Page 3 of Celestia, Year Four

I glanced back at Old Darkness, the one Charlotte had referred to as Lucian.

"You are not who I need, Charlotte, but it doesn't matter. Either way, I win." He smirked with joy and the laugh that escaped his lips made me growl, the sound vibrating in my throat.

The cloak that was whirling around him from the intense wind started to expand, wrapping around his body as a smug smile formed on his lips and he stared at us with an accomplished expression.

He thinks he won.

"NO!" Magnor shouted, and I looked back, watching as he and Orlando both shot bolts of magic towards Lucian with their bare hands.

By the time the dual attack reached Lucian's spot, it was far too late; his body went into the ground where it was the easiest for Darkness to travel.

Everyone stared in shock as silence reigned around us. I heard someone curse, and I glanced over and saw Noah, Hunter's familiar, lower Arielle to the ground.

One look at her expression and I could see the shock and sheer fear in her amber eyes. I could also tell that her usual aura that would light the whole room when I focused on it, was extremely dim.

She shrugged out of Noah's hold and raced down to the spot where Celestia had been. We all watched the heartbreaking scene developing before us, no one able to think of words that could comfort the phoenix-harpy familiar.

Now that I was bonded to a familiar, I could feel the connection between myself and Gabriel, and I knew I'd feel an emptiness if it had been suddenly broken off with no warning.

"CELESTIA!" Arielle screamed, clenching her fists as her shoulders lifted up and down.

Her silence told me she was trying desperately to contact Celestia through their bond. To even get a link through thought would help ease her distress.

But we knew better… or at least I did.

Arielle slowly turned around to face us. Her amber eyes filled with tears as her body trembled.

"I can't…feel…her." She choked out a sob.

I bit my lip hard, unable to ignore how heartbroken her trembling voice sounded.

She didn't deserve this pain, but I could see the spiral of guilt that began to show in her glassy orbs, those pooling tears starting to flow down her flushed cheeks.

Magnor approached her, and though I wanted to comfort Arielle, I couldn't move. I was still trying to take in what had just happened, and the information that was revealed to us was repeating itself over and over in my mind.

Old Darkness, Princes… who the hell are we? Or should I say, were we?

Magnorreached where Arielle stood, and she bit her trembling lip before she spoke. "I can't feel… Celestia. She… she… there's no..."

Arielle trailed off and more tears formed in her eyes as she started to whimper. "I tried. I wanted to help. But Celestia was so weak. I didn't want to hurt her more. Did I do wrong? Did… I fail her… my Mistress… she's gone?"

Gone.

The single word held weight to it and my thoughts immediately imagined the worst.Dead.

I knew better though. I was sure that she wasn't dead. She couldn't die. I would feel it. We would feel it.

The only worry I did have was where did Odion take her? If he took her somewhere that was filled with Darkness, wouldn't that risk her becoming a Forsaken? He wouldn't do that.

He cares… he wouldn't have come to her aid if he didn't.

He wouldn't have bonded with her.

How did I know that? To be fair, I wasn't sure. My gut had never led me astray before, but deep down I knew if I was compatible with Celestia, he would be too.

He'll protect her. I just… have to believe that.

Yet, my eyes continued to sting as tears blurred my vision.