3: The Five - Basic Overview
In the dusty and irradiated aftermath of the cataclysmic early 23rdcentury, representatives from an alien civilisation descended from the skies across the Earth, offering salvation in exchange for obedience.
"Wear these rings," they said, "and we will solve all of your problems."
In a different, better time, one may have questioned the purpose of the rings. One may have challenged the need for an indefinite surrender of humanity's sovereignty and future decision making. One may also have doubted the seemingly infinite good will being offered in exchange for the aliens seemingly receiving no tangible benefit at all. And of course, one may have questioned the timing of their arrival.
It wasn't the best of times however, and facing extraordinary challenges just to survive on a daily basis that many knew deep down that they wouldn't be able to overcome, the offer was taken by most around the world.
Many did decline however, overly suspicious of the circumstances of their arrival and subsequent offer. These suspicions grew when the aliens started to become coercive and threatening towards those pockets of humanity that turned them down, eventually culminating in the use of lethal force against them.
For any who witnessed their application of force - who saw how individually powerful they each were - the realisation came that one could submit or one could die. There was no concept of fighting against beings that were so very close to being gods. From the perspective of humans, all five of these species possessed incomprehensibly superior physical, mental and cognitive abilities that put them far, far above and beyond humanity in every conceivable way, possess supernatural powers, and seemed to be inviolate.
The following are brief accounts and approximations of the species of the Five based on available observations only. Each one breaks up into innumerable different sub-cultures that can differ wildly, so it's worth bearing that in mind; these are really top-down, general psychological traits that aren't always present, but can be quite common.
Circled in red: Chromians.
These draconic bipeds are covered in very small and fine gleaming scales that emit a metallic sheen, and come in a wide variety of different colours which gives them their colloquial name among the Five. Whilst all the species of the Five are quiet arrogant and proud, Chromians tend to be more so than the average. They are quite susceptible to being prejudiced and xenophobic too, however this isn't to say that it's ubiquitous any more. After hundreds of thousands of years of integration with the other four species in the alliance, they seem to have finally put this aspect of their nature to rest as a species.
Each of the Five seem to possess unique abilities over and above the high baseline capabilities that they each have. For Chromians, they possess the ability to shapeshift, and can release a breath of energy in either a widespread gout or a tight beam. The energy that can be released from this can range from lighting a candle to being apocalyptic.
Circled in violet: Vilunians
Individuals from this wolflike race are regarded as having quick tempers and little patience, and very strong and forceful personalities. Whilst they can be intimidating they are above senseless and unprovoked violence, but in battle or when directly challenged in a fight to the death have been known to rip their opponents to shreds with no reservations. Curiously, they seem to have a protective quirk and an aversion to seeing those who are weaker being downtrodden by the strong, which became the source of an unlikely sympathy for humans.
Vilunians are uniquely known among the Five for being seemingly almost unkillable even by the standards of the Five, where only the claws or teeth of another Vilunian can inflict lasting wounds on them that don't heal instantly. They are also physically the strongest of the Five and can overpower them.
Circled in blue: Telchotoquan
The saurian Telchtoquan are notable for possessing two pairs of eyes, one of which is apparently tied to the unique chronogazing power that their kind possess. They are smooth skinned, usually in cold colours of blue, cyan and gray, and have feathers that run from their head and down the back of their spine and tail. They seem to be a bit more passive in nature when compared to the other species, and can also feel detached and distant. These quirks may be a result of their chronogazing power.
The chronogazing of the Telchotoquan goes beyond the precognition that all members of the Five possess. They can see alternative timelines branching out from the present, see which events trigger chronological branching, and get a feeling for their probability. Their precognition is also more developed, allowing them to see hours in advance as opposed to the half hour or so that can usually be attained by the other species.
Circled in green: Alvaethra
The avian Alvaethra possess a great deal of diversity of physical form, plumage and colouration, but generally speaking they possess a coat of fine, vibrant feathers, a beaked snout and a pair of large feathered wings. These wings are vestigial and no longer needed for flight, and see use instead as a status symbol now. They are quick of wit and extremely perceptive, and possess by far the most powerful set of senses among the Five. They aren't really keen on confrontation, and try to avoid it if possible. Rather than rely on confrontation, they instead seem to possess a supernatural charisma about them which is viewed as having been essential for originally bringing the Five together.
They possess the power of clairvoyance and remote viewing, and can teleport across space seemingly instantly. Their reflexes and agility are also considered the greatest among the Five.
Circled in yellow: Chitask
These strange four armed, winged bipeds evoke many associations with being some kind of oversized insect, but they are anything but. They are very communal and sociable, and don't like being alone. However despite craving company, they are very quiet, preferring to communicate telepathically. They are inquisitive and industrious, preferring to keep busy with some kind of task.
They are known to have the most powerful psionics of the Five, such as telepathy and telekinetics.
Individually, each of the species of the Five is believed to be tens of millions of years old, but only recently unified as a collective within the last few hundred thousand years. It is believed that prior to this alliance, eons of bitter conflict had occurred between them which produced an endless stalemate until peace was finally given a chance to succeed.
The ambition of their civilisation now is to seek out other forms of intelligent life like themselves in peace, achieve a greater and more lasting peace within and between themselves, and to seek even greater heights of existence and power. It's also rumoured that they are at war with some other power, the details of which aren't known very well to humans but which whisper of something grave and existential and against which the Five aren't doing very well.