Chap. 13

The Children

"Zuko, I still do not think this is a good idea." Iroh cautioned, as Zuko continued to walk up the beach. The boy-prince's ship had reached the shores of the island on the map, only to find a much larger ship already there. Within minutes, Zuko had recognized it was the personal warship of Admiral Zhao,. Realizing that the ship was empty and that his old rival now had the chance to banish Zuko forever, the boy-prince had come to shore and stated that he planned to apprehend the Avatar and Zhao himself.

Iroh however, saw this as another example of Zuko's temper and frustrations. The old general knew that given the presence of Zhao and the Avatar, Zuko was bound to let his emotions cloud his judgment and make a grievous error. That was why he was walking along his nephew, trying to convince him to bring at least a squadron along with him.

"Zhao is a Master Firebender and his troops are among the best in the Fire Army." Iroh argued, as Zuko moved closer and closer to the jungle. "You will not be able to defeat them by yourself."

"It doesn't matter Uncle." Zuko replied. "I don't plan to fight them." At that, Iroh's eyebrows shot, as he wondered what his nephew was thinking.

Seeing his uncle's confusion, Zuko stopped and explained. "It is far easier for one man to sneak into the jungle and kidnap the Avatar, then for a troop of soldiers to burst through and cause a huge and unfocused battle. All I need is for the ship to be ready when I return."

Iroh smiled then, proud to see his nephew exercise such wisdom. But this did not mean he simply let his nephew go. "This is a fine plan Zuko. But I cannot let you go alone. If Zhao's soldiers discover you and attack, you will be outmatched. I will accompany you and be your back up if the worst should happen."

For a second, Zuko seemed ready to argue. But then he shrugged his shoulders and said, "All right Uncle. But be careful. I don't want you to get injured on my account."

"Worry about Zhao and his troops, not me." Iroh replied with a grin. Giving a small smile back, Zuko turned back into the jungle, his uncle following suit.

"How do I know this isn't a trick?" Zhao asked Fuego, as the red man held up the limp form of Aang. "You could simply be trying to save your own skin."

But Fuego shook his head. "I swear to you Admiral, this is no trick. I was sent by the Fire Lord himself to apprehend the Avatar."

"But then why did you free him from Zuko?" the admiral asked.

"Do you really think I would let a worthless pup like Zuko capture the Avatar?" Fuego asked in astonishment. "I would let that fool travel the seas forever before I let him have the Avatar."

At that, Zhao smiled, but the suspicion in his voice remained. "But why give him to me? Surely you would receive much praise from the Fire Lord if you deliver the Avatar yourself."

But Fuego shook his head. "I have heard of your exploits for much of my life Admiral. I consider you a true hero of the Fire Nation, and I would honored to give you this great tribute."

That was the final piece, as Zhao, feeling immensely prideful, came down from his rhino and walked over to the red man. Motioning for two of his troops, Zhao took the paralyzed Avatar from Fuego, and handed him to the soldiers. "How long will he be like that?" he asked Fuego.

"Not much longer. You'd best get him your ship quickly." Fuego replied. "As for the other two…."

"Oh, I'll deal with them myself." Zhao said, as he walked over to the trapped siblings. Raising his hands, Zhao summoned the fire to him.

"You two have been thorns in the side of the Fire Nation long enough. It is time you were punished for your transgressions." Zhao said, as he prepared to destroy Sokka and Katara right then and there.

But before he could, Zhao felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw the face of Zuko looking up at him.

"Wait Admiral. Let me help you in this." The red man said, as he handed Zhao his spear. As Zhao looked at it confusion, Fuego explained, "It is of my own design. It works like the Avatar's staff, enhancing your Firebending." Zhao grinned at the prospect and turned back to the siblings.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you, you Fire Nation scum!" Sokka cried out at Fuego.

"How you could lie to us like this? All those things you said about your father?" Katara yelled out as well.

"I'm a good actor." Fuego replied calmly, as Zhao placed the spear in front of the two and activated it, sending flame down the blade and towards the Water-tribesmen.

