Radiance

Prologue

A wave of murmurs and whispers flooded into the goddess's ears but all she could hear was the pounding crescendo of her restless heart.

There she was, Goddess of Cygnus, standing in the golden court room and before the towering and intimidating council, waiting for them to finally announce her fate. The short goddess looked even smaller to the looming figures before her.  All around her were other gods and goddesses waiting for the finale of the show they had all waited so patiently for. There wasn't a single deity missing, everyone wanted to be there when today would be eternally written in the cosmos.

She could feel how sweaty her palms had become from standing straight for so long and awaiting the inevitable. Since the beginning of this whole mess, she knew what her punishment would be but she was absolutely dreading hearing it from the council.

Yes, she knew what she did was unforgivable and cruel but she had to do it. Her body trembled from its core as her once steady breathing became staccato and uneven. Two pools of tears began to leak from her glassy gray eyes when she heard the thunderous pounding of the gavel.

"The council has come to a decision." It sounded like multiple voices, a man's, a woman's, and a child's, all merged into one.

She held her breath, trying her best to remain strong.

"Odette, Goddess of Cygnus, in order to atone for your sins against the King and kingdom of Andromeda...you are hereby banished. You will be stripped of your title as goddess and thrown into the human world, where you will live until death will come retrieve you."

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry!

"NO! Odette!" A voice cut through the rowdy court room behind her. Odette turned and saw her love, Roy, pushing and shoving his way through the crowd of deities. "You can't do this!" He growled like a lion to the almighty council, tightly grasping the golden gates that separated the public from Odette and the council. He grit his teeth at the sight of Odette petrified. He was so used to seeing her poised and the quintessence of elegance. The image of her usual long silvery hair cascading down her slim waist was a complete contrast of the Odette on the stand. Though her skin was always quite pale, it was now bleached of any color; her hair now dull and disheveled. Regardless, she was the same woman he cherished more than anything.

"...Roy!" She whispered breathlessly, feeling her hot tears streaming down her pallid cheek. She had to force every fiber of her being not to run to him one last time before her banishment.

I have to smile, she thought. I can't have him worry about me, not for eternity.

It rattled her so much her body grew cold and numb; the thought of Roy mourning over her for the rest of time terrified her. Struggling, she gave him a weak smile, wishing that he couldn't see the endless line of tears.

I have to let him know I'll be fine in the human world.

"Roy, I'll be oka—." A gasp escaped her pink lips as two figures suddenly appeared before her. They towered over her and wore black cloaks, concealing their eyes and identities, leaving her with tingling fear and dread.

"No..." Odette murmured, astonished. It was like all of her vocals were taken from her too, no words could come out.

Now?

She knew she committed an abominable sin but this was too cruel.She wasn't going to be given the chance to say goodbye?

The cloaked men grabbed her arms, one each. She winced at the excruciating pain but bit down on her lips not to cry out. With wet eyes, she locked onto Roy.

She never anticipated there would be a day she would no longer be able to see Roy's beautiful golden eyes. His eyes were almost magical, just looking at them could calm a storm within her. He always looked at her with loving eyes and only at her. But now it was up to her to soothe the rage erupting in him.

But now, there was fire raging within them, enraged and terrified he's losing his one true love. It broke her to her core; seeing someone so beautiful be stained by fury.

"Roy!" She desperately cried out. Her heart felt like it was being wrung dry like a towel. "I love you! I'll always love y–"

Within a split second, Odette and the two guards had teleported away before Roy's eyes. All he had left of her was an incomplete declaration of eternal love.

Immediately, his throat became dry and all he saw was red. He kicked the golden gate as hard as he could, only to recoil onto the marble floor from the impact. He felt no physical pain for the pain of his heart breaking was that of tenfold. Again, he kicked it only to be rewarded by a gasp from the crowd and another collision with the ground.

"Somebody contain the God of Orion." The council said, unamused and impatient. "This court is adjourned."

"No! It's not over until she comes back!" Roy exclaimed. "You're not moving an inch...you bastards!" He kicked the gate with all of his might but his body shot back from the force. Instead of meeting the cold unforgiving floor, his back met the chests of two cloaked figures.

"You guys..." His body turned around and grabbed them each by their collars. "Where did you bastards take her? WHERE DID YOU TAKE ODETTE?" He demanded. He didn't give a damn if he spat all over their faces or if they would threaten his godhood, all he wanted was Odette back.

"Where did you—!" His breathing hitched when they grabbed his arms. It felt like his limbs were going to be broken and torn off. They began to drag him out of the courtroom with ease, as if he was as light as a feather. The room parted like the Red Sea, leaving a path of shame especially for Roy.

"Let me go!" He thrashed wildly, his legs fiercely trying to stop them somehow but was powerless compared to their tight grip.

Helplessly, he watched the members of the council turn their backs on him and walk away. His eyes darted to the cold empty spot where his love once stood.

He roared, so loud it shook the hearts of every god and goddess in Andromeda. That was all he could do. He had broken his promise of keeping her safe; he was useless in stopping the inevitable. The council had decided and the deed was done. Soon Odette, Goddess of Cygnus will be nothing more than a faint memory in the immortals' minds. 

Everyone knew the tragedy of Andromeda.

God of Orion was left without his love and Andromeda lost a beautiful dedicated goddess.

The first goddess had fallen from grace and into the merciless land of the mortals.

-

                                                                                                              I'm sorry, Aegis. Please forgive me.