Chapter 1: Catching Up

Isaac heard a knock at the front door. He walked over, and opened it, Asher standing at the door.

Isaac heard a scream from behind him. His daughter Zoe ran from behind him to the door.

"Uncle Asher! You came!" she yelled as she hugged him.

"You think I would miss my favourite niece's 8th birthday?" Asher laughed. When Zoe let go of him, Isaac put his hand out to shake.

"I told you this at the wedding. We aren't closing a business deal." Said Asher, as he hugged his old friend.

"The police didn't follow you here?" Isaac asked.

"According to the police, I am staying with my cousins 200 miles southeast of here, whom can vouch for the fact that I was there." Laughed Asher, "Now can you help me bring this stuff in?"

It had been 10 years since he and Kayla married, and ran away. Isaac still tried his hardest to not be found. Isaac took Asher's suitcase, and helped took it to the spare bedroom. When they were in the room, Asher shut the door.

"I have news, and it's not good." Said Asher.

"What?"

"Do you remember when you and Kayla were captured? You were thrown in the Burning Suns cell, and had to torture a man until he let you out?" asked Asher.

"Yes?"

"Well he broke out of prison 3 months ago. When he escaped, I was set with the task of inspecting the cell. Some of the stuff was pretty disturbing."

"What was it?" asked Isaac, starting to worry.

"Most prisoners etch things into the walls and the floor. When we moved the bed, we found something etched into the walls where the bed covered. "Must Kill the Avatar""

"What? How dangerous is this man?" asked Isaac shocked.

"Very. He must have been training hid firebending in secret because he broke out using lightning and blue fire. Blue fire is a lot more dangerous than the red, and I have a hunch that it is linked to his mental instability." Explained Asher.

"Listen, I don't want you to tell Kayla or Zoe about this. I can probably deal with this guy myself, but I don't want them getting worried." Isaac asked.

"If that is what you want, I won't say a thing."

"So this is where you two have been hiding!" said Kayla, as she walked into the spare bedroom and found her husband and friend, "Did you seriously think you could go the entire weekend without saying hello to me Asher?"

"Hello Kayla. No I knew you wouldn't let me do that, Isaac was just helping me with some stuff." Explained Isaac.

"Well anyway dinner is ready, and Zoe is going crazy with excitement about Uncle Asher being here. Isaac can you please try and calm her down? If this is what she is like now, I am scared of what the birthday cake will do to her." Laughed Kayla, as the two men left the room.

After eating dinner, Isaac, Asher, Kayla and Zoe sat around the table, and sang happy birthday to Isaac's eight-year-old daughter. She blew out the candles, and Isaac cut the cake, making sure not to give his sugar-sensitive daughter too much. When she was distracted, Kayla left the room, and came back with a large box, wrapped in paper, with Zoe's name written on it. She was about to open it, when something happened that shocked everyone.

"Which one of you is the Avatar?" said a raspy voice from behind them. Isaac turned around and saw someone he hadn't seen in years. The man from the Burning Suns. The new blood.

"Daddy, what's happening?" asked Zoe, her fear obvious in her voice.

"Don't worry sweetie, everything will be alright." Said Asher. Isaac realised what Asher was doing.

"I'm the Avatar." Asher said, staring at the man.

"I have a score to settle with you." Said the man, an evil grin appearing on his face. He began to move his arms, electricity appearing at his fingertips. After a few seconds, he flicked his arm towards Asher, the lightning hitting its target, and causing an explosion. When the smoke cleared, the man saw that a wall of earth had erupted from the floor between him and his target.

"Asher, get Kayla and Zoe out of here!" Isaac yelled. He pulled his arms in the air, and the drinks on the table levitated out of the glasses. Isaac froze them, creating icy spears and threw them towards the man who melted them with ease.

Lifting the rubble of the fragile earth wall, Isaac compacted the stones, and moved them to surround his fist. He ran at the man, swinging punches, which were easily dodged. Then a blue fireball covered the man's fist. He threw an uppercut at Isaac which winded him, and made him fall to the ground.

