3/27/2019

  4 PM

  The press raided the front entrance of Colemond City Hall. Breaking news just released on all local channels read: "Chief of Operations Daniel Vaillant Appointed As Mayor of Colemond!"

  Daniel's left arm was in a cast. He walked out of the meeting with a crowd of security. The city council members were right by his side. They headed down the stairs, barging through the constant flashes of light, heavy cameras, and loud demands from reporters. A convoy of Cadillac Escalades was waiting at the lot. The security detail turned up the rails, being more aggressive. They paved the way for Daniel, the city council members, and Empress Cai to head for the convoy.

  More security was at the convoy and went into action. They opened the doors. Daniel headed into the driver's seat. Empress Cai went for the passenger seat, and two security agents went to the back.

  The press was sprinting towards the vehicles, and Daniel pulled the gear stick down, pressing hard on the gas pedal. Once he took off, the rest of the convoy did too.

  "I knew the press was out there, but damn, this is only as bad as it can get," Daniel said as he turned into the intersection leading to Colemond Highway One.

  "You're the mayor now. There's no turning back. Now things will move forward from here," Empress Cai said in Mandarin.

  Driving with the cast was a little uncomfortable. The seatbelt made it a hassle, so, breaking the rules, he unbuckled it, much to the reaction from the security agents. A little interaction between them and him resulted in a high-stress ride back to the residence.

  3/28/2019

  11 AM

  It has been at least two years since Daniel last set foot on campus. His place of education and academic experience. He had kept up with the news of the University of Colemond but hadn't had any events related to it that required attending in person.

  He had been up the entire night with no naps. The entire transition process was difficult and fast-paced, but it was successful and completed by seven in the morning. Unlike being Chief of Operations, which handled all the behind-the-scenes, now he has twice that workload, so his mind was constantly fed with other matters every hour or whenever something new came across.

  The upcoming meeting was set in the University of Colemond's one of many lecture halls. Empress Cai, Lian, all of his staff, and others were present. The security agents were also present, guarding the exits and doors. A university technician staff was also present, helping set up the computer and projectors.

  Daniel placed his speech notes on the podium. Ten papers of notes handled by two staples. Front and back of each sheet. He thought it wasn’t bad, considering the amount was light for a presentation or speech. Looking at the digital clock on the wall, it was five minutes past eleven. Guests would arrive in the next ten.

  "They're coming," one of his security agents reported.

  "Alright," Daniel said, then looked at the technician. "Are the systems ready?"

  "Yes, sir. I logged in."

  Lian, who was sitting in the front row of seats, got up and summoned a bottle of water. "Here, you need this."

  "Thank you. Damn, I spoke so much since last night."

  "And you will be even more, so stay hydrated as much as possible."

  Daniel nodded as his throat was getting the cold massage from the cold water. Lian headed back to her seat. Empress Cai sat beside her, reading some documents from yesterday. Mother Elaine came in from the lecture hall's entrance with a few small boxes in her hand. She walked down the stairs and handed them to the two. Afterward, she greeted Daniel with a side hug. "You can't sleep?"

  "No, I can't," Daniel said, not feeling the effects of sleep deprivation. He had no coffee or any caffeinated beverages for the past twelve hours. "I don't know if you feel the same way, but sleeping has been hard…And I don't feel as tired as I should."

  "Well, I'm sorry; that sucks. I guess I'm blessed to be able to still lie in bed and rest, but I did notice that I woke up earlier than usual this past couple of days."

  "Don't take it for granted…It might happen to you next," Daniel warned and took another sip of cold water. Mother Elaine silently smiled and headed to a spare seat in the front row. She sat two spaces away from Lian.

  In the next minute, multiple doors opened. Guests entered and filled up the remaining forty-three seats. Daniel recognized a few faces. His old friends from Pre-Med classes were also in a private club.

  Dr. Annia, also their professor, came in with them, who also led the club. The remaining closeness with her former students was evident. They sat together on the third row and waved back at Daniel from above. He gave one.

  There was one guest, whom he had never seen before or even heard of, who arrived in the lecture hall. A lady in a luxury white suit appeared. Her first impression projected elegance and authoritative characteristics like a queen. Daniel felt a powerful aura emitted from her. It felt ethereal and otherworldly but recognizable. To which, he briefly glanced at Empress Cai. "Is she from Raal too?"

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  The latter nodded, and Daniel looked back at her, walking down the stairs. Her sense of fashion was unique and unearthly. The suit's blazer had a blended and textured pattern on its fabric, giving a luxurious and supernatural outlook. He saw underneath her blazer was what appeared to be a glossy blouse, but upon a closer view before she turned to greet the front row, it was metallic armor. The reflection with the lecture hall's lights gave it away.

  After greeting them, she headed to Daniel and greeted him. "Lian chose you, I see," she muttered, feeling his firm handshake. "A lot of potential with your qi. That's good." Her long, silver-white hair cascaded over her shoulders and down to her lower back.

  "Yes, I am. When did you arrive on Earth?" Daniel asked in Mandarin.

