A Break in the Routine

Alex stepped off the levitating train into the bustling streets of Emberlight, his thoughts already on the day ahead. For once, he had woken up in a good mood. Instead of heading straight to his cubicle, he decided to treat his friends to enchanted pastries and coffee.

With a box of pastries glowing faintly with enchantments and four steaming cups of coffee in hand, Alex made his way to Magic, Inc. The tower loomed ahead, its glass and stone exterior pulsing with the soft blue aura that always reminded him of a heartbeat. Today, that pulse felt a bit lighter, almost in sync with his own upbeat mood.

Approaching the entrance, he headed straight for the Magical Security Division. Inside, the security wing buzzed with energy, filled with the hum of training spells and shouts from enforcers honing their techniques. It was a fortress within Magic, Inc., designed to handle breaches and rogue spells.

Marcus Blackwood, the head enforcer, was in the middle of a demonstration when Alex arrived. Tall and broad-shouldered, Marcus moved with the precision of someone who had seen countless magical threats. He was showing junior enforcers how to disarm opponents without causing collateral damage.

“Remember,” Marcus’s deep voice carried across the training room, “it’s not about force. It’s about precision. Neutralize the threat, and no one else gets hurt.”

With a flick of his wand, Marcus disarmed a practice dummy, sending its weapon clattering to the ground. The trainees watched closely, then hurried to replicate his technique.

Alex waited until Marcus wrapped up before stepping forward. “Morning, Marcus. Thought you could use a pick-me-up,” he said, offering one of the coffees.

Marcus turned, his stern face softening at the sight of Alex. “Morning, Turner. You didn’t have to.” But he took the cup anyway, nodding his thanks.

“It’s good coffee,” Alex replied with a shrug.

Marcus sipped, grunting appreciatively. “Appreciate it. Busy morning?”

“Just making the rounds before diving back into the wonderful world of compliance,” Alex said, glancing at the trainees, who still fumbled with their spells. “Looks like you’ve got your hands full.”

“They’ll get it,” Marcus muttered. “Eventually.”

Alex chuckled. “I’m sure they will.” With a quick nod, he left the security division and moved on to his next stop.

As he made his way down the corridor, the hum of technology grew louder, guiding him toward the IT Department. The transition from security drills to the more subdued, focused atmosphere of IT was always stark. Here, the air buzzed with the steady whirr of enchanted servers.

Alex found Nina Rivera at her desk, fingers flying over her keyboard as she debugged a spell-enhanced program. Her wavy chestnut hair was pulled into a loose braid, and her glasses kept slipping down her nose as she frowned at the glowing screen filled with magical runes.

“Come on, you’re not supposed to do that,” Nina muttered at the screen, tapping furiously until the error message blinked away.

Alex stepped up to her desk and set down a coffee and pastry. “Hey, genius.”

Nina blinked, momentarily surprised, before breaking into a grin. “You always show up in the middle of a crisis. What, do you have a magical sixth sense for when I’m on the verge of a breakdown?”

Alex smirked. “It’s either that, or I’ve just memorized your meltdown schedule.”

She laughed, pushing her glasses up her nose. “Great. I’ve become that predictable.”

“Hey, predictable’s not all bad. Just means I know when to show up with caffeine and carbs,” he teased, nodding at the pastry.

“Alright, you’ve earned a pass this time,” she said, taking a sip of coffee. “But if I’m still wrestling with this cursed code tomorrow, you’re bringing donuts.”

“Deal.” He watched her attention drift back to the glowing screen before leaving her to her work, feeling the need to keep his own momentum going.

From IT, Alex headed to the atrium—a central hub within Magic, Inc., where employees often paused to breathe between their hectic schedules. The space opened up before him, filled with magical flora and illuminated by floating lights. Water streamed down from the crystal fountain at its center, shimmering as it shifted from deep blue to fiery red, then to soft green. It was a calming, yet vibrant place.

No matter how many times Alex walked through, the beauty of the atrium always stopped him. He paused to take in the enchanted butterflies that flitted around, their wings catching the light as they danced over the fountain. Familiar faces passed by—compliance officers, engineers, marketing wizards—some waved or smiled, and Alex waved back before moving on, feeling a sense of ease.

The atrium’s peacefulness gave way to the Entertainment and Marketing Division above, where vibrant illusions and enchantments filled the air. Alex could hear snippets of conversation as he neared the rehearsal rooms, his steps quickening in anticipation of seeing Zoe Kim.

