“Alright, before I make any move, I’m making another rule: no controlling my body unless I allow you. Got it?” Dante waved his finger like Phantasm was a bad child.

  It hissed as it waited for him to make his move.

  “Okay?”

  “Grr… Fine…”

  “Alright. I’m going with your plan. I will bolt through this door, run down the hallway, and launch into the sky.” Dante explained.

  “About time.”

  Dante stood at the locked door. Frustration mingled with the excitement of a newfound ability: super strength. He discovered it when he twisted the doorknob. It yielded, cracked, and fell apart; pieces jingled on the floor. Then, the door opened, exposing him to the office.

  Jeremy or whatever his name was, stepped backwards and stared at him in disbelief. “Who are you? Wha… What… what’s going on?” he stammered, unable to believe the mostly naked winged creature standing in the doorway. Dante wasted no time and sprinted past him at blinding speed. The wave kicked up papers from the desks as he dashed through the hallway and made his way to the office lobby.

  A wave of unease washed over him. The usual hum of activity in the lobby area halted as everyone turned to stare. A couple of receptionists were working the front but were quickly distracted. They were astonished and raised their eyebrows as they witnessed what they probably thought to be a deranged mental patient who got himself lost in the facility. He heard their faint whispers, loud and clear.

  “He looks oddly familiar.”

  “He’s rather… uh… ya know,” one of the receptionists blushed.

  “Yeah, but… what a weirdo. Running around in here dressed like that.”

  “What’s with that costume and the wings? They look real. Must've been expensive…”

  Dante thought they would have been more shocked by what they saw. It was true, everyone put their phones down to gawk at him. Instead of darting through the group, he walked nonchalantly to avoid further suspicion.

  “Hey! You can’t go out there! Security!?” A receptionist screamed.

  Dante bolted for the exit, his steps quick and purposeful. He slammed through the doors and finally reached the parking lot.

  The cool air outside offered a brief respite, but his sense of urgency remained. “Oh yeah, my car, duh!” He made a beeline for his car, hoping to escape the attention he had drawn. Once he reached the vehicle, he immediately realized his mistake. Since he didn’t have pockets, it meant he had no keys. There was no way to drive the car. He wouldn’t fit anyway due to his massive razor wings.

  “Urgh!” He growled. The car's frame shuddered. “They must be back at the office… but I don’t want to go back in there!” he muttered as he looked at the office entrance to faces pressed against the windows.

  “See, you must fly,” Phantasm said. “For what you are, you sure are daft.”

  Dante rolled his eyes, “Oh, shut up. At least say something helpful.”

  “Must I?” Phantasm sneered.

  “Watch, I’ll figure it out first try!” Dante nodded to puff himself up.

  The voice chuckled to itself, “Be my guest.”

  Dante proceeded to spread his wings and flexed them experimentally. “Okay, it should be easy enough. Just spread them out like this, jump, and flap.” He rubbed his hands together and prepared, “Okay. Alright. Here we go.”

  He knelt on the ground, pushed himself with his feet, and used unparalleled strength. It was potent enough to leave cracks in the asphalt. Unfortunately, he did not know what to do next. Like an injured bird, he plummeted straight down and slammed into the ground with a heavy thud. Large cracks originated from where his face was planted. To add insult, the blanket floated down and landed on his head.

  On the ground, he blinked, it was harder than he could have expected. With a vigorous shake, he pushed himself up and spit out some loose asphalt. Then he secured the blanket very tightly around his waist and tried again. He used more force. But the result was the same: a humiliating crash which caused the ground to buckle under his fall.

  “What is wrong with these wings, c’mon!” Dante growled, pushing himself up again.

  The repeated failures only added to his frustration. He had no control over his wings. And worse, he was drawing more attention. People gathered around, their eyes wide with shock and curiosity. The audience was recording, laughing, and whispering. Dante knew in mere moments he’d be all over the internet. Phantasm tried not to laugh, but even he found it hilarious.

  “What are you staring at? Have you never seen someone fly before?” He shouted, causing the ground to tremble around them.

  The onlookers motioned themselves cautiously away. Dante snorted and went back to his attempts to launch into the sky. Once more, he ended up with a mouthful of asphalt. He felt defeated as he slowly pushed himself up again and spit out the pieces. A quick scan of the parking lot displayed multiple potholes caused by his falls.

