I turned to Strawberry, my eyes widening.

"That's..."

"The POTUS in the flesh. That's just crazy! Wow."

I could hear the disbelief in her tone, and I was nearly speechless. I mean, it wasn't completely unheard of for a president to speak to a crowd of magical knights, but it wasn't common, and the implications of him coming here totally incognito like that was... more than a little overwhelming.

I had no idea what to make of it, and based on the emotions I felt in the air, neither did anyone else.

Elysia narrowed her eyes, staring at him quietly with an unreadable expression.

"Thank you, thank you," Erichthonius Escathos said softly into the mic. "It's an honor to be here with you all. I know it must be a surprise to some of you, but I've always been a close friend of the magical knight community. I am no Magical Knight myself, but I have taught, fought alongside, and bled with the best of the best. Your legends and your stories inspire me and motivate me every day to continue to do the best I can in my role as leader of this great nation."

He paused, his eyes darting around the room. "After what we experienced just a few weeks ago, it's more important than ever that we come together as a people, as a nation, and as a planet. I know we have had some differences, and there have been... troubling rumblings between major supervillain factions and hidden organizations that seek to undermine the peace we have built in the last century. But no matter what happens, remember that we are all on the same side, and we are all here to fight together to ensure that there is a tomorrow for ourselves and those who come after us."

There was silence as his words resonated through the crowd.

Strawberry clenched her fist, an excited look in her eyes. "Damn, this is intense. I can't believe... wow, this feels surreal."

Elysia shook her head, squinting at him. "His aura seems... off today."

I raised an eyebrow, leaning in. "You can see that too?"

She smiled, looking up at me. "Ah, you have Aura Sight? Well, not quite. I can't see auras. My skill is more like a sixth sense... I can feel fluctuations in auras and gauge the amount of mana and magic around me with my combined senses. In any case, I've attended President Escathos's rallies in the past. His aura is... unusual. It's like it's layered, or encased in a field of energy. But it's definitely not completely ordinary."

Strawberry pouted, "Both of you have aura sensing abilities? No fair. Now I feel like I'm the only one out of the loop!"

Elysia laughed awkwardly, waving her hands in front of her face. "Oh, no, I just have a minor ability. Not very useful."

But I knew that couldn't be totally true.

There was something... off about her too now that I thought about it.

She briefly made eye contact with me, and I could sense the hesitation and doubt radiating off her aura as she looked away.

She didn't have the same reaction when talking to Strawberry. I mean, her aura danced like she felt awkward around Strawberry too, but she was focusing mostly on me.

Was there something in my own aura signature that was making her feel uneasy?

Maybe it was because I clocked her real strength with my aura sight and I was subconsciously acting differently.

Or maybe...

Maybe something deeper was going on here.

I was getting increasingly suspicious of Elysia, and I wondered if there was something I was missing. She seemed so friendly and nice, but she was definitely on edge, and there was a sense of heavy restraint coming from her.

"In spite of the widespread damage from the Cataclysm, society is still intact, and we are building back from the ground up with more compassion and fervor than ever before. It's a testament to our strength as a people, our unity as a planet, and the fundamental goodness in humanity. We are still standing, and we are determined to rise up in the face of adversity and move forward."

Another round of applause.

I couldn't help but smile and breathe a sigh of relief I didn't know I was holding as the president's aura rippled and expanded, no longer suppressed but revealing a brilliant golden glow that emanated around him.

Most of the other knights couldn't see it, of course, but a heaviness in the air suddenly lifted.

"I will say this outright. All of you are the best and brightest of this generation, and you hold a crucial role in protecting our planet, our cities, and our communities. There is no higher honor than to stand by your side and bring our best to the table for mentorship, and some of you may even grow to become heroes greater than the ones who came before when all is said and done. But more importantly, you represent hope. Hope for a future, hope for prosperity and peace, and hope for a better, brighter world."

He lowered his head, his expression sullen. "Rebuilding will be long and painful, and many will struggle to recover from the tragedy. But with every tear, with every loss, with every stroke of kindness and patience and determination, we rise up and return stronger and more resilient than we could imagine today. And in that moment of renewal, we will never forget the sacrifices and the heroes who stood up and fought so that we could live in a better tomorrow."

