I sat in a cold, dark ice cave, furiously rubbing my palms together. I've been through rough storms since I lived in the Northern Water Tribe but nothing this bad. As I tried to conserve heat, I thought about the Nations. 17 years ago, Avatar Aang died. The day I was born. He was about 50 or so when he died. The whole world mourned his death and my parents wondered if I would be the new Avatar. It turned out I was a non-bender. I was upset - angry even - because I didn't have bending. But I didn't need bending. I was one of the strongests girls in my tribe, in fact, the only girl who could kick a benders ass with no help from the elements. But that rouge side of me was something I practiced but didn't need to use, since I went to school with all helpless non-benders and didn't train to protect the Tribe. They planned for us to be stay-at-home-parents who had to take care of the house.
I absolutely hated that.
More than anything, I wanted to fight! I wanted to learn to help people, so I trained myself in secret. For all anyone knew, I was just another girl, someone who needed saving. But they would be wrong. "I figured I'd find you here," said a voice at the entrance to the cave. "Hey, Kai." I smiled. Kai was probably my best guy friend. We've always been accused of dating eachother since we hung out so often. His dark brown hair was pulled into a low, loose pony tail. He had the dark skin most of the Northern Water Tribe people had, and electric blue eyes. He was really good looking, too. "Did you hear the news?" He asked me. I gave him a puzzled look and he continued. "Well you know how everyone believes the Avatar cycle is cut off? They found him!" I stared at him, in utter shock. "YES! They found the Avatar! And he's going to help take charge again!"
His excitement was contagious. "No way!" Everyone believed the cycle was cut off. 17 years we all lived, believing he was dead...and they found him. Fights began to break out without the Avatar and now he's back! This was huge news. I went to sleep that night uneasily that night, suprisingly. I dreamt I was running. Running away from people chasing me. Shooting fire and earth at me. They caught me, and took me away screaming...screaming. I woke up screaming.
Feeling nauseous, I got out of bed and went outside, feeling drawn to something unknown. I brushed my long black hair and looked at myself in the water reflection when I went out. My eyes reflected in the water. Unlike most of our tribe, I had these eyes you could spot a mile away. They were like a burning ember color. Firey amber, sort of. A orangeish color that made me look all the more different from everyone.
I liked it.
When I walked around, I felt drawn to some place. Turning corners in the ice fortress, I figured out what it was. I unlatched the small bolt on the door and went in the most spirited part of the Nothern Water Tribe, sitting in the grass. It was so calm, so peaceful, I almost fell back asleep, when I heard something. A soft hum, like someone singing. "Hello?" I asked. No one. When I layed down something hit me. I shot up, my eyes still closed. I couldn't open my eyes! I was seeing something...it was like going down a hall, sonic fast. "Ren." Someone said my name...I was stuck in this vision, though! I couldn't see. I couldn't open my eyes.
Then, I realized as a figure materialized in my head...That the person in my head said my name. I began to panic. I looked down at myself and saw...I was see though.
The man in front of me took full form. I gasped.
Avatar Aang. "Ren, I know your scared." Scared? Hell, he was underestimating! I was terrified! In fact, seeing Aang, I felt like I was gonna cry. "But," He continued, "Your in danger. The world is in danger."
"But...no it's not," I questioned, "The Avatar's back, isn't he? He's going to heal the world, like you did." Why did Aang come talk to me? I was shaking. "Take my hand," He said, beckoning his hand toward me.
"But-"
He grabbed my hand and I saw something horrifying. Dai Li agents, the secret society that was thought to have been gone, were brainwashing people, underground, in secret. Led by, the new Avatar? No. No way. That was the Avatar. The Avatar who was supposed to be learning all the elements right now, not leading the Dai Li that shouldn't have even existed. I was so terrified.
Aang took me from the vision and looked me in the eye. "Ren, I know this is a burden to see."
"But why show me?" I exclaimed, "Why not tell Prince Zuko, or whoever, that the Avatar's a traitor!"
"But that's not the Avatar, Ren, you are."
