Gone

Bai Lei stands before the burning palace without any emotion. Ren appears behind him and kneels before asking "Did you find Nova?" A flicker of emotion crosses Bai Lei's face before it grows cold again. He turns away from the burning palace and walks past Ren while saying "She's gone." 

Ren's heart nearly stops as his head whips up to look at the burning palace then back to his Master. He jumps up and stumbles to run in front of his Master. He falls to his knees before his Master and asks "Please forgive this servant but... how is she gone? I... is she somewhere else?" 

Bai Lei's cold eyes slowly look down to Ren before saying "She's no longer here. She's gone." Ren's face pales as Bai Lei disappears. Ren stays kneeling in the same spot as he tries to wrap his head around what his Master just said. Gone... No longer here... dead? She's dead?

~~~~~~