Author's note: I am so so so so sorry for the extreme delay in posting! College is one hell of a drug and is kicking my ass. I'm going to try to finish this first book by the end of January so I don't leave anyone hanging.

Thanks for reading!

~KindredVeggies (AKA: Caroline)

Big whiskers tickled Kai's cheek making his eyes flutter open. "Ugh…" He groaned, shielding his eyes with his forearm. His dog laid in his bag and Shang slept next to him. "Psst, Shang." He whispered, shaking his companion. Shang gurgled, drool dripping from the corner of his mouth, and flopped over onto his stomach. A turtle seal waddling over and slowly pulling its way onto Shang's limp body.

Shang groaned, "Kai, get off me… Kai." He rolled over and was met with a wet lick, "KAI?!" He screeched throwing the seal off of him. Kai cracked up, holding his stomach and falling back onto the ground, "Oh god it was just a seal."

Kai stuck his tongue out and walked towards Shang, "I see you're dreaming about my tongue."

"Shut the hell up!" Shang wailed, covering his ears and jumping up like a child. Kai sprung up and chased after him in the hay, Shang whining at him while Kai's tongue flopped up and down with every step.

Suddenly, the door flew open, making cold air burst in. The innkeeper slammed it behind her, "You must run!" She wheezed, handing them their coats and two seaweed rice balls, "Take these. The Lunar Army is searching dangerously close to here. You must sneak out the back." She said, pointing to the small window.

Kai looked worriedly between Shang and the innkeeper, "But…" He cut himself off and realized his tongue was still hanging out of his mouth, he pulled it back in with red cheeks and smiled foolishly at the innkeeper who looked unimpressed, "How do we get to the palace?"

The innkeeper pulled a small notepad out of her pocket and drew a rough sketch of the city. It was circular with a giant square in the middle, "In the center of that square is the palace, but beware, once you enter the square, there are many more Lunar Army members. That is where all Lunar Army members and their families reside. Lord Tui considers the warriors as a national treasure." The elder tore the small sketch out of the pad and handed it to Kai, her grip tightening when he grabbed it, her eyes met his. Her aged skin detracted nothing from the sparkling azuline centers. "Avatar Kai…" Her raspy voice whispered, "Everyone on Earth believes in you, you will make humanity proud."

Kai's eyes widened as he felt the familiar sting of tears. "Thank you," He squeaked. The old woman wrapped her frail arms around him, then hugged Shang, "Most importantly, don't get me caught or I'll find you boys and beat you till you're prune pudding, ya' hear!" Kai and Shang went rigid and nodded their heads vigorously, "Now get going! It was a pleasure to meet you." She turned and walked into the crisp morning.

The boys looked at each other before shimmying out the back window into a small alleyway that was behind. Carefully they ran, weaving in and out of different alleyways. Their breaths produced small clouds that floated above their heads like tiny trains. They Finally arrived in the square, "Man, these boots are killing me." Shang griped.

Kai rolled his eyes, "Focus, we need to look as innocent as possible and maybe nobody will notice us…" The two pulled their furry hoods over their heads and walked towards the palace that towered over the old-style water tribe homes. The ornate walls had intricate patterns carved into them, containing seal turtles, polar bear dogs, and enormous sabertooth moose-lions. Warriors were carved in, fighting various beasts and competitors. Kai felt his heart leaping in his chest, "Maybe Ulka will be in there."

Shang laughed, "Damn, I hope so!" He stopped and rubbed his toes, "These boots are killing me, I swear."

Ulka walked back into the cell, being pushed by the feisty guards. Her feet felt hard, she had lost feeling in her toes fairly early into the night. She slowly made her way over to the other inmates, her feet shuffling on the hard dirt. Everyone rushed to her side and began to treat her, she was shivering and could barely speak. She felt the sun, Roj, dying inside her. The doors swung open and a stream of guards flowed in surrounding Ulka, pushing all other inmates aside. "Ulka, the sun, you are sentenced to death in 12 hours!" A large man with a handlebar mustache barked, his blue, beady eyes glistening in Ulka's direction. Ulka shrugged.

Shang and Kai approached the ornate palace, Kai looked towards Shang, "Should we knock?" Shang held up his fist, but the door slowly began to creak open. Riishi let out a little a yelp and snuggled down into Kai's bag.

"Spooky." Shang teased, lifting his eyebrows. Kai smiled, but his insides were in knots. As they stepped into the icy lair, a large throne came into view. The throne was even more complex and extravagant than the outer walls of the frozen palace.

