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Fear - Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Eight
Ty Lee stood with Elle's wrist in her own gazing back at the walls surrounding the Fire Nation Royal Palace.
Her face turned pale in terror as she stared back at the stationary metal badgermole sitting beyond the giant walls in horror.
"W-what's going on oneesan? Why…why did you get me out of school early? H-hey…what's that doing here?" Elle asked in an innocent voice with her gentle eyes peering back at the strange lifeless vehicle in confusion.
"That's…what I would like to know Elle." Ty Lee stated in an unnerved voice as she began to pull the young girl forward under her wrist.
Her brown-gray eyes gazed in unease at the vast steel behemoth as she swallowed under her breath.
"I…I am going to take you to your room and I want you to stay there until we come to get you. Okay little sister?" Ty Lee instructed in a protective voice as she ushered the smaller girl along behind her.
"O-okay oneesan. Sure." Elle stammered in an uncertain voice as she was pulled after the noblewoman.
Her amber eyes glanced up at the huge metal corpse of the animal in an eeriness that she was unable to place.
Before the two rushed through the doors of the vast palace and hurried towards the servants' quarters.
About ten minutes later…
Azula stomped through the halls of the palace with her callous amber golden eyes glaring ahead with a vengeance like she had never felt before.
She barely even noticed that the hallway was completely devoid of the usual rush of the royal servants scampering about to fulfill their every order.
Only to find herself halting in her tracks when she saw her two subordinates rushing up to her from the corner of her enraged amber golden eye.
The two noblewomen ran towards their leader with their eyes agape in alarm as they soon came to a stop beside her.
"Azula! Are you okay? You don't look well." Ty Lee inquired in an unsettled voice only to find herself shivering when she caught the terrifying glare in Azula's seething amber golden eyes.
"Your Highness…what happened? Where is she?" Zoi questioned in a stony voice as she gazed back at her leader's utterly outraged face.
She noted that the younger woman looked as if she was struggling to contain her temper.
It was something that she had picked up on almost immediately.
The princess almost always had flawless control over her emotions.
And yet right now she looked like she was a volcano about to erupt.
"Where…is the girl?" Azula pondered in a cold voice with her frigid amber golden eyes gazing back at her two companions faces.
"I…I took Elle to her room. What…what's wrong Azula? What aren't you telling us?" Ty Lee queried in an increasingly fearful voice as the princess pursed her lips into a livid scowl.
Only for the princess to clench her fists at her hips while her amber golden eyes took on a stare of unfathomable rage.
"Father…has joined forces…with Silah once more." Azula responded in a voice of barely controlled wrath while the two noblewomen froze in their footsteps in shock.
And that was all it took for the two nobles to be stunned into a state of speechlessness.
Even the normally free-spoken captain was stunned into silence by her princess's reply.
And before the trio could even so much as get another word out.
Azula's amber golden eyes widened when she felt the hairs on her neck stand up in distinctly familiar alertness.
The sound of footsteps striding down from the other end of the hall resounded into the ears of the three highborn women.
Just as the three turned to gaze over their shoulders to find a face gazing back at them from the other end of the long palace hall.
Azula glowered back at the unmasked face of the puppeteer with her amber golden eyes trembling in revived rage.
Zoi and Ty Lee stood frozen to their spots in shock.
Only to find themselves gazing back at a stunningly beautiful woman dressed in a green Earth Kingdom kimono.
All the while as the otherworldly woman's silver hair swayed freely behind her with her lips curling into a perverse smirk.
And just like that.
The captain's teeth smashed together with her golden eyes bubbling in titanic rage as she stared back at the criminal's smirking face.
"W-what…. that's…that's…Silah? B-but…she looks…so young." Ty Lee whispered in a voice of pure terror as the memories of their battle in the cavern flooded through her mind once more.
The astonishingly youthful woman stared back at their faces with her gloved hands hanging at her hips.
How was it possible for this woman to be the same age as Mava?
And for as cruel as the Fire Lord was!
How could he ever consent to another alliance with her after all that she has done!
After what she tried to do to Azula!
Zoi trembled with steam rising from her mighty muscles as her jaw clenched in her rage.
And her golden eyes narrowed into slits as she exhaled fire from her constricting nostrils.
