The Dark Age (3)

"Children born of Death and Red Threads of Destiny— Grim the Giver and Reaper the Taker... One possesses the ability to grant miracles that shift the threads of Destiny and the other one is gluttonous. It eats and hides everything from Death."

Nik heard the voice crying out in utter despair on a rainy day. His point of view was shifted and he seemed to be looking at everything from the ground up as if he was a ball— He viewed the world from Mokshi's 'eyes'. Both of their gazes were upon an old, blind man who let the rain fall over his shriveled physique as it matted his long white hair against his body and made his saffron habit cling onto his being. The clearing in the forest was dark and dim but not without color.

"Oh... spirits, must you hate humans that much? Our worlds are apart, spirit and humanity divided, but... why must you send those calamities upon us... Tell me, Mokshi!" The old man suddenly turned his head and looked at Mokshi with glowing blue eyes, "Is bringing order even possible? Or did I make a mistake by fusing myself with Wan and sealing Vaatu... in turn, unleashing Grim and Reaper on humanity?"

'The Avatar...' Nik raised his eyebrows but he heard the familiar chime. It was still a great deal more carefree as if Mokshi had yet to be eaten constantly and emerge once again.

"They both test Destiny and Death. One shifts the destiny around someone but causes unimaginable damage to humanity and the other eats souls and enviously keeps them hidden from death and the cycle of life. I don't know if it's your fault... or the cruel mischief of Destiny itself. I... felt I found freedom but like you, here I am, confused at my own destiny when its threads don't even surround me..."

The old man's eyes dimmed as he let out a low chuckle, "Even spirits can be confused... not to speak of humans. I have sealed Vaatu... and if I must—"

"If you must?" A haunting chuckle broke in the forest as the black mist began to surround the old Avatar and Mokshi only to reveal a grey-furred mouse with a sickle for a tail and an old woman with her face covered by pitch-black threads.

Seeing them, the old Avatar issued a tired sigh and he stood up. His milky grey eyes began to glow in intensity once again as the old woman chuckled, "The Spirits don't believe in you, Raava. Your previous incarnation died trying to bring peace amongst humans and failed at that. You broke the cycle of balance. You are your worst enemy, won't you agree with me, Mokshi?"

Mokshi stared at the duo silently while the mouse squeaked, "We've brought peace! Every soul that I devoured will live forever and they can't fight within me. Their bodies will remain untouched! Heh!"

"Peace? Is that what you call having stolen their souls— Peace?" The Avatar shook his head, "Humans and spirits are alike more than you can imagine, Grim. Reaper. I'm the testament to that very fact. A human. A Spirit. We can be one but you opt to let this world be ruined for your selfish desires. YOU are no different from humans!"

"Be very careful!" The old woman snapped, "Me? The same? Look at this body I possess. This woman wanted wealth. I gave her. She chanced upon a trove of poisonous treasure and this is what her greed devised for her! I merely accepted the terms. I merely provided her with the end goals of her ambitions— no matter the manner of the conclusion it may lead to."

"I see nothing but a human," With eyes glowing bright blue, the Avatar whispered softly, "And even if I may not end you for good, I shall most definitely seal you away for good! Your true weakness is unknown but you see... you're a human and I know no humans without any weaknesses."

The ground suddenly caught the old woman and the mouse as the old man looked at Mokshi and smiled kindly, "You should leave, free one... I don't know what the future holds for you or if we'll ever meet again but I hope you meet the one you desire."

A gust of wind managed to impact the otherwise spiritual body of Mokshi and fling it far away as the last thing Nik heard was Grim and Reaper's shrill screech.

---

"Go! Go! Find them!" Ozai roared at the group of soldiers standing in attention on the palace square that once held the famed Golden Phoenix. As the soldiers left, Ozai grumbled under his breath, "Grim, you'll pay for consuming Ursa and Azula. I wanted to torture Ursa with my own hand and train Azula to be everything Ursa hated..."

A cruel chuckle blew from the back of Ozai's mind as a devious snicker sounded, "Sozin died without accomplishing his goals and so did your father. Remember... I am tied to the throne that your line inherits... sigh, only if Iroh inherited the throne of Fire Nation without you ascending to a higher one first. I would have 'tasted' an enlightened sage, too."

Annoyed at Iroh being more wanted, Ozai scoffed as the voice continued, "Sozin wanted to start a war and by finding me and agreeing to my terms, he got the base to develop weapons of mass destruction. Azulon, like your grandfather, decided to accept my help to win the war against earthbenders and waterbenders to some extent... but you're different. You won the war by your own merit... You just wanted immortality. And that you shall have. Once your son willingly sacrifices himself to me."

