Water & Fire Part Final
- What are you dragons thinking? What kind of madness is this? - La rebuked, outraged at the massacre and destruction around her.
- Exactly the consequences of these humans helping the Avatar and almost causing the death of the future king and his new offspring. - Chieko said naturally, not understanding why the Ocean Spirit had doubts about the retaliation of the Celestial Dragons. - You understand our feelings better than anyone else.
- These people have nothing to do with your war against the Avatar. - La said, concerned for the safety of the boy before her. - Chieko, order the dragons to go home!
- That won't be possible, Haruki made it very clear that he wants to destroy this continent. - Chieko smiled arrogantly and showed her sharp teeth. - What do you care? These vermin are just rebellious children for you and Tui, why don't you go back to the ocean and stay out of family affairs.
- For your information, I am a member of your family, you brat, I have existed since the first stars shone in the sky. - La said sternly. - You disappoint me... you were such a sweet and kind girl, what would your sisters think if they saw you like this?
Chieko's expression of superiority vanished from her face, replaced by hatred as she heard the words of the Sea Spirit. The cries and pleas of her sisters echoed in her head, making her scarlet eyes glow with anger.
- Don't you dare speak of my sisters. - Chieko whispered in the language of dragons, easily understood by the sea spirit. - If you dare to mention my sisters, I'll kill you myself.
- I understand your pain more than anyone, every year I see my children die one by one. Even though it's the natural cycle of life, it's still painful for me. - La said, letting her maternal side shine through, seeing a glimpse of the sweet Chieko she had known thousands of years ago. - Chieko, you were the goddess of peace, you would never have killed a single fly because of how much you valued your own life.
- Many people think wrongly.... - Chieko said, a few veins showing on her skin as if she had used all her strength not to fight with La. - My birth power is not a blessing. Reading people's minds is a curse for me, I could only endure it thanks to my sisters.
La felt an oppressive sensation coming from Chieko, a powerful aura of power, even if it was nothing like the power of other celestial dragons, it was still impressive. The killer instinct coming from Chieko made even the primordial water spirit feel uncomfortable, even though it was impossible to be killed in their current situation.
- Do you know what it's like to feel the pain, despair, fear and loneliness of every spirit, of every living being in the Eclipse War? I felt everything... with every death in the Eclipse War, I was the most affected. - Chieko raised the temperature around her so that the Ocean Goddess's temporary body slowly began to bubble and vaporize. - I felt every second of my sisters' pain, I felt their souls being corrupted as it was my own soul.
- Chieko... - La was worried, she knew it was only a matter of time until a fight broke out between them and her current state wasn't suitable for it. La looked at the human in front of her, one of her children, she knew it would be impossible to save him, but she could at least make his death painless.
- Once you've lived through it for a thousand years, it's easy to get used to it. - Chieko looked at the terrified human, completely paralyzed with fear. - Experiencing death so many times has made me like it, watching life fade away is very pleasant for me. I really am a terrible mother. - Chieko whispered the last sentence to herself, knowing that her own daughter didn't see her as a mother.
Chieko is a dragon who lost everything and gave up her morals and philosophy of life a long time ago, but a small part of her original self still existed, which cherished the safety of her family. She is grateful to Hana, her queen and Haruki's sister, for being the mother Aki needed.
- Fuck the rules. - Chieko raised her right arm and created a wave of flames that was so hot, it could burn human flesh within seconds.
The speed of Chieko's attack on the human was extremely fast, second only to the speed of lightning, but before her flames reached the human's skin, the human's body turned into ice, his soul was absorbed by the sea, becoming one with the water, a painless death.
La created a storm of ice and snow that successfully extinguished the female dragon's flames, but her expression was one of sadness, although she was able to keep the young human's soul intact, she had just killed her own son to protect him from harm pain from the flames.
- Huh! So you've decided to go this way? Don't you think it's a little late for that? - Chieko scoffed at La.
- What do you mean? - La asked Chieko angrily, even though he understood that she had serious psychological problems, that was no excuse for her actions.
- Besides, if you had at least kept the Avatar under the sea or out of reach of the humans of this tribe, this would never have happened. - Chieko enjoyed seeing the astonished and indignant look on her face. - So all this is partly your fault, but I can understand that keeping the Avatar in the ocean must be unpleasant for you as well.
The temperature around the South Pole dropped drastically, causing the flames that were consuming every part of the South to go out. The drop in temperature meant that the dragons accompanying Chieko had difficulty maintaining their flight and were forced to gather in formation. The huge drop in temperature that La caused was similar to when she herself caused the entire world to enter the Ice Age, but she quickly regained her concentration when she realized what she was doing and deactivated her powers in time.
Some parts of Chieko's body were covered in ice, but thanks to the renewed calm of the Ocean Goddess, she managed to melt the ice on her body, but it was clear that her skin had been damaged.
- It's been a long time since I felt your true power. - Chieko sneered, but obviously shivered a little at being at the epicenter of La's temporary fury.
La thought deeply, mentalized all the events up to this point and realized that something was wrong.
- I didn't intend to bring the Avatar back. I only put him within Katara and Sokka's reach because... he asked me to. - La confessed, confused.
- He? - Chieko noticed the doubt in La's words and began to read her thoughts. - Who asked you to make the Avatar available to humans?
The spirit and goddess of the sea looked up to the sky and observed one of the stars in the sky that shone as brightly as the others, a sight beyond the reach of human eyes. Chieko imitated his gesture and looked up at the ancient kings that were now shining in the sky in amazement.
La felt weak and tired, her last action provoked by her anger had drained the last of her reserve energy. She knew that her spiritual state would go into forced hibernation and she wouldn't wake up until she was back in her mortal body at the North Pole, but her mind wasn't occupied with that, instead she remembered an unexpected conversation with an old friend over a year ago, that was La and Tui's first friend, the first dragon.
Chieko was surprised but decided not to show it, never in the history of the celestial dragons had the first king taken the initiative to interfere, even if it was insignificant, it changed the pace of things for her and her family.
- I feel that you have reached your limit, it's a pity, it would be interesting to face you. - Chieko confessed, deciding to ease the obvious tension between them.
- You wouldn't stand a chance against me. - La sat down on a rock, her water manifestation was unstable and her body felt like it would melt.
- On the contrary, the way you're weakened, it would be an even fight between the two of us. - Chieko sat next to La and just kept the water goddess company until she fell into her spiritual sleep. - If you hadn't given a part of your soul to the human, your hibernation wouldn't have been so sudden.
- So you already know about her. - La said sleepily, sounding almost asleep.
Chieko took advantage of La's weakened mind to satisfy her curiosity, invading her memories and discovering the true intentions she had hidden from Yoshie.
- Interesting, I never thought you would... - Chieko fell silent when she realized that La had disappeared and noticed how the energy of the world was slowly changing. - I think I'd better hurry.
Several dragons approached and bowed to Chieko in her human form, all worried and waiting for orders from the only celestial dragon on the mortal plane.
- The Ocean Spirit will not interfere. - Chieko made her body glow with her embers of light and entered her true form, surpassing the height of the dragons around her. - The destruction of the South Pole must be completed.
Next chapter: Hunt for the Avatar