23 Chapter 23

The first thing I felt was a pain in my eyes when I tried to open them. It felt as though needles had been stuck into them. I was incredibly thirsty, and weakness permeated my entire body.

However, despite this, I was alive. Alive and relatively healthy, despite having been nearly scorched by the fire of the Avatar himself!

I tried to get up, but my body was difficult to control. Lying back down, I focused on my blood and realized... realized that my life force was critically lowit

But how did I know this? When had I learned to understand this very level?

This thought was the last before I passed out again due to a sudden headache.

In my dream, I recalled what had happened to me. I remembered how I had, in fact, died! I remember leaving my body but remaining connected to it. I remember entering the Spirit World, at least that's how I imagined it. I remember living in that world...

In the Spirit World, everything was completely different. My bending didn't work at all there. I had to watch, learn to live and survive all over again. And this world was filled not only with kind and neutral spirits but also with very evil ones, or just those angered by something.

And there I learned a lot of new things. And I learned a lot.

Time there, as I understood, flowed completely differently. How long had I been there? I couldn't answer that question. It was hard, almost impossible, to differentiate between day and night and find any other markers.

And then I felt that my body was dying. All this time I had been sustaining it. Maybe involuntarily, but I used water healing, conserved the body's resources as much as possible, even put the body into a state similar to hibernation. However, it wasn't enough, and I was dying.

But I didn't want to die!

Through the connection, I managed to return to my body. A body that was somewhere in the deep waters. And it's a wonder that fish and other predators hadn't eaten me.

I returned to the body. It immediately began to emerge from the state of hibernation, and I felt an urgent need for oxygen. All its reserves in the body had run out, and I was on the brink of death primarily for this reason.

And here, for the first time, I used what I had learned in the Spirit World. Not learned, but rather understood. Understood that, just as fire is created by chi energy, so can all other elements. Precisely, a bender of any element can create

their element, it's just simplest with fire and lightning. I grasped the entire process, understood and accepted it, when observing the spirits. I understood why my bending was ineffective there, precisely, it didn't work at all. All four elements remained in the material world, not in the Spirit World. And so, the only way to use these elements in the Spirit World is to create them! And all the spirits materialize their element from bending, rather than using one that's already present. Those among them who use elements at all.

Through long observation of the spirits, and then studying several that I had defeated, I was able to grasp the process of creating an element. It hardly differs from the process of creating fire! It's a bit more complicated to create air, even more difficult to create water, and earth is the most challenging. This is the order of complexity in materializing the elements.

And knowing the entire process fully, understanding it completely, having returned to the body, I directed all my chi into my lungs, where I began to materialize air.

Success.

And then I woke up again. This time, I fully remembered my long life in the Spirit World. I don't know exactly how long, but it was definitely a long time. Long enough to master the element of air to a minimal extent. Sufficiently so to materialize this element. This was what allowed me to survive. However, could the flock of spirits that constantly used air materialization be to blame for my mastery of air? First, their life forces, and then the spiritual bodies which I consumed?

This time, I acted more cautiously. Very slowly and gradually, I began to open my eyes, allowing them to adjust to the light. However, no light entered my eyes. Listening to my other senses, I realized that it was likely night. That's why the Sun wasn't shining in my eyes.

Listening to myself again, this time focusing on the sense of blood. Someone had taken care of me while I was unconscious and completely defenseless.

The sense of blood indicated there were many people within the radius of my sensitivity. However, no one was close by.

Taking this last fact into account, I materialized water in my mouth and began to drink it. Materializing and drinking. If there was anything I had learned very well in the Spirit World, it was the materialization of elements. It was almost the only means of defense and attack there. If there were no natural means of attack and defense: strong muscles, sharp fangs/claws, sturdy armor, and so on. And those who lacked all this often had bending.

After quenching my thirst, like after escaping from a Firebender's prison, I began to control the body's absorption of the liquid. After finishing, I repeated the procedure. And again. I had to repeat this six times until I understood that the body's fluid levels were normal and now it was time to eat well.

Struggling to sit up, I tried to stand, but I couldn't, and I simply flopped to the ground. Or rather, to the earth. My legs couldn't support me at all. And it seemed that to recover, my body had used all possible resources, including muscle resources. That's where it really became sad. I had worked so hard, and now it's all gone. My own body had consumed a large portion of its muscle tissue.

Well, no matter. I know what my condition is at the peak of my form, so with bloodbending, I'll be able to quickly regain my shape. But for now, I'll have to use various supports for walking because I can't stand on my legs for long.

However, I can help myself.

