Avatar: Mu
Book 1: Cycle
553 AG
A small block of earth easily sprouted from the flat surface. Although his hands held nothing that suggested his ability to perform such sorcery, a small motion of his palms carried the strength to slide the earth towards the direction the bender chose.
Following that, the young boy of six years old turned around and threw a high kick in the air.
A larger boulder that stood behind him shifted almost with ease liken to pushing a featherweight ball.
"Indeed, the Avatar is standing before us." Dressed in a dark blue cloak with white linings adorned across the edges, the wise old man smiled delightedly as he witnessed the miracles performed by the boy wonder before them. Accompanying him were two others dressed in a similar fashion; such were those who belonged to the White Lotus Sect.
"Is this really true?" Hugging her arms to her chest, the boy's mother turned to her husband, who looked at the young child with a firm yet gentle gaze as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Seeing is believing, I guess."
"We can't be so sure. Master, aren't we judging the situation to quickly? The kid only knows earth bending." Facing the elder with respect, the taller apprentice of the two asked with unease in his tone.
"I believe that is more than enough. Never in history has non-benders the miracle to birth a kid with bending powers such as these. Can't you see the spirit that boy possesses behind those eyes?"
"But...what if he's not the Avatar we believed him to be when we bring him back with us?"
"Until then, this will be a wager young one, but have faith in me. Watching the previous Avatar Yue grow up, I know an Avatar when I see one."
"Faith isn't really a justified reason..."
Ignoring the objection of his guards, the wise old man known as Master Cid strode towards the young Avatar with both hands behind his back. Although ripe in age, Cid's posture and his manner of walking carried with him lively energy that it was hard to believe the old man was reaching his eighty-fifth year.
Sensing Master Cid's presence, the young boy turned his body towards him and bowed politely.
With one knee resting on the ground before the Avatar, Master Cid placed his hands on the spiky-haired child with a smile on his face.
"Tell me young one, what's your name?"
Staring back with his innocent pair of emerald green eyes, the young boy returned a smile and said.
"My name is Mu Loong, but you can call me..."
xxx
565 AG
"...Mong! Where are you hiding now?"
The cold wind brushed across his cheeks as Mu Loong hid behind the crates of barrels with a heavy heart. Sensing that his pursuers had left the scene after creating such a loud ruckus, the young teen turned his back against the wall and his legs gave way to the ground with a bump. Wiping his sweat covered forehead, Mu Loong stretched his arms and threw them behind his head and sighed with a frown on his face.
"Thank goodness they're gone. Once I know my way out, I'll make sure I get the last laugh on them!"
"...Last laugh on who, oh dear Avatar?" Unknown to him, a slender figure has been eavesdropping his little monologue from the other side of the crates which completely covered her entire body from his line of sight.
Using his primal instincts, Mu Loong quickly threw his left arm up as he summoned a wall of dirt high up overhead. Right at the same time, a gush of wind threw its weight against the crates, smashing the barrels towards the dirt shield.
Against earth properties, wind techniques were futile and a waste of energy to use. Believing that he had the upper hand, Mu Loong's contemptuous behaviour had let his own guard down.
"Your back is bare!"
Everything happened in an instant.
When Mu Loong looked up, he cursed silently to himself. Pulling out a overarching wall was a bad move. Because of his own lack of foresight, Mu Loong's senses were dulled and limited that even he failed to realise that the opponent was behind his back.
A barrage of wind threw its weight towards Mu Loong and had him burst through the dirt wall easily like a clump of sand, his body rolled into the middle of the snow covered field.
Blinded by the sunlight piercing into his eyes, Mu Loong instinctively pulled his arms over them as he felt his way off the ground. Although there wasn't any significant injuries on his body, the impact of his body against the hard packed ground still hurts.
No normal wind would choose to sweep in an accurate direction in any circumstances. Miracles like these could only be conjured by people who have the ability to bend the wind to their will; also known as the Air benders.
Bearing such tenacity in skills despite being bred in a tribe known for peace and harmony, there could only be one person that came into his mind. Dusting off the snowflakes clung around his woollen green sleeves, Mu Loong shot a piercing glare towards the source of wind.
"Phā-..."
"I said don't call me that. It's Jinpa, now. And why that long face? It doesn't take a genius to figure out your location with the limited space we have around here." Sitting comfortably on a ball of spinning air, Jinpa looked down at Mu Loong with an aura of triumph. As soon as she moved her knuckles away from each other, the gyro ball beneath her dissipated into thin air, her feet landed lightly on the white ground.
