The City of Hira'a

Guys soon the first volume of this story will end, if you want to see the sequel subscribe to:

patreon.com/FanFictionPremium.

Enjoy reading.

---

Hira'a was just a small town on the outskirts of the Fire Nation, more like a large village than a full-fledged city in the most progressive nation in the world. It was surrounded by low mountains that were partially covered by a dense tropical forest. The forest sprouted even near the borders of the settlement. The houses in the town were mostly single-storeyed, and the inhabitants were mostly engaged in farming and raising livestock. The only local attraction was a small theatre built in the centre of the town on a square.

- Azula, why are you so glum? Is everything all right? - Tai Li notices the state of his mistress. At this time, one of the final scenes of the play 'Love Between Dragons', which was famous in every corner of the country and even beyond, was being played out on the theatre stage. The dragon emperor had just defeated his enemy, the dark water spirit, and was now rewarding his loyal subject who had previously given him her heart without question even when he was in the body of a mortal.

- It's okay. It's just this place depresses me. I can't wait for the play to end," the princess replied grudgingly, watching the performance with a gaze full of conflicting emotions.

"Tai Li, don't pick on her. Her mother was an actress. 'Love Between Dragons' was her mother's favourite play," Yoaru whispered in the circus girl's ear, and she looked at her best friend in a new way. Now Lee saw something she hadn't noticed before. The crossed arms on her chest, the tension in her shoulders, the intense stare, the slightly furrowed brow, everything said that Azula was uncomfortable being here. Yet she was sitting next to him now, letting herself be talked into going to the theatre.

- If you don't like the play, we can leave. You don't have to suffer for my sake," Leigh leaned in close to the princess's ear, whispering concernedly. The last thing she wanted was for her favourite friend to suffer for her own whim. After all, she was the one who came up with the idea of going to the theatre.

- No," Azula replies with restraint, contrary to the circus girl's expectations, "I haven't seen this play in a long time, I want to see it through to the end," she finishes, continuing to watch the performance with the same contradictory gaze. In her eyes you could see the longing and pain, along with nostalgia for times long gone. If the princess were not a princess, she might have shed a tear, but Azula was her father's heir, she had no status to show such weak feelings.

Tai Li didn't know what to say at this moment, nor did she know exactly what feelings and thoughts were eating away at someone so close to her. She only dared to cover Azula's hand with her palm, showing her support. The girl instantly took notice, pulling away from the spectacle. Meeting Lee's warm gaze, the princess couldn't contain her feelings and smiled gently back. The girls watched the finale of the play with slight smiles on their lips and sometimes glanced at each other.

The performance was over. The two dragons finally kissed in the final act of the play, and the audience erupted in applause, genuinely happy for the happy ending. The actors came on stage. Bowed. They began to accept flowers and words of gratitude, and the company of three maidens of noble origin were already hurrying to leave the place.

- How did you like the show? - Tai Li cheerfully asked the others, as soon as they had moved a dozen metres away from the town square.

- It was boring," came the reply from Mei, whose voice was full of sadness.

- You're not a fan of theatre, are you? - Lee snidely addresses her friend.

- I've seen this play many times. Surely I tell you: plays do not become more interesting when you see the same thing over and over again, - melancholically explains to the acrobat his position the most phlegmatic girl in the world.

- I never saw the point of wasting time like that, but it wasn't as horrible as it could have been," Azula said the last word, glancing over to Tai Li once again.

"It's not how you spend your time, it's who you spend it with," Yoaru reminded her of his presence in a moralising tone. And the girls followed to the house allocated by the local mayor, discussing the scenes and actions of the play they had seen.

It was almost the second twenty-four hours that they had been living quietly in this backwater town. Azula, out of habit, decided not to show off her status as a princess. It would look too suspicious for such a high ranking person to visit such a backwater town that wasn't even the administrative centre. This time, she decided to pass herself off as a high-ranking military with a secret mission. Finding out the truth of their thoughts from their interlocutors became much easier when they did not bow down to a member of the imperial family. It was enough for the local authorities to introduce themselves as a high-ranking lady of the inner military to ask favourably about their culinary preferences, while searching for a suitable building to sleep in. A standard procedure that had become a habit for all those travelling with the princess. The inspection itself was the reason for coming to this place. After arriving in the city, the conqueror of the blue flame shifted all her inspection work to her subordinates, while she herself, together with her friends, got busy with more interesting things than enquiries, investigations and scouting the local forests.

