1.26.2005
*doesn't have a title*
Everyone remember me talking about Maera and Kavin, and their respective stories? No? Well, then, go here and read about them. The basic plots haven't changed much since then, mostly because I haven't thought about them a lot, but anyway...quite some time ago I had a scene for Kavin in my mind, and I was idly going over it recently and decided I should write it down. Here's how it came out. And let's see, what kind of important information can I ramble about here...well, this takes place when Kavin's about 16, at least three years after he first learned he was a telepath and he started learning from Andris. To his knowledge there aren't any others out there who can do what he can, so he's basically lived for three years believing that he can do anything he wants to (not that he'll choose to do so, mind you; I'll deal with that some other time, probably earlier in the chronology, so he doesn't have to spend the entire story struggling with the desire to conquer the universe or something).
Kavin let his inner eye flit through the crowd, an action that now required almost no concentration. He kept his shields high to keep others’ privacy intact, sensing only presences and no emotions, as Andris had taught him ages ago. He could practice his skills even in public this way—
His stride faltered, and he had the odd momentary sensation of his mind’s eye going blurry. What in the worlds…?
Deliberately he withdrew and then made shallow bridges into each mind nearby. Something here was different—wrong—
He hit a barrier and pulled up short. Leaning against the wall and trying to look casual, Kavin narrowed in on the man he’d sensed: medium height, dark hair, an uneven beard accentuating hawkish features. Kavin bridged the gap and set a hook into the man’s mind, and then carefully breached the man’s outer defenses.
Void.
Startled, he withdrew. The man walking toward him looked ordinary in every way—except his eyes, there was something about his eyes…
Again Kavin bridged, and again his inner sense tumbled into nothingness. Darkness flooded his mind as he pressed deeper, searching.
Nothing. Emptiness of vacuum, emptiness of deep space—no air, no breath—
Alarmed now, Kavin yanked his awareness out of the other’s mind and forced his eyes open, and the effort drained him, as if he’d tried to bridge with someone miles away. He straightened, thrusting one hand against the wall for balance.
The stranger was staring at him. No, not staring—glowering, and Kavin could see in his eyes the anger and suspicion he could not feel.
He couldn’t have sensed me bridging him. That’s impossible.
Again he heard Andris’ voice: There’s still so much we don’t know…
“Chaos,” he muttered.
“What are you doing?” the stranger demanded, striding closer.
Kavin pushed away from the wall. “I…what do you mean?”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a terrible liar, boy. Once more—what are you doing?”
Kavin spread his hands. “Taking a walk. Does that…offend you?” He slowed his pounding heart and kept his hands from trembling, determined not to show his fear.
“I see.” The stranger spun on his heel and began to stalk away.
Just once more…
Kavin probed for the breach he’d left behind and slid his point of perception through. What in chaos are you? he wondered—
The man wheeled. Metal glinted in his hand, light flashed, and a white-hot pain erupted in Kavin’s chest. He staggered back, pressing one hand to his ribs, drawing a deep breath that brought more agony.
He shot me. He shot me…
Kavin crumpled to his hands and knees. Stars burst in his vision as he struggled to breathe. Something hot and wet trickled over his hand, and he looked down in disbelief as blood welled between his fingers and began to pool on the walkway.
Dimly he realized that no one in the crowd had reacted to the shot—no one had screamed, or run away, or even tripped over him. That was strange, though he couldn’t understand why—
He’s shielding me. My [God], he’s shielding…
Drawing every last particle of energy into his inner senses, he flung out a wild, uncontrolled probe—felt the shield splinter—heard shouts from the crowd—
He collapsed under the onrush of darkness.
Okay, well, the first thing you need to know is that I wrote this while I was sick and probably shouldn't have been in school, so that might explain why I read over it now and think it's really awkward. The other big problem is this other...dude here. First off, the description is bad, especially since it's almost straight plagiarism--and what the heck do hawkish features look like anyway?--but I just couldn't figure out how else to describe him. *shrug* Yeah, and I'm bad with dialogue anyway, but threatening dialogue is really not my forte. So...um...yeah. That's about it.
Oh, and Kavin doesn't die here, if you're curious. That would sort of ruin the whole story. :p This is...close to the beginning, or at least close to the beginning of things actually happening.
Kavin let his inner eye flit through the crowd, an action that now required almost no concentration. He kept his shields high to keep others’ privacy intact, sensing only presences and no emotions, as Andris had taught him ages ago. He could practice his skills even in public this way—
His stride faltered, and he had the odd momentary sensation of his mind’s eye going blurry. What in the worlds…?
Deliberately he withdrew and then made shallow bridges into each mind nearby. Something here was different—wrong—
He hit a barrier and pulled up short. Leaning against the wall and trying to look casual, Kavin narrowed in on the man he’d sensed: medium height, dark hair, an uneven beard accentuating hawkish features. Kavin bridged the gap and set a hook into the man’s mind, and then carefully breached the man’s outer defenses.
Void.
Startled, he withdrew. The man walking toward him looked ordinary in every way—except his eyes, there was something about his eyes…
Again Kavin bridged, and again his inner sense tumbled into nothingness. Darkness flooded his mind as he pressed deeper, searching.
Nothing. Emptiness of vacuum, emptiness of deep space—no air, no breath—
Alarmed now, Kavin yanked his awareness out of the other’s mind and forced his eyes open, and the effort drained him, as if he’d tried to bridge with someone miles away. He straightened, thrusting one hand against the wall for balance.
The stranger was staring at him. No, not staring—glowering, and Kavin could see in his eyes the anger and suspicion he could not feel.
He couldn’t have sensed me bridging him. That’s impossible.
Again he heard Andris’ voice: There’s still so much we don’t know…
“Chaos,” he muttered.
“What are you doing?” the stranger demanded, striding closer.
Kavin pushed away from the wall. “I…what do you mean?”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a terrible liar, boy. Once more—what are you doing?”
Kavin spread his hands. “Taking a walk. Does that…offend you?” He slowed his pounding heart and kept his hands from trembling, determined not to show his fear.
“I see.” The stranger spun on his heel and began to stalk away.
Just once more…
Kavin probed for the breach he’d left behind and slid his point of perception through. What in chaos are you? he wondered—
The man wheeled. Metal glinted in his hand, light flashed, and a white-hot pain erupted in Kavin’s chest. He staggered back, pressing one hand to his ribs, drawing a deep breath that brought more agony.
He shot me. He shot me…
Kavin crumpled to his hands and knees. Stars burst in his vision as he struggled to breathe. Something hot and wet trickled over his hand, and he looked down in disbelief as blood welled between his fingers and began to pool on the walkway.
Dimly he realized that no one in the crowd had reacted to the shot—no one had screamed, or run away, or even tripped over him. That was strange, though he couldn’t understand why—
He’s shielding me. My [God], he’s shielding…
Drawing every last particle of energy into his inner senses, he flung out a wild, uncontrolled probe—felt the shield splinter—heard shouts from the crowd—
He collapsed under the onrush of darkness.
Okay, well, the first thing you need to know is that I wrote this while I was sick and probably shouldn't have been in school, so that might explain why I read over it now and think it's really awkward. The other big problem is this other...dude here. First off, the description is bad, especially since it's almost straight plagiarism--and what the heck do hawkish features look like anyway?--but I just couldn't figure out how else to describe him. *shrug* Yeah, and I'm bad with dialogue anyway, but threatening dialogue is really not my forte. So...um...yeah. That's about it.
Oh, and Kavin doesn't die here, if you're curious. That would sort of ruin the whole story. :p This is...close to the beginning, or at least close to the beginning of things actually happening.
5:18 PM|| 
