====== 5 - The Fear of All Aristocrats ==========
"Listen, Dagoth, about the situation with my daughter..." Oza, walking beside me, paused for a moment. "Try not to tease her so much. This isn't your father's order, just advice for your own good. You don't want to know what she might make up about me."
Walking through the liberated settlement and entering the factory, which I really wanted to see, Oza and I struck up a conversation about nothing in particular. Family, the political situation, where to start the war, we finally found an opportunity to discuss joint policy.
As someone who had been through many military conflicts, Oza threw out a lot of information that could help in the upcoming war; he was clearly serious about the campaign against the spirits. The most important thing I gleaned was a clearly defined time frame. When the conflict should begin and, more importantly, when it should end, and how it would all start in the end.
The solar eclipse. Before it began, the problem within the country had to be resolved so that no one could interfere with the preparations. What was this problem?
Well, internal political enemies would become our stumbling block. If we don't take into account those who don't accept war — who are actually a minority — then the remaining caste would be vegans, spirit lovers and druids — I decided to call them that solely because of their love of nature and squirrels. These people do not accept technological progress and see certain signs in the spirit attacks. They believe that the world is heading in the wrong direction.
In such a situation, everyone decides for themselves which side to take. It cannot be said that they are few in number or even weak, because according to Oza, they make up a significant percentage of the population. The problem could be solved by schools, where children would be taught a certain message, but there are not enough of them yet.
The situation is even worse in the colonies, where they do not even fight the spirits: they either endure them or begin to pray to them. Aang, according to my information, was currently trying to solve this problem, but only with half-measures. If military action resumes, darkness will return to the world. But... this could be exploited.
Returning to the capital and telling Oza that I would sit in my room for a while to prepare, I appeared before Afka at the dinner table. She looked at me with some disapproval — I looked like a man who was about to snap. Incidentally, spirits can also share information with the library, so they are covered by the agreement, but curses would obviously never agree to that.
On top of that, I had to figure out how I would participate in this conflict. What, for example, does a pre-emptive strike mean? Who should I target, where should I attack? Apart from burning the whole world to the ground, I had only one guess, but it was very, very undesirable. That's why Wang Shi Tong had to support me in all this, otherwise the mission would be impossible. He possessed knowledge that could be the key to my victory:
Who our enemy is, how many of them there are, what their weaknesses are — we need the same information that Zhao was trying to obtain. The problem is convincing him to share it. He might be enraged by the very fact of the request, so... despite the tautology, my spirit helper must assist me.
"Are you going to kill ordinary spirits too? Even those who aren't dark? It scares me how quickly you agreed with Oza, but I don't believe you went along with it just like that. Talk to me, fyr!
Come to think of it, I didn't know the answer to that question myself.
"You know, there are many details in our agreement with Wan Shi Tong that were not discussed. For example, who is considered a dark spirit? Someone who has no light side, or someone who is self-centred? Do you think the face thief Koh is dark or light? If he comes for Tai Li, can we tear off all his legs and smash his body with giant rocks?
"I would do it myself if he attacked our friends! But Koh is no ordinary spirit. I can't answer that.
She clenched her teeth. The thing is, bad deeds are not always considered evil, at least not according to the spirit of the Ocean. In that case, it was necessary to discuss the details with Wang Shi Tong himself, as Anubis had told me.
But the owl spirit was trying to sit on two chairs; he liked technological progress, but he didn't want everything to be achieved in this way. But that was impossible; he would have to choose. In the past, he would have chosen the side of the spirits without even thinking about it, but after he called me his friend...
"Afka," I don't care if he gets angry, I'm not ready to make concessions right now. But making him an enemy would be a mistake. "Fly to Wang Shi Tong. Tell him that I have delayed military conflicts around the world! I have stopped a world war, but he will have to help to stop it for good. Let him make a list of spirits that could cause me problems. He will have to figure out how to prevent them from killing me, his friend. In this matter, I am counting on you alone.
How cruel to impose such conditions on a friend and not tell him what all this could lead to, but he himself may well understand. Anubis does not say that the contract will be broken, so I was curious to see what would come of it.
The fox glances away and quietly whines, and...
