Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Thanks for reviewing guys. Now I have four! They're very precious to me. Oh yeah, special thanks to LittleCatz and MagicalSquaresOfDarkness for story alerting and reviewing. But still, R&R - read and review! Wait, you're already reading if you're reading this... Oh well... anyways, please review! Now it's time for CHAPTER 4!

Chapter 4

I just stared, my face distorted in a combination of surprise and shock. I was sure there was nothing I could do to stop Kelvin. He was a full-grown man. I was an adolescent girl. What could I do? If I interfered, both lives would be taken—mine and Angelica's. I thought it would be better for one to be gone, but I couldn't help thinking how cowardly I was. So I just stared.

The mayor managed to catch my eye as she gradually backed away until her body knocked the wall of the disheveled hut. And when she did, she mouthed one word: "Run." I just shook my head in doubt. I was going to stay with her until the finish, even if it meant watching her die.

Why was Kelvin doing this? Why was he doing this to his girlfriend from all the people he knew? From what I'd heard, he was a law student, and was about to take up a job as a lawyer. And he didn't look evil. With his hair washed, it was a shade of brown not much different than mine. What was he doing?

Kelvin didn't seem to notice Ms. Mestas' mouth moving, he just got ready to stab. But then something happened—something that I would never forget.

Angelica waterbended. She got a hold of the liquid from a nearby basket. She made the water run and twist to thrash the knife out of Kelvin's hand. It looked so true and awe inspiring, I wanted to learn the skill myself. It was the first time I'd seen someone bend in real life.

The dagger clattered onto the floor. However, Kelvin's expression remained unmoved. "You know the consequences." Only then did I know that he was a merciless killer.

He didn't even bother to pick up the blade. Instead he stomped his foot. At first, I didn't understand what he was doing. Then I realized he was barefoot. Was it possible that he was a…earthbender?

I was right. He made rocks shoot out of the ground like flowers pushing their way out of the dirt. His bending was more constricted and orderly than Ms. Mestas' waterbending, which was carefree. But all in all, I was still enthralled. Then I understood that his bending wasn't for show—it was for taking life. Now I was fully aware that he was the one who caused the earthquake.

His fists directed the blow toward Ms. Mestas. She burst out of the house… and she was no more. Dead. My eyes stung with tears. But I swore I would not cry. Not now. Not yet.

My heart beat faster and faster as he neared the door which separated me and my fate. But he didn't do anything. He just said: "Come in."

I'd been dumb enough to enter the hut. I didn't even think about how he knew I was there. I just stumbled into the shack, eyes almost brimming with salty water.

Kelvin's eyes widened the moment I stepped into the shelter, which was astonishing, considering what he'd done the last time I visited—smirked like he knew something I didn't.

"An airbender. Not only that, but also the Avatar!" he muttered with astonishment.

I blinked in revelation. I'm an airbender? I'm the Avatar? No, it couldn't be true. If I was, I could have saved them. They wouldn't be gone. Wesley, Angelica—I could've protected my dad. Why didn't the Avatar state kick in? Because, I thought. You didn't know.

"The Avatar doesn't know she's the Avatar?" Kelvin laughed. I bowed my head so he couldn't see my tears. That would only send him into more hysterics.

"Why?" The word slipped out of my mouth almost inaudibly, like a grave robber lurking into the dark.

He stopped. Then his voice became menacingly quiet. He didn't even have to ask what I meant. "Because she didn't obey me."

I continued my stillness. There had to be more to it. He wasn't telling everything.

"I have a plan, Avatar. To rid the world of them—the ones who can't bend. They tried to get rid of us after Avatar Aang's reign. They thought…they thought they could live without us. They thought we were an abomination to humankind. But that can't happen. We balance the world. So they declared war on us. Then they simply gave up after the benders started winning. They were embarrassed of their loss and ignored us—I guess you could call it prejudice. And so it brings us to here: where almost no one knows of benders."

Then it all became one whole piece. My dad survived because he was an airbender. He blew away the remains of the house so he could live. But some parts broke in his barrier, which caused the injuries. So that meant my mom knew about benders. All those years…all those secrets hidden away from me.

Kelvin obviously thought that he didn't explain enough, although all that information was like little golden nuggets to me. "I…did away with her because she didn't agree. She thought they kept balance too. Just like your father—he thought so too. That's why I tried to kill him." He acknowledged the look of surprise on my face. "I know your father. All of us are connected. But I have a feeling you'll be different. Join me, Avatar. Together we can rule, side by side. You'll feel like you belong."

He smiled and extended a hand of friendship. Here it was. The crossroads of my destiny. Once I shook his hand, it would seal the deal. But it was wrong. It would only remind me all the non-bender friends I had, all of them dead. Not only that, but also practically everyone vanished from the face of the earth.

I shook my head. "It's not right."

His features instantly went sour. "We could have been allies, Avatar. I'll regret this, but now… I have to slay you."

I could feel the color drain out of my face as he picked up his dagger. I clenched my eyes shut and pleaded myself to go into the Avatar state. Come on! I thought. Avatar state, Avatar state!

And just when I thought it was going to be the end, I heard her.