Ophelia stood at the end of the hallway and smiled at me. She wore a beautiful wedding gown and her hair was adorned with exquisite pearl ornaments. Her pale lips were painted red and her eyes were bright as sunny sky.

"Atlas, hurry! We will be late!" She waved her hand at me.

Chuckling, I ran to keep up with her. As soon as I reached her side, I moved to wrap my arms around her waist to pull her in for a kiss. She was too beautiful for me to wait another second to kiss her.

But as soon as I grabbed her, she disappeared and moved farther down the hall. I frowned when I grasped at nothing but thin air. My eyes connected with hers and my smile slipped.

"Atlas, come on! Stop playing around."

"Ophelia." My heart felt a sharp throb. My whisper fell short and my hands dropped to my side.

"Atlas, please, come on." Ophelia stomped her feet.

I walked my way towards her and as soon as I made a move to grab her hand, she disappeared farther down the hallway. The sharp pain increased.

"Ophelia, don't go," I whispered in agony.

Her smile slipped, and the light in her eyes disappeared. The liveliness in her face dissipated with each second.

"I love you so much. Don't go, Ophelia. Please don't leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere," she responded.

"Come to me," I begged.

Ophelia started walking towards me, but slashes and wounds appeared on her body and her white wedding dress turned red. In front of me, Ophelia was bleeding to death. With each step she took, she cried and whimpered in pain.

"Ophelia!" I shouted and ran towards her.

But to no avail. She moved farther with each step I took. We just couldn't get to each other. She collapsed to the hard, wooden floor, and I fell onto my knees. Blood dripped from her mouth and wounds. A puddle of blood formed around her. The life in her eyes slowly disappears.

"No!" I shouted and crawled my way to her.

Ophelia whimpered and clutched at her body. New wounds formed, and I realized that with every step I took, she was dying.

I could only look and watch her die in front of me.

"Ophelia..." It felt like barb wires were wrapped around it and it bled each time it beat.

Never in my life have I ever felt so powerless. I prided myself in knowing everything, but seeing Ophelia dying in front of me, I felt hopeless. I cried on my knees, begging her not to leave me.

When I saw the last light go out of her eyes, my heart died with her and I shouted her name. Emotional and physical pain tearing at all my nerves and jerking me awake at the same time.

"Ophelia!" I jumped up from the bed.

Immediately, I recognized my bedroom. It was still dark outside, but it should be around four to five in the morning. I turned to my side to grab for Ophelia, but she was not there. Fear replaced the sliver of relief I felt a moment ago.

"Ophelia!" I turned to look at the crystal. It was glowing in and out. Completely abnormal. Fear crippled me to the point where I stumbled out of bed and onto the hard floor. I landed on my knees.

I looked towards the end of the bed and noticed her outstretched hand.

"No..." I whispered.

I tried to get up, but tripped over the bedsheets. I crawled my way to her and pulled her into my arms. She wore nothing but a thin white nightgown that I put on her last night. I had also put on a black sleeping pants.

In my arms, I cradled her face in my hands. Tears slid down my face and clouded my vision. I furiously blinked and wiped them away.

"Please, please, please," I begged. "Don't leave me. Ophelia, don't go. I love you."

I tapped at her face and kissed her forehead and lips. They were still soft and warm. She was still alive.

"Please, don't leave me." My tears fell onto her cheeks. I pulled her into my arms and cried harder into her shoulder.

"I can't live without you, Ophelia. Don't do this to me. I have so much to say to you. I want to love you for the rest of my life. Please..."

I felt a pair of small hands touch me from behind. I stopped talking and pulled back to see Ophelia was awake again. Her hooded eyes and cracked lips. It looked like life was draining out of her.

"Ophelia, I love you. Please don't leave me."

"I love you too. I love you so much, Atlas...." She responded weakly.

I swallowed hard. The pain in my chest intensified. I felt an infernal burning twisting in my heart. My lungs felt like it was catching fire. This was the mate bond responding to the pain we were both feeling. Something was happening.

