Child of Time (46 page)

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you.” Kiyan made
one last futile attempt to defuse the situation. In response the
previously still weaponized foliage began making attacks on all
sides again. Kiyan let his armor strike back at any plant that made
an impact while he focused on the elf. It seemed that every strike
he attempted to make was predicted and dodged or blocked no matter
how fast he moved. Kiyan was now beginning to feel the sting of the
energy draw whenever he made contact with the rod the elf wielded
with precision. He and his sword were enveloped in a swirl of icy
flames as they intensified to compensate for the increasing draw.
Light rippled around the duo as they sucked the energy from the
air.

“If only I could see its eyes.” Kiyan mumbled to
himself as he recalled his training with Ray on hand to hand
combat. I might be able to predict his movements like he is
predicting mine. In response Luke bent a thin film clear to Kiyan
but mirrored on the other side over his eyes. Kiyan attempted a
couple more attacks but was repulsed with unreduced skill.

“
Eyes are the window to the soul and will betray
someone's intentions but a seasoned warrior can control his
intentions so as not to let them be seen. There is another way you
might be indicating your movements
.” Luke passed the
information to Kiyan in a split second and responded to Kiyan's
unspoken question equally fast. “
We know this elf is a life
bender. Perhaps he is observing your energy.”
Kiyan made a
couple more attacks and noticed that indeed there was a telltale
surge around him just before he made an attack. On the next attack
Kiyan felt Luke misdirect his energy as he sliced at the elf from
the side. There was a wave of surprise as the elf barely managed to
block the attack after starting a parry in the opposite direction.
Kiyan was only able to observe his opponent's energy for a moment
before he saw the telltale surge indicating an incoming strike. He
put his weight behind the blocking swing and felt a snap of energy
as he cut through the rod. The razor edge of the sword halted a
hair's breadth from the throat of the elf. Kiyan was about to make
a demand for surrender when he felt a massive vine wrap itself
around his torso despite the icy flames boiling off his armor.
Before Kiyan could react he was hit by a wave of pain from the elf
as he was jerked back across the clearing.

“Awhhhhhh.” The shriek of rage and pain followed by
the waves of blind rage chilled Kiyan like nothing he had ever
experienced before. He got the impression that he was witnessing
the elf's descent into madness. Black ripples twisted off the rod
as it grew back to its original dimensions. With another shriek the
crazed combatant dashed across the clearing and the battle took on
a new level of seriousness. Time seemed to slow to a near
standstill as both of them sped up. A raging inferno rendered any
plant that contacted Kiyan a frozen husk while any flames that
neared the rod seemed to be repelled as they sought more energy.
Flashes of light and dark with splintered shrapnel from vines and
rods flying in all directions would have been all any observer
would have seen. The combatants separated for a moment when one of
Kiyan's attacks with one of Luke's misdirections shattered the
black and twisted rod rendering the elf weaponless.

Kiyan became aware that the once peaceful clearing
was now littered with desiccated frost covered corpses of what had
once been harmless plant life. The elf was gasping for breath as
the light distorted and twisted around him. Kiyan himself was
hardly winded probably due to the energy he had siphoned off his
opponent. The pause was ended by the elf casting orbs devoid of
energy at Kiyan. The first couple he managed to dodge but they
became too thick to dodge them all. The ones that made contact
burnt like no fire could burn as the energy was torn from the
impact site.

“This has to end.” Kiyan thought as much as he spoke
the demand.

“
If this isn't ended soon I don't know what might
be the consequences
.” Kiyan felt his mind dividing as Luke
implemented a massive misdirection. Kiyan felt his energy being
torn in a dozen directions as he dashed through the black storm.
Thorny brambles sprang into being but parted and withered under the
edge of Kiyan's blade. Reaching into the shadow that the elf
consisted of Kiyan grasped its throat with icy claws. Brilliant
blue flames enveloped them as a piercing scream cut into Kiyan's
mind. He wasn't sure whose scream it was because he felt the pain
of the elf as keenly as his own. Reaching into the dark cloud with
his mind he followed the pain until he found the sliver of sanity
that remained and focused until it was all that was left. As the
darkness began to fade in the light of the inferno that was Kiyan,
he sensed a whisper of an impulse demanding obedience to the
darkness. The demand persisted until it was lost under a flood of
energy. Soon the consuming whisper was gone and all that remained
was the sliver of light. Kiyan relinquished his hold and shielded
the helpless form of the elf from the raging icy fire that lashed
indiscriminately around. It took a minute before Kiyan managed to
stop the fire and returned to himself. The form of the elf laying
in the center of a field of devastated and twisted trees met his
eyes. He bent down and touched the elf trying to find a sign of
life. At the touch the mask crumbled to powder and blew away
revealing finely formed but ravaged feminine features.

