The next day Ethan dashed to the bathroom and confirmed that his eyes were back to their gold color and emitted the pale glow. "Hey, Nobilis, you've said a couple of times now about being more in shape. I assume it has to do with energy, right? How do I increase that?"

  Nobilis responded in his mind in a pedantic tone. What do you do to get a stronger body? You exercise. To use a phrase of your gym-goers, 'no pain, no gain'. Just keep using your Abilities and you will grow your energy reserve. But, working out never hurt anyone.

  Ethan sighed and ran the sink, splashing his face a few times before looking up into the mirror once more. "Right. So I need to keep intentionally blinding myself for days at a time to reduce the negative effect."

  Not quite. Negative Effects cannot be reduced or negated. A downside to the increased efficacy. Your Abilities that do not have a drawback would be the ones you exercise with. Plus, good, old-fashioned cardio and lifting. How do you think Heracles became so strong? His tone shifted to that of a admonishing parent, Sure, he had prodigious strength, but he had to work hard to build up enough energy to choke out Cerberus.

  Ethan sighed, dried his face, finished his morning routine, and returned to the bedroom. Figures that mythological figures were also Imbued.

  He threw on some clothes, grabbed his phone from the charger, and began checking through his messages. He was taken aback as he saw dozens of messages from numbers he had never seen before, begging him to go to various health clinics or hospitals to heal people. Someone must be sharing my burner number.

  Treya sat up in bed, pushing herself along the headboard so she was upright, "Hey handsome. You’re up early.”

  Ethan nodded and handed her his phone, "So many people need help. I can't help them all."

  Treya was silent for a few moments before she handed the device back to him and sat up in the bed, "How many times can you heal a ton of people?"

  "Once a day,” he muttered.

  She clicked her tongue, "Tsk. That sucks." She put her hand on her chin, her face a hard stare as she thought. "I don't know. You just have to choose. You can't heal everyone, you can't save everyone." She leaned forward and grabbed his arm, pulling him in close. "No hero can save everyone."

  He nodded and gave her a kiss, "I know. It still won't change how I feel about the whole situation."

  Treya pushed him back gently and stood up, "Well, you have stuff to do. I have today off and am going to do some chores." She slipped by him into the restroom.

  "I'm going to dress up and head out." He went to the living room and unpacked his costume, getting equipped and sliding the helmet on "Heaven's Gate," he intoned as he opened the portal. “Love you hon!” he shouted as he stepped through the hall of light.

  In a minute he had transported to the emergency room at the same hospital he had already been to. There was some commotion before the same security guard from before came up, "Director said if you show up again just go right through to the nurse's station." He pointed to the set of employee doors and led Ethan over, keying him through and directing him to a long desk occupied by men and women in scrubs.

  Ethan leaned on the counter, "Ahem." The busy workers looked up and several appeared startled or even starstruck. "I'm here to heal some people," he said in the friendliest way he could muster.

  One of the male nurses picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Hello, Director? It's that Radiance guy…Mhmmm." He put a hand over the receiver and looked up at Ethan, "How far does your healing thing go?"

  "One-hundred feet, through walls."

  The nurse repeated the information and nodded a few times before setting the phone down. "Okay, we're gonna have another nurse escort you to the center floor in the middle of the hospital. The Director will meet you there. It'll take us about thirty minutes, but we're going to shove as many people as close as we can."

  He began giving orders to the nurses and other hospital personnel who jumped into action, beginning to wheel various patients out of their rooms. One of the other male nurses was directed to take Ethan up to the fifth floor. He followed the man who continually asked him questions about his fights with Python and Firestarter, gushing as none but a fan could.

  Ethan smiled under the helmet and gave some simple responses that seemed to satisfy the man.

  They were at the center-most point of the hospital in a few minutes and Ethan was introduced to a tall, mature woman with blonde hair tied up in a bun. She had a set of scrubs and a doctor's jacket thrown over her plump frame.

  Ethan held out a hand, "Pleased to meet you, Director."

  She returned the shake and grinned, "Please, the pleasure is mine. And don't worry about calling me director. Nancy is just fine. Doctor Nancy Duvreau."

