Across the World

Fire

While the news of the Avatar spread from the Northern Water Tribe and the rest of the world continued their daily routines, the conflict within the Fire Nation continued. On an island in the Eastern Fire Nation, very close to the direct center of the archipelago, two massive forces of soldiers were stationed on opposite sides of the island. Six Fire Nation ships, three on each side, were just past the shallow water awaiting orders from their commanders. The two forces were standing in front of each other on a standoff. On one side, the warriors wore straight-lined uniforms with three silver sunbursts on the chest and shoulders. The other side wore smoother outfits with three golden sunbursts on the chest and shoulders. To the west of the island two massive black walls shielded two adjacent islands with a small large canal between the two walls. Starting and ending each wall were massive statues of Fire Lord Zuko which on one side could gaze directly at the nearby island and the conflict about to unfold.

At the head of the army with the silver suns was a tall young man in a commander's helmet with a silver-version of the headpiece worn by the Fire Lord. His skull mask only had two eyes and where the third would be was replaced by the silver sun. On both sides he had imperial Firebenders in stance ready for combat and to their sides was two lines of Komodo Rhino cavalry.

The head of the army with the golden suns was a female figure inside of armor opposing the head of the silver army. Her mask had three eyes with the third encased in gold and she lacked the mock headpiece of the Fire Lord. Her army lines mimicked her rival's minus the addition of armed warriors with tall shields strapped to their left arms. The standoff between these two armies was only intensified by the sun at the top of the sky above them. The heavens, it seemed, were gazing down on this conflict directly and feeding the Firebenders more power.

"If you withdraw your armies now I'll look past you trespassing on this island and your supporters won't suffer a traitor's punishment, sister." The lead man said to the opposing female.

The female scoffed at her brother and crossed her arms. "I'm not inclined to believe you, Prince Azai."

"You should be calling me 'Fire Lord,' Princess Sūn Zàizhī." The male countered.

"You will have that over my dead body, 'little brother.'"

"Two minutes makes no difference. I am the first born son of our late father. The birthright is mine."

"Well until the Sages say otherwise, no." the female confidently said before leaping forward and unleashing wide stream of fire at her brother. The attack was easily parried as he raised his arm and aimed it at his sister.

"Take them out! This is OUR soil!" he shouted as his army rushed forward with a war cry from both sides filling the sky.

When the two front lines clashed they broke apart, causing the small army behind to get in front of the battle. Fire began flying the instant the armies crashed into each other. It flew in various directions and struck at different spots. The soldiers caught by where the fireballs landed were knocked off their feet by the blasts but they quickly resumed fighting after a moment to regain their bearings. This phenomenon occurred all over the battlefield as the fighting went on. Azai's Imperial Firebenders chose the non-bending soldiers as easy targets and attacked them first. However these slow moving soldiers were well prepared due to their shields. As streams of fire went out toward them Sūn's Firebenders would fall behind the shields as their wielders ducked to cover the ground. When the streams ended Sūn's Firebenders rolled from behind the protection and struck back. Two Firebenders appeared from behind each shield and countered with a combined fire blast at their aggressors. The Prince's attackers were knocked back by the combined stream. When the second attack occurred and the shield wielders repeated their tactic, the second line of Azai's forces ran up during this time to climb up and over the shield before attacking these men specifically. Many were brought down due to the surprise and the first attacker's renewed assault. The Firebenders who relied on this cover were left alone to deal with what appeared to be a larger army as cavalry soon charged in past the open lines.

"Don't let the rhinos charge through the second line or we're done!" the princess shouted as she engaged several of her brother's Imperial Firebenders. When she was attacked by two charged blasts she ducked under them before leaping up with her body parallel to the ground. During her time in the air she unleashed three simultaneous fire blasts from her hands and one of her feet which disabled three of the Firebenders. When she fell to the ground she rolled up to another one face-to-face before using him as a shield from a fire ball and then tossing him toward her attacker. As Azai's cavalry closed in, several of Sūn's soldiers extracted from their pockets two large sacks of gunpowder. They threw these bags down and lit them on fire. This created loud bursts of sound which caused the cavalry to rear up on their hind legs and throw off their riders. The Princess quickly took control of one of the stray Komodo Rhinos and ran through the crowds of fighting soldiers, charging at her brother who was her primary target. As if awaiting her attack Azai fell to the side, and a shorter figure rushed from behind to the top of the Komodo Rhino and attacked the princess with a flaming arch from a kick. The princess grabbed the offender and tossed him down. The attacker quickly got up and extracted a sheathed broadsword but before he could engage the princess a figure in very light armor with a mask identical to the princess' stepped on the blade with his own sword, a jaing, pointed at the boy's throat.

