Chapter 10: Unleashed Potential

The chemistry lab buzzed with activity as Ethan meticulously worked on his experiment. The hum of machinery and the occasional clink of glassware filled the air, creating a familiar backdrop to his scientific pursuits. But amidst the routine of the lab, there was an underlying tension—a sense of anticipation that Ethan couldn't quite shake.

Suddenly, a spark ignited a chemical spill, and flames erupted, casting the room into chaos. Panic swept through the lab as students scrambled for safety, their cries mixing with the crackle of fire and the hiss of extinguishers.

"Peter!" Ethan's voice rang out above the din, filled with urgency as he searched for his newfound friend amidst the chaos.

Peter, who had been working nearby, looked up in alarm, his eyes widening as he realized the danger.

"Stay calm, I'll get you out!" Ethan called out, his voice determined as he dodged the flames, his mind racing with a singular focus—to save Peter at any cost.

But as Ethan reached for Peter, a surge of energy pulsed through him, and everything seemed to slow down. The world around him blurred into a haze of motion, and Ethan's senses heightened, his mind sharpening with an otherworldly clarity.

In that suspended moment, Ethan's instincts took over, guiding him with an uncanny precision. With a burst of focus, he willed time to reverse, and suddenly, the flames receded, the spill contained, and the chaos subsided as if it had never happened.

As time rewound, Ethan watched in disbelief as everything returned to its original state. The flames vanished, the spill disappeared, and Peter stood unharmed, looking around in confusion, unaware of the danger he had just been in.

"I have no idea," Ethan replied, equally stunned, as he struggled to comprehend the magnitude of what had just occurred.

Their classmates continued their experiments, oblivious to the events that had just unfolded, their memories wiped clean of the danger they had faced moments ago.

As Ethan and Peter made their way out of the lab, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at him. "Peter, did... did anything strange happen just now?" he asked cautiously, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Peter shook his head, confusion evident in his expression. "No, why?"

Ethan breathed a sigh of relief, but his mind raced with questions. What had just happened? And why did he seem to be the only one who remembered?

Outside the lab, Ethan leaned against the wall, trying to process the whirlwind of emotions that washed over him. "I can't believe I did that," he muttered, his hands trembling slightly as he ran a hand through his hair.

But deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off—that this newfound power came with a price he had yet to discover. With a sense of unease mingling with excitement, Ethan knew that his life would never be the same again.