Earth...Fire...Water...Air... This is the age of the new Avatar, and after many years of chaos, the world is poised to enter into a time of prosperity and peace. But every light casts a shadow, and in the days to come, the very balance of the universe will be in danger, and the true purpose of the Avatar will be revealed. The Avatar's name is Usagi, a warrior of love and justice, and despite all the great deeds she has accomplished, her story is not over yet!
AVATAR
The Celestial Sailors
BOOK THREE: DEATH
17: Foreboding
Minako kept her arms crossed, and the trial kept dragging. Mishkin's lawyer spoke in his defense, the prosecutors brought up the evidence against him, countless witnesses testified against the shamed monk. The surviving family members of the monks killed due to his actions had particularly violent words for him, and the townspeople that had suffered were no less merciful. The sifus of the Eastern Air Temple, Boris included, were more restrained, keeping to the facts—but they never looked Mishkin in the eye; they didn't even acknowledge his presence unless it was necessary (and they always referred to him as "the defendant", never once using his name). Minako's father was one of the judges; other sifus from various temples had been called in for their impartiality. Minako just kept her arms crossed, powerless to do anything but wait.
"Yes, your honors," Queen Makoto said as she took the witness stand: "Avatar Usagi was the one who captured the defendant in Mokusei. She called us to him, and we bound him for safe transport. We were...waylaid by an uninvited party, but persuaded them to leave us in peace. Minako Aino and I then brought the defendant here."
"Thank you, your highness."
"Permission to inquire about this uninvited party?" Mishkin's lawyer said. It was granted, and Makoto described the encounter with Hotaru to the best of her ability. The prosecution objected, since the information had nothing to do with the defendant or the case, and the judge ruled in their favor. Still, more than a few people were unnerved at the mention of a Death-Bender.
"Any further questions?" one of the judges said. Mishkin's lawyer cleared his throat.
"Yes: the defendant was injured when he was brought to court. Would you care to explain this, your highness?"
"Yes. He attempted to flee, and we had to use force to restrain him. I called upon the trees of Mokusai while Avatar Usagi cuffed his arms and legs in stone. We refrained from any unnecessary violence."
"I see—and there were no other search parties in the vicinity? Not Captain Nishimura's unit, or, ah, any of the esteemed sifus?"
"No, sir, our group had been assigned to search the city while Captain Nishimura covered the outer perimeter."
"And whom do you refer to when you say 'your group'?" Makoto told him. A few eyes wandered to Minako, who may as well have been a statue. She knew that everything had to be airtight, by the books, as straight and clear as a glass pane, in order to properly judge Mishkin—but personally she felt this was a waste of time. Everyone knew he was guilty; this was little more than a self-indulgent circus, an attempt by the slovenly and the corrupt to shield a traitor from his just desserts. Oh, they'd never execute him—no air-bender criminal, however vile or obscene, had been put to death by the nomadic court—but even the worst punishment they could offer would seem tepid. A part of her wished they had just let the Death-Bender take care of Mishkin, as much as that went against her creed. Regardless, Makoto was eventually dismissed from the witness box. She exchanged a grim look with her friend as she rejoined her.
"What do you think?" she whispered as the next witness was called. Minako sighed.
"Probably exile. He should get life in prison, but that scumbag lawyer's flapping his silver gums." She relaxed long enough to part some hair from her face. "I feel awful for my father. He's just as riled up as I am about this, but since the east isn't his jurisdiction, he has to remain neutral." Makoto nodded, and the trial plodded. More witnesses were called. More evidence was examined and cross-examined. More statements were made. Recesses were taken. More talking. More plodding. Minako lost count of the number of times she yawned. Makoto forced herself to pay close attention, because she was a queen now, and matters such as these would soon concern her. One day, she would have to make judgment on someone's life, and it would have to be fair, and impartial, and might very well go against everything she believed and stood for.
A verdict was reached two days later. Mishkin was found guilty, and as Minako predicted, sentenced to lifelong exile. He would be cast out of the Air Nomad order for all of time, his name stricken from every record, and any possessions he might have owned would be distributed to the victims of his crime. Furthermore, if he set foot on any of the Nomad territories, his life would be forfeit. He was ushered out in chains, placed onto a bison, and escorted to the border, where a boat awaited him. Minako and Makoto both watched as Mishkin the monk was blotted out of history, piece by piece: his birth records burned, his monk's placard broken, his robes removed and destroyed. He was given a set of replacement clothes, drab and gray and slightly itchy, then all the witnesses turned their backs to him, symbolically finalizing the rift. Without saying a word, he got into the boat and was taken to the nearest town—never to be heard from again.
