Blooming from the Ashes

Ch1: Trial by Fire

The girl sat on the prison floor, her light brown hair falling softly around her shoulders. Her pale green eyes, once vibrant with life, now held a haunting depth, revealing the pain she had endured. 

Despite her torn clothes and visible wounds, there was a quiet grace about her, as if she carried an inner strength that couldn't be dimmed. Even in the darkness of the cell, her presence seemed to glow, but she was alone.

"Get her out!" a loud voice was heard, and in a matter of seconds, a few guards had dragged her out to the execution ground.

The surroundings seemed too bright to her, as she had been caged in that dark prison for a few months. There was a large crowd gathered around a small pit, and she was thrown into it.

The girl winced as the rough wooden blocks beneath her reopened her small wounds, their edges digging into her skin.

"Wood?" she thought

Then, a prince with white hair came towards her. But he was not her knight in shining armor, as he would be the reason for her death, since he held the power of fire.

She looked around, only to see the Marquess staring at her with teary eyes. He was the only one who had truly loved her after all, he was like a father whom she never had. She smiled at him, as if thanking him for all he had done for her.

Then she felt a hand caressing her cheek, she looked to see the prince sitting beside her, and he whispered in her ear, for the first time, gently.

"I wanted to thank you for that day. We would have been great friends, if you had not tried to harm her. I truly cared for you, and I am sorry you will have to endure this pain." he said as the crowd started to cheer for her death for harming there beloved saintess.

"Any last words, Liliana Frostvine?" She heard a voice call to her as her love, the prince backed down and stood holding hands with the woman she hated the most, Terra.

She was crying, for her, looking like an angel who had descended from heaven. She was the Saintess, after all. She hugged the prince tight, burying her head in his chest, as if not wanting to see what would happen next.

"No." said Liliana, in a loud voice, with a brave heart. She was not afraid of the pain, as she was too used to it.

Yet, deep within her mind, a fervent wish stirred. She longed for time to reverse its course, to grant her a second chance at life. Her heart yearned to defy the fate that awaited her, to seek justice for her impending demise and find solace in a life of peace.

But she knew this wasn't possible.

Suddenly, she felt the temperature rise, and saw the fire starting to burn around her. She closed her eyes as she felt her skin burn. Her dress melted and stuck to her burning skin.

The pain was excruciating, she could have not used a mere word to describe it.

Amidst the pain, she longed for the darkness to finally take her away, to end this, and it did.

As the flames dwindled and the ashes settled, a single rose emerged, its petals unfurling gracefully amidst the remnants of the fire. Soon, it was joined by a multitude of others, each blooming a poignant symbol of the beauty that had once graced the world.

The Prince approached, his heart heavy with grief, yet touched by the fragile beauty before him. With trembling hands, he plucked one of the roses, its delicate fragrance mingling with the lingering scent of smoke.

Tears welled in his eyes as a memory flooded his mind, recalling the tender moment shared with the girl who had captured his heart, once.

Clutching the rose to his chest, he made a silent vow to cherish it for a lifetime, a reminder of a love that would never fade.