Ren was, once again, angry at the so called 'leader of the Revolution.' Why was Hantu always leaving him behind? He could bet on the fact the kid wasn't even half his age - and therefore hadn't half his wisdom and experience - and he knew he could do those missions! How could the others accept his decisions so easily?

The mission was easier said than done; They needed to infiltrate a Fire-nation base.

-"I'm gonna beat the shit out of him and he'll see if I'm not trained enough to infiltrate the base of those filthy Fire-scum!" he muttered with venom.

All those who heard his words had something to say . Some laughed as if mocking him – which didn't help his temper - while others – probably having already been through that phase - grew paler. One of the latter came up to him; she wore a serious, but understanding, expression.

-"Believe me, you don't want to provoke him," she opened calmly.

-"Why? He's just a kid, what does he even know about the war? He is always hiding behind this council of his! I bet he doesn't even know half of what he says means!" A small chuckle broke him out of his rant. Ren glared murderously at his new company which - he was satisfied to notice - dulled her glee a little.

-"Seriously? You really don't know what you're talking about, do you?" The woman said, grinning again. "That 'kid' as you call him could kill you before you even knew he was there... He didn't gain his notoriety by sitting about, dully following the orders given to him, no, he accomplished everything by himself, reigniting a dying hope and unifying every nation to end the war. That council is the proof even infallible masters can trust him, and far from protecting him, they may be the ones who actually push him the most." Ren was not impressed.

-"And how would you know that? You saw it?" Ren was pissed. He refused to be manipulated by those guys, he joined the Revolution because he wanted to fight against the Fire-nation bastards, and the Revolution, with its incredible victories, seemed to have a chance to defeat them. He had heard what a great warrior their leader was, said to be in tune with the spirits themselves and to be as proficient at strategy as at fighting! And that profiency could only be incredible, considering the threat the Revolution proved to be to the Fire-nation! But now he was there, angrily yelling at a brat, a mere boy, for not sending him on a mission… What, by the spirits, went wrong? Well at least they were probably not lying about the 'as proficient at fighting as at planning' thing, the boy clearly can't do either! Smirking wryly at the thought, he refocused on the woman who didn't seem that amused all of sudden. What happened? Until then she just seemed to mock him… Seeing the girl - she still hadn't given him her name- hadn't answered, he tried again, more curious than angry, now. "You weren't there, were you?" His voice was hesitant.

After enough time that he thought she wouldn't answer him, enough that he was ready to snap at her again, she actually –finally! - talked.

-"…You're not the only one who thought like that… When I first joined, I made the same mistake… Well…" She paused, her eyes seeming haunted by memories, and really bad ones at that. However, she continued, her voice cheering a little, sporting a strange, solemn –dare he say maternal?- tone. "I'm now more than ready to give my life for him."

Ren looked at her strangely; what was wrong with her? She seemed frankly bipolar! Did the kid - or one of his worshippers he thought gloomily - brainwash her…? That thought unsettled him. Was it why there were so many people who stood for his cause? It kindamade sense… But why wouldn't they brainwash everyone when they join? To attract other people was his first thought, after all, the girl apparently fought against the council, and there's only a slight minority who blanched when he thought out loud… If they brainwashed everyone, people would be able to tell and they wouldn't join anymore… But what was the objective of all that? Just thinking about it sent shivers down Ren's spine… He'd just discovered something awful…

Worse…

Not knowing who the brainwashed were, he couldn't trust anyone to help him put them down… His eyes widened in horror; what was he going to do?

The new recruit seemed shocked, what was wrong with him? Why was he acting like he just saw a ghost? Seemingly suddenly aware of her gaze on him, said man didn't just run but bolted out of sight…

Confused, the woman watched him scarper until he disappeared around a corner.

Recruits… They get stranger and stranger every month…

Ren didn't know what to do, he pushed his way into the dormitory room and went for his assigned bed, looking frantically around him in search of the 'zombified' rebels. What was he gonna do, what could he do? He was frantic and felt helpless about the situation. The only thing that could be done to break the spell the boy put on the rebels must be to kill him, wasn't it? Yeah, all he had to do was to kill the boy... Easy, right?

…

Or not… Hantu was only a kid, could he live with himself after that?

But it was for a good cause, so it was the right thing to do, wasn't it? The Revolution needed to be aware of the danger its small boss represented! And, if the boy had such power, did it mean the whole council was zombified too? Probably… That way he could bring more and more people to his cause… The whole thing could run far deeper than that… Ren shivered. Yes, he had to kill the boy no matter what!

