“After signing the new Falmart Economic Trade Agreement (FETA), the establishment of the Falmart Investment Fund, access to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, the big winners of the current are farming and other labor equipment.

As part of the treaty, all signatures from Uros agree to a goal to abolish the institution of slaver no later than five years. This is to allow time to transition each country and city-state to implement the policy. The treaty also lays down regulations on labor laws, that all companies must employ natives and establish charter schools, trade schools, and other educational opportunities to give the technical knowledge they need for the modern era.

As part of the Abolishment movement, farming and labor equipment has been given low interest and subsidy loans to help transform the native economy into a more industrialized and merchant-style economy.

Italica, Valtris, and Alter agreed to the SpaceX Starlink program to provide Internet to these three cities. The goal with these Internet Markets is to allow farmers and other merchants to sell their goods faster and easier.

After signing the US-Elbe Defense Treaty, the Elbe Fiefdom signed seven defense contracts. Many of the other City-States like Italica and Valtras signed smaller defense deals to help shore up their defenses.

With the expectations that the treaty would be signed, for the last six months defense companies have been developing exportable weapons or versions of the current fleet of equipment that can be used by Elbe and other nations and City-States.

In the light terrain vehicle competition, Polish DZT Tymińscy company proposed the Tarpan Honker, the main contender American Growler is proposing their M1161 Growler and the GM Defense Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) or the British Land Rover Wolf design. The contact states Elbe will buy twenty vehicles with an option to buy twenty more later.

In a surprise bid, King Duran stated he wants to transform his Wyvern into a NATO style Air Force. While funding is still being sorted out, there are two contenders for this new contract. Because of the lack of experience with modern aircraft it was decided to sell turboprop light attack aircraft. The only remaining company that makes military is the Brizalian Embraer Defense and Security/Sierra Nevada Corporation in their Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano. Textron Aviation submitted their AT-6B Wolverine design, a combat version of the well-known trainer aircraft.

However, Boeing made a shocking announcement that shook up the aviation competition. The announced plans to start production on three designs with three more in development. For the possible emerging civilian air travel Boeing said they will bring back the famous Boeing 247 and Douglas DC-2 passenger planes. For the emerging military, Boeing announced they will be introducing two versions of the famous WW2-era aircraft, the P-51 Mustang, the F/A-51A Air superiority, and the A-51B Close air support. Boeing said they were planning on pitching the aircraft for the war against the Empire and sees Elbe and other low-tech nations as future customers.

By law Congress has placed limits and bans on certain offensive weapons until better regulations and control management can be established like firearms. The main reason is that some members of Congress are afraid that small scale weapons like firearms and explosives might be used against US and NATO forces.

According to the FETA, all companies are required to employ native employees to train a local base and fund trade schools. Every company will establish training centers.

Most of the commercial and military contacts are small, barely enough to be considered profitable however most companies see this as whoever gets a foothold into the new market will be rewarded in the future with larger contracts as the Falmart economy adjusts and grows. It is a rush to see who will become the dominant player within their market.

Most controls seem to be small scale equipment like hand held radios, night vision goggles and sensors, medical supplies, and other basic military equipment.

In the short term the biggest winners for passing the FETA is the agriculture industry. Companies like John Deer (US Base), Viterra (Candian base), CNH Industrial (US-UK-Italian base), AGCO Corporation (US base), Kubota (Japanese base), and Manitou Group (French base) are lining up to compete bids. Come companies are already announcing joint bids like AGCO and Viterra. Because eighty percent of the Falmart economy is an agricultural base, the agriculture industry is the biggest winner. Congress many other NATO countries have stated that they want to introduce agriculture equipment to Falmart to help transition away from slaves. These companies are a key factor in ending slavery in the five-year time-table.

Many companies, both civilian and military, are also looking back to their 1940s and 1950s designs, believing they will be easier and cheaper to sell to the Falmart market. Many of the designs would be easy for natives to manufacture themselves, easier to maintain, and more affordable.” - National Interest

***

--- Earth, United states. Washington D.C., Oval Office ---

Date: April 21st, 2026

"You have to be kidding me," Potts says.

Lelei looks around and sees the President at her desk, Vice President Gardner, Willington, and Sharpe next to her. Senate majority leader Thomas Evans of Wisconsin, Senator Ryan Laymen of Texas, and Speaker of the House Lawson Roman of Pennsylvania.

After yesterday's events. Sharpe chewed her out for setting this ploy up. After that what she saw over the Internet was chaos as people about the Earth Mages. Riots in cities across the world.

She never intended to upset so many people, all she wanted to show the truth.

