Avatar: TFE Book 1 - Chapter 1

Avatar: The Four Elements

Book 1: Flames and Waves

(A/N - This is a purely fan made text, which includes characters and concepts from the television series, "Avatar: The Last Airbender" - (c) of Nickelodeon, as well as themes and characters of my own.)

Chapter 1: Pieces of Fire

“Over here! I’ve got one!” An excited squeal leapt up from a distant mound of dry hedge trimmings, closely followed by a small spindly fist tightly closed around an unseen object. The sound startled a few cooing mothers as they passed, tightly clutching their children, whilst spoiling the focused concentration of the local fishermen, watching hopelessly as their catch sped off into the currents away from the shore. Annoyed glares turned on the young girl tumbling from her hiding place, the warm afternoon breeze carrying muttered grumbles as she brushed stray leaves from her flowing burnt umber locks, a single braid fastened just behind her right ear.

  Suddenly, she found herself wrestled to the dusty path, her elbows wrenched above her head by lean energetic fingers. Fear encased her body, paralysing the young brunet to the ground, until one hand gently slipped from her wrist, jabbing her playfully around her exposed tummy. Giggling uncontrollably, she managed to wriggle free, collapsing into the awaiting arms of the older teenage boy, her light hazel eyes shining in the vivid reflection of the setting sun.

  “How many times do I have to tell you Kizuki, no wondering off.” He tried to sound authoritative, a firm dip in his dark brows, but there was no stopping the sly grin that slipped across his face. With a joking snarl, he swept Kizuki onto his arched back, powerful toned shoulders showing through a thin scarlet vest, a couple of tears evident around the hem and cut off sleeves, blending into deep burgundy trousers, curled back unevenly over pasty grey ankles.

  Still smiling contently, the young girl twisted the boy’s matted black hair around her delicate fingers, the damp tips soothing to touch, as she lowered her cheek to rest upon the back of his neck. A tender gust ruffled the turned up folds of her drab grey shorts, fastened loosely at the waist by a long knotted chord, and sending a shiver up through her back, the cropped crimson shirt too tiny to cover her entire torso. Not long after her tenth birthday, Kizuki had begun to develop a more feminine figure, her silky dark waves framing her face more prominently as childlike features gradually faded. Now twelve, her appearance had matured, but her personality remained innocent and carefree.

  The teenager chuckled to himself, warm puffs of air tickling his spine as Kizuki drifted somewhere between sleep and stirring, sapped of energy beneath the relentless heat of long summer hours. Tiring himself, he slumped up a nearby bank on the outskirts of the village, lowering her carefully into the outstretched grasp of charred brown grass, before crumpling to his knees beside her. He leant back on his heels, golden eyes gazing at the usual lax surroundings of a hard days work, watching intently as the market sellers lazily packed away their goods, returning to the cooling shade of wooden shacks in preparation for the following morning. Rocking forward onto his stomach, he studied the young school of Firebenders, ending their training session with one last run through of a backward flip kick into a forward thrust jab, a fairly advanced manoeuvre.

  Giving in to fatigue, he dropped his head onto the ground. He had barely closed his eyes when a voice called out his name, pushing him up onto his elbows, drearily noticing another young teenage boy jogging up the bank. His hair was a little longer; tied back roughly into a loose ponytail atop his head, the sun illuminating it’s rich black hue. The ensemble he wore appeared moderately new, a smart short-sleeved ruby red jacket accompanying a baggy crimson shirt, tucked into midnight black arm bindings just below the elbow. His trousers were matching black, ending around the knee to reveal lean ashen legs and dirt brown slip on shoes, the only part of his appearance that did not seem to fit.

  Panting, the young boy grinned, his words slipping out between gasps. “Hey…Taku! How…was…work?” Giving up on standing, the boy flung his arms out, collapsing on the other side of the still slumbering Kizuki. Raising an eyebrow sarcastically, Taku huffed, rubbing the base of his neck agitatedly. At the sight of his friend’s questioning amber eyes, he swallowed bitterly, images of his day re-emerging.

  “Let’s just say Daiki can go to hell for all I care…there is absolutely no way I am working with him ever again! Inconsiderate jerk.” Turning his head, Taku growled into his chest, picturing the smug expression pasted across his enemies’ face, wishing he could ram his fist through it.

  The younger boy shuffled closer to Taku’s hunched form, a sympathetic glow emanating from his jewel like orbs. “I know Daiki can be…difficult, but you can’t let him put you off. I thought you really wanted to work on the lake.”

