A bolt of lightning flashed between the distant trees, vivid white and blinding. To 481’s surprise, the horses did not startle. Instead, they trotted steadily onwards through the thundering rain, barely making a sound. The Gifted man shivered, drawing his grey, fur-lined cloak closer to his body with his left hand, gripping the reins as tightly as he could with his right. With every step his mare took, he felt his grip slipping. His fingers had never been the same since an assignment three years ago, when his right hand and wrist had been shattered by the blow of a rebel’s club.
I can’t let them see my weakness. The Leader herself chose me for this mission. If I do well, she may even recommend me for the Council. I don’t want her to see me as just a damn cripple.
“Shouldn’t we stop and find cover?” 373 called. 481 glanced to the left where his companion rode beside him. The younger man was sitting tall in his saddle despite the droplets trickling down his face, his eyebrows raised and his lips curved into a bemused smile. His question was directed at the Leader, who rode in front of them on a large bay gelding.
“No,” she said, turning when she spoke. She wore a long cloak similar to 481’s but hers was deep black and edged with gold. Her stark grey eyes narrowed, shadowed by her hood. “We ride on until we reach the village.”
373 bowed his head and touched his fist to his chest. When the Leader was facing forward again, he glanced at 481 and rolled his eyes.
“She’s been Leader for what, two months?” he said under his breath. “I’ve been leading expeditions for fifteen years. It’s not like we’re chasing after rebels, we’re just going to arrest some old village woman. It can wait until tomorrow morning, surely. If we keep going the horses will tire. They’ll stumble and fall.”
481 shrugged, glancing nervously at the Leader. I can’t let her hear any doubts. “I’m sure the Leader has her reasons,” he said evenly. He shivered, resisting the urge to chatter his teeth. “Maybe this woman is a rebel, or something else, I don’t know. There are known rebel groups in the south.”
“If that were the case, she would’ve told me at the very least,” said 373. He sat up straighter, adjusting the reins. “I’m in the Council now. We are privy to such information.”
You’re an up-jumped pretender. You’ve never fought in a real battle in your life, but somehow you managed to convince the Head Councilman to promote you. 481 gritted his teeth, clenching his injured fist as tightly as he could. It was he who should have had that position, he who should be wearing a black uniform. Instead, he was stuck with grey while a younger, vainer man took his place. His only hope now was that the Leader took a shine to him and recommended he be promoted. She could not appoint Council members herself, but 481 assumed the Head Councilman took her advice into account.
“What do you think?” 373 continued, oblivious. He raised his eyebrows, glancing over his shoulder at the fourth member of their party, who rode steadily behind them on a dappled grey mare.
“It’s not our place to question the Leader,” the woman said quietly, her voice almost inaudible through the rain. They had set off from the fortress together at dawn, but in the twelve hours since 481 had yet to hear her speak. He knew her number, 571, from the mission briefing the Head Councilman had given him prior to their journey. She wore a grey uniform like him, but the dark green lining of her cloak and sleeves and the emerald encrusted timepiece hanging from her belt indicated she had the Gift of Earth.
“Fine,” said 373 shortly, rolling his eyes. He lowered his voice. “Don’t act like the two of you aren’t thinking the same thing.”
481 cleared his throat, shifting in his saddle. He glanced at the Leader, but she rode onward, with no change in her body language to suggest she had heard anything.
I’m not questioning her. She is our Leader now, and I must do as she asks. But… it is unusual, he’s right in that.
Leaders rarely travelled the Island, especially not for a mission that could be easily handled by even the most inexperienced of Gifted. The Head Councilman had read the mission briefing to 481 before he left the Fortress - they were to capture a certain village woman alive and bring her back for questioning. 481 had no idea what knowledge she had that could possibly be useful to the Leader and the Council. That information was classified, which he understood well enough. As an ordinary Gifted soldier, it wasn’t his place to question his orders. But the Head Councilman had shown him a sketch of their target too. She was a small, frail looking woman in her sixties with long white hair tied in a braid, barely indistinguishable from any other nonGifted villager. She would never be able to overpower a single fully trained Gifted, let alone four, so why the Leader felt she had to lead the mission herself was a mystery. Perhaps there was something else about this woman that made her capture vital. Or perhaps the Leader simply wanted to prove herself to the Gifted and her Council. Leaders served for life, but she was newly appointed and young. Her predecessor had been a strong, stable man, guiding both the Gifted and nonGifted for almost fifty years. Many in the Fortress, including 481 himself, had doubts over whether this young, unblooded woman could fill his shoes.
