My mind is spinning at the information I've received, I knew my existence was known to the spirits, but I never expected them to make direct contact like this. The spirits are known for rarely directly interfering with anything, so why now, not to mention how there should only be one place on the north pole with direct access to and from the spirit world?
Also, guide? Wasn't I sent to this place to bring balance, why would the spirits interfere with that? Before my thoughts can go any further, Lieben, seeing the confusion on my face, begins explaining himself.
"Balance can be both a very delicate thing and an unmoving force. In your case, you are entirely off the grid. We've confirmed you're from this world, but you don't have any parents, and your face wasn't granted by the mother of faces."
I do vaguely recall some of this, the Mother of Faces is some sort of ancient powerful spirit in a valley somewhere in the fire nation. Great, another powerful being I've probably offended just by existing.
Seeing that I've digested the information, Lieben continues.
"Plenty of spirits wanted to kill you, seeing you as just a foreign invader with incredible potential, so imagen their surprise when a primordial who is known to never interfere, interferes. Ultimately it led to me being tasked to make sure you know what you are doing, though you came here much faster than anticipated."
While there was plenty of alarming information, what stood out to me, or annoyed me would probably be more accurate, was that the spirits seemed afraid I would ruin their balance or whatever, so I couldn't help but ask about Ozai, and the Fire Nation.
"If you spirits are so afraid of disrupting the balance or whatever, how come you haven't done anything about the Fire Nations extermination of Air Benders, surely that 's disrupting something."
At my question, Lieben just laughs.
"You think the Fire Nation is the first nation with a Megalomaniac? Similar things have happened plenty of times in the past with different nations. Besides, there is still plenty of air benders alive, they are Nomads, do you think they could get all of them by attacking their temples? Sure, their culture has taken a hit, and most of their descendants don't even know they are descendants of air benders, but still use a bit of it unconsciously. Besides, even if they succeed, there is plenty of spirits that can grant bending again, the reason we don't interfere in human wars is that there was never a true danger of them disrupting the balance of the world."
I'm honestly very caught off guard by Lieben's cold-hearted explanation, and also by the fact that there are apparently still air benders running around. I felt like cold water had been thrown in my face as a wake-up call that I wasn't currently as safe as I first thought, and hurriedly put up my guard.
Lieben looked very amused by my antics, as he continued his explanation.
"First off, what is it you desire? From was I've seen these past months, you've been training like a madman, but what are you trying to accomplice with that strength?"
I was caught off guard by his first question, and I had to ask myself, why was I training so hard? There is plenty of ways to accomplish my task, and I have a lot of time to do it. A single year or two of training would probably be enough to gain the strength to assassinate Ozai and get away. Was the thing that guided my thoughts still affecting me? Trying to get me to accomplice my task as fast as possible?
Seeing me so confused by his question, Lieben himself got very confused. After all who sought strength simply for strength's sake? It also made his job easier, as he didn't have to try and dissuade me from some insane goal.
"Alright, since it seems you don't have a goal, I'll simply set some ground rules for you to follow, in exchange I'll tell you a trick or two that should be very helpful. Also, if you don't follow, you'll have the majority of the spirit world coming down on you, so I recommend just following the rules, they aren't very restrictive anyway."
At that I could only nod, no matter how powerful I became, I can't imagine surviving being attacked by the statues in this room, not to mention powerful spirits like Arvelir, who I have a sneaking suspicion is the primordial that saved my ass.
"First and probably most important, don't hunt or kill spirits. If you didn't know, spirits that come to this plane have to shed their immortality, you should be able to tell which is and isn't a spirit, but if you can't, they'll tell you. If you protect them from danger, you may even get some goodwill though that depends on the spirit. This is especially important for Lion Turtles, there aren't that many left, and you have the potential strength to locate and hunt them."
This was a rule I could easily agree to, I didn't plan to hunt any, but their death almost always led to more problems than it solved. I'll have to keep an eye out for the moon and ocean spirits in the North Pole capital.
