Hello everyone.
Here we are with yet another update.
As usual, I want to thank everyone for the reviews, favorites and follows that came in since the previous update. The story really is growing!
And as always, if you find the story worthy please continue to do so as you follow along.
Beyond the Mystic Pool – Chapter Ninety-Six
The shouts of Team Azula rang out into the air as they were transported to a strange plain of the Spirit World.
Before Mai landed upon the ground with a grunt while she cursed the other woman under her breath.
Just as Elle fell to the ground with a yelp beside her.
"Ow! Are you alright Mai?" Elle asked as she recovered her bearings while she turned to gaze at her big sister as the noblewoman pushed herself up.
"I'll live…but thanks for asking kid. What about you?" Mai responded as she sat up while she turned to glance at her little sister as the girl rubbed at her head.
"I'm not hurt and I didn't lose my backpack." Elle answered in a gentle voice while she peered upward with her mouth agape in awe to see a portal above them.
The two girls gazed up with amazement in their eyes as they took in the other side of the portal that was swirling in the center of the trunk of a timeworn tree.
A murky fog blew in the air around them and many old trees stretched on for as far as their eyes could see.
And not a second after that the acrobat nimbly leaped from the portal.
Before Ty Lee gracefully landed on the ground before them while she too gazed up at the portal in awe.
"Are you two, okay?" Ty Lee inquired as she glanced down at her two friends while Mai helped Elle stand up.
And despite the recent gruesome events she couldn't help but smile over watching the usually grouchy woman looking after the smaller girl.
"We're fine Ty Lee." Mai assured with her arm partly over her little sister's shoulder while Elle stood up beside her.
Before the three girls turned to watch as the princess and the captain skillfully dropped out from the portal.
The two firebenders landed on their booted feet while they slowly turned around as they silently took in the astonishing scenery.
"Azula-sama!" Elle exclaimed in a lovable voice while Azula's cold amber golden eyes were already turning to assess her.
"You bitch Zoi." Mai snapped with ire in her voice while she now scowled back at the smirking noblewoman.
"Get used to it Saolin. That was just a small taste of what is in store for you in the next three years of your life." Zoi remarked with sass while her golden eyes enjoyed how the other woman grimaced ever so slightly under her stare.
"Silence Mai. And get off my pet." Azula commanded in a snide undertone as she regally brushed her bangs from her callous eyes while Mai gazed at her in mild annoyance.
"She's my little sister too. I can stand by her." Mai stated in monotone voice only to sigh when the princess yanked the squeaking girl forward by the collar of her shirt.
"So…. what now Azula?" Ty Lee pondered as she gazed in her leader's direction while the princess gazed ahead with her signature icy stare.
"We explore Ty Lee. And we find where those soldiers are coming from." Azula stated in a stony voice with her fingers grasping onto her serving girl's timid shoulder.
"Perhaps we'll find a pathway of some kind that they might have taken." Zoi commented as she stood with hands at her hips while she gazed through the dense fog.
"It's too bad that Naoki couldn't have just told us." Ty Lee said as she began to walk beside her friends as they started to make their way through the fog.
"With Naoki it's her way or the highway. And if you don't give her what she wants, you don't get anything at all." Elle spoke in a quiet voice as she padded alongside her scowling mistress.
"Sounds like someone else we know." Mai snorted in a wry voice with Azula turning to regard her with a frigid amber golden eye.
"Don't compare me to a runaway slave." Azula scoffed in a haughty voice as she rolled her eyes while her girlfriend followed after her footfalls.
Only for her stern eyes to gaze down at the smaller girl in slight aggravation when she noticed that her handmaiden was biting her lip in some unspoken uncertainty.
"Should I have done something different? Was there something else I could have said to get through to her?" Elle questioned in a troubled voice as she grasped at the straps of her bag while four friends glanced at her in a taken aback silence.
Her amber eyes gazed on with a noticeably worried gleam that had her companions staring on with concerned looks in their eyes.
"I command you to waste no further time dwelling on those soldiers. They were your enemies Elle. They are not worth your pity." Azula lectured in a stern voice with her hands on her womanly hips while she gazed down at her frowning pet.
"I don't think I can accept that answer Azula-sama. Not after so many lives were just lost. The world is filled with so much death and war. And it will never change if we don't try." Elle mumbled as she chewed on her lip while her princess's amber golden eyes flickered with aggravation.
