"The boy," red arms spat fire from burned knuckles, hissing at the face of an esteemed monk as the militia man yanked the elder by the collar. "Tell me – now!"
The wheezy chuckle was like a breath of wind, floating along the seared cheeks of the general. The man could laugh after the decimation of his people, the fool.
"You will tell me now. He's missing isn't he?" the fire bender jeered, flames as hot as the embers that threatened to choke Monk Gyatso filled his ocher eyes, singing that last remnants of humanity and compassion from their dark depths. He ground out a biting, "Where is that boy?"
"I am afraid," Gyatso murmured softly, smog hazing his vision, cutting off and muddling all thoughts. "That I do not know. The boy fled from this place not too long ago. It was only fate that he should not return here. You have missed him and there is nothing I can do to help you."
Flames roared with his bellow, circling the room in its heated fury. Sweat trickled down each furrowed line of age on the monks face, stern and unyielding. The pain he felt in his heart at what the once-peaceful nation had begun doing to the rest of the world, just for the sake of some ludicrous plight. Domination, subjugation – none of that was meant for this world. The four nations lived in balance in the same means that their elements had. And it changed all because one man, one single being on this earth, decided to take matters unto himself. To distort the harmony that sung in the lands. To elicit an era of hatred, and terror – for absolutely no reason at all. It went against all teaching of the Air monks. It went against the laws that nature provided. It went against the unity and peace strived for by all. Except for that one man, greedy and cruel.
"Well I must say I am quite ashamed to hear this," There from behind the pillar of the shadow stalked a man with a grin as feral as the snarling dragon at the doors of the temple. "If you had held any information on the boy's whereabouts, I could have spared your life," he grinned, a malicious twist to his whiskered mouth. "For now."
"Fire Lord Sozin, an honor to have you in the presence of the Southern Air Temple."
If a monk's voice could be wry, his was absolutely sardonic.
The addressed man laughed darkly through his nose, eyes alight with a burning cruelty. "Pity. I can't say the same for myself," He strode forward with calculated and quick footsteps, measured and paced. His unit leader backed away, reverently bowed and muttering his dim loyalties. The royal jerked the limp body of the enlightened man, glaring down at him with sinister jubilation. "Now then. You are going to tell me where the Avatar is."
"That boy was like a son to me. I will never tell you where he is," Even if I knew. "The fate of the world rests on his shoulders. Destiny has seen his journey, and it has seen yours too, Fire Lord. You won't be around for much longer."
Rage coursed out the man's nose in sickening and blazing heat, he snorted like a wild ostrichhorse, steam pluming from his nostrils as thick as hate. He threw Gyatso to the ground at the comment.
"The Avatar will restore balance. And your fall will ensure peace will be kept – the fate's have spoken, and I will never get in the way of fate. It has deigned me the keeper of the Avatar from the days of my youth. Such a duty will not elicit failure, from me, or the Avatar."
With each word, the Fire Lord's head curled downwards, shadows clinging to his aged face as the fires screamed up the walls of the temple. "Then you have spoken your last. Your duty ends here, monk." He spat, embers sputtered from cracked and greyed lips. The ruler turned on a clipped heel and stormed out. Mounting his crimson beast, rearing its mighty wings in anticipation, he called out to his general calmly. "Burn him."
Aang. If you can hear me, know this. What we have done is not in vain. You will rise from the embers of this world and you will restore balance. It is fates design that we met again, Avatar. I loved you fondly, like a son and like a friend. You will be this earth's savior. But only when the time is ready. Be safe, Aang – and be cautious. The world is dangerous now, treacherous and cruel. But I know you can change it. Goodbye, Aang. Make peace with this world – and most importantly, make peace with yourself.
Gyatso's last thoughts fell to only the roars of a blaze as the temple of prayer became his pyre of death.
Glazed eyes that licked with physical flame saw the fall of his temple, his people, and a world with no defender.
A/N: Pre-quel? I guess you could call it that. More of a behind the scenes, pre-series (that's a prequel idiot) look at the destruction and decimation of the Southern Air Temple. I really like Gyatso. He's kind, endearing, and all-around amazing. Enlightened, as his nature should be. And he really did love Aang like a son - hell, he used to be great friends with him in another life! But yeah. This story...i think i just really wanted to explore the dynamic of Gyatso a little deeper. Fancy word phrases for "ficlet 'bout Gyatso"
Read and Review, because I die on the inside when no one does.