Banished: A Katrina Baker Novel 01 Read online

  It did stink, and it was hot. And my hair smelled like torch smoke, and I was sweaty from the concussion I’d had. Luckily, that was done with and my body felt fully healed. I wondered how long I was out. I also wondered if there were showers, it didn’t look like Gerard had bathed for a week.

  He looked down my body, and I almost blushed at what went through his mind. It was another reason I liked this outfit, it was a major ego boost for a telepath and empath.

  “If you’re not a witch. Why do you dress in all black like this, with improperly tight and revealing clothes for a woman?”

  Damn, I was going to hate this world. If it was that bad here maybe I should change. At home it had been acceptable, except in my father’s eyes anyway. I hadn’t been looked down on for the revealing clothes. But if I picked up embarrassment and shock from others in this world at my dress, that wouldn’t work for me.

  I explained, “It’s common dress for woman like me back on my world,” I smiled and tried to look helpless, but if this went on too much longer I’d remove my restraints myself. The only reason I hadn’t yet was because he would attack me at the first sign of trouble, and I didn’t really want to hurt him. He wasn’t a bad guy. And I was a really bad supervillain. Bad at being one I mean.

  I might as well admit the truth to myself, I wanted to be a hero. I’d always had. It was hard not to want to protect people when you could see their hopes and dreams, at least the good ones. Without my parents here, I wouldn’t have to worry about disappointing them, although it was probably way too late for that considering how I got here. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to let my instincts in that direction hold sway here, at least until I found my way home.

  He studied me and tried to decide what to do, so I added, “Perhaps you could show me what would be more appropriate on your world? Is there a…” I searched for the word for clothes store, “tailor in this town perhaps?”

  His pendant started to glow, and he cursed and drew his sword. I flinched, and was worried for a second he might attack, but the glowing light meant one of the evil races of this world were near.

  He barked, “We’ll continue this later,” and he charged off and out of the building.

  Chapter 3

  Well, I certainly wasn’t going to wait until he got back. I had no reservations about my chains, so my telekinesis made short work of the locks and the chains fell off of me. The iron door which would stop magic, unlocked and swung open before I could reach it. I walked down the hall, and there were a couple of men in the room.

  “Hi guys, I’m just going to go help Gerard.”

  They both turned white as the blood drained from their faces and they pulled their swords. I could feel the terror in their hearts through my empathy, and wanted to soothe it. I also wondered how supervillains could like being feared so much? I was sure my mother had engendered this reaction in people more than once.

  I disarmed them and pushed them back into the chairs with a thought as I walked out the front door. There was no point arguing with them, they were convinced I was an evil witch. No doubt thanks to my clothes. For that reason alone, I’d have to change. I pouted for a moment, I really loved this outfit, and then I rose up in the air.

  I loved to fly.

  The town below me was pretty much what I’d read in his mind. A main street with stores, and the jail I was in. The rest of the town circled that main street and was full of housing, and then around all of it were large tree trunks lashed together to form a tall wall. I looked around and searched with my mind, and there was fighting going on at the gate. I flew in that direction, and up a bit. I was afraid if the guards on the walls saw me they might shoot arrows.

  I could knock them out of the sky, but it would be annoying.

  It looked like a goblin raiding party, there were about thirty of them outside the gate, though they weren’t trying very hard to get in. Their minds were filthy sewers, and they reveled in war and death. The other half of their party was raiding some farms north of here for food, slaves, and anything else of value they could carry. The ones here at the gate were merely here to bottle up any possible response to the raid, and it was working well.

  They seemed to have the gate well in hand, so I turned and flew toward the north back over the town and palisades, and searched for the raiding party. My mind was conflicted about this though, a hero back on my Earth simply fought and subdued to send the villain, or normal human crook, to jail. But here these were evil beings, was doing the same the right thing?