A grim expression settled onto his face as he prepared mentally for what he would do when a traitorous thought passed through his mind… What if he destroyed the Revolution? It was the only thing standing between his beloved kingdom and those Fire-nation jerks… Maybe it wasn't a great idea to do that now… After all Hantu was currently helping the world with the Revolution, so maybe waiting a little more wouldn't hurt them, would it?

Then he thought of his wife waiting for him at the surface… Were there people who didn't want to be there? Did he zombify people into the Revolution - at least at the beginning - to gain strength and power? The mere thought chilled him to the very core – a tiny part of his mind was annoyed at the alarming number of times he had actually been frightened by the child in the span of minutes. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to forget his wife and his life, his whole life just because a boy wanted to play the hero. He had to do it.

There was no choice.

He had to do it, now.

Zuko sighted, today wasn't a good day, the enemy had managed to somehow discover a part of the hidden tunnels under Omashu and blow it up, killing a dozen of his men, and while they could consider themselves lucky to have lost so little of their workforce with the impressive explosion, he couldn't help but feel guilty… He was the one who sent them here, he should have seen it coming, the enemy was more and more frantic in their search, especially near the greatest towns of the Earth-kingdom, Ba Sing Se and Omashu.

He considered this blow as a defeat.

He sighed.

Today was definitely not a good day.

A light knock broke him from his reverie, he tightened the band before his left eye and absentmindedly called the person in.

A brown-haired man who seemed to be in his late twenties entered. He was obviously stressed and bowed to him nervously.

-"Sir, ther-", began the young man, head still bowed, clearly intimidated by his leader. It made Zuko smirk slightly, the situation improving his mood a little.

-"Call me Hantu, I'm not nearly old enough to be called 'sir.'" The fourteen year old boy interrupted him with a smirk on his lips, but an expression of disgust as the word 'sir' left his mouth. "And stop bowing, we aren't in the army!"

The young man looked up in surprise before looking away and blushing furiously, embarrassed at himself.

-"I... uh… Yes, si- I mean- Hantu." He said quietly, still not looking at him.

When the silence stretched and the man started to wriggle in front of him, Zuko raised his eyebrows.

-"Weren't you gonna said something? You know the reason why you came here in the first place, right?" He asked, half amused, half confused – he was having that much of an effect on people?

He didn't think the man could be much redder but he proved him wrong…

-"I… Th… There is that man –Ren I think- who wants to see you, saying he doesn't approve of your leadership." He answered, still not looking at him but a little more at ease.

Oh? So that's why he came? Maybe that man could prove himself to be interesting and lift him from his bad mood? After all it's happened before, people who turned against him because of his age or his unknown past, and it was always really interesting.

-"Well, I'd best meet him then, where is he?"

Zuko followed the man, Turi -a waterbender as it seemed by the way he moved- to see the disgruntled man. The long stony hallway led onto an equally stony cavern, almost making him whine; sometimes he was tired of all that stone and longed for the outside world, and the sun… Especially the sun…

No matter what he wondered the man would look like he clearly didn't expect to see the field of flying stones that greeted him. A cloud of shards flew towards them. He narrowly avoided them, wincing slightly when he saw Turi hadn't. The activity in the cavern seemed to stop, people looking at them with surprise. Then the surprise turned to shock and rage at the earthbender threatening their leader.

Zuko glanced at the form lying in front of him; most of the stones were flying his way, Turi didn't seem too badly injured but hell if he was going to lose another of his men today! Dropping into his 'Earth-kingdom-style' stance he blocked and broke the stones whirling him, missing the almost aerial grace of his Blue-spirit persona who would have been a lot more helpful. But he was Hantu right now, he couldn't afford to do what Hantu couldn't. He was getting closer and closer to the earthbender he could see in the middle of the cave. When he saw an opening, he leapt at the earthbender, his knife pressing to the attacker's jugular.

-"Stop it, now." It wasn't yelled nor was it said particularly loudly but in the sheer silence that had felt on the cavern, the world took a strength that Zuko didn't expect. But he was seething and as long as his words had the intended impact, he didn't mind being threatening.

He needed to save his men from danger, all of them.

Ren gulped, Hantu behind him, holding a knife at his neck and talking with a voice so cold, Ren dropped the stones without even thinking twice about it.

-"Lino, Kamoru, take Turi to the infirmary." The leader barked the order at two Water-tribe men.

-"No, I… Uh… I'm fine, sorry." Turi spoke from the floor, a slight bit shaken and holding his arm which was bleeding, but not too profusely.

Ren winced slightly, he didn't think the young man would be hurt in the fight. Well, it was hardly much of a fight, but he had to stay optimistic. He looked away in shame, thanking Oma and Shu for not having harmed him more than what seemed to be a few scratches and scaring him.

