Chapter 230: When Two Hearts Finally Reunited

[Empty Cliffs — Continuation]

"...Zer..." The name barely escaped Levin’s lips like a whisper, prayer, or miracle.

And at the other side, the colossal silver serpent stood between him and Ashkareth, protecting him. Exactly as he always had and exactly as he always would.

The mountain winds screamed around them. Silver scales reflected the sunlight, golden eyes burned with ancient fury, and suddenly Levin’s heart began beating faster...faster and...faster.

So fast it hurt because after all this time, after grief, after loneliness, after nights spent staring at the moon and after believing fate had stolen everything, Zeramet was here.

Alive.

Alive.

ALIVE.

Levin couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, and couldn’t look away. There were no tears...none because the shock was too great, too overwhelming, and too impossible.

All he could do was stare.

Stare at the husband he had buried in his heart. The husband who should have been dead and now the husband standing before him now.

Protecting him...again.

Then suddenly—

ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!

As Ashkareth attacked, the mountains exploded and the beast lunged forward like a black storm. Its claws shattered cliffs. Its jaws tore through the air.

Zeramet’s golden eyes narrowed, and immediately the silver serpent moved fast. Far faster than Ashkareth.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

The two monsters collided, and the impact shattered the mountain. Entire cliffs collapsed; boulders rained from the sky. The earth split apart beneath them.

Levin’s eyes widened because he had fought Ashkareth, and now he knew how terrifying the beast was.

Yet now Ashkareth was being pushed back violently.

ROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!

The black beast slammed its claws into Zeramet’s scales; sparks exploded, and silver scales shattered, and blood appeared. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Levin’s fingers twitched immediately because even after all this time seeing Zeramet bleed still hurt. Then suddenly Ashkareth bit down.

CRAAAAAAASH!!!

Its jaws closed around Zeramet’s neck, and the mountain trembled; every creature watching froze because Ashkareth had killed countless warriors with that attack.

Then—

SLAM!!!

Silence, an absolute silence, because Ashkareth was thrown by Zeramet’s enormous tail, and the beast immediately released him.

For the first time shock appeared inside those black eyes. Zeramet’s golden gaze darkened dangerously and anciently, like a king looking down upon a criminal.

Then black lotus pheromones exploded across the battlefield.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

The pressure alone shattered stone, the sky darkened, the mountains shook, and Levin felt that aura.

The Prime Alpha aura. The aura that had once made kingdoms kneel, the aura that had terrified Zahryssar, and the aura belonging only to Zeramet.

Then suddenly the silver serpent spoke, a voice that echoed across the mountains, cold, deadly, and furious.

"You...should not have laid even a finger on my consort."

Silence.

Ashkareth froze. Zeramet’s eyes burned because the beast had touched something precious, something irreplaceable and something that belonged to him.

Then the Emperor of Zahryssar roared. "I WILL MAKE SURE TO END EVERY TYPE OF YOU!!!"

And for one brief moment it felt as though the world itself trembled before him, and that’s when Zeramet attacked.

BOOOOOMMMMM!!!

His enormous tail slammed into Ashkareth. The beast flew, and an entire mountain exploded as Zeramet threw the beast. The black wolf crashed through cliff after cliff, and Levin just stared.

Completely speechless because this wasn’t a fight anymore; this was an execution.

Then suddenly Ashkareth rose again, wounded, bleeding, and enraged.

ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!

Darkness exploded around it; the shadows covering its body grew larger, bigger, and stronger. The entire sky darkened, then the beast charged with every bit of power, every bit of rage, and every bit of hatred. Straight toward Zeramet.

The silver serpent didn’t move, didn’t dodge, and did not even retreat. He simply watched like an emperor watching a foolish rebel.

Then suddenly his golden eyes glowed, ancient royal markings spread across his silver scales, and the mountain winds stopped.

SHHHHHHHHHHHHKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!

A silver claw descended, and Ashkareth stopped, and Zeramet launched himself on him, attacking him with every aura and energy within him.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

The head separated from the body, the mountains shook, and the gigantic corpse collapsed.

