Chapter 63

Zaheer opened his eyes slowly. The last thing he'd remembered was the Avatar's lover holding him by the shoulder and stabbing him with a lightning-covered hand.

The plan had failed. Even with his new-found flying power, Zaheer got after his friend's death, he was no match for a single man.

That was unfortunate.

How would he change the world if he couldn't simply kill the Avatar's lover, let alone the most powerful existence in the world?

'Am I dead?'

Zaheer had no fear of death. When he opened his eyes, he was willing to accept anything that came to him. Still, how was he self-aware was a mystery.

Instead, he was sitting on a comfortable bed.

"You're not as dead as you think." Said a calm voice.

Slowly turning his eyes, Zaheer saw a large humanoid owl with a black feather and a white head.

Zaheer didn't panic, nor he reacted based on instinct. Instinct is a lie created by the fearful mind to avoid death.

"I didn't say I was thinking I'm dead."

"You're surprisingly calm."

Zaheer didn't reply. Instead, he sat up and turned his head left and right. He was in a very large space, surrounded by bookshelves. Scrolls and ancient texts were all around.

Zaheer spotted a parchment with a specific texture, which he knew. It belonged to the ancient airbenders. Zaheer had always been a lover of the culture of the airbenders and the monks. It had given him a different perspective on life.

Hold on… this place. He'd tried to seek it once but never found it.

"Wan Shi Tong library." He said slowly.

"I see that you aren't clueless as you look." The owl replied. "Zaheer, the leader of the red lotus."

"You know me?"

"I know many things. My foxes bring me knowledge across your world." Replied the owl. "For now, I can assume that you are wondering why are you here."

Zaheer thought for a moment. It's obvious why was he here.

"Because I tried to kill the Avatar, and somehow, she provoked you."

"Many times in different lives." Replied Shi Tong. "What I find interesting is that you fought Chen for a quite long time, and so you fought the Avatar… we want you to tell us how you were planning to erase her, and the weaknesses and strengths of the Avatar and Chen."

The owl seemed to know a lot, even the goal of his organisation.

It's not out of the context. The owl was the spirit of knowledge, someone who has stings in the material world. He could get even the secret knowledge. The Order of the Red Lotus must have been recorded at some point.

"You are not alone?" Zaheer felt something missing here.

The spirit of knowledge was known to hate violence. It actually despised humanity for seeking learning just to fight and win wars. That had been the reason why he'd closed the library, and that's why Zaheer was never able to enter the library despite learning how to go to the spirit world.

"As you can see, the Avatar and a certain human had done something that needed us to join forces. My knowledge showed me that we have to make the first move, or the spirit world will be in danger. Chen had discovered the power to absorb the power of spirits.

"For that, we need to eliminate him, the Avatar, and everyone who potentially knows the secret."

That's wrong, Zaheer believed.

The reason why he wanted to end the Avatar, it's because its existence allows the tyrant to exist. Zaheer wanted a free world, where people aren't bound by their rulers.

The spirits, not only wanted to get rid of the Avatar, but they wanted to kill anyone who potentially knew the secret.

That was like killing innocents.

"I refuse," Zaheer replied.

"I understand your concerns, and I'll assure you that no innocent would be harmed." Said the owl. "Provided that you help us capture them alive, we can see through their souls. Some of the spirits have the power to do so."

Zaheer lowered his head and thought for a moment.

"You just want him and the Avatar dead, for a better world?"

"No. We want them dead for the sake of a peaceful world."

"Then, how about you help me, and I'll help you," Zaheer replied, looking straight into the owl's eyes. "I know how to eliminate the Avatar for good. You, on the other hand, help me kill the tyrants that rule the nations and starve their people."

"We spirits has no concern the matters of the material world."

"But if you helped me, I can assure you that no danger will come from this world. You've always hated how people are bothering to learn so they can fight. So how about we create a world where people don't have to fight? A world with no tyrants declaring wars. No nobles starve their people and force them to fight. Such a world would never threaten yours."

"You are making an interesting remark," Wang said, seeming to think carefully of Zaheer's words.

"I have a question. Where are my teammates."

"We managed to resurrect you. The phoenix healed you, the waterbender and the firebender. But as for your lavabender friend, he'd been sent straight to nirvana by Chen. It was too late to save him."

"I see." Zaheer closed his eyes and nodded. He'd left already his earthly attachment. That'd been the reason why he could fly. As for his dead command, he was bound to die anyway. The bond between them was a mortal one, just like the rest of the bounds. What was left was their goal for a better world.

"In that case, I'll join power with you."

"For the sake of peaceful two worlds, no wars, and all learning."

Zaheer joined his hands together and gave a slight bow.

-x-X-x-

"You're going to take full responsibility for your decision." Chief Beifong stared at Chen with a piercing gaze.

Chen didn't show any emotional reaction to that. He only sat on his chair.

Currently, he was in jail.

"Do you want the world to end?" he asked Lin with a careless tone.

The last time he had fought the phoenix spirit, Chen had realised something when he'd pierced it with the lightning.

Spirits, in the material world, have blood.

General Zhao had killed the spirit of the moon with a blade.

Spirits had a weakness. Their blood.

The most two powerful allies one can rely on were Tarrlok and Amon.

Amon had been damaged beyond repair, but that can be fixed.

Chen opened his hand. A golden fire danced above them. This was the resurrection flame. It can fix any damage.

"No. But I don't want these criminals to run free."

"Trust me," Chen said. "If we fail, the whole world won't walk free. You'll die, my fiancee will die, I die… Anyone who'd attended my pro-bending or I have seen will be killed. You've seen the giant spirit yourself.

"I don't know if I can win. I know for sure the Avatar can't win." Chen was honest here. He lowered his head. "That's why we need them."

Chen had told Lin to make a deal with Amon and his brother. The two brothers can start a new life, provided they will make the ultimate sacrifice. Given their background in TV, they weren't power-hungry people. Amon just wanted to start a new life after his plans had failed, and Tarrlok, he'd happened to kill his brother for the sake of the peace in the other timeline.

Chen didn't want to do this, but he had to.

Of course, no guarantee they will come back alive.

"Let them in."

The door was opened. Two shackled people came in. One had a broken face, was covered in bandages and sitting in a wheelchair. The other was shackled everywhere, and his eyes were covered by a blindfold.

Chen smirked. 'This is going to be interesting.'