  Anger flared up in the older boy’s face, as his head darted round to stare at the adolescent teenager. “That’s easy for you to say Shintai! If he ever bothered you, you could just throw a fist of fire into his fat ugly gob…what I’d give to be a Firebender!” He thought back to the demonstration he had observed earlier, the nimble twist in the body of each student, combined with the power in that final blow. Releasing a dismal sigh, Taku crossed his arms tightly, staring straight ahead into the relaxing wash of the river lapping the edges of the damp wooden dock. “You’re a lucky guy Shintai…even Daiki, despite how stupid he is, can bend, Kizuki is showing signs of it too…I can’t do anything…what good am I to anyone.”

  Shintai reached out to the older teen, placing a hand on his quivering shoulder, a small smile broadening his features. “Taku, you’re the best swordsman this village has to offer. Besides, the war is over, it has been for years now, so there is nothing to worry about.” As if on queue, the dark-haired girl groaned, her hand loosening to reveal a burnt piece of rock. “And you can’t forget about your sister, she relies on you, and you have always been there for her, so stop thinking things like that.” Focusing his amber eyes on Taku, the young Firebender searched his trouser pocket, until his fingers closed around a supple sliver of earth. With another grin, he pulled it free, shoving it into Taku’s clenched fist. “I found another one during my lessons this morning. This one has a hollow centre, and if you look closely, you can see a red glow inside, like it’s still on fire.” Hesitating, Shintai dropped his gaze, noticing the stone pulsing against Kizuki’s palm. “I want you to have it, and know that I’ll always be there if you need me…that’s what best friends are for.”

  The older boy remained silent for a while longer, rubbing the smooth surface of the earth with his thumb. Eventually, he faced the Firebender, thumping him teasingly in the arm. “Thanks Shin, sometimes I get so worked up about things, you know? I lost so much during the war, and I can’t help but think that maybe I could have done more, fought alongside my father…or saved my mother…anything.” His voice broke, the last words slipping out in a whisper, as Taku tried desperately to swallow the pang in his chest, his golden irises falling heavily on Kizuki. “I want to give her what she needs Shin…but I can’t even get her new clothes that actually fit.” A pained laugh escaped his lips, his chest tightening once again, shaking lightly beneath the sudden change in temperature. The sun had been completely eclipsed by the horizon, darkness seeping from where it had originally sat, a bitter wind tickling the remaining villagers still outside.

  Then, the young girl stirred, her vibrant eyes staring wearily up at her brother. Yawning, she rolled gloomily onto her stomach, pushing the little rock she had managed to hold onto in front of both boys. “I found one. I think there is something inside it, because if you shake it, something rattles.” Beaming to herself at this find, Kizuki crawled over to the golden-eyed teen, wrapping her thin bare arms around his neck, giggling again as he poked at her ribs. It was at that moment she noticed Shintai sitting opposite them, a goofy grin plastered across his face. The dark-haired girl’s cheeks flushed violently, realisation hitting her that he must have seen her sleeping. A nervous laugh echoed from her throat, as she moved towards him, waving shyly. “Hey Shintai! How were your bending lessons?”

  Kindly, the adolescent Firebender hugged the young girl, ruffling her hair slightly as they parted, her face now bright purple and burning. “It was great! We learnt how to counter after a more powerful attack, by combining a defensive move with a swift attack…it was quite hard, but I think I got the hang of it. You’ll be able to come to classes soon though Kizuki, Taku says you’re Firebending is getting stronger, and once you can master simple summons, you’ll qualify for beginners level training, which is great!” He babbled, excitement pouring from his amber orbs, unnerving his friends equally, each sharing a quite glance with the other, before smiling gently at Shintai’s eagerness.

  Out of nowhere, a gruff voice bellowed out to them, followed closely by a powerful pale white face, half lit by a ball of fire emanating from the owner’s hands. “What are you kids doing out here, eh? Shouldn’t you be headin’ home for the night?” As the man came closer, the young Firebender chuckled, recognising his teacher’s familiar shabby appearance. Long grey hair trailed down his spine, accompanied by a shorter identical beard, trimmed to hang from the tip of the chin, while the rest of his face remained clean shaven. The man’s robes were loose and baggy, the colour faded from many afternoons training under the unforgiving rays of the sun, but his eyes had always been a brilliant lemon yellow.

  Rising swiftly to his feet, Shintai grinned, generating a ball of flames from his open palm. “Master Hotaka! Sorry, are we in the way of your watch?” Taku and Kizuki stood up beside him, inching closer to the fire dancing around the young Firebender’s fingertips, grateful for the warmth it unleashed.

