Future
patreon
ATLA, In A Darker World: 63 Soldiers and Shirshu 2
🕑 Added 2025-01-03 19:01:37 +0000 UTCKolau Pass — The Night's
Aftermath
The wind howled on the jagged peaks of the Kolau Mountains, carrying with it the icy bite of the high altitude air. Moonlight bathed the uneven terrain in a ghostly glow, casting long shadows over the rocky outcroppings and the sparse patches of vegetation.
The faint scent of iron lingered in the crisp mountain air, mingling with the cold dampness that seeped from the ground.
In the darkness of night, lit by a light campfire, the peaceful atmosphere served as nothing more than a deceptive tranquility to the scene. Masking the horror that had unfolded here hours earlier.
June's head throbbed as she slowly came to. Her cheeks pressed against the cold, bloodstained earth.
Her vision blurred, she blinked away the dizziness and tried to sit up. The cold mountain air bit at her skin, and the pungent stench of blood hit her senses like a physical blow.
“Ugh …. My head”. The Goth beauty raised her hand, or tried to at least. The grogginess slowly faded upon the realization that her hands were bound.
'Hold on … W-Where am I …'.
The words stopped abruptly as her eyes fluttered open. What came into view completely refreshed her view on the very definition of the word, carnage.
Blood, bones, body parts. Everywhere she looked.
Corpses lay scattered around the clearing, some
crushed against jagged rocks, others bearing horrific wounds.
Blood seeped into the cracks in the stone, pooling in the dim light.
The horrific scene made her breath hitch, and she forced herself upright, a wave of nausea threatening to overwhelm her.
“What… what happened?” she murmured in shock as she swept her gaze in all directions. It quickly locked onto the large figure the size of three or more men laying in the distance.
Fallen on its side, almost unmoving. If not for the rhythmic up and down motion on her chest and the heavy snoring akin to Shirshu which June had become accustomed to over the years, June would have thought she, Nyla, like everyone else here was dead.
“Nyla!”
“You're awake.”
The calm, almost casual voice caused her to freeze, cutting through her disoriented thoughts. She turned her head towards the source, her eyes falling on a figure perched on a large rock a short-distance away.
Leaning back as if at ease, his dark silhouette was outlined by the silver light of the moon. He didn't look at her, his gaze looking up at the large expanse of stars in the night sky.
A stark contrast to the macabre scene below.
“The stars are beautiful. Aren't they?” He uttered softly.
June blinked, her mind struggling to reconcile his words with the blood soaked battlefield surrounding them.
She could see his face lit up by the campfire. Fair skin, smeared with drying blood. Dark hair tousled and piercing blue eyes.
He might have looked good in another environment, a different setting. Not here.
Surrounded by death, he was unnervingly calm.
June swallowed hard, forcing her instincts to the surface. Years of cynicism and sarcasm became her armor, shielding her from the rising fear in her heart.
“Beautiful?” She echoed dryly, forcing her gaze to sweep across the scene. “I don't think we're looking at the same scenery kid. All I see is a massacre”.
She shifted slightly, wincing as a sharp pain throbbed through her head. Her hand brushed against her temple where a knot had formed. Memories of the night began to filter back, piece by piece.
Luca didn't react immediately. His gaze still fixed on the stars above him.
“Well, you're right. We aren't. But I suppose perspective matters. After all, they do say art is in the eye of the beholder”.
June scoffed.
“Quite some words coming from a guy who hits a lady”.
“It was either the hilt of my blade or the other end. I'd be happy to hear which one you'd prefer”.
June let out a short, humorless laugh. “I've seen a lot of things in my line of work. But this .....This is new”.
Even for her, the sight of so many bodies made her stomach churn.
“Ugh!” Her head throbbed, bringing with it the memories of all she saw before losing consciousness.
Nyla locking on to the scent.
The “Injured scout soldier” suddenly dashing forward, blades drawn.
The Grand Advisor's throat being slit.
The chaos emerging right after.
Blood, limbs, carnage …
Corpses drying up ...
In a short while, she had only one thought.
What in the spirits had Han sent her to capture?
Part of it was hard to recall. Some scenes, she genuinely didn't know whether to believe or whether they were dreams conjured when she was unconscious.
This wasn't a teenager. This was a ravenous spirit in human skin.
