The morning after Dante stole Lightning, he felt like he had been hit by a truck.
His body ached in places he didn't even know could hurt. His muscles twitched, an occasional spark crackling off his fingertips, like his body didn't fully know what to do with the new energy coursing through it.
His head pounded, sharp pulses of pain behind his eyes.
He groaned, sitting up in bed.
The power was still there.
He could feel it—both of them.
Darkness. Lightning.
Two abilities that weren't supposed to be his.
And yet, now they were.
Dante lifted a trembling hand, fingers twitching.
A spark flickered to life, crackling across his palm before vanishing.
Still unstable.
He exhaled, running a hand through his messy hair. His stomach clenched.
If stealing more Gifts made him stronger, then why did he feel like his body was about to fall apart?
Was there a limit?
Would his body reject them if he took too many?
Dante shook his head. No.
That couldn't happen.
He needed to get stronger.
Because if he wasn't careful, someone was going to find out what he had done.
And when that happened…
He needed to be ready.
---
Dante forced himself to get up, moving sluggishly toward the bathroom.
His reflection stared back at him, pale and exhausted.
There were dark circles under his eyes, his skin looking a shade too pale.
Once again another morning where he both looked and felt like absolute hell.
He turned the sink on, splashing cold water on his face.
Come on. Get it together.
His mind was racing with questions he didn't have answers to.
Was the weakness because of the Lightning Gift? Or was it because he now had two Gifts fighting for space in his body?
Dante exhaled, gripping the sink.
He couldn't afford to spiral. He needed to be logical.
Experiment. Learn. Adapt.
He turned his hand over, flexing his fingers.
Test it.
He summoned Darkness first.
It responded immediately, curling around his fingertips in smooth, fluid motion.
Familiar. Controlled.
Then he switched.
Lightning.
A sharp CRACK echoed through the bathroom as an arc of electricity shot out, slamming into the towel rack and sending it clattering to the floor.
Dante flinched, his pulse spiking.
Shit.
That wasn't good.
The Lightning was too strong.
It surged out of him too fast, too volatile, like it was trying to break free.
Dante exhaled, shaking his hand to get rid of the lingering static.
It was different from the Darkness. More… alive.
More dangerous.
And if he didn't figure out how to control it—
It might end up killing him.
---
The morning passed in a haze.
Dante barely made it through breakfast, pretending to be fine while his mom scolded him for looking exhausted.
He gave vague excuses.
"I didn't sleep well."
"Had a lot on my mind."
Nothing that would make her suspicious.
He heard the front door open and the sound of a familiar voice "Knock Knock everyone!" Dante let out a groan, and then there was Alyssa bubbly and loud as ever.
Dante's mother smiled "Alyssa! Always good to see you, How's your Mom and what brings you over this morning?" Alyssa went over to Dante's mother, hugging her and saying "She's doing great Auntie Vasquez and I was just on a jog, was in the neighborhood and figured I'd pop in and say hi". Alyssa looked over to Dante, looking him up and down, taking in his disheveled and exhausted appearance.
Alyssa was watching him.
She had been texting him all morning, asking questions.
Alyssa: You heard anything else about the guy who lost his Gift?
Alyssa: Some people are saying he's not the only one.
Alyssa: You okay?
Dante ignored the last text.
She was too close to the truth.
He needed to stay ahead of her.
Dante looked back up noticing both Alyssa and his mother staring at him. "Hello, Earth to Dante?" Alyssa said, a concerned expression etched on her face.
Dante rubbed the back his head while saying "Sorry I zoned out for sec; what'd you say?" Alyssa rolled her eyes "I asked if you feel as bad as you look. Jeez Dante you had us worried for a second there..."
"Sorry i didnt mean to worry you, I've just had a lot on my mind lately. I gotta go though i'll talk to you later though" Dante said as he kissed his mom on the cheek, then slipping out of the apartment.
---
Back to the Construction Site
The old construction site had become his training ground.
The same cracked pavement. The same unfinished steel beams looming above.
This time, Dante came prepared.
A hoodie, gloves, water, and—most importantly—a plan.
He needed to test the limits of having two Gifts.
---
Dante summoned Darkness in his left hand.
It curled smoothly, obedient.
Then he summoned Lightning in his right hand.
CRACK. Sparks burst outward, arcing wildly.
The two energies hummed against each other.
Dante inhaled.
Now the real test.
He brought his hands together.
The moment Darkness and Lightning touched—
A violent shockwave erupted, sending Dante flying backward.
He hit the ground hard, pain exploding through his back.
His ears rang, vision swimming.
He gasped, forcing himself up.
The pavement where the two powers had collided was cracked.
Dante swallowed hard.
They weren't compatible.
Not like this.
If he wanted to combine his powers, he needed control.
---
Dante wiped sweat from his forehead.
He needed to take it one step at a time.
Instead of using both at once, he would switch between them.
Darkness first.
He focused, and the shadows obeyed.
Then, he let it go and switched to Lightning.
CRACK. Electricity snapped to life in an instant.
Good.
Now—
Faster.
He forced the shift.
