Draped in her favored cloak, Amaris Rhei Quilla wove through the vibrant chaos of Scylla's streets, her odd green and blue eyes sparkled in amazement, taking in explosion of activity. The empire was alive with more people that she'd ever seen. A diverse mix of locals and visitors drawn by the Auror Festival. The Scylla Empire's celebrated two weeks spectacle. Every available space flowing with baskets of fresh fruits, aromatic cooked delicacies, whimsical toys, and endless curious.
"Sneaking out in the middle of the afternoon, are we, princess?" The low, amused voice drifted from behind her. She turned, craning her neck and squinting her eyes against the fierce afternoon sun, which made his features unreadable. Yet, an undeniable familiarity washed over her. She knew the subtle smell that clung to him, the texture of his hair she could almost feel, and that habitual, almost imperceptible caress of his hand on the tip of his scabbard.
Before a single word could pass her lips. The world fractured. In an instantaneous, sickening lurch. The vibrant street before her dissolved into asg and desolation, the once - thriving Scylla now a smoldering wasteland. Her body moved on it's own, compelled to turn, ger eyes fixed on a horrifying scene. Despite the blinding, orange glow of flames, his features, illuminated by the inferno, were clear enough to reveal the same beloved smile he always bestowed upon her. The only difference; He stood there, an impossible figure, with his own sword impaled in his stomach.
He tumbled sideways with a soft thud onto the desolate, parched earth. Her head throbbed instantly, resonating with the agonized cries and screams of thousand invisible people, then abruptly, a hushing silence. The cacophony eased, then a man materialized before her, a mischievous grin played on his lips, his hands clasped behind his back. He mouthed something she could not understand, then his expression hardened. His black eyeballs and striking yellow pupils bore in her, alight with pure malice. And then his voice, cutting through the silence with chilling clarity.
"You're ---ine."