Lost in thought, 481 and his companions spent the rest of the journey in silence. They rode for an hour more, following the winding forest road south until it met the Great River. From there, it was only a short journey along the riverbank to Town 13, the farming village where their target was supposedly hiding. When they finally arrived it was well past sunset, and the rain had slowed to a steady drizzle.
“At last,” 373 said, yawning loudly as they followed a dirt path between two large, grassy fields. They were heading for a cluster of redbrick buildings visible at the bottom of the hill, where the river met the sea. “What are the headquarters like in these farming villages? I haven’t stayed in one for years. Are there decent beds? They have thralls, right –“
“We won’t be stopping yet,” the Leader interrupted from up ahead. “We will find the target and capture her, exchange our horses, then make our way back to the Fortress.”
“But that’ll take all night,” 373 protested, sitting up straighter in his saddle and puffing out his chest. “Sir, I know this mission is crucial to you, but if we ride all through the night we will only be tired and might make mistakes. She may overpower and escape us. We should stop and rest now, then in the morning –“
“If we stop to rest, she may hear of our arrival and run,” the Leader said. She turned to face her subordinates, her eyebrows narrowing. “I’m surprised you’re causing so much fuss. If you are truly Gifted, one sleepless night should be no trouble.”
373’s neck reddened and his dark brown eyes narrowed into slits. After a few seconds he placed a hand over his heart and bowed his head.
“Of course, sir,” he muttered through gritted teeth. 481 smirked, turning his head away so the Councilman couldn’t see. He tried catching 571’s eye, but her gaze was fixed on the Leader.
When they reached the bottom of the hill, the dirt track turned into a cobblestone road that led into town. They followed the street until its end, where it widened into the central village square. The Gifted headquarters was located on the side of the square closest to the sea, facing inwards towards the town. It was a large, two-storey building with a tall, white stone fence surrounding the property. A large stable was located on the grounds, and to 481’s surprise the Leader took them straight there rather than greet the local Gifted. They left the horses behind with a fresh bale of hay and continued on foot, making their way back along the cobblestone road to the large communal buildings that made up most of the town. The Leader had them stick to the shadows, hurrying along in single file until they reached a red-brick dwelling that overlooked the river. It was one of the larger buildings in the village. From the size of it, 481 guessed there would be at least twenty rooms of varying sizes that each housed a nonGifted family inside.The Leader took her three followers to the nearest staircase, a large stone construct stuck onto the side of the building which led to the upstairs rooms.
“Our target is hiding in here,” said the Leader, standing at the bottom of the stairs. “Room 14. It’s on the top floor. 571, you stay here and keep watch for anything suspicious. 373, you hurry to the second exit on the other side of this building. If she knows we are coming, she may try to escape that way. 481, you search around the other buildings. Make sure she isn’t hiding anywhere else. I will check Room 14.”
481 bowed deeply and turned around, making his way to the central courtyard that effaced the four largest communal buildings. When he was out of sight of his comrades, he let his lips break into a grin. It seemed to him that his job was the most crucial, after the Leader’s. If the target had tried to made an escape, it was he who would likely find her.
If I do I’ll capture her all by myself. It’s my chance to show the Leader what I can do. If I find and subdue this villager, she’ll recommend me to the Council for sure.
He moved swiftly through the streets, checking down every alley and corner he could find. The clouds shifted above him and for the first time that night, the full moon was visible in the sky. It shone brightly and aided his search, illuminating the cracked and scuffed brick walls, highlighting every nook and cranny. After ten minutes of searching, he finally reached the far side of the village, where the red brick buildings melted into vast farmlands. Gazing out at the silver dappled grass fields, 481 sighed and closed his eyes.
I suppose this is far enough. If she’s fled any further, we’re unlikely to find her tonight.
He turned around and was about to start back towards Room 14 when he a gust of wind blew past him and the rustling of leaves filled the air. Glancing towards the gentle sound, he noticed a small herb garden nestled between the paddock fence and the redbrick wall of the nearest communal building. Resting his ruined right hand on the hilt of his sword, he crept slowly towards the garden, coming to a stop outside the picket fence.