'I knew that Ozai didn't give a shit about the lives of his own people…but this! This is a disgrace!' Zoi thought with her fist smashing the hilt of her sword in hand as she bared her teeth like a bloodthirsty dragon.
As the princess's amber golden eyes shook with boiling fury as she never once took her eyes off the serial killer's smiling face.
"You revolting freak…sooner or later I am going to wipe that disgusting smirk off your face." Azula hissed with her amber golden eyes forming into slits as the much older woman let out a soft chuckle.
"So…that's your true face. It's much lovelier than I was expecting of such a monster. Savor it while it lasts…because I am about to smash it into a pulp!" Zoi bellowed in a return to her scarily focused warrior persona before she broke out into a sprint towards the smirking woman.
Sweat dripped down Ty Lee's face from where she took a fearful step back behind the enraged princess.
Only for the warrior to freeze up in her tracks in mid run with her golden eyes widening in even greater disbelief when she saw who was standing behind the puppeteer.
Azula stared back at the lifeless warrior Earth King with her amber golden eyes studying his dead countenance once more.
Ty Lee took another frightened step back as she gazed at the tall figure with rising fear in her brown-gray eyes.
"It's…it's not possible! It…can't be!" Zoi protested as she took an unusually hesitant step back while her golden eyes were agape in disbelief.
Ty Lee shook in terror behind the mighty warrior as she took note of the bright yellow and green royal combat robes that the corpse was wearing.
And that was all that was needed for a feeling of even greater dread to rise up from within her belly.
"Oh, but I assure you Zoi it is." Silah responded in a chillingly relaxed voice with her dark green eyes gazing back at the captain's utterly outraged face.
"Earth King Jaran!" Zoi roared with unimaginable rage in her booming voice as she stared back at the warrior king's expressionless face in shock.
The thought had crossed her mind when she encountered the puppet back in the cavern.
But somewhere deep down she didn't want to believe it…
That this beast had succeeded where she failed!
Ty Lee's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates in sheer terror as she finally understood the cause of the captain's pause.
'That…that man…is the great warrior Earth King Jaran?!' Ty Lee thought with her eyes agape in astonishment that soon transformed into horror.
Azula's amber golden eyes still swept about between the puppeteer and her weapon as she scanned the fallen king intently.
"How did you acquire him! Even I couldn't defeat him! He was a mighty warrior unlike all of the other weakling kings to come before him! He is widely honored as not only the strongest Earth King to ever live but one of the greatest earthbenders of all time!" Zoi demanded in an incredulous voice as she pointed her katana back at Silah's pale smirking face.
The acrobat and even the princess stood behind their companion with their eyes gazing on in shock over how intensely highly regarded the deceased king was.
"It's a long story Zoi but perhaps I'll regale you with it sometime." Silah stated in a sadistic chuckle as she sauntered forward with her dark green eyes gazing back into the noblewoman's boiling golden eyes.
As the three highborn women never once took their eyes off their seemingly immortal enemy as she smiled darkly back at them.
"But I will tell you…that this one here I am especially proud of. In fact, I would even go so far as to say that he is my most treasured trophy." Silah declared in a voice of silken menace as she stood gazing back at the three speechless faces of the highborn women.
Ty Lee shuddered in fright over the way that the woman spoke of the man's corpse as if it was a literal trophy that she displayed with pride on her wall!
Zoi and Azula glared daggers back at Silah's smirking face as she gazed back at them with unnerving dark green eyes.
Only for all three Fire Nation women to spin around to gaze out of the corner of their eyes in alarm when the sound of a fist pounding into the wall rumbled into the air.
Team Azula stared back at the warrior Earth King with widened eyes to see him standing there with his fist having literally plunged right through the wall!
And not a second later they gazed up with their eyes widening even larger when they saw several of the lights in the palace hallway explode over their eyes!
Shards of shattered lamps now rained down over their heads as they watched as numerous lights in the hallway started to flicker in and out!
Just as the trio rounded about to gaze over their shoulders with their eyes agape in urgency when they saw that Silah had disappeared!
As Azula and Zoi lit their palms up with firebending as they gazed madly about the hallway in search of their enemy.
The gazes of all three paranoid women continued to spin about the now flame lit hallway to see the deceased Earth King still gazing hauntingly back at them.
