Astraea - The Lost Crown - Book 1

Prologue

Dedicated to the fighters and activists of 2020 
The path to change is difficult, but necessary. Never stop fighting for what you believe in. 
We will prevail.

In a peaceful field, there existed a small cottage. A quaint one, some might call it. Though it may have been small and unappealing on the outside, within its walls lived two women. A mother and her daughter, and despite everything they had been through, they were happy. However, this story is not about them, but rather about the life growing inside the young woman.
   “I can't wait to meet you little one..!” The woman murmured lovingly to her swollen belly.
    “You know that halfbreed can't hear you right?” An older woman yelled from the kitchen where she was busy brewing tea.

    “Mother!” The younger woman scolded. “Why must you be so cruel to an unborn child who has done absolutely nothing to you!” The soon to be grandmother simply snorted in response. Ignoring her, the younger woman continued, “Don't worry about her. Soon she'll love you just as much as I do. She just has to meet you first…” She stroked her stomach and slowly rocked back and forth in her chair, pondering for a moment. "How about I tell you a story? One that has been passed down through the ages… One told to me by your father...
In the beginning, there was only light and dark. Also known as life and death. Two equally powerful energy sources. Life used its power of creation, to make the stars, the planets, and the creatures that inhabited them, whereas Death used its power of destruction, and was able to remove us from reality. It gave us dreams, and closure when lives were long lived. Together, the two entities existed in perfect balance and harmony. Eventually, under their domain, our little Earth was born, and along with it came the humans. Life and death had never been so busy. But they failed to notice how some of their creations, began to grow angrier and greedier. So much so, that they fell into wars. Over and over until the final war was so terrible, life and death knew their only hope for saving the planet was to hit restart. 
They made a deal that allowed death to interfere with the mortal world, and  convinced humans to be their own demise. To blow up the planet.
But of course, our Earth was able to reheal, allowing plants and animals to slowly return. That’s when life and death saw fit to create new beings. Ones that they hoped would be more pure of heart. Composed of starlight, they were known as the celestials. Winged creatures that were entrusted to guard the Earth, and continue creating new life. But little did they know, some humans managed to survive.
And eventually through so much breeding, anthripes, the celestial's creations, eventually began producing offspring without magical traits. They were plain, and blank. A new human. Their arrival encouraged the old humans to resurface.
But some say that because they didn't possess the traits given by beings of light, it gave the New and Old human vessels more room for darkness. Humans once again became “corrupted” by their greed and malice. They were cruel, jealous and spiteful creatures bent on war and destruction... King Lucian is one of those examples of corruption…” She said grimly. Then something startled her, “Ah- mom- the baby! She kicked!”
    “How do you know it’s a she?” The older woman asked skeptically.
    “The warlock, Yvaine told me!” She said with a smile. Her mother just grunted in disbelief. Looking back down to her stomach she sighed, “Your gran may not believe in magic, but I do… I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Now, my little starlight, you don’t have to suffer the same downfall as our king. I believe you’ll become someone special, as long as you learn to embrace the light that lives inside you…”