  “Ah, Shintai, I hope you haven’t forgotten that move I taught you earlier, if you should ever need to battle a strong bender, you will definitely need to remember it. I’ll be testing you on it again tomorrow, and I want it perfect, understand?” With a stern nod, the older man’s glare softened, his fingers adjusting and stroking the long silver beard. Respectfully, Shintai bowed his head before his mentor, the carefree smile replaced by a more sombre expression. Acknowledging the two behind his dark-haired pupil, Hotaka continued his patrol of the village, turning his head slightly as he passed to give a knowing smile to the young girl, before he disappeared into the night. “Hurry home now children, the night can be dangerous.”

  After the elder Firebender had gone, Shintai turned to his friends. “So, you guys got any plans for dinner? I’m pretty sure my mum bought enough fish to feed two more, if you’re interested.” Lowering his voice a little, he met Taku’s gaze. “And she’s quite good at repairing clothes. Did you see my new jacket?”

  Closing his eyes, Taku mouthed a gratified thank you to the adolescent Firebender, as the three of them skidded down the bank, almost tumbling into the mouth of the lake. Laughing together, they approached the timber doorway of Shintai’s home, the outline of a tall slender woman waiting patiently to greet them.

***********

  “I think that…Avatar Aang…is…dead.”

  It seemed like a century had past since Zuko witnessed the flicker of light fall into darkness, when in reality it had only been in the early hours of the morning, yet the words still ran through his mind. At the suggestion of Uncle Iroh, the Fire Lord sent a troupe of guards to the Northern border of the Fire Nation capital, hoping that they would return empty handed, that he had been wrong, his lack of sleep effecting his eye-sight. But, the horrific truth revealed his worst fear.

  Now, Fire Lord Zuko sat hunched over the body of the last known Airbender, the young nineteen year-old Avatar who had evaded him constantly in the past, only to aid the former Fire Nation prince in defeating his own father, an attempt to restore a long awaited peace to the nations. Clearly, this notion had failed. The corruption had spread too far within each different area of the world, wars breaking out between benders since the Fire Nation soldiers no longer had control. A large amount of colonies suffered under the strain, brought down by furious Earthbenders who held a permanent grudge.

  Despite the mounting pressures of his new position, Zuko remained confident that he could repair the damage done by his ancestors, the support of his Uncle and wife carrying him forward, as well as the unlikely partnership that had grown between himself and the Avatar. But at this point, he was at a loss.

  A loud creak aroused his senses. Pulling away from the body, the Fire Lord’s attention turned to the grand doors, as the figure of his wife walked forward, dressed in rich crimson robes, her usual midnight black shirt visible beneath. Upon seeing her, the scarred Firebender tried to smile, but the recent events had sucked all joy from him. Understanding his feelings, Mai slowly strode over to where he stood, her pale golden orbs locking onto his, as she rested her hand against his cheek. “The announcement needs to be now Zuko, and it has to come from you, it’s the only way.” Sighing, she moved to gaze at the lifeless Avatar, grimacing slightly at the large gash covering one half of his youthful face. “How will you tell them?”

  Avoiding her eyes, the Fire Lord turned his back on both of them, bowing his head to stare at the creases in his hands, clenching his fists at the burn of pain in his chest. “I don’t know…I can’t hope to explain how this happened in Fire Nation territory…it is inevitable that the blame for the Avatar’s death will fall on me.” He heard a sharp breath leave his wife, tempting him to hold her in his arms, but instead he took both her hands in his own. “The other nations will attack, and there will be another war…I don’t know how to stop it…” Nervously, Mai shot back from him, just able to save her hands from the fire curling around the Fire Lord’s fists. Filled with rage, Zuko slammed the flames against the mahogany floorboards, a blackened scorch mark left behind from the desperate attack. “I don’t know how to protect the people I care about…I should never have become Fire Lord!”

  “Don’t be ridiculous my dear nephew, everyone who is new to the throne must face hardships and difficulties, but those around you will keep you standing strong.”

  Zuko looked up from the ground, his eyes widening at the sight of Iroh standing beside his dark-haired wife, offering a strong, firm hand out towards the fallen prince. Swallowing the lump in his throat, the young Firebender accepted the help, raising him up to his full height, darting another look in the direction of the Avatar’s limp form. “Alright, I’m ready to face them. Once the news hits the outer walls, we all need to be prepared for anything. Alert the guards and soldiers…I will not go to war, but I will do whatever I can to defend this nation.”

  With a brief nod and bow from both Iroh and Mai, Fire Lord Zuko marched towards the looming power of the hallway doors, tugging them open to reveal the impatient and expectant frowns of the Fire Nation civilians, curious at this sudden royal presentation. Touching his scar gingerly, Zuko stepped out into the glare of the sun.

