“Pleasant day my lady would you like to see the assortment of baby clothes I made for you?”

“Oh yes of course, wait just a minute, I’ll send a guard to escort you inside,” Zinnia pokes her head back inside a window of city hall,

The ‘sun’ burns brightly today but under the great tree everything there enjoys a cool shade it’s gorgeous leaves swaying slightly from the faint midday breeze,

The tree of life towers over the city of Soterra, anyone new here would think it had been growing for centuries but it’s only been a few months since the mountain of a tree erected, a day in the history of Soterra where many people died but those who survived given a second chance at life both literally and figuratively

The trees roots spread all throughout the city's underground to the adjacent lands bordering the city, anyone who lives in these areas is effectively under it’s protection

Because of this Zinnia is undisputedly seen as the Queen of Soterra, her rule is a laid back one in reality, the people have all the power she is just the voice that broadcasts the decisions, a face that represents the nation when confronted by other nations.

“Eh-hem, good day, to you miss a guard fully covered in armor from head to toe, greets awkwardly arriving from around the side of the newly constructed walls of City Hall,

Formerly the city hall was once a castle and then cathedral but now it is an open house to any Soterran, anyone can come and use it’s spare rooms and supplies, as well as it serves as the meeting place of the citizens to vote amongst themselves, around the back side of it is the private residence of the queen.

“Right this way to the queen,” the guard gestures for the lady to follow,

“Hmm, full armor on this hot day?” she comments

“Its agility armor and I er don’t mind the heat that much” awkwardly replies the guard again

Unlike the thick full plated armor, agility armor consists of light steel knee and elbow pads fitted into cloth leggings and long sleeves respectively, the cloth however is interwoven with extremely tiny magic crystals containing wind and steel magic which helps to boost defence and mobility on movement on impact, the headgear hugs the wearer’s face like mask, but it also is woven with magic crystals that produce to same effects as the armor

…..

“Thank you for showing her to me” Zinnia smiles at the guard ushering the lady into her room,

“You wait outside Shiryu,” she closes the door leaving Shiryu alone in the small apartment behind the City hall, It’s a one floor upstairs room above a garden to the back of hall, Zinnia’s private garden,

Shiryu taps his feet impatiently on the shiny golden brown wooden floor, the same wood most of the brand-new furniture in the room is made of, the walls are newly constructed as well with a fresh coat of peach paint,

Aside from the furniture the main room has large magic crystal chandelier hanging from it’s center that exudes both light and wind magic across the room

…..

…..

Shiryu stroll across the room to a window overlooking a short distance of the city,

A lot of repairs are still taking place, very few people can be seen outside,

(The fact that Kage did all this doesn’t surprise, her-his power must be immense) thinks Shiryu,

He works for Zinnia as her personal guard, much to displeasure of her former guard a woman named Tori

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(She was hot though, I got to make my move soon,

Or maybe with that girl Amelia,

Hamahhh~

I love Soterra,

So many chances to find love here,)

“Shiryu come here!” Zinnia calls

“Yes?” he immediately rushes into her room,

“Which outfit for my baby is cuter?

This?

Or…

This?”

“Ummm, that one…”

“Hmmm, ok, thanks you an go now”

“Err happy to help” Shiryu leaves again,

This has been commonplace for him as of late, the queen, Zinnia has yet to press him on his identity, and relation to Apollo and Kage, she only asks him irrelevant questions and to do chores,

(I wonder if I picked wrong, she rushed me out quickly)

This makes Shiryu unsettled as he believes she is always secretly testing him in ways he can’t figure out yet,

As dense as the queen may come across, she radiates a passive deadly aura,

The wooden floor and furniture for example, they are built from the trunk of the massive tree which is said to be an extension of her magic, if she wanted sje could sap the strength of anyone in contact with wood

…..

“Alright well I hope you are perfectly happy with the clothes Zinnia,

I’ll be off now” the merchant lady exits the room

“I am, If you have anything don’t hesitate to come by again,” Zinnia sees her to the door,

“Should I escort her around to the front?” Shiryu offers,

“No that won’t be necessary, she been here a few times before”

(Then why did you send me to get her the first time!!??)

…..

“What do you think of Soterra?” Zinnia goes over to the window,

“I don’t know, this is my first time being in a city with humans,

I guess it’s a lot quieter than I expected,”

“Soterra has always been a quiet place, the loudest it ever got was when the city walls along with half the buildings got levelled, it was a bittersweet moment for us,”

“I heard there was many of deaths,”

“That’s putting it lightly, there isn’t a single person in this city that has not lost at least one loved one,

Me, I lost the father of my child, but I can’t fret, If it was not for Kage showing up, we may have been in a worse position right now….”

“Kage really levelled a city...

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised given she is god,”

“The last person to say they was a god in this city put us through hell, please refrain from using that terminology”

“I am not, I mean it literally, Kage is god,”

“Have you actually met Kage?

I can tell he is different just from looking into his eyes, but not that different,

Kage doesn’t even know who he is himself,”

“She-he doesn’t?”

(Isn’t Kage supposed to be perfect?)

“Kage is just a normal person like me, and maybe you, because I’m still unsure about you”

“Damn, I really want to meet Kage now,”

“I suppose Kage and the others will be back before they begin the raid,”

“What raid?”

“You are part beast right? So you should know–”

“–The dragon?” Shiryu immediately guesses

“Mhm,”

(Don’t tell me they’re planning to attack it, wherever it is,

Come to think of it, why hasn’t Kage already defeated thing yet?)

“Umm, queen Zinnia”

“Just Zinnia please, no queen”

“Well er, how do I put this…

I don’t think it’s wise to go after the dragon”

“We don’t really have a choice”

“Yeah but even if you win…”

(Should I tell her…)

“If we win what?” Zinnia gives him a serious glare

“I know you don’t know but just to be sure I’ll ask,

Have you ever heard of the new breed?”