Book 1 Chapter 4: The Middle of Somewhere
Characters: Ryan Gaia and Suta-Shutaru
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-The Next Morning-
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I didn't go to sleep that night. I had so many questions for the Avatar, I was leaving my Master Sokka, running off to god knows where to find a murderer. I had a lot on my mind if you could imagine. The sun shown brightly through the windows and I put on my pants then my shirt and stretched. I rounded my already packed side bag over my shoulder and headed out towards the main hall. Halfway there Shutaru joined me. "Morning." she quietly yawned, obviously she was not a morning person. She no longer had the face paint on but normal clothes which didn't bother me, but looked weird I guess. "My father has been preventing me from having any boyfriends from the time I was 14. Yet he lets me run off with you without thinking twice. You must be really trustworthy." "Yeah your father is a very strange man, I spent nearly four weeks alone with him and I kno-" "No you weren't alone, we were watching you and him the entire time to make sure you weren't going to attempt anything." "Gee thanks." We approached the gates where Master Sokka awaited. He and Sukki were about to burst into tears and gave both of us big hugs, love, and their wishes. "You want to head northwest until you get to the desert. Make sure you get nice and lost, it'll be the only way to draw out your next master, he will teach you to control your earthbending and make its reflexes as quick as Zuko's lightning." Although I questioned what he said I remember everything he has taught me: how to read maps, fighting styles to enhance my earthbending, patience, and how to think like a warrior. We walked onwards to fulfill my families closure.
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-Traveling-
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"There is somewhere we must go before we decide to get lost. I was in a pub last night surfing the locals for some info and apparently the Black Rose society struck a temple somewhere on the out skirts of the Fire Nations main land. I'm pretty sure they didn't take on that fortress without a couple of them dieing or at least being injured. We should check and then from there move out into the desert" Suta-Shutaru nodded with agreement and I must admit I love the fact that during this entire journey she has only complained once about our destination and it involved going through a fiery, gassy, volcano turf that I immediately agreed upon. I think that she really understands how much capturing Kamome was to me. Farther and farther we traveled. We didn't talk much unless we were setting up camp and getting ready for our lookout shifts at which point we could barely stop talking. On the third day of our departure from Kyoshi we came upon the fortress that had been a battle ground upon three days prior.
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-The Black Rose Society-
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Dead people with pikes running through them everywhere. A giant rose made out of a black eternal fire blazed upon the side of the castle. Truly horrific. "Well, well, what do we have here boys?" we turned around with haste and noticed three men with vines tattooed all up their arms to their foreheads with a heavy black and maroon rose on the forehead. "They're from the BR society" I whispered. "Obviously what do we do?" In order for someone to be a black rose they must be able to bend. They raised their arms and was about to push out fire but I was too quick for them. I created a sinkhole for me and Suta-Shutaru to escape in. I covered my tracks but one of them was apparently a decent Earthbender because they lifted Suta-Shutaru right out of the ground. "NO!" I screamed and jumped out of the ground bringing everything with me. I created a sphere of rocks so no flame or Earth could hit me. I coiled my fists and coiled the Earth around the Earthbender holding Suta-Shutaru and snapped his neck before he had time to react. I was different now. I could feel it. I looked down at my hands and they were twitching as were the muscles up my arm. I slid my right foot to the right creating a wall in front of me as the firebender struck. His fireball was completely pathetic. I created two cone like spears out of the wall and launched them at the two guys as Suta-Shutaru returned behind the wall with me. Straight through their faces. The pikes had blood trickling down them and Suta-Shutaru clutched my chest and cried. "They were going to kill both of us Suta. I will not let anything happen to either of us until I get the chance to face Kamome."
"Here's your chance then." I spun around and their stood what looked to be like a very powerful leader in the black rose committee. "Do you know Kamome?" I said. "Know him? I am him! Ahhhahahahaahah. Foolish boy comeback to end the Gaia family line?" he cackled "You don't stand a chance against me, I am the original, legendary, creator of the Black Rose Society! No mere weak, young, untrained Earthbender with a vengeance is going to hurt me!" he yelled. "I will kill you! Aaaaaaaah!!" And with a my muster that I had I gathered the sphere once more. This time he was going to die. The spikes were formed now for the aiming. Then the sphere broke and I was launched many feet back. My last glimpse of life? My last thought? "Orion!!" No Suta-Shutaru I won't let you down. I created a sphere once more and burrowed into the Earth. We ended up on some island thousand of miles away from where we were. The town's hospital brought me in and begin treating me. My vision was blurry and I could barely move. They couldn't sedate me because of the nervous system they were cutting at. I looked down and my right arm and right side of my chest was covered with a dieing out black fire. Like the fire on the castle wall. I gasped for air and in doing so coughed up my own blood. I think I am going to die.
