A / N ;; I hate this chapter. Only for the simple fact that I developed writer's block trying to make it. ;A;

In all other words, please enjoy it more than I did.

Chapter 5 should appear later on tonight. Should. Keyword.


As a prince, it was not his job to harass, but instead bring peace. He had to leave Halcyon alone. She had taken the test with his verification, and had proved not to be the Avatar. Though, the smile on her lips when she saw his disappointment lingered hauntingly within his mind. The pull of her lips had been mocking, knowing, easily enjoying what she knew would already happen. She had told him she wasn't the Avatar, and she had told the truth.

The next few days in the Earth nation were silent. No word of the Avatar seeped from other nations. Chances of finding the Avatar were extremely unlikely. Prince Jin, with all reluctance, admitted this as he sat within his bedroom.

Outside of his room, within the ballroom, his father was having a noble gathering that he wasn't in the mood to attend. Constantly he was still bothered by the fact that something about Halcyon-Avatar or not-was wrong. If she wasn't the Avatar, she was definitely something different. Just the image of her smile when she saw his sheer disappointment was enough evidence for him to believe that she knew something he didn't. The pull of her lips had mocked him, her words somehow politely insulting. And the tone of voice she had taken on when she spoke, a simple comforting whisper…

Prince Jin sighed. There was no use trying to break everything down. He was over-thinking. It was as simple as that. She had taken the test in front of him, and had told him before she was not the Avatar. But maybe… that smile… Maybe she knew who the Avatar was? Prince Jin shook his head and took a deep breath. It was time for him to move on and find someone else who came close to the description of the Avatar.

Silently, he rose from a chair at his desk and walked over to one of his large windows. He had two choices right now, and those were to either go to the ballroom and mingle, or stay within his room and not have to face the questions he would get asked. The latter sounded best to him, but if he didn't go his father would lecture him about various things: the Avatar, who was next on the list, things he should be doing like finding a wife among the nobles. With a small frown pulling at his lips, Prince Jin made his decision; he was going to go mingle.


Prince Jin had pleased his father by showing up at the gathering. However, it didn't appear to be enough to keep him happy the whole time. Prince Jin discovered this the next day. He walked with his father in one of the castle halls, trying his best to ignore the suggestions his father was making about the women he found most suitable for him.

"She's a glutton, father. That one flirts with everyone. I'm not her type, and she doesn't appear to be mine. She talks too much, and she talks too little. She-" Prince Jin gave a small shiver. "-she would destroy me. No doubt about her…" His gray eyes glanced over to his father whom was staring at him with a look of sheer disbelieve-amused, yes-but disbelieve, nonetheless. Prince Jin couldn't help but smile, and slowly glanced back in front of him with his hands joining behind his back.

"I'm getting old," spoke the Earth King. "You're turning twenty-five soon. It's about time you stop searching for the Avatar, and find someone to settle down with. The Avatar will reveal himself when he's ready. Give him time, stop hunting him. It'll only make him want to hide longer."

Silence settled between them. Prince Jin overturned his father's words inside his head. The Earth King was right, he guessed. But the sooner the Avatar was found, the better things would get. Where was everyone's hero? Prince Jin closed his eyes for a moment, and slowed his pace a step or two. He had already thought about the Avatar a good share of his life. Maybe now it was time he thought about his own personal future. He had to take time out for himself eventually.

"Have you found any woman you're interested in?" the Earth King asked to break the silence, and most likely to be just a little nosy about his son's love-life.

Prince Jin opened his eyes with a smirk. "Of course not," he answered. "May I remind you what my mind has been focused on for a fair number of years that you supported?" he asked.

His father chuckled. "You know, rumors fly fast, and I've heard you've been visiting some girl in the Lower Ring. Jin, why the Lower Ring? Most who come from there-"

Prince Jin lost his smirk, it was replaced by a frown. "Rumors are rumors, father. Yes, I have been visiting a girl, but that's because I heard rumors about her, and they made me think that for a moment she was the Avatar. I observed her, then I tested her, and it appears that she isn't. Besides, to have her as a wife would drive me crazy. Something about her is… odd." The image of Halcyon's smile reappeared in his head, and that caused his frown to become deeper. His father stared at him steadily, even gaining a frown for himself. Though, what was going through his head, Prince Jin wasn't sure he wanted to know. "I'm suspicious of her," Prince Jin spoke after a moment. "When I say something about her seems odd, I mean it. She's unusual, and I feel like she should be kept an eye on."

The King snorted then. "Most people in the Lower Ring deserved to be keep an eye on."

Prince Jin shook his head. "No, I mean something about her… She's unnatural. That or she knows something I don't. It drives me crazy to think about it, but I think I've terrorized her enough. I've finished my business with her, and I don't exactly want to cross her path again."

"Good," his father came on sternly. "If I hear that you've been courting a woman from the Lower Ring, I swear to you-"

Prince Jin sighed. "No dating women from the Lower Ring. Ever. I know."

His father eyed him suspiciously, but when he opened his mouth, a guard of the castle came walking by. He looked alert, slightly disturbed, and bowed to the King before directing his attention to Prince Jin.

"We have discovered important information on the Paper Lanterns. Would you like to hear it, or should we let it go?" the guard asked.

Prince Jin looked over to his father to see that the older man did not look pleased. But he gave a wave of his hand, and kept walking. Prince Jin decided to take that as a sign that he could do as he wanted.

"Tell me," he said with a small motion of his head.

"Maybe a half-hour ago, some type of fight broke out at the Paper Lanterns. The fight led to a fire…" Prince Jin stood un-phased. "The fight was caused because the woman you suspected there was indeed the Avatar. The people who started the fire discovered this, and thought that by burning her home they could get her to admit she had lied. The fire is currently being-"

"Is she alive?" Prince Jin interrupted, feeling every muscle in his body tense. The woman you inspected was indeed the Avatar. No wonder she had been smiling. She had lied to him! He had stood in the presences of the Avatar, had even sensed it, and he let her get away! He had the right to be angry! The Avatar had slipped through his grasp, but why? The guard was slow to answer. Prince Jin repeated the question. "Is. She. Alive?"

"We don't know…" the guard whispered. "The fire was being put out when I left. She could have escaped with her family. If not, she could have let herself burn."

"I'm not sure which one is worse," Prince Jin mumbled, tightening his hands. "Mount the Ostrich Horses. We need to find out if she's still there. If not, we'll have to search all through the Earth nation for her. Tell my father of the discovery. I have to make sure the other nations are alerted. Understood?"

The Prince and guard exchanged glances, firm and serious, and turned their own way.