SYNTH
BY WL HUGGINS
When my cousin and I began to flesh out the world of our “Shifters” series, we found aspects of ourselves not only in our protagonists, but also in surrounding characters. One of those characters came in so clearly that I felt compelled to create a spinoff in his perspective and it’s safe to say Katsumi Ren has taken me to some dark places, but he always enhanced my self-awareness by the time I came out on the other side.
Buried in the mountains of Japan, there is a holy city that remains invisible on humanity’s map. Many a hiker has hit Seichi’s perimeter (what appears to be unbroken landscape) and been unwittingly teleported to the other side.
This is the homeland of warriors.
Being the most centrally-governed clan among supernatural beings known as “devanosi”, these warriors have abilities that lend themselves to the kind of strength, dexterity and precision one needs to survive in a culture that worships combat.
While it is grounded in the same world, the “Synth” series begins in a different habitat than “Shifters”. Unlike Fiona and Rowan who were raised in isolation, Prince Katsumi Ren grew up in a sacred city ruled and run by devanosi. Through Seichi’s Enrichment program and its life-or-death trials and religious practices, Katsumi learns how to persist in a society founded on violence and wealth, smoke and mirrors. Reflecting many of Katsumi’s struggles, Synth is an ever-evolving monster in Exile — a hellscape with realms like Labyrinth and Doom, Oblivion and Abyss.
Follow Katsumi and Synth as they navigate through the nightmare of seeking enlightenment, purpose, and a will to survive.
SYNTH CONCEIVES
Emperor Haruko sees untapped potential in his illegitimate son and has made it his mission to draw it out. In order to survive trials designed to trigger his abilities, Prince Katsumi Ren has no choice but to adapt or die. Caught up in the machine that exploits warrior abilities for selfish gain, Katsumi must face the discrimination of an elitist religion, be a moving target for his brothers’ jealousy, and manage the barrage of sensory stimuli that comes with his powers.
Born in Exile in a parallel realm, Synth follows deeper instincts and devours what she needs to master each hellish territory — searching for a destination she has long ago forgotten.
SYNTH CORRUPTS
Assigned to track a feral devanosi, Katsumi gets into the head of the dark shifter. Synth and her allies found their own society, mobilizing to exact justice on an oppressive regime.
SYNTH COALESCES
Seeking cerebral balance and divine understanding in her new skin, Synth sees old friends with new eyes and revisits the source of emotional scars.
SYNTH COLLUDES
Driven into desperate circumstances by a charismatic rival, Katsumi is forced to pay off his debt working with a network of anonymous devanosi to monitor others of his kind deemed dangerous. Synth meets new allies in an alien world, becoming a crucial member of a revolution.
SYNTH COERCES
Following the events of “Shifters United”, Katsumi is forced to serve a congregation of aliens with more imagination than empathy. Synth recognizes the limits of her power and begins to question her purpose.
