Laughing Kiyan confirmed that Ray didn't know how to water bend. However there was someone who did nearby, he could feel her. Kendra was nearby but Kiyan was hesitant to ask her for fear of overstepping. A feeling of laughter and a warning. A warning about what? Kiyan wondered.
The water around the boy’s feet began to move, piling itself up into a pillar. Jeremy nearly jumped out of his skin and understanding of the warning filled Kiyan. The pillar shaped into a humanoid shape and began to glow brightly. Addy grew thorns faster than Kiyan knew possible and Ray half prepared by the warning only gave a sudden start. In another moment the glowing subsided and Kiyan recognized the features of Kendra. Jeremy had fallen backwards and was crawling backwards as fast as he could until he noticed Kiyan hadn't moved.
Out of the corner of his eye Kiyan saw several spikes flying at Kendra. Sudden panic filled Kiyan. What if Kendra got hurt because he hasn't warned the rest? A strange feeling filled Kiyan in an instant, almost like it wasn't his body any more, like he was only watching. The spikes seemed to slow down as Kiyan moved faster. With a flick of his hand earth and water obeyed his will. A wall of mud sprang into place faster than Kiyan could see even at the slower pace of the world. Freezing with a clench of his fist it deflected the arrows harmlessly.
Landing back on the ground shocked Kiyan back from being an observer. He hasn't realized he was levitated until he landed. Catching him before he stumbled Kiyan could sense Kendra's concern. Seeing Jeremy and Fred staring at him with their mouths open Kiyan began to feel a little self-conscious.
“Forgive me for giving you all such a scare. I did not realize you couldn't detect me or I would have warned you Addy.” Kendra broke the silence.
Jeremy was the first to recover, “How did you do that Kiyan? You can water form? Can't you see the future and know that would happen?” Questions flew fast and thick.
With a smile Kendra replied. “All of those are good questions, however some of them will be answered in time. I am Kendra and you can call me such. Yes I can water form, I exist as energy, and I can be pretty much what I want to be. As far as the future is concerned that is only if I try but even then there are some things I can't see.” Kendra glanced at Kiyan before she continued. “The real reason I am here is because I wanted to help you with your bending a little.” Kendra turned to Kiyan and telepathically admonished him to not being afraid to ask her for help.
Addy had completely returned to her normal form and peaked out from behind Fred who looked like he wanted to do the same thing behind her. Jeremy was quiet as he absorbed the information. Kiyan was a little afraid of the entity that had taken over his body and used it with so much power. A reassuring feeling from Kendra told him there was nothing to fear, that it was only a part of him that he hasn't accessed before. Oddly this did not make Kiyan feel any better.
“I would have offered to help you with your bending sooner but the instructors at the academy may never have forgiven me. To teach such gifted individuals is an honor they would be happy to undertake” Kendra explained briefly. “I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I helped you with some of the basics.”
Kiyan watched as Kendra gave Addy a few memories to help her instruct Fred then he began to examine the wall Kiyan had built.
Jeremy had worked his way up to Kiyan at this point and asked. “How did you do that?”
“I don't know, I was just worried about Kendra getting hurt and it happened.” Kiyan tried to explain.
Jeremy jumped a little when Kendra exclaimed. “Jeremy! You must have cut your hand when you fell.”
“It’s nothing mam, it will be healed in a few days any way.” Jeremy responded.
Shaking her head Kendra said. “Boys and their injuries.” She caught up Jeremy's hand before he could hide it. A warm glow emanated from her hands and eyes and when she released Jeremy's hand there was no sign of the cut.
“Couldn't let that distract you now could I. Let's begin. Before you can learn to disturb water you need to learn to calm it.” With a wave of her hand Kendra made the surface of the lake as smooth as a piece of glass. A flick of her wrist and the surface erupted into a thousand pillars. A second later the lake flowed into the air as if gravity had ceased to function. Suddenly the water was back in the lake bed as calm as before. “I don't expect either of you to do anything on that scale but you should be able to calm water on a much smaller level with ease. Feel the water and the disturbances. Try to counter each disturbance with equal but opposite forces.” Soon under Kendra’s guidance both boys were busy calming puddles of water.
Jeremy soon tired of trying to stop ripples and his mind began to wander. Being a bender was the most awesome thing in the world. He was sure he would be able to water form someday. That would be even awesomer. Refocusing his eyes on the task at hand he was startled by a splash of cold water. Somehow the water from his puddle had all gotten on him.
The sopping wet brown hair and the confused look on Jeremy's face was more than Kiyan could take. Bursting into peals of laughter the stress of the last couple days dissolved in a flood.
Finally able to contain himself Kiyan offered a bit of advice. “Hey Jeremy next time you levitate water try to not do it over your head.” Control was lost for a few more moments of laughter.
The jibe was lost on Jeremy as he watched the water around Kiyan's feet turn to ice then melt and start to steam as Kiyan went through the throes of laughter. It was Jeremy's turn to laugh when Kiyan jumped when the water around him got too hot for comfort.