Minako shivered in spite of the day's warmth.
"It's done, then," Makoto announced coldly. She looked to her friend, unsure of how to console her, or even if she could. She asked if there was anything she could do, anything Minako needed. Just time, she said, time to think and be alone. Makoto acquiesced, but reminded her that they needed to return to Mokusei soon. Minako understood and they parted. The next day, they met up again. Minako didn't look much better.
"You all right?"
"I suppose," Minako replied forlornly. "I took some time to meditate. I was...angry, you know, about what happened. Righteously so, of course, as anyone would be...but it began to consume me. My father once told me that anger can be like a heavy coat: it has its uses, and bearing it's no crime, but keeping it only weighs you down and stifles you. Eventually, you have to take it off and move on. I just have to reconcile all that." She finally offered a frail smile to her oldest friend. "So how about you? How'd you spend your day off?"
"I sent messenger-hawks to Motoki and Usagi, letting them know what happened. I, uh..." Makoto grinned bashfully, turning a little pink. "I asked Motoki that if he wasn't too busy, maybe we could finally go on our honeymoon."
"Oh, for sure, girl!" Minako exclaimed, her countenance brightening considerably. "You've earned it ten times over! So where did you have in mind?"
"Somewhere in the Southern Water Tribe," she grinned. "I'd like to go skiing, ice-fishing, sledding, sailing, hunting, everything. Plus there's the Southern Lights to see." Minako chuckled.
"Heh, maybe you can take that heavy coat off my hands for the trip!" They shared a smile, and since Artemis wouldn't be ready to leave until he had had eaten, they decided to follow his lead and have lunch together. Makoto prudently avoided any topic that had to do with trials or traitors, choosing to address the "other" Thunderhorn in the room: mainly, her friend's relationship with Ami.
"Ah, yes," Minako mused, balancing a pineapple chunk on her fork. Her face beamed with a happiness that had been buried these past few days. "I can't say for sure when exactly we decided to get together, but it was probably when we came back to Ba Sing Se after that badger-mole poaching incident. Ami and I met at the fountain in Mamoru's courtyard one night and...well, it was just magic, pure and simple. We held hands and shared one of those moments that don't need any words."
"I know exactly what you mean," Makoto nodded. Her face turned a little pale and she glanced aside, feeling embarrassed for what she was about to confess: "You know, uh...Ami sort of had her eyes on me for awhile, or that's what she said at least. I...had to let her down, but I—"
"I know about all that," Minako pointed serenely. "She told me, and I really kicked myself for not seeing it. You know how sensitive I am when it comes to romances, but this time I really failed. I guess we both let her down in a sense. Luckily it all turned out for the best."
"I am glad for that," Makoto smiled. "I think you'll be good for each other. It still seems a little strange, though."
"Why do you say that?" Makoto shrugged.
"Ami doesn't seem like your type. She's so demure and reserved. You've always gone for the outgoing type." Minako put the piece of fruit in her mouth and eyed her friend cattily.
"You don't know me as well as you profess," she pointed. "There's a certain grace about her, a quiet and dignified strength that puts her above most people I've known. That's far more attractive than a bubbly personality. Of course, it doesn't hurt that she's really cute, and super-smart, and fun to be with—plus she puts up with me and all my crazy shenanigans!"
"But we all do that," Makoto noted with a laugh. Minako grinned impishly.
"Yeah, but it's different with her! I can't explain it any better. She's...much more patient and forgiving." Makoto smiled warmly at her friend, and reached out to take her hand. The two ladies gazed upon one another, enjoying "a moment that didn't need words" as Minako had put it, each inexpressibly happy.
"Well, I'm glad you're not upset at me. I tried my best not to hurt her."
"I know. There's nothing to be sorry for, just a misunderstanding."
"Mm-hmm, hopefully it's all cleared up now. I really do like Ami, and I want to stay friends with her."
"Sure, sure! Hey, maybe once you and Motoki get back from your honeymoon, the four of us can go on a double-date! Motoki's as much my friend as Ami is yours!" Makoto chuckled at the thought and agreed to set the date. She stretched and wondered if Artemis was done eating yet, but when they checked, there were still some matters with the court that needed addressing. Minako and even Makoto were called in to complete statements, finalize some papers, and shuffle bureaucratic, much to their shared chagrin and exhaustion. When everything was finally and officially concluded, the day was nearly over.