"Latest reports say there is a large group of protesters at the Gate Compound in Philadelphia," Roman says. "The governor has deployed the National Guard to prevent a riot."

"Is that your top concern?" Gardner says. "People are wondering who these mages are and what threat they are."

"They are not a threat," she states.

"Lelei," Sharpe says. "Don't push it."

"I know you think this Miss Lalena," Laymen says. "But I was sitting right there. This woman appears out of nowhere in one of the most secure places on Earth, bypassing all of our security with ease. If she wanted to kill us, we would be dead."

"But they are not a threat," she says again. "she just wanted to talk to you."

"The entire planet saw what happened," Laymen states. "You scared everyone."

"Miss Lalena," Willington says. "You don't just teleport inside Congress like that."

"Lelei," Potts says. "This might cost us the war. You do realize the gravity of the situation? No country, no society believed that magic was a real thing in our world."

"How could this make you lose the war?" she asks. confused.

"Colonel," Potts says. "Part of our arrangement you agreed to take full responsibility for all of their actions, you explain it to her."

Sharpe lets out a stressful breath, "During the Vietnam War there was a campaign called the Tet Offensive by our enemies. While we militarily crushed the North Vietnam Army during that offensive, we lost the public relations war. It showed that we lost control of the situation on the ground and that the government had no idea what they were doing. It ended all public support for the war."

"In short," Roman says. "For all people know their neighbors could be wizards who do witchcraft. If something terribly wrong happens like house fire, the neighbors will be to blame."

"Alright," Potts says. "Gardner, tell the governors that we have a plan. We need to get control of this situation so I will make a public address. The FBI will begin a search for more of these mages. I want the Director on the line in thirty-five minutes."

Lelei watches the American politicians talk about how they are going to deal with the Wiccans' mages. In her stunt to help normalize the mage community on Earth she realizes she might have started the Second Witch Hunt.

She looks to Sharpe, "I messed up, didn't I?"

Sharpe looks at her, "Yes, you did. We agreed that you would show me your evidence when we came to D.C., but you did this."

"But you kept blowing me off," she says.

"I’ve been busy for the past three days," Sharpe says. "I wasn't expecting you to do something like this. Rory, probably. You, never."

"I just wanted to help these people," she says. "You always talk about how it is wrong to oppress people. That they should be able to live free and the way they want. These people have lived in the shadows fearing the prosecution of general society for having magic. I just wanted to help."

Sharpe just takes a deep breath.

She looks back at the American politicians. It sounds like they agree to begin a large-scale search for these Wiccans mages. She wonders if they will put them in jail like Soredin.

"Alright everyone," Potts says. "I will talk to you all later, I need to talk to the FBI Director and the Joint Chiefs of Staff."

"Madame President," she says. "Can I please explain? Let me tell people the truth?"

Potts looks at Lelei, "you have done enough, Lelei."

She sees everyone stand up and leave the room. She gets up and follows everyone.

---

Sharpe heard what Lelei said. As everyone leaves the office he stops and closes the door.

"Can I help you, Colonel?" Potts says. "I said everyone needs to leave."

He takes a deep breath and looks at the President. He places his hands behind his back at attention, "Permission to speak freely Madame President?"

"I had a feeling you had an opinion," Potts says. "speak quickly."

"You should let Lelei explain herself Madam," he says.

"After the stunt she did?" Potts says. "You of all people should understand the gravity of the situation.”

"You are correct Madam President," he says. "However Lelei is right."

"People are scared," Potts explains. "not just here but all across the world. This is the second shock in one and a half years. Everything we thought was reality is starting to be torn apart. For all we know at this point, the Star Wars galaxy is real and all the alphabet news networks(1) are honest, truth-telling moral people who have outstanding character and principles."

He takes a breath as he collects his thoughts, "and that gives us the right to oppress a group of people because of their beliefs and who they are?"

"How could we oppress them if we didn't know they exist?" Potts asks.

"Because we would react the way we are now," he says. "Lelei said they were scared to reveal themselves, and can you blame them?"

Pots adjust her glasses and look directly at him, "Sharpe, just tell me what is on your mind."

"You're a soldier just like me," he says. "You already know what I am thinking. I do think Lelei should explain this."

"Fine," Potts says. "She has ten minutes."

He nods and opens the door. He sees Lelei standing there confused, upset, and waiting on him, "you're up."

"What do you mean?" Lelei asks. "I thought it was over."

"Nothing’s ever over," he says. "hurry and go make your case."

Lelei’s eyes widen. She gets up and quickly rushes into the Oval Office.

---

Lelei is confused about why she is back and wonders what Sharpe said to the President. She watches Sharpe stand behind her, making her slightly nervous as she can feel the tension in the air.

