Axium

CHAPTER 14

They both froze and looked eastward in the direction the alarms were indicating. There on the horizon was a massive floating city coming towards them.

"What in the world?" Verin muttered. "I thought no one lived out here."

XRenia turned to face the flying city. "Well apparently someone does. And this is just a guess but I bet you that they are not happy about us building our palace here either."

As the city came closer it lowered four cages. The cages bottoms retracted dropping four beasts that looked like lions but had tails that were snakes and goat heads were grafted to their backs.

The beast spread out running at impossible speeds as they charged towards them.

"What are those things?" Verin asked as the beast surrounded their palace one on all four sides.

"Chimaeras," XRenia spat in disgust. "They're genetic abominations designed to be mage hunters."

Verin eyed the beast closest to them on the other side of XRenia shield. "Can we beat them?"

"Sure if we weren't both dead tired. Trying to fight them now would be like doing a swimathon right after running a marathon."

"I see your point. What do we do?"

She shrugged. "Wait and see what they want. I guess."

As if on cue a giant screen appeared over top of the city displaying a fat monk looking like man. "These lands belong to Lord Shan. Who dares build on his continent without permission?"

"His continent?" Verin asked with his eyes wide. "Wow seems like there someone else in this world who has just as big as an ego trip as you."

"I intend to make this continent mine. This Lord Shan whoever he is, is obviously just claiming it as his. Big difference."

The fat monk reached out of the screen as he said, "You have two minutes to reply before we obliterate you." Parts of the floating city rearrange themselves revealing massive g*n emplacements.

"Looks like he has a bite to back up his bark." Verin observed. "So what do we do?"

XRenia gazed at the g*n emplacements and estimated that her shield could last five or six salvos but after that it would definitely fail and they would have to contend with both the guns and the waiting Chimaeras. Sadly the weapons their new palace sported wouldn't help much against these odds either. "I don't know." She admitted.

"Maybe we should ask your family for help."

She turned her head and stared at him. "No way. I'd rather let this place be destroyed than have to run to them for help."

"Well if you're that adamant about it I guess the only option we have right now is for you to tell them who you are and hope that your name scares him off."

XRenia chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about Verin suggestion. "That might actually work. And if it don't worst comes to worst we teleport out to your sheep pasture get some rest then come back and avenge our palace."

"Sounds like a plan. Though the sheep pastures id the Dukes not mine."

"You're the rightful ruler of that entire nation so technically it is." XRenia said as she reached out and used her magic shove both the blueprint and the dragon claw or Emundans as her father referred to it as, in her dimensional inventory for safekeeping. Then she started to form a large hologram of herself.

"Was, was the rightful ruler of the nation. I denounced that earlier today."

She smiled at him then expanded her hologram sending it through her shield and high into the sky onto it dwarfed the city.

"I am Casara Reannia Axium. I have been banished to Thaxium for disturbing my nation's peace and I hereby claim this land as my own. It would not be wise of you to dispute my claim either for I am in a foul mood." XRenia's voice thundered from the hologram's mouth shaking the windows in the city.

The fat man on the screen turned pale. "A one second please." He sputtered and disappeared.

XRenia smiled to herself. "Well that worked."

Verin rolled his eyes.

The bald man reappeared seconds later. "Lord Shan welcomes you to this land XRenia of Terra and wishes to greet you himself. He is sending down a vessel now and would be very pleased if you grace him with your presence." With that the screen disappeared, the giant g*n retracted and the Chimaeras sauntered back towards their cages.

She frowned and dispelled her hologram. "Well that's unexpected. I was hoping they would run away like a dog with its tail between its legs, not invite me over for dinner."

"Are we going?" Verin asked.

"I guess. Worst comes to worst we just teleport away."

A long black sleek vehicle emerged from the city and flew towards them. XRenia rose into the sky until she passed through the top of her shield and Verin followed her.

As they waited for the vehicle to get to them Verin said, "So your real name is Casara Reannia? How come I didn't see that your memories and why does everyone call you XRenia?"

A small smile played at the corners of XRenia's mouth. "That's because no one has ever called me Casara and the second is my grandfather's fault."

"Really?"

"Yeah, my parents called me Casara against his wishes and he hated the name because it meant ten in some ancient language. So he started to call me XRenia to despite them but for some reason the name stuck and I have been called XRenia ever since."

"So that X in your name actually stands for ten?"

She nodded.

The black vehicle with tinted windows pulled up beside them. The driver opened his door glided out and bowed then opened the back door for them to get in. As they entered the vehicle XRenia couldn't help but note that the driver was coated in the icky magic of the broken the ley lines. The driver closed the door and she noticed him almost fall out of the sky as he struggled to get back into the driver seat. He made it though and silently turned the vehicle around and flew back towards the city.

As they rode along Verin said in your head, "I'm surprised he made it."

