| By King Bumis Heir | Genre | Rating | Reviews | Updates |
| More from King Bumis Heir | Action/Adventure/Drama/Comedy/Romance | PG 13 | None | No update page |
Overview[]
The gang come across an impoverished village in a poor state, the village elder doesn't let on to what's happening.
Chapter 4: The Royal Lady[]
Book 2: Water
Chapter 4: The Royal Lady
The cold winds rode through the air high above a forest in the southern tip of the Omashu Kingdom somewhere in the province of Wushan. A thick blanket of forests covered the area and stretched out for miles the only place nearby the forest was the capital of Wushan, the city of Tianzhu. Although Rong Yan and his friends were not planning to head toward Tianzhu they were on a route toward the Northern Water Tribe often planning on making stops here and there. The last stop they had was in the state of Baoshan to allow Shen to rest from flying all day.
That was only about a day and a half ago, in the center of the dense forest was a small shanty village with a set of shacks, in the northern part of the small hamlet was a larger home it wasn't as poorly built like the other homes in the village, however. The small settlement was walled off from the wilderness to protect the villagers and prevent wildlife from prowling the streets at night. The settlement consisted of a few homes, the bigger house, an inn and a few market stalls with handcrafted merchandise such as clothing and tools, and food grown in the community garden.
Sichuan village in the province of Wushan northeast of the capital, Tianzhu.
Unaraq predicted that the time was around an hour past noon, the sun was slightly to the west from the center of the sky. Tanaraq sat across the saddle away from Aloi and Unaraq pouting her face in sadness still saddened that her father stripped her of her dignity in front of the servants, while Unaraq studied the map of the Kingdom of Omashu and Aloi laid down relaxing and conjuring small puffs of air to pass the time.
Shen the dragon groaned he was tired Rong Yan sat on his neck holding the reins of the great beast padding his neck and saying, "I'm making a stop here Shen's tired and needs some rest," he exchanged a brief gander with Unaraq who nodded and agreed, "You make the decisions here, you're right we've been in the sky flying for the past eight hours."
Rong Yan tapped the side of Shen's neck signaling the dragon to descend from the skies toward the village below. He pulled the reins to his dragon to signify the animal to begin slowing down the dragon let out a small whimper gesturing to its master that it was happy and tired. They landed near the village a nearby clearing is where he left his dragon to rest. Grabbing a rump and round of a boar ox that Rong Yan bought for Shen back in Baoshan, leaving the salted meat next to Shen for later consumption.
Unaraq and Aloi went on ahead while Tanaraq slowly minced behind the two slow enough for Rong Yan to catch up to her. The gates of the settlement were shut the large walls that surrounded the village were made from chopped logs of the trees from the forest that circled itself around the hamlet.
A small sign was nailed to the walls of the village Aloi read the lettering, "Sichuan Village," she read aloud. Unaraq read the sign for himself, at the top of the wall popped up a villager peering down at the four strangers in front of the gates.
One of the villagers he was sort of unkempt, he wore a slightly torn conical straw hat and wrinkled clothing. He must've been one of the poorer villagers, he shouts from the top of the wall, "State your business, strangers!"
"We just happened to stop by and get some rest is all we saw your village from the sky," Rong Yan answered.
"From the sky? But you don't have wings!" yelled the villager, he suddenly screeched when another villager pulled him down from the wall's ladder. He hit the ground with a crash and another climbed the ladder wondering who was at the gates.
"I'm sorry about him he's a little uneducated, you want into the village I take it?" he questioned the group of strangers.
They all nodded, Tanaraq still frowning that she has to be forced to come with the Avatar and his friends. The big wooden gates of the village were pushed open by the oaf from earlier and another villager who was cleaner than the oaf. Rong Yan, Unaraq, and Aloi walked forward into the village finally setting foot on safe ground. Tanaraq stood there outside the village protesting and crossing her arms frowning, Unaraq looked back to see she refused to set foot inside the impoverished settlement.
"What are you doing? Come inside!" Unaraq shouted to his sister, she closed her eyes turning her head to the side and raising her chin with pride refusing to enter, she ignored him.
Rong Yan sighed and spoke up, "Tanaraq please come into the village, your father tasked me into escorting you to the North Pole and I intend on keeping that promise," Rong Yan reasoned with the princess.
"This isn't the North Pole, this is some beggarly and deprived settlement that's unworthy of my presence," Tanaraq screamed.
"Then I suppose you're going to keep Shen company or the wild animals who would love to eat you right?" asked Unaraq.
"Being eaten by wild animals is better than walking into that place it reeks of walrus leopard excrement and you can count me out!" she argued.
Unaraq shook his head giving a slight nod to Rong Yan who agreed to force her to do things within reason. Right now was one of those reasons, Aloi rolled her eyes. Rong Yan controlled the air currents around Tanaraq's body allowing the winds to tighten and caress around the princess's body ensuring he now had hold he used his airbending to pull her toward him by force. She tried to fight back but Rong Yan's control and mastery over airbending overpowered her willingness to struggle and fight back.
She slid and fell on her bum the dirt on the ground collected onto her robes as Rong Yan dragged her toward him. She whimpered and mewled like an arctic seal pup because they were treating her so bad and she was a princess. Unaraq extended his hand out to his sister but she shook her head and teared up a bit. He discontentedly sighed at her, "Tanaraq stop acting like a child and stand up you dirtied up your robes!"
They made their assumptions from what they've seen of the village so far both from the sky and as they set foot into the settlement it was below the poverty line and it had a strong stench of urine in the southeastern corner of the village where most of the homeless spend most of their days in the dirt and mud. Aloi was upset when she witnessed this before her very eyes she felt sorrowful for those who had to live like that. She wiped a tear from her eye then turned her head to look somewhere else to distract herself from it. They couldn't afford to even buy food off the stands, this place couldn't survive any longer. Sooner or later these people would have to abandon the village and head for Tianzhu. It's often that a governor would forget such a small village such as this one in their provinces being distracted by menial issues while people suffer and die.
There were no guards in the village to protect it from any dangers within or outside the village all of the villagers had to fend for themselves and it's unlikely any of them are benders. Even in the slightest chance, a bender walks amongst them he or she is highly unskilled to fight or help their people in any way.