Mai and Ty Lee couldn't resist cracking a soft smile in the younger girl's direction.
Zoi glanced at Elle with a faintly thawed countenance before she continued to walk at the forefront.
"Perhaps next time…I will know what to do." Elle commented in a thoughtful voice with her amber eyes gazing ahead as she resumed her walk while Azula sighed heavily over her.
"Elle…you are so naïve." Azula sighed with something akin to a sliver of fondness permeating her cold voice while Elle strode beside her.
"That's so Azula-sama." Elle agreed in a sweet voice as she cast her mistress a shy look while the older girl stared down at her with possessive amber golden eyes.
Before her attention was regained when she glanced around the landscape with her icy amber golden eyes paying close awareness that the scenery was slowly changing before their eyes.
The team gazed on with astonished looks in their eyes as they watched the fog continue to blow past them.
And many spirit creatures were seen in the trees in the distance rushing about their daily life.
"So, this is the Spirit World..." Elle trailed off in a voice of innocent marvelment with her mood brightening ever somewhat while she gazed up at the looming trees.
"I have heard that the Spirit World is a parallel world to the physical world. But…I don't think that we're in the Forgetful Valley anymore." Zoi spoke in a composed voice with her golden eyes gazing ahead while she walked down the foggy path.
"I…think you're right. The aura gets gloomier the further we go." Ty Lee stated in a slightly wary voice while she frowned as she walked beside her friends.
"Look at all the spirits Mistress." Elle stated in an awed voice with her amber eyes gazing up at flying spirits that passed over their heads.
"I can see that Elle." Azula remarked in a stony voice with her cold eyes keeping a close watch on her surroundings while the leaves rustled beneath her boots.
And then Elle's smile grew when she craned her neck to watch a small firefly spirit fly above them.
Before she reflectively held out her hand to touch it only for her eyes to widen when it sped away.
Which was a detail that had not gone unnoticed by the four highborn women.
And not a second after that a host of other fireflies soared in the opposite direction while Elle gazed on with a hurt look in her amber eyes.
"A-are they running away from me?" Elle asked in a sensitive voice with a saddened expression in her eyes while Ty Lee patted her shoulder.
"It's okay Elle. It's not anything you did personally." Ty Lee consoled in a tender voice while Elle numbly nodded her head as she padded along.
The team exchanged baffled looks with one another over the irony of the spirits fearing the gentlest person that they have ever met.
Only to find themselves gazing ahead a moment after that when they saw a distinct tree coming up in the distance.
And seated upon the roots was a meditating white baboon with a humanoid face.
"Is that a meditating baboon?" Mai asked with a sliver of amusement in her dry voice while the princess shrugged her armored shoulders.
"Who cares what it is. If it can speak. It is going to tell us which way to go in this forsaken place." Azula spoke in a smug voice as she strode ahead with a devious smile on her lips while her companions hesitantly followed.
"Azula…just please be respectful. This is their home after all." Ty Lee remarked in a sigh while her two fellow noblewomen let out amused snorts.
And then they watched as the princess marched up to the seated baboon with her fists imposingly planted on her hips.
"You there. I have questions for you. That is…if you possess the ability to form sentient thought." Azula announced in a rude fashion while she gazed down at the silently meditating spirit.
And then Zoi cringed while Mai and Ty Lee resisted the urge to groan.
Elle padded up behind them with her amber eyes gazing at the baboon in returning childish wonder.
As the baboon spirit sat with his palms folded over his lap.
"Go away." The baboon spirit replied in a tone that was even more disinterested than Mai while the team gazed on humorously from where they stood behind the now annoyed Azula.
"That's the same thing I think when Azula talks to me." Mai snickered with a smirk on her lips while Zoi smiled beside her.
Only for Azula to turn to glare frigidly back at her with tyrannical amber golden eyes.
Before the princess turned her cold gaze back to the meditating spirit while she smiled once more.
"So, you can speak. Good. A group of foreign soldiers have invaded the lands of my country…and I have been told that they may be coming from someplace beyond the Spirit World. Do you have any idea where that place might be?" Azula inquired in a regal voice as she folded her arms over her breasts while she gazed down at the seated creature.
The team waited as they watched the baboon spirit sit there in complete silence.
