Brothers Avatar
The Legend of Two Avatars
Book 1 – Family
Chapter 4 – The Fire Sages
"Are we almost there, Minege?" Taresc groaned.
"Oh Sweety, I'm so sorry if my alligator-duck isn't going fast enough for your pleasure, it's almost like she isn't meant to swim across giant bodies of water!" Minege snapped back. Tanton was huffing and paddling away in the salty water.
"Is Tanton going to be able to make it?" Xulo asked.
Minege scoffed, "Of course, Tanton will make it, but it's so stressful for her, isn't that right, Tanton?" Tanton was too out of breath to let out a celebratory quack. From all around Tanton was a vast expansion of blue, from the sparkling deep tones of the sea to the airy tones that emanated from the sky.
"Why are we going this way again? I thought we were going to go through the Si Wong Desert, why are we going west to some island?" Taresc said looking upwards towards the sky.
"Well the path we need to take is just flooded with Stormbender camps, going through would be a death sentence, so we're going to take a detour and head to Crescent Island and then swim back and find an area that can take us to Si Wong." Minege said.
"Okay." Time seemed to move faster as Taresc rocked with the waves of the ocean with the sun pouring down on him. As he drifted in and out of consciousness he would hear little snippets of conversations between Xulo and Minege, mainly business but occasionally they'd talk a little about Dayue. In what seemed like only minutes to Taresc, he felt Tanton collapsing on solid ground.
"We're here, Taresc." Said Xulo, "Is Tanton alright?"
Minege was stroking Tanton's exhausted face, "She's never swam for that long, she's going to need to rest, but she'll be fine."
Taresc got off of Tanton and took in the island. It was immediately clear how Crescent Island got its name, seeing that that the island itself was a giant crescent and they were on the tip of it. From each end of the island the ground rose up to a large volcano at the center. By said volcano was an impressive looking temple. As the group moved down the shore they were able to marvel even more at the temple. It was a gorgeous 7-tiered pagoda, a fiery-themed iron tower that loomed over the team. Its presence was intimidating; it protruded at every level, like it was a threat to impale nearby clouds. The team wasn't even sure if they were allowed to enter as it seemed like it were greatly hallowed, a sacred ground for only the highest officials. With the tired alligator-duck, they didn't have any way off of the island, so they decided to enter anyways.
When they entered through the fire-insignia door, they saw a bored-looking girl sitting at the beginning of a fire-lit corridor, "Oh hey, people are here!" She perked up. "Who are you people?"
"My name is Minege and this is Xulo." Xulo waved.
"And this is… Xulo 2, I presume?" The girl said, pointing at Taresc.
"Oh, I'm Taresc. Xulo and I are twins."
"Well I figured that," the girl smiled, "It's not exactly hard to tell the family resemblance, I still like Xulo 2 better. So we're Minege, Xulo and Taresc?" The group nodded, "Great, my name is Lozulia! So, what are we here for? We don't exactly get many visitors like you here."
"Like us?" Minege folded her arms.
The girl walked forward, "You don't exactly look like you're an elderly fire sage or really anyone from the fire nation for that matter." Lozulia was correct, her and Minege looked almost nothing alike. Minege had a very mature quality to her, she always exuded this presence of being older than she looked even though her age was actually appropriate, Lozulia looked like she was straight from the womb, besides actually being the same age as Minege. Like most Dayue residents, Minege was darker-skinned and had brown hair; Lozulia was pale as a birch tree's truck and hair as black as its soot. Minege was a sturdy, forest-born woman like her mother raised her to be while Lozulia was tall and with a steady build but not as sturdy as Minege.
Overall there was just a different air that flowed out of each one. Minege was compacted, with her hair braided tightly up top, she was built to last. Like her earthy eyes, she was grounded and never flew. Lozulia however seemed to crackle a little with every motion, she popped with each hand gesture, she danced with every step. There was a brimming optimist that she tried to control but can't help let seep into her everything she did. It was those burning amber eyes and flowing straight hair that really embodied her, he was a hot wind that flows through the window.
