Yes, this is my newest story. It was inspired by the movie Howl's Moving Castle but there is nothing about it in this story.

This has nothing to do with Oyu and Oyu has nothing to do with this one. This might seemed a bit rushed but it will go slower soon…

Please read and review!

Update on 12/13/05: This story weaves in and out of Book 1: Water. This is basically the way it goes: Episodes 1-15 of Avatar, first 14 real Chapters (it says Chapter instead of like Prologue), picks up at Episode 18 (The Waterbending Master)-Siege of the North, starts off again at Chapter 15 and onward. This does contain spoilers for Siege of the North in Chapter 15 and on. Be warned.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. I don't own Howl's Moving Castle. So sue me.

Prologue – Tsuishi

Magic is everywhere.

It is seen when the seasons change. The large trees grow leaves in spring and lose them before winter. Animals grow up and learn special powers, whether it is the bison's flying ability or the unagi eel's water spewing power.

Magic is evident in bending in small amounts. There is not enough to become what very few choose to do. The Avatar is the closest to being one but he does not have the power to keep himself sane with the many abilities associated with magic.

Or sorcery.

Very few people become wizards or witches or whatever they wanted to call themselves. The ones who did it for greed often went insane. The ones who did it for revenge ended up dead from a backfired curse.

Many did it to keep themselves safe during the war.

Even the Fire Nation feared these beings as they could become powerful, powerful enough to overthrow Fire Lord Ozai. They captured the people even if they were from the Fire Nation. The ones who agreed to help the Fire Nation were shown slight mercy. These were turned into hideous monsters by the Royal Wizard and sent to destroy.

The ones who refused ended up dead.

The few left went into hiding. Some even turned themselves in to receive some mercy.

Even so, the ones left were still at large and the Fire Nation had a large price on their capture. It was almost as critical as capturing the Avatar.

Almost.

A storm brewed, rain pelting everything in its way. The island had large trees to shelter even Appa and it was huge. It would take the Fire Nation days to find them in it.

Even so, it wouldn't help them right now as the warship followed the giant bison and the humans on top of the creature.

Prince Zuko watched as the bison flew ahead of them, almost in a mocking way. He threw his hand down, yelling, "Fire!"

The large, flaming boulder-sized chunks hurtled through the air. The bison dodged out of the way with a groan. Zuko frowned and once again yelled.

Grunting, Appa took a steep dive as his passengers screamed. The flaming debris missed again but Appa had gone too low and was having trouble rising into the air again. The wind around them had gotten stronger and even Aang was having trouble staying aboard the beast.

The prince stared as the bison struggled to rise and decided this was his only chance. Grabbing a length of rope, he ran to the end of the deck. His uncle shouted something but he was deaf from determination. The looped end of the rope hooked onto the bison's saddle and Zuko dangled from it.

"Hey!" Sokka cried, peering over the saddle as the prince growled. "Let go!"

At that time, Appa had managed to ascend again, shooting straight up. Zuko growled again and hung on as the wind rushed past him. His eyes watering, he struggled to climb up the rope.

"Sokka!" Aang yelled over the storm. "We have to land!"

"Not with him we aren't!" he yelled back, trying the knock the rope off the saddle.

"Sokka! We have no choice!" Katara cried out. "Appa's tired! He's not going to last much longer!"

There was a strange sound coming from the large creature. He bucked and Sokka's bladed boomerang leapt out of the warrior's belt and fell at just the right angle.

The rope Zuko was holding onto wasn't supported anymore.

His eyes widened as he began to fall from what had to be at least a thousand feet in the air. He tried to scream but nothing came out of his throat. The prince knew they had to be on the other side of the island by then and that meant a cliff overlooking the ocean

With very sharp rocks at the bottom.

If he didn't die of the fall, he would surely die of drowning. Or worse, being impaled on one of the rocks.

Zuko closed his eyes and wished he had never spoken out against his father.

His body slammed into a ledge on the cliff, knocking him out efficiently as he slipped, rolling down the rocky edge. His body fell freely, hitting one of the jagged rocks as he finally slipped into the ocean, unconscious.

Before he had blacked out, he had wished the war had never started.