The dim light in the basement flickered as Dave stood over Helios, who was chained to the wall, unconscious and helpless. Dave stared down at him, his fists clenched. Every ounce of his being demanded justice for his sisters—for the torment they endured. Helios would suffer for the rest of his life, just as he had made Emily and Sarah suffer.
Dave's eyes burned with cold fury as he summoned his power, reaching into Helios' mind. He didn't need physical torture. That would be too easy. No, Helios would face his true punishment within his own nightmares, living through horrors that only someone like Dave, with his enhanced mind control abilities, could create.
As Dave's power wrapped around Helios' mind, he twisted reality within the villain's subconscious. Dave didn't hold back. The nightmares he created were endless loops of torment, where Helios would relive his worst fears, his most agonizing experiences, and moments of sheer terror. And each time, when Helios thought the torture would end, it would start over, trapping him in an infinite cycle of suffering.
The mental anguish would consume him from within, reducing him to nothing more than a hollow shell. Helios stirred slightly, his body twitching as Dave tightened his hold.
"You'll never have peace," Dave whispered darkly, his voice laced with venom. "For the rest of your life, you'll suffer in a world of nightmares. Just as you forced my sisters to suffer, you'll be trapped in the same hell you created for them."
Helios groaned, his face contorting in agony as the nightmares took hold. But Dave felt no pity. Helios deserved this—he deserved far worse. The monster who had tortured Emily, and reduced Sarah to a comatose state, would never be able to escape the mental prison Dave had constructed for him.
Dave stared at Helios for a long moment, ensuring the mental lock on his nightmares was secure. Helios' life was over in all but body; his mind would be ravaged by terror forever. Satisfied with the punishment, Dave turned his back on the broken man, his thoughts shifting to his family.
Teleporting from the basement, Dave arrived at his parents' house. The familiar surroundings of the home felt oddly foreign after everything that had happened. He stood at the doorstep for a moment, gathering his thoughts. His sisters were safe now, at least for the time being, but there was still so much his family didn't know. He had kept them in the dark for so long, especially about the powers that had changed his life.
Finally, with a deep breath, he opened the door. His mother, Linda, and his father, John, were sitting in the living room. The tension in the air was palpable as they looked up, their expressions a mix of concern and relief.
"Dad. Mom." Dave's voice was low, but steady.
"Dave!" His mother rushed over, pulling him into a tight hug. "Where have you been? Are you alright? And... where are your sisters?"
John stood up, his brows furrowed in confusion. "What's going on, Dave? You just vanished, and we haven't heard from you for days. We've been worried sick!"
Dave sighed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to figure out how to explain the impossible. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you both. I've been... dealing with something. Something huge."
"What happened?" Linda asked, her voice trembling.
Taking a deep breath, Dave stepped back, his eyes meeting theirs. "Emily and Sarah are safe now. But they've been through something horrible." He hesitated, knowing how hard it would be for them to hear the truth. "They were... taken. By someone dangerous."
Linda gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Taken? Oh my God, are they okay?"
"They're alive," Dave reassured them. "But Sarah... she's in a deep sleep. A coma, basically. And I can't wake her up with anything we have. Not yet, anyway. Emily... she's shaken up, but she's healing."
John's face went pale. "A coma? How could this happen? And who did this?"
Dave's eyes darkened. "His name was Helios. He... he did horrible things to them. But I stopped him." He didn't need to tell them the gruesome details; they had already suffered enough worrying about their children.
"How did you... stop him?" John asked, suspiciously. "How could you even fight someone like that?"
Dave paused, considering how much to reveal. He couldn't tell them about the system, not yet. "I... have powers now, Dad. Powers that I've been keeping secret. They helped me stop him."
Both of his parents stared at him in disbelief. "Powers? What are you talking about?" Linda asked, clearly struggling to comprehend.
"I can't explain everything right now," Dave said, his voice firm. "But I promise, I'll do whatever it takes to bring Sarah back, and make sure nothing like this ever happens again."
The room was silent, his parents too shocked to respond. Dave glanced toward the staircase, where his sisters lay resting. His heart ached as he thought of Sarah, still trapped in her deep sleep.
"I'll protect them, and I'll make sure Helios never hurts anyone again," Dave vowed, his voice filled with resolve.