AVATAR: LIGHT THE WORLD (The Illevitus Chronicles)

BOOK 1

-Air-

Chapter 4

-Targets On Our Backs-

Scar watched helplessly as Niko started to fall, the glow in his eyes was gone now, and he was dead weight plummeting to the ground. Scar started to descend upon the forest racing Niko's body to catch him, but he disappeared into the canopy of the trees and out of sight.

Scar began to fly faster down to the ground not caring for her things as they flew away much like Niko's did as he jumped off the slab earlier and cut a hole into the dome above his home. Scarletta landed the slab, without much issue, as the injured man behind her began to awake from his pain-induced slumber, "What the hell?" He had a thick brogue to his voice that matched his appearance quick comically, "Who the bloody hell are you?" He looked up at Scar trying to move, but Scar held him down.

"I wouldn't move, you've been attacked, I think?" She got off the slab, closed her eyes, and listened for Niko. The quiet rustle of leaves in the night air radiated off her eardrums, she could also hear owl-bats screeching in the skies above, but over that she could hear voices- muffled voices. She opened her eyes not looking away from were the voices had came from, "What's your name?"

The injured man wheezed out one word, "DeMungus…"

Scar couldn't help it, she had to chuckle, "Sounds like dung to me…" she shook off her childishness to have another listen. She could hear the voices again, actually it was just one voice, it had to be Niko, as it was a low, but distinctive male voice. "Stay here… I'll be back."

DeMungus winced attempting to get up, but he just stayed laying on the metal slab, "Not like I'm going anywhere lady…"

Scar was petrified to go by herself, but somehow her courage managed to override her fears of the woods, the dark, and wild animals. Scuttling down a grassy hillside she focused her hearing on the male voice, it was getting closer, but now she could hear it better… and it was most certainly not Niko. At the bottom of the hill she stood up with her backside to a tree, her breathing was labored from all the exertion earlier. Through the still of the night she could hear the voice much clearer now, as if she was mere feet from it, "I finally found you…" the voice was icy and almost like a hiss, "Glad I didn't screw up this time…" Scar peered her head around the tree in time to see a man kneeling over Niko, in the darkness she could only make out the two men before her. The sound of metal locking could be heard, followed by a whirring noise that pierced Scar's ears causing her to buckle to her knees. She covered her ears and peered around again to see the man now standing, and Niko was standing too… or was he. The moonlight happened to catch upon metal restraints binding his wrists, and that whirring sound was actually the cuffs. It appeared like Niko was standing; however, he was truly hovering inches off the ground like a human helicopter. Scar stepped back in alarm, crushing a branch under her foot, she froze in panic. She couldn't see the man now as the tree was blocking her, but then she heard him say, "Whose there? Reveal yourself… and I might spare your life." Scar was dripping bullets, showered in fear and sweat she took a breath, and then she heard the sound of metal unsheathing. Her instincts took over, adrenaline coursing through her veins, she metal bended the object towards her, which must've taken the man by surprise that he quickly made his departure into the skies with Niko.

Scar returned to DeMungus not even half a second later, her best friend was just kidnapped, she has an injured man in tow, and all she could do was look at the knife she just disarmed off the stranger in the moonlight. The words Property of Chenchiirou Voglazad were engraved on the hilt of the knife. Scar dropped it immediately, her father had once warned her about Voglazad when she was younger.

-Flashback-

Boris was sitting in front of a young Scarletta, they were back in Zaofu, Scar had to be about fifteen. She took notice to her father who had just gotten off the phone with someone, and clearly the phone call wasn't pleasant. Her father was clearly miles away in deep thought when young Scar brought him back, "Daddy?"

Boris looked up from the table at his daughter, he smiled at her, but she could still sense the disconnect between them, "Oh hey, pumpkin. I didn't see you there?"

Scar was never one to fool as a child, even though she was quite the sensitive girl, she always needed to know the truth on any matter, or her anxieties would get the best of her, "I know." Her deadpan tone was way to chilling to go ignored, "Who was that on the phone?" Scar looked her father dead in the eyes, but he didn't say anything. Once again she asked, "Dad, who was that on the phone?"

Boris wheezed out a chuckle. He dabbed sweat off his forehead, gestured his daughter to have a seat. He then took a deep breath, "You know the story of how your mother and I met?"

Scar smiled, laughed lightly, then rolled her eyes, "Dad… you can't be serious?" Boris was clearly going somewhere with this, but not quickly enough. Scar sighed then humored her father, "You and mom met while she was on business for the Beifong family in Republic City. You saved mom from a fire, she said you had beautiful teeth, and you said flossing is the key. So… now that were done that trip down memory lane…" she trailed off.

Boris then laughed a hearty laugh that lasted about two minutes before he said in a very grim tone, "We never told you the full story. You see, when I grew up I had a friend. The two of us were as close as you and Nikolus, and we grew up going down separate paths," he inhaled sharply, "I was training to become a firefighter for the city… and my friend was hanging out with a rough crowd."

Scar had a very quizzical look upon her face, which was warranted. She was still not following, or at least her father wasn't finished, "What was your friend's name?"

