Child of Time (48 page)

“Are you alright? I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you
would fall.” Sapphire apologized profusely.

“My shields absorbed most of it and my armor got the
rest.” Kiyan reassured her by stretching and showing that all his
limbs functioned normally. “Let's travel on the ground for now.”
Sapphire paused and looked at the imprinted form and deep claw
marks in the side of the tree below the limb Kiyan was perched on
and glanced back at him with a question in her eyes but didn't
ask.

“So why is your dad seeming eager to get you
married?” Kiyan asked a question that had been nagging him since he
had talked with Stout Oak.

Sapphire hung her head before answering. “I'm nearly
a hundred and thirty. Most elves are married before they are a
hundred. No one seemed to want to marry an elf that can beat just
about anyone in a fight.” Sapphire got a suspicious glint in her
eye and asked Kiyan and Luke how old they were. “Surely you have to
be very old to be so strong.”

“I'm only about twenty.” Kiyan had calculated the
numbers that Sapphire gave three times and still came out with a
hundred and thirty.

“I have existed for about three thousand years but
have only been awake for seventy three.” Kiyan rolled his eyes at
Luke. Kiyan could claim existence for more than twelve thousand if
he so desired.

“How do you look so old? Is your race only limited to
a handful of years?” Sapphire looked incredulously at both of
them.

“Hey, he is an AI and I am an elemental. Unless you
throw me in a star or something I won't be dying, especially not of
old age.” Kiyan stopped talking before he got in too deep.

Sapphire looked at them with a puzzled expression
before turning and walking off through the woods. Kiyan followed
silently through the jungle floor. No one spoke until they reached
a wide river that snaked through the forest.

“So how do you propose we cross this river oh mighty
elemental?” Sapphire's tone exuded sarcasm.

Kiyan picked up on her tone and decided on a cautious
plan of action. “I bow to your many years of experience.”

“Fine, you grow a boat or a raft and float across.”
Sapphire took a seat on a rock and made it obvious that Kiyan was
meant to do the work. As usual Luke developed a design for a small
boat that could easily be grown and that could move through the
water efficiently. Kiyan began by bending a couple saplings into
the form for the boat. He grew a series of limbs from the sides of
each tree and wove them together making a watertight bottom and
sides. When he was done a small boat was floating on a quiet spot
along the shore tethered by the trunks of the two original
saplings. Kiyan grew a seat near the prow and motioned the still
sullen Sapphire towards it at Luke's prompting. When she had gotten
aboard and taken her seat Kiyan unloosed his sword and neatly
severed the tree trunks holding them to the bank with a couple
blows.

“Don't you need paddles?” Sapphire pointed out what
she considered an obvious flaw in their plan.

“Let me worry about getting the boat where we are
going. You just relax and enjoy the ride.” Kiyan sat down, crossed
his legs and connected with the water that surrounded them. Kiyan
had grown tubes in the bottom of the boat and he began to draw
water through these tubes. The boat lurched into motion as the
water began to spray out of the back of the boat. Soon they were
skimming along at a good clip.

“I'm sorry if we did anything to offend you.” Luke
managed to make up the courage to say what Kiyan hadn't been able
to yet. Luke's apology was followed by an awkward silence for a
minute.

“You shouldn't have to apologize. I'm the one that
has been extremely rude to you.” Sapphire was silent for another
moment. “We need to go down river instead of across.” At the change
of directions Kiyan bent a wave of water ahead of the small craft.
When they reached the wave a second later the boat rolled slightly
to one side as it banked off the wave pointing itself down the
river. Sapphire noticed this manipulation of the river and her
curiosity got the best of her. “How is it you can bend more than
two elements? Some elves can bend two elements but you can bend
water, ice and life elements.”

Luke had been assisting Kiyan in controlling the boat
but left Kiyan to it when he heard the question. “Kiyan's parents
are both energy life forms. Kiyan is a young ascendant himself. He
likes to exist as a corporeal form but due to his affinity with
energy is able to connect with and manipulate the energy around him
to a greater extent than most. He is able to bend all the known
elements with varying degrees of skill. Also due to the fact that
he can exist as energy, he can become an elemental or exist as an
elemental. He has achieved the greatest level of mastery in the
water element school. Ice is an extension of the water school and
the life element, as you call it, is generally an affinity with
energy as a whole. Life benders as you know can detect and
manipulate the life energy around them. Usually human life benders
can bend one or two other elements with a good deal of skill.”
Sapphire had a new look of awe on her face as she listened.

