It's been a few hours since Zhao entered her cell, which gave Rei a lot of time to think about an escape plan. Actually, most of the time she just sat in place, trying to meditate. She figured it would be better if she could figure out a way to communicate with Sora without falling asleep in a tough situation. The cell was somewhat quiet except for the occasional drips of water and the muffled voices above her, but it gave her an optimal environment to at least try to meditate. Airbenders were monks, one with the energy of the universe or whatever, so meditating should come easily to her, right?
Nope, wrong.
Rei tried to push all of her thoughts out of her head and focus on nothing, but that didn't work. She was too antsy and bothered by her chains, her cramped legs and arms, and the drips of water, although occasional, would echo in the cell against the metal floors and walls which would break her concentration. Why does everything have to be made of metal in this place, she thought. Her belly gurgled in protest, hunger setting in after the hours of imprisonment. She hasn't eaten anything since the piece of fruit she had the morning she was taken. How long has it been since she was taken? A few days? She guessed about three or four days, but she couldn't tell with the darkened halls and cells in the bowels of the ship. Her thoughts seemed to scream at her, and claw into her mind. Obviously, those thoughts aren't going to be leaving her alone any time soon. After many tries to silence them, she decided that her time would be better spent devising an escape plan.
Zhao said that they were approaching the harbor, wherever that would be. She assumed that they were still in the Earth Kingdom heading towards a fire nation military camp or something, which would make the most sense. The soldiers would transfer her to another holding cell in the harbor, which should give her a good look around the place and give her valuable information in relation to an escape route. She decided earlier that being a stowaway would be the best course of action, so stealth would be key. Growing up in an Earth Kingdom village with earthbenders crashing rocks everywhere, this would be a foreign thing to her but a necessity nonetheless. She looked around the cell, giving into boredom. I thought we were close to the harbor, she thought to herself. She rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes, deciding to give meditation another go. She didn't even relax all of her muscles yet when the ship lurched forward to a stop. She heard a flurry of footsteps and shouting above her, probably orders being given and such. She groaned and opened her eyes slowly, knowing that the time to move has come. She waited another ten minutes or so before three soldiers came to get her. They were still dressed in the usually uniform and skull masks, which didn't bother her as much as it did before. She flashed them a half-smile.
"Morning, gents. Is it time to move?" She greeted. The soldiers said nothing. One of them stepped forward to remove her from the chains on the walls while the other two guarded the door.
"You guys are a lively bunch…" Rei muttered.
She heard a click and her arms fell down into her lap. Pain flashed in her chest, sending shocking ripples down her arms. She let out a short gasp and rolled her shoulders and head around in circles, trying to stretch out her sore muscles. The two soldiers standing guard stepped forward and pulled Rei up to her feet, sending the spilt oatmeal-goop on her pants to the ground. She was ready to step out when all of a sudden, a cloth-like material was put over her head.
"Hey!" She cried. "What's the big idea?"
The soldiers didn't respond, but lead her out of the cell. Rei's vision was replaced with darkness, a curtesy of the cloth bag over her head. She heard the cell door creak shut and the keys jingle in the lock. Crap, she thought. How was she going to know her surroundings and devise her escape route now? She was completely blind in this case. In the dark corridors of the ship, she couldn't see anything except for the very faint aura of firelight from the torches from within the cloth sac. Looking at her surroundings obviously wasn't an option at this point, so she knew that she had to pay close attention to where she is lead and what she hears. She was lead to the right then forward, each footstep clinking on the metal floor. The soldiers steered her down various hallways, turning left and right. She tried to count her steps, but lost count after around 300. She tripped when her foot encountered a hard edge, lurching forward against the soldiers' arms. They pulled her up and lifted her up the first step of a staircase, presumably what she tripped on. The staircase was also made of metal, making a low clanking sound with every footstep. She detected a hint of salt in the air, and the muffled voices she'd heard from her cell became clearer and more distinct. She heard a low, loud creak and a flood of light and sound came at her.
A flurry of sounds and smells filled Rei's senses. Avian shrieks sounded above her, the sound of waves crashed in the distance, various male shouts surrounded her and the strong smell of salt in the air burned in her nostrils. All of her senses were filled with excitement and bombardment with all these smells and sounds. Though the cloth bag over her head made the air she breathed stuffy and warm, the fresh ocean air lifted her spirits. She smiled but the soldiers jerked her out of her temporary moment of contentment and led her to the right.
Rei continued marching blindly with her captor soldiers leading the way. She heard some of the voices on the ship reduce to mutters and whispers as she passed by. She heard some sniggers and hoots, even one or two high-pitched whistles which set her on edge. They were seamen, so it would have been ages since they've even seen a girl she assumed. She was glad she had a cloth bag over her head at that point in time. She finally crossed the main deck of the ship and continued down a ramp leaning downwards to what she assumed to be the docks. She made sure to pay special attention to her surroundings from then on.
