Crown of Fire

Prologue

Okay guys, so this is the new prologue the other one is going to be worked into the story. It's not going to be the prologue instead this is. But keep in mind that this is still a work in progress! Thanks so much. Also I'm gonna change the summary once I'm done with book so you'll get a better understanding. And so that it's not a spoiler to anyone else, I'm gonna delete the first prologue. Anywayyy, enjoyyy

-Tsunamilion <3

Her screams filled the air, sending a shudder through all the gods and goddesses in the arena. The goddess of healing couldn't believe what she was seeing. No one could make this bad, this cruel, this...ruthless of a mistake. Even for the goddess of death. The whip snaked around the goddess's back, sending black blood scaling down her spine. It was an effort not to reach out and heal those sickly scars that wrapped around her sister's bare back.

Iasoia spared a glance to her sister's torturer. The goddess of fire could care less as Thanita writhed in pain, taking each blow as if it was her last. Iasoia had guessed that was the only way her young sister could endure it. Another cry from her sister roared out of Thanita's lips, shaking the whole arena. Iasoia flinched at the sound but didn't let her magic wrap around Thanita's bareback. Astrid, the nature goddess, turned to give Iasoia a simple glance of sympathy. The only sign she could show how the goddess of nature truly felt.

Iasoia smiled softly and held in the tears that so desperately wanted to trickle down. Thanita screamed once more, sounding as if she were dying. Which...in a way she was. "I can't take it anymore," Iasoia mumbled, her voice cracking as she gazed at the open ceiling. But she didn't see anything comforting. Her parents weren't shining down at her, telling her it was going to be okay. Instead, the roar of the thunder shook her so deep that her bones rattled. The goddess of fire, Alinta ordered for all of them to switch to their human forms so that we would all know what would happen if we ever decided to do something like this. But this was more torture to her than the other gods and goddesses. Alinta knew how much Iasoia loved her sister. She knew how painful it was going to be for her. The goddess of hell itself knew that with every scream, every grunt, every whimper, that Iasoia was dying inside. And the goddess of healing hated her for it.

Alinta rose her pale hand, her fingertips burning from the power of the sun. The torturer stopped. The whip that he held that was now covered in Thanita's blood, Iasoia's bloodline, dropped.

"I will ask this one more time," declared the goddess. "Do you regret it?"

Iasoia stilled, her blood running cold. This was the one question that is asked in every torture event and each time they still give the same punishment: being stripped from your title and powers. No one knew what would happen if anyone said no, for no one had dared to say that. Not if they could be spared the humiliation and the pain of being sent away. Say yes, Iasoia thought, tears gleaming in her eyes. That way I can see you again, sister...

It didn't surprise her when Thanita raised her head with such a lethal calm and spat the word, "never." Iasoia closed her green eyes, letting her tears fall and her heart shatter. Astrid turned ridged at Thanita's response, but Iasoia didn't respond. This was what Thanita got, for being so damned foolish. For letting her pride and greed overcome her.

Iasoia only heard as Alinta said, "then, since that is the case...you are hereby banished. You will be kept in the prison of Lowe. There you will one day be executed. However not before you suffered a great loss. The loss of any offspring you have ever had–"

"You bitch," hissed Thanita. Iasoia cocked her head in the direction of her sister. When have she ever...? For the first time in her life, Iasoia saw something in Thanita that she never seen before. Fear. How could Thanita be afraid for something she didn't have? She turned her head to Alinta and watched as the goddess just smiled. So ruthfully. So cruel. "Can I at least say goodbye to my family?" the goddess of death wondered, her voice barely a whisper.

Alinta was silent for a bit, as if she was really considering. Hope serged in Iasoia's chest, maybe she would be able to tell her sister that– "No."

A quiet sob escaped her mouth as Thanita screamed fowl words to the supreme goddess. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Thanita threatened as the guards lifted her off the ground, not even bothering to let her put on her shirt. "I PROMISE YOU! ONE DAY I WILL KILL YOU! ALL OF YOU! I WILL CONSUME THE BODY OF ONE OF YOUR DESCENDANTS AND I WILL RULE THE WORLD. I PROMISE YOU THAT I WILL COME BACK! AND WHEN I DO, YOU'LL ALL BE DEAD! I'LL USE YOUR OWN–" Thanita's curse dwindled down as the guard's closed the massive gate doors. Once it was done, the arena went silent. The only sound were the sound of Iasoia's tears as they splattered to the ground.

"I'm sorry, Iasoia..." murmured Astrid. She shook it off. She didn't need Astrid's sympathy. She just needed to heal her own heart. It was too bad that her magic didn't let her heal emotional scars. As Alinta celebrated the disappearance of her sister, Iasoia pondered her sister's words. It was a curse that her sister planted on Alinta. A curse and she knew Thanita was going to fulfill it.