  "Yesterday evening. Me alone."

  "Well…Welcome to Earth. What do I call you?"

  The lady smiled. "Call me Lady Bian."

  "It's nice to meet you, Lady Bian," Daniel said with his smile, and Lady Bian headed to her spare seat, chatting with Empress Cai and others throughout the first row of seats.

  A few more minutes, and all the one hundred seats and tables were occupied. After a quick silent roll call, Daniel began, turning on the podium's microphone. "Thank you all for accepting my invitation out of the blue. I know this is a sudden request, but there's a reason y'all are invited here today that I will explain in a bit. My transition of power was completed early in the morning, so this is my first day officially as Mayor of Colemond since being appointed.

  "A list of changes has grown wider this past twelve hours. Starting today, many are being considered…Any proposed projects that were previously rejected by Mayor Burman are all back on the table. This city will transform into a central hub for humanity's future and as its own sovereign."

  All five city councilors were present. One interrupted, and she stood in casual clothes. "Sovereign? Are you implying as a country?"

  Daniel nodded without hesitation. "You're on track."

  "I'm sorry, sir, but that's absolute insanity. If you do this, we will lose the founding purpose of this city, and the independent city status will be revoked."

  "I completely understand, and I was going to talk about everything in here in a moment," Daniel said. "But since you mentioned it now, we will change the course of this meeting."

  His eyes glowed blue, and he walked away from the podium, heading to the center of the lecture hall. He summoned flames out of his right palm, revealing it to the audience. "This is why. And if you think your eyes are fooling you, it's not. At least a week ago, I almost got into an accident and was saved by magic. This flame represents humanity's upcoming evolution." He then pointed to the crowd. "And everyone from the second row and up will get this soon. You all will be trained in the next few weeks…No exceptions."

  "Prove to me this is real," Tess asked, who sat near Dr. Annia.

  Daniel's flame withered, and he walked up to the third row. He summoned his sword and placed it on the table, directly in front of her. "How's that?"

  The blade was so hot that the table started to leak, so he grabbed it back up and reabsorbed it in a blink.

  "I felt I was going to burn myself if that was there for a few more seconds," Tess said. "Ok, I believe you now…Damn, that ain't even vfx."

  "Innovative filmmaking, am I right?"

  Tess smiled. Her face expressed obvious excitement. "Oh, you know it. Thanks a lot for the idea. I owe you one."

  "No problem." Daniel headed back to the podium and continued. "As I was saying, the city will push further on self-reliance, and with the magic that I briefly demonstrated, the motivation and innovative spirit cannot wait to break into unimaginable heights. We will be energized to discover new challenges and solve problems that humanity has never attempted before.

  "Everyone in this room will also be appointed for a role in a new city government that will begin next week. We will be working very hard together in this new adventure. For more questions about magic and how to start," he said, and his hand pointed to Empress Cai, Lady Bian, Lian, and others in the first row, "you can ask them for questions and answers."

  For about the next thirty minutes, he presented the rest of his notes with a live powerpoint and footage. Luckily, none fell into the boredom rabbit hole. Out of the entire thing, most wanted to know about the magic and the contents within The Raal Art of Magic (魔术的 Raal艺术). Lady Bian took the opportunity to introduce herself to the majority of the guests. Along with Lian, the two introduced the subject simplification. Daniel took an empty seat and sat down. He checked his phone for any notifications before putting it away. His copy of The Raal Art of Magic was summoned on the table, and he opened to where he left off. It was the first page of a new chapter, presenting a deeper perspective on health.

  3/28/2019

  1:05 PM

  It was lunchtime. Daniel concluded the meeting after doing a more thorough demonstration of the Raal Art of Magic and Hilde's Die Verbotene Kampfkunst. He used the knowledge of karate and kung fu, applying it with qi. Everyone above the first row of seats was sold into learning it. The idea that what was depicted in movies with visual effects could be performed in real life was the key to opening the lock that blocked their final decision.

  For confirmation, they sent an email or message to Daniel and Mother Elaine's contact information. Afterward, the meeting was officially concluded. Security agents on duty outside the lecture hall were ordered to clear the way for everyone to leave safely.

  In the meantime, Daniel went to his former classmates. The height difference from training was a big deal since all of them were much shorter than he was. It used to be an easy direct eye contact; now, he has to partially bend, which was a little annoying at first.

  "Fuck, you got taller," Kross said while visibly expressing discomfort from the handshake.

  Daniel let go, realizing his grip strength was too much. "And now deadlifting six hundred pounds is effortless."

  "Lucky bastard."

  "It's good to see you again, Kross. I heard you got out of active duty."

  "Yeah, I did, and I came back around two weeks ago."

  "Perfect timing, then," Daniel said, anticipating his potential. He hugged Vil and Tess before giving an ear whisper to Dr. Annia. "How's Gretel doing?"

  "She was worried about you," Dr. Annia said, grabbing her backpack, and all five headed out. She slapped Daniel's arm.

  "That wasn't necessary."

  "You got shot!" Dr. Annia exclaimed.