Inside the room, Zoe was directing a group of floating orbs, her sharp bob of black hair framing her face as she snapped her fingers, rearranging the orbs into intricate constellations. But one of the orbs flickered, then fizzled out with a puff of glitter.

“Come on, don’t be difficult,” Zoe muttered, waving her hand. The orb blinked back to life, only to explode in a shower of sparkling dust.

“Trying to impress the coffee guy, huh?” Alex teased, stepping into the room with a grin.

Zoe spun around, her face lighting up when she saw Alex holding out a coffee and pastry. “You’re a lifesaver, Alex!”

“Anytime,” he replied, handing her the cup. “What’s the occasion? Or should I ask what you’ve blown up today?”

Zoe laughed, brushing glitter from her hair. “Oh, you know, just the usual—trying to get these damn orbs to behave. I swear they’ve got minds of their own.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Maybe they’re protesting. You sure you’re not working them too hard?”

“Me? Never,” she said with mock offense. “I treat them with nothing but respect—except when they explode in my face.”

“Sounds like they’re in open rebellion,” Alex said, smirking. “Might want to call in reinforcements.”

Zoe grinned, already sipping her coffee. “Only if you’re volunteering. I could use a fresh set of eyes—and hands.”

“Tempting, but I’ll stick to delivering snacks for now.” Alex waved her off with a smile and continued down the hall toward his final stop—the Research and Development Labs. He could already hear the bubbling of potions and the occasional pop of magical reactions as he approached.

Peering through the glass-paneled doors, he spotted Lila at her workbench. Her red hair was tied back in a messy bun, a few singed strands escaping as she tinkered with various ingredients. The colorful stains on her lab coat spoke volumes about her latest experiments.

Lila was in the zone, muttering to herself as she measured out ingredients for a new potion. “Just a drop of dragon’s breath...and a pinch of phoenix ash...”

She carefully poured the mixture into a small vial, holding it up to the light, her green eyes gleaming with excitement. “Perfect!” she declared.

Alex approached cautiously. He had learned early on that it was never wise to startle Lila when she was deep in her work.

“Morning, Lila,” Alex called, standing a safe distance away. He knew better than to get too close when she was deep in her work.

Lila looked up, her green eyes sparkling with excitement. “Alex! Just in time. You’ve got to see this.”

Before he could reply, she grabbed a vial from her cluttered table and held it up proudly. “I’ve been working on a potion that accelerates plant growth. Watch!” She turned to a sad-looking fern and dripped a few drops of the potion onto its soil.

At first, nothing happened. Then, the fern twitched and shot upward, its leaves stretching toward the ceiling. Alex stepped back as its branches spread out, nearly hitting him in the face.

Lila clapped her hands, delighted. “See? Instant forest! Think of the possibilities, Alex—reforestation projects, magical gardens, quick cover for covert missions—”

She was interrupted by the creaking of wood as the tree’s branches continued to grow, now pushing against the ceiling tiles. The other researchers in the lab started to glance over nervously.

Alex chuckled, but his eyes widened as the branches pushed against the ceiling tiles. “Uh, Lila? I think it’s still growing.”

Lila’s grin faded as she realized the tree wasn’t stopping. “Oh. Right.” She grabbed another vial, splashing its blue contents onto the tree. Immediately, the growth halted, and the branches drooped, as if caught in the middle of an awkward stretch.

“Whoops,” Lila said sheepishly. “Maybe too much dragon’s breath. But hey, it worked!”

Alex laughed. “Impressive. But maybe scale it down next time?”

“Good call,” she said, scribbling notes on her parchment. “So, what brings you by?”

“Just thought you could use some fuel,” Alex replied, offering the last pastry and coffee.

“You’re the best!” Lila’s face lit up as she dug into the box. With a final wave, Alex left her to her work and headed for his own desk.

As he made his way back to the cubicles, the atmosphere of the labs and departments faded, replaced by the steady routine of paperwork, complaints, and compliance reports. His cubicle was a familiar mess of enchanted quills, stacks of parchment, and various magical gadgets in varying states of disrepair.

Sinking into his chair, which gave a familiar creak, Alex activated his scrying orb. The orb flickered to life, presenting him with a flood of violations: unauthorized teleportations, overuse of levitation spells, and a disturbing number of vending machine hexes. With a sigh, he rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

Back to the routine.