Chapter 13: Fire in the South

Chief Kesuk glared heavily over his desk. There was not a single thing about this situation that he enjoyed.

The Shorewatchers apparently knew more about Kesuk's territory than he did. An Energybender base within his territory had been eluding Kesuk for some time, but the Shorewatchers had located it precisely. Kesuk was more than ready to deal with this; the Shorewatchers didn't seem to believe it. They were refusing to relinquish the location of the base unless Kesuk allowed them to destroy it. Now Tinaaki had even seen fit to send his son to make the entreaties.

"I know you are concerned about my faction overstepping its boundaries," Ariak began. "I share your concerns."

Now Kesuk leaned forward. That was rare. Shorewatchers were usually a dogmatic, single-minded bunch, never questioning their Huntmaster's orders. He didn't expect disobedience, especially not from Tinaaki's own son.

"I believe that Tinaaki will take…unnecessary actions, if the base is not dealt with quickly. I know that you believe he has already overstepped his boundaries several times, and I am willing to compromise with you. I don't wish to further tensions between our nations."

Kesuk rested a hand on his chin. Ariak was actually starting to talk sense. Maybe there was hope for the Shorewatchers yet.

"You have my attention, Ariak."

"Huntmaster Tinaaki's concern is the Energybender presence in your lands, and your lackluster response to it. The longer the base remains intact, the more impatient he will become."

"So you suggest my destroying the base quickly," Kesuk mused. "How novel."

"Quickly, and with overwhelming force," Ariak continued. "Then send me to confirm its destruction. The Huntmaster has a legitimate concern for the safety of your people, Kesuk. This is what drives him to seek access to your lands. If convinced that your nation can handle its own affairs, he will stop trying to extend his forces into your territory."

"I'm more than capable of securing my own borders," Kesuk boasted.

"I know you are," Ariak said. "I'd like to offer my assistance, however. I have extensive knowledge of tactics, and I'm an able combatant. I can help you deal with this problem much faster."

"I knew there'd be a catch," Kesuk grunted. "You'll not have anything to do with destroying that base, Shorewatcher."

"It was merely an offer," Ariak said. "I understand your concerns, Chieftain. I'll wait on the sidelines at your request."

Kesuk eyed the Hunstman suspiciously, but he eventually relaxed. Ariak did seem willing to comply. He couldn't be completely sure, though. The boy was hard to read. He seemed to be just a little bit too calm at all times. Kesuk knew of one thing that might break that composure, but it wasn't time for that quite yet.

"So, this is your plan, then? I take care of the base, and you convince your father not to continue his attempts to invade my borders?"

"It is not an invasion," Ariak protested. "The Shorewatchers have nothing but good intentions. My father is merely misguided in executing them."

Kesuk sighed. At least this one was being level-headed about it. Kesuk decided to call in the big guns. It was time to prove that the South could handle its own affairs. In a sense. His secret weapon was not anything from the South. Kesuk picked up his phone. Ariak seemed offended that the Chief was not paying him his full attention.

"Please send in our free agent," Kesuk requested.

"Free agent," Ariak scoffed. "You've taken to hiring mercenaries?"

"Wandering hero, actually," Kesuk said.

After a momentary pause, Kesuk's "free agent" appeared. The exact details of their identity were hidden under a thick, fur-lined tunic, with a heavy hood. The only readily apparent feature was their commanding height; Ariak had never seen anyone taller.

"I hope you have some good news," the "free agent" said. The voice made it readily apparent that the mercenary under the cloak was female.

"Yes, I do," Kesuk said. "Our friend here will tell you where to find what you're looking for."

The thick hood turned towards Ariak. The massive shawl was very good at hiding what was beneath it; Ariak could see very little of the woman's face.

"He's one of the Shorewatchers, isn't he? You warned me about them."

"He's proven very reasonable so far," Kesuk said. "I believe we can at least trust him to tell you the location of your target."

The hooded figure paused for a moment to examine Ariak. Even though her eyes were hidden, Araik could feel a piercing intensity in her gaze. He backed away slightly. Soon the piercing sensation stopped, and Kesuk's agent nodded in affirmation.

A hand emerged from the thick fur shawl and took hold of the rim of the hood. Kesuk flinched slightly as the cover was drawn back. He would never quite get used to it.

Ariak maintained a surprisingly calm attitude as the blood-red tattoo was exposed to the light. He seemed completely unfazed; neither surprised nor frightened. The combustion bender seemed pleased by his accepting attitude.

"Thank you for not trying to have me speared," Miyani said, with a sideways glance at Kesuk. Her first meeting with the chieftain had been less than ideal.

"I've heard of you," Ariak said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Miyani had ceased to be a figure of legend in the past few months. During her travels through the Earth Kingdom, she had become quite a high-profile figure, responsible for destroying Energybender outposts throughout the Earth Kingdom. With the Avatar and the Energybender still in hiding, Miyani was the world's only superpower, and she had leveraged that position to keep the conflict in a stalemate. None of the Avatar's enemies would dare to make a move while she was on patrol.