  Ethan nodded and looked around as patients were being wheeled in from all over the floor. "Did that surgeon I gave my number to let it slip? I've had a bunch of texts from dozens of hospitals."

  Nancy shrugged, "I don't know. Thanks for choosing us, though. This is so exciting! I get to see you heal someone first-hand."

  "A lot of people. Yourself included, if you have anything wrong with you."

  She chuckled, "This will free us up. We'll have a ton more beds-" The radio clipped to Nancy's waist blurted out, "Ready on the first floor." It was rapidly followed by call-ins from the other floors. Nancy took a few steps back to allow for the last few patients to be wheeled closer to Ethan. "Alright Radiance, whenever you're ready!"

  Ethan exhaled and held his hands out in front of him, "Circle of Healing." The gold and white orbs appeared in his hands before flying above him and manifesting the esoteric circle. A shockwave of soft, gold and white light surged outwards in all directions. Patients on their gurneys sat up and began puking or coughing up various vile looking and smelling substances, as did the medical personnel.

  Nancy looked disgusted as she straightened herself and went to one of the nearby patients. She looked back to Ethan and was beaming with delight, "He's cured!"

  "I'm cured!"

  "Sweet Jesus, I can walk!"

  "Get this damn needle out of my arm!"

  Many shouts could be heard as the formerly ill celebrated.

  Ethan looked around and felt an immense sense of satisfaction wash over him. "I can't do anything about aging," he said just loud enough that Nancy could hear him. He was paying careful attention towards an elderly woman who was sitting up and breathing better than she had been, but still looked on the verge of collapse. That alone brought dismay to Ethan. I can’t keep Treya alive forever…when she gets old and dies of age…he felt sorrow well up in him, but the sheer sound of cheers, applause, and joy from those who were cured pulled him out of that sad state near-instantly.

  Nancy didn't seem to pay heed to what he said, instead pulling out her phone and making a call to someone. The noise of celebrants picked up and Ethan waved to many who walked over - avoiding the viscous goop that was expelled just a few moments before - and shook his hand or gave him a hug. He reciprocated, as a hero should, but felt a little overwhelmed by the crowd.

  Eventually Nancy came over and was able to get him out of the throng of patients as they began to be shepherded back to their rooms for check-ups. She took him to an elevator and clicked the button for the top floor, turning to him, "It looks like you got everyone in the hospital – we were able to shove people together close enough. It'll be a logistical nightmare cleaning everything up, and we have to do some follow-up tests."

  Ethan leaned against the back rail of the elevator, "Happy to help."

  "I don't think you quite get it." She pulled the emergency stop button on the elevator as it ground to a halt and the lights went red. "You just healed every single sick person in the building. After we confirm it…this could be big. We can get wealthy, sick people from all over the world to come here, charge enormous rates, get you to heal them-"

  Ethan held up a hand, "Not interested in doing this for money."

  "-Oh, I get it. One of those 'righteous' types. Look, hospitals don't pay for themselves. We get funding from the university and private donors. If we can get some rich old-money folks to come here and spend millions for miraculous healing, then I can get expansions for the hospital, hire more staff, increase wages, and improve benefits. Not to mention you'd get a portion as well."

  Ethan gave her a sidelong glance, "You're assuming that I'll keep coming back here." He held up his phone, "I have dozens of other hospitals vying for my help. And that's just in Los Angeles. I'm sure word will spread, and I'll be wanted all around the world."

  Nancy sighed and pushed the emergency stop button once more as the elevator lit up and resumed its ascent. "Fucking choir boy. Don't you see the opportunity here? We could make some really good money, and help people at the same time. It's a win-win."

  Ethan shook his head, "How would you feel if I said I had recorded this whole conversation?"

  She glared at him, "What?"

  "You heard me." He tapped the side of his helmet, "This isn't just to hide my identity. I've got a camera in here. For all you know, I've been recording this whole thing. What would the university board think if they heard of these plans of yours? I'm sure they would be appalled. Or impressed, it depends on how corrupt they are."

  Her face went pale white as she completely bought his lie, "I…well, let's just pretend this never happened then."

  Ethan nodded, "Drop the issue, never bring it up again, and I'll delete the footage. But…if I find out that you're shipping rich people to try and pull a fast one on me, I won't ever come to this hospital to heal people again. Got it? And I'll make sure that people know it's because of you. I won't heal people for money."

