-1The Last Water Avatar: Fall of the Northern Water Tribe

Chapter 1

Princess Shang, the great, great, great granddaughter of Princess Yue, sprinted down the long glacier of the Northern Water Tribe. Faster and faster she ran like no other waterbender, or earthbender, or firebender for that matter. As she neared the end of the ice block she took a giant leap and dove toward ocean. The wind whipped past her face and cool air filled her lungs before she splashed into the clear blue water. With one mighty kick she reached the surface and the water's waves began to pull her to shore. As she floated on her back toward land she breathed a large sigh. Oh, how she loved jumping from such height, feeling as if she could almost fly. Everyone knew Shang for her adventurous attitude and exhilarating actions.

Ever since the fire nation was defeated by Aang, the past avatar, the Water Tribe was free to live a tranquil lifestyle like before. Once, the fire nation had attempted to kill the moon and ocean spirits, but her Princess Yue sacrificed her own life to save the whole world from the fire nation's wrath. Princess Shang was very impressed with her ansestor's bravery, and she hoped someday she could prove herself as just as brave. Someday she might, but now she had a waterbending practice that she was already late for.

She lifted herself from the icy ground and picked up her jacket by the city entrance. She took her time walking to the castle-like town center. It had five giant pillars to represent the five past avatars that were born to the Northern Water Tribe. A moon hung above the clear doors representing Yue, but what amazed Shang the most was not in the front but in the back of the building. Behind it was a sculpture of Aang, the past avatar, who saved them all. Now in the cycle, it was the water nation's turn to bring the avatar, and Shang knew this avatar was out there somewhere.

"Shang get in here!" yelled out the youth tribe leader, Don. "I don't understand you at all. You've got the fastest pair of legs I have ever seen, but you still manage to be late everyday."

"Sorry," Shang lied. "Can I ask you a question." She didn't wait for an answer. "Why have we not found the water avatar yet?"

"For all I know, the avatar could be within this tribe. Therefore, we better not deprive them of learning waterbending, now should we?"

Shang agreed to join the class, but wasn't at all excited. She already knew everything they were learning. She guessed it just came natural. As she entered the room, spots of rainbow whizzed from wall to wall caused by the sunlight shinning through the dangling ice chandeliers. Their beauty overwhelmed Shang every time she came here. She closed her eyes and let the warm sunlight tickle her face. Suddenly, an image of candle flashed in her head. It started as a small flame but all at once it burst out, fire roaring with such great intensity Shang back away. Her eyes pierced open to an image unlike her daydream.

"Look out!" Don yelled to her while he struggled to break free from a guard's grasp. She jerked her head up in time to see the chandelier aflame, the rope at it's last string. With great speed she moved just before it fell to her previous spot.

Confused she turned around. The fire nation was here to attack again. But how? The intricate stain glass window shattered to a million pieces, and Shang bent down to cover her face from jagged glass flying through the air. A chip of some great waterbender's eye fell to her feet. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Shang's sight became blurry around the edges and her head began to throb. This was her life literally melting away. She bent down to the blue glass piece and held it close to her heat, secretly making a wish before she fainted.

She awoke to the sound of a young children distantly crying. As she slowly came back to conscious she realized that a boy, no older then three, was tugging on her shirt. Men were attempting to fight the all powerful fire nation with not much luck. Mother's were hurrying their kids to the ships, their only escape, obviously leaving this child behind by mistake. As she looked at the boy she felt a tear of her own fall down her face. It landed on the stain glass eye piece in her hand, and she instantly knew she had to help this child. With haste, she pulled him up on her back and ran in the direction of the shore only to be stopped dead in her tracks. The ships had left and the fire nation was blocking the entrance. She quickly ducked behind a small building and pressed her back against the wall. The boy continued to cry in her arms.

"Shhh," Shang tried to comfort the child. "It'll be alright." There was only one chance of them living through this and she was willing to follow through with her plan. She ripped a piece of cloth from her jacket and tied the boy to her back. With one deep breath, she made a dash across the open land, toward the giant ice mound, and up the ladder. She climbed as fast as her legs would allow, as the fire guards pointed their fingers.

"Stop her." She heard one of them yell. Reaching the top of the glacier she took one last glance of her tribal home. Buildings were nothing but puddles of water and the town center was melted down to the ground. Only the statue of Aang stood tall, and that was all Shang needed to give her hope. With a running start she pushed off the edge of the glacier and was free falling just like before. Only unlike before, this time she was afraid. Afraid for the young child still strapped on her back, for the men still back on land fighting, and for all her friends who she'd never see again. All of her fears came pouring out as she fell nearer and nearer to the water surface. The one fear that overpower all the others was her fear of the future and what was lying just around the corner.