"Sheesh!" Minako groaned as they stepped out of the courthouse. "I can't believe we were forced to spend another day on this nonsense! My air-bender trials were less of a pain!"
"That's the legal system for ya," Makoto said, resting her arms on her head. "And this is all just a preview of things to come for me. I have no idea how Motoki and Unazuki do it every day."
"I guess they're just used to it," Minako pointed. They walked toward the stable where Artemis was kept, but Minako slowed as she noticed something peculiar. She looked up at the sky, then at their surroundings, then the sky again. She wandered off and hunched next to a tree, puzzled by some unseen phenomenon.
"Uh, did you lose something?" Makoto asked. Minako gestured for her to come over, and pointed at the tree.
"Notice anything odd?" Makoto knocked on the bark. It was sturdy, healthy, fully in bloom.
"No, it's just an ordinary beech tree."
"Take a look here," she said, kneeling down and hovering her hand over the grass. Makoto did so, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. "Look at the tree's shadow," Minako elucidated, but again, Makoto didn't understand where she was going with this.
"You're going to have to clue me in on this, Mina. I don't know what I'm missing." Twin cerulean gems stared at her intensely, a twinge of fear and bewilderment glimmering.
"Not long after we left the courthouse, the bells tolled the twentieth hour. Now I know it's summer, but since when have trees cast such short shadows this late in the day?" Makoto shrugged; Minako then stood and pointed at the sky. "And since when has it ever been this bright? I know sometimes at the north and south poles, the sun's out for days at a time, but we're practically straddling the equator here." A sliver of understanding penetrated Makoto's thoughts, but just so there was no perplexity, Minako finally clarified:
"Mako, is it just me, or are the days growing longer? And I don't mean when it happens in the summer, I mean unnaturally long! Look, the sun's almost set in the west, but it's bright as midday out! Those shadows should be stretching out, but you can hardly see them! Look, look!" The two girls bent over, and to their amazement, the shade underneath the beech tree diminished incrementally before their eyes. Minako marked a spot with her shoe, and five minutes later, it had definitely receded. The friends stared at each other, and now Makoto understood that intense look of fear and bewilderment she had seen.
"What the heck's going on here?" Minako whispered. She shuddered again as a cold sensation knotted in her stomach.
…...
Mamoru closed his eyes as he waited for the blow. Wearing only a brownish-gray tunic and breeches, he stood silent in the courtyard, ten stone pillars surrounding him, alone save for his opponents. A small pumice disk flew out; his eyes flashed open and he shot it out of the air with his own projectile. Another came sailing over his head, but he stomped the ground, thrusting an obelisk up to intercept it. A spray of pellets rained in from the left just as a large boulder came rolling in from the right; Mamoru leaped at the boulder, smashing it to bits as he laid his hands on it, but the pellets found their mark, and one of the ten pillars fell. A fissure opened beneath his feet, but while he was closing it, a bolo came whirling his way. He ducked down reflexively and another pillar was toppled.
Assessing his surroundings, Mamoru waited for the next strike. The earth warped and shifted beneath him, so he tamped the ground with his foot, breaking the advance. Large humanoid arms reached out of the ground, eight of them grabbing the pillars while the other two took his legs. They quickly dragged him down but not before Mamoru punched the ground, shockwaves rippling out and disintegrating the arms. He fought to climb out of the pit but couldn't emerge in time to save a third pillar from going down.
"All right," he called, "I've seen enough." He gruffly brushed the dirt off his clothes as two figures, a man and a woman with green skin and pinkish-blue hair, joined him. They bowed and awaited his judgment. A soft laugh escaped the King's lips as he noticed the acute anxiety in their eyes. He knew exactly what they were worried about, and wanted to allay their fears. "Remarkable. You're both as skilled as an elite Tellurian, and that is not a compliment I pass along lightly."
"Thank you, your highness." The duo, Ail and Ann, stiffly bowed again.
"Do all Fomoriians share in this talent?"
"No, sire, I'd say we're above-average, all things considered. Our Derwydd, the one you know as Bodmall, could probably match the Avatar herself."
"I see," he remarked cautiously. "I understand you know fire and water-bending as well."
"We're well-acquainted with all forms of bending," Ann said. She then murmured, "And some forms you're not aware of."
"Tell me more." The two looked at each other doubtfully. As rare as it was for a Fomoriian to leave their people and blend in with the wider world, it was even more unusual for them to share their abilities and history, even at great need.