- ...and remember that kissing scene, it was so romantic.

- No, I don't remember, I was yawning at the time.

"Azula. The scouts have returned with their report," the spirit interrupted the girls' conversation, being the first to notice one of the sent scouts that stood waiting outside the house provided to the princess.

No one answered Yoar, but the conversation among the girls quieted down. As soon as a soldier from Yuyang's archers spotted the princess, he immediately moved towards her. The scouts sent must have found something very important. Something that required the princess' attention immediately!

- Your Highness! - Yuyang, the leader of the archery squad, bowed in a welcoming gesture, ''We have done the scouting and rumour gathering as you ordered. In the process of carrying out the orders, the squad has obtained information that may be of interest to you.

- Speak," Azula nodded calmly.

- Last night, the people responsible for collecting rumours found out one suspicious thing that immediately alerted me. A farmer claimed that people from the Water Tribe were appearing in this town with relative regularity.

- And what was the result? - Azula raised an eyebrow questioningly. - They...

- We found them and apprehended them, they are waiting to meet you at the camp, Mistress.

- Lead me to them...

A little while later.

Azula inspected the suspicious individuals with an imperious gaze. There were two of them, a middle-aged man and a middle-aged woman. Both of them were wearing clothes that immediately made them look like people of the north. Fur garments in the fire islands... it looked strange at the very least. The islands have a warm climate all year round.

- So, I'm listening," Azula began coldly, sitting on a folding chair with her leg over her leg. At this time, two of the water tribe obediently sat down at a respectful distance, separated from the princess by a few of her men. - I want to know everything from the beginning!

From what the captain of the archers had already told the princess on the way to the camp, it was clear that these two had been living in the forests for about ten years. The masked man's name was Rafa. The woman was his sister and went by the name of Misu. Both were indeed from the Northern Water Tribe, which they did not deny, and Misu was also a conqueror. However, only Yoaru knew the latter, having identified a conqueror of the elements with just a glance at people's spiritual chakras.

According to the archer captain: neither brother nor sister had resisted when his men discovered them and detained them on his orders. Such a thing raised the hope that this encounter would be without bloodshed, but that spirit that the other guards were ready to take up arms or use magic to protect the princess, not to mention the Emperor herself. The atmosphere and Azula's demonstrative authority made the guests feel uncomfortable, to say the least.

Nevertheless, the woman obediently waited for a nod from the princess and continued speaking.

- When I was young, my brother and I were complete opposites of each other. I was quiet and obedient, while he was loud and brash. He often brought home items stolen from the most powerful people in the tribe: a waterbender's bag, a guard's weapon, a warlord's battle helmet. And each time, I would scold him to return the stolen goods. And he did it obediently, because all he wanted was to be recognised. And the people he stole from were always so confused that they never gave him any trouble.

- I can imagine," the princess snorted, remembering her bad-tempered brother. - Go on.

- One day his luck ran out," Misu continued in a sad tone. - I found my brother lying in the snow, his face horribly disfigured. It changed his life... our lives, forever! I took him to the best healers in the tribe, but no one could help him. So I decided to do what I could. I went to the library and started studying every book there was.

- What happened next? - In a calm tone full of authority, Azula orders me to continue the story.

- I spent over six months studying the library and finally found an ancient scroll with information about a powerful spirit that could give people new faces. That's when I knew I had to find him!

- Mother of Faces," Azula nodded, causing the woman in front of her to widen her eyes involuntarily.

- Do you know?!

- It's not just your tribe that has libraries," the princess smirks, sitting up with a perfectly straight back held high and a condescending glare from the empress. - So, you decided that you could restore your brother to his normal face by meeting the Mother of Faces, and that's why you travelled to the Land of Fire, or rather to a place known as the Valley of Oblivion. - Azula looked at the empty space between the soldiers, remained silent, and then continued speaking as if nothing had happened: "As far as I know, the women of the Northern Water Tribe are trained only in healing magic, I'm very curious how you managed to get here and survive for so long without being noticed by the local authorities?

- You're right," Misu nodded. - I learnt it myself, I spent years learning how to use magic in battle.

The soldiers in the tent tensed even more, and the captain of the archers, standing behind the siblings, placed his hand eloquently on his dagger, glancing at Azula, who only grinned.

