Chapter 1: Into the Swamp

Present Day (Two years after Kuvira's attack on Republic City): Two squads of six soldiers make their way through a swamp at night, dense with trees covered in vines. The roots of the trees cover the swamp floor and intertwine, making travel difficult in addition to the knee deep water. There's a slight chill in the air and an eerie silence as the two squads wade through the water. Their target is a village located deep in the swamps, about 5 miles away from the Great Tree...

All I can hear is the sound of the water as each soldier continues to wade through it. The first person to break the silence is Mezik, an earthbender in Squad 1 of the Reconnaissance Team. He mutters under his breath, "We shouldn't be out here at night. We shouldn't be here at all. You never attack them at night..." Immediately to my left, Lieutenant Shi says in a hushed voiced, "Be quiet! Do you want them to kill us all?" How did I get myself into this position. Sure I joined the United Forces so I could help my family pay rent and buy food. But I could have joined the Medical Corps or Research Division. I didn't have to be knee deep in water, in enemy territory, and in total darkness, probably surrounded by them now. I let out a little sigh. If only I didn't meet these idiot squad members in training.

Chapter 2: Bootcamp

One year before present day...

It has been one year since Kuvira attacked Republic City and Avatar Korra opened a new spirit portal. Republic City has almost completely recovered and the inhabitants are learning to coexist with the spirits. Bootcamp is in session for the United Forces Class 105...

I'm covered in mud, exhausted, and it's already been 1 month into boot camp. As I try to get up from the ground, something pushes against the back of my head and slams me back into the mud face first. "Zaro, I thought you were the stupidest of the water tribe but are you the slowest too? Get back on your feet and finish the obstacle course." Ah mystery solved. That would be Sergeant Fano, the man in charge of our training and the one with his foot on my head pushing me into the mud. God I would love to just make him trip and land in the mud with me but I just grit my teeth and shout back, "Sir, yes sir!" As I cross the finish line I check to see my place. 14th out 20. Not the greatest, but not the worst and if I didn't slip and have that fun time with the Sergeant I probably could have made top 10. I walk over to my squad and they immediately start laughing. Mezik is the first to attack, "Hey Zaro you know you were supposed to run the course right? Not swim through the mud?" I try to start my defense, "Haha very funny. What place did you come in 20th?" Mezik...the youngest one in squad. He's only 18 and comes from the city. Arrogant, cocky, and doesn't always think first. But the kid is a phenomenal earthbender and metalbender. And I'll give him credit, he's ridiculously strong too. In the end, he has a good heart and he's good for the squad so I don't mind putting up with the jokes. Shi is the next to speak and says, "Mezik when are you going to get rid of that man bun? Or should I say boy bun?" Wow what a dagger. Mezik turns a bright red and starts stammering trying to explain how it's the "new look" in the city. Shi...just one year older than me at 24 years old. Shi is the most confusing one on the squad. She has no bending abilities but can wield any weapon and has some of the fastest reflexes i've ever seen. In a past life I think she must have been an airbender or something. Watching her fight is an incredible sight. It's like she's dancing on the battlefield. Her long black hair just shining and her favorite weapon, the dual swords are just a blur of motion. The confusing part is sometimes Shi is like the team mother. She's concerned about everyone and how they are doing. Then there's the ruthless Shi that demands respect and barks orders at you. It's kind of terrifying but she will make a good leader one day. Break time is over as I snap back to reality once I hear Sergeant Fano. "Break time is over vermin. Sprint to the next station! Combat exercises." Oh no...I can already just feel the impending pain I'm about to be in.

Chapter 3: Boot camp sucks

Combat exercises are about to begin for the trainees. In this exercise, trainees fight 1 on 1 and a winner is declared when someone surrenders or what would be a "fatal blow" is struck. Benders already in the United Forces are on hand to supervise and try to prevent any serious injury from occurring. It is one of the more dangerous parts of training. Even under the supervision of the staff, injuries are quite frequent...

I dive to my right and roll to hide behind a giant boulder seconds before an arrow lands just where I was standing. "Hey Vaddan, you want to go easy on me today?" I shout from behind the boulder. "You should try harder Zaro." The voice coming from the left, probably trying to circle around the boulder and get a shot on me. What an annoying guy, always cool, calm, collected and deadly accurate with his bow. Why couldn't I be matched up against Mezik? He may be strong but doesn't think too quick on his feet. Vaddan is from the country, normally very relaxed and care free. But when he goes into his hunter mode like he is now, there isn't a shot he can't hit. He's got amazing eye sight and can spot an ant from like 1000 yards away...slight exaggeration. On top of that the guy is quick which I guess is crucial as an archer. He's always trying to get the high ground and a good vision of the surroundings. The one thing I have going for me is that the arrows won't kill me. They are arrows developed by Varrick Industries for training. Instead of a pointed end, it has a circular end and some weird electronic stuff on it. I don't exactly understand it but basically it fires electricity into your muscles and body and simulates the effect of a real arrow hitting you. Painful, but it doesn't pierce you and the pain goes away after 20 minutes.

With my back to the boulder I look ahead and spot some water in bin. I need to do something fast because I can't hide here all day. To my left is another giant boulder providing cover and near it is a river. If there's one thing I learned from my waterbending master it's that waterbenders like water. I bend the water from the bin to me and create a wall of ice going from my boulder to the next. As I step out and start to run to the next boulder behind the ice I see Vaddan. He's on a hill probably 25 yards to my left and shooting arrows lightning fast at the ice wall. His arrows puncture through the ice wall easily and fragments of ice go flying in the air. What type of bow does this guy have? I dive behind the boulder safe for the time being and near the river. "How many arrows do you have left? You must be running out by now?" He's got to be out of arrows or at least close right? I've lost track of how many he's shot at me. "Enough". Great, he's totally in his hunter mode and i'm the prey.

There's really three options that I have. I can wait by the river for him to come to me and that is most definitely the smart plan. Or I can try to go from boulder to boulder and hopefully attack him up close where he can't use the arrows. The final option is to try to make him waste his arrows and run around but honestly, he's eventually going to hit me. The guy has amazing aim and already hit me once on the right rib. I screamed in pain and couldn't breathe for like 30 seconds. Those arrow things really suck. Being impatient I decide to try to attack him. Guess I'll show him some waterbending pride or get electrocuted trying.