AXIUM

CHAPTER 22

XRenia sat on top of the glass dome of her palace gazing unthinkingly out at the sea in the distance. So worldwide war it was then, whatever that entailed though she wasn't sure. I had been almost two hundred years since any significant battle had taken place and magic and technology had made leaps and bounds since that day. Now spells and explosives existed that were powerful enough to wipe entire continents off the map or even rip the earth out of orbit. If one of the nut jobs they fought against got despite enough everything she knew and every one she knew could possibly vanish leaving nothing but a chard husk of a dyeing world behind.

She didn't seriously believe it would happen but it was a very real possibility.

Verin reached out to her trying to comfort her but XRenia's grandfather chose that moment to blast him with a squad sized magical projectile of some sort. Verin tried to protect himself with a shield but as the attack slammed home his barrier crumpled and smashed into him snapping his index and middle finger so far back they touched his wrist.

XRenia crumpled over as Verin's pain plowed into her and she looked up through his eye to see her grandfather glaring down at him. "Never lose focus!" He growled. "Even a moment's distraction could mean yours or someone else's death on the battle field. Do you understand?"

Verin nodded as her Grandfather knelt beside him and started healing his hand.

"And you," her grandfather continued still looking at Verin but obviously talking to her. "Stop moping around and go do something productive. What's done is done and no amount of slaking will change that. Just own up to it and get on with it."

She frowned up at him, or she would have except she wasn't there. Verin slowly stood up as he flexed his healed fingers, gave her something like a mental hug then closed himself off from her so he could concentrate on not getting his limps ripped off.

She sighed slid down the side of the glass dome and floated over to where some of her citizens had been working on a garden but now sat hunch around some type of tablet projecting a small screen.

At seeing her come down towards them they started to scrable to their feet but she waved her hand and said, "No that's okay stay were you are. What you watching?"

"A news report," The man named Peter answered. "Your people are erecting a wall along Terra's eastern border."

"They are?" she asked as she flew closer to get a look.

The man nodded

On the screen a female reporter droned on about rising tensions while in the background thousands of Terra's citizens worked at forming a golden barrier.

She watched for a few seconds then overcome with curiosity and worry pushed open a rift and walked through.

***

She came out high above the town she had bought the bean buns from just a few days ago. To her surprise her father was also there half a mile away and staring down at the large mass of people constructing the golden shield and the smaller groups working on forming what looked like crystal weapon spirals.

She flew over to him and he nodded at her as she approached but his expression felt odd to her; his lips were in a tight line and his eyebrows furled. It wasn't exactly anger pouring off of him but close. "Dad what's going on?"

He sighed. "Are people are boycotting King Brokon and they have more or less declared war against him and his people."

XRenia drew back. "What? Why?"

"A few hours ago he called you 'A whore whose only skill is using her body to gain political power.'"

"He what!?"