The camp was quiet in the gentle glow of dawn, the soft chorus of birdsong weaving through the thick canopy above. Yet beneath the tranquil sounds of Themyscira's ancient forest, a tempest brewed within Koki Sarive.
He sat alone on a moss-covered rock beside a clear, cold stream, the water's steady flow soothing yet unable to wash away the storm of memories swirling in his mind. His fingers dipped into the water, sending ripples outward, but his eyes were distant, staring into a past that felt more like a lifetime ago.
Footsteps approached softly. Diana Prince's presence was calm yet commanding as she settled down beside him, the gold and white armor she wore gleaming faintly in the early light. Her glowing blue eyes reflected genuine concern.
"You seem far away," she said quietly, voice gentle but steady. "What's troubling you?"
Koki drew a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, the weight of his thoughts heavy in the morning air.
"Sometimes," he began, "I wonder how I got here—why me. Thrust into a world I barely understand, given powers I don't know how to control. The gods say I have a destiny... but it feels like a curse."
His voice grew softer, eyes clouding with memory. "Back in Tanzania… I was just a normal kid. I loved playing soccer with my friends after school, dreaming about a future I never questioned. Life was simple."
He traced a finger along the mossy rock, as if grounding himself. "Then, on my eleventh birthday, everything changed. A blinding light surrounded me while I walked home. I woke up somewhere else—Theonix said it was a realm between worlds. They told me I was chosen to bear a power that could save or destroy entire universes."
Koki's hands curled into fists at his sides. "It was terrifying. I didn't ask for this. I was scared, lost… and alone."
Diana's eyes softened, and her voice lowered with empathy. "You're not alone now, Koki. The burden of power is a heavy one, but also a responsibility. How you wield it—that is your true strength."
Koki's gaze lifted, his glowing blue eyes locking onto hers. "I want to believe that. But every time I close my eyes, I see the destruction the gods have caused. I dream of failure—losing everyone I care about, becoming the monster they warned me about."
Her hand reached out, resting firmly on his arm. "Nightmares are echoes of fear, but they don't have to control you. They can teach you to fight harder."
A sudden rustle in the underbrush pulled their attention. Raven emerged like a shadow made flesh, her violet eyes burning softly with urgency. "There's a disturbance," she said, voice low and serious. "The magical currents shift. Something old—very old—is waking."
Zatanna appeared next, her usual playful smile replaced by a rare gravity. "This isn't random. It's connected to the gods. They're gathering strength."
Koki rose to his feet, muscles tense with renewed purpose. "Then we don't have time to waste. Whatever this is, it threatens everything."
Diana nodded, spear already in hand. "We face it as one."
Together, they moved deeper into the forest, their footsteps silent on the soft earth. The shadows lengthened, as if the very world was bracing for the coming storm.
Koki's mind raced with questions—about the gods, his power, and what destiny truly meant. But one thing was certain: the past could haunt him no longer. His fight was here and now, and he would not face it alone.