Just twenty feet away from him kneeled a small village woman with a long, messy white braid. Even from the back, her resemblance to the sketch was too great to be a coincidence. She was dressed in simple village garb; a dirty brown woollen dress with a grey shawl draped over her shoulders. Her hands were covered by thick black gloves and she held a cluster of grey-green weeds in both of them. Even from a distance, 481 could see her wrinkled, thin neck and wrists as she tended to the garden.
It’s her… This frail old woman is the person the Leader needed three experienced Gifted to hunt down.
“What are you doing here?” the woman said, looking up from the ground.
481 stifled a gasp and grabbed at his sword. His ruined fingers fumbled around the hilt and it slipped out of his grip. Cursing under his breath, he switched quickly to his left hand. He tensed, ready to rush forward, but the woman did not turn around or stand up. Instead, she stayed hunched over the ground, tending to the plants while a gentle breeze blew through the garden, tousling her hair. Only then did she look up at the sky, as though someone tall was standing directly before her.
“Why won’t you tell me who you are?” the village woman said. She spoke with a quiet, silvery voice. “I’d love to know more about you.”
What is she doing? Talking to herself like that… Is she mad?
481 frowned and pursed his lips together. Gingerly, he took a step forward, but before he could approach the target someone placed a hand on his shoulder. He glanced to his right and saw the Leader standing behind him, a finger held to her lips. 481 bowed his head and let her go on ahead without him.
“Stand up,” the Leader said, drawing her sword. Her eyes were fixed on the village woman, and her normally grey irises glowed an eerie white as the air around them drew still. “Your time is up, traitor. We’re taking you back to the Council.”
The village woman stood up, glancing at the moon before she turned to face the Leader. Her pale blue eyes remained impassive as a steely wind current wound its way over her body, immobilising her.
“I wondered how long it would take,” the villager said quietly. “Everywhere I go, he always seems to find me. Two years is a long time, though. Longer than I thought, but…. Never mind. We both know you won’t hold me for long.”
The Leader beckoned at 481. He hurried forward. “I know why you came to this village, traitor,” she said, her eyebrows narrowing. “I know you came back to be with your son, your grandchildren. We found them first.”
The woman’s expression changed instantly. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth for a moment, swallowing and closing it quickly.
“Any sign of resistance, and they all die,” The Leader continued in a low voice. “Do I make myself clear?”
The woman nodded, all colour draining from her cheeks. The Leader smiled, glancing at 481 and jerking her head in the traitor’s direction.
“481, bind her please. Quickly.”
481 bowed, hurrying as fast as he could to the villager’s side. He pushed against the air like he was wading through a wall of mud, gritting his teeth. When he reached her, 481 took a thick metal chain from his belt and wound it around the woman’s bony wrists. He tightened them until the steel rings cut into her skin and she let out a gasp. Once she was chained, the air settled and the Leader’s eyes faded back into grey. She strode forward and grabbed the woman by the left elbow, while 481 held onto her right.
“Back to headquarters now,” she said shortly, jerking the woman forward so violently she and 481 almost lost their balance. “We will take a carriage back to the Fortress. Her family will be taken for questioning also, but they will not be killed unless she resists.”
481 nodded, gripping their captive’s arm tightly as they made their way back through the village. When he glanced up at the nearby buildings, he saw candles burning in the windows and the faces of many nonGifted peering down at them, their eyes wide and fearful. A few had even taken in to the streets, watching from the alleyways as the two Gifted marched the traitor through the village streets. When they reached the town square, 373 and 571 were standing beside a large carriage with two draft horses attached and a thrall siting in the driver’s seat. Another three horses were tied to a nearby fence post, saddled and ready to go. Two new Gifted women, who 481 presumed were the current supervisors of the village, stood beside a dark-haired, middle-aged man and two young children. The man’s brow was sweaty and his shoulders shook with every breath. The children cried silently, their arms wrapped around each other.
“Mother!” the man called as they approached, his voice cracking. Murmurs swept through the growing crowd as more nonGifted left their homes to watch the scene unfolding before them. “I – I’m sorry... They were holding a knife to Josie and I couldn’t –“
“It’s alright, Eddie,” the woman said quickly. “This is my fault. I shouldn’t have come back. Just – do as they say, and you’ll all be fine.”
