The Burning God Novels & Stories

“No, not that—anything but that!” The Goddess raises her hand, and the mists split open beneath him, revealing a pit of fire so vast and endless it seems to stretch into forever. The flames are not earthly—they are white-hot, devouring soul and shadow alike, a blaze that burns without end.

he said. “And I’ll destroy more,” the god responded, “until you kneel.” The earth trembled. Like dragons, the smoke soared into the sky. However, my child merely got taller. "I will never bow down in terror." Fire. Everywhere. The trees burned and shouted. There was fire, smoke, and something else in the air: anguish. It was palpable in my chest. The forest wasn't the only thing dying. That was the spirit of our people. Killian took hold of my hand and dragged me away. “We have to move!”

When Helia sent me here, I was trapped in the pit of fire, burning every day while large chains wrapped around my wrists held me down. It didn’t matter that I was once the god of war... it didn't matter that fire is my main element. This particular one burns like hell. Well, I was in hell but it was nothing like I had imagined. It felt like I was being skewered and placed on a barbeque or like I had been submerged in a raging volcano with molten lava.

“Do not give in to the darkness; do not surrender to hatred. Bring balance back to the world!” The smell of burning reached me at that moment. I turned toward the forest, where smoke rose from my city, and glanced around, realizing the goddess had vanished. “Painfully?” I repeated her words, which echoed in my mind. “My family!” I ran as fast as I could, only to face the most horrifying scene imaginable. Hunter was mercilessly decapitating everyone, placing their heads on stakes with wicked delight. My mother was in his claws, stripped and utterly mutilated. That cursed bastard!

I flick my wrist and the fire leaps from my palm. "How can you still do this?" I hear Ash ask. I tug a little at the freezing metal collar around my neck. "I'm not really sure," I murmur. "I wish I could do it," he mutters. "I'll teach you how when we get out of here," I tell him. I concentrate on the fire again, moving the matching flames in Ash's cell as well. "In the beginning there were seven gods, the most powerful of which were the twins Zahra and Kilano. Zahra was the goddess of life and Kilano the god of fire and ashes. Together they created the dragons."

Dragons from the Naga and another tribe eradicated her coven. Basically, Blackbriar holds some dark magic due to pissed-off spirits from Native American rituals, combined with the rituals performed by the coven trying to rebirth a god and create a paradise by destroying humanity, and, in the cult's eyes, their pain and suffering as well. They hoped that by absorbing Tiamat’s chaotic powers, they would become gods and decide the fate of humans and dragons. Thankfully, humans and dragons stopped them, but it appears that they are at it again. And again, they will fail, because my mates and I will see to it!

And curse the heavens with every breath. But one day, he vowed, he would return. And the gods would burn.

“Burn it all.” I wanted to promise. I wanted to say I would tear his world down. I wanted to tell her that we would not stop. She smiled at me, that crooked, haunted smile she gave when a plan had teeth. Then her eyes closed. The driver I had trusted was not me. He was a man on the edge. I floored the pedal. We tore through the properties like men running from gods. I felt the car lean into speed and felt as if the asphalt would slide off the world.

Blakeney yelled. Oliver slowly opened his eyes and flinched as he saw his body engulfed in blue flames. He stared at his hands as if seeing them for the first time. The god within James took over again. “Use all of your anger, descendant of Hephaestus!” Authority dripped from every word. “Focus all of your being on your hands and force the fire to obey your will!” Oliver closed his eyes and breathed deeply, jaw clenched in concentration. The flame-covered hands began to tremble with exertion, but slowly the fire licked up from his feet, his legs, his stomach, and fused purposely on his chest and arms.

Shadows flicker red beneath my door now, dancing like cruel spirits. “Run!” The word echoes in my skull. The door bursts inward in a spray of sparks and splintered wood. Flames roar behind a towering silhouette. A man steps through the fire. I cannot see his face — only the outline of him carved in burning light. And his eyes. They glow. Not with reflection. With power. The world fractures into red and gold. Heat devours everything. The scream tears from my throat— I wake choking on smoke that isn’t there. My room is dark. Quiet. Whole.