The awakening

A month has passed since the world changed forever. What began as a normal day transformed into the beginning of a new era.

Interdimensional portals appeared simultaneously at different points across the planet, releasing creatures that bear a striking resemblance to the mythological beasts that populated our tales and legends for centuries.

In these brief but intense days, humanity has witnessed not only the appearance of these fantastic beings, but also the awakening of extraordinary abilities in certain individuals.

As if the universe had decided to balance the scales, people of all ages and backgrounds have manifested unique powers: some can manipulate elements, others have developed superhuman physical capabilities, and there are those who can communicate telepathically or heal wounds with a simple touch.

Colombia has been no exception to this global phenomenon.

In cities like Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali, these new "gifted ones"—as some media outlets have begun to call them—have formed rapid response teams, working in coordination with authorities to contain the interdimensional creatures.

Their efforts have been fundamental in maintaining a delicate balance and preventing urban areas from being completely overrun.

International reports confirm that similar situations are unfolding across the entire planet.

From the streets of Tokyo, where oriental dragons fly over skyscrapers while teams of powered individuals keep them at bay, to the avenues of New York, where creatures similar to Nordic trolls are confronted by individuals with extraordinary abilities.

The situation is truly global, and humanity is learning to adapt to this new reality at breakneck speed.

Most intriguing is that each region is not only experiencing manifestations of typical fantasy creatures—those rooted in European folklore—but unique beings are also appearing that bear a deep relationship to the local folklore and mythology of each territory, as if the fabric of reality were materializing the ancient legends specific to each culture.

Meanwhile, the powers manifesting in people appear to be completely random and unique, following no apparent cultural pattern.

These gifted ones have led authorities to take specific measures in each country.

In Colombia, for example, the government response was pragmatic and effective. The government issued a strategically structured communiqué that began by highlighting substantial economic benefits for those who joined the response forces, followed by an emotional speech about patriotic duty and the importance of protecting the nation.

This dual approach proved extraordinarily effective. More than half of the recruits were initially attracted by the economic incentives, while another considerable group responded to the patriotic call. The result was a diverse and committed force that exceeded all initial expectations.

One of the most notable aspects of this initiative has been its impact on social mobility. Numerous cases have been documented of people who previously lived on the streets or in extreme poverty and are now respected members of the response teams.

The contrast is striking: individuals who once wore rags now wear uniforms while combating interdimensional threats.

These transformation stories have not only changed the lives of the individuals involved, but have also served as powerful examples of how this new reality is reshaping the social fabric of the nation.

The meritocracy of powers has created unprecedented opportunities for those who were previously marginalized by society.

That's why David found himself lying on his bed, his gaze fixed on the ceiling, seemingly calm. As he sighed, his arms trembled, betraying the fear he felt—a fear that had become part of his daily routine since it all began.

And no one could blame him. The fear that an interdimensional creature might burst into his house and end his life was more real than ever.

He had seen too many similar cases documented on the internet to ignore that possibility: videos of homes destroyed by mythological beasts, testimonies of families who barely managed to escape, images of houses reduced to rubble after the passage of some creature.

Online support groups were full of similar stories. Although authorities insisted that residential areas were protected, David had seen enough news about security system failures to maintain a healthy skepticism.

The fact that some of these incidents had occurred less than ten kilometers from his house didn't help calm his nerves.

On the other hand, despite the fear consuming him, David couldn't deny that he felt a peculiar curiosity about the entire situation.

He considered himself a completely normal person, someone who would probably never develop extraordinary powers.

However, the news that even homeless people had manifested supernatural abilities planted a seed of hope in his mind.

Why couldn't he be one of the chosen ones? This question tormented him more and more.

David had read enough manga, light novels, and webnovels to know that in many stories the protagonist began as someone ordinary before discovering their incredible powers. Often, these protagonists were normal people, even socially marginalized, who after obtaining their abilities became heroes admired by all.

The idea was especially attractive to him. He had devoured stories where seemingly insignificant characters ended up being the chosen ones, saving the world and, incidentally, finding love. He had even read numerous stories where protagonists who didn't stand out for their physical appearance managed to form meaningful relationships thanks to their power and sincerity.

But beyond romantic fantasies, David was pragmatic enough to see the practical aspect of the situation. Reports indicated that the "gifted" who joined government forces received not only a considerable salary, but also additional benefits like health insurance, housing, and other perks. For someone like him, who had always lived a modest life, the prospect of that economic stability was almost as attractive as the possibility of developing extraordinary powers.

The combination of these possibilities—being a hero, finding love, achieving economic stability—fueled his hopes and kept him trying to awaken some hidden power, however ridiculous he felt in the process.

Driven by this idea, he sat up in bed and began to experiment. First he tried to move objects with his mind, concentrating intensely on his desk lamp. After several minutes without results, he tried smaller items like a pencil. Then he attempted to generate some kind of energy with his hands, create fire, manipulate the water from a glass he had nearby. He even tried to levitate.

After hours of fruitless attempts and feeling somewhat ridiculous, he had to accept that, at least for now, he remained as normal as ever. He collapsed back onto the bed, exhausted and slightly disappointed.

Somewhat frustrated, an idea occurred to him: maybe he was doing it the wrong way. He began searching the internet and found that a fairly popular influencer he followed had awakened the ability to generate compressed electricity spheres that he could manipulate at will.

The influencer described in detail how he managed to awaken his power. According to him, it happened when he was about to die from a goblin attack.

The moment was etched in his memory: the creature, with its yellowish eyes and sharp teeth, had cornered him in an alley. It was in that instant of pure terror and desperation when he felt something awaken inside him, an energy he didn't know existed until that moment.

Though he wasn't very sure of the exact details of the process, he claimed with conviction that the manifestation of powers required two fundamental elements: first, the luck of having the potential; and second, the genuine desire to awaken it.

It wasn't enough to simply want the power superficially; it had to be a desire that arose from the deepest part of one's being.

The explanation made sense: human beings, having evolved over millennia following the physical laws of the natural world, had developed subconscious self-protection mechanisms against phenomena that challenged their fundamental understanding of the universe.

These powers, being something completely external to human evolutionary experience and defying all known logic, probably activated these mental defense mechanisms.

It was as if the human brain, programmed to process and accept only what it considers "possible" within its evolutionary frame of reference, automatically blocked any capacity that contradicted this basic programming.

A kind of natural firewall that prevented access to abilities that, from the perspective of millions of years of evolution, shouldn't exist.

To break through that blockage, it was necessary to be truly convinced and have a desire so deep that it could overcome these mental self-protection barriers.

The influencer theorized that the mortal danger he faced had been the perfect catalyst: the survival instinct had been so strong that it managed to surpass even these evolutionary defense mechanisms.

David sat thoughtfully, processing this information. Did this mean he would need to face a life-or-death situation to awaken his powers? The idea sent a shiver down his spine.

Although he wished to develop extraordinary abilities, he wasn't sure he wanted to risk his life to achieve it.

However, the information had given him a new perspective. If the problem was mental, perhaps he could approach it differently.

He stood in the middle of his room, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. This time, instead of simply trying to force a power, he concentrated on genuinely believing he had a special ability.

He didn't just wish to have a power; he convinced himself that he already possessed it, attempting to overcome those mental barriers the influencer had mentioned.

Several minutes passed as he remained there, motionless, concentrating with all his will. When he was about to give up, something strange happened.

A bright and bewildering light began to manifest before him, momentarily blinding him.

—What... is this?

were the only words David managed to utter before consciousness abandoned him, falling to the floor as the light enveloped him completely.