ACROSS THE DEPTHS OF THE UNIVERSE

*MISSING WARMTH*

***author's pov***

Asher rested his head gently on Valeria's shoulder, trying to absorb her warmth, as if seeking reassurance in her presence. His breath was steady, his grip firm but tender. Yet, despite the closeness, Valeria felt a coldness settle deep inside her—a feeling she couldn’t quite explain. She couldn’t feel the warmth in his embrace, like a part of her was distant, detached.

Something was missing.

Her heart ached, not because of Asher's care, but because of the void she felt. She wanted to be present, to reciprocate his affection, but there was a gnawing emptiness inside her. She stared ahead at the moons again, trying to make sense of her feelings. It wasn't just Asher—it was everything. Despite the connection to the elemental kings, despite the memories she had of them, a part of her felt incomplete, like a crucial piece of herself was still lost somewhere in the past.

But she didn’t say anything. She couldn’t.

Instead, she forced a small smile and let Asher hold her, knowing he was trying to comfort her, even if it wasn’t enough to fill the void inside her heart. Why do I feel this way? she wondered silently. The bond with the elemental kings was real, yet there was something lingering just beyond her reach. Something—or someone—she hadn’t fully remembered.

"I’ll always protect you," Asher whispered, his voice filled with quiet determination.

Valeria nodded slightly, though the words didn’t reach the depths of her uncertainty. Protect me from what? From myself? she thought. Something was pulling her away, calling to her, and she wasn’t sure if she could resist it any longer.

asher 's  lips grazed the soft skin of her neck,  pressing a tender  kiss that lingered with unspoken emotion . his breath was warm against her,  his touch gentle yet firm as if he was trying to ground her in the present,  trying to bring her closer to him.

But as soon his lips moved , taking the connection he craved , Valeria 's mind remained distant ,  she could feel his affection,  his desire to claim her as of his own . But the warm still evaded her . It was as the something Deep within her was pulling her away from the moment , pulling her into the shadows of her past.

Her eyes fluttered shut , not out of pleasure but from the overwhelming confusion. She wanted to feel what he  was giving her,  wanted to reciprocate the love that lingered in his every touch on her waist -on her neck,  but even as her body responded her soul was distant somewhere else- or someone - she had yet to understand.

"Asher...." She murmmared , her voice, almost whisper . Unsure whether to push him or let him in.  But the words caught in her throat and she said nothing more. allowing the silence to stretch between,  them heavy with the unspoken thoughts

Asher pulled away slowly, his gaze softening as he looked at Valeria’s distant expression. Gently, he patted her head, a gesture filled with quiet affection. "You should rest," he said softly, his voice deep yet tender. "You need your strength."

Valeria gave a faint nod, her mind still lost in the haze of uncertainty. She wanted to say something, to reassure him that everything was fine, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, she let the silence linger as she turned back toward the bed.

Asher stood there for a moment longer, watching her, his golden eyes searching her face as though he could sense the turmoil beneath the surface. But he didn’t press her, didn’t ask the questions that hovered between them. He simply stepped back, offering her the space she seemed to need.

"Goodnight, Valeria," he whispered before turning away, his footsteps soft as he left her to her thoughts.

Valeria lay down, pulling the blanket over her, but even as she closed her eyes, sleep didn’t come easily. The memory of Asher's kiss lingered on her neck, but it was the emptiness in her heart that kept her awake, haunted by the pieces of herself she had yet to find.

As Valeria closed her eyes, hoping for some respite, the darkness behind her eyelids slowly gave way to a vision. A pair of glowing yellow eyes emerged from the shadows—vivid, intense, and familiar. Her heart skipped a beat. She had seen these eyes before, not just in her recent meditation, but somewhere far deeper in her soul.

The eyes held an ancient power, a pull that made her breath hitch as they bore into her, sparking memories she couldn’t fully grasp. There was something about them—an undeniable connection, as if they belonged to someone who had once been everything to her. But who?

Flashes of her past life as Elanora rushed through her mind, fragments of memories she couldn't piece together. She saw glimpses of a dark figure, powerful, with black veins snaking across his body—the same figure who gave her the sword, the Destroyer. The same man who now lingered in the depths of her subconscious, waiting to be remembered.

Valeria's chest tightened as the yellow eyes seemed to beckon her, calling her back to a truth she was not yet ready to face. Who are you? she wondered, her voice trembling in the silence of her mind. Why do I feel drawn to you?

A name almost came to her lips—Zelerious—but before she could say it, the vision vanished, leaving her gasping as she shot up from the bed, her heart pounding in her chest. The connection between her past and present was becoming clearer, yet more terrifying. She knew, deep down, that those eyes held the key to everything she had forgotten.

But was she ready to remember?