I remember back when everybody was worried that Y2K was gonna be the end of the world. In a sense, it was.

  The Earth passed through a cosmic debris field and spent months getting pelted by what the eggheads would later call 'Aethercite'. Nobody knew it at the time, but this shiny magic rock changed everything. Clean energy. Miracle tech. Superpowers. Fucking magic.

  For a while, it was just press conferences and sensational headlines. Aethercite this. Aethercite that. A bright future for humanity. Then, on September 11, 2001, the world's first supervillain tore through Manhattan.

  I was just a kid in middle school back then, but I'll never forget the camera footage of the skyline crumbling and smoke filling the streets. The bastard called himself Kharaab—the Arabic word for Ruin—and he lived up to the name. Said he'd come to punish the United States for its crimes against the rest of the world. Manhattan was just the first.

  I remember the fear. The disbelief. The despair. I remember wondering, "How do we even stop something like this?"

  And then, like something right out of a comic book, Eagle Squad, the US government's flagship metahuman team, arrived to save the day. They were all red, white, and blue—perfect, shiny, and new. Despite Kharaab's unstoppable might, Eagle Squad made short work of him. Within the hour, the villain was defeated, and the day was saved.

  The dead were mourned, the attack was memorialized, and we all did what we could to move on.

  It wasn't long after 9/11 that the Global War on Supervillainy became the new normal. Metahumans went from urban legends to headline news overnight. Aethercite became more valuable than gold as the nations of the world scrambled to arm themselves with metahumans of their own. Corporations got in on it, too, developing homegrown superteams and making a fortune on government contracts. And criminals? Well, let's just say a lot of them were chomping at the bit for a chance to become the next Kharaab.

  Then there were the poor sods like me who ate up everything the media was feeding us. I came into the Global War on Supervillainy a bit late, but I saw enough action to figure out what a crock of shit the whole thing was. Suddenly, every country that had a bone to pick with US foreign policy was found to be harboring supervillains. It felt like the world's leaders were a bunch of kids fighting over toys in a sandbox, except it was regular people like me they were tossing at each other. Needless to say, I didn't last much longer in the military.

  After I came home, after everything I'd seen, I just felt lost. I took what jobs I could to survive and did my best to coast through life. For a while, that was enough. Then I found that stupid rock in the woods while I was out camping one weekend. Like an idiot, I touched it, and it opened my mind. It gave me powers, and the biggest nosebleed of my life.

  I thought things could be different, that I could change the world. That I could use these powers to topple the corrupt institutions entrenched in the foundation of our society. I even believed it for a bit. I ran little experiments, tested the limits of what I could do, even took on the moniker of 'Kingslayer' and imagined myself as some kind of one-man reckoning. But shit like that takes motivation I just didn't have anymore.

  Now, as I sit in my overpriced apartment in Aurora Bay, the City of Tomorrow (formerly Boston/Cambridge), the world around me is abuzz with excitement as it says goodbye to 2025. Fireworks crack and pop over the skyline in a constant, dumb show of celebration, despite still being illegal in Massachusetts. Meanwhile, I'm sitting on my couch, crushing a bottle of Jameson while I flip through the channels on my TV for something halfway decent to watch.

  I'd nearly passed out for the night when a breaking news alert popped up on the screen and yanked me from my stupor. Anchorwoman Eva Russo stared intently at the camera with a frown on her face. "We have breaking news tonight from South Boston," she said. "A large fire has broken out at the Conley Container Terminal. Emergency crews are on the scene, but authorities are urging residents to steer clear of the area while the situation is contained."

  Before Ms. Russo could continue, the camera feed cut to live footage from a drone hovering over the terminal. Three figures streaked like shooting stars through the smoke, and the anchorwoman's voice cracked with excitement. "And now, astonishingly, it appears that Aurora Bay's very own Astra Gems have arrived on scene to assist the fire department."

  I perked up, rubbed the drunken blur from my eyes, and leaned closer to the screen. The Astra Gems, a trio of superheroines who'd become Aurora Bay's very own media darlings over the past few years. They'd grown up together in foster care, somehow managing to carve out lives and careers as superheroes despite all the hardships they'd faced. They were fully independent, too, relying entirely on charitable donations instead of government funding or corporate backing. I'd be lying if I said I didn't admire them at least a little bit.