Many seconds passed by while the princess gritted her teeth as she tapped one boot on the ground while her amber golden gaze narrowed into an imperious glare.
Only for her crimson lips to purse into a scowl when the baboon peeked out of the corner of his right eye with unhidden displeasure in his gaze.
"She's still here! Why won't she just leave me alone? Doesn't she understand that I don't want to talk with her?" The baboon spirit complained under his breath before his eye closed shut once more while all but Elle and Azula found themselves failing to suppress their chuckles.
Azula gazed on with her amber golden eyes narrowing into her signature death glare.
Just before her palms lit up with blue fire while her subordinates now cast her uncertain looks.
"Azula. Don't hurt him." Ty Lee urged in a worried voice while Elle scampered ahead to assist the princess.
"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear." Azula stated in a cold voice as she waved her hand before her face with a devious smile on her lips.
Before a tiny flame formed behind the creature's posterior while her team flinched behind her.
Only for her amber golden eyes to glance down in mild annoyance when she felt a dainty hand tug on her sleeve.
"N-no Azula-sama." Elle pleaded in a lovable voice while the proud princess scowled over her.
And then Ty Lee sighed in relief when the princess grouchily waved the flame away with a tight scowl on her lips.
"Is she just going to stand here all day? Just go away." The baboon spirit grumbled with rising aggravation in his voice while the princess's callous eyes glared down at him in offense.
But before the princess could snap at the spirit again.
Elle gently shook her head before she cleared her throat with her kindest smile on her lips.
"Hello Mr. Spirit. We're sorry to bother you. But my friends and I were just wondering if you could be so kind as to point us in the right direction!" Elle chirped as she bounced on her feet while Azula stood over her with a stony expression on her lips.
And then the spirit opened his eye once more to gaze back at the beaming teenager.
Only for the highborn women to watch in disbelief when a deep look of unbridled fear developed in the creature's now widened eyes.
And that was all it took before a terrified scream split into the air.
Elle now stood there with her hands falling from the straps of her backpack.
As her amber eyes shook in sorrow.
"D-don't hurt me! P-please!" The baboon spirit stammered as he fell onto his back as he trembled on the roots while the team listened in shock.
"I-I…am not going to hurt you. I would never do that." Elle exclaimed in a fretful voice as she took a shaky step forward.
Azula gazed on with a stunned look in her amber golden eyes from where she stood behind her servant.
She just couldn't believe that every spirit that they ran into was deathly afraid of her soft-hearted servant!
And then just when Elle's shoe hit the ground.
The group could only stare on in bafflement when a momentary spark of chi erupted from the dumbfounded girl.
Elle now stood with her palms held before her face as she watched the mysterious energy flicker before her widened eyes.
She turned to gaze back in horror down at the trembling baboon spirit as he slowly slid away on his back.
"B-back up! You stay away from me!" The baboon spirit called out before he scrambled away from the speechless girl.
And then before Team Azula could even get out another word, the spirit dashed away into the bushes.
And like that, he was gone.
And now the team stood in a disbelieving quiet with their eyes gazing at their indisputably hurt friend's gentle face.
"E-everyone here is afraid of me. What kind of horrible creature am I?" Elle questioned in a distraught voice with her head hung low while her friends listened in sympathy.
"You're not a horrible person Elle. It's that power that they are scared of. Not you." Mai stated in a softened voice with her hands in her sleeves while Elle still slumped her shoulders.
"I…I guess so. W-well let's continue then." Elle muttered as she aimlessly resumed walking down the path past her taken aback friends.
"Elle…" Ty Lee trailed off in a concerned voice as she strode after Elle while the princess stood frowning behind her.
Before the princess sighed under her breath as she began to walk after the girl.
"That way then?" Zoi asked in a calm voice as she walked beside her princess while Azula just stared ahead with emotionless amber golden eyes.
"Since that stupid baboon spirit didn't tell us otherwise. Yes, Zoi. This way." Azula spoke in a in authoritative voice as she strode after her pet while her amber golden eyes never left the girl's back.
And with that the team continued on their way, albeit more silently than before.
The five girls walked in relative silence with their youngest trudging alone in disquiet beside them.
For how long they walked they were not certain.
It could have been ten minutes, an hour or maybe even three hours.
Until finally in the distance they saw an enormous upside-down tree with a long staircase looming ominously into the air.
