Reveal

Aaron struggled to use his telepathic wave to stop Wisp, but her phasing through him left him jarred and unable to concentrate enough to hurt her.

“You won’t do so well against me,” Arie scowled at Wisp who stood laughing.

“You think I don’t know about you, too?” Wisp asked her before disappearing.

“Captain, you have to pull yourself together,” Clay spoke, keeping himself wary of any potential attack.

“Cap…Tain?” Aaron muttered as he closed his eyes, trying his best to make himself ready for combat. “No one else… Has said that besides…”

“A lot of us say it,” Clay gave a smile without breaking concentration. “You’re our leader.”

“Leader?” Aaron thought to himself. He wondered what it could mean. He never saw himself as a leader. He was always content to work alone or with others, but never as their leader. Clay’s statement gave him the drive he needed to come together. As he rose, he caught a glimpse of Wisp charging toward Arie. He motioned toward her as she disappeared in a flash of pink light.

“I’m not stupid,” Arie said as she appeared in the distance.

“I know that,” Wisp came into view for a moment. “I just needed you out of the way.” She ran toward Clay. Aaron could sense that she was attempting to incapacitate him, but stopped her before she could take any significant action. He blasted her with a telepathic wave, freezing her, but exposing her to psychic damage.

“I really hope you and your friends don’t think I’m going to let you keep hurting us,” Aaron threatened, knocking her into a nearby tree with his telekinesis. “And before you get the chance…” He drew her forward, reading her next move to dodge in another direction.

“I can phase through this, too,” she gave a weak smile, fading from visibility and moving around Aaron.

“But it takes more energy,” Arie spoke behind the both of them. She read Wisp’s movements and found her speed to be reduced, creating an opportunity for Arie to attack. She disappeared with Wisp and reappeared above the field. “Phase through this.” She dropped Wisp from the air, providing little chance of escape. Wisp panicked, unsure of her next tactic. She quickly decided to phase through the Earth.

Aaron could detect her movements underground. Though she could move through solid material or psychic energy, she was not impervious to his psychic senses. He found her and quickly moved her above ground, encased in dirt and grass.

“You have the chance to tell us everything,” Aaron said as he moved her towards him again, unleashing a battery of psychic waves limiting her ability to use her powers.

“I think you know how that usually turns out,” Wisp offered, growing weak from the psychic assault.

“Most things are worth a try,” Aaron said sarcastically. He let loose another wave of psychic energy in her head. “Now, tell us what this is about.”

“I won’t have the chance,” Wisp managed to shrug in Aaron’s telekinetic grasp. Her face changed to an expression of pain, relief, and fear. The earth around her began to glow yellow. Soon, the energy spread to her body, encasing her in a brilliant light. She managed to let out a slight gasp before completely disintegrating. Aaron’s eyes flew open in shock. He didn’t want her to die, even if she had hurt him. What he saw when the light faded did not induce the same shock. Jane stood away from him with a blank expression, her hand extended.

“I knew it…” He narrowed his eyes. They were violently glowing, preparing for an attack, when he heard a gasp of death near him. He turned to face Clay, an amorphous mass of magenta energy protruding from his chest. Clay turned to him, weak but smiling, as he used the last of his energy to send a thought to Aaron.

“Now you know everything,” he thought before his life ceased. The magenta energy retreated, revealing James behind him.

“I do,” Aaron spoke as tears rolled down his face. “Arie, you can leave if you need. I want you to be safe,” he sent a telepathic message to her.

“My country and I owe you our lives. I am not leaving,” Arie was resolved to help and protect Aaron to her absolute extent.

“I’m not sure if this is how things were to end…” James began walking to Aaron. “But I do know very clearly what I am to do now.” His body was surrounded by energy, emanating powerful psychic waves.

“Why? Why even help us?” Aaron asked.

“Because that’s what we were told…” Jane said silently from a distance.

“Because you don’t deserve the power you hold in the future,” James scowled.

“Jane?” Aaron whispered. He felt something different in her mind compared to James’. Did she want to go through with this?

“You don’t deserve the power. He does! He has a true vision for this world beyond your idealism!” James’ voice was full of rage.

“Maybe… But that doesn’t mean you get to kill me,” Aaron responded. His own body began to radiate energy, though this was only noticed by those around him, eliciting mild shock in each of them. “And that doesn’t mean I trust you, or him, whoever he is, with the fate of this world.”

“You should, you misguided fool,” James clenched his fists, readying an attack.

“I may have daddy issues, but at least I’m not foolish enough to believe your father is working in your best interest,” Aaron smirked. “Don’t let your guard down,” he quipped in James’ head before sending a psychic wave. The result left them both reeling. James was the first to his feet.

“How dare you…” James walked to him, raising an arm to hit Aaron. Aaron looked up, his face devoid of fear. As James lowered his arm, there was a blue flash of light. Aaron and James could not understand why the attack failed. As he looked around, Aaron caught sight of Miche and Campbell. They both were scared for him. Aaron saw something strange in Campbell, something which he had only caught an inkling of before. He was trying his best to protect him in whatever way he could. Many pieces came together for Aaron, and he finally understand who Campbell was.

“I swear, James,” Aaron rose, his body glowing, “You and your father are going to regret each and every move you’ve made against me.”

“And you are going to regret trying to do something about it,” James replied.