"You could call it 'listening'," Ail explained. "We can sense changes in the world, sometimes even before they happen. We can feel when a powerful force comes and goes. We may even speak with one another across very large distances."
"We also have...well," Ann muttered, "you already know how we can change our appearance. We can adopt a Seeming, to blend in with our surroundings better. A Fomoriian can walk in front of you and you'd never even know it. We can even create illusions, deceiving the eye and the ear."
"That really does sound like magic," Mamoru mused, recalling what Ami and Makoto had told him of their conversation with Wan Shi Tong. Since then, he had encountered the Fomorii on two occasions, and had come away shaken and awed. He wondered how (and more importantly, why) two of them had come to be in his service, so far from the ruins of Taku.
Ail and Ann explained that they had little memory of their time spent with the other members of their kind; they couldn't even remember the circumstances surrounding their exodus. All they knew was that they had wandered the land for many years, living as itinerants until a local patrolman happened to observe their earth-bending. Knowing prodigies when he saw them, he offered to enroll them in an academy, where they learned the history of humans. Even with their Seeming and Listening, life had been brutal: they were often ostracized, picked on, or singled out, particularly by the instructors, whom they regularly outshone in skill.
"It got to the point where even the specialists couldn't keep up with us," Ann explained. "Eventually, we made our way to Ba Sing Se. By then, there was no end of praises—or envy—for our abilities."
"And you never got caught or called out?" Mamoru asked. They shook their heads.
"Even as children, we knew to hide our abilities," Ail said. "That...and practically everything else." A flicker of despondency crossed his face as he added, "We were never able to make any friends because of it. Ann and I only had each other for the longest time." They looked at each other, their hands joining.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Mamoru said respectfully. The duo shook their heads.
"It was a necessary sacrifice we were willing to make," Ail said. "The world had just lost Avatar Kalkin, and the last thing we wanted was for people to think one of us was his successor. Or both of us, for that matter. There were no texts on Fomoriians to correct them, anyway."
"I'll bet you didn't take kindly to Beryl's Tears of Apsu." Their faces soured in unison, green cheeks and red eyes flashing.
"We didn't take kindly to Beryl," Ann sneered. "We didn't want anything to do with her. Unfortunately, we couldn't bear the thought of leaving the city. As disgusted as we were, we knew we were still better off staying, so we tried making the best of it."
"Imagine our relief when we were assigned under General Nephrite," Ail added. "He was no white knight, but he treated us well and never asked us to do anything...immoral. Of course, even then, we never revealed our true identities to him. We knew we couldn't trust anyone with this secret—"
"Which is why we beg you to keep this to yourself!" Ann exclaimed desperately. "Please, your highness, we know we've failed you and have no right to ask you for anything, but...we'll do anything to stay here! We love this country and its people, and we've been glad to serve you in every capacity! I implore you..." She bent until she was kowtowing, Ail following her lead, which sent Mamoru reeling back in shock. His voice came out harsher than he meant it.
"Stop that! Stand up at once, both of you! Do you think I'm Beryl, who punishes people for the slightest mistake? Or Rolando Demys, for that matter?"
"But my lord," Ail argued, "we allowed a killer to escape! We've been deceiving you for over a year now! Even the most generous kings couldn't overlook that!"
"Watch me," he stated hotly, as terrifying in magnanimity as Beryl had been in cruelty. He calmed down a little and helped them stand, peering at their inhuman eyes. "Or do you think I'm a fool? If my ax dulls while I chop down a tree, I sharpen the blade; if my shield bends, I mend the shield. I've been blessed with two incredibly powerful and, if I may say so, fiercely loyal people. I'm not about to throw you out of the city!"
Ail and Ann stared at him in stunned disbelief. They knew that Endymion had a reputation for kindness and patience (and wisdom and generosity), but they never imagined it would extend this far. Forgiveness on this level was normally reserved for great air-bender sifus, or Avatars, or fairytale kings. They honestly didn't know how to respond, and might have wept if their liege had not continued.
"The Northern Earth Kingdom is at a perilous point in history," he stated, slowly mastering his agitated behavior. "Much of it is still reeling from Beryl's actions, and the flux caused by her death—not to mention my coronation. I have tried to maintain and stabilize it, and I've had excellent friends and officials around to help me, but if I'm to give this kingdom the peace and prosperity it deserves, then I'll need more allies. Having two Fomoriians in my circle could work wonders, the likes of which I can scarcely imagine." He paused for the briefest moment to offer a smirk of camaraderie. "So don't beat yourself up over it, okay?"
