I will try and post regularly. If you feel the desire to read my brain barfs please do so. But seriously. I tend to wander if I don't have a very strict outline so most of this is going to be crap that I'll have to cut out and rewrite. Hehe... But I have some serious plot twists I'm ready to pull out of nowhere. HAHAHA I feel so evil. For now I will give you the first chapter. For those who don't know here is the basic synopsis. I'm still working on a prologue, it's not up to snuff yet so you're just going to have to deal with my explanation.
Lorwyn (My main character) is a very wonderful child, kind and innocent and a total hick from the prairie-desert. She finds out that she's a telepath (WHAT?) and is sent off to Paxsalvador where the gifted are trained and then basically recruited into helping keep the peace between the two warring countries, Tredan and the Noland Empire. You don't really have a choice in the matter... if you are gifted you have duties and until you are released you are stuck with you're assignment or you will be found and persuaded to do your assignment (this is more of an unspoken rule). Anyway... Brecc, who also happens to be a telepath and a student who has lived there since early childhood becomes fast friends with Lori and they grow up in the University together. Everything is happy and wonderful.
AND THEN.... Brecc kills a good amount of their classmates and dormmates, rubs it in Lorwyn's face, and burns down the building with her still inside. She escapes and lives but now is instilled with a need to find Brecc and kill him if she can manage it. The whole idea is that Lori then feels horrible and is motivated to become stronger in all aspects of life, first change she makes is that she now peeks into everyone's head so they can't get the jump on her EVER again. (THIS IS AGAINST THE LAW!!! It's an invasion of privacy and if her peers or teachers were to catch her she would be sent to a horrible prison for life.) second change is that she becomes apathetic and very calculating and distrusting, third change is that she starts training physically as well... but... I'm talking to much.... Here's my first chapter.
Mel's Prompt Story (Chapter 1)
Lorwyn ducked into the street and wove through the crowd, not the easiest task but it was managable. Above her the skies were clear and the day was warm. Once she was clear of the throng she took a deep breath in and let it out slowly reveling in the heat. It reminded her of home, something that she was longing for more and more lately.
Chimes brought her attention to the large and extravagant bell-tower in the middle of the central square several blocks down the crowded street. It was ten til eleven, if she didn't hurry, she'd be late. Unbidden anxiety welled up in her belly. Instead of dwelling on the source of her anxiety she dove into the crowd, out-letting her adrenaline into movement. After a strenuous "walk" down the lane, she found herself flushed. Twisting, slipping, prodding and in some case shoving was not what she had been looking forward to when she got out of bed this morning.
With a hand she fanned herself and looked up at the imposing building before her. Huge letters were carved over the massive columns, "Paxsalvador Center of Operations." After taking several deeps breaths to not only slow her breathing but to control her wild emotions she smoothed her loose robe-like blouse and checked her hair. With a satisfactory nod she straightened her shoulders and strode into the main lobby.
Here she found herself surrounded by desks and desks filled with clerks, marble columns and rich wood doors that led to small offices and hallways. She had only been to this specific building twice since her beginning her assignment in the city. Her city, she corrected herself mentally, although it did no good. She could never come to see Yevic in a possessive light. Yevic was the third largest city in the Noland Empire, a center of tradesman and craftsmanship. It was also a pain to look after.
A clerk passed too close for comfort and Lorwyn back away apologetically, realizing that she had loitered inconveniently right in the doorway. Slightly embarrassed she went to the main desk and gave the clerk a quick smile. There was no reaction from him as he waited for her to state her business. Lorwyn was itching to get inside of his head, but she was surrounded by too many gifted and the chance that she would be discovered was too great. For all she knew that was why they were calling her in. She was going to be stripped of her title and privileges and sent to some hell-hole where she would be guarded and under constant supervision.
She smiled against the panic and rampant imagination. "Hello, my name is Lorwyn, telepath of Yevic. I have a meeting with the Head Clerk."
This time the clerk bent over his papers and shuffled out the one he wanted. "This is a form you will need to fill out by the end of the day. The Head Clerk is right through those doors and is ready for you." The little man spoke quickly and succinctly. A man of business, Lori guessed as she entered the Head Clerk's office knocking softly to alert him of her presence.
"Come in." Came the command even though she was already half way into the office.
In the split second between opening and closing the door Lorwyn examined the Head Clerk. He was young, much younger than she had expected. From the way that he kept his desk and shelves he was meticulous and obsessively organized. Thick hair, cut short, small nose, swallow face and big brown eyes.
"Sit down."
