Prodigy

Danika

Danika was unsure of where she stood. She had seen Kate in action. The girl was a strategic asset. She was also in love with her father. She knew how much he cared for and wanted to protect his daughter.

Danika also understood that Kate only wished to protect her father. She had no idea what Kate was, but she could work with two individuals that only wished to protect each other. God’s how had she gotten herself into this position? She had prided herself her entire life for not getting caught up in matters of the heart.

Her affair with Adrian hadn’t been planned. Two years later she was still happy about it. Despite what she felt for Adrian, she had developed a different relationship with his daughter. It had been at a distance, but the events of the day had clarified many questions, though they also created many more. As the three of them left the room, she looked at Kate.

The girl was tiny, but even before today, she knew that the little package was dangerous. Kate had been invited to the world games in gymnastics, fencing, and martial arts. Now she wondered if it was fair for Kate to compete in sports. She had abilities which were simply phenomenal .

Kate was still dressed for the event she had been the face of and, despite everything, she still looked fresh. Was that due to her powers, or was the girl simply careful with her appearance? They reached the flier and its doors rotated.

“Father, I don’t wish to go home. I want to go to the cabin.” She said as the doors to the flier rotated down.

Her father’s chair rotated around to face her. “How do…never-mind. It has been years since I’ve gone there. It will be a mess.”

She shook her head. “I’ve kept it for mother’s sake. I also had fresh supplies sent to it.”

She looked down at the kitten and a small case formed for it complete with a drinking bottle. “The seclusion of the lake and cabin will make it safer for me to demonstrate what I am. Besides, it all started there.”

For a moment Adreian said nothing, then he nodded. “Zara, take us to the cabin.”

The flier rose from the port floor and flew towards the exit.

***

The flier edged out of the secure bunker and into the air. For a moment Kate was quiet, then she looked at the two of them. “I want your permission to enter your mind. Me sharing my initial memories with you will help you understand my core. We can work through the other details later,” she said.

Adrian nodded instantly, but she hesitated. Kate glanced at her. The seats in the flier were turned so that the three of them sat in a circle. “It won’t hurt. I will not be taking anything from your mind, I will simply be sharing information, feelings, scents…the like. It will allow you to experience my world as I do,” Kate urged.

She slowly nodded. Her curiosity overcame her fear of the unknown. A force touched her mind. It was like changing altitude in an unpressurized craft. The next phase of the experience was as if she was submerged in a tub of water. She could still see the world around her, but it was muted by another presence.

The presence took form within her mind and she gasped. Kate had the five normal senses, but beyond those she could feel every atom within the flier. She could see the thoughts of thousands of people, even though they were in other vehicles and buildings. The array of sensory data was overwhelming. There was a shift in consciousness and the sensory data was pushed to the side and images and sensations started flowing into her.

***

She felt warmth, and was submerged in some fluid. Above her was a rhythmic beat, and the sensation of billows pulling in and releasing air. A cry of fear washed over her and something cold brushed her skin. She flipped, looking for the source, but she was not cold. She was in her cocoon.

“Adrian, come here, she’s moving again.” a voice from outside hit her ears. She recognized the voice and reached for the pressure she could now feel from above. “She’s touching my hand!” The voice said again.

***

“Linda…no…you weren’t born. How could you remember this?” Adrian said. Interrupting the flow of memory.

It was then that it dawned on her that Kate was still in the womb!

***

Another point of pressure, close to the original, pressed towards her and she reached her other hand for it, but a cry of pain distracted her. It was coming from within…no, it was coming from the place between.

She wasn’t quite tied to this body yet…in fact, she shouldn’t be here. The body hadn’t taken its first breath. She didn’t let that thought bother her. She knew that this body was hers, but she was needed in the between. She allowed the part of her that knew, to drift back towards the place that came before…that came after.

Danika gasped as the world shifted to one of darkness, yet she could see. Tiny lights drifted towards one boundary and formed bodies drifted from the boundary back towards other boundaries. It was clear that those departing the world had different destinations. She was an atheist, but this made her question.

The “spirit?” of Kate turned back towards the boundary that she knew was the physical plane. Her attention was drawn to a baby lying on a stone table surrounded by fourteen people, not counting the guards at the door. The boy needed her.

***

Danika took the time to memorize the room. The memory seemed to pause as she took in the details.

The room was made entirely of white stone, but was neither sandstone nor marble. The people were dressed in an archaic fashion. The weapons were spears, axes, and swords. It was evident that these people were wealthy, probably high nobles. She nodded and turned her attention back to the memory.

***

Currents of power flowed into the baby. She could feel the powers and magics ripping the soul. One magua and one priest tried to hold the soul together, but it was simply too much… too many things were being done to the child at once.

Anger swelled up inside her and sympathy for the child. She could take some of the pain. She placed herself in the flow of magic and power. She didn’t understand how she did this, she simply did it. At the same time, she reached out for other spirits that might be willing to help.

She felt answers, but they were not close enough. The pain was too great for the babe. She did the only thing she could think of.

She drew the pain into the body that would be hers.

“Adrian! Something’s wrong…”

The memory faded.

****

For a moment, the world cleared and she got a clear view of Kate. The girl had a serine smile on her face. She shifted her attention to Adrian, who looked at his daughter with an expression she had never seen before. She could read awe and immeasurable love in that look.