Here we go, chapter 26. Sorry for the wait. Things have been hectic here.
I have a reason why my chapter delays are months in updates as I am writing spin offs this story which had given me idea's that needed to be implanted sooner than later in this book.
The next few chapters ae going to be pinnacle for my OC and the rest of the story.
And to be honest I didn't expect my story to take this turn. It kinda took on a life of its own.
Until next time…..
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"We spent roughly half an hour walking in the forest-"
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"I can see a village." Yira said excitedly as they walked down the gravel road.
Lin rolled her eyes at the teen. But she was pleased that there were finally at a communication point. If she could very hold of a phone, she could radio their location and get an airship back.
Yira definitely needed medical attention, she looked like was going to pass out at any minute. She was putting a lot of weight onto the stick as they walked.
The duo came to a halt as a deep rumble echoed from the depths of the tree line to their left. Lin tensed getting into a fighting stance, her eyes narrowed.
There was a pause before a shadow leapt from the shrubbery. Lin brought up a wall which shattered as a large body collided with it.
From the marking it was the same dark spirit as before.
"Oh, COME ON!" Yira cried out in dismay, narrowly avoiding another swipe at her from the huge claw.
Lin's cables wrap around the beast, giving time for Yira to run back. It snarled back at her. Twisting its self in the metal that Lin was trying to keep it in but failing. It was too strong.
Yira gasped in surprise as a glowing blue thing wrapped around her waist.
Akari...
"KID!" She barely glances at the girl before Yira felt Akari port off. Leaving her alone with the snarling monster.
With her wires on the verge of snapping the dark spirit vanished out from it.
Her heart hammering, she looked around the empty road bewildered but concerned. Where had they go to now?...
She didn't have to wait long, Akari showed up a second later. Lin yelped as her teeth bit into her armour, the strange rush under her skin as they teleported. Again...
Instead of it being in the spirit world this time, she landed harshly onto a big table in a large room.
With a groan, she looked up to see the equally surprised look of the Firelord Izumi in front of her.
Officers at the table had gone into defensive mode, they had jumped from the table side ready to fight but Zuko and General Iroh immediately recognise her.
"Stand down. This Chief Beifong of the Republic City Police!"
"Lin, what- how did you-" Izumi splutters', who had sprung up from her seat looking bewildered on how the chief of police managed to get in, out of nowhere.
Lin looked around; she was in the throne room. And it looked like she had just interrupted a meeting.
"Kid? Where's the Kid?" Her eyes frantically searing for the teenage air bender.
"Lin what's going on? It's just you here?" Zuko said helping Lin get off the table.
She opened her mouth to speak but a almighty snarl crashes through the ceiling above them. Literally.
Wood and plasters rained down on the tiled floor as two wolves fell through, fighting with each other still. Both never getting the upper hand.
Fire Nation Guards came streaming in from hearing the commotion only to get swiped away from the whipping tails lashing about.
"MOVE!" A voice yelled out of nowhere as body tackled the Fire lord out the way as a black tail lashed and hit the chair behind her. Smashing it to splinters.
"Teselo? Izumi are you alright?" Lin asked running to the two. Yira, let go of the Fire lord as Zuko and Iroh came running up to them.
Yira winced as the pain started up again. But her attention drifts to the two wolves still fighting.
"What is going on?" Zuko said, pushing his daughter behind him. Away from the wolves who had just smashed through a few pillars, making the room shake
"Short story is, freaky black flames happened, it drew the black wolf to Republic city. It attacked, broke my fist and got me and Beifong stuck in the spirit world. We just got out. They found us and the white wolf one dropped us here. She a good one." Yira grimaced as the fight continued.
But they needed to stop it otherwise they would destroy the palace.
"We need to get them elsewhere otherwise they'll-"
"Yeah. I know. Got a plan." Yira grumbled.
"Sent an air last to distract the spirit from Akari, then I use my cables to hold it back as you get Akari to go back to the spirit world and the other should follow."
"Fine but I'll need the stick. My bending is limited with only on hand. I need the momentum for it to be affected."
"You mean this one?" Iroh said picking it up from the side, next to the rubble and plaster.
