Water and Fire
A Troubled Past
"Fire, fire!" a man shouted as he ran through the village streets, "everyone, run... the Fire Nation, they're here and they're burning everything down!" he franticly informed the other villagers. Looks of confusion and worry, swept across the faces of all who heard the man's pleas. "Did you not hear me?" he shouted aggressively now, "the Fire Nation is attacking us and someone needs to inform the town council and ring the warning bell!" A town guard heard the man's shouts and immediately ran to ring the town's warning bell. The man then continued to run through the streets, spreading the news.
Villagers, who had just heard the man, began packing their necessities in case they were forced to leave. The men in town began to gather at the outskirts of the village; they were going to try and fend off the Fire Nation soldiers. "Xiao Mi, my dear, we may have to run away again" an anxious mother told her confused daughter. "Again? You mean more bad people are trying to get us?" the little girl asked innocently but nervously. "Yes dear, more bad people are here, and if they find us we will be in very big trouble." The young girl just nodded, understanding the situation. "Come then, pack your things, just in case." The mother then led her daughter into the small house and began packing.
Moments later, the door opened. "Kanari, Mi Li!" the man shouted from the doorway. "Ba Ba!" the little girl called out, as she ran from the room into her father's arms. He hugged her tightly, then released her to embrace his wife. "I was beginning to worry about you, where have you been?" his wife asked. "I've been with Tyro, there was a council meeting held today. But things are very bad at the moment and we may have to leave the village soon, or risk being caught. Have you packed?" he scanned the room, seeing the bags and various items scattered across the bed. "Yes, but only money, clothes, food and water. Is there anything else we need?" she pointed to the items as she spoke.
The little girl's father thought for a moment, "No, it's enough. I'll bring my sword and lead two ostrich-horses over here. But I'll need to go to inform Tyro of the situation and thank him, so you'll need to load the bags onto the ostrich-horses." Kanari nodded and began gathering the bags in the room while her husband grabbed his sword from the rack. He then headed off to get two of the beasts and meet his friend. The little girl sat on a chair, unsure how she could help.
Curious, she walked to the window and pulled the curtain to one side, so she could see the street outside. A bright, warm, amber light glowed outside the window, illuminating her childish features as she gazed at the scene before her. She let out a tiny gasp. Kanari heard her from the room and walked to the window. Anxious, Kanari pulled her daughter away gently, to see for herself.
Suddenly she ran to the door, thrust it wide open, and confirmed her fears. The house across the street had gone up in flames! Seeing the house engulfed by flames she realised that the Fire Nation army was moving further into the village, faster than she expected.
A Fire Nation soldier was standing by the burning house, turning only when he heard the creaking of a door. Upon seeing Kanari standing in the doorway he widened his already elated grin and prepared to launch a fire ball at her. "Jeom!" Kanari shouted when Jeom came into her view. The soldier punched the air. As his fist came to a halt, a blazing orb magically sprang from his knuckles.
Kanari stood, paralysed by fear. But just at the very last moment, the fire ball was swiftly diverted by another fire-bender. Jeom effortlessly pulled the fireball away from Kanari, and sent it ricocheting back towards the attacking soldier. The soldier was caught unaware, and the full force of the fireball threw him onto the ground, rendering him unconscious. Jeom then turned, looking to see if his wife and daughter were harmed.
Kanari nodded to confirm their safety, as Mi Li stood behind the window, staring out expressionlessly. Jeom led the two ostrich-horses towards the doorstep of the house and began to help Kanari with loading the bags. A startled Mi Li came dashing out of the house to cuddle her mother's waist. She spotted a soldier that had witnessed the event. He was no fire-bender, yet he ignorantly attempted to attack Jeom.
Kanari, upon seeing the soldier advancing, protectively held Mi Li's face close to her body so that she would be shielded from the fight. The soldier broke into a sprint and gave out a courageous war-cry as he hurdled towards Jeom, sword at the ready. Jeom remained relaxed and met the soldier's blade with ease. He deflected his attack and thrust his own sword into the soldier's torso, producing a sickening squelch that indicated the penetration of flesh and bone.