"You've finally started making serious demands of me... Just a warning, breaking a contract with a spirit is very, very dangerous. It can't be broken as easily as someone's life," I smiled quietly at my fox, who didn't understand the essence of our real contract. If I bound myself with the present, it would be true. But our connection was only verbal...
"Let Wang Shi Tong not be disappointed in me, I have only one categorical way out of this situation in mind," I said, rising from the creaky chair and turning my broad back to the puzzled Afka. "I'll find a way to open the chakra of Enlightenment. Maybe the third eye will suggest another way out of this situation.
Of course, I already asked Yangchen about the key to the penultimate chakra, but she didn't say anything useful, only interpreting her own experience, which had nothing to do with Laghima's knowledge, which showed a simpler way. Ah, if only I could go to Oza with the same question, but we're at logger feet — he definitely won't tell me how to become stronger. But according to Airo, he must have the secrets of the last, seventh chakra.
But that's strange. Let's conduct a logical experiment: a person strives for unlimited power and wants to get the Comet of Sozin. According to the assumption, he will open the Chakra of Thought and renounce his earthly attachments. Question: will he suddenly realise that he doesn't need power and give up his way of achieving it, or will he go beyond the known limits?
From what I knew, the last chakra is the peak, after which you forget about everything worldly, the desire for power no longer bothers you, you renounce love, and the bonds you have created are no longer capable of hurting you. It seems like there's nothing to worry about — you, a mere mortal, have achieved supreme power and control over your own destiny, there's literally nowhere to go from here, so giving up your aspirations doesn't sound so bad.
But what if there was a way to go further? I have said this many times before, but it is impossible to achieve the power of a developed Avatar. Even if you open all seven chakras and gain supreme power over your element, there is still an invisible barrier. So can spirits really help you break the limitations of the last chakra and continue your development? Apparently, this is indeed a legal method.
However, you will have to pay with your mind. You are not just sharing a skull with another being; your neighbour has their own ambitions and goals. A situation of obsession could definitely arise. Perhaps this is what should be conveyed to Oza.
"I should discuss these details with Airo, after all, he interacts with Oza more often than I do," I left the room and headed alone down the long corridor. Azula was still busy with something, so only the guards were supposed to keep an eye on me...
"Sand Mage, Dagoth!" It was the same woman who had stopped me in the middle of the corridor, blocking my way. She was in full guard uniform, armed, and her men clearly looked unhappy. But there was also a man in expensive clothes with rings on his hands and a well-groomed beard standing at the head of the procession," What an encounter, my daughter told me about how you settled in this mansion.
"Who are you?" I looked up, causing the man to freeze for a second.
"Hmm, how unfortunate, I see May hasn't told you. My name is Ukano, a court official," he said, placing his hand on his heart and smiling tightly, then bowing in greeting. May's father... the same man who didn't like Oza's new policy?
Sure, he has a big grudge against me. We talked a little with Azura at the Pole, and the conversation turned to the raid on Omasha. She tried to clear herself of all charges. According to her, it was Ukano who initiated the attack, and it was after its failure that Oza had to make peace!
"And what do you want from me? He's clearly not my friend. And the fact that he has enough power to send an army to Omasha makes him an influential and unpleasant enemy," "Are you going to suggest attacking another city of the Earth Kingdom?
"Ugh... - he grimaced and shook his head," - I won't be rude to you, Azula made it clear to me that it's not worth getting into a conflict with you.
"Hm? "But now, remembering the princess, a shiver ran through his body. Even his guards flinched.
"I must say this myself to clear myself of suspicion. I am not responsible for the militias that may be gathering against you. Almost the entire city dislikes you, and I have nothing to do with it! Please tell Azule that if an attempt is made on your life, it's not my fault, none of my men or soldiers are involved in this," he begged me sincerely, speaking the complete truth. He almost knelt down, and his guards bowed their heads.
Then he turned around and walked away from me strangely and quickly.
The militia... what scared this poor man so much that he is trembling and reporting to me personally? Does Azula not only eavesdrop on her friends, but also humiliates their fathers?
"It looks like there will be trouble with the common people soon. We need to get out of the capital quickly.
Shrugging, I made my way over to Airo, who was coming to terms with his new reality and the fact that he was now under constant surveillance by Admiral Liang. After telling him the latest news, I even made him withdraw into himself.