"W-where…did she…go?" Ty Lee blurted out in an unnaturally terrified voice only to feel a chill traveling down her spine.
Azula glared on with wrath in her royal amber golden eyes in search of her stalker.
Only to find herself freezing up with her lips parting in shock when she felt two gloved hands touch her neck.
Ty Lee now froze up as well as she turned to gaze over her shoulder only for her eyes to widen in horror.
Zoi spun around only for her stoic golden eyes to widen in shock as well.
Silah now held onto the princess from behind almost as if it was some sort of twisted romantic embrace!
'How? I…didn't even see her move! She can't be faster than Naoki! So how…did she get behind me!' Azula thought with her amber golden eyes widening in a sense of foreigner unease while she felt Silah lean in before her cheek.
And just like that her blood began to boil to an even hotter level when she heard a demented chuckle flow into her ear.
She gazed out of the corner of her widened eye to see Silah leaning in to peer at her from over her shoulder.
A perverse grin pulled onto the puppeteer's lips as she began to caress the princess's frozen cheek with a gloved fingertip.
"I…don't know what it is about you Azula but I am so deeply attracted to you. Perhaps…it's because we have so much in common…my mother abandoned me too you know." Silah spoke in an almost sadistically sensual voice with her lips lingering near the princess's stunned cheek.
Ty Lee and even Zoi listened with their eyes wide in a disturbed emotion to the monstrous woman's confession.
As Azula stared on with her amber golden eyes widened in some foreign sensation that she couldn't quite put her finger on.
And no matter how much she tried to force her body to move she felt almost as if she was paralyzed!
And yet…she knew that she wasn't truly paralyzed!
She hadn't been chi-blocked!
Only for her ruthless amber golden eyes to widen in shame when she finally realized what the problem was.
Silah leaned in with her lips leaning in to graze against Azula's ear with her gloved hands affectionately stroking the frozen woman's face.
"Oh, Azula…. there is no need for you to be ashamed of fearing me…I promise you that you are not the first to feel this way in my presence and you will also not be the last. Fear is only natural…it is our most primal emotion after all…deep down we all have to fear something. Why shouldn't you fear me?" Silah remarked in a hushed voice of chilling lethality while Azula's amber golden eyes snapped open wide with royal fury.
"I do not fear you!" Azula snarled with a mighty cloak of azure fire sweeping across her body while she glared out of the corner of her murderous amber golden eye.
Only for her eye to widen when she still felt the puppeteer's gloved hands grasping her cheeks.
And yet somehow the vile woman was somehow withstanding the head of her flames!
As the serial killer smiled back at her shocked face as she ran her tongue along her lips.
Just as the puppeteer and the princess gazed upward when they saw two figures descending down from above them.
"Get your disgusting hands off my princess!" Zoi in a stonily devoted voice as she dropped down from above with her golden eyes agape in fury.
Ty Lee also fell down opposite of the enraged captain with her brown-gray eyes expressing unusual anger.
Azula stared up with her callous amber golden eyes momentarily flickering with something akin to appreciation in her eyes.
Before she turned to stare frigidly at the far older woman's smirking face in loathing.
Only for the limber form of Jaran to swiftly leap into the air between the two noblewomen.
Zoi and Ty Lee stared back at the warrior king's lifeless face with widened eyes as an armored earthen boot brutally slammed into the acrobat's gut.
And then Ty Lee's back hit the wall with a yelp while she stared back at the terrifying puppeteer with returning fear in her eyes.
And not a second later…
The captain's sword connected with the warrior king's earthen covered gauntlet!
Azula stared up with her amber golden eyes rapidly attempting to decipher how the woman was operating the king without any cables!
Only to turn to regard Silah's smirking face from over her plated shoulder as she increased the intensity of her flames.
While searing hot blue flames began to burn all around her body at even greater temperature amidst her blue inferno.
She took a certain measure of delight in the way that the hunter's eyes finally began to widen in alarm.
And then she swung her mighty fist over her shoulder as she stared on with furious amber golden eyes as she watched Silah leap away.
As Zoi and Jaran still collided in the air above with the captain's narrowed golden eyes gazing back into the warrior king's lifeless gaze.
Only for Silah to gracefully land on her knees with her kimono charred but her body otherwise unharmed.
Azula turned to face her enemy with her amber golden eyes narrowing into slits as Silah provocatively licked her lips once more.
