Phoenix's POV

The nightmare lingered, stretching its cold fingers deep into my mind, refusing to let go. Even as I woke, my body trembled, my breath shallow and ragged. The echoes of her voice, the weight of her lifeless form in my arms-everything felt disturbingly real.

I sat there in the dim light of dawn, my eyes glued to the empty space where she had once been. My hands trembled, clenching the fabric of the sheets, as if holding on to the remnants of my dream might somehow tether me back to her.

Sweetheart.

That word-so familiar, so filled with love-echoed through my mind, stirring a pain so raw it was almost unbearable. I had called her that so many times in the past, whispered it to her during quiet moments of intimacy. The memory of saying it, the warmth in her gaze as she responded, became an ache that sank deeper into my soul.

She had always been my everything-my lifeline, my anchor. The connection we shared was more than mere lovers; it was something eternal. And now, the weight of that loss was suffocating.

I stood, the floor beneath my feet feeling unsteady, as though I might collapse under the unbearable weight of the memories. My legs gave way, and I sank to the floor, cradling my head in my hands.

Tears streamed down my face, but the sobs wouldn't come. It was as if my body had run out of the strength to mourn, and all I could do was exist in this hollow, empty space.

The images haunted me-her chained wrists, the iron biting into her fragile skin, the way they clanked against the cold, stone wall. Her fragile form trembling, eyes brimming with tears that begged for freedom. The way she had whispered my name-Phoenix-so softly, as if clinging to the last breath of life.

Why wasn't I faster? Why wasn't I stronger?

I could feel the sharp sting of those memories, each one more vivid than the last. Her voice. Her touch. The warmth of her breath against my skin. All of it slipping through my fingers like sand.

I couldn't save her.

The weight of those words crushed me. It wasn't a question anymore-it was a brutal fact. No matter how desperately I had tried to reach her, no matter how fiercely I had fought, she had slipped away from me, just beyond my grasp.

I could still feel her in my arms-the fragile weight of her, as though she was only a wisp, too delicate to hold onto. My heart ached, as if it had been torn from my chest, leaving an emptiness that would never be filled.

I could hear her voice again, barely more than a whisper: "You always save me, Phoenix. But not this time."

That wasn't the way it was supposed to be. It wasn't how I had envisioned us-our lives bound by a love so deep that nothing could break us apart.
And yet, there she had been,
chained, broken, slipping through my fingers as if she were nothing more than a fleeting dream.

Her final words echoed in my mind,
"It's too late."

"No," I whispered, the sound barely audible. My hands clenched into fists, trembling with the effort not to break down completely. "No, it's not."

But it was. And the weight of that truth crushed every hope I had left.

I could feel the grief tearing through me, sharper than any blade, cutting deeper than any wound. It wasn't just the loss-it was the unbearable emptiness that followed. A void that would never be filled.

I reached for the memories, hoping to hold onto them, but they too slipped away, like dust in the wind. They were hazy, distant, and yet, they burned with an intensity that was impossible to ignore.

Why can't I remember clearly?

Fragments of her laughter, her smile, the way she looked at me
with those eyes that once held
so much life, so much love-
none of it was whole. It was all torn apart, shattered by the cruel fate that had separated us.

Sweetheart.

The word echoed again in my mind, sharper this time, more painful. I had loved her with every breath, with every beat of my heart. And now, all I had left were these broken remnants of her.

I could feel her in every corner of my soul, haunting me, reminding me of what had been lost. I grieved for the life that had been stolen from us, for the love that had been torn apart by forces beyond our control.

How could I live without her? How could I bear this pain?

The weight of it was unbearable, the grief so overwhelming that I felt as though I might drown in it. My body trembled, my mind numb, as though the very act of living was a burden too great to bear.

Why did I survive?

Why had I lived when she hadn't?
The thought burned in my chest
like a fire, consuming everything in its path. I could feel the tears coming again, but they didn't bring relief.

Instead, they only added to the endless ache, the hollow feeling that had taken root deep within me.

Sweetheart.

Her voice, her touch, the memory of her-none of it would ever leave me. It clung to me like a curse, a haunting reminder of what had been lost, forever.

