10 years ago
Fire consumed his peace and his happiness. Fire to the left, fire to the right. Smoke dominated the night sky and the fresh air. Hell surrounded him. No one knows how the fire started. A family's house was about to be crumbled by the monstrous fire, but Mako didn't care.
He wanted to be there for his parents.
Bolin, who was only 6 years old at the time didn't understand what was going on. Mako was in the edged of crying, he wanted to save his parents but it was too late.
"Daddy…I promise I will save you! I can't have another parent die!" Mako screamed, looking into his father's dull eyes. Bolin crawled in a corner, facing the crumbing walls, holding his blanket, and refusing to see their dying father. Their mother was burnt to death, from head to toe by the hellish fire.
Mako's father whispered softly, "Mako…. my son…promi-"
He coughed violently and he cleared his dry throat a couple of times to find his voice.
"Promise me…. you will…protect Bolin and…yourself." He whispered dryly from the lack of water.
Mako stuttered, "But….but….."
"Take this." He commanded. His 2nd degree burnt hand patted on the slightly burnt red scarf around his frail neck. " I'm too weak to hand this to you."
Mako slowly took his red scarf away around his neck, making sure he didn't harm him. His father started to close his eyes.
"Mako?"
"Yee…yes?"
His weak hand reached for his son's soft puffy cheeks and he gently rubbed away the leftover ashes. His father took a deep breath, "That scarf is a symbol of protection. No matter where you go, that scarf will keep you safe."
Mako was silent. A painful lump was in his dry throat.
His father took a deep breath again and his eyes began to shut.
"I love you… Mako."
Mako's tears began to fall relentlessly, on his father's burnt face." I promise…. and…I love you too…daddy." His father's touch on his soft innocent cheeks dropped on the wooden floors, which echoed throughout Mako's ears and his mind.
Death.
At age 8, a young boy has just witnessed his own parent's death. He now knows the true meaning of death. Mako shook violently, and his tears were pouring.
Bolin ran towards his father and held his burnt hand. He painfully cried, " Daddy?" Bolin shook his father's hand a little more. Their father didn't move. A lifeless figure without any senses couldn't hear Bolin's plea. Both of their hearts are shattered into pieces, and those pieces are forever broken. "Bo…. we have to get out of here." Mako commanded, he looked directly at his little brother giving him a stern look.
Bolin's burst in tears, he hugged his blanket tighter. His tears hit the wooden floors just like his old brother. Bolin sniffed a couple of times; he looked at his older brother and shouted out, "Why? We can't leave daddy and mommy here!"
"WE HAVE TO GO! Our house will collapse! There's nothing we can do! We will burn, if we don't get out of here!" Mako roared, looking directly at Bolin. Fire was in Mako's eyes, he was so furious by Bolin's stubborn attitude.
Refusing to listen Mako's order, Bolin hugged his dead father tightly, not letting go.
Mako gritted his teeth, "DO YOU WANT TO DIE TOO? WE HAVE TO GO! NOW!" His shout echoed throughout the room.
Bolin cried even more on their father's chest, all he wanted is their father to open his eyes again.
The smell of the burning wood became stronger by the minute and the smoke expanded throughout the room.
Suddenly,
A huge chunk of the ceiling fell straight into the wooden floors, which almost crush them. Then, a trail of fire began to surround them. The air was a lot harder to breath than before. Mako and Bolin coughed violently by the dominating smoke that choke their throats.
Instantly, Mako ran straight towards Bolin and scooped him into his arms.
" LET ME GO!" Bolin cried as he punched Mako on his chest. But Mako was still standing, holding his brother, tightly.
Mako bit his dried lips and huffed, "I'm sorry but I made a promise." Bolin was silent and finally obeyed Mako.
Another chuck of ceiling fell and slammed behind Mako, which made the floors shook. Goosebumps crawled in his skin. The heavy smoke blocked his vision; he squinted his eyes and dashed out of fiery room. He held his brother as tight as possible. The entrance door was blocked by fire and there was no way he can go through that door safely.
A small window caught his eye; he sprinted towards the window and pushed Bolin out of the house. Without support, Mako pushed himself towards the window but fell.
"Grab my hand, Mako!"
Bolin extended his small hand towards Mako. He grabbed onto Bolin's hands and pushed himself towards the window.
Both of the boys fell on the grass and panted heavily. "Get up Bo, we have to run." Bolin didn't move, he was almost lifeless like his father; he didn't understand why their father and mother didn't move or talk. Mako sighed; he picked his little brother up into his arms again and sprinted towards the dark mysterious forest. Smoke covered the crescent moon and the night sky, which was covered by a blanket of shiny stars. Mako turned around and glanced at their burning house.
Mako shouted, " I promise, Father! YOU'LL SEE!"