And then the captain landed on her boots beside her leader with her stoic golden eyes watching the puppet elegantly land beside his master.
As Ty Lee pushed herself to her feet with her angered eyes glaring back at Silah's smirking face.
"I don't care what Father says. Kill her!" Azula commanded with her vindictive amber golden eyes glaring back at Silah's pale face.
And then she broke out into a sprint towards the grinning puppeteer with her two subordinates rushing alongside her.
Only for the three highborn women to stare on in returning shock when Silah bounded away with all the astonishing agility of a young woman!
Their guarded eyes swept about in search of the warrior king as the man sprinted down the hallway after his master.
As they watched as Silah and her weapon nimbly disappeared down the halls of the Fire Nation Royal Palace as they ran in hot pursuit!
Until not even a minute later when they burst through the corridor of another long hallway while their eyes swept about in search of their enemy.
"Where…is she?" Zoi asked with her enraged golden eyes gazing about the palace hall way.
Only for their eyes to collectively widen when they heard a chilling voice chuckle behind them.
"You should know Azula…I didn't tell your father everything…" Silah called out in a taunting voice as the princess turned around to glare mercilessly over her shoulder.
Just as the princess froze up once more with her amber golden eyes wide in shock at what she saw.
And Ty Lee too halted in her tracks with her mouth open in returning terror.
And even the normally composed captain could only stare on with a sense of disbelief in her golden eyes.
At the other end of the hallway stood the lifeless warrior Earth King and behind him stood Silah with her arms coiled around his chest in some deranged display fondness!
The three aristocrats stood in disbelief as they watched Silah lean in with her lips approaching the man's cheek.
As the lights from the overhead palace lamps accentuated her perversely grinning face.
And then Silah affectionately stroked Jaran's dead cheek just as she had done to the princess just moments before!
And seconds later…
The puppeteer licked her lips while she made eye contact with the horrified eyes of the three highborn women.
She took great delight in watching her enemies' recoil in disgust.
"Your spines are tingling…you are wondering…will I be the next one to join her collection?" Silah taunted in a terrifying voice with her dark green eyes staring back at the speechless faces of her enemies.
The three Fire Nation women glared defiantly back at their twisted enemy.
Only for the princess and the acrobat to turn to the warrior beside them in surprise when she pounded her first into the palace wall in her fury.
"You sickening creature! He was an honorable warrior and you reduce him to this…twisted pleasure! You will never get the chance to defile Princess Azula in such a vile manner!" Zoi yelled in an indignant voice with her cold golden eyes glaring back at the hunter's chuckling face.
Azula gazed at her strongest warrior through the corner of her icy eye with a flicker of gratitude in her callous gaze.
Before she turned her intimidating amber golden eyes back to Silah's pale smirking face as she withdrew away from the corpse's cheek.
"So, you have a demented fetish for corpses. That just means that you are even more repulsive than I had first taken you to be." Azula snorted in a frigid voice as she stood glaring daggers back at the puppeteer's smirking countenance.
As Silah still stood with her arms wrapped around Jaran's chest with her dark green eyes gazing back at her enemies' unnerved faces.
"I have something that I would like to show you Zoi…watch closely…all of you." Silah purred as she snaked a gloved hand around the lifeless man's shirt while the three highborn women stared back in disgust.
Only for her hand to tear back the warrior king's robes while the captain gazed back with her golden eyes widening in recognition.
Azula and Ty Lee stared over their shoulder at their comrade's stunned face.
"That's…where I struck him before I plunged into the ocean…" Zoi trailed off in a low voice with her katana in hand as she stared with stoic eyes back at the warrior king's perpetually wounded chest.
"You asked me how I acquired him…and the answer is that you helped me bring him down. Of course, I could have done it without your assistance but this wound certainly slowed him down. Even so, you wouldn't believe how much of a battle he put up…" Silah admitted in a devious voice with her arms wrapped around her puppet's body while Zoi's golden eyes boiled over in unfathomable rage.
Azula and Ty Lee stood staring on with shock in their eyes as they realized that the demented puppeteer had made their kill in the ensuing battle after their comrade's fateful defeat!
"You took my glory!" Zoi hissed with her teeth clenched together in her rage while steam began to rise from her muscles once more.
