Chapter Seven: Echoes of the Past
The days passed in a blur of training sessions, history lessons, and whispered conversations. Faith threw herself into every challenge, determined to master her powers and prove to herself that she could control the storm within. But despite her progress, the lingering question of where her abilities came from gnawed at her.
She stood alone in the X-Mansion's library, surrounded by towering shelves filled with ancient tomes and dusty volumes. Her fingers traced the spines, pausing on a faded book titled Legends of the Forgotten Clans. Something about it called to her.
As she flipped through the yellowed pages, a symbol caught her eye—a spiral of lightning bolts encircling a crescent moon. Her heart skipped a beat. She'd seen it before. In her dreams. In flashes of memories that weren't hers.
The room suddenly felt colder, and the shadows seemed to stretch toward her. She shivered, hugging the book to her chest.
"What did you find?"
Faith jumped, spinning around to see Ororo standing in the doorway, her expression curious but kind.
"Uh, just… doing some light reading," Faith stammered, trying to sound casual.
Ororo's gaze fell to the book, her eyes widening ever so slightly. "That symbol… where did you see it?"
Faith hesitated. "I… I've been dreaming about it. And I think… I think it's connected to my powers."
Ororo's face softened, her posture relaxing as she moved closer. "There are many legends about ancient clans who could control the elements. Some say they were the first mutants, their powers tied to the very fabric of nature itself."
Faith's eyes widened. "You think… I'm descended from them?"
"It's possible," Ororo admitted, her voice gentle. "But the truth may be more complicated. These clans were powerful, but they were also hunted, feared for their abilities. Most were wiped out… or went into hiding."
Faith swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "Then why am I here? Why now?"
Ororo looked at her, a flicker of sadness in her eyes. "Perhaps you are the echo of a past that refuses to be forgotten."
A chill ran down Faith's spine, the weight of Ororo's words pressing down on her. She looked back at the symbol, its intricate lines shimmering under the dim light.
"How do I find out more?" she asked, her voice trembling with determination.
Ororo smiled softly. "We start with the archives. And we follow the echoes wherever they lead."
The following evening, Faith and Ororo sat surrounded by ancient scrolls and dusty books. Hours passed as they sifted through legends, prophecies, and fragmented histories. But the answers remained elusive, always just out of reach.
"I don't get it," Faith muttered, rubbing her tired eyes. "If these clans were so powerful, how did they just… disappear?"
Ororo sighed, her fingers brushing over a faded illustration of the lightning spiral. "Fear can be more powerful than any weapon. Those who don't understand power often seek to destroy it."
A heavy silence settled over them, broken only by the crackling of the fireplace.
Before Faith could ask another question, the door burst open, and Logan strode in, his face grim.
"Trouble," he growled. "Downtown. Looks like another elemental disturbance—lightning out of nowhere, and people are panicking."
Faith's heart raced. "You think it's… connected to me?"
"Don't know," Logan said, his eyes narrowing. "But we're gonna find out."
They arrived at the scene to find chaos. Lightning arced across the sky, striking buildings and shattering windows. People screamed and ran for cover as the air crackled with electricity.
"It's not natural," Ororo whispered, her eyes wide. "The energy feels… wrong."
Faith felt it too—a familiar pull, like the power inside her was resonating with the storm. Her chest tightened as fear clawed at her.
Before she could process the sensation, a figure emerged from the swirling lightning—a woman cloaked in shadows, her silver hair whipping wildly around her face. Her eyes glowed with the same electric blue that danced along her fingertips.
Faith's blood ran cold. The woman looked so much like her, it was like staring into a warped mirror.
"Finally," the woman's voice echoed, layered with a distant thunder. "I've found you."
Faith took a shaky step back. "Who… who are you?"
The woman's lips curled into a smile. "I am the Stormbringer. The last of the Clan of Tempests… until you."
Logan stepped forward, his claws gleaming. "Back off, lady. She's not goin' anywhere with you."
The Stormbringer laughed, the sound rippling through the air like distant thunder. "Oh, I'm not here to take her. I'm here to wake her."
She thrust her hands forward, and a bolt of lightning shot toward Faith. Instinct took over, and Faith raised her arms, blue energy surging to meet the attack. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, cracking the ground beneath their feet.
The Stormbringer's eyes gleamed with approval. "Yes… you have the gift. Just like our ancestors."
Faith's heart pounded as she struggled to hold her ground. "What do you want from me?"
"To teach you who you really are," the woman replied, her voice softening. "You've been living half a life, denying your birthright. But you can't run from destiny, Faith. The storm is in your blood."
The words struck deep, resonating with the whispers that had haunted her dreams. Her grip faltered, and the lightning surged closer, crackling around her like a cage.
"No!" Ororo's voice cut through the chaos as she summoned her own power, winds swirling around them. The two storms clashed, lightning spiraling into the sky.
The Stormbringer's gaze flicked to Ororo, her expression hardening. "You protect her, yet you hide her true self. How noble… and how foolish."
With a wave of her hand, she summoned a vortex of wind and lightning, hurling it at Ororo. Faith's instincts screamed, and she threw herself into the path, her energy flaring as she absorbed the impact.
The force of it knocked her back, pain searing through her body. But as she struggled to her feet, she felt a shift inside her—a flicker of strength she didn't know she had.
The Stormbringer's eyes widened, and she took a step back. "You… you're stronger than I thought." Her form began to flicker, shadows curling around her. "This is only the beginning. When you're ready to learn the truth… find me."
With a final burst of lightning, she vanished, the storm dissipating as quickly as it had come.
Faith collapsed to her knees, her body trembling. Ororo was at her side in an instant, steadying her.
"Are you hurt?" Ororo asked, concern flooding her voice.
Faith shook her head, staring at the spot where the Stormbringer had stood. "Who was she? And what did she mean… about my birthright?"
Ororo's face was pale, her expression grim. "I don't know. But if she's right… then everything we thought we knew about your powers is only the beginning."
Faith looked at her hands, still crackling with faint blue energy. For the first time, she understood the truth.
The storm wasn't just inside her. It was a part of her. And it was calling her to something far bigger than she could have ever imagined.