Dante had spent his whole life in the background.
The Zero. The guy people ignored unless they needed someone to look down on
And that?
that would all change.
---
Dante strolled around school, hoodie up, hands in his pockets, keeping his head down.
His body was still aching from Null's attack. His Gifts were still unstable, flickering beneath his skin like sparks waiting to explode.
He had to be careful.
But then, as he walked through the hall—
People were staring.
Whispers followed him.
For a second, panic crept in.
Did they know?
Did they figure out the truth?
His stomach twisted.
Then he heard it—
A voice, clear and genuine.
"Hey, Dante."
His head snapped up.
Stacy Archer was smiling at him.
---
Stacy Archer – The School's Light
Stacy Archer was untouchable.
Not because she was dangerous.
But because she was perfect.
Everyone in school knew who she was. She had everything—beauty, confidence, and one of the strongest Light-based Gifts anyone had ever seen.
She radiated warmth, like standing in the sun on a cold day.
And she had never spoken to him before.
Until now.
Dante blinked, caught off guard. "Uh… hey?"
Stacy giggled, tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear.
"I heard you finally awakened." She leaned against the lockers, her expression curious, interested. "Late bloomers are super rare. That's kinda amazing."
Dante forced himself to stay calm.
This was unexpected.
Stacy had never looked at him twice.
Now she was genuinely impressed.
It didn't make sense.
Unless…
Dante's eyes flickered past Stacy—
And landed on Zane Mercer.
Zane was watching.
And he did not look happy.
---
Zane had been trying to date Stacy since middle school.
Everyone knew it.
And everyone knew Stacy wasn't interested.
But Zane never gave up.
So now?
Now, seeing Stacy talk to Dante, smile at Dante—
Zane's hands clenched into fists.
Dante saw the fire flicker around his fingertips.
His jaw tightened.
Zane wasn't just angry.
He was furious.
Dante barely had time to process it before Stacy spoke again.
"So… what kind of Gift did you get?"
Dante hesitated. He had to be careful—show too much, and people would start asking questions.
But before he could answer, Zane stepped in.
"You've gotta be kidding me."
His voice was low, dangerous.
The hallway went silent.
Zane's eyes burned as he looked between them. "You? You actually believe this, Stacy?"
Stacy frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Zane smirked, crossing his arms. "He's lying. Dante didn't awaken—he's making it up."
Dante forced himself to stay calm.
This was bad.
Zane was already suspicious. Now, he was calling him out in front of everyone.
Dante had to think fast.
---
Before Dante could respond, Stacy rolled her eyes.
"Seriously, Zane? Just let him be."
Zane scoffed. "Fine. Then prove it."
Dante tensed.
"Show us your power," Zane said, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Right here. Right now."
Shit.
If he refused?
Zane wins. He'd get everyone to turn on Dante.
But if he used too much?
Someone might realize the truth.
Dante's mind raced.
Then he exhaled, forcing a smirk.
"Fine."
He lifted his hand.
Electricity flickered between his fingers, controlled, small enough to be believable.
The crowd gasped.
Stacy's eyes widened. "Whoa… That's actually pretty cool."
Dante fought to keep his expression neutral.
Then he turned to Zane. "Satisfied?"
But Zane wasn't looking at the lightning.
He was looking at Dante's face.
And there was murder in his eyes.
---
Zane's smirk returned—but it wasn't friendly.
He rolled his shoulders, flames licking at his knuckles.
"Let's see how strong you really are, then."
Dante's stomach dropped.
Zane wanted a fight. Right here. Right now.
The hallway buzzed with excitement.
Dante could already hear the whispers.
"A fight between a late bloomer and Zane?"
"No way he wins."
"But did you see that lightning? Maybe…"
Dante needed to get out of this.
If he fought Zane now, people would start asking questions.
And worse?
He wasn't sure if he could win.
Not in a public fight.
Not without revealing too much.
But before Dante could say anything—
Stacy stepped between them.
"That's enough, Zane." Her voice was sharp, full of authority. "This isn't a fight club. If you want to punch something, go hit a wall."
The air shifted.
Zane's jaw tightened. His ego was on the line.
But Stacy wasn't just anyone.
She was the girl he had been chasing for years.
And she was siding with Dante.
Zane took a slow step back, but his gaze never left Dante.
"This isn't over, Zero."
Dante smirked. "It never is."
Zane turned and stormed off.
The crowd slowly dispersed.
But Stacy didn't move.
She looked at Dante again, and this time—
Her expression softened.
"Don't let him get to you," she said. "Zane's just… Zane."
Dante chuckled. "Yeah. I figured that out by now."
Stacy smiled.
Then—she reached out.
Dante froze as she lightly touched his wrist.
A warmth spread through his skin. Not just from her power, but from her.
"See you around, Dante."
Then she walked away.
Leaving him completely stunned.
---
Dante barely made it through the rest of the day.
Stacy Archer had touched him. Talked to him. Defended him.
And now?
Zane wanted his head on a plate.
Dante leaned against the lockers, exhaling.
Things had changed.
People were watching him now.
Zane was watching him.
And Stacy?
She wasn't just noticing him.
She was interested.
And that?
That was dangerous.
Because the last thing Dante needed was for someone like Stacy to get close enough to see who he really was.
But as he looked down at his wrist, where her fingers had been—
He realized something else.
Maybe he didn't want her to stay away.
And that?
That might be the biggest problem of all.
---
Dante smirked thinking he had played it off perfectly.
Alyssa believed him.
The students believed him.
The teachers believed him.
But Zane didn't.
And that was a problem.
Dante had spent years being ignored, ridiculed, seen as nothing.
Now?
