Mindrift
'Flashback: The Price of Power"
The library was always quiet at this time of day. Sarah wandered through the deserted aisles, her fingers brushing lightly over the spines of old, forgotten books. The towering shelves seemed to stretch endlessly above her, and she finally spotted the book she needed—**Advanced Physics: A Guide**. But it was perched just out of reach, the ladder occupied by another student. She sighed, deciding to wait.
Minutes ticked by. Eventually, the ladder was free, and she quickly took the book down, settling into a corner of the library. Time passed unnoticed as she immersed herself in the text, the outside world fading away until the golden light of the setting sun began to filter through the tall windows. Realizing the late hour, she packed her things and made her way out.
The streets were eerily empty as usual. Her neighborhood was one of the quietest in the city, the kind of place where people kept to themselves. But Sarah didn't mind. It was peaceful, and she enjoyed the walk back to her apartment, especially when the sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon.
As she turned the corner, the ocean came into view, its surface shimmering in the fading light. **"Beautiful,"** she whispered, her steps slowing to a stop as she admired the sunset. But her peaceful moment was shattered when something streaked across the sky—a meteor shower, far more intense than anything she'd ever seen. One of the meteors hurtled down towards the water, crashing into the shallow waves with a bright flash.
**Curiosity tugged at her.**
Against her better judgment, she ran toward it, her heart pounding in her chest. When she reached the shore, the meteor was glowing white, an ethereal light pulsing from it. She hesitated, her instincts telling her it was dangerous. **What if it explodes?** The thought crossed her mind, but something else—something deeper—drew her closer. Just as she was about to turn away, the light flared, blinding her.
She gasped as the glow surrounded her, lifting her off the ground. **An overwhelming surge of energy flooded her senses.** She floated helplessly, unable to comprehend what was happening, her body filled with an indescribable power. The light faded, and she collapsed onto the sand, her knees buckling under the weight of her exhaustion.
**"What... what just happened?"** she whispered to herself, her voice trembling. She barely had time to process it when the faint sound of sirens reached her ears—the authorities were coming. Panic set in. She tried to stand, but her legs refused to cooperate, her body too weak from the shock of the event. **I need to get out of here.** But she couldn't move.
Suddenly, she felt herself lift again—floating, as if some unseen force was guiding her. Confusion clouded her mind, but there was no time to think. The sirens were growing louder, closer. Without fully understanding what she was doing, she drifted upward, her body moving toward the third floor of a nearby building. In a blur, she slipped through an open window and collapsed onto the floor of her apartment, completely drained.
---
**The Next Morning:**
Sarah awoke on the cold floor, her body stiff from the events of the previous night. **What the hell was that?** She groaned as she stood, glancing at the clock. It was still early—thankfully, her first class wasn't until noon. She stumbled into the kitchen, turning on the TV as background noise while she tried to gather her thoughts.
**"Breaking news—"**
Her attention snapped to the screen as a reporter frantically described chaos unfolding in the heart of the city. **"The authorities are calling him 'The Elemental Guy,' and he's causing unprecedented destruction across downtown. We urge everyone to stay indoors..."**
Sarah's heart sank. Her apartment was far from the city, but the destruction on the TV was undeniable. Buildings crumbled under torrents of wind, firestorms raged, and the streets were torn apart. As the reporter spoke, a loud boom echoed from the television, the screen flickering before going dark—
---
Sarah stood frozen in front of the TV,Her heart pounded in her chest. **I should stay out of this.** She had never wanted this kind of life—just to graduate, get a good job, and live in peace.
As she was about to turn away from the chaos on the screen, her mother's words echoed in her mind: "Everything has a price, Sarah. Even peace. The price of peace is what a person is willing to give up in order to achieve it."
She sighed, looking down at her hands, still trembling with the energy she'd gained from the meteor. **Maybe this is the price I have to pay.** Without another thought, she floated up toward the window, feeling more control over her powers this time. **No more running.**
With newfound determination, she flew toward the scene, touching down in a quiet alley littered with rubble. Hidden from view, she surveyed the area. The Elemental Guy was there, his hands crackling with energy, talking with a woman who looked just as dangerous.
From the corner of her eye, Sarah spotted movement. A stranger emerged from a nearby building, As the the elemental guy woman noticed him, the woman lunged an attack but he dodge it.
**Who is he?** Sarah watched, barely breathing, as the stranger dodged their attacks with ease. The woman lashed out, but the stranger countered, delivering a punch that sent the woman flying through the air, crashing into a building.
**Incredible.**
The Elemental Guy roared in fury, his powers surging. Sarah felt the impulse to help, but her powers were still new, still wild. **What can I even do?** Then she spotted a car nearby, half-buried under debris. Acting purely on instinct, she focused on it, and to her surprise, it lifted into the air. **Okay... now what?** She gritted her teeth and hurled it toward the Elemental Guy.
The car flew through the air, but before it could hit its target, the stranger appeared in front of the Elemental Guy, fist raised.
**"BOOM!"**
The car exploded in midair, debris flying everywhere. The shockwave sent the Elemental Guy crashing several blocks away, his body slamming into the ground with a thunderous impact.
But the stranger just stood there menacingly didn't even feel the explosion
The woman, dazed but not defeated, rose from the rubble, her eyes blazing with anger. She charged at the stranger, her speed blurring as she closed the distance. But he was faster. In an instant, he was in front of her, his fist connecting with her jaw in a single, swift motion. She crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Sarah's breath caught in her throat. **Who is this guy?**
As the fight ended, the distant wail of sirens grew louder—the authorities were closing in. The stranger glanced at the sky, then shot upward in a blur, disappearing from view.