  Their fearless leader, Ruby Rush, was a speedster with the ability to absorb and redirect thermal energy. Then there was Sapphire Sentinel, a tech genius and strategist operating her bleeding-edge Aethercite power armor. And last but not least, Amethyst Auspex, a wielder of the arcane with an expertise in manipulating gravity.

  I leaned back into my couch, squinting through the haze of smoke on the TV. This fire wasn't some distant disaster. It was close; maybe just a few blocks away. I could step outside right now, take a walk (or fly, if I were feeling particularly stupid), and watch the whole thing with my own eyes.

  I finished off the bottle of Jameson and felt the burn as it went down my throat. I knew I should just stay put. Stay safe. Let the firefighters and the cops and the capes handle it. But I was very, very drunk, and my brain wouldn't stop buzzing with insatiable curiosity.

  Well, fuck it. Nothing else interesting was happening tonight.

  ***

  The air outside was cold and bitter, but I'd grown up in New England, so I was used to its winters. I trudged along through slush and snow in the streets until I came to a large crowd amassed before a police barricade. Red and blue lights lit up the night sky, strobing across the faces of onlookers as they watched the scene in awe. I found a good spot in the crowd where I could see everything.

  Ruby Rush streaked through the terminal in a blur of red and gold, errant flames gravitating toward her as she used her powers to siphon the heat into her body. High above, Sapphire Sentinel hovered in her blue-and-silver power armor, her small army of drones scanning the area and providing tactical data to both her team and the firefighters. And Amethyst Auspex, in her purple and white costume, drifted along the perimeter with her arms outstretched, using her magic to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading.

  They were young, but they weren't rookies. They'd been at the hero thing for about a decade now, ever since they'd taken down Dr. Diablo's Aethercite smuggling ring when they were barely out of high school. The media had loved that story: hometown heroes take down international supervillain. They'd been celebrities ever since.

  But as I stood there watching the spectacle, my metahuman vitality rapidly burning off the alcohol in my system, my psychic awareness sent a chill down my spine. Something was about to happen. Something bad.

  Then, as if on cue, the groaning of metal filled the air as a stack of cargo containers buckled and swayed toward a nearby group of firefighters. The Gems didn't see it until it was too late.

  I didn't think. I reached out with my mind, as subtly as I could manage, and used telekinesis to stabilize the swaying stack of metal. I was out of practice, but it was enough to give the Gems time to intervene. Amethyst swept in from above, hands crackling with purple energy as she weaved an anti-gravity spell to keep the containers from falling.

  Once I was satisfied the situation was under control, I released my grip. My head throbbed in pain, and blood oozed from my nose, which I quickly wiped away. I hadn't pushed myself that hard in a while.

  When I returned my attention to the fire, I could see Amethyst scanning the crowd, her brow furrowed in confusion. Then, she shook her head and went back to work helping to contain the blaze.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  She must have felt it. My interference. Luckily, she had bigger fish to fry right now.

  Over the next hour or so, the Gems worked together with the Aurora Bay Fire Department to bring the fire under control. By the end of it, Ruby was zipping back and forth between the terminal and a team of paramedics, ferrying the injured to safety while Sapphire provided support and Amethyst used her magic to snuff out the last of the flames.

  As the fires finally died and the last of the embers faded into the night sky, the crowd erupted into applause. I joined in, clapping along with everyone else as the trio of heroines regrouped and took a bow, their costumes smudged with soot and grime.

  I knew I should've gone home then, but something kept me rooted to the spot, my gaze fixed on the Gems as they spoke with officials from the fire department. I saw them talking with reporters, giving their statements for the morning news. Then, once the reporters were satisfied, they approached the crowd.

  "Hello, everyone!" Ruby greeted, her posh British accent cutting through the crisp night air. "Thank you all for your patience and support tonight. We're happy to report that everyone is safe, and the fire has been contained. We couldn't have done it without the incredible work of the Aurora Bay Fire Department, so please, give them a round of applause!"

  The crowd obliged, and Ruby returned a toothy smile. "Now, I know you must all be tired and cold, but if you could please make your way home safely, we would greatly appreciate it. The authorities need to conduct their investigation, and we'd like to get some much-needed rest."

