Caius Dalthar's first day as President of Edena did not begin with a grand speech from a towering podium, but within a vast glass chamber at the heart of the presidential palace, overlooking the restored green gardens of Aetheria. A symbolic gesture that the new civilization he promised would grow not apart from the old, but through its roots.
He did not choose a general, a minister, or a scientist as his first guest.
He invited Auren Deyron.
The invitation shocked many. But what followed was even more astonishing: the meeting was broadcast live across all major Edena networks. No script. No moderator. No time limit.
Morning light pierced the crystal-clear glass, illuminating two figures seated across from one another. Auren wore a simple grey robe, traditional garb of the Aetherian educators. Caius, in contrast, wore a sleek black uniform trimmed in silver.
After a brief greeting and formal smile, Caius began, his tone sincere yet diplomatic.
"Auren," he said, locking eyes with his former rival, "I did not invite you here as a president who defeated another candidate. I invited you as someone who believes Edena cannot stand without the pillars you built."
Auren gave a quiet nod. "I came not as an opponent, but as a citizen of Edena. Just like you."
"And because of that," Caius continued, "I want the world to hear it directly from the source, what do you dream of for Edena's future?"
Auren looked out the window, to the trees rising like silent prayers.
"My dream," he said slowly, "is not of taller buildings or faster systems. But of deeper people. I want every child in Edena to understand this earth the way they understand their own hearts."
Caius bowed his head slightly, offering the space for Auren to continue.
"I dream of schools that teach not only code and numbers, but feeling and meaning. I dream of farmers being honored as much as scientists. I dream of a world where we no longer compete to be the most 'advanced,' but to be the most faithful in protecting what remains."
Cameras captured the faces of viewers, eyes welling with tears.
"I dream," Auren breathed, "of a nation that not only lives on this planet... but protects it. With love."
Caius nodded slowly.
"Your words, Auren... are like roots through stone. Silent, but unstoppable."
He turned to the camera.
"And as President of Edena, I vow: this dream will not just be protected. It will be built, together."
Applause erupted from the studio audience. Even on public screens across the cities, people began to clap spontaneously.
Then Caius turned again to Auren.
"But there's one more thing," he said, his voice warmer now. "I know you didn't come here alone. You carry a name... and a generation."
Auren furrowed his brow, intrigued.
"Kaelen Deyron," Caius said, his voice both bold and tender. "Your son. I know from reports that he has long aspired to join Edena's defense forces."
Auren stiffened, then gave a slow nod.
"I believe the future of our nation rests in the hands of young people like him. So today, I officially announce that Kaelen Deyron will be granted full access to Edena's elite military training program."
Cheers exploded across the broadcast and the digital realm. Kaelen Deyron's name instantly trended on every network.
"And not because he is your son," Caius added, "but because he embodies a generation born of wisdom and courage. A generation that will guard Edena better than we ever could."
Auren was silent, his heart swelling beneath his calm. His eyes glistened.
"Thank you," he whispered. "Not just for that... but because you're still willing to listen."
The broadcast set off a domino effect.
Media outlets, once skeptical of any alliance between the former rivals, now praised Caius' leadership. He was seen as a president capable of defusing tension without sacrificing ideals.
The people began to call this new era the "Symphony of Edena."
The Aetherian community did not dissolve, they flourished. They began working alongside the ministries of education and environment.
Meanwhile, Kaelen Deyron's name spread across the nation as a symbol of the next generation. His photos with his father and President Caius appeared everywhere, transformed into posters by ambitious youth.
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That night, Auren returned to his home in Valessia. He sat on the garden bench where it all began, beside his son.
Kaelen was quiet for a moment, then asked, "Father... are you disappointed that you didn't become president?"
Auren smiled.
"No," he replied. "I'm happier that I didn't have to leave this garden."
Kaelen looked up at the stars.
"I want to fight, Father. But not just with weapons."
Auren placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Then fight with kindness. And if you must use weapons, let your heart be sharper than any blade."
They sat in silence, accompanied by the sounds of Edena's night.
In the distance, the presidential palace stood gracefully, and from its windows... President Caius Dalthar looked out toward the sky, toward a future slowly converging into one name: The People of Edena.
