Two chapters in two days! Jeez, you guys are getting spoiled! Don't get used to it, though, because school starts up again tomorrow, and you all know how that is X( So, in this chapter, you'll see what the whole "Savior" thing is about. Remember, not like the original series! Enjoy! Follow, Favorite, and Review please! (P.S., I don't own Avatar… if I did, Zutara would happen… thanks Bryke ): )
Young Katara loved bedtime stories. She loved when her mother made them up because she always put her name in the stories. Katara felt like she was entering a world full of dragons and sky-bison and princes rescuing damsels in distress. She found great pleasure in imagining the wind slapping her cheeks while riding an eel-hound or feeling the warm waters of Ember Island. The life of a heroin always fascinated her.
Sokka, now nine, found his kid sister's enthusiasm impractical. Of course there was no probability of knights saving people from a fire-breathing dragon. He was old enough to understand the meanings behind the fabled stories his mother told at night. Part of him wished he could be as much into reading and knowledge as his sister, but he felt more comfortable planning strategies for wars. Even at his young age, he was able to come up with plans that were so brilliant the generals of the Watertribe let him listen in on the war meetings they had.
Katara never really cared about strategy. She appreciated swiftness, cunning, and quick-mindedness. She wanted to face her problems upfront and charge in, which was a great relief to the Watertribe. This was why Katara loved the action/romance stories her mother read to her: they involved on-the-fly resolutions that sharpened her own mind. Her favorite story was one that she heard on a particularly cold night.
The moon was full, shining brightly on the shifting water. The waves looked like slices of silver dancing on a field of sapphires. Katara stared out into the black night, the snow surrounding her glistening. She was mesmerized by the glowing orb in the sky. Something about it made her feel stronger; it drew her in and pushed her away like the tides themselves.
A blast of wind blew the hood of her parka off, sending violent swirls of air blasting down her neck. She shook fiercely, but merely pulled her hood back over her head. She may have been freezing and tired, but she felt like something was telling her to stay where she was.
"Katara?"
The young girl whipped her head around to see Kya standing in the doorway to the house. The girl's mother made her way to her daughter, struggling to fight the wind.
"What are you doing out here?" Kya asked, concerned. "You could catch your death out here!"
Katara turned her neck towards the moon in thought. "The moon told me to."
"The moon?" Kya raised an eyebrow.
The little Watertribe girl leaned her cheek against her arm, staring at the white orb. "Every time the moon is full, I feel like I can't sleep. I feel like I should be getting ready for something, but I don't know what."
Kya watched the young girl carefully, looking for traces of sarcasm. All she saw was a sincere, wondering face eliminated by the moon's rays of light.
"Come inside, sweety. I'll tell you a bedtime story to help you sleep." Kya nudged Katara's shoulder in the direction of the house and the girl's eyes lit up. She hurried into the igloo, throwing the curtain aside. Kya smiled and shook her head. Her daughter was so easily persuaded.
The mother found Katara already climbing into her bed and snuggling into the blankets. Kya mused how this sweet girl was to be the savior of the tribe someday. She made her way to Katara's bedside and tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear.
"What's this story going to be about, Mama?" The Watertribe girl asked, patiently waiting.
Kya hesitated. Was it the right time to tell her of her destiny? She was only eight and needed time to have a childhood before being thrown into a war. Still, she couldn't wait forever to tell her. Let her believe it's a fairytale for the time being; when the time was right, she would be enlightened of its legitimacy.
"This story happened almost ninety years ago, right here in the South Pole."
Katara's eyes shone in the dark, full of anticipation and wonder.
With that sign of encouragement, Kya began.
"Long ago, in the Southern Watertribe, there was peace in the land. Every time a problem occurred that was deemed too big for worldly hands to handle, the tribe called upon their patron, the Moon Spirit, for guidance. Their requests were always granted and every whim obeyed. Everyone worked out their problems and things looked bright. That changed on one fateful day.
"The normally white snow was a dark grey color and it came down in soggy clumps. The villagers had never seen this conundrum before and it frightened them. Off in the distance, they could see dark triangular dots coming towards the mainland. Fire Nation flags perched high above the silhouettes. The villagers stood on the banks, watching the approaching ships grow larger. What did the Fire Nation want? They had never come to the Southern Watertribe personally before.
"The ships arrived minutes after they were spotted. The villagers waited patiently on the shore. The minutes on the beach dragged by slowly, an uncomfortable silence lingering. Everyone in the village held their breath in suspense.
"Suddenly, large triangular doors dropped open on the ships, revealing a legion of soldiers—lined up perfectly shoulder-to-shoulder—within. The Watertribe itself stood still as it was stared down by masked faces of red.
"The chief stepped forward. 'What is your business here?'
"A single soldier stepped forward. His face was uncovered, but he wore everything else the same as the other soldiers. He glared at the chief for a moment, and then smirked. He looked over his shoulder to the men awaiting a command.
" 'Men," he called out, performing a 180 so he could face the soldiers. 'What is our business?'
"The men crouched in perfect unison, arms extended in an attack position.
" 'No mercy means no weakness!' They thundered collectively.
"The Fire Nation ships had come to raid the Southern Watertribe.
"Suddenly, an eerie "whoosh" was heard throughout the otherwise silent tundra. It grew louder until a massive fireball was seen hurtling towards the village. It landed squarely on a row of houses, melting them to their steel interiors. The Fire Nation soldiers charged forward, trailing fire.
