Kapitel 19: 18. Leaf girl

Only after some time, having been convinced of the authenticity of the appearance of a new element, I was able to calm the raging emotions. Not finding the strength to endure any more, I plunged into my spiritual part, I need a visible confirmation that the fire is now subject to me.

For a minute now I can't tear myself away from the sight of my sources, being in the center of a neutral source seemed to be a kind of sun in whose orbit, now the sources of water and fire are floating steadily, after all, the one who said that there is a whole universe inside every person was right, I don't know how ordinary people do it, but benders can take this saying literally. As in the situation with water, some of the channels in my body have changed their color to red, and now both the source and the channels themselves do not look as impressive as the water, but all in good time, the fire will still burn in our hearts.

Turning my attention to a neutral source, I once again began to wonder what secrets he keeps, yes, there are significant advantages from him, but I feel that this is not all that he can give me.

Now let's try out what it's like to be a fire bender. Getting up from the ground and calming my breathing, I began to gradually drive the energy of fire through my body. Brrr, the difference is palpable, if the energy of water passing through the body calms and gives some peace, then the fiery energy invigorates and seems to say all the time: "Let us out, we want to burn something, burn, burn", because of this, we had to do a breathing exercise again in order to calm the excited body, or even warm air started coming from the nostrils. It seems that it was mentioned in the series that fire bending should be able to be kept in check, for the most part it is a destructive element that a bender should be able to subdue.

- Okay, okay, calm down, so calm down, - let's try again.

Breathing steadily, I again began to lead the fire energy throughout my body, this time not letting it take over. So now we will quietly try to release the fire, so the energy is spent, but the fire does not appear. Laadno, so you still need to add qi.

- Fire, - mesmerized looking at a small ball of fire on my hand, I could not get enough, because a bender without a fireball is not even a bender.

Another confirmed theory. If the benders of water, air and earth already use what surrounds them, be it stones, water or air currents, then the fire bender must create a passage into the physical world of his bending by adding a little vital energy, a spark occurs, which later, thanks to the energy of fire, inflates this spark into a full-fledged flame. It's funny that not all fire mages seem to know about this, but in fact, having smartphones in the 21st century, we ourselves did not know how they work inside, and fire mages, because of the long fusion with this element, the addition of qi occurs without conscious control from the conqueror.

Okay, it's time to continue the hunt for dark spirits, for the remaining 10 hours you need to have time to absorb as many fire spirits as possible, bringing your source to the middle rank, it will be more expedient, it won't work anyway to raise your source of water bending in one sitting, it's worth focusing on fire.

So it's worth going along one of the sides of the lava river, with such an increased background of fire bending, I will definitely be able to meet fire spirits along the way.

I wonder how Wong is doing? Maybe I can meet him too, we haven't seen each other for more than five years, how long has it been…

After a while, I met another group of spirits, this time they turned out to be fire wolves, a whole pack of twelve individuals, the largest of them was at the peak of the middle rank, which seems to be their leader.

Having created a whirlwind of water blades around me, which visually was very similar to the famous kaiten from the world of Naruto, I rushed straight at the wolves, which also noticed me, began to prepare for some kind of reception, judging by the fire bending that was going right in front of their mouth. Less than a second later, fireballs flew at me, which when in contact with the vortex, detonating evaporated so my not too large supply of water, damn, I didn't notice this in the heat of the last fight with salamanders.

A minute later, my whirlwind from the water decreased by two, but the enemies were multiplied by zero, the fight turned out to be too intense, it was not the fight with the spirits itself, but attempts to collect steam, which, with any contact with the spirits, quickly evaporated in the atmosphere. I had to concentrate on the pair with one eye, so that the water didn't run out too quickly, this time I was a little stupid, I had to immediately start dodging their attacks, so I would have saved more water, yet I didn't meet large water sources on my way, there was really one small stream, but it was still at the very beginning of the way, at those rocks.

The main thing is to leave some water for the platform that carries me through the air, with the help of it I will be able to quickly find a source of water later, now there is still enough water for the battle, I need to concentrate on the tactics of one blow – one kill, so I minimize the loss of water when in contact with the bodies of spirits.

So let's see what's going on with the bending of fire, when they were dispelled, I felt how their energy, emerging through my body, got into the source. Yes, the fire bending itself has significantly increased in me, of course not yet an average rank, but already halfway there.

The water that I had left was enough for three more groups of new fire spirits. Then I had to look for at least some source of water, which was not too easy, the background of fire energy was too strong, I had to move several kilometers away from the lava river in order to find the water I needed so much.

Such jumps back and forth continued for another five hours, sometimes when the water ran out in the middle of the battle, I resorted to fire bending, not knowing how to use any techniques, I had to improvise on the move, and the idea was born, with kicks or hands, to release flames, which strengthened my attacks, not a great technique, but I'm only five hours as a fire bender, I think that this is already the result. Such blows turned out to be much weaker than my water techniques, but in two or three blows they eliminated the average spirits.

The average rank in fire bending turned out to be somehow quiet and not very pompous, no, I was very happy about it, but it seems I took too intense a pace, already at the last fifth hour there was no moral strength to continue the fight at the same fast pace, I kept on one thought: "I'll finish faster, I'll go to rest faster." The joy turned out to be kind of quiet, but looking at the source of fire bending, which is almost as large as water, I am overcome with a sense of satisfaction.