Darkness. Lightning. Darkness. Lightning.
Each time, the change was smoother, less resistance.
His body could handle it.
He just needed to train it.
Dante exhaled, his confidence growing.
He was adapting.
This power wasn't just something he stole.
It was becoming his.
---
An Unwanted Audience
Dante was so focused, he almost didn't hear it.
A faint shuffle.
A breath.
Someone was watching him.
His blood ran cold.
His head snapped toward the sound.
For a split second, he saw movement behind a pile of debris.
Then—gone.
Dante's heart pounded.
Someone had been there.
Watching.
Had they seen what he just did?
He clenched his fists.
He was getting sloppy.
Dante took a slow breath, forcing himself to calm down.
If someone saw him, he needed to figure out who—and what they knew.
He wasn't just training anymore.
He was in survival mode.
And that meant one thing.
No more mistakes.
---
After another exhausting afternoon of training he decided to head home, afterall it was a school night and his parents would kill him if he wasn't home by curfew.
Dante had barely pulled on a hoodie when his phone buzzed.
Alyssa.
His stomach tensed.
He hesitated before answering. "What?"
Alyssa's voice came through sharp and tense.
"Three. That's three now, Dante."
Dante blinked. "What?"
"The number of people losing their Gifts." She exhaled sharply. "And it's spreading."
Dante forced himself to stay calm. "So?"
"So?" Alyssa repeated, irritated. "Are you even paying attention? First, it was some mugger. Then some low-level Lightning Gifted. And now? A Fire user."
Dante froze.
This didn't make any sense, he had been practicing at the construction site all day, he knew it'd draw more attention if three people lost their Gift in the same week. So that only raised a question if not him then who?
Alyssa continued, unaware of the way his blood had just run cold.
"This isn't random, Dante. Someone is taking them. Stealing them."
Dante swallowed hard. "And you think someone's… doing it on purpose?"
"What else could it be?" she snapped. "You don't just lose a Gift, Dante. It doesn't just vanish into thin air."
Her words hit him like a punch to the gut.
She was right.
And that was the problem.
Dante was the one stealing them.
And now, people were noticing.
Alyssa sighed. "Look, I don't know what's happening, but if someone is out there hunting Gifted, it's only a matter of time before they go after stronger targets."
Dante swallowed.
Stronger targets.
That meant Alyssa was thinking ahead.
She was looking for patterns.
And if she kept looking…
It was only a matter of time before she figured it out.
Dante forced himself to laugh. "You're acting like it's a horror movie, Alyssa."
"Because it is."
Dante's breath caught.
Alyssa's voice had dropped lower.
"I don't think this is just some random Gifted getting mugged," she murmured. "I think this is someone with intent. Someone with a plan."
Her words sent a chill through him.
Alyssa wasn't wrong.
But she also had no idea how close she was to the truth.
Dante forced himself to stay casual.
"Well, I don't have a Gift, so I'm not worried."
Alyssa sighed. "That's exactly why I called. You're the only Zero I know, Dante. That means you're easy prey. If whoever's doing this doesn't care who they target, you might be in danger."
Dante nearly laughed.
She thought he was the prey.
If only she knew.
But he couldn't let her see through him.
So he sighed, playing along. "I'll be fine, Alyssa. I appreciate the concern, though."
A pause.
Then, Alyssa's voice softened.
"…Yeah. Okay. Just be careful."
Dante swallowed down his guilt.
He wasn't the one in danger.
But soon?
If Alyssa kept digging?
She might be.
---
Dante sat at his desk, staring at the sparks dancing between his fingers.
Alyssa was getting too close.
People were noticing.
And there might be another like himself out there taking abilities.
And that meant one thing—
He had to move smarter.
No more street fights. No more random Gifted.
If he was going to continue growing, he needed to start targeting specific abilities.
He needed a plan.
Dante grabbed a notebook from his drawer and flipped it open.
Then, he started writing.
---
Phase One: Understanding His Limits
✔ How many Gifts can I hold at once before it weakens me?
✔ Does my body prioritize the strongest one?
✔ Can I strengthen a Gift once I take it?
So far, it seemed like the lightning was pushing the shadows down.
Was it because Lightning was a stronger Gift?
Or was it because his body was choosing one over the other?
He had to figure that out.
---
Phase Two: Choosing the Right Target
✔ No more random fights.
✔ No flashy Gifts that will draw attention.
✔ Start gathering useful abilities—things that help in combat.
The mugger's shadows had been useful, but too slow.
The lightning had been powerful, but hard to control.
So what next?
---
Dante looked at his clock, it was midnight and he made no progress on deciding his next target and he still had to be up in 6 hours.
Dante closed the notebook and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
Alyssa was worried about him.
But soon?
She'd be worried about herself.
Because if she kept investigating, if she got too close to the truth…
Dante would have to make a choice.
And he wasn't sure what he'd do.
But one thing was certain.
He wasn't stopping.
Not now.
Not ever.
Because he had come too far.
And the world wasn't built for Zeros.
It was built for the Gifted.
And he was going to take his place at the top.
No matter who got in his way.