Chapter 1: Imprisoned
Metal, cold hard unbendable metal that's all I can feel nowadays. How long has it been since I was stuck here, two, maybe even three weeks? Well, solitary can do that to you and I'm surprised I've haven't even cracked yet. Must have gotten used to it I guess. Feels warm even with this sleeveless disgusting sack on. I've haven't looked in a mirror in a while, but I'm sure that my hair is still brown and short if I could recall.
Just when I thought I can take a peaceful nap I hear the screeching sound of the cell door being opened. I didn't even need to raise my head to know that it was a firebending soldier standing in front of me while I was sitting crossed legs. "Get up, mudslinger your times up." He said in a distasteful manner not that I cared. I however continued to remain where I was without moving. I could then hear his nostrils flaring as a sign that he was starting to get angry. "Hmph, typical firebenders always getting angry at the slightest of moments." I thought to myself. I could hear the soldier getting closer. "I said get up or you'll spend the another two weeks in solitary." He barked at me.
After a while I listened to him and started to get up, not because of the solitary but because I wanted to what know what has happened on the deck during my time of isolation. I looked up to see the soldier. He was wearing the common firebending outfit that all firebending soldiers wore. It was red and black in leather with shoulder and arm pads, a cone shaped helmet and heavy curve pointed boots. He was also carrying a long spear. I moved in front of the soldier and before I could even put a foot out of the cell the soldier pushed me so hard my face crashed against the metal wall making my stomach ache. He pinned me against the wall and pushed my face against it.
"Listen here you disrespectful boy. Next time I give an order you better obey. Do I make myself clear?" He said clearly showing great anger at me and I was enjoying it. Wanting to get to the deck already I said yes and he let me go and we walked up the metal stairs.
As we approached the top I covered my eyes to shield myself from the suns glare. It sting for a while but, after adjusting myself to it I turned around and saw that the soldier behind was gone probably to find his "friends" or the mess hall to fatten himself. "Idiot" I thought to myself. I turned and saw all the earthbenders in their miserable lives on this ship. Families, civilians, townsfolk, young and old it didn't matter, if you were an earthbender you were sent straight to this ship. The man in charge was a loathsome person who goes by the name of the warden. No-one knew what his actual name was nor did I care the only thing I needed to know is that he may want us all to believe that we are honoured guests, but we know to him we are just filthy animals.
As I was on my way to the location of where the prisoners sleep I look in the direction of Tyro and see that a young boy (probably not older than me) was sitting next to Tyro. Forgetting about my previous destination I walked in the direction of where they were sitting. As I approached them Tyro was the first to notice me and gave a big smile. As soon as I came into close distance from Tyro I slightly bowed to him casually and sat in front of them with my legs crossed.
"Ah, Zian it's good to see you. How has isolation been?" Tryo asked me in a humours way. I chuckled. "Oh you know same thing every time. And may I ask who this boy is?" Tryo gave a hardy laugh. "This Zian, is my son Haru he just got here this morning." He said. I looked at Haru and bowed to him smiling. "It's good to finally meet you Haru. Your father has told me all about you. It's a shame that we had to meet in this way though." I said. Haru looked at me and bowed also smiling. "It's an honoured to meet you too Zian." He said. For the rest of the time we sat there for a while exchanging stories. As the sun was setting Haru left to walk around the ship. After a while he came back with a girl who I have never seen on this ship before. She had brown hair with hair loop things coming from the back of her head to the front of her forehead. What really stood out about her that made me realise that she was not an earthbender is that she was wearing what looked like to be a water tribe necklace.
Haru stood next to her on Tyro's right side. "Katara, this is my father Tyro and his friend Zian." He said. Tyro was busy eating from the iron filled with "soup" and looked up at his son and Katara. Haru points his hand at Katara. "Dad and Zian, this is Katara." He said. Katatra's hands are behind her back and she bows to Tyro and me respectfully with a smile. "It's an honour to meet you both." She said. Tyro picks up a bowl. "Have some dinner Katara." He says as he hands it to her. I gave a slight grin. "I wouldn't recommend that." I said. She takes it and is immediately shows a complete disgust. "It's not as bad as it looks" Tyro says trying to see the bright side. Katara take the spoon inside the bowl and puts it in her mouth. After that she immediately regrets her decision and sticks her tongue out in disgust. "It's still pretty bad though." He said with a smile. I chuckled as I said "told you."
An earthbender comes from behind Tyro and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Tyro the prisoners are complaining their aren't enough blankets to go around" He said while Tyro is looking up at him. "I'll talk to the guards. In the meantime make sure the elderly are taken care of. The rest of us will simply have to hope for warmer weather." He says to him. "If you don't mind me asking. What's your escape plan?" Katara asked with a concerned look. I can see Tyro looking at her with a confused look. "Excuse me?" He asks. "You know the plan to get everyone of the rig. What is it? Mutiny, sabotage?" I look at her and give her a weak grin "Hmph, you just assume we have a plan of escape just like that? Sorry to disappoint you sweetheart, but that not our plan…not anymore." I said with a frown in the last bit.
