The Swamp - Pt. 1
…he claims to be searching to find his son. But on the way...he will instead find himself…
Finally, after over half a year of traveling, Iroh had reached his destination. The Swamp. It had no name, no real importance. Few cartographers even drew it on their maps. Those who had heard of its mystic powers were too scared to enter it, so Iroh had to find the gigantic bog himself.
Iroh did not know what to expect, but after hearing legends of people who had returned from the depths of the misty forest, stories of ghosts and wandering spirits and even of trees that moved and attacked people, Iroh had expected something more than just dirty mud and a few loud birds.
Disappointed, Iroh ventured through The Swamp anyway, hoping to reach the center of it. He figured that that would be the best place to seek a wandering spirit.
But as he traveled deeper into the heart of thick woods, the sicker he felt. Disgusting sounds bubbled out of the mud as Iroh clumsily wadded through it. The air was thick and smelt so putrid that Iroh could barely stand it.
"Thank goodness I have nothing in my stomach. Otherwise, I would have thrown up by now." Iroh joked to himself.
Ha-ha-ha.
Iroh spun around and quickly raised his fists. He swore that he heard someone laugh, someone right behind him. But there was nothing there. Heart pounding, Iroh kept going. There was nowhere else to go.
Iroh had camped a mile outside of The Swamp the prior before. He timed his entry with the sun, penetrating the outside of the forest just as it was rising. But inside The Swamp, Iroh could not tell where the sun was. The canopy of the muggy jungle was so thick that only little rays of light shinned through the tall trees.
"Wonderful." Iroh said sarcastically. "I don't know how long I have been walking, but I hope I am getting to the center soon."
Iroh did not talk to himself often. He only did so because he was so sure that someone was watching him. He felt eyes on him, could sense the glares of some unseen entity. Whoever it was (spirit or human or something else), Iroh swore that he could hear him as well.
Iroh forced himself to ignore his fear. He was not leaving The Swamp until he got what he came for.
Hours had passed.
Iroh stopped. He could not move. He remained motionless for a few moments, awestruck, staring at the giant tree that stood before. The palace and the wall of Ba Sing Se were the only things Iroh had seen that were bigger. Because of its great size and obvious health, Iroh concluded that the tree must have been the center of The Swamp. He gathered his mind and proceeded to climb the giant roots.
Ha-ha-ha
Iroh heard the mysterious voice laugh at him again, but he did not stop climbing.
…you will not find him…
Iroh looked over his shoulder and again saw nothing, but he felt that something was there, mocking him. Sweat dripped down his brow, from the exercise and the ominous sensation coursing through his heart.
Eventually, he reached a good spot on top of one thick root. The tree's bark was smooth, like it had been sanded and smoothed by someone's hand. He stood up and, after taking a deep breath, screamed into the air.
"SPIRITS!"
"SPIRITS…SPIRIts…SPIrits…Spirits…spirits…" Iroh's voice echoed over the vast swap.
"Where is my son? Why have I suffered so? Why was I born into such a family? Is my life nothing more than a game to you? I want answers! I have traveled far and I have gone through too much! I deserve to know! Now tell me…WHY?
"WHY…WHy…Why…why…"
Only Iroh's echoed answered him.
"Fine!" Iroh sat down, crossed his legs, and looked up at the sky. "I'm not leaving this spot till you give me an answer! AN ANSWER! I don't want to feel an urge…or see a metaphor…or have to meditate and figure it out myself! You have to tell me! If it is a bad answer, fine! If you want me to suffer further, fine! If I should die here…that's fine too! But you have to tell me! Tell me what I have to do!"
Iroh closed his eyes and breathed. His patience had been pushed to its limit, but he had enough left to last till the Spirits told him what he wanted…or till he starved to death. Either way would have been fine with him. Either way, Iroh's suffering would end.
To Be Continued