The Fomoriians trembled with happiness, bowing as they thanked their king for his generosity. They were still worried about the assassin, though, and blamed themselves for allowing them to escape.
"Weren't you listening?" Mamoru said impatiently. "I told you to stop being so self-effacing. The Avatar and I both ran afoul of this creature and fared no better than you in capturing it. Blaming others or even yourself is counterproductive, and allows our adversaries to gain footholds. Besides, if I banished everyone who made mistakes while in my service, then the realm would be emptied, and I'd have to abdicate."
"But something must be done about it, my lord," Ail said. Mamoru agreed. He put their worries to rest by explaining how he had sent messenger-hawks to all the world leaders, informing them of this disquieting development, and also had sent hawks to the Avatar and her parents, as well as Kwame's, Kotono's, and Suen's groups, warning them of the assassin and urging them to contact him if they had any information. He hadn't gotten a reply yet, but that portended neither good nor ill, so for the moment, he must be patient. Other matters were more than willing to draw his attention, chief among them the myriad reports of spiritual unrest...and of the Lightbringers.
"Lightbringers?" Ann said. Mamoru's face darkened as he explained what he meant. The Fomoriians nervously glanced at one another.
"Do you know anything about them?" Mamoru asked.
"Merely vague descriptions in a few stories," Ann said. "A few words mentioning 'beings of light' and 'scions of Lugh'. Even the Derwydd would not know much more; it's all ancient myth as far as we know."
"We may very well be in an age where myths take shape and become real," Mamoru said warily. "A sensible king might dismiss them as fancies, but I can't afford that luxury. Who is Lugh?"
"According to Fomoriian lore," Ail began to say, but he was interrupted by what appeared to be a spasming attack. His teeth gnashed; he trembled, clutching his head. Ann's face twisted in agony as she wrapped arms around herself. Mamoru gave a start and called to them:
"What's wrong? Are you sick?" He then remembered Ail telling him about a Fomoriian's ability to sense changes in the world, to feel when a powerful force rises and wanes. There was little doubt that this was what they were experiencing. It passed in time, but it left the two of them pale, breathless, and perspiring, as if they had run a lap around the palace.
"Was that your 'Listening'?" he asked. It took them a moment to regain mastery over themselves. Ail confirmed it tremulously.
"Y-yes. A great power...no, a power Greater than great is on the move. It...may engulf the very world in...ah, I can't tell, but it's staggering. The united powers of every Fomoriian alive wouldn't match a fraction of its might, whatever...or whoever it is."
"Do you think it may be another Primordial, like Apsu?" Mamoru said. Surprised that he knew of such an entity, Ail and Ann stared in awe. They looked to each other again, grim and frightful.
"No, but...perhaps one who acts on their behalf. A scion of Lugh..."
Mamoru frowned, reached out, and took their hands. His eyes implored them just as theirs had implored him.
"Tell me more, my friends," he begged them. "Tell me everything you can."
…...
Kasei Hikawa was glad to have Yuichiro working for him again. The young man had apparently taken a liking to the shrine, so his masters sent him there to work full-time. While Kasei was thankful to have a young man's strength and enthusiasm to help him maintain the fire temple and its grounds, he suspected there was something besides honest labor that motivated him. Somehow, Yuichiro was "conveniently" around whenever Rei visited, working harder and more enthusiastically than before, and it didn't take a self-proclaimed genius, prodigy, and (still quite handsome, in his opinion) high-ranking fire priest to figure out why. An ordinary man would have scolded their charge and demanded they put more focus on their duties than on girls, but Kasei understood precisely why Yuichiro behaved the way he did. Rei didn't come by as often as either man would have liked, unfortunately, but Yuichiro was still good company.
He was currently sweeping away bits of chaff and debris left behind by all the dead trees they had cut down. Even though the Spirit of Decay had long since returned to its realm, its effects lingered, and Yuichiro was tasked with helping clean up. His air-bending was mediocre, but got the job done, and he never seemed to lack for energy even without Rei's presence. As Yuichiro cleared away the last pieces, Kasei came by with a special brew of hot tea, and the two rested for a moment.
"So, sensei," the young man said, trying not to appear too eager, "have you heard anything from, uh...Rei yet?" He cast a conspiratorial look at the old man that lacked any subtlety. Kasei just chuckled and slapped him on the back.