Katara looked at me with curiosity than back at Tyro. "Zians right the is to survive. Wait out this war. Hope that one day some of us can get back home and forget this ever happened." Tyro said while looking out to the rest of the people. I could see Kataras expression looked like that of a person who could not believe what they were hearing. "How can you say that? You sound like you already given up." She said. "What was your first clue?" I said sarcastically. "Katara I admire your courage and I envy your youth, but people's lives are at stake." He says with sorrow on his face. "The warden is a ruthless man and he won't stand for any rebellion. I'm sorry, but we're powerless."
After that I can see a determined look on her face as she gets up. "We'll see about that." She says as she walks of and picks up a pot cover and a spoon and started banging them together. I look at her with a confused and irradiated look "What is she doing?" I thought to myself as every earthbender started to look at her. "Earthbenders! You don't know me but I know of you. Every child in my water tripe village brought to sleep with stories of the brave earth kingdom and the courage's earthbenders who guard its borders." As she was speaking I could see one of the guards walking forward to silence Katara only to be stopped by the warden.
She continued to speak. "Some of you may think that the fire nation has made you powerless. Yes they have taken away your ability to bend. But they can't take away your courage and it is your courage they should truly fear. Because it runs deeper than any mine you've been forced to dig. Any ocean that keeps you far from home. It is the strength of your hearts that make you who you are hearts that will remain unbroken when all rock and stone has eroded away. The time to fight back is now! I can tell you the Avatar has returned! So remember your courage earthbenders, let us fight for our freedom." After the last sentence she waited, but no earthbender, not even me, stood up and cheered for her speech and just continued to go about their business. I could see the shame on Haru and Tyro's faces and also seeing the warden walk away with a satisfied grin on his face. Katara was standing there with sadness on her face. "I wish we could Katara." I said silently. "I wish we could."
As morning approached all of the earthbenders and me exited the tents and we all were greeted at the site of Katara and a boy with a ponytail looking down at one of the vents. As they were talking they didn't noticed the six firebenders that were in a circle formation with their spear being pointed towards them. "There the intruder." One of the guards shouted as Katara and the boy both turned around with their backs to each other. The boy took out a metal boomerang. "Stay back, I'm warning you." He shouted at the guards. Tyro was the first to speak to Katara. "Katara stop! You can't win this fight." I approached Katara from a distance and looked at her angrily. "Katara what are you doing? You are putting yourself and the boy in danger. Just give up!" I shouted at her. She looked at me and Tryo with a shocked expression
Just then I could see the warden approaching with two guards behind him. "Listen to him well child. You're one mistake away from dying where you stand." He says with a serious face. After he spoke the firebenders surrounding them moved slowly closer. I could then feel the rig being shook as mountains of coal came shooting out of the vent like a geyser and landing around it and causing the guards to topple over. I could see the warden standing there with a dumbfounded expression. I stood there speechless
A boy who was bald and was wearing a yellow robe with an orange shawls came shooting out of the vent all covered in soot and landing on the coal while coughing out coal dust from his mouth. I could see Katara as she started running towards the coal till she was on top of it and turned towards me and the rest of the earthbenders. A look of determination filled Katara's face. "Here's your chance earthbenders. Take it your faith is in your own hands." She shouted. I could see Haru about to join her only to be stopped by his father. I turn around and see that some of the prisoners were stepping back in fear. I hear the warden laughing with pride. "Foolish girl, you thought a few inspirational words and some coal could change these people?" He said with his arms crossed and looking at all of us. "Look at these blank hopeless faces. Their spirits were broken a long time ago. O but you still believe in them?" He now says with a stupid smug look on his face. "How sweet, there a waste of your energy little girl. You…Failed." After that he turns around and walks away.
I could only see Katara just standing there in defeat.
I couldn't take it anymore all Katara was trying to do after she got here was try and help free us and no-one was joining her! No, that is the last time. I ran towards one of the guards which ironicly was the guard who shoved me yesterday and picked him up quickly and threw him towards the guard on the wardens right side causing them to collide against each other and sending them flying. The warden then turned around in confusion to see me filled with all the anger inside me. I then picked up a huge chunk of coal with my earthbending while making a clenched fist and punched it towards the other guard on the left also sending him flying.
I looked at the warden. "Enough!" I shouted. "Your control over us is at an end! You are no longer in control over me and my people we will be free!" I took a stance to ready myself. "So come on and show me what you got."
Anger filled the warden's eyes as he pulled his arms back and thrust them forward making flames shoot out of his hands. I was able to dodge it barely, but then saw four firebenders standing in a horizontal line with the warden. "Show no mercy." He says before all five of them shoot their fireballs at me. I was about to embrace the flames as they approached, but a large coal wall formed in front ultimately stopping the flames. I turned around to see Tyro and four other earthbenders were in a stance indicating that they had created it. I had a smile on my face and was determined, DETERMINED TO FREE MY PEOPLE.
