That was certainly the cue for thunderous applause. The speech itself went on for quite a lot longer—no presidential speech would actually be that brief—but most of what followed was no longer directly related to the Sanctuaries, or else repeated and elongated information he’d already given.

For the two hours in total the speech turned out to go on, I was tempted to doze off or play a phone game or something, but I knew cameras weren’t only on the president right now. So, I at least pretended to pay close attention, determined not to give any of the journalists in the room the slightest sign of disrespect or irreverence for this event.

When it was finally over, the president's bodyguards—of which there were a veritable army, which included the largest number of non-human or humanoid Tower races I'd ever seen in one place—were a whirlwind of activity, both ushering out the press and forming the guests for the review of the Memory Gem recording into groups for escort into the portion of Section 1 that acted as the Federation's equivalent of the White House.

One of them, a reptilian of some kind whom I wasn't sure would be better described as a lizardman or dinosaur man, approached me. "Mizter Lheticus," they said, respectfully but warily, "the president wishes for you to join him in the first group en route to the Executive Penthouse."

"Of course," I said, giving them a short nod, then I raised my eyebrows at him as I continued, "it's not a problem if Mewi comes too, is it? Whenever possible, I don't care to be separated from him." That was one reason I asked, but also I wanted him to save me if I started tripping over my own tongue.

The bodyguard blinked, then turned and spoke into a headset for a short while. When he turned back, he gave me what in their race most likely counted as a conciliatory smile. "Not a problem at all. If you would both follow me please?"

The president's own escort group had the largest number of bodyguards, and included themselves, the person who had announced them, and roughly a dozen others, most of them old and venerable looking who I guessed were advisors and/or cabinet members. "And here's the man of the hour,” said the president, turning to me and extending his hand, "and the popular Mewiabu as well. President Pachrilinus Krendell, pleased to meet you both."

My handshake was slightly more awkward than Mewi's but I hoped still passable. "Was there something in particular you wanted me for...Mr. President?"

"Well, yes and no. I mostly wanted the chance to see you—and indeed, I'm pleased to have the same chance with Mewiabu—outside of a formal setting, however briefly. I'm certain both of you are aware that by now you've garnered certain reputations with the populace. I myself, of course, have been watching your progress and that of the entire team with vested interest."

"I'd certainly expect so..." I nodded a little, not certain yet where he was going with this.

"The other leading members of the Liberation Fleet initiative are, for the most part, known quantities. Bruzigan is an exemplar of Federation ideals who well deserved his promotion to admiral. Arvallei is a champion of the largest and most prosperous Avini family currently extant in the Area, and Ri'legh similarly is of a clan whose commitment to peace arguably outstrips even the Federation's. Anna...well, she's certainly more of a wild card than those three, but though her former ties with her family have been severed quite thoroughly, she is hardly in a position to create unexpected problems.

Even in the case of the Rainbow Mage, as frustrating as he would be to attempt to rein in by force, he has, as far as we've gathered, fairly predictable motivations which give us viable methods to ensure he does not engender further instability in the Federation.

But then there's you two. Your rapid, explosive rise through Area 1, in attributes, Floors, and prestige alike is second only to the Rainbow Mage and his team. You even arrived in the Tower shortly before them, in Mewi's case, and shortly after them in yours. It's clear to me that there is much more to you both than your reputations indicate. And we know even less about your motivations than the Rainbow Mage's. The one thing clear is that you have a strong love for each other which extends to a desire to protect one another.

What I'd like to know is what you intend for that to entail. Once your joint contract with Grosstin expires, will you fade into a peaceful life in the Federation, or climb to higher Areas?"

Mewi and I looked at each other. Clearly, he was as surprised by the question as I was. "We haven't really discussed it yet," he said.