“I see you have both learned a valuable lesson today. Bending is not done by force but it happens naturally with a little persuasion if you let it. Jeremy, you stopped trying to force your will on the water and it responded to your mood and thoughts. Kiyan you were able to counter ripples fairly well but it was when you stopped paying attention that you connection with the water reflected your state of mind.” Kendra explained.
“So if I were to feel like I was flying the water would try to fly too?” Jeremy queried.
“Something like that.” Kendra smiled. “Why don't you try it and see what happens?”
“Jeremy began to remember what it was like to ride on Ray and opening his eyes he saw a few drops of water detaching themselves from his pool and drifting into the air. Enthralled with his flying water he watched with rapt attention. Kiyan watched too until he notice the water on Jeremy's clothes was starting to detach and float away. A moment later Jeremy was completely dried off. Having a sudden idea Kiyan began to focus on a nearby floating droplet. Tapping the heat at his core he began to channel some heat into the droplet. Remembering what had happened when he drew on all of it he only channeled a little. With a pop that startled everyone the droplet exploded in a small cloud of steam. The sudden pop made Jeremy lose focus and the levitated water fell back to earth.
Sitting on a large boulder Fred was having different problems. Addy was telling him that earth bending was all about the earth having a weaker will that his but not trying to force his energy into the earth. Visualize what you want it to do. Visualization was not as easy as it normally was. There was too much that had just happened. Learning he was an earth bender plus learning he was a life mage wasn't helping. Letting his mind drift he could feel Addy gently guiding and his thoughts finally settling on the sensation of the cool rock beneath his hands. Feeling a small crack beneath one of his hands he let his mind toy with the features of the crack, every fracture and branch. Following the crack deeper he felt where it stopped. Looking a little deeper he felt where the stone was weaker. Feeling and prying a little more on it he realized that what he was feeling was not what his hands could touch just as he felt the stone give away under his hand. Opening his eyes he was stunned to see that the formerly smooth stone was now fractured and cracked. Pock marks covered the surface. The crack that he had been focusing on extended through the rock where it had split in two.
Kendra smiled as she watched them forget about bending and start having a water fight as their
attention span was expended. Good she thought to herself, what little bending had been done would cause their energy reserves to grow exponentially like a new muscle being exercised for the first time. They had accomplished a lot for their first attempts. The surge of power Kiyan had exhibited was something she hasn't counted on so soon. He had changed for an instant into something that hadn't been seen in a human since the first ascended. If the Drakken found out about him, Kendra didn't want to think what would happen, as it was the preparations were at a critical stage.
Kiyan was blissfully unaware of the worries in Kendra’s mind as he swam and dived. Using his new skills of water manipulation he was able to swim faster and deeper than ever before much to Ray's discomfort. The water seemed to slide out of his way and push him were he wanted. Ray compensated by shifting into his water form and circled Kiyan keeping a constant link open. Kiyan found that hiding under water in their new game of hide and seek was made more difficult by this until he convinced Ray to circle nearby but not around him. This new tactic was successful for a few minutes until Jeremy and Fred caught on. While hiding under an underwater ledge Kiyan felt the stone he was holding onto shift until he sensed Fred in the very rock itself. Catching on to Fred's tactic too late, he didn't have a chance to move before Fred pounced on him. Wrestling underwater they found themselves on dry land with half the lake floating over their heads. Looking up to the shore they saw Kendra with an exasperated look on her face.
Kiyan remembering that they were expected home this evening, reminded everyone and play was soon ended with a few more good natured shoves and dodges. The boys opted to fly instead of walk and the kayloo were soon airborne.
Kendra stood by the lake for a few more minutes thinking back to when Kiyan exhibited the surge of power. It had to be, she told herself. There wasn't any other explanation. His powers were awakening. She had sensed a different person for that split moment. Perhaps Kiyan was an avatar like his father had been. The high council needed to know of this.
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Joshua materialized at the Academy teleporter and was a little surprised to see the reception that he was greeted with. There were three of the academies sponsors and four ascended, a water elf and a thoran. There was more here than was to be expected even had they heard of Kiyan's bending skills.
Please wait a couple more minutes for Carlisle, one of the ascended announced to a confused Joshua. Within a minute Carlisle materialized and greeted them with the same expression Joshua must have worn a minute earlier.
With a flash, Kendra appeared beside them. “Come we have much to discuss.”
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Kiyan let his mind wander relishing the peace of the forest as they flew towards the village. He felt Kendra's presence for a couple of minutes then she felt distant.
The rest of the day was filled with telling James and Marisa about the visit to the earth man and his lesson of bending from an ascended.
“Thorans I believe is the name or their race.” James offered when the story was ended.
Marisa busied herself cleaning up from supper but interjected. “I didn't know any Thorans lived on Thane, especially this close.”
“Me neither.” Was James reply. “They are a quiet people that rarely leave their caves. I heard that they are almost all earthbenders.”
“And telepaths too.” Kiyan said.
“Speaking of which how are you feeling? I mean telepathically, Carlisle told us.”
A feeling of relief came over Kiyan, he had been trying to figure out a good way to tell them. “Carlisle taught me how to block the things I didn't want to feel and I have been able to send messages and feel people and things around me in the last couple days.”
“What do you mean feel things?” James asked.