The hunter just smirked as she let out a depraved chuckle with her gloved hands falling from her puppet's lifeless shoulders.
"If only you had been there to see the light go out in his eyes when he realized that he wasn't going to make it to avenge his beloved wife. And even more delicious than that…you should have seen the horror in his eyes when he felt his flesh begin to turn into that of a puppet." Silah announced in a voice of profound cruelty while her gloved hands fell back to her sides.
She gazed back at the shocked faces of her three paranoid enemies as they tried their hardest to stave off their fear.
As Ty Lee held a hand over her mouth as she began to feel as if she was going to vomit.
And even the captain and the princess felt a chill travel down their spine over being informed that the victim was conscious long enough to process that they were being transformed into a doll!
Just as Zoi straightened with her katana in hand as she hardened her golden eyes back at her enemy's depraved face.
She raised her blade in the air as she pointed it back in the puppeteer's amused face as her two companions gazed at her from behind.
And with that the warrior began to stalk forward with her golden eyes gleaming with a renewed desire for the glory of the battlefield once more!
"Then it is only fair that I take yours! I shall have my immortality and I shall taste my glory! And I will avenge my comrades! When I defeat you and Earth King Jaran both!" Zoi announced in a determined voice as her golden eyes burned with the flames of war as she sauntered onward.
Silah held a gloved fist over her perversely chuckling lips as she watched the warrior fearlessly stride towards her.
Only for Azula's amber golden eyes to bristle in fury as she glared at her captain's back.
"Don't get greedy! She's my kill Zoi!" Azula snapped with her amber golden eyes glaring ahead with her hand falling to the hilt of her sword as she began to stalk towards the woman.
"Who cares who kills her as long as she's dead!" Ty Lee exclaimed with a frown on her lips as she still shuddered under Silah's monstrous gaze.
Only for the three women to narrow their gazes into slits when Silah and her puppet bolted down the hall once more!
The three highborn women rushed down the lavish halls of the Fire Nation Royal Palace with their focused eyes following their enemies' movements.
As Silah nimbly darted from corridor to corridor with her puppet bounding through the air alongside her!
Until the trio burst forth from the front entrance of the palace with their enraged eyes sweeping about in search of their enemy.
Just as their eyes widened to an even greater height when they saw that the gigantic badgermole had vanished into the hole that it came in underground!
They gazed around them with widening eyes as they took in numerous soldiers lying unconscious across the rocky landscape of the barren courtyard.
Before the trio effortlessly leaped over the fortified walls of the palace while they leaped to the stone landscape below outside the palace walls.
Their eyes rapidly searched the surrounding area of the city for their enemy.
Only for another sinister laugh to resound into their ears as they quickly whirled around to find themselves facing the pale woman's smirking face once again.
And then Azula stepped up beside Zoi while the two firebenders began to walk side by side towards the puppeteer and her puppet.
Cruel dark green eyes gazed back at them from behind her ultimate weapon as she ran her tongue along her lips once more.
And just like that the two firebenders charged towards the smirking puppeteer.
The mighty warrior Earth King sunk into a combat stance once more as the earth began to rumble beneath his feet.
Only for Silah's lips to curl into truly perverse grin as she slammed both of her clothed palms together.
The princess and the captain gazed on with narrowing eyes.
As they watched more cloaked puppets rise from the ground around the puppeteer with barely visible steel cables linking to Silah's gloved fingertips!
"You two have a long way to go before you are ready to face my full power." Silah spoke in a heartlessly confident voice as her chi began to glow from her body.
The two firebenders stared furiously back at her as they slid their boots along the ground as they sprinted towards her.
And seconds after that.
Agents of the Dai Li leaped down to stand atop the defensive walls of the Fire Nation Royal Palace as they overlooked the conflict below with hardened expressions in their eyes.
Just as their eyes widened in disbelief at who they saw standing in preserved flesh below!
It was none other than the great warrior Earth King Jaran!
"I…don't believe it. That's Earth King Jaran. What breed of forbidden art is this?" Raolan questioned with a sliver of rare surprise in his stoic voice while he gazed down at the lifeless warrior king in disbelief.
The rest of the agents of the Dai Li stood around their leader with their stony gazes watching in morbid captivation as the man began to bend the earth as if he were still alive in the flesh!
