The ground shook under your feet. Dust swirled up and wrapped everything in a vail of brown and fog. Stones came loose from the ceiling. As they fell to the floor, they shatter into a thousand pieces.

Coughing, you pulled in your head. Before your eyes everything became blurry. It felt like a sandstorm was filling the tunnels.

"Marcus!", half blind you stretched out your hands to feel for him.

His hands found yours. Fingers locked.

With eyes wide open, his face appeared in the mist.

"(Y/N)!", his arms wrapped around you. "Careful!"

With a leap, he pulled you to the ground to avoid a rock that would have smashed you to pieces.

Gasping, your back hit the ground, Marcus on top of you. As if out of reflex, your arms wrapped around his shoulders and pressed him closer to you.

With his body he protected yours while the ceiling threatened to collapse over him.

Dust and stones obscured your vision.

"Marcus!", you squeezed your eyes shut, your fingers digging into his uniform.

His embrace around you tightened.

Above, the ceiling collapsed. Stones rained down, threatening to smash everything beneath them. The earth was trembling.

Then everything drowned in darkness.

Holding your breath, you kept your eyes tightly shut, accompanied by the thought that this was the end.

Everything was so dark, so cold and dusty. The only thing you could still feel was the weight of Marcus pressing down on you. His soft hair nestled in your fingers and the fabric of his uniform pressed into your palms.

His arms were protectively around you as if he could keep certain death away.

From the jerky movements of his chest, you could tell that he was still breathing.

Hesitantly you dared to breathe in. Dust scratched in your lungs and immediately you had to cough.

Marcus moved.

You opened your eyes.

"(Y/N).", he gasped and let his fingers run over your dusty face. "Are you all right?"

Confused, you looked around.

A blue glow illuminated the darkness. Sparks spread warmth. The light formed a dome just big enough to enclose you both.

"This is...", carefully you touched the light. "Is that... from me?"

Your hand moved to your back. And indeed, the orbs shimmered there, warm and alive.

Not thrilled but relieved to still be breathing, Marcus looked around.

Above the dome, there was nothing but rocks and rubble that had buried you both. It was like a stone grave.

"Can- Can you get us out of here?", he asked, pointing upward.

You frowned.

"Maybe."

Cautiously, your fingers rested on the light. Immediately it reacted, glowing brighter.

And your body reacted, too. Heat shot through your spine.

Surprised, you gasped.

"Is everything all right?", he asked with a hand on your shoulder.

It sounded like he was worried.

But it was impossible to forget that just a few minutes ago you had been arguing with each other.

Again.

A bit harsher than you intended, you shook off his hand and pressed it against the dome.

"It will work.", you murmured, as the light grew stronger at your command.

The rubble began to move. Stones crunched and trembled under the power of magic.

With clenched teeth, you struggled against the weight that threatened to collapse over you.

Small cracks suddenly tore the darkness. It was not daylight, but that from the lanterns that had previously lit the shaft. For some reason, they had survived the collapse. Perhaps some part of the tunnels was still in tact and a way out could be found.

You gasped, your arms already beginning to shake under the strain, and leaned further forward. Sweat dripped from your forehead.

Behind you, Marcus glanced at your back. His eyes lingered on the orbs, their magical light shining through your clothes.

The sight awakened memories in him. Painful memories.
Without thinking about it, his fingers reached out. With the softness of a feather, his fingertips stroked your spine.

Or rather, what was left of it. It was as if he was afraid you might break under his touch at any second and be gone forever.

The touch sent a shiver through your body. In shock you forgot to control yourself. A surge of power chased into your arms.

The magic exploded and all at once the stones flew through the air. Dust swirled up air.

Surprised, he pulled in his head, arms raised.

When it was possible to see again, you glared at him.

There was so much hate in your eyes. So much anger.

With a threatening expression, such as he had never experienced from you, you came high.

Reconsidering, he took a step back. His breathing was rapid.

You raised your chin. Your face was now so close to his that you could feel his warm breath caressing your cheeks.

"I told you not to touch it.", you growled in an icy voice. "Never."

Swallowing hard, he raised his hands.

"I'm sorry.", he said. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

A mocking laugh escaped you. You tilted your head.

"It's too late for that, Marcus."

His name tasted like poison on your tongue. You didn't want to attack him, didn't want to destroy your relationship any more than it already was.

But at that moment you couldn't help it. You were angry. Angry and disappointed. If he had the right to blame you for everything, then you had the right to blame him too.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and shook his head. His lips curled, just like they did back then. So he still had some of his old habits.

"You need to understand the position I'm on. I have responsibilities.", he said, sighing. "And your actions could put me into massive trouble. We almost died. Again."

You laughed.

"Wasn't that what you wanted? Me, staying dead?"

He frowned. A hint of guilt lit up in his eyes.

"You attacked me for having a daughter. What was I supposed to do? Apologies?"

You turned your back on him.

"You could have been honest with me."

Now he was the one laughing.

"Oh? Honesty? That's tidy coming from you! I'm not the one who refused to tell what had happen in all the years we were separated."

"I told you what I could."

"But that's not enough for me to trust you again."

Saddened, your eyes darkened.

"Then that's your decision..."