"For the Earth Kingdom, ATTACK!" He shouted as they all slammed their hands to floor causing the coal wall to also slam to the floor making bits of coal splatter towards the firebenders causing them to block it. Earthbenders cried out as they charged towards the guards and attacked them using the coal. This was a sight I have waited so long to see.
As the battle pressed on I could see many of the soldiers numbers wearing thin with each earthbender joining in the fight. Small bits of coal being shot at the soldiers like arrows. Earthbenders pushing the coal towards them and even the boy with the ponytail was using his boomerang to cut the soldiers spears in half and throwing them in the air to some sort of weird mammal thing that caught every one of them.
I was transfixed with joy at what I was seeing. My people were finally fighting back. My gaze was broken when I heard the call of my name. "Zian." I heard someone say I turned and saw it was Tyro calling to me with his son next to him. I saw what they were trying to do and rushed to them already knowing what they wanted to do. We used the rest of the coal to create a giant ball that hardened as it was coming down. All three of us kicked the ball simultaneously towards the metal wall that separated the rest of the ship. As it collided creating a huge hole in the wall it shook causing two soldiers to fall from the wall.
Tyro pointed to wall. "Get to the ship we'll hold them of." He said to the prisoners. The warden saw this. "Don't let them escape." He said as he shot jets of flames at us. Katara, ponytail boy and bald kid were following the prisoners, but then stop and turned to face the soldiers. What happened next made me drop my mouth. The bald kid spinned his hands causing him to literally make a tube out of air. "Guys throw me some coal." He said as Katara and pony boy placed bits of coal in the tube which shot out at the soldiers. Pony boy decided to place one giant lump of coal in the tube which broke into pieces and came out firing at the soldiers and the warden causing them to fall to the floor in pain.
For added measures me, Tyro and Haru used the coal around them to create a floor under them and made float in the air. We motioned ground over the edge of the ship on top of the ocean. The warden looks to us in fear. "Please I can't swim." He says. "Don't worry. I hear cowards float." Tyro says making me grin. We all at the same time bring our hands up in a circle motion and bring them down causing the floating island to fall apart into the ocean along with the soldiers and the warden while they scream.
As the remaining ship are liberated we all set sail. As a flying bison swims alongside the ship with Aang (as I later found out) riding on top of it. Katara, Tyro, Haru and I were stading behind the railing of the ship looking out at the distance while standing behind Katara. Haru approached her. "I want to thank you for saving me…for saving us." He said to her. I could see she was feeling embarrassed as she placed her hand behind her head. "All it took was a little coal." She said with modesty. "It wasn't the coal Katara…it was you." Haru said. Tyro then placed a hand on Katara's shoulder. "Thank you for helping find my courage, Katara of the water tribe. My family and everyone here owes you much." He says making me smile. Katara looks at him with a smile. "So I guess you're going home now?" She says to him. "Yes to take back our village." Tyro raises his fist "TO TAKE BACK ALL OUR VILLAGES! THE FIRE NATION WILL REGRET THE DAY THEY SET FOOT ON OUR LAND!" He yells to the other people while they shout victorious.
As Katara looks at the people she hears Haru's voice. "Come with us." He says as she turns towards him. "I can't. Your mission is to take back your home." She then looks at Aang. "Ours is to get Aang to the North Pole." She says as I see Aang playing with his pet. "That's him isn't it? The Avatar." Haru asks as he looks at Aang too.
I walk up to her. "Katara can I talk to you for a moment?" I ask her. She walks over to where I am and stands right in front of me. "What is it Zian?" She asks me with curiosity. I look at her and take a deep breath. "I want to tell you and your friends how grateful I am for freeing my people. I've been trying so hard to get them to fight for what they deserve, for what everyone who suffers in this deserves. I just wish I could repay all somehow…" I said. She gives me a smile. "You don't have to thank us Zian it's the least we could…" I then interrupted her "…And I have found a way to repay you all." I then look at Aang and back to her. "I want to join you and the Avatar on your quest." I says with full seriousness. Katara looks at me with shock. "Are you sure don't you have a family waiting for you?" she asks me. "No, I lost my family years ago to the fire nation along with my home. My people they have their own families to go back to and I have no one." I said lowering my head.
I could then feel a hand on my shoulder and I look up to see Katara smiling at me. "You do now." She says as she gives me a big hug. I embraced it while shedding a few tears. I let go of her and she walks back to Haru. As she leaves I stare of into the distance and take in the beautiful weather and smell of the ocean. Today is defiantly a new day. I then jump at sound of Katara shouting "My mother's necklace it's gone." She then panicks.
I continue to look out at the sea. Yep, defiantly a new day.
Well this took quite a while, but I am glad that I was able to finish the first of many chapters to come. I am glad that you were able to at least read up until here. That means you either enjoyed it or you just want to criticise me. Either way thanks for reading I really appreciate it. Don't forget to follow, favourite and comment if you so desire.
Thanks again for reading and I'll see you in the next chapter. Later