- Alright, Misu, I've heard enough. However, I am troubled by a question regarding your brother, can he even speak?

The woman visibly tensed up, however she shook her head almost without delay.

- No, Mistress. Ever since Rafa was mutilated, he has been on the verge of life and death. He doesn't eat anything and can't even do anything.

- In that case...," the princess shifted her gaze to the side, holding it for a few moments before returning it back, "may I see what he has under his mask?

The tension among the detainees and warriors was so great that even Azula felt slightly uncomfortable. Misu was drilling her with her gaze, and the soldiers were drilling the woman herself. It went on like this for a few seconds before the woman lowered her head doomedly.

- Okay, but you're not likely to like what you see in there.

Misu's hand slowly reached for her brother's head. With a sharp movement, she pulled the mask off her calmly sitting brother.

- Oh Agni, what a horror! - Tai Li couldn't help herself, covering her mouth with the palms of her hands in horror and shock.

- Fucking hell! - One of the men couldn't contain his emotions, but no one paid attention to it. Everyone was shocked by what they saw. Eyes wide open, the men couldn't say a single word! Even Azula and even Mei! No one could remain indifferent! All the eyewitnesses stared dumbfoundedly at the place where there was usually a human face, which the man simply didn't have!

- He was definitely cursed by spirits! - someone in the tent said in shock, while the others were gathering their thoughts.

Instead of a face, Rafe had only skin, no eyes, no mouth, no nose, not even ears. Everything was covered by skin, making Misu's words about his state between life and death take on a new meaning. Indeed how could one eat without having a mouth? Or breathe without having a nose? A more gruesome sight neither the soldiers nor Azula or her friends had ever seen in their lives.

- Madam, wouldn't it be better to... - but before the captain can finish, the princess interrupts him.

- No," Azula commanded in a commanding tone. - You can give him his mask back.

Waiting until Misu, still looking warily at the soldiers around her, returned her brother to his former appearance, the princess continued:

- I suspect this came out by accident, however... this man was indeed cursed by spirits, or rather, it was one particular spirit, Koh, also known as the Thief or Face Snatcher. It's one of those brazen spirits that thinks it's impossible for humans to punish the guilty on their own. Given your story, Misu, I suspect that Koh decided to punish your brother for stealing, and after crossing over into our world, he took his face. You might say you are lucky, for there are reports that directly point to a connection between the Mother of Faces and Koch, though the extent of it is not entirely clear, for....

Azula smirked at the stunned faces of everyone in the tent, remembering how inaccessible such information was to ordinary mortals. And it wasn't even about libraries. Yoaru... he was the one who had told her a lot of things that ordinary people never knew or knew, but spirits did. Of course, she had learnt some things from the palace library, but that knowledge could not compare to the information she was given by her overly sociable lover, who could not keep quiet and actively took advantage of the fact that almost no one could hear him. She had to work hard to keep a straight face when he once again interfered in someone else's conversation.

- All right, I've learnt everything I need to know. Now, get all the water out of here, I wish to speak to her alone.

- But princess, it's dangerous.

- Obey orders, soldier, Azula presses her authority. The man was forced to obey.

- Yes, sir.

The soldiers hurriedly left the tent, realising that the princess can stand up for herself, and they did not leave her completely alone. As soon as the princess's friends headed for the exit, Azula called out to them, saying that her words applied only to the soldiers. All of them knew that the girls were very capable of standing up for themselves, so they left their princess alone with the strangers.

- Now, I'd like to hear everything you've learnt about the Mother of Faces....

(***)

Feeling the pleasant coolness of the wind, I once again look into the distance of the night sky. Far, far away, beyond the forest, where the wind was swaying the crowns of the trees, I could see signs of dawn. How quickly time flew by, how long I had waited for this....

The night city, as always, was pleasant with its silence, its calmness, its serenity. There is something special about living in a place like this. The views of the local forests and mountains are the most beautiful! Especially the sunrises. Watching them soaring over the roof of the tallest building in the city is very pleasant and soothing. Lately, I often like to meet them alone. And while there is time, we can also remember how the days went.

Already after the first conversation with the inhabitants of the distant north, I was literally weary with anticipation.

