A Joke
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Avatar: Awakened Gamer
🕑 Added 2021-11-26 16:06:57 +0000 UTCChapter 62
***
Looking down, Sokka felt as if molten lava was spreading through his body. Was it the curse? Such a strange sensation, he never felt before. Even as the pain was being canceled by [Gamer's Body] it reignited instantly again due to the curse.
"You know, fate and luck are things that have balance. For every good thing that happens to a person, an equally bad thing must happen too. That's how things stay in balance." said the old man, his white beard made him seem like a gentle and grandfatherly figure. But his actions told a different story.
Sokka tried moving his body, but it was stuck in place as if the space around him was locked. He sighed, seeing that there was no way to get out. With that in mind, he decided to at least get some information. "Why are you even after me, old man? I have no enmity with you or anyone that would want to kill me."
His voice sounded innocent as if he truly didn't know why he was attacked. That made the old man frown. Was it right to kill someone who tilts the world's balance without meaning to? This was the age-old dilemma, whether you should kill one person to save two. With no other choice on the matter, most people would choose to save the two guys. But what if those guys were criminals? They were serial killers?
Even then, was it right for you to choose someone else's life or death?
Many questions like that rattled the old spirit's brains. He contemplated how things could go, or what will become of it. Would letting Sokka go be a good option.
Sokka on the other hand was trapped, he tried tugging but there was no chance of movement. Luck could help during situations like this, but with a 0% chance, there was nothing even Luck could interfere with. There was no way Sokka could play the situation to his advantage.
He wanted to teleport away, but clicking his boots together was impossible too due to being unable to move. Still, since he wouldn't want to fight someone without having information. "Hey, old man, how about you let me go? I have never done bad things in my life. I never even killed someone."
Sokka's felt his heart come up to his throat as he said the last part. Because it wasn't the truth at all. Normally he would have never said something like that. Because it wouldn't be hard to guess that the old man had been observing him. Still, Sokka trusted in one thing… that was his Luck.
Planning for when you are too successful in something. Sokka had been caught off guard when during the time of Zhao's blockade the people seemed to listen to his words so clearly. Following as if he was their saintly savior.
That time he had been unprepared, but now, he was fully prepared to try his Luck. Test if the old man had been observing him at a bad time. Just like when the Evil Lady was taken by surprise with his bending not knowing initially, Sokka did something he never liked doing. He took a gamble.
The old man's frown accentuated his wrinkles even more. "...." he stood silent, and it made Sokka a little nervous.
Maybe he shouldn't have tested things out? While having Luck was good, relying on it too much would become a crutch. Though it wasn't like he had any other choice.
"You are right," the old man sighed. He had observed Sokka for quite a while. But not even once he had seen anything bad, or even suspicious about the young man. He was good enough for the Evil Lady to take an interest in. She mostly killed off kind warriors who were non-benders.
While conflict between spirits at their caliber was uncommon and something that would only open a path for someone to kill them both. The old man didn't mind that Sokka killed the Evil Lady, he was even glad. Someone like her had nothing but evil and malice to offer to the world.
Yet, the old man, he was the Spirit of Fate, someone who had a prophetic-like ability and could grasp small glances of the future. Even with the glances he got, there was no sign of Sokka doing something explicitly evil. In reality, he was just doing good things.
*sigh* "Kid," the old man rubbed his forehead, trying to think of what to say. "You are someone who I would look after if the circumstances were different. Good people like you restore my faith in humanity. But the world needs balance, and as the Spirit of Fate, I can tell that you were never supposed to be so… fate-defying."
Fate, something that was like a river. Throwing stones at it could cause ripples in it, but it wouldn't change the direction of the river. There have been some people who have been able to change their fate, essentially putting a dam and delaying things like their death, or the death of a loved one.
But Sokka was different, he had changed the direction of the river. It was more than just digging a canal, it was as if he picked up the river and changed its direction. No, that wasn't it either. The whole river moved as if to benefit him. Fate sometimes wasn't kind to its owner, even when it was, there were usually repercussions. But for Sokka, it was different, as if lady fate itself was spreading her legs for him.
Even the old man, as the Spirit of Fate, wouldn't say that his fate was something he could control or have it flow how he wanted to.
***
-Sokka POV-
This old man was dangerous. His power should be somewhere around the Evil Lady's level, maybe a little weaker. But he seems to know about my high Luck, so that was a little troubling. That means I have to kill him today, no matter what.
The Spirit of Fate was a very grand name. He was probably called by another name too. But that didn't matter. Well, I had contemplated in the past, if someone might notice my good Luck, what would I do? Contemplating such situations could be done as speculation at most. Because I have no idea what kind of person they might be. Even spirits had many different qualities of personality.
While I haven't learned a lot from the old man, he seemed like a kind Spirit. His attack on me was only due to necessity.
Forcing myself to yawn internally, without opening my mouth, tears rolled down my cheek. "Old man, please… I… I have a grandmother and sister to take care of. I promise not to interfere with the Avatar or the world anymore. I just wanted to help people before. Please don't kill me, my sister will always feel worried about what happened to me."
To make yourself sincere, if you can, always make the situation or excuse, about someone else. Saying it that way would make me seem more sincere. Also the reaction of yawning instinctively brings tears to your eyes.
"Okay, okay, let's calm down first, I am not here to kill you," says the old man, taking his sword off my belly, and applying some acupuncture with his finger to stop the bleeding.
Do you think I am stupid? Stabbing me and then saying you weren't here to kill me? If I hadn't spoken, by now I would be dead. You fucking naive old man, doing only what you think is right and to keep 'balance'.
Many spirits have been trying to kill me lately. I am not going to just roll over and take it. You want balance? Well, you can have it…
The old man put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Well, I am sure we can work something out. If you live as a hermit-"
Fwish!
My spear cut through the air, and the old man's eyes widened, there was no longer a hand holding onto my shoulder.
*Click!*
I clapped my shoes and teleported away. Just behind the old man's back.
Clang!
My spears seemed to hit an invisible steel wall, and the power behind my swing seemed to shake my spear, that vibration traveled up my arm.
The old man turned around with a furious look in his eyes. "You faked all that?"
No, because the best lies need a sprinkle of truth in them. But I won't tell him that, just in case anyone was listening in. "When you want to kill someone you should be prepared to get killed."
*Click!*
I teleported once again, this time to his side, and swung my spear at him again. Due to my high level in [Spear Mastery], my spear moved so fast that it was invisible to the normal eye.
Just as my spear was about to touch him, he extended his hand, probably creating another invisible barrier.
*Click!*
But I teleported to his side and cut off his other arm. Though it was a spirit, the way his arm sloped to the ground was like that of a human.
"You lying brat!" He yelled out, as dark energy surrounded his form.
***********
A/N: Unlike the Nemean Lion, most spirits don't have such overwhelming physical abilities. But strange abilities that don't align with any bending, like Koh's ability to steal faces if someone shows emotions in front of him. Doesn't matter how strong you are as a bender, Koh can take your face away.