Minege looked herself up and down and then Lozulia, "I guess that's fair." She cracked a smirk.
Xulo began speaking, "So this is the Fire Nation?"
"Technically…" Lozulia narrowed her eyes, "If we're running on technicalities, then we're just a group of islands who happen to be keen on firebending under the White Lotus. By that logic the Air Nomads are just a bunch of wierdos living on the mountain. Since technicalities are stupid, yes, you are in the Fire Nation. Now, why are you here again?"
Xulo spoke, "We're here because I'm the Avatar and—"
"You're the Avatar! First we have foreigners coming in through here, then you are twins and now I have the Avatar in front of me, I'm waiting for one of you to tell me you're my long lost brother while we're at it." Lozulia was thrown, "Alright that's it, come with me, we need to talk." Lozulia led the team through various dark red corridors and up two flights of stairs, they followed until they got to a door, Lozulia opened it and they were introduced to a beautiful patio overlooking the ocean, "Welcome to my living quarters."
"Well this is a different look." Xulo said. The room was so casual in comparison to the rest of the temple. The floor boards were sandalwood and there were little cute decorations hanging from the ceiling. There was a bed in the corner, as it seemed to be the best location: right next to the railing, so Lozulia could get a fresh breeze of air whenever she woke. .
"I know right? This is the only place where it looks like we don't legitimately torture people, my dad tried to recommend to the Fire Sage Council that we paint this room red like the rest of the temple, I nearly burned the whole temple down." Lozulia said watching the group explore the room. "Enough exploring, come over and sit down." All of them convened around the small table. They talk for a while about their adventures so far, about how Xulo is the Avatar, how Dayue got destroyed and how they ended up on Crescent Island.
"I thought I was going to catch you on the latter half of your journey, but it looks like you guys are spring chicken-boars. I guess that was a good story regardless. What's your plan for taking out those Stormbenders then?"
"We're going to go through the Si Wong Desert to get to the White Lotus Capital. From there we'll talk to the kings and with their help we'll take out the Stormbenders." Minege explained.
Lozulia face was contorted into a stare of complete disbelief, "That's your plan?"
Taresc asked, "Why? Is that a really bad plan?" Minege was quick to shoot a dirty look.
"Well, firstly the Si Wong Desert is full of pillagers and without proper transportation; you'd probably die before getting to the first oasis."
"Actually with Xulo's eye-glow thing, there's not a single person that could possibly take him down and also I have an alligator-duck that can run us through the desert in no time." Minege stared deep into Lozulia's eyes ready for a second offense.
"That 'eye-glow thing' is called the Avatar State and from your terminology I can assume you know absolutely nothing about said Avatar State. When Xulo goes into the Avatar State he's channeling past Avatars' power and wisdom and he was able to summon it because of his strong emotions at the time. Now, Xulo do you think that every time a dozen poachers jump out of the sand you can summon the emotions of having nearly everyone you'd ever known being slaughtered in front of you?"
Xulo looked highly uncomfortable, "No, I don't think I could."
"Then comes the dangers of the Avatar State, let's say Xulo here can actually access the Avatar State and in Xulo's blinding rage he—I don't know—decides to turn all of the sand into a giant vortex and your group plus the poachers get sucked to the bottom and suffocate on sand, I sure hope you like the possibility of that happening, because that sure can happen, It has in the past."
"I don't like that idea." Taresc said looking at Xulo, "I don't like that at all."
"Before you say it Minege, because I know you will, let's theoretically say that Xulo doesn't even need the Avatar State because let's say that poachers don't even care or maybe Xulo is decent at bending or something or other. Next is this alligator-duck of yours. From what I can tell about the animals in that hybrid of yours, I can probably tell you that your little pal will dehydrate especially fast without water. So no go on that part."
Minege's face drooped further and further as each part of her plan fell apart, "Is that all?"