“They should just let us go,” her son said hotly, his shoulders heaving as a tear ran down his cheek. “Gifted, please listen… My mother is harmless, truly. She – she just wanted to see her family again. Please, let her stay with us. She’s not hurting anyone. Please, just -”
“Don’t say anything,” the traitor interrupted, shaking her head as they reached the other Gifted. 373 stepped forward and yanked her arm away from 481’s grasp, and pushed her forcefully up the steps into the carriage. She craned her neck towards her son, gasping with pain as the Gifted man twisted her elbow. “Please Eddie, don’t fight them. I –“
Her words became muffled as 373 forced a cloth gag into her mouth, tying it so tightly behind her head that she groaned. The Leader stepped forward, her eyes narrowed into slits as she regarded the crowd. Fearful faces stared back at her. One girl in particular caught 481’s eye. A tall, thin, dark-haired teenager stood on top of the stone well’s wall, craning her neck for a better look. Her bright blue eyes shone through the dim moonlight, a wisp of tangled hair caught in her lip. 481 frowned. The longer he stared at her, the more he had a sense that they had met before.
“This woman is a traitor,” the Leader said, her voice cutting through the night air and distracting 481 from his musings. He blinked, clearing his throat, focusing his attention back on the Gifted woman.
“She deserted her duties in this village long ago for a different life,” the Leader continued, “a life of crime and treason. She ran from Gifted rule, but now that she’s decided she’d be more comfortable in one of our towns, she has returned and put every one of you in danger. She’s been stealing your hard-earned rations without lifting a finger to help. So we will be taking her and the traitors who harboured her, but the rest of you need not be harmed. Go back to your homes or I will arrest the whole village.”
The crowd went quiet. Pursing her lips, the Leader turned back to the carriage and climbed onto her bay gelding as rain started to fall again. A distant crack of thunder sounded as 481 hurried towards the traitor’s family, shivering and drawing his cloak closer to his body. 571 arrived first and placed her hands around the children’s shoulders. Gently, she started leading them towards the carriage. Their sobs intensified and the girl looked back and reached towards her father. The Gifted woman continued to lead them away, her face remaining impassive.
The man stared at his children, his jaw tense and his eyebrows knotted. He glanced at the woman holding him and raised his foot, kicking backwards into her shin. She swore and let him go, wincing and grabbing for her sword, her eyes flashing red. The man ran forward, yelling words that 481 thought must be his children’s names. The Gifted man acted quickly, running forward and raising his left hand to the sky. Rain drops settled against his palm hardened into an icy dagger. 481 grabbed for the man’s collar clumsily with his right hand and pressed the point firmly against the villager’s throat. The nonGifted man’s breath shuddered and the blade steamed where small beads of blood spilled over the edge.
“One wrong move…” 481 warned.
The man’s eyes were wide and shaking as he watched 373 and 571 loading his mother and children into the carriage. 481 pulled the man towards the door, wincing as stabbing pains shot up his arm the longer he clenched his crippled fingers.
I can do it. I can’t let them see me struggle.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as the man continued to struggle against him. He reached up and grabbed 481’s hands, twisting his wrists. 481 swore under his breath as his grip on the man’s collar loosened. Finally free, the nonGifted man slipped under 481’s right arm and wrestled the icy dagger from his grip. The man ran clumsily towards the carriage as gasps escaped from the crowd. 481 swore out loud and dashed towards his prisoner, his eyes flashing an icy blue.
My hand might be crippled, but I still have my Gift.
Water burst from the palms of his hand, snaking through the air and slipping under the nonGifted man’s feet as he ran. He slipped and stumbled while the wave grew more intense, pushing him back until he was pressed against the stone fence. The water hardened into a thick wall of ice. The man struggled against his bindings, yelling curses. 481 raised his sword with his left hand and shoved the steel blade into the man’s throat. Multiple villagers screamed as the traitor coughed, spraying blood all over 481’s face. Frowning, the Gifted man blinked and wiped the droplets away with the back of his sleeve and withdrew the sword, sheathing it without wiping away the blood.
