Kiyan had always been able to sense the feelings of others and had as such assumed everyone could so never talked about it to anyone. He felt an oddly quiet spot in the room. Allowing his eyes to focus on that spot he saw Carlisle watching him. Then he felt a glimmer of surprise before it was stillness again. Quickly glancing down he hoped Carlisle hadn't felt him observing him. That would be rude. He didn't dare try and look at the ascendant sure he or she would know it.
Finally the speech was over. The elemental tests were the first. Kiyan watched as a torch, a cup of water, a piece of earth and some ribbons and chimes were set up. The object was, with the guiding hand of the benders present, to try and manipulate each of the elements to determine if you had any bending ability. Fred went first and was not surprised when he didn't move anything. Fred returned to his seat and Kiyan sensed relief. Jeremy went next and was able to disturb the surface of the water much to his delight.
Now it was Kiyan’s turn. When he got up so did the ascended. Kiyan was surprised that an ascended would take an interest in him. Perhaps it was the kayloo, it was said that they only bonded with the most gifted or else they would not be able to create a proper bond. As it was an ascended was going to give him the bending test, this made him even more nervous. Feeling for the support of mom and dad and drawing on the stillness that was Carlisle, Kiyan stepped forward again noting the flicker of surprise from the seer. The ascended made no move to reveal its identity at this time but stepped behind Kiyan at the torch.
He felt her hands on his shoulders for at her touch he knew her. Kendra was real. The confusion was momentary. With a wave of calm from Carlisle and the memory of the emotion he felt in the dream from Kendra he was able to focus on the task at hand.
“Close your eyes and feel the heat from the fire. Understand the workings of the fire and let your will be one with the fire.” Kendra whispered.
Closing his eyes Kiyan felt the heat, it felt good not hot but soothing. Remembering what the teacher had said about the nature of heat being particles and atoms moving he focused on the sensation of heat on his core and directed it to his hands. He felt the startled gasps before he heard them. Opening his eyes he yanked his hands back as quickly as the flames radiating from them went out. Realizing also in that moment that the rock shattered, the cup froze and broke and the chimes were sounding. Something was not normal. The waves of apprehension tinged with fear and suspicion broke on him. He felt Kendra and Carlisle trying to shelter him from the chaotic emotions but it was too much. I can't think, here, so many voices, have to go. He felt the warm comforting embrace of Ray's mind. The Kayloo seized him and proceeded to carry Kiyan from the room at a rapid pace.
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Joshua and Carlisle talked for a few minutes as the others began to arrive. The ascended had come this morning and been waiting in the Center for an hour or so now. Joshua had thought to ask her some questions but she seemed to want to be left alone. Perhaps she was the same one who had brought Kiyan as a child. No matter we shall soon see if that is her purpose thought Carlisle on the matter.
Carlisle still wondered about Kiyan. An ascended had chosen the family that he was to grow up in. She had even chosen the village. She could not have chosen a better family than the Simons. As the circumstances of Kiyan’s arrival had piqued his interest he had watched him over his life. He was pretty sure Jeremy was a waterbender but the truth of that observation would be seen. As for Fred the boy was quiet, logical and seemed intelligent but also seemed to feel no pressure to be something other than what he was, the characteristics of a good farmer or grower. Perhaps even a life mage but those were rare.
Carlisle himself was a seer, one gifted with a sense of the future. He could see glimpses of what might be and what could have been but with Kiyan he could see nothing. This only served to increase his curiosity. Carlisle also was an empath but this he did not tell anyone about. People’s suspicion that they were being spied upon was most annoying. Watching Kiyan had not offered any further clues as he seemed normal in every way. Sometimes he wondered though. Trying to study him emphatically was unusually difficult. It was hard to define him from those around him. Perhaps a deeper probe today was in order, no harm would come to anyone. Kiyan wouldn't even know as only skilled empaths could feel themselves being observed. Something about sensing their own emotions in another person. Carlisle hadn't met anyone with that skill but the ascended could probably. Then there was the matter of the dream.
