eins_left_foot

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 25

Feeling partially responsible for Ethuza's decline in health, Kahn told her about the extra ingredients and spices he kept in his room before writing down a few easy-to-follow recipes. He knew she would have preferred it if he prepared it directly, but Kahn wasn't willing to ruin Jinora's mood just to fix Ethuza's mistake.

As cold as it sounded, Ethuza was singularly responsible for her decision to study and live as a prospective Air Acolyte. If she wanted to secure a place to stay on t...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 24

After giving Jinora a bit of time to rest and change out of her training attire, Kahn allowed her to lead the way to the cove she had discovered on the Northern side of the island. He knew where it was located, but, as Jinora's Mentor, Kahn had a duty to allow her to take charge and express herself when the situation permitted.

"This is the place. I know it's small, but there are some pretty interesting tide pools nearby. I once found a baby Eel Shark inside of one."

Pretending th...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 23

"I think I'm gonna be sick..."

Though the taste was far beyond her expectations, it wasn't long before Jinora felt as though her stomach was twisting in knots. She tried lying on her side as Kahn suggested, but it did little to combat her growing feeling of nausea. 

"There is nothing wrong with you, physiologically. Your symptoms are the result of a nocebo effect. You feel guilty about eating meat, so your body is responding as you think it should."

"Uugh..."

Inst...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 22

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us? I know about your promise with Korra, but I don't think she would mind if you came to visit."

Though he appreciated Tenzin's concern, Kahn shook his head, stating, "I don't want to be known as someone who breaks their promises. That was one of the first I ever made. Until Korra appears of her own accord, I will continue to wait here."

Exhaling a sigh, Tenzin extended his hand to pat Kahn's shoulder, saying, "Very well, then. Please tak...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 21

In the days following his encounter with Ethuza, Kahn didn't catch her spying on him a second time. The only time he would encounter her was on his way back to his room, specifically near the place of their previous conversation.

Though they ordinarily talked about books and other educational topics, the subject of the conversation would periodically shift to likes, dislikes, and feelings in general. Ethuza hadn't been joking around when she said she wanted to know everything about him,...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 20

Though he couldn't make out her features, Kahn could tell it was Ethuza observing him. Every person, especially Benders, had a unique signature to them. As the only female Firebender on the island, Ethuza's aura was impossible to mistake for another's.

("I can see why Jinora's so concerned...")

Shaking his head, Kahn alerted the Airbending siblings by rising to his feet and saying, "Lunchtime. Let's go."

Bouncing to her feet, Ikki exclaimed, "I want peanut butter and pickles...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 19

Since he had expected her to be more aggressive, Kahn was pleasantly surprised when Ethuza seemed to focus on her studies. She would greet him if their paths crossed, but, for the most part, she let him go about his business as usual.

After the Princess's arrival, the only real change to Kahn's life was Jinora being in a perpetually bad mood. She was usually a sterling student who paid close attention and rarely slacked in her training. Ever since Ethuza's arrival, she had been pouty, m...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 18

"He declined our invitation."

Though he had been present when the messenger delivered the report, Izumi couldn't help reiterating it the moment she and her father, former Fire Lord Zuko, were alone.

As much as he wanted to allay his daughter's concerns, Zuko shook his head in response to her words, saying, "There is little we can do about it. Kahn is a very free-spirited young man. Trying to force his hand will have the opposite effect."

Exhaling a sigh, Izumi closed her eye...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 17

*knock* *knock* *knock*

Hearing a knock at his door, Kahn, now appearing as a young boy with an athletic frame and wild, nearly pitch-black hair, opened his eyes and said, "It's open." in his usual, monotonous tone. He immediately came to regret this as the person who opened his door was none other than Jinora.

"Kahn? Are you-"

Seeing a shirtless Kahn supporting himself upside down on nothing but his fingertips, Jinora's brain briefly short-circuited. Physical training was a...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 16

Situated at a convergence point between the four nations, specifically within Yue Bay, Republic City was the heart and capital of the United Republic.

Despite being founded by Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko mere decades prior, Republic City had an ever-growing population that numbered in the millions. It accepted immigrants from all Four Nations, and, as a result, it had quickly risen to become one of the largest and most modern cities in the entire world.

