ACROSS THE DEPTHS OF THE UNIVERSE

AREKEL *the dark witch

**"AUTHOR'S POV***

Zelerious sat on his throne, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp and alert. His throne, carved from black stone and adorned with intricate runes, towered over the room. The faint glow of the candles reflected off his eyes, which were filled with a dark intensity. His presence alone seemed to make the shadows in the room shift and dance.

Zelerious closeed his eyes thinking to himself   “Valeria… or Elanora. The curse I placed on her binds us, yet keeps us apart. Every time the black veins surface on my skin, I am reminded of the day I lost her. But now, she is so close… closer than she has ever been.”

He clenched his fists, the memory of pain coursing through him as the black veins had marked his own body during the eclipse. His thoughts drifted to the past, to the moment of betrayal and the curse he cast in his rage.

The heavy door at the end of the throne room creaked open, echoing in the silence. Zelerious’s eyes flickered toward the entrance. A tall figure, cloaked in black, entered. Ambrose, his most trusted advisor, moved with a quiet confidence, his footsteps barely making a sound on the cold stone floor.

Ambrose spoke bowing slightly “My Lord, you summoned me?”

Zelerious nodded his  voice calm but commanding “Yes, Ambrose. I have felt the curse stirring once more. The pain has intensified, and I know it can only mean one thing. Elanora—Valeria—is searching for her past. She is getting closer to the truth.”

Ambrose moved closer, standing at the foot of the throne, his eyes sharp and attentive. He had served Zelerious for centuries and understood the depths of his master’s longing and rage.

Ambrose spoke thoughtfully “If she is searching for her past, she will need the Destroyer. It is the key to unlocking her memories and her powers. Do you believe she has already found it?”

Zelerious clenched his jaw “I sensed a disturbance , because it was  me who gave her that sword .  The sword must have been located. If she has it, she will come to me. The bond between us, forged by the curse, will lead her here, whether she realizes it or not.”

Ambrose nodded “What would you have me do, my Lord? Should I gather our forces, prepare for her arrival?”

Zelerious with a a dark smile playing on his lips “No, not yet. Let her come. Let her find her way back to me. Her confusion, her anger—they will work in our favor. But keep a close watch on the elemental kings. They may sense her awakening as well, and I do not wish for them to interfere before the time is right.”

Ambrose bowed, acknowledging Zelerious's command. He turned to leave, his cloak sweeping the floor as he exited the throne room. Zelerious watched him go, his thoughts consumed by the image of Valeria holding the Destroyer. He knew the power of the sword, and he knew that once she wielded it, nothing could keep her from him.

Zelerious closeed his eyes, whispering to himself, a hint of longing in his voice “Come to me, Valeria. The curse binds us, and no matter how far you run, your destiny lies with me.”

As Zelerious sat on his throne, lost in thoughts of Valeria and the curse that bound them, a sudden shift in the air made him open his eyes. The temperature in the room seemed to drop, and a swirling dark violet smoke began to materialize before him. The smoke thickened, taking on a more defined shape, until a figure emerged from within it.

Zelerious smirked  recognizing the presence  “Arekel Yuws… I wondered when you would appear.”

The dark violet smoke dissipated, revealing a tall woman clad in flowing black robes. Her eyes gleamed with a sinister light, and her long, raven-black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of shadows. Arekel Yuws, the dark witch who had served Zelerious for centuries, inclined her head slightly in greeting, her lips curving into a sly smile.

**Arekel smiled her voice smooth, almost purring   “My Lord Zelerious, your thoughts are heavy, filled with the scent of longing. I could not stay away when the air is so thick with anticipation.”

Zelerious leaned back on his throne, his eyes narrowing “You always had a knack for sensing the unsaid, Arekel. Yes, my thoughts are on Valeria. The curse is stirring, and I feel her presence growing stronger. The sword has been found, and soon, she will find her way back to me.”

Arekel moved closer, her steps almost silent on the stone floor, as if she were gliding rather than walking. She stopped at the base of Zelerious’s throne, looking up at him with a gaze that was both respectful and filled with a dark understanding.

Arekel smiled , a hint of mischief in her voice   “The Destroyer has been awakened, and with it, her memories will soon return. Do you not fear, my lord, that with her memories, her betrayal might come back as well? The elemental kings may still hold sway over her heart.”

Zelerious 's  his smirk faded, replaced by a cold, determined look “I do not fear betrayal. I fear nothing, Arekel. Valeria’s heart may have been divided once, but the curse ensures her destiny is tied to mine. The elemental kings are mere obstacles, and they will fall if they stand in my way. She is bound to me by fate, and fate cannot be denied.”

Arekel's smile widened, her eyes glittering with malicious excitement. She thrived in the darkness of Zelerious’s plans, finding joy in the chaos and power he wielded.

Arekel nodded  in agreement
“Of course, my Lord. Fate is a powerful force, but even it needs a guiding hand. What would you have me do to ensure Valeria's path leads straight to you?”

Zelerious stood  , his presence dominating the room “Prepare the rituals. Strengthen the curse’s hold on her memories. If she remembers too soon, the elemental kings may use her confusion to their advantage. And send word to our spies. I want every movement of the elemental kings monitored. They must not reach her before I do.”

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