Many tall pillars were leading up to the strange structure while the group now gazed on with increasing wariness in their eyes.
"I…don't like the feel of this place Azula. I…think maybe we should turn back." Ty Lee whispered in a doubtful voice while Azula stood glaring through the thick mist.
"No. We continue." Azula remarked in a glacial voice as she resumed walking at the front while her subordinates hesitantly followed after her.
And with that the team began walking through the mist while the captain gazed around her with composed golden eyes.
Only for the warrior to hold out her hand to signal the others to halt while they silently did so.
"It would seem that we may be heading in the right direction after all." Zoi said in a vague voice while her teammates gazed at her in confusion.
Before she pointed off to the side on the right.
And then the group could only gaze on with shocked looks in their eyes when they saw the bodies of two foreign soldiers laying past the next pillar.
And most horrifying of all was the fact that their faces were…gone!
"T-their…faces." Elle stuttered in a shaken voice with her hands nervously clutching at the straps of her bag.
"Okay. Now that…is seriously disturbing." Mai muttered as a shudder spread down her spine while she tightly grasped a knife in her hand.
Before they all gazed up into the mist in surprise to see an utterly giant wolf striding by in the distance.
It was…even bigger than the blue spirit wolf that they had seen in the valley!
"Azula-sama…Ty Lee is right. There is something…off about this place." Elle spoke in a bothered voice as she turned to gaze up at her princess's ever dignified face.
"Stay close to me." Azula commanded in a stern voice as Elle quickly nodded her head while her amber golden eyes glanced up above them.
Just as the five turned to slowly gaze around them when they felt another presence flow into the air.
"Princess…. you remember what the old woman said." Zoi stated as she turned to gaze at her leader while Azula nodded her head.
"Keep yourselves calm. And do not show any emotion." Azula announced as she stepped forward in front of her young girlfriend while Elle took cover behind her.
And with that the team stood rooted to the ground while they glanced up at the pillars above them.
Before the captain turned to gaze over her shoulder with steely golden eyes when the presence in the air grew palpable.
And then a deep voice spoke up from behind the group while they all turned to gaze behind them with guarded eyes.
"Well, isn't this an unexpected surprise. More visitors." Koh called out as he emerged from the shadows of the rock with his pale face now gazing back at the speechless group.
As the stunned team gazed on as the malformed body withdrew from the shadows and took shape before them.
Into that of a giant centipede like creature with a pale white mask that adorned red lips and gray eye markings.
The large creature smiled eerily back at them while silently took in the horrifying spirit.
'What a terrifying spirit!' Ty Lee thought while doing her best to keep her face as calm as humanly possible.
"I presume you to be Koh the Face Stealer." Azula spoke in an effortlessly unemotional voice while Koh smiled widely as he glided along the rocks.
"I am. And who might you be?" Koh pondered in a purr as he crawled through the shadows with his monstrous eyes scanning the faces of the entrapped group.
"I am Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. I want to know where those two…came from." Azula responded in a rigid voice as she gestured to the faceless men laying on the ground a short distance away.
The team remained still as their warily watched the insect like creature slowly encircle them in an almost predatory manner.
Before the ancient spirit abruptly lowered over the group while he smiled over the princess's shoulder at the intimidated serving girl.
"And you…. you must be the Component. What a fascinating turn of events. I thought you were dead." Koh remarked in a chilling voice with his eyes gazing back at Elle's quiet face while the girl almost swallowed noisily.
Only for the spirit to gaze on with eerie eyes as the princess authoritatively raised her well-manicured hand in the air to signal her companions to remain silent.
"I will speak. Yes, she is the Component. And I…am her master." Azula informed in a tone of great confidence with her small servant standing behind her shadow.
The others were quiet while the ancient spirit seemed to consider the reply as he smiled all the while.
"I will consider answering your questions…if you do something for me." Koh purred with a pair of his legs clasped together while he leaned in uncomfortably close to the princess's expertly composed face.
The highborn women exchanged silent looks as they met the gaze of the frightening spirit's pale face.
As the young servant stood quietly behind her princess with her amber eyes widening as the creature seemed to lean in to get a closer look at her.
"What must we do for you?" Zoi questioned in a stoic voice with her golden eyes gazing back at Koh while the spirit slithered in to peer at Elle from over Azula's shoulder.