"You're not getting to the Princess until you take me down." He said.

The downed sword-wielder clenched his fist and shot a blast of fire at the man's face. The princess' guard raised his left hand in front of the fire and stepped back which allowed his attacker to get up with his sword ready. A look of shock appeared on the youth's face when the burning left hand was uncovered and as silver as the steel on their weapons.

"That's not going to work on me, kid. Aren't you a little young to fight a war?" he asked. The two clashed swords and the youth gave out a low growl.

"Not when I have a purpose to fight traitors like you."

"Either side is a traitor to the other." The metal handed man said before the two continued to clash blades.

"Zuten, be careful!" the princess shouted before throwing her arms forward to unleash two long streams of fire at Azai. The prince brought up a wall of fire from a low stance to counter.

"If you can't take me out in an Agni Kai then this fight won't work." He said before falling back behind several soldiers who then engaged the princess. Azai ran from the spot and noticed a ship on the opposite side of the island which was aiming a dragon-shaped cannon at the combat. "No cannons today, sister." He said before circling his arms in a loop, creating an arch of electricity which seconds later became a large bolt of lightning which destroyed the cannon. Azai confidently blew on his fingers where the lightning exited his body and grinned. "I am the Prince of Cold-Blooded Fire. Zero! Where's the airship?" he shouted.

The youth fighting Zuten broke away and looked at the prince momentarily. "It should be over the wall by now!" he shouted before sending a fireball at Zuten, who contorted his body in a ghastly manner which allowed him to move under the fireball before rolling up in front of Zero and kicking him back.

From beyond the western wall a massive airship rose up and began moving toward the island. Fifty more Firebenders were about to enter the battle after the airship conducted a bombing raid on the princess' main forces. Zuten looked up and ran to his princess. "Princess, our airships aren't here yet and Azai has an Imperial-class coming this way!" he shouted.

The princess quickly threw off her helmet which exposed her top knot, her long flowing black hair, and the sun spot tattoo with a red center on her forehead. Her amber eyes looked up at the massive airship. "Nuisances." She muttered before inhaling and looking at the ship's side engine. As she exhaled, a small stream of superheated air shot from her forehead and flew up at the targeted engine. The stream of superheated air created a massive explosion which totaled the engine and sent the airship crashing down into the deep waters after the airship passed over the island in its crash landing. From behind the eastern wall two small airships began to soar toward the island and from the wall more ships emerged.

"I miscalculated how much she had ready." Azai said with malice as he watched his airship go down. "Get the ships to cover us! We're falling back. This island is not worth the throne!" he shouted. The cannons of his ships began to fire smoke bombs on the island from their phoenix-shaped cannons. Azai's forces quickly fell back, dragging back the wounded while the Prince bright up a large wall of fire to hold off his sister's offensive momentum. When the time was right he, too, fell back. "We're done here yet, oh-dear-sister-of-mine. We're not even close to an ending. Take this island now but you're only making yourself a bigger target. I have the Capital City." He said before the ship's hull closed up and sailed away.

Zuten looked at the princess. "You're letting them retreat?" he asked.

She nodded. "Those two airships have no Firebenders on board. If Azai shot one down he'd notice and he'd continue attacking us with his larger forces. I at least bought us some time to fortify a base here in case he tries to attack again. Every inch counts. Start counting the wounded and get them off. I'll remain here until reinforcements arrive." She stated. After she spoke two messenger hawks arrived; both with black ribbons attached. "We're in luck. The Earth King's going to supply us with some doctors in the next 'tourist boat' here." She opened the second note and her eyes widened.

"What's wrong, Princess?" Zuten asked.

"The Avatar's identity has been revealed. He's heading to Ba Sing Se in a week. What luck for us…"

The prince's fleet was heading back to the Capitol before returning to the military base behind the wall on the Western Fire Nation. Azai sat on his small throne. "I didn't know she perfected that Combustion thing yet. I hadn't counted on that. Now airships are going to be fodder for her…" he said to his war minister. The elderly man looked at Azai.