Tanaraq frowned and took Unaraq's hand lifting her to her feet, out of nowhere she shrieked when a dirty, unkempt man popped out of nowhere to greet them. His clothing was stained and torn but they were definitely of a higher quality than what the villagers they've seen so far were wearing, he was pale with brown eyes, he had matted gray hair and a bushy beard. He walked around this village barefoot, and there were few splotches of dirt on the man's face indicating he was homeless and unhygienic.
They guessed he was the elder of the village although some of the homeless in the southeast corner looked older and wiser than he. He extended out his hand to shake Unaraq and Rong Yan's hands first, Tanaraq hid behind her brother and the Avatar, while he stammered and stuttered while he introduced himself, "H-hi..we-welc-welcome to Si-Sichuan V-village, tr-travelers. My n-name is Pigu."
Rong Yan and Unaraq shook the homeless man's hand bowing to him, "Salutations Pigu, I am Avatar Rong Yan and these are my friends Unaraq, Aloi and Tanaraq," Pigu the bum smiled.
Pigu the grandson of the village elder, Lieshi. Described as a high functional wallflower.
Pigu got giddy and excited exclaiming, "The A-Avatar!" The other homeless and some of the villagers who watched from the doors of their shacks had their full attention on the situation in front of them.
"Are you the village elder?" he questioned Pigu, "Y-y", he stuttered on the answer he only let out the sound of the letter Y before the actual village elder scared him off, "Scram you!" he exclaimed while approaching the group. Tanaraq from behind her brother and friends noticed the villagers who were watching them interact with Pigu began to shut their doors and she wondered why.
Startling Pigu the homeless man who stuttered, he squealed and scurried down to the southeastern corner of the settlement turning left into an alley. The man in front of them was much cleaner and hygienic, he was a very young for a village leader, he wore a lavish white tunic and white slacks, with brown leather boots, he wore a sangtuwan on his head, his hair was brown and long, he had light brown-colored eyes and he also had a long brown goatee. They were a little confused as to how a young man could have been chosen as the leader of the village but did not question him so they wouldn't offend him.
The village leader stuck out his hand in front of Rong Yan and says, "Sorry about that young man don't listen to him," apologizing to Rong Yan and his friends he paused before continuing, "He's a little nuts, my name is Geng of the Gao family. I am a noble and I bought this land years ago from an ill man who used to own it."
Geng Gao added to his introduction mentioning the statue that was erected behind him in the center of the settlement, "Have you made any offerings to the Royal Lady? She will bless you for the day if you wish to do so," all of them shook their heads, Rong Yan, Unaraq, Aloi and Tanaraq shook hands with the village leader, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Geng Gao, I am Avatar Rong Yan," Geng Gao took a step back surprised at the visitor who wandered into his village he knelt before the Avatar, "Please Avatar you honor me with your presence!"
Geng of the Gao family, an assassin who brainwashed some of the villagers and became their 'king'.
He rose to his feet a few seconds later Unaraq pointed at the stone statue behind them of a woman, the statue was short just like the Royal Lady was in life. She wore robes that were shaped like a ball at the bottom of the robe. Her hair was styled like that of Fire Nation noblewomen tied up in a bun with hair-loops at the bottom, her fists rested on her hips, stone clogs were carved below the statue it was made known that the Royal Lady wore clogs which were still style back in the Fire Nation. She had a headdress that was shaped like a two-pronged weeding fork, a gardening tool used in the Fire Nation.
Aloi wonders about the Royal Lady walking forward, "The Royal Lady? So she's a person?"
"Well yes and no, she's a guardian spirit of the village she protects the forest and this village, there are no records from my family that she ever existed as a person. Remember if you have nefarious plans she's watching you," Geng Gao answered.
"Can you tell us more about the Royal Lady?" inquired Rong Yan, Geng Gao nodded, "The Royal Lady in appearance is the spirit of a princess, rumor has it she can bend fire just like your people, Avatar. The Royal Lady brings this village protection and honor according to family records this land was bought off by the owner of the land. The origins are quite muddy but my family believes he built the town and the carved the statue of a visitor from the Fire Nation. She has a name but I can't remember her name either," he explained.
Before wandering off back to his home in the northern tip of the village he mentioned, "Beware of the forest for there lives a hermit. A dangerous hermit, he's set up traps around the area my villagers are too afraid to set foot outside."
"What kind of cruel man would set up traps?" Aloi asked.
"The kind that wants to trap creatures to eat," sassed Tanaraq, Aloi ignored her. Tanaraq's plans were foiled.
"No the kind that wants to injure travelers and trespassers," Geng Gao replied.
"So then where's the support from Tianzhu?" questioned Rong Yan.
"I've sent a letter to the governor of Wushan but I haven't gotten a reply from him yet. It's been a few months," Geng Gao stated before pacing off.
"We should get started," Rong Yan said Aloi pulled out her staff from behind her back tapping it on the ground to open up the wings of the glider.
"I'm on it," she chattered air jetting into the air propelling herself up and using her glider to fly around the forest to observe the surroundings around the village. The forest wasn't too big it might have spanned maybe five or ten miles in every direction so it didn't cover a large portion of the state.
Rong Yan and Unaraq planned to head into the forest Tanaraq refused to go and stayed near the statue of the Royal Lady. Still upset about staining her robes with mud it finally dried up she examined the statue further noticing someone left lotus flowers, copper coins, and another left moldy food she stuck out her tongue in disgust at the food that desecrated the statue. She noticed there was no name on the statue of the woman and wondered why anyone would make a statue of someone but not write their name down. She admired the beauty of the statue nonetheless, the village elder mentioned that she was a firebender must be she might have existed after all and was from the Fire Nation. Pigu tapped her from behind when she wasn't paying attention, she shrieked and bolted into the inn of Sichuan.