The fateful day of the change of seasons was getting closer and closer, but it didn't make me feel any better. The realisation that my fate would soon be decided only made me more nervous. The fire of my anxiety was fuelled by my utter helplessness in this matter. On the first day of my arrival in Hira'a, I had flown over the forest, finding four lakes. Except... The Mother of Faces fulfils the wishes of humans, not other spirits. That's why I couldn't solve this problem personally. I could only rely on Azula. It's amazing how far our relationship with her has progressed. It's only been a mere six months, and we're already lovers. All that time has flown by so fleetingly. We were once enemies, but now my fate depends on the princess. If she doesn't grant me my wish, Ari will devour me without question. Whether or not I'll die permanently, I don't want to check.

We had learnt a lot from Wang Shi Tong and the people of the northern tribe, but we were still in no hurry to move the camp to the depths of the jungle. Misu was well orientated in the local thickets, and several times led a squad of archers Yuyang to scout and memorise the path to each of the lakes. Those even following Azula's orders tried to tread the paths, but it's hard to do that in the jungle. Especially hard if the grass, vines, and even trees, re-grow in a night or less. One could try to burn the forest, but the spirits that inhabit it would not be happy about that. And it would certainly violate the main rule of the forest, not to disturb the peace and quiet. As for those who broke that rule, they say they were never seen again, and I am inclined to believe it.

This jungle was unusual, even peculiar. There was an unusually high spiritual background in the forest. Almost the same as the one in Wang Shi Tong's library, which already spoke volumes. This was due to the four small bodies of water. They could be considered lakes, but they were more like crystal clear ponds, too small to be full lakes. It was unusually quiet and peaceful near them, and no wonder, for they were in essence small portals to the spirit world. And of course, the spiritual background was the highest near them.

This place had an evil reputation, and no one ever returned from it. As the locals said: the travellers were taken away by the spirits. Exploring such a dangerous jungle was a risky endeavour, even for me. A couple of times I was attacked by small insect spirits, a mixture of wasps and something else. I didn't have time to look at the swarm of them, and when they all suddenly came at me, I barely escaped. After that incident, I myself was wary of flying in the jungle. Only high above the trees, where I would at least have time to see what was attacking me. To my surprise, the local spirits were not particularly interested in humans. Of Azula's soldiers, only Yuyang's archers could move through the forest relatively safely, and the others were too loud. Professionals were pros, since no one had disappeared without a trace in the entire time, in the sense that the scouts had not suffered any losses due to their exceptional skills.

Time slowly passed. Having learnt everything we needed to know, Zula and I prepared a plan and waited for the right day. The girls were still training, resting, and spending time together in every way possible. The soldiers and subordinates were mostly either following Azula's orders, or they were just bumming around, not really understanding what they were doing out in the middle of nowhere. With the exception of Yuyang's archery squad, of course. During these days, Tai Li had even managed to befriend Misu a bit. For an emotional acrobat, her story was a little too tragic and dark. After befriending the water conqueror, Li even persuaded Zula and I to try to heal her brother. We tried of course, I was curious to try my hand at it myself, but it didn't work out. The face snatcher's curse was too strong. But even with that attempt, we earned some respect and gratitude from Misu.

The closer the X-day approached, the more uneasy I felt in my heart. This couldn't help but be noticed by girls as observant as Zula and Lee. Azula joked ironically about my condition, while Tai Li tried her best to be supportive. However, in such a state, I was not at all to intimacy, which the ladies had already got used to. The girls were understanding, although Zula was showing her displeasure. She still looks funny when she's not happy about something. Lovely.

As for the warden assigned to me by Wang Shi Tong, I occasionally saw her watching me from afar. As if to remind me of the inevitable punishment for not fulfilling my promises. It only made me feel worse. Just as I'd thought, Ari was watching me on a regular basis, invisible to the eyes of humans and spirits. I don't want to get paranoid here. But whether I'm paranoid or not, I'm going to be watched on a regular basis.

Even the absence of a body didn't save me from my feelings and anxieties. Lately I've been too inclined to think. I often lose touch with reality when I'm lost in my own thoughts, not even noticing the seconds and minutes ticking by. Just like now, dawn was far away, but now, it was almost lighting up the whole sky with blue.

Time... funny thing. It seemed like the closer the day got, the longer time went on. A funny illusion of the mind. Yet the future is inevitable, days passed, weeks changed, and the day I needed came with a soft pink dawn.

It's time...