  She gulped and nodded as the elevator arrived at the top floor. She sheepishly stepped out and gestured to a nearby desk, "The secretary can get you coffee if you want-"

  "Heaven's Gate." Ethan opened a portal and walked through.

  He emerged atop the skyscraper once more and was shocked as there was someone else up there. He fell backwards, beginning to fall, using Leap of Faith to get himself back on top of the spire as the person chuckled, "Thought I'd find you here. Weird flashing lights during the day tend to draw attention." He - or at least it sounded like a he from the voice - was dressed in a long, leather duster. He was wearing jeans and a long sleeve shirt underneath, and a motorcycle helmet covered his face. "Radiance, right?"

  Ethan nodded, "Yeah, and you are?"

  "Stormbringer." He walked on the air a short distance from Ethan and stood in the open space next to the tower, "Can't fly?" Ethan shook his head. The man chuckled, "I've been watching what you've been up to. First off, huge fan. Love what you're doing."

  "Thanks."

  "Second, I want to be your partner."

  Ethan was stunned for a moment, "Come again?"

  "You know, a hero duo," Stormbringer gestured between the two of them, "We can team up. I've been laying low to see how things play out with Imbued people. Looks like more are coming out of the woodwork every day." He stared off to the North and laughed, "Always wanted to be a hero, just like my pops." He turned back to Ethan, "Whatcha say?"

  Ethan sat down and let his legs dangle, gesturing for the new hero to join him. He floated over and sat next to Ethan as the former pulled out his phone, "You got a number?"

  "You're giving people your cell?"

  Ethan shook his head, "Nope. Burner app."

  "Ahh. Smart. Let me download one." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his own phone, downloading the app before handing it to Ethan, "Put your info in."

  Ethan did so and handed it back to him, "What all can you do besides the flying thing?"

  Stormbringer kicked his feet back and forth, "Shoot electricity, fly, make it rain." He snapped his fingers as a bolt of blue energy arced out from his fingertips and onto a metal lightning rod on a lower floor under them.

  "You can control the weather?"

  "I can do rain, I don't know if I can do more."

  Ethan grinned, "You might be able to fix things. Big issues."

  Stormbringer looked at him, "Come again?"

  "You've heard of the heat waves recently, right? People are dying across the world. If you can make rain, it could help cool places down. You prevent a bunch of people from dying needlessly."

  Stormbringer stood up, "Sounds cool. It has been pretty hot lately." He slammed a fist into his other palm, "I want to beat up some bad guys. I saw the fight on the news last night. Wish I had been there to punch that fire guy right in the jaw."

  Ethan stood as well, "Well, it's good to meet you. I don't mind working with someone new. Having someone to watch my back will be handy."

  Stormbringer turned away and was silent for a few moments. "Tempest says I can't affect the whole world yet with rainfall…How the heck do I get stronger?"

  Ethan put a hand on his shoulder, "I'm guessing Tempest is your Curator?" He nodded. "Well, what Nobilis - my Curator - told me, is that we just keep making new Sub-Ability. Over time, we will get stronger and-"

  Stormbringer turned back to him, "The hell is a that?"

  Ethan spent the next few minutes explaining his own development thus far before gesturing to the lightning rod below them. "Why don't you try to make one? Just think about what you want to do, and picture it. Maybe start with keeping the lightning tethered, instead of just blasting it. Like a taser."

  Stormbringer nodded and exhaled. Ethan took a step back as a precaution as the new hero snapped his fingers again, "Lightning Leash!" The arc of blue electricity jolted out and impacted the lightning rod, but this time the lightning remained tethered between his fingers and the metal pole. "Damn that's cool!" A moment later the lightning ceased and he looked over at Ethan, "You should start up a superhero school."

  Ethan laughed, "Maybe, if more want to use their powers for good. I thought it would just be myself and Petal. It's good to know that there's more people who want to do the right thing."

  Stormbringer nodded, "Happy to help. Like I said, I just had to see how people were reacting. Seems like you've been accepted by people, so they'll have to accept your new partner, eh?"