Condensing water from the air, it wraps around my limbs in thin, but not too thin, threads, starting from my fingers and covering my entire arm. A thick water rope ran along my spine, which at the bottom branched out and wrapped around my legs. A sort of water element exoskeleton.

With the help of the water exoskeleton, moving became much easier, as well as standing on my feet, so I was able to more or less normally walk to the exit of the small tent where I had apparently been healing and step outside.

Outside, I discovered a plethora of carts and cages, transport vans, and other tents. Everywhere there were posters, and in the cages, various animals. All of it reminded me... of a circus?

"You're awake!?" I heard a female exclamation from my right. Turning towards the sound, I saw a woman who was now hurriedly approaching me.

"Why are you standing up? You need to be lying down and resting! Go back and rest immediately."

"I... can't..." I managed to say, forcing my vocal muscles to obey with great effort. "Want... to eat. A lot. Very much. Food."

"You must be starving. Return immediately, lie down, and I will bring you food. Lie down and wait!" the woman looked at me sternly.

How fearless. Of course, she doesn't know, but she was talking to a maniac, a killer, whose death toll had long exceeded a thousand. Although I'm physically weak, my chi strength is still with me, and at this distance, it would take only a few moments of focus to take her blood under control.

Returning to the tent, I slowly made my way to the bed, more accurately a mattress on hay, where I woke up and carefully laid down again, immediately removing the water exoskeleton. It was helpful, but it also required significant concentration and energy.

Fortunately, if you don't look closely, especially at night, it's completely invisible! I had created it only once before, but it was more of a hindrance then. However, as it turned out, in a situation like this, this bending practice can be very useful, requiring excellent control over water without any gestures, just the force of will.

Soon, the woman who told me to wait in the tent came in. She had a tray in her hand with a large cup of rice, still steaming, followed by two children carrying baskets filled with something.

The woman approached me and placed the tray with the large cup of rice next to me, and the baskets were set down on the floor next to her.

"Enjoy your meal, and thank you very much."

"It's me who should thank you. Judging by the state I was in when I was found, my condition was much worse. It's not certain I would have survived if not for you. And now you're giving me food. Not just the bare minimum, but enough to satisfy my hunger. You're the one who deserves thanks, not me. I won't forget your kindness. If you ever need help, reach out, and I'll assist with whatever I can."

The woman smiled at my words and, looking at her children, turned back to me.

"You probably don't remember us, but... you saved my life and my children's when we were fleeing from the Fire Nation soldiers."

I froze for a second and recalled all my encounters with Fire Nation soldiers. And one encounter indeed matched these parameters. Back then, I had just escaped from prison and was living by the shore for a while, practicing and mastering earthbending. That's when I met a mother with twin brothers, fleeing from Fire Nation soldiers.

I looked at the children. Indeed, they were the twins.

So, that's how it was.

"I remember something like that. Yes. But that doesn't cancel the fact that I owe you. Thank you again. Can you tell me where we are? And where did you find me?"

"Yes, of course. We are in a traveling circus. My children found you on the shores of a Fire Nation colony. The tide had washed you ashore while they were walking there. They recognized you immediately, though it was difficult to do so. You were very emaciated. I picked you up and started nursing you back to health, and today, you woke up. You've been here for about a week now, moving with us. We are currently on the Fire Nation islands. Please, don't reveal to anyone that you're an enemy of the Fire Nation. I took you in and treated you under my responsibility, and if everyone finds out that you're an enemy of the Fire Nation... it will be bad for me and the children."

"Don't worry, I can pass myself off as a firebender," I said, igniting a small flame on the tip of my finger, which I immediately extinguished.

"So, you're a firebender?" the woman asked in shock.

"No. I am not a firebender, and I am not the Avatar, but I am highly proficient in waterbending, above average in earthbending, just beginning to master fire, and almost incapable in airbending. So, I can pass myself off as a firebender."

"But how is that possible? Only the Avatar..."

"Yes, yes, I know, we've been through this, but no, many benders have the potential, it's just difficult. Alright, I understand that you don't want me to expose you, so don't worry, I won't show any aggression. Thank you very much. May I eat now?

"Ah? Yes, of course! Sorry for the interruption. Here's some rice, still warm, and in the basket are fruits and vegetables, and here is dried meat. Enjoy your meal and get well soon!"

"Thank you."

The woman and her silent children left the tent, and I began to eat with pleasure, helping my body absorb the food with maximum benefit. I need to regain my form. And then become even better.

The Avatar clearly showed me that true power is still very far away for me! And I have only taken the first steps.

Enjoy reading, and don't forget: for every 200 Power Stones you donate, I'll post an additional chapter.