“Dad, no… ” The male child’s voice through the night air, cracking on every syllable. 481 looked up and saw him and his sister staring at their father’s bleeding body, their cheeks white. The traitor woman was crying too, her sobs choking against the gag. She fell to her knees, her shoulders shaking. 373 forced her to her feet and pushed her and the children back into the carriage, slamming the door behind them.
“He was innocent!” a man’s voice cried, unidentifiable among the crowd. “You – you killed him. Eddie never hurt anyone!”
Multiple voices yelled in agreement. The rain intensified and 481 lifted his sword threateningly towards the crowd.
“Stay back!” 481 commanded, but the villagers continued to inch forward, many clenching their fists as though ready to jump forward and fight. 481’s eyes fell on the same girl he had spotted before. Her hair was wet and stringy, sticking to her cheeks, her shoulders shaking. She was staring at the man 481 had killed with wide eyes. Multiple men and women rushed past the teenager and threw themselves at the Gifted. 481 pushed them back with a wave of water, gritting his teeth and slashing his sword forward.
“Stop!”
The air around them swirled and roared, rain drops splattering in all directions. The dark-haired girl jumped behind the well to avoid the gust, but the rest of the villagers stumbled backwards. A wave of wind spiralled around the crowd, trapping them in a circle in the middle of the village square. The Leader jumped down from her horse and walked slowly towards the nonGifted villagers, her brow furrowed in concentration. Her eyes flashed and slowly, the villagers started to cough, falling to the ground and clutching at their throats.
“Stop now,” the Leader said, her eyes narrowing as the villagers gasped for air. “You have no chance against us.”
She turned away and climbed back onto her horse. She lifted her hood and kicked her horse’s sides. He trotted forward, whinnying nervously while the air grew still again in his mistress’ wake. Breathing in deeply, the villagers slowly started to pick themselves up from the ground, their faces flushed. The dark-haired girl peeked her head over the top of the well, her face pale. She caught 481’s eye briefly before she turned and ran away, her boots slipping against the slick wet cobblestones. 481 glanced at 373, who was staring at the Leader’s retreating figure, his dark eyes wide.
“I…” he began, his voice hoarse. “I – I’ve never seen a Gift of Air with that kind of power. She… she truly is our Leader.”
481 nodded wordlessly, his throat too tight to speak. 373 opened the carriage door and stepped inside while 571 mounted her horse. 481 bowed his head towards the village Gifted, who were covering the traitor’s son with a woven sheet, and turned back towards his own mare. As he did so, a gust of wind blew around his head, even though the rain was falling in the opposite direction.
What was that? Is someone singing?
He frowned, straining his ears against the heavy rain. A gentle, mournful tune seemed to follow the wind, fading out as quickly as it appeared. He glanced up, wondering if 571 had heard it too, but she and the carriage had already left. Shaking his head, 481 mounted his horse and set off at a fast trot.
It was nothing. I’m just tired, clearly.
481 lifted his hood and urged his horse forward through the thundering rain. He closed his eyes, trying to picture the warm bed and fire waiting for him at the Fortress, but all he could see was a face in the wind.
Comments must contain at least 3 words
Chapter: 0
Wow, that was great. The flashback helped understand 256 a lot - it's sad that he coped with the childhood trauma with pushing the memories out of his mind. However, it's very common among people who experienced something horrible. 256 is definitely the character who got developed the most in the "Gifted". With every passing chapter with him, he appears more and more human - he has feelings, doubts. He had friends, but he lost them. I feel pity for him, but at the same time I hope that he'll use his bad experiences to make himself stronger and find the courage to do what is really right. It was very dramatic how he felt torn between his duty and his feelings for his friend, instructor and Carey. The life, he led, was quite miserable...
I'm curious about the mission. I suspect that in the future 256 will meet Carey (and it will surely get interesting). 805 is an intriguing man - he's a bit of an enigma. I have the feeling that he may have his own agenda, but he's really dangerous.
Now about the Gifted in general. I like how you portrayed "the antagonists". The Gifted are not some nameless evil, but are humans, just like the rest of the population - they have the same feelings, the same thoughts (the only difference is that they're brainwashed). What Carey said in the previous chapter sums them up perfectly: "Their greatest weakness is that they're still human". I think some Gifted may even join Janelle's cause. There has to be more Gifted thinking like 256. After all, a life without any attachments, without love and friendship, is unnatural and sad. The Gifted themselves are not the bad ones, it's the regime itself that needs to be vanquished. I really root for Janelle to succeed. I wonder if she'll meet her daughter someday.
