Ethan cracked a smile under the helm, Do tell, he thought to Nobilis.

  Simply put, you have a variety of Abilities at your disposal that are called “buffs”. This plays into the Holy power you draw your Abilities from, through the lens of the inspiration behind them. Shall I put up a display with a few of them?

  Yes, please.

  For the sake of classification, all of these “buffs” will be organized underneath a primary Ability, just as your offensive Abilities fall underneath Holy Smite, and your healing Abilities fall underneath Healing Touch.

  -----

  [New Ability Created: Holy Aura]

  [Effect: The user projects holy energy in a variety of forms, based upon intent (buff, shield). Range is equal to line of sight.]

  -----

  [New Sub-Ability Created: Projected Barrier]

  [Effect: The user can create a shield around a target that absorbs a set amount of damage before breaking.]

  -----

  Ethan glanced at Big Jim, let’s try this. Projected Barrier. He felt the rush of warmth to his hand and instinctively held up his arm. A beam of white energy shot from his palm, hit Big Jim, not seeming to affect him physical in the slightest. The light ballooned and encompassed his body, becoming a thin, translucent barrier.

  The man glanced over at Ethan, “I felt a breeze. You do something?”

  “I shielded you,” Ethan replied.

  Big Jim cracked a smile, “All right! Now we’re talking!” He looked to Walter, “We good to go in?”

  The brains behind the operation at his drone console nodded, “Ready whenever. I have a drone on Tyra – she went full T-rex and is just ripping apart cars and rampaging against buildings.” He chuckled, “It makes the dino-nerd in me giddy.”

  Ethan looked at the Bolt Twins, “Ready?”

  Blue Bolt signed a response, and Red Bolt translated, “About time we moved against this guy.”

  Ethan glanced at the monitor showing the drone footage above the gymnasium, where he knew FMG was located. “Heaven’s Gate,” he stated. The portal opened up, and he led the way through, stepping onto the asphalt outside one of the sets of double doors. Thanks to Tyra’s distraction up north and Ethan’s removal of the weapons in the area, there were no guards.

  Which was something he was not expecting. Sight beyond Light, he thought as he scanned inside the building once more. He saw the bulk of FMG outlined in black and white, along with two other figures. “There’s more than just FMG in there,” Ethan stated.

  The Bolt Twins blitzed off, and a few seconds later came back, “No civilians nearby,” Red Bolt stated. “What’s the plan?”

  Big Jim cracked a smile, “We bust in and bust some heads.”

  Alice looked at Ethan, “Check inside just in case. I’ve got the cannon charged. If I miss, then it’s going to be a thirty second recharge time.”

  Ethan deactivated his vision-based Ability and held up a hand for them to hold. When his vision returned, he nodded and drew his sword. “Lead the way, Big Jim.” He then glanced over at the Bolt Twins. Projected Barrier, he thought as he raised his left hand. The white beam shot out, hit both of them, and protected them. He repeated the feat for Alice.

  And he felt winded. He was sucking in breaths like he was on the second mile of a marathon he had not prepared for. “Hit it,” he muttered between breaths.

  Big Jim lifted his foot and kicked hard. The double doors exploded inward, off their hinges, and went tumbling into the room beyond. He moved into the room, the Bolt Twins dashing in past him, and Ethan right behind at the rear, Alice next to him.

  The inside of the gym was fully overhauled. It had been converted to a nightclub. Multi-colored lights up above shot scattered rays of luminosity down onto the ground. A dance floor in the center of the room. To the right, a large bar that had hundreds of bottles unattended. Stages along one wall with stripper poles, and on the left a seating area with booths and sumptuous cushions. Smoke hung heavy in the air, and the reeking smell caused Ethan’s nose to wrinkle in disgust.

  At the far end of the room, there was a DJ stage, and above that, Full Metal Gangster, dressed in a button-down shirt that was not buttoned up and black slacks, was seated on a huge, cushioned chair. He was holding a bottle and took a swig. Adjacent to him were two women, one on each armrest, with arms wrapped around him.

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  “Look who it is,” The man said in a thick accent. “You fuckers came into the wrong place.” He took a swig of his booze.

  Big Jim walked into the center of the dance floor and let out a raucous laugh, “Come on, big man. Let’s go! You and me, toe to toe.” He raised his hands in a boxer’s stance.

  FMG smirked and turned to the woman next to him, handing her the bottle, “Hold this for me.” He then stood up and took off his shirt.

  This is perfect, Ethan thought, Big Jim is going to keep him busy while Alice gets into a good position.

  The Bolt Twins glanced at each other, then vanished in a blitz of speed. Ethan could track them thanks to his vision, and he saw them go for the women, grab them, and then leave with them, removing the possibility they could be injured.

  Alice whispered to Ethan, “This seems too easy. Why would he be okay with a one-on-one?”

  “He’s a man,” Ethan replied. “He’s got pride, and Big Jim challenging him to a fight is challenging it.”

  It is stupid, is what it is, Nobilis commented.

  FMG’s footsteps shook the floor as he walked over to Big Jim and stood an arm’s reach away. “You sure you want to do this, old man?”

  “This marine is going to whoop your ass!” Big Jim unleashed a vicious haymaker that FMG caught on his forearm before responding with a jab of his own. Big Jim took the hit, and Ethan’s barrier crackled around him.