When she stepped off the ship, Rei could tell that the docks were situated in a rocky environment. The ground was hard and jagged, like the rough edge of a mountain. The air held a faint trace of dust as it blew roughly on her face. She didn't hear many people talking around her, but did pick up the sound of some heavy material swaying in the breeze. The heavy material was hard to place. Were they flags flowing in the wind? No, this sound was more distinct and dominating. Perhaps they were tent flaps? Maybe this is a temporary military base, Rei pondered. If the fire nation was using tents here instead of more permanent lodgings, then they haven't been situated in this area for too long. If there were tents there, how would she be detained? Obviously she wouldn't be chained to the wall like last time. They'd probably use rope or something along those lines. As they marched on, Rei could feel Rei suddenly got an idea.
Rei tripped and fell hard onto the ground. The act took all the air from her lungs, leaving her breathless. She wheezed pathetically as she felt the ground around her hand as inconspicuously as possible. She managed to take a small rock into the palm of her hand before she felt the soldiers' hands on her arms.
"Damn rocks…" She muttered under her breath, while slipping the rock into the elastic on her pants.
The soldiers carried on, pressing forward with their prisoner. As they edged deeper into the camp, Rei could hear voices emitting from ahead. She could distinctly hear Zhao's voice, but couldn't make out what he was saying. His tone was authorative but calm, so it was probably boring stuff anyways. If Zhao wasn't the least ticked off, it shouldn't be that interesting. The soldiers made a hard left and led onwards, stopping after a few paces. She heard some heavy material being parted in a swishing motion and was led into her new home. She was lead forward up against a pole of wood, and had her hands tied behind her back. The cloth hood was finally taken off of her head and she now had the opportunity to see where she was.
Rei was correct in assuming that she was being led to a tent. The heavy tent material was red in color (no duh) with a rug on the floor made of red, gold and orange fibers. It was actually really pretty to look at. There was nothing in the room except her and the pole she was tied to, with a lantern sitting on an end table in the corner. Rei looked up and saw the two soldiers that escorted her to her new cell, still bearing the skull masks. The soldiers glanced at each other before taking their leave, folding back the tent flap as they left. Rei caught a quick glance of the outside, where she could make out half of a soldier's physique on either side of the tent flap with accompanying spears. She could see the ships out at the docks and holy were there a lot of them. Zhao had a whole armada on his hands, for sure. The soldiers were walking towards the right, assuming that they're going towards where Zhao was. This was all she could see before the tent flap was closed, leaving her alone once more.
Rei stood against the pole for a few moments, not sure what to do. She stretched out her shoulders and legs, which were still sore from the journey over. She yawned, licking her lips and blinking fervently. From what she could tell, she was somewhat close to where Zhao was situated, which was a bad sign. She was probably close to the docks but security around Zhao's tent, let alone her tent, would be astronomical. She sighed, and rested her head on her wooden pole. She knew that Zhao would be coming in to check on her at some point, so she figured she would stay standing for the time being. She's spent so much time sitting that standing was a nice change. She rolled her hands in circled against her bindings, figuring that they're made from some sort of rope. Great, she thought. The rock she snuck in might come in handy, assuming it is sharp enough to cut through rope. The noises she heard outside weren't as muffled as they were in her cell, so she could make out tail-ends of conversations. One passerby talked about how hungry he was, and hoped that the kitchens weren't serving smoked sea slug for the hundredth time. Another complained about his sore feet. After boring herself with eavesdropping on those conversations, she figured no time like the present to try meditating again.
Rei leaned all of her weight on the pole and tilted her head back. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. She let her breathing slow and muscles relax. She tried her hardest not to let her thoughts invade her peace of mind, and focused all on her breathing. She could feel the stress flowing down and out of her body. Finally, when she felt ready, she focused on the serene emptiness in her mind and spoke.
"Sora…"
She felt the air around her shift, with a faint echo sounding in front of her. She opened her eyes and found a faint image of Sora, standing in front of her with a blue aura around her and a small smile plastered on her face. Rei smiled back.
"Hello, my child." Sora greeted. "You found me."
"Yeah, I did." Rei replied, excited that she managed to make a connection with Sora. "But…What now?"
"Well," Sora began. "You've established a connection between us in this physical realm which is very good. Now, we must strengthen that connection, practice with it so I can help you more readily in the near future."
"Ok…Um by the way, can other people see you or just me?" Rei wondered. She could see Sora clear as day, but if other people can see her talking to a spirit then that would be bad.
"I am bound to you spiritually, which means that only those who have a connection to the spirit world can see me." She chuckled. "So only you can see me at this present time."
"Ok. That makes sense." Rei replied. "I need help getting out of here. I tried to find an escape route but they put a bag over my head."
"Focus on your gift, Rei." Sora stepped towards her, placing her hand upon her forehead. "Every word, every sound travels through the air that you can bend. Use your head, pay attention and stay safe."
With her last word, Sora kissed Rei's forehead and dissolved into a ray of pale blue light that was absorbed into Rei's body. It tickled a little bit, but in the end it made her feel warm and safe. She sighed and considered Sora's words. It's frustrating but the best thing to do right now was to gather information before taking action, Rei knew this. She was eavesdropping on some passing conversations but the really juicy ones would be at Zhao's tent to the left of hers. Maybe she could use her bending to amplify those conversations so she could hear. She focused her attention towards Zhao's tent and began to twirl her fingers in a circular motion. She could hear marching and some of the conversations right outside her tent, then heard a group of people marching her way.
