Therapy in hell

Days pass in a similar manner, though surprisingly less explosive. The mission comes quickly, and most recruits come prepared to loot anything valuable and retreat behind their firing line.

The streets are rubble. Most buildings have completely collapsed. Large roots seem to wrap around the largest buildings, like vines trying to suffocate the last vestiges of human construction. Distant roars and screeches echo through the destroyed urban hellscape.

Blasts echo out as a prismatic array of flames dances down a ruined city street. The attacks target a 30ft tall black-maned lion. The great beast roars, and the soundwaves shake the ground, even cracking the concrete nearby. A sharp needle of neon-green fire launches from Gus' hand, striking the beast in its eye. 

The lion uses its good eye to gaze at Gus, readying its charge, but Aaron charges directly at the beast, jumping impossibly high, with violet flame pulsing around his hands. He raises his fists together and brings them down like a hammer on the lion's head, smashing down into its skull until its death throughs ceases.

"We killed Scar!" Darian calls out excitedly.

"Now is not the time for your references!" Corporal Cadence admonishes before ordering, "Everyone forward! We want to cover another two blocks!"

Aaron waits until everyone has moved in behind him, leading the way as a shield. He begins gathering energy around him, preparing for their next encounter. The streets remain mostly empty. Few recruits are capable of carrying much more, and with limited transportation still available, they begin forming together, readying for their return.

"Clear!" The Corporal calls out, continuing the sweep for any remaining beasts nearby.

"We're barely even meals for creatures that big; why even bother trying to eat us?" Darian questions anyone listening.

"I imagine it has something to do with energy. We're likely more concentrated than other beasts." Imogen speculates.

Aaron continues leading them on without speaking. Seeing the ruins of his former home with no sign of survivors, let alone lost acquaintances, leaves him trapped between hopelessness and rage.

"You're doing well; stay focused." The Corporal calls to Aaron, seeing his tension.

The sounds of heavy beating in time with many feet begin to drown out nearby chatter. A swarm of mice, each 8 feet tall on all fours, pours around a corner down the street. Everyone falls in and begins conjuring energy in a firing line. Slivers of hard fire rocket from the groups' hands against the incoming tide. Each beast charges mindlessly, not being slowed by the pain. A few bolts in each head manage to take them out, but the swarm approaches quickly.

Aaron pulls forward, gathering his remaining energy into a dense ball. He looks into his mind and tries to link an intention for the energy to explode.

The fireball rockets out, slamming into the fastest of the waves of mice, burrowing deep into its flesh. A wave of deep violet erupts in all directions as the remaining beasts pass the corpse of the target.

Almost the entire pack is caught in the blast; the violet energy consumes everything it touches, leaving nothing but ashes remaining.

"Strike!" Gus calls out in praise.

"Spare," Imogen responds quickly, targeting the few remaining rodents. The beasts falling shortly after.

Aaron heaves a tired sigh. The defeat of the mice forces merely marks his opportunity to regain energy.The cycle tires Aaron out, but within a few minutes he is ready to continue on with their march.

"We seriously couldn't get this far without you." Darian comments, eliciting a quick glance of mocking astonishment from Aaron.

"Changed your tune in two days, that's a record." Aaron returns sarcastically.

"I can't even make fire yet; you're throwing giant fireballs. That doesn't change that it's fucked up." Darian retorts, but keeps further complaints to himself.

The return to the base marks the first successful mission. However short of a mission it turned out to be, keeping as many people as possible alive is the only true goal left.

"Everyone rest. Next mission tomorrow." Headmaster Case curtly addresses. The headmaster turns his focus towards Corporal Cadence, who immediately gives him a full report of their success.

"Mr. Maker?" Case questions after her report finishes.

"He is adjusting well; stronger, better control. With every encounter, his recovery is getting faster." The Corporal reports in a light hush.

"And the other Anomalies?" The headmaster continues.

"Nothing as of yet."

Each recruit that joined the mission takes off to their respective rooms. Aaron, however, is closely followed by Darian, Gus, Imogen, and Beau bringing up the rear.

Aaron looks back tiredly at his followers, saying, 

"I guess you're all coming to my room." He hoped that his demeanor would dissuade at least some, but everyone just nods their heads and waits for him to continue. A slight sigh is Aaron's only response before he leads them all to his room.

