《The Starcrossed & The Spectral》 Episode 1: When He First Saw Her When he first saw her, Zethar thought he must be encountering a mirage. She shimmered in the distance like a hologram, but it was impossible. X3 was uninhabited. ¡°Ahoy,¡± he shouted at the mirage. Just to be sure. Across dimensions, on a deserted beach in Isolde¡¯s universe, the sound of his voice echoed through the night, startling her. ¡°Is someone there?¡± she called out, deepening her voice a few octaves to sound more like a man, and less like a lost woman walking alone in the dark. ¡°Ahoy!¡± The sound came again. Louder this time. Further down the shore, Isolde could see a faint incandescent outline that looked vaguely like a man. She froze, pulling her shawl tight. She hadn¡¯t been gone long. Maybe it wasn¡¯t too late to turn around and run back to the house. To the party. And to Aurelian. Instead, she continued to drift towards the voice as if pulled by an unseen tide. Zethar could see her more clearly now. A woman walking to him, but ghostly. Suspended in another world that was not his own. For two revolutions, he had been on a solo mission researching X3¡¯s dimensional overlaps without ever actually encountering one. Could this really be happening now? If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Approaching the glowing shape, Isolde saw that the voice belonged to a male figure, only he was barely there; his features flickering in and out like static on a television set. His voice crackled, ¡°I can see you. Can you see me? Can you hear me?¡± ¡°I can see the shape of you,¡± Isolde said, ¡°And I can hear you.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°My name is Isolde. Where are you?¡± ¡°My name is Zethar. I am a researcher, stationed on X3.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of X3,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Am I imagining you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± he said. ¡°I believe we are in different dimensions.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never encountered anything like this,¡± Zethar admitted. "But perhaps we were meant to find each other, across the impossible." Episode 2: Flickers of Movement and Light Isolde blinked at the apparition that was now speaking to her in flickers of movement and light. ¡°What are you?¡± she asked. ¡°And how is it that you¡¯re here but not really here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a cosmic researcher,¡± Zethar said. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying energetic portals my entire career, and if my atmospheric readings are correct, I believe what we¡¯re experiencing is a kind of rare dimensional anomaly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I still don¡¯t follow,¡± Isolde said. She sensed from the sound of the apparition¡¯s voice that whatever he was describing was profoundly significant to him. He didn¡¯t seem afraid at all, but rather excited at the possibility. ¡°What is the name of your planet?¡± Zethar asked. ¡°I live on Veth,¡± Isolde said. ¡°And this is a living planet?¡± ¡°Yes. There are nearly a thousand in the Cerulean Spiral galaxy. Do you really mean to tell me you¡¯re not from this galaxy?¡± ¡°I am neither from, nor in, any Cerulean Spiral galaxy,¡± Zethar said. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± ¡°And where you¡¯re from,¡± Isolde asked, ¡°There are no living planets?¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°There are some. But they¡¯re rare and very far apart. It can take revolutions to travel between them.¡± ¡°That sounds lonely,¡± she said. ¡°It can be,¡± he said. The air wavered between them, fractured like ripples on water. For a heartbeat, they were nothing more than faint outlines; light bodies flickering in and out of focus. The portal hummed with a low, static charge as if the very fabric of the universe was straining to hold them both in place. ¡°What¡¯s happening now?¡± Isolde said. ¡°The portal,¡± Zethar said, looking down at the numbers on his energy reading meter, which were beginning to plummet. ¡°I think it¡¯s closing.¡± ¡°Will I see you again?¡± Isolde asked, her voice tight as her hand reached unconsciously toward him, then stopped, trembling. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± came the faint reply. The apparition¡¯s light dissipated, leaving Isolde with only the sound of the ocean curling and retreating over the shoreline in a steady rhythm. ¡°I¡¯ll come back this time tomorrow,¡± she called out into the darkness. Episode 3: Or If I Dreamed You Zethar could not eat or sleep. He needed to know if the portal¡ªand the woman who had appeared to him within it¡ª had been a fleeting aberration or the discovery of a lifetime. When the hour arrived, he returned to the same coordinates on X3, electric with anticipation. She had said she would come back at the same time, but what if time flowed differently in Isolde¡¯s dimension? Even the slightest discrepancy could cause them to miss each other entirely. In her own world, Isolde lingered at the back gate of the beach house, surveying the landscape to be sure no one was watching. Aurelian still hadn¡¯t forgiven her for disappearing from the engagement party and it had been a particularly difficult day. Padding along the sand, she could see far away crackles and pops of light in the same spot where Zethar had begun to materialize the night before. Her heart and her pace quickened as she approached. ¡°Ahoy,¡± she said, greeting the light. ¡°You came back,¡± Zethar said. The outline of him was faint and he sounded far away. ¡°I needed to know if you were real,¡± Isolde said, ¡°Or if I dreamed you.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Would you have been disappointed? If I were a dream?¡± ¡°I think so, yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It''s hard to explain,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I still don''t understand it. But I want to. Why did you come back?¡± ¡°Because I''ve spent most of my life trying to prove the existence of an anomaly like this one,¡± Zethar said. ¡°But nothing had prepared me for finding one. Or finding you. It''s exquisite.¡± Isolde felt herself blush. ¡°You said something last night,¡± she said. ¡° About us being meant to meet¡­¡± ¡°Across the impossible,¡± Zethar finished the sentence, causing Isolde to break into a shy smile. Even through the static waves distorting her image, there was no missing that smile. The energy index was climbing, he noted. The edges of the portal seemed to soften and the anomaly¡¯s otherworldly light spilled brighter into the surrounding darkness. Its flicker slowed from a frantic arhythmic pace to a steady, resolute pulse. Episode 4: Chasing The Faint Hope The next night, Isolde arrived at the beach early. Aurelian was away, so on this night, she had relished the rare opportunity to pack herself a picnic and watch the sunset over the Copernican Ocean. For a few weeks, she had been slipping away to the same spot every midnight, chasing the faint hope of seeing the portal¡ªand Zethar. The enigmatic cosmic researcher had a way of leaving her with the feeling that the universe itself had shifted, revealing possibilities she¡¯d never imagined. Sometimes, they appeared only briefly to one another. Or could only see each other in silent flashes; their words delayed or lost altogether to the void between them. A few other times Isolde and Zethar were able to converse clearly for nearly an hour; mostly trading facts to try and uncover the nature of their dimensional overlap. ¡°How do you suppose it is that you speak the universal language,¡± Isolde asked once. ¡°If we are not in the same universe?¡± ¡°Perhaps we are in the same universe but on divergent timelines,¡± Zethar had replied. ¡°Or it¡¯s possible, we¡¯re truly so far apart that our worlds have yet to discover one another. The very existence of this portal proves how little we truly understand about space or time.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Now, waiting for Zethar after sundown, Isolde prayed this wouldn¡¯t be one of the nights the anomaly failed to manifest. When it finally appeared, it was in a jarring flash further down the shore, the sound of which shattered the air. For a moment, it felt as though even the ocean¡¯s tide had stilled. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± She cried out, running to the light. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Zethar called back. His voice was clearer than it had ever been, and though the light of the portal around him was practically blinding, Isolde could distinguish his features more sharply than any of the times he had appeared before. His eyes were wide and excited. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on something,¡± Zethar explained. ¡°A device that strengthens the portal by stabilizing its energy levels. Makes it easier for us to see and hear one another. It isn¡¯t perfect, but I seem to be making good progress.¡± Episode 5: The Secret of Isolde Down in a cold and dusty crater basin on X3, Zethar set up camp near the portal and began measuring its energy field levels all hours of the day. He had yet to reveal his discovery to his superiors. Although it was certain to secure him a great deal of recognition and a welcome relief from his duties on the desolate planet, he wasn¡¯t ready to share the secret of Isolde. If news of a confirmed portal on X3 were to get out, there was no telling how many intergalactic agencies would become involved. Or what might happen to Isolde if they did. Until he could determine how the dimensional overlap worked exactly, Zethar thought it best to keep quiet. Days passed. Like clockwork, Isolde arrived at her beach on Veth every midnight. Zethar often wished she would come earlier and stay longer, but he could sense a growing unease in her as the nights deepened. Sometimes, he couldn¡¯t help but notice that she always seemed to be looking over her shoulder, as if watching for something¡ªor someone¡ªjust beyond the reach of the portal¡¯s lens, where her world blurred into vague shapes, too mercurial for him to make sense of. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. One evening, when he could no longer contain his curiosity, he asked Isolde, ¡°What is it behind you, out there in the distance, that troubles you so?¡± Isolde paused for a very long time before answering. ¡°Oh, I know I should have told you sooner,¡± she said, quietly. Going visible and then invisible in weak waves as she spoke. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone,¡± Isolde said, ¡°I¡¯m promised to someone. He wouldn¡¯t approve of me being out here. Or with you.¡± Zethar¡¯s chest tightened, an emptiness stretching within him like the void between distant stars. He was a solitary speck in the vastness, unable to bridge the cosmic divide that separated them. Episode 6: A Feeling He Hadnt Dared To Name Having just confessed to Zethar about her engagement to Aurelian through a tear in the fabric of time and space, Isolde felt herself go nearly faint from shame. ¡°I see,¡± Zethar said after a long silence. ¡°You are promised to him. Does that mean you love him?¡± ¡°No,¡± Isolde said, shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s our families. We have to be married to make their alliance official. We have been promised to one another since birth.¡± ¡°Duty to one¡¯s family is commendable,¡± Zethar said. ¡°I used to think so too.¡± ¡°And now?¡± ¡°Now I wonder if it¡¯s worth it. Sacrificing everything else. Adventure. Romance. Agency over one''s own destiny.¡± ¡°What changed to make you feel this way?¡± ¡°The portal,¡± Isolde said. ¡°And meeting you.¡± ¡°There must be some other way,¡± Zethar said. ¡°Tell your family you refuse.¡± ¡°I assure you, they won¡¯t hear it,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever been a collateral as far as they¡¯re concerned. My father sold me off to pay a debt before I was even born. And of course, we can¡¯t exactly afford to cross The Lunaris family.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know the Lunaris family, we must really be from different dimensions,¡± Isolde said with a dry laugh. She retrieved a cigarette from her sweater pocket and lit it before continuing. ¡°They¡¯re one of the most powerful families on Veth and their bloodline extends across multiple galaxies. No one dares to defy them. Those who have tried have all disappeared under mysterious circumstances.¡± She took a long drag of the cigarette and exhaled. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind if I smoke?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind at all,¡± Zethar said, fiddling with one of the energy meters to keep his hands busy. Watching the ember flare and fade with her inhale seemed to stir something unbidden within him, a feeling he hadn¡¯t dared to name in years. ¡°I quit before I came to X3,¡± he said. ¡°Not enough room on my ship for a five-year supply of non-necessities and not a shop to be found around these parts. The smell of it does make me miss it though.¡± He paused, their eyes locking as the portal¡¯s flickering steadied. Together, they watched a ribbon of smoke drift from Isolde¡¯s world, cross the divide, and unfurl into Zethar¡¯s. Episode 7: A Flimsy Yarn It was nearly sunrise when Isolde returned home. After discovering the portal¡¯s ability to carry a plume of smoke across dimensions, she and Zethar spent the rest of the night discussing the implications. There was no denying it now. The anomaly was getting stronger. She slipped quietly through the backdoor. Aurelian would be returning from his travels mid day, leaving her a few precious hours to rest before donning the mask of his dutiful bride-to-be. Or so she thought. Stepping inside, she reached for the kitchen light but it flicked on before her fingers could find the switch. ¡°Aurelian,¡± Isolde gasped. ¡°You¡¯re home early.¡± ¡°And you haven¡¯t been home all night,¡± he snarled, the edge in his voice cutting as his eyes bore into her. ¡°Care to explain yourself?¡± Isolde looked down at the sand-covered blanket she had carried out to the beach. ¡°My darling,¡± she stammered, reaching for him. ¡°I¡­I was lonely without you last night. I went to watch the sunset, but I must have fallen asleep.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. It was a flimsy yarn and they both knew it. Aurelian intercepted her hand, yanking Isolde toward him; his strength coiling around her like a threat. ¡°You¡¯re a liar,¡± he barked, releasing her with a cruel force that caused her to stumble to the floor. ¡°You think I haven¡¯t noticed you sneaking out in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°Aurelian,¡± Isolde cried. ¡°It''s not what you think.