"Not lately, I'm afraid. That granddaughter of mine never was very good at keeping me up to date, and she only comes around to visit when she needs help! Heh, talk about gratitude! Next time I ought to remind her who really raised her."
"Well, she's off helping the Avatar," Yuichiro muttered. "As long as the Avatar's busy, then she'll be busy. You said she was off by the Black Cliffs fighting some bandits?" Kasei nodded as he sipped his tea.
"That was a few weeks ago, so goodness only knows where she is now. Nobody ever tells me anything, except Oboro. Heh, I know more about Kotono and Ittou than my own flesh and blood!"
"And what are they up to?" Kasei idly swatted at a fly.
"Heading to the Southern Water tribe. Word of ghouls or vampires or somesuch has reached their ears, so they're investigating. I shudder to think of it!" He demonstrated this for Yuichiro, his expression curdling as he finished his tea. "First a Spirit of Decay, then Apsu, and now ghouls? The times we live in..." Yuichiro nodded.
"I know. Even I've noticed a few peculiar things going on. Like, is it just me, or are all the shadows going away? Look!" He held his hand out, and where there should have been a prominent silhouette stretched over the grass, there was only glistening emerald stalks. He even held out a broad leaf, to no better effect. Kasei rubbed his chin.
"Yes, yes... The days are growing much longer as well. Mornings are starting earlier, and it feels like night takes forever to come around. It might just be my old eyes, but I've even noticed the shadow on the moon growing dimmer."
"Weird," Yuichiro murmured. He finished his tea and stared ominously at the old man. "Do you think there's some kinda connection? Or maybe it's a portend of things to come." Kasei meditated on this for a few moments. Maybe he was just getting old, or going senile, or looking at things through the perspective of one who had been alive for a long time, and had experienced much. Maybe all those days and nights spent staring into fires was affecting his judgment and perception. He drew a deep breath and dimly smiled as he asked for Yuichiro's cup. Then he stood.
"I'm going to take a hot bath and clear my head. Then I'd like to do some meditating. Could you be so kind as to prepare dinner tonight?"
"Uh, sure." Yuichiro watched Kasei wander off, muttering to himself. He looked at the ground, almost completely devoid of shadows, then at the sky, bright and clear. "I've got a bad feeling about this," he grumbled, before setting off to the kitchen.
…...
Reika Nishimura wasn't sure what to make of Rutherford Dollanshere when he was entrusted to her custody, nor his crew—but they swore an oath of allegiance to Queen Makoto, and seemed enthusiastic enough. Motoki had tasked Reika with patrolling his borders, making sure that all elements of piracy had been wiped clean, that no illegal smuggling operations were taking place, that any trace of the Black Cliff bandits hadn't gone further west: a tall task for a relatively new Captain, made even taller with the addition of these pirates-turned-privateers. Captain Scum—one learned to address him as such—was eager to help, but more importantly, he was eager to reveal to her where such brigands and blackguards would "park their pudding", as he put it.
The Scumbucket had been conscripted into Motoki's navy, repaired and refitted but not rechristened, one of the few terms its Captain had begged for (that and the prow: both Makoto and Marduk still hung there proudly in unison). In exchange, he would fly under Motoki's colors, sail and dock where and when he was told, and never go anywhere, even in leisure, without at least one Tellurian. Scum had just laughed, proclaiming that as long as he had his crew and his ship, he was content—and he didn't even mind the escort, seeing them as just another drinking buddy. Reika didn't drink but she tolerated the crew's flirtations. They were always respectful and well-mannered, and sometimes genuinely flattering.
Captain Scum was optimistic as they slithered their way south. While he conceded that Motoki and Makoto were excellent at sniffing out "degenerates, ne'er-do-wells, rapacious knaves, and all manner of villainy", they didn't know all the secret lairs and hideouts and trade secrets, "of which a foul-hearted gentleman of ill repute, such as myself, would have perfect acquaintance with." He told her of the places where one could dump contraband and dive for it later, or caves concealed behind shifty tides, and even showed her an entire pirate city, nestled in an atoll normally believed impassable.
There was a little town in the southern Swamplands where they could make port for the night; Captain Scum knew about it and warned Reika of its ill repute, but the Tellurian Captain brushed his concerns aside. She wasn't on a peaceful luxury cruise, after all; it was her job to root out such places. The seedier the better, as far as she was concerned! Captain Scum laughed and gave the order to his crew, but before they had covered half a league, one of them called out:
"Captain, come take a lookit this!" He was leaning over the side, staring in awe at the endless foaming crash of the sea. Scum grumbled and hobbled his way over, his wooden leg clonking.
