Walking into the wide expanse of the warehouse where she had seen him enter only a short few moments ago, Karai tensed. There was something in the atmosphere. A stillness that was both unnatural and slick with tension. She wanted to call out to him but found her voice frozen in her throat. She crossed along the empty crates that lined the walls until she reached the furthest corner where the flickering of a single candle illuminated the space. Her hand reached out in the air before her and her feet staggered to an abrupt halt as her eyes found the steadily growing pool of crimson. So dark against the concrete, it was almost black.
He was there, leaning with his shell against one crate, a large puncture in the center of his chest. A curtain of blood covered his still form. The tanto blade gleaming in the candle light lay at his side, his fingers cradling it where his hand had dropped.
Karai's knees gave out and she fell on top of him. "Mmno," she murmured as the word bubbled up from her chest. Her hand pressed against the wound in a fruitless attempt to help him. "Mmno, oh please, please, no."
His flesh was still slightly warm. She cradled his bowed head with both hands and stared into his face; his eyes closed; expression relaxed and peaceful aside from the slight frown between his brows; looking as though he were merely napping.
Karai choked and brought his head to her neck in a tight embrace, trembling as tears broke free from her burning eyes.
"Why would you leave me behind? What will I do without you here?"
She pulled away as his heavy body slumped to the side. A tingling sensation started along her body, growing stronger until her entire form was shuddering. A pressure built within her chest, threatening to make her burst. Karai, lost in bitter grief, lost in fury of the unfairness of a life bent to the will of others, lost to the cruelty of fate - tipped her head back and screamed.
She screamed until she could no longer breathe; collapsing forward onto Leonardo's still body and broke into sobbing.