Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

A few hours later, they stood in the center of the arena theater, facing one another. Amy had tied one of the dresses she'd been provided into makeshift pants. Since their original clothes had vanished, they had to make do with what they had to practice. She tied his tunic into shorts that would keep him covered better than before.

He stood in the center of the ancient arena, feeling the rough stone beneath his bare feet as the midmorning sun climbed higher into the sky. The heat settled on his skin, but it was nothing compared to the surge of energy he felt coiled within him, simmering just below the surface. Across from him, Amy was stretching her arms, her pants cinched tightly at the waist, giving her the freedom to move. She looked focused, but there was a glint in her eye, a spark of excitement he hadn't seen before.

He grinned at her. "You ready?"

Amy returned the smile, rolling her shoulders. "Let's see what you've got, glowing boy."

Dante chuckled, remembering how just yesterday they had discovered the glow that surged through his body when he tapped into the strange, godlike power within him. His skin had pulsed with a soft light, his muscles brimming with strength. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before, and judging by the way Amy had watched him, she was impressed.

"Don't hold back," he said, lowering himself into a defensive stance. "We need to push each other."

"Wasn't planning on holding back." Amy winked, then launched herself forward, faster than he'd anticipated.

She moved like lightning, her fist aimed directly at his chest. Dante braced himself, feeling the air shift around him as her blow connected. The impact was strong—stronger than he expected—but instead of crumpling, his body absorbed the force, his skin glowing faintly as he deflected the blow with ease.

Amy's eyes widened. "You didn't even flinch."

He shrugged, feeling a surge of confidence. "I guess I'm tougher than I thought."

But Amy wasn't done. She moved again, faster this time, circling him with graceful, fluid steps. Dante followed her movements, his eyes locked on her. She feinted to the left, but before her real attack could land, he saw it—just the slightest shift in her body—and blocked her strike with his forearm.

Amy grinned, impressed. "You're good."

"Thanks," he said, panting slightly, but the truth was, he could feel himself getting stronger with every movement. The more they pushed each other, the more he understood the power inside him. And Amy, well, she was learning too. She wasn't just fast; she had strength that matched his own, and something else… something that gave her the edge in a fight.

Every time he struck out or shifted to block her, she countered his moves.

"You're reading me," Dante said, realization dawning. "You know what I'm going to do before I do it."

Amy nodded, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. "It's like I can see what is going to happen… a second before it does. Not all of your moves, but enough to stay ahead."

"That's... incredible." He hadn't even realized how much she'd been anticipating his strikes until now.

"You're not so bad yourself," she replied, circling him again, her bare feet moving silently across the stone floor. "But don't think that means I'm going to go easy on you."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he shot back, bracing himself for her next move.

Amy lunged at him again, and this time Dante was ready. He deflected her strike, then ducked as she swung a kick towards his head. She was fast, but he was stronger, and when he caught her leg mid-kick, he spun her around and gently—yet firmly—tossed her back a few feet. Instead of landing on the ground with a thud, she floated high up in the air before landing on her feet, gracefully.

"That's new," she said, her breath heavy. "You've gotten stronger."

Dante felt the power coursing through him, the glow of his skin more pronounced now. It felt natural, like this was how his body was meant to be. "I think I can do more," he said, a smile tugging at his lips. "Wanna find out?"

Without waiting for a reply, he launched forward, his fist aimed towards her side. Amy dodged it, barely, her eyes widening as she realized just how fast he'd moved. But instead of backing down, she took to the air in a graceful leap that carried her several feet above him.

"I can fly, remember?" she called down, hovering just out of his reach.

Dante looked up at her, his mind racing. How was he supposed to fight someone who could fly? But then, an idea formed. He crouched low, his muscles coiling like springs, and with one powerful leap, he shot into the air after her.

Amy's eyes widened in surprise as he reached her level, their eyes meeting for a split second before she shot higher, laughing. "Didn't think you could jump that high!"

Dante landed back on the ground, rolling his shoulders. "Neither did I. You wanna come down here and fight, or are we calling it?"

Amy floated back down, her bare feet touching the ground once more. "Alright, alright. No more tricks."

They faced each other again, both of them breathing heavily, but neither willing to stop. Dante could feel the heat between them, not just from the fight, but from something deeper. They were discovering more about each other with every move, every hit, every block.

"You've got more in you," Amy said, stepping closer, her eyes locked on his. "I can feel it."

"So do you," Dante replied, his voice low. "We're not even close to done, are we?"

Amy shook her head, a determined smile on her lips. "Not even close."

They stood there for a moment, both of them buzzing with the energy that pulsed between them. Then, as if by unspoken agreement, they charged at each other again, their bodies colliding with a force that reverberated through the arena. Birds scattered from their hiding spots as a wave of power pulsed each time they connected.

For hours, they fought like that, pushing each other to the brink of their newfound powers. Dante discovered that not only could he withstand Amy's blows, but he could also deflect them with an almost impenetrable force field. His skin seemed to harden with the glow, making him nearly invincible. Amy, on the other hand, could anticipate his every move, dodging and weaving around him like a dancer, her feet never touching the ground for long.

As the sun began to set, they finally stopped, both of them panting and grinning like idiots.

"I think we might be ready," Amy said between breaths, her hands resting on her knees as she looked up at him.

Dante nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Yeah. I think we are."