And as I sat there, the weight of her absence pressed down on me, I knew I would carry this pain with me for the rest of my life.

Because some loves are too deep, to ever be erased. Too painful, to ever let go.

And some losses are too great, to ever be healed. Too heavy, to ever be forgotten.

Her POV

My breath came in ragged gasps, the chill of the damp, dark air seeping into my skin. Chains bound my wrists and ankles, digging into my flesh with sharp, unrelenting pressure. The cold stone beneath me was unforgiving, as was the heavy weight of despair that pressed down on me.

Where am I? The question echoed in my mind, but no answer came. Only the silence of the dungeon stretched out before me.

My vision was blurred, but through the haze, I could make out the figure standing before her-tall, familiar, yet distant.

It's him.

His face was pale, his eyes wide with anguish, but there was no light in them, only the weight of sorrow.

"No. . ." I whispered, the word barely escaping my trembling lips.
Not him... not again...

Why are you here? The question screamed inside me, though my lips refused to move. His gaze locked onto mine, filled with helplessness,
as though trapped in a world
from which he couldn't escape.

"I can't. . ." His voice broke, barely more than a whisper, as if the sound itself had been drained of life. He reached out, his hands trembling, as though desperate to touch me, to save me.

But the chains that bound my wrists pulled tight, keeping me pinned, keeping me from reaching him.

No, no, no. . . not again. The thought sliced through me, sharp and painful.

Tears streamed down my cheeks, blurring my vision. The air seemed to grow colder, more suffocating, as if the very walls of the dungeon were closing in around me.

His hands fisted at his sides as he watched, helpless, unable to move, unable to do anything. His torment was visible, written on his face.

"No!" His voice cracked, the sound echoing in the emptiness of the dungeon. "Please... don't-"

I wavered, my eyes growing dull, my breath slowing, my heartbeat slowly coming to a stop.

"Sweetheart. . .you can't leave me like that. I won't let you go." His voice broke, his knees giving way as he fell to the ground. "No, please. . ."

I tried to speak, to call out, but the words stuck in my throat. The weight of the chains, the cold, and the unbearable silence consumed me.

Why?
The question echoed in my mind, endless and hopeless.
Why does it always end like this?

His hands stretched out, as if by some miracle, he could tear the chains apart and set me free. But they remained. Unyielding. Cruel.

"Please... no..." His voice was a whisper now, a broken plea, as though speaking louder would shatter the fragile world around him.

My body gave way, collapsing into his arms, but even in his hold, I knew I was already slipping away.

"Sweetheart. . ." he whispered, his tears falling onto her lifeless face. "Please... please don't go..."

My lips moved, but no sound came. The light faded from her eyes, leaving only emptiness.

"No. . ." His voice trembled, the weight of his grief crushing him. His arms tightened around me, holding onto the illusion of my presence.

AUTHOR'S POV

Her chest heaved as she awoke with a gasp, her body trembling, her mind still lost in the nightmare. She sat up, her hands clutching at the sheets, her heart racing.

It wasn't real. . .
The thought didn't ease the aching in her chest.

Her vision blurred, the echoes of the dream still fresh. She could still feel the weight of the chains, the cold stone beneath her, and his desperate voice calling out to her.

"No. . ." she whispered, her breath catching. Not again. . .

Tears slipped down her cheeks, hot and relentless. Why was I there? Why was it him?

She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the lingering pain, as if it had really happened. The grief was too heavy, too consuming.

Sweetheart. . . The name was a whisper in her thoughts. Why did you look at me like that? Why did you call me that name?

The echo of his words-resounded in her ears, tearing through her fragile heart.

She clutched the bed tightly, her breath coming in short, shallow bursts.
It wasn't real...

But the pain. . . it felt real.

******

Both of them lay awake, haunted by the same nightmare, the same loss. Neither could escape the weight of it, the memories that seemed to cling to their very being. They sat in silence, hearts broken and shattered.

A/N: Some places don't imprison bodies; they imprison hearts and memories. This chapter unravels the torment of a love too deep, too painful to escape. Sweetheart, even the echoes of your absence are louder than the silence here.

Writing these nightmares took a huge toll on my mental health.

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