Rei's head snapped up when she heard the tent flap open, revealing Zhao entering with a small group of soldiers staying outside. Rei was facing towards the left side of the tent, where she turned her head to the right towards Zhao.
"Nice change of scenery." She said calmly.
"Don't get used to it. You won't be here for long." He replied. He held his hands behind his back and walked around Rei.
"Well, I wasn't a sea-faring type anyway." She retorted, turning her head forward. "Where are you taking me, then?"
"You will be taken to the fire nation capital, where the fire lord will make the final judgement on what to do with you."
Zhao continued to circle around Rei. He slipped behind Rei, just beyond her field of view.
"How did one airbender slipped through our net, I wonder." He pondered.
"Like I said, your guess is as good as mine." She replied. "My family are earthbenders, not airbenders."
Zhao stopped directly behind Rei for a moment. Rei could feel his presence looming over her, making her feel very uncomfortable. Her heartbeat quicken, her palms getting sweaty. She squirmed her hands against her rope bindings, trying to keep herself cool and collected. She heard a quiet grunt from behind her. This was really creeping her out. She hated knowing that he was just staring at her with his dark, amber eyes. She wiped the instinctive look of disgust off of her face and said:
"So why are you people so afraid of me?"
Rei heard a sharp inhale from behind. She could tell that Zhao was fuming. She also heard a crack, probably from balling his hands into fists. When she didn't hear a response, Rei pushed on.
"I mean, you guys want to keep me under lock and key, shipping me to the fire nation and for what?" She turned her head to the left and softly says over her shoulder, "Are you afraid of a little bit of wind?"
A hand whipped around from behind and wrapped around Rei's neck. She gasped in surprise, instantly feeling the immense pressure on her airway. The hand around her neck began to get warmer, signaling Zhao's anger and firebending bubbling to the surface. Zhao leaned in close to the left side of Rei's head, centimeters from her ear.
"The fire nation fears nothing," he growled. "We are fear itself. You are just a little bitch that slipped through the cracks. If fate had been kinder, you would be dead like all other airbenders."
Rei gasped for air, while burn marks began to form on her neck. She let out a choked cry of pain, her eyes beginning to instinctively water. Her hands squirmed fervently against her bindings, but his upper leg was leaning on them.
"Stop…" She cried out, weakly.
Zhao chuckled darkly. "So who's really the fearful one here, little one?"
Suddenly, a fire nation soldier stepped into the tent. The soldier parted the tent flap, sending a ray of light into the tent. Zhao let go of Rei, who began to cough and gasp for air. The soldier stopped in front of them, confused.
"This better be important." Zhao adjusted his sleeves, with a firm scowl on his face.
The soldier hesitated for a moment. "The tower patrol reported a sighting of a fire nation ship of unknown origin, Commander. It isn't one of ours, but it does bear the royal banner."
Zhao grunted, and motioned for the soldier to leave. The soldier quickly glanced at Rei, who was still coughing frantically, then exited the tent. Rei caught her breath, struggling to contain her cries of pain from the burn on her neck. The pain seared through her, seemingly burning her throat from the outside in. She cleared her throat, and lifted her head up to see Zhao standing near the tent's entrance. He was stroking his face with one hand behind his back, lost in thought. He noticed Rei watching him, and stepped towards her. She flinched slightly to her embarrassment, which sent a chilling side-smirk on Zhao's face. He leaned in close in front of her, and Rei stared defiantly into his eyes.
"You can lie to yourself all you want, I don't give a damn. But we both know who is the one worth fearing." Zhao's eyes blazed darkly, with shadows dancing around his menacing gaze. Rei kept staring back at him, but after a few moments turned her head to the side in defeat. Zhao chuckled and let himself out.
When she was sure Zhao was out of earshot, she let out a huge sigh of relief. She unconsciously puffed her chest up with air during their encounter, which ached to be let out. She tried to calm herself, taking deep breaths in through her nose and out her mouth. That bastard was a whole new type of psycho, that's for sure. She would rather him be pissed off than just creepily staring at her, though. She ground her teeth in rage, ashamed that she let his mind games get to her. She hated him, and would love to blow his stupid grin off of his face. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the task at hand.
The soldier mentioned a fire nation ship of unknown origin. That means that Zhao doesn't have control over it so maybe that would be a good escape route. But it bears the royal banner, Rei thought. That ship could take her straight to the last place she wanted to go; the fire nation. She has to dig up more information to consider all of her options. All she knew is that she wasn't staying there a second longer than she has to. It might be a long shot, but this unknown ship could be her ticket out of captivity. It could be her way back home.
Hi all! I am back from midterms, and diving into my exams haha fml. I hope you all like this latest installment of The Legend of Rei. It seems that Rei is in some hot water at the encampment, and I wonder who that mysterious ship belongs to *wink wink*. I will be back next week with another elongated chapter to make up for the missed publishing last week. Have a great week lovelies, and please review and follow if you like what you see for more chapters! X
