Child of Time (13 page)

Merlin was disturbed from his thoughts by the
incursion alarm going off. Scanning the city he was surprised to
note that the intruder was already nearing the castle.
I must be
feeling the effects sooner than I thought,
he commented to
himself. Trying to predict the path of the drakken Merlin picked a
spot that was likely to be passed but as he did the mind of the
drakken faded from his view. The filthy beast must have found a new
trick. Teleporting to the last known location he caught a glimpse
of it as it disappeared around a corner. Running after it Merlin
felt the pain and surprise of the guard that was unfortunate enough
to meet the drakken. T
his drakken is not like a normal drakken
should be, it moves too fast. Must be a genome revision in the
latest clone batches,
Merlin thought,
I have to stop it.
Rounding the corner He was startled by a flash of light and smoke
from a stun grenade. It had no other effect than to slow him for a
second but that second was all it took.

When Merlin raced into King Arthur’s chambers he
stopped in his tracks when he saw the drakken swinging his blade at
the throat of the king. He might be able to heal the king but there
would be questions, preparing to launch a fire blast at the drakken
Merlin stopped in mid move when he saw what happened next.

The blade, sharp as a razor, passed through Arthur’s
throat but instead of a spray of blood like Merlin was expecting
there was a glow as the injury disappeared a moment afterwards.
King Arthur of Camelot was an ascended. The drakken was just as
surprised as Merlin was. Arthur took advantage of the pause to shed
the beast’s mind with a psionic attack.

“Merlin, I’m sorry I had to keep you in the dark for
as long as I did. They had to think I was human and after living as
a mortal for forty years I nearly forgot what it was like to be
ascended.” Arthur explained as they stood over the drakken
corpse.

“But how did you become King Arthur?” Merlin was
perplexed, there hadn't been a disruption in the timeline for years
before Merlin had arrived.

“In this time stream Uther’s wife died before giving
him a son. That would have been the real Arthur. Unfortunately
there was no magic or people gifted with certain skills that were
called magicians in the land so Uther was sonless. I could have
gone back in time farther and made it happen but all the best
possible futures faded every time I changed anything. I inserted
myself into the timeline and placed myself in a position where
Uther adopted me as his son. I still have to live out a life and
die so to say so the integrity of time will be preserved. Merlin
you also have an important part to play in this event. The sickness
is caused by dark energy. It corrupts matter and energy in the
light universes so what we need to do is find the device that is
letting it seep through the fabric of the universe.”

------

Kiyan was spending the last day he would spend with
James and Marisa in who knows how long. Theo had told him it was
his choice and no one would hold it against him no matter what he
chose to do. Kiyan still hadn't made up his mind as to which way he
wanted to go. The allure of peace on the joined worlds amidst the
turmoil that Kiyan knew would be coming. On the other side of the
coin was the fact that he would never be able to forgive himself if
he left the rest of the universe to the fate of the drakken. James
and Marisa were leaving the choice to Kiyan even though he would
have rather had someone tell him what to do and save him the
indecision.

“Kiyan you know we would go with you but we wouldn't
do anything but become a weakness. Neither of us is a warrior. We
will always be with you in our hearts.” Marisa tried to help Kiyan
deal with the weight of his decision.

Kiyan understood and didn't want to put them in
harm’s way but he also knew that they would be safe where the
refuge was going. He wouldn't have to worry all the time if he knew
they were safe. He would miss every one, that was a given. His
thoughts wandered to the new ships that would be arriving later
this afternoon.

James interrupted Kiyan's depression when he
suggested that Kiyan go and play with his friends. Kiyan decided
that it would be a good distraction and was soon on his way.

----------

Corban was struggling with a decision much like
Kiyan's but different. He was a skilled bender as well as a
telepath so he would be an effective agent in the war. He had
family here but he wanted to fight to protect them, the thought of
someone else fighting to protect him made him sick to his stomach.
Corban decided that no one would ever call him a coward, to war it
was. The rumor was that on Samtan, in the capital city,
examinations were being given to those that chose to join the
war.

-------

Kendra was performing examinations of the volunteers
when she recognized Corban's mind entered the room. She knew she
shouldn't have been surprised, his mentality was one of the reasons
that he had been chosen as Kiyan's trainer. There was still much
more training that Kiyan needed so in a way Kendra was glad that he
was volunteering. Taking Corban aside into one of the testing
rooms, Kendra asked him if he was sure this was what he wanted.

“Yes, I understand the ideals that are being
represented in this war and from what I understand there is much I
can do to help, both in the battle field and with Kiyan.” Corban
explained as much for himself as for Kendra.

“Corban there is a couple tests that I need to do to
determine if you will be safe. The ascended have decided not to
allow people that are not qualified to join the war. One reason is
we don't want to have to protect them every moment and another
reason is we created the refuge to preserve life and we can't let
you waste your life needlessly.” Kendra wanted to make sure Corban
would understand the importance of the decision he had made.

Corban agreed to go through the tests and abide by
Kendra's final decision. As Corban was taking a seat Kendra moved
faster than he could see and stabbed him in the arm with a small
knife before he could react. Leaping back he clutched at the knife
even as he raised barriers of dense air around him. Enough to
deflect most anything but he stood facing an ascended. If she
wanted him dead he would have been already. Kendra touched his mind
and made him understand it was only part of a test. She also sent
an apology for her actions.

“Corban look at your arm.” Kendra directed Corban’s
attention to his arm where the knife had been. A dim glow emanated
from what was a fast disappearing scar.

“What, how did you do that?” Corban was more than a
little confused.

“I didn't do that. You healed on your own.” Kendra
was a little perplexed herself. “I've never seen a mortal that
could heal so fast.”

