The grand halls of the National Gallery were a battlefield. Shattered glass and broken statues littered the floor, the once-pristine artwork now reduced to rubble. Freddie stood in the center of the chaos, his breathing heavy as he faced Dexter. he smirked, his telekinesis already lifting chunks of debris into the air.

  “You’re out of your league, kid,” Dexter said, his voice dripping with mockery.

  Freddie clenched his fists, his telekinesis flaring as he lifted a broken column and hurled it at Dexter. he raised his hand, the column stopping mid-air before crumbling into dust. “Is that all you’ve got?” Dexter taunted.

  Freddie charged forward, his fists charged with telekinetic energy. Dexter met him head-on, their powers colliding in a burst of force that sent shock waves through the gallery. The windows shattered, glass raining down around them as they traded blows.

  Dexter was faster, his movements more precise and calculated. He landed a solid punch to Freddie’s ribs; the impact, sending him stumbling back. Freddie tried to counter, but Dexter’s telekinesis was too strong. He lifted Freddie off the ground and slammed him into a marble statue; the stone cracking under the force.

  Freddie groaned, struggling to his feet. His Aetheric band flickered faintly, but Dexter didn’t give him a chance to recover. He lifted a massive chunk of rubble and hurled it at Freddie; the force sending him crashing through a display case. Glass and debris scattered as Freddie hit the ground, his body aching.

  Dexter walked forward, his smirk widening. “You’re pathetic,” he said, his voice cold. “Weak. Useless. You don’t deserve to live.”

  Freddie’s vision blurred, his chest tightening with frustration and anger. But then he heard it—a soft, familiar voice. “Get up, Freddie.”

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  His mother’s voice.

  Freddie’s eyes snapped open, his Aetheric band glowing faintly. “I’m maybe weak,” he said, his voice low but firm. “But I’m not giving up. ”

  Dexter sneered. “Big words for someone who’s about to die.”

  He hurled Freddie into a wall; the impact sending cracks spider webbing across the surface. Freddie slumped to the ground, his body battered and bruised. But he wasn’t done. He pushed himself to his feet, his Aetheric band glowing brighter than ever.

  “I’ll keep fighting,” Freddie said, his voice steady. “Even if it kills me.”

  Dexter’s smirk faded, replaced by a look of annoyance. “Fine. so be it.”

  He raised his hand, shards of glass lifting into the surrounding air. With a flick of his wrist, he sent them hurtling toward Freddie. But before they could hit, Freddie’s Aetheric band erupted in a blinding golden light. He raised his hand, suspending the shards in mid-air. The place began to shake.

  Dexter’s eyes widened. “What the—”

  With a roar, Freddie unleashed a massive telekinetic wave, the force sending everything in the gallery flying. Dexter barely had time to form a barrier around himself before the wave hit, the impact sending him crashing through the walls of the gallery and into the street outside.

  Dexter staggered to his feet, his barrier flickering as he tried to regain his balance. The main entrance of the gallery exploded, debris and smoke filling the air. Through the chaos, Freddie emerged, floating above the ground. His eyes glowed white, his Aetheric band radiating a golden aura.

  Dexter sneered, his telekinesis lifting chunks of rubble into the air. “You think this changes anything?” he shouted, hurling the debris at Freddie.

  Freddie didn’t flinch. With a wave of his hand, he deflected the rubble, his telekinesis stronger than ever. Dexter’s eyes widened as Freddie’s power wrapped around him, twisting his arms and forcing him to his knees.

  Dexter struggled, his face contorted with pain and terror. “What… what are you?” he stammered, his voice trembling.

  With a final burst of telekinetic energy, Freddie slammed Dexter into the ground, the force knocking him unconscious. The golden aura around Freddie faded, and he dropped to the ground, his breathing heavy but his expression one of quiet triumph.