Divine Dragons 2: A Bride for the Mountain God

King Nelus, a man of insatiable greed with seven wives, nine sons, and more daughters than he could remember, stood at the edge of the forbidden forest. He was giving a speech about the importance of appeasing the forest spirits that were causing chaos in our kingdom, but I didn’t pay attention to his hypocritical words.

A hundred years ago, my ancestors built a temple in the shadow of the towering mountain range behind me. This temple was a symbol of the power of the Mountain God, who claimed those rugged, heavily wooded peaks as his own. Over time, the temple transformed into a palace, and a kingdom grew around it.

Throughout history, kings have pushed the boundaries, encroaching on the forbidden forest, taking more wood than necessary, stealing from the forest, corrupting the spirits, and provoking the Mountain God. But King Nelus was the worst of them all.

His greed, his lust, his gluttony, his sinful behavior as a king brought misfortune to our land. The forest spirits sensed the turmoil caused by his reckless rule. They fed on his malice and cruelty, transforming into monstrous creatures that prowled and hunted in our city streets.

He imposed heavy taxes on his people. He kidnapped young noble women. He executed anyone who dared to oppose him.

What was one more wife, one more son, one more severed head to him?

And he continued to invade the Mountain God’s territory. The mountains, the woods, the lush undergrowth rustling behind me were forbidden for a reason. Spirits didn’t take kindly to mortals, and they were eager to avenge their god.

King Nelus was aware of the growing unrest among his subjects. His iron grip on their loyalty was slipping with each passing year, tarnishing his image. The increasing dissent forced him to act.

He needed to appease the Mountain God to atone for his greed, or he risked losing everything he held dear.

“Princess Nia offers herself as a token of goodwill to our divine lord,” he lied. I hadn’t.

“We must all pray for the mercy of the Mountain God.” His voice echoed over the crowd, signaling the end of the grotesque spectacle.

“Goodbye, my beloved daughter.”

What was a worthless daughter to a king who wanted everything?

“Father, don’t do this,” I whispered, struggling against the restraints binding my wrists behind my back. “Please, don’t leave me here.”

He didn’t even look at me as he left the hastily constructed platform.

King Nelus, his wives, his sons, his other daughters all turned their backs on me. My father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and a thousand fools left me, bound and helpless, in the shadow of the forbidden forest.

I watched in horror as the golden sun sank toward the horizon behind the distant kingdom as everyone headed home.

Left alone to the spirits of the mountain and their monstrous god—a sacrificial princess to atone for the sins of the father.

Only one figure lingered. A soldier in full armor, hesitating at the edge of the crowd as if he might turn back. As if he might run to me, cut my binds and take me away.

“Neven, come back for me. Please.” The increasing wind stole the words from my lips.

His captain barked an order. He turned his back, the fading orange light glinting off his silver armor. The knight marched on, returning to the kingdom he’d sworn to protect.

Maybe he’d find another princess to share his bed with. Or perhaps a woman he’d be free to love.

Not me. Too outspoken, too loud, too forbidden. A fling, and now nothing more than a piece of meat for the creatures of the mountain.

Streaks of buttery yellow, burnt orange and rust red clawed at the sky. Darker shades of violet and blue descended on the world as the sun finally slipped away.

Twinkling silver stars blinked at me until heavy clouds pregnant with an oncoming storm rolled overhead, barreling closer. A blanket of fog crept through the towering trees of the mountain, sweeping closer like a shroud, bowling over the peaks of rich green.

Birds stopped singing. Critters stopped chattering. Chirping bugs went silent.

Nothing more than encroaching thunder and howling wind in the nearby boughs broke the silence. Without the forest’s natural symphony, my stomach sank with surging dread.

A chill racked my spine, and a cold sweat prickled at my temples. My last meal curdled in my twisting stomach, clawing at the back of my throat.

I vaguely registered the choked whimpers that accompanied my never-ending tears.

A burning ache rose in my wrists from the leather cuffs binding my hands behind my back. Strapped to a wooden pole on the platform with no relief, I knew my wrists would bruise and chafe.

Though maybe it wouldn’t matter after the spirits claimed me.

Or perhaps the Mountain God himself would come and—no. Not likely.

