Dragon Bride

Prologue

When the God of Fire first captured the sun and hide it away from humanity, prayers were hurled at the other Gods. Monuments of every caliber. Sacrifices of the highest purity. An unending ceremony of gifts were offered so the Gods would bless the human race and reclaim the sun for them. But no one's gifts were accepted. No prayer was ever answered again. The Gods turned their backs on humanity and abandoned them in the cold embrace of an icy world. 

And the horror of being left alone and defenseless has haunted them. Despair seeped into their bones and souls like a relentless winter chill. Faces once illuminated by happiness were now etched with anguish, eyes hollowed as they sought answers in the emptiness above.

Nations fractured under the weight of the sorrow. Unity dissolving into chaos as blame erupted like wildfire. The sacred rituals, once a source of solace, now felt like hollow echoes of a forgotten age.

Humanity clutched at their broken dreams, the vibrant colors of life turning to muted grays, each heartbeat a reminder of the absence that gnawed at their very essence. They nearly lost themselves as the years passed... but as a century aged, they learned to live without them. Without Gods, Dragons, and magic. Humanity learned to thrive on their own and until now, they survived the endless storm.

But then... a spark was lit.

Fire burned out the poisonous cold.

And dragons returned... with a young woman leading the charge. Everything will change now that the Dragon Warrior has ascended. The sun was reclaimed. A horrifying nation and its mad king have been defeated. With the dawn of a new era, the world trembles now that the Dragon Warrior has emerged from the depths of legend.

She descended upon the forsaken lands like a comet igniting the sky, her golden hair shimmering with the brilliance of a thousand suns. Eyes, fierce and bright, hold the promise of rebirth, sparking a flicker of hope in the hearts of those who had long walked in cold shadows.

But while her magical rebirth has restored the warmth of the sun and hope in humanity's hearts... she also raises suspicion. The Dragons have returned. Does that mean that the Gods will return with them? What will become of their world now that the ethereal has returned? And... will humanity welcome them back?

4 months after the War between Rathke and Shafi...

Strong, horse skin boots crushed the crunched, ice-layered grass and broken sticks beneath his feet. Every sound he made, down to the shifting of his toes awoke a deafening sound in the silent realm. Noise hadn't been heard in centuries, at least not here. Not in the depths of a frozen mirror of the world, where shadows danced across glistening icicle-like trees. After all, the God that resided her despised it. But even so, the dark figure walked boldly through the realm, ignorant of the ghosts that screeched at his presence and recoiled in horror at the sight of life. And not just any life. The living embodiment of a void, unending in his hatred. He frightened everyone in this realm... everyone but her.

As he walked into the dark, ominous castle, an earth-shaking boom erupted in front of him. In the horrific bang, a throne emerged with a figure sitting upon it. A woman, or the otherworldly version of a female. Her presence was an enchanting paradox, a haunting beauty that was captivating as it was frightening. With long, raven-black hair cascading like a waterfall of midnight, she stood tall, her pale skin glowing in the dim light of the subterranean palace. Her three faces, each a distinct reflection of her duality, turned with grace: one radiating warmth and vitality, the second shrouded in annoyance, and the third a fierce visage of battle-hardened wisdom.

Her aesthetic was a remnant of an old Viking age, each garment woven from the finest furs and adorned with runes that shimmered with ancient power. In her hand, she wielded a staff carved from dark wood, topped with a crystal that caught the light, reflecting the dual nature of her dominion over life and death. With her white eyes—brimming with the weight of countless stories—she could see every soul in existence, both noble and flawed, each deserving of her attention. But every eye she owned narrowed at the dark hooded figure with anger so strong, it could tear the earth in half... but there was a sense of curiosity as she removed herself from her chair.

"It's been a millennium. What are you doing here now, dark one?"

For a moment, he did not respond. He simply gazed at the staff in her grip with an obsessive need. His hands itched at his sides. His breath grew rapidly and desperately as his purpose in her realm radiated from him in waves.

"I need a favor, Angadrona."

Her cackle was a striking boom of thunder. "A favor?! After all this time? After what you did set the Gods apart?! Why would I ever help you?!"

"Don't you dare scream at me! What I did was imperative for our survival as much as the humans. Dragons could not thrive more than they already had. I save our lives when I made them disappear!"

Her lips curled into a cheeky smirk. "Perhaps... but you didn't destroy them all. Three of them survived. One more powerful than any other that was created. How could you manage to let that happen? After all you sacrificed to get it done?"

The truth stung him badly. It burned the pride deep within himself that Kendria Glacies managed to escape him with two companions. He was so close to his ultimate goal... but this woman threatened everything he worked so hard to gain.

'But I will kill her... no matter what it takes!'

"I have a plan, but as I said, I'll need a favor from you. And remember, sister. I can and I would destroy you if you refused me."

The truth stung her badly. She knew very well what the monster in front of her was capable of. What he did to Ayana and the dragons would be a gentle tap compared to what he would do to her if she disobeyed. But that didn't mean that she would obey him without hesitance.

"You've destroyed the purity of free will. The natural order of life and death. If you tamper with it any further, there will be consequences."

The tattered edges of his cloak whispered secrets as he cackled, concealing a face that was but a haunting silhouette, save for the glint of cruel amusement in his eyes. "That's a chance I'm willing to take."

He meant every word. That was the most frightening thing about him. But even so, Angadrona saved face and fell into her throne. "Alright. What do you want from me, dark one?"

The air around him crackled with an unsettling energy, "... I want you to help me create a monster. A being more powerful than Kendria Glacies and her kind will ever be. So, I can use it to murder every last one of them, once and for all." 

That is the end of the Prologue. What do you think? Let me know in the comments section below and please don't forget to like and share. Until next time, my darling readers <3