Chapter 240: Twilight (10)
"Shishi~ Stop roaring like butt-hurt princesses you two!" A mischievous snicker spread into the valley as winds stopped in his presence and the eternal flames that had been burning quietly since it was gifted to humanity by Agni burned furiously.
Ran and Shaw instantly stopped while a boy sat on the edge of the bridge with his feet dangling over the top stair. He wasn't even tall enough to cover the distance of one stair. His tanned skin seems to preserve a glossy and soft look that even the darkness of night cannot cover. His bright grin reveals that the boy is one tooth short than most and from his short black hair to his black pupils, everything screams... normal.
Yet, not only Ran and Shaw but all the Sun Warriors and Zuko held the boy as their only object of attention and deeply rooted desire— a sense of worship even.
Raat quietly appears beside Ra but no other seems to even acknowledge the spirit's existence. It's as if Raat simply exists to be shadowed by Ra.
"He will appear in a few minutes," Raat points out and Ra nods. His smile broadens and he waits patiently as every other lifeform in the valley keeps on gazing upon the boy without being able to say anything. They are mesmerized by the sheer charm emanating from him— a sensation that even takes a toll on words when described as such.
The ground next to the staircase trembles and tears open as Nik and Ignit are pushed out by an earthen platform. Be it Nik who has changed into clothes that aren't singed and burned or Ignit whose charred flesh and tumor-like appendages have recovered look remarkedly better than before.
Nik looks around and his body freezes the moment he lay his eyes on Ra. Something within him dulls as he continues to stare at Ra alongside Ignit.
Chuckling, Ra snaps his fingers.
It's as if that strange and erratic force of sheer love and charm wasn't even present. Everyone comes to be in that instant and has different reactions to what just happened as Ra laughs, "Haha, I guess you will fill up scrolls about what you witnessed today. Just as well. The ignorance of the spiritual world in today's time is startling! Now, Nik, you were told that this challenge ends the moment you have the Dragon's acknowledgment. From ancient times, the dragons lower their heads to those who hold their reverse scales."
The two dragons lower their heads almost at the same time and their gazes land on Ignit, too.
"Congratulations," Ra compliments, "You did it."
"What is truly going on?" Nik questions, "There is no way I could have completed this challenge if not for Ignit?"
"Ignit?" Ra's grin widens, "You finally got a name! I'm happy for you... Ignit. Hear that, Ran and Shaw? No need to call Ignit a sullen one from now on. She has a name, you pompous fools!"
The Dragons lower their heads even further while Raat's voice cuts in, "Indeed, we wished to attain many results at once this time. You and Zuko challenging the dragons was the least important part. Claiming to be the keeper of fire, the ancient civilization of Sun Warriors has let the Firebenders of this world go astray.
The first fire was brought to them. Agni faced challenges of the spirit world for humanity and granted you a benevolent gift. The Sun Warriors, who are the keepers of flames let it get perverted into nothing but destruction."
The Chieftain and the other Sun Warriors feel their hearts shiver at this point as Raat continues, "Weakness is not an excuse. Knowing full well what and who Ignit is, you chose to harm her in your ignorance." With his voice turning stern as the twinkling sky turns gloomy in a matter of a moment, Raat lets out a divine warning, "It would do your civilization good to be keepers of flame... and not dragons."
And this makes Ra scoff, "And listen well you two," he addresses the dragons, "You are no better than flying serpents with a mind equal to humans. Who or what hatches from the eggs of the drake are not for you to judge!"
While his voice is still childish, the softness in his words manages to thunder in every listener's heart.
"Dragons live for me. They are my ornaments. My offsprings. Each one, be it mutated, injured, or diseased. I watch over their fates and am the destination of their spirits. You two are dragons, not Ra!"
Soft, fearful whimpers escaped Ran and Shaw in this instance as Ra looks at the trio near the staircase.
"Nik, Zuko, and Ignit... step up."
Nik and Zuko look at each other before they nod and then begin the climb with Ignit following behind.
Once they reach the last stair over which Ra's feet dangled, the boy stood up and let them on the bridge.
"Zuko... your fate is twisted but it is not an unwelcomed shift. Some things are hard to change even if Mokshi is involved, and for that I am glad. You were not meant to hold any gain or loss from this. Let me keep some things the same."
Turning to look at Nik, Ra comments, "Give me the egg."
Nik frowns for a moment but he sighs and chooses not to defy Ra, not in such an open court, at least.
Taking out the crimson egg he took from within the depths of the cavern, Nik hands it to Ra.
"Take care of him well and may it serve you with honor."
Ra smiles and hands the egg to Zuko.
Zuko looks at the egg strangely while Nik mutters, "If I were you... I wouldn't eat it this once. It's a dragon."
Zuko's eyes widen further but before he can speak anything, Ra snaps his fingers, "We're here for a limited time, boy. Step back."
Zuko shuts up about whatever he is about to speak and steps back while Ra adds, "Ignit..."
A soft sigh escapes Ra's lips. He doesn't look as cheery as before but he smiles nonetheless, "You're beautiful and not sullen in any manner. Your fate is twisted, too. Since the first war. While lovers reunited, you were left stranded... Nik, the sunstone."