“I am really sorry for how I acted. I didn't know how
different our abilities were and was embarrassed that I was beat by
someone a fraction of my age.” Sapphire blushed a little as she
apologized. “As far as elven life benders are concerned, I have
tried bending water, ice, air and earth without any success.”

“I don't know enough about elves to know why that
would be.” Luke explained what he could and didn't try explaining
what he don't know about. Sapphire remained silent for a while
thinking about what she had learned.

Kiyan focused on controlling the boat and he left the
other two passengers alone with their thoughts as they sped down
the river. After a while he was about to ask Sapphire how far they
still had to go when he heard the sound of waves crashing on a
rocky coast in the distance as they came around a bend. Sapphire
heard it too and stood up.

“Land over there.” Sapphire pointed towards a narrow
strip of sand by a peninsula. A gentle wave steered them towards
the indicated location and soon they had slid to a stop on the
beach. They all jumped out and pulled the boat up beyond the line
on the sand made by the wave action. Kiyan settled onto the sand
and realized he was more tired than he had thought.

“Singing Waves usually comes up to watch the sunset.”
Sapphire stretched and settled down on a patch of sand a few paces
away from Kiyan. “He is the water tribe representative.” Kiyan
began to feel the lulling effects of the constant rhythm of the
waves and the warm feeling of the sun. The effects of the day took
their toll and Kiyan slipped into a peaceful sleep. A couple hours
later when Kiyan awoke he mumbled something about long days on this
planet under his breath before deciding to take a quick swim. Kiyan
was enjoying the cool water, floating on the gentle swells when he
heard voices.

“What are the other worlds like?” Sapphire was
looking at the sky tinged with the faint colors of the approaching
sunset.

Luke was sitting beside her also watching the skies.
“Some are paradises like this one and others are barren icy
wastelands where only Kiyan would be comfortable. There are others
that are hot dry deserts burnt by the sun and devoid of life.” The
look on Sapphire's face was one that told of her sadness over the
idea of a lifeless world. “Some have fantastic landscapes and
others have no atmosphere at all. Some are a mix of everything in
between.”

“Somewhere out there is the world that our race was
born on. We were lucky to find this world. One so like our own.”
Sapphire was still watching the slowly intensifying colors
above.

Kiyan stepped out of the water and bent the water off
of his body leaving him refreshed but as dry as when he had stepped
into the water. He walked over and joined the duo on the peninsula
and settled in to watch the approaching sunset. Soon the colors
seemed to condense and slowly ripple across the sky in a
breathtaking display. Kiyan hardly noticed the arrival of Singing
Waves as he was watching the sky so intently. When he heard the
sound of splashes and footsteps Kiyan looked earthward and saw the
tall slim figure. He saw the elven form he was most familiar with
before this point. Like Deep Current this water elf had pale blue
skin and minor webbing between his fingers. As he climbed out of
water Kiyan saw the elf's gills closing and a second set of clear
eyelids blinking. White hair framed his face and fell halfway down
his torso. A smooth pair of skin tight shorts was the only article
of clothing that the elf was wearing.

“Sapphire!” Singing Wave's face lit up when he saw
Sapphire sitting on the beach. “You have brought me visitors.”
Singing Waves waved a hand over his hair leaving a dry silky white
waterfall in its wake. Drops of water still on his torso reflected
beads of color from the sky.

“The prophesied time is upon us. Agents of darkness
are walking this planet.” Sapphire began explaining the
circumstances of their visit.

“It was only yesterday when I saw strange footprints
on this very beach.” Singing Waves interrupted Sapphire. “I
followed and found that they seemed to just appear out of thin air.
This fits the prophecy as darkness is an absence of light and where
light will not shine, there is darkness. This is the only way to
explain not being seen in broad daylight.” Kiyan realized that the
elf was describing the cloak that the drakken had been using.
Singing Waves paused as he appraised Kiyan and Luke. “That means
you are here with the challenger. That also means that you got
defeated yourself.” There was a mischievous twinkle in Singing
Wave's eye now. “What I would have given to see that battle.”
Turning to Kiyan he continued. “The challengers from the different
tribes are forbidden to fight each other so I have never had a
chance to match bending with her.”

Sapphire rolled her eyes. “This is Kiyan. He is here
to challenge you. We can wait until tomorrow if it is too late
today.” Sapphire glanced toward the brilliantly colored sky.

