Chapter 7: Aimless Wanderer - 96 AG

[2 Years Later]

On this particularly gloomy day, the sun remained hidden behind thick clouds slowly gathering in the sky. A gentle breeze caused the pine trees lining the road to sway softly, and the tranquil sound of water coursing through the nearby river reverberated along the dirt path. Yet, Sozim didn't tread upon the well-worn path; instead, he moved silently within the heart of the forest. He stepped carefully on the grass and amidst the rustling leaves.

At this moment, he wore a bamboo conical hat and a billowing green cloak that danced in the wind. A sizable brown bag hung from his back. His eyes remained closed, but he continued to move forward, untroubled by the thought of encountering wild creatures or stumbling into trees. He pressed onward, his footsteps barely making a sound, until suddenly, he came to a halt.

Abruptly, his eyes shot open, and he swiftly turned his head to the left. Beyond the dense trees, he locked eyes with an irate platypus bear, its saber tooth and outstretched claws projecting a menacing demeanor. Without waiting for any reaction, the platypus bear charged towards Sozim, its heavy presence causing the ground to tremble.

As the bear drew near, it reared up on its hind legs, claws poised for an attack. However, before it could strike, an unexpected change swept over the bear. Frozen mid-motion, its bewildered eyes betrayed confusion.

Meanwhile, Sozim stood his ground, his hands remaining still, his gaze fixed on the bear, a glare sharp as daggers. Suddenly, his hand emerged from under his cloak, fingers forming a gripping gesture directed at the bear. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, his awareness enveloping every drop of blood within the platypus bear, meticulously scanning the creature's anatomy until his senses honed in on its heart.

The heart beat rapidly, akin to the rhythm of nature intermingled with hints of anxiety and fear. Sozim's scowl deepened, and in a fleeting moment, he clenched his fist, causing the blood surrounding the bear's heart to constrict rapidly. In an unnatural and swift demise, the heart succumbed to the crushing pressure of its own blood.

Releasing the tension in his hand as the bear crumpled to the ground, blood trickling from its nose-beak and mouth, Sozim let out a deep sigh. He quickly dropped his bag, retrieving a set of tools – knives, ropes, and leather pouches.

With practiced skill, he commenced his work, dissecting the lifeless platypus bear for its valuable leather, beak, meat, and other valuable materials that could be sold.

Over the past two years, Sozim had become a seasoned hunter. Following his escape from a merchant's ship that ultimately docked in Harbor Town, he embarked on a journey, seeking various odd jobs to earn money for his travels. He attempted numerous occupations, from waiting tables to chopping wood, searching for any work that would accept a young boy. Yet, none managed to satiate his spirit. Only in the life of a hunter did he discover a sense of purpose – a profession offering the freedom to wander as he pleased so that he could multitask to find Lo and Li, and the opportunity to hone his bloodbending abilities, a skill in which he had made substantial progress, albeit at a personal cost…

Eventually, Sozim completed the dissection of the bear, carefully separating its meat, skin, and various other components. Placing the meat and materials into the pouches strapped to his person, Sozim left the remains behind. He headed to the edge of the road, where he had left a sleigh, and began to pull it towards the pouches and skin, securing everything in place with ropes.

To the observer, it appeared as though Sozim was effortlessly hauling the load with sheer physical strength. Little did they know that he was utilizing his bloodbending prowess to make the meat and blood-filled materials float just a little in the pouches, rendering them weightless.

—

Sozim had reached a quaint village nestled amidst a mountain range, in close proximity to a dormant volcano. He had arrived with his hunting goods, making his way past the village gates and onto the well-maintained stone-paved path. The village appeared surprisingly prosperous, its buildings showing no signs of decay. It was evident that the culture of the Earth Kingdom thrived in this place.

Yet, amidst the initial sense of serenity, something peculiar caught Sozim's attention as soon as he crossed the village gates. A couple of individuals, elegantly dressed and seemingly waiting for someone, stood in his path. Initially, he dismissed them, assuming they had no business with him. But, to his surprise, he couldn't have been more wrong.