Lozulia seemed to get some sort of demented pleasure from proving herself right, "No, Minege, no it is not. Next let's talk about your date with the 'kings,' by the way that should be a singular 'king' not 'kings.'"
"It's the White Lotus Executive Oligarchy, right? Oligarchy as in multiple rulers, right?" Taresc asked.
"Oligarchy is a very loose term, I prefer Oli-I'm-just-going-to-rule-and-you-guys-will-agree-with-all-the-stuff-I-say-garchy. Seeing as you seem to know nothing about The White Lotus as well, I can give a rundown on that as well. The king you're referring to is White Lotus King Hintrichi; he's crazy like antelope-hyenas on Hegfig berries. Asking him to help you, Avatar or not, is asking for him to execute you."
"Wait now," Xulo leaned on the table, "asking the king for a favor could get me killed? What sense does that make?"
"Antelope-hyenas on Hegfig berries, Xulo. If you want his help so badly, you'll need to prove yourself in some way. Oh yeah, quick question, why would you ever want The White Lotus's help?"
Xulo was confused by her question, "Because they're the mightiest military power?"
"Maybe in the palace, but outside of it, they're a shabby lot. Let me ask you, how many times did the White Lotus visit Dayue?"
Xulo looked around at the others, "Two, Maybe three times?"
"Well look at that! You were visited even less than we did. While the White Lotus says they're here to unite all of us, really their main function is keeping Hintrichi safe. If you ask him for troops, he'll give you the basics, the troops right out of training." Lozulia pushed back her long hair.
"Well you're making this Avatar thing to seem pretty hopeless, is there anything I can do?" said Xulo
"Am I going to have to explain what being the Avatar means? Was this Dayue that out of touch?" Xulo apathetical shrugged, "Being the Avatar means that you have the ability to change the world, you're don't need the White Lotus, you have the power within you to take on the Stormbenders yourself; maybe not right now, but eventually." Lozulia took Taresc's hands and looked deep into his eyes, "Do you get that?"
Taresc released her hands, "I'm Taresc."
"What! Did you two switch around on me?" They both looked at each other and shook their heads, "Fine, whatever! What I'm really trying to say is your plan sucks."
Just as Minege was about to retort, a man in large red robes walked in, "Lozulia, have you cleaned—Well hello, who are these people, Lozulia?"
"What's up? They're some visitors." She turned to her guests, "This is my dad, by the way, Izum."
"Hello, Lozulia's friends, are you going to be leaving soon? It's getting quite late." Izum seemed incredibly uncomfortable.
Lozulia stood up, "Dad! Really?!"
"Well, Lozulia, this isn't an inn? We're practically the capital of the Fire Nation!"
Lozulia said under her breathe, "Well we don't practically exist according to the White Lotus… you know, figureheads and all…"
"What did you say?"
"I said we need to treat these guests specially, this one over here, Taresc?" Xulo shook his head, "Oh yeah, I mean Xulo! Xulo is the Avatar, I'll have you know!"
Izum planted his face into his palm, "That's even worse! The Stormbenders warned us that they were hunting the Avatar! They said if someone of the Fire Nation turned out to be the Avatar, they would destroy them and anyone else in the way!"
Taresc raised his hand, "Wait, I have a question."
"Yes, Xulo?" Lozulia said.
"It's Taresc."
"Damnit!"
"Okay, so the next Avatar had to have been an earthbender, right? Because Rinley was a waterbender. Why would they come to the Fire Nation to look?"
Izum answered, "Well some Avatars have died as children and then the cycle would simply move on, sad really. In fact, the first Avatar to do that was a firebender, they were…" He gestured to Lozulia.
"UGH! Avatar… Kelunj?"
"The Avatar to claim the Fire Islands, nope."
"Avatar Quio?"
"Avatar that established the Fire Sages, keep going."
"Avatar Iyundinonn?"
"First Avatar to hold a position of governance, and he wasn't even a firebender! How do you not know all this?"
"I'm sorry I'm not well-versed in the knowledge of Avatars."
"That was literally your whole entire education!"
