'The cogs of destiny never stop...' he thought and remembered the day he won that champion's belt...

"Welcome your two champions, ladies and gentlemen! On the right side, comes he who is so fast, skilled and fatal that has become known as the Silver Death! Cain!"

Then he arrived and smiled, conquering the crowd, that yelled and cheered to him. He was a twenty-five years old man that had really long ivory hair and dashing yellow eyes. He was fit and lightly tanned.

'One day you can be at the top of the world...'

"And on the left corner, the strong and sturdy man that became known as Rocksolid! Yung!"
And he came in calmly as if there was no big deal. The crowd did not cheer half as much as it had done for Cain, but the man did not care, he wasn't doing that for them. His hand went through his auburn hair and right after it scratched his beard and his green eyes looked around like he was trying to find something interesting there.
"YOU'RE GOING DOWN TODAY!" Cain teased.
"Whatever you have to say to feel confident, dearie." Yung answered, bored. Could it be that he was wrong all the time? But it was too late for him to give up now. The final battle was about to begin.
The bell rang and Cain charged to destroy Yung, that did not move at all. But when the swordsman was about to cut him down, he looked at the floor for a moment, the other lost his balance and Yung grabbed the man's head with his right hand and dropped him on the ground, kicking the sword off his hand and proceeding to a series of brutal punches that left the man unconscious. It was quick.

'And on the next, you can be down the ground wondering how you fell so much.'

"Where's my belt?" Yung asked and waved to the crowd, that cheered. That boy Cain's quick attacks and sharp blade never had a chance against Yung's sturdy style. The announced crowned him champion and gave him the belt of the Ultimate Fighter and Yung thought if that would feel the void in him.

'But it didn't. After that I decided to join the Dai Li, but after a week, I have learned most of their bending through observation and life at the army is no life for me.' he thought as he dropped his jacket of a Dai Li recruit and put on his good old dark green overcoat.
He looked at his lodgings a last time to be sure he hadn't forgotten anything.
He had not.
'It's darkest right before dawn. I should use this time wisely.'
And quietly left the place, being able to cross the camp with ease until...
"Nice hat, Yung" someone said behind him and he turned to see a familiar figure with a cloaked stranger.
"Like it? It matches my belt!"
"That belt should be mine! You earthbended! You cheated!"
"Did I now? But I never moved my arms or legs or any part of me to do so."
"You used some sort of trick. Now, give me the belt or I'll have to attack you?"
"Oh, Cain's a wittle bit wesentful?" Yung said, faking a pouty face.
"My name is not Cain anymore. It is Aurion. Things have changed since we last met."
"Whatever. Seems like you lost your window, my friend."
"What?"
"YUNG! WHAT SORT OF RUCKUS IS GOING ON HERE?" a man yelled from behind Aurion. It was the General. He was a man on his mid-forties with dark hair, a full and long beard and wore the garments of a Dai Li agent.
"I was merely taking an early stroll when this man ambushed me." Yung lied.
"That's a bold face lie! You were deserting them!"
"YUNG! Is that true?"
"I have no idea of what he is talking about." Yung lied with a perfect poker face.
"GET HIM! GET THE INVADER!"
"I think not. Alan."
"Yes." the cloaked man solemnly said and suddenly, he rose his hands.
And things got creepy because even though the General and his man wanted to attack, they could not move.
"I had hoped to leave with the blood of only one in my hands..." Aurion told Yung with a devilish and happy tone "but I can't leave witnesses, can I?"
But Yung did not listen. He was staring at the emptiness... like he was not there.

'What is this?' he asked as he saw that a woman's hand held his. He then looked down and freaked, at a lot of things, like knowing he was flying (!), that he carried three others (!), he had no legs (!) and there was nothing down below but more empty space (!). That freak out made him let go of the girl that held his hand and her and the other man fell, but the girl that was last in line let the go as well and looked at him shocked.
"Yung... wake up. I already killed the lackeys, but I'd hate you to miss the death of your commander."

And like that, he was back to reality.
"I failed you, Yung. Give an old man some last satisfaction and forgive me before I die."
But when Aurion was about to strike, a pillar of earth threw him and his blade way upwards, leaving a cut on the General's arm, but he was still alive.
"Yung, you sneaky bastard! How did you do that?" the General said, overjoyed and relieved.
"Willpower." he said and gave a snarky smile
"You are so dead, Yung!" Aurion said when he was falling but Yung looked at him and a surge of earth bound him to a wall. He then threw a rock at Alan that made him lose his focus and they were released.
"Seems that even when you get reinforcements, victory is still mine."
"I'll defeat you one day, Yung!" he said and the earth pillar exploded. When the dust settled, he and Alan were gone.
"You can bend without moving?"
"Learned from the Great Master of Mountains. Yeah, she was my master."
"If you could do that, why did you let him kill the others?" the General said, grabbing Yung by the collar of his shirt.
"It is not so much that I let him as it is that I was not there."
"Spirit travelling?"
"Yes. I saw someone. A girl. An airbender."
The General let him go and saw that he had a backpack on him.
"You were deserting, weren't you?"
"I was. And I am. I know I have to find that woman. It may answer the question that chases me throughout my life and made me try so many different paths."
"You can't go! Not right after this! They'll blame you! You'll become something worse than a desertor, you'll be a traitor!"
He placed his hand on the General's shoulder and smiled.
"I count on you to make things right, sir." he said and the General was impressed.
"I finally got you to call a superior 'sir'."
"That's the first and last time, General! Cheerio!"
And flew away on a rock.
"Sir! That man is fleeing! Should we intercept him?"
"No. Let him go."
"But he's a desertor!"
"He's more than that, soldier. He's a hero, and one too good to expect acknowledgements."