AMS

INVASION

In the Northern Pole's outskirts, Tarnok's adopted parents asked him to go hunt for food even though it was midnight, and snowing like crazy.

"It shouldn't be hard for a master water bender such as yourself. Plus, that psychic blood bending can be used to protect yourself as well as instantly kill the animals and drag them back here for us to prepare," stated Valerie, Tarnok's adopted mom.

Tarnok sighed and pulled his parka over him and put on his boots.

"Don't worry. I'll be back soon," promised Tarnok.

Shortly after Tarnok left his tent, he looked up at the sky and smiled at the bright, full moon. He still couldn't believe that four years ago, the Avatar was killed.

"Maybe they'll find the new Avatar next year," Tarnok thought to himself.

He was completely oblivious to the fact that a large group of blood benders were quietly leaving the North Pole to Ba Sing Se. He was too focused on using his bending to keep the snow from making his parka and long hair wet as he walked through the land, searching for animals. Animals that may or may not even be out at this hour. But the spirits were kind to him as they cleared the weather, and in front if him was a herd of wolves. Tarnok smiled, feeling relief and excitement all at once. For some reason, he always had a connection with the spirits.

"Thanks, guys," Tarnok thanked the spirits as he bowed his head in respect.

The spirits smiled back at him and said "you're welcome".

In Ba Sing Se, the blood benders wreaked havoc, killing the Earth Queen and any earth bender they met. A blood bender knocked down Beth and John's home, startling the couple who were asleep in their bed.

"Shh. I'll take care of whoever it is," whispered John.

He knew he had to somehow sneak downstairs without being seen by the intruder so he can retrieve his shotgun. It would be a hard task, but he knew he had to try. He wasn't given the chance to try and get out of bed first as his door was forced open by two men wearing blue.

"What? Water benders? What do you want?" demanded John.

The water benders didn't speak. They only stepped forward a bit and narrowed their eyes. Beth decided to try something crazy. She hopped up out of the covers and onto the bedroom floor, and she took an earth bending stance.

"Don't try us, buddies! We're master earth benders! Leave now, before it gets ugly!" she bluffed.

Without warning, she felt her whole body stiffen. John's body stiffened as well. Their eyes widened in horror. Quey woke up to his adopted parents screaming. He heard their screams become muffled with something liquid. It sounded as if they coughed up gallons of blood while screaming. The thought made Quey shake and shiver. All was quiet, and Quey hoped it meant whoever was there in the house would be gone. But the two blood benders soon knocked down Quey's door. In an fight or flight response, Quey hopped on an air scooter to try and escape past them. He made it past them, but soon was unable to move at all, and he thought he was going to die.

"Kid, we will spare you. You're not an earth bender, but an air bender. If you promise to not get in our way, we will allow you to live in the new Water Tribe, home to blood benders and you, an air bender," said one of the men.

"B-but I'm supposed to go live on Air Temple Island when I turn five," stammered Quey.

"We don't care. Just don't get in our way. Besides. Our leader can blood bend without the aid of a full moon, and can do so with his mind. So no matter who tries to stop us, he will put an end to it immediately," warned the man.

"I-I understand, sir!" quickly said Quey.

The man dropped his grip on Quey, and Quey didn't move from his spot as the two blood benders walked out of his home. Quey curled himself up into a ball and began to cry for his mother and father.

"Oh, by the way kid. I wouldn't go in your parents' room if I were you. It's extremely bloody in there. It would scar you for life," warned the blood bender before leaving.

All Quey did was cry harder. The blood bender steeled his emotions and left the sobbing, lonely four year old air bender. Quey cried himself to sleep in the middle of the hallway, his face stained with tears. He felt something wet lapping at his face. When he opened his eyes, he saw it was a rat-dog spirit licking his face. A completely different blood bender came in the house and walked up the stairs, splashing cold water in Quey's face to wake him up some more.

"Follow me. The boss wants to meet you," said the blood bending woman.

Quey got up on his feet and followed the woman clad in blue and white armor. They made it to the upper ring and went inside the Royal Palace where the Earth Queen used to live in.

"Sir. I brought the air bending boy," announced the woman, saluting the back of her boss.

When the man turned around, Quey shrank back in fear reflexively. Something about him felt strangely familiar, though he had never met the man before in his life. This guy, whoever he was, had two large scars running across his face. Somehow, none of his eyebrows were missing and he had a full head of hair.

"Thank you, Denise. Please leave us," said the man.

Saluting him again, she turned around and left the man and child alone in the palace. Quey was visibly shaking, and he looked completely petrified. The strange man smirked a bit and walked forward, placing a hand on the boy's back, leading him to one of the couches. Quey sat down and the man took a seat across from him, placing his head on his interlaced fingers, staring deep into the boy's soul.

"W-w-what do you want with me?" asked Quey.

"I want your word that once you leave for Air Temple Island, that you won't go snitching. Because if you do, and I will find out one way or another, I will personally kill every single air bender left in this world with my superior blood bending," threatened the man.

Quey nodded his head up and down quickly.

"I promise I won't tell anyone, Mister-?"

The man closed his eyes.

"Noatak. Call me Noatak," said the man.

"I won't tell anyone. Noatak. Sir," meekly promised Quey.

Noatak nodded.

"I can tell you're telling the truth, thanks to my ability to sense your heart beat. Alright. Now, when is your fifth birthday?" asked Noatak.

"Next year, two days earlier from today," replied Quey.

"So you just had a birthday. Hmm. Okay, here's what's going to happen. I will allow you to live in your home until the day after your fifth birthday. How you survive until then is completely up to your survival skills. To be blunt, I could care less if you died or not. I have no need to kill you since you gave your word and you're not an earth bender, but whether you survive or not, I don't care. Do I make myself clear?" asked Noatak.

"Yes sir," quietly replied Quey.

"Good. That was all I wanted you for. You can go back to your home now. Good luck," smirked Noatak.

Quey stood up, his hands folded in front of him. He bowed to Noatak respectfully and left with his head lowered.