'You've got to be kidding me!' Nik rolls his eyes and takes out the golden egg ornament.
Once Ra holds the sunstone, he grazes its metallic surface, "The Princess that never was..." As he speaks so, a peal of golden flames glitter his tanned hands and cover the golden egg.
"Ignit, you're a life separated in two. But let the past be no more. Let your troubled soul meet your stranded form."
The sunstone that the Chieftain claimed could not be melted turns into a stream of golden liquid under the effects of the golden flames and cover the agitated Ignit. Her yellow eyes widen and she tries to pull back but a powerful, unquestionable force keeps her in check and the golden liquid soon covers her in the form of a beating golden egg the size of a bull!
"Her metamorphosis shall take time," Ra grins and looks at Nik, "Nik... you have my thanks. Truly. Raat and I have already mixed our essence and created something for you."
Ra points at Nik and a wisp of 'black' covered in a golden sheen that makes it more reflective shoots into Nik's forehead the moment it emerges from Ra's index finger.
[Spiritual Inheritance detected. Assimilation begins.]
[Skill Added.]
[Twilight Thief: Ability to beguile anyone with lower or equal mental prowess and rob them of their mental independence until the user wills so with a lock of gaze. Can be used on a single person at once. (Additional Info: The affected party is unaware of the truth even if freed.)]
{A/N: A weaker version of kotoamatsuki in the sense that it's not permanent.}
Nik closes his eyes for a moment and then looks disappointed. He mentally waves away the notification of the new skill he got and sighs, "That's it?"
The skill, objectively, is everything Nik was looking for. But from losing the sunstone to the dragon's egg and risking his life for it without knowing that all this was apparently orchestrated to set the dragons and the sun warriors straight... Nik felt distinctly disappointed.
As if not taking notice of such emotion within Nik, Ra continues calmly, "Among many concepts I govern, one is fairness. As opposed to it, Raat holds a distinct insight into stealing. What's mine is his not because of our origin but because of this very area of expertise. I have taken the Dragon's Egg and the Sunstone from you. Yet, I need one another thing to provide you with a strength of mine to complete this exchange."
Nik frowns harder. No matter how polite Ra sounds, Nik is not averse to reality. At this moment, he would give any item that Ra wants not out of humility but necessity. His objective is completed. He got the skill to beguile others. This will make his next travels a lot smoother and less complicated. Why would he choose to risk his neck now by refusing Ra's demand?
'In fact, to some extent, I should have seen this coming.'
"Reaper's husk. Take it out," Ra speaks with a smile and Nik quietly does as demanded.
Grim left a red thread of fate as a husk which Nik traded with the spirit of Fate to set this challenge and gain the Twilight Thief. Reaper, on the other hand, left a husk similar to a finger-long scythe.
Ra accepts this husk and pitch-black flame rises from his palms and completely melts the scythe into his being.
"An egg of dragon— fire given flesh and blood. A sunstone— regrets and hopes of my descendants. And a husk of that who chose imbalance."
Ra's smile broadens and he giggles mischievously, "Using the scythe would harm you more than the enemy. It disintegrates the spirit, but in doing so, it erodes the user's spirit, too. I have just the thing for you."
Golden flames cover Ra while Raat's body begins to flicker out of existence.
"Nik, I don't believe you are honorable." Ra's voice resounds in the valley, "Deceit and lies have their own value. Even power is objective and not subject to concepts of evil and kindness. I wish for you to not have your vision clouded by these sentiments. You, of all people, must not fall the falsity of fears caused by a weak mind."
Raat completely vanishes while the golden flame consumes Ra and leaves a flicker of golden fire that slowly moves towards Nik but doesn't enter him. Instead, after a moment, Nik extends his hand to touch the flame and it instantly enters his body.
This is no firebending technique. It's an energybending skill. Another essence of Ra.
[Spiritual Inheritance detected. Assimilation begins.]
[Skill Added.]
[Flames of Nirvana: Creates flames with absolute healing ability that shift reality. Fire does not consume spirit energy but the lifespan of the user. These flames can cure any disease and injury of any kind be it spiritual or physical as long as sufficient lifespan is provided. (Additional Info: Flames of Nirvana are golden in color.)]
Nik looks at the notification while remembering Ra's words. He wouldn't live his life in the exact same manner as Ra advised but he would keep it as a rough guide. After all, fear is poison. A necessary one. It shouldn't infect you whole but... remains in you enough to keep 'pinching' you.
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Alternate Title: The Spirit of Fairness; The Spirit of Theft; The Twilight Successor; The Princess That Never Was; The Shame of Dragons and Sun Warriors; The Keepers of Flame and Not The Dragons!
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A/N: So, I guess we took care of loose threads like Zuko's dragon, the sunstone, and Reaper's husk without making it feel like Nik's loss. At least, I hope not. Nik's own thoughts will be in the next chap. And we got Ignit! It's because of Ignit and the possibility of pokemon or Digimon later down the line that I am going to refrain from adding too many oc pets. And Flames of Nirvana are seriously too op without the restriction of lifespan...
So let's make Nik immortal, lol.
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