Boris swallowed hard, "His name is Chenchiirou Voglazad, nowadays he's an assassin for hire… Voglazad was once a normal teenager who lived in Republic City. Until he started hanging out with thugs, thieves, and eventually- he made a name for himself as the number one assassin for hire. He caused the fire that brought me to your mother… now no one is certain, but many people believe his target was Thatcher and the president of Republic City."

Now it was Scar's turn to chuckle, "Well clearly he is a terrible assassin, since both Mr. Thatcher and President Nochsin are both alive and well, yet I get the feeling you're not done speaking?" She waited on baited breath.

"Well yes, you see, that was your mother on the phone," he sighed, "Apparently Voglazad was trying to assassinate Thatcher again, but he failed, thank goodness. However, your mom was very nearly killed herself, and I'm afraid- this might sound crazy- but I'm afraid his target might actually be your mother."

Scar was laughing uncontrollably now, "Why would you think-?" She stopped mid-sentence putting some dots together. She looked over to the wall with her mother's various service awards. Her mother is the chief of police in Zaofu, and according to her she has too many enemies that it would be easier to count how many awards and honors she'd received.

-End Flashback-

Scar was crying now, it was no accident that Voglazad was near Zaofu, aside from kidnapping and possibly murdering Niko, perhaps Voglazad finally got the one that got away… her mom, "God damnit!" She screamed as she pummeled a tree with her fists, but popped two knuckles rather than leaving a mark. She crumbled to the ground in pain and misery.

DeMungus lifted his head, "What's happening? Are we under attack?" Scar was too emotional to respond, "Hey! Hello!? What's happening?" He weakly screamed. He looked around were he was laying, picked up a shiny pebble reflected in the moonlight, and chucked it at the back of her head, "Oy!"

Scar felt the pebble make contact with a rough thud on the back of her head, "Ow! What the hell, you little-" she stopped speaking. She looked over in DeMungus's direction, got herself together, and metal bended the slab off the ground. Scar got up with a renewed vigor, wiped the snot and tears from her face, and didn't say a word as she jumped onto the slab. Like a cannonball being fired she flew into the air with the slab and DeMungus at a high speed.

Niko awoke slowly, he could barely make out his surroundings, everything was fuzzy, but a light source filtered through the blurriness. He could see a shadow standing before him breaking the light slightly. As his vision started to come back he noticed that he'd been stuffed into a small cage, the bars before him started to come into focus, he reached out to grab them, but he was cuffed. His hands completely covered up by some form of metal that he couldn't bend. It had to be more than platinum, but now wasn't the time to wonder what mystery metal kept him bound. The shadow before him began to come into focus as well, it spoke with that odd hissy voice, "Tell me something… does it feel strange… all this new found power… and yet…" he tapped what appeared to be a baton against the bars, "…no control."

Niko found his voice, his head was pounding, and he could hear his heartbeat in his own ears, "Limited…" he spat out some blood, "but I don't know why I'm telling you this. Also I must be concussed because you're face is quite ugly." He snickered.

Voglazad's laughter was spine-chilling, "Oh you slay me, Avatar."

"Not yet," the laughter continued, and somehow Niko began to laugh as well. The two went on for what seemed like five minutes, until Niko broke the silence, "So hey, you gonna let me out?"

Voglazad stopped laughing, "You most certainly are concussed," he walked to the other side of the dark room out of the light, "I have orders to deliver you alive… can't say the same for the ex-chief of police."

Niko struggled to get himself into a seated position, "Ex-chief of…? Mirelle…? You… you… started that fire?"

"Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner," he didn't come close, in fact he must've backed up further because now Niko couldn't see him at all, "Funny… I can't help but wonder if she died… from burning alive… or if the carbon monoxide got to her first…" It sounded like he licked his lips, and Niko got pissed instantly. He started to smash against the cage bars with his restraints, "Or perhaps… the dresser I dropped on her… crushed her spine?"

Niko was livid, "You asshole, you better hope to God I don't get out of these things! I won't even use my bending powers to kill you… no." He laughed, "No, I want to see your throat in my hands as I crush your larynx!" He laughed again.

Voglazad entered the lighted area again, chuckled to himself, then spoke with that icy tone, "The Avatar, I know your predecessor had some cheek too, but… you seem borderline… psychotic."

Niko spat out a little more blood, "Well, I'm a man with limited options, and a concussed head. You put a lionbear up against a wall, it's instincts tell it destroy, even if man might kill it first," he spat another drop.

Scarletta was looking down from above to see if there was any sign of Niko and his kidnapper. She'd been flying on the slab with DeMungus for a little while now, and time was against them, "Hey lady, you never did tell me your name?"

"Scarletta, but you can call me Scar," she said coldly.