Strawberry chuckled softly to herself. "Man. He's got a way with words, huh? Guess that's why he's the president."

Elysia sighed, shaking her head. "It's not a bad speech, but it's clear he no longer has The Sovereign with him. It has oomph, but the speeches she wrote for him would have people in tears at this point. I think he may actually struggle with reelection, with the Unity Party's approval ratings dropping so quickly."

I furrowed my brow, thinking about the tall, eye-catching girl half the campus was fawning yesterday. The raven-haired beauty was supposedly The Sovereign's daughter, and she'd been spotted heading towards the school's administrative offices.

The Sovereign was one of two Paragons on President Escathos's team. Once-in-a-generation talents in their respective civilizations that pursued mastery to the highest level and ascended beyond Pioneers.

To become a Paragon, the World System required someone to pursue a course that would refine their talents in a way that served human advancement and the ideals greater than themselves. It was a state of being that only a handful of people could achieve in the world in each generation due to the tight conditions, and the highest form of being for someone designated as a Pioneer.

Pioneers on the other hand, are individuals that the World System identified as exceptional talents on a pursuit of mastery for an abstract, refined goal that would directly serve human advancement. These could range from something as simple as a martial art, or science and engineering, to pursuits such as art or archaeology.

But for a Paragon... that was the epitome of mastery. An ultimate expression of skill, ability, and mindset that transcended the veil of reality and reached a state of being in tune with the world.

Once an individual becomes a Pioneer, they are offered accelerated advancements by the World System in terms of skills, raw power, knowledge, and magical ability. The system monitors and guides their progress, giving them an edge against those who have not attained such a status. It was usually a marginable but quantifiable edge, such as rapid mastery of instruments and languages, or a minor but significant periodic leaps in attributes like strength or dexterity.

But the World System always offered advancement in the context of individuals and their goals. It was never forceful, never threatening, but simply a tool for talent identification, guidance, and encouragement. The system does not control a person's life, nor does it dictate their will, but it offers those who would seize upon lofty ambition paths to achieve their goals.

When offered a path to quick power and means to serve their interests, some individuals would take the system's offers and spiral slowly to ruin. A desire for scientific knowledge could turn into an obsession with the unknown and a lust for power, or an innocuous passion for fighting inequality and injustice could turn into widespread terrorism and arson.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

In the end, the World System could only guide and protect so much. It did not decide the hearts of humanity, nor could it determine the choices individuals made.

Most Pioneers remained simply that. Pioneers. But nearly all supervillains were Pioneers once.

Pioneers who began to tread down a dark path would be offered special skills the knights branded as Depravities. They didn't need to walk down those paths, of course, but Depravities often came during periods of their lives where it would just be... easier to give in, and follow a dark path instead of trying to hold themselves to their ideals and values. It was easy to self-rationalize too, and skills that could be considered Depravities were never explicitly labeled as such, except through examination by special skills created to detect their use.

That was the crux of the problem, really.

Every individual was free to choose, but choosing wisely was not always easy, and choosing well was even harder.

Once a Pioneer acquired a single Depravity, they would never be able to become a Paragon, no matter how hard they trained or tried to redeem themselves. Their energy signatures and frequency would be fundamentally changed.

The Sovereign was one of President Escathos's teammates, a genius political kingmaker, and master tactician, who had served as his right hand in a good-cop/bad-cop duo. She was a brilliant battle strategist and a world-class martial artist, and retired from hero work after the climactic battle against Mortifera Nox fifteen years ago.

She had won nearly every high-stakes battle and war she had ever been part of, and her intelligence was as legendary as her fighting prowess.

But no matter how skilled and dangerous she was, the Sovereign was still human, at the end of the day. She didn't have the enhanced vitality or lifespan from being a Magical Knight, and her strengths were all learned, not natural, and they could fade with age. The Sovereign had left the final battle against Mortifera Nox victorious, but with a ticking time bomb in her body.

Many people referred to her as a mastermind, a strategist who could outthink any enemy.

But she could not out-think the terminal illness Mortifera Nox's magic had seeded within her during the battle.

