Chapter 2: Fighting
A/N: I have this half finished in my note book somewhere and I was dying to finish it. Well although I'm working on my main project, I'm going to update this part.
Enjoy~
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Two Months Later
Aang held his staff as he sat down cross-legged in front of a scorched boulder. This was the graves for his friends. On the night of the first attack, they had passed away.
They died a quick death. A burning five ton rock was catapulted high up into the air from the Fire Nation machines, landing on top of children's building. There wasn't even a body left to bury. So they carved out the names of the children into the rock.
Aang came here to think sometimes, when the weight of the world reminded him of his fate. He came here every time he had a particularly hard day. Tonight, the Fire Nation tried to launch another raid. They sent scouts but Aang caught them in act and killed two of the five soldiers.
*Flashback*
Aang pressed himself into the crevice of the rock, hearing the sound of wind howl by. Here, he hid himself in the shadow, monitoring the side of the mountain pass where a small route to the top lay. It would be disastrous if the a Fire nation soldier came up this passageway.
It had happened once and because of this careless mistake, the Fire Nation soldier went on a suicide mission, killing as many as he can before he was killed. The Fire Nation bastard end up killing two elder monks before he was killed.
Aang narrowed his eyes at dark spots off in the distance. The dots moved closer and closer. There was no mistaking that red armor. They were Fire Nation!
He hid back into the shadows, letting the soldiers walk closer and closer to where he was. Right when they passed beneath him, he dropped down on them.
The first soldier died quickly, taken by surprise when Aang dropped down on him from behind, with a quick twist and sharp crack, the soldier dropped to the ground, neck broken.
The other soldiers turned around, alert from the sound of snapping bone. With a quick twist of his wrist, Aang's staff sprang open, revealing miniature fans built into the staff. He swung his fan upward, bending the air.
What should have been a normal breeze turn into a forceful gust of air that blew off three of the four soldiers off the narrow mountain pass. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the men opening up the parachutes they had prepared.
The last soldier, obviously the leader, evaded the blast of wind. He jumped over the win, firebending as as he did. Aang cursed under his breath and spun his staff in a circular motion, deflecting the blast of fire that came from the man's palm. The soldier wasn't discouraged at all. He continued sending blast of fire at Aang who started to nimbly dodge the attacks. Staying in one spot was dangerous.
The soldier grew tire of the game of cat and mouse and went in to finish the fight with hand to hand combat. Aang had the advantage of a weapon. The scout was lightly equipped with dark leather armor to reduce weight, any weapons they had were taken off before hand to prevent noise. Also, his staff had a greater reach than the man's fist.
The man came charging like a raging bull, head first. Aang tried landing a blow to the temple but the man lifted his arm, absorbing the impact with his forearm guard. Aang gulped and dodged a viscous right hook that would have left his head spinning. Change of plans.
Aang leap back, creating distance. The soldier wasn't going to allow that to happen. He gave a viscous roar and a mighty backhand that connected with the staff. Aang braced the staff with both hands as it bended ominously, creaking as the wood started to snap.
The man gave an extra burst of strength snapping the staff. Aang dropped both pieces and went in for the counterattack. When they man tried his strength against his staff, his feet stopped moving for a while. Aang closed in fast, holding onto the outstretched hand as a pivot. He spun in a semi-circle, elbow pointed out. It landed harshly at the back of the mans neck.
Spinning Elbow: Shock Club!
The man fell face forward into the ground, unconscious. While Aang didn't have much strength, he had speed. And speed is equal to power. Aang walked over to the remains of his staff. He picked one up and tested the splintered edge.
Not many people knew but staffs are deadly weapons. When they break, the broken ends transform the pieces into a miniature spear. Aang held the makeshift spear in his hand and walked over to the down man. He lifted the spear over his head with both hands.
"Sorry. It's you or me"
Then he thrust down, bringing forth a crimson spray. The man jerked once, twice, then died. Aang
immediately felt the burn of his arrow tattoos. They were glowing white hot and receding. He grit his teeth and rolled the corpse over the side of the mountain. He kicked the broke staff after him, after all, staffs were plentiful in the monastery.
