Chapter 239: Twilight (9)
'Lightning bending. There is a reason I didn't want to try it before... To separate the positive and negative charge of chi, or as the booklet in the library explains, the yin and yang potential of the chi before letting it clash together and directing the subsequent form of energy out as lightning is not only lethal to enemies but also the user if they get even a single part of it wrong. But now...'
Nik once again dodged bolts of lightning before they struck him. The key is not to see the pattern of the attack. It's lightning. The moment it's shot, Nik will be toasted. He needed to move beforehand, to enter the hill through earthbending and emerge from the other side.
The moment he emerged from the other side, Nik calmed his mind and counted in his head. There is a small window of opportunity during this moment where the Dragons take their time to try and corner him.
Nik, at the moment, was dangerously low on chi. His action of trying to aim at the dragon's weak spot netted him low gains. The Dragons simply chose to retreat greatly the moment Nik tried to lavabend and used lightning in return which severely restricted him.
'If this fails...' Nik sighs wryly. He would need to leave. There is no doubt about that. He is at his wit's end and he still isn't close to making the dragons acknowledge him.
Nik doesn't even try to focus on the commotion around the base of the staircase. It would be fatal.
'While Zuko became an expert easily, I had a lower rate of understanding. I think that's intentional. The Dragons do not... like me. But I still ended up having some benefits. Maybe that's why I never reached the next step and became a master firebender but... I don't need to be a master at this moment to pull this off. I have had the demonstrations from the Dragons and I understand the theory.'
Nik extends the middle and index finger of both his hands and moves his arms in a circular fashion.
*Bzzt*
There is a tiny crackle of lightning generating around the tips of Nik's fingers before they fizzle out and turn into a plume of smoke while leaving his fingers a bit toasted.
'Not... enough energy,' Nik gasps and feels out of breath that very instant.
Producing a small vat of water once more, Nik hydrates himself and forces his weary knees and legs to move as quickly as they can.
He lost the window of opportunity and already feels the dragons about to unleash their attacks again!
'Run, run, run! Run, bitch, run!' Chanting the divine words, Nik gave his all to escape the influence and tried to not use any bending skills or hide in his personal space. Again, these dragons are intelligent and if he enters his personal space too often, they will understand and find ways to deal with that situation, too.
'What's the point of having me set in this challenge any different than trying to hustle my way and take Raat's essence directly? The risks feel almost the same,' Nik's brows twitched and he finally reaches the entrance of the cave of the dragons and resist the urge to corner himself by entering the cave—
*Hssss*
Nik glances at the green lizard standing in front of the entrance of the cavern and then slaps its tail on the ground to attract even more attention before quickly entering the cave from where the Blue Dragon emerged in the beginning.
"What the..." Nik's eyes trailed the burnt flesh and scales on the lizard's back and his gaze turns solemn for just a minute.
It's obvious that the lizard wants him to follow them into the cave but... why?
At this moment where any mistake could contribute to the conclusion Nik did not want to experience— failure, he needed to make a quick decision if he should trust the lizard and enter the lair or find his way around defeating the dragons.
With the latter impossible for the current him, Nik rushes into the cavern and finds the lizard walking slowly.
*Thud*
They instantly hear the two dragons crashing against the entrance of the cave and the Blue Dragon begins to fly in the opposite direction and soon loops around.
"Oh... fuck," Running deeper into the dark cave where the Lizard was leading him, Nik chose to use the last bits of his chi to use the seismic sense and realizes the intended location where the Lizard wishes to enter. As such, in the fit of the last bet, Nik earthbends both himself and the lizard to the lower depths of the hill opened up by the dragons or someone else.
*Whoosh*
Barely a second passed before the blue dragon's flames filled the cavern with sizzling flames that melted most of the earthen features of the cave.
*Kshaaaaaaa*
The Blue Dragon lets out a terrifying howl that echoes into the melting cave while the red dragon raises its head to the night sky and roars similarly in indignance! This shocks not only the chieftain but also the Sun Warriors and Zuko who were engaged in a battle of their own.
Why the hell are the dragons acting so agitated?
---
*Thud*
*Thud*
Both Nik and the Lizard falls from the opening as he doesn't have any more energy to soften their landing. Air is knocked out of their lungs instantly as they remain sprawled. Nik on his back and the lizard on her belly.
Their shallow breath mixes with the sound of water dripping nearby.
"Can you understand me?" Nik questions, "Stay silent if you can. Make any noise if you can't."
While Nik believed that most spiritual animals can understand basic emotion and what is expected from them, like Appa, Nik now felt that there is more to the Lizard's intelligence. Turning his suspicions true, the Lizard stays silent. But to confirm things, Nik speaks again.
"This time, if you cannot understand me, stay silent. If you can, make any noice."
*Hissss*
A tired slither escapes the Lizard's mouth and Nik sits up slowly. Looking around the illuminated cave, Nik finds the source of light.