"We will have to reposition the engines where she cannot get at them as easy. We'll begin designs as soon as we return to the Capital. We will not let you lose the throne, sir." The war minister replied before a messenger hawk flew through a window. Azai picked up the message and grinned.

"A new piece has entered the game board. The Avatar's identity is public and he's heading for Ba Sing Se. If he gets there my sister will get to him…I think it's time we play diplomacy in the Earth Kingdom as well." He said to himself.

Earth

News had spread to the Earth Kingdom that the Avatar would arrive in the Northern Earth Kingdom before heading off to master the four elements. In response to this, many people from nearby areas were heading into the coastal town of Kishiiwa in order to see Avatar Aang's successor. It was only two decades old and had not required a connecting rail system to major cities in the Earth Kingdom until this moment. Due to the spur of the moment event many strong Earthbenders were finding easy money by providing willing citizens protection to travel across the Earth Kingdom to see the Avatar who had been unknown to the world for sixteen years.

Among the various traveling parties heading to Kishiiwa, the longest-traveling were being escorted via a powerful Earthbender and a badgermole. This group consisted of a dozen villagers unable to go to Ba Sing Se to await the Avatar's arrival there. They could muster up a small collection of silver and copper pieces as payment but their guide was willing regardless. The villages rode behind the badgermole on ostrich horses and their guide rode atop the badgermole.

The badgermole's owner was a short young woman, fifteen years old with long brown hair arranged into two loops which held up dangling orange paper lanterns with the insignia of the Flying Boar on all sides. She wore a short dark-green shirt ending at her elbows, with an armored skirt worn by soldiers and tight pants which ended at her knees. Like all Earthbenders she was barefoot, and unlike many she carried a hammer half her size on her back. In her lap was a map of the Earth Kingdom with a large red circle over the location of the town Kishiiwa and several smaller blue circles indicating past marking.

"Okay, so if we stay in a northwest heading we'll be in the town by sunset and the Avatar arrives in the morning. Just keep following the high ledge and we'll be on track. How wonderful! I get my money and my pupil short after. This is great, Pachuu! Taking away the spot as the Avatar's teacher from those old Dai Li officers after getting booted out of their ranks is the greatest bit of payback I can ask for. Oh great-grandma Toph would be proud!" she said before laying back on Pachuu. "I can hear her now saying 'Xia Lin I am so proud of you!'" she shouted out before laughing. "Too bad she's not around..."

An ostrich horse carrying a middle-aged man caught up to the badgermole. "Excuse me, Miss Bei Fong! How much further are we going today?"

Xia Lin sat up and looked down at the man. "We'll be in Kishiiwa by sunset. At our pace it should only give us a stop or two before we reach town. Then I can give us a nice spot to watch the show."

The man nodded. "I'll inform the others. Thank you very much, Miss Bei Fong. I'm sorry if the money wasn't enough."

Xia Lin shrugged. "You need something to get on a ship heading back to your town after the show's over. I'd help you back if I could but I have a big errand at hand."

"Getting us there is all we need. We have plenty to get a ship to sail us back and ride home from there. You made sure of that." He explained before riding back to the dozen ostrich horses following Pachuu. The group had been traveling for a week with the aid of Xia Lin and Pachuu's Earthbending accounted for a good amount of the distance covered.

Air

High up in the northern Earth Kingdom mountain rages were three large pagoda temples attached to the same massive mountain. These pagodas scaled the side of the mountain and appeared like three separate staircases with eight steps leading up to the top of the mountain. This massive split structure was the only inhabited Air Temple. It was built by Avatar Aang and his followers of the Air Nomads over the course of twenty years. Known to the world as the Grand Air Temple it was the sole residence of the new Air Nomads and their non-bending followers.

The center pagoda housed the most activity due to a medium-sized airship being brought out from inside the temple. This non-coal powered airship was used by the Air Nomads for a group of twenty people due to their numbers consisting of non-benders as well as Airbenders. It had been constructed by the Fire Nation as a sign of peace by the previous Fire Lord and was powered by Airbending. Two young Airbenders were busy filling the balloon with air while other monks watched as the airship began to rise.

Writing down his observations was a tall, bald man examining the details of the ship being resurrected from its room inside the temple. As he sat and wrote down his thoughts, he drew the attention of younger monks. "What are you up to, Vajra?" a young Airbender asked.

The man looked up from his book. "I'm writing my initial observations about the ship and some details of it and myself."

"Why are you doing that?"

