The Awakened World

Epilogue, Part 1

Change is a gradual thing, and major changes are something that typically happen over an extended period of time. Indeed, your average human is likely to experience only very few events that truly change the world during their lifetime. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, such as the world wars that ravaged the world in the 20th century or the sudden explosion of technological development that started toward the same century's end. However, even these examples pale in comparison to the event known as 'the Awakening'. All of a sudden, and seemingly without explanation, a small portion of the world's population gained psychic powers that allowed them to manipulate the world around them according to their whims. It was not surprising that the emergence of honest-to-God psychics would cause major ripple effects across the entire world and, indeed, the world quickly shifted, becoming a place where these awakened reigned supreme, the rest of humanity becoming their subjects. For a time, the awakened had been veritable gods among men. She still was, to an extent: her powers had not vanished anywhere. However, there was an issue: she was no longer allowed to use them.

The rule of the awakened had come to an abrupt end after five years. A new mandate had suddenly been decreed that forbid the awakened from utilizing their powers and the world started to move back toward how it had been before the Awakening. To the non-awakened, this change had been confusing, even terrifying. Instead of explanations, pompous statements were made about 'coming together as a race' and 'protecting common interests' – this from the same people who had spouted the superiority of the awakened mere days prior. Of course, they would never find out the real reason, for it posed an existential threat to all awakened. One fateful day, every awakened had received a vision – one of a man that threatened to de-power all awakened if they did not adhere to his instructions. For reasons they did not wish to share, the powers that be deemed these threats genuine, and so began the dismantling of the new world order – the world was to be completely changed once more.

***

A light drizzle was tapping on the window as Janet Newman leaned back in her chair and squinted at her monitor. Not too long ago, she had lived in the lap of luxury, as her status as an awakened had made sure that she would never have to worry about money. In fact, she had even dropped out of her university just so she could enjoy her life to the fullest – a choice that had now come back to haunt her. With the dismantling of the awakened caste, and with no marketable skills, she had ended up at an entry-level position doing basic data entry, a job so mind-numbing that she wanted to scream. She sighed loudly, which attracted the attention of Jason, her co-worker.

"You about done?" he asked.

"Basically. How about you?"

"Same here. Shall we head out? I'm real hungry from all of this... sitting around."

The two saved their work and shut their monitors, ignoring the gazes they felt on their backs. Being the only two awakened in the office, it was not unexpected that they should receive their fair share of attention – and not the positive kind. Still, thus far no one had been bold enough to be openly hostile toward them, which had resulted in an air of cold aloofness taking place between them and the others. Janet managed to keep her expression neutral, but it was clear that Jason was absolutely fuming. As soon as they made it outside, he made his feelings known.

"Who do they think they are, treating us like lepers?! It makes me so incredibly frustrated!" he grumbled, kicking an empty can down the road.

"Well, it's only natural that they should be wary about us. They did have to live in a world ruled by the likes of us for five years. More than enough to make anyone distrustful," Janet replied in a diplomatic tone.

Of course, she, too, was not happy with the situation. She had been granted supernatural powers, so why wasn't she allowed to use them? Why had the mysterious man made such outlandish demands in the vision, and more importantly, why on earth had the world leaders agreed? Jason's frustration was easy to understand, too, as he had been a combat agent, able to wield the powers he had awakened to their fullest extent. To replace that with having to work menial tasks in cramped offices must have been extraordinarily humiliating.