ACROSS THE DEPTHS OF THE UNIVERSE

*you will never be his *

***author's pov***

Zelerious sprinted through the temple, his eyes wild with panic as he searched for Valeria. The once-familiar bond between them felt faint, barely a whisper in his heart. All he could sense was her shallow, labored breathing—faint, as though she was slipping away.

“Valeria!” he called out, his voice echoing off the stone walls of the ancient temple. His heart thudded painfully in his chest, matching the desperate rhythm of her breaths. The emptiness he felt gnawed at him, the silence of their connection unbearable.

His footsteps grew faster, driven by fear and urgency, as the glowing path before him led deeper into the temple. He could no longer feel her emotions, just the faint, fleeting sense of life—a heartbeat that was fading, threatening to vanish entirely.

“I’m coming,” he whispered, eyes burning with determination, refusing to let her go. He pushed forward, not knowing if he would reach her in time.

Meanwhile, Valeria lay crumpled on the cold, hard ground, her body trembling with agony. Every breath she took sent waves of searing pain coursing through her veins, as if something inside her was being torn apart. The connection to Zelerious, the pieces of him embedded in her very soul, were being ripped away, leaving her gasping and groaning.

Her skin was slick with sweat, her fists clenched against the overwhelming torture. Every movement felt like a thousand needles piercing her body. She tried to fight the darkness closing in around her, but it was relentless, suffocating.

Through the haze of pain, she could barely register her own voice, whispering his name, "Zelerious…"

But he wasn't there. And with every second that passed, she felt herself slipping further away, lost in a sea of torment that threatened to consume her entirely.

Suddenly, through the haze of her pain, Valeria saw a figure approaching her. Her vision blurred, but the figure became clearer with every step. The air around him shimmered, his presence cutting through the suffocating darkness.

It was Tharollin. His tall form loomed over her, his striking green eyes piercing into hers, radiating power and authority. His gaze was intense, almost as if he could see straight into her soul, into the torment she was enduring.

"Valeria," he whispered, his voice low and commanding, as he knelt down beside her. His hand reached out but didn’t touch her, just hovered above her skin, as if he was trying to feel the pain she was going through.

"Why are you still fighting it?" he asked, his tone neither gentle nor harsh, but one that carried an underlying expectation.

Valeria shuddered beneath his gaze, her body trembling from the immense pain coursing through her. She tried to speak, but her voice faltered, barely above a whisper.

"I... I don’t know," she stammered, her breath ragged as she struggled to find the strength to respond. The weight of everything was crushing her—Zelerious, the trials, and now Tharollin’s imposing presence.

Tharollin's eyes softened momentarily as he observed her struggle. "You’re stronger than this, Valeria," he said, his voice quieter now, almost reassuring. "But you must choose what you want, or the pain will never cease."

Her chest tightened, and her mind raced, unsure of what he meant or what she needed to do.

Valeria's vision blurred, the overwhelming pain and exhaustion finally taking its toll. Her body swayed, and before she could process Tharollin’s words, the darkness consumed her.

Her knees buckled as the last bit of strength drained from her limbs, and she collapsed onto the cold, hard ground. The world around her faded, her consciousness slipping away as her body surrendered to the unbearable strain.

Tharollin stood above her, his gaze unreadable. He watched in silence, the flicker of concern in his eyes vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. He knew the next steps would be crucial.

Tharollin’s lips curled into a smirk as he gazed down at Valeria’s unconscious form. His yellow  eyes glinted with satisfaction as he whispered to himself, "Now, Zelerious won’t reach her."

The shadows around him seemed to thicken, drawn to his command as he prepared to take her far away from here. His plan had worked perfectly. With Valeria weak and vulnerable, this was his chance to keep her hidden from Zelerious—and out of his grasp.

He bent down, brushing a lock of hair away from her face, his voice low, “You’ll never be his again.”

Tharollin bent down and carefully scooped Valeria into his arms, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. Her body, limp and fragile, rested against his chest. His smirk deepened as he felt the faint pulse of her heartbeat.

The air around him shimmered with dark magic as he whispered an incantation, preparing to take her to a place where Zelerious could never find her. As the shadows began to swirl, wrapping them both in their dark embrace, Tharollin glanced at her once more. “It’s over for you, Valeria,” he muttered before disappearing into the night with her.

Zelerious skidded to a halt, his heart pounding as he arrived just a moment too late. His eyes scanned the area, wild with desperation. All that remained was a faint wisp of dark smoke, curling up from where Valeria had been. The air still crackled with the remnants of magic, a clear sign that Tharollin had been there.

He clenched his fists, his breath shallow. “Valeria…” he whispered, feeling an emptiness grow inside him. His senses reached out, searching for any trace of her, but the connection he felt with her was fading—too faint to grasp.

Rage and sorrow surged through him. The one person he couldn’t lose was slipping away, and for the first time, Zelerious felt powerless.