After resting for an hour, I decided to walk in the other direction in the hope of meeting with water spirits, but I decided not to look for them purposefully, the mood was contemplative, I didn't even want to fight anymore, for today I was already fed up with it, so I walked through the rocky terrain that gradually began to move into the forest.

How suddenly a girl came out from behind a tree, humming some familiar melody.

Pru-ryu-ryu - she continued to walk carelessly in my direction until she saw me and stopped.

Wait what a melody, why does she look so much like a simple person, but it's clear that her ears are a little pointed, and her hair color is very rare, I haven't met such a fiery red shade in the world of Avatar in my lifetime here, not in the series, but even so, I haven't met such human spirits yet, although… this is the spirit world, anything can happen here. While a whole ocean of questions raged in my mind, starting from "maybe this is really a simple girl?" before "What kind of development does it have to be in order to take this form?!".

- It's you! I remembered you - a little girl dressed sharply shouted, so, it looks like leaves, okay, let there be a leaf girl for now. He can talk calmly, which means at least a higher spirit, although it feels like a strange middle rank, but it's still dangerous.

- I remembered, I remembered, I remembered ~ - even continuing to hum these words, the girl jumped around me. No, I've definitely seen this somewhere before.

Wait, don't be fooled by her cute appearance, who I said can't, damn it, it's not too easy to tune in when a fantasy version of either a dryad or a forest elf looks at you, oh damn, don't look at the ears.

- I would definitely remember you, girl, maybe remind me where you met me? I asked with a smile, watching how funny her ears were moving.

- Hmm, I also remember you differently, then you were a cool ball that I wanted to play with, - the girl thought, putting her finger to her lips, - but I definitely remember your smell! I even tried to find you when you went to a bad place-are you a dog spirit or something? How do you identify others by smell? Maybe it's her kind of sensorics, thanks to which she determines energy.

Aah, wait, she knocked me off the idea, a bad place here in the Spirit Realm, where I went with such a girl, but I only remember the guy that I didn't understand what he was doing, or is it still what I'm thinking.

- A leaf spirit? I asked doubtfully, but it seemed to be enough.

- Leaves? - the girl hovered for a moment, knocked her fist into her palm, - Yes, I always had leaves, look, - pushing my hair a little to the sides, I saw two familiar leaves, only already being orange.

After all, you're a leaf spirit, I definitely didn't expect to see you.

- Well, have you found out now? – she even asked with childish resentment.

"I'm sorry, you've changed a lot during this time," I said with an awkward smile.

- It's really great, it's all thanks to a big tree, - said the proud girl, - I even came up with a name for myself, or rather it was like this, I was sleeping by a tree once, and then bam, and I'm already Dria - Dria has already finished.

- And what exactly did that tree do? - I also want some kind of bun.

- So you're interested too? - I wonder if she was always so chatty, or is this the prerogative of all young higher spirits? I remember Wong was the same.

- I was walking through the forest once, running away from bad spirits, sometimes playing with good ones, when I saw a big tree, - I was not even too lazy to show it with my hands, - as soon as I sat down at its roots, a voice sounded in my head" "Child, can you take this thing for storage?" - a real actress, even the voice parodies, - Of course, I agreed, it was some kind of glowing acorn, probably? – why did it sound like a question, you don't know what it was? – so, just when I wanted to take it in my hands, the same voice says, "Please eat it, it will be very safe in your body" - is this normal at all? - The tree asked politely, of course I fulfilled his request – you're both not very normal, right? – And as soon as I took it into my tummy for storage, I really wanted to sleep, I immediately fell asleep there, - how are you still alive with your actions? – in the morning I already woke up like this. she finished with a carefree smile.

I didn't even notice how, as she narrated, my hand was on her face, the story didn't really explain anything.

I had to ask a bunch of clarifying questions in order to restore at least approximately what happened, but it's still very interesting what it was.

The following picture formed in my head, the spirit of the tree was definitely the highest, and it already looks very old, such spirits having lived for millennia imperceptibly pass away, this one, seeing at its roots an almost similar element of the spirit, decided to give him his whole essence, I'm not sure if it's possible, but I don't see another explanation yet, as Driya said, she tried to reach him, but the tree being still alive seemed somehow empty to her. Being once a lower spirit himself, he knew how to quickly get rid of another lower spirit, it seems that the tree spirit was even too lazy to look for a normal excuse. Another fact, from a close distance, I felt how there is some kind of education in her energy that constantly gives its energy to the girl herself, that is, the process is still going on and soon not only her consciousness will be like a higher spirit, but also strength.

Listening to what she remembers from her life, I was able to understand that she is an ordinary cultivator of this world. I walked around the world alone when normal peaceful spirits live under the protection of other more powerful peaceful ones. She was not too afraid of dangers, she says that she ran away from bad spirits many times. And in the end, her recklessness was rewarded, we can say she found the future burial of an ancient master, who even before he had time to pass away, found his successor.

It is she who has just begun to realize herself and take the first steps in knowing the world, I would like to see her in a couple of years when she realizes what a jerk she was, and what luck was breathing right down her neck.