Some said that without the Sovereign's brilliant, prescient mind, President Escathos would have never been elected as the sole third party candidate in over a century, let alone secured an uncontested four-year term and packed a quarter of Congress with his party. She had survived for over a decade after the battle against Nox, but time could only delay the inevitable.

Her death three years ago had shocked and stunned the world, and her presence would be missed by the entire world.

But her legacy was alive and well in the dozens of highly successful students she'd mentored and trained personally throughout the years. She had also famously adored children, and was known for sponsoring dozens of orphans, rescuing them from bad situations and getting them placed in homes or fostering networks. She had given the world so much and made a lasting impact.

With her gone, though, a power vacuum had been created.

President Escathos was incredibly popular, but even for someone like me. That is, someone who wasn't too into politics... I could see the breakdown over the last year or two. The fractures, the cracks. With his chief advisor and confidant gone, he had lost a major pillar of support and stability in his administration.

And then the world had nearly ended a couple of weeks ago.

The president had personally leaped into battle outside Kaleidoscope City in a mech adorned with the American flag and rescued civilians alongside the knights and the remaining heroes that had gathered at the time.

He'd risked his life, and had come out of the battle with plenty of injuries, but he had made a heroic impression that brought a wave of popularity. Nobody knew how it would play out long-term, but it seemed like his approval rating was hitting the low 70s for the first time in years.

But everything seemed to be up in the air right now.

"Lux?"

I blinked, snapping back to the present as I realized Elysia was staring at me.

...I'd completely spaced out thinking about the Cataclysm and the Nightmare of Nox again.

"Sorry, my mind just drifted off for a bit."

Elysia frowned, glancing up at the stage as Escathos was making his closing remarks. "It's okay. I understand. It's a lot to process."

"Yeah, definitely. Man, just..."

She smiled, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I know. Escathos has such a long history with the Magical Knights, and it's nice to hear him speak directly to the community again. He's always been very vocal about supporting the knights and teamwork, but it's a little different now."

I nodded. "I can tell. It's weird, almost like he's... uncomfortable?"

She nodded. "He's been caught up since he was elected. But that comes with the territory, I suppose."

"So you know him personally, huh?" I probed.

She smiled, twirling a strand of her hair. "I wouldn't say personally, but my parents worked for him, and my... dad still does. They took me along for his campaign but I never spoke to him directly, at least not back then."

Ah.

So Elysia was something like a legacy child in the world of Magical Knights. It was no wonder she had a freakishly bright aura.

She'd probably been contracted young and trained by some of the best. She probably also had access to the most cutting-edge technology and training programs. That explained a bit about her but not everything.

"My parents were always busy," Elysia blurted out quietly, as if reading my thoughts. "I was bounced around between nannies and tutors, and went to boarding schools a lot, but they did put in effort where they could. I guess it helped cultivate my independence, and they did something right because I was chosen to be a magical girl, but I missed out on having a real relationship with them, you know? It was lonely."

I smiled weakly. "I know what you mean. I grew up with my mom, and we got along well, but it wasn't always easy. We were dirt broke and she's a single mother, so I guess... the stress eventually got to her and she spent less and less time around me."

She nodded, her face filled with understanding and sympathy. "I get it. It's hard growing up like that."

"Yeah," I sighed, shrugging my shoulders. "But hey, it's life, right? You've got to make the best of it."

"Exactly," she grinned. "Anyway, what's your team status so far?"

"I was one of the emergency contracts. Contracted during the Cataclysm, so I'm a bit of a rookie. Didn't get much in the way of formal training. Nearly died a couple of times figuring things out, but I'm here, and I'm trying to make the most of it."

She winced, biting her lip. "I'm... sorry to hear that. I had no idea. That was a terrifying day to say the least. Even for someone like me who's been a magical girl for a few years, it was..."

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "It was horrible. I still have nightmares about it."

"Yeah, it was pretty rough."

"Zzzz....."

I turned to my left, blinking as Claw Strawberry suddenly slumped onto my shoulder, asleep. Her cheeks were a bit red, and she had a satisfied look on her face as she snored softly.

Elysia stifled a laugh. "Oh my."

There were still chocolate crumbs on her face, and I couldn't help but smile.

