Child of Time (15 page)

Fred was the last one to wake up and only relaxed
when he was told that he couldn't be sent back home and that a
message was being sent to his parents telling them that the boys
were safe.

Chapter Eight: War

Kiyan lay sleeping. It felt strange unconsciously
feeling only a couple other minds. It felt like void, until a
whispered reminder floated from Ray that he was never truly alone.
The depths of sleep dragged Kiyan from the semi lucid state he had
been in. Another dream. Kiyan had become somewhat used to it. This
time he found himself on a desolate planet standing on the edge of
a great sea. There was nothing around him except for mountains on
one side and the crashing waves from the other. There was a shimmer
as a giant drakken appeared in front of Kiyan. Surprising himself
with the speed that felt natural Kiyan stepped aside from the blade
that swung at him. Still not knowing what to do he sidestepped
another swing.
This can’t do,
he thought. Stepping back he
reached out with his energy and found a sword in his hand that
burned like the sun. Swinging it up and blocking the next swing he
was shocked at his own strength. The drakken’s sword melted and
with a roar he sprang at Kiyan. Kiyan tried to sidestep and raise
his sword at the same time but wasn’t fast enough. Waiting for the
impact he looked up into the yellow eyes of the lizard. There was a
crack as sound shattered in the path of a weapon and the yellow
eyes became confused. Moving in the opposite direction now with a
half dozen thorns in his chest, crumpling in Ray’s jaws the drakken
expired. Flames licked out and engulfed the crushed form of the
drakken as Ray vented his rage, his black scales glittering in the
light.

Looking behind him Kiyan saw Fred and Addy. Addy was
in full battle state and Fred was different somehow. Looking
forward Kiyan saw a whole army of drakken taking aim with their
blasters. The memory of Fred’s death was sharp in his mind as time
slowed. Trying to throw up a plasma shield like he had seen Corban
do Kiyan watched in detached horror as it dissolved under the
barrage of the first few blasts. The next blasts passed through
without even slowing. Turning and looking at Fred helplessly Kiyan
watched in shock as the blasts ripped through Fred’s cloths without
so much as burning him. Almost as if his skin was somehow harder
than stone. Addy wasn’t even singed either. Looking back at the
drakken he saw they were looking at the sea with terror. The water
seemed to have a life of its own and raising up it flowed after the
fleeing drakken and crushed them under a mighty wave. When the wave
had receded all that was left was the lone figure of Jeremy. Seeing
the sand at his feet the words burning in fiery light read, From
the light of the unborn, great power is given, the child of time’s
shadow is never empty.

Kiyan woke from a deep sleep, momentarily dislocated
until he saw the metal and glass of the ceiling. Realization of
where he was set in along with the feeling of no return. Home was
safe from attack. He was committed to a war he hadn't started.
Casting out his senses he realized the ship was moving. Where to he
had no idea. Ray was in the form of a small black winged lizard
curled up on chair by the door. Stretching as he uncurled he
shifted into his human form and a uniform shimmered into view
around him. Sensing Kiyan’s question he sent a description of a
nanite holographic generator that Alec had given him to use with
transformations. Feeling hungry the duo made their way to the mess
hall. Kiyan wondered at the meaning of the dream. The light of the
unborn, whatever that meant. Also Fred and Jeremy were safe on the
planet so what were they doing in the dream?

Kiyan saw Corban a moment before he glanced at his
wrist then up at Kiyan with a smile. Making a note of the fact that
there was only four other people in the large room Kiyan stopped in
his tracks. Impossible, it had to be another dryad. Fred had said
that Addy had sisters that had chosen humans so there were others.
His entire explanation crashed to the ground when he saw Jeremy
look up from his plate of food. After Kiyan recovered from the
shock he noticed that Jeremy was glowing a deep icy blue without
Kiyan even having to think about life bending. A choked yell from
Fred made him forget his curiosity. Addy just about instantly
wrapped Fred in her vines and squeezed making Fred spit out a chunk
of food that he had inhaled. Corban admonished Fred that swallowing
his food instead of inhaling it was far safer. After the greetings
were over the story of how the boys had come to be on the ship was
told. Kiyan wasn't sure if he should be glad they were with him or
if he should be sad that they were leaving home also however the
boys only seemed a little sad about the separation.