But as the flames began to spread out from the spear, something happened. The fire paused in mid-air, and then shot back up the spear, right into the shocked Zhao. The admiral flew back onto the sand from the impact of the flame. When he finally came to a halt, Zhao looked at Fuego with pure rage in his eyes.

But the red man simple said, "Didn't I tell you? The spear only works when I want it to. And now isn't one of those times."

With that, Fuego stretched forth his hand, and the spear flew up from the sand into his awaiting palm. Once it was back in his grasp, Fuego pointed his other hands at the fire rings surrounding Sokka and Katara. Almost immediately, the flames shot out towards the red man, leaving the siblings free. The fire from the rings shot into Fuego's palm, as he seemed to absorb the fire into himself. It was a sight that caused even the well-trained soldiers of Zhao's troop to stare in shock.

Of course, Fuego used to his advantage as well. Once the flame had vanished, Fuego suddenly whipped around and shot a fire blast at the feet of the soldiers holding Aang. The soldiers instantly moved away, but in their surprise, they released their grip on the young Avatar. Aang took the opportunity to whirl around and air-blast them into two nearby trees. The young Avatar then backflipped over to the spot where Fuego and the siblings stood, holding back the soldiers with spear, boomerang, and waterbending.

"So what was that about?" Aang asked the red man.

"I told you, I'm a good actor." Fuego replied.

"Apparently." Aang replied, as he took his staff back from Sokka, who'd recovered it in the turmoil. However, that acting ability was not the saving grace a moment later, when a huge wave of flame suddenly washed out over the hero's heads. Thankfully, they managed to dodge the wave, but when they arose, the sight of an enraged Admiral Zhao was there to greet them.

"You dare humiliate me!" Zhao roared. "You will pay for that traitor! I will burn your skin off and take what's left of you to the Fire Lord!"

But Fuego shot back, and his voice was filled with enough anger that even his allies were frightened.

"Don't you dare call me traitor Zhao!" the red man shot back. "If you want a traitor, you can look in the mirror! You, and all the scum-sucking, power-mad freaks that rule the Fire Nation have destroyed everything it stood for. You gave up honor, heroism, and pride for this?" the red man sneered in disgust as he held up his hand and summoned a flame to it.

Looking at it in disgust, Fuego continued. "I've heard your speeches Zhao. You call yourself a son of the superior element. Well, look at your element Zhao! You know what it is? It's heat and pretty lights, that's all. It's nothing more, but you became a slave to it all the same, you and everyone that ruined the Fire Nation. You're like narcissistic animals, that stared at the lights of your own element until you became enslaved to it, at the cost of everything you once held so high."

"But I'm different Zhao." Fuego said, as he began to walk towards the enraged general. "I remembered what the Fire Nation stood for. I remembered what my father taught me. He taught me that there is no more power in flame then there is in the stones of the earth, or the ripple of the water, or in the kiss of the wind. The only real power comes from using them together."

And as Fuego spoke those last words, the stone in his spear began to glow. The red man looked at it a moment, then said, in a voice that assured everyone he was smiling under his mask, "I think it's time you see that power for yourself."

Suddenly, everyone was struggling for balance as the ground underneath them began to shake. The soldiers struggled to keep their rhinos under control, but it became useless a few minutes later. Huge arms, made entirely of stone and earth suddenly reached up from the ground and plucked five riders from their rhinos, then picked up the beasts and threw them down on their backs, incapacitating them.

As Zhao looked around in utter horror at this display of power, he suddenly saw its source. Everyone turned to the ground as it began to crack and crumble as something pushed it's way to the surface. Finally, something leapt up from the cracked earth and landed on the ground. As it rose, it seemed to be a man made entirely of earth, but then it changed, and became flesh and blood. As it rose to it's feet, Aang and the others gasped in shock, for this man wore clothing identical to Feugo, in all but the dark brown color. The man was also more muscular looking then Fuego, and slightly taller. He also carried a small stone hammer, instead of a spear.