As entertaining as this was, it was also a little uncomfortable.

I couldn't let Strawberry fall asleep here.

I gently nudged her, whispering. "Hey, you're asleep."

She just snorted, breathing softly against my shoulder.

"Come on," I sighed, shaking her gently.

She smiled, yawning as she batted my hand away. "Mmmmm.... macaroons."

I sighed. It seemed like it wasn't going to be that easy.

"Anyway..." Elysia chuckled, and she seemed a little distant. "I'm pretty new to Kaleidoscope. Like, literally dropped out of the sky."

She rubbed her arm, staring down at the floor. "And well, I just wanted to ask. You don't have a team right now, right? If you wanna pair up for awhile... maybe we can line some courses up or just practice together?"

"Oh," I said, taken aback. "You sure? I mean, I'm sure you've got better offers than a noob like me."

She blinked, looking up at me. "I don't, actually. Like I said, I'm literally new, and um, I don't have any references or connections here."

"Huh."

She seemed genuine.

Honestly, she was probably above my level in skills, and I'd feel bad about taking advantage of or slowing down someone who was so much more experienced than me.

But... I could definitely see myself fighting alongside her. Her sensing abilities would be a big help, and she seemed nice enough.

She bit her lip, before continuing. "Um... I mean... why don't we join up for a week or two and see how things go? No pressure, though."

I nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

She smiled, and I could see a sharp relief suddenly cross her eyes as she huffed.

Claw Strawberry stirred, yawning as she blinked her eyes open, confused. She lifted her head off my shoulder and looked around, before realizing where she was and frowning. "Nnny... Ah, sorry. Did I fall asleep on you?"

I chuckled softly. "Don't worry about it. I don't mind."

She rubbed her eyes, groaning. "What did I miss?"

I shrugged. "Nothing. Just President Escathos talking. He's almost done anyway, so we probably should get ready to go."

Her ears drooped, and she frowned "Oh, dammit. I nodded off! Argh."

I laughed. "It's okay. I spaced out for most of it too."

"Humph. I never nod off. Shoulda napped when I was feeling drowsy earlier."

Her grumbling seemed half-hearted, though, and I couldn't help but grin.

"...Well then, thank you all for your attention and for everything you do."

The president waved to the audience, and the hall exploded into applause, the ceiling echoing with the deafening sound of our clapping.

Claw Strawberry gasped, pumping her fist. "Yeah! Escathos for life! That was a good speech, even if I didn't get to hear most of it."

Elysia shrugged, smiling. "He's good with words, that's for sure."

She glanced back, meeting my eyes, and an awkward silence passed between us before we both turned away and focused on the stage.

Odd.

She was... odd.

There was something in her aura that was more than a little off. It didn't feel threatening or dangerous. It was like there was something she really wanted to say but was holding back.

"So girlies, anyone want to get some ice cream? Lux? Elysia?" Claw Strawberry stood up, brushing some of the hair out of her face as she stretched her arms. "Like, now. I am dying of hunger."

"Strawberry, you just ate a muffin the size of your head," I deadpanned.

She giggled, covering her mouth. "I know! And it's time for second dessert."

She looked at me with bright, mischievous eyes, and I had a feeling this would just become a thing I might regret in the long run.

But hey, ice cream sounded good.

Elysia looked thoughtful, shrugging. "Sure, I don't mind. Good for after the speeches, I suppose. It's always good to celebrate with sugary treats after a job well done."

Claw Strawberry rolled her eyes, smirking as she turned to me. "C'mon, Lux. Let's blow this joint."

She looked at me pleadingly with her watery eyes, and I knew I couldn't say no.

I scratched the back of my head, laughing nervously. "Oh, uh, yeah. Sure. I mean, if you're both in, I don't have any objections. It'll be fun."

Strawberry held up her fist. "Ice cream, baby!"

She was a sweetheart and full of energy, but she could be a bit of a handful.

Just a bit.

At least I wouldn't be alone.

I took a deep breath, turning to Elysia. "Alright then, let's go?"

She hesitated, but then quickly nodded in agreement. Then, she breathed out deeply, and I saw a visible tension leave her shoulders.

"Let's."