"Making Oza fear his own power... I think it's impossible," he said with a disappointed sigh, looking out the window at the courtyard and Zuko sitting there. "I'm even starting to think that the idea of influencing Oza through his own son is doomed to failure. their relationship is too strained after everything that's happened. I have to help them somehow.
Putting my hands behind my back and walking over to the window, I focused on the book the prince was reading.
"I wouldn't underestimate him. Zuko is starting to form new principles and is now gathering courage. Just give him time." Proof that Zuko wanted not only to get closer to his father, but also to understand his thoughts, was the book he asked me for after his stay at the North Pole. It was a book that had found its way into the library thanks to me.
Secrets of the Will of Fire: The Reason for Ambition and Shame. It is the third chakra that can change his perception, make him stronger and stop him from being afraid of his father. I had to do something more complicated.
"Uncle Airo, do you know how to get into the spirit world? - Finally turning to the old man, I quickly caught the face of a man who was completely unprepared for such a question. I told Afka that I would wait and not make any rash decisions, but I had to prepare myself for the possibility that Wang Shi Tong would not make any concessions.
Before the real war began, I had to do something, a kind of preparation for a pre-emptive strike — yes, I was very cautious. As the slightly tense Airo said, there were only a couple of places in the world where a person could enter the spirit world, and from where spirits could enter ours. The most popular place, which even I knew about, was a misty swamp. There, the barrier between the two worlds was the weakest, and with some effort, you could ask the swamp itself to transport your soul to the other side of the world.
But in order to actually do something with the spirits in that place, you had to open your sixth chakra. Therefore, you had to go to a certain village, namely to a clan of explosive magicians who hid the secret of Enlightenment.
"Let me ask you this: why do you need to go to the spirit world when you have a spirit helper who can quickly get you there?
"Ha ha, I'm just asking, it might come in handy someday. Besides, there are many people to talk to there," he said, waving goodbye and leaving his private room. He would have gladly taken Airo with him on his journey, but he was being watched even here, not allowed to go anywhere, and this would arouse even more suspicion from his younger brother.
Although I was also being watched, it was possible to come to an agreement with Azula. And until she found me, which was bound to happen soon enough, I closed my eyes and established a spiritual connection with Tai Li.
"Hello. How are you?"
"Dagoth!"
Hearing me, the girl immediately perked up. I saw that they were wandering around a familiar city. It took me a second to remember Gaolin — Tof's home town. True, they hadn't crossed paths yet.
"Excellent. The weather here is great and warm, just right after the North Pole. We'll soon be on the flying pig you pointed out, but Sokka got an invitation to some kind of earth mage tournament and really wants to go. How are you?"
"I'm doing what I can... I have a request for you. I don't have much time to talk, so could you tell Aang that I want to meet Kuruk? He should be able to contact his past lives by now, so tell him I'll help him get his wife back. See you soon. I have to go."
The connection was quickly cut off, and my thoughts returned to my skull. When I opened my eyes, I saw Azulu heading towards me, looking happy and cunning as usual. I'm sure she also wanted to get out and have some fun. After all, there was nothing else to do in the mansion except eat, sleep, and deal with intrigues. And all my business was just outside the palace.
"Well, Dagoth, who are we going to bully today?" " she greeted me maliciously. Apparently, she wasn't going to stop at today's Ukano. Besides, there was something unusual behind her. The fact that I saw this "something" with my senses made me raise my eyebrows. "What are you silent about? Say something."
"How vindictive you are," I said, raising my hand sharply and grabbing her palm, which was filled with a mixture of tree bark, leaves, and even beetles. She tried to throw it into my open mouth. Bitch, did she do this to May's father too?
"You shouldn't have stuffed my mouth with sand," she said, pursing her lips maliciously, loosening her grip and letting the "treat" fall. She seemed to have given up, but she also seemed offended. "Heh heh, ask my brother how I responded to his teasing. With you, it's just friendly banter.
It's clear from the look on her face that it's not friendly at all. And her hurt at being exposed was very obvious; she'll definitely try that trick again. Yeah, our relationship is clearly based on power... but if she really does protect me, it's worth making up. As long as we live within the same archipelago, I wouldn't want to wait for her to stab me in the back. Turn everything into common interests?
"Get changed," I said sharply, making her stop. "We're going for a walk."