Through the Shadows: A Laurmau Fanfiction

Chapter 14: Love and Loss

APHMAU'S POV

I couldn't find him anywhere. He was right there. His body couldn't have just disappeared could it? Panic was setting in as I raced across the bridge calling his name. Nearby zombie pigmen turned their heads and I heard the distant cry of a Ghast. "I have to get out of here," I thought to myself. "I don't want to leave Laurance but... I can't stay here."

Later...

My knees hit the hard stone of the cave, scraping a bit. I didn't care though, it was wonderfully refreshing to feel the cool air and stone, much different from the hot bricks and Netherrack. After a few moments, I caught my breath.

"Lucinda, please, calm down..." I heard someone say outside the cave. Before long, I heard the sobbing too. I rounded the corner and saw Lucinda sitting on a rock just outside the cave crying with her hands over her face. Beside her was Travis with his arm around her, trying to comfort her. "They're tough. I'm sure they'll be okay."

"B-but I should h-have gone with them. I c-could have been useful," she sniffed.

"Lucinda..." Travis said as Lucinda burst into a fresh round of tears.

"Lucinda...Travis... what are you doing here?" I said.

Lucinda whipped around and upon seeing me sprung up and flung her arms around me.

"APHMAU! OH, APHMAU, YOU'RE OKAY!!!" I could feel her smile on my shoulder.

"Aphmau, what happened?" Travis said.

"Wait, what's going on? Why wouldn't I be okay?" I asked, puzzled.

Lucinda wiped the tears off of her cheeks. "Well, about an hour ago, I felt a huge disturbance in the, well, 'otherworldly' side of things. Even those without magic or witchcraft could feel it. I managed to track down the source which was this portal, and well... I thought something had happened to you and Laurance." Then she smiled. "But you're okay!"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but," I bit my lip.

"Aphmau... where's Laurance?" Travis asked, a look of concern growing on his face.

"Laurance...Laurance is... dead," I began to cry.

"D-dead?" Lucinda took a step back in shock. "No... no, Aphmau, what happened in there?!?!"

I took a deep, shaky breath, "Laurance and I got into the Nether no problem. We even made it nearly to the shadow lord's chamber without running into a single guard when I stopped to thank him for what he did for me all those years ago. Then we heard a scream. We ran into the room and it was Sasha, apparently she used her own body as a vessel for the shadow lord. Then he tried to make Laurance kill me, we almost got away but Laurance just collapsed on the bridge..." I tried to fight back tears. "The shadow lord tried to make him kill me, but he turned his sword on the shadow lord to defend me. The shadow lord killed him, and I killed the shadow lord.... But Lucinda... before he died, he told me he loved me..."

"Aphmau... oh, Aphmau... not Laurance..." Lucinda wrapped her arms around me again. "You always knew he loved you. That wasn't going to change because you were in the Nether."

"But Lucinda..." I began to cry. "I loved him." A river of tears was streaming down my face.

"Aphmau. Laurance was a better friend than any of us could have asked for. I'm sure it will be harder on you than any of us, except maybe Cadenza... Cadenza, we have to tell her..." I saw Travis quickly wipe his eyes.

"Y-you're right," I wiped my nose. "We have to go back to Meteli before it gets dark."

"We couldn't find your horses, so we're going to have to walk back. We better get started." Travis held out his hand toward Lucinda. She smiled, took it, and they began to walk back. I couldn't help staring longingly after them.

"I must go now." I thought to myself, shaking my head, as I started off behind them.

Thank you so much for reading! Sorry it's short, maybe if I have time after work (today is my last day, woo!) I'll write another chapter. Hope you enjoyed!

Ciao~

p.s. over 300 reads and nearly 35 votes?!?!?! Thank you so much everyone, you are amazing <3