  Ethan sat down again and pulled out his phone, "Let me give you some contacts…" The next few minutes were spent giving the new hero the important numbers and run-down of each individual; Detective Matthews, Aaron Restor, and Fred Lark.

  When he got to the talent agent, Stormbringer sounded shocked, "I can make money off of this hero stuff?"

  Ethan nodded, "I haven't made a dime, yet. But I'll be giving a speech with the Mayor today. He's going to offer to pay Imbued who want to use their powers to help people."

  Stormbringer sounded giddy with excitement, "That's awesome! Can I tag along?"

  Ethan shrugged, "I don't see why not. Speaking of, I should probably figure out when the press briefing is happening." He called the Mayor's office and confirmed the details before putting the phone away, "We have a few hours."

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  "So…umm…who made your costume?"

  "A friend."

  "Can you ask them to make me one?"

  Ethan laughed, "Sure. Just need you to come up with the ideas and I'll pass them along."

  "Deal. I was thinking of…"

  The next few hours consisted of Ethan jotting down notes in his phone as he scanned the city for out-of-the ordinary going-ons, while Stormbringer went into explicit detail about his costume ideas.

  As it grew darker and evening began to set in Ethan put away his phone and nudged Stormbringer, who was still rambling on about his costume. "I have to make a quick stop by the LAPD before the interview. Want to come along?"

  "Sure! I should meet the Detective you mentioned anyways, since it looks like I'll be seeing a lot of him."

  "Heaven's Gate." The white portal opened, and he gestured to Stormbringer, "After you."

  "Whooaa. Is it just a white tunnel? That's cool. Is this like teleportation?"

  Ethan stepped in and motioned for him to follow, "Yeah. I use the term warping because I'm not really disappearing and reappearing somewhere else. It takes a minute to walk from this side of the portal to the exit." He walked down the corridor and felt the portal close behind him.

  "That's cool. I can fly really, really fast. I got to see my folks in Denver in about three hours."

  Ethan looked back at him, "Hero tip number one; don't talk about friends or family. I assume you're wearing a helmet to protect your identity, right?"

  "Oh shit," Stormbringer slapped the front of his helmet, "I totally forgot."

  Ethan chuckled, "Don't worry, I'll pretend I never heard anything. And in here-" he gestured to the white void they were walking through, "-I don't think anyone can hear you except me."

  "Where exactly are we?"

  "I don't know." Ethan held a hand up to the pure, white wall next to him and caught a glimpse through as it suddenly turned transparent - he saw a pure, black void of nothingness and recoiled at the sight.

  I thought this was a realm of Holy energy? Ethan thought.

  Technically, no. There is a realm of Holy energy, just as there is one of fire, or water, or any other essence once could imagine. The Archive collates all of it into one location – that is the black space you observed. Nobilis thought back.

  Could I use this place as a base?

  Yes.

  -----

  [New Sub-Ability Created: Ascend Beyond]

  [Effect: Open a doorway to your Sanctuary, a corner of The Entity's Archive for your personal use.]

  [Additional Note: Due to Chosen of the Light, you will return to your Sanctuary upon death until your resurrection timer has elapsed.]

  -----

  A whole month… Ethan pondered as he walked, thinking for the first time since gaining his powers about how he would outlive Treya, his family…everyone.

  Nobilis seemed to notice and spoke within his mind unprompted. You may live into infinity due to your Imbued powers, but rest assured, The Entity is powerful and will ensure you aren't alone. You have me, and eventually you will meet other Imbued who are immortal from their powers.

  Thanks…doesn't help change the fact that I'll outlive the woman I love. Ethan felt that sorrow he had repressed the thought of outliving Treya. He kept his composure, but felt like he was on the edge of a crisis.

  The rest of the transit passed in silence and inner turmoil for Ethan before they stepped out into the lobby of the LAPD building. The officers at the front desk jumped for a moment.

  "Hey. Is Detective Matthews in?" Ethan asked, his sorrow bleeding into his voice.

  The officer at the desk looked at his computer and nodded, "Yeah. He's on the third floor." He stood up and walked to a security door, keying it open and waving Ethan over to him, "Come on, I'll walk you up…who's the biker with ya?"

  Ethan hiked a thumb back at the newcomer hero, "That's Stormbringer. New hero."