Only for the princess to angle her armored body so as to shield the smaller girl from view while she gazed up at the insect like spirit with cold amber golden eyes.
Before the ancient spirit's grin even wider as he reared up on his many hind legs.
"You must dispose of these…interlopers and put a stop to their invasion of my lair." Koh stated with his legs raising above the group while the princess's amber golden eyes now shone with delight.
"Done." Azula responded in a pleased voice with her fists on her shapely hips while her childhood friends resisted the urge to shiver behind her.
She momentarily shared a look with her captain before they both turned to gaze back up at the eerie spirit.
"But I warn you…should I give you valuable information and you fail to do so…I will take the face of someone in this group!" Koh announced as his face abruptly changed into that of a blue oni while he bent down to gaze menacingly into their eyes.
Before he laughed in a sadistic voice while the group remained silent as several among them fought back the urge to shudder.
"We understand and we agree to your terms." Zoi spoke in a calm voice with her arms folded over her breasts while she met the creature's insidious gaze.
And despite Mai and Ty Lee's obvious reservations, as well as Elle's herself.
Azula couldn't help but stare on with a satisfied look in her power-hungry amber golden eyes.
'At least this spirit is willing to divulge. Unlike that stupid baboon.' Azula thought with her intelligent eyes gazing up at Koh's monstrous countenance while the spirit stood up once more.
"What can you tell me…about these interlopers?" Azula inquired in a controlled voice with her young servant standing under her wing.
She waited patiently as the bizarre spirit's face changed back into the pale white smiling mask.
"They came from the same place that the girl with crimson hair and the young Component herself came from…which is the other side of the World Gateway." Koh remarked in a low voice as he slithered around the five girls while the team listened in a now spellbound silence.
The mere fact that such a thing as a world gateway even existed was just nothing short of astonishing!
"The…World Gateway?" Azula pondered in a voice of great intrigue while she gazed up at the creature with amber golden eyes that yearned to know more.
She watched through the corner of her cold eye as the spirit continued to slink around them along the rocks.
"There is a gateway in your physical world that connects to another. And it has for many thousands of years. For many centuries this gateway was dormant. But recently it has reactivated. And it is the very reactivation of this gateway that caused the disturbance of these…interlopers." Koh revealed in an enigmatic voice with his long back turned to the stunned group.
The five girls gazed on with bewilderment in their eyes as the spirit continued to slither around them.
'A World Gateway…to Elle's homeland. I must assert control over this gateway at all costs!' Azula thought with her brilliant eyes narrowing into a resolute stare.
"Is that what we passed through when we entered the spirit pool? The World Gateway?" Zoi queried in a riveted voice with her golden eyes gazing on in unhidden fascination.
Only for the insect like spirit to chuckle as he shook his head in a dismissive fashion.
"No. That was just a fissure. A tear from the physical world into the Spirit World. Many fissures throughout our world developed as a result of the reactivation of the World Gateway. Including the one that lies beyond my lair." Koh explained as he turned to gaze back at the absorbed group while they listened intently in growing intrigue
"Fissures? Are you telling me that there are multiple weak points where these foreign soldiers can invade my nation?" Azula questioned with her callous eyes narrowing into slits while her crimson lips almost creased into a scowl.
But she ignored the urge to do so.
Knowing full well that she cannot show even the slightest sign of anger before such a dangerous spirit.
"That is a likely outcome if you leave the fissures open for passage. Which brings me to what I want…from you. I want you to close the fissure adjacent to my realm." Koh stated with face swiftly transforming into that of a curly-tailed blue nose monkey while he gazed directly into the princess's callous amber golden eyes.
The team gazed on with a shared look of amazement in their eyes.
"How do we go about closing these fissures?" Azula inquired in a hardened voice with her icy eyes staring fearlessly back into the creature's unpredictable eyes.
"In order to indefinitely seal the smaller portals, one must gain control over the physical gateway." Koh answered as he glided around Azula while he periodically gazed at the mousy girl hiding behind the princess's tall back.
Before the princess turned to follow the creature's movements with a frigid amber golden eye.
"Where can I find the physical gateway on our end?" Azula asked with her fists at her hips while she moved once more to keep her handmaiden hidden from view.
"Your end of the World Gateway rests among ruins that cannot be accessed from your current location." Koh spoke in a cryptic voice with his face transforming back into that of the white mask while his eyes lingered on the young girl's avoidant face.
