Bureaucracy

Bloodied and battered, their clothes torn from the dungeon’s trials, Stephen and Jose decided to head home before registering as “awoken” at the government office. The gore-soaked evidence of their fight needed to vanish—explaining it to their parents would be a nightmare. Luck was on their side; their parents were out running errands, the house quiet as they slipped inside. They took turns showering, the hot water washing away goblin blood and Sahuagin grime. Stephen marveled at standing under the spray, his legs steady, a luxury he’d never take for granted again. Fresh clothes replaced their ruined ones, and they set out again, Jose behind the wheel of his Volkswagen GTI, its engine humming as they drove toward the government office.

The parking lot was surprisingly sparse, not the chaotic mob they’d expected. Jose locked the car with a beep, and they strode into the office, bracing for bureaucracy. Inside, chaos reigned in a different form—agents scurried, clutching papers or shouting across cubicles, a hive of disorganized urgency. At the main desk sat an older brunette woman, her face etched with years of weariness. “Hi, we’re here to register as Awoken,” Stephen said, his voice cutting through the din. “BOB!” she bellowed without looking up. “Two more for you!” A burly man approached, his ill-fitting business suit straining against his muscular frame, the fabric taut across his shoulders. “Right this way, gentlemen,” he said, his voice unexpectedly soft, almost comically at odds with his imposing build.

In a cramped office, Bob launched into a series of questions—basic, almost absurd probes like “What’s going on?” to verify their powers. Stephen scoffed, leaning back in his chair. “You realize we could just show you our abilities, right? Why ask stupid questions?” Bob sighed, unfazed. “It’s what the higher-ups want.” Jose took the lead, explaining the war of realms, the portals, and the looming battles, his words spilling out with a mix of confidence and urgency. Bob listened, jotting notes, then leaned forward. “Okay, so what powers did you two get landed with?”

“Lightning Magic,” Jose said, snapping his fingers to produce a crackling spark that danced briefly in the air. “Regeneration,” Stephen added. “Showing you would require hurting myself, and I don’t have a knife on me.” Bob, without hesitation, slid a letter opener across the desk. “Here, use this.” Stephen raised an eyebrow but took it, dragging the blade across his forearm. A shallow cut bloomed red, then sealed before their eyes, leaving only a faint scar that faded as he wiped the blood away. “Interesting,” Bob murmured, scribbling more notes.

“Hand over your driver’s licenses if you have them,” Bob said. The brothers complied, sliding their IDs across the desk. Bob tapped away at a computer, pulling up their government records. “I see you two have no criminal history. Keep it that way, yeah?” His attempt at intimidation fell flat, his soft voice undermining the threat. Stephen and Jose exchanged a glance, unbothered—they had no intention of abusing their powers, not now, not ever. At least, that’s where they stood today. Bob stepped out briefly, returning with their driver’s licenses and two new Awoken ID cards, crafted from sleek metal. “These are your new ID cards,” he said, handing them over. “We reused your license photos. Same info, plus your abilities and a new ID number for the Portal Tracker website and upcoming app. Now scram, I got work to do.” The brothers nodded, struck by how mundane the process felt despite its monumental implications, and left the office.

Back home, the house still empty, they settled in the living room to examine their dungeon spoils. The Magic Pistol gleamed in Jose’s hands, its surface etched with faint runes that pulsed faintly when he gripped it. Stephen turned over the Gloves of Martial Arts, their leather supple yet sturdy, a subtle warmth emanating from them as if attuned to his touch. The six Magic Crystals and two Magic Cores from the Chest of the Lake lay on the coffee table, alongside the six additional crystals Stephen had found and the three goblin cores Jose had given him. The blood on the cores had dried, leaving them dull but faintly glowing, their potential a mystery. The brothers exchanged a look, the weight of their new reality settling in—tools of power in their hands, a world of portals awaiting, and a war that would test everything they were.