The RAA East Branch building stood three stories tall, its fresh white and gray paint job trying hard to hide what was clearly an old office building. Jelani spotted patches where older colors showed through, places where the 'RADIANT AWAKENED AGENCY' signage had been hastily mounted over previous lettering.

"I'll see you later," he told Milo through the car window.

"Yeah, try not to get yourself killed on day one. Still need your help with rent haha," Milo's attempt at humor fell flat, carrying too much genuine concern.

Jelani forced a light chuckle out to avoid making Milo feel awkward and responded “Thanks bro, I’ll be fine. See you later,”

As Jelani walked up to the large glass doors leading into the building he nodded at the radiant security guard at the entrance. The man nodded back with a focused neon red gaze.

Inside, the dated checkered tiles, peeling wallpaper and fluorescent lighting confirmed his suspicions. This place had been a cheap lipstick job.

Two lines of people led to separate wooden desks covered by a cheap glass barrier that would only guard them from airborne illnesses. After about fifteen minutes waiting he got to the front.

Jelani's receptionist was caramel skinned and wore a bright smile that matched the blonde finger waves in her hair. Her name tag read 'Ashley.'

"Morning! How can I help you?" Professional charm with just enough warmth to feel genuine.

"Here to register." Jelani matched her energy. "Finally joined the glowing eyes squad."

"Welcome to the family!" She pulled out a thick packet. "Though I'm just support staff myself. Normal boring eyes here."

"Nothing boring about them from where I'm standing."

Her laugh was musical. "Smooth. But let's get you registered first, Romeo. Going to need—"

"I done told y'all three times already!" A loud Southern drawl cut through the air. An older man in khakis had pushed to the front of the other line. "This ain't something that can wait!"

The other receptionist, a middle aged lady with a large fro, maintained her composure. "Sir, if you'll please—"

"That vortex yall left in my backyard is getting worse!" His voice carried barely controlled panic. "Y'all promised it would be handled. Teams keep coming but it's still there, now it’s pulsing all weird scaring my dogs. Making my property worthless!"

"Sir, you need to lower your voice—"

"Lower my voice? Girl, you better get me the damn manager! I'll air this whole place out if—"

"Hold on! You got the wrong one today," the receptionist cut back, spine straightening.

"Yoo don’t let your mouth cash checks you know gonna bounce," the security guard's voice carried lethal certainty.

“Get to the back of the line and wait your turn,"

The old man's expression grew more determined. "Don't you threaten me, boy! I've been patient, but-"

"Mr. Johnson calm down" A short woman in business casual appeared, radiating calm authority. "Why you always gotta cause a scene? I told you we got you. Now come on so we can discuss this privately."

The man seemed to immediately soften when she appeared “Yeah yeah, I need yall to stop acting like I’m somebody new in this bitch every time I come in”

After they disappeared down a hallway, Jelani turned back to Ashley. "What's up with OG?"

"Above my pay grade." She shrugged. "Form needs three emergency contacts, medical history, and prior employment details. Take your time filling it out then bring it back to me."

Jelani found an empty seat and started on the form. A mounted TV above the waiting area played Fox 5 News at a low volume with closed captioning on.

"Coming up at noon, an exclusive interview with Police Chief Cauckbaum regarding the surge in radiant-related violence plaguing our metro area," the anchor, a brunette woman with a practiced concerned expression, announced. "Following yesterday's devastating attack downtown many people are left anxious about the future of this city,"

Her co-anchor, a bald-headed Black man in a sharp suit, cut in. "Lisa, the city and our world. What's most disturbing about this incident is the complete disregard these individuals showed for public safety. While these so-called protectors engaged in their street battle, a vortex break was occurring just blocks away. To be quite frank, I’m in the group that feels it’s paramount we get some aggressive action to counteract these thugs,"

"That's right, Marcus. Property damage estimates are still coming in, but the death toll from the concurrent vortex break has risen to seventeen with it being estimated to potentially be a lot higher. Hopefully the enforcers or the military will be allowed to be our true protectors soon—"

The pen creaked in Jelani's grip. Protectors. The word tasted like ash in his mouth. Those enforcers had been real protective when they ordered a kid to be gunned down in cold blood.

