AVATAR: LIGHT THE WORLD (The Illevitus Chronicles)

BOOK 1

-Air-

Chapter 6

-The Universe Is Mine-

Scar, who may have been secretly the most excited to sleep in a bed, asides from DeMungus, was now wide awake trying to make head or tails of what just happened. Was she going crazy or did Kyri really just have a face-off with Scar when they were nowhere near each other? The bizarreness of it all would probably haunt her dreams, if she could dream.

In the morning Niko and Zillion both awoke to an absolutely unforgiving sight, somehow just before the two had woken up, DeMungus was already awake, and to entertain himself he decided to go through Zillion's things and found a martial aid that he was currently using. How he didn't wake the two is a mystery, but the damage was done and now Niko and Zillion would be forever scarred by the horrendous sight, "Oh no, what the actual hell!" Niko could feel the heat in his throat from the alcohol rising up out of his stomach, "I think I might… throw-" He motioned his hand to cover his mouth. Zillion covered his eyes as the two ran out of the room without a second thought. As they exited their room, Scar was also exiting her room looking exhausted.

They all blinked at each other, Scar in pure sleepiness, and the guys wide eyed with pronounced frowns that twitched at both corners, "What's the matter with you two?" she yawned loudly stretching upwards, a distinct crack could be heard from her back. The guys just kept quiet all morning.

Breakfast came, and so did DeMungus apparently, as the Avatar, Zillion, DeMungus, and Scar sat down for breakfast they were joined by Kyri who had platters for them all. However, the sight of DeMungus made the guys lose their appetite. Scar really wanted to talk about the strange occurrence that happened last night, but she was too tired to do much aside from appeasing her voracious appetite.

Outside the wall a familiar foe was lurking: Chenchiirou Voglazad. The bounty hunter who had tried to kidnap Niko a few days prior. Somehow he had scurried to the Outer Ring and was interrogating as many citizens as he could. He wasn't the best at it either as many people were not taking him seriously.

"I'm looking for three young adults on a flying slab of metal…"

"No…"

"Have you seen anything strange…?"

"Just your wack sense of style…" A well-groomed kid responded.

"I am just trying to locate a particular bender…"

"The only bender around here that I know of is Zillion!" A short old man was rocking on his front porch chewing tobacco and every so often spitting it into a small porcelain bowl, "He lives about a mile down the road," he spit some chewed tobacco into the bowl and pointed a crooked finger towards the path that went on behind his house, "strange fellow, makes marital aids, and he's an airbender… albeit a poor one."

With that information Voglazad started his quest to find this Zillion, and with a little luck he might find the Avatar. He hopped into his air pod and jettisoned off in the direction the old man pointed him in.

Scar and Kyri finished breakfast first, their silverware clinked onto the metal plate as both let out a great big belch that shook everyone around them. The breakfast nook was a separate space from the bar, so they didn't have to worry about any of the dark crowd from last night. The only other ones in the breakfast nook was a young couple who looked to be too into each other to have noticed.

Kyri was the first to speak after the grandiose burp, "So I have to ask, how's a guy like you the new Avatar?" She sipped lightly on her mango juice. "I thought it was a reincarnation thingy, like you should be a fetus, not an adult, right"

Niko chuckled a little bit, "Well, I kinda broke the mold I guess? I really have no idea, why or how?" DeMungus began to choke on his croissant which startled everyone at the table; however, Zillion remained calm and simply punched the air under the table. A blast of air hit DeMungus right square in the chest, and the croissant was dislodged immediately.

Scar nervously chirped, "Are… you okay?"

DeMungus thanked Zillion as he began to blurt out, "I told you yesterday, I have that letter for you… or I… had it… at some point…?" DeMungus shrunk into himself, looking more lumpy than usual, he actually even looked whole as if his one hand wasn't a stump. Niko and Scar's mouths both dropped to the table, and both began to fill up with rage.

Niko calmed down quickly, even though normally he probably would've been flying off the walls attempting to maim DeMungus, "Wait… I was absolutely wasted last night, and I don't remember you telling me about any letter before we started drinking."

