Chapter 233: Twilight (3)
"Here we are!" Nik exclaims and stores away the boat while Zuko wipes off the sweat collected over his brows and his forehead.
They stand over the sandy beach while looking at the cliff they must climb to actually enter the Island grounds and this exhausts Zuko further just by looking at it.
"Come on," Patting the youth's back, Nik grins, "We aren't really just going to climb that cliff, you know. There's a limit to 'adventure', too."
He stretches his hand and pulls it back before the rock crumbles and the debris fall all around the duo as a set of neatly carved-out stairs is present for them to climb.
"And you still haven't made it clear why we are here!" Zuko questions as he follows Nik up the stairs.
"Hahahaha! Isn't that obvious?" A loud, cheerful yell froze Nik and Zuko in their tracks, "Diamonds and Pearls follow in my brilliance, and my brilliance rends the darkness of one's being! You two are attracted by my brilliance— Pfft, just kidding~! Look at your faces! Hahaha, Raat, they really thought I'm some mentally challenged child!"
The duo looks up and finds two heads sticking out from the side. Children. One of them is grinning. One of his teeth was lost, his skin tanned, and his hair short and black. Anywhere else, he would pass as an ordinary kid... but here... Nik and Zuko couldn't avert their attention from him and even look at the other presence he calls Raat.
"Surprised?" The boy inquires with a giggle as they still couldn't reply. In fact, both of them look infatuated!
"Ra..."
A quiet, meek voice makes the boy slap his head, "Ah, I actually really AM too brilliant!"
Suddenly, both Nik and Zuko come to be. Their eyes bulge out in surprise and cold sweat covers their back.
They hurriedly look to the other side and find another dark-haired youth but the top half of his pale face is covered by his hair, hiding his eyes.
"Nik, you're finally here," the tanned boy grins, "My daughter, Flower of Fertility had quite a few things to talk about you. And consider my surprise when Fate itself pleads a case for you!"
Nik and Zuko do not move as Ra giggles, "But I will not just spare my Spiritual Mark and grant you a portion of my essence because Fate asks nicely. You're not fated for it. But it works for you. Now you can deny fate. Come on, come up. You, too, Zuko. Truly, color me impressed that YOU managed to survive Ozai without a scar, even a mental one, hehehehe!"
Ra cannot help but laugh constantly. His giggles are like attractive and enchanting jingles that somehow soothe Nik and Zuko. Even if confused, they climb up the stairs eventually and face the two children. This time, instead of Ra, it's Raat that speaks.
"Ra is a wild spirit. Even Tui is helpless against Ra despite both of them being siblings," With that, Ra pouts and the Spirit of Night, Raat, continues patiently, "Grim and Reaper were a threat to the balance that you helped quell. In the material world, primordials fail to display the true extent of their strength. Ra and I have decided to overlook your thoughts and aspiration to try and challenge us for our essence since you eventually decided against it."
Nik chuckles awkwardly at that. If possible, he truly did not want to challenge two primordials but he also did not want to leave without an essence that can beguile others.
"This is the island where Ra and I lived in the past. Once. Many moons ago," Raat tilts his head and looks around, "Ra's descendants live here. Actual descendants with his blood flowing in their veins... if you wish for our essence, make them accept you, any one of them."
Raat disappears speaking that and Ra giggles, "Oh, and Zuko, your uncle made a name here. Be sure not to muddy it."
Ra, too, disappears, leaving Nik and Zuko flabbergasted.
"You came to challenge spirits?" Zuko snaps, "Did you learn nothing from Grim and Reaper?! Spirits? Really?!"
Nik rolls his eyes, "Of course, not. I came to plead to their gracious side."
He walks ahead and Zuko groans while following, "Where are you going?"
"Didn't you hear them?" Nik shrugs, "I have to make any one of Ra's descendants acknowledge me. I can't do that if I don't find them."
"You're really planning to take this challenge?" Zuko blinks in surprise and Nik laughs, "It could be fun, no?"
If it was Nik who just entered this world, he would be scared shitless. If it was Nik who had helped Michi get over Ukano and in turn, gain a better understanding of his own goals, he would charge in recklessly just to feel 'alive.' If it was Nik who killed Zhao, he would evade this. But Nik now understands, his growth isn't set in line.
If there are ups, then there will be down.
Right now, Nik has even gone through a series of suicides. He simply couldn't be shaken by a mere thought of a challenge. He also didn't feel reckless to the point of self-harm because he has confidence in his skills. And, he has confidence that he chose correctly by not trying to force Ra and Raat into giving up a portion of their essence.
"What do you think... that kid meant when he spoke about my Uncle?" Zuko questions after a brief pause as they venture into the vegetation.
"That 'kid' is the primordial spirit of the Sun, Ra. And looks like Iroh also came here once. Let's see if we can find out the reason for it or not," Nik hums and looks around. He not only uses the seismic sense but also the spiritual sense to make sure there aren't any other spirits nearby but...
Initial use of the skill revealed that this island is crawling with spirits!
Except for one, every spirit is hidden in the various corners and shadows of this island.
Stepping onto the sandy ground with a bit more vigor as he knew this lone spirit, Nik picks up his pace and walks past through a few lush bushes before coming to a stop.
"What happened?" Zuko walked up while viewing his surroundings vigilantly. He frowns as he looks at the weird flower in front of them.
The short flower has blooming pink petals with blue phallus-shaped stamens growing out from the center. The sight of so many nail-sized 'dicks' growing out makes Zuko cringe but Nik smiles instead, "Greetings, great spirit of Fertility. You have my gratitude for holding your father back."
