her mind.

Sakura nodded, confirming Luna's suspicion. "Yeah... It's weird."