Everyone was here now. Time to sit and observe. As Joshua began the speech Carlisle began to observe Kiyan. Again finding it difficult to define Kiyan he marveled when he realized that it was not Kiyan but himself he felt looking at him. A near perfect mirror reflection. A glimmer of surprise that he realized was his own then the reflection was gone. An empath with as much if not more natural talent as himself. No wonder Kiyan was hard to define. He reflected those around him. Now he began to question the dream, was it his or was it Kiyan's. He had felt like an observer but the raw emotion of the dream made it difficult to define anything. However Kiyan had never seen the old world so how could he know what it might look like.
He felt his emotions being reflected again. Looking up he saw James, Marisa and himself with an undertone of nervousness all in Kiyan. Carlisle knew both of them knew about it now so why not try to help. Carlisle tried his best to project tranquility. He saw the smile on Kiyan’s face as the tension melted away. Then he saw the ascendant step up to Kiyan. So it was her then. Another surprise when she touched Kiyan’s shoulder. The instant recognition and the name "Kendra". The leader of the ascended here at the testing of a human?
Carlisle realized that Kiyan was no longer drawing off of him any more so he drew back his support leaving only a thread of a connection. He watched as Kiyan moved his hands around the flame. The flame began to shimmer than Kiyan's hands burst into flame. There was indeed more to the boy than Carlisle had expected. Stunned by the revelation Carlisle was too late in his attempt to shield Kiyan from the raw startled emotions of those present. When the emotions hit Kiyan he channeled it into bending. With a crack the rock gave way to the boy’s shattered concentration and in disturbed waved the air reverberated through the room. In an instant the water was froze. Stunned Carlisle sat barely able to process the information his senses were receiving. A bender of all the elements was unheard of aside from an ascended. A talented empath on top of it. When he was able to focus on the room again Kiyan was gone and the ascended was suppressing the uncontrolled emotions in the room.
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Evening had begun to set as James and Marisa sat at the table talking. Carlisle had come and gone some hours ago. They had always know Kiyan was different but not to what extent. Carlisle only confirmed what they had already suspected about Kiyan being empathic. What he described of the emotions in the Center made them wonder why Carlisle had not fled also. What Kiyan needed now was silence and them to be understanding.
A knock on the door startled them as they had been waiting for the door to open without a knock signaling Kiyan's return. The suspicion that the ascendant lady had taken Kiyan had grown with the evening shadows. Carlisle's belief that Kiyan knew who the ascended woman was only added to the dread. When James opened the door he started a little then asked if the person would come in. In an instant Marisa recognized Kendra and would have jumped up if James hadn't been holding her down with a firm hand.
“Don't worry about Kiyan. He may spend the night out but I suspect he will make his way back to your home before midnight. He is with Ray so he is safe.” Kendra announced.
Marisa spoken up next. “Are you going to take him?”
“Forgive me if I did not give you enough information all those years ago. I chose you and this village because you would love him as parents should no matter what he is. This village will have accepted him as unique before the night is over. I will never take him he will leave when he chooses but he will always be tied here by you. You are his family as much as I am.
”
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So much to take in. Trying to sort things by order wasn’t possible. The gentle thrum breeze in the distance, the view of a valley uninhabited. The golden tapestry strewn with diamonds of the nebula above. The peaceful presence of Ray. The realization that Kendra was real. The fact that Carlisle was an empath. The fact that he was a bender. Of all the elements! Jeremy was a waterbender like he wanted to be. Fred was a life mage, how Kiyan knew this he could not explain. He just knew it. For a moment he was not alone with his thoughts, the feeling of love and compassion was there. Then a message about reassuring mom and dad. A touch of sadness with the feeling of guilt for not being there before then it was silent again.
“Mom and dad! They must be worried sick. I should go home.” The memory of the trip home was vague with a jumble of thoughts and exhaustion. Ray carried Kiyan through the dark woods that only that morning they had fled through. The last memories were of slipping into a deep dreamless sleep and the sensation that Kendra was near with the knowledge that no dreams would trouble the night.
