Chapter 102: Identity Theft is Not a Joke, Koh (4)

Chapter 102: Identity Theft is Not a Joke, Koh (4)Chapter 102: Identity Theft is Not a Joke, Koh (4)

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***

"It's seven times already. How many times more are you planning to try your hand at escaping?"

Nik woke up to the voice. Stunned.

He was in his personal space, however, for reasons unknown to him, Nik not only felt greatly weakened but also small. Physically and emotionally. As if he had returned to the days of constantly visiting the 'abyss' that Esta groomed— his days of constantly being used.

He looked up and matched his gaze with a man who looked like he belonged to an ancient tribe. He had a sharp face, his skin tan. His dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and aside from a battle skirt on his hips, the man wore leather arm guards and sandals. His body built well enough to make Nik feel a bit envious as he still remained a bit thin despite all the training.

Nik wasn't given enough time to think properly as a wave of... defeat strangely rose in his heart. But just like the flames of domination that would warm his being at rare moments, Nik again felt a similar sensation deep within but fiercer. It was like a flame that wanted to burn the brightest. In defiance. Of what exactly, Nik still had trouble grasping but he was beginning to understand what was going on.

His point of view had shifted again similar to last time. He was viewing the memory of 'Mokshi' once again and this surprised him for a moment. Yet, 'his' lips moved which shocked Nik again.

He suddenly felt the lack of lips and limbs but he still seemed to be speaking... however, these weren't his words.

"It's just seven times. I will try as many outsiders come into this world. One day... Raava. One day. There will come a person that wouldn't be stopped easily. I wish... I wish that I meet someone who understands me."

"Nobody would," the man called Raava narrowed his eyes, "You selfishly attach yourselves to visitors of this world and entice the Primordials to attack them! Don't put the act of a victim now!"

The man scowled as his eyes glowed in a very familiar glow for a moment that reminded Nik of Aang. In fact, even if Nik didn't know the man personally, he could attest to the fact that he was having a lot of trouble by Mokshi selfishly attaching to him so he didn't mind the verbal lashing he witnessed.

"Victim?" Nik felt mockery from 'himself.'

"Me? No... I'm no victim. I will leave this wretched world I am bound to."

"And binding to a human is anything better?" The man curved his lips into a sneer.

"Yeah, it is. I feel them. Humans. Other living beings. They breathe easier because of me. They live a little more freely because of me. Oh, Raava. You and that human fused. You chose to live the life of a human to understand their pain and emotions but I am in love with life. I am in awe of death! Freedom is like love, one of the greatest illusions of this world but I am real!

And because of me, so if freedom!"

The soft voice grew louder and louder. Nik's 'body' was filled with a sense of passion that overwhelmed his twisted need for dominance and the foreign sensation of defiance felt from Mokshi. He felt... different. Like the first time he saw his caretaker who comforted him during the times he despaired the most.

He felt like... he was in love.

However, Nik couldn't grasp what he should be loving and similarly, even with all these nerve-wracking emotions, Mokshi was equally clueless as its voice turned quieter once again.

"O' great spirit of Avatar... I'm indeed in love. But the one who has yet to free me is not here. I cannot fall in love with those whom I provide freedom to... but I want to fall for that one being who would take me away. Who would shackle me the way this world does but also bring me to the sights and tales beyond."

The surroundings began to shift at this point. Nik felt a familiar presence while the man's expression turned indifferent.

Behind Nik's 'body' appeared a blue devil-faced giant insect with a familiar shape. The familiar voice breathed greedily, its raspy voice filling the surroundings.

"That's quite the speech, Mokshi. I will devour you quickly this time. You won't interfere, right, Avatar? It pertains to the balance, after all."

Nik felt that his body was restricted and he couldn't move. Just before the end, as his world was already crumbling, Nik heard the man whisper, "Willingly finding hosts and restraining yourself only to dream of freedom as what you are... Oh, what a great illusion you are indeed, Mokshi. What a pitiful paradox you have dug yourself into."