Approaching him with smiles and eager gestures, the group made their intentions clear. "Welcome, traveler," one of them, presumably the village elder, greeted him. "We've been expecting you."

"Have you?" Sozim frowned, his guard raised as he took a step back.

"You can relax, traveler," the village elder reassured him hastily. "Aunt Wu foresaw the arrival of a traveler bearing hunting goods, one who would rescue us from our plight."

Sozim's confusion deepened. "Aunt Wu? Plight?"

"Yes, Aunt Wu is our village's renowned fortune teller, and her predictions are infallible," the village elder explained with a nod, gripping Sozim's hand. "Please, assist us, traveler."

Sozim remained skeptical. "Assist with what, exactly? I'm just a hunter, and I hope you've noticed that I'm just a boy."

"You're a boy capable of hunting a platypus bear single-handedly," the village elder remarked, eyeing the hunting goods. "Bandits have seized control of the northern route from here, a crucial path for our trade with neighboring communities. If this continues, we'll suffer significant losses. However, Aunt Wu's prophecy foretells your involvement in resolving this crisis. Please, help us."

"Bandits?" Sozim swallowed hard. "What's the compensation?"

"We can provide you with a pouch of silver coins," the elder offered, hesitating. "Or even two, if that seems inadequate."

"Two pouches?" Sozim raised an eyebrow, that's twice the amount that he had earned these past two years. "Very well, I'll do it."

"Thank you!" The elder's joy was palpable. "We are forever indebted to you, traveler."

But Sozim had more questions. "Wait. Can you tell me more about Aunt Wu's full prediction?"

"The complete prediction?" the elder repeated. "Aunt Wu foresaw the arrival of a traveler bearing hunting goods, possessing unique abilities, who would deliver us from our troubles. She cautioned us not to underestimate him as a mere boy. That's all she saw, and once again, her prediction has proven accurate."

Sozim's frown deepened, but as the sky grew darker by the minute, he decided to postpone meeting Aunt Wu. There were more pressing matters to attend to—dealing with the bandits before nightfall.

—

As the sun dipped below the western horizon, Sozim cautiously approached an encampment nestled by the roadside, a location recently mentioned by the village elder. Within this makeshift settlement, the signs of activity were evident: fires crackled, provisions from the nearby village were piled in one corner, and the faint echoes of laughter from both men and women filled the air. It was apparent that these revelries were a part of the bandits' lifestyle, with the prostitutes likely being drawn to their camp for the lure of money.

Eventually, Sozim's presence did not go unnoticed. A bandit unsheathed their sword, leveling it threateningly at him. "Hey! Who are you?" they demanded.

Sozim drew in a deep breath, striving to maintain his composure. "I've come to speak."

"Speak?" More bandits emerged from the camp, many of them scarcely dressed and perpetually armed. "Are you out of your mind, boy? What could you possibly have to say?"

"Leave this place," Sozim urged. "The village wants nothing to do with you."

Laughter erupted from the largest tent in the encampment, and a formidable figure emerged, clutching a pouch of alcohol. Dressed in the attire of an Earth Kingdom soldier, he appeared to be either a deserter or something more sinister, possibly an earthbender.

"Boy! Depart from here before you kill yourself!" he bellowed at Sozim. "This is adult business! Is the village elder so desperate that they've resorted to hiring a child?"

The entire encampment erupted in laughter again, while Sozim stood his ground, attempting to keep his emotions in check.

"They offered me a substantial sum," Sozim confessed. "That's why I'm here."

The man seemed perturbed. Drunk and disheveled, he dropped his pouch and grumbled, "You've brought this upon yourself." With that, he assumed a combat stance and, with a swift motion, sent a boulder hurtling toward Sozim, aiming to strike him directly.

Sozim agilely sidestepped the incoming projectile. "I'm sorry, but I can't leave," he maintained.

Growing increasingly frustrated, the man turned to his subordinates. "Deal with him."

One of them nodded and advanced toward Sozim, brandishing his sword. He signaled for Sozim to move toward the road, attempting to usher him away.

"I'll leave if you vacate this place," Sozim calmly stated.