No one alive had seen him. The Mountain God remained hidden in the massive, wide range peaks that bordered our continent. His forest at the top of those impassive mountains nearly reached the stars and sky.

No mortal would ever find him if he didn’t want to be found. They wouldn’t even survive getting through the gnomes, imps, or dryads.

My sacrifice would be in vain. The Mountain God wouldn’t want me—a poor consolation prize from a greedy king.

Once the forest spirits found me, they were likely to tear me to shreds before making their way into the kingdom to wreak more havoc.

Good. Serves them right for what they’ve done. I would die none the wiser and with no one to miss me.

No sentiment lost from my family or would-be lover. Food for the forest.

Is that why kings had so many children? They needed heirs to spare, I suppose.

Though I couldn’t imagine my father giving up any of my brothers. He’d sacrifice every one of his daughters until the spirits left them alone.

“Yeah, well, fuck you! You old bastard!” I screamed into the void. As night arrived, I no longer saw the gleaming spires of the kingdom.

I knew they couldn’t hear me, but gods-damn it felt good to scream. “Fuck all of you! I hope the spirits take everything from you! All your gold, all your sons—everything you hold dear, you rotten bastard!”

I let out a scream that didn’t stop until the first drops of rain began to fall. My throat was raw and my muscles trembled from the effort of struggling against my bonds.

The cold drizzle bit into my skin, making my blood feel like it was turning to ice. My tears had dried up, replaced by a river of anger and pain that was deeper than anything I’d ever experienced.

Then something cool and solid brushed against the raw skin of my wrist. A surprised yelp escaped my lips. I jerked away instinctively from the sensation of something winding its way through my restraints.

My heart pounded against my ribcage, its rhythm too fast to be healthy. I twisted my head against the beam, trying to see what creature or insect had found its way to my bound hands. My face drained of color and my stomach plummeted.

A mass of tangled vines had slithered out from the underbrush like a nest of snakes. A scream of pure terror ripped from my throat, carried away by the storm winds like a bird fleeing from danger. I’d never seen plants move with such purpose before.

My first thought was that the spirits of the forest had found me and were coming to claim me. But then the cuffs binding me were torn apart, falling to the platform with a satisfying thud. I rubbed my raw, red wrists. My eyes never left the mass of writhing vines and branches as they retreated back into the forest.

Wisps of fog swirled in the air, parting to reveal something that looked like a path. A whisper that seemed to come from the very earth itself wrapped around me. The sound burrowed into my mind, latching onto something deep within me.

The strange music of the forest pulsed through my veins, calming my racing heart. A sense of peace settled over me, like a soft, heavy blanket shielding me from the harsh winter cold. My dress, made of gold sequined fabric, rustled around my legs as I began to move without conscious thought.

It was as if some external force had taken control of my senses. My feet, clad in silk, descended the creaking stairs of the platform. I clutched my sore wrists to my chest, mindlessly following the path the vines had carved out.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry, almost choking on my own tongue. But I didn’t stop—I couldn’t stop—as I passed through the curtain of trees and entered the forbidden forest. My breath hitched as the song of the mountain drew me deeper, calling me, pulling me into the shadowy green depths.

Where were the animals? Why hadn’t the spirits of the forest attacked me? Shivering, my cold, wet dress clinging to my curves, I moved through the dense woods on shaky legs.

With each step, the fog parted for me, welcoming me into the heart of a place I was not supposed to enter. When my fear gave way to a strange sense of curiosity, lulled by the enchanting song of the mountain, a massive boulder rolled into view in the distance.

I came to a sudden stop, a scream rising in my throat. More boulders covered in lichen moved. Even the trees seemed to sway and shift, as if they were alive.

Moonlight broke through the storm clouds, illuminating the movement in my path. The mountain in front of me was rising, growing taller, a long neck extending—a gust of wind blew away the fog.

The moonlight revealed scales in shades of green, gray, and brown, a living portrait of the forest. Emerald green wings tipped with claws spread wide. The long neck rose higher, and glowing green eyes like moss focused on me.

Antler-like horns, their texture like bark, crowned its majestic head. A low growl echoed through the forbidden forest. It wasn’t a boulder, or a hill, or the trees.

The Mountain God had awakened, and he was looking right at me.