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what it is,¡± he said, kneeling to her level and pulling her face close. ¡°If you disgrace me, Isolde, I will ruin you. I will ruin your entire family. Do you understand me?¡± ¡°I understand,¡± she said. In return, Aurelian said nothing, releasing her carelessly as he stood. With a last look of disgust, he turned away and exited the room, leaving Isolde alone with the quiet unraveling of what little hope she had left. Episode 8: Thirteen Lines Neither the portal nor Isolde had appeared in over a week. Days and nights blurred together, burning from end to end at a painfully slow pace. Zethar only knew how much time had passed by the tally he kept in his bedside field journal. Before now, he hadn¡¯t bothered to even crack it open. It was standard issue on these missions. Researchers were encouraged to document everything¡ªeven innermost thoughts¡ªas the notes might uncover something significant about atmospheric effects on mental state. The first evening she hadn¡¯t come, Zethar went to bed restless. Eventually, he had opened the journal with the intention of writing to Isolde. It seemed the closest thing to being able to actually speak with her, but when he put his pen to paper, he could muster only a solitary scratch. The next night he repeated the ritual. And the night after that. And so on. There were thirteen lines scratched into the page so far. In official dispatches, Zethar reported only that the crater was emitting atypical levels of magnetic energy, indicating potential for dimensional anomalies to manifest. He wasn¡¯t being entirely dishonest. By day, he checked the meters against his logs obsessively, trying to determine what might have caused the portal¡¯s malfunction. According to all records, the energy levels in the basin were stronger and steadier than ever. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Perhaps they had crossed some cosmic boundary when Isolde¡¯s cigarette smoke drifted into the portal and transcended dimensions, causing the universe to sever their connection. Or maybe, Zethar thought, they had simply exhausted the anomaly¡¯s reserves, talking so late into the night. In a few day¡¯s time, he had engineered a second stabilizer, hoping to bolster the energy field and revive the portal. It made no difference. He even tried commandeering the ship¡¯s comm system, overriding the signal directs and speaking through the control intercom. ¡°I''m still here,¡± he repeated again and again into the void. ¡°I will search for you across the impossible.¡± On the shores of Veth, his words carried across the beach but they echoed into empty darkness. Isolde was too far away to hear. Chapter 9: Two Moons Catching On Gentle Waves For three weeks, Isolde suffered silent dinners with Aurelian and weekend gatherings with the Lunaris family, making idle chat about wedding plans and trying not to recoil at his touch in front of company. Midnights she would awaken as if sirened by the portal, but then remember that there would be no more visiting Zethar, and feel crestfallen all over again. Lying awake, Isolde stared at the ceiling, quiet tears running down her cheeks as Aurelian snored softly beside her. She prayed for a miracle, and after 23 days, her husband-to-be was called away on business once more. He left abruptly but not before cornering Isolde in the kitchen and reminding her that she was not to leave the house in his absence. ¡°I have eyes on you,¡± he warned. ¡°Do not do anything you will regret, Isolde.¡± That night at midnight, she returned to the beach. By now, Isolde had memorized the number of steps to the portal site and the familiar landmarks along the way. Each one signaling she was closer to Zethar. To hearing his voice and feeling his presence once more. Only this time, it seemed as though the light was eluding her. The beach remained dark and hushed, save for the glint of two moons catching on gentle waves. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.After what felt like an eternity spiraling in the nothingness, Isolde crumpled onto the cold sand and began weeping. ¡°Oh Zethar,¡± she cried. ¡°I came as quickly as I could. Please come back. Please forgive me.¡± Zethar was in his tent, taking a nap and dreaming of Isolde. At first, the dream was soundless. She was underwater, and although he could see her drowning, he was paralyzed and could not swim to save her. As the dream continued, a message began to break through to the surface in fragments. Zethar Quickly Please He couldn¡¯t understand what she was trying to say but the heartache in her familiar voice pierced through him. He jolted awake with a sharp pang in his chest. ¡°Please come back,¡± the voice cried. Only it was no longer a dream. Rushing out of the tent, he could feel the entire basin humming with energy. The portal had returned. Episode 10: Give Me One More Night It was always quiet on X3, save for the occasional howling solar winds. But when Isolde¡¯s cries had roused him from his nap¡ªand the previous weeks of worsening melancholy¡ªZethar could swear he heard a choir of singing stars. ¡°Isolde,¡± he called, running to the portal window. The air around him felt charged; dense with static pressing against him, as though he were wading through an invisible current. ¡°Zethar?