A Court of Death and Retribution

interlude

"Belladonna you didn't heed my warning. I told you that you wouldn't like what your sister's had planned for you and yet you didn't care. Now look at you... you're a scarred mess. A sorry excuse for an Illyrian. Your foolish father couldn't even protect you from your fate. But why dwell on your mistakes when we could talk about your future? Will you ever trust me? I've never steered you wrong, Dark Daugher. I tried to warn you...you know that. The sensible part of you knows that you have no reason not to trust me. After all, your mother was my greatest creation. My only successful attempt at making a creature who wasn't awful in some way. I've created the Naga and the Suriel, both of which weren't to my liking. But your mother... oh she was perfect. Beautiful, strong, capable of unimaginable things. Little did I know that I would have a granddaughter who was even more than your mother could ever be." A familiar voice filled my head. The Dark Mother's awful tone twisted through the darkness, and I wanted to run, to scream, to wake up.

But I couldn't. I was frozen in this dream-state.

"Belladonna this world may have been created by my delusional sister and that Cauldron, but we were the ones meant to rule. We are the goddesses who will show Prythian the truth. You can play your little games for now and have fun with your mate. Hell, you can even try to take your sisters and the Death Gods down...but you'll see the truth that is buried inside of you. You'll realize the power you hold and how much stronger Prythian will be under our rule. You are the Dark Daughter my dearest Belladonna, and that darkness will never fade. It will only grow stronger." In the void of darkness, a set of sage green eyes appeared. They grew closer until a figure formed around them. Her body and head materialized out of thin air.

Until I was staring back at myself.

And then I woke up.