"What's happening?!" I scread in my mind as my "virtual" body was sucked into an incomprehensible vortex, and my consciousness slowly and inevitably faded.
Just monts ago, I was in the midst of a fierce battle with a powerful spirit that controlled gravity. Suddenly, the recreated world began to disintegrate into particles of light, and at that sa mont, this whirlpool appeared beside .
I regained consciousness with difficulty, feeling as if my body had been wrapped in a second skin. After about thirty minutes, my senses slowly returned. I lay on sothing hard, my limbs cold. It was ti to open my eyes.
"A? Why won't my body obey ?!" I began to panic openly when I couldn't open my eyes or even move a finger.
"Calm down, it's probably so unforeseen issue, and Van Shi Tong will fix it soon," I tried to reassure myself to avoid another breakdown. Wait! Why do I feel like this body is alive? Could I have been thrown into the real world?
Before I could develop this thought, my body began to wake up! But I wasn't asleep! At that mont, I fully felt the duality of my state. My consciousness was flooded with feelings that weren't mine—sadness, fatigue, imnse love, and an unyielding determination.
Along with these emotions, I began to feel the "body" itself: aching knees that hurt even when "I" lay still, stinging palms, and of course, the cold—the kind that seeps into your bones. Am I sleeping naked in the snow?!
Before my open eyes lay a bleak scene. Even the South Pole would be better. The wooden hut was no more than ten ters long, the boards looked old, and in the middle of the room stood a crudely made stove with embers barely glowing. There was almost no decoration, except for a faded red cloth bearing the emblem of the Fire Nation.
I noticed "my" hands—darker skin and calloused palms. When I looked down, I saw I was dressed in well-made but old red clothing, soon to have more patches than original fabric.
So, this body isn't mine. I'm sowhere in the Fire Nation or one of its colonies, and I still don't understand what's happening! As I pondered, the body skillfully added coal to the stove and heated sothing in a pot. The man—steel—slept in simple clothes on plain boards, his face unchanged as his stomach ate itself, and goosebumps ran over his skin from the cold.
Before I could decide what to do, it seed the decision was made for . The man's mories flooded my consciousness—his entire life, buried under his hopes, dreams, and feelings.
Kenji had spent his conscious life in a small town on one of the Fire Nation's islands, which had sprung up near an iron mine. Life was without luxuries, but for twenty years, it was stable—there was housing, enough food. But life gradually beca harder. The bosses demanded more ore, food ran short, and people had to buy it at exorbitant prices from Earth Kingdom traders. Despite the hardships, Kenji didn't lose hope. He found joy in small things, and his optimism and faith in the future won him the most beautiful girl in town. His partner gave him even more strength, especially the news that they would soon have a child. The last days of his life were etched in vividly—burying his beloved, who couldn't survive childbirth, but left him with a new purpose.
At the end of the process, it felt like I had once been Kenji. Before I could explore this thought, I "fell asleep" in Kenji's body, yet continued to observe and feel.
"Has little Aila woken up yet?" I greeted my most precious treasure with great care. The tiny girl, who had barely cried or eaten the hard-won cow's milk since her birth, looked at attentively. She was wrapped in the warst furs, her small, pale face peeking out.
These mories almost broke . To buy such a rare item as milk, I had to sell Kira's only valuable possession—a gift from our wedding.
"Forgive , dear," my lips whispered as I tried to feed my daughter with a forced smile. "Co on, eat a little, please," I continued, my hands trembling slightly as I pushed away thoughts of my weak daughter not surviving this harsh winter. The town had no miracle healers from the Water Tribe, not even a simple herbalist.
"Good girl," I smiled sincerely as she took a little. Wrapping her tighter, I prepared to leave. I had barely managed to get three days off, and today I had to go to work or risk losing pay for the month.
Opening the door, the frosty air hit imdiately. Holding Aila close, I walked quickly across town. Ten minutes later, I arrived at my destination—a small house indistinguishable from the thousand others in this town. Before I could knock, the door opened.