Meanwhile, Rong Yan and Unaraq roamed further down the unbeaten path that lead through the forest. Rong Yan minced forward when Unaraq pulled him back a large log ram put together by some genius almost seriously injured or killed Rong Yan. The tripwire snapped Unaraq bent down to examine it looking to his left and right to make sure there were no more battering rams. They saw a pile of leaves in the distance Unaraq asked Rong Yan, "You see those pile of leaves?" Rong Yan nodded, "I want you to use airbending to knock those leaves away. Guarantee there's another trap," guessed Unaraq.
Sichuan forest.
Rong Yan put his hands in front of him and blew the leaves away to reveal a small pit with swords protruding out of the ground blades up. Unaraq glanced at Rong Yan, "I told you. This entire place is booby-trapped."
They continued down the path for awhile there were no other traps. Aloi scoured the forest from the skies only to see a clearing in the northwestern corner of the forest a medium-sized hut made of dark acacia wood from the nearby trees, the hut had white paint that decorated it in some areas especially near the door. Aloi examined the building itself she couldn't quite place where she's seen these sorts of designs but she knew they weren't Air Nomad nor Earth Kingdom decorative designs.
She pushed the door of the hut open to reveal a bear trap tied to tripwire, following the wire she could see a chain holding a ball with spikes held to the ceiling until someone breaks the wire. She took a few steps back and picked up a rock, throwing it at the trigger plate of the bear trap. The trap closes up snapping and the line breaks swinging the morning star forward. It swung back and forth like a pendulum until it was safe for Aloi to wrap her hands around it to stop it from moving. She pivoted her back foot in a three-fourths of a circle before swinging forward clockwise at a quick speed unleashing slice of compressed and powerful air snapping the chain of the weapon.
The iron ball of spike crashes onto the ground damaging the floorboards of the entryway to the hut. She dragged the closed bear trap and the morning star outside before peering into the empty hut. The walls were painted blue inside, it had a few decorations, masks, and leather shields, in the back she saw a hide of an animal long dead with the insignia of the Southern Water Tribe branded onto it. There was dust everywhere even the air, the furniture was dusty, there were cobwebs all over the furniture. The village elder mentioned there lived a hermit out in the forest but left out details about him.
It could be the hermit died of old age, she guessed that was the case but she hasn't found his decaying corpse nor smelled the stench of it. Carefully examining the area to make sure no other traps were left out, the hut itself had a large living area, there was a small room where an oven sat on the back wall, a hallway leading to two rooms one to the left and the other to the right. A cot sat in one of the rooms with hides used as blankets sort of like the bed she used at the Southern palace when Rong Yan and she slept there at the request of Chief Unirak. The left room had documents written on hide and parchment she was fluent in Southern dialect so she was able to understand what she found.
The documents explain an ambassador sent to Tianzhu and the nearby settlements to mend the suffering the war caused. The documents were dated from the previous year, none of the documents reveal the name of the ambassador. She sat there trying to piece everything together, she grabbed the papers while pacing out of the hut. She thought about it, something must've happened to the ambassador, the documents she found were dated from the last year, the hut was covered in dust inside. She thought about taking these to Unaraq he might know more. She grabbed the glider and jetted into the sky flying back toward Sichuan village. Seeing that Rong Yan and Unaraq were running through the forest now. She hovered above them slowly lowering to the ground in front of them Rong Yan pointed to the sky seeing that Aloi appeared back from scouting.
"Did you find anything?" inquired Rong Yan.
"Yes I found a hut not too far from here, it belonged to an ambassador of the Southern Water Tribe," she replied taking a gander at Unaraq. He tried to rush to the hut, "I have to see this!" he exclaimed.
"Wait, I have documents from the house! They're dated from last year and they mention the ambassador was sent here to repair the trust of Tianzhu and its surrounding settlements but it reveals no name of the ambassador," Aloi shouted at him. Rong Yan and Aloi chase Unaraq to the hut.
Studying the area he indeed notices the hut had Southern art on its outer walls, pushing the door open he noticed all the decorations and the branded hide with the Southern Water Tribe insignia. Wiping dust with one of his fingers to examine it he realized the hut was abandoned. There was no sign of any struggle ran through the various rooms and noticed everything was left untouched but the desk which was wiped of its dust. He turned around Aloi having the documents in her hand, "Here I'm trying to show you these but you ran off!" Aloi nagged at Unaraq he took the documents from her and began skimming through them.
"Who has your father sent to the Earth Kingdom?" inquired Aloi, Unaraq's eyes shot a glimpse of Aloi after she asked the question before returning to the words on the parchment and hide. He looked through the documents while he tried remembering who his father sent out.
"We've sent out plenty, Naartok, Suluk, Desna, Hakoda, and Adok, they go out every once and awhile on meetings to continue peace talks with other world leaders. They take months at a time never have I heard a time where one of our ambassadors was missing," Unaraq asserted.
"The only person who spends time more than I do around my father is my sister. She might know who was sent here. C'mon, we should bring these to her," Unaraq added, before leading the group out of the hut and back towards the village where Tanaraq waited in the inn inside the walls of the settlement.
Meanwhile back in Sichuan village, Tanaraq sat inside of the inn at the counter where the innkeeper didn't mind her company. He slid a small parchment of writing on it she wasn't very fluent in the Oma dialect of the Earth Kingdom usually the people spoke with thicker accents and harder words were used outside of the capital. The accents were pretty distracting from whatever the person's trying to say though. She could barely even read the handwriting on the innkeeper's menu that she slid the parchment aside. Her stomach was rumbling but she didn't understand the writing plus, the quality of the food was poorer than that back at the palace. Chances she'd get sick or worse she thought.
In the thickest accent, the innkeeper looked at her with concern her body language detailed she was upset about something, she slightly frowned and remained silent, her hands resting on top of the other positioned just below her waist while she sat still on the stool slouched, "Is there anything wrong?" the man wondered curiously.
She shook her head barely able to understand him, his g's sounded more like k's and he spoke very fast. She was more comfortable understanding the dialect of the Kingdom of Ba Sing Se since they spoke a little slower and their accents weren't as thick. To her, the Oma dialect was more like a drunkard trying to talk in Ba Sing Sian dialect.