In the giant throne sat a skinny boy, no older than Ulka, dressed in traditional water tribe garb. "Hello, Kai." The boy stood and made his way down to their level, "I'm so glad you could make it." The boy was thin and pale, his shocking, blue eyes pierced through the boys. His sharp eyebrows narrowed, "I thought you brought the spirit of Raava with you, but I suppose I was wrong."

Kai shakily stepped forward, "N-No!" He stammered, "I have her. We just need Ulka to be free-."

Tui held up his hand as his eyes widened, "Give me the dog, or else you die."

Kai's jaw dropped, "What!?" Tui's arms suddenly flailed in an almost insane display, water whips coming at Kai from all sides. Shang stepped up next to Kai and formed an air dome, knocking away the whips and pushing Tui back. "What the hell is your issue, Tui?!" Kai screeched.

"Don't address me in that way , you non-bender peasant." Tui spat. Shang lifted both his eyebrows and looked at Kai in bewilderment as Kai did the same to him. Tui suddenly burst into laughter, "If you're both really that dense, I'll explain to you." Shang slowly lifted his hand to Kai's chest and pushed him to stand behind him, his tall, toned body shielding Kai's scrawny self. Kai looked up at Shang with big, brown eyes and rested his hand reassuringly on his friend's back. "Listen, you dipshits, I am the Moon. I am Tui, my counterpart is La, push and pull, in and out, high and low."

"Wow, you're so good at antonyms." Shang mocked.

Tui's angled eyebrows twitched in frustration, "SHUT UP!" He screeched like a toddler, his voice cracking a bit. He wiped his hand across his forehead, "As I was saying, my counterpart has not been seen since the spirits were put in the physical world, she has disappeared without a trace and once I find her, she will join me. We will be a waterbending duo more powerful than any other spirit on earth or in the spirit world… except for one…" Tui stepped forward, making Shang tense up, "That's where you come in, Kai. You have Raava, and it would be an absolute waste to put her into your weak body. So! I will gladly take Raava into my own hands and fuse with her, this way, I can use the Avatar's connection to all spirits to find my counter part. But wait! There's more." Tui's eyes widened to an impossible size, "I'm going to kill Ulka, and fuse with Roj, the sun spirit, then I will find all other incarnated spirits on earth and fuse with them as well, after I kill their human forms, of course." Shang glanced uncomfortably at Kai, who gripped the bag with his dog in it tightly. "Now, Kai, push your little bitch aside and give me Raava." He said, holding out his hand, "I assure you, if you give me Raava, you will become one of the richest, most worshipped non-benders on the planet. Sound good?" Tui took another step forwards, "C'mon." He squeaked, his eyes twitching.

Kai frowned and shook his head, "What you're doing is wrong, Tui. I can't give you Riishi."

"Riishi?" Tui's face twisted into a puzzled glare.

"Yes, Raava is my dog, Riishi." The tiny white pup popped its head out of the bag and growled at Tui.

"You've got to be fucking with me." Tui said, his eyes sparkling with amusement with was quickly overcome with a freezing rage, "Give me that dog." He growled, lunging forwards.

"Kai, hide!" Shang ordered. Kai fled, his boots slipping on the icey floors. He skidded behind a small wall that had shelves full of scrolls. He peeked over as Shang and Tui bgean to brawl. Shang attempted to fend off the copious amounts of water whips that came flying towards him. "How are you controlling so many at once?!" He asked, exasperated.

"I'm the moon, you idiot. Look to the sky."

Shang glanced up to see that the sun was already setting, giving way to the full moon. "What-?"

"Winter is coming fast. Soon, daytime will not exist here."

Shang's eyes widened as he felt his stomach flip with panic. Suddenly He felt a heavy blow to his back. The bitter wetness permeated through his clothes, making him shiver as he wheezed, attempting to capture his breath again. "Don't lose focus," Tui teased, lifting a finger, sending a heavy stream of water straight under Shang's jaw, snapping his head back and sending him flying. He slid on the snowy floor and coughed, curling up into a ball before standing, he glared at Tui who just giggled, "Awww, don't look at me like that~." He cooed.

Shang let out a roar of rage and launched three blades of wind at Tui who easily dodged two and destroyed the third with a wall of water which he sent towards Shang soon after. Shang attempted to back up but the water caught his foot and froze, travelling up his body, the ice squeezing his neck, making him squeak. "Shang!" Kai cried out.

Tui shot his glare over to Kai, "Well, hi there. Now I have two toys to play with, hm?" Kai felt water wrap around his ankle. He pushed Riishi into one of the shelves and quickly said, "Stay." Before his body was violently pulled out from his hiding spot, making his scream. Tui held Kai before him by the ankle, hanging him upside down.