  I’d never considered actually killing something before, but the minds of the goblins were so vile and evil they made my parents look like saints in comparison. I fell to the ground, and managed to catch myself before I hit, obviously despite their evil I wasn’t quite behind the idea of killing them. But this world wasn’t mine. Here on this world, it wasn’t an us verse them thing, where no side was truly evil.

  Here on this world, there were evil gods, and good gods, evil races, and good races. Although, the humans, elves, and dwarves weren’t quite as good as the evil races were evil, if that made sense. It was all confused in my mind, I wanted to be a hero, but heroes here killed the villains, the evil goblins, orcs, and demons.

  Could I do that? I was an eighteen-year-old just graduating school, and I still lived with my parents. I didn’t know if I was ready for that. I heard a loud scream and frowned, should I go tell those farmers I wasn’t ready to do what was right? Was killing wrong when the being was truly evil and without good in them of any quantity? I’d never realized just how innocent and sheltered I truly was, even having supervillains as parents.

  I flew back up into the sky and toward the scream, and could see the group of goblins. There were close to thirty of them, and they had woman and children tied up to a single long rope, and I saw a dead man lying on the ground, no doubt simply because he’d have been more trouble than he was worth.

  The goblins planned to use the woman, sexually I mean, and the children would be slave workers until they grew too old or died. I felt sick to my stomach, and angry that such things existed here. Not that humanity didn’t have its own darkness, but goblins, each and every one, was the equivalent of the worst of humans, and what humanity had to offer.

  Telekinesis was a fairly common power where I came from. All of us could do the easy stuff, lift up stone, or other matter, it was a simple thing. However, the more powerful ones could do much more, and like I’d said before, my mother had ensured I’d be one of the most powerful.

  Pyro-kinesis and cryo-kinesis, were really just different aspects of the same power, I could use my telekinesis to either speed or slow molecules, either setting something on fire or freezing it. I could also control the air by pushing the air molecules, just like I’d move a stone, or open a lock, which was aero-kinesis. Lastly, hydro-kinesis was the same as well, just using it to move water, even to the point of collecting it out of the atmosphere.

  Point was, I could do a lot with my telekinesis. My mother was convinced I could do even more, including teleport, but I’d never managed to do that one, probably because of fear and conflicted feelings about it.

  From reading minds it was obvious I could somewhat duplicate what a mage could do by seeming to control the elements, when I was really just shifting and vibrating matter with my mind. Of course, I wouldn’t be able to cast spells like a mage could here, just control the elements. That was a drawback, but the advantage was iron didn’t affect my ability at all, plus I didn’t need to chant anything, I could just do things with a thought.

  Magic was really done three different ways on this world from what I caught in Gerard’s mind. Witch’s harnessed nature, mages harnessed the elements, while clerics and paladins harnessed magic gifted from their deity through prayer.

  My mind kind of just went off on a tangent, but the point was I could do any number of things to stop the Goblins that were below me, but I just hovered over them and watched. I couldn’t bring myself to kill them, something that would b
e beyond simple to do. I had no doubt the goblins deserved to die, I was in their minds, and felt their sick twisted emotions.

  They didn’t have hopes or dreams, just hate, rage, and a sick perverted desire to cause pain and death. I had no doubt at all they were truly evil, to the core. Telepathy and Empathy removed all doubt.

  Even so, I knew if I did kill them I’d irrevocably change who and what I was. I wouldn’t be a superhero, or a supervillain, I’d just be Katrina, a woman that killed to protect others. The choice twisted my stomach, could I really kill them, could I really let those women be raped, and the children be slaves until they worn out and finally died? It was one or the other, I couldn’t have both.

  If I just captured them, they’d come right back with the next attack, or the townspeople would kill them.

  In one last attempt to avoid the choice, as I saw one of the goblins throw down a human woman to the ground, I closed my eyes and reached for home in my mind. I tried to teleport, maybe it was possible, I certainly knew what my room felt like, and where it was. If there was ever a moment I wasn’t conflicted and wanted to be somewhere, it was right then floating above that farm.