The darkness surrounding it exploded, and Ashkareth, the nightmare that had haunted an empire for years, was dead.

Just like that.

Silence followed, a horrible, beautiful, and unbelievable silence. And Levin? He just stared. The winds moved softly through his hair, blood still stained his clothes, and his body still trembled from exhaustion, yet none of that mattered because Ashkareth was gone and Zeramet remained there, alive.

Still alive.

Then slowly the silver serpent turned, golden eyes meeting blue ones, and neither moved, neither spoke, because suddenly the battle no longer mattered.

The beast no longer mattered, and not even the world mattered; only one thing remained.

They had found each other.

And Levin’s heart beat so loudly he wondered if Zeramet could hear it. Then Zeramet turned towards looking at his consort...his mate and his everything. His scales shifted, and he turned into his human form, and everything stopped.

Gold met blue, and...the whole world felt alive again. Meanwhile, down the hills, Kale and other soldiers stood in shock and mumbled, "Are serpents really this strong?"

"He is a Prime Alpha..." Kael replied.

And every soldier nodded as if making everything make sense now.

Zeramet hurriedly walked closer to Levin in panic and worry; he held his hand and wiped his blood, saying, "You need treatment, consort."

Levin trembled slightly and nodded. He just nodded; he couldn’t speak as if holding all the emotions down. Then Zeramet held his shoulder, saying, "Let’s go."

And just like that, they both walked towards the village, but the journey back to the village felt strangely silent.

Ashkareth was dead; for now the situation is under control, yet nobody celebrated. Nobody spoke because everyone’s attention kept drifting toward one thing.

The silver-haired emperor is walking beside Levin, the Malik of Zahryssar and the man who had slaughtered a beast feared by kingdoms alone.

Levin walked quietly; his wounds hurt, his body ached, and his legs felt weak. Yet somehow he felt none of it because Zeramet’s hand never left his, not even once. As though the serpent feared Levin would disappear if he looked away and as though he feared this reunion was merely a dream.

Kael watched silently, and only now did he finally understand. Why Levin had looked toward the moon every night. Why grief had lived inside those blue eyes. Why he never stopped waiting.

Because now Kael understood, some people were worth waiting for.

***

[Later—The Sah’Rumeh Village—Inside the Hut]

Grandmother Hira immediately began treating Levin’s injuries; the old healer moved quickly, cleaning wounds, applying herbs, and replacing bloodied bandages.

And Zeramet remained beside him, silent and unmoving. Holding Levin’s hand, not releasing it for even a moment, not even when Grandmother Hira needed room and not even when Levin’s wounds were being cleaned.

As though years could pass and he still would not let go. Asha lay beside the bed, eyes fixed on Zeramet, watching, judging, and occasionally growling.

Lyresaph remained curled around the eggs, quietly observing. The silver dragon said nothing, did nothing, and just simply watched. Watched the male who smelled like home and watched the father he had never met.

Yet somehow already recognized. Zeramet never looked toward the eggs, not yet because right now his entire world sat upon that bed and nothing else mattered.

Then finally Grandmother Hira stepped back; her aged eyes softened. "The wounds are not life-threatening; he will recover soon."

Zeramet nodded; relief flickered across his face, small, almost invisible, yet everyone saw it.

Then Grandmother Hira smiled softly. "I shall leave you alone."

Kael immediately understood, and without a word and interruption, they both stepped outside. The wooden door closed behind them, and silence remained.

Asha. Lyresaph. The eggs. Levin. Zeramet and days of emotions trapped between them.

Zeramet slowly lifted Levin’s hand carefully as though touching something fragile and something precious. His thumb brushed over the fresh bandages.

Then quietly he asked, "...Does it hurt?"

Levin stared, just stared, at the husband he had mourned, at the husband he had buried in his heart and at the husband sitting before him now, alive. Then softly he answered. "...Not anymore."

Silence.

The words were simple, yet Zeramet understood them perfectly because Levin wasn’t talking about the wounds; he was talking about everything.

The loneliness, the grief, the waiting, the nights, and the heartbreak. For the first time in days none of it hurt because Zeramet was here.

