Child of Time by Spencer Johnson Page B

energy he focused it on the stars.
He felt the burning abate but a wave of energy threatened to drown
him before he could channel it away. Kiyan’s only sensation was of
intense fire before he saw the flashes of light. The knowing of
every detail of a thousand stars began to fade.
    Waking with a start, memory failing him for a moment,
Kiyan sat up and shook his head to clear the cobwebs. It was barely
morning yet his room was illuminated. It took a moment to realize
he was the light source. His skin had a golden glow. Then memory of
it all returned, the feeling of burning and being at the ceremony.
He must have been out all day and the next night. The villagers
must fear him now, catching fire in front of them, he hoped no one
got hurt. Kiyan felt Kendra near shielding him somehow, and sending
calm emotions. Having her near was comforting, at least she wasn't
scared of him. Laying back down he let the day dawn before getting
up.
    On Kiyan's way through the kitchen Marisa startled
him. “Nice to see you up early, Kiyan, hurry up and take your bath,
I'll have pancakes with berries when you get back. You have a big
day ahead of you.” Kiyan wondered at that. Nothing was mentioned of
whatever had happened at the ceremony yesterday. Kiyan paused and
was about to ask Marisa about the events when he thought better of
it.
    Surprised that it all seemed familiar and so normal
after what must have happened, Kiyan gave Marisa a hug and ran out
the door nearly letting it slam. Deciding he wanted some solitude
to think he took the scenic way to the lake. Running towards the
lake he was soon at the water with Ray getting scrubbed down.
Strange, he thought, surely Prometheus would pop up and inform him
of some new aspect of his life. Deciding to practice a little
waterbending while he was at the water he took up the bending form
Kendra had taught him. Remembering the other morning he opened his
mind and he connected with the water and soon could feel the entire
lake in his head. He was able to use the water as a medium that
extended his senses. Creating a ripple around him he could feel it
took considerably less effort than yesterday, almost effortless. He
held his ripple in one spot and let it grow into a wall of water,
wrapping it around himself he let it lift him above the ground.
Atop his pillar of water he opened his eyes and saw Jeremy with his
mouth hanging open standing on the shore with Ray. Letting down his
mental shields, he was assaulted with waves of surprise from both
of them.
    Losing control of the water Kiyan fell with it in a
tumble. Ray acting nearly instantly reached out and dragged him out
of the roiled water. Kiyan was confused, why were they so
surprised? They both knew he was a bender, so seeing him bend
should have only seemed natural. Seeing the shocked expression on
Jeremy's face where he sat when the water drained off Kiyan's eyes
was even more confusing.
    “What's wrong, Jeremy?”
    “You...... You, you're a waterbender!” Jeremy finally
stammered. “How, you haven't even started the testing
ceremony.”
    Something was different. A brief contact with Ray
conveyed the same information. Jeremy acted like the knowledge that
Kiyan could waterbend, let alone bend the other elements, was
totally new. Kendra would know, Prometheus or the Keeper would know
best though. Closing his eyes he called for them but got no answer.
Looking into his mind he found the memory of the construct where he
had spoken with Prometheus. In a flash he found himself there.
Calling for Prometheus there was another flash and his father
appeared.
    “Something is wrong, Prometheus, Jeremy can't
remember that I can bend. Something happened but no one seems to
remember it.”
    Prometheus appeared to concentrate for a second
before responding. “There has been a slight shift in the timeline
but you caused it when you water bent. You shouldn't be able to
bend until later today at the ceremony. You also shouldn't be able
come her, or even know