Chapter two: Acceptance
Waking in the morning was a chore as usual and a fear of what might happen at today's ceremony were forefront in Kiyan's mind. Am I some kind of freak? He asked himself. He knew that some people had multiple gifts and for other it wasn't for several more years that they started to show. If it was bad enough already. He could bend all the elements. The academy was sure to want him to come to Samtan. Then there were those that were sure to be afraid of his powers. Kiyan felt like crawling back into bed but then he remembered Kendra was near, he could feel it. While reaching out to find her Kiyan felt a spot of calm that was distinctive. Before he could close his mind again he felt Carlisle asking if he slept well over the night and if he had been swimming yet. Unsure how to reply he hurried and dressed before running down stairs.
“Hurry up and take your bath and I will have breakfast ready when you get back.” Marisa said.
Strange almost feels like a normal day aside from a neighbor wishing him good morning telepathically. “Be back in a few.” Kiyan whispered as he hugged her.
Outside Carlisle was waiting with Ray. “I take it from your silence that you haven't figured out how to send a message yet?” Carlisle queried.
“No, I haven't tried anything like that. Usually I can just feel what others are feeling.” Kiyan answered.
“Well, I can help you with that. Also I can teach you how to close your mind and block out emotions like those at the ceremony yesterday.” Carlisle offered.
“I would like that.” responded Kiyan.
“I can teach you a little on the way to the lake.” Kiyan agreed so they set out. “You are a mirror type telepath so you are able to reflect the emotions back at others. I was surprised that you were so sensitive to those around you. Usually mirrors have to work to feel other’s emotions but other telepath usually can't pass a mirror's barriers. I want you to practice reflecting my emotions back at me instead of absorbing them.” Carlisle then projected a few minor emotions at Kiyan who practiced blocking them by redirecting them. By the time they made it to the lake Kiyan couldn't even tell what the emotions were that were being sent at him. Only vague nudges at the edges of his mind. “Later I will show you how to send a coherent message.”
Kiyan shouted Jeremy upon arriving at the water’s edge. “Come on let's go swimming.” Soon the familiar feeling of being thrown in the water made them all forget about everything else. After the scrubbing was over the boys took turns jumping from Ray’s back. A few more minutes and then I'm going to have to go home again thought Kiyan. Ray recognized this and began swimming back to shore with Jeremy and Fred still paddling around.
Kiyan was lost in thought when he felt Carlisle calling him. Carlisle directed him to look back at the water near where the boys were still swimming. “What is that floating near Fred?” Carlisle inquired.
“It looks like a floating log.” Answered Kiyan. But wait it’s not right, something is off about it. Kiyan could not put his finger on it he had felt it before. It struck him the same time Ray spoke.
"Kayloo". That was it but this one he had not been seen before around the village. Unbound kayloo often would hang around a village until an eligible youth was found. No this one was a wild kayloo.
“Watch out there is...” Kiyan was cut off before he could finish by a yell from Fred.
“It’s alive!”
In an instant Ray set Kiyan on the ground and was back in the water swimming faster than Kiyan had ever seen him move. Ray reached Fred about the same time that he stopped struggling and started sinking. Lifting him out of the water those on shore could see vines wrapping around Fred from the plant. It had started to move and was wrapping more vines around Ray. There was a glimmer as Ray shifted to his sea mammal form. In this form he held Fred up while pulling him and the kayloo back to shore. Another glimmer and Ray was back in his normal form lifting and pulling both of them out of the water. Carlisle was trying to pull the vines off of Fred when Kiyan realized what was happening.
“Stop!” Kiyan yelled.
“It is going to suffocate him if we let it keep growing around him.” Carlisle countered.
“It doesn't want to hurt him. It only wants to bond with him. I remembered the same thing happened when I met and bonded with Ray.”
“You are sure of this?”
“Yes.” responded Kiyan. “You can see that it has already stopped constricting him, in a few minutes Fred will wake up again.”