"Would you like to eat or drink anything?" he inquired, she shook her head he realized there was a language barrier but she dressed exquisitely so he assumed she was a noble. Nobles are usually educated from what he knows at least. He grabbed one of the clay cups on the counter and poured water in it from the jug under the counter. Sliding the cup over to her smiling, her frown turned into a slight curve upward. She sniffed it thinking it was some drink but smelled nothing and learned it was water. Taking a gulp the water had an earthy taste to it examining it further she noticed a few particles of dirt in it. She frowned again now even bigger than before she didn't want to show dissatisfaction to the innkeeper without being rude. She grabbed the cup and minced over to a far corner of the inn where she sat silently sticking out her tongue in disgust over the water she just drank.
The door to the inn opens Rong Yan, Unaraq and Aloi lumber in after a long and tiring walk back from the hut they discovered out in the northwestern corner of the forest. Unaraq scanned the entire inn to see Tanaraq huddled in a dark corner he rushed over to his sister and sat across from her. Aloi and Rong Yan followed close behind grabbing a chair, the innkeeper saw the other three go in and decided to offer them his menu.
He padded over to their table handing them a menu before walking away, Aloi grabbed it reading it perfectly and mentioning, "Mmm celery with peanut butter dip that sounds delicious." She slid it over to Rong Yan he skimmed it looking for fish but there was no seafood on the menu they weren't too close to the coast like Tianzhu was, although he found they had sliced ash bananas as a side and he thought of home, he wanted boar ox steak though. He passed it to Unaraq who signaled for the innkeeper they were ready for ordering.
He rushed over to their table and Unaraq ordered for himself, "I'll have a boar ox steak," Rong Yan raised his hand breaking in, "Make that two! Also, sliced ash bananas on the side please!" Aloi looked at the innkeeper saying, "I'll have the celery and peanut butter dip." She handed it to Tanaraq but Tanaraq didn't grab it, it slid in front of her she looked to her brother, "Order for me," he looked at her surprised, "Wait you can't understand Earth Kingdom language?" he questioned his sister.
"I can but not the Oma dialect," Tanaraq answered, the other two looked at her they thought she'd be fluent in all languages. Rong Yan and Aloi were taught to speak in the other languages of the world. All Air Nomads are taught to speak the world languages, while Rong Yan as Avatar was tutored by the Fire Sages to learn the two Kingdom dialects, the two Water Tribe dialects and the Nomadic language and the politics of the world as an Avatar should be informed of recent events. Nobles are taught to speak some languages, while commoners only learn to speak their native language.
"Okay well here's somethings you might like, rice, pig chicken, pig chicken egg," he suggested.
"I'll take a bowl of rice and pig chicken," she responded.
The innkeeper nodded to the orders before pacing away into the kitchen of the inn. He grabbed the papers and showed her, she stayed put attentively paying attention to the documents Unaraq was sharing with her. Pointing at the insignia on the top of the parchment she identified it as the Southern Water Tribe insignia, a shocking expression ran across her face.
"Where did you find these?" she questioned her brother.
"Aloi found these in a hut not too far from here, these documents indicate that our father sent an ambassador to the capital of the Wushan province," Unaraq replied she grabbed one of the pages and read the entire page thoroughly doing her best to remember who the ambassador was.
"Naartok was the North Pole, Desna is in Ba Sing Se, Adok is in Omashu, Hakoda is the ambassador of the Fire Nation, Suluk was sent to the Oma Kingdom but I can't put my finger on it," Tanaraq recalled still attempting to remember where Suluk was sent.
"How long has Suluk been gone?" Unaraq questioned.
"He's been gone for over six months now, usually the others return well after four months at the latest," Tanaraq responded. Tanaraq received a flashback of when her father was deeply concerned about Suluk's return from the province of Wushan.
"I am deeply worried about Suluk, cub. He hasn't returned from Tianzhu in Oma territory, it's been quite a few months since he's last reported to me," Unirak mentioned to his daughter. She knelt before him in her lavish light blue robes and beautiful white hair looking up catching a glimpse of her father she assured the chief, "Do not worry father for all we know he's on his way now, you worry too much."
"You're right he could be coming back home," Unirak finished.
"By the gods it is Suluk, he was sent to Tianzhu!" Tanaraq remembered as it came to her mind, Unaraq exclaimed, "I knew you'd remember! He built a hut in the Sichuan forest when he could've stayed in the village. Something had to happen for him to stay away from this settlement, and if his hut was abandoned he's back home or in Tianzhu."
The innkeeper returned with two meals and a side dish, the boar ox steaks were served to the men and the sliced ash bananas. The innkeeper jogged back to the kitchen to grab the other plates which had celery and peanut butter dip and pig chicken breasts and two drumsticks with a side of rice. Rong Yan brought up before digging into his boar ox steak, "The best course of action is to ask the innkeeper and then ask Geng Gao he might know something."
"Good idea," mumbled Unaraq his mouth full of boar ox steak, Tanaraq grossed out scolded her brother, "Unaraq keep your mouth closed when you're eating that's not very royal of you!" He stuck out his tongue which contained bits of chewed steak on the tip and left side of his tongue. She turned to look at the wall to her right turning her body in that direction as well staring at the inner wall of the inn and continued eating.
"It was sundown when we reached the village I don't think it's a good idea to disturb the village elder," Aloi suggested.
"Why not? This is an important matter that cannot wait another night and it's one of my kin I have to look into this further," Unaraq reasoned trying to convince Aloi that it shouldn't matter the time, the village elder was there to answer questions. They continued to eat for another hour before getting up, stacking their empty plates together to make the innkeeper's cleaning up easier and paid the innkeeper for the food and rooms for the night.
The food the innkeeper brought to their table where they discussed further about the documents Aloi found.
Tanaraq decided to stay behind and go to bed she wasn't much for wanting to leave the safety and cleanliness of the inn. Unaraq, Aloi and Rong Yan left the inn to talk to the village elder Aloi looked to the skies to see it was evening time but didn't want to lecture Unaraq about it any further. Just past the statue of the Royal Lady up the main street of the settlement sat the larger home of the shantytown.
