Excerpt from Chapter Four

"You." Her hand came up to point at him. Her voice was different, like there was something speaking through her. Something unreadable flickered across his eyes, as he brought the sword up in front of him, shielding himself. Fear, perhaps? The fear that he may have pissed off the wrong princess. Fear mounted as she lifted several feet in the air, floating. The aura around her intensified as two magnificent golden wings shot from her back, stretching out to a length of nearly twenty feet. Celestin than realized what he was seeing.

Chapter Five

"Goddess." He fell to his knees, the sword lying forgotten by his side. "Oh.my goddess, I have awakened you."

Golden eyes narrowed, as if seeing right through him. They stripped him to his very soul-that twisted black that had shriveled up so long ago. They swept slowly from the dead body next to them, and then back to rest on him. He followed the goddess's gaze, before coming back to her, almost begging with her now.

"The Light. It dwelt in her. It threatens us, our very being." Crimson orbs widened as she tilted her head, a cruel smile playing across her features.

"Us?" She tilted her head to the side, expectantly.

"Us." He gestured around him to the cowering demons, which lay covering their eyes, their weapons long forgotten. "We, we fear the Light. It alone can destroy us, so we must destroy it before it has the chance."

Her eyes left him to rest on the corpse of her mother. "And what of me?"

"You. You're the key, my goddess. You can tip the balance. Join us. Join me." He rose and took her hand, bringing it against his cold lips. "A legend brought to life."

She seemed not to hear him as she regarded him coolly, "And what of those I loved? Those you KILLED?" Her voice rose on the last word as the golden glow around her intensified.

"It, it had to be done. They posed a threat." No change to the golden eyes. "Everything I worked for, she stood in the way. But, it brought you out. Really a small price to pay, my goddess." They narrowed at that as she lifted her hands above her as if summoning the very heavens. "You. Will. Pay." Golden streams of light shot down, blinding Celestin as anguished screams filled the room. After a moment, the screams melted away to nothing, and piles of ash, all that remained of his great army, surrounded them.

"Oh. Oh, my lady, surely you won't punish me." Celestin dropped to his knees, beseechingly. "It was their idea, all their idea. I only came to be close to you." "You lie. You DARE tell falsehoods in my presence?" She extended her hands out to him, causing an unseen force to push him back against the opposite wall, crashing through it.

He stood, blood streaming down his face, and faced her, his hands drawing black energy from the ground. "You will join me. I will have you." Raising them in front of them, he shot everything he possessed at her, his most powerful attack. Black completely consumed everything, houses breaking down into toothpicks, and bodies disintegrating. When the smoke cleared, Celestin knew all hope for him was lost.

Her eyes were closed, and her hands crossed in front of her. It seemed that the attack had not even fazed her as she began to laugh, as if knowing his thoughts.

"No, I will not end your pathetic life." She floated close to him as he slumped to the ground, and put a foot on his chest. "Instead, I want you to suffer. I want you to look everyday at yourself and be reminded of me. What you can and will never have." With that she placed her hands over his face, causing his flesh there to burn. He screamed and writhed beneath her, but she heard nothing, concentrating wholly on her task. When she removed his hands, the skin under his left eye had been burned in a star- shape. A scar he would bear the rest of his many days.

"Now, out of my sight." She removed her foot and floated above him, her arms crossed. Growling at his defeat, the once great demon lord vanished in a swirl of black, only leaving behind a threat. Or perhaps a promise? "I will return for you."

Suddenly, as soon as it came upon her, the golden glow left her, causing her to fall to the ground. Goddess. Was that what she was? She held her hands out in front of her and willed the glow to return. It did, and then faded once more. Trembling, she walked slowly back to the palace, the only building to have withstood Celestin's final attack, to stand before her mother.

"Ma? Ma, please, come back." The whispers escaped her lips in broken gasps. Silently, she willed the ropes to come undone. They unraveled, causing the queen to slip down into the waiting arms of her daughter. The weight was almost too much for the girl to bear, and her knees buckled as she dragged the body out of the castle, and all the way to the clearing of the Rock.

A wave of exhaustion washed over her as she fell to her knees and began to dig with her bare hands, blinded by tears. She dug until her hands were bloodied, and even then she kept on digging until there was a shallow grave large enough. Tugging the body over, she carefully laid it in the grave, then after a second thought, lay next to her mother, sobbing for her to come back. How long she lay there crying, she didn't know. Time didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore.

As the sun began to rise, she began to cover the body with dirt until it was completely covered. It seemed so, unfit, for the great queen to be buried in such a way. She pressed her cheek to the cool earth now covering her mother, not wanting to leave her yet. Slowly, several vines of golden roses began to grow from the ground, forcing her back until they completely hid the grave. Blossoms were much larger than usual, as if to honor the fallen warrior, and thorns continued to grow, ensuring that there would be no one to disturb this grave. Rising slowly to her feet, she began to walk back into the woods, never looking back. There was nothing for her here any longer. No one. She was alone.

Passing through the small pond she so cherished, she was surprised to see it glowing. With no regard for herself anymore, she peered into it without hesitation. A much older, much more developed woman stared back at her. 'Is this me? Are you...?' She trailed off and reached for the woman, desperate to have somebody, anybody, be with her. The woman reached for her as well, then Bella realized what she was seeing. 'Foolish girl,' she chided herself, 'Tis only your reflection.' She dropped her hand to the side, still staring numbly at the image.

But, the image did not drop her hand. It remained extended towards her, the golden eyes warm and compassionate. 'Come.' The image mouthed at her. 'Come, you're ready.' The voice began to resound throughout the clearing, until it seemed all of the forest was speaking to her.

"What? What am I ready for?" Bella asked, dropping to her knees to reach the outstretched hand better. Her own hand seemed to pass right through the water as it grasped the other. A golden light illuminated the clearing briefly, before disappearing. Only the trees, and the pond remained. All trace of the princess was gone.

'Your destiny...'