February 1, 2014 | Malgorzata Wyrwas
I’m really glad you liked this chapter, I was afraid people wouldn’t. I showed it to my sister and she accused it of being too angsty, so I was worried XD
February 3, 2014 | Genevieve Middleton
Chapter: 0
My heart really goes out to 256. I was wondering what had happened all those years ago and now that we know I feel like he was too caring for a group like this. He has too much heart. I was so wrong about him in the beginning. When we were first introduced I was convinced that he was stone cold and that Carey would have to coax him into being able to feel. I am quite glad to know that I was wrong. I am tired of boys who act emotionless, but when they meet a girl they suddenly have all these feelings.
Knowing that he and 440 were that close once is unfathomable to me. It's just so painful knowing that there was one person who cared about you and now that one person hates the living daylights out of you. I am trying to decide if 440 is incorrigible. I hope he is not because I do like it when characters like his are able to see redemption.
I am so close to actually catching up to where you are currently! I thought I was so behind because I was working on the chapter I had to put up today. I work on a schedule so every 4th and 20th of the month. I wanted to read more, but today just happened to be the 4th, so I couldn't, but I will tomorrow.
February 4, 2014 | S S Desai
Heh, I made him the way he is because I’m sick of those kind of characters. I figured everyone would expect him to be some brooding, troubled bad boy (back in chapter two, when he took her away). So when he had his POV in chapter three I made sure to show he wasn’t like that at all, and then he’s revealed to be even less and less like people would expect :P
As for 440, he’s pretty much past the point of no return, really. His psyche is too far broken for him to go back to the way he was. That doesn’t mean he can’t achieve some form of redemption, but realistically when someone gets to that level of psychological damage there’s no going back. However, I wouldn’t say he hates 256, he just really wants to hate him :P
February 4, 2014 | Genevieve Middleton
Chapter: 0
Until the end when 256 thought about being someone's son or brother, I thought he was in love with 913 and 440 (in a romantic way), and I was going to say that it didn't make sense that he would love all three of them, or that he would love another boy if he loved two girls. Anyway, it's crazy how the Gifted disapprove of family relationships as well as romantic ones...I wonder what their motive is. Distracting emotions doesn't seem like a fair excuse, because it's only distracting when people like 256 are tortured and forced to spend time alone thinking about where their loyalties lie. Then again, I don't know what it was like before the Gifted made that rule, so maybe I can't judge them.
You're writing is good overall, though there is the problem of repetition. People are always referred to as he, she, the older man, or the older woman, the latter two being more common than one might think. Also, type in "after all" in that word search thing (Ctrl+F) and you'll see that you used it like "...after all. After all..."
I was confused at the beginning, when 256 was having that dream/memory about when he met 440 (though I really liked reading it). Also at the end, when 256 had those thoughts. I thought that it was the seven-year-old 256 thinking, not the eighteen-year-old one. Also, "See you later" seemed like a weird three words to seal his fate. It should be obvious that they would see each other, and saying that didn't make them brothers.
At about two thirds of the way down (type in chances) the Leader talked about how 256 got a third chance. Wouldn't it be his fourth? After 913 he got his second chance, third one with 440, and...unless it's the third because he wasn't punished with 913.
You did a good job of conveying the emotions here. It was funny how 440 was being both mean and nice to 256 at the same time. His feelings really are ambivalent.
I also liked 256's thoughts, and how you wrote them. It was obvious that he's split between two personalities, the "rational" one and a humanitarian one. It's sad how he's going to forget about the people he loves just so he can fit in with the other Gifted. It was a hard decision for him though, and he doesn't completely want to do it, so I'm thinking that he won't really forget. He didn't forget before, and it's not in his personality. You know what they say, people never change. He has a purpose and life, and I think he will be crucial when they bring down the Gifted. He is a main character after all, so hopefully he doesn't become corrupted like 440.
It was interesting how they spared 256 because of the small amount of Gifted on the island. Maybe that's one of their weaknesses. The rebels might be weaker, but might easily outnumber them. If I have my history facts right, kind of like Russia in the world wars.
