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It all happened so fast. Too fast.
One moment she is standing opposite Laudna on the other side of the campfire, her partner commenting on her skin turning blue. She is sure she just briefly glances at her arms as the blueish hue gets darker, but when she looks back up to the side at Laudna... Laudna is not there.
In her panic, Imogen doesn't notice quick enough. She only realizes something's horribly wrong when she feels this searing pain flash through her mind. But how? Everything had been so peaceful up until now. But when she hears Laudna cry out, hurting, Imogen realizes it is not her own pain. That the sensation pushed through their connection. She rushes to the edge, stumbles when a second flash of pain explodes in her head.
Just in time. Just in time to watch as Laudna gets swallowed up by this creature in a flourish of dark energy of her own making.
The scream Imogen unleashes is entirely mental, passing through only to Laudna. But a response never comes. Instead, Imogen has to watch helplessly as her friends hack into this thing without any success. Which really is not the worst thing happening right now. Because she can feel it.
Just like deep down in the Smolder Spire when they ran from the Shadecreepers.
Laudna is there. Her pitch, her music. She can sense it, it is there. And as Imogen desperately tries to cling to it, calling out for it... she can feel it waning. It's getting weaker and weaker by the second, the silence that replaces Laudna in her head slowly but surely being a torture to Imogen.
Because she can't do anything. Just watch.
And then, unlike after the Shadecreeper's attack... it is gone. No gentle hum, no music. Not even pain. Laudna is gone from her mind and Imogen stands at the top of the cliff, numb.
She mutters "No" over and over again, quietly to herself. She refuses to acknowledge that it means Launda is gone for good and all the implications that come with it. Laudna was her saving grace. Her soulmate. The person she lov-
Imogen's breath catches in her throat and all thoughts stop when she hears it. Barely audible. But there, the musicality is there again. The soft melancholic chime returns, but with a hint of something else. Something darker.
Not that she pays it any mind right now. Not when she watches Laudna push herself out, full on Form of Dread and with her eyes burning in this bright green. Imogen has never been more happy to see her.
"I died. Again!" Laudna calls out, half out of the creature. And yes, she did. Imogen could feel it. And she hated it. Hates the idea of losing Laudna. With that comes the anger.
She lines herself up with this poor excuse of this fake fairy and the creature. It wrecked enough havoc and she needs it gone. Away from Laudna. So, in a flash of light she unleashes her Lightning Bolt, scorching it. She destroys the glowing tail and burns a mark into the creature's body.
The rest of their group finish it off. Imogen makes sure it can't hurt Laudna again, sends a mage hand down with fire of their campfire to burn it all down right as she jumps of the edge and rushes up towards Laudna.
Her partner is still on the ground, on her back, visibly hurt. Her Form of Dread is gone and all Imogen can see on Laudna's face is the hurt as she comes to a stop right next to her, leaning over Laudna and gently but frantically brushing her sticky hair out of her face, then cupping her cheeks.
"Laudna? Laudna!" She looks her all over, worried and a bit paniced when Laudna doesn't respond either verbally or mentally. She is about to call out loudly for help, blood starting to boil a little bit when everyone else doesn't seem to care. Imogen's hands start to pull away when she feels two cold hands wrap around her wrists weakly and keep hers in place.
"Laudna? Can you hear me?" She waits, only releasing the breath she's holding when Laudna hums in response, smiles just a little and leans into her touch. And when relief washes over her, Imogen leans down and rests her own forehead against Laudna's.
Later, when she keeps watch with Fearne and the two of them guard the others in comfortable silence, Imogen is sitting down next to Laudna. She'll brush though her partners hair, ignoring the knowing glances Fearne sends her way.
Twice in just a week, Imogen has come so close to lose her Laudna. Twice she had to feel Laudna's music grow silent and it was the worst feeling she has ever experienced.
She knows she should tell Laudna about how she feels. Should tell her the truth because realistically, out here they could die any moment.
And as she gently pulls Laudna's head into her lap so she can rest more comfortably, starts to weave some of the flowers Orym has grown around into her hair, Imogen thinks that maybe she will tell her. Maybe, when she is no longer blue.