It was obvious it belonged to the village elder, the house itself was built on a hill overwatching the shacks surrounding it. Cellar doors rested behind the home but it wasn't in view a miniature wall of stones surrounded the doors and it looked more like a garden. Vegetation began to grow in and around the doors Geng Gao must have been too lazy to tidy up the outside. Padding up the door Unaraq quickly taps the door.
Inside Geng Gao was eating kale salad with chopped vegetables in a bowl, after the tapping on his door he stood up brushing off any crumbs that may have landed on his clothing before mincing over to the door to answer it. He stood there a little displeased that the young adults arrived at his home this time of day but he tried his best to simper. He leaned in the doorway, giving laid back body language when Unaraq stepped forward and questioned him, "That hut you told us to investigate it belonged to an ambassador from the Southern Water Tribe. We found it abandoned what do you know about it?"
"I told you to investigate a hut?" he returned an echo question confused as to what Unaraq was asking about.
"Yeah you told us about a hut not too far from here," Unaraq answered, Geng Gao sighed shaking his head he repeated what he said earlier, "No I warned you not to go into the forest because it was booby-trapped by a hermit. I didn't say to investigate the house."
"Ohhhhh," Rong Yan said with an extended emphasis finally figuring out that the village elder DIDN'T tell them to investigate the hut, he warned them about a possible dangerous hermit rumored to have lived there.
"We completely heard a different thing, we're sorry," Aloi apologizing slightly bowing her head to her elder.
"We're sorry but I will repeat while we investigated the hut we found documents that it belonged to an ambassador from the Southern Water Tribe. He was sent here by my father to represent our nation and meet with the governor and village elders of your province," Unaraq repeated.
"What do you know about him?" Unaraq inquired, Geng Gao shook his head replied, "I know nothing honestly I just know that a few months back some of the villagers went out to the forests to hunt game, it was a group of three. When they came back one of them was missing a hand. They warned about traps out in the deep forest and spotted a hut not too far from where they hunted for game."
"How'd he lose his hand?" Rong Yan asked.
"They didn't say but my guess is from a bear trap," Geng Gao guessed.
"From then on we've warned our villagers never to go into the forest. We were cut off our food source that we decided it was best to grow food inside the village to prevent anyone from being killed by a trap that hasn't been triggered yet," Geng Gao finished.
"So then why would he make traps for trespassers but not animals?" Unaraq questioned.
"I don't know maybe he was up to no good and needed no disturbance," Geng Gao guessed.
"No that doesn't make sense I knew him, he's my father's best friend. Suluk was a good hunter back home when he was free from his ambassador duties. He would never harm another person let alone place traps without any warning signs," Unaraq claimed.
"You know what the Fire Nation says, everyone has three faces," Geng Gao brought up.
"He's right a famous poet from the Fire Nation centuries ago says, everyone has three faces. The first face is shown to the world, the second face is to show your close friends and family and the third face you show no one. It is the truest reflection of who you are," Rong Yan agreed before quoting a poet from centuries ago who once said something that people have recorded it and has been passed down the years.
"The truest reflection of this man was evil," Geng Gao attempted to convinced Unaraq, thoughts flushed his head as he tried to remember Suluk convincing himself and trying to remember times where Suluk might have done questionable things.
Geng Gao smiled, "Is there anything else I could for you?" he asked.
Rong Yan responded, "No I believe those are all the answers we needed thank you."
Rong Yan and Aloi bowed their heads to Geng Gao, Unaraq drooped his head low in disappointment, they padded back to the inn where Tanaraq stayed in. Rong Yan's ears picked something up he could've sworn he heard something.
Nudging Aloi on the way back to the inn he asked her, "Hey did you hear that faint sound?"
She turned her attention to him responding, "No I didn't hear anything besides the wilderness outside the walls,"
"You know how you told me to focus on the sounds around us and use hearing as a second eyesight?" Rong Yan asked Aloi, "Mhm," she nodded.
"Well I could have sworn I heard the rattling of chains coming from somewhere nearby."
"Really? I think we could investigate tomorrow morning," Aloi said.
Meanwhile, at Geng Gao's house, he finished his dinner cleaning the plate of the leftovers and throwing them inside a pot he used to collect certain foods to throw into the community compost. They used the stuff inside the compost as fertilizer for their garden. Near the kitchen area of his home was a trap door that lead into the basement below the home. The basement itself was cold, not much insulation got inside, the temperature reflected that of the outside.
It was dark and hard to see although there was a torch on the wall, he grabbed his spark rocks and hit them against each other, the sparks flew on the torch catching the oil on it on fire. The bright fire emitted a good shine inside the basement, revealing different crates of things like food that takes long to expire, clothing crates from Tianzhu that were donated by the clothiers of the capital, wine bottles, all types of shipment donated and imported from the capital. There was a small opening that was barricaded by iron bars, inside laid a man chained up to the wall.
Suluk imprisoned inside the iron cell kept hidden in the basement by Geng Gao.
He was middle-aged, his undershirt was torn up, his slacks and boots were tattered, and he used his parka as a blanket. He looked malnourished his ribs were visible on his body now, a sort of chubby man was now ill-looking and thin. His hear was matted, dirty, and long it covered his face. Geng Gao perambulated over to the cell where he held his prisoner. The man covered his eyes from the flame he had minor cuts and bruises on his body a clear indication that Geng Gao beat and tortured his prisoner. Suluk was too weak to defend himself and if he wasn't found within the next few weeks he would surely die.
Suluk flinched at the sight of the light from the flames covering his eyes it's been months or years to him since he hasn't seen the sun. His spirit was broken and he doesn't even know how long he's been imprisoned there.
"Wh-what do you want from me?" he begged his captor breathing quickly afraid.
"Someone came looking for you and you need to tell me who they are," Geng Gao knelt in front of the cell grinning wickedly.
"Who! Wh-who came for me?!" Suluk exclaimed, Geng Gao shook his head sighing, "Suluk I've told you not to raise your voice at me, have you learned nothing these past few months?" he questioned Suluk.
"I'll give you mercy tonight if you tell me who came for you," Geng Gao smiled.
"Des-describe them," he coughing, hacking and trying to contain himself, Geng Gao was disgusted at the malnourished and ill tribesman.