A flirtatious giggle fills Nik's and Zuko's senses as the flower in front of them shudders slightly and the blue stamens tremble, "Hehe, I am a spirit of my word, Otherworldly. And to find me, you must have become quite an accomplished bender. I am left here with a purpose. Ra wishes for you to know that his other descendants, my distant relatives, have great tempers and your ambitions have tickled their reverse scales. Don't let yourself get consumed by convention if you want to survive. Of course, you may leave, too."
Nik chuckles and nods, "I appreciate this hint."
Of course, there is a chance that this is all a farce and a very elaborate game to hunt him, but even then, Nik felt that this is worth the risk. Especially after he got the [Bloodline Evolution Compound.]
He bids his farewell to the lively spirit once more as Zuko finally decides to inquire, "What did it mean? The Otherworldly stuff."
"I plan to tell that to your mother and sister together," Nik shrugs and the suspicion in Zuko's heart only grows.
The Island is mountainous with two peaks similar to sharp prongs widening in the lower region and connecting together to form a valley. While their initial location was going to be this valley carpeted with a dense forest, Nik chose a different direction because he discovered something interesting not long ago.
The duo soon step out into a wide clearing occupied by old ruins formed with broken rock pillars and structures. The ruins had moss and other greenery growing from them but one particular structure, still unharmed, stood out conspicuously from the rest on a higher mound. Giving each other a look, Nik and Zuko carefully make their way through the ruins with Nik constantly projecting his senses out through pure chi.
"Don't you think that only this... temple surviving is a bit strange?" Zuko touches the crystal embedded in the large entrance of the meticulously built temple that still shows signs of cleanliness and human contact with not a single human present itself.
Looking at the crystal, Zuko's gaze suddenly shines, "Nik, I know a way to open this—"
He barely finishes speaking when the door entirely disappears from his view and he slowly looks at Nik.
"Ah... I didn't know you want to solve the puzzle..." Nik blinks in surprise, too, expecting Zuko to be the kind who would rather destroy puzzles than solve them.
"Nevermind," The dark-haired prince scoffs and steps in alongside Nik to see a wide, circular hall with a dome-like ceiling above and a round red sun pattern drawn on the floor. On the outer circumference of the hall, multiple statues in the same position as their opposite counterpart as neatly placed around the hall starting from the entrance.
The two move about and while Nik did feel a large wave of goop underground alongside a hidden pillar but focuses on the statues instead.
These statues definitely look prominent and attract major attention.
"They are showing a firebending form," Nik suddenly points out. Moving the body in a certain way allows chi to flow easily. These movements can be skipped once a bender achieves great mastery— like Bumi, who could bend without his arms and legs. Even Nik can do so with waterbending. But he is in need of learning more about firebending and this form isn't in his Limitless Library. Well... until a moment ago. The moment Nik saw it, the Library registered it.
"But why are these statues in this enclosed hall?" Zuko frowns.
"Two statues are doing the same movement and there are grooves on the floor based on the footing of these forms... come, let's try them," Nik smiles and Zuko frowns harder, "These moves look like a dance more than firebending..."
"Then dance with me," Nik shrugs as he takes his position and snickers, "Do you know how dumb I'd look if I'm the only one who dance?"
Zuko raises an eyebrow and follow the suit. Both of them raise their hands slightly and stand on one leg before moving together.
Despite their difference, Iroh trained Nik, Zuko, and Azula together. The three of them have sparred on many occasions, too.
As they followed the steps of this 'dance', their feet would press on small regions that would embed into the ground and give a satisfying 'clicking' noise. Not long after, both of them reached the end of this dance and their backs faced the entrance.
Both of them bent their torsos sideways toward one another with both arms stretched out into clenched knuckles.
*Click*
Another click is heard and then a whirring noise attracts their attention behind. As if they had activated some mechanism, a small pillar rises from the center of the floor and on top of it, the duo sees a glimmering golden egg.
"I'm definitely going to eat it if that's not just gold..." Nik mutters, incredibly allured by the hypothetical taste of a golden egg for the foody he has been since ever while Zuko's brows twitch, "Is there anything else inside your mind aside from food?"
Nik matches Zuko's sidelong glance with an ominous smirk, "The cook, too."
Zuko's expression falls momentarily but Nik pats his back, "I'm joking. Be cheerful for once. We just got a golden egg!"
"I will not laugh while you besmirch my mother's honor!" Zuko hisses, ready to fight but Nik only gives him a strange expression.
"I wasn't thinking about Ursa or Azula. Far from it. I was talking about Michi. Besides, I care about their honor more than you," his words instantly quieten Zuko as Nik continues, "I'm not with them to make you feel like shit, alright? And... why the fuck do you and Sokka think that your mothers are the only one that occupies all the space in my mind?"
His righteous expression makes Zuko hesitate a little. Truth be told, despite the spiritual mess, this trip, until now, has been relaxing and strangely fun low-key.
But Nik's further words instantly make Zuko snarl and pounce at the deplorable youth in front of him who is bound to be a terrible danger to every other son in the omniverse—
"Aside from Ursa and Kya, there are many more single mothers in my head. Together, in fact. Happy. Though, I won't say what they're doing... well, me."
— Sincerely, Nik.
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Alternate Title: Flower of Fertility— A Dickful of Clue; Fated Enemy of 'Man'Kind!; Cook Dat Egg; Kiss the Cook? Eat the Cook!
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