The sun was just beginning to set, casting a fiery orange glow across Central City. Ethan stood on the corner of a street, watching the traffic flow as people hurried home after a long day. He wasn't supposed to be out here—not like this. But the Speed Force had been urging him to get involved, to use his powers. The feeling inside him, the power pulsing at the edges of his awareness, was growing more difficult to ignore.
"Come on," Ethan muttered to himself, glancing around nervously. "You've got this."
He had been trying to master his abilities for days now, practicing in empty warehouses and secluded alleyways, pushing himself further each time. But he had always been careful. Always made sure no one saw. The last thing he needed was attention—especially now that the Speed Force had given him a task. The quest to protect Barry was in the back of his mind, a constant weight on his chest.
But tonight, it seemed fate had other plans.
From the corner of his eye, Ethan spotted movement across the street—something strange, something out of place. A figure, tall and lean, stood in the middle of the road, a man surrounded by an unnatural distortion in the air, like a ripple in time. The people around him had started to scatter, ducking into shops and alleyways. The street was quickly becoming a ghost town.
Ethan's eyes narrowed. Rogue metahuman.
He hadn't expected to encounter one so soon, especially not this close to the city center. But the air felt thick with tension, and the man's presence screamed danger. His instincts kicked in, and before Ethan could fully process what was happening, his legs were already in motion. The power surged through him, making him feel lighter than air, as if his body was simply an extension of the wind.
As Ethan crossed the street, the metahuman lifted his hand. A ripple in the air twisted violently, and a burst of energy shot toward Ethan like a laser beam. Ethan ducked instinctively, the beam missing him by mere inches. The force of it made the ground beneath him crack, sending debris flying into the air. He didn't stop. He couldn't.
The man was faster than Ethan expected, his power creating chaotic distortions that bent space itself. A blur of motion, Ethan zigzagged between the crumbling concrete, his speed an advantage. The air itself seemed to distort around him as he adjusted to the unpredictable nature of the fight. He wasn't just facing a rogue metahuman—he was facing an enemy that could manipulate reality itself.
"Not bad, kid," the man's voice came through gritted teeth, heavy with malice. "But I'm just getting started."
Ethan's heart pounded in his chest, and he knew the metahuman was toying with him. The air around him shimmered again, and suddenly, the ground beneath Ethan's feet began to rise, shifting like quicksand. He barely had time to react as the earth trembled, a massive pillar of stone shooting up toward him. Ethan bolted to the side, feeling the earth scrape past him as the pillar shot up where he had been standing.
"Okay, this is not good," Ethan muttered under his breath. He could feel the energy inside him surging, threatening to overtake him. Control, control, he thought desperately, trying to center himself. You have to focus.
He wasn't sure if the Speed Force was guiding him or if his instincts were simply kicking in, but he didn't stop running. He darted around the shifting pillars of stone, twisting and dodging with impossible speed. The metahuman tried to target him, but every attack went wide, the erratic space distortions unable to predict Ethan's movements. He had the advantage in speed, but there was no room for error.
"You think you can keep dodging forever?" The metahuman smirked, his eyes glowing with a dangerous intensity. "Let's see how long you last."
In a burst of motion, he twisted his hands in the air, and the world around them began to bend. Ethan felt the pull in his gut as the fabric of reality warped. The sky above darkened, and the streets seemed to collapse inward. Time itself slowed around him, and for a moment, Ethan felt like he was standing in a slow-motion version of the world.
This is bad, Ethan thought, pushing himself to react.
He zoomed toward the metahuman, his feet barely touching the ground, as the world around him bent and shifted. He needed to end this quickly. The distortions in time and space made it harder to track his opponent, but Ethan's instincts told him where the threat was coming from. With a deep breath, he pushed himself forward, weaving through the chaotic warping of space.
The metahuman's face twisted in anger as Ethan closed the distance between them, his body vibrating with speed as he prepared to strike. He reached out with both hands, making contact with the metahuman's chest, and in that instant, the space around them exploded in a burst of energy.
Ethan was thrown back, slamming into the side of a building. The impact sent a shock of pain through his body, but he didn't have time to recover. He quickly pushed himself to his feet, his legs shaking from the impact.
The metahuman, on the other hand, stumbled back, surprised by the force of Ethan's strike. Ethan could see the cracks in the distortion around the man, the space starting to bend back into its natural form. The metahuman's concentration was faltering.
This is my chance.
Ethan didn't hesitate. He sprinted forward with all the speed he could muster, darting between the debris and over the broken asphalt. In a blur of motion, he reached the metahuman and slammed his fist into the man's gut, knocking the air from his lungs. The impact sent the rogue flying backward, crashing into a nearby lamppost, the distortion around him flickering before collapsing entirely.
For a moment, there was silence. Ethan stood over the defeated metahuman, breathing heavily, his muscles still buzzing with the aftereffects of the fight. His body was sore, bruised from the impact, but the adrenaline pumping through him made him feel invincible. He'd done it. He'd taken down a rogue metahuman—his first real test.
But as he looked down at the defeated figure before him, a sudden realization hit him. He hadn't been in control. Not fully. The Speed Force had been the only thing keeping him moving, keeping him alive. He didn't have the finesse or mastery over his abilities that Barry did.
Ethan glanced at his hands, still shaking slightly from the effort. He had come so close to making a mistake—one that could have ended badly. His speed had been a gift, but it also felt like a curse, constantly urging him forward, into danger.
You're not ready, Ethan thought, a deep sense of unease settling in his chest.
He heard the faint sound of sirens in the distance, the flashing lights of police cars growing closer. Ethan didn't have much time. Without another glance at the unconscious metahuman, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, his speed leaving nothing behind but the sound of rushing wind.
As the night swallowed him whole, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The Speed Force had given him a mission, but it was clear he had a long way to go before he could truly live up to it.