"One of your kin mentioned his dad was your best friend, he arrived here with another of your kin a girl in nice robes, an airbender, and a firebender," Geng Gao described.
Suluk muttered to himself, "Unaraq.."
"What was that?" Geng Gao requested Suluk to repeat the answer.
"Please don't hurt them, convince them to leave please...but please don't hurt them," coughed Suluk crawling over to the bars of the cell he was imprisoned in wrapping his fingers around the bars.
Geng Gao cackled, "What about the airbender and firebender?" he questioned his prisoner.
"I do not know them, but leave Unaraq and Tanaraq alone," he mumbled. Geng Gao lied about the mercy using the heat from the torch to burn Suluk's fingers off the bars he screamed in pain and rolled back over to the back wall where he spent rotting.
At the same time back in the inn, Unaraq and Tanaraq slept in one room while Rong Yan and Aloi slept in the room next to the siblings. Rong Yan was dreaming he dreamt about standing over Aloi while she slept it was the same surroundings as in the real world. He turned to see that he too was sleeping, he walked out of the inn and into the main street. Far up north near the statue knelt a woman in elaborate and decorative red robes fit for a queen.
She wore the red robes over a light pink ball dress, she was kneeling before the statue of the Royal Lady, her hair was styled a specific way that was no longer popular in the Fire Nation. She had two small buns on each side of her head, her royal princess crown held the hair loop on each side of her head. The loops were positioned below the head, and at the tip of the neck and hung loose under her ears. The crown of the royal princess of the Fire Nation was golden and had two prongs designed like a flame, sort of looking like a two-pronged fork.
Rong Yan approached the woman kneeling with caution pussyfooting carefully, she was aware of his presence like she was waiting for him. She stood up and turned around meeting eyes with him she was shorter than he but he recognized the woman to be the Royal Lady herself. She approached him and he contained himself but felt a little frightened.
"I can sense you have a faint emotion of fear, young Avatar," she spoke pausing before adding, "Do not be afraid I am not here to hurt you."
"It is great to see you again, Rong Yan," she said.
"Again? How do you know my name?" he questioned her.
"Yes we've met before, if you come closer I will show you who I am. I've been watching you since the day you were born," the Royal Lady claimed.
She placed her left thumb on his third eye chakra and her right thumb on his heart chakra. Both of their eyes glowed he found himself back in the temple sanctuary in Yin La. Beside him was Novice-Master Yong Ten who accompanied him inside the sanctuary so that he could communicate with Avatar Ku Tei.
Avatar Ilah's statue in Rong Yan's flashback.
"I feel like I'm supposed to know her name but I'm only required to know yours and a few of your past lives," mentioned the old airbender.
Rong Yan chuckles, "Yeah that's Avatar Ilah, the Fire Nation Avatar before me, I think she was the Avatar about 300-400 years ago. More or less, I could be wrong. She was born into the Fire Nation royal family as the Princess of the Fire Nation."
"I read about her, corruption was a part of her family. Her duties as the Avatar were always first on her list of priorities and the Fire Nation at the time was threatening war on the Kingdom of Ba Sing Se I believe. She ended the war before it started by stopping the threat and killing her father and the Earth King. She later appointed one of her remaining twin sons on the throne, ancestor of Fire Lord Yeh Lu. Even before her not sure I remember how many years I was the first Fire Lord in a past life. Can you believe that?" Rong Yan says with astonishment.
"That's incredible, but I'm sure they had to give up their positions of power for their Avatar duties," Yong Ten responded.
Before he knew it in a flash he returned to Sichuan village in front of his past life, "You're Avatar Ilah the Fire Nation Avatar before and former crowned princess of the Fire Nation!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, young Avatar. I am," she stated.
"You're the Royal Lady?" he inquired.
"Indeed I am, I founded this village many years ago while training earthbending. My father exiled me from the Fire Nation long ago and I lived my life here in the Kingdom of Omashu. I wasn't exactly wanted in the Kingdom of Ba Sing Se either," Ilah remembered.
"Part of my spirit lingers here in the physical world despite being buried in the Dragonbone catacombs underneath the Palace City temple," Ilah mentioned.
"That explains why a statue was erected of you here, you're the founder of Sichuan," Rong Yan said.
Ilah nodded, "Yes I've called you here because I watch over the forest, there is a great danger within this village and you must be notified in case it harms your friends," she cautioned.
"Great danger, would you mean?" he inquired.
"I built this village with a good friend of mine, my former earthbending master he was named Juexin. He became the first leader of Sichuan, his descendants led the village throughout the centuries. He had two descendants who lived in this village, the leader was murdered by the one who calls himself Geng Gao. The elder's name was Lieshi, he lived in the home behind my statue with his grandson Pigu a man with a disability, Pigu is what we call a high-functional wallflower," she began.
"I'm not sure where Geng Gao came from but his intentions were clear he killed Lieshi and buried his body in the back of the house and kicked Pigu out. The villagers themselves were brainwashed, the curious ones were kidnapped and killed outside the walls of the village. One day a few months ago, someone of importance from the Southern Water Tribe arrived to amend reparations with the village that was affected during the war when the South occupied the land around the hamlet," she continued.
"Geng Gao already had complete control of the village and did not allow the ambassador inside. So the man built a hut with his own two hands, eventually, he was kidnapped from his home by this man. He was locked away from the village in the cellar of the home, he turned the basement into a makeshift dungeon keeping shipments of donated goods to the village within and keeping his prisoner down there as well. Suluk was imprisoned for snooping around, Geng Gao made traps that would easily kill or seriously injure a person. He wasn't about to let anyone find out what he was up to, he's living like a king keeping everything to himself while everyone else suffers," Ilah stated.
"I heard the rattling of chains through sonic sense when my friends and I were having a conversation with Geng Gao about the documents my friend Aloi found in the hut," broke in Rong Yan.
"Sonic sense?" she questioned him further Avatar Ilah never learned about soundbending when she was alive. The only known soundbending Avatar to her knowledge was Avatar Mun Jin.
Avatar Mun Jin using sonic sense around him and his injured friend.
