Mrs. Evans rushed over as Astraea emerged, her face a canvas of maternal anxiety. "How did it go, sweetie? Was it scary?"
"It was fine, Maggie," Astraea said, her voice light, carefully pitched. "They liked my sparkles." They dismissed them as trivial. Which was precisely the point.
"Oh, that's wonderful!" Mrs. Evans hugged her, the scent of lavender and fabric softener enveloping Astraea. It was a comforting, ephemeral smell. I remember when perfumes were crushed flowers and herbs. Now they're synthesized molecules. The effect is similar, but the soul is different.
They were directed to a small counseling office with cheerful posters of rainbows and uplifting slogans. "The Power is Within You!" one declared. Astraea sat, legs swinging, while Mrs. Evans filled out more paperwork.
[System notification]
[Quest updated: 'A spark of discovery!']
[Status: Complete!]
[Reward processing...]
[Reward: 1 Minor Mana Crystal (Virtual) - Added to inventory!]
[Achievement unlocked: 'First evaluation!']
[New quest available: 'Official classification!']
The door opened, and a young man with an earnest, perpetually cheerful demeanor entered. "Astraea? Mrs. Evans? I'm Counselor Davis. I have your results!"
He placed a thin folder on the desk. Astraea noted the flimsiness of it. Important documents in her youth were parchment or vellum, weighty with significance. This was cheap recycled paper.
"First," Counselor Davis beamed, "congratulations! You are officially recognized as an Awakened individual!" He said it as if conferring a knighthood. He slid a laminated card across the desk.
AWAKENED ASSOCIATION - IDENTIFICATION CARD
Name: Astraea Evans
Classification: Luminous
Tier: 0
Issued: [Date]
Expires: Upon Re-evaluation
Astraea picked it up. The plastic was still warm from the printer. It felt flimsy, temporary. I have held stones carved with my true name that are older than this civilization. Now I hold a plastic card that calls me a "Luminous Tier 0." The universe has a peculiar sense of humor.
"Luminous is our designation for light-based, non-destructive manifestations," Counselor Davis explained, his voice a river of practiced positivity. "It's a wonderful, peaceful affinity. And Tier 0 is our foundational tier—it simply means your mana output is stable but minimal, perfect for a gentle introduction to your new reality."
"Now, because of your age and Tier classification," he continued, pushing forward a brightly colored booklet, "you are automatically enrolled in the Child & Youth Awakened Program—CYAP for short!"
The pamphlet was a riot of primary colors. Photos of smiling children tending glowing gardens, building small, floating castles out of light blocks, and meditating in circles. Bubble text declared: "Discover Your Inner Glow!" "Responsible Luminescence!" "Play-Based Mana Integration!"
Magical kindergarten. They were putting her in magical kindergarten. After she had watched the foundations of their geology settle. The sheer, breathtaking absurdity of it was a flavor she hadn't tasted in centuries.
"The first orientation is this Saturday at the North Haven Community Center," Counselor Davis said. "There will be juice and cookies!"
Mrs. Evans exhaled, a sound of profound relief. No dangerous powers. No combat training. Just juice, cookies, and sparkles. For a foster mother, it was the ultimate best-case scenario. "That sounds lovely," she said, squeezing Astraea's shoulder.
"Do you have any questions, Astraea?" the counselor asked.
She looked up from the ID card, her violet eyes meeting his. She had a million questions. Why have you categorized the seven principle resonances of void-light incorrectly? Do you understand your "safe containment" runes have a harmonic flaw? What will you do when beings that slumbered through the famine begin to wake?
She asked none of them. Instead, she tilted her head, the picture of a curious child. "Will I get to grow my sparkles?"
Counselor Davis's smile widened, condescension wrapped in kindness. "That's the spirit! With practice and the supportive environment of CYAP, who knows what you might achieve? Maybe one day you'll be a Tier 1!"
Tier 1. A promotion from firefly to slightly larger firefly. The ambition was almost touching.
"Thank you," Astraea said politely.
The meeting concluded. As they walked out into the afternoon sun, the weight of the city—the hum of cars, the chatter of people, the distant, sweet siren call of the dungeon gate—washed over her.
Mrs. Evans chatted about buying a special notebook for CYAP. Astraea half-listened, her fingers tracing the raised lettering on her new ID card.
LUMINOUS. TIER 0.
The hunger in her core gave another slow, deep pang. It was not just for mana anymore. It was a hunger for scale, for truth, for the right to finally, finally stretch.
She slipped the ID card into the pocket of her dress. It rested there, a tiny, official lie against her thigh.
[System notification]
[Quest: 'Official classification!' - Complete!]
[Achievement unlocked: 'Paperwork pioneer!']
[New main quest: 'The long wait - Commence thawing']
[Objective 1: Attend First CYAP Session]
[Reward: Increased Social Integration, Basic Mana Theory, 1 Chocolate Chip Cookie]
That night, in the privacy of her room, she stood against the wall where a faint pencil mark had been made the day the gate first pulsed. She took a new pencil, held it level on her head, and made another mark.
She measured the distance with a ruler she'd kept since the 1920s.
Growth: 0.15 centimeters.
It was less than the width of the pencil lead. But it was measurable. It was real.
The first physical growth in four centuries. Not a memory. Not a hope. A fact.
She looked at her reflection—a child with ancient eyes that had seen empires fall. The System, sensing her elevated state, chimed in.
[Achievement unlocked: 'Growing up so fast!']
[Reward: +5 to Cuteness stat!]
Astraea's lips quirked. She pocketed her ID card and the CYAP pamphlet.
They see a Luminous Child, Tier 0. I am a Void Dragon, chronologically ancient, finally beginning to grow. The gap between perception and reality is four hundred years wide.
And I have all the time in the world to bridge it.