Beyond Abilities

The world felt frozen for a split second. Dust and debris filled the air all around him, as the beam fell toward Nathan.

Lucas lunged without hesitation. "Nathan!"

His body slammed into Nathan's, pushing him out of the way just as the beam crashed down, shattering the floor where he was just standing. A deafening boom echoed through the ruined building.

For a moment, nobody moved. 

Astra was the first to react. "Is he okay?"

Nathan coughed, pushing himself up. His arms trembled, his mind still reeling. "I—I'm fine."

Lucas offered him a hand. "You sure? That was way too close."

Titan clenched his fists. "This isn't working. We should be handling this easily."

Aegis shot him a glare. "Well, we're not. So we need a new plan."

From deeper in the building, the terrified screams came back. 

"We don't have time," Astra said, looking at the wreckage. "We need tools. We need to move."

They climbed through the debris, looking for anything they could use. 

From the debris, Aegis pulled out an old emergency kit, its contents barely functional but it was better than nothing.

Lucas took charge. "Alright, listen up! We brace anything unstable. Prioritize clearing paths. We don't have powers, so we need to rely on teamwork."

"Found something!" Aegis called, grabbing a metal crowbar from the emergency kit. "It's not much, but we can use this to clear debris and stabilize weaker sections."

Astra knelt beside a cracked wall, running her hands over the damage. "This section won't hold for long. We need to move fast." Her sharp gaze scanned the space, identifying the safest paths forward. "Titan, help us shift these collapsed beams. Lucas, Aegis, with me. We'll reinforce the doorway so nothing else comes down."

Titan confidently walked to the pile of wreckage, planting his feet. He bent his knees and grunted as he tried to lift a fallen beam, only for it to barely move. 

His jaw tightened. Frustration flashing in his eyes. "I should be able to do this easily," he muttered. "It's what I do."

Lucas clapped a hand on his shoulder. "We all need to do things differently than we're used to. Let's just keep pushing together."

Together, they were able to push the beam aside, revealing a cowering civilian underneath. The man flinched, his eyes filled with panic.

"You're safe now," Nathan said quickly, stepping forward and offering a hand. "Can you move?"

The man nodded weakly, letting Nathan and Lucas help him on his feet. One rescue down, but there were still more cries echoing through the ruined building.

Astra moved to a weakened staircase. "Some of the voices are coming from upstairs, but this thing won't hold much longer."

Aegis frowned, considering the structure. "If we distribute weight, it might last. We go one at a time. I'll go first to check the stability."

Titan crossed his arms, scowling. "So we just tiptoe around instead of fixing the damn thing?"

"We can't fix it," Astra countered. "We can only make sure it doesn't collapse while we save these people."

Titan's fists clenched, but he said nothing. Instead, he stepped back, letting Aegis ascend carefully. The team followed, their coordination improving with every passing moment. They weren't invincible without their powers, but they were still heroes.

A deep, echoing groan shook the building as another section of the ceiling buckled. Dust fell down, and the floor beneath them trembled. The team barely had any time to breathe before a new crisis broke out.

"Fire!" Astra screamed through the chaos as she pointed toward the far end of the hall. Flames licked at the broken walls, quickly consuming debris and spreading toward a blocked stairwell. At the same time, from above, desperate cries echoed down. "Please, help us! We're trapped up here!"

Lucas swore. "Damn it. We don't have time to handle all of this at once."

Titan took a step forward, fists clenched. "We need to get to those people upstairs now. I can..." He stopped, his face twisting in frustration as he realized, once again, that he couldn't just leap up there like he normally would.

Aegis scanned the area, assessing their options. "We have to split up. We can't let the fire block off more escape routes."

Nathan's heart pounded. He looked at the collapsing structure, at the growing fire, and then up at the trapped civilians. His mind worked rapidly, piecing together what he knew. Echo wasn't working, but he still had his instincts.

"There's a maintenance ladder in the back!" Nathan suddenly shouted, pointing toward the smoke-covered hallway. "It should lead to the second floor! Astra, Aegis, get it and use it to get up there!"

Lucas's eyebrows shot up at Nathan's commanding tone. It was different from his usual hesitance. 

Even Titan paused, surprise flickering across his face before he gave a reluctant nod of acknowledgment. 

At the moment, no one questioned Nathan's judgment.

Astra didn't hesitate, grabbing Aegis by his arm and sprinting into the haze.

"What about the fire?" Titan asked.

Nathan's gaze flickered toward the burning debris. They didn't have the tools to put it out. "We clear a path around it. Lucas, Titan, follow me!"

