Broken Flames

Years later, Teo would remember this night as the night he lost his legs. Lost his mother. Lost faith in his father. Lost his home. Lost everything close to his heart.

But he would also remember it as the night that a beautiful young blind girl saved his life.

Even though he would never know her name, her life, her story – he would never lose the vivid memory of her.

Red hot flames licked at the black night. Screams of terror and panic filled the village. Smoke asphyxiated the fleeing townspeople. Chaos filled the village square at the heart of the Fire Nation raid. The heartless soldiers relentlessly stormed through the once peaceful village. Some rode enormous komodo rhinos, and others continued the siege on foot. They could not care less if they struck a scared woman or child, and they shot bursts of flames at every nearby home.

Teo's mother squeezed his hand so tightly that he had lost feeling in his fingers long ago. Ash coated every inch of their leathery, dry skin. All he could taste was smoke. They blindly ran through their burning home – not even trying to find an exit anymore, just trying to outrun the fire. In the haze, the walls were falling to pieces. His mother tried to stay strong for him, but they knew there was no way out. They both clung to the distant hope that Teo's father would come save them… But when Teo saw the hot tears streaking down his mother's cheeks, he knew that there was no hope.

Everything that Teo had grown to know and love in his short seven years of existence was now engulfed in flames. His family pictures. His bed. His toys –

His mother.

Teo had always loved his mother's beautiful chestnut hair. When she used to pick him up, he would tangle his fingers in her long locks and smell her perfume. Aside from her warm brown eyes and her contagious smile, her hair was his favorite quality in his mother.

A single spark latched itself onto a single strand. In the dehydrated air, it caught whiff of the evening breeze that was feeding the other flames, and her beautiful chestnut hair lit to life. Before Teo could even scream, the single flame roared and spread and burned. His mother could scarcely gasp in the air that was so deprived of oxygen. Her body contorted in searing pain. The acidic air made Teo's eyes sting as he vigorously attempted to pat the flames out with his little hands. Fire seared through her skull and covered her arms scathing burns.

Her agonizing screams were enough to haunt him for the rest of his life. Teo couldn't remember the last time he'd been so petrified. These wounds were fatal. He couldn't save her.

She fell to the ground and locked her gaze with her son. The light flickered behind her warm brown eyes as she released one last broken whisper, "Run, my love."

Maybe it was the lack of oxygen. Maybe it was the intense heat that was making his world shrink and dissipate… but even as his mother died before him, his survival instincts and adrenaline raced through his body like a wildfire… and Teo ran.

He hyperventilated and cried more than he thought he was capable of doing in a burning, collapsing house. He could scarcely move. Dizziness threatened to take over his mind. He couldn't brace himself on the furniture or the walls – Teo stumbled forward and saw that the back door to his house had erupted in flames.

He was going to die here.

He wanted to lie down in the warmth, but the adrenaline racing through his heart fought against it. Still, his breath was released in hollow puffs. His sight was filled with stars. He couldn't stop himself from falling to his knees in exhaustion and defeat.

His hand found the brittle pages of a book that lie open on the floor. Teo's vision blurred, but he deciphered the drafted sketches of various inventions. His father's handwriting was scrawled across the torn parchment. Rage overcame Teo's heart, but he couldn't stop himself from snatching the book and clutching it tightly to his chest. His entire body shivered with hatred and grief as he curled himself around the last piece of his family.

An excruciating pain cut through his legs. The flames reduced his pants to shreds and ate through his thin skin like paper. He was being eaten alive by the fire.

Teo cried out as the searing fire claimed his legs.

Suddenly, the flames parted from the back door, and the moonlight shone through from the outside. Teo was so overcome with relief that he didn't even question how this miracle had occurred. He used his arms to propel himself forward. He rolled into grass that was riddled with ash. His clothes were singed, and he knew that he was burned all over his body – but he was out. He had escaped, which was more than he could say for his mother –

A hand snatched away his father's book.

Teo immediately reached for it, but his hand grasped at empty smoke. When he looked up, all his burning terror melted into a cold fear.

A Fire Nation commander's startling gold eyes pierced through him. The man was easily twice Teo's size with rippling muscles. Three equally tall and intimidating guards surrounded them. A pleasant smile sat on the commander's thin, cruel lips as he thumbed through the pages of Teo's book. "What are you reading, little boy?"

