Chapter 10

A village named Chin...

You know, it's quite something here. Pretty good, actually. A large settlement, lots of people, all living their lives, and if the war ever reached this place, it was only fleetingly and brought almost nothing with it. I liked it here, so I decided to stay for a while. I had no money, so I lived in a stone hut I built myself near the village, in the forest. It was here I learned about the upcoming "Avatar Day" festival. An annual traditional festival. And while it might seem like they're praising the Avatar, it's actually the exact opposite! I learned the history of the people in this village and found out they are descendants of the loyal warriors of Chin the Conqueror, who nearly conquered the entire continent over a century ago, if not for his encounter with Avatar Kyoshi and his death. His soldiers founded this village, and ever since, on the day of Chin the Conqueror's death, they burn statues of the Avatars.

I found it somewhat amusing, considering it's been nearly a century since anyone's heard anything about the Avatar.

I lived in the village for four weeks, after which I learned some details about the neighbors. The island, easily visible from the village shores. Previously, this island was a peninsula, part of the continent, but Avatar Kyoshi separated it and turned it into an island, deciding not to fight Chin's huge army. Something tells me she did it not out of fear or because it was easier, but because she simply pitied this army. Most earthbenders I've met, although not many, use their bending in combat to throw rocks and stones, raise earth barriers and walls... in short, they use their bending very inefficiently, which seems utterly foolish to me! Why knock an enemy down with a rock when it's easier to make the earth swallow his feet and then just turn them into dust? I don't understand why almost no one can come to such a simple idea. The only exception are the firebenders. Their element matches, and their upbringing and mentality are shaped by centuries of active warfare. They use such attacks in battle that cause more damage or outright destroy the enemy. But you can't really get creative with their element!

So, what's my point? If a bender uses brains along with bending, then a non-bender, an ordinary person, would have to exert tremendous effort and have extraordinary abilities to get close to a bender. Benders can easily take down dozens, if not hundreds, of non-benders. The strongest, I believe, could reach thousands. But most benders just dance around before throwing a stone at their enemy. To me, that's stupidity. I think Kyoshi just pitied Chin the Conqueror's soldiers and turned the peninsula into a full-fledged island.

On this island lived and trained the warrior women created by Kyoshi herself. And they were exactly what intrigued me!

I dare hope my bending is strong, and hundreds of my victims would confirm this with their corpses, but as for my body... yes, constant training makes me stronger, but I hardly know how to use this strength properly. My combat knowledge is based on old fights with members of my former gang, which was a long time ago, and I could really use a good sparring partner! Maybe I could learn something from them.

So, one day I just left Chin village and headed across the water on an ice boat to the shores of the island.

Soon after I landed, I sensed the presence of people nearby. They didn't take any action towards me yet. But soon, as I sat down by one of the trees, they tried to knock me out, but I immediately jumped up and rolled away, getting on my feet, ready to fight.

In front of me was a girl of about sixteen or seventeen with white face paint, highlighted black eyelashes and eyebrows, red eyelids, bright red lips, a yellow metal plate on a headband, wearing green clothes, like a kimono with a long skirt, and armed with fans and swords. And yes, more girls in the same makeup and clothes started to emerge from the leaves.

Remembering the statue of Kyoshi, I could tell they took their fashion and makeup from her.

"Another spy."

"This one's quicker than the last few."

Their quick exchange of words made it clear they didn't consider me a serious opponent but thought of me as a spy they wanted to capture. Well, a great first opportunity to test my physical abilities.

Without saying anything, I continued to stand ready for battle, as done in one of the Taolu Wushu styles. Finally, the one who first attacked me from ambush lunged at me, trying to hit me with her fist.

I dodged my head to the side and deflected her arm. She moved quickly, as did I. Or was it I who moved as quickly as her? An interesting question.

I took a kick on a hard block with both hands. Very risky and painful for the leg. Then, I struck back with the back of my hand to the girl's nose. The strike surprised her, apparently she hadn't encountered such before, so she grabbed her nose.

Advancing my success, I stepped forward and, bending slightly, grabbed the Kyoshi warrior's extended leg by the ankle and pulled towards me. She tried to pull her leg back, but only lost her balance and began to fall. Speeding up the process, I knocked her other leg out with mine.

The girl fell, trying to get up, but then I had to focus on the others as they attacked me.

For a while, I managed to fend them off, but they adapted to me and soon began to successfully hit me in the back and sides, until eventually, they hit me on the head. On the back of my head.

Damn! Not again! If I wake up in a cage again, I swear, I'll build a huge tower out of the meat discs of all the island's inhabitants, decorated with the heads of these painted warriors!

These were my last thoughts as the light faded from my eyes...