They rushed forward, using broken furniture and rubble to create a barrier, trying to control the flames as much as possible. Titan still looked frustrated, but he followed Nathan's lead, helping shift a particularly heavy beam to block the fire's spread.

Lucas wiped sweat from his face. "We need to hurry."

Above them the screams grew louder. The building groaned again. It was a sign time was running out.

The building shook violently as another explosion rocked the foundation. Nathan barely kept his footing as dust and debris rained down. The last civilian was trapped beneath a collapsed support beam. Their cries for help were barely audible over all the chaos.

"We're running out of time!" Astra shouted, shielding her mouth from the thickening smoke.

Lucas coughed, glancing toward the nearest exit. "If we don't get them out now, we're all going down with this place."

Nathan's mind raced. They had no powers. No superhuman strength, no energy constructs, just themselves. He scanned the structure, his instincts kicking in. Think. Look for weaknesses. Work smart.

"There!" Nathan pointed. "If we shift the beam at an angle, we can create leverage instead of lifting it outright."

Aegis was already on it, wedging a broken pipe underneath. "We'll need a counterbalance. Lucas, Titan, brace it from the sides!"

The team went into action, every movement fueled by determination. On Nathan's command, they heaved in unison. Titan's muscles shook with effort, but together, they managed to tilt the beam just enough for Astra to get the civilian out of there.

The moment their hands left the wreckage, a deafening alarm rang out.

Everything stopped.

The rumbling ceased. The flames vanished. The air cleared in an instant.

The ruined city flickered, then dissolved into the clean, white walls of the testing chamber.

Nathan collapsed onto his back, panting. It was over.

A low hum filled the air as their powers returned, tingling through their veins like a long-lost sense. Titan flexed his fingers, jaw tight. "We were nothing without our powers," he muttered.

"You're wrong," Astra countered, pushing to her feet. "We were resourceful. We saved people."

Aegis exhaled. "That's what the test was really about, wasn't it?"

The proctors stepped forward, their faces were unreadable. "Simulation complete. The real test wasn't just about saving people, it was about proving you could lead without relying on your abilities."

Nathan sat up slowly, the weight of the moment sinking in. All this time, he had thought Echo defined him. But when it mattered most, it hadn't been his power that saved lives. It had been him.

Lucas clapped him on the back with a grin. "See? You're more than just your power."

Nathan exhaled slowly, a small smile formed. Maybe, just maybe, he was.

The proctors faced them, their expressions unreadable. "With the simulation complete the entrance exam is now officially over."

Nathan took a long, deep breath, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. This was it, time for the results.

Lucas nudged him slightly. "Relax," he whispered. "You did great."

Nathan wasn't sure if he believed it. The simulation had pushed them beyond anything they had expected. He had survived without Echo, but had it been enough?

One of the proctors was a tall woman with a stern demeanor. She stepped forward. "Today you've all faced adversity. Multiple challenges that tested not only your abilities but your instincts, adaptability, and teamwork."

She paused, scanning their faces. "Only those who demonstrated the qualities of a true hero will advance. The following candidates have passed."

The room went quiet. Then, she began listing names.

"Aegis."

Aegis exhaled sharply, nodding once.

"Astra."

Astra remained composed, but there was the barest hint of a smile on her lips.

"Titan."

Titan smiled, though his usual arrogance was subdued.

"Lucas."

Lucas grinned, casting Nathan a glance before turning his focus forward.

Nathan held his breath.

Each name called felt like an eternity. Aegis, of course, he'd been solid throughout. Astra, her quick thinking had saved them multiple times. Titan, despite his frustration, his raw determination had pulled them through. Lucas. Nathan's heart rate picked up. His friend had more than earned it, but now only a few spots remained. 

The proctor's pause seemed to stretch forever. 

Nathan's mouth went dry. Had they seen something he'd missed? Some crucial mistake? Every moment of self-doubt from the simulation went through his mind.

"…And Nathan."

His mind blanked for a second. He had to replay the words in his head just to be sure. Then, the relief hit, crashing over him in waves. He had done it.

He caught Lucas's eye, and his friend's proud grin made something click. This wasn't just about passing, it was about proving to himself that he belonged here. Power or no power, he had earned this.

The proctor's gaze swept over them. "You have made your first step to become true heroes. But passing the exam does not make you one. A lot of training, discipline, and sacrifice lie ahead. The real test starts now."

Nathan let the words settle in. The journey was far from over. But he had taken the first step, and felt ready to face whatever came next.