COLONY WARS

CHAPTER 147-RHEA'S GHOST

ASENATH POV

PLANET AMDELON, HOME TO THE EMPEROR

She was just as I left her. Great Amdelon, planet of the great conquerors.

Walking barefoot on the ground as I headed for the giant gate before me, my heart was ready to accept whatever punishment came. The golden gates opened, and I walked inside the castle, where royal soldiers waited.

They recognized me instantly and the shock on their faces was grave. They withdrew their weapons and walked to me for inspection.

"I come to accept my punishment, as a runaway." I spoke, hands held out.

"Princess?"

I nodded.

They took me to my mother's presence after that. I was not afraid. I was ashamed of having tried to plot against her, to have even tried to end her life. I was blind, blinded by Viktor's charms and my naivety.

Nothing had changed within the castle, almost as if I had never left. I watched as they opened the doors before me and then pushed me inside the presence of the throne, where the Emperor sat.

"Great Emperor, we bring a runaway. She claims to be ready to accept punishment."

I fell on my knees, too ashamed to even face her. I was angry at her too, for subjecting me to such a life but shame was greater.

"Asenath?" her voice, deep and intimidating as I remembered said.

"I come to accept my punishment. But before that, I want to ask you a few questions."

"Child, look at me!"

My eyes peered at her. She was cross, eyebrows knitted, and lips pressed together. Her light eyes gathered a storm in them.

"Why would you want me dead?" tears crawled down my eyes.

She said nothing.

"Why?! You...why would you subject me to such a life?"

"You would be dead if I wanted you dead." She said calmly, "Just as all my enemies are."

I looked down at my hands, magic burning in them.

"You have come to kill me I presume. Go ahead, do your worst." She continued, "Strike me down Asenath, Queen of Kayan."

"No," I sniffed, "I will not touch you."

"Oh?" she was amused, "So, you traveled all this way for nothing then?"

"I've come to warn you. They want you dead, enemies with more rage than I. They will come for you soon, all of them."

"They will never succeed."

"Trust me, they will if you take them lightly. That thing, the dark entity that took Zaleria from us, she is amongst them, she, the new Celtic King, and Viktor."

"You should have joined them." she rose from her throne and walked down to me. A blade formed from her hands, and she brought it down to me. I watched the golden blade, made from pure magic.

"Go ahead, do it Za'afiel. Kill me."

"Fight back."

"Why should I?"

"Your presence is different. You matured, much stronger, fight me and prove yourself powerful."

"No."

"I command you, Asenath!"

"Aurghhhh!" I rose my knee from the ground, summoning a blade on my right hand. She blocked it while I rose to my feet and took a step back. Magic traveled in my blood, eyes wide open in rage.

"I sent you out, so you can toughen up," she cut the side of her dress, for free movement. "I sent you out so you could be, be what I want...wrath."

I charged at her, blade aiming to harm her. She dodged my attacks, before kicking the back of my leg. I stumbled before turning around and blocking her blade. Her cold eyes looked into my soul.

"Pity if you died but should you live, you would become what I envisioned."

"I became queen of the Kayan, I opposed your way of rule. Is that what you had in mind?" I asked her, pushing my blade to her as it grew in size. "Huh mother?"

"You always find a way to disappointment me," she kneed my belly before kicking across the room. I slid on the tiled floor and when I stopped, she fired arrows at me. I summoned a shield and hid behind it.

"You and Iris! My own children, everyone that I have ever loved!" she continued, "Disappointment, weakness is all I have around me, no one willing to share my vision! All of them...Rhea..." her voice was filled with pain.

The weapon dissolved from her hands and her shoulders fell in sadness and despair. I had never seen her like this before. My eyes softened and I removed the shield and watched her in sympathy.

"Just like her mother...she is gone, never coming back."

"Gone?"

"Iris is gone Asenath. She never returned from her last mission, just like Rhea..." the name brought her pain. "...because of you, of us."