"I can save you. Don't leave me. I'll go to the ends of the earth to find the answer. Just give me some time." I said in a hurry, nodding my head, as my vision blurred again.

"It's too late..."

I whimpered at her response. Those three words were like knife stabs to my heart. I shook my head in denial.

"It's not! Silas! Silas!" I shouted for Silas to enter. When he didn't respond, I hurried to carry Ophelia in my arms and to rush out of the bedroom, but Ophelia stopped me by grabbing my forearms.

"Listen to me, Atlas. I don't have much time. I could feel it. I don't want to waste our time together."

"No, no. I can save you." I carried her out of the bedroom. Running towards Silas's bedroom. I couldn't allow this to happen. I won't allow it. I won't stop until I find an answer.

But before I could reach Silas's bedroom. I heard Ophelia cry out in pain. She coughed and blood came out from her mouth. Pain etched on her face.

"What's wrong?" I asked in a panic.

"The crystal...I can't be away from it."

I dropped to my knees. Helplessness filled my mind and body. Pain and fear numbed my body as I held my dying woman in my arms. I couldn't stop the whimper cry that escaped me. It sounded like a wounded dog. I buried my face in her shoulder and sobbed.

"I don't know what to do. Please tell me what to do. Tell me how I can save you. Please, Ophelia." I begged through my tears.

I pulled back to look at Ophelia, and she was staring at the light torch in the hallway. It shone in her eyes before her eyes moved to me. Tears were sliding down her face and she moved to cradle my face in her hands.

"You did everything you can. I'm sorry that I had to leave before you. I'm sorry that I couldn't stay with you longer. If the Gods above are merciful, I will only ask that they give me another life to come and love you again. I will be with you forever. We will have kids..." I sobbed harder and clutched her to me.

"I don't want to wait. I want to be with you right now."

"I love you so much, Atlas. I wished we had more time."

"Please..." I begged again.

"Do you remember the first time we met?"

I thought back to the first day when she crawled onto my bed. I woke up and saw her staring at me. I thought she was the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming, but when I realized she was completely real...all I could do was fall deeper for her.

I nodded my head.

"I really thought you were the most beautiful being I have ever met. I couldn't believe my luck when I woke up and saw you on the bed." Ophelia chuckled.

"You lit up my dark world, Ophelia."

"I was the only woman who made you drink a potion and the first to put a spell on you." Her lips curved upwards slightly.

I smiled and kissed her forehead and both of her eyes.

"You were the boldest."

"You could've killed me."

"But I have already fallen in love with you."

Her eyes softened, and she ran her thumb over my quivering lips. Her smile faltered and I swallowed the ball of pain in my throat. I pressed my forehead against hers.

Suddenly, Ophelia began disappearing into my arms. Similar to the light of the crystal. It went out and in. I shook my head as I knew what was happening.

"Ophelia..." I begged and pulled her into my arms tightly.

"Atlas, I love you. Please be strong for me."

"I can't live without you."

"I won't be gone. I'll be right next to you. Right in your heart. Whispering in your ear. Lying down next to you at night. I'll be your support. I'll love you even after death."

My vision clouded, and I squeezed them tight. I held her tighter. As if it would stop her from leaving me, but death was cruel. I felt her disappear more and more. The fire inside my chest burned my heart and lungs. I couldn't feel anything but emotional and physical pain. A million knives stabbed me from head to toe and I still couldn't let Ophelia go.

"I love you," Ophelia whispered.

"I love you. Oh god, I love you. I love you so much. I love you," I repeated.

It was then I felt her disappear from me. When I opened my eyes, I was holding nothing but air. My hands fell down onto my lap and I sobbed. I sobbed and cried like a baby. My whole body felt like it was dying.

I stayed in that position for what seemed like forever. The sun came and light filled the hallways. The torch light began diminishing, and I became numb.

I couldn't move from this position. Accepting reality seemed impossible for me.

She's gone...

Ophelia's gone.