October 23th, Mythic Year 4113
Tokyo, Japan, ruled by the Succubi kingdom
Tokyo never slept. Neon burned across its towers, and magic pulsed like veins of fire through the city's heart. The streets were a living carnival of beings not born of man - succubi in velvet coats, wolfkin in business suits, vampires gliding in limousines tinted black against the sun. Humans were there too, but fewer and fewer every year, swallowed by a world that no longer had a place for them.
In a fast food restaurant - 2:34 PM
Leo Ravencroft flipped another burger, grease hissing as it spat against his arm. The sting barely registered anymore. His apron smelled of smoke and oil, his face glistened with sweat beneath the dull fluorescent lights.
Around him, the other cooks moved with supernatural ease, their stations glowing with sparks and sorcery.
A horned man with skin like obsidian conjured flames in his palm, grilling three patties at once before tossing them into buns that floated obediently into waiting wrappers.
A silver-haired witch chanted lazily, and vegetables diced themselves midair, landing neatly on top of a sizzling steak sandwich.
Even the dishwasher - a half-ogre with arms the size of tree trunks - snapped his fingers, and stacks of plates washed and dried themselves.
Leo had only his hands. Hands that blistered, cut, and bled.
"Pathetic," muttered the horned cook, not bothering to lower his voice. "Still burning himself like an animal. Why's a human even here?"
The witch snickered, her scarlet eyes sliding toward Leo. "Because no one else will take him. Humans don't belong anywhere else. Flip burgers, mop floors, scrape by - what else can he do?"
The half-ogre chuckled, his laughter booming like thunder. "Barely worth the uniform."
Leo said nothing. He pressed down on the sizzling patty, grease popping against his wrist, and forced his mind to stay numb. He had long learned silence was safer than speaking.
Customers came and went, many of them magical beings themselves, their glowing eyes or flicking tails quick to glance at him with disdain.
Some sneered openly when they saw a human at the grill. Others muttered under their breath as though the sight of him spoiled their appetite. Leo endured it all, because that was what he always did. Endure.
When his shift finally ended, the world outside greeted him with the same indifference. Tokyo's streets shimmered with neon and sorcery, towering screens advertising potions, enchanted gadgets, and charms more expensive than his rent. Crowds pushed past him - winged beings, fanged beings, beings of shadow and flame. And him, the lone human in a tide of magic.
He pulled his jacket tighter around himself, stomach hollow, wallet nearly empty, and walked into the night.
For Leo Ravencroft, every day was the same. Grease. Ash. Silence. A life where he was invisible, or worse - unwanted.
And still, deep in the marrow of his bones, something stirred.
Something the world had not yet seen.
After shift - 7:46 PM
The train ride home carried him through the veins of Tokyo, a city glowing with sorcery yet stifled beneath the weight of its rulers. Succubi banners hung from skyscrapers, crimson silk embroidered with black sigils that pulsed faintly, as though alive.
At every station, soldiers stood watch - tall, elegant figures draped in armored leathers that clung to their curves, spears tipped with obsidian. Their wings, sharp and leathery, spread wide in displays of dominance, casting long shadows on the crowds that dared not meet their eyes.
Leo kept his head down, clutching the strap above him as the train rattled along. He could feel their gaze even from a distance, the predatory gleam in those amber eyes.
The Succubi weren't just soldiers; they were hunters. And in a city like Tokyo, where humans were already at the bottom, soldiers like them ensured the hierarchy stayed carved into stone.
The train hissed to a halt. Outside, the streets of Shinjuku blazed with enchantments and neon, alive with movement and noise. But above the laughter and chatter was the ever-present sound of marching boots.
Columns of Succubi patrolled the intersections, their spears clattering against the ground in perfect rhythm. Civilians - vampires, wolfkin, witches, fae - stepped aside without protest, bowing their heads or lowering their gazes as the soldiers passed.
Leo blended into the crowd, invisible and unwanted. A group of Succubi stood guard outside a café, their armor polished and their wings folded like blades at their backs. One of them noticed him. Her lips curled into a faint smirk, and she whispered something to her partner. They laughed softly, their laughter laced with venom.
He pulled his jacket tighter and walked faster. He had learned the hard way not to linger when soldiers' eyes fell on him. Humans were tolerated, but barely. A spark of amusement in their gaze could just as easily become cruelty if they grew bored.
His apartment building was only a few blocks away, though every step felt like walking under a thousand unseen eyes.
Tokyo was beautiful, yes - streets lit by glowing lanterns and enchanted billboards flashing images of magical wonders. But beneath it all, there was the constant reminder of who truly ruled here. Succubi did not simply govern. They possessed.
By the time he reached his door, his shoulders were aching with tension. The lock clicked, the door swung open, and his little sanctuary greeted him - quiet, dim, safe. Shelves stacked with games, his battered console waiting like an old friend.
Leo dropped onto the bed, controller in hand, and powered on the screen. Colors and music filled the room, drowning out the echoes of marching boots outside. Here, in this world of dragons and knights, he wasn't a powerless human, scraping by in a city that despised him. Here, he was someone.
Hours passed unnoticed, until fatigue pulled him down. Tomorrow, the soldiers would march again, and he would flip burgers beneath sneers and insults. That was life. That was all it had ever been.
Or so he thought.