  “Ugh… this isn’t gonna work. I probably could run home faster than- wait… I could try a running start! Okay!” He darted to the edge of the parking lot. He was just about to take off when police sirens reached his ears. “Great,” he muttered.

  His eyes darted around, scanning for an escape route, but the police cars were already swarming into the parking lot, their red and blue lights strobing wildly. Sirens howled through the morning, echoing off the office.

  He was trapped.

  Or were they trapped with him?

  The tires screeched as the cruisers skidded to a stop, their doors flinging open in near-perfect sync. Officers spilled out, hands hovering over their holsters, confusion sweeping their faces. Their gazes locked onto Dante, an unnatural stillness in the center of the chaos.

  A brief hesitation. Then the sharp click of safeties disengaging.

  Tasers were raised, their pronged tips humming with barely contained electricity. The officers were tense, gripping their weapons tighter, waiting for a command, waiting for Dante to do something—anything—that would justify their actions.

  Dante exhaled slowly, his unreadable gaze sweeping over the officers. They didn’t understand what they were looking at.

  “Alright, buddy, let’s keep this easy. Hands where we can see them. No sudden moves,” a voice commanded over the cruiser’s loudspeaker, firm but measured.

  Dante exhaled and complied, raising his hands before resting them on his head. The tattered blanket draped over his lower half barely stayed in place. The officers moved in cautiously, their formation tight, weapons ready.

  “Control, we’ve got eyes on the suspect,” one of them reported. “Male, mid-twenties, minimal clothing… uh, possible disoriented individual. Stand by.”

  Another officer took the lead, his taser leveled at Dante’s chest. “Alright, just stay put. We’ll figure this out.”

  As they closed the distance, an officer muttered to his partner, keeping his voice low but alert. “What the hell are we looking at?”

  “I have no idea,” the other officer murmured back. “Ain’t there a mental health facility near here?”

  “Yeah, but I’ve never seen anything like this before.” The officer eyed Dante up and down, taking in his unnatural stillness. “And it ain’t Halloween.”

  Another officer glanced toward the others, his grip tightening on his taser. “Dispatch said he was… jumping. Like, straight up into the air.” His voice wavered slightly. “That ain’t normal.”

  Silence fell for a beat, only broken by the distant crackle of the police radio.

  “Alright,” the lead officer finally said, clearing his throat. “Let’s take this one step at a time.”

  The officers advanced cautiously, their tasers steady, but their eyes filled with uncertainty. One of them stepped around to Dante’s back, keeping a firm grip on his shoulder.

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  “I’m Officer Bigsby,” the lead officer said, his voice level but firm. “You’re being detained.” He immediately launched into Miranda rights, reciting them with practiced ease. He was about to pat Dante down but realized he only had the blanket barely around his waist. There was no discernible way for him to carry anything more.

  “Hands behind your back.”

  Dante complied, letting Bigsby twist his arms behind him and lock the cuffs in place. The cold steel pressed against his skin as Bigsby gave him a slight push forward.

  “Alright, let’s move.”

  As they walked toward the squad car, Bigsby spoke again. “What’s your name?”

  “It’s Dante…”

  “Got any ID on you?”

  Dante snorted. “Probably back in the office.”

  Bigsby let out a short breath, glancing at another officer. “Go check it out.” The other cop gave a curt nod and jogged off.

  Bigsby turned back to Dante, giving him a once-over with a skeptical frown. “You do realize running around naked like this is a crime, right? Indecent exposure. Not exactly a minor offense.” He squinted. “You all there, man? Why are you dressed like this? It’s not Halloween for months, and I don’t think there’s a convention happening nearby. So what’s the deal? You high? Drunk?”

  Dante forced a calm sigh, keeping his posture relaxed. “Not sure what came over me, officer…”

  Bigsby wasn’t convinced, but he didn’t press further. They reached the squad car, and his grip tightened as he guided Dante toward the back door. “Alright, watch your—”

  He grunted, struggling as he tried to push Dante’s head down to get him into the back seat.

  “What is with these stupid wings—” Bigsby grabbed at one of them, yanking in frustration.

  Dante smirked. “They don’t come off, Officer.”

  Bigsby let out a sharp yelp. “What!” He stumbled back, shaking his hand. Blood dripped down his forearm. “The hell—?! It cut me!?” He glared at Dante, then lifted his bleeding hand to the other officers. “Look at this! What are these things made of, razors?”