But as everyone stared at the brown man, the second part of Fuego's speech was coming true. The water in the pond was stretching upwards, into a large tentacle that suddenly separated itself from the lake and hung in the air. Katara, of course, was the first to notice this, but she had little time to do so. The tentacle suddenly shot out at the soldiers, whipping into them and knocking the rest of the riders from their rhinos. The soldiers all tried to evaporate the water, but it moved too quickly for them to do so.

"Wow, great bending Katara." Aang said as he watched.

"But I'm not doing it." Katara protested, as she wondered who was.

The answer to that question came a second later, as the tendril came to halt next to the brown man. Slowly, it coalesced into itself, gathering into an almost teardrop shape, that even then continued to change. Finally it finished it's transformation, as a blue-clothed man stood there. Wiry, but strong looking all the same, this man carried a blue trident.

Then finally the last piece of the speech hit. The winds suddenly began to pick up, swirling around faster and faster like a hurricane. But despite the strength of the winds, no one felt as if they were being pulled into the wind. However, that did not mean that the rhinos were immune. Suddenly, there was a multitude of roars as the rhinos were lifted into the winds, swirling around faster and faster, and lifting higher every second. As everyone watched in shock, the winds seemed to lift up into the sky, taking the rhinos with it. As the creatures flew upward into the sky, what appeared to be a spinning piece of cloud came down to stand with the two men. As it slowly spun down and came to rest with them, a shape began to appear within it, until finally, a short man, dressed in white and holding a staff with a circular open ending to it stood next to them.

As everyone stared in amazement/terror at the three beings before them, Fuego moved up to stand with them.

"Nice job guys." He said to them, almost casually.

"You expected less?" the brown man replied, his voice deep and gravely.

"Of course not. He knew we'd kick his ass if he doubted us." The blue man said, his voice soothing and mysterious.

"Of course, there is still plenty of ass for us to kick here." The white man added, his voice full of youth and excitement.

Fuego chuckled, then turning back to Zhao, said, "I apologize for the informality. But when brothers get together, they always have their little rituals to go through."

"Brothers?" Aang asked in confusion, wondering why Fuego had not mentioned them before.

"Oh yes Aang. Sorry for saying friends instead, but I had to keep things a little dramatic. But I think you might know of them anyway. Tell me Admiral," the red man said, turning back to Zhao. "Do you know who we are? You must have at some point, if you remember your languages. But perhaps if we gave you a hint?"

With that, Fuego began to introduce his brothers, beginning with the blue man. "This is Agua, the quiet one."

He then moved to the brown man; "This is Tierra, the strong one."
Then, Fuego spoke his piece; "I am Fuego, the crazy one."

The white man was last. "This is Aire, the youthful one."

"Am I supposed to care?" Zhao snapped back. "Your brothers and you don't matter. You'll all burn the same."

But at that, all four brothers laughed. "I severely doubt that." Agua said. "We don't burn very well. Especially me and Fuego. But you'd know that if you knew the meaning of our names."

"But it's obvious you don't, so let us spell it out for you." Fuego said. "Agua, Tierra, Fuego, Aire- Water, Earth, Fire, and Air."

"We are the greatest power you people have ever been able to understand." Tierra said. "We are the children of the elements, and we have only one purpose here; make sure that you and the rest of the Fire Nation doesn't get their hands on the Avatar."

"So, you can either leave now." Aire continued, as he took an offensive position. "Or you can be burned, buried, drowned, and have what's left of you flown back to the Fire Nation."

But Zhao simply laughed. "Do you really expect me to believe that garbage? 'Children of the Elements.' Maybe it works on children, but not on me. Besides, no matter how powerful you are, we still outnumber you." He finished, as he gestured to the many soldiers still surrounding the group.

"Actually, you don't." Agua said. "You see, there is more power in this world then you realize. The four of us represent the power you've managed to control. But there are many other elements that you don't know, and therefore more children of the Elements. In fact, they're around you right now."