“We sent a message back to the planet telling their
parents that they were safe.” Corban explained. “After you eat
breakfast I have a surprise for you all.”

“Breakfast was nearly as good as Marisa makes.” Kiyan
complimented Alec.

“I strive to achieve culinary arts of that level
then.” Alec responded good naturedly.

“I didn't mean that, it was good but good in a
different way than mom makes it.” Kiyan was a little
embarrassed.

“In my study humans I have found it rare that anyone
can cook as well as one's mother so I will take second best as a
high compliment.” Alec said with a glint in his eyes.

“I thought that you were running the ship so how do
you have time to be a cook also?” Kiyan inquired.

“Chef to be more accurate, what you see in front of
you is only one of my androids that are currently active. I have
seventeen active right now. If the commander of this vessel
appoints me the ship's AI then I can integrate with the ship's
systems and be active in many times that number.” Alec
explained.

“Who is the ship's commander?” Kiyan wasn't sure he
wanted to know but he was curious. He had hoped to be with Kendra
or Theo.

“The truth is that that I can't tell even if I knew.”
Alec smiled then continued preparing a dish for someone.

After Kiyan finished eating and reminded Corban about
his promise.

“Before we do anything I need to get all of you to
promise not to hide in cryo bays.” Corban said with a wink.

Fred and Jeremy both began exclaiming about how that
would never happen again. Kiyan almost succeeded in stifling a
laugh that bought him a glare from the other two boys.

“It is not funny, we could have been trapped like
that for months.” Jeremy chided Kiyan in an attempt to impart the
true gravity of the predicament.

“I know but it is a little funny, you hid in the only
place where your life signs would not have shown up on the initial
scan. Besides you also missed seeing the how big the ships are.”
Kiyan teased.

“How are we going to train on a spaceship?” Jeremy
asked after they walked for a little time.

Corban smiled as he walked with them through one of
the corridors. Taking a turn they entered a large white rounded
room. It was spherical with a flat area near the bottom. About a
couple hundred feet in diameter it dwarfed the group.

“It is a particle synthesis holographic simulator. It
is used for training and using the inertial dampers and gravity
generators it can replicate most anything the ship scans. The
particle synthesis generators actually replicate matter so it can
be used for bending training.” Tapping his wrist a screen appeared
around Corban's hand and a couple more taps the walls seemed to
disappear. There was a quiet hum as the familiar scenery of the
training ground behind the water falls appeared.

“Go ahead try it out.” Corban offered.

Kiyan reached out and felt the water around him, it
felt real. Reaching out further he was unable to sense anything but
nearby was a perfect replica. Kiyan connected with the water and
swirled it around him.

“How far does it go?” Kiyan inquired.

“If you get separated from the rest of us you will be
placed in a simulation of your own but still in the same simulator
with the rest of us. There really is no limit as to how far you can
go.” Corban explained briefly.

Kiyan took a run towards the edge of the platform and
hardly noticed the flicker of the sim separation. Leaping off the
platform he free fell for a moment. Gathering the water into glider
wings he flew over the lake, feeling an elevation loss he fire bent
giving himself a little thrust. Gliding over the village he came in
for a landing and warping the water around him he settled down in
front of his house. Walking inside everything was as he remembered
it, down to the eating utensils in the cabinets. Glancing around
was too much, missing home all over again he turned and ran from
the house. Flames burst from his hands and he took flight again. It
was nice knowing he could come here if he wanted but it hurt
remembering everyone he missed. Glancing up he saw Ray’s dark shape
gliding towards him. Gaining elevation he turned towards the ridge
by town and settled down as Ray flew under him. “Let’s go see the
glow woods for a bit, I need some time alone.”