They stood in silence for a moment, the enormity of what they'd just discovered settling in. Whatever was coming, they were ready to face it—together.

"Come on," Dante said, reaching out his hand. "Let's go back before it gets dark."

Amy took his hand, squeezing it tight. "Lead the way, glowing boy."

They walked out of the arena, side by side. They were more than just human now. They were something stronger, something bigger.

As they made their way through town, they both sensed something was off.

"Where is everyone?" Amy asked him, looking around.

Then they heard the shouts and followed the screams to the water's edge.

"What has happened?" Amy asked a woman.

"The gods, they are angry with us." She motioned to the water.

In the distance was a wave the size of a mountain.

Dante's first thought was that it was a tsunami.

"Wait." Amy grabbed his hand. "Look. The water. It's not moving."

He shielded his eyes and sure enough, the wave hovered almost a mile off the shore.

"Should I go see what's happening?"

"Only if you can take me with you," he countered.

She glanced around. "Do you think we'll freak them out?"

He shrugged. "They already think we're gods."

She nodded and then frowned. "I guess we should have practiced how I would carry you when flying."

He stepped towards her and wrapped his arms around her body. "Let's try this. If you drop me, I'll only get wet," he pointed out just before they lifted off the ground.

Sure enough, only a few of the townspeople gasped or cried out at the sight of them flying away.

It took a few moments for them to adjust their hold on one another, making the flight more comfortable. Amy didn't fly like in the old Superman movies, horizontally. Instead, she darted through the air upright, which, thankfully, made it easier for Dante to hold onto her. The wind whipped through his hair as they soared over the waves, the distant shoreline growing smaller behind them.

"There," Amy said, pointing at a small form surrounded by the water below them.

When they got closer, Dante squinted and realized it was a small figure trapped in what appeared to be a giant air bubble, floating atop the dark sea.

"Theo!" Amy gasped, her grip tightening on Dante's arm as she almost lost focus. Her body faltered midair for a split second, but she quickly steadied herself.

Dante leaned forward to get a better look, his heart pounding in his chest. Below them, the small boy was curled up in the bubble, crying. His shoulders shook with silent sobs until Amy screamed his name. He looked up, and his tear-streaked face lit up with a smile as he saw them hovering over him.

"I knew you'd come," Theo said, standing shakily within his bubble prison as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "He said you wouldn't."

"Who?" Amy asked, flying closer.

A dark, rumbling voice broke through the air before Theo could answer. "Finally…" it said, the sound seeming to come from the depths of the ocean itself. "I've found you."

"Moros?" Amy whispered, fear rippling through her words. A figure rose from the water, dark as shadow and as cold as death. "Thanatos," she breathed in horror.

Every muscle in Dante's body tensed as his instincts flared to life. The light from his body surged, his power roaring in response to the god's presence. Amy's own light flared alongside his. Together, their energies combined in a burst of radiance that shot directly at Thanatos.

The god of death smiled darkly, barely flinching as he raised one hand and flicked Amy's attack away like a mere fly. "I see that it's true," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "You have woken, Pandora."

Dante growled, and before he thought about it, he pushed forward in midair as if preparing to strike, unaware that he was now flying. His power surged even brighter, and for a moment, Thanatos hesitated, his dark eyes narrowing as he studied Dante more closely.

"And Epimetheus," Thanatos murmured, his voice low with recognition. "This is a surprise. It seems most of your powers have returned as well." He smirked. "Haven't quite mastered how to fly on your own yet?"

Without warning, Thanatos launched forward with terrifying speed, his dark form cutting through the air towards Amy. Dante's reaction was immediate—he stepped in front of her, his arms raised in defense, bracing for impact. The power that burned within him reacted instinctively, a shield of blinding light forming around him. Thanatos's blow slammed into it, sending shockwaves through the air, but the shield held firm.

"Not today," Dante growled, pushing back against the god's strength.

Thanatos snarled in frustration, his dark energy swirling around him like a storm. He attempted to strike again, but Dante's shield flared brighter, repelling each blow with increasing intensity.

Amy, her body trembling with the effort to stay in control, shouted, "Theo! Hold on!"

While he fought off Thanatos, she flew downward in a blur, her hands reaching out towards the boy's bubble. With a burst of her power, the bubble shattered, releasing Theo from his prison. He fell directly into her arms, gasping with relief.

Thanatos stopped mid-assault, his dark eyes narrowing as he took in the scene before him. A slow, eerie smile curled across his lips.

"Once again," he said, turning back to Dante, who hovered effortlessly over the dark waters, his power radiating, "together, you are far stronger than we anticipated. But next time we meet, you will fall—together, as always."

With that, he vanished into the mist, leaving behind nothing but an ominous echo of his laughter. Dante's body still buzzed with adrenaline as he turned to Amy, who was now cradling Theo in her arms.

"Are you okay?" Dante asked, his voice rough with the aftermath of the battle.

Amy nodded, her breathing heavy but steady. "He's safe now." She motioned towards him. "I guess you can fly too."

He glanced down at himself and smiled. "Yeah, guess so." Then he looked at her. "Do I look as cool as you do?"

"Even better." She laughed.

As they floated back towards the shore, Theo whispered in Amy's ear, his eyes wide with wonder, "Thank you, Pandora… Epimetheus… for saving me."

Dante clenched his jaw. They were no longer just Amy and Dante. They were something more—something that even the gods feared.

And now, there was no turning back.