Chapter One: Awakening

I dreamt of my childhood. I was a troubled young boy. Orphaned at the age of six I had to fend for myself on the streets of the royal city. It was a rough life but I managed with the help of a few shop keepers I knew. The royal city was huge, probably over a couple million people, and for such a small country, that was saying something. I knew that I had little chance for survival, but everyone around me acted like I was something special. The humans were kind to me only because I was one of them, but the other races, not so much.

My dream started off with the day my parents died. It was a cold November night; clouds covered the winter sky and snow slowly drifted down. I had always loved snow, mother would take me out and build snow castles with me, and she had promised one day we would live in a castle as grand as the palace in the heart of the city.

I was a naive little kid to believe her. Still, she was my mother. I remember going outside with her to play in the snow when a wagon pulled up. Father took me aside and told me to stay indoors.

Two men stepped off the wagon, one tall with pointed ears, an elf, and the other small and pudgy, looked human to me. Both men had black hair and carried with them suitcases, like they intended to move in or something.

My father approached the men and I cracked the window. "…Shall not hear any of it." My father was saying, I didn't catch it all but my father seemed to dislike the men.

"You shall not disobey the orders of the king. To remove us from the property would be to commit treason." The elf said.

"And you know how they treat traitors Remus; remember what happened with that brother of yours." The pudgy man added.

"My son is not a play toy for the king to use at his own whim. You will leave immediately or be removed forcefully."

"You dare threaten us! We are the king's royal guard and you think you can remove us forcefully!" The elf unsheathed a dagger from his pocket.

I silently mumbled to myself, "No father, don't fight these men."

I did not get my wish. No sooner had I said it then my father raised his hand and punched the elf. My mother rushed to father's side, blade in hand. She was never a fighter so I didn't understand why she had done what she did.

She turned her head and yelled, "My son, get away from here as fast as you can!" her last words blotted out by the elf, who had plunged his dagger deep into my mother's gut.

"No!" I screamed, at the top of my lungs. I then raced forward to help, but my father pushed me back. "Your mother knew the cost at which keeping you brought us, now leave before she has died in vein. Leave the city, and do not return!"

So I ran. I ran as fast as I could away from my father, away from the pain. As with all the times I had been in great distress, a trail of fire erupted as I ran. The screams of the elf and my father pierced the cold night sky.

I did as my father asked, I left the royal city, only to be captured and brought upon the king a week later. He was and Elf, and I knew from the stories I had heard that he wasn't a kind one. Still he commanded a country of just over eight million, had a wife and four children, and yet he remained, well I can only explain it as evil.

He ordered me to Earthbend, whatever that was. I didn't understand what he meant, and he was none too pleased that I would not cooperate. I told him time and time again I was just a simple human boy, but he would not listen to me.

I was to be imprisoned until I cooperated with his demands. I spent a couple months in his dungeons, not understanding what I was there for. I knew nothing of any bending, nor did I know the term Avatar.

He was determined to get something out of me so he pressured me and trained me. I was eight by the time I had to escape, taking hostage in a shop near the outskirts of the city. He had beaten me, taught me, and nearly killed me for two years before I got any answers.

I hid in the shop without permission. I didn't care, I just wanted away from the royal scouts that were after me. The owner came home and saw me hiding out behind the counter and scolded me for being there. I told him what had happened, my parents' murder, my imprisonment, my escape, everything. He was an understanding man. He let me stay there for a week, as understanding as he was, he was still a poor man who could not afford to keep an eight year old boy in his home as well.

In that week I got all my questions answered. He told me stories of how the human race was once dominate, proud, and resourceful. They had four great nations, the Fire Kingdom, Earth Kingdom, Air Nomads, and the Water Tribe, but they were long since disbanded. He told me that in each kingdom you could find a specific type of bender, each to his own kingdom. Fire Benders were natives of the Fire Kingdom, and so on. He also told me that there was one bender who could bend all four elements, called the Avatar, and that the Avatar held the key to balance and peace in the world.

It was my heritage, so for the next six years I raided library after library for information on the great bending nations. I only learned of great Avatars who did big things in the world. I also learned that the Avatar had not been seen in the world for over three hundred years. It seemed that the dream of peace and stability in the world was just that, a dream.

That is until I learned of a group of benders living of the coast of this continent. The great continent of Tarok was huge; it covered most of the eastern hemisphere. The island I had learned of was named Kyoshi Island, named after a great Avatar.

So I began my travel to Kyoshi Island, traveling mostly by carriage. I had made it to the coast only to find that I had no way over the ocean.

"But there has to be a ship to Kyoshi Island" I pleaded, "I must go there to find out about the Avatar!"

At this the merchant flinched, he was a stout, goblinish man, short, green skinned, pointed ears. You know, goblin. Well anyways, I argued with him for hours, none of which did me any good what so ever, so I left. I sat on the beach for the rest of the night, falling asleep listening to the waves.

I wish now that I had not fallen asleep.

I was roughly awoken by a group of men, in the royal garb, binding my arms and legs so I could not move.