Jeom drew his blade out of the soldier's body as the man fell to the ground, choking on the blood gushing out of his filthy mouth. Without letting Mi Li see the soldier, Kanari lifted her up onto one of the ostrich-horses, leading them both away from the sight of the body before mounting as well. Jeom straddled the other ostrich-horse, grasping his sword in one hand in case of more attacks. "Quick, we have to hurry to Tyro" he said, and then the two ostrich-horses galloped at full speed through the narrow streets, with Jeom leading the way.
Soon enough they got to the Council building where all the council members were gathered. They dismounted the ostrich-horses and entered the building. They came to a room where Tyro and the other council members were discussing the attack. Kanari held Mi Li close and waited at the door while Jeom went inside to speak briefly with Tyro. Everyone in the room stared at the three. Tyro knew what to expect, and gestured for Jeom to speak.
"Tyro, thank you so much. My family and I are very honoured and grateful for your help, but the Fire Nation is here and we'll be caught if we do not leave now. I feel greatly ashamed that I cannot offer you the same help you offered me, but regardless, I will abide if it is your wish that I stay to help you fend off the enemy." The room was silent for a long moment. "You! So you're the reason for all this trouble!" Everyone's attention turned to the man who spoke out. "You! You're a fire-bender; you're one of them and that's why they're here. He's a spy!"
Every gaze turned to Jeom, then Kanari, and then the little girl. "No, please, calm down. I know them, Jeom and his family are banished from the Fire Nation. Yes, it's true he's a fire-bender, but he abandoned them five years ago," Tyro said, trying to defend Jeom. The council was speechless. Of all people, they trusted Tyro the most and dared not to question his judgement.
"I understand your situation Jeom. You have my permission to leave. You are not bound by anything." But Jeom was hesitant. "But you have a family too, Tyro. And it is my honour to repay you however possible. I'll help you fight off the soldiers until you can regain control of the village." Tyro nodded, impressed, and then announced that all earth-benders were to go to the outskirts, to fight the Fire Nation soldiers. Tyro led everyone out of the crowded room.
Kanari only expressed concern as they left the building. "But Jeom, the soldiers are very powerful and they have large numbers. You may not be able to fight them all," her voice began to shake. "I know Kanari, but I'll only do what I can before we really have to leave," Jeom said with an even tone. But Kanari was not convinced and became greatly anxious. Still, she followed Jeom on the ostrich-horses, heading towards the outskirts of the village. There, other earth-benders were already trying to fend off the attackers, and were failing.
Jeom dismounted, pulled out his weapon and used his sword and fire-bending skills together. Kanari and Mi Li waited from a distance, in the cover of some thick vegetation. Now with the help of Jeom and more earth-benders, the Fire Nation soldiers were beginning to fall back. It all seemed like the villagers were victorious, and soon the last of the soldiers retreated. But now it was too dangerous to stay, some soldiers saw Jeom and recognised him for his skills.
Tyro understood, nodding his thanks in Jeom's direction. Jeom nodded back and quickly returned to where his wife and daughter hid in the bushes. Without hesitation, they began making their journey east. They had just left the boundaries of the village, when the sky got dark, and they entered a clearing. Suddenly, the three were surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers. Kanari feared for the worst while Jeom dismounted. Mi Li was helpless and wasn't sure what she should do.
One of the soldiers began the attack, launching a blast of fire at Jeom. The soldiers became scattered in the clearing, and mainly attacked Jeom. Their tactics were clear; they would first try to distract Jeom, and then when he was not aware, they'd immediately attack Kanari and their daughter. But Jeom knew these tactics all too well, having practiced them himself. Kanari and Mi Li remained seated on the ostrich-horse while Jeom fought in a tight circle around them.
Kanari tried to help Jeom by using her water-bending skills, but her skills were those of an amateur, and she could only stop soldiers that got too close. Mi Li stayed seated in the saddle, with her mother behind her, feeling completely useless. She wanted to help fight and asked her mother for permission. "No, Mi Li, you mustn't fight! Just sit still and watch out," her mother managed to say between attacks. So Mi Li did as she was told, looking around at the horde of soldiers that her parents so valiantly fought, to protect her.