And commanding... Lorwyn sat but remained silent. She still had no idea as to why she was here and she wasn't about to offer any information, good or bad. It was always better to analyze the situation first than act prematurely. The Head Clerk didn't look at her as he continued to fill out what she assumed was a report of some kind.
Due to this, silence filled the room and allowed her to examine him more carefully.
A plaque caught her eye. It had been awarded just last month. Ahhh, he was new. No wonder he flaunted his power, now she could see the tell-tale signs. The way that he draped himself proudly over his desk and chair, like it was a throne of some kind. The way he held himself, full of power and self-importance.
Before she could determine anything more he raised his head and smiled thinly at her, then proceeded to air out the document he had just finished. "You must be Lorwyn the city's telepath?" He asked as he waved the page up and down, blowing on it for good measure.
At this point Lorwyn didn't think that speaking was a good idea. He seemed like the type of man who would criticize her for anything that came out of her mouth. So she simply nodded and hoped it was an acceptable response. At least no one was yelling at her yet.
"You should have been given a form at the front desk, it should cover any medical or criminal records you may have accumulated during your time in Yevic. Anything of the sort must be recorded in order for you to be promoted. You understand-"
Lorwyn began to cough, loudly. "I'm sorry, I swear I heard you say "promoted."" Promoted?! That couldn't be right, she had remained carefully notice free. Anyone who looked at her record would see a very nondescript telepath with no skills, awards or any sort of mark of recognition. Her entire career was carefully free of error and acknowledgement.
"Yes, promotion. You've been promoted to High Inquisitor. Obviously, the clerk who wrote your notice was not clear... I'll have to make sure to send out a message... we can't have this kind of slackness..." The Head Clerk scrolled something down on a pad of paper with elegant binding.
Still trying to process the information, Lorwyn took on a sort of dazed expression. In all honesty she wasn't sure what she preferred, prison or promotion. She had worked so hard to stay out of the lime-light, waiting for her chance...
"As a High Inquisitor you will be assigned not to a city but to an entire area, I believe that you have the twenty-seventh district. You will be under a man named Hurst. He will direct you and guide you through the basics." The Clerk stamped several papers. "Sign here, if you please."
Obediently Lorwyn signed and kept her mouth firmly closed. Something was wrong and she didn't like it one bit.
"Excellent. I'll need that form down by the end of the day. Tomorrow at eight you will meet your Mentor and you will receive the training you need for your new position." He paused and shifted the forms he had filled out together. "Do you have any questions? You seem a little dazed, no doubt you're speechless, eh?" He winked at her conspiratorially.
"Yes... ummm, no. Actually can you tell me how I got the position?"
Now the Clerk looked confused.
Lorwyn tried to word it in a way he would understand. "Why me and not another telepath? What qualifications did I have that allowed me to be promoted over another?"
He frowned and opened a drawer and quickly filed through the massive amounts of paper held there. With unnerving efficiency he pulled out a paper and read it over. "It seems that several positions have opened up in the last month, you had the required years of experience." He held out the sheet for her to look at.
Taking it from him, she looked it over quickly. He was right. She frowned and gazed and the paper with more fervor as if it would reveal it's secrets under her glare.
"If you don't mind, I have another meeting coming in soon. I'll need you to leave."
"Of course." Lorwyn muttered absently, her mind still entire focused on the sheet before her. According to it, High Inquisitor positions had been opening up regularly since earlier that year. It was like they were rotating them out, but that didn't make sense. It took time and money to train gifted and a High Inquisitor was always an exceptionally gifted person who could manage an entire district. They couldn't retire at this rate which meant they were being fired and if the higher ups were firing High Inquisitors...
A light bulb went off in her mind. The High Inquisitors weren't being fired or retiring they were being killed off, one by one.
Brecc.
It had to be. It was like he had come back, taunting her. Lorwyn's hand clenched, destroying the flimsy paper. She'd kill him, if she ever saw him she'd tear off his head. Hot anger was beating through her now and she wanted to hit something. In a whirl of faces and heat, Lorwyn found herself back at her loft. As she closed the front door, she began tugging off her light top and baggy pants. Within minutes she was dressed and her hands were padded. Still in an anger ridden daze she went to her back room.
On one wall was a map of the three countries, Tredan, The Noland Empire and nestled on the western edge, Paxsalvador. Small pins and ribbons littered the map and desk. Notes, scrawled in her handwriting were attached in certain places. On the other three walls were boards, knives, short swords, and a bow. In the center was a padded dummy. Without hesitation, Lorwyn twisted and brought her heel down on the dummy neck and shoulder, following up with several solid punches to the gut and head.
When she found Brecc, she would be ready for him.