"Miss Lalena," Potts says. "You said you had more to add to this?"

"Yes Madam President," she says. "I first learned of the existence of Earth mages during our last trip to Earth(2)."

"So, you had contact with them all this time?" Potts asks.

"Not exactly," she says. "I met a Gypsy after shopping in the convenience store, which I started to realize that the possibility of magic might exist on Earth after detecting Mana signature from the old woman. This even became stronger after Tuka and Yao also came into contact with other mages as well as like the Wiccan witch, Voodoo practitioner and a Native American Shaman. A week ago, the Wiccan Coven of Pennsylvania, led by Soredin, sent me the Book of Shadow, their grimoire to me in Alnus through mail along with the letter stating their intention if they wanted to know if I could be trusted when they reveal themselves to the world. They also sent me a contact number and Ii called them to discuss and plan this whole event with them."

"Why you?" Potts asks.

"Serodin said that because I was a mage and I was popular on the Internet along with Tuka and Yao that maybe Earth would be more accepting of magic practitioners like her people now," she says. "the reason they remained in the shadows is that they are scared of prosecution from society."

"How could they be scared of prosecution from us if we never knew they existed?" Potts asks. "Why is there no recorded history of this? Something like this just doesn't disappear."

"Because of all the witch hunts in your history," she explains. "The evidence was replaced and erased by religious leaders and those in charge all around the world throughout history. For a lot of unsavory reasons and the act of a few evil mages in the past, your world rejected magic. Reading your history, I see magical events everywhere, it is because you already rejected magic you are biased against seeing that perspective."

Potts thinks on what Lelei said, "that actually makes sense even though it is hard to believe. So, what are you asking for?"

"I want you to embrace magic," she says. "These people are part of this world. It is part of you if you remember it or not. Soredin wants to be part of your people's society, they want to be free and be accepted."

"Free?" Potts says. "This Soredin woman appeared inside Congress. What if one of them wants to appear inside a nuclear facility? Or a bank? They could start a war. Tomorrow morning on the news, a mage breaks into someone's home, burns them alive, and steals everything. This radically changes everything."

She struggles to think of a response. The President is correct that this will change everything in their society, and she doesn't know how it will turn out.

Sharpe takes a step forward, "Madam President, all that happens daily already, and we accept it because it is part of life. The situation here isn't that mages could do this, that they always could, but haven't. At least not on a scale that we would notice. Besides, freedom is not given by the state. We don't have the right to push them out of society."

She looks at Sharpe, happy that he backed her up. She looks back to the President, "he is correct. Throughout history, people who are different are oppressed. For the first time in two thousand years they believe they can be free. That is why Soredin did what she did."

"And at the end of the day we need them," Sharpe states. "It isn't like we can put them in a camp and lock them away and we need them for the war effort. If we don't use them then other countries will, and we will lose any advantage we could have."

"In the hearings today, your people express interest in learning magic," she adds. "Yesterday you said you created a Department of Magic just to learn magic. Soredin and the mage population of this world want to help you. This is the natural first step. Earth Mages won’t"

"The situation is that we are out there on Falmart daily trying to show these people we are not going to lock them up and throw away the key because they are different," Sharpe says. "how can we stand here and talk about sending the FBI after these mages when we are asking mages from Falmart while we ignore the ones here. Plus, other nations will look for their mages and research magic."

Potts sits there quietly, leaving an uneasy silence in the room.

"You really trust this Soredin woman do you?" Potts asks.

"Yes," she replies.

Another uneasy silence emanates in the room.

"Fine," Potts says. "I will speak with Soredin."

--- A hour later ---

Soredin walks into the Oval Office. She has seen only a picture of this office and now seeing it with her own eyes she is impressed by it.

She is surrounded by six Secret Service agents as they take off her handcuffs.

Lelei walks up, "I am sorry about this. It is my fault."

She smiles at Lelei, "I knew this was going to happen but like Rose Parks(3), you must make bold stands to make progress."

Lelei blinks, confused, “I hope you know what you are doing.”

"Well," she replies. "I just needed to make a statement and you would eventually enable me to speak with the president herself.”

"Please explain yourself," Potts orders.

She takes a step forward, "I apologize for what I did. Please do not be angry at Lelei as I convinced her that this was the best path. I was trying to make a statement."

"Well you made a statement alright," Pott says. "you have caused a lot of damage and I have to explain this to the world for what you did. Now explain yourself."

"By now you already know my name and where I live. From the outside, I am just a secluded socialite who lives in a secluded mansion in Abbottstown, Pennsylvania," she says. "However, in truth, I am the Grand High Witch of the North American Coven Council and Ii am also the direct descendant of the great wizard Merlin.”