Azula's amber golden eyes gazed on with her annoyance carefully hidden in her eyes.
Only to turn her head to her captain when the other woman spoke up.
"Then what can we do?" Zoi pondered in a searching voice with her interested eyes calmly meeting the creature's playful gaze.
"The passageway of the World Gateway resides in a realm called the Pseudo Space. You will find entry into this realm through the fissure that lies beyond my lair." Koh advised with his smiling lips leaning in to gaze intensely back into Azula's scheming amber golden eyes.
The two noblewomen were silent as they gazed back at each other's wary faces as their leader almost smiled.
As the captain stared on with unusual wonder in her golden eyes.
"How very interesting. What is the Pseudo Space?" Azula purred in a tone of effortless control while she felt her pet bump into her middle back.
"It is a realm of nothingness that serves as the road between each point of juncture of the World Gateway. It is the very intertwining web that has connected our worlds since it all began." Koh declared with his many legs moving about as he hovered around the two girls.
The princess's amber golden eyes flashed with a captivated gaze.
"Hm. And where may I find this fissure?" Azula asked in a sly voice with her fists resting upon her hips while her amber golden eyes followed the creature's movements.
Before the smiling spirit paused as he turned to gesture with his head in the direction of the long pathway of pillars.
The five girls gazed in that direction with their eyes closely following one of Koh's legs as he pointed out the way for them.
"If you can locate and damage the other end of the World Gateway. It may close the gateway on our end and then the interlopers will no longer be able to cross over." Koh said with his back turned to the group while their eyes widened as they listened in wonderment.
"So, that's what we need to do. We need to shut down the other side." Zoi stated in a reflective voice while she shared a look with her nearly pleased princess.
"But enough about that. Have you awakened your power yet…Elle?" Koh spoke in a frightening voice with his face changing once more as he turned to stare down at the skittish girl.
As the four older girls instinctively moved to shield the sensitive girl from the malicious spirit's gaze.
Only for Elle's amber eyes to grow as wide as can be when she found herself gazing up at Koh's latest face.
It was…that of a long since forgotten Roman soldier wearing the traditional bronze Roman helmet!
"T-that's…that's…the face of a Roman soldier!" Elle cried out in a surprised voice only to clamp her hand over her mouth when she realized her mistake.
Azula's amber golden eyes widened ever so marginally as she gazed up at the creature's current face.
As her childhood friends gazed on in mutual fascination.
Only for their stances to instantly tense up when the large creature instantly detected the girl's emotional outburst!
And then before the team could react Koh lunged towards Elle with his face rapidly changing back into that of the blue oni.
Azula's callous eyes now formed that of an imposing stare as she stood looming over her shaking serving girl.
And then not a moment later a flash of chi pulsated from Elle's body.
Just as the highborn women spun around to gaze back at their young friend's confused face with their eyes widening in surprise.
And just like that Koh froze up before he got any closer while the team turned to stare back at the spirit in shock.
As the ancient spirit now gazed back down at them with his face now shifting back into the pale white mask.
"A-again? How do I turn this off?" Elle mumbled in a puzzled voice as she chewed on her lip while a faint glow emanated from her body.
Her princess gazed down at her with her amber golden eyes still expressing her surprise.
Before the princess turned to glance back up at the spirit while she took note that he was now hesitant to come any closer.
Just like that baboon spirit!
"What a shame that I cannot come any closer. It has been centuries since I have added a child's face to my collection. And yours is so lovely." Koh commented in a disappointed voice as he reared back while Elle gulped as she peered back up at him.
Ty Lee and Mai nearly shuddered as they gazed up at the creature in increasing discomfort.
Azula still stared back up at the spirit with imposing amber golden eyes.
"O-oh. Sorry. But I kind of need it. But it is very kind of you to say so." Elle replied in a sweet voice as the glow faded from her hands while her mistress's back once more obstructed her from view.
"Well, Azula…that's about it right?" Ty Lee stated in a guarded voice as she gazed pleadingly back at her friend's stony face while the princess folded her arms over her breasts.
"Nearly. I think we've about gotten what we needed. I just have one more question for you Koh." Azula remarked in a contemplative voice with her fingertip pushing into the underside of her lip.
The others remained silent as the insect like spirit peered curiously back down at her.
