Endless Night

Hours later, Kaia's eyes shot open, wide and terrified. Where was she? She was shivering; the cold air was thick with smoke and dark. She forced her body to sit. Her light frame felt heavier than it usually did. She lifted her body from the ground, and took in her surroundings. She was in a room, the room was completely metal. The only earth was perhaps that which still smudged her face. Before her, a large metal door with a small barred window near the top. Behind her, a slab of metal- something she presumed was supposed to be a bed.

She knew where she was. She was in a Fire Nation prison cell. Just where the cell was, was another matter entirely. It couldn't have been too far from where she'd fallen, could it? A few miles maybe. How far had those soldiers dragged her unconscious body? Well, however far it had been, they certainly hadn't been all too gentle about it. She looked her body over, taking stock of her injuries. Her spindly arms were covered with bruises and cuts, there were a few scars, but they were old. Her plain clothes shirt was ripped just below her ribs, but nothing more than a scratch where a tree had cut her. She was surprised to find that none of her bones were broken, and that her burns were minimal.

The shackles on her wrists did very little to inhibit her movement, they were heavy though. They must not have thought her to be too much of a threat. She stretched her body, and found that movement was painful. Her muscles ached, her head hurt, and she was cold. What little light came through the window was torch light.

"It's still night." She commented to herself.

The chains around her wrists clinked as she walked over to the metal cot. She'd never felt colder, more miserable, or more alone in her very short life. She sat on the edge of the cot and brought her body around her and stared out the small barred window across from her. No stars, no rain, just that thick black smoke. Her thoughts were of nothing other than the others. Had they gotten away? It was her only thought. Her only comfort was perhaps they had. Maybe the firebenders had given up on them. The others were faster than she was, and they certainly would have gotten to the refuge or somewhere else.

A voice interrupted her thoughts, "Earthbender." a harsh masculine voice came through the metal door as plainly as he'd been standing beside her, "Wake up." it wasn't a suggestion.

She licked her dry lips, her tongue not adding alot of moisture to her parched mouth, "I'm awake." she managed a strong tone. Her own voice was rather husky, and deep. Deeper than it should have been, but she blamed the smoke.

"Stand up." the returning voice was harsh, "I am unlocking the door."

Kaia's dark eyes lit, if the voice was unlocking the door then she'd have another chance.

This voice didn't seem the kind that would state the obvious, like 'No tricks' or 'Now don't try to escape'. Her mouth twitched into a smirk, but as the door opened she placed her features back into the demur, scared little girl that the man would be expecting. She had to hold her features for just long enough, and then she would have him exactly where she wanted him.

The man was wearing the traditional Fire Nation uniform, she never payed attention to their faces especially if she had designs on ending their life- which is what she had now. The thought had spawned itself in her mind, all she needed was to walk on dry land. The man's frame filled almost the entire door, but she could see that this door led to the outside. She would touch the ground, and she would have it.

She walked towards him, careful to keep her head down and avert her eyes. She played the part of a child in trouble, not a bender plotting her escape.

The man stood aside as she climbed down from the jail-cell-on-wheels to the earth beneath her feet. Her fingers tingled at this chance, but patience was an Earth Kingdom virtue. She knew when to spring the trap. He was her only guard, and that made her plan perfect. Absolutely perfect.

He stepped out of the carriage and turned to shut the door, and that was when she started. She had been meditating, her thoughts gathered on one thing. Before he'd turned around Kaia had lifted a boulder sized lump of earth from the ground and was holding it well above his head.

He must have heard the noise, because he turned and assumed his stance, "Put it down, girl." he commanded softly. There was nothing gentle about his soft tone. It was a threat.

"If you do not release me now, I will." she said equally as soft. Her eyes shone with a dark, dangerous glimmer.

The soldier spared a glance immediately above his own head and laughed, a short, derisive laugh. "That would be a threat," he smirked, "if I had something to worry about." he drew his leg back, he was not afraid to attack her.

Kaia didn't move, the strain of holding the boulder was more than her un healed frame could take, but she would not let him know that. She cast her eyes once up, and saw what the man meant. She had lifted it, but she had not moved the earth. It was just hanging in the air directly above where she'd lifted the earth from. He would lose nothing if she dropped it, no matter how hard she dropped it.

"I'm counting." was all he said. "One." his stance deepened. "Two." his body began to glow with flame. "Three."

Their bodies moved at the same time. Kaia brought the boulder down, the soldier lashed out his flames. Kaia was thrown back by the force and the heat, the soldier had merely jumped out of the way. Kaia burned, she rolled in the dust, putting out the flame on her clothes.

