Avatar: The Darkness Within

Book One: Truth

CHAPTER TWO

It had been a quiet ride back to their village. No one saying much of anything except for a stray word here or there, or Ziran's directions every so often as they wove there way through the sands towards the rocky outcroft that protected their small village from the threatening desert sands. As they entered the village, Kavan rushed out towards them feigning worry.

"Ziran! Nariko! Where have you been? We've been worried and were about to send people out to look for you two."

The five of them all slid out of the saddles on the Moongoose Lizards. As her brother assured Kavan they were fine and introduced their new friends, Nariko marveled at the animal wondering just when she could ride it again.

Noticing her expression of wonder, Sakari said, "Never ridden one huh?"

"No. Nor have I seen one. I only animals I've encountered are ones from the desert or strays in the streets of Omashu when we go for supplies."

"Their proud but loyal. They were given as a gift by Sozin's father, Prince Shakuku of the Fire Nation when we left to seek out the Avatar."

"Wait you were looking for my brother? Why?"

"Like we said earlier. The Avatar is vital to the stability and peace of the nations. We need his help, and his help to stop the threat targeting the Fire Nation."

That had Nariko pausing. Something in the tone in his voice was eating away at her. "The Avatar really means that much to you."

"Not just me, the world. Your brother seems to be rather blasé about being the Avatar."

"My brother understands the power that wielding the four elements brings. It's not a power he wants, or a life he wants. He just wants to live a regular life." She said the line she had practiced with Ziran earlier.

"Well the world needs him to live an abnormal life. We hope to convince him. Will you help us."

Nariko shook her head. "The decision is my brother's and his alone. He's the Avatar, it's his choice. I will follow him either way. He's family and family stick together. You want him to be this harbinger of justice, you'll have to convince him yourself."

"It doesn't bother you that your brother is neglecting what it means to be the Avatar. That while he ignores what goes on in the world, in descends further into chaos."

"How do you know not having an Avatar won't be a good thing? We've lived here all our lives. The only time we go to Omashu is for supplies, and if we hear any news there so be it, but if we don't we don't. We can't be bothered by things we know nothing about."

It wouldn't matter. Soon the Phoenix Assassins would make a public strike. The White Lotus would eventually realize how much the Avatar did care, when her brother revealed the truth. He would heal the world by fixing the mistakes left by his predecessors.

"Nariko, I've still got that cart to fix. Why don't you show them where they can stay for the night."

"Sure."

Nariko watched as her brother left to supposedly fix a broken cart, accompanied by Kavan whilst she nodded at the three members of the White Lotus to follow her.

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...

Ziran waited until his sister and the White Lotus where out of sight and hearing range before he let out his pent up anger and sent a wave of rocks crushing out into the desert around them. He couldn't believe the nerve of the Fire Nation. The two most destructive people in history, Sozin and Ozai, and they name one of his descendants after him. He would be the first to die out of the three. Then the waterbender, who was sniffing around his sister far too much for his liking.

"It didn't go as planned then?"

"Oh it went as planned. Feigned ignorance at who the White Lotus even was. They came with us in hopes to convince me to be the Avatar of their desires. The firebender. I heard the waterbender say he was Prince Shakaku's son. Did you know who they named him after?"

Kavan shook his head.

"Sozin. The bastard that started the war. The annihilated all those lives, only to have his reign of tyranny worsened and carried over by son."

Beside him Kavan's face hardened. "We could just reveal ourselves now."

"No. I want the whole Order of the White Lotus at my feet before than. Maybe some nation officials if I can. Then I will reveal myself. They will know me as the true Avatar who will bring real balance to the world."

...

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...

Sakari watched as Nariko said goodnight and walked quietly out of the small guesthouse in the center of the village to what he supposed was her home. He wondered why they weren't staying with them, but guessed they might have only had a small house with no room to hold three unexpected guests. Or they just truly didn't want to have anything to do with them.

"He's not what I expected of an Avatar." Jaya mused.

"No. Something feels wrong though. I can't quite put my finger on it."

"That just could be because we've had no success talking him around." Sozin responded.

"I tried to talk his sister around, but she wouldn't budge. Said it was his call, and she'd respect that. She seems to follow him around everywhere by the sounds of it."

"Well maybe if we can convince her, we can convince him." Jaya said. "Sakari, keep trying to convince her, and in the mean time we'll try our luck on Ziran. He obviously cares for his sister, so he's not a bad person. Maybe he just needs to be exposed to the world outside the village. They had said that they'd never really left apart from short trips to Omashu. It's a very isolated way to live, and would explain why we haven't been able to locate him up till now."

"I'm curious as to who taught them waterbending out here in the desert."

"Well Avatar Korra grasped both Water, Earth and Fire at a young age. Maybe it just came naturally and he passed what he could to his sister."

"Either way, we have our work cut out for us."