totally meta

chapter 38

Henry stood in the shadows outside the towering church, his eyes on the figure soaring above the building. Illuminated by the moonlight, the woman's angelic wings stretched out in all their glory. She glided gracefully through the air, descending toward the gathering crowd below. Inside the church, the faithful murmured nervously, their hands clasped in prayer. The once serene atmosphere had become thick with fear.

"This is going to be a mess," Henry muttered to himself, adjusting his friction-proof suit.

He had heard whispers of this meta-human before—a woman with wings who could control the weather, freeze with her breath, and summon lightning. Many in the city had begun to believe she was an actual angel, sent to punish or save, depending on who you asked. But here, in this church, even the devout were torn. They revered her as a divine being but feared her power, believing she needed to be stopped.

From the side entrance, Henry watched as the angel descended onto the front steps of the church, her white wings stretching wide and glowing softly in the dim light. In one swift move, the woman in the ironman suit launched herself forward, trying to subdue the winged meta.

A blinding flash of lightning erupted from the angel's hands, sending Cynthia sprawling across the courtyard, her high-tech suit sparking. Henry darted forward, his speed turning him into a red blur as he tried to catch her mid-air. But before he could react, the angel let out an icy breath, freezing Henry's legs in place, locking him in a block of ice.

"Damn it!" Henry growled through chattering teeth. The ice was biting, constricting him just enough to slow him down but not enough to stop him entirely. He watched helplessly as the winged meta hovered above the stunned crowd, her eyes glowing with an ethereal power.

Then, out of nowhere, Erica -- a meta human Henry once fought-- came barreling toward the angel from the side. She delivered a single, devastating punch to the woman's jaw, sending her crashing into the church steps. The crowd gasped in shock, unsure if they should applaud or flee.

Henry felt the ice around him start to melt as the angel hit the ground, her wings twitching weakly. Erica knelt beside her, pulling out a pair of power-dampening handcuffs she had taken from the ironman suit, clapping them on the angel's wrists before she could recover.

Henry rushed over as soon as he was free. "Erica, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be back at Seven Labs if you're considered dangerous!"

Erica wiped her metallic hands on her jeans, her skin slowly returning to normal. "I know," she said, standing up and facing Henry. "But I couldn't stay back. These people—" she gestured to the churchgoers, "—they're here because of me."

Henry blinked in surprise. "Wait, what? What do you mean they're here because of you?"

Erica sighed, her eyes scanning the shaken crowd. "I started a small movement after I left Seven Labs, based on the things I've seen and experienced since gaining these powers. People came to believe in it—this idea of balance between our world and the meta-human world. I never meant for it to grow like this, but now... people are calling it a religion."

"A religion?" Henry's jaw dropped. "You started a *religion*?"

Erica nodded, looking a little sheepish. "Yeah. I guess I underestimated the power of belief. But when I heard that this winged meta was attacking people at the church, I couldn't just sit by. These are people who've followed my teachings. I had to protect them."

Henry took a moment to process what Erica had said, glancing around at the people who were staring at them with a mix of fear and hope. "You realize that coming out here put you at risk of being sent back to Seven Labs, right?"

Erica's eyes met his, defiant but steady. "I do. But I couldn't let more innocent people get hurt. And besides," she glanced down at the unconscious angelic meta, "if I hadn't stepped in, who knows what she might have done next."

Henry couldn't help but respect her bravery, even if it came with risks. "Well, you did the right thing. And I'll make sure Seven Labs knows that. From what I can see, these people don't consider you a threat. You're just trying to help."

Erica gave him a small smile, her tension easing a little. "Thanks, Henry. I appreciate that."

As the authorities arrived, securing the winged meta and dispersing the crowd, Henry glanced back at the church. The irony of the situation hadn't escaped him. A fight between meta-humans in a place of worship, where faith and fear had blurred the lines between angel and threat. But amidst the chaos, Erica had shown that even those once deemed dangerous could find a way to protect and serve.

"I think it's safe to say you're not going back to being locked up," Henry said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You're proving that meta-humans can do more than just cause destruction. You're showing that we can save people."

Erica smiled, the weight of the night lifting slightly. "my whole religion is based on second chances, which is what you gave me."

As Henry watched the scene unfold, he realized that the lines between hero, villain, and everything in between were more complicated than he'd ever imagined.