The demented puppeteer sprang at the two firebenders with her silver hair swaying before her sadistically excited dark green eyes.
And just before the deranged artist and her puppet could impact with the two attacking firebenders…
Only for a flash of bright light to suddenly flash before Silah's now widening eyes.
"That's…" Silah trailed off in a suddenly cautious voice as she leaped backwards in the air.
Azula and Zoi skidded to a stop outside the fortified walls of the palace with Ty Lee jumping down behind them.
As they gazed on with widening eyes as watched the radiant light flash before their astonished eyes.
And not even a second later Silah landed on all fours with Jaran sliding on the ground to a stop beside her.
Silah gazed over her shoulder with marginally widened eyes as she watched the construct of chi just barely soar past her head.
And then it soared straight into a Fire Nation guard tower.
The three highborn women stared on with their eyes enlarging in shock when the attack sliced clean through the stone structure!
As a cold smile pulled onto the puppeteer's lips as she turned to gaze in the direction of the walls surrounding the Royal Palace.
"The Component." Silah stated with a trace of intrigue in her unfeeling voice to find herself gazing back at the young girl standing a short distance away from her.
The girl now stood still adorning her academy uniform frowning back at Silah's heartless face with her backpack wrapped around her shoulders.
The soldiers of the Royal Procession were rushing out to protect their princess.
Only to find themselves halting in their tracks upon witnessing the arrival of the strange girl outside the main gates of the Royal Palace.
"Elle! I told you to stay in your room!" Ty Lee called out in a worried voice as she still gazed on behind the two shocked firebenders.
'It's…just like when she cut through that projectile back in the ice valley!' Azula thought with her amber golden eyes gazing on in analyzation.
She studied the cut in the structure with her callous amber golden eyes flickering in renewed satisfaction that the girl and her incredible power belonged to her and her alone.
"Stay away from my princess and my oneesans." Elle remarked in a defensive voice with her amber eyes staring back at Silah's porcelain toned countenance.
The hunter's lips curved into an entertained smirk as she stood up to gaze back into the girl's passionate eyes.
The three highborn women stared at their young friend's back with a shared expression of appreciation in their eyes.
And further into Hari Bulkan…
Sia watched the spark of energy release from within the distance as her golden eyes stared on in astonishment in the direction of the vast palace walled fortifications.
'So…she truly is in possession of some kind of abnormal power…' Sia thought as her hand fell from underneath her chin.
She continued to observe the fading light in contemplation as the wind blew through her hair.
"We finally meet face to face at long last…Component." Silah greeted in an eloquent voice with her puppets rising up behind her while she stared intently back at the girl as she took a step closer.
Elle stood gazing back at the lifeless puppets as she felt a shiver travel her spine as she took in their expressionless faces.
Only to shake her head as she reminded herself to maintain her focus while she furrowed her brows back at Silah's eerie face.
Just before a beaming smile made its way onto her lips while the three highborn women stared protectively from behind their young teammate.
"And you're just the person that I was wanting to speak to!" Elle exclaimed in a return to her jovial voice as she smiled back at Silah's now taken aback pale face while her highborn friends listened behind her in confusion.
While cold-hearted dark green eyes stared back at her in surprise as she stared back into the seemingly immortal woman's chilling eyes.
With any luck.
If she plays her cards right.
Perhaps she'll be able to get some information about the voice in her head and the calamity to come from the dark sage...
Silah the Pale.
AN:
Jigoku-kage, thank you again for your words of support. I appreciate it.
So, we are beginning to learn little bits and pieces about Silah.
It has only been minutes since Silah's visit with Ozai and she is already persisting in tormenting Team Azula.
Silah is showing us that she can seemingly control one puppet without cables at a time.
The primary theme and focus of this chapter is why and how Silah is able to get to Azula.
Azula realized in this chapter why Silah is able to get to her. It wasn't because she was chi-blocked. And she realized that Silah is not as fast as Naoki.
In terms of all of the characters that will feature in the series, Naoki is the fastest character period. Other characters like Azula, Zoi, Silah, Rieko, Katsu, Aang have speed that is considered to be superhuman. Naoki is still above them in speed because super speed is her forte.
Although, make no mistake. Silah is still extremely inhumanly fast, and she is far faster than most people could ever react. She just isn't as fast as Naoki.