"Yes, thank you." She took it off him and darted forwards towards the scuffle.
Lin watches as she swung it high, a powerful blast of air knocked the duo apart. Lord Zuko looked at Yira with surprise before a small smile washed over his face. Another Airbender...
"Akair- whoa. You need to leave this place." Yira gasped, jumping out the way of the dark wolfs claws.
Taking the opportune moment, Lin rushed forward her cables wrapping tightly around the beast's legs and tails. It instantly resisted the restraints and she could feel the strength of the wolf more strongly as it began to expand her wires. Doing it best to wiggle free.
"Akari- you need to leave!" Yira shouts to her, Akari seemed to listen before vanishing. Lin gasped as her wires snapped and a force hit her in the stomach, sending her backwards into a pillar.
Yira yelped as a black tail wrapped around her waist and pulled her up like a rag doll.
Her stick falling from her grip as she grabbed a candle from the pillar wall as she went up.
Yira hissed as hot wax burned her fingers from the jolting but she didn't care, taking a deep breath she blew hot air at the candle making the candlelight turn into a blowtorch straight at the wolf. She may have done some minor fire bending to help but not noticeable enough.
The tail let her go, she dropped into a roll, her eyes picked with tears as her arm protested badly at this fight.
Come on... Leave already... She thought desperately as the wolfs eyes flicker about. There was a flash of white...
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Lin grimaced at the memory, she blacked out for less than a minute after being thrown around. But what happened when she regained consciousness would stick with her...
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Yira body froze, her eyes wide as she watched the dark wolf sore away from her. Pain radiated from her chest.
Her vision blurred as her breathing became ragged as she struggled to draw in breath.
She vaguely heard her name being called out as she felt her mouth fill up with a metallic taste.
"A-AK-kari." She choked her mouth spilling out crimson blood, the world shifted around her as she dropped to her knees.
"KID!" Lin shouted out, watching the teen collapsed onto the floor in horror, she yelled as her armoured sleeve was ripped off and thrown about. In the corner of her eye she could see General Iroh running towards the fallen Airbender.
But her attention was back on the Dark wolf. Its attention was the both of them. It couldn't decide on who is better. Lin or Akari.
It didn't take long for it to decide. It lunged for her.
Out of the darkness several ice shads smacked into it. It howled out in pain, seeking out the attacker.
Lins eyes narrow as she catches sight of a new player.
But what was strange was that she was standing upside down on the ceiling, near the hole left by the wolves on their entry.
It was a woman; her uniform was strange but what was eye-catching was the mask she wore.
It looked to be a porcelain white mask with a wolfish snarl painted in purple on the surface and eye holes hidden by the dark paint that lined the eyes to make it look more predatory.
The woman clothes consisted of a white stab vest that slanted over her left shoulder, arm guards that had black cloth lining her arms to her elbow, were it turned to mesh fishnet that went to her bicep. Around her waist she wore a simple leather belt with multiple pouches, deep black trousers that cut off at the knees and black leg wrapping took over, and simple black shoes on her feet.
On her thigh she had a second pouch- mostly likely filled with weapons to Lins guess.
Lins eyes narrow, the woman was standing on the roof- unassisted and clearly a water bender. She knew earth benders could magnetise themselves to earth walls, but she was standing on wood.
Something about woman made her on edge.
Lin ducked as she saw movement from the corner of her eye, slamming her fist hard into ground made the advancing wolf unsteady in its approach.
Her eyes flicker back to the ceiling, but the woman was gone.
Her body shifted into a defensive mode as everything went abruptly quite...
"What the-" she breathes as she spots the water bender weaving water around the Dark wolf, the water was glowing like molten gold.
The dark wolf let out one last howl as it colours changed too before it... Disintegrates.
Disintegrate into small specks that vanished into nothing.
"We need a medic! She's stopped breathing!" Lin gasped as she sees General Iroh performing CPR on the fallen Airbender.
"Shit..." She cursed under her breath as she ran towards the duo, she could hear him counting compression as he went.
"I may be able to assist. I am a healer."
Lin jumped at the distorted voice a few feet away. She was silent in her step. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at the woman.
Lin didn't trust her. There was something shady about her and Lin didn't like one bit.
