Avatar - chapter 35 (Patreon)
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•Arise, noble spirit.• I felt a tingling sensation on my face. My new face. It felt like… on the lake my reflection was clear, I looked like Sinbad from Magi, but with blue hair instead of purple. Weird but at least I was still handsome.
“So… this is the real me?” I asked touching my face, marveling at the little details, like how my skin was a tone lighter than before, or how my hair was longer to the point of almost touching the floor, which would need to be fixed soon… it was… shocking, and while my face did remind me of Sinbad, I could actually see aspects of my original face on my new one, my nose… my ears, and even my lips were almost identical to the ones I had before coming to this world, giving me a sense of familiarity I didn’t have with the face I had been originally given when I got here.
•Yes, a face has been given… and now a name must be retrieved,• The Mother of Faces replied.
I took a moment to absorb that information, a name must be retrieved? Did that mean I had to get a new name… “I… do I have to get a new name?”
•How you call yourself is irrelevant, but every soul has a name… unique… you must meet he who has named everything and everyone,• The Mother of Faces said as the lake shone bright, •A nameless soul is a broken soul… a name gives the soul power, purpose… for a soul without a name is nothing but a battery that keeps your body running… a insult to the principles of life… and death,•
I had a nameless soul… just who the fuck send me here… and why did they do such a sloppy work, for the love of… “Very well, lead the way,” I sighed.
•I’m afraid I will not… guide you… for this journey is your alone…• The Mother of Faces said, as she snapped her fingers creating a portal in her lake, •I will however give you a piece of advice… not all the primordials will help you so willingly…. some will take offense of your existence… especially Kindred… they won’t like this situation at all,• she added in a low tone, as she pointed to the portal, •Now go… and claim what is rightfully yours,•
Kindred… who the fudge is Kindred!? “Ok… I’ll have that in mind,” I nodded as I walked towards the portal, wondering deep down what terrors and wonders awaited for me in the spirit world.
•I wish you the best… anomaly,•
And that was the last thing I heard… before the portal swallowed me whole…. Anomaly… Well, that’s not the worst title possible I think.
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[SPIRIT REALM]
The next thing I knew, I was standing in the spirit realm, the trees and animals were both similar and vastly different to the ones in the physical world.
It felt different being here in body and spirit, than just being in spirit.
“So… you found a way to come… purrfect,” That voice… Cheshire Cat….
“Is this your forest,” I asked, as I studied the area, it seemed different.
“No… I felt you come here… and well, came to welcome you….” The cat purred a laugh out.
“That seems….. like something you would do…” I chuckled.
“By the way… digging the new face…” The cat smiled, exploding in a mix of smoke and confetti, reforming on my shoulders, “She never gives second faces… unless she feels bad for the person… so you either have a terrible past or she never gave you a face… intrrrriguing,” he purred the last word out.
“Something like that,” I chuckled.
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[Iroh POV]
Zuko was near to the point of leaving me behind, I knew that… I knew that at one point he would embark on his own journey of self discovery, and the truth was, that unless he let go of his pain, unless he forgave himself, unless he forgave the situation he was in, unless he realized that the situation was over and out of his control… he would not move forward.
I had to let Zuko go… if I wanted him to grow… no matter how much it pained me… to do so.
I had to let my dear nephew, my dear soldier boy… depart on his journey alone… for only then he would see a facet of himself he had yet to discover.
I don’t know when it would happen, but I knew it would happen soon.
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[Toph POV]
Another day, another victory for the blind bandit… I am undoubtedly awesome. There isn’t a gladiator alive capable of matching my muscles.
It was truly shocking the contrast of how things went for me on the arena… and on my house.
“My lady… dinner is served,” One of the servants in the house said, “Allow me to escort you to the table,”
“I know my way there,” I hated how everyone treated me… I was blind not brainless.
“I can’t let you walk by yourself there my lady,” The servant stated.
God… how I want to smash these idiots to the wall like flies…. “Very well, you may lead the way,” I bit the words out, extending my hand… like...a… ugr lady was supposed to do it.
As the idiot walked me to the dining table, I felt my mother and father talking about me, I didn’t quite get about what…. but I felt thanks to the vibrations I had caught with my seismic sense on the earth it was about me.
“Toph sweetie… how was your day,” Mother greeted me with a smile, she was happy.
“Today has been… delightful mother…” God I hate the role I have to play to keep them happy.
“Great to hear,” Father smiled as he signaled one of the servants to help me sit…. For the love of god I’m blind not… ah… forget it.. is not like they can hear my inner rambles.