A few hundred meters away from Aron, a rolling black thundercloud was scudding across the sky in his direction. He lifted his right leg and, when he set it down, he had moved ten meters away from the children, placing himself between the cloud and them. Behind him, the two emperors aegis members of his close guard activated the area protection feature of their PAPS, surrounding the childrenand themselvesin a dome of solidified mana that glowed a faint blue.

Aron faced the incoming cloud, an unnaturally grave expression on his face as he raised his hand and a shield rune popped into being between him and the cloud. Milliseconds later, a lightning bolt impacted the shield and the crackling boom of thunder almost instantly followed.

Interesting, interesting, a voice filled with confidence drifted out of the dust kicked up by the lightning strike. You reacted to my approach before anyone else... even before your security team. Interesting indeed!

As the dust settled, a muscular man wearing nothing but a pair of tattered jeans was revealed. He had neat, chin-length hair and a well-trimmed beard, neither of which had a hair out of place; should anyone see him, they would never suspect that he had been a literal lightning bolt mere moments before.

The black thundercloud finally caught up to the man, hovering over the entire park. Lightning flickered deep inside it, lighting it up and dimming it section by section as the scent of ozone filled the air. The cloud was already thick enough to mostly block out the sun, but it continued growing thicker and thicker as it spread.

Behind Aron, the children in the PAPS dome were slumped on the ground, sobbing in terror. One of the aegis members had turned to them and was comforting them as best as he could, but... their job description and training never covered pacifying terrified children.

Nova, who was looking on from the nanoscale camera swarms that constantly followed Aron, sent a note to Athena to include that in future training for aegis members. After all, they wouldnt always be assigned to adults; there would inevitably be times theyd be called upon to guard high-value adolescents, or even small children.

Cat got your tongue? the half-naked man sneered when he saw Arons lack of reaction. Or are you buying time for your security to come rescue you, hmm? As the man spoke, his voice became more and more distorted with hissing pops and crackling, like someone speaking through an old, cheap microphone.

He turned to where people were already gathering outside the aegis perimeter and smiled a brilliant smile for the reporters cameras, both professional and amateur. Without looking back at Aron, and preening for the cameras, he loudly exclaimed, Whatever it is, your security wont be able to react fast enough if I do anything to you. He puffed out his chest, feeling more and more superior to the emperor of mankind as his taunting continued failing to elicit a response from the man.

The swings in his mood were quite rapid and erratic, just as one would expect from an awakener attuned to lightning. Not to mention the speed of his inane babblingit had only been about fifteen seconds since Aron took his first step toward the incoming thundercloud.

(Ed note: One of the things that weve received a lot of questions about is how mana works and how awakeners get their attunements. Its based a lot on personality; the awakeners personality and, for lack of a better word, soul, influence what mana they end up attuned to. Here, it should be obvious why this dudley dumbass ended up with a lightning affinity.)

Aron finally opened his mouth after five long, seemingly slow seconds passed. No, he said with a smirk. Im not buying time for anyone to arrive. Theres really no need for delaying tactics. My aegis are the best of the best of the best and they are always active and ready to respond to any threat to my safety.

But you... youre absolutely no threat to me whatsoever, he sneered, his arms arrogantly folded across his chest.

You pathetic, unawakened, useless piece of sh the rogue awakener began, but was quickly interrupted.

As for my tongue being stuck, you were never the reason for my silence. You lack the importance to even make me blink in faint surprise. I was simply wondering what Id ever done that would give someone the confidence to approach me, or any other member of my government for that matter, with a measly attack like that.

He turned his back on the half-naked awakener and smiled at the children, gesturing for the two aegis members to herd them back to their parents, as the park was likely to become a battleground of awakeners very shortly.

The aegis members saluted, their armored fists crashing against equally armored chests as they stood ramrod straight, bowing their head in acknowledgement of the order. Immediately, Your Imperial Majesty, they chorused, then turned and activated the inbuilt tractor beams in their armor, lifting the children and surrounding them in a protective stasis field as gravitys hold on them was overcome by the power of... mostly... human ingenuity.

And who ever said I wasnt awakened? Arons feet lifted slightly from the ground as his eyes began glowing neon blue.

The rest of the aegis members on the perimeter chose that moment to act as well. They turned to face Aron, and, in one synchronized motion, their left knees and clenched left fists hit the ground, their right fists repeatedly banging against their chests in the imperial salute as they bowed their heads and chanted Glory to the Terran Emperor!

A large PAPS field drew itself between the aegis members and the emperor, locking Aron in with the obviously mentally imbalanced rogue awakener.

Aron grinned a savage grin at the man as he growled, No, youre no threat to me. You arent even really a threat to my aegis. You never were, you arent now, and you never will be. He tilted his head from side to side, sharp snapping sounds ringing out as his neck cracked. The only thing youre a threat to is yourself!