"Well. If you don't want my help I'll leave and the girl dies. By the time another healer arrives she'll be dead, that looked like a lot of internal damage." The masked woman said with a shrug, turning to towards the door to leave.
"Wait..." Lins voice rang loudly, mentally scolding herself of considering it.
"Heal her. But any funny business..."
While Lin wasn't the one to make open threats, but she would as Yira's life depends on it.
She scowled as the woman approached, who was no doubt smirking under her mask. She noted that the woman made no sound as she walked. Not even a rustle of clothing as she moved. It was unsettling.
Lin watched as she pushes Irohs hands out the way, water slipping from her water pouch that glowed brightly when it was placed on Yira's chest.
"How bad is it?" Iroh asked as Zuko and his daughter approaches them.
"Very. The beast hit her right in the Chakra point and severing it. That also caused the muscles near her heart to get torn to shreds."
Lins eyes widen at the damage, her mind thinking back on what that wolf did to Izumi's chair earlier...
"Can you fix her!" She snapped, trying to keep her composure and not let her guard down for a second.
"Perhaps..."
Lin glowered at her, the woman shifted the water to one hand to slice the front of Yira's jacket and vest shirt to get a better look.
She winced at the black bruising that was spread across the kid's chest. It did look bad.
Her fist clenched as she watched as the water seamed to steam slightly as the water began to change from its light blue to electric green.
"You. Akari. Your assistance is necessary. I don't have enough energy to heal her damaged Chakra Network. But you can. Pull your energies and I can guide the healing process."
Lin looked uncertain on whether that would work or not but Akari trotted over to them. She seemed to know what that masked woman was saying as she bent down to Yira's exposed arm- the uninjured one that the woman was holding up for her.
Lin flinched as the sound of Akari's teeth sinking into Yira's old bite scars. Yira made no movement or sign of discomfort as the veins in her arm glowed slightly as new chi began to circulate inside her body.
She wasn't going to admit it, but it was rather fascinating seeing the blackened bruise lighting up to purple and yellow before it faded away altogether. Wincing as she heard a few cracks. Indicating that there were a few broken ribs too.
It took a second for her to register that the water had long gone, and instead pure green energy was flowing from the woman's hand. It had boiled away.
Just what is she?
She could feel her face turning green as the woman pulled the blooded mesh of Yira's hand to revel a badly punctured hand. Bone and cartilage peeked out through the skin in places. Making her stomach churn.
She visibly flinches as the woman's glowing green hands encased Yira, the sickening cracks as bones realign made Irohs face wince too.
If she had anything in her stomach she would have thrown it up by now.
The masked woman moved on to where Akari had bitten her. Again. And began to heal the damage.
She noted that use of the green- unlike water bending didn't remove the blood.
"What's that you're giving her?" She barked as the woman tipped a small vile of purplish pink liquid down Yira's throat.
"A blood replenisher. She has lost a lot of blood."
Lins eyes narrow on her.
"I know for a fact. Plasma pills or vials are purple." She said getting hostile, her feet shifting into preparation of attack.
"Yes. I may have added a Shirshu poison to it. Can't have her kicking up a fuss as she is coming with me."
"Oh, like fuck she is." Lin snarled lunging for the girl. Normally Lin wasn't the swearing type but, on some occasions, she would. To get her point across. Especially when it comes down to a stranger trying to kidnap an unconscious girl and who happens to be one of the very last few air benders in the world.
The girl swivelled out her way, dodging a fire blast from General Iroh who had caught on.
Zuko immediately pulled Izumi away from the fight despite her protests.
The woman pulled water from the air and fallen water cups that had previously decorated the meeting table and used that as a shield against General Irohs fire blasts while easily dodging Lins cables.
She lost sight of the woman who darted behind a pillar to get more distance. Water benders were after all mid to long distance fighters.
As she rounded the pillar, something cold hit her foot.
Lin fist immediately pull on her armour left sleeve to smash the ice that had encased her foot.
She swivels clumsily as she heard a thud and a grunt several feet away.
The woman had stuck Iroh on the back of his head with the hilt of a strange blade rendering him unconscious, within a space of three seconds after vanishing behind the piler. That speed. It seemed supernatural.
