“Ice benders are rare but even so I have never met one capable of bending fire that chills.” Kiyan's opponent twirled the rod with one hand and held a thorny vine like whip in the other hand. “Your consuming fire is only slightly less destructive than a burning flame. I will make you pay for hurting my forest.” Kiyan dodged a swing of the whip before responding.
“So you are a forest elf.” Kiyan ducked another experimental flick of the whip. “You attacked me first remember.” Kiyan sliced the end of the whip off on its next swing.
“You drew first blood.” Kiyan sensed the note of rage in the accusation.
“You fell out of a tree.” Kiyan slashed at the rod with the sword and caught the whip in his free gauntlet covered hand. He felt a mild draw that disappeared as the flames on the sword intensified. A burst of ice fire on his other hand reduced the whip to dust as it shattered when he clenched his fist.
“Aaahhhh that hurt!” A warm glow spread over his opponent's hand that had held the whip. They both stepped back and the elf grasped the rod with both hands. Dark ripples spread around the rod as the energy draw intensified. “I will crush you.” The venom in the tone told Kiyan that there probably wasn't a way to talk his way out of a serious fight.
“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.
“Perhaps it is because of how much energy you gave her. She is in a way using your energy to bend.” Luke was also noticing the peculiar sensation. “Don't hurt her.”
Kiyan didn't reply but began focusing on Sapphire's bending. The first strike came as he figured out what to do. She must have been more tired than she had anticipated because the attacks came considerably slower than before. Kiyan forced his will onto the vine that slithered toward him forcing it to the ground. Once on the ground he made it grow roots. He could feel Sapphires mind tugging on it as he held it down. Giving up on that plant she bent a couple more at him. These Kiyan also was able to hijack and neutralize. He could see the confused look of frustration that Sapphire wore on her face. With her own energy she would still have been a force to be reckoned with but Kiyan held an unfair edge right now. Sapphire made a last ditch effort and cast a dozen vines at Kiyan.
“What do I have to do in order to pass the challenge?” Kiyan asked as he sidestepped a flailing vine.
“Prove beyond a doubt that you are a better fighter than I.” Sapphire looked like she was beginning to feel the strain of intense life bending. She had lasted longer in her last fight by drawing energy from the space
around her to compensate for the drain.
Kiyan only took a moment to decide of his next attack. He spun on the swirling vines and left them in sheds with his sword. Sapphire didn't have a chance to recover from the sudden loss of energy before Kiyan had his blade to her throat. Remembering the last time he had been in a similar position Kiyan sent a blast of frozen flames at a plant striking from behind leaving a frost sculpture in its wake.
“I give, you win.” Sapphire was gasping for breath over the shock of the sudden turn of events.
“Our last fight lasted a bit longer.” Kiyan hung his sword on his back as his helmet evaporated. Seeing the confused look on Sapphire's face he offered to show her his memories of the fight. While they were connected Kiyan could sense Luke's discomfort and surprise and confusion coming from Sapphire.
“I did all that?” Sapphire asked when she had seen enough to convince her there actually had been a massive fight.
“No, I did a lot of it also.” Both of them looked at the ravaged landscape. The remnants of massive trees littered the landscape pointing away from a whitened and twisted battle ground. Sapphire looked genuinely upset over the level of devastation she was capable of.
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Stout Oak intently watched the forest floor below his perch. His grayish hair was neatly braided and a dark ebony mask covered most of his face. Deep green eyes peered through slits in the mask taking in every detail below him. His tall muscled frame was covered with supple pale smooth bark that set off his eyes and mask. His pointed ears heard a rustle on the floor below and his clothes shifted to the hue and texture of the tree limb and tree trunk he was on. Sharp eyes scanned the vegetation where he had heard the rustle. His concentration was rewarded by a few broad leafed plants sliding aside from an invisible form. Thoughts about the meaning of the phrase "only the luminous one can fight the agent of darkness without corruption" passed through his head. There was much confusion as to the interpretation of this. Some of the elders believed that it meant it meant verbatim what it said. Others argued that it only references a single agent of darkness while their forests had been invaded by hundreds of malevolent creatures. Stout Oak knew he was skirting the edges of the interpretation with what he was doing. Most shadow walkers he only followed but a few presented a threat to his people. This one was acting like a scout of some kind. A few dead leaves rustled under invisible feet. Suddenly the rustling stopped and Stout Oak's keen ears heard what sounded like sniffing. The elf was like a statue on his perch waiting for the next move. A few moving leaves caught his eye on the opposite side of the clearing. This was different, there wasn't a sound associated with the slight movements of the vegetation. Two invaders? Stout Oak thought to himself. These were both far closer to his home than he liked.