They could play the finger pointing game but someone was plotting something.

He needed to figure out what was really happening in the city, but he'd have to be smart about it. Going in impulsively would just get him killed, again.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

He could remember each of the enforcers faces and the dude who'd shot him was probably YK5. The masked radiants that were there would know Jelani’s face but he wouldn’t know theres. Any radiant he passed on the street could be one of them.

Jelani finished the form with perhaps more force than necessary. He'd play it cool for now, learn the system, build his strength. But soon enough, he'd start asking questions. And this time, he'd have the power to handle the answers.

He returned the form to Ashley, who directed him to wait again to be called for a psych evaluation. He turned to go back to his seat but an elderly couple had taken his spot and the one next to it.

Jelani moved to towards the far corner of the room and found a seat near the back. There was an open seat next to a girl with pink braids under a black beanie. Her arms were covered in tattoos. Mystical symbols mixed with traditional African designs, all done in black ink against brown skin. Her all-black outfit screamed alt girl, but it was her eyes that caught his attention with their soft violet glow.

"Those are clean," he said, nodding at the tattoos.

She studied him for a moment, like she was deciding whether to be friendly. "Thanks. Got them before all this awakened shit."

"Just awakened too?"

"That obvious?" Her smile carried equal parts sweetness and sarcasm. "I'm Pandora."

"Jelani. You ready to hit some raids?"

"Terrified." She said it casually, like commenting on the weather. "But also kind of excited? Like, everything's so fucked anyway, might as well use these super powers and see if I can make something of myself,"

Something about her honesty made him laugh. "That's not a bad way to look at it."

"Better than pretending we know what we're doing." She gestured at the other waiting radiants. "Half these people probably think they're gonna be heroes. Other half just trying not to die or go to jail for avoiding their ‘civic responsibility’,"

"Which half are you?"

Her pink eyes sparkled. "Guess you'll have to stick around and find out."

Before he could respond, his name was called.

“Jelani von?”

He looked back to see a gray haired Asian man in a white button up and burgundy sweater.

“Here,” he called out before turning back to Pandora. “Guess I’ll see you around”

“Bet,”

* * *

Jelani emerged from the psych eval, shoulders tight with lingering irritation. Dr. Chen's questions about "persistent feelings of anger" and "thoughts of harming others" had felt like traps.

He'd kept his responses measured, of course he got angry sometimes, who didn't in this world? And sure, everyone thought about violence when pushed far enough. That was just being human.

But he'd kept digging, trying to find something broken behind his composure. Like being in control of your emotions was somehow suspicious.

Apparently, not breaking down about every hardship meant something was wrong with you. The questions about sadness had been worse, soft-voiced concerns searching for weakness he refused to acknowledge.

The fluorescent lights felt invasive now, like they were trying to expose something in him that wasn't there. He found himself checking his reflection in the glass panels, making sure his face showed nothing but calm certainty.

He was fine. Better than fine – he had power now, purpose. Shrinks with their clipboards and concerned eyes, always trying to make you doubt yourself...

A broad-shouldered man in a black RAA polo intercepted Jelani in the hallway. His low buzzcut and pressed khakis screamed ex-military, but his smile carried genuine warmth. His irises were tinged a luminescent royal blue.

"Looking a bit shell-shocked there." He extended his hand. "Darius Bennett, Field Operations. You must be Jelani."

Jelani shook his hand, noting the man's firm but careful grip. Like someone constantly gauging his own strength.

"That obvious, huh?"

"Seen that post-eval look before." Darius gestured for Jelani to follow. "Everyone gets weird about the psych screening, but it's necessary. You wouldn't believe how many people awaken with unprocessed trauma, then suddenly they've got the power to level city blocks."

He swiped his keycard through a security door. "Had a guy last month, seemed totally stable. Week later, he's trying to collapse a highway because his ex drove past."

