Dance of Fate

Prologue

Azriel was still staring into the now dying flames in the living room's fireplace when he felt it.

He felt a pang of fear down the bond, so intense it made his breath catch in his throat. Azriel shot up to his feet, his shadows swirling around his body, seemingly just as alarmed as he was.

Mor suddenly threw open the door of the House, stepping in with alarming speed. Her eyes fell on Azriel, and he instantly knew something was wrong. She had a look in her brown eyes, one filled with so much agony, that fresh fear bloomed inside him, too. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen that look on his friends face. And it was a look he hoped to never see again.

"W-what happened?" Azriel asked, his voice a trembling thing as he took two large steps towards the female. Mor stared at him, her eyes wide and glistening.  She opened her mouth, but then closed it. A tear slid down her cheek, and Azriel felt another bolt of panic down the bond.

"Mor. What happened." The shadowsinger said, grabbing the females arms and shaking her softly. The blonde shook her head, tears beginning to spill down her face, one after the other, like the beginning of a rainfall.

"They're gone." She whispered, her voice so small and horrified that Azriel felt the entire world come to a stop.

"What? What do you mean gone?" He demanded, the air suddenly sucked out of the room. Mor didn't have to tell him who she was talking about. Azriel knew. 

 She couldn't be gone. Not after what he had said to her. Not after he had watched her leave and willingly let her go.

"Amarantha tricked them. She tricked everyone, she..." Her voice cracked on the last syllable, and Azriel's knees began to feel weak. "She put a spell on everyone. And she captured them. She captured all of Prythian. "

Azriel stumbled back, leaning onto the nearest wall for support. This couldn't be happening. Rhys couldn't be gone, she couldn't be gone...

It felt like the ground was crumbling beneath his feat. His breathing was labored, his palms sweaty and trembling. He felt like it would burst, his heart. He couldn't hear Mor saying his name, couldn't even see her anymore. He couldn't think of anything aside from the look in Asteria's eyes as she turned to leave.

And he suddenly realized that that look might be the last one she ever gave him.

Because when Azriel tried to feel her down the bond, he found that there was nothing but overwhelming emptiness.