"I hate to interrupt this educational family moment," Xulo intervened, "but if it's too much trouble we can always swim to another shore."
Izum was about to speak when Lozulia jumped in, "No! My dad is just being overly dramatic, we get visited by the Stormbenders about half as much as the White Lotus." Lozulia sat on the table, "You guys will be perfectly fine to stay here and if my dad here," She gave him a friendly elbow to gut, "tries to kick you out in the middle of the night, I'll just tell all the other sages that he can't sleep if the room's not completely illuminated."
"It's for the heat!"
"You're a firebender, bucko, that's even worse." Lozulia gestured for the group to stand, "If you'll follow me this way, I'll be showing you to your quarters." The team left the room thanking Lozulia's father and as she left she blew him a kiss.
The team settled down in the makeshift room, on their improvised beds they looked around at the supposed-torture room (to their credit, every room a torture feel to it). Taresc was wide awake by the fear of some sage coming in and roasting them alive. "Xulo, are you awake?"
"Yes, I am. Are you awake, Minege?"
"I am now." She replied.
"Lozulia seems to know a lot." Taresc threw out.
Xulo said, "I know, I'm impressed."
"If we lived at a fancy Sage Tower like this, I'm sure we would know just as much." Minege replied. "She doesn't know that much relative to what we know."
"That doesn't exactly make us any smarter." Taresc replied.
"Where are you going with this, Taresc?" Xulo asked.
Taresc waited a sec, "Um, I think that maybe we should ask her to come with us."
"Because she knows a little bit about Avatar history? No way, I forbid it." Minege stated.
"Well, you're not the Avatar." Xulo said and the tension flared in the darkness, "I just wonder if she'd be willing to come with us."
"Probably not," Minege said, although she was ashamed to realize that she related to Lozulia more than she would have thought. The moment she walked in, she knew that itch when someone new arrived, a little taste of the outside world. Running to the outsider for a shred of chatter, a sliver of the outside world, it was like she was a child again. "This place is just too nice and too beautiful, there will be other smart people on our way, she won't go for it."
"That's disappointing." Taresc slumped further into his bed.
In the entrance, Lozulia sat at her station, organizing some old scriptures that she couldn't care less about. She stared lazily into the candlelit words when the door creaked. Her face brightened until the obscure figures walked into the light of the candle. The first man had a uniform with pale white sleeves that were embroidered with blue illustrations of twisting tornados and crashing waves, constricted by dark gray vests, these were some Airbending Stormbenders, because Waterbenders would have white illustrated on blue sleeves. The one who followed behind had a simpler uniform, but along the same design. Lozulia was shaken and nearly knocked over the candle, "Hello," her voice shook, "what can I do for you?"
"I'm glad you asked. My name is General Uyhan of the Stormbenders and we are currently searching for the Avatar that has run away from his home, would you know anything about that."
"N-no, I don't know a lick."
"Well that is rather off, because just outside is an alligator-duck, that also happens to be the Avatar's ride of choice."
"Well, you know, who doesn't have an alligator-duck?"
"A lot of people," Uyhan was unimpressed; "It's currently the only one known to exist."
"Oh. Well, I'm going to call my father, because I'm actually really new here, he's the Head Fire Sage, so he will surely be able to help you."
"Your father is the Head Sage and you're new here? That is highly-"
"DAD!" Lozulia yelled and ran to go grab him. "You just stay here."
She continued to briskly walk through the halls, when Izum stepped out of a room rubbing his eyes. "Lozulia, what is this commotion?"
She shoved her father to the side, "Hey, sorry, can't talk right now. People, front door. Go! And remember, the Avatar has never graced us!" Lozulia kept walking through the tower while Izum confusedly headed towards the front of the tower. Lozulia kicked open the team's room and said, "Oh sorry about that." She politely closed the door behind her and lit up the room with a flame in her hand, "Hey guys! Time to wake up, we have visitors!"
"Isn't it your job to greet people?" said Minege.
"Not this time, they're a little more Stormbender-y than usual." She was jumping from foot to foot.