The soldier stood over her shaking body, his sword was out, placed strategically enough to cause Kaia problems. "Now. Let's have no more mishaps."

Kaia swallowed, she looked up into the soldier's hard face and met his eyes, the cold metal of his sword tickled her chin. She stretched her neck farther back, exposing her throat more to him, but moving away from the tip of the tear drop sword. "Why delay?" she said softly, "Just kill me now, and save your superiors some time." She looked up and met his eyes, his cold amber eyes, he didn't have to say anything, but she could read his face.

"Get up." He commanded, tapping her shoulder with the flat of the blade.

Kaia stood, her body hardly any worse for coming in contact with the fire. She had been scorched, but nothing horrible or disfiguring. She brought herself up to her fullest height and set her shoulders, she was no longer playing a part. She was what she was, an earthbender going for her final judgment. The back of her mind wondered what these men would have in store for her. Public execution? Her head on a pike, maybe? It might even be target practice for the soldiers for all she knew.

She drew steady breaths as she was lead through the hasty camp. Hundreds of four man tents set up in perfect squares, watch fires every fifty feet; she knew that they had made progress when they came to the large one man tents. They were getting to their final destination, torches lit their way now. The entire camp was a fire hazard, she knew that something like this would burn an Earth camp to the ground, but these men were firebenders. This was their element.

They came upon a large red and gold tent. Only the Fire Nation could afford to be so extravagant. Two soldiers were placed outside of the tent by the awning, Kaia couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated, the tent was large, fiery red and gold, the men were huge and definitely well armed, but that wasn't what held her attention. The simple fact that this tent was the size that it was, the manpower and time this would have taken to set up, and furthermore, the bright colors. It showed that the Fire Nation feared nothing. Those colors could be seen clearly in any setting, and the Fire Nation flaunted it.

Her guard walked forward and exchanged a few words with the two guards, whose faces were shielded by some form of white faceplate. Then, he walked inside leaving Kaia standing nervously before the tent, and the two ferocious looking guardsmen. She felt nervous, intimidated, confused, and even a little scared. The simple fact that she was even alive right now scared her far more than anything else ever could have. When the Fire Nation kept somebody alive, it usually wasn't for pleasant purposes.

If she had been important it would have made more sense, but she was no more than a peasant, even by Earth Kingdom standards. There was nothing important about her, was there? What could they have been thinking in keeping her alive? Did they think she was a ringleader in the so-called resistance movement? There was no true leader. Did they think she would give up the others for a lesser sentence?

While she stood there engrossed in her own thoughts, the guard came back out again. He grabbed the chains hanging from her wrists and yanked her forward into the tent.

The tent was tall enough that even the tallest of men could successfully stand upright without his head touching the top of the fabric. Kaia caught herself staring at everything inside that tent. It was furnished. This was clearly the war tent, the great tent, the tent where everything of importance concerning the movements of troops would go on. She forced herself to look straight ahead and at nothing else. There was even fire inside this tent, lighting everything around them, enough light that not even one corner was shrouded in shadow.

Sitting immediately in front of her was a middle aged man, dark haired like all the rest. His eyes seemed to reguard her with the same kind of distaste that her own lent to him. She squared her shoulders in defiance of his gaze, holding her chin a little higher with a set jaw. The man laughed.

"So, you're the little earthbender who's been causing all the trouble." The man's voice was silky, smooth, almost reptilian, "Certainly doesn't look like much. Haven't you people learned yet? How many more of you do we have to publicly humiliate before you understand?" he mused aloud, standing to circle her.

This man, whoever he was, was tall and broad shouldered, and despite being middle aged, was still a wonderful example of what being a soldier of the Fire Nation meant. Kaia did not bend under his scrutinizing gaze.

"You don't talk much, do you?" when Kaia remained silent he continued, "I suppose you think we're here to torture you, drag the information we want out of you and then burn you to a crisp before we return you to your village, don't you?" the sharp intake of breath emitted from the prisoner was his only response, "I'm afraid you don't give us very much credit. Diplomacy before un-pleasantries." He smiled wickedly, "So I'm giving you a chance to answer now, truthfully and openly, without any repercussions. You may even live to see the sunrise."

Kaia bit the inside of her lip, everyone knew that the sun was the Fire Nations source of power. Sunrise wouldn't exactly be a welcome sight for her, in her position.

"What is your name, earthbender?" he asked, pausing just in front of her.

Kaia was looking directly into her chest, she tilted her head so that she was staring directly into his eyes. Firebenders seemed to only have two colors for eyes, dark brown and some form of amber. His eyes were hard black pools, in them she saw her own reflection, a helpless mess was what she was. "Kaia." She forced her deep strong tone again.