It all ended with Nyla's tongue being evaded and her head getting slammed with a sword hilt.
Leading to her current predicament.
'Han! You bloody bastard!'
At that, Luca finally lowered his gaze to meet hers.
“Perhaps… If you had seen something like this, you probably won't still be alive”.
She stiffened, twisting with unease. The boy was unnervingly calm, way too calm for someone his age and his actions.
“Yeah, funny how that works. But I doubt that's where we should focus. What's your plan kid? Or let me guess. Big bad rebel has some grand reasons for killing everyone except me and my Shirshu. What, I'm supposed to feel special?”
Luca's eyes shone with amusement. “You're useful. So I guess you can feel special. Most people who stand in my way don't get this second chance”.
'Second chance? Forgive me if I'm not very grateful'. June thought inwardly, masking her discomfort with mock curiosity.
“Let me guess, you need me to tell your tragic backstory to the world? Or maybe seeking a new partner in crime? I warn you, I'm not good at sharing”.
Luca's lips quirked upward in a faint smile "You talk a lot for someone in your position.
“And you're surprisingly chatty for a cold-blooded murderer”. She shot back.
“I hate these mind games. You left me alive, so out with what you want already”.
She already knew where this was going to go. Her value, essentially laid in what she knew.
Luca finally stood. Stepping down from the rock with deliberate slowness.
Arriving before her, he crouched to meet her at eye level.
“Well, I did want to chat a bit more. But since you insist, then you can start with who sent you”.
He uttered, his tone devoid of emotion.
June snorted, leaning back against a rock to steady herself.
“And what makes you think I'll tell you anything?”
He tilted his head slightly, his blue eyes narrowing. “Because you're alive, and I don't give that gift freely. Don't make me reconsider.”
She inhaled sharply, her gaze darting over the clearing as if searching for an escape route. But deep down, she knew there wasn't one. Not here, not now.
And if she was going to die anyway, she might as well make someone else pay for sending her on this doomed mission.
“Fine” she said with a shrug, masking her unease with false bravado. “Some Fire Nation officer called Han. He came to me two weeks ago after you left the western Earth Kingdom”.
Luca's brow furrowed slightly, the name unfamiliar. “Captain Han…" he repeated, his voice thoughtful.
The name didn't ring any bells from his memory, nor did it spark anything from his knowledge of the series.
In that case, this Han could be ignored.
“I've never met him. Just the soldiers he sent.”
“Well congratulations kid. You just made it into his most wanted list”.
“The entire Fire Nation wants me. It's just one extra tail”.
He shrugged indifferently. What followed was a short period of silence.
“You know, if you're going to kill me, just get it over with”. Her voice cut through the silence.
Luca didn't respond. Just watched her for a few seconds.
Then …. Shiing!
The blade was pulled out of the sheath. June's heart sank. Sure enough, there was no chance.
“Hey … hold on. Maybe we could ...".
Her words didn't slow him down as he swung the blade without hesitation.
June closed her eyes. The pain she expected never came, but she felt a slight weight on her hands before it turned to lightness.
Opening her eyes, the ropes binding her had been cut from the middle.
“Not as calm in the face of death as you pretend to be”.
“You …".
June's fingers instinctively moved to rub at her wrists, now free from the coarse rope. She glanced up at him, her expression a mixture of disbelief and guarded wariness.
“You're a real charmer, you know that?” she muttered, her voice laced with sarcasm as she fought to steady her breathing.
Luca sheathed his blade with a sharp, metallic click, his expression remaining unreadable.
“You're still alive, aren't you?”
“For now,” she shot back, rising to her feet with a cautious slowness. Nyla's snoring behind her was a comforting reminder of her Shirshu's presence, even if the beast was temporarily out of commission. She sized him up again, her eyes narrowing. “So what now? You think untying me is going to earn my gratitude? Newsflash, kid: I don't do favors”.
Luca’s lips curved slightly, the barest hint of a smile that never reached his cold blue eyes.
“Do I look like I care?” he said, his voice low but firm. “I don’t know this, Han, but I do know you.”
June blinked, momentarily thrown off by the statement. “You don’t know anything about me,” she retorted, crossing her arms defensively.
“I know enough. Someone paid you to hunt me down,” Luca continued, ignoring her protest. He leaned in slightly, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. “Well, now you’re going to find someone for me.”