¡± her voice rang out. ¡°Oh, Zethar, is it really you?¡± The anomaly¡¯s light refracted around her, breaking into shimmering hues that blurred her face and softened her outline; wavering like heat on sunbaked tarmac. Zethar could scarcely see her but he could feel her presence intensely. ¡°Oh, Isolde, thank the Gods,¡± he cried, blinking back tears. ¡°I¡¯ve been so worried about you.¡± ¡°It was Aurelian,¡± Isolde said. ¡°He forbade me from coming back.¡± ¡°Are you alright? ¡°Has he hurt you?¡± ¡°No. But he will if he catches me again.¡± ¡°Isolde, you must get out. For your own safety.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be alright Zethar, but I must forget we ever met before losing you becomes too much for me to bear.¡± ¡°And I never see you again?¡± he asked, glitching in and out turbulently as he spoke. ¡°What if it¡¯s already too much for me? What then, Isolde?¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Zethar. You know this isn¡¯t what I want.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s complicated, but there must be some other way. The portal! I¡¯ve been working on it while you were away¡ªI have ideas! Experiments we could try to test the anomaly¡¯s capabilities. It¡¯s possible you could transport here. Or I could come to you. Whatever you want. ¡°Don¡¯t marry him, Isolde. I see how miserable you are, always looking over your shoulder. You deserve so much more. Adventure. Romance. To choose your own destiny. You deserve it all.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. He¡¯ll kill me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I will find a way.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time. The wedding is in five days. Aurelian says he has spies keeping watch on me. I¡¯ve risked everything to tell you goodbye.¡± ¡°Just a little more time,¡± Zethar said, struggling to hold their connection as the portal¡¯s energy levels began indicating volatility. ¡°Can you return tomorrow? Please, Isolde. There¡¯s just one thing I want to try. If it works, I may be able to solve all our problems.¡± ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Then come back for me. Give me one more night to memorize your face. You might want to forget, Isolde. But I want to remember it all and remember it forever. What it was like meeting you across the impossible.¡± Episode 11: A Simple Test Isolde had promised Zethar one last goodbye. The following evening they were to meet and attempt his experiment¡ªthe one he said had the potential to transport her away from cruel Aurelian and into his arms at last. Before leaving the house that night, she had done her due diligence to confirm that Aurelian was actually away this time. According to his tracking, he was indeed on the Wayline to Teros, in the neighboring Idunn galaxy. Plenty of time for her to grant Zethar¡¯s requests but she would need to be clever about it. It was quite possible her fianc¨¦ was telling the truth about keeping watch over her, but just as likely he was lying. With the Lunaris family, possessiveness and pathological deceit went hand in hand. In any event, Isolde had weighed her fates and was prepared to take a risk, just this once, for the cosmic researcher who had quietly claimed her heart. When she arrived at the beach, Isolde could see that the portal¡¯s energy field was already burning bright down the shore in the darkness. Zethar had been working all night on two more stabilizers¡ªone for each compass point within the crater basin¡ªto support a consistent flow of current across the field and prevent the anomaly from burning out too quickly. ¡°It¡¯s a simple test, really,¡± Zethar explained, locking eyes with Isolde across the distance between them. ¡°You remember the cigarette smoke?¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°It got me thinking. If our worlds overlap or even touch in any way¡ªenough for a particulate matter like cigarette smoke to travel through the portal¡ªmaybe solid matter can too.¡± ¡°Travel through the portal?¡± ¡°Maybe. I¡¯m not willing to risk that just yet. We have to test the theory a bit first.¡± ¡°And how do we do that? Do you mean try to pass something through? Like an object?¡± ¡°I thought about that,¡± Zethar said, becoming out of breath with excitement. ¡°But then I thought of something better.¡± ¡°What do you propose?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°A physical test,¡± he answered. ¡°To see if we can touch our hands together through the portal.