"Well, well. What have we here men?" A buck tooth man asked.

"The boy that the king 'as been looking for, for what? Six years now?" The man had a weird accent to him.

"Yes you dimwit. And we have him." He chuckled merrily at this. "Put him on the boat then, we sail for the royal kingdom."

The man with the weird accent accosted me, dragging me aboard a ship docked nearby. "You'll love it 'ere mate. Our prisoners are given great treatment, the whole room an' board, yep." He then proceeded to throw me down under, in a disgusting room filled with what smelled like rotten rations.

"'Ave fun in 'ere mate, it's the last light you'll be seeing for a few weeks" He then laughed loudly and slammed the door shut, as all became complete darkness.

My dream faded, as I was getting close to the moment of sleep. I knew my life story too well. I didn't like it any more than anyone else would have if they were me, but the Fates are cruel mistresses.

A bright light erupted all around me. I was weak; I couldn't even feel the sand against my body as I lay there, motionless. All I knew was that I was breathing. Then I heard a voice, a soft whisper in my ear saying, "Wake up, come on wake up" it sounded urgent, like all was riding on me waking up.

I groaned and opened my eyes, and had to squint because of the bright sun. I began to sit up, feeling woozy, and I felt warm hands grip my shoulder. I looked over to see a pretty girl holding me up. I meant to say the first thing that came to mind, which was who are you, but it ended up coming out "Er arg mow."

She giggled, "Charming one, aren't you?" She helped me up, and I could still feel pain in my legs as I began to stand up. "What happened to you? Why were you spread out on the beach like this?"

I was still clearing my head, processing everything around me, and took a while to answer her. I finally said, "I don't know. One minute I was on a ship, the next I was knocked out on this beach."

"A ship? Hasn't been one around these waters in, I don't know, few years at least. The war has been rough."

"War? What war?" I was confused; this girl had made no sense. I knew nothing of any wars, in any part of the world.

"The High Elven Council is trying to take over the world. Where have you been for the last fifty years?" she looked at me like I was an idiot asking a stupid question.

"Well from the sounds of it, not paying attention I guess. What's the High Elven Council?" I figured it was something kids learned in school. I never went to one since I had been an orphan.

She looked at me with a skeptical look on her face and said "Well it was founded fifty years ago by the Elf King of Tarok when he set out to conquer all of the known world, all kids know that these days." She looked a bit worried, but she just helped me walk up the beach.

She brought me up to a small village where there were people going about normal business like shopping, walking young kids, playing catch with a leather ball. I looked around and it seemed to be just a normal small village, I had seen a fair few on my way to the coast from the mainland.

"So this Elf King, what was his name?" I asked her out of curiosity.

"The first High King of Tarok. He took over the continent after only a four year siege. His name will forever be in the history books, Daichi. The elves think they own everything, and without the bending nations, or the Avatar for that matter, they will own everything." She looked away, like the pain of distant memories clouded her.

"Daichi, that name is familiar. Where have I heard it before?" I put my hand to my head and closed my eyes, thinking. Then a vision sparked in my mind, a vision of when I was a young boy, and the King was ordering me to bend, he was the Elf King!

I opened my eyes again and she was holding me, she saw I had opened my eyes and said "Are you ok? You just fainted and I didn't know what else to do!"

It took a little to catch my breath so I could speak. "That's alright, I don't normally faint like that I just had a vision of my childhood."

She gave me an odd look and said, "That reminds me, I never asked your name." She held out her hand, "I'm Korra, named after the last known Avatar, what's your name?"

I took her hand and shook it and said, "I'm Keyx. Mother always said it reminded her of old stories she used to hear, about the civilizations before the benders."

"Anyways, what was the vision about?"

"Oh that, I had a vision of when I was six, and the Royal King was ordering me to Earthbend, at the time I had no clue as to what it was…." My sentence was stopped as she covered my mouth.

"Wait a minute! The war began just a few years after the king declared he had captured what he thought was the new Avatar. Was that you?" She looked to me as if she was hoping her idea was false.

I shook my head yes and said "It very well could have been. He tried to force me to bend. He would never divulge his true intentions though, but I mean I was only six."

She looked shaken up by the knowledge that I could be over fifty years old, and trust me I was shaken up about it too, but there was very little we could do. She led me inward towards a small house in the center of the village. "This is where the village elder lives, who happens to be my grandmother, Arabella Beifong. She is one of the oldest Earthbenders to live in today's world and she might know what to do with you." She explained, before opening the door and leading me into what looked like an old fashioned room.

There was a tea pot brewing over a fit pit and a young girl tending to it, and as I glanced around I saw a bunch of weird gadgets puffing smoke and other unidentifiable stuff into the air, all of which had a different fragrance. We walked past the young girl, you looked up and smiled with a grin that had many missing teeth, and we walked to a back room that had heavy drapes across the walls and was completely dark all except for two candles next to a withered looking old lady.

Korra got on her knees and sat down, so I followed her example. "Grandmother, I come before you today accompanied by a young man whom I think may be the boy you have been searching for."