Eyes were on him. He'll even Stacy Archer herself noticed him!
He could feel them—watching, waiting, questioning.
Zane had always been a thorn in his side, but now?
Now he was a threat.
If he figured out the truth…
Dante clenched his fists.
Zane couldn't figure out the truth.
The rest of the school day dragged on.
Dante kept up appearances, answering Alyssa's questions with just enough detail to seem convincing.
But Zane?
Zane was always there.
Lurking.
Dante caught him in the hallways, at lunch, even outside the school gates.
Every time Dante glanced over—
Zane was watching.
Like a predator waiting for its prey to slip up.
Dante's stomach twisted.
He needed to do something.
Fast.
---
By the time Dante got home, he was exhausted.
His body ached from his fight with Null.
His mind burned from keeping up his lie.
But he couldn't rest.
He couldn't afford to be weak.
Dante grabbed his hoodie and slipped out of the apartment, making his way to the abandoned construction site.
His usual training ground.
The place where he was reborn.
Tonight, he needed answers.
---
He needed to push his limits; Dante summoned the shadows first.
They responded immediately, swirling around him like smoke.
Good.
Then—
He switched to Lightning.
CRACK.
The sparks snapped to life, flickering wildly at his fingertips.
But the moment he tried to use them together—
A sharp pain shot through his chest.
Dante gasped, stumbling back.
His body rejected it.
Just like before.
He grit his teeth, trying again.
Shadows.
Lightning.
Shadows.
Lightning.
Each time he switched, the pain worsened.
His vision blurred. His pulse pounded in his skull.
Dante collapsed onto one knee, panting.
His body wasn't adapting fast enough.
And that terrified him.
---
Dante forced himself up, shaking off the dizziness.
He couldn't stop.
He had to keep pushing—
Then—
A snap of a twig.
Dante froze.
Someone was here.
Watching.
His blood ran cold.
Was it Null?
No. The presence felt different.
Not cold.
Not empty.
Focused.
Deliberate.
Dante's heart pounded.
Slowly, he turned—
And locked eyes with Zane.
---
Zane stood near the entrance of the construction site, arms crossed, watching him like a hawk.
Dante's pulse spiked.
"How long have you been there?" he asked, keeping his voice steady.
Zane smirked. "Long enough."
Dante tensed.
That wasn't good.
Zane had seen him.
His training. His abilities.
The lie was broken.
Dante needed to think. Fast.
---
Zane took a slow step forward.
"You know," he mused, "I always knew there was something off about you."
Dante stayed quiet.
Waiting.
Zane continued, voice dripping with suspicion.
"But this? This is interesting."
Dante forced a smirk. "Didn't know you were into late-night stalking, Mercer."
Zane chuckled. "Didn't know you were into lying, Vasquez."
Dante's fingers twitched.
Shadows stirred at his feet.
Zane's smirk widened.
"Caught you."
---
Dante moved first.
A shadow whip lashed out—
Fast. Precise.
But Zane was ready.
His hand shot up, a wall of fire erupting between them.
The shadows vanished in the heat.
Dante barely had time to react before Zane's flaming fist came swinging at his face.
He ducked—just barely.
Heat seared his cheek.
Zane was serious.
Dante had to be faster.
---
Lightning cracked from Dante's fingertips.
Zane countered with a wave of fire.
Sparks and embers collided, casting flickering light across the site.
Dante dashed to the side, circling.
Zane followed, keeping pace.
The bastard was smirking.
He was enjoying this.
Dante gritted his teeth.
He refused to lose again.
Not after Null.
Not now.
---
Zane lunged, fire bursting from his fists—
Dante ducked, shadows twisting around him—
Then—
He vanished.
Zane blinked.
"What the—?"
Dante reappeared behind him.
Lightning slammed into Zane's back.
He cried out, stumbling forward.
Dante didn't let up.
Another bolt—
Zane rolled away, flames surging around him in defense.
Dante grinned.
He was faster.
Stronger.
Zane had power—but he didn't have stolen power.
Dante did.
And that made him better.
---
Zane panted, glaring at him.
"You're really full of yourself, huh?"
Dante smirked. "Starting to figure that out?"
Zane gritted his teeth.
Then—
He charged.
Fire erupted from his hands—
A desperate attack.
Dante sidestepped, shadows wrapping around his leg—
And swept Zane's feet out from under him.
Zane hit the ground, hard.
Before he could recover—
Dante was on him.
Lightning crackled in his palm.
A direct hit to Zane's chest would end this.
Zane's eyes widened.
For the first time—
He looked afraid.
Dante's pulse raced.
This was it.
He could take Zane's Gift.
One touch.
One shock.
And it would be his.
---
Dante hesitated.
Zane wasn't some random thug.
He wasn't a stranger.
He had been a thorn in his side for years—but he wasn't a bad person.
Stealing from criminals was one thing.
Stealing from someone like Zane…
Was another.
His chest tightened.
This wasn't just about power anymore.
It was about who he was becoming.
And if he did this…
There was no going back.
---
Before Dante could make a choice—
A sharp whistle cut through the air.
Both boys froze.
Dante's blood ran cold.
He knew that sound.
Slowly, he turned—
And his stomach dropped.
Null stood on a nearby rooftop, watching them.
The mask. The stance. The cold presence.
Dante staggered back.
No.
Not now.
Null's voice was calm.
"Seems like you're making friends."
Dante's heart pounded, feeling like it could explode any minute.
Zane followed his gaze—
And for the first time, he looked just as afraid.
Null tilted their head.
Then, softly—
"Don't stop on my account."
Dante's hands shook.
Because this wasn't over.
Not by a long shot.
All he knew for sure was one thing; he looked to Zane and said "We need to run; now!"