Ms. Minxes watched with concern as Booker half-carried, half-dragged a barely conscious Mitch through the safe house door. Blood seeped from a vicious claw wound on Mitch's side, dripping onto the floor.

"What happened out there?" Ms. Minxes asked, rushing over to help Booker get Mitch onto the couch.

"Ambush," Booker grunted through gritted teeth as he lowered Mitch down. "Big demon, dude. Mitch went berserk trying to take him on alone."

Ms. Minxes swore under her breath as she examined Mitch's injury. She had seen plenty of wounds before as an ex-army field medic, but this was bad. The claws had sliced clear to the bone.

"We need to stop this bleeding and get him stitched up," she said urgently. Turning on Booker, she asked, "Where are Astor and Mei?"

Booker shook his head grimly. "Astor's with Mei scouting the area where the demon appeared. But he's pretty messed up about what happened."

Ms. Minxes raised an eyebrow questioningly as she applied pressure to Mitch's wound. Mitch groaned in pain.

"He had to take control of Mitch's mind to pull him back from a killing blow," Booker explained. "I know Astor hated doing it, but he saved Mitch's life."

Ms. Minxes frowned. She had warned Astor about using his powers to manipulate people. But given these extreme circumstances, she could understand why he felt it necessary.

Still, they would need to have a serious discussion about this once things stabilized here. For now, her priority was saving Mitch.

"Hand me those bandages and antiseptic," Ms. Minxes directed Booker. As she skillfully cleaned and dressed the injury, she continued, "When Astor returns, tell him I don't approve of what he did, but we can discuss it later. Right now, I need him to use his abilities to scout the area and make sure that demon is gone."

Booker nodded. "I'll talk to him. I know he feels awful about losing control. But if he hadn't stepped in, Mitch would be dead."

Ms. Minxes secured the last bandage around Mitch's unconscious form. "Our powers are still new. We're all struggling at times to use them responsibly."

She placed a comforting hand on Booker's shoulder. "We'll get through this together. But that means forgiving mistakes and supporting each other, even when it's hard. That's the only way we survive."

Booker gave her a small, grateful smile. At that moment, despite the surrounding chaos, Ms. Minxes felt a surge of pride for how these children were coming together. With compassion and teamwork, she knew they would find enough light to defeat even the darkest evils emerging in this bizarre new world.

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Mitch roared in fury as he charged the hulking demon, eyes burning red. His empowered fists slammed into its hide again and again, but the beast just laughed, swatting him aside effortlessly.

"Pathetic mortal," it rumbled. "You cannot stop my reign of terror."

Mitch spat blood, struggling to his feet. Rage clouded his mind - he had to destroy this monster that had slaughtered so many innocents.

As the demon towered over him, Mitch heard shouts from behind. Astor and Booker had arrived, yelling at him to retreat, but he ignored them. Nothing else mattered except annihilating this monster.

Mitch drew on his last reserves of strength, focusing it all into one final aura-charged punch. But as his fist connected, a massive hand wrapped around him, squeezing the air from his lungs.

"Time to die, little hero," the demon sneered, raising its other claw to rip Mitch to shreds.

Then suddenly, Mitch's mind went blank. His rage evaporated, replaced only by an overpowering need to protect Astor. Mitch forgot about the demon, the battle, everything.

All that existed was keeping Astor safe.

With a desperate cry, Mitch wrenched free of the demon's grasp and threw himself in front of Astor. The lethal claws meant to tear Mitch apart instead raked harmlessly across his back as he sheltered Astor.

Mitch blinked, coming back to his senses. The demon was retreating now, but he barely noticed. All he felt was bone-deep terror...and seething fury at Astor for taking control of his mind again.

"Damn you," Mitch gasped as he fell to his knees. "Get out of my head!"

He awoke with a start, heart pounding. Just a nightmare...but the memory it stirred made Mitch see red. He hated how Astor had made him weak, helpless to resist.

If that demon had wanted to, it could have slaughtered Astor while Mitch was forcibly protecting him. Astor had no right manipulating him again like some puppet.

Mitch clenched his fists, aura flickering around them. Next time, Astor wouldn't enslave his mind so easily. He would never allow anyone to control him again - whatever it took.

The thought terrified Mitch almost as much as the nightmares. He could feel his rage and power spiraling out of control. But it was too late to turn back now. Astor had awakened a dangerous entity within Mitch's soul. And it craved vengeance.

Astor sat alone in the dark bedroom, head in his hands. He couldn't stop thinking about how good it had felt to control Mitch's mind. When he made Mitch care about him, all the loneliness and pain just melted away.

But the euphoric high was always followed by a crashing wave of shame and self-loathing. He was no better than his manipulative family if he kept using his powers this way.

Unwanted memories flooded Astor's mind. He saw his father screaming insults, telling Astor he was worthless. Felt the sting of his mother's hand across his face when he dared talk back. His little sister laughing as she lied and got him punished for her misdeeds.

They kept him isolated, controlled him through fear and obligation. And he had hated them for it.

Astor hugged his knees to his chest. Part of him enjoyed getting a taste of that same twisted power over Mitch. But deep down, he knew it was wrong. Ms. Minx had warned him not to use his abilities on the others.

"I'm sorry," Astor whispered into the darkness, not even sure who he was apologizing to anymore. Himself? Ms. Minx? The team?

He thought of Mitch's resentment simmering below the surface. That red hot rage just waiting to erupt if Astor slipped up again.

Astor couldn't blame him. He deserved all their distrust for abusing abilities he was still struggling to control. But the lure of that affection and peace of mind was so tempting...

"No," Astor said firmly, wiping his eyes. He refused to become his family. From now on, he would use his powers only to help the team, never control them.

He just prayed his friends could forgive him as he tried to make amends, one small act of good at a time. Their support was the only thing keeping him from succumbing to despair.

"I'll earn back your trust, I swear it," Astor whispered into the darkness. "Just please...don't give up on me."

He rose unsteadily to his feet. Ms. Minx was right - together, they were strong. Astor had to believe they could still defeat the darkness as long as he resisted its siren call within himself.