Greatest challenge/Peter Pan (Completed)

Chapter 23: A Dark Truth

When I woke up, it was still early morning, at the brink of dawn. I rose and saw a dark green cloak, pants and shoes lying on one of the storage crates that Quinton had brought with him. I turned to look at my clothes on me, they were all torn, dirty and by far worse than when I first started off. I grabbed the Lost Boys' clothes and grinned. It was a little big for me, but it beats the sweaty and torn clothes that I was wearing. As I put them on, my thoughts consistently turned to last night. And to what Peter Pan had admitted. The kiss was more than a game to him, it meant something, but Hook's previous conversation rang clearly in my mind. Somehow, I still did not find myself convinced. But even Hook could not provide all the answers.

It was for me absolutely crazy that I was considering to stay. I had a way out, but not without Quinton and the rest of the World-Warpers, and as far as I could make out, Peter Pan did not have a clue. Or he himself was trying to get me to admit what I was up to. Or he already knew, and he was toying with me. My head throbbed and I sat down. He consistently occupied my thoughts...and my heart lurched at every sound, thinking that it could be him. These feelings were strange to me, no one ever made me feel like this before. I was used to villains whose motivations were crystal clear, it was either revenge, love or power or both and they made sure everyone knew about it. Peter Pan had a craving for power, that was for sure, and to stop his doom, and from what it appeared...he wanted me...and a dark niggling thought entered my mind because of it...I wanted to stay for that reason. He saved my life, hadn't ever raised a finger to hurt me, but then...he did that in other ways. He had and has been breaking the friendship between me and Quinton, he had Maddox killed, and he had tricked me into staying in Neverland forever...or he thought he tricked me. He also had a large number of World-Warpers killed, with no intention of keeping his side of the bargain...what if he decided to do the same with Quinton? He claimed that he never broke his promises, but somehow, that could have just as easily been a lie.

I shook my head. I needed to find answers, and fast. Quinton was hopefully getting in contact with the World-Warpers, and soon, I would have to reveal the plans to him, but making sure at the same time Peter Pan does not know. I also needed to find the answer to the question that has been burning in my mind...should I stay?

I snuck out of the tent and campsite of the Lost Boys. It was easy to do, considering that there were maybe two sentries, and they were both wary for intruders, not people leaving. I prayed inside that Peter Pan was not currently aware of what I was doing. During our flight together, I did spot two interesting places, one was an island close by to this island, in the shape of a skull...so Skull Rock I was assuming, and a very dark point in the forest. I decided to pay the Skull Rock a visit. After all, if I were to stay here forever, I could go wherever I wanted?

It took me a good two hours to make my way to the rocky beach, and stared out at the ocean. The skies were truly so dark and gloomy. I missed the brilliant blue skies and oceans at the world's that I did visit. I froze as I heard a click behind me. I raised my hands and turned.

It was Gus, his hair ragged and wild, holding a crossbow in his hand. Normally I would have been afraid at the sight of him now, but all I felt was rage building up in my core.

"Come to surrender?" I asked him.

"Surrender? Surrender?" Gus spat. "No, if anything, I've come to tell you the truth...the truth about Peter Pan."

"I am quite convinced that anything you say right now, I'll tally up as another one of your lies," I said. "And you obviously have every intention to shoot me."

"Maybe," Gus spoke, and he stood up straight.

"How'd you find me?" I asked him with a frown.

"That switch on your heart may no longer work...but the GPS still does," Gus chuckled. "Need to pay more attention to the files I gave you, but then, you never were one to read them were you?"

"Look, if I were you, I would have long gone escaped back to headquarters...what's keeping you here?" I asked, frowning. "Especially now that Peter Pan and his Lost Boys are out to take your life?"

"I still need my end of the bargain, or something close enough to it," Gus muttered. "And if you somehow survive being shot...which I doubt, just know I've been to the Enchanted Forest many times before and discovered an important truth..."

"Which is?" I said and slowly lowered my hands. I fully expected some bad conjured up lie, but I did not expect this.

"There used to be a young boy, his name was Rumple...I believe you know of him..."

"Yes, he's quite famous, now what about him?" I snapped. "Or are you just wasting your precious time babbling the last few moments of your life away?"

"Well, when he was a boy...he had a father, who betrayed him...who abandoned him, left him to fight on his own...I'm guessing you can relate?"

"So?"

"Hang on, I haven't told you the father's name yet...." Gus said. "His name was Peter Pan, and he abandoned his boy to survive on his own...for youth and power...this is the boy that is forcing you to stay..."

My heart raced at this fact. The pain of my father's actions rang back to me clearly as he walked in, and waved goodbye to me as I was dragged off. He still stumbled, his breath reeking of whiskey. That money was probably used on satisfying his next craving, and now...Peter Pan...a father? It seemed impossible, but as I stared at Gus, his grinning face, I couldn't find myself denying that truth.

I saw Gus release the trigger, and suddenly I felt a surge of power flowing through me. My right arm shot up and caught the arrow, in mid-air, right as it was about to reach my heart.

"Your...your eyes," Gus stammered as he used the cloak he was wearing to disappear. I ran to look at the reflection of my eyes in one of the tide pools. Sure enough, my eyes were glowing white...but it vanished, and my natural brown eye color became visible again. I dropped the arrow in shock.

My mind scrambled for answers...I never had magic before. I was completely human, but catching that arrow, my glowing eyes...the only answer came to mind. Of a father who abandoned his own child, but also now, somehow, gave me magic through my heart.

His name, was Peter Pan.