I started this project last year and have had it in my head for well, ever, and I'm really, really looking forward to writing it. I decided to rewrite the prologue because there were some major issues with it timeline wise, and other little errors and such. So some things have changed while others haven't. I'd like to thank the three people who reviewed when I first posted in May too, you rock and sorry I never continued it from there on. Now I have a much better idea of where the story's going and more chapters outlined, ect. I'm looking to have the first actual chapter up this weekend, since it's a long weekend (horrah)
The prologue is a bit short, but the other chapters will be longer. We don't see any of the main characters here, well, except for one, but he doesn't show up until much later. For now, the project is called Avatar: Atlas, but because I've planned it so its written in a number of stories, the title might be slightly tweaked.
Sorry you had to listen to me blabber, I hope you enjoy! Please review-any questions and suggestions are accepted.
A man stood. A sudden blast; and he too, fell.
Screams of horror and pain seemed to emit out of every corner, and for the last standing benders at the scene known as The Rupture, it would be the last sounds they would ever hear.
An earthbender hurled with all his power a chunk of rock into the sky, just as it was engulfed in the flames shot by a young firebender. Then it was propelled forward by the mighty wind of a beautiful and talented airbender. One of the best of her kind.
A sudden blast of a ship's guns met the fiery shot and sent it falling back downward onto the fighters, falling remains of burning earth descending on to them. Just in time a swirl of water drew the falling rubble away. Two waterbenders dressed in heavy blue furred tunics moved gracefully, calmly, and let them drop only when they were finally out of the way.
Suddenly, two more blasts. Then three more. Than five. The Elementians did their best to move out of the way, and left in their place was a gaping hole in the ground. One of the waterbenders, reached around, rising water up from around him and whipping it into a lasso to grab his wife out of the way. Just in time for her. Too late for him.
"Kaoru!" The woman's drowning cry was cut off by the shattering blast that impacted with the ground. Dust was swept up like a fog. Hysterically, the waterbender rushed back in search for her husband.
"Yua, wait!" The tall airbender cried, only to be followed by more shots fired. Trying to clear the dust with her airbending, her wrist was grabbed by the earthbender.
"No, Aimi! We've got to get you out of here! Now!"
With pained filled eyes, the airbender took his hand and squeezed it before expanding a detailed black and white glider and began to airbend her way into the sky, out of the dust cloud. "Michi! Michi, come on!" The earthbender called as out of the dust came the firebender, hurling kicks and punches at a hidden enemy. "We're leaving! The Separatist droids are approaching, and they'll finish what their tanks have started!"
The firebender's eyes widened in fear and desperation.
"But what about Kaoru? We can't just—"
"There is no Kaoru!" The earthbender screamed as he lifted himself off the ground with a wave of earth and began to follow the Avatar's form in the air.
A tear rolled off Michi's cheek, and at the sight of it, sent a blazing fireball behind him and took off after his friends.
Aimi's brown eyes scanned the torn landscape below her and then the shadow of two huge Separatist ships above her. The sky looked red, as if stained by the blood of all the lives they'd lost today. It was her fault. She was supposed to help protect this world, her one and only home. The duty had been given to her. But she'd been so overwhelmed . . . it had come as if a nightmare. She had failed her sister's last wish . . . her only dying word…
"There." She whispered, suddenly spotting the cliff that underneath hid the Western Air Temple and the many airbenders that lived there. Accelerating, Aimi swept up a whisk of air to catch her as she closed her glider and came to a stop at the edge of the land.
Looking behind her she saw the destruction that was slowly making it's way to the Temple. Michi, running, propelling himself forward with his firepower, trying to escape the blaster shots that scorched his clothing. She saw the Separatist droids and generals move forward, firing their weapons as Ichirou tried his best to swerve out of the way on his wave of earth. Why is this happening? How can they simply win? Where is our rescue?
Then it hit her. There was to be no amazing rescue. Her friends were dead. Her teachers, fellow benders, and people of her world, were dead. Her sister, the beloved Avatar, the real savior, was gone. It was just the beginning of the takeover of Elementia. And Aimi had to give them hope.
"Ichirou!" Aimi screamed, over the roar of the blaster fire. He sped up and reached her just as she opened up her glider. "Make a wall!"
A confused look spread onto the Earthbender's face.
"Do it now!" The fierce airbender commanded, as Michi reached the two of them looking exhausted and alarmed.
Without further questioning, Ichirou summoned all the strength he had and rose an earth compacted wall out of the ground. Struggling to keep it up, he raised his hands and furrowed his brow, teeth clenched. It stood amazingly tall, blocking all the marching droids from view, reaching towards the sky as if trying to pull down the clouds.
"Michi." A sudden jerk from Aimi made the confused young firebender pay attention. Aimi grabbed his shoulders and locked her eyes with his. "Make sure all the airbenders at the temple have evacuated. Then get away from here. You've got to leave now or you'll never make it. Head for the south, back towards the Fire Nation—do not stop until you reach safety"
"W-what?" Michi blinked, shaking. "Aimi—I can't leave you and Ichirou; you'll both die…I mean, you can't stop all these droids, you aren't your sister-"
"I don't need you to tell me that!" Aimi shook him fiercely, yet no tears streamed down her tattooed face. "You're one of the few left, you need to find the next Avatar, you have to be there to teach him, because I won't!" Aimi screamed over the roar of the firepower from the other side of the great wall. Michi could only stare at the airbender as smoke fumed around their faces, this one moment in all this devastation, one that would change the boy's life. "I couldn't do what Aoi asked. Promise me you'll try Michi, please" Aimi gripped the firebender close. Michi swallowed dryly. "I'll try," Was all he got out before another shattering blast hit the rock wall and Ichirou began to slide, yelling frantically for help.
"Go!" Aimi hugged Michi one last time before spinning away, rising air up as she did and jumping over to Ichirou, trying to use her airbending to stabilize the now crumbling wall.
With one last shocked look, Michi took off running and scaled down the cliff, getting himself down with his firebending until he reached the other end where he took one last look and disappeared through the hazy steam.
With the young firebender out of sight, Aimi took a deep breath. Gripping her glider in one hand, she concentrated. She closed her eyes.
Aimi flew to the top of the wall Ichirou was holding up. With a powerful gust of wind, she sent droids below her flying. With a final pause of silence, she erupted a tornado, sent spiraling towards the Separatist cruiser in the air. It began to fall, as if in slow motion, towards the ground.
Aimi lurched back, taking in air and then pounded her fists into the wall, and using her airbending to expand the cracks. The great risen wall was slowly crumpling, as was the ground around it. The oncoming cruiser hit the ground and finished the job. The ground gave way as everything tumbled past the Western Air Temple and down into the abyss below.
The Avatar opened her eyes. Everything around her was falling. She was falling. But she had done it. She'd done her job. She only hoped Michi could do his. And the next Avatar, her sister's reincarnation, would do it's.
It doesn't take a long time for a person to fall to their death. But it seemed like a lifetime to Aimi. And so she let herself close her eyes and fall.