The reason why Silah can get to Azula, and why she was able to get behind Azula is because on some level deep down, Azula is unnerved by Silah's presence.
Azula is a proud, wealthy and immensely powerful woman. Azula is used to being the one doing the tormenting, she is used to always being in control, and always being the one doing the hunting. She is used to feeling untouchable and she never thought that anyone would ever be able to get to her like this.
Silah unsettles Azula, because Silah is able to break through Azula's beliefs in her superiority and prey upon her all the same.
Previously, the only thing that Azula feared was her father not loving her, and being cast aside like Zuko. While there was fear of Ozai, she never had fear of her father in the way that she is having fear of Silah. She never feared being killed by Ozai.
Similarly, the reason why Azula can face other powerful benders like Naoki, Katsu and Rieko without fear is because they do not make her feel like prey like Silah does.
Azula does not fear Rieko, because she is a fellow conqueror. And even if Rieko might be stronger than her, Rieko is a conqueror, not a serial killing hunter.
And likewise, the reason why Azula does not fear Naoki is because Naoki is an assassin, and Naoki's attempts to kill her were impersonal. Whereas Silah is actively predating upon Azula.
Now, I want to clarify, that this does not mean that Azula is completely terrified of Silah. She is not afraid to face Silah in battle.
It just means that deep down she is unsettled by Silah. Silah violates all that Azula knows, she violates Azula's pride in being Fire Nation royalty, and is making Azula feel like she is prey, and that unnerves Azula.
In the end, fear helps you grow and become stronger as a person. And I believe that Azula having an opponent that is able to unsettle her, can only help her grow stronger as a bender and a person.
Silah's role in Azula's life is instrumental, because just like how Elle is the first person to make Azula feel loved unconditionally. Silah is the first person to make Azula feel fear, and that is important to Azula's character growth.
Make no mistake here, Azula is a bad ass, and she is tremendously powerful, but her having a monster to face and overcome, will make her become stronger in the long run.
I guess what I am saying here, is that Azula needs a personal obstacle, someone to overcome. It would be boring if she breezed past everyone that challenged her. And that is why Silah is here.
Although, with all of that being said. Silah is being extremely arrogant, as we have already seen, Azula and Zoi are more than capable of providing a great challenge to Silah.
Silah is just being smug because of all the knowledge that she has obtained over her vast lifespan. And because she knows that she has an advantage because Azula and Zoi do not know the secrets of her powers and her body.
And while Ozai might think that there is a way that he can reign Silah in. She is showing us here that Ozai cannot control her, and it has yet to be seen if she can even be controlled.
And so, Elle is finally meeting Silah face to face. It seems that Elle has come not only to protect her friends but because she wants to speak to Silah.
We are seeing further character growth from Elle here, as she is showing initiative. Which begs the question. Why does Elle want to speak to Silah and what does she want from her?
This arc is not a repeat of Team Azula's battle with Silah in the Forgetful Valley. This arc is more about exploring Silah's character, and how she will impact the events that will effect Azula, Elle, Zoi, Ty Lee, Mai and the others to come.
As for me, I am really not doing well. The chapters will continue to update more slowly, because the writing of the arc that follows after this one is currently on pause.
To put it into perspective, I wrote about 331,164 words last year. And we are two months into 2022, and I have written about 13,773 words. I wanted to give you all an update, because it will likely be a few weeks before I am able to upload another one.
In a few days, I will be flying to New York City for my first NYU appointment. I am hoping with all my life that they will be able to help me. I feel like there is a good chance that my neurologist has truly found the cause, and that I have good odds that NYU will be able to fix this.
There is just that lingering fear that they won't, and that I will be stuck like this. I have had a headache for about 1640 days. I just want to see and feel proof that someone can help me.
But on the plus side, my neurologist found the compression from the looping artery in my neck, and none of the other doctors were treating my neck all this time, they were treating my head as the source of the pain. If my doctor is right, they weren't treating the right location of the pain, and treating that compression may mean that I have real hope now.
Hopefully I will be able to get that targeted nerve block soon and feel some noticeable relief. Then I will be able to relax and look forward to surgery fixing this.
Anyhow, that will be all for now though.
Stay tuned for next time.
For chapter one hundred thirty-nine! The Dark Sage and the Component!