The subordinate sneered, disarmed himself, and attempted to knock Sozim down with the pommel of his sword. However, Sozim deftly evaded the blow and, through a series of swift strikes and jabs, rendered the subordinate's arm immobile, causing the sword to clatter to the ground.

"What have you done?" the subordinate exclaimed in surprise and anger, clutching his limp arm. The commotion drew the attention of others, including the man who had appeared as an Earth Kingdom soldier.

"Look, I don't want to escalate things further." Said Sozim. "I can't control myself sometimes."

"You talk big for a boy," the man muttered angrily. "I've had enough of this. I'll put an end to you right here."

The man stomped his foot on the ground, and earthen walls arose on either side of Sozim, closing in to crush him.

Sozim pushed off the ground with his feet, narrowly escaping the encroaching walls. Before he could react further, his legs were ensnared by the earth below, immobilizing him.

"You're a nuisance, boy," the man grumbled as he approached Sozim. He produced shackles from the earth and fastened them, anchoring Sozim firmly to the ground. "You'll stay here until you starve."

Sozim remained silent, prompting the man to scoff and turn away, ignoring the gaze of the onlookers, who at this point started to return to their business. However, before he could take more than a few steps, the man suddenly froze, his eyes widening in shock.

"W-What—" he attempted to speak, but his mouth refused to cooperate. The bandits remained oblivious. Against his will, the man turned back toward Sozim and, with a forceful stomp, shattered the earth that had bound the boy.

Sozim rose to his feet, the man still suspended nearby, his expression shifting from a poker face to a manic grin.

"Finally," 'Sozim' chuckled. "After months of contending only with beasts and animals… a human."

Some of the bandits began to take notice of the unfolding situation, watching with curiosity.

"Boss?" one of them ventured. "Have you changed your mind?"

The man remained silent.

Without warning, 'Sozim' assumed a combat stance, an eerie smile still plastered across his face. It resembled the posture of a firebender preparing to unleash flames, yet this time, it was something altogether different.

With a sinister giggle, 'Sozim' lunged at the man, his stance low, and his fist connecting squarely with the man's chest. There was no fire, only a gruesome burst from the man's back, blood spraying out like a torrent, as if it had been forcibly expelled. A trail of crimson followed the man as his skin seemed to disintegrate.

The prostitutes screamed in horror, while the bandits erupted in panic.

"What the hell is happening?!" curses and shouts filled the air as swords were drawn.

'Sozim' turned toward the bandits, his grin widening further. With a sweeping motion of his hand, he froze the bandits in their tracks, rendering them motionless.

'Relaxing' his hold, 'Sozim' took on the mannerisms of a puppeteer, guiding the bandits with their own swords toward their own necks, ending their lives in an instant.

The bandits lay lifeless, leaving only the trembling prostitutes. 'Sozim' approached them slowly, his grin growing more sinister by the moment, causing tears to stream down their faces as they backed away.

"P-Please," one of them begged, but 'Sozim' paid them no mind. He continued to advance, chuckling as he surveyed them up and down.

Finally, he assumed his stance once more, right hand gripping the air before slowly pulling it behind his head. Simultaneously, the prostitutes froze, blood oozing from their mouths, noses, and ears with choking sounds. The lines of blood snaked out, sapping their life force, coalescing into a massive crimson orb.

'Sozim' laughed maniacally, reveling in the torment. As the prostitutes succumbed to death, the blood ball cascaded over their lifeless forms.

'Sozim' laughed more and more, but… slowly but surely, that laugh died down, his smile disappeared, and only a lifeless look could be seen in his eyes. The blood flowed down to his foot, and he could only drop down to his knees, dirtying himself further.

He closed his eyes, struggling to regain control of his emotions. He covered his face with his palm, breathing in and out in an attempt to stop the shaking of his hands. He had witnessed his own actions, yet felt powerless, as if his insatiable hunger controlled him, as if he were possessed.

"This isn't normal bloodbending," he muttered to himself. "It's something more. I need to find a way to stop this, to regain control…"

He needed help.