“Merlin? The legendary wizard, who served as advisor to King Arthur? That means…?” Potts says. stunned.

Soredin looks around and sees that everyone but Lelei is shocked. She understands this confusion, realizing that their legends are more truthful than they thought.

“Madam President,” she says. “I like to show you something. A relic of history. I promise it won’t be dangerous, I just don’t want your protection to kill me.”

“Fine,” Potts replies. “But, I am warning you, I am in no mood for your games. If you pull another trick, Lieutenant Colonel Sharpe there won’t hesitate to bring you down.”

“I understand,” she says.

Soredin fully understands why everyone is angry at her. She knew what she did was a gamble but she hopes her efforts will pay off in the long run.

“I understand,” she says. She then pulls out a tiny sharp object from her breast and it enlarges into a sword. “The Arthurian legend is real, Madame President and so is this.”

“What are you doing?” Sharpe asks, getting in front of Soredin.

“Everything is ok,” she says. “This is Excalibur, a old and powerful sword.”

“That is the Excalibur?” Sharpe asks. He watches the sword as a possible threat but finds himself impressed by it. “I thought that was just some make believe movie.”

“Yes it is, the very sword that was used by King Arthur to slay the dark witch, Morgana Le Fray herself”, she states as she puts the sword at her side while the secret agent points a gun at her.

Seeing the sword the Secret Service agents aim their weapons at Soredin.

“Stand down agents, she is not stupid enough to use it in here,” Pott orders the agents to put their gun down.

"That is surprising, Mrs Soredin," Gardner says. "However, what bothers me about all this. You are telling me there are thousands of mages walking among the population and they are just normal citizens who never do anything wrong?"

"When your people are scared to show their true sides because of prosecution then yes," she states. "we have strict rules about engaging in magic. If one goes against our rules it risks all of us."

"However, that is not true," she continues, "There are many examples in the history of rogue mages. For example, during the 1871 Great Chicago fire, legend said it was caused by a cow of the O’Leery family that kicked the oil lamp into the bush in the barn that caused the fire but it was actually a work of a mage whose family was murdered by a mob, so he started the fires out of revenge. Another example is that one powerful and insane mage who was responsible for creating the Dancing Plague(4) before other European mages stopped him in 1374."

"I told you they were a threat," Secretary of Defense Grayson Norman says. "If these mages start appearing it will be a hassle to stop them. They could destroy many civilian facilities before we could respond."

"We are not God's Secretary," she says. "we cannot wipe out Mankind with a snap of a figure, that is why we hid. The non-mage population outstrips us, mages. You must know that during the witch hunt, it did not take a huge army to kill a powerful mage as an angry mob was more than enough to take down a powerful witch. Much like any gun with bullets, mages can be helpless if they run out of mana or being outmaneuvered, outsmarted or being taken out by surprise."

"She is right," Sharpe says. "We fight mages all the time on Falmart. While they are a formal enemy, they are not the biggest game-changer. We have been able to handle them."

“Beside, we are actually responsible to keep a lot of dark mages from wreaking havoc by either restraining or eliminating for centuries so society can function normally with the fear of dark magic. Moreover, we are also responsible for helping people combat supernatural creatures and threats too to prevent many innocent people's death. As a result, some families, towns and communities in this country and across the world actually know the existence of mages long before I reveal myself to congress because of our good deeds. They know the risk of prosecution so these people and communities pretend to not know anything about magic or mages in front of anyone else outside their families or communities.”

“What do you mean by supernatural creatures?” Lelei asks. “Like on Falmart.”

She shakes her head, “No. Not like the images I saw from Falmart. I mean like ghosts. We all felt like something was there when nothing was. Or some crazy neighbor saying that she saw something even though it sounded unrealistic.”

“You are talking about the show Ghost Hunters,” Sharpe asks.

“Actually no,” she replies. “They were frauds. But they are a good example of what we do in the shadows.

“Is everything you said true?” Pott inquires.

“It is all true. Just ask JK Rowling or Judy Warren, daughter Ed and Lorraine Warren. They all know about the existence of mage. JK Rowling's success in the Harry Potter series contributed to the fact she did talk to a real mage of how to write some magic spells. However, the most important is if it wasn't for the Coven Council help, Ed and Lorraine wouldn’t actually know how to contain Annabelle,” Soredin states

“That haunted doll actually contains a demon?” Sharpe asks, shocked by that news.