¡± Episode 12: One Beautiful Moment ¡°All we have to do is make contact,¡± Zethar explained. ¡°If our hands are able to transmit sensation without crashing the portal, it¡¯s possible one of us could pass through to the other dimension. It¡¯s possible we could¡­¡± ¡°Be together,¡± Isolde said, finishing the sentence. Zethar nodded. ¡°How can you be certain it¡¯s safe?¡± she asked. ¡°Frankly, I can¡¯t,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯ve mapped out all the predicted outcomes. Scenario one is the best case scenario I just described. Another is that the portal blocks us or repels us from touching. If that happens the risks should be minimal. The anomaly could become unstable but I don¡¯t expect either of us would be harmed. Same goes if we touch and it malfunctions completely. Not ideal, but minimal risk of physical harm to our persons.¡± ¡°Is there a worst case scenario?¡± ¡°Worst case, we break the whole thing,¡± he said. ¡°But for at least one beautiful moment, I get to know what it feels like to hold your hand.¡± ¡°Oh Zethar, do you really think it¡¯s possible?¡± Isolde said. ¡°How do we do it?¡± ¡°Can you come closer?¡± ¡°I can.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Zethar said, approaching the portal window. The stabilizer devices had done their job, steadying the energy to let her come through more clearly. To see her¡ªher face, her true form¡ªwas the culmination of every revolution he¡¯d spent chasing cosmic improbabilities. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°We¡¯re close enough to touch now,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Zethar steadied himself and nodded again. ¡°I¡¯ll count down,¡± he said. ¡°And Isolde?¡± ¡°Yes, Zethar?¡± ¡°Whatever happens now, it was all worth it to me.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± she said, her voice steady, though her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve. Her weight shifted forward, the portal casting fractured light on her face as she drew a shaky breath. Zethar checked the energy levels one last time. In the record highs. ¡°It¡¯s now or never,¡± he began. ¡°Three, Two¡­¡± They both extended their hands, tentative at first. Their fingertips met at the portal''s surface, and for a fleeting moment, Zethar thought it would reject them. But then, the energy shifted¡ªa delicate turn, like the unlocking of a door¡ªand their fingers connected fully. Isolde gasped as she felt the warmth of his skin. Zethar¡¯s breath caught in his throat. ¡°I can feel you,¡± she whispered, her voice trembling with awe. ¡°I can feel you too,¡± he replied. There was no need for words now. Suspended in a fragile, shared wonder, they let the moment stretch, its possibilities left to the future. Episode 13: Take My Hand Zethar and Isolde hadn¡¯t expected the experiment to go as well as it did. They had been too entranced to let go of one another''s hands for several minutes and now the portal¡¯s energy signals were becoming erratic. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯d better take a pause,¡± Zethar said finally. ¡°At least until the meter readings stabilize again.¡± Isolde nodded reluctantly, allowing her fingers to slip away from his; a single tear tracing its path down her cheek as she did. ¡°Please don¡¯t cry,¡± Zethar said. ¡°Do you understand what this means, Isolde? It means crossing over could be completely possible.¡± ¡°But how can you be so sure?¡± she said. ¡°Making contact through the portal is one thing. What you¡¯re proposing is another level of risk entirely.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± he said. ¡°But what I felt, what we felt just now? It was real. You can¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t feel that.¡± ¡°It was real,¡± Isolde agreed. ¡°And it was also the most terrifying feeling in the world, just before. When I thought I might lose this forever.¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°But you didn¡¯t,¡± Zethar said. ¡°You won¡¯t. I¡¯m right here. You can cross right now.¡± ¡°Or couldn¡¯t this be enough? Just like this?¡± Isolde said. ¡°I can visit every midnight when Aurelian isn¡¯t home. I know how to be careful. I won¡¯t get caught.¡± ¡°Isolde, it¡¯s too dangerous,¡± he said. ¡°And I can¡¯t stay on X3 forever. My superiors are breathing down my neck for wasting time. They don¡¯t know about the portal or about you. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they recall my mission.¡± ¡°Oh, Zethar,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I¡¯m too afraid.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll come to you,¡± he said, all the energy in his body raring to launch. ¡°I have nothing to lose now, Isolde. You are my sun, my stars, and all my moons.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°Aurelian would kill us both.