I only own Zera and the changes in plot line:
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My family has a long rich history, at least from the stories I remember my mother telling me. The Air Nomads were wanderers by definition, but had four air temples, one located at each corner of the globe, found atop mountain ranges and under cliffs, in the northern Earth Kingdom and on three remote islands, all of which were hard for outsiders to reach. Unlike the other nations, those born to the Air Nomads were, without any seen exception, all benders due to the high level of spirituality of their people. They lived in large temples and travelled the world on flying bison.
Tragically, they were just short of completely eradicated. Fire Lord Sozin ordered his military to attack all other nations in a massive offensive backed by the power of the Great Comet. While the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes were left distracted, forced to defend their own lands, the greatest Fire Nation assault targeted the air temples. The Fire Nation encountered different levels of resistance at the four temples. The Western Air Temple was overrun without much fighting, and its structures remained mostly intact. In contrast, the Eastern Air Temple, where my ancestors were from, saw heavy combat, with much of it being destroyed and massive fires engulfing the entire complex.
A small number of Air Nomads survived the initial attack on the temples and proved too elusive for the Fire Nation to hunt down. My Grandfather had only briefly become a master in his own right, this event was observed through the Anointing Ceremony, wherein the Airbender's hair is shorn, and light blue tattoos are applied on their legs, arms, back, and head. He had only gotten his tattoos weeks before the attack on the Eastern Air Temple.
My grandfather had led a few survivors away shortly after the attack started in an effort to save as many lives as possible. Very few survived, striking out and going into hiding, some making families, some trying to preserve their vanishing culture. My mother was born in one of these hideaways and she was raised on the run. She was however very proud of her air bender heritage and wore a pink necklace with the eastern Air temple symbol on the back of it. Decades passed in similar fashion and after realizing some airbenders had escaped the Fire Lord Changed tactics. Sozin removed relics from the temples and had a number of small residences high in the mountains furnished with them, giving these places the appearance of being inhabited by other Air Nomad refugees. Using spies to spread rumors about these safe houses throughout the Earth Kingdom population. My grandparents and several others left to meet at one of these refuges, leaving my mother with a friend in the village they'd been staying at. They never returned. Sozin successfully lured many of the remaining airbenders into the hands of waiting Fire Nation soldiers and eliminated them.
My mother had tried to keep a low profile, nearly never using her bending. She took up residency in a seaside village as a healer. And while sad, she lived rather peacefully, until the fire nation attacked.
The fire navy pillaged the village, killing indiscriminately, burning the small huts to ash. And they were led by a vile man, with violet eyes. My mother tired to prevent him from hurting some of the younger villagers. In return, he burned her, beat her, dragged her away. She told me she didn't remember much of her captivity; I think she didn't want to scare me. She didn't like talking about that part of the story, and I never pressed her. And nine months later, my mother had me.
I was always in awe of her for keeping me, especially when I came out with very familiar violet eyes. But my mother, while visibly having lost much of her vigor, did her best to love me. She named me Zera, she told me it means new beginnings. She did her best, exceptional well considering what she'd been though. She'd tell me stories of our people's history, and she showed me more love than I could have hoped for. But as I grew older I saw things that I think she thought she was hiding. The she would flinch when my violet eyes would meet hers. How her hands would shake slightly when she'd braid my dark red hair. The happiest I remember seeing her was the day my airbending manifested.
She held such joy in her eyes and she picked me up and spun me around, laughing for the first time I could remember. She taught me what she could, which honestly wasn't much. But I cherished each lesson like an invaluable gem. When I was twelve however she started to retreat into herself. She'd stopped responding to my questions, it was like she was going through he motions. The locals would come and help me take care of her, telling me she would get better, but I knew the truth. A few months after I turned thirteen she was gone.
I cried for days, hiding in my room, and barely speaking to anyone. I felt so alone. Soon after I heard the villagers debating what they'd do with me, where would I go, who could spare the extra food. I had decided I wouldn't be a burden on a people who barely had enough to support themselves and I packed some supplies and taking the necklace my mother had worn so religiously and stole on of the fishing boats in the dead of night. I was young, I had no idea where I was going. I'll spare you the details of the trip as it was fairly repetitive and uneventful. But I had a good breeze, but I had forgotten to bring enough fresh water and inevitably passed out.
When I came too I was on a large canoe surrounded by several men in blue parkas. Terrified I had thrashed but a calm voiced urged me to be still. Kind blue eyes, broken slightly by long strands of black hair, and a warm smile where the last things I saw before unconsciousness claimed me once more.
I found out later that I had been found by a southern water tribe hunting party. And the kind eyed man named Koda immediately volunteered to take me in. He gave me a home, a family, and love. He gave me the opportunity to grow, and gain friends like the son of tribe's leader, a 9-year-old boy named Sokka and his 8-year-old sister Katara. I fit in better here than I ever did anywhere else. And I continued to grow on the sibling's tales of the Avatar.
My past may be full of hardship and sorrow, but I will live by the name my mother gave me.
I am Zera, and this is my new beginning!