  “Shields?” FMG growled. “Fucking cheater!”

  Big Jim kept his guard up and performed a kick to FMG’s thigh; a hard strike that caused the metallic body to ripple slightly. “Had to balance the scales a little,” he rumbled.

  FMG reached a hand out – faster than Big Jim could react, and grabbed the man’s forearm. He squeezed, the barrier beginning to fracture as Big Jim just kept pummeling to no avail. Ethan continually refreshed Projected Barrier, keeping his ally from being crushed as FMG and his foe kept hammering each other.

  It would be a test of endurance; Ethan’s energy and how long his barriers could last, versus how long it would take for Alice to aim and fire the weapon.

  Alice had gotten into position atop one of the tables near the entrance to get a clear line of sight, and she tilted her body forward to line up the cannon at FMG. “Firing!” she shouted over the comms, which, thankfully, did not go outside her suit.

  Ethan winced as his ears popped from the sudden change in pressure. A massive shockwave of air blasted out, and he could see the ground, the stage, FMG, and the barrier around Big Jim vibrating. Projected Barrier! Ethan thought as he reused the Ability to keep Big Jim safe.

  FMG was affected, as he staggered to his left, letting Big Jim go, and coughed up blood. “The fuck-”

  Big Jim got around behind him and put him into a headlock, “Might be invincible, but you still gotta breathe!”

  Ethan glanced back at Alice, “How long?”

  “Twenty-eight seconds!” she shouted back.

  Ethan looked back at the brawl. Big Jim on FMG’s back, his biceps bulging as he tried to choke out the villain. FMG, punching Big Jim in the face over his shoulder, and elbowing with his other arm. I can’t do anything but protect Big Jim, Ethan thought.

  Best to keep yourself safe and stick to the plan. Be the support. Nobilis stated.

  And that’s what Ethan did. He kept using Projected Barrier, his energy dropping lower and lower with each use. He could feel himself getting more and more tired. Thankfully, there was a booth seat next to him, and he could just sit down and point his palm at Big Jim, using Projected Barrier over and over again, keeping his ally from being injured.

  FMG was struggling to breathe, and he tried to roll, to shake Big Jim – but the man planted his feet and was able to sprawl down to keep the villain pinned in place. It had turned from a brawl into a wrestling match, and Big Jim was living up to his hero name as he kept FMG in the submission lock.

  Alice shouted, “Ready!”

  Ethan used another Projected Barrier right before shouting, “Do it!”

  The sound wave exploded out, Ethan’s ears popped yet again, and the barrier shimmered around Big Jim.

  FMG collapsed to the ground, blood pooling around his head.

  Big Jim glanced to Ethan, “I still got a pulse. What we wanna do?”

  Ethan was about to reply, but a cloud of pixels caught his attention. Cheat Code, he thought instinctively as he stood up, taking a staggering step from exhaustion.

  The cloud of pixels floated next to him, and the voice was unmistakable. “Well, look who it is. Finally dealing with the villain in your midst? And you, just sitting back here, buffing? That’s not fun at all.”

  Ethan tried slashing at the pixels, but the blade passed right through them. Chains of Light, he thought as his energy drained even further.

  The white chains shot out of the ground, walls, and ceiling, affixing themselves onto the pixelized cloud. “Oh, you fucking noob. You think I’d send myself there?”

  Alice shouted, “What is that?”

  The pixelized cloud vanished, but left a lingering word. Whispered just loud enough for Ethan to hear. “Remember how I said I could use mutagens to alter superpowers? Enjoy the new, improved FMG!”

  Ethan turned back and saw the metal-covered figure rise up, pushing himself off the ground despite Big Jim clinging to him and squeezing hard. The villain grew larger; his muscles expanding as the ground cracked under his bulk. He reached a hand back, grabbed Big Jim – whose arms were barely able to get around the neck of the hulking brute – and flung him away. The tank-top-wearing man slammed into Alice, sending both sprawling back.

  FMG turned to face Ethan, “Let’s see if you stay dead this time.”

  Walter’s voice came over the comms, “Radiance, buy time for Alice to charge. Bolts, be her mobility. Big Jim, get back in there!”

  Ethan glanced up and saw the small drone flying near the ceiling. Let’s try pinning him down. Chains of Light. The white chains surged from the ground and ceiling, wrapping themselves around FMG and stopping him from walking forward.

  The man grunted, “Cute.” He shrugged his shoulders, and the chains broke.

  He cannot be stopped, Nobilis said.

  Then we turn it into a chase, Ethan thought as he ran for the double doors and exited out to the large blacktop. He heard the huge crash behind him, and glancing over his shoulder, saw that FMG had demolished the side of the building with a shoulder-check as he barreled after him.

  Ethan kept running until he reached the center of the expanse of black top, several basketball hoops standing with their metal, chain nets gently clanking in the breeze. He could see the Bolt Twins behind FMG, carrying Alice and keeping a safe distance.

  Big Jim was hot on FMG’s heels and leaped up, slamming into the back of the villain’s head with a brutal knee. It caused FMG’s neck to tilt forward ever so slightly, and the villain just growled as he rotated, delivering a vicious backhand that sent Big Jim flying – Ethan’s barrier shattering as he went tumbling into one of the shipping containers.

  “Now,” FMG said as he turned to Ethan, “It’s your turn.”