  "More of the good guys, eh?" The cop chuckled, "Less dangerous work for us to deal with." He led the two up a few flights of stairs before they arrived at a large, open office space. "This is the bullpen. Detective Matthews' desk is over there," he pointed to the far corner of the room.

  Ethan gave him a pat on the back, "Thanks."

  The officer waved it off, "Keep up the work."

  Ethan led Stormbringer over to the Detective, who upon seeing them approach hung up the phone. "Radiance…who's this?"

  Ethan took a seat and gestured for his new ally to take the other, "This is Stormbringer. He's joining the hero business." Ethan pulled out the envelope from one of his compartments and handed it to Matthews, "Here's the footage."

  Matthews snatched the envelope and shoved it into his pocket, "Next time get it to me first, yeah?" Ethan nodded and Matthews was about to continue when a new voice interrupted.

  "-I've been waiting for you." Ethan looked to his left and saw a tall, confident, Hispanic woman in a dress suit and slacks wearing thin, circular glasses. "Agent Druthers, Federal Bureau of Investigation." She walked up and held a hand out.

  Ethan stood and shook before sitting back down. Interesting that she’s here in person. I would have thought we would be doing a video call or something like that.

  She took a seat on the edge of Matthews' desk; the Detective looked quite uneasy. She crossed her arms and stared down at the pair of heroes, "I need to debrief you about the terrorist attack yesterday."

  Ethan stood up, "Here?"

  She shook her head, "Nope. They gave me an interview room to use." She looked over at the Detective, "You too, Matthews." She glanced at Stormbringer and raised an eyebrow, "I don't know you and you weren't in the dossier. Who are you?"

  He stood up and saluted, "Stormbringer! I'm joining the hero business."

  She glanced between the two heroes and shrugged, "You too. Come along."

  She led the group to an interview room that had been converted to an office. The table had been pushed towards one wall and acted as a desk, covered with empty file folders. A few folding chairs were set up and the trio took their seats as she faced them from behind the desk. "Now, I need every detail. Don't leave anything out."

  Ethan dove into an explicit recount of the events, excluding his conversation with Nobilis and the creation of his new power; instead acting like he was always able to see through objects.

  Agent Druthers nodded as he spoke and made several marks on a legal pad. As he wrapped up she tore out the sheet of paper and slid it into a folder with a photo of Ethan in his Radiance costume stapled to it.

  Ethan spotted several other folders that were given a similar treatment; Python, Firestarter, Petal, and Full Metal Gangster; seemingly color coded with blue for himself and Petal, red for Firestarter and Full Metal Gangster, and yellow for Python. The folders were relatively slim, but the sorting system she had set up could accommodate hundreds of folders.

  Already organizing who to keep an eye on? I can only imagine what will happen to any Imbued they capture.

  "Now-" She leaned back in her chair, "I'm not just here about the plane hijacking. I have been placed as the federal agent in charge of keeping tabs on Imbued activities in Los Angeles. The United States Federal Government is still working out the ramifications on the national level for Imbued persons. But, with all of you located in Los Angeles, it's going to be kept at the local level for the time being."

  Matthews sighed, "The feds are here to stay."

  Druthers glared at him, "I'm not here to step on your toes, Detective. I'm here to catalog, track, and record everything about Imbued persons. The President needs intel before issuing an Executive Order, and in the meantime Congress can pass laws related to these Imbued. But we need data to do that."

  Stormbringer raised his hand. The agent sighed and pointed at him, "Do you have a file on me yet?" he asked.

  She shook her head, "No. I'll make one now that I know about you." She looked at Ethan, "I need your number."

  Ethan nodded and grabbed a notepad off her desk, jotting down his burner number before sliding the pad back to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

  He began to stand up when she raised her hand, "-Not yet, Radiance. I need your real name, the extent of your powers, and any other pertinent information."

  Ethan shook his head, "Sorry, no can do."

  She glared at him over her glasses, "It isn't a request. You will tell me what I need to know. I assume you are a United States citizen, and not complying could be considered treason. The folks in D.C. aren't playing softball."

  Ethan chuckled and waved for Stormbringer to stand up, "You don't have anything on me, and I don't owe you anything. I think I've already been more than fair by doing this debrief in the first place." He held his hand out to the desk, "Rescue," and his file warped into his hands.