¡± ¡°Then come here,¡± he said. ¡°We discovered the portal together. You¡¯ll be all the proof I need to submit before my superiors and we¡¯ll be well taken care of by the Bureau of Intergalactic Research. ¡°We can retire to any planet you like. I¡¯ll keep you safe, Isolde. All you have to do is take my hand.¡± Episode 14: If We Lose Each Other Now Isolde¡¯s mind swirled through all of the predicted outcomes, and questions without answers. Would the void, cold and infinite, be waiting to consume her if the crossing failed? Or would Zethar be the one to pay the price, caught in an energy surge too strong to withstand? And if it all went right, if the portal succeeded, what would she leave behind? Would her world become a place she could never return to? ¡°I¡¯m not ready, Zethar,¡± she cried, wringing her hands and inching away. ¡°I need more time.¡± ¡°Isolde, we don¡¯t have any more time,¡± he shouted. If his energy meters were any indication, the portal was on the verge of collapse. For two revolutions on X3, Zethar had endured every kind of storm. During the solar season, blistering winds howled across the barren plains, threatening to tear his camp apart. In the lunar season, ice storms trapped him in caves for weeks, huddled close to a fragile fire that fought against the frost like a dying star. Months passed without a word from another soul; each week heavier with the crushing weight of failure as his mission yielded nothing. Yet, despite it all, he hadn''t broken. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it The day he had at last stumbled upon the portal, and Isolde had begun visiting him, the discovery of it all seemed to him a great reward. For the dust, the solar burns, the eerie stillness of so many sleepless nights. It had all been worth it, the moment he first heard her voice through the void across dimensions. Now, as Zethar stood before the portal, asking her to take his hand and cross over to him, he could feel the wetness of tears on his own face. ¡°Isolde, if you aren''t ready to come with me, then I¡¯ll return for as long as the portal will let me, but if we lose each other now I need you to know how much you have meant to me. He continued. ¡°Isolde, I¡­I love you.¡± ¡°Oh Zethar,¡± she was crying too now. ¡°I''m ready.¡± She lunged toward the portal, her hand outstretched reaching for Zethar¡¯s. The portal¡¯s hum mingled with the crash of waves, masking the sound at first. From behind her, came the pounding of feet on the sand, quick and heavy. Before Isolde could react, a figure burst from the shadows and slammed into her, driving her to the ground. Aurelian. Episode 15: Just Let Me Go ¡°Ready or not, you''re not going anywhere, Isolde.¡± Aurelian¡¯s menacing voice dripped with venom. ¡°You¡¯re coming home with me and I''m about to ruin your life, just as I swore that I would.¡± As he spoke, the portal behind Isolde crackled erratically, its edges rippling with an eerie energy. The light within pulsed, matching the erratic beat of her heart. Zethar''s figure appeared, distant and distorted, his anguish undeniable. All around them, the air vibrated with unseen force. ¡°Aurelian, just let me go, I beg of you.¡± Isolde cried. ¡°This marriage isn''t what either of us wants. Let me disappear. You can say you came upon me drowning but it was too late to save me. No one will blame you because it will be an accident. You can marry someone else.¡± ¡°I don''t think you understand how this works, Isolde,¡± Aurelian said. ¡°You lied to me. You betrayed me. You are a disgrace to your family and to mine.¡± He leaned in closer, his fingers tightening around her throat with deliberate pressure. ¡°You deserve to lie in the bed you''ve made.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Aurelian¡¯s weight bore down on her, pressing her into the sand; the sharp edges of broken shells biting into her back. Her muscles burned with each desperate twist, but his grip only tightened until her limbs began to falter under his strength. In that brief moment, a single regret flickered¡ªshe might never have the chance to tell Zethar how she truly felt. ¡°And as for you,¡± Aurelian said, shouting back over his shoulder at the portal. ¡°Whoever, whatever you are, know this¡ªI will find you, and I will see to it that you''re dealt with. No one escapes my reach.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± said the voice of another man now towering above Aurelian in the darkness. ¡°Zethar!¡± Isolde cried. ¡°How did you¡­¡± Before she could finish, Zethar gripped Aurelian¡¯s collar, lifting him off the ground with a single pull. In one fluid motion, he twisted, wrapping his arm around Aurelian¡¯s waist and hurtling him into the portal with a brutal force. From the portal came a sound like a roar¡ªdeep and primal. Aurelian was swallowed into its depths, his figure disappearing into the swirling light, leaving nothing behind but the echo of his final words. You¡¯ll both regret this as long as you live.