"Sonic sense is used by soundbenders to visualize soundwaves in one's head, it can be used for a variety of things like being a lookout, or seeing sounds of something hidden," Rong Yan described.
"Similar to seismic sense correct?" Ilah speculated, Rong Yan nodded, "Correct except of course seismic sense is used to see the vibrations of things in the earth," Rong Yan concluded.
"I urge you to save this man Avatar Rong Yan and end Geng Gao, no one deserves to die rotting in a prison cell if they do not deserve the punishment," Ilah urged Rong Yan to do the right thing. He nodded, she smiled and disappeared. Rong Yan awoke in bed in the middle of the night, he shook Aloi to wake her up.
"..what?" she whispered, "Get up I know where Suluk is," Rong Yan surmised.
"You what?" she exclaimed, he pressed his index to his lips shushing her, "Use your inside voice I don't know if the innkeeper is on this."
"What are you talking about Rong Yan...you sound crazy," Aloi brushed it off trying to go back to sleep.
"Look I'll explain later just help me wake up the other two so we can sneak off to the cellar of Geng Gao's house," Rong Yan said.
"Why are we breaking into his house?" she questioned him concerned and worried. Rong Yan sighed, "I met Avatar Ilah in my dream and she disclosed hidden information about Geng Gao being an assassin and using his tongue to brainwash the other villagers. He imprisoned Suluk for snooping around, Avatar Ilah IS the Royal Lady."
Aloi fell off her cot hitting the wooden floor letting out a small yelp before slowly getting up and rubbing her bum. She let out a whimper because she was groggy and disturbed from her slumber by her friend, they knocked on Unaraq and Tanaraq's door. Unaraq yawned and rose out of his bed answering the door to see Rong Yan and Aloi dressed, rubbing his eye and yawning again, "Why are you guys dressed up it's dark out?" he asked them.
"Rong Yan knows where Suluk is," Aloi asserted, Unaraq looked at her baffled at her claim.
"Where? How?" he inquired.
"I spoke with the Royal Lady, she was a past life of mine. She built this village and part of her soul lingers here watching it, I know where Suluk is being kept," Rong Yan explained.
"He's being held in the cellar underneath Geng Gao's house," he added.
Unaraq closed the door while they waited in the hall and rushed over to his clothing getting ready nudging Tanaraq who smacked his hand she was trying to sleep. After he put his right boot on he grabbed his straw pillow and chucked it at his sister who mewled in annoyance.
She turned her head to eye him while squinting he stood over her, "Get up we know where Suluk is."
She attempted to return to her sleep but he removed her parka from above her she huddled in closer in fetal position to try and keep herself warm as the cold air seeped into their room.
"Get up," he repeated.
"Leave me alone," she whined.
"I said get up, we need you to free him," Unaraq ordered his sister.
"No you don't, you have an airbender and the Avatar what more could you want?" she asked him.
"Because you're going to freeze the locks open," Unaraq declared, she mewled again and sighed annoyed she sat on her cot and he turned around allowing her some privacy so she could put on her robes that were still stained with dirt.
After a few minutes, she was ready and nudged him padding beside him opening the door. He was a bit bothered that she did this and followed her shaking his head and keeping a clear mind he would deal with her later.
They skulked the outside of the inn the darkened streets only lit by the fire in Rong Yan's left hand. They passed between streets before reaching the main street Pigu toddled behind them tapping Rong Yan's shoulder they all turned around startled looking at Pigu he flinched and cowered.
"What do you want?" Aloi inquired to Pigu kneeling to ask him, she gave him a clear indication that she wasn't going to hurt him. He told them, "I k-know what you're looking for and why-y you're curious. I confronted-d you when we fir-first met, I wanted to tell y-you but G-g-geng Gao sc-scared me off!"
He gestured them to follow him in between the two houses where they wouldn't be seen by any of the homeless in the southeastern corner of the settlement. They followed him into the darkest reaches of the alley. He divulged onto them everything, "I'm my g-grandfather's grands-son, after my grandfather disa-appeared he left me to be the elder of the village. Geng Gao noticed something about m-me that my grandfather norm-mally never told anyone about. H-he took advantage of my dis-disability and kicked me out of my own home, he br-brainwashed those who were afraid and killed the cur-curious ones."
"My village was ne-never this poor, he did this to us. I d-don't know what's h-he's hiding down there but you des-deserve to know j-just as much as I. Pl-please be careful and let me k-know what you find," Pigu claimed.
They prowled over silently toward the house Geng Gao occupied. Rong Yan and Aloi bent the sounds around them and Unaraq and Tanaraq to muffled their steps and their actions. Like apparitions in the night and padded over to the cellar door where Tanaraq bent water out of her waterskin wrapping the lock with it she changed the temperature of the water freezing the lock to a freezing temperature. Unaraq cracks it open with the pommel of his machete, unfreezing the lock and recollecting the water she put it back into her waterskin.
Unaraq opened the cellar doors, from where Suluk slept he felt the cold biting at his body he woke up to the cold air and the moonlight blinding his eyesight. Cowering at the group who stood at the doorway he thought it was Geng Gao and the other villagers he couldn't hear what was going on he saw a bright flame light up the basement. He cowered in the corner Rong Yan, Aloi, Tanaraq, and Unaraq could hear the chains rattle Rong Yan and Aloi expanded the muffle barrier to the entirety of the cellar they were in.
They examined the surrounding areas when Unaraq found the cell where Suluk was being held captive. He called out to Rong Yan, "Rong Yan I need your light please!" Rong Yan jogged over to Unaraq holding his hand to the cell in front of him where they found a cowering malnourished and thin man, his black hair covered his face. Unaraq was able to identify him by his clothing, in shock he exclaimed, "Suluk!"
The man cried, "G-get away from me!"
"Suluk it's me Unaraq, Unirak's son!" he said.
"We're here to rescue you," Unaraq assured him.
"Leave me here, Unaraq. Geng Gao wants to kill you and your sister for coming here to rescue me," Suluk revealed.
"How did you find me?" he questioned Unaraq.
"We didn't we came here to stop by so that my friend's dragon could rest, we found your hut and my friend Aloi found your documents. Rong Yan is the Avatar, the Royal Lady told him you were here," Unaraq explained to Suluk.
