Chapter 5
Unjust Imprisonment
The captain looked to me then to the king and said something, but I was beginning to feel drowsy and fell asleep in the middle of their conversation. Several days later I awoke in a dank smelly jail cell, my arms and legs still bound by chains. A bowl filled with scummy looking water was slid under the door. "What is this supposed to be?" "Dinner." Replied a voice from behind the door with a laugh following it.
I kicked the bowl to the wall and watched its contents drain into the floor. "Dammit! This isn't right! I saved you and your people! I killed all those Fire Nation soldiers! DAMN YOU! I SHOULD BE AWARDED NOT ARRESTED! I SHOULD GET MEDALS NOT SHACKLES! DAMMIT! I-" the door opened "HEY SHUT THE HELL UP!" yelled a soldier. The soldier kicked me hard and I blacked out.
Several days later I awoke still in my dank, dark chamber which smelled even worse than when I blacked out. Days passed, then months, and eventually the door opened. "Time for your trial you Fire Nation dog!" The guard lifted me to my feet and pulled me behind him down a dark corridor filled with dark jail cells which contained many prisoners. The guard took me out of the dungeon and into the main area of the castle from there he guided me through more corridors and into a room filled with gold and jewels and with an old man sitting on the Throne in the center of the room.
"So this is the so called 'Hero' that decimated the Fire Nation's Soldiers with Fire Bending?" I looked up at the old man who was supposedley the King. "Well? Don't you have any worlds in your defense?" "I do have words to say, but they would be most insulting in your presence." "Well this is your last chance to speak your case before we decide wheter or not you shall be executed." "My story is a long and complicated one…" "Hmmm tell me your story and I shall listen." And so I told the King my story, of the destruction of Eqotoa, of my vision, of the necklace of Fire, and of how I killed all of those Fire Benders as they killed my people.
After my story was finished the King was stroking his light grey beard and deep in though. "So you see your majesty I am no enemy to the Earth Nation, and I used Fire Bending to avenge the many lives taken in the destruction of Eqotoa." "Well you didn't kill any of our citizens with your fire bending and you cleansed this city of the Fire Nation. I shall pardon you and you shall go free and be awarded for your heroism." "Please your highness I wish just to have my necklace back and continue to pursue the Fire Nation soldiers invading our nation." The king smiled at me and nodded.
Within a few minutes the shackles were removed from my wrists and legs and my necklace returned. "We cannot let you leave without some form of payment for your help. So we shall provide you with supplies for your journey." "Thank you so very much your Majesty." After a good nights sleep in the castle and a fresh bath by the next morning I was ready to go. The king provided me with supplies such as fresh food and water, clean clothes, and some Earth Nation armor and weapons. I left the gates of Loaka with a full stomach and quest in front of me.