Pushing her fringe away, an inverted blue arrow could be seen tattooed on her forehead. It was said that only those who have received the proper guidance and ways of Air bending in both mind and body will be anointed with the sacred tattoo, branding them as an Air bending master; the highest compliment an Air nomad could receive.
How much of it was true did not matter to Mu Loong nonetheless. In his eyes, Jinpa will always be the annoying girl that likes to stick her nose into everything he does.
"Here, I'll pull you up."
"I can get up myself, thank you." Standing upright again, Mu Loong set his sights on the horizon far across the snow mountains below them. If it was someone who came for a vacation, the sight would be truly breath-taking. Sadly, that wasn't the case for him. No matter how far Mu Loong his vision would stretch, the limits he could travel were as wide as the tall titanium walls that surrounded the White Lotus camp.
The same familiar sight everyday, how long has it been since he was caged inside this compound?
"Are you mad just because I air bended you onto the ground? I'm sorry, okay?"
"It's been twelve years."
"Huh?" Surprised at the change of tone, Jinpa strode cautiously towards Mu Loong's back, curious at how his expression would be right now.
Although she had only been with him for a year in the southern pole, this was one of those rare times where Mu Loong would show such a side of him. Did she really took the teasing too far? Somehow, a pang of guilt rose in her chest.
The reason why she did that was because she had enough of Mu Loong's attitude towards learning the arts and culture of an Avatar and his bending lessons. Hardly paying attention, always causing mischief just to stall for time, but could there be a reason to it now that Jinpa reflected upon it?
"How long more must I stay here before I could return home? I know that I'm the Avatar and such, but don't you think that twelve years is a long time?" Turning his head around, Mu Loong's emerald eyes gave off a dismal look towards the dazed Air bender.
Unable to give an answer, Jinpa's eyes softened and avoided his stare. How could she reply promptly when presented with such a surprising turn of events? It'll be futile to force him to get back to training anyways. Frustrated, Jinpa heaved a long sigh and turned her back on him and stretched.
Fine, I'll give in just this time.
"Geeeeeee, I wonder where that squirt has ran off to? It's gonna take a long time before I could get that Avatar to study again. I think I am going to search for him over there." Scratching her head with a blatant lie out loud, the air nomad walked along the opposite direction without turning around.
"Thanks, Jin."
Knowing that the boy has gotten her message, Jinpa leaped and bumped her fists together, generating the swirling ball of air underneath her once more. Taking in a deep breath, the girl spoke with an intentional loud voice. "If I can't find him, I do hope he will return in two hour's time though."
Just like that, the snow white field was left with Mu Loong alone. After making sure that Jinpa was out of his sight and nowhere near, the downcast lips slowly turned towards the opposite direction into a smile.
"Ah, that woman is finally gone for now. So puppy eyes do work on her after all." Even Mu Loong was amused that his little ploy worked its magic on Jinpa. Feeling the load getting off his shoulders, the young Avatar stuck his finger in his mouth and blew a loud, long whistle that echoed across the empty air.
The ground tremored a little, and from a distance Mu Loong could see piles of snow being thrown in the air as the figure approached him in that short amount of time. Slowing down, the Rhino turtle circled around its owner and nudged his cheeks gleefully.
"Bo, why don't we go somewhere to chill?"
xxx
"This is the best!" Giving out a satisfied yawn, Mu Loong laid his back flat against the hard oval shell which housed his companion within. Bo the Rhino turtle was already sound asleep with its head rested against the boulder beside.
Looking towards the orange hue sky, he knew that the day would end in another few more hours, and the cycle will repeat itself again when he wakes up in the morning. Will it be the same for the rest of his life? If so, being the Avatar is simply the worst luck drawn ever, period.
"I wonder how's everyone back home. What do you think, Bo?"
"Ruuu." Bo snored before using its hooves to scratch the horn on its nose.
"Oh right, I haven't met you yet when Uncle Cid took me here." Ignoring Bo's rude reply, he continued. "During that twelve years I was taught to bend earth, fire and air...kinda. After that will be water and that should be the end of all these boring routine, right?"
The silence and cool wind felt comforting to Mu Loong as his eye lids gradually got heavier, slowly shutting itself. Unknowingly the peaceful atmosphere had gotten him to fall asleep without much resistance. Before he completely shuts his mind into dreamland, Mu Loong uttered out.
"I can't wait to get back home."
xxx
Tying her messy hair back into a neat bun again, Jinpa took a seat inside one of the barracks which was the classroom for the Avatar. Knowing that goofball must be slacking somewhere hidden from sight, Jinpa decided that she should prepare the necessary lesson materials for later on.
