Child of Time (56 page)

Kiyan unleashed everything he had into the drakken
when he saw black clouds forming as the dark one took control. The
air burned white hot with the energy arcing through it. Kendra saw
the cloud and began to attack from the other side. Together they
dispelled the darkness and hammered on the shadow cloaked form of
the drakken. A lesser being would have been turned to ash a
thousand times over but the dark one preserved his vessel against
the assaults. Suddenly Kiyan reached the end of the energy surge.
The sudden lack made him fall to his knees for a second as he
realized the amount of energy he had been using. He still had more
energy than when he had entered the fight but it paled in
comparison to the star that had burned inside him a moment before.
Rallying himself he blasted the drakken with thunderbolts in an
attempt to quell the darkness that flowed through it. Black
tendrils reached out at them and clawed their energy. Kiyan still
felt some of the fire lurking inside of him. It was felt by the
shadows more than him because they shrank back at his touch. Still
he felt himself growing weaker with the continued output.

Kendra had lost as much energy as Kiyan and had not
had the bonus that he had been granted at the beginning. Kiyan felt
her wavering and shifting to a defensive. The black tendrils faded
into nothing but grew back after every attack against her. Things
began to move faster for Kiyan as he began to slow down. He noticed
that the dark energy was only tricking thought the drakken unlike
the torrents from before. They had damaged the vessel but they
might still lose the fight.
Was the dark one still able to force
enough dark energy through to win?
Kiyan saw the next attack
darting at him faster than he could react. The black fingers
squeezed Kiyan cruelly for a second as he summoned the energy to
strike back.

The shriek split the air and Kiyan saw a flash of red
light dash onto the heart of the shadows. The cords that bound
Kiyan dissolved as the energy was directed elsewhere. Kiyan saw the
light again burning through the swirling and convulsing darkness.
It looked like a raging inferno. Kiyan had to look away as it
became too bright to look at with his eyes or his mind. The energy
being released was close to the levels Kiyan had released when he
slipped back in time.
Who can it be?
Kiyan saw Kendra
shuddering with relief to one side. Luke was in Kiyan's head but
there was two more. Turning Kiyan saw an elf standing on the rim of
the small valley they had carved into the desert. Kiyan squinted to
recognize the elf before his eyes went wide with shock. Stout Oak
stood watching them with an astonished and awed look on his face.
That only left Sapphire.

Kiyan cast out his weakened mind in an attempt to
find her but turned in surprise back to the raging inferno before
him.
It couldn't be.
He sensed Sapphire clearly from the
center of the fire. The last of the shadows retracted into the fire
where they were dispelled. Slowly the fire began to calm until they
could see Sapphire's flaming figure. The last flames died out and
Sapphire fell to her knees. Her cloths were scorched but somehow
they hadn't been affected much by the roaring inferno. A few feet
in front of her was a small pile of white ashes on the blackened
ground. Tears were streaming down her face when she looked up at
everyone.

“I'm so sorry. I had to do something. I couldn't let
you all die.” Sapphire's words were barely louder than a whisper.
“I had to do something.”

Kiyan was still stunned when he heard Stout Oak. “All
these years it was you.” There was shock in the tone but under that
was something else. Kiyan looked and saw Stout Oak descending the
valley. Sapphire scrambled to her feet when she heard her father's
voice. A look of horror came over her face.

“You are the prophesied destroyer. The woman who
tasted the forbidden power of destruction. You are banished.” Stout
Oak got over his shock and Kiyan saw the look of contempt with
perhaps a flicker of pain behind the mask.

“Please no. I only wanted to save them. I won't ever
do it again. Please have mercy. Not banishment.” Sapphire begged at
her father's feet. Kiyan watched the flicker of pain disappear. It
was replaced with loathing.

“You are no longer my daughter. You are the
destroyer. I have seen that moment for years. I saw the burning
woman, the one who sold her soul to fire. I didn't know it was you
all these years.” Almost all expression was gone from Stout Oak's
face but for a little disgust. “If I had known, if only I had known
it was you. I would have ended this long ago. You will leave never
to return. No elf will ever offer you hospitality. You will leave
the forest. This...” Stout Oak looked around him and shuddered.
“This dessert will be your home but you must never cross the
mountains or I will kill you before you harm my trees.” With the
last threat, Stout Oak turned and walked away.

