The next morning, Koki awoke to the soft hum of magic in the air.
Diana was already waiting for him by the entrance to a hidden cavern beneath Themyscira's sacred woods. Her armor gleamed faintly in the filtered sunlight, and her expression was unreadable—serious, but not unkind.
"This way," she said, leading him down a spiraling staircase carved into stone.
The air grew cooler as they descended. Strange runes glowed faintly on the walls, pulsing with ancient energy.
At the bottom, the cavern opened into a vast chamber filled with shelves of dusty books, floating crystals, and glowing symbols etched into the floor.
"This is the Sanctum," Diana said. "Where knowledge and magic converge."
Koki's eyes scanned the room in awe. "Is this like a library?"
Diana nodded. "But more than that. This is where you will learn to master the unseen forces—magic, mind, spirit. You've trained your body with me. Now it's time to train your mind and soul."
Before Koki could ask who would guide him here, a figure appeared from the shadows.
She stepped forward, a striking woman with raven-black hair, piercing violet eyes, and a cloak that shimmered like smoke. Her presence was calm, mysterious, and powerful.
"I am Raven," she said softly. "Daughter of a demon, guardian of balance, wielder of dark and light."
Koki swallowed hard. He had heard stories—of heroes and villains, of magic that could save or destroy entire worlds. Now he faced one of the most powerful mystics in the universe.
Diana nodded toward Raven. "She will train you to control the Infinity within you. The form that awakens when you're pushed beyond your limits."
Raven's eyes locked with Koki's. "Your power is a storm waiting to break free. Without control, it will consume you—and everything you care for."
Koki clenched his fists. "Then teach me. I don't want to lose myself."
Raven smiled faintly. "Good. Because you're going to need every part of yourself if you want to survive what's coming."
Over the next weeks, Koki's training grew more intense.
Raven's lessons were unlike anything Diana taught.
They involved meditation in realms of shadow and light, confronting his deepest fears, and learning to harness energy from his emotions—not just strength or speed.
"You cannot run from your darkness," Raven said one evening. "You must embrace it. Only then will you wield your Infinity with purpose."
Koki felt his soul stretch and strain. At times, the pain was unbearable. But each breakthrough made him stronger, more focused.
One night, as the twin moons of Themyscira cast silver light on the Sanctum, Koki sat beside Raven.
"Why do you trust me?" he asked quietly.
Raven's gaze softened. "Because even gods can be wrong. But mortals… mortals have something divine: hope."
Koki smiled faintly. "Then let's not waste it."
Back in the courtyard, Diana waited.
"Your next lesson," she said, "will be from Zatanna. She'll teach you to bend reality itself."
Koki's eyes widened. "This just keeps getting better."
Diana laughed, a rare sound filled with warmth. "If you survive."
As Koki looked out over Themyscira, his heart felt heavier—but ready.
The war of gods was coming. And he was no longer just a kid from Texas.
He was a warrior in training.