Oliver Jackson was an Elite Council member who had supposedly died not long after I was transferred to the Low Elites. His approachability and kind demeanor made his death a huge impact on the members and the entire organization.
He was requested for a high-priority mission that required two council members and unfortunately happened to be a lot more dangerous than the Elites had assumed. This cost the lives of one council member and multiple High Elites.
So seeing him standing before us now, very much alive, sent a chill down my spine.
Oliver regarded us with a calm, almost amused expression. "I imagine you have a lot of questions," he said, his tone light but carrying a weight beneath it. "Go ahead, ask away."
I tightened my grip on my weapon, my mind racing. "How did you survive? The survivors said that the battle was brutal and that you were beaten brutally.
He let out a soft chuckle. "I was. At least, that's what they told you. The truth is... I survived, barely. But by the time I made it back, I realized something—maybe I wasn't meant to return. The mission was a failure, and the Elites don't like failure."
Kaito stepped forward, his fists clenched. "What are you saying? That they just left you for dead?"
Oliver shook his head. "No, not exactly. But I saw things differently after that day. The way the Elites handle threats, the way they operate—it's all about control. I had to step away, to see what lay beyond their reach."
I hesitated. He wasn't wrong that the Elites had their flaws, but they weren't cruel. They weren't the enemy. "Then why all this? The weapons, the destruction—what are you trying to do?"
His golden eyes met mine, filled with something I couldn't quite place. "I'm trying to give people a choice. The Elites protect, yes, but they also dictate. I wanted to see if there was another way."
Heesung crossed his arms, unimpressed. "And causing chaos is that other way?"
Oliver sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's not chaos. It's just... change. But I see now that you're not ready to understand."
Silence stretched between us, thick with tension. I wanted to believe there was a way to talk him down, to understand his reasoning, but I couldn't ignore the weight of destruction left in his wake.
Oliver tilted his head, observing us with quiet amusement. "You all still look at me like I'm some villain," he mused. "Maybe one day you'll see things differently. Until then... let's see where fate takes us."
Without another word, he turned, stepping into the shadows.
"Wait!" I called after him, but he was gone.
The air felt heavier in his absence. My heart pounded in my chest. The truth about Oliver had changed everything, but there was no time to dwell on it. The mission was over, and the rest was now in the hands of the other Elite members.
---
With nothing left to do, we returned to headquarters, where we would report everything to Sora.
The moment we stepped through the main entrance, we were greeted by a flood of activity. Other Elite members rushed past, some still handling the aftermath of the mission, others coordinating with Sora. The tension in the air was thick, but there was also a sense of relief—things were finally under control.
Sora stood at the center of it all, arms crossed, his sharp eyes scanning us the second we arrived. "Report."
I took a deep breath and stepped forward. "The weapons were neutralized, and the remaining threats are being handled by the other Elites. We stopped the main instigators."
Sora nodded, his expression unreadable. "And?"
I hesitated. "Oliver Jackson is alive."
That got his attention. His usual stoic expression faltered for a brief second before he regained his composure. "...I see."
He didn't sound as surprised as I expected.
"You knew," I accused, narrowing my eyes. "Didn't you?"
Sora exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple. "I suspected. But until now, I had no confirmation."
Kaito scoffed. "And you didn't think that was something we should have known?"
Sora met his gaze evenly. "Would it have changed how you handled the mission?"
Silence. I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling inside me. "He thinks the Elites are too controlling," I muttered. "That we dictate instead of protect."
Sora didn't react immediately. Then, after a moment, he spoke, his voice quieter but firm. "The Elites make hard decisions. We do what needs to be done to protect the world. Not everyone will agree with our methods."
I wasn't sure if that was an agreement or a dismissal of Oliver's words. Maybe it was both.
Heesung crossed his arms. "So what now? Are we supposed to just move on like nothing happened?"
Sora's gaze hardened. "No. We stay alert. Oliver may not be our enemy right now, but that doesn't mean he won't become one. He's unpredictable, and that makes him dangerous."
The room fell into silence again.
I wanted to believe Oliver wasn't lost to us completely. That maybe, just maybe, there was a way to understand him before things escalated. But deep down, I knew Sora was right.
Oliver had walked away this time.
Next time, we might not be so lucky.
---
The debriefing ended not long after, but the weight of everything still clung to me. Even as I walked through the familiar halls of headquarters, the usual sense of relief after a completed mission was absent.
Oliver was alive.
And he had chosen to walk away.
I wasn't sure what disturbed me more—the fact that he had survived all this time without us knowing or the fact that he believed what he was doing was right. I wanted to see things from his perspective, to understand why he felt the need to step away from the Elites, but his actions—his methods—weren't something I could ignore.
"Akari."
I snapped out of my thoughts as Heesung called my name. He and the others had stopped outside the dormitory wing, exhaustion written all over their faces.
"We should get some rest," Cherry said, stretching her arms over her head. "I don't know about you guys, but I feel like I got hit by a truck."
Kaito grunted in agreement. "Same. But I doubt sleep's gonna come easy after today."
I nodded absentmindedly. My body ached, my mind was exhausted, but I knew the second I closed my eyes, I'd see Oliver again, standing before us with that unreadable expression.
Xavier patted my shoulder as he passed. "Don't overthink it too much. Get some sleep. We'll figure things out tomorrow."
One by one, they headed to their rooms, leaving me standing alone in the hallway.
I wasn't ready to sleep yet.
Instead, I found myself wandering through the halls, my feet moving without direction. The adrenaline from the mission had long since faded, but my mind still raced with everything that had happened. The Elites had already started cleanup efforts, and Sora had reassured us that the remaining threats were being handled. For now, we were off duty.
But I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the end.
Eventually, I ended up outside, the crisp night air cooling my heated skin. The training grounds were empty at this hour, but that suited me just fine.
I needed to clear my head.
Taking a deep breath, I moved to the center of the training field and raised my hand. A small flame flickered to life in my palm, its warmth steady and familiar. Fire had always been my strongest ability, but after everything that had happened, I knew I needed to be stronger.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the energy within me.
Then, without warning, I pushed.
Blue flames burst forth, hotter and more intense than anything I'd ever summoned before. The air around me shimmered with heat, the sheer force of it leaving scorch marks on the ground beneath me.
For a brief moment, I felt invincible.
But then—
"You've improved."
I spun around, flames flickering out in an instant.
Sora stood at the edge of the training field, arms crossed as he observed me with his usual impassive gaze.
I straightened, wiping sweat from my forehead. "Were you watching me?"
"I was passing by," he said simply. "Didn't expect to see you out here."
I hesitated, unsure if I should even bring it up, but the words left my mouth before I could stop them. "How did you know?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"That I had another ability," I clarified. "I never told anyone. I barely even knew myself until recently."
Sora was silent for a moment before he stepped closer. "I pay attention," he finally said. "You push yourself harder than anyone else. It was only a matter of time before you unlocked something new."
I looked down at my hands, flexing my fingers. "I don't even know how I did it."
"You will," he said. "With time."
His confidence in me was unexpected, but I didn't have time to dwell on it before he spoke again.
"Get some rest, Akari," he ordered. "You're going to need it."
I frowned. "For what?"
His gaze darkened slightly. "Because this isn't over."
A shiver ran down my spine.
I knew he was right. Oliver's reappearance had changed everything, and whether we were ready or not, something told me this was only the beginning.
I clenched my fists.
No matter what came next, I would be ready.