"Co in quickly, what are you standing there for? The little one will freeze," Aunt Lin, my mother's younger sister, hurried inside.
"And who's this beauty? Who's so important?" she imdiately took my daughter, placing her closer to the stove. "And why are you standing there? Aren't you going to work?" She was never the best with manners, but she adored children, as she could no longer have her own. These were the main problems in our remote town—early death from mine work and high infant mortality due to the island's northern location, where no decent healer or herbalist would venture.
"Good morning, Aunt," I managed to greet before being interrupted again. "Let just say goodbye to Aila."
"Go on," she grumbled. "You know you can leave her with overnight, why are you being stubborn?" It's embarrassing to say, but only with Aila do I not dream of Kira's last monts.
"Daddy will be back soon," I whispered, kissing her forehead.
"Go already," Aunt Lin began shooing as I turned to look at Aila for the third ti. "Wait, Kenji," she paused.
"You understand what her poor appetite ans, right? And she's only getting paler..."
"Stop," I interrupted. "She'll survive, she's strong. This conversation is over, I'm leaving."
The entire way to the mines, I couldn't collect myself. My mind searched for a solution. Upon arrival, I was t with the usual atmosphere of oppression—sothing you stop noticing after living here for years.
"I heard the Earth Kingdom traders raised prices again," one miner complained.
"They do it every ti, claiming pirates attack them! They're just making it up to squeeze every last coin out of us!" another supported, "And the capital stays silent, sending letters saying, 'Hold on, help is coming,'" he finished with a spit, showing his disdain for empty promises.
For the first half of the day, I worked with a pickaxe on autopilot, dark thoughts weighing on my mind. Only around lunchti did I feel slightly better. Sitting and slowly spooning an unclear broth, I didn't notice soone approaching.
"Kenji, what's wrong? Aila keeping you up?" my adoptive brother slapped on the shoulder in camaraderie.
"If only," I sighed heavily. "The little one isn't eating or crying."
"Then I know what can help her," he continued in a whisper, looking around cautiously. "Here," he slipped a pouch into my hands.
Without wasting ti, I decided to peek inside. Inside were dried herbs, with a note on top.
"Vinira healing, Lashir extract, a healing formula for newborns, boosts immunity. Take strictly as directed on the back," I read the last words and looked at my friend in disbelief.
"Hao, where did you get this?! It's worth a fortune! What do I owe you for it?" I would have sold my soul for these herbs.
"You owe by bringing Aila to my wife at least three tis a week!" he said with a laugh. "I ordered them seven months ago," he continued with a sad smile, "and they only arrived yesterday..."
Three months ago, Hao's wife had a miscarriage. Holding the pouch in one hand, I hugged my friend's neck with the other, turning my head slightly. Words weren't needed.
"Hey, are you crying?" Hao broke the somber atmosphere. "Who said only girls cry in childhood?" he tried to mimic my then-breaking adolescent voice, bringing a smile to my face.
"As soon as the little one feels better, we're expecting you for a visit!" he waved.
The herbs helped... Aila grew up beyond her years, helping around the house as much as her young age allowed. It was as if the spirits rewarded her with wisdom, taking her health at the start.
One day, a delegation of aristocratic families arrived in our town to inspect the mines. Their children, dressed in quality new clothes and holding beautifully crafted toys, completely captured the attention of our children.
It pained to realize I couldn't provide everything for my little girl. Without noticing, I clenched my fist.
"What's wrong, Dad? You know I don't like toys," Aila distracted , placing her small hand on my fist, always perceptive. "Buy more books instead!" she continued enthusiastically, "Um, if there's extra money," she added, embarrassed, rembering books weren't cheap.
"Soon I'll be transferred to a nearly completed factory, and then I'll buy you all the books you want!" I patted her head.
"Hmm, you promised, Dad!" she nodded seriously.
Ti marched on, and years later, Aunt Lin left us. I didn't notice how coming ho ant finding a ready-made dinner. It seed Aila was talented in everything—cooking, sewing, calculations—she picked it all up quickly. I couldn't bury her talent. I had to take a large loan to send Aila to a prestigious school in the capital.
