Psionic War (Work in Progress)

Note: This story is a work in progress and has yet to be fully edited

Chapter One

James wondered around in his hut pondering the future as his crops were failing. He sat at his meager table and imagined his last bit of food, an apple rolling across the table and falling on his floor. To his surprise the apple started shaking. And then it stopped. Dumbfounded he started thinking about the apple rolling across the table again and it started shaking. He thought it was an act of God or there was an invisible force he had control over. In favour of the latter he imagined a stream of... something coming out of his hand and pushing the apple over. The apple continued shaking, more and more violently until it finally fell over and started rolling across the table like he first imagined.

This was the beginning of James newfound skill. In the following weeks he spent every waking moment not tending to his crops to harnessing his unique ability. However he noticed that after spending long times practicing he got very exhausted, yet he still practiced everyday. After several months he decided it was time to share his ability with the village. On Sunday he went to church like usual but he requested to announce something to everyone.

“I have something very important to share with all of you.” James said, while fiddling with a small bag containing a few round objects. “A couple of months ago I acquired a power from God.” He waited a couple of seconds for everyone's response, they looked tired and bored.
“Here I have an apple” James took out an apple out of his bag by using his new power and levitated it a couple of feet above his hand, showing the crowd. Everyone gasped but when James turned to the priest he had an expression of fear on his face.
“I can do this by controlling some invisible force.” James pulled out other objects out of his bag and used his telekinesis to make them float around the cramped, narrow church. “I believe I also can heat or cool things but I haven't had enough time to practice to see if I really can do that.”

After the mass has ended he had become a local celebrity in a couple of minutes. The priest came up to James.
“Please, do not use your powers anymore, they are the work of the devil and if you continue using them you will be overcome by evil.”
“Jonas, I can assure you that this isn't the work of evil. Why would the devil give me such powers that have helped me so much in my fieldwork. They can be used for so much good, only if everyone had them. And if I can heat thin-”
“Satan is trying to win your heart and body, please for the sake of your own safety, do not use them anymore.”
“I'm sorry but I don't think I can follow your instructions with this. These powers are amazing. Well goodbye, I have things to tend to.”

Chapter Two

James was awoken late in the night by a crash. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness he saw that two large figures holding swords and shields broke down his door. James was paralyzed with fear at this sight. These two men stumbled around in the darkness for a short while until they found James where they took off their helmets.
“By the command of the Crown of England, you are to be arrested and charged with heresy. You will be executed on the spot.” The blond man boomed with his voice.
He raised his sword and in a sudden second it snapped back, blood spurting out of his elbow. His platemail on his sword arm broke and cracked from an unknown force. He collapsed from the pain and the other man was smashed against the wall of his hut, which the wooden wall collapsed from the force. However the man didn't get up.

Still frozen with fear James did not do anything but look in awe as a cloaked figure walked into the hut. Oh why did he not listen to the priest James thought for this must be Satan himself.
“Please, we must move now before more come.” The cloaked figure said quickly. He sounded worried. “If we don't move soon we both will be dead, come on!”
“Art father who-” James started praying”
“Shut up, I am not some 'ooh evil guy' person” The man said with anger.
“I will not go with you devil!”
“Fine then” The cloaked man lifted his hand and all was black.

James later woke up to the sound of something falling near him and the friendly sound of birds chirping, though those were not his immediate concern. What fell he saw, was sticks and twigs, and the same cloaked figure was standing over him. His hood was off however and saw that he had shoulder-length dark brown hair and a wrinkly face. There was also a medium stubble that covered his face.
“Get the hell away from me!” James yelled throwing a stick at the man while also standing up and running away. All of a sudden there was a powerful pull that slid him across the ground back to the man.
“Please do not try that again. Now let me introduce myself, my name is Edward. “ The man smiled. “Now calm down and I will explain.”
James took in a deep breath, “Okay I am calm.”
“You and I are called Psions. We have powers called psionic powers. You already know that we have the power of telekinesis. The church has been after us since their existence. They call us devil worshipers but we are just a group of people who have a certain talent. That is the best I can explain without telling to much.” Edward bent down and gathered the sticks into a group and then they all of a sudden burst into flame. James was secretly delighted now that he knew that there was more to his powers than just telekinesis.
“What do you mean, telling to much and how did you find out about me?”
“We have had spy problems before, now shush, I need to sleep so keep guard. Wake me if you see or hear anything.”

James kept guard as Edward said even though knowing he should run, but he was fearful that he would be hunted down and killed or that the Church would find him again. After Edward awoke, James was informed that to stay in a close by meadow for a couple of hours. Even more against his instincts than keeping guard, James obeyed and sat in the meadow playing with the grass waiting for time to pass.

Edward came back but with another person in full platemail who was tied at the wrists. Edward had a sword and shield with him, presumably from the other man. Kicking the platemail-wearing man at the knees, knocking him down, Edward said "Kill him."
"What, god dammit I'm not going to kill an innocent person!" James yelled, now paying the price for not following his instincts.
"Fine, then I will let him kill you." Edward started untying the armoured man.
"Okay okay." He held out his hand. "Are you going to give me the sword."
"No, you have to use your powers." Edward seemed to be getting annoyed by now.
James looked around and spotted a good sized rock that he thought he could lift with telekinesis.

Imagining a flow of energy coming out of James hands and lifting the rock, he threw the rock with telekinesis at the armoured man. The man head snapped and he crumpled on the ground. James himself collapsed, not from the sudden loss of energy from throwing the rock, but because he just seemingly killed another man, another living sentient creature.
"Okay, get up, lets check him for light valuables such as jewelry or coins. In fact you might want his sword, you are still weak with your powers." Edward didn't seem to notice the collapsing of James but instead started taking off the armour of the man to search him.
"So Psions kill and then loot the dead bodies of innocent men?" James said weakly.
"My god, can you ever not question things. This man wasn't innocent, he was searching out to kill you and I, plus many others. We are the true innocents. They think we are heretics but in reality that is completely wrong. The only reason why looting the bodies has to be done is because we have to hide in caves and the woods while them, the hunters, get luxurious castles and palaces. If you want to get even deeper into the whole mess, not even the Muslims like us. When Psions tried retreating into Muslim territory they were also killed as heretics, then again it could of just been because they assumed they were Christian." Edward continued scouring the body for valuables. "This dagger has a well made hilt. I think I'll keep it."
The things that were looted was just a dagger, a cheap ring, one short sword, and a small amount of rations. The two started traveling to a point unknown to James.

"Where are we going?" James was having trouble keeping up. Throwing the rock tired him out.
"A small cave that contains a few more about us. Fifteen more I believe."
A white powder started sprinkling from the sky.
Edward started speaking "The ground will no longer be green nor white as the sky darkens, but red from the blood of our foes. I wish this war would end."
James, not sure what to say, just blurted something out "Did or do you have family?"
"I did, say twenty years ago, but when I discovered I had powers, the church came after me. I managed to escape but my family did not. The only reason why I survived was because I had several years to develop my telekinesis. I did have two daughters, they kidnapped one so I am still looking for her when I can."
"I'm sorry that you had to go through so much and I hope you can find your daughter."
"Enough about me. Tell me about yourself."
So James told Edward all about what his parents were like and how he ran a farm.

Chapter Three

James and Edward came across a cliff wall not more than a few men tall. They followed the cliff face until night fell.
"We better make a camp here for the night, then we should be able to keep following this rock wall until where some of us hide." Edward said.