Chapter 17. Fire [FIXED]
In the time leading up to the solstice, I managed to accomplish many tasks. Yui began practicing more advanced waterbending techniques, though she hadn't yet reached the point of altering the state of water. Even simple waterbending involves numerous intricate techniques that even masters find challenging to execute flawlessly.
Soon, I'll be able to open the first chakra, which will enhance all my bending abilities at once. This chakra is blocked by fear, and to unlock it, one must consciously confront their greatest fear and overcome it. I'm not entirely sure what I fear most—there are some fears, of course, but they're more like concerns. It's likely something buried in my subconscious, where people often unconsciously hide their most traumatic experiences.
At the South Pole, things are going well, but people fear the return of the Fire Nation warriors. They might have written off the Southern Water Tribe, but when they decide to investigate the prolonged silence from this outpost, they'll surely seek revenge against the Southern Invaders.
During my last visit, I relied too heavily on the camouflage of the new village, but these people aren't foolish. They might start combing through half the tundra.
As a last resort, we built an underground tunnel extending two kilometers beyond the village, equipped with a temporary bunker. It can shelter the residents for up to two weeks, though we'll need to replenish supplies and clear the entrance of snow. Still, it's far better than sitting and waiting for the Fire Nation to arrive.
By the time they're safe, I'll have returned.
To buy time for evacuation or to warn the villagers of an attack, we, along with former hunters, set up traps in the old village—a place the Fire Nation will undoubtedly inspect thoroughly. We also placed traps around the new village. Some will create enough noise to alert even the most oblivious, and the screams of trapped soldiers should serve as a clear signal to the villagers. After warning people to avoid certain areas, we organized patrols to ensure no wild animals trigger the traps, which could compromise their effectiveness.
Each time I traveled through the portals, I brought a rodent with me. It worked—now the rodent emerges unharmed with me in the Southern Tribe. But in my experiments with the rodent, I forgot that they lack their own bending and have minimal chi. It turns out a powerful bender could make this journey without my help. When traveling with a non-bender or a weak gifted individual, I can protect them with my energy. Though the rodent is small, it still required half my effort. What if my reserves aren't enough to protect a human? I need to find someone expendable, but for now, I'll try transporting a horned animal—that will likely be more challenging.
I'm also progressing in bloodbending. I've managed to move the blood of one rat, though its movements are unnatural, and even its kin avoid it. Still, it's progress. I've realized the key is understanding how blood flows and interacts with chi. Initially, I thought it was as simple as moving blood toward a hand, but it's about the reactions the body produces when blood and chi intersect in specific areas. Recognizing my own blood and chi is the hardest part—it's part of me, like raising my hand without thinking. Even the Bloody Marionette technique was created subconsciously, as my body tried to synchronize blood movement with chi. I thought controlling my blood would be easier.