As the group enters Aaron's room, he vaguely gestures that they make themselves comfortable. He sits across from his bed, on the floor with his back pressed against the wall.

"Did you all want something?" Aaron asks as everyone comes to rest, though Beau seems to just stand by the door awkwardly.

Gus is about to speak up from his spot at the foot of the bed, but Imogen, who sits nearby, speaks out first.

"We know your Anomaly doesn't actually affect your ability to use energy, right? So most of the things you can do, aside from the stealing energy and healing... and super endurance... Have I said I hate you yet?"

"Hah" Aaron laughs softly, but his eyes cast down. He wasn't wounded by her words, as he understood they weren't serious, but his own self-perception.

"Yeah, none of that." Darian calls, while pushing Aaron with his foot to keep his friend's mind on track.

"Right, sorry." Imogen offers apologetically, but continues,

"My point is, your abilities do not affect how you use or store energy. So can you teach us how to control the energy outside of our bodies? I know you came up with it to deal with a downside of your ability, but the same techniques would still allow us to store and prepare more." 

Aaron looks across the group, trying to decide how to best describe how he controls energy. He closes his eyes and begins gathering energy around him again, having decided a step-by-step demonstration would work.

"First move the energy outside, then continue drawing in energy. Repeat this until you can't control any more."

The room slowly fills with the purple field they have seen many times over the past few days.

"Gather it into a point, and move the rest of the energy away."

Aaron flexes his hand and a small orb of purple begins to hover over. The rest of the energy around him condenses and pulls to the side and away from the orb.

"I'm not going to demonstrate how I made it explode in here, obviously. When casting it out, I just focused on visualizing an explosion. That's about all I got to offer."

Aaron finishes before allowing the energy around him to slowly leave his control and dissipate into the ether.

Imogen seems to mouth and repeat Aaron's advice and guidance, however little it was. Gus actually pulled out a small notepad and began writing while Aaron was still speaking. Beau on the other hand, just looks frustrated.

"I can't even make normal fire. Why am I here?" Beau questions, mainly addressing Darian.

"Most Mid-tier are in the same situation as us." Darian points out.

"I think we should learn more about what to expect. I'm not going to settle with the inability to do magic." He continues.

"Well, what's the basics of your understanding?" Imogen questions, clearly willing to help. Aaron and Gus give a surprised glance towards Imogen, but keep silent.

"I spent a lot of time with Aaron here, and he would always talk about spiritual ideas from all over. So I understand that this 'energy' exists, but I can't draw it out or anything." Darian offers, continuing with

"The Sergeant keeps referencing specific visualization practices to help, but I can't really 'see' in my mind."

"I don't think any amount of visualization will fix that." Aaron says with a light chuckle.

"Have you tried sound therapy?" Gus suggests.

"With the red-light goggles and headphones?" Darian questions, eliciting a confused reaction from Gus.

"That's therapy to help with lucid dreaming, they are noise-canceling headphones," Aaron corrects.

"Theoretically, using just sound and spoken guidance, you can enter different mental states. Similar to hypnosis in practice," Gus elucidates.

"All visualizations do is allow you to control the states you can enter. Once the connection with your energy is formed, the process from there is mostly intuition and practice." Imogen speaks up.

"That might be just what I need. I appreciate it." Darian grins, pointing his head in a gesture to Beau.

"I don't have that sort of issue. I feel like I just can't calm down enough to make it work," Beau explains.

Aaron kind of perks up hearing that, not in a happy manner, but excited to be able to help.

"I've dealt with anxiety, depression and various other diagnosed neurodivergence. With the impatience that you feel now, I'm guessing you can't stop thinking about tomorrow, the day after, every and any outcome?"

Beau seems stuck, a part of him uncomfortable from being read easily, but a sense of kinship washes that away.

"I do... And I know that I can't control or expect every outcome, and even when I find myself stuck in the same thoughts and recognize it, I still can't escape them."

"That's when you start breathing practice. Turn all of your thoughts to keeping your breathing in a rhythm. Quite honestly I just start yelling 'blah blah blah' in my head whenever intrusive thoughts come. This is by no means a fix, but it does help in the moment." Aaron explains, emphasizing that this is what works for him.

"There aren't many therapists left these days."