"True and I'm also surprised any mage would live out here. From the looks of the residue he's been coated in the stuff from months if not years." She answered back.

"I wonder if that means our dragon claw statue or Emundans as your father called it is rarer than we thought."

She shrugged. "You might be right it could be one-of-a-kind."

They entered the city and Verin scooted across the black leather seats to the other side so he could look out the tinted window. XRenia smiled at his curiosity and looked at her own window. The buildings were all in a straights line and box shaped. The ones on the outskirts were only two stories tall but as they went farther in they got progressively taller unto the ones in the middle where at least twenty stories tall.

As a whole the city was mostly gray but surprisingly clean.

"Wow it looks like a lot of people live here." Verin said out loud. "What do you think they do for a living?"

XRenia was about to shrugged again and say she didn't know when to both of their surprised a computerized voice emanating from the center of the vehicle answered. "Shantopia is a mining city and all of its citizens help in its endeavors as well as reap the benefits."

"Interesting." XRenia mused. "Tell me more about this Lord Shan."

"Our gracious Lord is the benevolent ruler over all of Thaxium." The voice answered.

"Oh that was helpful," Verin mumbled

The vehicle landed in the center of the city in front of a massive dome.

"Well it looks like we're about to meet this gracious Lord," XRenia said as the driver opened her door.

Verin opened his own door and stepped out as he said in her mind, "I'm not sure I want to."

XRenia had to agree as she removed her disguise and quickly it putting it in her dimensional inventory as the driver motioned them towards the dome. One of the two androids guarding the door opened it. "Lord Shan is awaiting your arrival."

The air from the dome rushed out to meet them. It was artificially cooled and smelled of sunflower seeds. She took a deep breath and walked in.

XRenia fully expected the inside to be grand but instead the walls of the dome were completely covered in thousands of different camera feeds or scrying feeds she wasn't sure which probably both. It was dizzying to look at so she pulled her eyes down to the only other thing in the room. It was a majestic throne carved out of black obsidian rock and beside it stood the fat monk from before but it was the person who actually sat on the throne that caught her attention the most.

Lord Shan, he was a handsome muscular man. He wore fancy white pants threaded with fire patterns and a white shirt covered by a sleeveless black open chested vest that shown off his well toned biceps.

"Hey look Lord Shan has green eyes and a heart-shaped face. Just the type you like." She teasingly thought towards Verin.

"You sure he's not your type?" Verin thought back disgruntledly

XRenia was trying to think of retort when Lord Shan seen her. He smiled and stood up without touching the floor. Right away she noticed that he had none of broken lay line magic hanging on him even though the fat monk beside him was covered in it.

Lord Shan floated to her his long brown hair flowing behind. He landed on one knee and gently took her hand and kissed it. "XRenia I have longed to meet you. I am Lord Shan and I welcome to my fair city."

She straightened her back lifted her head and looked down at him. "It is my pleasure to be here." She answered in an imperialistic tone.

He bowed low then stood up. "I have been aware of your impending banishment for some time. I was hoping to greet you with open arms and a proposition at the border of my nation. Alas I did not expect your banishment to happen so soon."

Proposition? I wonder what that might be, she thought. "It is not official as yet. Nonetheless it is inevitable."

He slightly bowed again. "I am both saddened and pleased to hear so."

"What is this proposition you spoke of?"

Lord Shan smiled warmly. "I see you're not one for idle chatter." He pulled out a small black velvet case and opened it.

It was a beautiful ordinate white gold ring that emanated immense magical power.

"I wish you to become your bond mate and this ring as a token of my affection. It will protect you from the magic of this place."

Her mind screamed but years of forced formal training kicked in. She reached out and gently closed the case. "I'm sorry Lord Shan. Your offer is very tempting but I am already bonded with someone else."

Lord Shan's eyes grew wide with dismay and he stepped back then for the first time he noticed Verin standing beside her.

"So the rumors are true you bonded with a shepherd boy?"

XRenia was about to say that he was a rightful ruler over one of the nine nations not some shepherd boy. But Lord Shan turned around and covered his eyes with his hand.

There was a moment of silence then his hand slowly dropped shakily away and he turned back around. "This is not a problem we can't solve."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "If you lift a hand to my bond your city will fall and your head will roll."

He lifted his hand. "No need for the threats I am an honorable man. I would not dream of killing him in cold blood."

He turned to Verin. "I according to the revised magic charter of Thaxium challenge you to a duel to the death for the lady XRenia's hand in marriage."

Verin stared at him in shock for an instant then he burst out laughing. "If you think I'm going to fight to the death for a bond that was forced on me, I have some land on the moon I'd like to sell you."

Lord Shan step back. "Forced upon you?"

"Yes, she forced me into being her bond mate so that I could be her eternal servant."

Inside XRenia shrank back; the way Verin said it hurt even though it was the truth.

