Asenane woke up groggy and tangled in what was basically the aftermath of a night. She stretched—well, tried to—but immediately realized she was alone. Darling wasn't there.
She tried to hug the empty space, muttered some soft curse and then decided to sit up. And then, she fell down hard. She tried again to stand but couldn't.
Then came the migraine. This was a migraine that felt like someone shoved a miniature black hole into her skull and spun it around while someone screamed directly against her brain. She groaned, she moaned, she maybe swore in three different ancient languages that she definitely learned in her past life and finally surrendered to the bed, dragging herself back.
And, because this was Asenane, she immediately attempted to summon her Draconic Energy to stabilize herself. She called it forth, expecting a familiar surge but nothing happened.
Speaking of the mess, it was catastrophic. Sheets were twisted and mangled, hanging halfway off the bed. Pillows were scattered. Her discarded nightgown and mysterious set of silky scraps were strewn across the room.
There were faint traces of energy still hovering. The furniture—thankfully it was reinforced—looked slightly askew, because yes, even Spheraphasian beds could be mildly tilted after a night of extreme activity.
In short, the room was a mess.
Eventually, she struggled toward the stairs, dragging one foot after another. By the time she reached the final step, she misjudged her strength and nearly fell again. And then, Darling caught her effortlessly, holding her like she weighed nothing at all.
"Good morning."
Her voice was hoarse from both her migraine and whatever emotional rollercoaster she experienced last night.
"Rest."
His eyes weren't patronizing. To him, he realized she was already spent after one night with him in that… ahem… particular capacity.
"You need to rest. You've expended more than you realize."
She groaned, sinking back against the banister, rubbing her temples.
"I… I can't believe I feel like this. How is this even possible?"
"Because I'm an Aeterium. Think of it as a combination of Body and Soul Reconstruction and the Divinity of Love. The process heightens the experience beyond mortal or even most Divine comprehension. You aren't just drained physically. Your energy and soul is being pushed to the limits. Emotion, pleasure, physical exertion, they all feed into it. You just happened to experience the full spectrum."
"Full spectrum? That's… horrifying."
"It's normal for anyone who spends a night like that with me. Narisva might shrug it off but she's a monster. You're not strong enough that this hits you fully. Consider it me going all out.
Veneri lifted Asenane gently from the couch and placed her down, ensuring that she was fully supported. Her body felt impossibly heavy, though it was nothing compared to his strength.
"I'm going to use my Divinity of Love to soothe you."
He simply rested his hand lightly over her abdomen. Almost immediately, the air around her thickened with an intoxicating fragrance of peonies. She inhaled, almost instinctively, and as soon as she did, the throbbing migraine that had pounded relentlessly in her skull vanished as if it had been nothing more than phantom pain. The nausea that had curled her stomach in knots dissipated completely, leaving her chest lighter and her breaths less strained.
"How… how did you do that?"
"I've been experimenting with my Divinity of Love in combination with my Aeterium abilities, specifically Body and Soul Reconstruction. If we ever find ourselves in a large-scale battle, I need to understand how to extend this ability to multiple individuals simultaneously. You are my first test subject."
"First test subject? On me?"
"Yes. Although this is not just restorative. It is capable of compelling people subtly to act in alignment with what they perceive as the desires of the one exerting the Divinity, filtered through the lens of love. It's not domination in the crude sense but it bends will and desire in ways that can be extremely powerful and dangerous if... misapplied."
Her eyes widened. "Compel people… like make them do things for you?"
"Yes. Imagine someone who loves you genuinely. Under my Divinity, they will act with perfect attentiveness, anticipating needs before they are even expressed, performing actions with complete dedication and care, all motivated by the perception of devotion. And, as I said, it's dangerous. It can affect attachment, desire and even arousal if used recklessly."
Asenane let out a small, incredulous laugh, though it was tired. Divinity continued to seep into her senses. Her body, naturally cool to the touch, pressed against his chest instinctively and she hugged him, careful not to let him see just how vulnerable she felt. The warmth radiating from him sent a cascade of goosebumps along her arms. The contrast between her cold skin and his heat was strikingly vivid.
"You're experimenting on me."
"I need to understand how to calibrate this ability without harming anyone and you are uniquely qualified. You can feel how it relaxed you, right? That's the first stage."
"But how does it compel people? Can you explain it with an example?"
He leaned back a little. His hands still caressed her hair.
"Imagine a simple, everyday scenario. A servant is tasked with tending to a garden. Normally, they follow instructions. They won't dedicate their entire lives onto the garden because they have other roles to do. But with the Divinity of Love, the servant does the opposite. They water the plants at the perfect time, adjust the soil, trim the leaves exactly as necessary not because they were commanded to or because they fear failure, but because they feel a profound connection to it. Every action, every choice they make in that moment, is guided by devotion."
Asenane exhaled softly. Her chest was rising and falling in a steady rhythm now. Her mind was beginning to comprehend the sheer magnitude of what he was describing.
"And… you're testing this on me."
"Yes," he said again, gently, brushing a strand of her hair from her face. "You feel its effects now. Your pain and nausea are gone because the Divinity responds to openness and trust. The more you allow yourself to relax, the more effectively it works. That's why you feel better so quickly both emotionally and physically."
Asenane's arms tightened around him, hiding her vulnerability but allowing herself the warmth of his presence.
"I don't want you to see how much this affects me."
"I already can but you need not hide it. Not to worry though. My Divinity is not strong enough to compel Divines without me using some effort. You're just feeling the first stage which is relaxation and healing."
She remained silent after that, simply leaning against him with her head on his chest. The room was quiet except for the faint rhythm of her breathing. Before she knew it, she was asleep.