Portals

A week had passed since the world awoke to its new reality, but the powers of the “chosen” remained static, their potential untapped without portals to delve into. Governments worldwide scrambled to impose order, their efforts coalescing into a global mandate: all “awoken” were required to register, submit to inspection, and obtain a new government-issued ID. The plan aimed to track those with abilities and curb the chaos unleashed by those who wielded their gifts for crime. Reports surfaced of robbers conjuring flames to intimidate shopkeepers and vandals using telekinesis to shatter windows, while others stood as vigilantes, their powers a shield for the powerless. Amid this turmoil, a scientist—himself awoken with the ability to materialize objects from thin air—emerged as a beacon of hope. He labored tirelessly to craft cuffs capable of nullifying supernatural abilities, a tool to detain rogue awoken. But his breakthrough was stalled; the cuffs required materials not of Earth—unknown metals and magical stones locked within the yet-unseen portals. The solution existed, tantalizingly close, yet out of reach.

The very next day, as news of the scientist’s cuffs spread, the world shifted again. Portals erupted across the globe, their numbers staggering, shimmering gateways appearing in forests, cities, and deserts. Too many to count, they pulsed with an otherworldly energy, each a doorway to danger and opportunity. The same scientist, undeterred, devised a method to detect the portals’ unique energy signature and swiftly developed an app to track them. The news blared with urgency: “If you want to know where the portals are, register with your local government to get an ‘awoken’ ID. Use your ID number to access the portal database.” Stephen and Jose exchanged a glance, their resolve unspoken but clear. Registration was their next step, a key to navigating this new battlefield.

Leaving their house, the brothers stepped into a world buzzing with tension. As they walked toward the registration office, a faint glow caught their eye, emanating from the distant forest that bordered their neighborhood. “No fucking way,” Jose muttered, his voice a mix of awe and recklessness, already breaking into a run toward the light. “Hey, wait!” Stephen called, his tone sharp with caution, but he followed, his newly restored legs carrying him effortlessly over the uneven ground. They reached a small clearing where a portal swirled, its blueish-green hue casting eerie shadows on the surrounding trees, the air around it humming with latent power.

“Let’s check it out,” Jose said, his bravado wavering, his voice betraying a flicker of doubt. Stephen sighed, his instincts urging caution but overridden by the pull of the unknown. “Fine,” he muttered, and together they stepped through the portal, the world dissolving in a rush of light.

They emerged in a vast, alien forest, its trees towering with bark that shimmered faintly, as if dusted with starlight. A river wound through the landscape, its waters glinting as it fed into a distant lake that mirrored a sky strewn with unfamiliar constellations. The brothers stood frozen, awestruck by the surreal beauty, their breaths shallow in the crisp, foreign air. A rustle broke their trance, and a creature shuffled into view—waist-high, with pointed ears, clad in tattered rags, and clutching a crude hammer fashioned from a tree limb. Above its head, a translucent label floated: Goblin. No other details, just the stark simplicity of its name.

Jose’s eyes lit up, his fear giving way to excitement. “Watch this,” he whispered, snapping his fingers to summon his lightning magic. A bolt crackled forth but veered wide, scorching the ground beside the goblin. The creature’s ears twitched, its head snapping toward them. “Screeeeeeeeee!” it shrieked, a piercing cry that shattered the forest’s calm, and charged, its makeshift hammer raised high. Jose’s confidence crumbled, his voice a panicked stammer. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he muttered, cowering as the goblin closed in.

Stephen, his heart pounding but steadied by the certainty of Regeneration, stepped forward. He knew any wound would heal, a fact that fueled his resolve. He charged the goblin, fist cocked for a punch, but the creature was nimble, dodging and swinging its hammer in a vicious arc. Twack! The blow landed squarely on Stephen’s face, his jaw wrenching to the side with a sickening pop. He staggered, pain flaring as he caught himself, his dislocated jaw throbbing. “You focker,” he slurred, barely able to move his mouth. A heartbeat later, the pain ebbed, his jaw snapping back into place with a faint crack, Regeneration weaving its miracle. The ache vanished, and he lunged, landing a solid punch to the goblin’s jaw. “Screeeee!” it wailed, reeling but undeterred.

Stephen hammered the goblin with a flurry of punches, each blow connecting but barely fazing the wiry creature. “Back up!” Jose shouted, his voice steadier now. Stephen dove to the right, and Jose unleashed another lightning bolt. This time, it struck true, searing the goblin’s arm. The creature yelped, its hammer slipping from its grasp. Stephen darted forward, snatching the fallen weapon, its rough wood heavy in his hands. With a swift, spinning motion, he swung the club in a 180-degree arc, cracking it against the goblin’s skull. The creature let out a gurgling scream, blood flecking its lips. Jose fired one final bolt, the electricity slamming into the goblin’s chest. It shuddered, eyes rolling back, and collapsed, silent and still.

The brothers stood panting, the forest’s quiet settling around them, the goblin’s body a stark reminder of the stakes. Stephen gripped the makeshift hammer, his knuckles white, while Jose’s sparks flickered faintly at his fingertips. They had survived their first fight, but the vastness of the forest and the promise of more dangers loomed, a challenge they were only beginning to understand.