Prologue: A Promise of Fire
Nightfall has fallen. Twilight was murmuring to the stars and the celestial bodies that burnished, as bright as the small bone-white stars that flickered and devoured desperately at the small wisps of wind that lingered in that late breeze. An onyx feline swanned delicately through the inky black darkness of the forest that hid and wolfed down any that it caught with its dusky maw. Moonseeds' flittered adroitly as the cat prowled abysmal until it found a dead end. In sat on its haunches, fangs bared in a silent hiss as a shadow fluttered absent-mindedly. The shadows merged together, forming a cloaked person gripping a staff ornate with various jewels.
She glared at the cat as it slinked closer. "Aki, what did you find?"
"I though laissez faire would be much appreciated, such as beings of your standards," Aki purred as it transformed into a human. He huffed as she threw a few shadows that nearly speared him. He obviously knew that to let her, or her shadows, anywhere near him, or anyone, will result in a bloodbath.
"Laissez faire? Are you a cretin? For Dragons' sake, can you cooperate with me? "She growled, and he shuffled further away from her, suddenly looking rueful. She sighed, a touch miffed, and rested upon a throne forged of nightmares and twilight.
She beckoned at the empty, musky air and a crystalline orb arised from the woodland ether.
"We live, only suspire. Consumed by either fire or fire. I am the creator, through thick and thin, My time is sunset then I begin. Worlds of men and beasts I make, to me these things are not fake. But Over and over I will kill, I am the tirent and creator but not at will," she murmured as her exquisite gloves fluttered elegantly.
She peered into the looking glass and shook her head sadly. "Find me the tirent and the creator, the one ever so close to the Otherworlds. Tether her heart, her soul, and her light. Never let go of the one who will change the course of the tide," she ordered, although he detected for the first time, a humane feeling in that heart of ice. Nothing has ever broke his mistress's coldness, not even melted a drop of her glazing. The shape-shifter shivered mentally and prepared to transform into a feathered beast.
"And one more thing, Aki," she whispered softly. The edges of her shimmered ever so slightly. One of Aki's eyes were coloured amber, though it is flecked with tints of gold and marigold. He blinked in surprise.
"Take care of my daughter"
That was the last time he saw her. A rumour spreaded, a disease, gossip and blather branding his mistress dead after an attack that was targeted to weaken her empire. And, some tittered accusingly, to expose forbidden information she covered with her sin blackened wings. Crimson coated the emerald foliage and a silver circlet and her cherry cloak embroidered in in the same shade but darker than the diadem thread was her only remains. Ashes scattered in indolent tribute to one of the Ladies of the fabled Night Court. It certainly worked, Aki thought bitterly. He skulled though the woods, a snow-white wolf with startling indigo and emerald eyes. The dawning wind beckoned him to listen to its' morning trumph over nights' battle.
The saviour, the person she died to save, is in the Ever After lands.
He made a vow, a pledge to his mistress. Never was her command in such futile efforts.
It would not go in flames.