Wishborne

Chapter One

       Have you ever seen those people- well, I shouldn't say people- that are just so... different? Ethereal, almost. A person whose eyes glow in such a way that it's like their eyes are filled with stars instead of liquid. That instead of walking, they simply float as if their feet never truly touch the ground. They look beautiful like all of their features were handpicked by God, but they don't have blonde hair or a small waist or any of the classic model features. They just look like they could whisper in your ear and make you fall for them, and they possess a twinkle in their eyes that make you want to follow them everywhere you go. 

        Maybe you could call them eccentric. Maybe you could say that they're alien-like. Your little sibling might run up to them and ask if they're some sort of fae or nymph, something magical. (They wouldn't be that far off, but of course, we can't admit that.) Maybe they chuckle or blush, and say something weird that sounds like it came out of a storybook. Maybe they're the girls who are called faeries on the playground because of how they blend in so easily with the trees and grass. Maybe they're the boys who are called hunters because of how easily they can find the best hiding spots for forts and hideouts. 

        You watch them and realize that they don't really interact with anyone truly. They nod and smile and laugh but they just quietly observe the rest of the world around them. Of course, they're well-liked but you notice that they don't have any close friends. People invite them to hang out because they add a certain level of- for lack of better words- magic to your life. 

     Now you're thinking about them, aren't you? You're picturing a girl or boy who sits in the back of class with a polite smile on their face and a cheerfulness that you can't find anywhere else. You think about how unique they are and that they bring a sense of love that makes you feel at home. 

     With all of this build-up, you're probably expecting me to say something about them, right? That's what I would have expected, but unfortunately, almost all of these kids are normal. Just an eccentric loner who has good manners. 

       Almost all of them. 

      Did you know that the fae were real? And did you know changelings were as well? Fae children that were given to mortals and lived among them and slowly showed signs of a magic well beyond anyone's comprehension. 

     Changelings aren't a thing anymore. The fae have died out, and with them, the changelings. Their blood has been diluted, muddied with humans over and over to the point where almost everyone has barely half a teardrop left of fae blood inside of them. Even if a miracle happened, the fae and most changelings wouldn't be able to survive in this world. The air isn't pure enough for their lungs, the artificial lights are too harsh for their eyes, and the human race is too evolved for them to thrive anyway. 

     Tragic, isn't it? Your childhood dreams are unreachable. Apologies, I didn't mean to make you upset. I swear that this is a happy story if you let it be. 

     Though changelings an d fae died away due to the changing times, magic can still find a way to thrive as it did before, when the world was new. Changelings donned a new name to keep their identities hidden and to better align with their abilities. 

     Though it's rare and almost entirely impossible, some people are born with a few drops of blood in their veins. Not enough to make any huge changes to someone, maybe make their personality a little strange if anything. But if someone with enough magical potential is touched by someone with awakened magic, then they change. 

      Let's call them Wishborne. Wishbornes are the new changelings. There are around 23 of them in America. No one truly knows how many of them exist in the world. It's impossible to tell if one is a Wishborne just by looking at them. They don't have wings, they don't have tinted skin, and they look like anyone you would see on the street. That's how they learned how to survive though, and so it is working. Occasionally, if a Wishborne is awakened they develop supernatural traits, but that's much less common now. That's how humans got the idea of what faeries look like, as well as mermaids and nymphs and other magical things like that. But that was also when the Wishborne were much more powerful. Due to more breeding between Wishborne and mortals, the magic has continued to be weaker and weaker. Some Wishborne don't even know they're awakened because they have the bare minimum of fae in their blood. They continue to be ordinary, maybe just a little luckier if anything.

    You don't think this is very interesting, do you? This always happens when I try to write my stories. It's going to get a lot better I swear. Don't roll your eyes in bordem. Just stick with me. And who knows? Maybe you'll come out of this with a new identity and a golden ring on your middle finger.