“It’s... Its a girl!” Kiyan exclaimed at the
discovery.

“Is it alive?” Luke's voice made Kiyan jump. He
realized Luke shared his surprise but was more logical in his
approach.

“She is extremely weak. Could die any moment.” Kiyan
knelt down and placed his hand over the faintly beating heart and
began pouring energy into the dying elf. Giving energy was painless
compared to having it stolen. Soon he felt the withered bark under
his hand turn soft and smooth again. The change crept out from
Kiyan's hand healing any signs of the battle. When the change
reached the elf's face Kiyan marveled as sallow skin firmed and
took a healthy color. White and brittle hair returned to its
original golden color. Finally the golden glow of life and health
covered the elf from head to foot. When the elf gasped for air
Kiyan jumped back.

“Ohhh, what a horrible dream.” The elf rubbed her
eyes like she was waking up. “It was dark but the voices are gone
now.” The words didn't appear to be directed at anyone. Suddenly
the elf flailed at the ground like she was falling. Luke suggested
that she might be accustomed to sleeping in a tree hence the
disoriented falling sensation.

“What? Where?” The elf blinked as she began sitting
up. “Who are you?” She managed to focus on Kiyan. “What happened to
your ears?” Kiyan was about to answer some of the first questions
when the last one caught him off guard. He ran a hand over his
rounded human ears as he noticed the elf's pointed ears protruding
through her tousled hair.

“You're an alien aren't you.” It wasn't a question.
“And you are glowing too.”

“About that.” Kiyan glanced down and saw that indeed
he was glowing a pale blue. “I think it is because of how much
energy I stole during...” His explanation was cut off by the elven
girl.

“You are here after the dark ones came and you are
glowing. The prophecy said luminous one. The elders said that it
must mean important one or distinguished one but lumen means light
and you are glowing.” Kiyan realized the elf was thinking out loud.
“That means you must be.....Oh.” The elf trailed off as she noticed
her surroundings. “What happened here?”

“We had a fight.” Kiyan helped the elf to her feet
and steadied her. “I think that the dark lord was somehow
controlling you.” The girl only seemed to hear the last part of
Kiyan’s explanation.

“At Kiyan's words the elven girl bit her lip. I
thought I was strong enough but he was stronger. I wondered why he
just left me.” Kiyan detected this as more of a telepathic
emanation than words.

“Well now that is settled my name is Kiyan.”

The elven girl gazed with sad eyes at the devastation
that surrounded them before realizing what Kiyan had said. There
was a furious red blush before she managed to find words. “I'm
sorry, it’s just that this used to be my home. I mean, what am I
saying, I am Sapphire, daughter of the forest tribe elder.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you Sapphire.” Kiyan's
mouth hung open as Luke's telepathic projection appeared not only
to him but to Sapphire as well. “Such a beautiful name, my humble
name is Luke. Prime, first of my kind.”

“Luke!” Kiyan finally found something to say even if
it was only one word.

“What? You have Terra so I don't know what you have
to complain about.” Luke was fairly blunt.

“What! That's.. You can't just... That's not fair.”
Kiyan turned a shade of red as Luke reminded him of the feelings he
had for Terra.

“If it would help I can exist in an android.” Kiyan
could sense that Luke had found a root to his discomfort. “You can
stay out of this.”

“That would help but...” Kiyan realized what he was
saying. “Your source code is embedded in my implants! You can't
leave Me out of this.”

The sound of soft laughter made Kiyan turn a new
shade of red as he realized his personal life was being laid bare
in front of a virtual stranger. “Are you like brothers or
something?” Sapphire was holding a hand over her mouth trying to
stop giggling.