  The agent stood up and shouted at him, "That is federal property! Return it or you're being arrested for felony tampering with evidence!"

  Matthews chuckled and stood up, "Give it up, and play nice." He gave a sideways glance at Ethan and cracked a smile, "Trust me. Already fucked me over once. Don't mess with him," he said with a subtle nod of respect.

  Ethan tossed the file on the desk. “I can take that back any time I want,” he stated. “I’m here to help people, but I will not be threatened.” He waved his hand next to him, "Heaven's Gate." The portal opened and he waved Stormbringer through before turning back to Druthers, "I look forward to working with you, agent. But make no mistake, I have the high ground. Both morally and in terms of potential." He walked through and willed the portal shut as the two heroes walked down the corridor.

  "You sure pissing off the feds is a good idea?" Stormbringer asked nervously.

  Ethan chuckled, "It's fine. I've been really careful not to let anything about my identity slip. Oh, speaking of, make sure if you have tattoos or the like that you paint over them or something. I've had my costume ruined twice now, and if I was inked up then I'd probably be outed by now."

  "Got it," Stormbringer gave a thumbs up. "I liked the reference. Think it went over her head, though."

  Ethan chuckled and smirked, "A fellow man of culture. Liking you more by the minute."

  Transit time passed and the two exited into the lobby of City Hall. Ethan walked over to the information desk and let them know he was there for the media meeting. An aide escorted the two of them to a large room with an enormous table and several chairs.

  The Mayor was already there, with several aides and a few security guards standing nearby. Reporters were present as well, setting up cameras and microphones. Ethan gave a wave to Aaron when he spotted his ally. He returned the wave but was intent on setting things up with Bill.

  The Mayor stood up and gestured for Ethan to join him. He shook his hand when he had gone behind the desk, "Great to see you, Radiance." He glanced past Ethan, "And who is this?"

  "Stormbringer!" The new hero introduced himself, getting next to Ethan and shaking the Mayor's hand.

  "He's just starting into the hero business," Ethan explained, gesturing for Stormbringer to sit down as he took a seat next to the Mayor.

  "We have more Imbued on our side then? That's good." The Mayor took his seat, "And even better; a veteran is showing him the ropes."

  "About that - I know you're going to offer Imbued to work for the city, but have you given any thought to a base of operations?" Ethan asked.

  The Mayor chuckled and snapped his fingers as an aide ran over with a clipboard, handing it to Ethan. Ethan looked at it and could see notes on various equipment having been ordered - tools for all kinds of trades and professions.

  And on a second page, an address. "I figured if I'm going to be employing people, they need a place to report for work orders and the like. There's a set of offices right in the middle of downtown. I'm getting it all set up with what I think heroes would need. Plus, I'm hiring some designers. You'd be amazed at the number of costume designers who bailed on Hollywood when I put up the job posting-"

  Stormbringer spoke up, "That's awesome! I'm going to look better than Radiance?"

  The Mayor chuckled, "They're industry veterans. I'm sure you'll look good." He looked over as an aide whispered into his ear, "Ah, we're starting soon. All right, gentlemen-" he gestured to the two heroes, "Face forward. I'll do most of the talking, and then you'll get your bit of time, Radiance."

  The doors at the end of the room slammed open as Petal strode in with a confident gait. She walked up to the Mayor's table and sat on the opposite side of the man, casting a glance at Ethan. "I changed my mind," was all she said as she faced the now-ready reporters.

  "Thank you for coming," the Mayor said, addressing the newscasters. Several flashes went off as pictures were taken. "We will have time for questions at the end. Today we have an announcement," he glanced to either side and nodded at the three heroes. "As you well know, Los Angeles has become home to these Imbued. People with actual superpowers. From the information we have gathered, there are approximately one-hundred Imbued in the city."

  Whispers and mutters came from the reporters before they calmed down. "Some you are aware of, such as the still at-large Full Metal Gangster, and some like Firestarter have been taken into custody by the heroes you see up here," He gestured to Petal and Ethan. "The purpose of this meeting today is twofold. First, to announce the creation of a new department within the city of Los Angeles. As of today, we are establishing The Imbued Department, which will employ any Imbued individuals who want to use their powers to help. Whether that's fighting crime and villains, or just improving the lives of others in the city. Petal, for instance, has brought back vegetation off the coast, reinvigorating the kelp beds and fostering a new environment for fish to populate."

