She turned to him, a little taken back by his question. "Let me tell you how this nation poisoned me."

---

THREE YEARS AGO.

[ Location: V.A.L.O.R's Head office in Veltharion. ]

A young lady sat in the lobby of the intimidating building, everything was flushed with white and spoke of professionalism.

The floors she stared down at with polished white, the couch was everything but comfortable and the echo of heels was nicking at her.

She intertwined her fingers and took deep breaths to calm her nerves.

Dressed in a skintight suit made of a material too complex for her to name. Dark blue with white extensions at her wrists, along her side and boots.

The Cape behind her was riding up, it was short, stopped at about her lower back and was practically useless yet the marketing department said it showed variety.

She turned to the side—out the double glass doors where the shutters from cameras and the hollering from reporters drowned out the traffic of the busy workday.

Then again she couldn't blame them, it was everyday someone made it to Paragon.

And it was all for her.

So, despite the gnawing feeling of pent up in her gut, she'd occasionally shoot them a sharp smile and clean wave.

Her hair was perfect. Blond yet dark at the roots and short to her shoulders, it also helped highlight her green emerald eyes.

"Alright," The man standing in front of her said simply. "Let's go do this."

Mr Anthony Jackson.

The deputy director of V.A.L.O.R—the only fully human man who bore the cadence of an awakened. His hair was grey from age, his beard short and his expression stoic.

He stepped in front of Kate and pushed the doors open, engulfing them in the sea of cameras and microphones.

But she'd been trained for this. Back straight, shoulders square and eyes high. A Paragon was the pinnacle of what awakened could do.

So, gods be damned if she had a bad hair day.

The director guided her in the direction of the little makeshift podium mounted with mics from different stations.

"One at a time," Anthony tried to settle the wolves. "We'll answer any questions, just one at a time."

The crowd slowly stirred silence, at least relatively silent. "Spectra, you are officially a Paragon. How do you feel?" The first question came in sharp.

"I— I, err," She stuttered slightly. Even with all the preparation and training, nothing was like the real thing.

But she quickly composed herself. "I'm very good. It's an honour to be here at all."

Modesty. Bullshit. But at least it makes you appear immaculate, like you have no troubles of your own and that was the point of this.

Another reporter asked. "The world is so excited, we, not only have one, but now two Paragons in Veltharion. And yet, awakened crimes are at an all time high—"

The director, already seeing where this was going, interrupted him. "How about you at the back? Any questions for the Paragon?"

The reporter's eyes peeled open, pointing at herself, a little confused and surprised she was chosen. "Mi— Miss Spectra, all these questions are fun and all but the question on everyone's mind is simple...

Are you going for the next trial?"

The young reporter wasn't wrong. That was all that was on anyone's mind.

Spectra had secretly climbed the ranks and was now a Paragon, she was the most likely to keep going after all she is the youngest ever Paragon.

But before she could answer the ground quaked beneath their feet and all cameras turned to the awakened in gold.

Nightwalker was here. He hadn't even raised his head yet. He was still in the superhero landing position and his cape always draped perfectly over him.

'How the hell does he even do that?' Kate asked herself. Feeling a bit of envy.

Nightwalker finally raised his head, rising back up to his feet with a smile that could millions.

Who else would show up for someone else's event and land from the sky other than him.

He gestured towards Spectra. "Oh, come on, folks." He said, walking to the podium. "This isn't about me." He draped a hand over her shoulders. "It's about Spectra here."

But that wasn't how new reporters worked. "Nightwalker, how do you feel about the new Paragon?" One asked.

"Wow." Ian raised his brows. "That's direct. I guess I think she's everything this world needs, just like me."

"So, do you think she can one day surpass you and reach the next rank?" That same reporter with the controversial questions.

His mouth opened. Then closed in the next second. He fixed a smile across his face whilst swaying Spectra under his arm.

The director finally stepped closer to him and whispered. "Don't be fucking pathetic. Get your panties on right and step the fuck away."

The director didn't fake a smile, he didn't have to. He was a non awakened so the rules of the media didn't apply to him.

He didn't have to dress perfectly like a doll, he didn't have to over think his posture everyday, he could be his mean grumpy self and it wouldn't matter.

But Nightwalker, hearing his words, he casually slid the arm off Kate and took a step back, all with a smile on his face.

The whisper was subtle. No one would hear it, except someone who had Paragon level hearing and was right next to them.

But she knew the script, don't show an emotion if it wasn't happiness. "Any more questions?"

"Yes," a reporter stepped forward. "It's based on the one from the previous reporter, if Paragons are this strong and yet, can't fully handle the constant threat of the ongoing surge of crime.

Don't you think it's time we explored what exactly was above Paragon?"

"..."

It took her a minute to compose her thoughts. It wasn't like she hadn't thought about this before—it'd be amazing if they had someone above.

However, it was also highly unlikely that they would survive the trial and judging from her last she wasn't sure she would.

But she'd made a promise to her daughter that she'd give her a world free from danger, and what better way to do that than to be the most powerful awakened in the world.

She bent closer to the mic. "Everyone need to understand that there's also a threat every time we go into these trails.

Yes, we come out stronger but those who don't are actually dead and we have to deal with the fallout of their decisions with costs even more lives.

The next trail isn't something we can underestimate, especially since the people before he have chosen not to do it.

But I'm not them, this world needs a protector and I will protect.

So, yes. I'll be going for the next trial."

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