*End Flashback*
Aang rubbed his arms, easing the phantom pains that he was feeling. Things were changing. After the death of the children, the adults have become more jaded and serious. The monks had activated the wall of wind after the first attack. Four spiraling twisters formed around the mountain, preventing any airborne projectiles.
It was an immensely complex systems designed in the past when the Air Nomads were at war with each other. It utilized complex designs engraved into the very mountain itself. By directing the air currents to clash into each other, they would create an interlocking wall of turbulent wind. All that was needed were four monks capable of airbending.
There was a silence that hovered about the temple. Usually, there would be the sound of children's voices as they played but now there was nothing. The sound of the wind whistled and shrieked, eerily similar to a scream he heard right before his friends died.
The situation was getting grim. Only last week, a scout had been sent out to determine the forces of the attacking party. He returned without and arm and covered in third degree burns. As he was dying, he manage to utter out that he counted at least a thousand soldiers.
It was at that moment when they realize, defeat was inevitable. They only had a hundred airbenders to fight off the invasion. The only thing they could hope for is for the Fire Nation to give up the assault. However, Fire lord Sozen was hell bent on eliminating the Avatar.
It made sense in a cruel way Aang mused. With the death of the Avatar, it would take at least fourteen years before the new Avatar was strong enough to make any difference in the war and in fourteen years, a lot of things can change.
Also, all they needed to do was to kill the new avatar until the cycle switches over to the Fire Nation. After that, they would rule the world. The water tribes would be under strict control, and earth nation would be turned into Fire Nation territory. The airbenders are harder to control though. They had the ability to travel great distances with only their winged staff.
This was the Fire Nation's greatest threat. However, advancement in technology is already downsizing the advantages they once had. He had to do something and he needed to do it quickly.
Aang tried really hard to improve, he stopped complaining about the physical torture he was put through. At night, he would drag himself to the scroll room and read through ancient scrolls, hoping he could find something that would help.
At the moment, there only hope was to seek aid from the Western Air Temple. They had over three thousand air benders there. With them, they could repel the Fire Nation soldiers.
Aang hated it. The entire situation was so fucked up. Just because of him, the Fire Nation attacked their temple. This self-loathing grew by the day. Each time he killed someone, his body felt dirty. His body was sinful and disgusting. The receding arrows were proof of that.
The bitterness and hate almost led him to commit suicide. In one of the darkest hours of his life, he jumped off the edge of the temple. He fell, faster and faster, feeling the grip of gravity as it dragged him down. As he neared the ground, he closed his eyes and prayed. "Please let the Avatar be born into the next cycle. The water tribe could hold off the Fire Nation Navy. Let them end the war. The Air Nomads must survive even if I have to be the sacrifice."
What he didnt expect was to be caught by a sky bison. Aang looked up in shock. It was Appa! The young Sky Bison flew Aang back up the temple.
"Appa..." Aang said softly. The young Sky bison bellowed angrily and slapped his master with his tail. It hurt like a bitch but it brought him back to his senses. He sat in front of Appa, head down, shoulders slumped. It was so stupid, the entire situation. Even an animal, although a rather intelligent one, could tell that committing suicide is foolish. Aang got back and patted Appa reassuringly on the nose.
"Don't worry boy. I won't do anything stupid anymore, I promise."
What led him to his failed suicide attempt? It could have been the fact that he just received news that the Western Air temple was totally and utterly destroyed. Three thousand Air benders died, including the women and children. He didn't know how many escaped, probably only a handful of children and women made it out.
The Air benders were going extinct. Air bending is a ability one is born with but without proper guidance, they can't harness the power of nature. Usually someone would mentor the young air bender. All skills were passed down orally which meant the future generation was going to suffer.
Revenge was seeping into his heart, leading him to darker and darker thoughts. Almost every passing second, he would fantasize of ways to kill, maim, and take apart an opponent. He knew it wasn't healthy but he didn't care. He just wanted to kill the Fire Nation soldiers who killed so many of his people.
Aang made a resolution. Every Fire nation soldier he saw, he would fight with the intention to kill, there was no more holding back. From now on, his techniques would be one hit kill moves.
How many more will he kill? He didn't know for sure but it was going to be a lot.
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A/N: Wow. I actually updated this. Well It's 2 Am the the morning and I have a slight case of insomnia. The next chapter takes place a year and a half later. Enjoy this short update, I might be writing more.