“She just saved your planet and you just did that to
her?” Kiyan couldn't control himself. Luke would have said it if
his bracelet hadn't been destroyed in the fight so Kiyan confronted
the retreating elf instead. Stout Oak acted as if he had not heard
Kiyan. Kiyan's fist clenched and a wall of blue flames sprang up
around the elf.

“Answer me! You owe your planet to her.” Kiyan glared
at the caged elf.

“You...” Venom dripped from the words. “You are no
better. I would banish you also but our laws and customs do not
bind you. You do not belong on this planet anyhow. Leave our world.
The prophecy is fulfilled, the agent of darkness is defeated. You
have no need to remain.”

“You didn't answer my question. The blue flames
leaped higher.” Kiyan felt the energy he was drawing off the ice
fire. It was invigoratingly refreshing.

“You are no elf and have no power to demand an answer
of me.” Stout Oak growled at Kiyan. Kiyan saw the movement at the
elf's wrist as a vine shot out of it towards him. Kiyan rolled to
the side and froze the vine with a blast of icy flames. He was in
his draconic form an instant later and lunged for the writhing elf.
Clutching the terror stricken elf with his claws Kiyan held him to
the ground.

“Answer me!” Frost played across Stout Oak's mask
from Kiyan's breath.

“Every elf knows that fire is cursed.” A choked
whisper betrayed volumes of rage. “Banishment is the punishment
imposed on all firebenders. Now leave my planet.” Rage seethed just
below the surface. Kiyan could not understand one who feared fire
so much. Kiyan stepped back and transformed into his human form. He
turned and walked back towards Sapphire. The icy flames dropped and
disappeared.

“Leave my world.” Stout Oak glared at Kiyan. “You
have the soul of a beast in you. An abomination like you is not
welcome here.”

“Leave before I do something I may or may not
regret.” Kiyan had never wanted to kill someone more than at that
moment. In his heart he knew that it wouldn't help matters.
Sapphire would never be safe on this planet should anyone else find
out about her fire bending. There was only one available path.
Kiyan glanced at Sapphire who still sat where her father had left
her. A sound behind him told Kiyan that Stout Oak had begun
climbing out of the valley. Sapphire didn't even stir at the sound.
Kiyan glanced over and saw Kendra. The ascended looked like she
could dissipate into energy at any moment. Touching her shoulder
the fire inside Kiyan came to life and he offered her his energy.
She gratefully accepted and looked much more like herself a moment
later.

“I never blamed you mother. Ever since I knew who you
were I knew that you had a reason for leaving me as an infant.”
Kiyan remembered some of the intense feelings and regrets he had
sensed from Kendra. She had carried a burden of guilt for long
enough.

“Thank you.... Son.” The word sounded strange coming
from her but it sounded right. Tears welled up in Kendra's eyes
before she turned towards Sapphire and brushed her eyes with the
back of her hand. “She is a fire elemental now. You have feelings
for her?”

“Actually it is Luke that is in love with her.”
Kendra raised an eyebrow at this and turned back to Kiyan with a
searching look.

“You saw me die. You saw all of us die. You changed
time. I felt it and came here.” Kendra took Kiyan's shoulders and
looked deep into his eyes. Kiyan couldn't help but notice that
there was still a trace of moisture around his mother's eyes. “You
slipped back in your own time stream. You saw things... Terrible
things.” A new look of worry came over Kendra's face. “What did you
see?”

“I saw what would have happened if I died I think. I
saw every world in this universe consumed by the dark one. I saw a
fleet with a mechanical crew come through the portal.” Kiyan shook
his head at the memories.

“When an ascended dies a new timeline is berthed. One
that is free of their actions. I saw one like what you are
describing before you were born. I saw you growing up on the refuge
world but also on earth. A different wrong earth. It didn't make
sense then but I knew I had to let you live that life or what you
saw would come to pass. I saw that happen but I don't know why you
are the key to this war.” Kendra looked like she was about to say
more but they heard noise behind them. Turning they saw Sapphire
standing and gathering her cloak over her shoulders. She took one
look at them then turned and walked away as fast as she could.

