Chapter 17
Haru and the remains of the firebenders were in open space.
They now can dodge and attack freely.
It should take the advantage of the narrow path from Haru.
From this battle, because of his higher wisdom, Haru learnt a few wise moves.
When fighting groups of firebenders, always corner them.
Haru, who was behind the wall, flicked his fingers and made around fifteen earth swords float above the wall before it rained down.
The skills had an advantage that normal bending didn't. They were instant and they doesn't need conscious effort.
Although Haru was hiding, he could see every firebender.
The swords fell, and some of the firebenders managed to dodge, but some weren't that lucky that died.
Haru closed his eyes.
He could tell their plan. They were planning to make a turn around the wall and kill him.
But they forgot one thing, Haru can bend metal.
From this distance, he could sense the metal, and thus, he could bend it.
He closed his fist.
The armours of the firebenders started getting tight, choking the firebenders. Screams of dying men spread. Just now he took seven firebenders just by clenching his fists.
Haru leaned his back on the wall and stretched his arms to the opposite side.
Four firebenders appeared from each side. Haru waved his hands up, and the firebenders flew to the sky. Haru took his hands back and let them fall. It will be enough to kill them.
Haru aimed his hands at the other firebenders and clenched his fists.
They died because of their armours alone, and they fell. Whenever someone appears, Haru would send them flying up.
[Metalbending up to level 15]
[Swords Rain up to level 14…]
[Swords Limit up to 25]
[You levelled up]
[You levelled up]
[Level 16]
Haru took a deep breath when he levelled up. He now was waiting for the notification that says that his quest is complete. But it didn't come.
Haru felt something was missing. He then realised that someone was alive.
He turned to the bodies that were on the ground. All of them seemed to be dead, except for one, who just took a quick breath and held it again.
"Rest in Peace."
Haru didn't want to kill him. But it has to be this way.
The earth formed a spike that pierced that soldier's chest.
Haru sighed and didn't feel guilty. That soldier was an adult, who had made his choice of invading another nation. Haru didn't care about the so-called being the bigger person. This is war. Violence breeds violence, and if you are willing to kill others for orders, you have to be willing to die for the same cause.
[Epic Quest is completed!]
[+100.000 exp]
[+2 Item Boxes]
[+1 Epic box]
[Ding you levelled up]
[Level 17 (15.000/70.000)]
Because he levelled up, his Chi and health resorted to their peak.
Haru was in his peak condition, full of energy and ready to complete his journey.
The stinky smell of the blood filled the air.
Haru had killed almost all of them, and some were bleeding to death.
He had held nothing back and went for the kill.
He hadn't been concerned about their lives, and he never would.
But he wasn't a disrespectful being. Since they are fellow warriors, he decided to bury them. Using his earthbending, he put them under the ground.
Haru clapped his hands. He then made the wall collapse and sat down.
Staring at the top of the mountain, Haru felt something and bent the ground beneath him, making him leap. He reached the peak in no time, and he landed on his feet.
There was a man, wearing a green outfit with yellow tops and a bamboo hat. The man stared at Haru and took a step back. Because there was a rock behind him, he fell on his butt.
"Who are you?" Haru raised his hand. He was about to bury the man, if not for he was wearing an Earth Kingdom outfit.
"Respectful sir," he stood up, cupped his hands and bowed. "My name is Ron. I'm a scout from Omashu, the Earth Kingdom. I was following the troops of the fire nation and was planning to report to Earth King Bumi. But you took care of the rest while I was watching the battle."
Haru's feet, which were connected to the earth, allowed him to see the man from a different angle. Haru could sense Ron's internal system, heartbeat, and nothing seemed to change when he talked. Haru decided to assume that Ron is saying the truth.
"King Bumi you said. And why were you scouting?" That name sounded familiar to Haru. He knew King Bumi from his previous life. Bumi was a crazy man, a mad genius type, but a very powerful and skilled earthbender, a bender that lived beyond a hundred years that he could bend using his face. Haru wished to learn from a man like him.
Ron rubbed the back of his head and gave a wry smile. "We are in war times. The Earth Kingdom has few Scouters in the roads that are used to transfer the enemy."
"I see."
"Man." Ron clenched his fists and stared at Haru. Stars shone in his eyes. "The way you defeated those firebenders, with your skills, it was nothing like I've ever seen. When I saw you alone facing them, I thought you were going to die and I closed my eyes. But when I opened them, all I could see were swords that were floating next to me. Those earth swords of yours, and the way you concerned them, it's so amazing. Earth benders and strategists should learn from you.
"Are you a general from Ba Sing Se?" Ron asked respectfully.
"I'm not," Haru replied. He could understand why the dude assumed this. The army of the Earth Kingdom wasn't united and wasn't in one city.
"Which city are you from?" Ron asked.
"I'm from a northern village," Haru said. "Why are you asking? It's rude, you know."
"Sorry, I didn't mean." He replied. "Someone from your skills level, I should hear of… I just found it weird, that's all."
Haru turned his head to the bottom of the mountain. His thoughts drifted to King Bumi and Omashu. Since Haru had been planning to kick the Fire Nation out, he surely needs a strong army with him.
Besides, his journey was to become stronger. If he met King Bumi, he may learn something from him. And he may get a few units for himself later.
