Annals, Capital City Library

-Fire Nation Official Records-

-Lavamont Prison incident-

[Year of the Salamander's Egg]

"In the Name of the All-Powerful Fire Lord Azulon. May his reign be eternal."

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Rumors of the events at Lavamont Prison have been greatly exaggerated.

Two insurgents, believed to have led pockets of guerrilla action against the Fire Nation military in the city of Zing-ba, were arrested during the first week of summer in the 62nd year after the appearance of Sozin's Comet. Though their actions were, in the eyes of the law, punishable by death, the city's chief councilman suggested that mercy be shown. The brothers' sentence was changed, and they lived the remainder of their lives in prison.

While it is true that they were stationed at Lavamont, any allegations that the brothers used the location as a base for further illegal activities are nothing but myth.

It is the belief of both Zing-ba city officials and numerous Lavamont deputies that, due to the brothers' popular reputation among the city's criminal underworld, legends and falsehoods developed quickly developed after their imprisonment. To put the brothers to death would be to increase their stature as martyrs, as well as to mark the government as indecisive and dishonest. Therefore, it was decided that the criminals should be hidden from the public eye, and the stories left to die out on their own.

Unfortunately, they did not. The most popular of these stories tells of an impossible escape from Lavamont, as well as new and unproven forms of firebending.

While tales such as this still run rampant, logic makes it clear that the brothers never left the prison. After all, had they truly escaped, why would they refuse a chance to shame the Fire Nation by appearing in public?

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The Cracks in the Shell

-Seing Lee-

I wish I could say that I write this without fear. That I choose to tell this tale without any thought for the dangers it may bring me. This is false. In truth, I write because I plan to remove myself from this world. I shall disappear- plans are already in motion to hide me away. A new name, a new home, a new story to tell.

Yes, I am fleeing. But even as I run, I tell stories- I can only hope the sound of my footsteps does not drown out the truth.

I will not theorize. I will not speculate. I will not create any story but my own, and that will have to be enough. You may do with the story what you wish- you may accept it, or ignore it. You may tell it to others, or decry it as blasphemy against the state.

But never forget.

I was raised in the Capital City, not far from the Fire Lord's estate. By virtue of my parentage, I was in contact with the royal court from a young age- and when Azulon's servants learned of my desire to pursue the art of writing, they tasked me with an assignment. They sent me to Lavamont Prison, where I was to follow the instructions of the warden and his officers, in order to judge my suitability as a possible scribe for the palace.

Neither the court nor the prison told me what I was to record. Not until the day of the fight.

It was the 62nd year of the war. The brothers Yenza and Lin had been arrested on counts of insurrection and leading riots in the city of Zing-ba, and upon their arrival at Lavamont, they were immediately sentenced to a public execution.

I only saw them once, before it all happened. The warden was discussing safety protocols with several guards, and I had been invited to sit in on the meeting. Both prisoners were supposed to be transferred to a different cell block, but I did not know the fortress well enough to greet their arrival with anything but surprise. A senior officer led the two with a chain through the hall- they were close enough that I could reach out and touch them.

One stood tall, facing the men in the room with fire behind his eyes. He stopped, nearly causing the guard to stumble over his own feet, and looked to the warden.

"Prisoner." The warden stood, with a quiet anger in his voice. Before he could say more, the man raised his hands- heavily scarred, from one of the brothers' earlier exploits- and laughed.

He laughed.

I learned later that he was called Yenza. The Mirror. 'He Who Held the Sun'. Myth has given this man many names, but none have caught my mind as readily as that simple laugh. As if nothing in the world- even his execution- could break his spirit.

His companion did not make a sound. Lin kept his eyes low, but I do not believe it was in fear. It seemed that he was planning, even when in that prison. Always thinking. His own hair kept me from seeing his face, but when he turned to leave with the others, I could see a grim smile.

...Lin was never given titles. His life is still a mystery to me- but something in his look convinced me that he shares his brother's strength.

At that moment, I remember a certain thought. These two men struck me, not as villains or figures of legend, but as simple people. How could they be anything but Fire Nation? How could they be allowed to die before a crowd?

Apparently, the citizenry of the Fire Nation was of a similar mind.

Public outcry was strong enough to convince the warden, as well as high-ranking officials in Zing-ba, that an open execution was far too cruel and undignified a punishment. The plans were changed.

Now, as I have said, there is an element of danger in this story. For while the definitive stance of the government was that the brothers' sentence was changed from death to permanent imprisonment, this is simply not true.

The Fire Nation still planned to kill the brothers. They simply needed a quiet way to do it.

Another problem presented itself to those in power: conflicting reports made it unclear if the two criminals were firebenders or not. It was the warden's firm belief that to kill a firebender- for any reason- would be a terrible waste of talent, as well as a blow to Fire Nation pride. In fact, during a particularly ambitious night of drinking, he went as far as to tell several of his underlings, myself included, that true firebenders would always support the Fire Nation. This bizarre form of favoritism may have actually saved Yenza and Lin, for they refused to confirm or deny their status as benders.

They were tested. Day and night, they were pushed to the brink of exhaustion in fights with the prison guards, but fire did not leave their fists. Just as the warden was about to give up completely, therefore sentencing them to death once more, a guard swore he saw Lin bending a flame in his palm.

They kept everything about themselves a mystery, and it served them well.

