Prophecy

Chapter 67: Training

*Xavia's POV*

After our exhilarating flight together, Grace and I landed on our rooftop. Our wings faded away, and we were happily in our human forms. The moment we landed, I pulled Grace close, holding her tight. I wanted to feel the warmth of her body against mine; I'd never get enough of that otherworldly feeling. My heart was still racing from the thrill of the flight, but... there was something else, something more I needed to say to her.

And it was vital for me to vocalize it.

"I know I thanked you for taking care of me, but... I can't help it," I murmured, my voice soft yet filled with emotion. "I just want you to know how protected I feel with you... how much I love and need you."

Grace's lips curved into a gentle smile.

I love everything about her.

My mate's eyes shimmered with the same love and reassurance that always made me feel safe.

"That's exactly how I feel whenever you're with me," she replied, her voice as warm as her embrace.

I couldn't help but smile back, feeling a deep surge of affection swell within me. However, the moment was ruined as an odd ripple occurred in the distance, causing Grace and me to stand shoulder to shoulder, looking beyond us. Together, we stared at the unsettling sky above us; the colors shifted. Slowly, they deepened from a murky black to more of a dark maroon hue as the hours passed.

It was like the heavens were in anticipation of what was coming.

The clouds churned and twisted with a life of their own, a constant reminder that the world around us was far from calm. I could feel it in my bones—a creeping tension that something big was on the horizon. I glanced over at Grace, her face a semblance of quiet determination, and I took a deep breath.

A sense of foreboding rose in me.

My heart was heavy with the weight of what would come and what I was about to say.

"Things are going to change soon," I murmured, my voice barely audible against the almost howling, rising wind. "The Horsemen rose; we defeated them, but... our battle is far from over..."

We knew there was no time to waste—the battles we had faced were just the beginning.

Now that we had met with the mighty beings who had guided us and taught us more about what we were capable of, Grace and I were more determined than ever to become stronger. It was imperative that we kept up with our skills and abilities so we could face my father next. We needed to hone everything to prepare our bodies for the toll the skills would take.

Together, we agreed and began training relentlessly on the roof.

And it started now.

We pushed each other to new limits.

Our movements became more fluid, our minds more in sync, and each dodge, strike, and block was more precise than the last. Shade, Zechariah, God, and my mother told me my powers were limitless. I trusted them and created several fiery black-and-white training dummies we could use. When Grace saw what I did, the look she gave me warmed my heart, and I couldn't help but kiss her in response.

We worked together, testing our boundaries, which was incredible. As my mate and I continued our various sessions, one after another, I felt a familiar thrum of excitement coursing through my veins. Grace practiced putting up several barriers around the training dummies while I attacked them, but she also needed to train her mind to do multiple telekinesis tasks simultaneously. So, she summoned her endless celestial arrows and hurled them all at me. While I attacked the dummies and tried to outwit her, I, too, had to block all of her incoming projectiles.