Arabella Beifong looked up at me and a wide smile ran across her withered face. "Yes, I can sense the power in him. Thank you Korra, you may go now if you wish." With that she gestured to the door. Korra shook her head and stayed put. "I have no problem with you staying, as you are the one who found this young man." She turned to me, "Have you heard the old stories young boy?"

I was confused as to what exactly she meant, and then I thought she may just be asking about the Avatar. "Yes, I have heard and read stories of many great Avatars."

"Then you know about the human races downfall?"

I shook my head yes. Korra just watched and waited.

"I must tell you what has been passed down through lore and legend for three hundred years. It has never left Kyoshi Island, nor has it been printed in books. Only few know the truth of what happened, Korra, would you be a dear and shut the door, this is only for your ears to hear." And with that Korra got up to shut the door.

Once it slid closed Arabella began her story, "When Avatar Aang conquered over Fire Lord Ozai, he created the United Nations, with the help of young Zuko, and his friends in both of the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom. Thus began an era of peace and prosperity in the world. As I am sure you both know he governed the construction of Republic City, the capital of the United Nations, where he envisioned all would live happily together in harmony. Such was not so by the time Avatar Korra came to Republic City. But her defeat of Amon showed the world that war was not the answer. After those events the world once again knew peace. Avatar Korra lived out her days in the Southern Water Tribe where she was born, but she was called upon again in a time of distress. Many of what we now call Portals had opened in the world, cutting a rift in the balance and nature of our planet. Avatar Korra was powerless to stop them and many different races of beings began to flood our world. A war erupted over dispute of the land; many benders thought they should go back from where they came. Avatar Korra was in the middle of it and was still powerless to stop the dispute. The races, mostly the ones that called themselves the Elves, started to slaughter our people. They took our land and our lives. Avatar Korra fought them with all her might, but she was brought down, and with her dying breath she looked into the eyes of her people, and the eyes of her attackers and uttered one simple sentence, 'All will be forgiven, only when all is lost' then she activated her Avatar State, and before the glow left, she was beheaded. She purposely ended the Avatar cycle, so as to restore prosperity, at the expense of peace."

At the end of her story I looked over to Korra and I saw that she was stunned. I must have looked like an idiot because I felt like one. That was a completely different story than what the Elves taught.

"So you mean to tell me I was named after the Avatar that caused the destruction of the world?" Korra stood up as she spoke and an angry light lit in her eyes.

"Calm down Korra, were you not listening? All will be forgiven, only when all is lost!" Arabella quoted. "It has a different meaning than what the Elves thought it did. They believed it to mean that their actions would be forgiven if they took the life of the Avatar and ended the reign of the Avatars, but it was not meant like that, us benders knew differently. Avatar Korra did not willfully put herself into the Avatar State when she knew she was moments away from death, the spirits called to her, they forced their knowledge upon her, knowledge of future events, lost when she was killed. She made a prophecy, and an important one at that."

Korra looked like she had just been hit by a giant hammer. She sat back down and said, "I am sorry Grandmother, I over reacted. Go on."

"The sages past down the story from generation to generation. The Elves who rule over us now would slaughter anyone who said things happened differently than what they believe. So we took refugee under the statue of Avatar Kyoshi, as they had completely destroyed Aang's memorial on Air Temple Island. My grandmother and grandfather were the only remaining decedents of a once great Earthbending family, the Beifong's. Our family had been friends of Avatar Kyoshi, Avatar Roku, and Avatar Aang. Even Avatar Korra knew a member of our family, my great-grandmother Lin Beifong. We were safe on this island so we started a new life, and now it seems the Avatar has returned to Kyoshi Island. I wondered when you would show up."

With that she looked to me with a hardened look on her withered face. I knew she must have been a very beautiful woman in her youth, probably ten years older than me when I was growing up, and she was raised in the shadow of a powerful family name. It all became clear to me at that moment, I must be the Avatar, or else none of this would have happened like it did. My life would have been different if I wasn't the Avatar. I'd still be at my parent's house, throwing snowballs in the winter with mother, or practicing sword play in the summer with father.

All that was lost because of a prophecy made over three hundred years ago. All will be forgiven, only when all is lost. Everything I had had was lost on that cold November evening. It seemed so long ago now, but I finally understood why it had to happen. If it hadn't, I wouldn't be here now, learning who I was; I'd probably be safe at home under a warm blanket with an evil overlord about to start a war.

"So what's first? How do I take up my place as Avatar?"

"Eager aren't you? Well, first we see if you really are the reincarnation of those before you." And with that, she blew out the candles and opened the blinds around the room, letting in the light and revealing a large door at the back of the room with huge stone handles. "If anyone but an Earthbender attempted to open this door, it would seal itself shut forever, luckily I am the only one with access to it." She chuckled and threw her arms out in front of her, and then sideways, moving the door handles without even touching them, opening the door wide and revealing a cavernous room. She motioned us inside, and my mouth dropped when I looked in.