"The Waterbenders immediately began striking the enemy, freezing men left and right. Even the non-benders came out onto the beach, spears in hand. Men fell all about them. The Fire Nations soldiers kept pouring out of the ships, row after row after row. Strangely enough, they didn't injure anyone, but they threw large nets over the Waterbenders. They dragged those they captured onto the ship, ignoring their shrieks. War waged on in the village for hours. More firebenders were killed, but the Waterbenders' numbers were dwindling.
"Meanwhile, the chief , his generals, and his scribes were in the council room, pleading with the Moon Spirit.
" 'Please," the chief begged into the midday sky. "Please, help us win this battle. We are badly outnumbered and our Waterbenders are being stolen. We have caused no trouble with the Fire Nation, yet they attack us! We will give anything to win this fight! Name your price, Moon Spirit, I beg of you! Have mercy!'
"A glowing figure flashed in the room, causing the men to shield their eyes in fear of being blinded. The brilliant light shot straight up into the sky like a beacon, connecting the earth with the moon. The light flashed, then disappeared. The men cautiously peaked behind their arms to find an inscription carved into the igloo's wall.
"Suddenly, a great rumbling sound came. It was louder than ten elephant-rhinos trumpeting at once and the earth shook violently. Even those who were fighting paused in their slaughter to investigate the noise.
"A wave began to form in the distance. It sucked the water from the shore, revealing sopping wet sand and snow beneath the surface. Like a giant tide, the water shifted back and grew larger and larger. Several firebenders shot their fists at the tidal wave, trying to vaporize it, but their efforts were unsuccessful. A giant tsunami loomed over the village and crashed down on the snow. The Fire Nation's men were washed out to sea and the ships were crushed.
"When the water withdrew back into its bed, the Watertribers were stunned to see that all those in the Watertribe were fine and no homes were damaged. Even the Waterbenders that were captured were back safely on the land. The only things that were absent were the soldiers and the ships in which they were brought.
"The village gave a collective cry of joy, celebrating their miraculous success.
"Back in the war room, the chief, his generals, and his scribes praised the Moon Spirit, thanking it profusely for its diligence. They were about to run out of the room to see the villagers, but another flash of light interrupted their path. The bright figure pointed to the inscription on the wall, which was momentarily forgotten. The chief approached the wall.
"The inscription was written in no human hand and the letters flashed in the light. The chief glanced at his generals, then read aloud. The more he read, more words were revealed. The inscription read as follows:
" 'The Southern Watertribe has been faithful to me for many years, and, because of this, I granted your every request. I have been patient with you, warning you to use your wishes wisely. You have reached your limit, for today marked the one-hundredth favor you have asked me to grant. This is the last time I am fulfilling a request.
" 'Since the first Waterbender helped save me, I've helped you. Now I am expecting my equal payment. Within the next one-hundred years, a single Waterbender must prove to me that your nation is not just a group of lazy fools who call upon me for assistance by defeating an entire army of Fire Nation soldiers singlehandedly. This Waterbender will be the Savior of your tribe. If this is accomplished within that span of time, I will grant your nation endless riches, blessing you with plenty. However, if my wishes go about unfulfilled, I will refuse to assist you any longer and I will allow no one to enter or exit the Watertribe ever again.
" 'Mark my words, for I speak the truth: this will not be the last Fire Nation raid in the next hundred years. Each will become more and more challenging , for I will not interfere. The contract begins now.'
"The chief's eyes widened as he read and the men around him gasped. When finished, the chief dropped to the floor in despair. 'What have I done? What have I done?!' He repeated over and over. The generals called for the scribes to record the contract on a scroll, and as the final letter of it was written, the inscription completely vanished except for one phrase: 'This Waterbender will be the Savior of your tribe'. The chief read the phrase once more, a new determination sprouting within him.
"For the last twenty years of his life, the chief rallied the Waterbenders together and made sure each was trained skillfully, preparing them for the next raid. However, time and time again, the chosen Waterbenders would fail and be captured. Every raid robbed the Watertribe of more Waterbenders. Raid after raid, year after year, their numbers decreased until, soon, there were no Waterbenders left.
"The Fire Nation would come back every three years to raid the Watertribe, inspecting for any new Waterbenders and checking to make sure they hadn't missed any the previous years. As the ninety-year mark approached, the Watertribe wilted in anxiety. Somehow, amidst the sorrow and the fear, hope still burned in the Watertribers' hearts, ever raid making them stronger and more prepared. The Day of Black Snow damaged the Southern Tribe greatly, but hope still carried them through and continues to do so even to this day."
"How does the story end, Mama?" A sleep-ridden Katara asked. Her eyes drooped with exhaustion and she suppressed a much needed yawn. Kya gently closed her eyelids and Katara slipped into a deep slumber. Kya stroked her sleeping daughter's cheek to stimulate the child's sleep.
She kissed her sleeping daughter and tucked her blanket into her side. She blew out the candle next to her nightstand and turned to leave the room. On her way out
she stepped on a plush object. Leaning down, Kya picked up the toy koi fish and leaned it against Katara's still face. Her mother smiled in the dark as she read the message on the fish's fin:
~Mommy's Little Waterbender~
Who else finds these little kid chapters adorable?! So, now that you know what the premise of the contract is, listen in on for a few snapshots of scenes from the original Avatar: the Last Airbender series. Chapter Three, coming up!