"And what question would that be? Princess Azula." Koh pondered in a chilling voice while the princess's eyes glistened with an insatiable hunger for knowledge.
"What can you tell me about the Elder One?" Azula demanded in a firm voice with an elegant eyebrow arched curiously while her serving girl almost shivered at the mere mention of the name.
Only for the creature's long body to curl up above them while they watched Koh clasp his legs together in silence.
"I know nothing of the being that you speak of." Koh answered flatly as he gazed down at Azula's skeptical face while the princess scrunched up her nose.
"Really? Nothing at all?" Azula pressed in a smooth voice with her brows furrowing while she scanned Koh's suddenly evasive countenance.
"Unfortunately, I do not. However, I believe that you were correct. You have gotten all that you needed and it is time that you girls be on your way." Koh announced as he began to coil into the shadows while the team listened in bewilderment.
Mai and Ty Lee couldn't help but be relieved that the monstrous spirit was effectively telling them to leave.
But Azula on the other hand was not.
"You were so talkative before. And now you don't want to speak anymore?" Azula insisted in an observant voice with her brilliant amber golden eyes staring intently back at the creature's now scowling face.
"Azula." Mai stated in a monotone voice with Ty Lee shifting on her feet beside her.
"This conversation is over!" Koh snapped as his face rapidly changed back into that of the blue oni while he leaned down to stare into Azula's unflinching amber golden eyes.
The princess and her captain exchanged another knowing look through the corner of their eye.
Before the princess shrugged her armored shoulders while she sighed under her breath.
"Very well then. Let's go." Azula stated as she turned to resume her walk with Elle scampering after her heels.
Her lifelong friends wasted no time in quickly walking away from the insect like creature.
And then the captain wordlessly strode past the spirit.
Only for Elle to take her four highborn friends by surprise when she paused in her tracks.
Before Elle bent over to offer a respectful bow to their host.
"Thank you for the help Mr. Koh! It was really generous of you to assist us!" Elle chirped as she sprang from her bow while her friends stood in an awkward silence behind her.
And Koh was now smiling once with his face having already transformed back into that of the pale white mask.
"It has been a pleasure. Farewell Component. Until we meet again." Koh called out with a devious smile on his lips while Elle smiled back at him.
"Elle, come." Azula ordered in a controlling voice with a snap of her fingers while she watched in delight as her serving girl scampered after her.
And then Elle waved over her shoulder at the monstrous spirit before she followed after her friends.
And with that the team glanced ahead as they cautiously continued on their way.
But not before they all turned to glance over their shoulder for a final time.
Only to find themselves gazing on in surprise to notice that the ominous entity was already gone.
Before the group resumed walking through the pillars while the serving girl worriedly glanced in the direction of the two faceless men.
"Do these men need our help Azula-sama?" Elle asked in her usual lovable voice while Azula rolled her eyes above her.
And not a moment later she yelped when a stern hand began to pull her along by the ear.
The three noblewomen gazed at their young friend with returning expressions of pity.
"I said come peasant. Do as you're told pet." Azula commanded in a voice of absolute dominance as she took hold of her pet's shirt.
Before she forcefully yanked the smaller girl along while she took great delight in the cute whimpers that her girlfriend produced.
"Y-yes Azula-sama. As you command." Elle stammered in a meek voice as she made her way alongside the much taller woman.
Ty Lee and Mai let out an exasperated sigh as they eagerly trudged away as fast as they could muster.
Azula strode with a returning smirk on her lips before she turned to glance down at her quivering pet.
A smug smile graced her full lips while she savored how the shorter girl trembled so adorably under her possessive stare.
Before she released her hold on the girl's shirt with her fist falling back to her womanly hip.
Just as she turned to resume her stride while her amber golden eyes gazed ahead once more as she listened in satisfaction to her companion rushing after her.
'I have Elle. And soon I will establish control over this World Gateway as well. And once I do. Nothing will be able to stand in the way of my conquest.' Azula thought with her amber golden eyes taking on an ambitious gleam while a sanguine smile adorned her beautiful lips.
And then she held her head high while her four subordinates followed alongside her.
She continued to smirk confidently of the conquest to come.
And far away in the shadows Koh watched the team walk away until they were long out of sight.
As his lips pulled back into a sadistic smile before he turned to slither back into his lair.
