The Second Avatar

Chapter 44: The Storm (III)

Night had fully descended upon the temple, shrouding it in darkness as a foreboding quiet settled over the mountain. But Yogan felt the tension in the air, a chill that ran down his spine as he moved through the shadowed corridors, his mind filled with the knowledge of the impending attack. The elders had gathered quietly, the master airbenders stationed at key points, yet no amount of preparation could quell the unease growing within him.

A sudden, rumbling tremor shook the temple. Dust fell from the ceiling, and Yogan felt the vibration resonate through the stone floors. The attack had begun.

Through a high window, Yogan caught sight of flames flickering on the distant hillside, outlining the figures of earthbenders from Bintan moving in calculated formations. Renji's loyalists moved with them, airbenders who had chosen to betray their temple to follow his vision of strength and power. They advanced up the mountain like a relentless wave, their numbers swelling with each step.

Yogan took a deep breath, steadying himself. He could hear the faint cries of his fellow airbenders in the distance, their voices mingling with the clash of stone against stone, the sounds of combat echoing as Renji's forces began their assault on the outer walls.

In the shadows near one of the temple's side entrances, Yogan spotted Kezin and Kaiya moving quickly, their figures barely visible in the dim torchlight. They slipped into the hallway, their path leading directly toward the Great Hall. Yogan's heart pounded as he followed them, keeping his steps light, his presence hidden in the shadows. He knew he needed to confront them both, but not until he understood the full scope of their plan.

As they approached the hall, Kezin turned to Kaiya, his voice low but laced with cruel satisfaction. "This is it. By the time Renji's forces reach the inner sanctum, the temple will be in chaos. The elders won't know what hit them."

Kaiya looked uneasy, her face pale in the flickering light. "Are you certain this is the only way?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "This is… so much destruction."

Kezin's gaze hardened. "Destruction is the price of change, Kaiya. You wanted a world where people like Yogan don't hold us back, remember? A world where the strong lead without fear or hesitation. This is that world."

Kaiya swallowed, her gaze distant. "I just… I didn't expect it to be like this."

They continued forward, unaware that Yogan trailed them closely. Each word struck Yogan like a hammer, his anger building with every step as he took in the depth of Kezin's manipulation. And yet, Kaiya's hesitation planted a seed of doubt within him—was she truly an accomplice, or simply a pawn?

They reached the Great Hall, where Kezin paused, his gaze sweeping over the high ceiling and the rows of paintings of ancient airbenders that lined the walls. He turned to Kaiya, his expression dark with a kind of twisted pride.

"This hall," he said quietly, "has stood for centuries, a symbol of stagnation. But tonight, we rewrite history. Tonight, we end the rule of the weak and bring about the age of true strength."

Yogan stepped forward, his voice echoing through the empty hall. "Strength? You call this strength, Kezin? Betraying your friends, deceiving the people who trusted you—this is nothing but cowardice."

Both Kezin and Kaiya turned, startled. Kezin's face twisted into a smirk, though his eyes glinted with malice. "Ah, Yogan. I knew you couldn't stay away. Always so noble, always so loyal."

Yogan's gaze shifted briefly to Kaiya, his heart clenching as he saw the guilt and uncertainty flickering across her face. "And you, Kaiya," he said, his voice thick with hurt. "I trusted you. I thought—" He cut himself off, unwilling to voice the betrayal that burned within him.

Kaiya's lips parted, her face stricken with guilt. "Yogan, I… I didn't want this," she whispered, her voice trembling. "But Kezin… he convinced me. I thought I was helping you, protecting you."

Kezin laughed, his tone mocking. "Protecting him? Don't delude yourself, Kaiya. You're here because you're too weak to make your own decisions. You followed me because you were afraid of the alternative."

Yogan's fists clenched, his anger flaring as he stepped forward. "Enough, Kezin. Your lies, your manipulation—it ends here."

Kezin's smirk faded, his gaze turning cold. "If you insist," he replied, his voice low. He turned to Kaiya, his expression hardening. "Kaiya, you know what to do."

Kaiya froze, her eyes widening as she glanced between Yogan and Kezin, torn. "Kezin… please, don't make me do this," she whispered, her voice filled with desperation.

Kezin's eyes narrowed. "Are you questioning me? I gave you everything, Kaiya. Without me, you're nothing."

Yogan felt a surge of anger, his voice a harsh whisper. "Don't listen to him, Kaiya. You don't owe him anything."

But Kezin's words struck deep, and after a moment's hesitation, Kaiya lowered her gaze, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She turned toward Yogan, her hands trembling, her face a mask of sorrow.

"I'm sorry, Yogan," she murmured, tears brimming in her eyes. "I… I have to do this."