"By Sheol's eye, what's gotten ye so riled? Ain't nothin' but ocean's far as the eye can..." He glanced over, grumbled, peered closer, asked for a spyglass, and focused intently. The waters between Omashu and the Swamplands were fairly deep, even as they pulled in to shore, yet Captain Scum could see clear down to the briny bottom. His mouth hung open, dropping the corncob pipe he had been smoking. "Blow me down!" he whispered.
"What news, Captain?" Reika called. He gestured with his hook-hand for her to join him.
"Come see fer yerself, lass!" She did so, frowning grimly. Scum took his tricorn hat off in superstitious reverence. She peered down as he fondled it nervously. "Not on a midsummer's day with the sun o'erhead and burnin' with Agni's fury have I ever beheld such a sight!"
"It's nothing," Reika assured him, returning to her post. "Pay it no mind."
"As you say, milady," Scum murmured, putting his hat back on. He looked over the edge one more time, and then noticed, with some fearful awe, that despite how brightly the sun shone, he cast no shadow whatsoever. Nobody did. "Cap'n Nishimura!" he called again, demonstrating this latest shock for her. She, too, noticed that no inky outline stretched from her body, but shrugged it off.
"We've had a long day, Captain, and we're all in need of a rest. Don't concern yourself with it."
"By your leave, then," he muttered reluctantly. He looked to his crew, who were all visibly spooked, before tightening his hat and pulling a fresh pipe from his pockets.
…...
These unusual incidents may have started out as superstitious claptrap, gossip passed around sewing circles that were exaggerated out of proportion, but what began as omens and freak occurrences became mainstream as the events spread. Shadows shortened and sometimes vanished altogether. Mornings came earlier while evenings came later. What was hidden became visible, what relied on darkness was forced to work in the day. Caves became navigable without torches, dungeons and prisons were well-lit, deep vaults that once admitted no light must now permit its presence. Even the theaters that Naru and Gurio frequented were no longer dark; some plays were rewritten to accommodate the new phenomenon.
Kenji Tsukino was taking a layover in Omashu at the time. He had just completed his report on the mysterious assassin that had broken into Mamoru's palace, and was heading east to cover Mishkin's trial. The recent changes filled him with considerable dread, though, so he took notes at every town, city, and village he came across, not only to describe what was happening but to record the perspectives of those it affected. Was this phenomenon meteorological in nature? Spiritual? Astronomical? Was Apsu, or perhaps another Primordial, involved? What about the Fomorii, whom he had heard of in conversations with his daughter and Endymion? It was enough to glut the appetite of any journalist; he nearly felt overwhelmed and he hadn't even started yet. He decided to interview Naru and Gurio first, and was just about to head out when he noticed something rather disquieting.
Living in near-constant daylight had completely screwed up his sense of time. The sun had all but set yet it was still bright as midday outside. The town watch rang out the time: twenty-second hour of the day. Indescribable dread bubbled in his stomach. He wondered how he would ever be able to sleep in these circumstances, or even if he could, and hurried on his way, a single question nagging:
What was happening?
…...
"That," Avatar Kiyone said as she and Usagi sat on some oversized blue mushrooms, "is a very good question. I am afraid that I do not have all the answers...or perhaps I should say, I'm not qualified to reveal them."
"What do you mean?" the younger woman asked, leaning closer. Kiyone, appearing lachrymose even as a glimmering visage, shook her head.
"There is a great power on the move. I couldn't say when it awakened, or for how long it's been active; perhaps it's always been aware, and has slowly been biding its time for when the world was at its weakest. Perhaps Apsu tipped the balance so egregiously that it feels we cannot regain control, and so the balance must be tipped even further, until everything is completely reversed—like a tray of food tumbling upside-down."
"I don't understand," Usagi said. "What power? A Spirit, or another Primordial?" Kiyone shook her head.
"Something outside Spirits, above them but below the Primordials. Even I don't understand what it is. Death has...robbed me of much of my previous knowledge. I may or may not have confronted it. I may have even been killed by it. For all I know, K'ung Ming and Bitasu and even Kalkin all shared the same fate." Startled, Usagi edged even closer, reaching for Kiyone, finding only ghostly air.
"You mean that this power thingy might have been the one that killed Kalkin?!"