"I wonder child…will you destroy the Avatar for good this time around or will the Avatar destroy you?" Koh purred as he laughed in a menacing manner once more while his laughter echoed throughout the inner chambers of his tree.
He swiftly vanished into the shadows and then soon his laughter faded away as well.
AN:
First let me take a moment to respond to the reviews.
Agent Banana, thank you for the congrats!
Unfortunately, Felix's end is a long way off. He has much to do in the story first, but Azula will try and maybe eventually she will even succeed.
As for Rieko, she is not a waterbender. And one of the primary reasons for that is that Rieko cannot control water in its liquid form. However, she has absolute mastery over ice in ways that the Water Tribe are not capable of. Azula versus Rieko would ultimately be a battle of fire versus ice, not fire versus water.
With that said, Rieko is going to be far, far more than a tough opponent for Azula. There are going to be numerous huge all out battles over the course of the series and Rieko will be at the focal point of at least one of them. She is also going to be the primary antagonist of book two. So, it goes without saying that Rieko is no casual opponent for Azula to fight.
The best way that I can put it without spoiling anything, is that there will be some enemies who will prove to be 'monsters' not just in their actions and behavior like Felix. But also in terms of how powerful they are. Rieko is going to be one of those monsters, and she is going to be a nightmare of an opponent for those that fight against her.
Loligang, that is interesting. I have never played Devil May Cry so I wasn't aware of that. I was for the most part just visualizing the fight in my mind as I wrote it.
Now, onto the afterword.
So, we learned some important details in this chapter. The talk with Koh confirmed the existence of a World Gateway, and it is the very reactivation of the World Gateway that created the spirit portal over the mystic pool that Team Azula traveled through in order to enter the Spirit World.
Now, I am aware that the Spirit World is a parallel to the physical world of Avatar. And normally, one would have to travel further to reach the Realm of Koh. However, because of the fissures that appeared throughout the Spirit World. Team Azula were able to make their way to the Realm of Koh simply by following the tears in the Spirit World.
The fissures eventually lead to the Pseudo Space that Koh spoke of, which is the formless void that serves as the bridge between both the Avatar World Gateway and the World Gateway of Elle's world.
Azula must first find the site of the physical gateway before she can assert control over it. This isn't something that Azula will be able to find in this arc. However, as we learned through Koh. Damage to one end of the gateway effects both sides, which means that even if Azula does not know the location of the physical gateway on her end. She still may be able to close the portals.
We also saw in this chapter that spirits small and large are fearful of Elle's power. As I have stated before, while powerful benders such as Azula and Zoe are more than capable of hurting spirits, especially if they become ascendants. Since Elle's power has the ability to slice through the Spirit World, that means lovable pacifist or not she is the only one that might be able to hurt them just by virtue of being in her presence.
This is why even powerful spirits like the Mother of Faces and Koh are wary of being in Elle's presence. It would take more than one flare up of her power to kill them, but the spirits have an instinctual fear of her power. And it isn't something that they desire to chance.
This is also why Elle was able to get away with showing emotion in front of Koh and he very likely would have had her power not flared when he did. Despite this, Koh was true to his curious nature and even lunged at her knowing that he was taking a risk. This potentially shows that while Koh does fear the Component. He is almost drawn to it out of a morbid curiosity to see it first hand for himself.
And even though Elle possesses the power to hurt Koh. We once again saw that Elle's courtesy goes far not only with the highborn like Azula, Zoe, Rieko, etc but also even malicious spirits. It shows that Elle's friendly face is powerful in its own right.
We also discovered that Koh possesses the face of an ancient Roman soldier. Which means that Koh has been to Elle's world.
Also, when Azula questioned Koh about the Primordial One he became oddly quiet. This is meant to serve as foreshadowing, that while Koh is creepy and dangerous in his own way. He fears the Primordial One and is unwilling to discuss it. As for what that means, we'll have to wait and see.
Regardless, it shows that Koh is aware of more than he is letting on. And that he is eagerly anticipating Elle and Aang's eventual continued clash.
On another note, just recently I finally finished writing the current arc and I am now starting the one that follows after. Which will bring Ozai into the spotlight, we'll also get to see more of the high nobles and there will also be a second battle against Team Avatar. Things should get quite interesting.
Anyhow, that will be it for now.
Stay tuned for next time.
For chapter ninety-seven! The Bridge Between Worlds!