Before she could take another step, Kezin's voice cut through the air, cold and unyielding. "Enough. You're weak, Kaiya, just as I always knew." He lifted his hands, summoning a surge of icy mist that coiled around him like a living force. With a flick of his wrist, the mist shot toward Kaiya, encasing her in a prison of ice.

Her eyes widened in shock, her mouth opening in a silent scream as the frost spread across her body, freezing her in place. Within seconds, she was encased completely, a statue of ice that shimmered in the dim light of the hall.

Yogan's breath hitched, horror and fury swirling within him as he watched the woman he had trusted, the woman he had once loved, frozen before him. He turned to Kezin, his voice barely restrained. "You… you're a monster."

Kezin's smile was cruel, his eyes filled with twisted satisfaction. "A monster? Perhaps. But a monster who knows what it takes to win. This is the world we live in, Yogan—a world where the strong survive and the weak perish."

At that moment, the heavy doors of the Great Hall swung open with a loud crash, and Renji strode in, flanked by two of his loyal earthbenders. His face was contorted with fury, his eyes burning with the lingering rage from his imprisonment.

"Kezin," he snarled, his voice laced with venom. "I should have known you'd be here, basking in your little power trip."

Kezin turned to face him, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "Renji. I see your time in the Stone Chamber hasn't tempered your arrogance."

Renji's jaw clenched, his gaze flickering to Yogan briefly before returning to Kezin. "I've had enough of your games, Kezin. I came here to claim what's mine. You're done manipulating us."

Yogan took a step back, his gaze shifting between the two of them, realizing with a sickening clarity that he was now caught between two forces that would stop at nothing to destroy each other.

Kezin's smirk faded, his expression hardening. "Claim what's yours? Don't make me laugh, Renji. You think you deserve this temple, this power, but you're nothing more than a puppet—just like the rest of them."

Renji's eyes narrowed, his voice a low growl. "I'm done being anyone's puppet. I'll take this temple, with or without you."

Kezin's gaze shifted to the wooden statue of Wan that stood at the far end of the hall. A glint of satisfaction appeared in his eyes, and he moved forward, placing a hand on the statue's base. "You think you know power, Renji?" he murmured, his voice a mix of awe and arrogance. "True power is within our grasp."

With a deft movement, Kezin pressed a hidden latch at the statue's base. The stone shifted, and from within the statue, he pulled forth a small, ornate box, engraved with ancient symbols. His eyes gleamed with anticipation as he opened the box, revealing a glowing artifact—a relic from the legendary warrior Wan.

"This," Kezin declared, lifting the artifact high, its light casting eerie shadows across the hall, "is the key to everything. Wan's power, his strength—it's all within this artifact. And now, it belongs to me."

Renji's face contorted with anger, and he took a step forward. "Kezin, you're mad. You can't control that power."

Kezin laughed, his voice filled with dark excitement. "Control? I don't need control. I need to embrace it and unleash it upon the world!"

Kezin's laugh echoed through the Great Hall, chilling and filled with a dark triumph as he held the glowing artifact aloft. His eyes gleamed with the promise of power, his gaze sweeping over Yogan and Renji with disdain.

"Power," Kezin murmured, the artifact casting a ghostly light over his face, "is all that truly matters. Wan knew it. He conquered the elements, he bent the world to his will. And now, I will do the same."

Yogan took a steadying breath, feeling the weight of his responsibility pressing down on him. "Kezin, you're wrong," he called, his voice ringing through the hall. "This temple isn't yours to rule. Wan's power wasn't about domination—it was about balance, about protecting the people. You've twisted everything he stood for."

Renji scoffed, his eyes flickering between Kezin and Yogan with cold calculation. "And what do you know about balance, Yogan? Look at the world we live in—traditions have held us back for far too long. The temple needs a true leader, not weak, sentimental monks who hide behind ideals."

Kezin's smirk grew, his fingers tightening around the artifact. "And that leader is you, Renji? You don't have what it takes to wield real power. You're nothing more than an arrogant child, hungry for validation."

Renji's face contorted with fury, his airbending flaring around him in swirling gusts. "I don't need your approval, Kezin. I'll claim this temple—and anyone who stands in my way will be nothing but dust."

Yogan glanced between them, realizing the depth of the battle before him. These were no longer his comrades—they were threats to everything he held dear. His resolve solidified, and he took a stance, air gathering at his sides. "You both claim strength, but true strength lies in protecting others. This temple, our people—they don't belong to you."

For a tense moment, the three of them stood, locked in a deadly standoff. And then, in a flash of movement, the battle erupted.

Renji struck first, his airbending ferocious and direct, sending a fierce gust toward Kezin. Kezin sidestepped with practiced ease, his hand reaching out as he twisted a stream of water from a nearby basin, freezing it mid-air into sharp shards. With a flick of his wrist, he sent them hurtling toward Renji, who leapt back, countering with a powerful gust that shattered the ice mid-flight.