"Pa-ap, I don't want to leave!" my grown-up daughter looked at with tears. Kira, can you see this? Our daughter is so big.
"I don't want to hear it, go to the ship quickly, it's almost ti to sail," if you keep crying, I might change my mind, I'm barely holding it together.
"Who will cook normal, edible food? And can you embroider? I'm worried about you!"
"You don't respect this old man at all," I exclaid with feigned indignation. "I, by the way, did all this myself, it's just... you do it better," I finished, embarrassed, hearing quiet laughter from acquaintances on the dock.
"Then promise to reduce your working hours! I've already talked to your departnt head, and told him not to give you too many hours!" How did you manage that?! "And I'll pay off the debt myself! After graduation, all students are snatched up like hotcakes, offered high positions!"
"It's my debt! And I'll pay it off myself!" My old bones ached with indignation.
"I don't want to hear it," she crossed her arms, stubborn, just like !
"We're leaving soon, all passengers aboard!" they shouted from the ship.
"Alright, let's say goodbye," I spread my arms, imdiately feeling a body collide with mine, sotis trembling. "Co on, what's with the tears? You won't even notice how quickly you'll return, especially on holidays you can co back. Just don't sit too long over books, go outside, and dress warmly when it's cold."
"Okay, Dad," she said with tears, hugging tightly one last ti.
Days passed, turning into months, then years. I missed my daughter terribly; she filled my life with color. Every ti she left after holidays, it felt like the first ti—I didn't want to let her go. But she had to build her own family, her own life, especially in the capital, where a more worthy life awaited her than in a town without even a proper na.
On an ordinary day, our town was alerted by a ship's signal. Everyone was puzzled; no arrivals were scheduled for today. Those not working went to the port—at least so entertainnt.
The locals were greeted by a visibly luxurious ship adorned with Fire Nation symbols.
"Only generals and aristocrats sail on such ships."
"Who do you think ca here?"
"I hope the news is good for us."
The townspeople whispered, afraid to speak louder in the presence of high-ranking officials already descending the gangplank.
"Does anyone know a man nad Kenji, father of Lady Aila?" one of the Fire Nation warriors called out across the dock.
"That's ," I stepped forward uncertainly, raising my hand.
"Please co with , you'll know everything soon." The tone was friendly, even ingratiating, which confused further.
Standing beca harder; joints and bones don't get younger with age. Hearing the commotion, I turned toward the ship. There stood the spitting image of young Kira.
"Bring a chair!" she ordered one of the standing warriors, who imdiately ran to comply. "Can't you see his legs are weak?" she grumbled, running to ungracefully. "Father, I'm ho!" she hugged .
"What's happening, dear?" I asked in confusion. "Where did this mantle and ship co from? And all this?"
"You'll know everything now," she said, holding my arm. "You can announce it," she nodded to a nearby soldier.
"Attention everyone! For her services to the Fire Nation, Lady Aila has been elevated to junior aristocracy! In reward for her contributions to agronomy and tallurgy, Fire Lord Wakir grants the lands of this island, now nad Kenji!"
"Father, you no longer need to work! My projects on improving iron processing and a new thod of using fertile soil were approved just last month, and imdiately after all official proceedings, I ca here!" she spoke tenderly, but I couldn't find words. I believed in my child more than anyone, but this...
"I'm very happy, very happy," I tried to pat her head as usual, only now noticing I was shorter than my daughter. She had grown into a wonderful young woman. Kira, I hope you see all this...
I spent my old age in happiness and carefree, managing to hold my grandchildren. Thanks to her innovations, the town gained a second wind. I was glad to see my acquaintances and friends receive worthy rewards for their hard work. Soon we'll be together again, Kira.
Island of Kenji, inner courtyard of the main estate, a tombstone: To the best father, Kenji, from his little Aila.
Through her efforts, Lady Aila extended the lifespan of the soil, saving twenty percent of the Fire Nation's population from hunger. Her work simplified the processing of many tals, and her contribution to the economy is invaluable.
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