Chapter 14. Help [FIXED]
This week, I managed to be a builder, architect, hunter, designer, and even a theater performer all in one. I had to master these professions on the fly, and each time, I was grateful for my love of reading or my insatiable thirst for knowledge, which had driven me to read every book in the library. Suddenly, all that knowledge you think will never come in handy turns out to be in high demand. Oh, how I long to get to Wan Shi Tong's Library soon.
What pushed me onto the path of becoming a professional jack-of-all-trades was the dire situation of the entire tribe.
By the third day, the energy sources were fully operational and actively replenishing the storage, which didn't take long due to the proximity to the Spirit World portal. Along with the activation of chi, the physical weakness vanished. By lunchtime on the third day, I was at the peak of my strength.
Deciding to take a look at the entire village, I stepped outside for some fresh air. My appearance immediately drew everyone's attention. Stories about how I had mysteriously appeared in their tribe were already circulating through the settlement. It was small enough for every rumor or piece of news to spread in an instant and linger for a long time, but hearing something was not the same as seeing it with your own eyes.
As I walked through the tribe, I met almost all its inhabitants, and with each encounter, my mood sank lower. The adults here had a lifeless gaze and looked deeply exhausted, both mentally and physically. Most of them had lost someone dear—a family member or relative—and the loss of so many loved ones had taken a toll on their well-being.
This was especially true because the part of the tribe responsible for most of the meat hunting, settlement protection, and other physically demanding tasks was missing. The tribe was forced to rely mainly on fish for food. Occasionally, they managed to hunt meat, but only if a herbivore strayed from its herd or if a predator was old or already injured. Finding harmless animals was difficult, as most had natural camouflage. They wouldn't live close to humans, so hunting required venturing far from the tribe, which increased the risk of encountering predators. A few teenagers, ignoring warnings, had gone hunting and were never seen again.
Only the children seemed content with life, but even they were affected by the behavior of the older residents.
Looking at the tribe's population, it felt like a mix of a nursing home, a hospital for wounded soldiers, and a kindergarten with caretakers. A swarm of children, seeing a new person, surrounded me, refusing to let me pass until they'd satisfied their curiosity. There were questions, requests to play, and so many childish emotions flooding me that my head began to spin. Katara, who had been by my side the whole time, watched the other children with jealousy. She was used to having all my attention to herself—a little possessor.
The state of the inhabitants seemed to reflect the village itself. The igloo that appeared to be handmade looked slightly crooked, and it was the Chief's home, where I'd stayed for the past two days. Everything else was even worse. The rest of the tribe lived in tent-like structures made from whatever materials they could find. I even saw Fire Nation flags used as awnings.