[ WP ] Long ago , several hundred years now , a mad wizard cursed every single human being , and their descendants with the form of a human/animal hybrid . Since then , the world has begun anew , with a renaissance of magic and arcane knowledge . For whatever reason , you are human . Find out why .

`` God dammit, why do I have to do everything around here'' he muttered. 
 
 `` Felix, do n't swear. Next time I'll tell your father.'' 
 
 *Jeez, how did she hear that? * thought Felix. *It's just those damn rabbit ears I guess*. 
 Felix continued muttering to himself as he brought the garbage out to the can on the street. Just in time, too, the truck was nearly around the bend to pick it up. God knows his father would box his ears again if he found out he forgot to do his chores. At least his mom always reminded him, not that he was always so eager to do it. About to turn around and head inside, he glanced down the street and saw her. She was a senior in high school, just like him, but a beautiful mare. Bay, with a light mane and chocolate eyes. She always wore a sunflower dress as well. Felix shook his head. He did n't have a snowballs chance in hell, he thought. The problem with Felix was he was human. In fact, he was the only human in existence - but Felix did n't know that last bit. If he did, he very likely would be much more depressed. As it was, though, he was pretty miserable. Home-schooled until his sophomore year, and surrounded by doctors and magicians all his living memory, he never had much of a normal life. He was always an oddity, lower than even the toads on the species class totem pole. And he never had the heart to point out that the totem poles, when used in ancient magics, always placed the most powerful totems on the bottom. He'd just get beaten up again by the gorillas, and called a nerd. Opening his screen door, his face brightened up a little to see Jonathan standing there with a controller in one hand. 
 `` Hey there Felix. I do n't suppose you're pretty busy there with extracurricular activities.'' 
 `` Yeah, like I'd survive a minute of sports against those gorillas, or compete with the other birds in aerial acrobatics. I ca n't even play a fucking tuba as well as the elephants can.'' 
 `` Well, lucky you have me, then'' said Jonathan. Jonathan was a hawk, but a bit of an outcast, sort of like Felix. The other hawks all wanted to hunt down and scare they smaller mice, or they were busy playing airball. All Jonathan wanted to do was play videogames or work on advanced spell problems, which was just fine with Felix. Furthermore, Jonathan's eyesight *sucked*. It was really terrible for a hawk. It was about as good as Felix's. 
 
 `` What do you want to play today?'' asked Felix. 
 `` Well, I picked up the new Call of the Battlefield game. It's got multiplayer.'' 
 `` Sounds like a plan! By the way, what are you doing in my house?'' 
 `` Oh, sorry. I keep forgetting you're not used to people flying in the second floor window.'' 
 Jonathan moved out of the way, so Felix could finally enter. He shut the front door behind him. `` Mom!'' he called out. `` Jonathan and I are going to play some games now. Let me know if you need anything.'' 
 `` Okay, but dinner will be ready soon. Your father gets home tonight from the expedition tonight as well. Be sure to say hi!'' 
 `` Let's go down to the basement, `` said Felix. `` We just got a new TV down there. It's perfect.'' 
 \ -- 
 Felix lead Jonathan downstairs into the basement, flipping on the fluorescent light. Flickering, it light up the beautiful 60 inch display, with a sleek new S-Box below it. The new FireWire high-definition cables lit up, quite literally, on fire, as they magically worked to enhance the signal. It was the best system money could buy. Jonathan's beak fell open. 
 `` You have this fucker down here, and did n't tell me?'' 
 `` Well, my dad's hazard pay from his last job came in last week. This was my belated birthday present.'' 
 `` You're birthday was four months ago! It's September!'' 
 `` Well, he was away on my birthday, and felt guilty I guess.'' 
 Felix walked over and pushed a control panel on the wall. The lights dimmed, and the logo flashed on the screen before the surround sound kicked in. 
 `` Amazing'' said Jonathan. He sat on the couch, motioning Felix over. 
 `` Why are you really here?'' said Felix, as he sat. 
 `` Wh- what?'' said Jonathan, flustered a bit at the unexpected question. 
 `` Call of Battlefield has online multiplayer. Local co-op is barely a part of the game. Why did you come here?'' 
 `` I wanted to play video games!'' 
 `` No really. Be honest with me. I'm one of those mythical humans, I can tell when you're lying. Also you click your right talons together every time you do.'' 
 `` That's not true!'' protested Jonathan. *Fuck, I always read that the humans of old were much smarter... is he really that perceptive? * 
 `` Yes, it is. Now, out with it. Why are you here. Was it her? Why did you come to me, over anyone else?'' 
 `` Fine. Yeah, she was drunk again. Did n't like me not going out to the airfields with the others to try out for any college teams.'' 
 `` Did she hurt you?'' 
 `` Not badly.'' 
 `` Show me.'' 
 Jonathan lifted a feathered arm, and let Felix part his feathers. A bruise was already formed, and it clearly hurt a lot more than his friend was letting on. 
 `` Shit man, I'm sorry.'' 
 `` Yeah, she'll calm down in a few hours. Nothing I can do about it. She has n't been quite right since Dad died, and I do n't want to tell anyone, because she's my fucking mother. I still love her to death, but damn if she does n't make it hard sometimes. Now, let's play some video games.'' 
 Felix glanced at Jonathan as he was looking at the game. In the light of the television, it made his golden feathers glow slightly. He secretly loved it when Jonathan showed up. He was the only other person who really showed a great deal of interest in him, other than as a curiosity or as a focus of torment. Just sitting there, next to the bird, he was really *happy*. It was a strange feeling, Felix thought. He could talk to others in his class, yes, but he felt something with this bird. Filing it in the back of his mind, he focused on the screen. 
 \*** 
 The game was at its title screen, the lights still off, when Felix's father got home. Dinner had come and gone, and Jonathan had decided to stay the night with Felix in the basement guest room. His father, a rabbit much like his mother, quietly tiptoed into the basement to see his son. It warmed his heart to see him with his friend, both asleep on the couch after a delicious lasagna. His ears drooped. He knew much and more about his son, and why he was an only child of theirs - an oddity among the other rabbit households. He knew why he was human - it was part of the secret records, kept by the Magicians of the Order, for which he worked as a field agent. And he knew it would soon be time for him to leave. He doubted he'd be sorry to see it go- his father knew how much he disliked the others at school, how little he was socially active with them. But he did feel bad, because there was one person he knew Felix would be devastated to have to lose when he left. Jonathan and Felix had always been friends, ever since they met on Felix's first day of public school, and since then they were inseparable. Felix would orchestrate elaborate pranks on the teachers, then Jonathan would use his flight abilities to execute them. Then as they got older they discovered a mutual love of tabletop games, like Magic the Gathering - a historically-accurate roleplaying game about the first great war. He walked over and turned off the TV. Taking one last look at his son, he turned around and went upstairs to see his wife. 
 
