Page 26 of The Stars

Moros, the god of doom and darkness, circled above them, surrounded by winged, shadowy figures—his army of Harpies or demi-gods. Their eyes gleamed red as they swooped into the silo, cutting through the panicked crowd like a storm of death.

In a single wave, half of the people inside were struck down. Bodies fell around Amy, lifeless before they even hit the ground. The air was filled with screams of terror and the metallic scent of blood.

“Xtina! Jess!” Hope screamed, her voice cracking. Amy turned just in time to see her friends—Xtina, Jess, and the others—band together, trying to form a circle of defense against the onslaught. Xtina’s and Jess’s bodies glowed with power, the air around them sparking with electricity. Jess’s hands weaved intricate patterns, casting spells of protection as fast as her fingers could move, shooting lightning bolts from her fingertips. Mia shifted into the massive dragon, while Lucas changed into a huge black three-headed dog and took out half a dozen of the demi-gods with one blow.

But it wasn’t enough. One by one, they were struck down, their bodies collapsing in brutal flashes of light.

Amy’s breath came in ragged gasps as the horror unfolded before her eyes. She turned, desperate to find Joe, her nieces, and her nephew. And there they were—Luna, Stella, Orion—all lying injured and bleeding, struggling to move, or already dead. Joe hovered over them, tears in his eyes as he screamed.

“No!” The word tore from her throat, but her legs felt heavy, her body rooted in place by fear. She couldn’t reach them. She couldn’t help them.

Hope grabbed her arm, pulling her closer. “Amy, listen to me!” she yelled. “You have to run! There’s nothing you can do! Not during this time.”

But something snapped deep inside her. The sight of the children—their small, fragile bodies lying broken—triggered something deep within her, something primal, something she couldn’t contain.

Her body shook violently, a surge of energy bubbling up inside her from deep down. She felt it building, pressing against the very fabric of her being, desperate to be released.

“Amy—” Hope’s voice was distant like it was being swallowed by the roaring storm around them. But Amy couldn’t hear anything clearly anymore. The power was too loud. Too demanding.

She opened her mouth, and a scream erupted from her—a scream so powerful, so filled with raw energy, that the very air around them seemed to tremble.

Moros and his army faltered.

The dark Harpies and demi-gods staggered mid-flight, their shadows flickering as if struggling to hold their form. Moros turned his golden glowing gaze onto her, his expression twisting into one of recognition, then surprise, and finally... fear.

The god of doom, the bringer of darkness, the destroyer of worlds, feared her.

Amy collapsed to her knees, the energy still pulsing within her but less violently now, more controlled. She panted, her body drenched in sweat, her heart pounding like a war drum.

“Pandora...” Moros’s voice was a low rumble, filled with rage and something else. Dread. In one quick move, his hands rose and pointed directly at her. A bright flash. A quick burst of pain.

Amy’s vision blurred, her body heavy as she collapsed onto the rocky ground. Her limbs trembled from the force of Moros’ attack, his dark power coursing through her veins like poison. Everything around her seemed to fade into nothingness—except for one thought.

Dante.

She was supposed to see Dante again.

“I will stop you,” she whispered, her voice trembling. She tried to summon the strength to stand, but her body betrayed her.

Power pulsed from Moros and shot straight towards her again. She heard screaming, felt pain like she’d never felt before. Then, darkness crept into her vision. Moros’ sinister grin was the last thing she saw before everything went black.

When Amy awoke, the world around her was still. The sound of distant birds singing and a soft warm breeze caressing her face felt surreal after the chaos she’d just escaped. The first thing she noticed was a face—a young boy, perhaps no older than ten, peering down at her with wide, curious eyes.

“Are you alive?” the boy asked, his voice full of concern and wonder.

Amy’s throat was dry as she tried to respond. “Where...? Where am I?”

“You’re at the base of Mount Cythus,” the boy said, his words gentle as he reached down to help her sit up. His hands were small but surprisingly strong. “You appeared out of nowhere. Are you a goddess? Are you hurt? I didn’t know gods could get hurt.” He frowned slightly.

She tried to speak but winced as a sharp pain shot through her chest. She was weak, too weak to fight back if Moros returned. She needed time to recover, to get to Dante. She had to...

“Theo,” the boy said, introducing himself with a warm smile. “My name is Theo. I’m a farmer, well, a goat herder. Are you a goddess?” he asked again.

Amy blinked, unsure how to respond to that question. Her mind was hazy, still reeling from the battle. “No... I’m... I’m just…”

Theo’s eyes widened as he glanced down at something beside her. Amy followed his gaze and saw her cell phone, which had fallen from her coat pocket, lying in the dirt beside her. It had slipped out without her noticing. Theo looked at it in awe, as though it were some sacred artifact.

“Is this box... from the gods?” Theo whispered, reverently picking up the phone and holding it up to her.