The skies over Earth were heavy with rain.
Down below the clouds, far from Aetheria's floating realm, Elara Vale closed the door to her clinic with a tired sigh. The scent of lavender oil still clung to her hands, and her mind ached with the weight of too many stories, too much pain absorbed from others. Being a psychologist wasn't just work—it was a calling, one she had chosen to help others heal.
And yet… lately, something felt missing. Her dreams had changed. In them, she saw two tall figures standing in the mist—one bathed in gold, the other wrapped in shadow. Their voices never reached her, but their eyes did.
Eyes that felt like memories she never lived.
She shook her head. "Too many patients, Elara. You're absorbing their trauma like a sponge."
She stepped into the rain, letting it wash over her. The city lights blurred in the puddles. Earth was loud and tired. Beautiful in its broken way. But tonight… something felt different.
---
Up above, just beyond the veil of clouds, Prince Auren stood on the Sky Gate.
The portal to Earth shimmered in front of him—an iridescent arc floating in thin air, humming with ancient power. His armor had been exchanged for modern human clothes. No glowing insignias. Just a long beige coat, a soft shirt, and quiet eyes.
"You're sure this is wise?" the Queen asked from behind him.
"She's my fate," Auren said, voice calm. "I'll bring her home."
And then, without hesitation, he stepped through the portal.
---
Earth was jarring.
The moment he arrived, the noises overwhelmed him—cars, sirens, the hum of electricity. Auren stumbled into an alley, blinking under the weight of gravity and man-made light.
He closed his eyes and followed his magic. Her presence pulsed like warmth in the storm.
And he found her.
---
She was sitting under an awning outside a quiet café, sipping a cup of chamomile tea. Her hair clung to her face in wet strands. Her eyes—deep, dark brown—stared out at the rain with a thoughtful sadness. She had the kind of beauty that wasn't showy—soft, tired, and strong.
Auren stepped forward, unsure how to start.
"Excuse me," he said gently.
Elara looked up, startled. Her eyes met his—and froze.
The world tilted.
Something inside her whispered: I know him.
He smiled—small, warm, open.
"Are you… Elara Vale?"
Her brows furrowed. "Yes. Do I know you?"
"No," he said softly. "But I believe… you will."
---
They spoke that first night for hours. She was cautious, skeptical—but Auren had a way of making even silence feel safe. He told her stories—coded truths wrapped in metaphor. About a world above the clouds. About a kingdom of magic. About fate, prophecy, and a search that had led him across realms.
He showed her his magic.
She didn't scream.
But she didn't say yes.
Not that day.
---
For a year, Prince Auren stayed.
He learned Earth's ways. He worked at a nearby clinic. He brought her flowers she didn't ask for. Cooked her meals when she forgot to eat. Held her through nightmares. Respected her silence, waited through her fear.
Every single day for 365 days, he proved himself.
And slowly… Elara broke down the walls she didn't even know she'd built.
Until finally—on the rooftop of her apartment under the stars—she turned to him and whispered:
"Yes. I'll go with you."
---
Far above, as the Sky Gate shimmered again, a figure watched from the palace window—Prince Kael, standing in silence.
He felt her presence before he saw her.
And when the light parted and she entered Aetheria, her gaze lifting to the floating towers, he took one step back into the shadows.
It was her.
The girl from his dreams.
And she belonged to his brother.