AVATAR—The Last Firebender—an ATLA classic with a few interesting nationality/plot twists.
AUTHOR'S NOTES—y'allz can take a small bit of comfort in knowing that this is not just the Avatar plotline where the characters have been mixed around. There are different events and plotlines mixed in as well. Furthermore, I like feedback. [/HintHint]
Also worthy of noting is that this story is divided by episode (with most episodes having multiple "parts"). Therefore, just like with the real series, you can jump into any given episode by clicking the appropriate chapter. Chapters that have unfamiliar names have a tendency to be explanatory sections that either help explain the status of the world, or gives a little insight on the AU backstories of some of our favorite heroes. [notably at this point are chapters 15 and 16. Chapter 15 touches on the lives of Sokka and Katara, while Chapter 16 gives insight about Zuko's Family, as well as how the Air Warriors rose to power in the first place.]
PROLOGUE
Water.
Earth.
Fire.
Air.
Long ago, the Four Nations lived in harmony together—but that all changed with the rise of the Air Warriors. Ferocious fighters from the Eastern and Western Air Temples, the Air Warriors were relentless marauders who sought revenge on the world for the damage done to the Air Nomad society years ago. Their first target was the Fire Nation—the same land that in times past had nearly wiped out the Air Nomads in their entirety.
Their attacks continued, and they gained favor in the eyes of the powerful Northern Water Tribe. The Air Nomads in the Northern and Southern Air Temples fought as a resistance force, but they were hardly prepared for the violent attacks that befell them. They soon had little choice but to back down from the war, or they too would be annihilated by the Air Warriors. These raiders saw little difference between fellow airbenders and enemies.
Only the Avatar, Master of all four elements, would be able to stop them, but then the world needed him most—he vanished... There were stories that by this time the Air Warriors had control over the Air Temples, the Fire Nation, much of the Earth Kingdom, and parts of the Northern Water Tribe. The Fire Nation was all but devoid of benders.
My Uncle and I soon discovered the new Avatar—an Airbender named Aang. Surprised that he was not an Air Warrior, we learned that he had little knowledge of the other elements either, let alone firebending. We're not sure if there are any of them left, but at this point, it seems that the only way out of this war would be to resurrect the old Fire Nation tactics of old.
Now we just need to find out if there even are any firebenders left in the world…
=Zuko=
AVATAR: THE LAST FIREBENDER
BOOK 1: WATER
CHAPTER 1-1: THE BOY IN THE ICEBERG, PART 1
Waters around the Southern Water Tribe; midday
Another skirmish had broken out again in the waters surrounding the Southern Water Tribe. Not to the surprise of the Southern Water Tribe warriors, it was another Air Warrior raid. The convoy of Water Tribe ships had been returning from a trip to a small icy island where they were able to rest up. They were on their way home from an excursion that had taken them to the southern Earth Kingdom, and so this was their last sstop before the Southern Water Tribe itself.
"Third time this week," Chief Iroh muttered as he ordered his warriors to the defensive. Air Warrior dive-bombing raids were always deadly strikes. They had the skies to their completely advantage, and there were the occasional times where their victims could do nothing but watch and attempt to defend as these relentless female foes came and attacked them. However, Iroh's Southern Water Tribe was definitely not one of those who would just back down and be gutless.
"Zuko," Iroh called out, "help them launch the iceberg spikes!"
Zuko simply nodded to acknowledge what his uncle said, and he helped a couple of other waterbenders form ice spies about 2-3 feet long. They set them in a catapult and flung them out. The Air Warriors took serious evasive maneuvers, as Iroh's Iceberg Spikes had proved in times past to be the bane of gliders or war balloons. While airbending could often times keep the airbenders afloat, it was also very conventional to launch raids using balloons with heated air, or gliders, which also served as great dive-bombing forces. The Air Warriors could condense the air around their target and then let it loose, which created an explosion-type effect.
A few of the spikes hit their targets, but it seemed for every two or three Air Warriors they downed, one of their ships was sunk. Iroh's ship eventually became the last one still afloat, but the survivors simply froze themselves some icebergs to climb up onto, and then attacked from there. The nonbender warriors were the ones they had to watch closely, as they could not bend themselves out of the freezing waters like the waterbenders could.
Zuko was part of the aiding force in rescuing some of the nonbenders who had not found something solid to stand on. Despite the fact that they could not bend, they were still valuable assets, as their spears, arrows, and boomerangs were excellent forces at knocking these air raiders out of the sky.
Naturally, the waterbenders were the first targets for the Air Warriors, and once they were gone, they could just leave the nonbenders to freeze or drown in the frigid waters they were in. they aimed for anything large enough to stand on, and several waterbenders were able to divert the forces, but the Air Warriors had speed and the sky working for their advantage. They were also able to use the waters by forcing winds against the waters, creating waves.
"Damn it," Zuko swore under his breath,
"There's too many, uncle!" he shouted towards Iroh, who seemed unbothered.
"I understand that," Iroh called back, "but what choice do we have at this point—ZUKO GET DOWN!" Iroh brought large tendrils of water up between them, engulfing himself and Zuko. These water whips dragged the two waterbenders into the water, right as they heard a deafening explosion above them.
Iroh had used waterbending to form water around himself and his nephew, which he then froze. The impact from the blast above them, however, cracked the ice. However, it was enough for Iroh. Incidentally, this same tactic had been used by an avatar—over 100 years ago, and in a very similar location; also to avoid similar circumstances.
"bend the water away from your face," Iroh advised, "we've got to crack this up before the Air Warriors notice we're still alive."
Zuko did what he was told to, and the iceberg shattered as Iroh dissipated it. The two waterbenders remained under the water beneath a large piece of debris, but only for a few minutes. They knew that luckily, the Air Warriors did not linger after an attack—and it was a good thing, because the water was not feeling very good, and Zuko could already feel his feet growing tingly.
The two waterbenders emerged from the water. The battle was surprisingly short, and true to Iroh's assumption, the Air Warriors were already seen in the distance flying away.
Thinking quickly, Iroh and Zuko used their bending to form a large-sized iceberg, which they calmbered onto, and then bended the water out of their clothes to dry themselves off.
"Much better," Zuko thought to himself as he glanced at his uncle.
"So what are we going to do now?" he muttered to him, "it doesn't look like there are any survivors here."
"alas, it does not," Iroh sighed, "we need to make it back home now that our convoy has been broken up. I do not think we should try to forge our way back from here though—we should return to the other island."
'The other island' that Iroh was referring to was a massive ice sheet that served as a miniature base for various members of the Southern Water Tribe. It was not much, especially compared to the Southern Water Tribe village, but it made the stop hospitable, which it otherwise would not have been.
Without the ship, it obviously took much longer for Iroh and Zuko to reach their destination. However, when they arrived, they ran into yet another setback—it had been razed by the fleeing Air Warriors, who had found its location.
Zuko was furious. He had been working on controlling his anger for a long enough time, but even the calmest person can eventually get angry. He yelled loudly and jumped, stamping the ground with great force. In his anger, his waterbending cracked the ice in front of him. He stopped Iroh remained wary as well. Both of them were ready for yet another attack, but this proved to be something far different.
An iceberg—spherical in its shape, rose from the massive cracks in the ground. Zuko and Iroh both looked at each other with skeptical glances, but eventually, the rising iceberg stopped.
"don't make any sudden moves," Iroh warned, "we do not know what this is."
"When did that stop us," Zuko remarked, almost cracking a smile,
Iroh grinned. "it didn't," he replied, and he and Zuko approached the frozen sphere.