"No!" She cried out loudly, sending out her cables as she saw the woman grab Yira's shoulder. The woman uses her free hand to slice her wires with ease and to throw out something metallic at her.
Instinctively she sent her chi out to catch the metal, but it slid right over them. Shit...
Seeing it still coming her way fast and being too slow to move the only thing she could do was to maneuverer her arm. The one with armour.
To her relief it pinged off her armour and elsewhere into the rubble around them.
Lin smirked as Akari reappeared snarling at the woman who stood protectively over the girl.
"Surender!" She sneered at her.
"Now why would I do that?" The woman laughed which only aggravated her further.
With a glare, Lin stamped on the ground, bringing up a huge rock and threw it at the woman. What happened next shocked Lin.
It stopped as soon as it got close. A wall of earth had taken the blow but had spurted out rock dust that littered the air.
But... She's a water bender...
Lin cried out in pain as a foot hit her harshly in the stomach, she could feel her armour denting as she landed on the tiled floor which broke under the brute force.
Time seemed to slow for a second as she saw the woman advancing closer to her, a long needle between her fingers aimed for the only exposed area that could do real damage.
Her throat.
She knew that she wasn't going to move in time, her body was reacting too slowly. Lin let out a yelp as it abruptly stopped.
She started wide eyed at how close the long needle was to her neck.
Mere inches away.
A familiar hand clamped tightly over the wrist guard of the masked woman had prevented her from getting impaled.
"I don't know who you are but I'm pretty sure I don't like you." Yira's voice echoes coldly through the room.
"How are you moving? And awake? That dose should have lasted several hours-"
"Then you should have done your research. I have strong immunity to Shirshu Poison." Yira growled, twisting the woman's wrist until the needle slipped from her fingers. She bent to it, but she shot a blade of ice at Yira back, making her let go to jump out the way.
Lin spang to her feet, her cables aimed for her feet but the woman rolled away towards the standing pillar to get high the ground, defecting air blast and rocks thrown by Yira.
How was she an earth bending?
But those questions would have to wait for now. First, they need to take her in for questioning.
"What the fuck?" Yira's voice broke her out of thinking.
The woman's hands seemed to do some weird hand gestures or signs before small puff of smoke next to her appeared.
Her eyebrows shot up as another version of the woman appeared.
There were two. How was that possible. One was bad enough.
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"Wait? What?" Tenzin said raising his voice.
Lin glowered at him. Could he just stop with the interruptions. She had seen his face wanting to for some time.
"How is that possible?"
"I don't know" she snapped, her temper brimming. She needed sleep not an interrogation. Her head was hurting.
"And she's an earth bender too. Just how many duo-benders are there?" He muttered rhetorically, going into deep thought with a troubled look on his face.
It had crossed her mind that the woman couldn't have been alone. Her uniform was a part of something.
A secret organization.
But for what? Why did they want Yira? Clearly from the kid's reaction she was just as surprised to see another multi-bender as she was. So it looked to be unlikely that they knew each other.
Did they want to recruit her for her skills? It wouldn't surprise her. From their short time together, Lin couldn't help but be respectful of the talent and initiative the girl had shown.
Especially when she was battling the other version.
Unfortunately, with the new doubleganger Lin chances of taking her in was squashed.
Literally.
During the scuffle the other had gotten the upper hand and had hit her hard enough to have debris rain down on her, her dented armour taking the brunt force of wood and plaster. But trapping her in the process.
At least she was able to land one solid blow before getting buried. A spike from her arm pierced through the woman's abdominal, instead of blood she was surprised to see water leaking out.
"I don't know... But I will say that Yira is remarkably skilled and going from her reaction to them. She had no idea they were after her." Her minds flashing back to the close combat Yira had shown.
Yira had been able to get a hold of one of those knifes and was relying on her air bending skill of avoid and evade to keep up with this woman's speed. Earth bending would have taken too long to use.
Sparks had been shown when their blades clashed together but Yira was still recovering and couldn't match the stamina this woman had.
