Three Months Earlier…
"Xavier, how well have you come along with charging up your body's electricity?" Storm asked.
"I haven't yet been able to charge up my electricity," Xavier replied.
"I told you," Storm said, "the only way to charge it is if you concentrate to the point where you feel like you can't move. That is when the excessive flow of electricity occurs. At that point, your body is overflowing with power, so we snap our fingers to regain focus and use only what we can handle."
Xavier tried to do what his master told him, but all he could do was make his hands sparkle. Although he had gone through all this training, he was unable to convert his energy into electricity and use lightning.
This worried Storm. This happened very often during their training, and it troubled him greatly, as he feared he wouldn't always be with Xavier.
Then Storm received a strange letter.
When the letter arrived, Storm had already made up his mind to leave Xavier-not only because he believed Xavier would become dependent on him, but also because he had urgent business to attend to.
FROM THIS POINT ON THE NOVEL WILL BE TOLD IN FIRST PERSON
Present Time
It was early morning, and a sweet summer breeze flowed through the house. I woke up to the sound of an empty home. I was surprised not to find my master training, so I went to his room, but he was nowhere to be found.
I assumed he had stepped out and didn't think much of it. But when night fell beneath a full moon and he still hadn't returned, I began to worry. My master was always punctual.
So I went into the deep forest surrounding the household in search of him. As I ventured deeper, I eventually realized I no longer knew where I was. Then I heard bushes and shrubs rustling nearby and moved closer. The rustling gradually faded, and by the time I reached the spot, it had stopped.
As I was about to check the shrub, a large, tall, black being with a single massive eye burst out. It wasn't human, it looked like a monster from a horror story brought to life. I was about to run, but then I remembered my purpose. I had to find my master. So I decided to face the horror barehanded. I struck first with a lightning fast flying kick, but my kick went straight through the creature. The next thing I knew, I was bleeding beside a tree. One slash was all it took to leave me on the brink of death.
As the monster approached to land the finishing blow, I heard footsteps. I didn't see it clearly, but a swordsman wielding a green sword slashed the creature, and then everything went black.
I woke two days later, still in pain and dazed. Sitting beside me was my master, his face filled with sadness. I asked him what was wrong, but all he said was, "Who did this to you?" I explained everything.
My master looked deeply worried. What he said next shocked me even more.
"It's time I tell you the truth. I thought I could keep this from you, as it was not your responsibility or burden-but I must." Then he asked me, "Do you know the story of the Seven Major Clans?" I told him I did. I had read about them in the books in his library. What he asked next was even more shocking.
"Do you know the origin of the Shadows?"