“I was able to feel and see light from animals and trees when I concentrated.” Kiyan explained.
“But empaths or even telepaths can't sense an unintelligent life unless........ But that's impossible. Never mind, off to bed with you.” James seemed troubled.
Settling into bed, Kiyan felt for Kendra and was greeted by a distant but still clear, good night. Settling down he let sleep overtake him.
Another dream, Kiyan thought, feeling dread welling up inside him, wait this one was different. It felt like a dream with its vague unclear characteristics. Seeing himself in a stone chamber with a doorway he walked towards the door and opened it. Seeing a field outside he crossed it in one step. Another door stood in front of him, this one with a lock. Feeling a cold metal object in his hand he looked and saw a key. Opening the door he saw another room with walls lined with books and a man sitting with his back to the door. This was a dream and that man would be something strange, probably a conjuration from the last couple days. Kiyan gathered his courage before stepping up to the man and tapped him on the shoulder.
“What is this place?” He asked.
The man stood and turned slowly. Feeling the face of the man more than seeing it, Kiyan jolted as he recognized the energy that had taken control of his body earlier that day.
“There is no need for fear. Even Kendra can't stop me from talking to you. How could she. It would be like trying to stop the suns from shining. I am you, or to say a part of you that you haven't remembered yet. This place represents the knowledge of the lifetimes that your ancestors have lived. I am here to guide you and awaken the memories that you need. I am the keeper of ages. The memories you hold can be called upon in the form of your past lives should you need guidance.
Kiyan felt a flood of energy and a new feeling of calm. Sleep with peace child. Sleep again claimed Kiyan as he felt the keeper's calm persuasion.
Chapter Four: The High Council
Carlisle and Joshua sat in the council chambers of the academy wondering what everything was about. Carlisle was more surprised than he had been in years. The feeling of surprise was something he had begun to get accustomed to of recent. As a seer there was few things that he hadn’t some sort of premonition about. But then again Carlisle had never had any dreams that involved ascended. He had spoken to other seers who had mentioned the same phenomenon. Joshua was more settled than Carlisle because he felt that in time all would be revealed.
“Shall we begin?” Kendra asked when everyone was settled. “Unfortunately the temporal strands were not easily traced and many possible futures had to be searched for clues. Still there is little that we are certain of. What we do know is that Corban and Draxos will be near Kiyan in the future. Their time lines orbit an unknown force that we believe is Kiyan. To what extent we don’t know yet. Unfortunately we will have to wait for time to reveal those details”
“Are we sure that Kiyan is the key?” One of the other ascended queried.
“He has manifested power beyond what he should even if he were an unascended” Kendra explained. “I felt energy that can only be that of one descended from the first when Kiyan bent. There are some glimpses of the future that would seem to indicate that the outcome of coming war depends on Kiyan.”
“So you have indeed found the first one after he was lost to us in the shadow war?” The thoran questioned.
“Not exactly. Prometheus was a different ascended. Until Kiyan awakens there is no way to be sure. He may be Prometheus reborn or another ascended entirely. The like has never been witnessed before.” One of the other ascended offered.
The water elf spoke next. “Is the dark one awakening as well?”
“We fear he is the one that the drakken will to be obeying in their conquest of this universe.” Kendra explained.
“Have they entered this universe yet?” The thoran posed the question.
“We have found a weak place in the fabric of space-time that we think they are preparing to pass through. However this soft spot is years in the future in this time stream.” The other ascended said.
“Will the time war affect the joined world” The water elf questioned.
“The first ascended constructed these worlds as a refuge, th
e nebula is charged with temporal energy so the worlds exist in their own time stream while maintaining sync with the primary flow” Kendra explained. “Any ripples or deviations will be absorbed by the nebula.
“We have already seen deviations and have taken some measures to correct the timeline but even so we have seen the possible futures degrading.” The last ascended commented. “Our highest priority is to protect Kiyan until we know exactly how he fits into everything. We fear that this war will be the greatest war we have ever had to fight.”
“We have pledge to protect these worlds.” The thoran announced, it would be an honor to be allowed to help Kiyan regain his power.
“We also wish to express the same sentiments.” The water elf offered.
“Thank you for the offer. Kiyan could benefit greatly from your considerable skills” Kendra paused. “I should stress that Kiyan is the first of his kind ever to exist. From what we have seen, He is integral to the future.
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Kiyan woke with a start. The memory of last night's dream still fresh in his mind. Reaching out with his mind he felt for Kendra with a question but stopped when he felt a strange mind nearby. Realizing the other mind was in the same room as him he focused on the area where he felt the presence. The shape and features began to take shape in front of him.
“Who are you?” Kiyan demanded.
“I followed you last night in your dream” The apparition responded in Kiyan's mind. “You met the keeper of ages.”
“How do you know about that?” Kiyan was more than a little disturbed by the intrusion into his own dreams.
“Oh Kiyan, I have waited lifetimes for this day. I want to get to know you better.”
The door creaked as Marisa opened it. “Not up yet? Must have been some dream last night.”
Kiyan was sure she would see the stranger and call James.
“Kiyan only you can see me” The stranger spoke again.