Other Misfits
Katya swam until her arms ached and her lungs burned. The fisherman had said it was only a mile to the island, but she had been swimming for what seemed like hours and still the rocky shore remained distant. Putting every ounce of effort into her tiring arms, she pushed onwards. That island meant everything to her. It meant freedom.
A man watched anxiously, watching the struggling figure as it was tossed by the waves. pushing forward at an agonisingly slow rate. Why was she taking so long? A few more lengths and she would be in his reach. He would be able to use his mind to help her, to encourage her, to give her the strength she needed to come ashore. Dmitrios didn't understand what he did with his mind, nor did he try to. His mother had told him it was simply enough that he could and he shouldn't question his remarkable abilities. They would be useless though if Katya didn't come closer. Curse the Slavers! They tormented every country across the world. Of course, Dmitrios had no idea just how far the pirates could travel but he had heard the stories from the fisherman. Each one of them had their own tale, of exotic red-haired women being jerked along the wharves, their previously rich clothes in tatters, or fierce angry ones ready to scalp any man who touched them. There had been men too. Some of them were ordinary folk, who could have come from any farm across the world, and others wore strange armbands and cursed the Being they called Lud. Most of them were disheartened, broken creatures not worth the deyodka they were traded for. Still, it had been a shock when the slavers had raided their insignificant island, burning his farm, burning his home and burning his mother who was sleeping inside. His anger bubbled and coursed through his veins. The men, burly and muscled from the long life at sea, had bundled up any human they could find. Katya. Katya was one of them. Chained to those shackles like she was one of those strange foreigners. Luckily she had some mind ability herself. Luckily she was well known amongst the fisherfolk and well-liked for her kindness. They could not do much, only loosen her shackles to give her the opportunity to jump. To jump, and swim across the freezing waters to their home. He sent out a mind-bubble and gasped in relief when it made contact with his mate.
Katya could see her mate fretting on the shore. "Now, you fool," she thought, too tired and scared to open her mouth lest the water came in. She felt the mind-bubble reach her and she grasped it with her mind. Careful not to relay her fear she began to send all her mind-energy to him. Her body was too tired to do more than stroke uselessly in the water. It barely kept afloat.
Dmitrios grunted at the shock of her mind-energy. It was much stronger than his. Most other Mindlings, as his people called them, used him as an amplifier. His energy was not strong but using others he could manipulate it far better. Using his strange abilities he converted the mind-energy to real strength, sending back in the mind-bubble. As far as he could see it was working, and Katya began to swim. Strongly, pulling herself through the waves. She got closer and closer. Dmitrios ran into the waves to pull her in
Katya collapsed onto the shore, her hands clutching the sand and pebbles as if she could secure herself to the land. Slowly she pulled herself onto her knees and began coughing up water. Her mate lay next to her breathing heavily. "We must find out about the other lands," he panted. "If what you say is true." As soon as she regained her breath, she spoke. "It is true, I felt her mind- bubble touching me but I could not understand."
Elspeth awoke with a start. The man Dmitrios last thoughts over there being other Mindlings reverberated through her skull. Other Mindlings. other misfits.
Katya swam until her arms ached and her lungs burned. The fisherman had said it was only a mile to the island, but she had been swimming for what seemed like hours and still the rocky shore remained distant. Putting every ounce of effort into her tiring arms, she pushed onwards. That island meant everything to her. It meant freedom.
A man watched anxiously, watching the struggling figure as it was tossed by the waves. pushing forward at an agonisingly slow rate. Why was she taking so long? A few more lengths and she would be in his reach. He would be able to use his mind to help her, to encourage her, to give her the strength she needed to come ashore. Dmitrios didn't understand what he did with his mind, nor did he try to. His mother had told him it was simply enough that he could and he shouldn't question his remarkable abilities. They would be useless though if Katya didn't come closer. Curse the Slavers! They tormented every country across the world. Of course, Dmitrios had no idea just how far the pirates could travel but he had heard the stories from the fisherman. Each one of them had their own tale, of exotic red-haired women being jerked along the wharves, their previously rich clothes in tatters, or fierce angry ones ready to scalp any man who touched them. There had been men too. Some of them were ordinary folk, who could have come from any farm across the world, and others wore strange armbands and cursed the Being they called Lud. Most of them were disheartened, broken creatures not worth the deyodka they were traded for. Still, it had been a shock when the slavers had raided their insignificant island, burning his farm, burning his home and burning his mother who was sleeping inside. His anger bubbled and coursed through his veins. The men, burly and muscled from the long life at sea, had bundled up any human they could find. Katya. Katya was one of them. Chained to those shackles like she was one of those strange foreigners. Luckily she had some mind ability herself. Luckily she was well known amongst the fisherfolk and well-liked for her kindness. They could not do much, only loosen her shackles to give her the opportunity to jump. To jump, and swim across the freezing waters to their home. He sent out a mind-bubble and gasped in relief when it made contact with his mate.
Katya could see her mate fretting on the shore. "Now, you fool," she thought, too tired and scared to open her mouth lest the water came in. She felt the mind-bubble reach her and she grasped it with her mind. Careful not to relay her fear she began to send all her mind-energy to him. Her body was too tired to do more than stroke uselessly in the water. It barely kept afloat.
Dmitrios grunted at the shock of her mind-energy. It was much stronger than his. Most other Mindlings, as his people called them, used him as an amplifier. His energy was not strong but using others he could manipulate it far better. Using his strange abilities he converted the mind-energy to real strength, sending back in the mind-bubble. As far as he could see it was working, and Katya began to swim. Strongly, pulling herself through the waves. She got closer and closer. Dmitrios ran into the waves to pull her in
Katya collapsed onto the shore, her hands clutching the sand and pebbles as if she could secure herself to the land. Slowly she pulled herself onto her knees and began coughing up water. Her mate lay next to her breathing heavily. "We must find out about the other lands," he panted. "If what you say is true." As soon as she regained her breath, she spoke. "It is true, I felt her mind- bubble touching me but I could not understand."
Elspeth awoke with a start. The man Dmitrios last thoughts over there being other Mindlings reverberated through her skull. Other Mindlings. other misfits.
