NOVEL NEXT Chapter 48: Chapter 48
I dismissed the idea of inventing something like a car just for traveling on the ground as stupid. It's not difficult, but it's a way to tell everyone that I'm here. A few days later we found out that we were near Ba Sing Se.
So we went there. And apparently my luck only extends when I am at sea, because nothing happened to us the whole trip. As we approached, I decided to take the Snake Pass. It is a thin rock that vaguely resembles the skeleton of a large snake. And around this pass there were many rumors, for example, that the monsters here are huge and eat people. Anyway, it was all lies. There was nothing there.
But as soon as we saw the city wall, we sat down where we were standing. We were really impressed by the Fire Nation flags on the wall. And I didn't know what to do. Go into the city and hide Kaya, or go to the North Pole and leave her with Pakku. A dilemma that was solved very quickly. I don't know how, but all the poles had my portrait with the same description. I didn't want to risk my skin, so I hurried out of the city.
«So, any idea where you can find shelter?» I asked when we were far enough away from the wall to make camp.
«Why would I need shelter? I thought we were looking for Soku and Katara», she asked me confusedly. I could barely resist making a universal hand-face gesture.
«Yes, because your children are traveling with the Avatar and threatening you could threaten the Avatar», I rubbed my eyes tiredly, «So you need to hide.»
«So you're an Avatar», I couldn't take it anymore and made the legendary gesture, «What, no?»
«No, I'm not an Avatar», I sighed heavily, «The Avatar is a child, about fourteen years old. He's from the Air Tribe. Bald, with a staff. Anyway, I'm not an Avatar.»
«But you used water magic and earth magic», she said in surprise.
«Yes, I did. But that doesn't make me an Avatar», I rubbed my temples again, gathering my thoughts, «Don't change the subject. Where can you hide?»
«What else haven't the fire warriors taken over?» she answered sullenly, question after question.
«I don't know exactly», I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, «Most likely the desert and the jungle. Also, the North Pole is empty. Of course, I've heard that it was recently tried, but the Avatar did his best there as well.»
«I don't know», she said, almost crying. Yes, the situation was not a happy one.
Hmm, what to do? Without the Avatar, the Fire Nation wins. What will happen to me and all the other mages is not hard to imagine. And the worst part is, no matter where I go, they'll use all their power to eliminate me. Ba Sing Se has been taken, Omashu has been taken.
The two largest cities have fallen, and the smaller ones are obvious. Most likely, once the land falls, the North Pole will fall after them. And the whole world will be under the rule of the Fire Lord. It will take a dozen years to restore order and stability.
After that, the whole world and the Avatar will be destroyed. Then we must do something. If the Avatar won't do it, I will. At least I can ambush him or poison him. It won't be the victory everyone expects, but it will be something.
So my first priority is to find the Avatar, because if I mess up his plans, it won't be pretty. But what about my traveling companions? Sending them to the North Pole alone is a bad idea. Accompanying them personally isn't an option either, I'd lose too much time. I wish I could find someone to accompany them, someone I could trust.
«That's right!» I shouted so suddenly that everyone jumped to their feet, «We're going to Kyoshi Island! That's where you'll stay, or in case of emergency, there are people there who will escort you to the North Pole in case of need, okay?»
«Okay, just don't scare me like that again.»
«Sorry», I rubbed the back of my head, «So what do you say?»
«Okay. We'll just go out tomorrow, it's getting late tonight», and indeed the sun was already setting.
After eating and sleeping, we set out for the island the next day. If we had gone by water, it would have taken three times less time. But frankly, I was afraid to go down the river, let alone the open ocean. And the ships of the Fire Army, sometimes seen in the distance, subtly hinted that it was not worth sailing.
Nevertheless, I confirmed that I had several orders of magnitude fewer adventures on land than at sea. What can I say when all the time we were walking to the island I saw people with ten. That's in a country with who knows how many millions of people.