Chapter 3
The Necklace of Fire
As I searched around the mounds of Tados Moria the screeching sound got louder and louder until it became deafening once I reached a particular mound. I came closer to the mound and with my hands tore away at the earth until out of it came an odd necklace with very jagged beads and a shiny ruby like pendant which had an odd smybol¹ carved into it. I looked over the necklace more then I felt the burn on my cheek start to get searing hot like I was kicked a second time, but the attacker left his foot on my face. The pain became intense and I knelt down finding it hard to even stay still. I took a bottle of water from my bag and opened it pouring water into my hand and then quickly placing my wet hand against my face.
This eased the pain for a short time then my cheek got even hotter and hotter making it hard for me to focus the heat was so intense. The pain got worse and worse until I finally fell over and became unconcious and when I awoke several hours later the heat was gone and my cheek felt like normal except for a scar I could feel with my fingers. The shape of the scar was that of the odd symbol¹ carved into the pendant of the necklace. I sat up and still had the necklace clenched in my hand so I put it around my neck and secured the tabs and a rush of knowledge and skill came to my mind that was full of information that I couldn't dream of. I now knew the history of Fire Bending and posessed all of its most powerful techniques and skills within my mind this seemed ironic to me because the murderers I was after were fire benders.
The history of fire bending goes back as far as all bending, it started with the Ancients who lived near the center of the earth. Fire bending was a powerful bending skill because in order to fire bend you do not need any certain element around you like you do with Water, Air, and Earth bending. I noticed the power in me grow and I knew I could use these new powerful skills to get revenge on the Fire Benders that destroyed my beloved home of Eqotoa. I quickly sprang up into action and felt the heat and ferousity of fire burn inside me so I ran as fast as I could and went even faster then before nearly flying across the landscape following the same tracks I had been. I ran and ran and ran until I could run no more and took a break to catch my breath then I heard the screams of children and the sounds of battle, but most importantly the sounds of fire bending.
I felt the rage grow inside me and I traced the source of the sounds finding the neighboring city of Loaka ablaze and the cries of suffering filled the air. I knew what I must do I must save these people from the same fate of Eqotoa so I jumped as high as I could and as I came down apon the gates of Loaka I felt no pain and became completley engulfed in flames. I crashed down upon the gate cracking the solid stone of it in half and I knew that the best way to stop these fire benders would be to be invisible and take a toll on their mental abilities. I took in a large breath in my mouth and out my nostrals came a smokescreen of steam which poured into the city streets. I heard several soldiers say "What was that?" and with the new found agility I had come upon, I stood up and drew two of my three swords and with a ferocity from the deepest part of my soul I charged through the smoke screen yelling.
As I came through the smoke I saw several Earth Nation soldiers rush at me with swords and spears aimed at me and once they were in my line of sight I said "I am Zack son of Ethos last of the city of Eqotoa. I come in peace towards you men my only quarrel is with the Fire Benders" They looked at me in disbelief and ran with ever lasting speed towards me. "Fools" I said under my breath and jumped away.
odd smybol¹ The odd symbol Zack spoke of was the symbol of Fire in the ancient languages.