"It's possible," Kiyone answered softly. "Avatars generally don't like to talk about their deaths. If it were responsible, then that may explain your true purpose." Confused, Usagi could only blink and make dim conjecture. Her true purpose? The Avatar was supposed to maintain balance and offer themselves as a bridge between the physical and spiritual. Every Avatar before her had done the same. She realized with no small amount of alarm that she, Usagi, was not quite the same as her predecessors. She hadn't been born in any of the four nations, and up until meeting Vainamoinen, hadn't been able to bend outside of the Avatar state. Ever since revealing herself to the world, she had wondered why she was so different, and nobody—not Kalkin, Vainamoinen, Wan Shi Tong, or even the Four Guardian Kings—had been able to answer her.
"What do you mean, my true purpose?" she pressed. Kiyone placed her ghostly hand over Usagi's, attempting to smile though mountains of grief weighed on her shoulders.
"This may be an evil that 'normal' Avatars cannot stand against. If that is so, then one who was born outside the cycle would be required." A shiver ran across Usagi's entire body, penetrating her bones and electrifying her blood. Her chest contracted; her breathing became shallow; her eyes widened. Sensations of horror and revelations overwhelmed her, and she sat stiff and mute, contemplating this unprecedented turn of events.
Outside the cycle! Was it...possible? But what did that mean? Did Raava have anything to do with this? Or was it someone...something even higher in command? Had a threat so cataclysmic emerged in their frail little world that the gods themselves felt it necessary to intervene? Usagi trembled, trying to get hold of herself. She needed to calm down, focus, think rationally again. There'd be time to digest grandeur and destinies later.
"How would I know for sure?" she whispered, her voice as ghostly as the woman beside her. Ethereal fingers attempted to comb through long golden tresses, as a comforting mother might.
"Ask the Guardian Kings. They're the ones who would be most familiar with these sorts of things." Usagi nodded numbly, unable to feel shocked or even surprised. Her last meeting with the Lion-Turtles had ended inconclusively, but now she would have them tell her everything. She didn't concern herself with finding them, or binding them to her interrogation: all she needed was a starting point.
"I will. Thank you, Kiyone." Finally the older woman smiled, and though she could not physically touch Usagi, their bodies met in the closest thing that could pass for an embrace. "So, ah, what's your story? I'm not too familiar with my history." Kiyone laughed, an act seldom performed even at the best of times in her life, and stood.
"Oh, my dear darling Usagi, if only I had the time! My story is full of selfishness and despair, of death and war, and all from my hand. I still managed a good deed or two, though, and found true love in spite of everything, so there's that." Usagi smiled sadly, but Kiyone's expression had shifted from melancholy to hawkish alertness. She became a fiery mother bear protecting her cubs, igniting blue flames. Usagi turned and saw the Lightbringers heading towards them. She prepared to fight, as futile as it was, but felt a warm hand touch her shoulder.
"Not here, my brave Avatar! Your battle lies elsewhere. I may not be able to harm our enemies anymore, but I can certainly hold them off!"
"But I—" she objected, whirling around in protest. She caught herself as she noticed three other luminous entities had joined Kiyone: a curly-haired man in high-ranking military armor, a short dark-haired woman with a large gap in her teeth, and a chubby bearded man wearing Earth Kingdom finery, whom she instantly recognized as Kalkin. They all smiled at her.
"Do what Kiyone says, Usagi," Avatar K'ung Ming said. He nodded and gave her a wink. "We're gonna have some fun over here!"
"G'won and git," Avatar Bitasu commanded. "We's gonna show these ornery polecats who they daddy really is!" She regurgitated a huge wad of phlegm and grinned, showing off the gap between her front teeth. "And tell that fine dish of a man y'all found that Ah like his style!"
"And go see if Oboro needs your help while you're at it," Avatar Kalkin added. "He's so blessedly lazy and laid-back that he'll never get anything done if I don't pester him." Kiyone smiled and nodded, and with that, Usagi was pulled out of the Spirit Realm, but not before catching a glimpse of something large and white. She thought she was seeing the moon at first, but when she focused on it, it appeared to be an enormous face, inhuman and ominous, staring back at her as it bared its teeth. Before she could make anything of it, she was placed back on the material plane, in the same place and the same position as when she had left. Morning had come, or at least she thought it had; she couldn't tell when she opened a window and looked outside.
It was a bright, sunny day. Not a cloud in the sky.
The End of "Foreboding"
Next time: "The Undersea Kingdom"