---
**The Next Day:**
Inspired by the stranger's strength and bravery, Sarah knew she couldn't stay idle. She couldn't be a hero, not in the way he was, but she could help. **Maybe I can do something good with these powers.** Another day had passed, and as the dust settled over the city, she joined others who were working to rebuild what had been lost. She wasn't alone—other superhumans were pitching in too—but Sarah kept her focus on the task at hand, determined to make a difference in her own way.
After a week of intense work, the city was finally rebuilt. In the aftermath of the destruction, so much had changed. The once-chaotic ruins now stood restored, thanks to the combined efforts of the superhumans who had emerged from the shadows during the disaster. You've become part of a team with those same superhumans, people who, like you, were drawn into this crisis not out of choice, but necessity.
'In the library'
The library was quiet, as it always was at this time of day. Sarah wandered through the familiar aisles, her fingers brushing the spines of old, forgotten books. The towering shelves, filled with knowledge from ages past, loomed over her, a comforting reminder of how vast the world was. She finally spotted the book she needed—**Advanced Physics: A Guide**—but, of course, it was on the top shelf, just out of her reach.
She sighed. A ladder was nearby, but it was occupied by another student who seemed in no hurry to finish. **Typical,** she thought, leaning against the shelves, arms crossed. Minutes dragged by. Finally, she glanced around, the library still deserted. **Why am I even waiting? I have powers now.**
Her heart quickened at the thought. Even though a week had passed since she'd begun helping rebuild the city, using her abilities still felt strange. But she had been cautious, careful not to draw too much attention. Glancing at the student one last time to make sure no one was looking, she focused on the book above. Her hand lifted slightly, and with a gentle flick of her wrist, the book floated down into her grasp.
**"Easy."** She smiled to herself, sliding into her usual corner of the library. Hours passed unnoticed as she immersed herself in the text, but eventually, the setting sun began to cast golden light through the tall windows. Realizing the late hour, she packed up her things and made her way out.
---
The streets were quiet, as usual, the evening air cool and refreshing. As she walked home, the ocean came into view, its surface shimmering in the twilight. **Peaceful,** she thought, her mind wandering back to the events of the past week. Being part of a team of superhumans was still surreal, but she had come to appreciate the bond they shared—a bond forged in the chaos of rebuilding the city.
Suddenly, a commotion ahead snapped her out of her thoughts. Across the street, a masked man was holding a woman at gunpoint, barking demands while looking nervously around. Sarah's heart skipped a beat, adrenaline surging through her. **I can stop this.**
She ducked into a nearby alley and changing into her costume, glancing around to make sure no one was watching...
**Okay, just like before.** Taking a deep breath, she focused, her body lifting off the ground effortlessly. She emerged from the shadows, hovering just behind the robber, her voice calm but commanding.
**"I think you should drop the gun."**
The man whipped around, eyes wide in shock. Before he could react, Sarah reached out with her mind, disarming him effortlessly. The gun clattered to the ground, and the man froze, his confidence shattered. He tried to run, but she lifted him slightly off the ground, his legs kicking uselessly.
The woman, still shaking from the ordeal, stared in disbelief. **"Call the police,"** Sarah said softly, keeping her gaze on the robber. The woman nodded quickly, fumbling for her phone.
Within minutes, the police arrived, taking the would-be robber into custody. One of the officers gave Sarah a respectful nod. **"Thanks for the help. We appreciate what you're doing."**
**"Just doing my part,"** Sarah replied, giving a small smile before turning to leave.
---
As she walked away, the woman caught up to her, still a bit shaken but clearly relieved. **"Wait—thank you. I... I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't shown up."**
Sarah paused, turning to face her. **"I'm just glad you're safe. Are you alright?"**
The woman nodded, then hesitated before speaking again. **"My name's Sheryl. I've been out here looking for my nephew... He's been missing for days."**
Sarah's heart sank at the mention of a missing child. **"I'm so sorry. What's his name?"**
Sheryl pulled out a crumpled poster from her bag, her hands shaking slightly as she showed it to Sarah. The face on the poster was familiar—**Jonn**. A pang of recognition hit Sarah. She had seen him before, from... somewhere else. **"Jonn... I've heard of him."**
Sheryl's eyes brightened slightly. **"You have? He disappeared from the hospital. One of the meteors hit our house, and I found him unconscious, so I rushed him to the hospital. While I was in the waiting room, I went to grab some food. But when I came back, there was chaos—people running everywhere. I searched for him, but he was gone."** She sighed, her voice trembling. "I've been trying to get the word out, but with everything going on, it's been impossible."
Sarah's mind raced. **The same day...** Something felt significant about it, but she pushed the thought aside for now. **"Let me help you,"** she said, her voice steady. "We can put up more posters."
Together, they spent the next hour posting Jonn's picture around the area. As they worked, Sheryl glanced at Sarah. **"You don't have to do all this, you know. Why are you helping me?"**
Sarah paused, looking down at the poster in her hands. **"I guess because I can. Because I know what it feels like to be lost, or to lose someone important. I just... want to help where I can."**
Sheryl smiled, a mix of gratitude and relief in her eyes. **"Well, I'm glad you're here. Thank you."**
As they continued working, Sheryl asked, **"I've seen you on the news. What do they call you? Do you have a hero name yet?"**
Sarah froze for a moment. Ever since the interview, she'd been avoiding the question. But now, standing here, she felt ready to answer. She took a deep breath, her voice steady as she said,
"I'm Mindrift."