"The Avatar? The Royal Lady is an Avatar?" Suluk was flabbergasted, the founder of Sichuan was an Avatar and now the current one must've been called here by his past life.
That had to be the explanation, "Tanaraq!" Unaraq shouted, his sister turned around and ran over to them. Unaraq looked for the lock and then pointed at it for his sister to break it, she pulled water out of her waterskin and encased the lock shattering it after it reached its freezing point. The cell door was open but now they had to spend time opening the chains that held Suluk and there were four. Tanaraq was hard at worked Suluk gasped the trap door opened Geng Gao opened it the door to come down and find something he was looking for.
Rong Yan and Aloi locked eyes she dropped her muffle barrier allowing Rong Yan to continue holding his and half the room returned to regular sound. She hid behind some crates waiting for the right moment to strike, on the floor near her feet was a small rope she grabbed it, planning to use it on Geng Gao. He saw the silhouettes of intruders in the basement that he grabbed a dagger on the wall he prowled toward the intruders. Two chains were off Unaraq saw Geng Gao approaching, when Geng Gao and Unaraq exchanged looks Geng Gao rushed them.
Before even being able to stab Rong Yan he was knocking into the wall near the cell his dagger slid into the cell unable to grab it he was furious. He quickly stood up to wrestle Aloi to the ground but she threw a compressed ball of sound near his feet. It exploded and disoriented him he was able to hear anything a lasting ringing sound in his ears. It gave him a nasty headache she grabbed a rope that she found while behind the crates and tied his wrists together preventing him from trying to grab anything. Tanaraq broke the final chain Rong Yan dropped the sound barrier assisting Unaraq by lifting Suluk to his feet, he was weak and it saddened Tanaraq that she couldn't look at him. She cried a little for her father's best friend, Unaraq and Rong Yan carried Suluk out of the cell and up the stairs and into Pigu's grandfather's home.
They placed him in the nice bed that Geng Gao once owned. She tossed Geng Gao into the cell and moving the crates against the door to keep it closed. Tanaraq ran up the stairs after she finished assisting Aloi to help soothe Suluk in any way she could. Aloi ran out of the cellar through the cellar doors to find Pigu nearby it was four hours past twilight the skies were transitioning from bluish hues to friendly and soft purple colors.
"We imprisoned Geng Gao in the cellar where he kept a friend of ours, best keep him there while we travel to Tianzhu and have the governor send soldiers here to escort him to the prison there," Aloi summarized. Pigu nodded understanding her, they bolted into Pigu's house to find Suluk in his grandfather's bed, Tanaraq stooped beside him hovering water over his body to find and heal him of any wounds or bruises.
"Th-the ambassador can st-stay here, I d-don't mind. Thank-k yo-you, airbender," Pigu thanked Aloi.
The next morning rose, Rong Yan and the gang were still asleep this time they slept on the floors of Pigu's home. The fire was lit not too long ago by Rong Yan before he fell asleep the smoke emanated from the chimney of the home. The villagers were out Pigu awoke to ring the bell beside the house, the bell hadn't been used in months since his grandfather was alive. His grandfather Lieshi was the last to use the bell, the villagers heard the bell and thought it was strange since the bell hadn't been used in so long. One of them scratched his head and looked to the others who were walking toward the elder's house.
Pigu woke up Rong Yan, "P-please speak to the villagers and tell them wh-what happened while they slept." Rong Yan groggy nodded and rose to his feet he walked out with Pigu rubbing his eyes, many adults stood there waiting most of them dirty, hungry and poor.
Pigu and Rong Yan stood in front of the villagers of Sichuan.
"People of Sichuan village consider yourselves now free of Geng Gao, we tied him up and are holding him in the cell where he held an ambassador of the Southern Water Tribe. I know many of you wondered why some of your neighbors disappeared and to that, you should know your so-called village elder was a serial killer. He murdered those who were curious to uncover his plan, he murdered your previous elder Lieshi.." Rong Yan disclosed he paused, Pigu wiping a tear from his eye.
"The traps placed around the village were his idea and you need to take back your village and destroy these traps to allow the forest to be free from them, the hermit wasn't allowed into the village in the first place and was a friendly man. The donated goods from the city of Tianzhu were held in the cellar below the home if you please follow your new elder should help him carry the crates out but leave the ones barricading the cell door," he summarized to the villagers. The able-bodied men of the village sprint toward the cellar to grab anything they can and carry the boxes to the front of the house. Pigu assisted the men with popping the lids off the crates.
"You should distribute the supplies to your people, Pigu," Rong Yan insisted, Pigu nodded in agreement helping everyone with the salted meats and bottles of spirits. The others woke up a few hours later, the settlement looked more alive than the day before when they arrived at the village.
Suluk was fed by Tanaraq at Pigu's table she spoon-fed him some stew the innkeeper offered to the ambassador. Rong Yan returned to Pigu's home after feeding Shen another salted rump of boar-ox meat. Pigu bowed to Rong Yan handing him a scroll, "Thank you again, Ava-avatar Rong Yan you bring me and my grandfather hon-honor. Take this note along with you back to Tianzhu. There's a man my grandfather and I knew named Duizhang, he's usually docked there. He can take your fr-friend here back to the Southern Wat-water Tribe. After reading what you d-did for me here he'll give him a free ri-ride back!"
"Al-also you might need these as well, it looks like my grandf-father kept record of a Southern Water Tribe ambassador making a-amends with him for what happened during the w-war. He-here is a sack full of bread and fr-fruits for your friend so he has something to eat on his way back h-home," offered Pigu.
Rong Yan bowed to his elder taking the scroll, the records and the sack full of food then an hour later, they were mounting Shen the dragon. Unaraq and Tanaraq held their father's best friend tight while they sat on the saddle.
Tanaraq mutters to herself, "Thank you Tiandi and Mother Akna for keeping Suluk safe." Rong Yan sat on Shen's neck holding the reins of his dragon, "Onwards to Tianzhu!" Shen soared into the sky at a great speed Rong Yan steered him southwest where they rode to the capital of the Wushan province.
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