Lake Laogai (2)

Unlike any other facilities, the group had invaded, the headquarters of the Dai Li was... expansive and wrought with traps. The kind of traps that someone without a seismic sense can fall into and find themselves at Death's Door knocking for an entrance. The earthen walls despite being underwater remained without any damp or flaky patches as they made their way down the long hall alight with glowing torches.

"We should divide ourselves into two groups," Suki suggested, "With Toph and Nik in each. That way we can cover more ground without fearing any traps— Ahh!"

Suddenly, the earth under Suki's feet softened and latched onto her as she let out a startled yelp instantly causing Toph to break into a fit of giggles.

"Ahh— she cried~ Pfft! Muahahahaha!" She held her hair and threw her head back in full-bellied laughter as Suki glared at the tiny menace while the ground receded back in its position, "Can you not?!"

"Come on, that was fun! Did you guys see that? Cause I didn't!" Toph gave a toothy grin.

"Nice one," Nik chuckled while others rolled their eyes. Nik came to find quick enough that puns weren't appreciated all that much in the group but he would recognize deserving talents anywhere and Toph was one such master.

"Thanks," her smile brightened as she gave Nik a surprising and quick hug. Her head barely reached his chest as she let out a muffled groan before pulling back and stretching her body.

"I call Katara and Mai!" Toph declared, her hand akimbo.

"You call? What are we? Wild animals?" Katara scoffed.

"But... I may just end up decking Miss Pretty Little Princess since she has a stupid mouth. You're a waterbender and Mai really can see for both of us and throw knives, ending problems permanently. I think we would make a solid team."

Her former reason was quickly dismissed as Toph gave a good enough explanation. She herself is a master earthbender and could bend Lava and Metal. Katata could cover the team's base with her waterbending, and Mai's eyesight and precision were monstrous, allowing her to give the two benders more than enough support.

"Great, so I'm stuck with a drunkard and a painted—" Azula crossed her arms under her breasts. Despite knowing what they were going to do... she wore a provocative bright red crop top even when her face was currently covered by her blue devil mask. She took a page out of Michi's book and Nik didn't mind it as she found him taking a rather open glance at her cleavage... much to her satisfaction. But before she could properly title her own team with derogatory terms, Suki scowled and gave a nasal snort.

"Toph, if you don't deck her, I might. This is a proper Kyoshi Uniform. An undisciplined and ungrateful cunt like you could never appreciate its worth!"

Instead of getting angered, Azula's eyes glinted with amusement through her devilish mask as she giggled, "On the contrary, I appreciate it for its worth. That being a clown show."

Suki took deep breaths to calm herself while Nik watched them silently. His team, that is. They were hot and when they are aggressive, they turn hotter. There's no doubt that Esta left some bad seed in him... or maybe he would have turned out the same either way but... still, he couldn't help but look toward the more tranquil team and feel a pang of envy.

"Hey~" letting Nyla trot over to Nik, June jumped down and slid her arm over his neck. Pulling him close, she whispered into his ears but kept her voice knowingly loud, "Don't you feel jealous of them. You have me, dontcha? I can make every pain worthwhile~!" She blew in and pecked his ear softly.

"Let's not waste more time," Nik sighed, "At least I'm now stronger than you all." He passed the idle statement to probe their reactions.

"Hah?"

Instant, simultaneous voices of disgruntlement, anger, and ridicule had never been raised louder but showing his thick skin, he calmly shrugged, "Truth always stings quite a bit. Just let it settle."

"Your dick will sting once I fucking punch it! Who said I'm weaker than you?!" Toph snapped. It was quite the sight to see her transitioning from a reasonable and adorable hugger... to, as Suki would quote— A Menace!

---

Four individuals traveled through the maze-like structure of Dai Li's headquarters. Nik and Nyla took the lead as June had her whip ready to be used at a moment's notice, meanwhile, Nyla continued to perceive his surroundings and Nik would utilize seismic sense on a regular interval.

However, Suki and Azula were completely dissatisfied to walk alongside one another and would shoot glares at each other at times.

*Grrrr*

Nyla stopped slowly while Nik informed the group, "There are eight men on the other side of this door waiting for us... why they can still seem to be able to track our movements is not something I am sure of."

"Track our movements?" Suki grew alert as Nyla strangely grew calm.

Nik whispered, "They left. Maybe they have someone with an ability similar to seismic sense or some strange form of energybending. Either way... they aren't trying to fight us."

"Any traps?" June questioned eagerly as Nyla was already sniffing at the door.

"Not that I can find it but... let me be a little thorough." He closed his eyes and used the heat vision only to find none in the next room. He still hadn't been able to visualize what this technique would look like with waterbending if not directly within water but he could try the same with airbending. Now that he had mastered the basics of spreading his chi in a controlled environment and sensing it back like a sonar, he managed to create a wave of gentle wind that spread around him and then slid into the room through the tiny slits as his brows tightened in concentration.

If unlike seismic sense and heat vision, the equivalent technique in airbending was much more expansive and needed to be kept in check but.... nothing. The room was emptied completely.

*Huff*

Nyla nudged his snout against Nik as he smiled and petted the Shirshu, "Yeah, yeah," he muttered and pushed open the doors. It was an empty arena of sorts. Wooden weapons of many types are placed on multiple racks and he looked up towards the few pillars hanging down from the ceiling where the many men of Dai Li were standing not too long ago.

"It seems they are leading us somewhere," Azula muttered, "And it cannot be anything good."

"Oh, hadn't noticed that all along," Suki sneered.