"Kaia. Interesting name, you don't look like a Kaia to me." He smirked, walking around her again.

It suddenly occurred to her that there were more men in the room, more military men of some kind, though they didn't seem to be very high ranking officers. They were too, dare she think it, young. It made her wonder, but the soft touch of the man's hand tracing her shoulders was enough to keep her mind from wandering further.

"Tell me, Kaia, are there more Earthbenders in your village? Or is it just you?" the snakelike voice continued.

Kaia stared unblinkingly ahead, "It's just me. I know of no others."

Before the rest of the sentence had been finished, a hand came up and struck her face. Kaia reeled, hunching and taking a step back to steady herself.

"You lie." He said curtly, his tone hadn't changed, "Our soldiers chased more than just you tonight. You were the only one they caught. Where are they hiding?"

"I don't know." She repeated, this time she was ready for the strike. When he struck at her, she moved back just enough to avoid his hand. When she moved her face back to where it had been, the air felt a bit warmer.

"Aren't we the clever one?" he continued, and threw a punch at her stomach. A blow she was unprepared for. "Gentlemen, it is clear that our diplomacy hasn't had the desired effect on the Earthbender, here." He looked around the room, meeting the eyes of the other officers, then nodded and proceeded with their plan. "However, because the Fire Nation is so benevolent, we are going to give you a choice." He said, stooping to her level to look into her face.

"What kind of choice?" Kaia was starting to stand again, she'd had the wind knocked out of her by a very powerful man.

The man grinned, "The choice between life and death, of course." He pulled her to a standing position, his eyes locked directly onto hers, "We are in need of Earthbenders. You can keep your life if you agree to work for us."

Kaia laughed, "You think I'd work for you?"

"Yes." He said shortly, "In fact, I know you'd work for us."

"What makes you so sure?" her rasp was back, the blow to the stomach had made it difficult to maintain her strong tone of voice.

"Because, your fellow benders mean so much to you. We know you'd rather die than give them away, and we're not willing to let you get away so easily. Death won't be the great reward for your not giving them away, it would be your final release." He smiled again, "You have until morning to decide. I assure you, working for us would be better for both of us."

He gestured to her guard, and he lead her away.

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Back inside the tent, the broad shouldered man's smile broadened as he watched the guard remove the foul Earthbender girl.

"Do you think she will take the bait, Captain Sheng?" a stone faced man in the corner asked, her eyes blazing viciously at the tent flap.

"I am very sure that she will." The man denoted as Captain Sheng replied, turning to walk back to his desk. To his other superior officers, he may have seemed overconfident, but this was the way that he worked. If this disgusting bit of filth the Earth Kingdom spurt from it's bowels took the bait, then it would make a certain person incredibly happy.

Captain Sheng smiled at the thought as the other men left, if this was all it was going to take, then his life would certainly be made easy.

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Kaia was jerked roughly back into her cell by her guard, "You have until morning to make your decision." He warned her, then slammed metal door shut.

Kaia glared daggers at the door, thinking of all the things that she could have said and then gave up on it. She walked over to the metal slab sticking out from the wall and then slumped down on it; the cold of the metal stung her even through her pants. Her eyes closed, her mind on her situation. The Fire Nation had given her a choice: work for them, or suffer something that would make death seem a release.

She knew of several things worse than death, listening to small children practice instruments, moldy rice, not the least of which was watching someone you loved or cared for die. Kaia knew the last reality all too well. She had watched people die of sickness, die of hunger, and worse.

She drew a breath, remembering the face of her father as the arrow took him. One shot, and he fell to the ground, the shaft sticking from his body like a vile needle from a pincushion. Sudden and quick, she knew what that snake of a man was getting at. Her death being a release, it would save lives. She knew it.

She closed her fists at her sides, "What could the Fire Nation want with me?" she whispered to herself, the rasp that was her voice echoed softly back in her ears. As much as she could fathom the consequences of her refusing their offer, she could not possibly fathom what they would want with her. Usually, the Fire Nation wanted nothing to do with the Earth Kingdom, other than use them for labor; usually, the Fire Nation wanted to only one thing with Earthbenders, kill them; usually, the Fire Nation didn't give prisoners a choice. What was going on?

Those thoughts soon left her mind, and went back to the horrid waste of a village. "It would be better for both of us." In her mind's eye, she could see the looks on the faces of her friends as they burned at the mercy of the Fire Nation.

Those were the last thoughts to run through her mind before she faded to sleep.