 Felix woke with a start. He groaned He hated sleeping on this couch, it gave him such a crick in the neck. He felt something soft in his hand. Half asleep, he grabbed it, thinking it was a stray pillow. In a screech of pain, Jonathan woke, and he realized that it was not in fact a pillow but some of Jonathan's breast down. He realized he was sleeping on his lap, which would further explain the sore neck. 
 `` Say one word about this and you're a roasted bird'' said Felix, embarrassed to be caught in such a position. 
 `` Not a word'' said Jonathan. `` Well, I guess I'll turn in for the night... but it's already 2 in the morning or so, and I'm awake, and you're awake, so... how about we play some truth-or-dare or some shit?'' 
 `` Well, your little squeal of pain did a number on my ears. I guess I'll get us some drinks from upstairs.'' 
 Felix crept up the steps, making sure to avoid the squeaky ones, and make as little noise as possible. His parents slept in a second floor bedroom, but you could never be too careful. They were notoriously light sleepers. 
 But something was wrong. 
 There was a light in the kitchen. There never was a light in the kitchen, not this late at night. There was a stain on the floor. It was red. His breath caught in his throat... there was a trail. It was blood. He eased open the kitchen door. The place was ruined. Broken glass was everywhere, from the shattered window. Blood pooled on the floor, a red handprint on the fridge. In shock, Felix followed the trail around the center island to his father, propped up on the dishwasher. 
 `` They... they took her... `` he said. `` I told them you were n't here.... but they took her anyway...'' 
 Felix rushed to his father's side. His body was wounded everywhere, riddled with holes. Shell casings lay on the floor. Robbers, he thought. But his father's next words put an end to that idea. 
 `` Listen... Felix...'' he mumbled. Felix leaned in, choking back tears. `` It was them... the magicians... they made it look like a break in. You have to leave. Get out of the country. They want you.'' 
 `` Why? What did I do?'' 
 `` You... you were human... you... are the one... the key to all... the magic.. that makes us...'' 
 At this point, Felix's father was too out of breath to say more. His head drooped, and his eyes closed for the last time. 
 Shocked, Felix remained there, kneeling next to his dad. He heard Jonathan open the door behind him. 
 `` Holy fucking shit! Are you ok?'' said Jonathan. `` Fucking christ! We have to call for help!'' 
 `` No... he told me...'' muttered Felix. `` I have to... leave... they took mom''