He may even get an easy way to lead Omashu's army in the future. Also, he can ask him to send some units to support his village in case more fire benders came.
"I'm still young. You only hear about old monsters, not the young ones," Haru replied.
Ron smiled. "So, young man, where are you heading for now?"
"Why do you want to know?" Haru raised his eyebrow.
"I was just asking in case you just want a place to settle down. Someone like you is always welcomed in Omashu's city. In fact, I'm pretty sure that the king would like to meet the earthbender who defeated more than a hundred Fire Nation men alone."
For the first time, Haru smiled at Ron, who took a step back in surprise.
"Yeah, I was just planning to head to some city."
"In this case, why don't you come to Omashu. Someone like you is very welcomed." Ron jumped and clenched his fists happily.
"Sure. I always wanted to meet Bumi, the legendary earthbender." Haru patted Ron on the shoulder. Thinking about Bumi, if there is someone other than Toph who could see through the earthbending, it would be him. His skills were the most superior compared to the other benders. During Sozin's comet, when the firebenders were overpowered, Bumi defeated many troops on his own.
Haru, somehow, wanted to learn to bend with his face, to learn from that old man before he dies.
"That's great. We'll be heading now…"
"Wait."
"What?"
"I have to pick up my ride first."
"Sure." Ron smiled.
Haru doubted that Ron is only happy because there will be someone to protect him on the way. In either case, Haru didn't mind.
They took another path, down the mountain. Since they were both earthbenders, they did it easily. Haru picked up his ride, and so did Ron before they moved in Omashu's direction.
In their way, Ron suddenly asked.
"By the way, what's your name?"
"Haru." He replied.
-x-X-x-
A couple of days passed. Haru and Ron only stopped to get food and water. On their way, monsters, bandits, and savage animals attacked them. Luckily for them, both were benders. They could protect themselves, and that's why the journey got smooth.
Ron had told Haru a few interesting things about his job as a scouter, such as the best places for someone to settle on and scout. He told him also about different kinds of birds that are used to deliver messages and reports, and he told Haru that if he saw anything like that near his home, he should worry.
Haru found himself learning new things, and as a result, he gained this.
[Wisdom +1 Point.]
"By the way, Mr Ron. How the war is going." Haru asked as they were on their way to Omashu.
"We are losing. Ba Sing Se never answers our calls, and we are holding still, thanks to our geography advantage."
"What are our chances?" Haru asked.
"We don't have that much hope. If our walls get broken, then the fire nation would surely take over. But don't worry, with our king, things will be good enough. We just need to hold still, until we weaken the fire nation."
Haru didn't believe these words. There is no way someone like them would weaken the Fire Nation, which is developing its technologies. Just in less than one year, the fire nation will come to them from the air. Besides, King Bumi was a very tricky person who would give up and pretend to be weak, so he can fool the enemy.
"Oh, Lookup, we arrived." Ron stopped his ride, and so did Haru.
Both of them lifted their head.
On the top of the mountain, there was the great city of Omashu, with its walls and geography. From his point of view, it looked like three pyramids built on a mountain, but those pyramids were made of buildings, not blocks.
"Let's go from this way, I know the road…"
-x-X-x-
Ron was leading the way as Haru and he was heading to the gates. A couple of Earth Soldiers were standing in front of the gates, and they waved their hands back once Ron greeted them.
"Greeting brothers."
"Ron. You finally came… you have no idea how much we have been waiting."
"Huh? You got the news?"
"You kidding me? Everyone heard the rumours. Someone defeated more than a hundred firebender, alone. How can we not… quickly, tell me, is it true."
"You think I would joke?" Ron pointed with his eyes backwards.
The soldier looked over Ron's shoulder. "Don't tell me it's this young man. Ron, are you sane?"
"Trust me, I don't know if I'm sane. But the only thing I know is he killed them, alone."
The two soldiers looked at Haru with wide-opened eyes.
"Wow, you even managed to convince him to come here. Who is he?"
"A young man from the north."
"Let's see about him."
"Mr Haru, please, come over here." Ron turned to Haru and waved his hand.
Haru jumped off his ride, walked to one of the soldiers, and handed it to him. "Take care of it. It likes fishes."
The soldier sounded a bit nervous when he said. "Please, I will take care of it."
Haru stretched his arms up once the other soldier used his bending to open the gates for them. He then Ron then entered.
-x-X-x-
The city of Omashu was built on a number of hills. The palace sits on the tallest hill, which is centred behind some other hills. The city has thousands of houses for ordinary citizens and nobles as well as hundreds of shops, restaurants and pottery workshops. The city also has a complex mail system, in which packages are transported using earthbending and gravity. Buildings in Omashu are generally built from stone, unlike most buildings in the Earth Kingdom, and have green tiled roofs.
Haru and Ron stopped in front of the royal palace. Ron turned and gave a slight bow to Haru. "Please, would you wait for me, I'll give a quick report and ask you to come."
"Sure," Haru replied. Since he knew that kings can be busy, and old sometimes, it would be appropriate to inform them before going inside the palace.
Ron smiled and entered the royal palace.
Haru turned his head, he was next to a tea shop. He got in and decided to have some tea for himself.