"Yeah," I said, "one reason we've had such an explosive rise, as you put it, is that what peace we've managed to enjoy for ourselves, we've had to slow down time by a factor of twenty to obtain. Even before the Sanctuaries fell, I was working too hard at getting stronger to consider such a long term question. Once they did, we were more or less constantly bouncing from training to training, from battle to battle and crisis to crisis and needed to spend what time we could catching our breath, so to speak."

"Undecided..." Krendell slowly nodded, looking thoughtful, as though digesting the response, then, "not unexpected, it's certainly the simplest possible explanation for how we were not able to determine your goals for ourselves. Well, not that you want my advice, but it would probably be best if you did climb past the 10th Floor. After you fulfill your contractual obligations and the safe zones are restored, of course."

Mewi gave me one of the most significant looks I'd ever seen him give me. We said nothing for a short while, then Krendell spoke again. "Well, we're nearly at the banquet hall. I do hope you enjoy the luncheon, and I'm looking forward to the unprecedented and historical glimpse of the Fire Sanctuary you'll be giving us, Lheticus."

As he’d said, there was a luncheon scheduled before the Memory Gem viewing. Though it took place in the Executive Penthouse’s banquet hall, it was a blessedly brief affair, wrapping up in just under an hour.

Since it was my intel being viewed, I was needed for the preparation of the Executive Penthouse’s holo-theater, and thus left the luncheon before anyone else.

I was going to go alone this time—security was less tight now, the bodyguards keeping themselves to the exits and the president themselves, not scrutinizing the guests unless they made any moves toward Krendell. But this time, it was Mewi who stopped them from escorting me alone. “Please, I just don’t want to leave Lheticus’ side.”

“Mewi?”

“I’m just feeling a bit bubble-headed, you know...”

For a moment, my eyes widened. Hopefully, the bodyguards didn’t make anything of it. “bubble-headed” or “bubble head” was a code phrase we’d come up with for Mewi to tell me when he wanted me to cast with him. “Oh, of course. That’s not a problem, is it guys?”

The staff member escorts shrugged, and led us out of the banquet hall. With the pair’s backs turned, with us given a brief moment before more security turned their attention on us, I discreetly cast the spell.

“What’s wrong, Mewi?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be totally alone in this place. The Federation might be our ally at the moment, but there’s something off about the president.”

“Like his ‘advice’ for us? I mean, point, but even if he thinks I’m somehow a possible threat to him or something, would he really try to remove me here? For that matter, assassination wouldn’t even work since I still have all three extra lives. Would they try to restrain me or something?”

“I don’t know...it’s not just him telling us to climb. I have a bad feeling he knows more about the Syndicate than anyone suspects. I’ve been keeping an eye on Area 1 politics a little, and when I started noticing something I thought was off, I bribed some certain information out of the Federation’s Central Records Office. We’re not the only ones he’s encouraging to climb to Area 2. Over fifty family-factions, some of which who’ve had a foothold in Area 1 for over a thousand years, have already emigrated or are in the process of emigrating to Area 2.

Federation loyalist factions and AFL factions aren’t going anywhere—for now—but eight major factions that are more neutral also have as many people leaving as they can. By major, I mean ones of a size and strength that even Grosstin would have to make real effort to punish if they needed to. The minor factions, the kind that take just about anybody as members, they’re leaving in droves. Well, those among them who can, anyway.

It may look like the war with the AFL and the Kinetice attacks are badly hurting the Federation on the surface, but it’s really just the lower classes who are hurting. In terms of organizations and allies, the Federation is actually gaining a lot more control and prosperity with so many disloyal people leaving for Area 2. If the Syndicate’s goal was to destroy the Federation, they were failing well before the notification that the Fire Sanctuary was restored happened.

To me, that doesn’t sound like the same organization who disabled the Sanctuaries in the first place and got the Federation opposition factions to organize and start a war without ever even revealing themselves.

What if destroying the Federation was never what they were aiming for in the first place? What if this mass exodus of people to higher in the Tower was the Syndicate’s real goal all along?”