Another thing is how there are numerous rebellions. They're all run by Janelle's group, right? I wonder if they're accomplishing anything besides getting support, and why they're attacking the larger villages where there's more Gifted.
There are two more things I would like to say, two things I'm a little curious about. One is what the Gifted do if they don't find out their Gift until they're five to seven years old. Do they learn swordplay, unarmed combat, history? Are they just looked after, like little kids in a daycare, not learning much of anything?
The last thing before finishing this comment is that I wonder what it would be like if one of the Gifted were seen with a pet, and what their opinion on that is. 256 has been a son, a brother, friend, a lover...but not a pet owner. Hm...
May 24, 2014 | David Boyce
The Gifted are taught how to fight before they get their Gifts with their trainers. After their powers appear they train in sword fighting and stuff for half the day, and the second half they spend learning their Gifts with the rest of their group. They don’t learn much history about the island, they don’t learn to read and write. Their access to knowledge is almost completely limited, because that way they will remain obedient. It’s important to remember that people like 256 (and 440, although the punishment worked on him) are an oddity, most of the Gifted kind of retreat into their own shell at an early age. Sorry if I’m boring you, by the way. I find psychology really interesting.
Anyway, they don’t count 913 because he was only seven, and even the Gifted know that given the way their training system works a kid forming an attachment to their trainer is kind of natural. It’s the trainer’s job to kind of distance them, especially as they get older, but 913 was too “motherly” to him and therefore she was punished for it while he wasn’t. Anyway, being a pet owner would be the worst! They’d kill him for it for sure! :P
Sorry about all the repetition. It’s a bad habit of mine. I’m warning you now, there’s going to be a lot more, because I tend to refer to 805 as “older man” a lot. It’s because whenever I have the Gifted talking to each other I always feel weird repeating their numbers too much (they sound like robots lol). Speaking of 805, I have a question for you: What is your opinion on him at this point? I know he’s barely appeared, but I’d really like to know your first impression (because I guarantee it will probably change after the next chapter :P).
Sorry for the really long reply, by the way.
May 25, 2014 | Genevieve Middleton
Ha ha, don't be sorry. As for my first impression on 805, I can't say much, but he seems like a smart man, maybe one of those people who are nice to others but believe that they're smarter than them. Because of the third to last paragraph, I'm thinking that 256 will look up to him as a sort of role model, like he'll see the older man as what he should be like.
I'm really sorry, but I forgot to say that in the sixth paragraph up, 805 said that he would kill 256 if he made a mistake, but wouldn't punish him for the slightest mistake. I think that could be re-worded. But I liked how 256 was embarrassed by how an Earth Gift had to carry him, that was a little funny.
May 25, 2014 | David Boyce
Thanks for answering my question :)Here is something I forgot to mention in my last reply: The rebellions the Leader spoke of are not run by Janelle's group. They're uprisings in the Northern villages that were sparked by Janelle's rebellion. In effect Jan's group have started a chain reaction, even though they failed so miserably. Another psychological phenomenon often observed in the real world (Sorry I'm such a nerd xD).
May 25, 2014 | Genevieve Middleton
Chapter: 0
Great chapter! I'm glad to see 256 again. While I enjoyed following Carey/Janelle's story without any breaks for a while there, I've missed the guy. The flashback at the beginning was excellent. It was good to learn more about 256's past and it helped me understand him better. It's terrible what happened to him and it makes me hate the Gifted regime even more.
805 seems very interesting. From what little I've seen of him I kind of like him. (Which is probably a terrible mistake because that likely means he'll turn out to be an evil, ruthless toolbag XD) Perhaps if he earns a seat on the Council he'll become the source of an internal uprising within the Gifted what with the way those with the Gift of Earth are treated. I'm reaching again... I've got to stop that.
Anyway, overall a very good chapter. I'm looking forward to finding out what mission 805 and 256 are going on. I'm pretty sure its not going to be to do anything good...
June 5, 2014 | Serina Truscott-Duvall
Thanks for commenting! Let’s just say your opinion of 805 will probably change rather soon… xD But hey, that could be in a good way. Or a bad way. Muhahahahaha.
June 6, 2014 | Genevieve Middleton