Mako turned away and headed towards a new life. The glow of fire in their house started to disappear as he headed towards something life changing.
An army of dead trees surrounded the pitch-black forest. Lizard crows squawked all over the place. Constantly, the wind howled as if spirits were crying, which made Mako shivered a bit. Less than 15 minutes later, Mako was lost yet he didn't want to admit it. Bolin who was still in his arms, whispered softly, "Mako, where are we? ... I'm so….. sleepy."
"In a forest, we will find a place to stay." He quickly responded.
Mako hummed a lullaby by their mother who used to sing for them, when they were sleepy. Bolin's green innocent eyes began to flutter; he smiled softly and finally began to sleep in his brother's arms.
30 minutes later….
Mako was panting and running all over the dark forest, he was truly scared and finally understood that he was lost. The same dead trees looked were everywhere and he had no guide or direction to get out of that forest. He wanted to be protected by his father and mother but they're dead and now its up to him to be an adult at such a young age.
- Crunch -
Mako jolted by the un-expecting sound of a broken twig from behind. He turned around but he couldn't tell if someone was there since it was pitch black. He started to jog away from the crunching sound that echoed throughout his ears.
- Crunch-
Those crunching noises were ringing in his ears. He began to sprint by the haunting sound.
- CRUNCH-
The sound came closer, as if someone was stalking him. His heartbeat was racing, and beads of sweat slowly escaped from his forehead.
- CRUNCH-
Panting from exhaustion, he collapsed with his brother on the dusty ground. Bolin was now fully awake by the sudden hit. "Ouch, Mako, what was that for?", Bolin whined while rubbing his forehead.
Bolin opened his eyes and saw that they surrounded by darkness and dead trees. Everything in that was forest was dead, not even a leaf was in sight. He curled himself in a ball, refusing to look at his surroundings.
Not only Mako's body gave up but also his purpose of living began to crumble.
He didn't even hear Bolin's whiny question. Mako shut his eyes, trying his best not to let any tears to fall but he couldn't hold it and cried, "Please… father…. protect us."
A strong hand gripped Mako's shoulders. Mako gasped, by the unexpected touch. Swiftly, he turned around and his eyes widened with horror.
A man with a mask stood above them.
All he can see is a mask surrounded by darkness, as if the mask was floating in the air. Mako covered his fear and stood up tall. He puffed out his chest and extended his arms over Bolin.
"GO AWAY! YOU FREAK!", Mako snarled at the mysterious man with the mask.
The man with the mask chuckled by the little boy's warning.
"Please, don't judge my mask." He said, kindly.
Bolin uncurled himself from a ball; he turned his head slightly to peak at the mysterious man. Horrified, he gasped by the sinister mask. His small hands covered his mouth, he wanted to scream but he couldn't. Pronouncing any words was blocked by fear.
Mako took a deep breath and stretched his hands wide open, and then two balls of fire appeared on his left hand and his right hand. The masked man took a few steps back away from Mako. The flames sparked brightly which revealed the masked man full figure and the dead trees that surrounded them.
"No need to fight, I'm here to offer you and your little brother a place to stay."
Mako's eyebrows lifted, he was confused by the unexpected offer. He closed his fragile hands and stopped his fire bending. Gently, he grabbed onto his red scarf and looked down at the dusty ground.
"Why do you want to help us? I don't know you." He muffled underneath his scarf.
" My name is Amon. I have noticed you two boys are lost in this dark forest,"
Amon took a few steps closer towards Mako, and kneeled on the ground so he can meet Mako's eye level. "What are your names?" Amon asked kindly.
Mako bit his lips and looked directory at Amon."My….. name is …..is…..Mako and this my…little brother…Bolin."
"Mako and Bolin? Such nice names."
"Why do you want to help us?" Mako asked sharply.
Amon cleared his throat and replied," I can't leave two young boys alone in a forest. You will die. I'm here to save you and your little brother. I have a palace we ca-"
"PALACE?" Bolin shouted out of the blue. Amon chuckled, "Yes, I live in a palace. I'm King of Republic City."
Bolin grabbed onto Mako's legs and begged out, "OH PLEASE! MAKO! WE MUST GO WITH HIM!"
Mako studied Amon, trying to find any suspension.
Annoyed, Mako groaned and grumbled, " We will go with you….Amon."
Amon extended his hand towards Mako for handshake. "Before you shake my hand, you must promise me something, Mako."
"What is it?"
"You must hunt the Avatar for me."
Mako hesitated to shake his hand. He has heard heroic tales about Avatar Aang from his parents. He always wanted to meet the next Avatar. Yet, he wanted Bolin and himself to have a better life. After all, who doesn't want to live in a palace? It's either have a royal lifestyle or be dead in the forest.
" Do we have a deal, Mako?"
"Deal"
They shook hands and a promise was about to begin.
To be continued