Taresc stood up, "That's not good! That is really not good! Xulo what are we doing!" Taresc began to pace the room. "How many are there?"
"Two."
"Take me to them, Lozulia, I can take on two Stormbenders." Xulo said.
"I don't know if you remember this, but we are in an iron tower, three stories up! Unless if there's a surprise Zen garden in here, you're not going to be able to do much in the way of bending." Taresc said
"He can firebend, right? Him and I can take them." Said Lozulia. Xulo started making noise indicating that he can but not completely, "What does that mean."
Taresc elbowed Xulo and he opened his palm and a little flame sparked, Taresc let out an unimpressive, "Ta-da."
Lozulia said, "Well that's not going to do much, looks like we're going to have to sneak you out."
The team quickly arised and stepped out of the room and closed the door quietly when they heard Uyhan's voice echo through the tower, "Well, Mr. Izum, I'd like it if we could just tour the tower."
Followed by Izum's, "Well, I don't see why not."
"Good job, dad, couldn't use those Sage persuasion skills?" Lozulia turned to her guests, "Alright guys, so looks like we're not leaving easily. I'm going to need you guys to follow close and walk softly, okay?"
She lead them into an adjacent room and lifted a hatch, "Here we are, no stairs for us today." Down the hatch was a ladder leading down a floor. The team rushed down the ladder and awaited Lozulia's further direction.
Lozulia reached for the door handle, leading to the hallway when she heard, "Sergeant, did you find anybody in your room?"
Lozulia wanted to curse desperately, she thought they'd still be on the first floor and she could lead Team Avatar down to the first level while the Stormbenders go up a level, but that wasn't the case. She bit her knuckles and bounced on the balls of her feet for a second. She stopped and said, "Come on." She very silently lead the team into the hallway once she made sure the coast was clear. Once in the hallway she directed Team Avatar's attention to the wooden beams up above. She cupped her hands indicating she would help them up. One by one she lifted them up onto the beams. When she got to Taresc, she could hear the footsteps of a Stormbender incoming. Taresc was having a lot of trouble trying to pull himself onto the beam and Xulo and Minege couldn't pull him up without risking themselves falling off. The footsteps were getting louder and Lozulia got more and more anxious. Eventually as it seemed hopeless, she lit a flame under his shoe. The pain was enough to motivate him up on the beam.
Just as Taresc was on the beam, Uyhan walked around the corner, "Oh hello, you're the Sage girl that greeted us, what are you doing here?" Lozulia looked up to see Taresc making a pouty face down at Lozulia, rubbing his foot.
"Uh, just looking for my dad, so he can, you know, help you guys, you know?" Lozulia was sweating tsunamis.
"Your father, we already met with him, now we are currently searching your facility."
"Okay then, it looks like my work is done. I guess I'll just WALK BACK TO MY DESK ON THE FIRST FLOOR. You know, THE ONE BY THE ENTRANCE." Lozulia subtly put.
She began to slowly stroll down the hallway, secretly leading the team to the stairs to the first floor. When they finally got to the stairs, she indicated for them to come down from the beams. "Quickly this way!"
The team fled down the stairs and it seemed they were out of the tower when an old woman stopped the group. "Lozulia? What are you doing?"
"Not now, Sage Julbi." She tried to get past the woman.
"Wait, are these the people that those men were talking about?" She squacked.
"Izum didn't tell you guys?" She hit her forehead with her palm, "Yes, but—"
"Why are we harboring the Avatar!" Sage Julbi yelled at the top of her lungs. From a distance, the team could hear the sound of running feet.
Lozulia yelled, "Run!" Xulo and the gang dashed through the halls, out the entrance and to the very bottom with the two Stormbenders in close pursuit.
"Alright, Lozulia, let's take them!" Xulo immediately changed his stance to face to the two Stormbenders.
"Done running?" Uyhan proclaimed.
"It's a little fairer now!" Lozulia said finally with confidence.
