Chapter 1 : The Dance of Shadows

Music floated through the air, filling the empty ballroom with a haunting melody. A lone chandelier cast a soft glow, illuminating the elegant figures of a man and a woman dancing together. The woman's dress swirled around her as she moved gracefully, her laughter a sweet counterpoint to the music.

They danced close, and he whispered to her, "You are as beautiful as the day I first saw you ."

She got excited, her eyes lighting up. "Do you still remember?"

"Yes," he replied, smiling. "You were—"

"No, no, no," she interrupted, laughing. "You were running like a wolf hunting for its meal."

He chuckled, a warm sound. "Ah, yes! The moment when I carelessly toppled your bags in my pursuit."

She nodded, her smile widening. "How could I forget? You were so focused, yet so clumsy. And then, after you caught your man, you came back to help me pick up my things. That's when I knew you were different. You ignored everyone else and came straight to me. Was that the moment you fell in love with me?"

He smiled mysteriously as they continued to dance. "Why do you think that was the time when I fell in love with you?"

She smiled, leaning closer. "Don't play coy. I saw the way you glanced back at me, mesmerised, even while I was scolding you. We both fell in love at first sight."

He paused, a shadow crossing his face. "Isn't it a dilemma to say that I fall in love with you that time from your perspective?"

His expression darkened, and he subtly signalled the musician with a flick of his finger. The music stopped abruptly, and the musician quietly left the room. The woman stood still, a look of surprise on her face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He looked into her eyes, his voice low and intense. "When I glanced at you, I saw something I've been searching for my entire life."

Her heart swelled with happiness. "I feel the same way," she said, her eyes glistening. She turned towards the large window, noticing a strange pink light illuminating the dark night sky.

In that moment, a sharp dagger pierced her heart. Her vision went dark, even though her eyes remained open, and she fell to the ground. She called his name Ragnar painfully and said, "Why...?"

His face was cold and emotionless—a side of him she had never seen. He spun the blade in his hand and approached her slowly, her voice growing weaker as she called his name.

He kneeled beside her, his eyes devoid of killing her, and drove the dagger into her heart multiple times. She died instantly, just as a bolt of pink lightning struck outside, illuminating the room in a brief, blinding flash. 

After stabbing her multiple times, he stood over her lifeless body, his hands trembling as he gazed down at her. A mixture of anguish and confusion twisted his features, revealing the depth of his turmoil. "When will it stop?" he whispered, his voice barely audible amidst the silence of the ballroom. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision as he knelt beside her, his arms wrapping tightly around her cold, motionless form.

The weight of his actions bore down on him like an unbearable burden, crushing him with the realisation of what he had done. He held her close, seeking solace in the embrace of the one he had betrayed. But there was no comfort to be found, only the haunting echo of his own remorse.

As he wept, the once pristine fabric of her dress became soaked with blood, a vivid testament to the betrayal that had stained their love. The soft glow of the chandelier cast a sombre light upon the scene, illuminating the tragedy that had unfolded in the empty ballroom.

And so, the dance of shadows came to a tragic end, leaving behind only the echoes of a love that had been torn asunder by the cruel hand of fate.