***********

  Laughter reverberated off of the hollow wooden panels holding up the small shack, as Kizuki’s wild attempts to light a stack of logs failed miserably, leaving a charcoal stain in the ceiling. Living in a Fire Nation village meant that the houses were built from many layers of timber, in preparation for young Firebenders discovering their abilities.

  Wiping a tear from his eye, Shintai patted the dark-haired girl’s shoulder tentatively. “Don’t worry about it, you’re still getting the hang of it. It took me a while to learn, you just have to focus on the energy inside, drawing out the heat you feel to one point.” The young Firebender glared at the logs. Breathing deeply, he shot his arm forward in a swift jab movement, a slim jet of flame bursting from his fingers, bathing the logs in a warm glow. “Like that.”

  Kizuki dropped her head, shielding her bright red cheeks from the teenager beside her. “I guess…I don’t think I’ll ever get the hang of it.” A loud chuckle was the response she got, as another hand rested upon her back, soon pulling the girl into the familiar chest of her older brother.

  “I’m sure you’ll be a great Firebender some day, and I have complete faith that you will have no trouble destroying Shin in a one on one showdown!” Taku cheered, lightly punching the adolescent boy in the arm. Soon, they all found themselves wrestling on the floor, laughing and joking, whilst a young woman draped in a dark burnt umber shawl begun gathering the dishes from the floor, stacking them near the door to wash down by the river at first light. She smiled at the varying sounds emitting from the trio, glad that her son had such good friends to spend time with. He had recently lost his father to a boating accident, but as usual, Taku had been there to keep the pieces together, as well as the guidance of Master Hotaka, immersing Shintai in far more advanced Firebending. Once she could see him genuinely happy, it lifted her own spirit.

  They all collapsed onto the floor, exhausted and utterly defeated. Finally, Taku pulled himself up, lifting Kizuki off of the ground alongside him. “Well, I think me and Kizuki better get home, before it’s too dark for us to see at all…we can’t trust her bending.” The older teenager grinned as small fists softly knocked against his thigh, ruffling the thick waves of brown hair that fell about his sister’s ears. After another punch to the young male Firebender’s forearm, he bowed to the woman dutifully. “Thank you Miss Megumi for the delicious dinner, and I’m sure Kizuki really appreciates the blouse.” He gently elbowed the bent over form beside him, who lifted her head enough to answer a quick “yes, thank you very much.”

  Bowing back to the children, Megumi smiled more deeply. “You are both very welcome. Don’t hesitate to join us again, and hurry home before the darkness is too strong for your eyes.” Nodding, they raced through the doorway, turning briefly to wave and shout to Shintai, before heading off into the village and out of sight.

  Megumi returned into the house, perching delicately beside the young Firebender as he stoked the fire, keeping it burning brightly within the hearth. Tenderly, she ran her long fingers through his ponytail, brushing against the back of his neck, and sending a tingle through the dark-haired teenager. Facing his mother, Shintai fastened his arms around her waist, sighing peacefully as she held him. “You don’t have to worry about me so much mother, I have great friends, and my Firebending lessons are going well.” He sat back on his heels, keeping his hands in hers, a contented glimmer flashing within his amber irises. “I do miss father, but I try to remember him as the brave fighter he was, and that maybe I can live up to that.”

  The slender woman brushed a loose strand from his face, a small tear present behind her deep brown eyes. “I can’t help but worry, even though I know you’ll be fine. I’m certain you’re father will be proud no matter what you do Shintai, just as I am.” They hugged again, both grateful that the other was there, and both wondering if the third member of the family was still watching over them, protecting them.

  Shintai rose from his position, lazily stumbling towards another more compact room that had been built as an extension to the house. Inside was a single sheet laid upon the floor, a slightly thinner blanket resting neatly on top, and a battered lamp hanging near the archway he leant upon. Twisting his head, he managed to yawn a goodnight to his mother, grinning tiredly as she bowed back to him. He sunk into his bed quite rapidly, and before long, found himself slumbering peacefully, dreams of Firebending and lengthy summer days with Taku and Kizuki filling his thoughts, chasing away any care or fear he could have held close.

  Yet, something disturbed Megumi’s rest, a distant feeling that somewhere nearby a disastrous incident had occurred that would affect everyone in some way. Tossing onto her side, she could not know that word of this nightmare had already spread to the Earth Kingdom, and that an army of distraught, ferocious Earthbenders were already on their way to the serene Fire Nation colony on the edge of the lake, intent on destruction and seeking nothing but to fulfil their aroused blood-lust.