DeMungus looked to his right, "That's badass," he noticed something peaking out from the trees, it was metal and shining in the moonlight, "Over there! I see something shiny." Scar looked in the distance as DeMungus pointed a grubby finger in the right direction. She noticed the glimmer of something reflecting the moonlight, and was it large. It also was not too far from where Niko was kidnapped. Scar began descent as they grew closer to the object, which upon further inspection appeared similar to a grain silo stuck on top of a truck trailer. The closer they got the more it took the appearance of an airship than just random objects stacked upon one another. They landed nearby not wanting to rouse any suspicion, "Wait? Why land here?" DeMungus asked sporting a rather silly grin.

Scar looked back with a frightening glare at the injured lumpy man, "It's this new thing called the element of surprise. Also don't know if your coherent enough to understand this fact, but we are dealing with a highly skilled assassin," she stepped off the slab leaving DeMungus there. She looked back at him, in truth, she felt terrible for leaving him in the dark wooded area, but then again he was just dead weight if he could even tagalong, "Okay, so just stay here, I'll try to be quick."

DeMungus was at this point trying to intentionally piss her off, "Again, were would I go?" Scar merely rolled her eyes at the comment.

Scar walked closer to towards the encampment, noticing the fire cackling, she kept her guard up looking around as she crept closer trying to not make a sound. She noticed a tripwire as she got closer to the blaze. It was illuminated by the crackling embers, it was also super thin, yet still visible in the orange glow. She stopped in her tracks, tiptoed over the wire to avoid discovery, then proceeded onwards, passing the fire, a wooden stool with some copper pots and kettles near the stool. She really was lucky this fire was raging or otherwise her cover would've most definitely been blown by any of the pitfalls before her. The loose pots and kettles; however, gave her an inspired idea, so she devised a plan.

Inside the airship Voglazad was just still berating Niko, and honestly Niko was just concussed enough to fire back with insult after insult, "Your mother must be super proud of her arsonist son." Niko was smiling widely to the point were it hurt somewhat, but comparatively versus his pounding head it wasn't nearly as bad.

Voglazad just seemed to be enjoying the back and forth, "You must be confusing me with a human, humans have parents… what I do separates me from humanity…" He cackled wickedly, looking down at Niko with unfeeling grey eyes, "You are supposed to be the bridge between humanity and the spirits, yet you've not shown a trace of hu-" he stopped abruptly. Niko heard it too, a loud bang outside, it sounded like metal on metal. Voglazad then quietly departed the space, not even bating an eyelash.

About five minutes had passed by and Voglazad had not returned, but in a bizarre twist Niko noticed Scarletta sauntering into the room, "Oh what the hell? I think I'm hallucinating, Scar is that you?"

Scar shushed him quickly as she hit a button on the cage, releasing the lock mechanism, "I'm not some acid trip visual, dork," she whispered pulling him from the cage. Niko must've been really out of it as he stumbled trying to stand, "Holy cow! Niko you should lay off the sweets for a bit, I can barely lift you."

Niko giggled a little bit, "Sorry, I think I have a concussion, also these things are HEA-VY!" He shouted the last part as he held up his bound hands and forearms.

Scar shook her head in disbelief, "Would you keep it down?" She shushed him again; however, it was interrupted by the return of Voglazad. Scar stopped dead in her tracks, "Oh for the love of-" but she finished her sentence by dropping Niko and metal bending the wall panel off and wrapping Voglazad in it. Immediately she tore through the hull of the ship by bending the remaining metal, and jumped down to the ground with Niko in her arms, "Okay, I'm going to need you to pull your weight a bit more, since we have no idea what that guy is capable of!" Niko started to walk on his own, a little wobbly, but still walking nonetheless. Together they managed to gain a normal walking pace, "Okay, lift your foot over thi-" but she was cut off by both of them falling forward over the tripwire.

Voglazad appeared in the hole made on his airship, clearly not wrapped in the metal anymore. He jumped down and started for them in a mad dash. Scar stood up quickly, realizing she couldn't contain the man she might as well subdue him. She shot her nose ring out like a bullet, and once again her luck was infallible. The small piece of metal happened to hit Voglazad dead in his left eye, he buckled to his knees clutching his face, and Scar took this time to make their escape.

Flying through the air really brought Niko back as the wind hit his face, "Woof, I need some ice for this lump!" He touched it, wincing a little. Niko was sitting next to Scar as they went through the night at what seemed like a lightning fast pace on this metal slab. DeMungus had passed out while Scar was saving Niko from the assassin, it wasn't an issue since he was not rolling around or shifting, but his snoring on the other hand was rather loud and obnoxious.

Scar began to examine the shackles that were binding Niko, "Hmm… now how do we get this off?" She tried to bend it with her free hand, but it wouldn't budge. Hmm… are there any manufacture markings on this… thing?" Niko shrugged, but then lifted the heavy restraints to give Scar a view of the mechanism's underside. She only needed one quick look at it see an engraving in the moonlight, "Looks like we are going to Ba Sing Se."

Niko was chuckling a little, "How do you know… you barely looked at it?"

Scar just kept on looking ahead, "I recognize that brand anywhere. Guy named Zillion, lives just outside of Ba Sing Se."

"Huh… well I guess if we're heading to Ba Sing Se, I should look up my cousin," Niko yawned, "he lives there now from what I hear. Just not too sure where."