Over the next few minutes a number of villagers had gathered around them. Joshua soon arrived and exclaimed "A dryad! The rarest kayloo of all. This is incredible.”
Fred's parents had arrived by this time and were rather startled at the sight of a plant wrapping itself around their son. They only started to calm down when Joshua explained that there was nothing to worry about now. Ray had saved Fred from drowning by his quick action. What he needed was time to finish bonding. The best thing for Fred was probably to spend a few days getting used to the kayloo.
A growling stomach reminded Kiyan about the forgotten breakfast. He was about to turn and go home when Marisa tapped him on the shoulder.
“Fred woke up and he asked for you. I know how you were after you bonded with Ray. Your kayloo was a little better known than this one but still you were a little off for a few days. Fred's parents had another child that bonded with a kayloo more than eighty years ago. They agree that Fred needs time to finish the bond and to talk with someone who has also bonded to get the questions out of his system. Anyhow Fred has asked if you and Jeremy can go camping with him for the next couple days. I'm sure both of you have some things to discuss. You will need come back by the house to pack a few things before you go.”
Yay a couple days off in the woods just the five of them Kiyan thought. That new dryad might be interesting. Ray spent ten years studying humans from the outskirts of the village. But this kayloo was totally new. It had a lot to learn but if it had a strong telepathic connection it may have learned enough already. Any how this would be interesting. The fact that Fred's parents were willing to send their son into the woods with a strange kayloo meant a couple things. First they really trusted their son and secondly that someone had convinced them that this kayloo was trustable.
“Hey Kiyan you ready yet?” Jeremy reminded Kiyan of the task at hand.
Just a moment was the reply. It was long before Kiyan had collected what he considered essential for a camping trip. They were among his favorite excursions so the equipment was always near at hand.
So how did you convince your parents to let you go off in the woods with the dryad that nearly killed you? Kiyan asked Fred when they had rejoined.
“Ha, Addy didn't almost kill me, it was the water that nearly killed me.” Countered Fred. “I'm not a waterbender like you two.”
“I haven't been able make more than a ripple since yesterday so that wouldn't have changed anything.” Jeremy looked rather d
isappointed with the failing.
“Since my sister was bonded and they saw how Sandy protected her, they weren't that worried because she can’t help but protect me now. Also Addy did not know that she was hurting me, she knows now. Besides Joshua said that now that we are bonded Addy would sacrifice herself before letting me get hurt.” Fred explained.
Kiyan looked over Addy for the first time since the lake. She had shifted from a log into the most human looking kayloo he had ever seen. She was as tall as Fred and was covered with pale smooth bark from head to toe. Her hair was similar green vines covered in golden leaves. With eyes like emeralds and a face as fine as any, she was a sight and seemed to be shy as well.
“So where are we going?” Kiyan wondered out loud.
“Dad says the next valley over might be fun. There are some caves and some lakes and a forest of glow woods.” Fred responded.
“Well let's go then I bet Ray can beat you to the glow woods.” Challenged Kiyan.
Out of the corner of his eye Kiyan saw Addy glimmer and shift into a large horse like creature. Vines reached out and grabbed Fred and they were off in a flash. Jeremy watch in silence as Ray stood without moving.
“So is it a one team race?” Jeremy finally asked after Fred and Addy had disappeared into the trees that skirted Loomis.
“Oh come on I wouldn't have left you here all alone to hoof it all the way to the next valley. It was Ray's idea in the first place to have a race.”
“What do you mean?” Jeremy was obviously confused.
“Remember Ray has a flying form, and the rules do not preclude flying.” Kiyan was in a mischievous mood, that much Jeremy could see. But the thought of flying made Jeremy's stomach feel funny.
“You are sure it is safe?” Jeremy already looked uneasy.
“Ya I've done it before, how do you think we get to Oak Ridge so fast for the seeds this year when the teleporter was down?” Kiyan was getting impatient, Addy was really moving fast when he had seen her last.