------

Corban knew it was going to be hard on Kiyan but he
also thought that it would help knowing that home wasn't totally
gone. After watching Ray shift into a dragon and launch himself
into the air Corban turned to Fred and asked him to continue what
he had been working on in the last lesson. Jeremy took the hint and
bent some water into a few pools on the platform and set to
practicing ice bending. Corban was about to have him try something
new but decided to observe him instead. Corban watched as Jeremy's
energy grew until it was flooding the area. Glancing at Fred he saw
that he also was seeing it. A quick thought stopped Fred from
making any comment, Corban wanted to see what Jeremy was going to
do. A few minutes and the water that Jeremy was bending began to
glow the same color. The energy began to build up until there was a
flash.

Jeremy yelled and stopped bending when he felt the
change. Looking at his arm or what should have been his arm with
something akin to terror. The water he was bending was frozen solid
extending from his hand. His hand was clear and fluid, he felt his
hand but it was different. It felt like the water that he had been
bending yet it felt like it was his hand. Shaking his hand it was
back to normal again. Still staring at his hand he jumped when
Corban spoke.

“Surprisingly you became a water elemental when you
were trapped in the cryo pod. What happened is not abnormal for a
strong bender after they change. It will take some time to learn to
control it but there really is no danger. You subconsciously have
complete control like when you shook your hand. If you lose control
your subconscious takes over and returns you back to your normal
form.” Corban wasn't sure Jeremy was actually listening as he
examined his hand.

“But it was water, like real water? How?” Jeremy
hadn't been listening.

“That's because you are a water elemental you dummy.”
Fred was a little less diplomatic about it.

Jeremy was stunned for a moment before the situation
began to sink in. “I’m a what?”

Corban decided to try again. “You are a water
elemental also known as a water former. You changed when you got
trapped in the cryo pod. I found out when we resuscitated you.”

So that wasn’t a dream then
. Jeremy was
thinking about the strange feeling he had had when he woke up. It
felt like what his hand had felt like when it had turned to water.
Being a water elemental was something he had always wanted to be
but he had hadn’t known it would feel like that.
I wonder if I
can do it again he thought to himself.

Corban and Fred watched as Jeremy began to glow again
as he began to focus on the water again. The glow intensified until
it the water glowed the same color. There was another flash as
Jeremy began to transform. The change crept its way up his arm and
over his body.

Jeremy was feeling more in sync with the water than
he had ever felt before. The change complete he could sense every
drop of water in the simulator. Feeling a little dizzy the world
began to spin until he couldn’t take it anymore. Feeling the ground
approaching he put out his hand to catch himself. Landing shocked
him back to his senses, looking at himself he realized that he
wasn’t wearing a stitch. Embarrassment washed over him in waves and
he wished he could melt through the floor.

“Its ok none of us are looking.” Jeremy was relieved
when he glanced up and saw the wall of vines that Addy was
growing.

“If you are going to be doing that very often I
suggest you talk to Alec about one of those holographic uniforms
they wear.” Corban offered when Jeremy finished drying his clothes
and put them on. “Also it takes time to learn to control elemental
states. It took me weeks of practice to learn to even control the
transformation. Fire elementals are different than water elementals
however. To shift into a fire elemental one has to transform into a
form of energy. But to transform into a water elemental it is
merely a matter of adjusting the arrangement of molecules in the
body. The truth is that if you get hurt you might heal as fast as
you can shift back from water. “

“What do you mean?” Jeremy was still a little light
headed.

“Here let me show you.” Corban touched Jeremy’s hand
and constructed a psychic reality. Jeremy’s head felt fine in a
moment as he looked around. The room as it seemed couldn’t be
defined as such by conventional terms. He wasn’t worried as Corban
had shown him different water bending moves here before.

“I can’t harm you here but I can show you what would
happen if you got hurt.” Jeremy watch with a little apprehension as
a knife appeared in Corban’s hand. Stabbing himself in the hand
Corban showed his hand to Jeremy. The cut wasn't bleeding like it
should instead it looked like the edges of the cut were flowing
back together like a liquid. Looking closer Jeremy could see that
the area around the cut was indeed water. In another moment there
wasn’t a sign of the injury. I am a fire bender so I had to show
you here. Feeling an impulse from Jeremy he decided not to release
him just yet.