UniverseButter
patreon
Not Avatar: Interlude #4
🕑 Added 2024-02-15 23:21:42 +0000 UTCCaptain Pei Chin of the Fire Nation's heavy vessel reread the scroll bearing a message from the Fire Lord, his brow furrowing further with each reading, causing the crew of one of the largest ships to try their best to stay out of sight of the captain. Not only was he a person of great influence, but he was also known as a very powerful firebender. Although far from the Fire Lord in status, his power was sufficient to make a statement.
"Captain, the Eastern Air Temple is on the horizon," reported a soldier approaching the captain, who then continued, "Shall we maintain our course towards it?"
After rolling up the scroll, Pei Chin looked at the soldier, who appeared ready for anything, even death, before gazing towards the horizon. There, slightly to the right of their course, in the distance, were the cliffs and shores of the Eastern Air Temple. The destination they had been sailing towards all this time.
"Yes, maintain course towards the Air Temple."
Turning, the captain headed into the ship, and walking through the corridors, entered one of the many cabins. This cabin was larger than standard and could accommodate a dozen people. Currently, it housed those who were to be dispatched to the Eastern Air Temple on orders from the Fire Lord.
"These mercenaries... I've heard of each of them, even met one. They are all strong and dangerous. Together... but will they be enough?" Pei Chin thought to himself.
"Gentlemen, we will soon make landfall at our destination. The target is located in the Eastern Air Temple, at least he was there until very recently. You all know what you need to do. The ship will wait two kilometers off the coast for two days. If you do not return by then, we sail back."
No one responded. They all knew that this mission was sanctioned by the Fire Lord himself, and though they were mercenaries, they were still citizens of the Fire Nation.
Leaving the cabin, Pei Chin once again took out the scroll with the message and the imperial family's seal.
The orders were simple and clear. Capture Garo, who, as stated in the message, is suspected of being the elusive Blood Monster. In case of resistance - eliminate.
Although the mission was straightforward, it did not ease the captain's apprehension. From the beginning, he had a feeling that this mission could be his last, so he had taken every possible measure to stay as far from danger as possible.
Garo had already become a hero of the battle at Ba Sing Se, where he personally defeated one enemy after another alongside Princess Azula. There, he became known as a genius firebender, very powerful, who even bested Princess Azula in combat. He was the master of blood-red flames, he had mastered lightning better than anyone before! He could even stand nearly equal to the Avatar when at his peak.
And now they were to capture him. Without accusations or anything of the sort. Simply to capture. It was clear to anyone with half a brain that Garo would resist! Meaning, it would be a fight to the death!
But that was the best-case scenario!
Far worse would be if he truly was the Blood Monster! While the mercenaries might have a chance to survive against Garo, being strong firebenders themselves, some even incredible fighters and benders with unbelievable abilities!
But if Garo is the Blood Monster...
It meant he had achieved the impossible and mastered two elements, especially those that were opposites, at the very least! Water and Fire! How is this possible if he is not the Avatar? No one understands. However, it meant that to all of Garo's incredible abilities were added all the unimaginable abilities of the Blood Monster!
In that case, the mercenaries would stand no chance at all...
Captain Pei Chin understood this. The mercenaries understood this. And so, everyone was maximally focused, tense. They all wanted to survive, but the fame of this cruel and bloody killer, as well as an excellent fighter and bender, preceded him.
Three hours later, a dozen mercenaries disembarked, while the ship sailed further away, preparing to anchor for a couple of days.
Not even a day passed. Just as the sunset began, bathing the shores of the Eastern Air Temple in red light, a lone silhouette of a man stood in the distance on the shore.
He wasn't noticed immediately, but after Pei Chin was informed of the man on the shore, the ship's captain looked through his telescope at the figure standing on the shore.
Their gazes met. Through the telescope, a gift from his now-deceased grandson, the captain saw, though with difficulty, the man who was looking straight at him. At least, the captain was ready to swear by it.
Captain Pei Chin's back was covered in cold sweat as he put away the telescope, and turning around, he shouted to the crew.
"Quick, lift anchor and full speed ahead! Course directly opposite the island!"
"Captain!" shouted one of the sailors.
Pei Chin turned and was about to ask what was needed from him when he saw the reason for the shout himself.
As if waiting for these commands, the man on the shore raised his hand upward, and from his hand, a fifteen-meter-wide stream of white flame, shining seemingly brighter than the Sun, was released! At its highest point, the fire began to stretch back towards the ground, twisting at the edges, and it seemed as if the stream of fire was turning inside out, forming a huge sphere of white light, which was, in fact, incredibly hot fire!
The ocean water near this fiery sphere began to boil from the sudden heat just by being nearby. The vegetation burned within the first few seconds, and now, on the seemingly baking sand, stood only this one man, above whom burned a small Sun.
Everyone on the ship froze, watching something they could hardly believe. They were watching what was now attempting to kill them...
The fire began to compress, and within a few seconds, only a two-meter sphere of rotating white flame remained in his hand, which began to stretch into an ellipsoid, becoming more pointed on one side. And then Garo, as it became clear to Captain Pei Chin, launched his weapon, aiming it at the ship.
Time seemed to slow down as Pei Chin watched the four-meter-long spear of pure flame cover the distance to the ship meter by meter.
Regardless, the thrown fiery spear reached the ship. Whether there was an explosion or not, his crew would never know. The white flame instantly engulfed them, burning their flesh and blood, which vaporized instantly, bones burned away, and the ship at the point of impact heated up so rapidly that the metal melted as if it were made of water.
The ship was destroyed.