"Kai, Kai, Kai. You are just too cute, wouldn't you agree?" Tui said, smirking at Shang, who glare back, "I asked you a question." He hissed, ice shards forming out the ice encasing Shang's body, pressing against his neck.

"Don't hurt him…" Shang squeaked.

"Puhhah!" Tui let out a loud cackle before looking to Kai, "He doesn't think you're cute… What a shame." Tui brought Kai close to his face, staring into Kai's upsidedown eyes, "Good for you, I think you're adorable." A water whip quickly squeezed around Kai's neck, "I'm sure you'l look even cuter frozen." Kai's panicked gasps were followed by small puffs of vapor that floated high into the now dimming sky. "Now, where is the dog?" He cooed.

Kai stared at him with a stone cold expression.

"Tell me… Where. Is. The. Dog?"

While Kai remained silent, Shang was slowly cutting his way out of the ice. Watching Tui closely. Suddenly Tui glanced over as a shard of the ice fell and shattered on the floor, "Be more careful you dumb shit." He hissed as he moved to send a water whip at Shang. Kai reeled back and put his fist right into Tui's sharp jaw. Tui stumbled back, dropping Kai who wriggled on the ground before attempting to scramble away. Tui roared in rage while holding his jaw. As Kai ran away, needle sharp icicles trailed right behind him, only missing him by centimeters.

Shang burst out of the ice and ran at Tui, "The only one who needs to be more careful is you, Tui." Shang growled.

"B-Be careful!" Ulka gasped as Noka warmed her feet. "I have news. Good news that can help us."

Zhan sprinted up to her and fell to his knees beside her, "Ulka! Are you alrig-?"

Ulka cut him off with a swift glare, "Shut up. Listen." Zhan did. "There is rock deep deep in the permafrost. If we have an earthbender here they could pull it up, we could melt it, and I can bore right through the these wax covered, wooden walls." She looked at Noka who continued to gently massage Ulka's feet. "Noka, do you know any earthbenders here?"

Noka glanced around and cleared her throat. "N-No."

"Why did you stutter?" Ulka snapped.

"I-I'm no-... I didn't mean to."

Ulka's eyes seared into the woman.

"I uhh... "

"This is going to help us get you out of here. Do not lie to me. This is life and death, not just for us, but for the entire world. If we don't get out of here and Tui kills the avatar… Well, there's no point in escaping because we're as good as dead."

Noka squeezed her fists tightly. "Mommy…" Noka's eyes widened as she stared at her daughter who broke the silence, "It's okay Mommy." She said in her sweet voice.

Noka nodded, "I didn't want to risk the safety of my daughter by telling anyone this… but even though she's young, Lily is an earthbender. And she's extremely strong." She smiled at her daughter with pride, "Just like her father."

Ulka looked at the child, "Can you feel it? The stone? It pulls at your feet doesn't it? That connection, your chi in your stomach churns with excitement when you feel it, doesn't it?" Ulka leaned forwards and so did the girl.

"Y-Yes…" She whispered, "I can feel it shake every time I walk..."

Ulka put her hand on the girl's shoulder, "Stand and feel it. Make it feel you. Make it connect with your feet."

Zhan furrowed his brow, puzzled. He observed the small girl as she took her shoes off and stood on the cold, hard ground. She closed her eyes and held her hands out, her palms facing the ground. She pulled her elbows into touch her stomach and balled her tiny hands into fists as her feet spread into the classic earth stance. Her wide position suddenly lurched as she pushed out her fists and and pushed up into the air making the harsh metal they stood on creak. A small lump appeared beneath the smooth platinum floor, making a pimple in the dull surface. Ulkas eyes widened, the power of this child was something from the pre Korra era.

The child's stance lowered even further as she flexed her thin, tawny arms. She let out a tiny grunt as the blemish grew larger before rock burst from below the metal. "Yes!" She breathed before falling to her knees and wiping her forehead.

Ulka stood and grinned, "Kid, you are one hell of a bender."

Ulka put her hands on the stone. "Zhan." She barked. She didn't even have to tell him what to do. He knelt and put his hands on the rock with her. The rock began to heat up, the red glow turning orange then turning yellow. Zhan began to sweat while Ulka's tanned skin remained glowing with heat. "I got this now." Her voice softened as she focused on the steady stream of lava she began commanding from the rock. The orb floated above her hands as she sprinted over to the wooden wall and began to work on its waxy surface. The wood smoked and the wax sputtered as the lava cut a big enough hole for someone tiny to crawl through. Ulka bent down to look at it and smiled. Her prideful smile was cut short by guards bursting through the door ten feet above the enclosure, "HEY!" The man with a handlebar mustache barked. "What is that hole in the floor?!"

