Chapter Text
In the beginning, millennia before the appearance of quirks, there were spirits.
The Astral Realm was a common conception in cultures throughout the world, but every culture viewed it differently, and so the spirits’ intentions varied throughout. They were helpful in one, malicious in another. Some were protective and nurturing; others could care less about what happened to the human race. But despite seeing animism differently, one spirit class was prevalent in every civilization—Apex Spirits.
Apex Spirits possessed extraordinary strength and elemental powers that few dared to challenge, and they were one of the many great guides to humanity. In every generation, the Ultimate Leader, Vida, would send one of their own to the Physical Realm to seek out a strong ward. In times of peace, the spirits assigned would remain in their physical form—a crystal, typically worn as a piece of jewelry—and simply lead their ward through life when they came of age, helping them to make the right decisions and realize what they’re worth.
In times of war, they had different approaches.
An Apex Spirit could lend their ward power in two ways—by merging their spiritual forms or taking complete control of the ward’s body. They proved to not only be supportive advisers but also fierce warriors. There were many distinct types of Apex Spirits and their characteristics in their spiritual forms mirrored many of the mythical creatures throughout the diverse cultures they were immersed in. Angel, Nymph, Kelpie, Phoenix, and Kirin spirits were best known for their guidance, while Siren, Fae, Valkyrie, Pixiu, and Dragon spirits were revered for their power against harmful forces.
But as time went on, humans began to forget about the spirits that had defended them for so many eons. Science began to override arts and literature, and as more people dismissed the existence of the Astral Realm altogether, it became dangerous for Vida to send Apex Spirits to the Physical Realm. Balances were being thrown out of order, and they focused their strength on their home, leaving the humans to fend for themselves.
When quirks began to appear, Vida concluded once and for all that, if humans were developing powers of their own, the Astral Realm would no longer waste their efforts on such ungrateful creatures. There were disagreements among other Apex Spirits about the decision, but ultimately, they accepted as a whole that they were no longer needed.
But only twenty years after the decision was made, Vida sensed an overly sinister presence in the Physical Realm. With this came the shocking realization that this presence could potentially destroy both realms, should it become too strong. Frantically, they tried to see how long the newly super-powered humans could hold off this threat. They watched as a new power emerged, one born of hope—one that could be passed down from person to person.
And through that, they found the saviors of the world.
It was imperative that one of these saviors learned of the danger posed to the Astral Realm, lest it cease to exist and throw the universe out of balance. But with quirks now taking up the space the Apex Spirits’ powers once inhabited and spirits being widely regarded as myths anyhow, the next bearer needed to be chosen carefully. Vida selected their best and sent them to the Physical Realm, hoping with all hope that they would see how imperative their choice would be to the fate of humans and spirits alike.
Meanwhile, in the Physical Realm, a healthy baby girl was being born to two overjoyed parents—who just so happened to be Avian-Human Hybrids.