“Nonsense.” Singing Waves shrugged at the annoyance
of the idea. “If you are feeling able we can do battle right now.
The glory of the setting sun will be our backdrop adding to the
stories I will tell generations of my grandchildren. There will be
light for some time yet. Besides light is a crutch no real bender
need rely upon too heavily”

“
I'm right there with you, I have already
replicated enough nanites to replace those lost.”
Luke
reassured Kiyan.

“I'm ready if you are.” Kiyan loosed his sword and
flexed his shoulders under his plates or armor.

Singing Waves raised an eyebrow as he watched Kiyan
prepare. “The challenge is over when one of us surrenders, either
verbally or implied by unconsciousness. The object is not to kill
your opponent but that doesn't mean I am going to be easy on you.”
Singing Waves laid out some ground rules before he prepared
himself. “One last word of advice, I have an ocean at my back, your
sword and armor will do little against the might of water.” Kiyan
heard Sapphire laughing as she retreated up the rocky hill behind
them.

“Like I said, I'm ready when you are.” Kiyan saw the
eyebrow rise again when his helmet formed around his head.

“Very well, you have been warned and have accepted
the challenge. Let us begin.” Singing Waves stepped backwards into
the surf and raised tentacles of water around him. Kiyan advanced
and saw the confident look on Singing Wave's face.

“
He thinks you are underestimating him.”
Luke
offered an explanation for the confidence that Singing Waves was
exuding. Kiyan didn't respond but took another step closer.

“So you have never fought a waterbender before.”
Singing Waves taunted Kiyan. “Another word of advice. Never
underestimate a waterbender standing in water.” With that the
liquid tentacles shot towards Kiyan. Kiyan had been watching
Singing Wave's energy so he was prepared for the attack. The
closest arm of water turned to ice and shattered on contact with
Kiyan's blade. He dodged the next tentacle and blasted a third with
a wave of icy flames. The one Kiyan had dodged was coming back
around so Kiyan poured some of the heat he had stolen from the
other attacks into the encroaching tendril. He was rewarded by
seeing it boil then burst into steam a split second later.

“I see it is I who has underestimated you.” Singing
Wave's look of confidence was replaced by a look of concentration
as he felt the extent of the energy lost to Kiyan's ice fire. Kiyan
paused on the edge of the surf as Singing Waves retreated until he
was waist deep in the water. Kiyan saw bluish flashes of energy
scattered through the water as Singing Waves began bending another
attack. Kiyan jumped back as orbs of water about the size of his
head levitated out of the surf and began circling Singing Waves.
Kiyan didn't have long to wait as one of the nearest orbs flashed
and shot towards him. He raised his blade and its song filled the
air as Kiyan neatly sundered the orb in two. He ducked the two
flying pieces of ice and swung at the next flying orb. This time
the water separated ahead of the blade and impacted Kiyan on the
chest. Kiyan felt the surge as his armor sucked the energy out of
the attack and the frozen orb fell into the water.

“Ouch!” The remaining orbs splashed back into the
water as Singing Waves held his head. “It hurts when you do
that!”

“I never said I was going to be easy on you either.”
Kiyan lifted a few of his own orbs of water into the air.

“Fair enough.” Singing Waves sprang into motion and
Kiyan felt the water around his feet twist to his opponent’s will.
Kiyan forced himself into the air catapulting beyond where Singing
Waves was standing. The water solidified and supported Kiyan on its
surface. When he landed, Kiyan exploded the orbs that followed him
covering the surface of the water with a dense fog. Momentarily
hidden by the fog Kiyan reached out and grasped the water around
the elf. Just as he tightened his grip he lost track of Singing
Waves. Frantically searching for the elf Kiyan sensed a disturbance
in the water below him an instant before the water he was standing
on dissolved and he sank below the surface. Being submerged didn't
bother Kiyan as much as one would expect. His implants provided all
the air he required and water was like second nature to him by now.
The only way to see the incoming attacks was to detect the glow
caused by Singing Wave's bending. Chunks of ice floated to the
surface as Kiyan blocked and parried incoming strikes. He made a
few attacks of his own but Singing Waves dodged them like how a
fish in a school avoids collisions with his neighbors. Soon Kiyan
resorted to sending wide waves of pressure towards his opponent in
the hopes of landing a hit on the fast moving elf. Kiyan felt the
wave moving away from him but was frustrated as his attack
dissolved around the elf when he countered it.