The path led me to a small lake in the middle of a wood. I could see Morien sitting on the shore, before it left completely. He still had the armor he wore, when he tried to challenge my father and his arcane spells.

«Morien!». I approached him and sought his hands in the dark.

«Danea!». His voice was so sad and empty. «What are you doing here? Are you a vision of my mind?».

 I shook my head. «No. I'm real. I'm here to take you home».

He held me close, laying his palms on my back, and he rested his forehead on my shoulder. I could feel his body shaking.

«I talked with the sovereign of this place. His said that the key is in our blood».

«Yes, I think we can get out of here together».

«Only one of us will be able to leave this place. Don't you understand? If you want me out of here, I'll have to kill you. It's a curse.»

«What? No... There's must be another way!». A tear escaped from my right eye and wet his hair.

«It's a trap. You didn't have to come here».

«I don't care. I want to be with you, even if we are condemned to stay here».

He broke our embrace to bend down and take his sword, Excalibur. He slipped the hilt between my hands. «But I can't live knowing that I forced you to stay. These darknesses will erase the happiness from your heart, the life from your eyes and I don't want it to happen».

«You're scaring me» I cried.

He stroked my cheeks, and in the dark I couldn't make out clearly the contours of his face. But I could feel his breath on me. «The lake fulfilled my wish. I want you to know that I will protect you forever, even if you won't see me by your side» he whispered.

I tried to drop the weapon, but he was faster. He took my hands and guided the blade towards his chest. «Now you're free» he gasped, holding back the pain.

Excalibur broke the armor, sinking into his body. We fell to the ground with a thud, as I tried to support his weight.

«I don't want to live without you» I screamed. «I love you, please don't leave me».

I tried to press on the wound to stop the blood from leaking, but it was useless. Morien died under my sobs. I pulled out the sword from his body and aimed it at mine.

Forgive me, Morien, but I can't be happy without you.