  One of the other officers stepped in. “You okay?”

  Bigsby wiped his arm against his sleeve, wincing. “Yeah, yeah, just—damn it, add that to his charges. Assault. Brandishing a weapon or… something.” He scowled, stalking off toward the trunk to grab a first-aid kit.

  Meanwhile, the other officers kept trying to maneuver Dante into the car, but it was proving impossible. His wings snagged against the frame, catching on both the top and bottom edges of the door.

  “Sir,” one of the officers finally said, stepping back and rubbing his forehead. “I think we need the SUV.”

  Bigsby, still wrapping his arm, shot an exasperated look their way. “Yeah. No kidding.”

  “Yeah, I think you're right. C’mon, buddy!” The officer said as he ripped Dante away from the squad car.

  The combination of their forcefulness and their condescension pushed Dante over the edge. Energy surged within him and overwhelmed rational thought. He forcibly wrenched free from the cops’ grip.

  “HEY! STOP!” The officer demanded.

  “No… no more!” Dante stood tall and turned to face the cops. He pulled his wrists away, snapping the cuff links like brittle twigs. He broke off the cuffs and sprinkled the pieces on the ground. The cops couldn’t believe what they were seeing and slowly backed away.

  “What the…?” one of the officers muttered, his hand reaching for his taser.

  Before Dante could respond, another officer fired a taser, the electric probes shooting toward him with a sharp crack. But instead of doing anything at all. The needles couldn’t pierce the skin, made a ping sound, and bounced off as though the needles struck an indestructible metal. There was no register of the impact, the shock absorbed and dissipated like it was nothing more than a nuisance.

  The officer’s eyes widened in disbelief as Dante calmly looked down at his chest and then at the ground, where the wires lay limp and useless. Then the cops drew their guns and aimed at him. “What are you!?” they demanded.

  Phantasm let out a faint whisper, “I’ll take it from here…”

  “Don’t hurt anyone…” Dante mumbled.

  Phantasm snorted, “Hmmph as if I’d waste my power on these insignificant insects!”

  The being within took over Dante’s body and sneered at the officers, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I don’t want to hurt you, but you are going to end up hurting yourselves. Now, get out of my way.

  In a controlled display of his strength, Dante shoved through the officers and stood in the center of the group. He spread his wings wide, squatted down low, and, with an immense amount of strength, he forced himself into the sky with one great leap. The concussive force of his wing beat caused the officers to fall to the ground. More shocked than hurt, they scrambled to their police cars and hid behind them. Weapons were drawn and ready to fire upon the creature they couldn’t understand.

  “I hope you know what you are doing!” Dante called out to himself.

  “Better than you do. I saw your laughable attempts. Laughable! Allow me to show you how to use your power!” Phantasm quipped.

  The ground quickly approached as Dante plummeted to the earth. Faster and faster, he nosedived to the asphalt and police below. If he were to hit the ground, what kind of catastrophic damage it would cause? He decided to give all his trust to the strange being that controlled his body. Phantasm knew better than him, as it claimed.

  When he was about to hit the asphalt, his wings snapped open with a forceful gust, caught the air, and allowed him to hover above the officers. His wings beat with utmost strength. The energy stabilized and the power of flight was under control. One last look at the bewildered officers, his wings burst with power and forced him upward. He ascended into the sky and darted away beyond the cops’ view.

  Dante whooped as he flew through the air. He looked down to see the city and farms on the outskirts. The wind did not faze him as he soared high in the sky. An experience he would have never had before, for his anxiety would not allow him to skydive. However, having such power changed his perspective of the word fear.

  Phantasm decided to play around with the ability to further demonstrate the power. He forced Dante to nosedive back down to the city and weaved around skyscrapers. As he passed by a pigeon, a deafening flap caused the bird to lose its balance. Fortunately, it steadied, narrowly dodging a window.

  “This is amazing! I’m flying! I’m really flying!” Dante shouted as he swooped and rolled.

  “Yes, yes, yes, simply astounding. Think you can take over now?” Phantasm asked raggedly.

  Dante gave a sheepish look, “Oh right, this is all you. Yeah, let me try.”

  With that, the being released its control and allowed Dante to fully take over. Shaky at best, he had some trouble staying aloft. His wings disobeyed, but he was able to establish his dominance over them. The ground rushed up towards him. Panic was setting in but then with a powerful flap, he was steady again. He had mostly mastered it, at least the staying in the air part.