DeMungus was unhinged by the calm tone of Niko's voice, "Er- well, you see, I was given this letter by this old lady who wants to teach you air bending, she's waiting to meet you at the Northern Air Temple." DeMungus pushed his plate forward, "I lost the letter when I was ambushed outside of Zaofu, I really don't know much else either… I'm sorry Avatar, I let you down."

Niko beamed like a child opening a brightly colorful gift, "You know normally by now Scarletta and I probably would've beaten you to a pulp, but I wouldn't be sorry as that is the first scrap of information I have on this whole Avatar biz."

It's called patience and tenderness, the little voice chimed in with zero warning. Niko brushed it off quickly.

Zillion was the first to break the silence, "So I'm guessing you two are going to head out soon, find your new air bending teacher?" He seemed a little sad, the tone of his voice wasn't the usual robust tone, but now hallow and distant.

An idea crossed Scarletta's mind, "What if you came with us Zillion?"

Zillion chuckled, "I couldn't, in fact, I can't. I have a business here in Ba Sing Se, also my mother is in the city and she's getting on in years, so I'll probably have to start taking care of her soon. Then there's the bobfox, Mr. Greeley, and my garden…"

Scar put her hand on top of his, "It's okay, we get it, you have a life here, and we can't stop your life." Scarletta gripped his hand and Zillion smiled still looking a bit sad and forlorn.

"I'll come back and teach you a few things!" Niko stood up quickly and looked at the sad man with the same wide beam adorning his face. Zillion seemed a bit incredulous, "For real, I'll have to come back here anyway, my cousin lives in the Inner Ring, and I'm asking him to find me an earth bending teacher while I'm gone!"

Zillion still had a skeptical look gracing his face, "I thought earth bending was an extinct style?" He stood up as well yawning loudly, "Then again I'm guessing the origin of the style would be a great place to look, if only the original benders were still around. Anyway," he extended his hand to shake Niko's, "promise you'll come back?" Niko nodded and took his hand to shake, but it went limp and cold in the Avatar's grasp. He looked up into Zillion's face which had gone from skeptical to shocked and then blank as he began to slump forward. Scarletta screamed as Kyri and Niko caught him. Niko looked over Zillion's shoulders and there he was: Chenchiirou Voglazad, holding up what appeared to be a tranquilizer gun. A small pin was sticking out of Zillion's neck. The young couple stood up to run away but Voglazad knocked them out as well.

Kyri stood up more to support Zillion, but then let go of him quickly. She flourished her hands meticulously and before anyone could say or do anything, the floor began to swallow them up. Niko blinked and noticed he was now with everyone sitting on a gilded bridge with the chairs, plates, silverware, and even the table they just had breakfast at was all strewn and thrown about haphazardly. People all around just staring on in curiosity or fright. It was as if they had just teleported, but that wasn't possible… was it?

Almost like a careless whisper Scar spoke in a low pitch that was nearly inaudible, "I'm not crazy…" Niko just looked at her with a puzzled look, "I'm not crazy! Hahahahahah! I'm not crazy!" Nearby onlookers would probably say different, as they watched her spring up and run around the rather wide and populated bridge, but that did not matter to Scar in the slightest. Kyri stood up next and pulled the much bigger Zillion to his feet, and then hulked the unconscious grown man over her shoulder like a savage despite her very tiny build.

Niko had caught Kyri's eyes, her expression was serious, and their interaction was all non-verbal. Still Niko had realized they'd better leave as it seemed like the best course of action. Niko assisted DeMungus to his feet, a bit unnerved by the fact that his only hand felt dry and slightly sticky, yet instinct took over and that sliver of information was trivial in the grand scheme of things. The group managed to get through the crowds of well-dressed people easily as many didn't want to be near any of them. To the outside they must've looked insane: you have Scar a babbling mess holding the front as tall as the average man walking by, the tiny Kyri who was effortlessly carrying the comparatively giant Zillion on her back with Niko by her side helping the lame DeMungus hobble through the crowd, all the while all any of them could think was find shelter!

Passing by lavish compounds, well-manicured lawns, rolling streets paved with white marble, and busts of influential citizens of Ba Sing Se adorning every block. Niko was certain he'd passed by a bust of his great-great grandmother Toph, but it was just a passing glance.