Ozai snorted and kept his silence before eventually inquiring, "But why Zuko? He is a failure with no ambition, talent, or trained skills..."

"There's something about a parent betraying failures that titillates me." The amusing tone grew biting as the voice whispered, "Now they know lightning is effective and fire will be, too. Find them. And bring them to me. I shall devour Avatar this time."

As Ozai returned to his office, his doors were promptly pushed open after a few minutes as a beaten Kei Lo brought in a stunned Zuko.

Putting on a calm, peaceful smile, Ozai stood up, "You've woken up, son," his voice oozed with warmth as Zuko still remained dazed and stunned while uttering.

"Father?"

"Yes, we've much to talk about."

---

"So... we don't know their weakness as we did about Koh, huh... I bet Dhi would know something more since there is nothing about it in the library in my head but we can't contact Spirit of Cognition, too. But given that I am not turned mentally slow in this world means that there is hope," Nik stood up while looking at Azula and Ursa seriously. "So, if you two can hear me... don't give up. We don't know if any negative emotion can worsen the situation or not and the fact that I could sense Dhi but not Reaper shows that they are extraordinary..."

Nik tried to bend the elements but failed and sighed, "I'll look around... be well."

He had already tried sending Azula and Ursa back into the personal world and even tried to connect their persona with the energy-bending skill of unification that could even grant bending abilities but nothing worked.

Choosing a direction at random, Nik began to walk and when he looked back after a few seconds, Azula and Ursa were gone which made him frown but he couldn't let himself get overwhelmed by it. In the back of his head, Nik knew that the best way to help everyone who may have gotten caught in the situation is to find out what was going on.

Mulling over the conversation he witnessed through Mokshi, Nik also realized that this wasn't the spirit world. And most likely, their 'corpses' were well... hopefully.

So, Nik's objective was to try and find weaknesses and knowing full well that spirits and their weaknesses have only one thing in common— poetic justice, Nik knew that it wouldn't be simple to tackle Grim and Reaper or that Avatar would have taken care of them, long ago.

"Reaper hides souls from death... and keeps them locked up here. So... is this my soul? Seems underwhelming given I'm fully clothed..." Nik mused, "The last time I 'died' I was in a white space and fully naked... sad old days."

Unable to stop himself from chuckling at his situation, Nik continued, "And the other one, Grim... supposedly does things. Of any kind. Like a magician. Would I be able to leave this world now?"

Nik didn't try to initiate the return protocol since he didn't want to leave without Azula, Ursa, Katara, Toph, and many others who were still outside of his personal world.

And then it made Nik wonder, "What happens if I try to die in this world?"

With nothing in his sight, this was an idea worth exploring and he quickly brought his hands close to his neck to choke himself out before stopping and blinking, "I must be crazy to try this out huh, Mokshi..."

It was again unknown if he was free of the 'curse' of Reaper because he was from a different world or just because of Mokshi but gaining his wits and preparing his mind, Nik clasped his neck with one hand before gritting his teeth and shifting his position. One of his hands was against his jaw and the other one was on top of his head.

His breath shuddered as he whispered sincerely with fear and hesitation growing evident in his eyes, "All alone... and about to commit the craziest thing in my life... shit... I'm kind of scared... Maybe walking around this desolate world will get me better answers?"

But a hint of warmth flowed through his beings as the center of his forehead, eyes, and his heart through his chest began to give off a soft violet glow.

Chuckling in response, Nik retorted, "You saying we're not alone doesn't make it any easier... Now I'm worried I'd even disappoint you..."

Steeling his nerves if his soul even did have any, Nik held his head in place and—

*Krkk*

A sick, bone-crunching noise echoed in the vast emptiness.

---

"I need to save them," Aang frowned and Iroh calmly retorted, "You need to rest. If what you're saying is true then everyone we know is in danger far worse than Ozai."

The duo concealed themselves within the sewers of Phoenix City.

As Aang scowled, Iroh continued to groan, "And all this smell makes me long for the calming scent of Jasmine Tea... why couldn't Ozai catch Zuko later..."

"Master Iroh, this is no time for idle chatter!" Aang couldn't see anything but then he heard Iroh stifling his breath and the boy's heart settled.

Iroh was far from calm...

Aang patted the surface of the sewer and 'saw' the skin on Iroh's face fold into a furious expression.

Realizing that Iroh's 'calm' words were only for calming him in return, Aang kept a strained smile, "Well... if we had Nik, I'm sure he would have taken out an entire tea set he would have stolen from the royal palace..."

Iroh sighed and chuckled softly.

"But they all need our help this time. Let's rest and understand the situation."

***

Alternative Title: Bred Crazy

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