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Yira gasped as she felt a sting in her gut. The woman hand withdrew revealing a syringe, Yira glared as she felt her muscles relax and give. The woman held tight to her torn collar and shoving her closer to the pillar as her weight gave. The pressure on her collar bone was painful. But Yira had to admit Genji really knew how to play the baddie. Especially in Beifongs eyes.
Although she was curious on how he managed to get her look, her clones must have gone to him when she vanished.
"Black Sun" was all the woman said in her ear as black dots lined her vision, she grunted as the woman let her go and she dropped to the floor as the sedative kicked in.
Lin didn't hear what the woman had said to the Airbender but she with the help of the newly awakened Iroh was able to push the rubble of her and run for the teen.
What was left of her cable she wrapped it around Yira and pulled her towards herself to keep her away from the woman. Her grip around the teen torso was impressive, but she wasn't going to take chances to give that woman any wriggle room.
She could tell from the body language she was wanting to continue to fight but she had her back to them.
Lin wanted her to turn around.
To see her face.
Her eyes flickering to the floor on where Yira was previously to see where the mask had landed. It peeked out from behind debris pile.
"I have to admit you are an excellent fighter. Both of you have earnt your ranks but if were are to continue this fight... It would bring this beautiful Place to the ground. Besides Chief Beifong I would love to fight you when you're 100%. I expect to continue this some other time... Later..." The woman said placidly which made Lin raise an eyebrow.
Iroh threw out his fist as the woman went to dart towards her fallen mask. The woman danced out the way of the fireball and threw something to the floor. Immediately smoke filled the place making the occupants cough, General Iroh running in to chase the her.
The smoke cleared but the woman was long gone.
"Kid." Lin hissed, her fingers going to the teen's neck in search of a pulse.
She sagged with relief as she felt a strong steady one. Going from the pulse and breathing it was most likely a strong sedative.
"I don't recognise this make," Iroh said as Zuko re-emerged with his daughter and a dozen guards. The weird knife in his hand as he examines it. She shifted the teen so she could grab the mask with her cables. A small smirk played over her face as she saw the deep grove on it. Yira's work no doubt, from knocking it off.
"I don't either. Not even the mask." She murmurs.
Feeling her legs beginning to cramp she shifted, Iroh pulled off his red overcoat.
"Here. The healer should be here soon."
Lin took it off him and used it to make a pillow for Yira as she settled her down onto the floor gently.
"I think this is hers."
Lin almost let out a laugh of amusement. She took the offered stick which still had a knife on it.
It had survived a trip from the lake, the spirit world and the fight on where it should have been lost in the mix of debris and rubble. It was resilient. She would give it that.
Well ...souvenir ... Actual, Yira might want to keep that for exactly for that reason. But her mind kept thinking back on that woman. Who was she and what did she want from Yira?
"Akari! Be careful with her!" She shouted as she turned to see Akari's tail wrapping itself around the girl. She nearly dropped the mask as Akari's tail wrapped itself around her waist.
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"And then we were back here. On the island." Lin finished. Relieved to finally have the story finished so she could go home.
"Uh... Chief Beifong. I have some questions?"
The White Lotus member who asked that question shrunk back slightly from the deep glare that was sent her way.
"I've had enough of this shit. I'm going to home. I'll answer your pop quiz at a later time." Lin growls as she pulls on what was left of her armour before storming out.
"What do you want Tenzin." She snapped as she felt a slight breeze behind.
"Lin... I'm glad you're ok. I've sent a message to police HQ that your alive and well but would expect you back Monday."
"Monday!? I can take care of things myself." Lin rounded on him. She was planning on dropping by HQ before going home. She needed to get new armour ordered for starters.
"I know. But you were in the spirit world for 24 hours, getting involved in a few fights AND protecting Yira. At least take the time to rest and heal at home. The pit of lost souls can do a lot of mental harm. That's only two days."
Lin glared at his reasoning, but she knew he was right.
"Fine. I'll take the days but do not expect me to not work. I'll start an investigation into that woman. Have the white louts drop off the mask at my desk by Monday." She grumbled heading towards the docks.
She had work to do.
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Thanks for reading, plz leave reviews as it gives me more motivation to update sooner.
Every one stay safe and wash your hands….