“Of course, the closet containing the doll actually contains powerful magic seals provided by us to prevent the demon from wreaking havoc. We could actually banish the demon but Ed and Lorraine decided to let him suffer his imprisonment”, Soredin states

“And since i reveal this, I have to make it clearer to you all. A lot of rumored haunted objects or houses are truly haunted. That right Ghosts are real!, Soredin add-on

"Alright," Potts says. "why did your people go into hiding then?"

She takes a deep breath, "there was a time where mages like me were well known in society. We were part of many great dynasties and early empires. The Roman Empire had a Grand Council of Magic. Just like on Falmart, magic was part of daily life."

"So what happened?" Lelei asks.

"Hubris," she replies. "For thousands of years prior to the Roman and Han Empires we were powerful influencers of Humanity as we alone can access magic. Just like on Falmart, only a select few are able to become mages and we let our power and influence get the better of us and we seek more control. The Roman Senate was forced to declare the Grand Council of Magic as enemies of the State and a purge happened against the mages, which all of them were executed and punished with damnatio memoriae punishment. This results in the existence of the Grand Council of magic and the mages being erased from the page of history and memories of the next generation. The same thing happened in Han China when the group of royal mystics decided to conduct a coup."

"Since then magic became a negative to society," she says. "All across the world, magic was purged from society in favor of science, which is the power non-mage can access to, which can substitute magic."

"Why are you coming out now?" Potts asks.

"If not now then when?" she asks. "the Gate has reopened that world to us. For the first time in over two thousand years, magic has entered the mainstream of society. Scientists, historians, politicians are trying to relearn the lost arts of magic. Furthermore, science and technology have advanced so quickly after many centuries and most of them are even more powerful than magic like guns or even nuclear weapons to equalize the power of magic."

She then points to Lelei, "and seeing how popular Lelei and her friends have become we thought we might be accepted once again. That is my hope."

"And you thought we would just accept?" Gardner asks. "We cannot let random people walking down the street who have this type of power."

"Yes," she says. "according to the Fourteen Amendment we are American citizens and deserve equality. And relating to magic, while it is not a firearm, it is protected under the Second Amendment."

"If we are allowed to come out of the shadows and enter society the council has already agreed to help you in the war effort," she says. "We’re willing to help you in your magical research projects and so on and so forth, but, most of all, we can show you how to counter magic and mages so you don’t have to fear us or the power of magic. Furthermore, there are still lingering threats of supernaturals that no one can properly contain, except us."

She watches Potts talk with her people about the offer. She can see that she is taking her offer seriously. They then discuss more about magic and more historical events surrounding it.

--- That evening ---

"My fellow Americans and to the people of Earth. As you saw yesterday a mage entered the Capitol Hill building. The rumors are true, this mage is a native-born of Earth and not from Uros. Let me be clear about this one and simple truth, there are magic users on Earth. I have learned this is not a new event but part of Human history.

I know many of you are scared by this recent news, just like when we discovered that we are not alone among the stars. However, there is nothing to panic about.

Magics have been part of Earth history since the dawn of man, from the tribal level to the great Roman Empire. I have spoken with the leader of the North American Coven Council, the woman who appeared at Capitol Hill.

"Throughout history, minority groups have always pushed to be represented in greater society. This is no exception in the United States. What makes us great is that we embrace new ideas, cultures, and beliefs while preserving our traditions.

Yesterday you got to see many of our new friends from Falmart, listen to their stories and their struggles. Throughout this war, we had to learn to embrace these people, welcome them, and accept them for who they are, and help in their quest to be free.

However, we cannot embrace people from another world while ignoring our own citizens from our own world like these mages. We are stronger, better than that.

While this new revolution is new to us, it isn't known to our history. From the very beginning of our nation's birth, General George Washington employed a group of native American shamans to fight the British. When he was crossing the Delaware River to escape the British, one sharman created a mist to allow the Continental Army to escape.

When the British burned Washington to the ground in the War of 1812, a shaman who was a friend of Washington created a thunderstorm that forced the British to retreat, saving the nation.

During World War Two, it is revealed that the Thule Society was actually composed of real mages that the Nazis employed to gain advantages in the war. However, the paranoia of Adolf Hitler into thinking that the Thule was undermining his authority caused him to purge the Thule along with the very existence of mages within the Nazis.

In addition to the Second World War, before the Allied invasion of France the English Channels was covered by fog for weeks, preventing our invasion force from liberating Western Europe. I have a record from General General Dwight D. Eisenhower that a group of mages cleared the god on June 6th, allowing our forces to storm Normandy Beach.

Our world hosts many mysteries that we have yet to discover. Let's not forget that while we have come far as a people, there are still mysteries every now and then, which is a good thing. Together we will be a better, stronger, more free society, always standing on our principles. God bless America." – President Emily Potts