  The Mayor smiled and leaned forward, "We will be hiring Imbued people to help improve and maintain the safety, security, and prosperity of Los Angeles. Please, if you are one of these folks blessed with these amazing abilities, come and work to make this city a better place." He took a deep breath and smiled broadly, "And second, a few thoughts from a hero who has done so much good in such a short time, including stopping a plane hijacking just yesterday, Radiance."

  The Mayor gestured to Ethan as the cameras turned to face him. He took a deep breath and tried to ignore the intense focus on him, instead looking at Aaron and Bill, pretending like he was at the pavilion. "Thank you, Mayor," Ethan said, glancing at the Mayor before turning forward again. "I was just an average guy a few days ago. I've used my powers to save hundreds of people's lives and prevent many more from being lost. I know it's scary, not knowing how people will react to you and what you are now…But I want to tell you that you're not alone. Use your power for good, and help us change the world for the better." He gestured to the Mayor who turned to Petal.

  Petal cleared her throat before speaking, "If you don't want to use your powers for good, don't use them to hurt others, and we won't have any problems. Keep laying low, keep them to yourself, and we won't cross paths." She came off quite abrupt and hostile.

  Maybe that's the smart play, Ethan thought. Letting people know that they don't just have to be evil or good, they can just be neutral and sit on the sidelines.

  Petal looked back to the Mayor who began to speak before Stormbringer interrupted.

  "-I want to add something! I'm Stormbringer. I just started this hero stuff today, and Radiance has already taught me a ton. I'm sure he'll teach new heroes just as much. Think about it, we can have our own league of heroes! Our own Justice League, even!” He sounded extremely excited, and quickly looked around before spotting the exasperated Mayor, at which point he sat down.

  The Mayor continued after the outburst with a forced smile on his face, the irritation subtle but he bore it with grace. "We'll open up the floor to questions at this time."

  Immediately the frenzy began. Reporters yelling over each other and vying for attention. Ethan spoke up and glanced over at a certain pair of individuals, "Yes, over there."

  "Aaron Restor, Imbued correspondent with News LA. Radiance, are you going to be joining this new department within the city? And second, are you going to be an advisor or manager for new Imbued?"

  Ethan glanced at the Mayor who gave him a smile and gestured slightly with his hand, "I plan on joining, yes. I don't want to manage other Imbued people, but as Stormbringer here said, I'll help them get on their feet and understand their new powers. I like to believe I know what I'm doing."

  There were some brief chuckles at this comment as he leaned back in his chair. More reporters spoke up and the mayor pointed at one who stood up and introduced himself, "Petal, are rumors true that you will not be joining this new department?"

  Petal nodded, "That's right. I'm needed in more places than just Los Angeles. Someone has to regrow The Amazon Rainforest and fix our planet." She turned and glanced at Ethan before facing forward once more.

  "To confirm, you'll be leaving Los Angeles?"

  Petal nodded, "I'll be traveling over the next few months with an international environmental organization to regrow plant life. First, The Amazon. And then The Great Barrier Reef."

  "Won't that cause international turmoil?"

  "The organization I am working with will be handling the details. Next Question."

  More questions were lobbed back and forth; most of which the Mayor answered. But one last question caught Ethan off guard.

  "Radiance, is it true that you're working with both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the LAPD?"

  Ethan frowned, and was quite thankful he had opted for a helmet in his costume design and wasn’t pulling a Superman with his face exposed. Well, time to draw a line in the sand in a way. Someone will read between the lines, I’m sure. He spoke firmly, "I'm not working with the FBI or any other federal agency. I am in contact with someone at the LAPD to respond to dangerous events, such as yesterday's plane hijacking. I have talked to the FBI in regard to the hijacking, but only in giving a report.”

  "To confirm," the reporter continued, "The federal government hasn't shown any interest in Imbued?"

  Ethan shook his head, "That's not what I said."

  "Can you clarify?"

