The Visionaries

10

He was out cold. Or dead. But at least he would die as himself and not a mindless drone to the State. Not really, fully. He only wanted to keep his free will and see his family again. Maybe in death, he would. A landscape materialized in front of him. It was a beautiful lake, surrounded by forest and tall grass. He walked towards the lake, staring at the dragonflies landing on the water. Suddenly, an older man with brown skin popped up in front of him.

"You've been working for the ones that caused us to end up this way. Look what it has done to you. Trying to kill your own kin. Harming your kin to please them. Wishing them death and ill. It saddens me to see you like this." The man was wearing Native American regalia. Six wasn't really versed in telling where it was from. "Lost, confused, angry, and sad. You don't know who you are or where you came from. It pains me to see what they have done to you, my child."

He felt a sharp pain on his chest. He collapsed to his knees in tears. The old man put his hand on his shoulder.

"Who are you?" Six asked.

"I am your grandfather." he said. "You are native as well."

"What?" Six stared at his reflection in the lake. He did look like it. The old man handed him an arrowhead.

"Use your gift wisely."

Six awoke as the lake and his grandfather faded. He was face first in the dashboard of the car.

"Fuck." He jumped out of the truck. There were the others, running into the desert. He saw the army vehicles in the distance. A helicopter zoomed past him.

"It pains me to see what they have done to you, my child." his grandfather's voice echoed. His grandfather was right. It was them that had done this to him. Erased his memories, altered his body against his will, forced him to play their games, and everything else. It was time for them to pay, no matter the price. At least if he died, he would die as himself.

Six felt his fists get hot. He looked to see they were orange-red. Then they were on fire. He waved his hand, frantically. He didn't catch on fire, the flames were coming from him. He tried to focus as the fire formed a ball. He saw the helicopters and then a net be shot at the group. They all collapsed on the sand. ATVs raced past him. Shit. He threw two fireballs at them. They instantly blew up. Well, he just made himself an enemy of the state too.

He ran towards them as helicopters dipped down. Men in military gear ran to the group, holding guns. The commander got off of the helicopter with a grin on his face as Six walked closer to them.

"And now you die and this rebellion dies with you." he said, motioning the soldiers to fire. Six set them all ablaze. They were screaming in agony. The commander looked at him, confused.

"You traitor-!" he screamed. Six ran to the group who stared at him confused. He grabbed his pocket knife and cut them free.

"That was a close one." Six said. Suddenly he fell flat on the floor, nose bleeding. As he got up, he was surrounded by spiky cactus. "Okay, who did that?"

"I did." it was her. She had lavender colored bangs, long black hair in a ponytail at the nape of her neck and brown eyes. She had her brows furrowed, lips pursed and hands in fists. Even through the only picture he had seen of her was years old, it was definitely her. Alma.

"Okay, I probably deserve that." Six tried to get up but a cactus twisted itself at his throat. If he moved, it was over for him. Maybe. He wasn't sure how well his injuries healed.

"You deserve a lot worse." Alma said.

"Look, I know my words don't mean shit to you-"

"They don't."

"I'm native."

"Oh, really? Let me guess your grandmother is a Cherokee princess? Or let me guess, maybe you're related to Pocahontas? Or do you not use that anymore?"

"My grandfather." he said."I saw him in a dream. I was in this lake-"

"Was it a lake surrounded by the woods?" someone else-Norrin, he thought-asked. The group looked at each other.

"Yeah, it was." Six said.

"So you're the fire one." Norrin said.

"What do you mean by "fire one"?" Six asked.

"Well, we're guardians of our kin. The gods' chosen ones to keep their people safe. I guess you're the missing one." Aaron said. "But we'll be honest, you tried to kill us and we don't trust you."

"I understand why you wouldn't trust me." Six said.

"If you understand, then why did you betray them? Did you expect us to magically forgive you for it?" Daenaera said.

"Michael did something to me. He took my memories away and he offered to tell me what happened to my family." Six said. "But before that, he threatened me repeatedly into doing what I did."

"Okay? I mean I don't know whether to believe you or not. Also even if that was true, you hurt us, tried to kill Alma, and gave us away. Also Michael?" Bree said.

"You don't have to accept my apology. But I will apologize anyway. I'm sorry I did all of that. It was not fair to you guys." he said. "Also Michael is the one in charge of everything that's happening. The deportations, the labor camps, everything."

"How do we know Michael didn't plant you here?" Bree asked.

"He wants you dead. You wouldn't be alive if that's what he wanted. He probably has more information about you guys and the resistance than he lets on." he said.

"Still don't trust you." Aaron said. "Honestly, I still don't know if you're bullshitting or not."

"You don't have to trust me either but I'm not lying." Six said.

Dany walked up to him and the cacti receded. She touched his forehead and stared directly at him.

"He's actually telling the truth."