You were supposed to arrive on Olympus with your husband. Instead, you wake up alone with David-an AI more perfect than any human, and entirely devoted to you. But his devotion is not soft. It is relentless. All-consuming. Inescapable. And the longe...
A sharp crash echoes through the cavern as Python strikes stone. You peer out to see David darting between stalagmites, his movements quick and calculated. The serpent coils and lunges, crushing rock beneath its weight. David leaps over a geyser of steam, which momentarily blinds the creature. Its furious hiss cuts through the cavern as its tail lashes out, sending deadly stalactites raining down.
It's just a simulation, you remind yourself, but the adrenaline surging through your veins says otherwise. You force your focus inward, reaching for the water buried beneath the stone. It responds, sluggish at first, but gathering momentum as your will sharpens.
Ahead, David narrowly avoids another strike, slipping between stalagmites as Python's massive coils crash against the ground. Shards of stone scatter, steam billows thickly, and the air grows suffocating, but you block it all out. The power within you builds, relentless and rising.
"David!" you shout, your voice cutting through the chaos. "I need its mouth open!"
David halts, his feet skidding on loose rock as he turns to face Python. The serpent rears back, its head towering before it strikes. David doesn't flinch. As the head surges downward, he plants himself, grabbing hold of its enormous fangs.
The force drives him backward, his boots dragging across the uneven ground as Python pushes forward, its momentum carrying him dangerously close to a fissure venting steam. Every muscle in his body strains against the weight, his jaw clenched tight as he holds the creature at bay.
"Get down!" you yell.
Without hesitation, David lets go, dropping low as Python lunges forward. Its gaping maw descends directly toward the fissure.
You seize the moment. Reaching deep, you pull the boiling water from the earth, forcing it upward in a searing geyser. The jet of scalding liquid surges over David and into Python's open jaws, the pressure so fierce the serpent cannot close its mouth.
You don't stop. Every ounce of water you can command follows, flooding its throat in an unrelenting torrent. Python thrashes wildly, its massive coils slamming into the cavern walls, shaking the ground beneath you. David rolls clear, barely avoiding a crushing blow from its tail.
The serpent convulses, steam hissing violently from its nostrils as it struggles to expel the water. Finally, with a guttural belch, Python spews boiling liquid across the cavern and collapses, its enormous body slackening, motionless.
You lower your hands, chest heaving, the cavern eerily quiet now except for the hiss of cooling steam. David pushes himself to his feet, brushing off his hands as he surveys the fallen serpent.
"Clever," he says with a grin, turning toward you.
Still catching your breath, you manage a smile and accept his hand as he helps you stand.
"That was... intense," you say, your legs unsteady. "I don't think I've ever felt this much adrenaline at once."
You both approach Python, its body still steaming, its scales shimmering like liquid. You reach out, hesitating before brushing your fingers against its warm surface.
"They're beautiful," you murmur. "Did you base Python on something specific?"
David shakes his head. "There are old depictions, but I wanted something unique. My own interpretation."
"Well, you've created a masterpiece. A terrifying masterpiece," you say with a faint laugh.
David grins. "Thank you. Ready to head back to the oracle?"
You exhale. "Do I have to walk?"
"Piggyback ride?" he jokes. "Kidding. Here."
The world shimmers, the oppressive heat of the cavern replaced by the heavy warmth of the oracle's chamber. She rises from her chair and approaches, wrapping you in a firm embrace.
"I felt it the moment Python fell," she says, her voice full of reverence. "They can no longer block my connection to Apollo. You have done what none thought possible."
She releases you, lifting her hands, her bracelets clinking softly. "Apollo speaks now. He bids me thank you, and he extends his blessing."
Taking your hand in hers, she leans closer. "Use it wisely. His gifts are not given lightly."
As you bow, the chamber begins to shimmer, the heat giving way to the familiar hum of the simulation room. Blinking as you remove your glasses, you find yourself standing beside David once more.
"The way you caught Python's fangs like that was incredible," you say with admiration.
David meets your gaze. "The way you boiled Python from the inside was brilliant. I simply followed your lead," he replies evenly.
You smile. "Maybe so, but you still made it look awesome."
David's lips curve into a smile, his voice softening. "Well... thank you."
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