  I nodded along, staying with the crowd and trying not to look like I didn't belong. But then Ruby's eyes swept over the sea of people and settled on me. "Oh, hey!" she said. "Thanks for your help!"

  I blinked back at her, and the crowd parted slightly. My stomach did a flip. "I... I'm sorry?" I asked.

  She lifted the goggles from her eyes and let them rest on her forehead, then gave me a confused look. "Oh... I'm sorry," she said, giving a little chuckle. "I thought you were one of the firefighters."

  I shook my head and gave a little chuckle. "I'm flattered, but no, sorry," I said. "Just another curious bystander. You guys did great out there, though."

  Ruby's face lit up. "Aww, thank you so much! We try our best."

  Sapphire and Amethyst soon joined Ruby, their expressions a mix of curiosity and suspicion as they looked me over. I could feel Amethyst's gaze linger, her arcane senses clearly picking up on something she couldn't quite place. I did my best to keep my thoughts shielded, focusing on the mundane, on the cold, on my desire to go home and sleep, how I was just another looky-loo excited to see the famous Astra Gems in person.

  "Rue, you know this guy?" Amethyst asked.

  I offered my hand before she could answer. "Shaw," I said. "Gabriel Shaw. I live in the neighborhood."

  "Gabriel Shaw," Ruby repeated, taking my hand and giving it a firm shake. "Wonderful to meet you, Mr. Shaw."

  Sapphire gave me a curt nod, her gaze hidden behind her suit's helmet. "Pleasure," she said, her voice distorted.

  Amethyst gave a two-fingered salute and nodded, then crossed her arms and hung back. She was quiet, but her eyes never left me.

  "Well, I think we ought to be off," Ruby chimed in. "It's been a long night."

  I nodded. "Of course," I said. "Don't let my dumb ass keep you guys out here."

  Ruby chuckled again. "You're all right, Mr. Shaw," she said. "Happy New Year."

  "Happy New Year to you, too," I replied.

  As they turned to leave, Amethyst gave me one last look, her expression unreadable. I offered her a small smile, and she returned it with a tight-lipped nod before turning to catch up with the others. As I watched them go, my stomach twisted in knots. I'd been so careful for so long, and now I was certain they'd clocked something was off about me. Should have just stayed home.

  I slowly made my way back to my apartment, dragging my feet through the winter mess covering the sidewalk. My head was still throbbing from the telekinetic stunt I'd pulled earlier, and my body ached with a familiar exhaustion that always came after pushing my powers to their limit.

  I kept replaying the way Amethyst had looked at the crowd, at me, that flicker of recognition in her eyes. Nothing bad had happened, nothing concrete, anyway, but I had been seen. For better or worse.

  For now, it was back to my humdrum life of hiding my metahuman status and coasting through existence. But my brain wouldn't stop replaying my intervention with the cargo containers. I'd stopped several tons of metal from falling with a thought and a nosebleed. That was no small feat, no matter how you looked at it. And now, I couldn't help but wonder what I could do if I actually tried.

  I pushed these thoughts away as I arrived at my apartment building and made the slow trek up the stairs to the 8th floor. I fumbled for my keys, fingers still numb from the cold, then flung the door open. Once inside, I kicked off my boots, threw my coat over the closest chair, and collapsed onto my couch.

  ***

  "Hey."

  My body protested as I was thrust back to the waking world. I looked over at the alarm clock sitting on the end table beside the couch. 3:14 AM. "Happy New Year," I groaned, then rolled back over.

  "Hey, asshole! Wake the fuck up!"

  My eyes snapped open, and I shot up from the couch. I turned toward the voice and saw a strange figure in my kitchen, glass bottles clinking as its silhouette rifled through my liquor cabinet. "What the fuck are you doing in my apartment?" I demanded.

  The figure turned toward me, and I got a good look. It was... me. Older, gaunt, and looking a lot worse for wear, but unmistakably me. He wore a wrinkled black poncho over worn-out military gear, and he looked and smelled like he'd spent all day rolling around in a pile of garbage. "I'm grabbing a drink," he replied nonchalantly. "Why is it always fuckin' Jameson and fruity vodka bullshit in here?"

  I wondered for a moment if I was having some weird PTSD dream again, but this was too real. "Okay, who the fuck are you?" I asked, this time, with a bit more authority.

