The sky over Elaris Prime was the color of ash, with fragments of shattered stars trailing like comets through the atmosphere. This realm—once a place of mortal peace—had become a battleground of divine interest.
And somewhere far from the screaming heavens, hidden in a forest cloaked in eternal twilight, stood The Refuge.
A sanctuary forged by Theonix himself, it existed outside time, protected by runes older than the gods. No god, titan, or celestial could enter unless invited.
It was here Sarive woke up.
The First Day
His head ached. His body felt heavy.
As he sat up, Diana stood at the edge of a stone courtyard, dressed in her white-and-gold armor. She was barefoot, eyes closed, meditating.
"You're awake," she said without turning. "Good. You've wasted enough time."
He blinked. "Wasted?"
"You're already behind. The gods are moving. Vorgos is watching. If we're going to keep Hope alive, you need to be ready for war."
Sarive looked at his hands. "You're serious. This is real."
She turned. "More real than anything you've known."
Hope's Laughter
Hope ran through the courtyard, barefoot, laughing as flowers bloomed with each step. At just ten years old, she was a living miracle.
"Tag!" she shouted, tapping Sarive's shoulder with a glowing hand. He flinched—and for a second, the energy she carried pulsed through him.
He saw flashes:
Diana, bleeding in the snow.
Theonix screaming in a storm of stars.
Himself—older, darker—crushing a god's skull with glowing fists.
Then it was gone.
Hope giggled and ran off.
Sarive gasped. "What was that?"
Diana's jaw tightened. "She doesn't control it yet. Her powers react to emotions—joy, fear, pain. That vision you saw?"
"It's a possible future."
New Arrival: Zatanna
The sky shimmered with runes and smoke as a portal opened. From it stepped Zatanna, clad in a new white battlecoat lined with spells. Her hat floated beside her like a loyal pet.
"Training begins now," she said, eyes glowing. "I'll handle the mind. Diana, you get the body. We'll awaken the Infinity in him together."
She gave Sarive a half-smile. "Hope likes you, kid. That means you've got about three weeks before every pantheon sends something to kill you."
First Test: The Mirror Gate
Diana led Sarive to an ancient doorway carved into the mountainside. Its surface shimmered like water—but reflected nothing.
"This is The Mirror Gate," she said. "To pass through, you must face your true self."
Sarive stepped forward.
The gate flickered—and a version of him stepped out.
This Sarive was monstrous: his eyes glowed red, his hands crackled with uncontrolled Infinity energy, and his expression… was empty. Cold.
"No mercy," the dark Sarive said. "No fear. No love."
And he attacked.
Battle of Selves
The fight was brutal. Sarive had power—but the Mirror-Self was faster, stronger, unchained.
"You're weak because you care," it hissed. "You protect Hope because you're scared of being useless again."
Sarive bled, gasped, fell.
Then he remembered Hope's laughter.
He remembered Diana's training. Her voice in his head:
"You are not power. You are purpose."
He stood. Fists clenched. And with a cry, he struck the Mirror-Self so hard, it shattered into starlight.
The gate opened.
He passed.
In the Shadows: A New Foe Awakens
Far away in Necra, the land of the dead, a pale figure stood over a river of souls. His eyes were hollow. Chains coiled around his arms.
His name was Mal'Kar, the God of Forgotten Oaths.
Once a keeper of divine promises, he had been cast down by Zeus and Odin for revealing too much truth.
Now, he hunted Hope.
"She will rewrite the rules," he whispered. "And in the new world, I will be king."
He opened a book bound in mortal skin—and wrote Sarive's name in blood.
Back at the Refuge
Sarive collapsed beside the river under the stars. Diana knelt next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You survived the Mirror Gate," she said. "That means you're ready for the next step."
Sarive looked at her, eyes wide with quiet awe.
"I'm still scared."
"Good," she said. "Only fools aren't."
They looked to the stars, where lightning cracked in the distance.
War was coming.
And this was only the beginning.