Avatar's Creed
Before word part one
Well yes, here is the next story I am writing, but I am sure most of you are wondering 'hey what about mindmeld's Of Clouds and Rocks story?' well, I am sorry to say I am cutting that story even shorter due to the fact I just don't like how the story flows. So I will probably make it seven or ten chapters. I can actually promise that this story will be about one hundred percent better, because it has action and romance. This story is much easier to write as well.
Before word part two
Okay! My next story is here! Yes, in case you are wondering the title is quite similar to the game Assassin's Creed (one of my favorites). It is also very similar to the game; just it doesn't take place in the holy lands during the crusades with an assassin named Altair. Instead this story takes place about four years after the war against the fire nation ended. Which means the ages of the characters are as follows: Aang: 16, Toph: 16, Katara: 18, Zuko: 20, Sokka: 20, Suki: 19. This story is also mainly Toph-centric, but the other characters are also focused, but Toph is basically the plot line of the whole story. This will be of course a taang story, and zutara is thrown in as well. And so we begin in the thoughts of Toph when she is 20…
Chapter 1: An offer that can't be refused
Choice… Such a simple word when I think about it. This ability that every human is capable of is said to separate us from animals, which act on instinct and don't make their own choices. We can, however, make all the decisions we want. The hardest part is when we must decide if a decision is good or bad. Then we must choose our path. The strange thing is the line between good and bad is so often faded, that there is bad in good, and good in bad. Four years ago, I had to make a choice… I wasn't sure if it was good or bad, although I think it was an offer I couldn't refuse. It was back in Ba Sing Se…
Toph woke up that morning rather groggily. She sat up and yawned, stood up and took a bath. It wasn't very much like her to do anything hygienic, but every since her famous destruction of Fire Nation airships, she had gained fans and followers, she should probably look clean for them too.
When she was washed, she dressed herself in the green and beige kimono she had, rather than the tunic she always wore. She then fixed her hair and left the apartment for her usual morning walk.
She then realized that she didn't sense Aang anywhere in the apartment, she figured he had already left for the palace and was helping with treaties. He was a rather different boy now, although he was maturing into a man, but none-the-less, he was different. He was quieter, sometimes more tired, and he rarely talked. He would have conversations with her of course, but they were lacking.
She knew he was like this due to the fact Katara and he had broken up, it was mainly Katara who had decided it. Aang wasn't completely heart broken, but the naïve airbender still didn't know why she broke up with him, which was bugging him for so long.
She knew the answer to that as well, but couldn't bring herself to tell him. Toph knew that after a while, Katara had developed feelings for Zuko and she seemed to have longings for him (she wouldn't have been to surprised if the two of them already had an affair).
Of course, both of them had left a couple of months ago to look for Zuko's mother. Since Zuko helped Katara, she would help him. But there were obviously other motives too. Sokka and Suki had both already left to Kyoshi Island (she also wouldn't be too surprised if Suki was going to have a little bundle of joy coming).
This left both Aang and Toph alone in the apartment with each other. Much to her surprise, she enjoyed being with him, they were after all best friends, and during the war, they didn't have much time to spend with each other and hang out. Now they could, and it was in her opinion, they best days of her life.
The streets were slowly beginning to fill with more and more people, most of them waving a and yelling things like 'It's Toph, the Blind Bandit!' or 'The metalbending hero!' and even, 'Hail, airship slayer!' she enjoyed the attention she attracted, the only thing she didn't like were the boys that she could tell were looking at her, but their eyes were drifting all around her body.
It made her feel rather uncomfortable, somewhat flattered, and extremely angry. When she had started to… well, 'grow' she had a feeling that things would change, including everyone's reaction to her looks. She did have the occasional drunk proposer (some young, some old, which was very scary). She refused them all of course, she'd rather have a husband who didn't stare at her all day.
She was distracted from her many thoughts by what she knew was a hidden man in an alley way, and he had a knife. His body heat was slightly cooler, which meant he was hiding in the shadows in dark robes. She casually waked to the alley way and turned, walking down it waiting for the man to strike.
When he had moved once, she hastily turned, and trapped his arms and legs in rock braces on the building behind him. She ran to him and put one hand on his throat, and the other in the air ready to strike if need be.
The man laughed, "Very impressive, the master was right about you."
"What master? Who are you? Why are you here?" she bombarded him with questions.
"My master leads the brotherhood, I am a scout, and I am searching for you, the legendary Toph Bei Fong." He answered all of her questions with complete calmness.
"What do you mean by the 'brotherhood'?" she asked.
"We uproot evil from the world, we could have tried to stop Ozai, but he was too much, and we stood no chance against his full might. There are new dangers appearing, and the master wants you to meet him so you can help us." He answered for her.