-"I still want you to go to the infirmary." Hantu said a little more calmly. "As for you..." He fixed his attention on Ren and forced the knife a little deeper into his neck. "Tell me exactly what you thought attacking me and harming one of my men doing so was going to bring you."

-"I…Uh…" Ren suddenly thought he was very foolish, how could he have not taken the woman's word for what it was, the truth? He thought that because Hantu was a child, he could beat him easily, and that he was not dangerous at all, but of course he was! He was the head of one of the most respected institutions, how could he not be dangerous! Now, Ren could see why people trusted him in a fight, but he still didn't understand why they wanted him to lead them, but now thought that maybe the boy wasn't as dishonest as he'd imagined.

-"Kill him! I'm sure it's a Fire-nation spy!" came a voice from somewhere in the cavern, followed by supporting shouts from everywhere at once.

Ren was first frozen, shocked, but then rage seemed to boil in his veins, how could they say that? They didn't know him! How could they-

He was thrown to the floor by Hantu, which effectively calmed the crowd down, thinking their need for blood would be quelled. Ren's throat tightened, feeling his end was close, Ren steeled himself and gritted his teeth.

-"I asked you a question, and I expect an answer." Hantu was looking down at him.

-"Hantu, you don't need his answer, you saw it yourself, he is a traitor!" No one noticed how Hantu stiffened at that.

-"I'M NOT!" Screamed Ren. "I'm not, you have to believe me! I thought… I… I'm sorry." His voice was pitiful.

Zuko gritted his teeth, why were they using such words as 'traitor', huh? The memory of his father still burned sharp in his memory. No, he couldn't think about it right now, he needed to focus on the present. The present where a crowd tried to lead him to murder someone in cold blood just for speculation… Justified speculation but still…

Then the man screamed he wasn't a traitor and begged him to believe him… Definitely not a good day…

Trying to calm himself down, Zuko mused on what could have brought the guy -Ren, as said Turi - to try and kill him, it couldn't be only for his young age, could it? Wait, Ren? He had seen this name not so long ago… Where was it? Then he remembered, the mission! The guy had volunteered but Zuko dismissed him because he still didn't know his capacity! Well, now the guy had proved himself to be a good earthbender, not many could bend that much earth at once, it could be useful.

Provided that he was actually on their side of course…

Then the man shocked him by getting onto his hands and knees and bowing to him.

-"I was wrong, I lay my life into your hands only, I'm not a traitor and I… I thought I was doing the right thing… I'm sorry." Zuko looked at him with wide eyes, a part of his mind screamed at them all for making him remember the worst day of his life, another part could only respect the man for accepting responsibility for his wrong doing. Once he recovered, he couldn't help but laugh, almost maniacally.

Ren looked up at him wide eyed, and the forgotten crowd was also looking strangely at their leader, what was happening to him? Then Zuko talked, breaking the heavy silence.

-"Tell me… Tell me why we should kill him." This was addressed to the crowd, but he looked at Ren in front of him, the poor man seemed utterly terrified…

After a little moment of uneasy silence, Zuko continued.

-"If he were to be a Fire-nation spy, he would be useful to us alive, am I right?" Seeing that no one dared to answer, he strengthened his voice, his one eye still piercing through Ren. "Am I right?" The crowd agreed, albeit reluctantly. "Then, if he isn't with the Fire-nation, which I think is true, he would still be better alive, am I right?" Once again the crowd murmured its agreement. "So… Explain to me, why should I kill him?" The utter silence that followed the question was all one needed to know the answer. Or, more accurately, the lack of one.

"You thought you were doing right." That was a statement and something snapped within Zuko, but he held it together, not now, he couldn't break now, the man would die. "You think a kid can't fully understand the evils of war, he can't handle leading a whole organization." It became almost too much for him to bear, almost. "You think I can't be the leader the world needs, huh? You think that I can't end the war." Zuko's composure was crumbling, but he couldn't, wouldn't show weakness! "You're right. I can't." He took a deep gulp of air, "But all of us, together, we can. So either you join us or you can get out." Then he broke eyes contact, looking at the crowd, glaring at them. "It would be best for everyone to remember that! We need to be Fire-nation is, they act together and we all know where it led us. They won. For a hundred years." A lot of people stared at him, wanting to protest but every last one of them knew, they knew about the division of the Earth-kingdom, they knew that, no matter what seemed to happen, the Tribes and the Kingdom never helped each other, seemingly retaining grudges from before the war. And more importantly, they knew that last statement was true. No one spoke, but all knew the irrefutable truth.

"Now is the time for us to turn the tide."