More soldiers fell, and the three of them remained unscathed. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Mi Li saw an archer positioned discretely in the trees. He aimed and pulled on his bow, the tip of the arrow so sharp, that it seemed to have glistened in the dark environment. Mi Li shouted, "Arrow!" but it was too late, because by then the arrow was whizzing through the air, aimed at her mother. The arrow pierced her in the back and she let out a painful cry. At that instant, Jeom turned around to where Kanari was sitting on the ostrich-horse. The soldiers seized the opportunity to attack Jeom from behind.
Some threw blasts of fire at him, whilst others ran at him with spears and swords. Instinctively, Jeom returned his attention to the soldiers, just in time. But now, he fought with an anger so strong, he was like a completely changed man – utterly relentless. Mi Li sat helplessly in the saddle, while her mother who was sitting behind her, was now too weak and wounded to water-bend. She wanted so desperately to fight, but she would never disobey her parents. So, she continued to watch, feeling useless. The rage she witnessed in her father began to scare her. She had never known him to be so angry; he had never displayed this level of fury, and it frightened her to watch his lethal energy, release like wildfire.
Jeom fought and fought, until only a few soldiers remained, but another wave of soldiers was on their way from the valley below. Then, it seemed like the anger was taking its toll. The spur of rage was beginning to wear off, and Jeom was beginning to tire – Mi Li could see this. He thrust his sword into the last soldier standing in the clearing. Panting, he slowly turned to face Mi Li. They stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds, not needing words to express their thoughts. Absentmindedly, Jeom sluggishly paced towards Mi Li and Kanari, gazing at the wet blood-soaked ground; he was exhausted.
When he finally reached the side of the ostrich-horse, he tightly grasped Kanari's hand and looked into her eyes. Kanari had lost a lot of blood and was feeling very faint; the glow of her blue eyes seemed to have faded. Jeom then took Mi Li's small hand with his other hand and looked into her young sparkling eyes. "It's alright Xiao Mi, we'll get out of here and find someone to heal mommy," he whispered wearily.
Mi Li nodded, just when again, out of the corner of her eye she spotted another archer in the trees; only this time the arrow was aimed straight at her. "Ba Ba, another arrow!" Mi Li shrieked and pointed in the direction of the archer, but the archer was all too quick and the arrow went whizzing through the air once more. Jeom did the only thing he could do; he didn't have time to deflect the arrow, so he shielded her with his own body.
The arrow pierced his chest as he turned to face the archer and protect Mi Li. He suppressed a howl of pain as the arrow dug deep into his flesh. At that moment, time seemed to go in slow-motion. Mi Li could only see her father's back, but she knew all too certainly that he had been hit. He stood there for a moment, the breath knocked out of him. Mi Li could only gasp in shock.
Then, with the world still in slow-motion, her father fell onto his knees and then his side, bringing the wound and the arrow into Mi Li's view. "No!" she screamed. She began to sob, the anger building up inside her tiny frame. She jumped off the saddle and knelt down onto the ground, beside her father. "Ba Ba, you can't leave me alone; I don't know what to do!" she wailed between sobs.
Then, as though she had a new-found power, everything around her seemed to disappear and she could only feel the raw energy that filled her. Tears no longer flowed from her eyes and her breathing was focused and controlled. The battalion of soldiers she spotted earlier had finally arrived, and they completely occupied the forest clearing. Nevertheless, she released the raw power and created a huge tidal wave of fire spreading in all directions. Most of the soldiers were wiped out by that single blast. But it was too much; her body couldn't take it. The raw power left her and she became weak and exhausted. She fell limply down onto her knees, sitting beside her father.
They grasped each other's hands and Jeom smiled, but Mi Li was too tired to notice. Suddenly the world seemed to spin and everything became blurred. She only heard the last words of a surviving soldier. "This one is special; we have to take her to the Fire Lord," the man said in a quiet voice. There was a short pause, "and seeing as she's your child General Ming, perhaps I'll spare you and leave you to your fate." Everything went black. When Mi Li woke up, she was no longer in the clearing. She was in a cell, and she was... alone.