Ulka peered out from behind the crystal she was behind, she was in the clear for now. She continued the hole as Zhan hissed for her to hurry up. Ulka shot his a silent glare. The hole expanded to where any adult could squeeze through tightly. All the prisoners were starving anyways so it wasn't a huge feat to cut a hole big enough for them. Ulka heard Noka wail "Wait!" Before peeking around and seeing the two guards making their way down into the enclosure. "Perfect…" She snarled with a demented happiness in her eyes, "Zhan. Follow my lead, we're breaking out of here, firebender style." She said as she patted him on the back. The sound of the soldier's boots stopped and that was Ulka's cue to beat the shit out of them. Fire exploded from behind the crystal she hid behind. The soldier's yelled, startled. Ulka came running out, her hands flaming, her arms glowing red. She moved at an impossible speed, fire beneath her feet propelling her forwards. She spun in a pinwheel of fire before delivering an unforgiving kick right to one of the guard's face. The young guard yelped and fell to the ground unconscious. Ulka shot a barrelling flume of fire at the other guard, knocking him back into a crystal, the air leaving his lungs and his eyes rolling back. "Noka. Gather everyone and get them out the hole I created within ten minutes. Then run as far as you can for as long as you can."

Noka nodded and grabbed Ulka's arm before the teen had a chance to walk away, "Please, take this gift. My husband gave it to me," The woman held out her brown hand, shaking, "It is a traditional earth kingdom armband." Ulka took the band from the woman, it was a deep brown leather wrapped in green leather. On it was a jade amulet with the symbol of the earth kingdom, and a message was stamped into the leather 'Darkness thrives in the void, but always yields to purifying light.' Ulka quickly put the band on her toned bicep and hugged the woman and patted Lily's head.

"I will always remember you. Protect your mother, one day she will be your everything." She looked the two females in the eyes before nodding in thanks, "Now quickly get everyone out." Ulka looked o Zhan who also nodded. The two ran to the door before using fire beneath their feet to launch themselves into the door that was ten feet above the pit. They were met by a clog of guards in the narrow halls of the fortress. "Don't hold back, Zhan, the world is on the line." The duo lunged forwards, fire engulfing the hallway. Soon, they had broke free of the prison and found themselves standing in the darkness of the night in a snowbank that overlooked the prison. "We made it." Ulka said brightly, her white teeth glistening in the light of the moon. "Zhan-. Hey, what's wrong?" Zhan stood with his head bowed and his long hair whipping in the frigid wind, "Is this the first time you've been out? I get i-."

"No. I'm a liar," He interrupted, Ulka stared, confused. "Zhan isn't my name." Ulka lifted her eyebrows. "My parents weren't ChiWatch factory workers… My name is Ozai." Ulka's eyes widened and her body went rigid. "My name is Prince Ozai of the Fire Nation, and I'm the heir to the throne. Ulka, let me help you, I can use the forces of the fire nation-."

Ulka closed her eyes and hung her head, a small mutter escaped her lips, "Leave."

"Ulka please-."

Her head snapped up and her eyes flung open, flames took their place "LEAVE!" She bellowed in a voice that was not her own, but the deep voice of the sun, Roj, "The Fire Nation is no friend of mine. You all have abused my powers for evil and oppression and I will never forgive you for such an injustice. Time has no meaning when it comes to the death of thousands and a war that lasted a hundred years! Those one hundred years of torment to my soul, those one hundred years of pure hatred that pulled all my strength. Your namesake… Your namesake destroyed my trust. The Fire Nation is no ally of mine Ozai." Roj spat. "Now leave or I will kill you like I should've done to your namesake two hundred years ago."

Ozai trembled at the voice of the powerful sun. He nodded, speechless before running, "I will serve you no matter how you feel about me!" He yelled with a bow before disappearing behind the snowdrifts.

Roj looked back through his vessel's fiery eyes, "Let's do what is right. Shall we, Ulka?"

Suddenly, the gruff, girlish voice of Ulka broke through, "Let's." The consciousness of Ulka disappeared and submitted to Roj. Roj held Ulka's hand out, lifting her hand up slightly making the earth rumble like an earthquake. The ground beneath the massive prison began to glow. Ulka lifted both her hands, and with the power of Roj, Lava spurted out of the ground, engulfing the prison in a fiery tornado of melted rock before the tornado collapsed and pulled the prison underground to a fiery demise. And in less than a minute the entire prison was gone. Ulka suddenly snapped back and let out a fiery breath. She looked to the center of the city, and began to run.