  The other me took a long, deliberate swig from the bottle of Jameson he'd just opened, then let out a satisfied sigh. "Look at my face," he said, pointing to himself. "I'm you, dumbass. From the future." He paused a moment to let that sink in. "And if I timed it right, we should be on the morning after the terminal fire."

  My blood ran cold. "What?"

  "Big fire at Conley," he said, taking another swig. "Our favorite ladies in spandex show up, and we save a bunch of firefighters with our powers. We hope they didn't notice us, but they did. And that's okay because we want them to notice us."

  I pinched the bridge of my nose. I had so many questions, and I didn't even know where to start. "Hold on. You're telling me time travel is real?"

  "Sort of," the other me replied. "You can't go back in time to change the future. Your future becomes your past, and it causes a feedback loop that destabilizes all of space and time. Very messy. Seen it eleven times."

  "Eleven times?"

  "Yeah," he replied. "Anyway, we figured out the way to time travel without blowing up the whole space-time continuum is jump to alternate timelines and change their future, because their future hasn't actually happened in our timeline. It's like—"

  "Oh," I said. "It's an 'Avengers: Endgame' thing."

  He rolled his eyes and nodded. "You always make that same fucking joke, too."

  I let out a sigh, then gestured for him to give me the Jameson. I had a feeling I was gonna need it more than him. "So, why are you here, then?" I asked. "What are you trying to change?"

  Future Me took one last swig from the bottle, then handed it over. "About two years from now, the Coming Storm is gonna hit," he said. "Near-total extinction event. Maybe a handful of people make it through. But life as we know it is basically gone."

  My stomach dropped. "The 'Coming Storm?'"

  "The Coming Storm," he replied flatly. "Now, before you wanna start playing 20 questions, the more that you know about the Storm, the sooner it gets here. Just knowing it even exists shaves off about a year, but that gives you more of a fighting chance than not knowing about it. Anything more than that isn't worth it."

  I shook my head. "Okay," I muttered. "Well, then... what do I do to stop it?"

  He gave a long sigh. "First of all, you gotta get your shit together, buddy," he said, gesturing at my mess of an apartment. "Working the gig apps to just barely get by ain't gonna cut it anymore. You gotta train your powers. Get up to no good. Steal some shit from some rich assholes. Kidnap the mayor. Tear an evil dictator in half with your mind. Reach deep inside, grab hold of that intestinal fortitude, and become the 'Kingslayer' you were always meant to be."

  Future Me leaned in close. "But most of all, you need to make our girls matter. The Astra Gems—they're the key to beating this thing. We always make it the furthest with them alive and kicking, but it's never been enough. They always get themselves killed. They're idealists. They're martyrs. That's how it goes."

  "So, what do I do about that?" I asked.

  "You need to make them stronger," he said. "And that's why you need to become both their greatest threat and their greatest ally. You have to push them. You have to bend and break them. You have to forge them into the weapons we need them to be. You have to be the villain in their story so they can be the heroes in ours. And whatever you do—"

  "—I can't tell them about the Coming Storm because it would accelerate its arrival."

  He pointed a finger at me. "Bingo."

  I took a long swig of the Jameson. "So, basically, you're telling me that I have to be an evil asshole and harass Aurora Bay's favorite superheroines so they can become strong enough to stop an apocalypse?"

  Future Me gave a slow nod. "It sucks, but yeah, pretty much."

  I shook my head at him. "Why are you even bothering with any of this, though?" I asked. "You just told me it's impossible to change your own future without blowing up the universe or whatever. Even if I pull this off somehow, your timeline's still fucked, right?"

  "Look, kid. Some version of us deserves to be fucking happy," Future Me said. "Those girls are the greatest thing that ever happened to us, and I'm tired of watching them die. I don't know what else to do about it, so warning alternate timelines of their impending doom it is."

  I gave a grim laugh. "Good to see our unyielding spite is still with us."

  Future Me smiled back in a way that looked like it was his first time smiling in years. "It has been good company," he said. "Make sure you hang onto it."

  Then... he was just gone, like he'd never been there at all. The only proof he had was the missing liquor from my stash.

  I scanned the apartment, half-expecting him to flicker back to existence somewhere, but he was gone forever. I sank back into my couch, chugging the whiskey until fire spread through my chest.

  What. The. Actual. Fuck.