"So I can better document my travels with the Avatar. I'm going to travel and document it all so it can be published as an epic tale."

"Aren't we not supposed to attach ourselves to earthly things?"

"I'll focus on that part when I finish writing this and figure who to give the money to. I have to get my name known as a great nomad somehow." He added before returning to his writing. Vajra would not be traveling with the air nomads to retrieve the Avatar; instead he would start his travels with the Avatar once he arrived at the Grand Air Temple.

"I can't wait to see the next Avatar. I hope I don't miss it!"

Vajra laughed. "He has to come back to master Airbending so if you miss him once you'll see him again."

Walking to inspect the airship was a very elderly monk with a long gray beard split in two. He was one of the five head monks of the Grand Air Temple following Avatar Aang's passing and considered the head of the council. He overheard Vajra and the young Airbender speaking which caused him to head over. "He will not be here for too long on the first visit. Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice and the Avatar must meet with his past life for guidance. After that he shall be off to Ba Sing Se to master Earthbending. Only when he is ready to master Airbending will he return." He explained to the two nomads.

The young Airbender's eyes went wide. "Oh! Monk Jirun! Can I please go see the Avatar?" he asked while jumping frantically.

The elder monk smiled. "Of course you can, young Airbender. We needed an extra pair of hands to help with the ship. That makes four counting the two Airbenders working on the ship. We'll be setting off shortly." He explained before walking back to the ship, turning around, and sending two fruit pies from his sleeves flying at Vajra and the young Airbender. Both were struck in the face by the projectiles.

"My journals!" Vajra shouted as he brushed off his pages; his young companion started laughing and eating the fruit pie splattered all over his face. Winged lemurs soon arrived to begin eating the scraps on the ground.

Water

It had been two days ago since a massive ship from the Northern Water Tribe left its home to set sail for Kishiiwa with the Avatar on board. The night sky was unhampered by foreign light and was being used as a guide for the Waterbenders helping the ship move to its destination. Aided by Waterbending, the ship sailed through the waters much easier than any other ship might. The ship was due at port by sunrise in order to coincide with plans preset by the monks with the Grand Air Temple and the monks in Ba Sing Se. The crew of the ship was still awake for one reason. There was a growing feeling the Avatar would have attempted to turn the ship around (made apparent by his nervous pacing and his different behavior). The Waterbenders were going to keep the ship on course until the Avatar was asleep. They were not going to take risks with anything ruining this tightly set schedule.

For hours now Hakeinu had been pacing on the deck nervously, looking north hoping something would force them to turn back. He had not been allowed to pack any "worldly possessions" by the monks so he had nothing to distract him. He was being watched carefully by Master Hie in case he attempted anything. The young Avatar was looking unlike how he had been days before when they left port for the Earth Kingdom. His hair was messy, black rings around his eyes, and he appeared very shaky with his hands. Nothing like how he had been earlier.

"You should relax, Hakeinu. Nothing is going to happen to turn us around. We have to get you to the town in time. The monks didn't tell me anything but if you don't calm down and get some rest you're going to be a complete wreck. That won't be a good first impression." Hie said as he sat on deck and watched Hakeinu.

Hakeinu looked at him with frustration and sighed. "You don't get it! You won't let me Waterbend, I couldn't take a weapon or a simple tool with me because they're 'worldly possessions,' and now I have to set off and not see home until I mastered the elements. How do you think I feel? I haven't been outside of the Tribe, ever."

"You're the Avatar. You don't have a choice to stay home anymore. As much as it would hurt anyone it has to happen. You've been stressing over this since we left port. That's not how my students behave."

"You don't have to jump into any of this or have to worry about a civil war in the Fire Nation. I have the entire world watching my every move and I don't know what to do. I've only known I'm the Avatar for less than a week now, sifu."

"I'm sure anyone in your position would feel that way. You best get those feelings out now because getting involved in affairs across the world is your duty as the Avatar. You need to find calm. You will have plenty of help and the world on your side. Go below deck and get some rest. You're making the other Waterbenders crazy staying up late every night. You'll be fine after you get some rest. Don't make me have to give your mother bad news. She won't like it."

Hakeinu sighed, looked at his master, and nodded. "I'll do what I can. Thank you, Master Hie." Hakeinu said while giving a light bow before going below deck to get some rest.

"It's about time he went to bed. Everyone else is about to pass out…" the old master said before going below deck himself.