  Absolutely nothing happened. If I could teleport, my world was beyond my reach.

  I kept my eyes closed, I didn’t want to watch. I reached down with my telepathy and found the goblins. I’d read stories about heroes in fantasy worlds before, that wielded fire to burn their enemies, or cut them with a sword, or any number of other random powers that had obvious and horribly violent results.

  What I did was much subtler, and perhaps at the same time, far more horrifying than merely setting their bodies on fire. I reached down into the goblin’s minds, their brains, with my power and used telekinesis to speed up the vibration of their brain matter, causing it to heat up and melt like wax.

  Thirty goblin minds turned off, and I opened my eyes and looked down in time to see them fall dead without a mark on them. I heard a scream, and not a human scream. It was a rabid scream of outrage and I saw a goblin looking around. One with a staff, one I couldn’t feel with my mind. He looked up and saw me, and then I heard him scream words as he pointed the tip of the staff, and a large ball of fire shot up at me.

  I couldn’t grab the magical fire with my mind, his magic prevented it, but I caught it with the air around it, and sent it right back at him.

  His eyes widened in alarm, and he dove to the side, and the fireball hit the ground and exploded. I realized my mistake, and used aero-kinesis to shield the humans from the exploding flames. The goblin was shielded too, but looked rather singed around the edges. I clenched my teeth and tried to set him on fire, but the magical protection that protected his mind also protected his body.

  I narrowed my eyes and focused on the thirty dead goblins, specifically, the swords they all had in their dead open hands.

  Thirty deadly pieces of steel rose from the ground, and with a grin I sent them all, the very pointy ends, at the goblin mage. I was a little disturbed that I had started to enjoy myself. I hadn’t enjoyed the deaths, and still didn’t, but I enjoyed this challenge to my ingenuity and power.

  He dove again, but to no avail. I hadn’t thrown them and let go, I was moving them, so it was easy to change their trajectory. Several, almost half, were deflected by the mages protections, the other fifteen however broke through, and killed him instantly as they ran through his short vicious body.

  A few moments later, the carnage I’d caused hit me hard, and I leaned forward, and threw up. Luckily for those below, they were dry heaves, I wasn’t sure when the last time I’d eaten was. When I got my stomach under control, if not the shock that I was now a killer. A killer of evil creatures, but a true killer nonetheless. I floated down and released the humans from their restraints.

  I said in a voice filled with shock, “Hi. Umm, I don’t suppose I can get something to eat, and maybe a change of clothes. I’m not an evil witch, this outfit is a long story.”

  I turned my head as one of the woman looked at me, “You did this?”

  I nodded slowly, “Yes. I couldn’t let them do what they planned for all of you. I…” my voice got really quiet, “I’ve never killed anyone before today.”

  She sighed in both relief and sadness, as she looked down at the man dead on the ground. Her husband perhaps? She looked at me critically.

  “Thank you dear, I’m Katherine. Come inside, I think I have something that will fit, and some food,” she turned to the others, who were looking at me with both gratefulness and fear, “The rest of you go on home.”

  I followed her toward the house, “I’m Kat.”

  Katherine smiled but the sadness was still there, “Nice to meet you Kat, that’s a strange name.”

  I giggled, “Sorry, it’s a nickname, it’s short for Katrina.”

  We moved inside the house and into the kitchen, where she made me something to eat and drink. I was famished, I hadn’t realized how hungry I’d been until I was chowing down. I wondered again just how long I was out from that concussion, obviously long enough to be chained and put in a jail, but that didn’t tell me much. Even as a super it took time for me to heal bad injuries. As long as it wasn’t a mortal injury, I could heal just about anything in three days.

  And I felt just about that hungry, that vortex must have really kicked my ass.