Zuko shut his eyes for a moment, not enough for them to notice. "I won't be the cause of yet another death." He promised himself in a whisper.

He was positive no one heard it.

He walked back to is quarters, without even a last glance to the man at his feet.

He felt empty.

If that guy thought he was doing something good while he was actually doing wrong, how could he know what he was doing was good? Was his nation right? Was the Earth-kingdom and Water-tribe right? Were they all wrong? Then what was right?

What is right, Uncle?

Ren was on his knees begging the kid – no, Hantu - to understand him, understand why he did this, he just wanted to protect the people! And he still believed the kid had some power of his own. He shuddered. Maybe the rumor were true? He was connected to the spirits? Or was he himself a spirit?

Then the teen laughed. Ren was frozen and looked at him, terrified. He was a spirit, that's for sure! No one could be that terrifying with just a laugh!

Then he caught something in the eyes of the leader… Was it… was it desperation? The kid –Hantu- suddenly looked worn out in Ren's eyes, he wondered for a moment if the crowd had seen that too, had seen the haunted look in the kid's – Hantu! By Oma and Shu why couldn't he get it straight!?- eye. After that, the silence stretched and another shudder ran through him…

-"Tell me… Tell me why we should kill him", Hantu asked.

Ren could feel the eye scrutinizing, piercing, scouring, raking him. Spirit, what was with this boy? He was terrifying! Lost in his horror, Ren started when Hantu spoke again.

-"If he were to be a Fire-nation spy, he would be useful to us alive, am I right?" The silence was suffocating… Ren didn't think he could talk if his life depended on it –which probably was the case…

"Am I right?" He heard a low murmur of reluctant agreement coming from the crowd, he wasn't the only one unsettled by the event…

"Then, if he isn't with the Fire-nation, which I think is true, he would still be better alive, am I right?" Hantu believed he wasn't siding with the Fire-nation? - He was so relieved he didn't even think about adding the usual fierce bashing of said nation - He didn't dare risk getting his hopes up (idiom)…

"So… Explain to me, why should I kill him?" Without Ren's control, his hope bloomed, would he get out of it alive? His throat was so tight it was painful to just breathe –but he breathed, wasn't it amazing? He was alive!

"You thought you were doing right." Yeah, that was it! That was it! The kid understood, he did!

"You think a kid can't fully understand the evils of war, he can't handle leading a whole organization" Now there seemed to be something in the boy's voice, Ren couldn't identify it, he almost missed it with the sheer relief he felt, but still became a little worried.

"You think I can't be the leader the world needs, huh? You think that I can't end the war." The statement doused (A term to suggest a literal drenching with water or a dampening of the spirits. Not sure if that's the term you're looking for) him, he was such a fool for not having believed in the kid, he could do whatever he wanted, now Ren was sure of it. Wasn't he already changing the world?

"You're right. I can't." No, no, NO! He could, he could! He was maybe the only one who could!

"But all of us, together, we can. So either you join us or you can get out." Ren couldn't formulate coherent thought at that. Hantu was letting him be a part of the Revolution again? How? He tried to kill him, but…? How?

"It would be best for everyone to remember that! We need to be Fire-nation is, they act together and we all know where it led us. They won. For a hundred years." Ren looked at him in horror, but Hantu wasn't looking at him anymore, his eye was turned to the crowd, showing every kind of emotion he couldn't define.

It was true, so true, they were pushed beyond their limits by the Fire-nation, but it still wasn't enough, they still pushed, unbreakable. But sadly more and more bearable every day, more and more present, it was more and more common to see those fire-scums in the kingdom, it left a sour taste in his mouth…

It was becoming banal to lose his home and his rights…

"I won't be the cause of yet another death." It was so quiet Ren didn't think he heard it right. He was first shocked but then it hit him full force. Ren was shaken, the earthbender could barely breath, had he heard right? It wasn't the words that shocked Ren to the core, but the tone of Hantu, the sheer desperation and determination those words held…

The kid – yeah, he could call him a kid because Hantu was a kid - didn't have it in him to stop the war, he didn't have it in him to lead the Revolution to victory, and Ren didn't even think he had it in him to kill. No, he hadn't any of that, but that didn't stop him from trying.

Suddenly, Ren felt an immense respect for the kid. He now understood why the woman he met would lend her life for him in an instant.

And then, he thought, he would gladly do the same.

Okay, so thanks to KrazackLear, who accepted to betaread my story, (thank you, dude!) I'm editing this chapter (which I will reedit again anyway 'cause I

don't really like it...) hopefully without grammar/spelling mistakes. If you read until now, you can review! I'll give you... uh... um... my thankfulness!