About two miles from where they began, the group stopped in front of a large rectangular fountain that stood in front of a large ornate green building with a lovely sign made of pure jade, it read…

The Jasmine Dragon:

Tea Shoppe for Spirits and Humans alike

General Manager: Izumi Karakopade

They all looked at each other, no one saying a word, but somehow they all felt this would be a great place to rest up after the apropos departure from the inn. Zillion was starting to come back to them as well, but he seemed very dazed still. As soon as they stepped inside the hostess gasped at the condition of the group, "Oh my! Are you folks okay?" She couldn't have been older than fourteen, "Please, come sit, you must all be exhausted?" She pulled up several metal chairs by beckoning them with metal bending, "Is he okay?" She asked as Zillion was seated. Luckily it was just them in the tea house, so no additional eyes had to pry at them.

Scar spoke up first, "Yes, he'll be okay, he's a bit out of it though." She looked over at the display board with the selection of the day, "Hibiscus tea with lemon zest," she started salivating, "I'm thirsty, can we get a round miss?"

The rest of them just stared at Scar who was so nonchalant just now, and after babbling like a crazy woman on their way here. Kyri shrugged, "I'm not much of a hibiscus gal, got any mint chamomile?" The hostess smiled and nodded as she ushered them towards a private room in the back, then she scurried away to make the teas.

Niko scooped up Kyri by her shoulders in adulation, "I don't know what you did, but it was really cool, and you saved us!" Kyri was flustered by the Avatar's closeness and affection, "So what was that, exactly?" He let Kyri go and sat.

Kyri smoothed down the bunched ends of her sleeves quickly, "I need you guys to swear you won't freaking tell a soul!" She paused, "I can't even go back to the inn for a while til this all blows over," she took a seat opposite of Niko at this wooden round table, "so can I trust you guys?" Everyone nodded in unison aside from Zillion who was still drooling from the mouth with a glazed look in his eyes, "Okay, well I'm a Universe bender…" she paused in case there was any immediate questions, "I am studying from texts and also just playing around with some natural skill that I have."

DeMungus was scratching his chin through his thick beard, "So you can create openings in space?" He stopped scratching his chin, "Very useful, with what just happened, wouldn't you agree Niko?"

Niko was considering the possibility of being taught this style of bending, but what of their current journey. He would have to think about it.

"Hello, Earth to Niko?" Scar waved her hand in front of his face, "Are you gonna answer DeMungus?" Niko was still in deep thought, "Ugh… useless… anyway, Kyri, what do you plan on doing since you can't go back to the inn?"

"Travel for a bit," the hostess appeared with their teas, "make my way to Republic City, there is a master of this rare bending style on Hwenton Square Island," she blew on her tea, then took a small sip, it was still scorching, "That's amazing tea! Anyhow, I have a lot of ground to cover between here and Republic City."

The hostess had left them to drink their tea in peace, and a bonus treat for Zillion: smelling salts, in a lovely lavender fragrance. Scar took the smelling salts, which was in a purple capsule, chinked the endcap off, and wafted it under his nose. Within seconds he was coming to spouting off about a pain in his neck, "Yeah, well you were sort of hit with a paralyzing dart, buddy!" Kyri brought him to speed as Scar grazed her nails lightly against his back.

DeMungus, who usually wasn't much good at coming up with ideas, had a stroke of genius, "Why don't you come with us? We'd have to go to out that way to hit the Northern Air Temple."

The notion had crossed Kyri's mind but she wasn't one to impose, "I'll join you to the end of your business here in Ba Sing Se, but I really should do the quest on my own to Hwenton Square Island." She stopped and looked up into space, "I appreciate that offer, I really do; however, I would be a high profile in your group, and I highly doubt you would want more attention drawn to you. Given what just happened."

This really was a valid concern she put forth, but Niko couldn't just help feeling a little disappointed. "We should relax for now," DeMungus quipped slurping his tea, "we have extra time to kill, and we don't to meet at your cousin's studio until six right, Avatar?"

People were starting to come in for the lunch crowd, "Keep that to yourself DeMungus!" Scar hissed in his ear, "Kyri just said we should avoid attracting attention…"