Catching Destiny

Long ago, Catchers and humans lived freely in Tahere, in harmony and peace. Soon, humans realized that Catchers were far more powerful than they were, and that they would have to be stopped. The humans claimed that my people were dangerous and no longer could be trusted. Locked up and forced to be slaves, Catchers lived miserably. This was the age that I was born into.

My mother and father, Ardelle and Favian, were very kind and courageous. They, and a couple of their friends they had met over the years in our camp, formed a rebellion. My parents and their friends greatly felt that this was unfair treatment, for Catchers were gentle and did not carry sins of the humans, and they knew humans only wanted nothing more than that; greed, lust, anger, revenge, pride, gluttony, and envy. Those were traits my people did not have.

My parents only befriended few people, in case of human spies. They had also planned that their friends had caught different elements, for showing humans that they could reach outside the social standings and that no Catcher was better than the other. Everyone was equal, humans were evil, but everyone needed help, and that's how I was raised. Despite who my parents trusted, mostly everyone in the camp was Water Catchers, seeing as how the Water Catchers lived in Connaught.

Shima, an Earth Catcher, was like my second mother. When my parents were away, sent to the prison temporarily, or some other matter, she would always take care of me, despite her child. Pallaton was his name. He was one year older than I, and the brother I never had. As I grew, though, I realized that I was feeling more and more for Pallaton, but I ignored it. Catchers were suffering; there was no time for teenage love.

The Catchers were all sent to camps, despite their places of origin, and were usually separated from family. Threatening us with death, we had to behave, eat what they gave us, and respect the leader, Lucifer, forcing us to bow down, every time he walked out of the premises. Strong Catchers were thrown into the jail; their spirits were to be crushed, their will to live evaporated. Pallaton's father was one of the few who dared to dream, but was killed, for he didn't want to become an empty shell and never let Lucifer have control over him. I was surprised my parents were not sent inside, only if temporary, but thankful that they weren't.

My mother and father were both Water Catchers very good ones, too. My mother was trained by her mother, who had led the whole village of Water Catchers to battle against humans. My father was trained by the wisest person in his whole village, his grandfather. Before they were captured, they had probably helped in about thirty battles. Their last one, my mother was injured badly, and my father had protected her, claiming that when she had opened her eyes, not only was he relieved, he said it was love at first sight.

Sometimes I wondered how children born from Catchers had any powers at all. They had to catch elements, not be born with them. I asked my mother this one day, and she laughed until I demanded to know the answer. She finally caught her breath and said, "If you believe you caught the element, you caught it. If you question it, it questions you..."