"Why don't you just get the avatar to help you?" she asked.
"Because the avatar won't bother helping with our methods. If you would come with me, I can take you to our master and he can tell you what can be done to protect the world." The man finished, waiting for Toph's reply.
She was wary of this man, but if she went with him, she could learn what was going on, and if anything went wrong, well, she would take care of it, "Fine, take me there." She commanded.
"As you wish." He obliged. She released him from the bonds and he led her to an ostrich horse and the rode off out of the city.
Meanwhile, Aang had a severe cramp in his hand. He was also very tired. He had gotten up very early that morning and flown over to the palace to help verify and sign treaties. When he had finished, he took the pile to the Earth King, Kuei.
"Thank you so much, Avatar Aang." He said gratefully, "You have done so much. I take it you will go back to the apartment to see your girlfriend?"
"My what?" he replied aghast.
"Your girlfriend, the blind girl, Miss Toph." Kuei said back to him.
Aang smiled, "You're mistaken, Toph and I are best friends, and we're not together."
"If I were you, I would get together with her, she is a very beautiful young lady, and she would be perfect for you. I find that you both look very, well, cute together." He pressed on, making Aang feel very, very uncomfortable.
"I guess I'll keep that in mind, so I guess I'll go now." Aang said back to the King, bowing politely and then leaving the palace, flying back to the apartment.
When he walked in he yelled, "Toph, I'm back." When there was no answer he figured she was on her morning walk. He shrugged and decided to make a big breakfast for the both of them, he had gotten much better at cooking over the last few years and made their meals most of the time.
He walked over to the stove and fire bended a fire and took out bowls, plates, and utensils. As he cooked, he couldn't stop thinking about what Kuei had said. "We're friends, nothing more." He said out loud to himself, hoping it would reinforce the concept, but truth be told, he did have a small thing for her.
He couldn't exactly help it, deep down he had a soft spot for the earth bender. She was funny, playful, enjoyable, and extremely pretty. He tied his best not to stare at her at times, due to her more mature appearance. Her gentle pale skin always glowed radiantly in the moon light, and her raven hair looked so soft and smooth, she had indeed become a beautiful young woman, and he wondered if maybe, just maybe, he would like to be with her.
Toph had arrived at the location of the so called 'brotherhood'. When she dismounted, the vibrations that came back were that of a huge fortress, with at least a hundred or more people moving through it.
In the central courtyard there were men practicing with swords, guns, and other weapons. Inside most people seemed to read or study.
The man beckoned to her and she followed him inside to an upper level of the castle. She was led to a cloaked and hooded man who stood over his desk, reading a piece of paper on it, he looked up and smiled at the girl before him. All Toph could tell was, he was old, very old.
He looked like a kindly grandfather, even the smile seemed of a grandpa happy to see one of his grandchildren wanting to play with him. He had a graying beard, and a bald head. His eyes twinkled blue, and he had withered skin, but he seemed unusually nice.
"Hello, Toph Bei Fong," he bowed, he had a strong voice to make up for his elderly appearance, "I am Wan-Shu. I am the leader of this entire brotherhood."
She did not bow back, instead she yelled, "I'm getting fed up with this whole *censored* secretive brotherhood thing! What or who are you guys?"
Wan-Shu was not taken aback, instead he replied politely, "We are a brotherhood of assassins, and we specialize in making the world a safer place."
"By killing." She supplied for him, not entirely concerned with the fact she was amongst hundreds of trained killers.
He smiled and said to her, "We do not kill those who are not our targets, it is not our way, nor do we kill for money, we kill those who are a danger to the security of the world."
"What do you need me for?"
"We want you to become the first sister to the brotherhood. We know of your remarkable talents and want you to join us."
"That isn't happening." She retorted bluntly. Turning, she walked away, but as she knew, at least ten other hooded men appeared some with swords, some with guns. They obviously his in the shadows, but she knew of their existence in the room, if it wasn't for the fact she was so busy concentrating on the conversation she could have realized what they were armed with and how to fight them. She wanted to strike, but she had to submit, for now. "Fine, I'll join." She said to them, turning to face Wan- Shu.
"Good, I'm pleased." He replied, a smug smile across his face.
"But, Aang will be wondering where I am, he'll come and stop you." She told them in a 'know it all' tone.
"We've already thought of that." He began. "You will go back to Ba Sing Se, once you are there, you will have three days to come up with an excuse to leave for good. If you do not, we will kill you. And don't tell the avatar what is going on, if you do, we'll know, and you will suffer the consequences."
The deal sounded fair enough, and it was exactly what she wanted him to do. "Fine, take me back to Ba Sing Se then." An escort took her back to the ostrich horse and it rode back to the capital.