-------------
One year had passed since Caius Dalthar raised his right hand and swore in as President of Edena. In that short span, he played his part with near perfection: a friendly face to the people and conservationist communities, and a calculating hand preserving old power from the shadows.
The once-boasted expansionist projects were officially halted. The government structure began accommodating conservationists, even granting them key seats in the Committee of Ethics and Environment. The media celebrated this as Edena's Golden Age. The people cheered. Caius' reputation soared as a leader who unified opposing extremes.
But it was all a stage.
Far beneath Edena's surface, in hidden valleys and deep, uncharted caves, heavy machines thundered. Underground mining facilities remained active, extracting rare minerals vital for constructing the next-generation energy grid, a covert operation codenamed 'Veinsteel.'
Workers were recruited through social rehabilitation programs, given new identities, locked into automated systems, and guarded by soulless drones.
No conservationist knew.
Not a single citizen suspected.
And the one who knew... ensured it stayed buried in silence.
Meanwhile, in Edena's far south, Kaelen Deyron was carving his name into the golden books of Edena's military.
On a rescue mission for scientists and expeditions in the Glevarra sector, Kaelen led his squad through wild jungles, facing savage beasts with brilliant tactics and unwavering courage. Footage of his actions spread across Edena's networks, hailing him as "The Guardian of Edena."
At an official ceremony in Velmorah, President Caius personally awarded Kaelen the highest honor.
"This young man," Caius declared, "is not merely a hero. He is the foundation of our future. He saved vital national assets. And for that, as of today, he is officially appointed Commander of Edena's Special Operations."
Auren Deyron, seated among the honored guests, watched with calm but wary eyes. He knew... praise of that magnitude never came without cost.
-------------
A year later, Kaelen received new orders. Another rescue mission.
"Northern Edena," explained Major Atheen, the palace liaison officer. "The expedition team lost contact in the frozen zone. These are the coordinates."
Kaelen studied the mission file. No names. No scientist details. Only coordinates and a note: Extreme habitat threat and potential biological attack.
"Why no team names?" Kaelen asked.
Major Atheen met his gaze blankly. "High security. This project is classified."
Kaelen paused, then nodded. "We depart tonight."
A small elite squad under Kaelen's command headed north. Temperatures plunged below minus thirty. Thick snow jammed sensors, and electromagnetic disturbances severed communication.
Day one... no sign of the expedition.
Day two... they found destroyed scientific equipment, abandoned.
Day three... the corpse of a wild creature, but no human trace.
Day four... Kaelen grew suspicious.
That night, he sat with his deputy commander, Sergeant Lienne.
"Lienne," Kaelen said slowly, "none of this adds up. No distress signals. No rescue drone fragments. It's as if... there was never an expedition."
Lienne stared at him, unsure. "You think we were set up?"
Kaelen didn't reply. He simply stared at the dark sky streaked with auroras, beautiful, but cold, like a hidden plan slowly awakening.
Meanwhile, in the presidential palace, Caius stood on his office balcony, facing west. Behind him, Caelen Voss, his father, sat in an old chair, analyzing data on a translucent screen.
"He's in the northern zone," Caius said.
Voss nodded. "Good. Let him stay there. If he returns alive, he'll be a commander too far from the center. If he dies..."
"...we'll have a reason to increase northern security. Declare it a red zone."
Caius smiled faintly. "And the world will believe it. Because they believe in me."
Voss sipped his drink. "You truly are my finest student."
-------------
On the fifth day, Kaelen and his team found the final clue: there was no expedition project. No trace of scientists.
Only remnants of surveillance drones from the resource monitoring units.
"What were they monitoring out here?" Lienne muttered.
Kaelen looked toward the distant ice-covered mountains.
"We weren't sent here to save anyone," he finally said. "We were sent... to disappear."
Lienne stepped closer. "Your orders, Commander?"
Kaelen looked into the eyes of each soldier. They waited, aware that something much bigger was unfolding.
"We go home. But not quietly."
In the following weeks, rumors of Kaelen's lost squad began to circulate faintly. The government issued a statement: "Northern Edena Rescue Operation Failed. Squad Lost Contact."
But days later, an emergency signal from Kaelen surfaced on an unofficial channel, rebroadcast by Aetheria's underground network.
"We're alive. We know. And we will speak."