The brothers were no longer a simple nuisance. They were a challenge, a threat to every authority, from Lavamont to the Capital. The court wanted them dead, but the average Fire Nation citizen could not know. The warden was desperate to know if they could bend or not, and eventually struck a deal with the government that seemed to solve both problems.

He simply forced the brothers to fight each other.

The logic was as follows: if either brother showed firebending prowess, it was assumed that he would win. The prison officials could then force him, with the threat of his brother's death, to renounce the rebellion publicly and swear allegiance to the Fire Nation. Of course, having shown the world proof that the brothers had been kept alive, the warden could execute the non-bender at his leisure, keeping Lavamont in the public's good graces, as well as fulfilling his own personal creed that all true firebenders fight for the government.

If both brothers could bend, the fight would be stopped. Both would appear before the nation as willing volunteers, completely subservient to the Fire Nation. Once again, the plan was to threaten each with his brother's death. All true firebenders fight for the government.

If neither could bend, there was no great loss. The warden would follow his orders. And he would do it gladly, because all true firebenders fight for the government.

In his mind, his actions would only be wrong if Yenza and Lin could bend.

The day of the battle finally arrived, and I was commanded to record it all. The brothers were brought to an outdoor arena, more of a crater in the ground than anything else. Guards surrounded the perimeter. The warden, only a few steps away from me, commented that he expected to be given a job in the Capitol, overseeing multiple prisons, after these events were made known to the Fire Lord.

I had thought the brothers would need to be persuaded. Tortured, even. At the very least, I thought the guards would be forced to once again threaten the one so the other would fight.

I was wrong. The second the guards stepped away, Yenza howled up at the midday sun, then leaped towards his brother with the speed of a leopardhawk.

I scrambled to find my writing supplies, scarcely daring to look away from the scene in front of me. Lin had reacted instantly, crouching low to the ground and striking at Yenza's legs. Off-balance, Yenza stumbled and fell, but he kept his gaze forward. He still looked like he had a plan. Like nothing could surprise him.

Still smiling.

Neither had been given weapons, but never have I seen such ferocity, such eager and unrelenting energy, in any sort of battle. I forgot that the intent was to force either fighter to firebending- their battle was as dynamic as any I'd ever seen. Punches flew as quickly as arrows, and Lin in particular seemed to wield his forearms as both shields and attacking staves. Yenza fought with more grace, dodging Lin's strikes and using his longer arms to his advantage with well-timed blows.

There was no fire. More than once, I glanced to my side to see the warden's steely glare, only guessing that I could see disappointment in his expression.

The guards became engrossed in the spectacle, as well. Rather than holding their weapons to attention, or keeping proper distances along the edge of the crater, they leaned on their spears, conversing with each other as the two continued fighting. It did not enter my mind that this may have been part of the brothers' intent.

Looking back, I do not know why they were so committed to the fight. Perhaps they felt they had to be at the peak of their physical condition. Or perhaps they needed every eye in the arena to be watching them.

A particularly strong kick sent Yenza reeling, and Lin dropped to one knee to catch his breath as well. The natural lull in the fighting didn't seem strange at the time- though I'd never seen any sort of battle like this, I assumed that the brothers would need time to rest, if they were to continue.

The others seemed to agree. In fact, the warden wasn't even paying attention when it started.

Yenza stood, watching Lin carefully, but I noticed he wasn't facing him exactly. His brother was waiting in a similar fashion, standing with his frame turned to one side. If either walked forward, they would not meet, but only pass each other.

Both brothers raised their fists.

A natural firebending preparation. The warden's eyes gleamed.

But something was wrong. Later, much later, I would realize that I had noticed a small detail, but given it no thought. The brothers had closed their eyes.

Leaning forward, Yenza threw both fists in front of him, while Lin traced a hand along his opposite arm, finally pointing forward with three fingers.

...

I am not sure how to describe it.

When it happened- the event that all of Lavamont and Azulon himself swear never occurred- only one thought appeared in my mind.

Heaven.

The word came unbidden to me. I won't try to explain it. But when the two plumes of fire, shining and shimmering with colors I'd never seen before, burst to life and soared into the sky... It was the only idea I could imagine. Heaven's light filled the world that day.

The light was blinding. I do not- and never shall again- use that word lightly. For several minutes, I- along with the prison guards, the warden himself, and any other eyes that saw the fire- was completely blind. I do not remember everything I thought during that time, but there was no heat. Fire that immense, that powerful, should have burned us, even from a distance, but it did not. Almost as if it was meant for this- not to hurt, or even to fight at all, but simply to shine brighter than any other fire.

Maybe even to save lives.

When my vision returned, I found that the others were just as unprepared as I had been. The warden was trying to restore order, but a contingent of guards had already scattered, hoping to find the prisoners before they could escape.

Ah, yes. I should have mentioned that the brothers escaped.

I know it is difficult to believe. After all, if these men truly succeeded, why has no one seen them since? I do not know. I have no clever solutions, but I have the truth. As I said: I will not speculate. I will not create a story beyond my own.

Because... as callous as it sounds, I do not believe my purpose is to bring hope. I do not need to convince anyone that the Fire Nation is vulnerable, or that these brothers are alive and free. All I need to do- all I must do- is tell the truth.

And the truth will be brought to light. I was ordered to write of an imprisonment that never occurred- that is one story I will not tell.

I am a writer, after all. I once thought that meant that I was destined only to tell of facts, that I was simply meant to describe the world as I see it. Now I believe differently.

I believe my destiny is to keep these stories from being forgotten.