Jelani laughed "Yeahhh, i’m not a crash out. I promise you I’m good," he emphasized his next lines. "Just want to get to work."

"That's what they all say." Darius's tone stayed light, but his eyes studied Jelani carefully. "Three years with the agency, started as basic support staff. After the first wave of vortexes..." He shrugged. "Someone had to step up. Now I coordinate field operations, what's left of them."

"What's left?"

"Budget cuts, staff shortages. Military keeps pushing for direct control, meanwhile our response times get slower every week." They entered a large room with cameras in each corner.

Impact craters and scorch marks decorated the reinforced walls, telling stories of power unleashed. "You probably don’t care about all that. What you need to know is that most coordination happens through the app now. Teams form up, handle what they can."

"Doesn't sound like the best set up but it’s better than nothing." Jelani replied.

"Welcome to the apocalypse." Darius checked something on his tablet. "Had seven new awakened come in just this morning. But you gotta compare that with the fifteen plus vortexes that have showed up too. System's overwhelmed, but..." He straightened his polo anxiously. "We do what we can. Better than sending people out blind."

The rack of practice dummies along one wall had seen better days. Most bore signs of various abilities – slash marks, burn holes, one that seemed to be partially turned to stone.

"So," Darius positioned himself a few steps behind Jelani, "let's see what you're working with. How'd you awaken?"

Jelani had prepared for this. "Just woke up this way this morning. Opened my eyes, they were glowing, so I decided to come here."

"Well good job doing better than half these boys who decide to jump straight on social media and flex." Darius made a note. "Sounds like the standard scenario though, any odd text on the scroll that appeared?"

“Nah, same message as everybody else” he replied.

"Guess I'm not too special." Jelani kept his face neutral. "Want to see the weapon?"

"Whenever you're ready."

Jelani let power flow. The hexblade materialized in his hand, chain clinking as harlequin flames danced along its edge then dissipated. Darius's eyebrows shot up.

"Well damn." He came up closer to Jelani. "That's... unique for a new awakening. Usually we get basic stuff – simple swords, simple wands, etc etc. This is..." He studied the runic patterns. "You sure you just woke up with this?"

"That's my story."

"Uh huh." Darius made more notes. "Legally, I need your class and ability. What can it do?"

Jelani tensed. How much to reveal? "I’m a warrior class and my ability weakens whatever my sword comes in contact with. Physical capabilities, strength, that kind of thing."

"Mind demonstrating? It’s ok if the effects are not super clear, this is more so for our recorded databases,"

Jelani nodded and approached the practice dummy. He executed three quick slashes which left trails of green mist on the practice dummy. After a few seconds the shallow cuts he left seemed to open wider. Darius watched intently, tablet forgotten.

"Form's solid. Previous training?"

"Some basics. Monthly classes for the past couple years ."

"Smart." Darius chewed his lip, thinking. "Might let us fast-track you past preliminary training. Usually we spend weeks on proper stance, but with our current situation..." He glanced at his tablet again. "How do you feel about starting raids soon? We've got a... relatively safe location we use for new recruits to learn the basics."

The slight hesitation caught Jelani's attention. "Relatively safe?"

"Low-rank monsters, predictable patterns." Darius's voice carried rehearsed reassurance. "Still dangerous – all vortexes are – but better than throwing you into something random." He paused then whispered. "Just... don't mention it to anybody, you feel me?"

“Yeah I got you,”

An alarm blared suddenly. Darius looked up, tablet nearly slipping from his hands.

"Vortex break?" Jelani asked.

"Always another break." Darius’s smile turned strained. "Give me a minute. Need to check if they’re going to end up needing me." He headed for the door, then stopped. "Oh, and Jelani? Welcome to the RAA. Try not to die too quick – paperwork's a nightmare."

As the door closed, Jelani studied his reflection in his blade. A conspiracy in the city. A "safe" training vortex kept off the books. And the military pushing for control that most believed they should’ve gotten years ago.

Things were definitely getting interesting.