Corban was unable to believe Kendra. It couldn't be
true, to prove it Corban made another cut on his hand. He watched
in fascination as flames danced out of the wound until the skin was
mended. The glow faded away with all signs of the injury.

“How is this possible?” Corban felt like he was
losing his mind.

“I think you ascended when you were with Kiyan in the
battle in the future. When we ascend we absorb a huge amount of
temporal energy, it gives us our powers of time travel and
precognition. A temporal event like an ascension isn't something
that changing a few things in the past can stop. I am pretty sure
that when you ascend the energy from the future is flowing back
through time causing the effects to show up now.”

“So I ascended in the future and somehow that is
healing me now?” Corban still wasn't believing what he was
hearing.

“There is no way of knowing for sure but yes that
would make sense.” Kendra wasn't even sure herself. “Your healing
index is above one hundred, probably closer to one hundred fifty
times the normal healing rate so that gets you past the
self-regeneration requirements. As for your bending and other
skills I know you are fine. There is one other thing, have you
attended the school of science and engineering on Samtan?”

“Yes, it was a few years ago but I qualified on
engineering as a level three and astrophysics as a level two. I
learned medical to a level three when I learned how to life bend at
the academy.” Corban was glad now that he had taken those years to
expand his knowledge.

“Good, good.” Kendra was a little surprised even
after all she knew about Corban, there was still some things that
he was skilled that she hadn't learned about yet. “If you do indeed
ascend then you will have your pick of what you want to do. Until
then or if you don't then you will still have your pick of most any
command position or any chief engineering or medical officer. There
are few people that have become skilled in as many things as you
have.”

“If it is my choice I would like a position with
Kiyan if possible.” Corban was making a big change but he knew
Kiyan was making a bigger change and wanted to offer any support
that he could.

“I was hoping you would say that, you work well with
Kiyan and you have much left to teach him.” Kendra was glad that
Corban felt so loyal to his student. “I should tell you that he has
not yet made his choice but he is leaning towards leaving with
us.”

-----------

Jeremy and Fred sat overlooking the lake from the
training platform behind the falls as the sun began to set. They
were both lost in their thoughts as they sat thinking about what
was happening. Kiyan was leaving and they had to stay. They were
too young to join the war. Their parents would probably never give
them permission to go even if they could somehow pass the exams.
They were just too young. Another hundred years and they might have
been able to get in but not now. Addy sat with them not offering
any input. Fred sensed a momentary disturbance in the energy around
him and traced it to the sky a moment before a bloom of light
heralded the arrival of a thousand shining objects in orbit. Kiyan
had said that when the ships arrived that a drop ship would come
down and pick him up. After he and anyone that was going to go left
the planets the space time bubble would be sealed and shifted to
another dimension where it would be safe. After that point no one
could come or go, the joined planets would be sealed until they
were brought back into normal space.

“I have an idea!” Fred jumped up while he ignored
Addy's telepathic protest. “If we can hide in the drop ship until
the worlds are shifted then they can't send us back.”

Jeremy nearly instantly grasped the concept of the
idea and leaped off the platform bending the water of the falls
into the shape of a crude glider and reinforcing it with ice. He
was already half way across the lake when Fred and Addy caught up
with him. They were soon near the clearing where they figured the
craft would land, Fred convinced Addy to grow some plants to hide
them and they were set. Before long their patience was rewarded by
a ship the size of a house landing in the clearing and a humanoid
looking being exiting the craft and walking towards the village.
“Now!” Urged Jeremy and the three of them shot towards the still
open ramp. Addy was still making her misgivings known but was
giving in as she realized Fred's determination. The group made a
flying leap as the ramp began to retract, Addy tossed them in and
slid through the last part of the opening. Standing up and rubbing
their bruises the trio looked around themselves at the interior of
the ship. Seeing a door marked "EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORT" they
found themselves in a room with a couple strange looking beds, a
funny looking table and a few alcoves with sliding panels over them
around the room. Deciding to hide in the alcoves the three chose
alcoves and pulled the doors closed. Panic and questions about the
wisdom of their choice set in as a glass like bubble formed around
them before they could react. A sudden chill was the last thing
they felt before losing consciousness.

-----------

Kiyan was prepared when the Assurian arrived.
Watching the ships warp into orbit and seeing the dropship head
towards him gave him a feeling of finality. James and Marisa were
going to go with him to the ship then return to the village via the
teleporters. Having them with him helped Kiyan as he walked to the
dropship. He had already said his goodbyes to all his friends and
there was nothing left to do here. Ray was emotionally supportive
too as he was linked with Kiyan he could tell what he was going
through better than anyone. Seeing the ship up close was even more
impressive than watching it on approach. It was a sleek looking
construction that looked like it was moving fast even as it sat on
the ground. From the sharp nose to the rounded engines to the inter
atmospheric wings that were extended it was a beauty.

“It doubles as a fully warp capable fleet support
vessel.” The Assurian explained with pride as he noticed Kiyan's
awe. “There are twenty of them on each battleship in the fleet.
They can be remotely piloted and if they get destroyed the
battleship's hangers are equipped with automated energy matter
synthesis manufacturing bays that can build one in half a cycle. We
are still getting the final touches finished on their design, this
one was replicated for this trip and some of the subsystems are not
yet fully functional.”

“What is a cycle?” Kiyan was curious.

“A cycle is a measure of our time that is equal to
one point zero eight times one of your days.” The Assurian
answered.

“What is your name?” James asked.

“I am known as Alpha7 Lima14 Echo6 Charlie3, you may
call me Alec.”

“That's a strange name.” Kiyan reflected on the
things that differed between races. “I guess all the races are
different but that would be difficult to remember.”