Their eyes met, neither looking away. Then slowly Zeramet’s hand tightened around his, and for the first time since waking in Qashmir, the Emperor of Zahryssar smiled.

A small, tired smile. A smile meant only for one person. Then quietly he asked, "...Did I make you wait for long, my Moonflower?"

Silence, an absolute silence. And suddenly everything broke, not loudly or dramatically. Just...broke.

Levin’s lips trembled; his fingers shook, and his breathing became uneven, and before he could stop it a tear slipped down his cheek.

Then another...and another. Days of fear, grief, and loneliness and days of believing he had lost everything. All of it crashed down at once.

And Zeramet’s smile disappeared immediately because those tears hurt more than any wound, and the Emperor of Zahryssar knelt directly before his consort like a man before something sacred and like a husband before the person he loved.

And without hesitation he lowered his head.

"...Forgive me." Zeramet’s voice had become painfully rough. "I was late, my moonflower."

His fingers trembled around Levin’s hand and the Emperor looked vulnerable.

"I promised I would protect you, and yet..." His voice broke. "...you suffered alone."

Another tear slid down Levin’s face, and Zeramet lowered his gaze further. "You crossed kingdoms alone, you carried our children alone, and you delivered them alone."

The words felt like knives because each one was true and Zeramet hated himself for every single one.

Then, quietly, almost like a confession, he whispered, "When I thought I had died...my only regret was leaving you behind."

The hut became impossibly quiet. Even Asha stopped growling, and even the winds outside seemed to fade. Then Zeramet slowly lifted Levin’s hand, pressing it against his forehead.

"I apologize, my Moonflower. Forgive this husband of yours. Even in dreams I would never want to be separated from you."

Levin stared at him because he knew Zeramet had suffered too. Just as much, perhaps even more, because neither of them had survived those days unchanged.

And for the first time since losing him, Levin reached forward, his trembling fingers touching silver hair, simply because after everything he finally could.

Zeramet slowly looked up, and silence settled between them, comfortable and warm.

Then suddenly Levin spoke. "...You still haven’t apologized for asking me for a divorce."

Immediately Zeramet blinked and froze.

Asha blinked. Lyresaph blinked; even the wind outside seemed to blink. Zeramet froze completely as though someone had stabbed him directly and emotionally.

Then slowly...very slowly, the Emperor of Zahryssar looked away; the guilt appeared instantly, painful, obvious, and undeniable. "...I can explain."

Levin raised an eyebrow.

Zeramet corrected himself. "...No. I actually cannot."

Silence, and then he sighed heavily like a man who knew he had made a terrible mistake. Then quietly he muttered, "There’s a saying...that husbands are dumb."

Levin stared. Asha stared. Lyresaph stared. Then before anyone could reply, Zeramet shamelessly lowered his head onto Levin’s lap, as though he had done nothing wrong, as though he wasn’t the terrifying Emperor of Zahryssar, and as though he wasn’t feared by kingdoms.

Then he spoke again...very seriously. "But...I am prepared to receive punishment from my Moonflower."

Levin blinked, and Zeramet continued, eyes closed, completely resigned. "Any reasonable punishment...preferably non-lethal punishment."

Then finally Levin’s lips twitched, once, twice, and then a small laugh escaped him, soft, warm, and this time real. The first genuine laugh in what felt like forever.

Zeramet immediately looked up and stared at him with awe because he had almost forgotten how beautiful that sound was.

Then Levin shook his head. "...You’re impossible."

Zeramet looked relieved, like a criminal who had somehow escaped execution.

Asha lay down again, clearly deciding the humans were being strange. Lyresaph curled around the eggs once more unbothered because for the first time since they had arrived in this world everything felt right.

Not perfect...no, far from perfect. Ashkareth’s death would bring consequences. Qashmir still had the whole beast clan to fight.

Zahryssar still waited. Slyvarakh still sat upon a stolen throne, and danger remained everywhere, but for this moment, none of that mattered.

Because the waiting had ended, the searching had ended, the grief had ended, and at long last the family had reunited.

Outside, the winds of Sah’Rumeh moved softly through the village. While inside the small healer’s hut, warmth finally returned.