"Where's Mu Loong?" A figure approached the space when Jinpa least expected, startling her as she flustered to find a reason to cover Mu Loong's absence. But when she turned around to expect the guest, her anxiety died down a little as she was overwhelmed instead with respect for the figure instead.
"Good afternoon Master Cid." Taking a bow with her palm over fist outstretched, the wise man nodded in reply and chuckled, his eyes wandered the tent's interior. "Mong is...well, about that..."
"Sleeping during his lessons again." Cid took the cid by the study table where Mu Loong would usually be at to rest his tired bones. "But I guess today's a fine day for him to do that."
"I don't get what you mean, Master."
Although his aura remained composed, the smile on the old man's face faded and was replaced with a solemn expression.
"There has been a change of plans. The council have decided that Mong will continue his training outside of the White Lotus compound.
We will be moving him to the Fire Nation's training facility near the eastern sphere. The change of environment should do him good and offer motivation for his guidance."
"But wasn't it initially agreed to have him learn all four bending in this compound first?"
The wise man nodded. "I've sensed a change in the world outside of this compound and the spirits are aware of it as well. There's a disturbance stirring somewhere out there and while it is the safest to put Mu Loong in here, we need the Avatar to be prepared quickly.
By noon when the sun rises again, take Mu Loong and sail towards Edozai. I have a friend there that will assist in accommodating you two and carry on with the Avatar's training."
xxx
Boiling Rock Prison
A volcano isle secluded and away from the main capital of the Fire Nation. Within it held the world's most dangerous criminals who used their bending powers to create mayhem and trouble.
A maximum security at best, an inescapable cage in hell.
"Sound the alarms! We need to inform the Lord -!"
"Ferret 1! Requesting -gah!"
Utter chaos.
Screams and shouts echoed down the chambers as the caged inhabitants tried to peer out of their cells to the anomaly happening inside the maximum security prison.
Amongst the paranoia of guards, a hooded man walked calmly towards the room with the sign displayed 'CONTROL ROOM: AUTHORIZED STAFFS ONLY'.
"Hey, you with the hood! Who are you?" One of the guards in the midst of the confusion ran towards him, his arms brandished with a pair of fire daggers.
Silent, the hooded figure waited for the opportune moment and stretched his right arm towards the flame entity. With a decisive crush, the flame body created by the guard's hands were effectively thinned out by the stranger's fingers.
The fire bender leaped two steps back and challenged the enigma with two jets of fire punch. Without moving the position of his legs, the hooded man threw both fists out towards the fireballs.
Fwooh.
The guard's eyes grew wide. The fire balls were easily nullified even before it reaches its target.
"You're an air bender?"
"..." Refusing to answer, the man took a step forward and pulled both hands back in a horse stance.
"Gaah!" Just like that, the guard's footing was momentarily lost as his body was thrown towards the hooded figure by an invisible force.
A well timed punch at the incoming body and the guard was knocked out cold. Kneeling to place the body by the wall, his hands searched the pockets of the unconscious body and pulled out the card he needed to access the room.
Zuuup, thunk, clank!
In tempo, the continuous slamming of the cell doors back into the walls brought the various captive chambers into a frenzy. Cautious at first, the prisoners dart their eyes out of their cells, and when the fact slowly sank in their head, wide smiles were displayed on all their faces.
Freedom was upon them.
"PEEEEEEEEEETTTIZZ" A screeching buzz caught the attention of all the most dangerous, wanted criminals housed inside the madhouse. All heads were turned to face the display panel in the middle of the room.
Although no image flickered in the screen, a loud, low voice boomed through the speakers.
"Greetings, poor souls. I am Ping, leader of the United Neo Equalists. Before I carry on, a question to all you damned beings.
Born into a beautiful world, your privileges of enjoying what it has to offer were robbed by people who deemed you insane. Isn't it sad, that people fear you because they do not have the powers that you hold? Is it even fair to be treated an abomination because of the greatness we have?
Sadly, those people will never understand us, they can never stand beside us as equals - which is why today is the day of a new era! Join us as our brethren, and I will lead you all as the new Messiah and bring true balance to the world!
We will purge all non-benders from this world."
A loud rumble of cheers resounded in the chambers while the guards who were still confused at the wild change of events grew unsettled with fear.
Unaffected by the chaos he has induced into the facility, the self-proclaimed Messiah continued.
"Alas even among you, not everyone have the same calling as us. I have prepared an escape route for those chosen ones. When it is ready, the transport will leave to meet with us.
Only the best will have the privilege of joining arms...so will it be you?
May the odds be in your favour."