Novel Bin Chapter 43
“can we go; this place is kind of stuffy.” Zero stared hard at Layton for a few seconds before walking up to him covering him with her mystery and leading him through the walls out of the room.
While they waltzed through the base of the Institute invisible to others zero couldn’t help but ask.
“where are we going.”
“We are going to meet someone who can give us an edge in the present situation” Layton replied simply looking curiously at everything around him while taking some weird measured steps that seemed to mobilize and exercise his muscles with every step.
“Who” zero continued to inquire curiously as they left the institute and headed into the streets.
“The leader of the red lotus” Layton replied with some ease, his footsteps and breathing becoming rhythmic and synchronized.
“The leader of the red lotus!!,” zero exclaimed in doubt and asked in obvious disbelief
“hasn’t she died of old age a long time ago, even if she is still alive I doubt she could provide that much help, the cruel truth is that for now in this plane benders have an overwhelming advantage over non benders, no matter how strong her techniques were that won’t change.”
.....
“Not necessarily, at present, she can be regarded as the strongest human on the plane, she could go toe to toe with the monk without losing her ground” Seeing her obvious disbelief Layton grinned and continued in an enthusiastic tone.
“Its true, as you know after the war and the separation of the two worlds the cycle of the elements were damaged and it is believed the incarnation representing the will of the two worlds seized to exist, but in fact, the incarnation was successfully reincarnated but due to the separation of the two world some problems occurred, the incarnation was reborn in a non-bender.”
“You mean...” zero stated surprised by the information leaked by Layton.
“Yes the legendary ruler of the red lotus was the avatar, albeit a failed one, she had no mission no help no training only a vague will to become stronger, as a non-bender she studied the ancient bending stances that helped benders who were just learning grow more adept at their powers, and she used those stances coupled with her vague memories of other incarnations before her to create martial arts, although she was talented and stronger than most her urge for power wasn’t satisfied, once she reached a bottleneck she created the red lotus to aid her in gaining more resources and searching the world to find a way to either break her bottleneck or become a bender.” seeing that zero was still digesting the information Layton paused for a moment to let her digest and then continued cheerfully
“After a few years, she finally found her hope in the south pole of the plane she found an almost dry pond of spirit water that was rumoured to heal all diseases and give immortality, after some exploration, she found out that when practising the water bending stances close to the pond she could have the illusion of being able to manipulate water. Ecstatic she disappeared from the sight of the world let go of the command of the red lotus and immersed her self in the study of the pond thereby achieving her goal and becoming a bender. With her bending, she managed to become a grandmaster level figure in both martial arts and bending, and with the spread of the exercises we created the year before I am sure she has broken the limit and finally combined both bending and martial arts.”
They walked towards the residential area in silence for a while, walking invisibly like ghosts passing through passersby and walls that blocked their way and finally stopping in front of a quaint villa with a beautiful environment that set it apart from others.
Zero who was absent minded and lost in her own thoughts was surprised at why they stopped moving before she asked a question Layton interrupted and said lightly,
“We are here” as he knocked lightly but firmly on the door making zero disperse her mystery and disturbing the quiet and serene environment of the villa.
“This is...” zero said shocked looking at the open door and the old grey-haired woman who was dressed in a blue winter coat and looked at them with a hint of inquiry and curiosity in her gaze.
Zero distinctly remembered this was one of the first people she set her eyes upon when she and Damon first got out of the rift. Layton ignored her dumbfounded and surprised expression and put on his most polite and gentle smile and stated as amicably as he could be,
“Hello May, I am Layton I believe you’ve heard of me.”