Yogan moved swiftly, using the currents Renji created to propel himself forward, sending a flurry of air blades at Kezin. Kezin deflected them with a sweep of his arm, his waterbending creating a liquid shield that hardened just in time. He grinned, clearly reveling in the power he believed the artifact was granting him, the glow from his hand casting an eerie light over the hall.

Kezin pivoted, using the momentum to create a powerful arc of water that surged toward both Yogan and Renji. Yogan managed to dodge, rolling to the side, but Renji countered with a spiraling burst of air, redirecting the water with surprising force. Kezin stumbled, but his confidence remained unshaken, his eyes flickering with what he thought was unstoppable power.

"Is that all you've got?" Kezin taunted, his voice filled with scorn. "With Wan's legacy in my hand, I am untouchable! The two of you are nothing compared to me!"

Renji's face twisted with rage. "You're delusional, Kezin. That trinket won't save you from what's coming."

With a roar, Renji unleashed a concentrated whirlwind, directing it straight at Kezin. Kezin braced himself, a thin smile on his face as he extended his hand, a shimmering barrier of water forming around him. The whirlwind struck, and for a brief moment, Kezin held his ground, his confidence swelling. The artifact's glow seemed to pulse in time with his bending, fueling his belief that he was invincible.

But Yogan noticed something strange—the artifact wasn't truly empowering Kezin; it was merely feeding his delusions. The glow was faint, a residue of spiritual energy that had long faded. Kezin's power was his own, magnified only by his ego.

Seeing an opening, Yogan surged forward, using a powerful gust to propel himself close to Kezin. He brought his hands together, summoning a concentrated burst of air aimed directly at Kezin's midsection. Kezin barely had time to react, and the blast struck him with enough force to send him staggering back, his grip on the artifact slipping slightly.

Renji took advantage of Kezin's stumble, leaping forward with a fierce jab of air, the force of which sent Kezin reeling. Kezin's eyes blazed with fury as he recovered, his waterbending surging around him in tendrils, swirling with an intensity that seemed to crackle in the air. He lashed out, sending sharp icicles flying toward both Yogan and Renji.

Yogan spun, his airbending swirling around him as he deflected the ice, his movements fluid and precise. Renji, meanwhile, redirected a few shards toward Kezin, forcing him to dodge, his face twisting in frustration as he struggled to regain control of the fight.

But the intensity of the battle had begun to take its toll. Kezin's breaths grew labored, beads of sweat forming on his brow as he felt the weight of facing both Renji and Yogan. His belief in the artifact's power flickered, doubts creeping into his mind as he struggled against their combined assault.

With a frustrated snarl, Kezin withdrew, launching a thick mist of water that obscured his form as he slipped out of their range. Yogan's eyes narrowed, realizing too late that Kezin was retreating.

"Kezin!" Renji shouted, his voice filled with fury. But Kezin ignored him, slipping out of the Great Hall and down one of the side corridors that led toward the lower levels of the temple.

Yogan exchanged a look with Renji, their shared hostility momentarily forgotten in the face of Kezin's escape. They both knew where he was headed—the beach at the foot of the mountain. Kezin was likely planning to regroup, to gain some ground and leverage the open space to his advantage.

Without a word, both Yogan and Renji took off in pursuit, their feet pounding against the temple's stone floors as they raced through the corridors. The sound of distant clashes echoed behind them, the temple's walls vibrating with the force of battle as the attack continued in full force above.

They descended through the winding passages, their breaths harsh in the silent darkness, neither of them willing to let Kezin slip away.

As they emerged onto the narrow path that led down to the beach, the cool night air filled their lungs, the distant roar of the waves growing louder. Kezin stood at the water's edge, his back to them, his form silhouetted against the moonlit ocean.

He turned slowly, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous, unhinged glint as he raised the artifact, the faint glow casting a sinister light over his face. "You followed me here?" he sneered, his voice laced with contempt. "I thought you'd have more sense than that."

Renji took a step forward, his eyes blazing with defiance. "Your game ends here, Kezin. Whatever twisted fantasies you have of ruling this temple—they die with you."

Kezin chuckled, his gaze flicking between Renji and Yogan with icy amusement. "Then come. Show me what you're made of. Let's see if either of you are worthy of this power."

Yogan steeled himself, feeling the weight of the air around him as he prepared for the fight of his life. The three of them stood in tense silence, the ocean crashing against the shore, the wind howling as if in anticipation of the battle that was about to unfold.

And then, without another word, the three benders clashed, each determined to see their will imposed on the other—whatever the cost.

[A/N: If you enjoyed this chapter and want to see more, don't forget to drop a power stone! Your support helps this story reach more readers! Can't wait to see what happens next? Get exclusive early access on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]