Seeing me easily agree, Lieben gives a satisfied smirk and continues in a less serious voice than before.
"Second, don't harm, interfere, or otherwise manipulate leylines. Doing so would cause big shifts in nature, like a forest, becoming a desert, or vice versa. The reason I'm telling you this is that with your absurd Chi Reserve you could cause permanent change."
Again, this is a rule I didn't have much trouble agreeing with. It seems that these rules weren't going to interfere with any human matters, and mostly just revolved around nature and spirit things.
"Third, don't interfere in spirit world matters, like for example freeing sealed spirits or opening the spirit gates at the North and South poles."
Huh, No Vaatu then, not that I planned on trusting him with anything. Also, I can open the spirit portals? Good to know, but I already know the amount of garbage that can lead to, and am very much not interested.
I sat silently waiting for more rules, only to be surprised when Lieben simply looked expectantly at me instead.
"That's it? I didn't plan on doing any of those things anyway, but sure I'll agree."
The moment I agreed I felt something trying to enter my chi veins. Very much not amused, I pushed against it, and with a bit of effort freed myself of its effect.
Lieben looked more amused than angry and muttered something about "I said so" under his breath before fully focusing on me again.
"Some spirits won't be happy about what you just did, but as long as you follow the rules, it won't be a problem, I have personal experience with Geass so I knew almost any human would be against it even if they agreed to the conditions. Anyway, since that is out of the way, it's time for you to ask me something, I don't know everything, but I am one of the strongest avatars to have ever lived, so much so that I was excluded from what can be relied upon in the avatar state."
We sat in silence as I contemplated what I should ask, it was clear he wasn't going answer everything, but I think there was a good chance he'll humor even slightly absurd questions. Even if he is as strong as he says, asking him about it will probably be a waste, I could ask him to train me, but I doubt he'd be willing with everything he has said so far.
This limited me somewhat, the most tempting thing to ask about was energy bending, but I'm pretty sure the spirits are even more reclusive when it comes to teaching that particular art. Then a certain question hit me, something I've thought about since my talk with Arvelir."
"Is my soul strong enough to use multiple elements without relying on spirits? If it is, can you grant me another element?"
Lieben looked more than a bit disturbed by my question, but answer nonetheless.
"You know some very weird pieces of knowledge, while I highly doubt you are strong enough to have multiple elements inside you, I'll have to check to be sure."
He gestured for me to sit in front of him, with my back against his hand. I felt something foreign enter my Chakra, and despite the strong feeling that I should resist the foreign interference, I let him do his thing.
Even without looking, I could feel Lieben growing more and more bewildered by the moment. Until the foreign chi abruptly exited my body, and Lieben spoke up.
"Besides your Chi paths and Chakra being very abnormal, your soul also has some weird kind of barrier around it, I think I could force my way through but you would probably die in the process. From what little I could see, and I cannot understate just how abnormal this is, you should be able to wield two elements, though anymore and you would slowly die from the inside out."
As happy as I was about this revelation, most of it was taken away by the existential crisis I had earlier. As I began to contemplate which element I should ask Lieben to grant me, he suddenly looked away from me toward the mist.
As he did, a person stepped through the mist, though it may be more accurate to say he stumbled through it, as he almost fell the moment he wasn't surrounded by mist on all sides. The man had a stern look, with black hair, brown eyes, and what was without a doubt Fire Nation attire.
Once he'd gained his bearing, he looked toward us but didn't seem to make any move to attack, at least it seems he wasn't completely stupid and knew how outmatched he was. The words that came from him next made me doable to take what I'd heard, however.
"Greeting Spirits, I am Lu Ten, Prince of the Fire Nation. I was guided here by the spirit Arvelir, in order to help spread the Fire Nations greatness to the world."
A/N: At this point in time both Lu Ten and Iroh was loyal to the fire nations cause in case the last line confused you, it was only after Lu Ten's death that Iroh saw the errors of the Fire Nation. Beside that, what do you think should be Noah's second element, I've already chosen, but do try to convince me otherwise.:)