  He glanced down at the streets to see cars stuck in traffic. It forced a chuckle and grin as he continued to blaze through the air. A quick attempt at a roll deemed successful, he was getting the hang of it. With a swoop back into the air, he was flying high again.

  Dante could have spent hours and hours flying around in the sky. Instead, he decided he needed to make better use of his time and make a quick trip to his apartment. Which didn’t take long, normally it would take a few hours in traffic for him to get home but flying cut off a major chunk of time. He could see the complex approach below and then formulated a plan.

  “Alright, there it is. First, take a shower and then put on a fresh pair of clothes. That’ll feel nice. Then… I can look for Tyr, wherever she is.”

  He swooped toward his apartment building and aimed for the rooftop in hopes of a smooth landing. However, the descent didn’t go as projected. Dante misjudged the distance and came in too fast. His wings flared out to slow him down, but the momentum was too much. Instead of a graceful landing, he undershot the rooftop and plummeted straight toward the lawn in front of the building. The ground rushed up to meet him, and with a loud thud, he face-planted into the grass.

  For a moment, he lay there, his wings awkwardly splayed out behind him, feeling a mix of frustration and embarrassment. If anyone had been watching, it would have been a comical sight: A powerful being, brought down by something as simple as gravity.

  Slowly, Dante pushed himself up, spit out bits of grass and dirt, and brushed off what stuck to his form. He gave himself a good shake and folded his wings against his back with a faint rustle. It took a moment to steady himself, but he quickly gathered his thoughts and made his way toward the entrance of the building. He quickly examined to see if anyone observed his embarrassing feat. Fortunately, no one was around, so he let out a sigh of relief.

  The mishap had been a minor setback, a reminder that even with an upgraded form, he was still learning. But now, standing before the familiar door of his apartment, he felt a sense of anticipation. The door was usually locked but for some strange reason, it was not. A quick brush-off of the doubt, he walked in. It was then that he realized, the blanket was gone. It must’ve fallen off a while back. I hope no one saw… I’m sure no one saw it! Not only that, but I was in the sky… but I was also flying by tall buildings… meh. Oh, well. He shrugged it off.

  Once inside, he noticed that the apartment was much smaller than he remembered. It also carried a heavy smell of mold and mildew. He could not believe he allowed himself to live in such conditions for so long. Every corner was another reminder of disgust. Even his chair and couch disgusted him.

  “Ugh! What is this place? Is this actually my home?” Dante gasped.

  “Not anymore, Dante. You can now live like a king. I suggest we finish what we came here for and make our way to find Tyr.”

  “You’re absolutely right, Phantasm. Great idea… for once,” he smiled with content.

  “Hmph.”

  Dante headed into the bathroom and turned on the water. It remained cold for several minutes until finally it was scalding hot. Of course, it didn’t bother Dante, not at this stage, since his skin was tougher than steel. The steam billowed around him and eased his troubles.

  As the water cascaded over his extraordinary wings, he couldn't help but be mesmerized by their otherworldly beauty. Their shape and form defied the norms of bird wings, and rivulets of water ran down the barbs of each feather and dripped into the drain.

  For the first time in a long time, he allowed himself to relax as the power continued to course through him. He could hear every hum the shower made, see every dot of steam, and hear every drop of water. It was a glorious moment. The water hit his face and cleansed him deeply. He allowed his mind to wander.

  What will I do next… now that my life is forever changed? Sure, look for Tyr. But then what? Find a new job? Find a new life? Everything is different now. I mean is this permanent? Will it never go back to the same? It probably can’t. Besides, after all that, I don’t think I can. I know I don’t want to live like I used to. But what can I do? Who knows when or if I find Tyr. The world is too big. She could be anywhere. Dante paused for a moment, something was awry. Wait…

  Dante sensed a presence somewhere in his apartment, and it was not Phantasm. He scanned the area with his X-ray eyes; nothing was out there besides his neighbors, but they were busy doing other things in their homes, no concern of his. There was nothing above him, either. It’s not like whatever it was had many places to hide in his place, it was a cramped studio. But whatever it was, it hid itself exceptionally well. Especially when it could hide from his heightened senses, but its presence couldn’t hide entirely, the energy it had was too strong.

  He stayed still, not wanting to alert the presence that he was aware of it.