  Katherine walked into the back hallway for a moment and came back with a couple of dresses and a wary look on her face. One was a creamy off-white color, and had flower designs on it, like a sundress. The other was similar, but also plainer and in light blue. They looked worn, but not badly so, and were actually not bad. I really noticed for the first time she was wearing something similar in yellow as I was finally coming out of my shock from the battle.

  I felt guilty, but only because I didn’t feel guilty for killing them as I had, if that makes any sense. Their minds were horrifying cesspools of evil thoughts and deeds, next time I wouldn’t hesitate, if they were monsters that is. I had no plans on killing humans if I could at all help it.

  Sexy black cat suit to sundresses, I wondered what else could go wrong. Although I thought I’d probably look cute in the blue one. They’d probably be a little big, but I could tailor them some with micro-kinesis easily enough.

  “I know these aren’t good enough for a mage, or are you a witch? But it’s the best I have, and the least I could give for you saving us all. You can sell those swords outside in town and get something that fits better there.”

  I nodded slowly as I finished devouring the meal and then said, “Alright, thank you, I think I’ll just take the blue one and get out of your hair. I’ll get rid of the corpses too. Do you have a tub, and soap?”

  She smiled, “Of course,” and led me outside the back of the house, where a small shack was with a tub in it. She showed me how to fill it with water. I put the blue dress aside, and went back inside with the other one. I used pyro-kinesis to heat up the water, just by agitating the water molecules, and then slipped into the steaming hot water.

  I looked at my suit with regret. It was nice black leather, soft, supple, and form fitting, but I wasn’t sure how long I’d be stuck on this world. As I washed, I used telekinesis to pull the stitches out, and basically created a leather satchel out of it that could hold some stuff, like the clothes I was about to buy, and the swords. It was easy enough to use micro kinesis for a fine cut, and to make holes in the leather to stitch it back up.

  I was surprised my telekinesis worked so well, and had been for a while. Maybe it was because I wasn’t trying to be what I wasn’t anymore? I wasn’t trying to be a supervillain. It was weird, I felt comfortable here. I missed home, and wanted back now, but here I didn’t have to pretend, or live up to the expectations of my super friends or parents.

  It was a scary place, one that had made me kill, but in a way, it was just simpler as well. I finished the bath and got out, and used aqua-kinesis to strip the water off my body, and then slipped into the blue dress. It was a bi
t big all the way through, I tightened it up over my breasts, waist, and hips, but not too tight. I left it a little loose like I’d seen the other woman wearing theirs.

  I wondered if I looked as good in it as I felt, but I’d find out in town when others saw me.

  I pulled on my black ankle high boots, those I was keeping. Then I walked out with my satchel, and used telekinesis again, to claim the swords from the goblins body, clean them, and place them carefully in the leather satchel. Then I moved the goblin bodies, far from the house, and set them on fire after feeling for coins or valuables with my mind. I got a few pieces of silver and bronze and smirked.

  Good enough, those gamer geeks would be proud of me for remembering to check for loot.

  I decided to walk back, the north gate was only a mile or so away, I could see the tall palisades of the wall from here…

  Chapter 4

  “Fifteen gold, take it or leave it,” the weapon smith said stubbornly.

  Ten bronze in a silver, ten silver in a gold. I knew he could sell these swords for a gold a piece, which means a hundred percent markup. It was hard to rip me off, because of the mind reading thing, even if it is my first time in a store on this world. A part of me wanted to walk out, but the truth was there was no one else to buy these but him, the next town was about sixty miles north, which was a hard day’s ride.

  He was the only one that would buy them, and was taking advantage. He knew it, so I knew it. But I didn’t really have a choice, plus, fifteen gold was a lot of coin here. Most people earned a couple of silvers a month, a night at the inn was only a few copper, one more copper for food and drink. Just one of those fifteen gold, would get me a huge wardrobe. Which told me swords were very expensive in this world, almost five month’s wages. So I nodded sharply.