"And I don't doubt that," Azula chortled from under her mask while June chuckled, "Have to say, you set yourself up, Suki."

Suki snorted while Nik waved his hand at them, "Let's not get distracted. Even if they knew we were coming, there is something weird going on..." He didn't know why but his gut said that the mysterious Dai Li... may just be more than secretive earthbenders that used their earthbending in a discreet manner, unlike other benders.

Thinking for a second and recalling the moments when he felt this kind of sinking feeling in his gut, Nik promptly tried to communicate with Mokshi and—

"Brace your... mind..." A soft whisper warned Nik from within.

— the result was immediate.

His eyelids jumped in surprise and the trio around him saw him visibly grow more defensive. His fists clenched tightly as the stuck metal pieces seemed to tremble just for a moment along with the wave of agitation he felt within himself. Spirits are one form of creature that he didn't want to tackle but... thinking back, Dai Li not only is said to be taught by the Avatar Kyoshi herself but also was the only organization to come up with a method to control the minds of others but their hypnotic means were more long-lasting than any street performer.

'A spirit is here?' Nik's gaze was alert and he looked back at them, "Stay sharp... there might be a spirit."

"Huh? Oh, come now. Again with the spirits?" Azula shook her head. Even if June explained about her spiritual experience, Azula remained unperturbed. Even if Mai's and Yue's energybending skills had no other explanation, Azula remained true to her beliefs.

"What about Toph and others?" Suki grew worried in an instant.

Iroh did claim that mischief is a common trait of spirits but their mischief may as well be deadly for humans and this wasn't even considering how Nik was a wanted man not only in this realm but the one beyond, too.

"Given that I'm the most probable target, they are actually safer than you lot," Nik gave a bitter smirk and sat down in an instant.

"Circle around him," with no intention of playing around when a spirit might be involved, June promptly commanded, and even if outraged at June's guts to order HER, Azula took a look at Nik. If he is showing such a different reaction than his usual self... it is prudent enough to grow more alert and cautious than she already was whether she believed in spirits or not.

Nik, meanwhile, began to feel the chi running through his body. He was a little intimidated by the thought, yes. But he wasn't overly scared. He defeated Koh with a crushed knee. He was regularly fucking the spirit out of June. He has trained under one of the best masters and he had Mokshi's ability to stave off most energybending skills that affected his metaphysical side of his.

If he wasn't wrong, Freedom Paradox Source should be similar to a form of immunity in some situations.

Last but not the least, special energy bending skills relied heavily on overcoming the will of the opponent so if he loses his bearings now, there is a high chance that he might get screwed again.

So, he continued to feel the familiar flow of chi that could be used to relieve the tension of his body promptly as taught by Iroh but... he was doing something else.

His chi reserves were monstrous. If Heat Vision could allow him to detect opponents based on their core temperature, when it came to firebenders, it could also be used to assess their strength upto some extent. For instance, Azula had wild feedback from heat vision and while Nik still continued to try and gain a hang of blue flames unsuccessfully, her reserves were only slightly lower than Zuko and Iroh.

Meanwhile, Nik's reserves were a little above Iroh. By two notches even. This made him believe that to gain his level of reserve, a non-avatar bender must train for decades. Oh, well.

But keeping this thought in mind, Nik bent his chi again. But this time, he did not let his chin interact with any element and let it directly expand out of his body.

Even non-benders like June and Suki glanced at Nik with a stunned expression as dust blew off and their hair moved slightly without any wind but pure... wave of pressure.

Seismic Sense, Heat Vision, and Air Sonar all depended on this application of chi while utilizing the elements present around them. Nik was bypassing the last step and thus almost blew more than half of his chi reserve in an effort to find a more... spiritually charged aggressor.

For the first time, the darkness when Nik closed his eyes was... lit up. It wasn't the purple of seismic sense and air sonar. It wasn't the flickering flames of the Dai Li member in distance and his lovers not too far off from his position making their way, too... no, they were already locked in a winning battle.

He... saw everything. Colors. Not the kind that was real but more... trippy. The walls felt saturated orange. Torches of flames now dark green and far from him, he sensed it. Bypassing all benders as Nik, for the first time actually saw the chi flowing in everyone be it, Suki and Nyla, too, found the overwhelming presence of power.

A lone eldritch figure deeper in the dungeons surrounded by a few dazed humans opened its eye as if it could feel Nik's presence. It looked in a certain direction and bypassed all the material walls. Its eerie stare seemed to lock Nik's gaze even when his eyes were closed.

"Admirable, traveler. You must know of me for I sense the knowledge of He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things emanating from you. Do meet me promptly."

Nik's eyes snapped open with his body covered in a cold sweat.

*Huff*

As if sensing his turbulent emotions, Nyla grew closer to Nik and let out a soft whimper.

"What happened?" Suki questioned quickly.

"There's a spirit," Nik confirmed, "But... it's said to be one of the most peaceful spirits to ever exist."

"You know of it?" June frowned.

He didn't. Wan Shi Tong, did. And whatever Wan Shi Tong knew, Nik did, too.

"Yeah... sibling of Mother of Faces and the spirit who represents the cognition of sentient life itself, the Spirit Dhi."

***

A/N: The term Dhi has a connection with Buddhi meaning thinking is closely related to the term Buddha since 'budh' means to awaken and be aware. Thus, Buddhi is the ability of a sentient being who is aware. Dhi, by itself, means thought.

I was thinking of naming the spirit something along budh but since there are spirits like Tui, La, and Ra, I thought of keeping the name simple.

***

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