Raizen's fingers closed on empty air.
Alan was gone.
One second he had been falling - coat flaring, mouth open, eyes sharp - and the next the dark cloud had folded around him like water.
No ripple.
No flare.
No sound.
Just… Swallowed whole.
"Alan!" Raizen shouted again, like another scream would do something.
The dragon hovered at the edge of the darkness, four wings beating hard to hold them in place. Wind ripped at Raizen's hair as he leaned forward.
Instinct screamed one command.
"Jump."
His arm twitched away from Elin's waist.
He shifted his weight-
Suddenly, a hand clamped around his wrist.
Not gentle.
Not playful.
Elin's grip was strong enough to make his bones hurt.
"Don't." Her voice was low, sharp.
"I have to-"
"No, Raizen. You don't have to be the hero for everyone."
Raizen jerked his head toward her back. "He's going to die!"
"You don't know that."
"He fell into a wall of condensed Eon darkness, we don't know if he'll live either!"