Before the creation of R...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 15

"Kaaaaaaaaahn-!"

Without waiting for a response, Korra used her Waterbending to create a large, circular hole in Kahn's wall. The latter immediately awakened, but upon seeing Korra with glowing eyes, he was too taken aback to avoid the prison of frozen earth that spontaneously formed around him.

"Don't even think about running...!"

 "..."

Instead of responding to Korra's words, Kahn closed his mouth and just stared back at her with a patient, unperturbed expressio...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 14

"I will go to Republic City."

Surprised by Kahn's sudden change in tone and behavior, Katara couldn't help asking, "Did something happen? You were against the idea just a few moments ago."

Though he didn't provide any details, Kahn nodded his head, answering, "Yes." before rising to his feet and adding, "I changed my mind."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

After a moment of stunned silence, Tenzin decided to take advantage of the situation, stating, "You're we...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 13

"We believe it's in Korra's best interest if you came and stayed in Republic City."

Though he had been expecting something like this, Kahn couldn't help furrowing his brows ever so slightly in response to Tenzin's words, asking, "How so...?" in a flat, almost threatening tone.

Feeling the hairs of his beard bristle, Tenzin forced a smile as he combed through it with his right hand and stated, "While your presence has been a positive influence on Korra, she needs time away from you...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 12

Though Toph had never been known for her subtlety, she still waited a few weeks before asking Kahn, "So, what exactly is your relationship with that stone-headed husband of mine?"

Instead of answering Toph's question, Kahn focused on pouring tea for her and Katara before returning the pot to the stove. Toph had her own place nearby, but she often came by to chat with Katara until late in the evening.

"We're acquaintances who periodically share tea and stories..."

Snorting th...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 11

Over a several-week period, Katara slowly pried information out of Kahn before transmitting everything she had learned to her friends and former allies. Technology had advanced quite a bit since she was a child. Just a few years prior, the only way to send messages long distances in a short time was to use messenger hawks. Now, with the advent of radio, it was possible to communicate with the other side of the globe in real-time.

Upon hearing what Katara had to say, the senior members o...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 10

After returning to the igloo he shared with Katara, Kahn found the former resting in a rocking chair while a pot of seaweed soup boiled on the stove.

Hearing Kahn's entrance, Katara kept her eyes closed as she asked, "How was it? Did your little playdate go well~?"

Exhaling a sigh, Kahn made his way over to the stove to adjust the heat and sample the seaweed soup. Katara wasn't a bad cook by any means, but her tastebuds had numbed rather drastically due to her age. Most of the foo...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 9

A few days after Korra's eighth birthday, a convoy was arranged to escort her to a secret training facility that had been constructed for her near the Southern Water Tribe's Capital City.

From above, the Southern Water Tribe Compound resembled a sword tip jutting out from the base of a mountain. It was surrounded by walls of ice more than 40m tall, and, while there were several hidden passageways, the only way to enter was through the massive gate located near the 'tip' of the sword-sha...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 8

Though her decision was opposed by many of the Elders, Katara's status as Grandmaster and wife of the previous Avatar gave her a lot of leeway regarding the way Korra was raised. The only people who had even more influence than her were Senna and Tonraq, Korra's parents.

As uncomfortable as Kahn made her feel, Senna couldn't dispute he had Korra's best intentions in mind. He also promised he would never try and take her away, so, as the months turned into years, Senna slowly grew to acc...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 7

After piggybacking Korra to where she and her mother were staying, Kahn dropped the slumbering Avatar off in her room before preparing to return to his own. At least, that was his intention before his path was blocked by two women in traditional Water Tribe garments.

Cupping his hands together, Kahn politely lowered his head in the manner reserved for Masters as he said, "Master Katara, Lady Senna, it is good to see the two of you. I just finished placing Korra in her bedroom."

Sm...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 6

"He's just been...playing with her?"

After returning from taking care of her brother's funeral, the first thing Katara wanted to know about was the mysterious boy, Kahn.

