Fallen.
"Aurora!" The scream was torn from her throat leaving it ragged and hoarse. "Aurora, no!" Luxa was crying now, tears falling down her face in desperation. Her hand clutched at her belt, fingers searching frantically for the hilt of her sword. A cry of despair escaped her lips as she found that her sword wasn't there. They had taken it from her. "Aurora!"
Throwing caution to the wind the young queen bolted toward the golden bat. "Luxa!" Aurora sobbed in pain. Long gashes adorned her sides, and her face was a bloody mess. The gnawers surrounding her were laughing cruelly as they ravaged her body. "Run you, Luxa!"
The laughing rats turned, following Aurora's line of sight. One of them, he seemed to be the leader, pointed at Luxa and screamed something in the rat language. Immediately two gnawers bolted for the girl, their claws were extended toward her throat, and they slavered in anticipation of blood.
Luxa lingered for as long as she possibly could before turning and running. She wasn't sure where she was, or where she was running, all she knew was that she couldn't let the rats catch her. As she ran a long, high pitched, scream rose into the air. It was the scream of someone in torture, the scream that heralded death. "Aurora…" Luxa whispered mournfully. Tears obscured her vision, and spilled down her cheeks.
"We're coming for you…" hissed the rats as they ran behind her. More rats were joining in the chase, and Luxa felt herself tiring. She was about to collapse when she saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Literally.
In front of her, Henry was holding a torch, waiting for her with an expression of determination on his face. "Henry!" Luxa cried her arms reaching for him. Finally, here was someone who would help her. Henry always helped her.
But as she stretched out toward him he moved away. His face was an emotionless mask. "I'm sorry, Luxa," he said not sounding sorry at all, "you didn't understand. You didn't join me. You must die."
Shock widened her violet eyes, and desperation marred her face as Luxa clutched at Henry's shirt. "No! No, Henry, no, no, no!" She begged him, but he remained insensitive to her pleas. Then, with agonizing slowness he raised his fingers to his lips, and let out a long whistle. Low, throaty laughs came from the shadows surrounding Luxa. With a scream she bolted for the only opening she could see.
As she ran she wondered why they had left this path open. Where they leading her somewhere? She had no time to think about that. As she turned behind her she saw a large silver rat with a crown jammed over one ear joining the chase. And bringing up the front was an enormous white rat covered in blood. Fear's icy cold hand gripped Luxa's heart and chilled her to the very bone.
Terror. Stark, absolute terror. That was all she had time to think about. And then…she fell. Once more a shriek was wrenched from her as she plummeted into the thick blackness. "Help!" Luxa cried desperately. Hope blossomed in her heart as she felt the brush of a flier wing on her cheek.
"Luxa." A deep voice purred in her ear.
"Ares!" she nearly cried with relief. And then she saw his face. It was the same look that Henry wore.
"You betrayed us." Ares's voice was cold.
"Ares, please. Help."
"No, Luxa," the black bat replied, "I will not help you ever again."
This having been said, Ares flapped his wings and soared above her. When he was out of site Luxa began to sob as she plunged into the dark. How long would it be until she hit the bottom? At this point she didn't know. She didn't care. She just wanted to--
"Luxa?" The young queen turned her head and saw Gregor falling beside her, "Luxa!" he exclaimed as he saw her face, which broke into a watery smile. Their hands met, and Luxa clasped Gregor's hand like a lifeline. "Luxa!" he cried again. This time, however, his cry was heartbroken as the fall began to pull them away. Luxa fell much faster than Gregor, and soon his hand was torn from her grasp and he was out of sight.
And then the darkness enveloped her. She couldn't see anything, feel anything, or hear anything. Everything was dark, nothingness was all around her. Luxa didn't know how long she was falling, and as she fell she felt her sanity slipping away from her. She would fall forever, and never see anything again.
Then she hit the bottom.
-----
"Gregor!" Luxa screamed as she sat bolt upright in her bed. The curtains were pulled tight around her bed, and her legs were tangled in the sheets. Her breathing was erratic and her face was wet with tears and sweat. At first she looked around the familiar surroundings of her bed with relief, and then grief enveloped her. She pulled her knees up to her chest and began to sob. He was gone. And he wasn't coming back.