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"Huaaah!" Nik gasped, quickly coming to be. Cold sweat drenched his body while his chest heaved deeply alongside the terrible pain from his left knee making his head buzz for quite some time. Still, he had returned to his personal space once again, or to be precise, his consciousness had returned.

As the ringing sound began to recede, Nik squeezed a couple of more needful gasps to control the raging emotions wreaking havoc within him. Clutching his chest, he gulped. He didn't know how much time had passed but he felt parched. His lips had already gotten dry, too.

Yet, Nik could only think back to the visions he just witnessed. Emotions he felt. And then only begin to unveil the mystery surrounding him and Mokshi.

After regaining his bearings, Nik brought up his status screen once again. It was almost natural at this point but the result shocked him!

[Name: Nik Faran

Age: 20 (80)

Code: GC—EHG—98034

Authority Rank: 1 (5.96/100)

Paradise: Transmigration

Title: Transmigration Intern

Bloodline: Adonis' Ember (Common)

Physique: 2.3

Mental: 1.9→ 2.4

Energy: 24.8→ 29.8]

Nik looked at the screen for a few long seconds.

'That does it... even if dangerous, this thing might just be beneficial if I can take care of that... spirit. And, I should meditate more. May bring me some more benefits.'

Even though Nik was safe, he wanted to deal with the situation so he could be treated correctly. There were a lot of waterbending healers, Katara included, so Nik could only hope for some miracle for his shattered knee at this point.

With a groan, Nik pulled himself back up.

'That spirit, it's safe to assume that it devoured Mokshi multiple times with how it spoke but Mokshi seems to come back time and again. I won't be able to do the same thing, most likely. And I have used my ability to enter my personal space in front of the spirit so it may just attack to kill me directly next time.'

Nik fell into a deep thought. He needed to take care of this enemy completely or he may get attacked again and again. However, the opponent was mysterious. He needed to do something about that.

"How did it copy Sokka's face... and if it could copy any face, why didn't it just copy mine for a more dramatic flair?" Nik pondered.

"It called himself a hunter and a thief... I'm prey, I get that. But what does it steal?"

Nik frowned.

*Chi*

Another lance stabbed into the floor and easily began to push the metal away from the blunt shaft as a grating sound of the metal being forcefully pushed against each other filled the room. Readying himself to leave at a moment's notice when necessary, Nik waited for the giant creature to slowly slip through the hold and collect into a coiled shape in front of him with a menacing face of a red-skinned devil now covering the creature's appendage.

"Do you think yourself a being worthy enough to speak of Mother of Faces?" Koh remarked with a remarkably patient yet eerie tone as if he was waiting for Nik's reply.

"Mother of Faces?" Nik grunted, "I call her Mother of Feces, you shit!"

The pale yellow eyes of the red devil Koh twitched at Nik's retort yet his thin lips curved into a fiendish smile, "I will enjoy it this time. Yes. Carving you shall be more delightful than giving you and Mokshi a quick death.

Passion? Love? That little critter has desires more humane than Raava and Vaatu combined, hehe, let's see if it feels the slightest bit of heartache when I let the tip of my legs carve you whole.

And do not run this time," Koh grinned, "Or those humans I have yet to visit in the north pole will be my target next time."

Nik frowned for a moment. The thought of Suki and Katara getting attacked by this creature... did make Nik feel unpleasant.

"And I should simply die then?" Nik scoffed.

"Not simply, no," Koh slithered quickly and once again coiled around Nik. However, this time, instead of stabbing one of its legs through the puncture wound, Nik found himself getting... carved. Many of its legs merely passed through his skin yet it pulled long gashes on his body!

Gritting his teeth, Nik almost readied himself to leave. He didn't want Suki or Katara getting hurt but just waiting for death was hardly optimal. Yet, he wanted to find more information regarding this spirit.

"Agh," Nik gasped in pain.

"Tch, tch, such an expression is wasted on you. You should have been born here. I should have been the one to take it away from you. That face..."

Nik shuddered as he felt Koh whispering into his ear. Instead of warmth, Nik only felt a chill as he hastily questioned, "Even if you kill me, at least, tell me how can you shift your face."