Kiyan left Kendra and ran after Sapphire. “Wait
Sapphire.” Kiyan caught her shoulder and stopped her. She turned to
reveals a face that had a rivulet of tears through the black
dust.

“You don't understand. I will hurt anyone I'm
around.” Sapphire choked and sobbed for a second before regaining
her voice. “I'm cursed with fire. I must wander the rest of my life
where I can't hurt anyone.” More tears streamed down her face as
she scanned the awful desert she proposed to spend the rest of her
life in. “I will die here.”

“You can't die. Sapphire, you are an elemental.”
Kiyan saw shock when she understood his words.

“Then I will spend eternity here. There is no other
choice.” Sapphire shook her head and made like to turn again.

“Sapphire wait.” Kiyan stepped back. He held out his
hand and bent fire into it. Red flames shimmered in the air.
“Sapphire, there are many firebenders where I come from. It isn't
looked down on or feared. Come with us.” Kiyan put the fire out and
cupped his hands. Silver nanites began to puddle before they
reached out slender threads and wove themselves into a gleaming
silver bracelet. Kiyan closed his eyes and Luke appeared next to
him.

“Sapphire, I love you. It is an emotion that I never
thought I would have felt as an AI but nevertheless it is the
truth.” Kiyan and I may be linked never to exceed a distance
between ourselves but he is willing to accept you as a sister. Luke
looked into Sapphire brilliant blue eyes.

“I... I don't want to hurt you.” Sapphire looked
torn.

“You could only hurt me if I had to go through time
thinking of you here without a friend.” Luke held out the bracelet.
“Please come with us.”

Sapphire stared at the bracelet for several seconds
before she glanced up and around as if finding herself again. “This
planet isn't my home any more. I will come with you.”

“Good. We will leave as soon as you are ready.” Kiyan
prepared the subspace signal he was going to send to Deep
Current.

“There so nothing here for me to prepare.” Sapphire
saw Kendra for the first time.

“I am Kendra. Kiyan's mother.” There was a hint of
pride in the way she looked at Kiyan. “You are quite a girl
Sapphire. I plan on getting to know you very well in the future.”
Kiyan focused on sending the signal. It didn't take long before the
dust near them stirred in the air and the drop ship decloaked.
Sapphire's eyes widened at the sudden appearance of the ship.

“It is so big.” There was wonder in her eyes as she
stepped towards the ship. “Not as big as our colony ships but it is
still huge.”

“This is nothing. I have a hundred of these on my
battleship.” Kiyan shrugged then looked at the iris like door that
snapped open. Deep Current stepped out and held a hand up to shade
his face.

“You would have to call me down to the middle of a
desert wouldn't you? No sandy beach or calm lake to be seen.” Deep
Current shook his head before noticing Sapphire. “A passenger?”

“He is an elf!” You said no one would have a problem
with me being.... Sapphire looked back at the confused Deep
Current.

“Did I say something?” Deep Current glanced back and
forth between Sapphire and Kiyan.

“I am sure we can clear this up. Deep Current, this
is Sapphire. By the way what is your opinion of fire bending?”
Sapphire glanced furiously at Kiyan when he asked the question.

“My opinion of fire bending?” Deep Current looked
even more confused. “Well, I personally think it is a powerful but
unrefined and difficult to control school. Other than that, as long
as my quarters don't get burnt I have no problem with it. For me it
is one of the easiest schools to beat as a waterbender. Wait...”
Understanding dawned in Deep Current's eyes. “Sapphire is a
firebender and the elves here still think it is a cursed element.
Now I see. Sapphire know that I would never think less of an elf
because they are gifted with fire bending.” Silence followed Deep
Currents proclamation. “May I ask what level you are? Level one?
Perhaps a level two or three?”

Sapphire looked confused for a few seconds. “What is
a level about?”

“A thousand apologies. Let us speak of this inside
the ship. I feel like to dry up in this sun.” Deep Current stepped
back and waved them through the door. Inside it was a comfortable
cool contrasting suddenly with the broiled air outside. “A level
one can manipulate a flame. A level two can sustain a flame and a
level three can create their own flame. There are twelve levels in
all.”