  "I've spoken with an agent from the FBI, but other than speaking with them regarding the plane hijacking - I have not discussed anything with them." He was relieved when the questioning was directed elsewhere, and he saw back in his chair.

  "One last question for you, Mayor. It's inevitable that one of these heroes will be sued. Will the city be shouldering the cost of these court cases?"

  The Mayor smiled, "If in the capacity of their official role within The Imbued Department, then they will be covered under the city's insurance, just like the LAPD. However, if they are acting outside of their capacity, then they may be held liable."

  "How can they be held liable if their identity is unknown?"

  The Mayor shrugged, "That's a question for the courts."

  The questions continued - mostly regarding the possibilities of lawsuits, but the Mayor expertly danced around the questions before wrapping the press meeting. "That's all the time we have for today. I encourage you, if you're Imbued, please come and work for us. Do some good and get paid for doing it. A special thank you to Radiance, Petal, and Stormbringer."

  Ethan stood up and leaned over to Stormbringer, "I'll text you later." The new hero nodded and began to enthusiastically chat with the Mayor. Ethan walked over to Petal, who had also stood and was making her way to the doors leading outside. "Hey, mind if we talk?"

  She nodded, "The usual place?"

  He smiled, "Heaven's Gate." The portal opened and the two walked through, arriving a minute later atop the skyscraper once more.

  "What's there to talk about?" she asked.

  Ethan sat down, "You seemed pretty against this whole idea at first. What made you change your mind?"

  She sat next to him and anchored herself to the building with a vine, "I thought about what you said, changing the world and fixing things." She looked at him and her tone softened, "I'm impatient. It's just how I am. I want things to get done." She looked out to the horizon line, "I don't think I'm the right type of hero to fight villains."

  "Hey, come on, you did a number on Firestarter."

  She snapped back to him, "I wanted to kill him. After I saw the bodies…I wanted him dead. You're lucky you got to him first…" She looked off, "I talked with my mom…and she agreed with a lot of what you said but put it in her own way. I'm too biased to treat villains fairly."

  She stood up, "Plus, I can do a lot more good traveling instead of just staying in one place. There's only so much plant-growing I can do in the L.A. area. I have to go global to really make an impact…I've always wanted to explore the world." She gently put a hand on his shoulder, "You're needed here right now. This city needs you. It doesn't need a rampaging plant lady."

  Ethan nodded. Then, Petal did something unexpected. She took off her mask. She was young - no older than twenty, with freckles and a dark complexion. She poked him in the chest plate, "You can be the inspiration for humanity." She hiked a thumb back at herself, "I'll start fixing this crap and get the world turned around." She grinned. “Like you said The Entity told you, we only have a limited number of chances here.

  Ethan smiled under the helmet, but the gratitude came through in his words, "I appreciate what you've done so far, and what you're going to do. Don't hesitate to keep in touch. I promise I'll do my best to be that inspiration."

  She nodded before frowning slightly, "Come on, I showed you mine, it's only fair you show me yours."

  Ethan chuckled, "Fine. Give me a moment. Heaven's Gate." He opened the portal and gestured into the hallway of light. After they had both stepped in, and Ethan was sure no one could possibly see the two of them in this odd alternate-dimension, he pulled off his helmet and gave her a smile. "Now we're even."

  She laughed and put her mask on, "Older than I thought." She began walking down the corridor of light.

  Ethan frowned and put on his helmet once more, "I'm only twenty-eight."

  "You're old."

  "Yeah, well, at least I'm immortal."

  This stopped Petal in her tracks and she turned around, "What?"

  Ethan smirked, "I don't age anymore. And if I die I will come back in a few weeks."

  She turned back and kept walking, "Overpowered." The humor in her voice was tinged with a bit of jealousy. "Just don't think you're some god and try to take over the world. I'll stop you." She said with mock seriousness.

  Ethan laughed and exited on the street below with her, giving her a pat on the shoulder. “Keep in touch, alright?”

  “Sure.” The gate opened atop the tower once more, and she cursed, “Never going to get used to that. Mind getting me down?”

  Leap of Faith, Ethan thought as he warped to the ground floor below. He raised his hand, Rescue, he warped Petal down to the ground with him. “There you go. Take care.” Heaven’s Gate. He walked through with a wave and headed home.