"Hehehe," Koh's face changed into a beautiful, white-eyed woman. It cackled, "Can't you tell even now? I sense your spirit is even more vibrant than before! Did Mokshi tell you nothing?! What a fool it is!

I'm Koh," she gasped, "The Stealer of Face. All I need is one expression. Pain, sadness, joy, regret! Any is fine!"

Nik frowned harder.

"Then... why— Aaaghhhh!" This time he couldn't help but scream out as Koh's legs dug in. It was simply too painful!

"Because you're an outsider! Your face is not carved by Mother, but someone else. Don't you get it... Nnniiikkkk!" Koh slurred softly into his ear before roaring, making Nik's ears ring.

"I'M BORN WITHOUT A FACE! A VOID OF IDENTITY, CAPABLE OF STEALING MY MOTHER'S TREASURED GIFTS!"

"But... you do have a face now..." Nik mumbled, unsure about Koh's obsession but he wasn't the one to judge about unhealthy obsessions.

'Use... Koh... against Koh...' Nik heard the voice as clear as day within himself once again and Koh suddenly stopped laughing.

"A spike of chi! Did it say how sorry it feels? Is Mokshi begging me to stop tormenting one of its many supposed lovers that I have devoured and will devour?" Koh inquired with a gleeful face this time as it moved around Nik.

Although momentarily dazed, Nik couldn't help but feel hesitant. With all the things he had witnessed, felt, and been subjected to, the possible solution cannot be this simple, right?

'It can't be... but... why do I feel so certain? Is it Mokshi? No... the solution is simply... classic.'

As Koh continued to move, Nik questioned, "If this cruiser would have killed you... what would have happened to Sokka? And where is he? Did you steal his face? Is he alive?"

Koh suddenly had the front portion of its body stop in front of Nik and changed its face to Sokka's.

"I'm Koh, the stealer of identities. Every face I steal, I steal their self. Their memories. Their desires. I know all about his regret. Poor boy didn't want to let you down once again after revealing your secrets to the Dai Li. Hilarious. He barely scratched the surface but he didn't let go, did he. Commendable, I felt. Stealing his face, I dropped him off where I picked him up."

"That doesn't answer my question!" Nik growled.

"Fine, fine," 'Sokka' sighed in exasperation, "Any individual's face I steal live in a state between life and death. They age like others and will die of natural causes... or if you stab them, you know. The perimeters are vague. However, kill me and all the people still living in this state will die, too!

You almost killed your friend, Nik! A loyal friend!"

Nik grew somber.

"I see..." he muttered, "Sokka, if there's any part of you still left... thank you. I... feel that you're the one person I would be able to share who I am for real this time. Thank you for not letting go... but sorry. I hope you forgive me for this."

"What—"

Koh frowned but 'Sokka's' eyes went into a daze as he was suddenly seeing his reflection into a beautiful mirror framed by beautiful golden plates carved with a picture of a luxurious pheasant over flowers.

This was one of the few treasures from Ukano's treasury that Nik stole...

It was poetic.

A stolen good used on a thief.

Koh's hold over Nik fell weak as he crumbled onto the ground and quickly reached out for his stick. He was bloody all over but Nik didn't dare let go of the mirror in his other hand and continued to keep Koh's gaze locked in.

Suddenly, Sokka's 'face' began to peel off of Koh's body. As grotesque as it looked, Nik was surprised to see that Sokka's face began to turn translucent with a golden glow.

Before Nik could consider if Sokka was dead or alive, the red devil face started to peel off, too.

Then the White-eyed Woman's face.

Then the raging blue demon's face.

Then a Chimpanzee's face.

Then a lizard's face that had a scar by its left eye.

Then a green phantom's face.

Then a three-eyed apparitions face.

Nik soon closed his eyes. While he may have gotten used to the process, the more he looked at the more horrifying faces that belonged better in some horror movies, he felt his own consciousness slipping and needed to focus. He was losing too much blood but if he let go now, something told him that it would be the end of him.

Koh or him.

Who would 'bleed' out to their death first?

***

Koh