"Nothing," Teo mumbled.

He reached for it again, but the commander hovered high above him. The commander clucked, "Didn't your Mommy ever teach you to share?" He threw the book to his second-in-command, and Teo watched in horror as the man's meaty hands crumpled the pages as he caught it.

"Give it back," Teo said, trying to sound tough, but the commander and his cronies just laughed.

His face flushing red, Teo pushed himself up, but immediately, the other guards caught his arms and pinned them tight behind his back. Teo's heart pounded relentlessly against his ribs. He struggled, but he was too frail and their grip was too strong. His breathing quickened, and his vision blurred in hysteria as they roughly forced him to his charred and bleeding knees.

"What's wrong, pretty boy?" taunted the lieutenant, threatening to rip one of the pages. "Scared?"

"Please don't..." Teo pleaded. His captors twisted his arms painfully, and tears rose to his eyes. He wanted to fight back. He couldn't. He hated himself.

A heart-splitting rip sounded as the lieutenant tore a page from the book.

"No - stop!" Teo cried, but the lieutenant proceeded ripping pages one by one.

The commander grabbed Teo's hair and yanked his head back. Breathing hard, Teo couldn't hide his terror and pain. His arms felt like they were twisting out of their sockets. His fragile knees scraped against the gravel. His stretched neck made it difficult to breath.

In a flash, the commander's fist slammed into Teo's jaw. Teo's head reeled as a knee thrust into his stomach. He coughed and almost collapsed, but his captors' grip remained firm. His glasses had flown off from the force of the punch. He tasted blood, but he had to focus on breathing. Another sharp knee sent him flashing in and out of consciousness. Another punch to the face. Followed by another. Each harder than the last.

Finally, the commander grabbed Teo's throbbing chin. "Look at me!"

Teo's vision swam, and his head felt disconnected. Everything was an eruption of pain. He couldn't do it. The commander forcefully rattled his jaw. "Look at me!" he shouted again.

Not having a choice, Teo struggled to blink open his eyes. The world was blurry except for the murderous heat in the commander's stare. The commander's fingers squeezed together. Hissing through his teeth, he commanded, "Stay down."

Teo's arms were abruptly released, and he felt face first into the gravel. Every muscle in his body shook as he tried to roll over. But before he could, someone violently kicked his side.

Ripped pages fluttered around him.

After an exaggerated snort, a wad spit smacked his cheek.

Harsh laughter followed. A chorus of "You showed him" and "Frail piece of dirt" and "What a coward" floated like an agonizing cacophony of what had just happened.

He didn't know how long he huddled there. Afraid to move. Afraid to speak. Afraid to cry.

Sounds of the ruined village echoed through the air, and his house collapsed around him. The screams soon faded into the night. The flames blew out, replaced by charred wood and hot coals.

Teo's legs were numb. His entire body trembled as he reached for one of the brittle pages. He clutched it close to his heart. Everything hurt. With blood leaking into his mouth and his ribs cracked and his face scarred. Every time the darkness threatened to take over, he gladly welcomed it.

Until he heard gentle footsteps.

Gentle footsteps that stopped beside his limp body. A young girl's voice asked, "Are you alive?" A pair of rough but loving hands rolled him on his back, and a head pressed against his fairly beating heart. He wanted to open his eyes and reassure her that everything was fine and he had merely fallen. But when he blinked through the bits of rock that were embedded in his skin, the night was still spinning.

He forced himself to look at his savior. Maybe if he could make eye contact with her, she wouldn't give up on him. Despite the haze that clouded the edges of his vision, the first thing he returned to the world was her grey eyes, shining in the moonlight.

She was beautiful.

She was blind.

"You're safe now," the young girl whispered. She sounded like she was crying, and somehow, that hurt him more than any punch ever could. "I promise."

The darkness came again, but this time, Teo fought against it. When the girl's hand squeezed his numb fingers, he clutched her warmth for dear life.

But he wasn't winning any battles tonight.

Teo could only hold onto her promise as his world was enveloped into darkness.

Thank you so much for reading! This was written for Sun Daughter's FCP Fiesta Contest, which was released in her story Summer's Day – a.k.a. my favorite Avatar fanfiction. Check it out!

I'd love to know what you thought of the story. It's definitely the saddest thing I've ever written, so any feedback is much appreciated! :)