Taresc limped over to the side of the battle arena with Minege and would watch on as the battle began. Lozulia and Xulo began fighting immediately with Xulo taking on Uyhan and Lozulia taking on the sergeant. Xulo kept bending rock after stone after boulder at Uyhan but he was too fast for him and would just blow them back with air. Lozulia was having little luck as well, she was trying to keep her fight as distant as possible with fireballs and long blasts of flames but the sergeant would keep dodging and getting right into her face. Lozulia thrusted herself towards Xulo and told him, "I have an idea. Give me a boulder."
Xulo then bended up a boulder, Lozulia then hopped onto the boulder. Xulo, taking the hint, flung the boulder at two Stormbenders, "Now spin me!" Lozulia yelled. Xulo did so, and Lozulia then spread a barrage of fire from her hands and what came was a huge tornado of fire hurtling towards them. The Stormbenders were so startled; they had to bend the air around them so they could escape the flames in time. Taking advantage of this, Xulo then sent a boulder straight for Uyhan's head and knocked him out. The sergeant then tried to help his commander in charge, but Lozulia jumped of her boulder and slammed the sergeant into the ground, knocking him out as well.
"Why didn't you tell the other Sages that we were keeping the Avatar!" Lozulia yelled at her father. The sun had finally risen on Crescent Island and Lozulia and Izum were standing on the beach, beside the two tied-up and unconscious Stormbenders while in the distance, Team Avatar packed their things.
"They weren't going to go for it! What was I supposed to do?" Izum replied.
Lozulia sighed and shook her head, "For shame, Izum, I expected more from you." She paced around and finally said, "Well, it looks like it's going to work out for the better. Once these two wake up, you're going to run over in that Izum-tizzy you have and you're going to say, 'Oh my word, I am so sorry, I had no clue my daughter was harboring the Avatar, that rapscallion, her! I swear none of us Sages knew of this,' and then these two will leave and that will be that."
"I'm sure they'll punish you, though, and I cannot have that!" Izum said.
"Well, I'll be long gone by then, it'll be pretty hard to reprimand me at that point." Lozulia said.
"You're leaving! When did this happen?"
Lozulia breathed in deeply, "Ah, I love the sound of you being panicked. I'm leaving with the Avatar, we discussed it last night. Xulo's firebending is basic, they know so little of the world and need a plan and honestly I'm so tired of this place, Izum, I really am." Lozulia looked pleadingly into his eyes.
"I'd say that you cannot leave and how you're destined to be such a wonderful Fire Sage, but I'm guessing that wouldn't really help in having you stay, would it?"
"Nope." Lozulia said joyfully, "I guess this is goodbye. Bye!" She began skipping off towards Team Avatar loading their belongings onto Tanton.
"But Lozulia," Izum stopped her with a grave look on his face, "Are you sure you can handle being away? With your condition, I'm not sure if you'll be able to handle—"
"Dad! I'll be fine!" She then walked over and patted him on his shoulder, "I can handle it… I promise…it won't take me." She gave Izum a hug.
Izum hugged her until it seemed like she was going to break, "I'll miss you, Lozulia!"
She managed to slip out Izum's death grip and ran off to Team Avatar, yelling back, "Now, don't let the other Sages bad mouth me too much while I'm away, especially Julbi, keep a muzzle on that one!"
She got to the group and set down her backpack, "We ready to set off?"
"Yes we are," Xulo smiled and shook her hand, "welcome to the team."
Minege was hesitant, but kind, "Yeah, welcome to our team."
"You burned my foot!" Taresc cried.
Minege slapped him by the back of his head, "Don't be rude, Taresc."
"It's true, though!"
"Well, if you had better upper arm strength I would need to go all scorched earth on your feet!" Lozulia said.
Taresc along with the team laughed, they all boarded onto Tanton and started swimming into the big blue. Lozulia looked melancholic as the team swam away, in fact when Taresc looked a little deeper there was a certain blue spark in her amber eyes; like a sadness that's about to burn, but soiled by such an overwhelming relief.