Trials of the Protectors Minds

Excerpt from the book...

The cities and colonies had become places of peace, clean and bustling, where crime was almost non-existent. Every resident was provided for in many ways. People took superficial jobs that were used to keep them busy as most of the actual work of keeping things churning was actually handled by robots. Certainly, doing something that you liked was way more accepted and encouraged. People in the cities had gotten used to having everything that they needed. Of having great health and an abundance of everything needed for life. Even people that were lazy were taken care of as long as they conformed to the norms and relinquished more and more control over to the government. The largest cities were ever expanding. But as the cities grew, they also shrank more into themselves. The governments no longer looked after the greater areas that were their responsibility. The time and effort of the city officials were focused on the residents. They made sure to provide for them and over time they focused more of their attention on matters inside the cities. This also became the norm inside the numerous space colonies that were in near earth orbit. There it was even more conformist than the big cities.

It was a stark dichotomy between the space colonies, big cities and the towns and villages. Although these fell under the authority of the state, they were entities unto their own. Often, they produced their own food and were mostly self-sufficient. The village of Pure Water, where Axel had grown up, had been formed many years ago. The residents valued the traditions that had guided their ancestors for many millennia. He valued the people and appreciated the natural environments and beauty of the location. It was located on a large ridge a few thousand feet up the side of a remote mountain called Shangatha. Out here, even though the state government were responsible, they took pride in maintaining a lifestyle as close to natural as possible given the technological advancements that permeated every facet of life on the planet. Due to the many wars and conflicts over time nature out here was always in a state of flux. Many forms of life had already been driven to the brink of extinction and it was a miracle that trees grew. Scientist had made sure to re-terraform the planet after the last world war to create an environment that would support humanity as a whole.

Axel continued to stare out of his office window. It was already nightfall and he would be heading home very soon. He had descended from a long line of ninja. For as long as the village had existed this was the way of life. Young people were indoctrinated into the village life and each one of them worked to contribute to the betterment of the village. Some of them became protectors, who used the techniques passed down from their ancestors, while others worked various jobs that were needed. Technology had come into play at some point and even though the soldiers of the village had roots based in samurai and ninja they adapted to suit the times. Life in the big cities was certainly peachy, but out here it was decidedly more difficult. Rogue bands of people, often called raiders, would target and attack others from time to time. These raiders, who also lived out here in what was called the wilderness, would take from others when they could. It was certainly a lawless area. The ancestors of the village had decided long ago that in order to protect themselves they would have to fight when needed. As such they formed a para-military organization dedicated to doing just that.