It's a small pool of water surrounding a piece of land covered by the material of varied colors— red, blue, green, pink, violet, white, orange, and many more but there is light emerging from only the green, blue, and red 'shard.' The most alluring and delicate object would be the skull-sized egg resting in the center of the area.
The shell of the egg is thick like a layer of rock. Its surface, even from the distance, looks rough and is in the shade of crimson. Despite the warmth in this lower level of the cave, the pool of water seems to hold a unique property.
Not far from here is a small opening. From the seismic sense, Nik knows that this opening forks out to the caves of the red and the blue dragon. In reality, Nik has been so focused on the dragons when he used the spirit sense that he barely noticed the chi emanating from the egg in front of him.
"Why are we here?" Nik inquires as the lizard slowly stands on her limbs again and makes her way toward the pool of water slowly. As she enters the pool of water, it is revealed that is much deeper than it looks and the lizard swims with its face out of the water.
Nik watches quietly while recuperating slightly.
He crouches to touch the water with his right hand and absorbs a drop of it for the AP.
[AP: 28.2→ 28.3]
'Woah...' Nik looks at the water strangely. The 'quality' of the water is as great as the spring in the Northern Tribe. He then uses his left hand to sneak some of this water for himself. After all, this type of water has great healing properties and he DID take some from Tui and La. So, he had to balance it, right?
*Hsssss*
Nik looks up and finds that the lizard is already on the land densely covered by tiny scales as small as a toddler's fingernail. The pale yellow eyes of the lizard are full of warning. It's not a threat, Nik realizes. The Lizard is not threatening him but warning sincerely...
And given that two dragons are above this residence who CHOSE not to claw their way into this small space, Nik takes the warning at its face value and stops... for now.
The Lizard looks at the egg in front of her for a few seconds before turning her attention away.
While there are a lot more scales, they don't glow. The Lizard first chooses to sniff and then swallow the green scale. There is no change around her but the remaining two scales are still fresh on top of the rest of the ancient scales. The Lizard nudges the blue and red scale toward Nik and looks at him with her eyes.
"These... are the so-called reverse scales?" Nik questions as he already has some idea as to what is going on.
The lizard nods.
Red and Blue. These two obviously belong to Ran and Shaw above but...
"Are you a dragon?" Nik questions and the Lizard slowly shakes her head.
"Can I eat that egg?"
The question takes the lizard by surprise as Nik freezes a portion of the lake and walks over to the piece of land to pick up the two reverse scales.
The Lizard looks at the egg and seems a bit enticed by the notion but a calm and collected voice answers Nik's question.
"No, you may not eat that egg. Fertile eggs are rare but those that mutate are rarer."
Nik looks back and finds Raat quietly standing with the top half of his face covered by his glittering hair.
"Then... can I take some of the water?" Nik questions.
"You may leave with half of it. But for that, you must set aside Ran and Shaw's reverse scales."
Nik thought for a moment and then looks at the lizard, "What do you think? Is the water more precious than the scales?"
The Lizard looks conflicted and when Nik thought it was because of Raat, the Primordial Spirit of Night makes things clear.
"The scales in your hands and this Dragon Spring is equally important to the dragons. When Dragons hatch, their reverse scales are too heavy for their body and it falls into the area where they are born. It signifies their life. As long as the dragon lives, the reverse scale will shine. It's a sentimental relic of the dragons. The Dragon Spring, however, is a tonic of great value. It helps cultivate a dragon egg. Without this spring, a Dragon Egg will not have more than 10% to survive. With it, the egg will surely survive and hatch."
Nik frowns, "This sounds too valuable... are you sure I can take half?"
Raat nods in affirmation.
"What Ra provides is for Raat's taking," Raat reveals, "And Ran and Shaw must face their punishments."
Nik doesn't take another moment to displace half the pool into his personal space. Now he has both the spirit spring and the dragon spring.
"Meet us outside after you recover. Don't make us wait too long," Raat remarks and nods, "Oh, and Nik."
"Yea?"
"Congratulations on passing the challenge. As Flower said, this was an unconventional one."
The spirit disappears at this moment while Nik sits back on the mound of scales.
"So, we cannot eat the egg... but Raat never said anything about not taking it, right, partner?" Nik grins and looks at the Lizard before producing normal water from his personal space, "I've regained some chi. Let's get you healed before it leaves a scar."
The Lizard quietly lays on her belly as Nik questions, "Ran and Shaw... they have a name. Do you have one?"
The Lizard locks her gaze on Nik but doesn't utter a sound.
"Do... you want one? I can't be calling you nothing, right?"
*Hisss*
"Hmm... Ignit. How does that sound?" Nik asks and the Lizard closes her eyes.
"Great, Ignit. Nice to meet you. We'll get you a chick dragon in no time. That's a Nut Smashing guarantee."
*Hisss*
"Oh, you're a chick. Got it."
***
Alternate Title: The Ignit Lore!; Ignit's a Chick's Name— OBVIOUSLY!
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