Lord Shan's eyes turned to her. "Does he speak true?"

"Yes." She was tempted to add that he saved her life by accepting but decided it was not necessary.

Lord Shan smiled. "You XRenia are a woman after my own heart."

She was not sure she liked the compliment. "Be that as it may. My heart belongs to another and I am a foul mood as well as tired. So seeing that our business here is done I bide you ado." She turned to leave. The magic of this land was weighing her down and she was already tired from building the Palace. They needed to leave now!

Lord Shan grabbed her hand and she felt the magic in one of his rings flair. Instantly the tar like magic that had coated her burned away.

She turned back and looked at him and he smiled. "There's no need to be so hasty. I do not wish to lose the one I have prepared so much for. Stay and eat with me?"

XRenia pulled her hand away from him. "I am sad to say I was never yours to lose." She very pointedly took Verin's hand and they both walked out of the dome together.

There was no vehicle waiting for them this time so she jumped into the air and took off flying back towards her palace using her magic to lift both her and Verin at the same time despite how heavy he had become because the magic around him.

As they flew Verin quickly added his strength to hers to help him keep aloft but he didn't say anything.

She tried to feel what he was thinking but he was completely blocked off. XRenia was happy he had rejected the duel though a part of her felt like he had taken a knife and cut her, with how easily he had rejected it. She struggled to keep the thought down but as they flew out past the edge of the city she just couldn't hold it any more. "How could you say that so easily? Ain't I worth fighting for?"

He turned to her, smiled and shook his head. "Woman, you're wrong if you do it wrong if you don't."

She dropped him.

"Hey!" He hollered as he plummeted to the ground.

She caught him right before he hit and help him soften his impact so he landed lightly in a large field than just kept on flying. "You can walk the rest the way." She told him mentally.

He glanced off towards their palace. "But that's a good six hundred feet and I'm already weighed down by this gunk."

She shrugged and kept on flying leaving him behind.

"Aren't you afraid Lord Shan will try to assassinate me or something?"

"Nope."

"Fine."

She glided down through the shield surrounding their palace and landed in the courtyard. Turning around she tossed him a smug smile but was surprised to see that he had formed a weird oval shaped shield around himself and was laying down. "What are you doing?"

He didn't answer instead he produced another half cone shape shield at his feet then turned back towards her and she could barely make out a smug smile on his own face.

Fire exploded at the base of his feet driving his shields and him across the field like some type of sled.

As he raced towards her he opened his mind to her and she felt the smugness rolling off of him in droves, that is until his shield collided with the one around the palace and his head bounced off the inside of his.

She dashed over to him as both of his shields dissipated. "Are you okay?"

He sat up in the dirt and rubbed the back of his head. "Ya. It's just a bump. I thought I could go through that."

"On the whole, shields can't intersect. And you should've just teleported or pulled out the Emundans it still my inventory you know."

Verin stood up and shrugged. "I didn't think of that. Besides what I did was a lot funnier."

He walked to the Center the courtyard and pulling the claw out of her inventory pushed into the hole he had made earlier.

XRenia breathed a sigh of relief as the clingy magic that had gathered around her in the short time since Lord Shan had removed it was pushed away.

"The city is flying way."

She glanced over her shoulder and sure enough Shantopia was disappearing over the horizon. Well that's a relief, she thought. A wave of fatigue washed over her and her legs wobbled.

Verin reached out and steadied her. "I think we should both take a nap before something else happens to us."

"Good idea. We can explore our new palace later," she said walking towards the massive open doors.

Cool air greeted them as they entered the enormous glass cathedral that served as the entrance into their new palace.

"Well at least we know the electronics work," Verin noted.

XRenia strolled through the colossal and downright impressive chamber passed the place where she fully intended on erecting her throne and into the back corridors. "The master bedroom should be back here somewhere."

Verin pulled out the blueprint. "its.. The room at the very end of this hallway."

Which turned out to be almost a four minute walk. "Okay I think I may have made this place a little bit too large."

"Ha, I think that's an understatement," Verin stated as he turned the latch, that was on eye level, belonging to the oversized door leading to the master bedroom. "If you ever have any short servants they are going to have a hard time that's for sure."

The room was fully furnished with baked clay fake goldplated furniture and underneath a bay window sat the largest bed XRenia had ever seen though it didn't have any sheets. "I wonder what it's made out of," she exclaimed as she ran over and sprawled out on it. To her surprise it was soft.

"Well the blueprint says, water and hydro.. car.. bons whatever that is," Verin said still standing by the door.

"Ah, there must have been some traces of crude oil in the land we built on. There might even be an oil deposit underneath us. That something we should probably check out. Come on there is more than enough room for both of us."

"Naw I'm going to sleep in the servants' quarter's off to the left of this room."

She rolled over. "But that's a small inky dinky room."

"Was. You supersized everything remember?" He replied and closed the door.