The man approached Isaac, generating electricity at his fingertips. Isaac was still, and the man thought his journey for revenge against the Avatar was over. Suddenly Isaac got up, eyes glowing.

Isaac realised what was going on. He had no control over his body. He had entered the Avatar State. He created a gust of wind with his arms, which pushed the man back. Taking his chance, he shot the lightning at Isaac. He should have died. To the man's surprise, Isaac extended his fingertips, and seemed to absorb the lightning, until the man realised what was happening. Isaac extended his other arm, electricity shocking the air at his fingertips, and shot the lightning he had absorbed towards the man.

The man jumped back and landed on his hands, then generated a jet of flames, pushing him off the ground. He back flipped and landed, dodging his own lightning. Isaac's eyes still glowed white. He waved his arms, pulling water from the air around him, the water extending from his wrist, and 3 whips of flame from his other.

Isaac went on the offence, still unaware of what he was doing, went of the offensive, swinging his multiple whips towards the man. The man dodged them, but was barely able to fit in an attack. Eventually he heard sirens, and knew he had to end this. He put his wrists together, and took a deep breath. A small blue flame appeared at his wrist, flickering faster as he drew breath. Eventually he exhaled, and a jet of blue flame shot towards him. Isaac had never seen anything like this before. He pulled his arms up, and a slab of earth erupted through the floor, stopping the flame. The earth became red hot, Isaac feeling the heat. When it stopped, Isaac pulled his hands down, and made the wall between him and the man disappear into the floor. But the man was gone. Isaac felt himself regain control of his body, and knew he had left the Avatar state.

"Put your hands behind your head and get down on the ground!" yelled one of the local police officers who ran in with their guns pointed at Isaac. He obliged, and put himself on the ground. One of the police officers walked over, and handcuffed him, pulling him out of his burning home.

"Daddy!" Isaac heard Zoe yell. Isaac turned around to see Asher and Kayla by one of the police cars, and Zoe running towards him.

"Go to mum," Isaac said, "I will be fine."

He was forced into a police car, which drove off leaving his family behind. They arrived at the police station, where Isaac was thrown into a cell, to be questioned in the morning. Isaac awoke the next day, to the sound of his cell door opening. But the person standing at the door was second-last person he wanted to see right now.

"You did a good job hiding Isaac." Said Chief Inspector Johnstone.

"Wanting a life tends to cause people to do that." Sneered Isaac.

"Well the game is up now. You are coming with me, and continuing with where you left off."

"No he is not." Said Asher as he walked into the room.

"You really think just because you say so, we will let him go?"

"I have seen what your police force does. They are corrupt. They have committed as much police brutality as Isaac did. When the public hear what your police force has done, and what you have covered up, it will be a lot of bad news for you. Who knows, their reaction might be worse when they find out you are letting a criminal catch the criminals." Said Asher.

"You wouldn't. If you did, I would make sure that you never get a job again." Threatened Johnstone.

"Wow you really think I care?" asked Asher.

"If he doesn't work for us, how do we have any chance of finding the psychopath that attacked his home?" yelled the Chief.

Asher was quiet, and finally spoke.

"Isaac helps you take out the man, but then he is free. You cannot force him to do your work. If you do, the media will hear about the brutality you have covered up."

"Fine." Growled the chief, used to getting his own way, "but for his families safety, they will be put into witness protection."

"What?! No! You aren't taking my family away." Yelled Isaac.

"Isaac he is right, while that psychopath is after you, Kayla and Zoe are at risk of being hurt or worse." Said Asher, "I will take care of them myself if I have to, they will be safe."

Isaac looked at his friend, and then nodded. Knowing he had done what he could, Asher left the room, and the chief went to follow him. Before the chief made it to the doorway, the concrete floor in front of him rose in the doorway, blocking his exit.

"What are you playing at?" yelled the chief.

"It has been 10 years since I bloodbended. When I did, I had the power to end someone's life in absolute pain. I promised Kayla that I wouldn't bloodbend again. If you hurt her or Zoe, you will be next. Don't make me break that promise." Said Isaac. He stomped a foot, and the concrete in the doorway cleared. The chief left, remaining silent.

He thought Isaac was making an empty threat. He wasn't.