Before her departure, Katara had told the members of the White Lotus to let Kahn do as he pleased so long as he didn't try to take Korra away from the compound. Her decision made the other Elders apprehensive, but, as someone who had journeyed alongside and married an Avatar, Katara had a much better understanding...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 5

In the days following her attempted kidnapping, Korra was moved around several times before ultimately ending up at a secret compound near the northwestern coast of the South Pole. There, she was expected to master the arts of Water and Fire Bending before relocating to Air Temple Island to study and master Air Bending.

According to the original plan, Korra would have started training shortly after reaching her new home. Instead, she was given two months to get used to the facilities wh...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 4

After confirming the safety of his wife and daughter, Tonraq convened with Tenzin and Zuko to discuss their next plan of action. Among them, it was Fire Lord Zuko who took charge, explaining, "Of the twenty-three Sentries assisting in the Avatar's escort, seventeen have succumbed to their injuries. We severely underestimated just how much of a threat the members of the Red Lotus were."

Seeing Sokka's body among those who had died, the expressions of all three men, Tenzin more so than an...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 3

Recovering from his momentary stupor, Zaheer lurched forward with the intent to grab the strange and toss him aside. A part of him wanted to kill the kid then and there, but while many would readily label him a monster, he wasn't yet at the point where he would kill a child. Brainwash them into becoming a weapon? Absolutely. Kill them in cold blood? Not yet.

Reacting to Zaheer's charge, the youth raised his hands in concert with one another before making a pushing motion. A visible wave...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 2

Believing that Zuko was more than capable of handling himself, Tonraq didn't look back as he raced toward the vehicle transporting his wife and daughter. The dent in the left-side passenger door caused his heart to skip a beat, but, upon calling out, "Senna! Korra!" Tonraq was relieved to hear a woman hurriedly reply, "Tonraq! We're okay...!"

Swooping his right hand forward in a scooping motion, Tonraq converted a large volume of snow and ice into frigid water before directing it to see...

Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 1

158 AG - Year of the Horse

[Nanuk Village, South Pole]

Five years after the death of the previous Avatar, rumors spread of a young girl in the Southern Water Tribe demonstrating the ability to use each of the four elements.

Though they had been led astray more than a hundred times since the death of the previous Avatar, Aang, the Order of the White Lotus had no choice but to confirm whether or not the rumors were true. 

Upon reaching Nanuk, an isolated ...

Yggdrasil Academy: The Insurance Plan of the Gods Ch. 1

"There are no incorrect Paths. You may lose your way at times, get turned around, and even tread the same ground, but, no matter which route you take to reach your goal, it was your decisions, willpower, and resolution that brought you there."

                                         &...

Patron Bonus Content

Since I honestly don't know what to do with my time at the moment, I decided to begin working on a few patron-exclusive projects to reward/incentivize the people who have stepped forward to support me. There are no 'guarantees' until I'm earning a living wage, but I can at least post 1-2 chapters a day for those of you who are interested.

A Certain Scientific Side Story (Part 2)

With Vahn successfully pressuring the Goddess of Reincarnation into granting her request, Mikoto awoke in the middle of the night with a migraine so intense that it caused blood to flow from her nose. This was the result of the original Mikoto's fourteen odd years of knowledge and experience fusing with her own, a surprising burden due to the sheer amount of information processed by the original's brain.

Unlike 'normal' people, it seemed that the original Mikoto possessed a form of syne...

A Certain Scientific Side Story (Part 1)

With Mikoto having made her decision, Vahn descended into the infinite expanse of space representing his Internalized Realm. There, floating among countless star-like motes of light, one stood out among the rest due to the sheer power of the entities contained within. 

While the individuals within were ultimately limited by his Soul Tier, Vahn's ongoing struggle against the Ethereal Queen had taught him to never look down upon a Tier 5. Many represented abstract concepts that could...

Endless Panic : Infinite Concerns

Having witnessed her beloved younger brother's exploits over the course of what felt like several lifetimes, Sis had thought that gaining true sapience would lead to her gradually getting used to them. Instead, each successive day filled her life with new meaning, and, though there were times when Vahn's behavior left her feeling unbelievably frustrated, was that not how most big sisters felt about their younger brothers?

With this in mind, Sis, alongside a seemingly endless number of h...