“Something like that.” Kiyan laughed as he saw a
shade of red creep over Luke's telepathic projection.

“I appreciate the attention but I really should get
to know you before I decide anything like that. I mean you look
handsome and everything in spite of your ears.” Sapphire stifled
another round of giggles. “Besides I don't know if we are... How do
I say it, "compatible"?”

“Trust me, he will find a way to be "compatible".”
Kiyan could sense Luke drawing up plans for an elven android after
he had used Kiyan's implants to make scans.

Sapphire steadied herself on a ravaged tree trunk as
another peal of laughter seized her. “I need to get my seed pack.
It’s over there.” Sapphire motioned in a direction toward some of
the few standing trees remaining in the vicinity. “You are welcome
to come with me.” She dabbed a few laughter induced tears at the
corners of her eyes as she turned and walked toward the trees.
Kiyan burst out laughing again as he sensed Luke thinking about how
well eyes that shade of blue complimented Sapphire's face.

“
What?”
Luke was perturbed by Kiyan's
laughter. “
You laughing too isn't fair besides it isn't helping
me.”

“
All is fair in love and war.”
Kiyan thought
about the age old human saying.

“
We are at war with the drakken and are both in
love.”
Luke mused on the saying also. “
That leaves a lot of
room for unfairness.”

“Hey, be nice or I will do something to you.” Kiyan
forgot to speak telepathically with Luke as he gave the
warning.

“I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?” Sapphire
dropped from the tree with a pack woven out of thin vines secured
on her back. She started giggling again when she saw the look of
indignation on Luke's face as he glared at Kiyan.

“Luke wasn't playing fair.” Kiyan suppressed the
desire to laugh at Luke also.

“They say that there is no fairness in courting or
mortal combat.” Sapphire continued giggling as she motioned them to
follow her to the village.

“See what I mean? Wait, mortal combat?” Luke paused
at the comparison.

“Wait one moment, I'm not trying to court you, that's
all Luke.” Kiyan was blushing again.

Sapphire stopped walking and shook her head. Before
any of them could react she spun around and slender vines shot out
from seeds woven into a bracelet. There was a surprised look on her
face as the vines waved through the empty air where Luke's
projection was standing. “You are only in my head! Who are you
really?” The vines waved protectively around Sapphire.

Kiyan picked up a small plant that was laying
uprooted on the ground as a result of the destruction from the
battle. He made it grow around his fingers and finally it reached
the point where it burst into bloom. Kiyan set it on the ground and
watched as it took root. Sapphire took a step back with wide eyes
as the same hand that had held the plant a moment before burst into
blue flames. Kiyan shifted his other hand to ice before looking
up.

“My name is Kiyan, commander of the protectorate
vessel Avenger. We are at war with a race known as the drakken and
the being that they obey. I came here because we think that a
prophesy means that the drakken we seek are hiding here. The water
elf who told me this information thinks I am the young luminous one
that is spoken of.”

“I am Luke, prime.....” Sapphire interrupted Luke
before he could finish.

“Ya, ya, first of your kind, bla bla bla. What are
you?” Sapphire kept a wary eye on Kiyan as she interrogated
Luke.

“He is an artificial intelligence that developed on
my implants.” Kiyan offered when Luke lapsed into silence.

“So he is like in your head?” Sapphire was
surprisingly fast figuring out what was going on. “How is he in my
head also?” The vines were now ignoring Luke's projection and
focusing on Kiyan.

“I'm telepathic and Luke can use my abilities.”
Things were not going how Kiyan had expected.

“I represent the forest elves for the challenge in
the prophecy so I suppose now we must needs do battle.” Sapphire
set down her pack and turned to face the two of them.

“We just fought you and won.” Kiyan didn't want to go
through that again. “I don't want to hurt you.”

“Then this should be easy for you. I need to prove
that what happened to my forest wasn't some sort of a trick.”
Sapphire proceeded to begin bending the plants around her into
defensive growths. Ice plates formed rapidly until Kiyan was once
again encased in a suit of armor. The ice blade in hand Kiyan
slashed the air a couple times in preparation. It was then that he
noticed that he could tell when Sapphire bent the plants. It felt
strange like somehow he was doing the bending through her.