With their positions in the United Earth Kingdoms compromised, the Energybender's forces had begun to scatter to the poles. Miyani had given chase, naturally, and now she found herself here, waiting for the next objective. Wandering the continent as she had in the Earth Nation was not an option, as the South was wracked with blizzards and impassable glaciers. Finding Energybender bases required a greater deal of intelligence and finesse, something she did not exactly specialize in. This Shorewatcher could be the break she needed. Finding one Energybender base would lead her to another, then another.

Kesuk filled Miyani in on the situation. She agreed with Ariak's conclusion that Tinaaki would back off if the base was destroyed.

"All that's left is for you to lead me to it," Miyani said to Ariak.

"He can write the directions down," Kesuk said.

"I'd prefer it if he accompanied me," Miyani said. "I could use someone who knows how to traverse the arctic."

Even though he'd maintained his composure upon first seeing her, Ariak flinched visibly when she suggested that he accompany her.

"It would make things faster," Ariak said hesitantly. "But If Kesuk doesn't agree…"

Miyani had a hunch that the Chief would agree. She had learned to give people a very particular look. By angling her eyebrows and tilting her head at just the right angle, she could emphasize the mark on her forehead, and that was enough to get people to do just about anything she said. Kesuk scooted away slightly as Miyani's red eye stared him down.

"Well, with her invitation, I don't see a problem," Kesuk said awkwardly.

"Thank you, Kesuk," Miyani said. "And don't worry, if he tries anything, I'll blow him up on the spot."

Miyani was trying to make jokes, but Kesuk and Ariak didn't laugh. Miyani rolled her eyes. Nobody laughed at her jokes anymore.

"Just take me to the Energybender base," Miyani sighed. Ariak bid a curt goodbye to Chief Kesuk and followed Miyani out of the room. She pulled up her hood as they left the Chieftain's room. Few people paid them any attention as they walked to the outskirts of town. Wearing thick, concealing clothing was common in the frigid south. Personally, Miyani thought that everything was too fuzzy around here.

Miyani had acquired a snowmobile from Chief Kesuk in advance. Ariak was familiar with the model. The Shorewatchers were only traditional to an extent; it would just be foolish to disregard useful methods of transportation. He had used snowmobiles just like this on several hunts.

"You know how to drive one of these?" Miyani asked.

"Yes."

"Alright then, you're driving," Miyani said, sitting down on the rear of the snowmobile. "Let's get this going."

Ariak nodded. He was the one who knew where they were going anyway. He took the controls and sped them away from the city, far into the frigid wastes. Miyani held her cloak tight around her as the frigid winds howled past. Miyani was more resistant to the elements than most, but the arctic cold affected her still. Ariak was not so bothered by the cold. Even for a people who lived entirely on the frozen poles, Shorewatchers were exceptionally used to the cold. Ariak had done long stakeouts on frozen glaciers and swam in frozen waters. He'd grown much more tolerant of it than most people.

The howling winds made it quite impossible for the two to carry on any conversation as they raced into the snowy wastes, so Ariak was forced to keep his questions to himself for a time. There were many things he wanted to know about the combustion bender. While her existence was now common knowledge, few people could claim to know anything about her motivations or her history. She remained an enigma.

Ariak brought the snowmobile to a halt in front of a large ice stream. The fast moving sheet of ice was fragile and difficult to cross, which dissuaded any travelers from trying to cross it. That made it a perfect obstacle on the way to the Energybender's secret base.

"We go on foot from here," Ariak said. Miyani nodded and dismounted the snowmobile. She examined the horizon with some displeasure. She couldn't see the base from here, which meant they had quite a hike ahead of them. She reluctantly followed Ariak onto the ice sheet. The Shorewatcher swept his hands in broad motions, solidifying the thin ice beneath their feet and preventing it from breaking.

"What makes you hunt these men," Ariak asked. Why a person fought was often more important than who and how. Some people fought for vengeance, and that made them as dangerous to their allies as their enemies. Those who fought for money could not be trusted.

"You heard what Sarin plans to do?"

"He wants to bring about a permanent end to all conflict," Ariak said. "Understandable, if misguided."

"It's not about conflict," Miyani said. "It's about balance. No more good, no more bad. Just…nothing."

Miyani took on a particularly hostile tone. The anger in her voice surprised Ariak.

"I've been there before, Ariak," Miyani continued. "A life without joy, or sadness, or anything at all. I will never live that way again. I'll die first."

Ariak nodded. That was good. She fought for what she believed in. There was no motivation stronger than belief –even if belief could be misguided. Ariak knew that firsthand.

"What changed?"

"Pardon," Miyani asked.

"What changed, to make you stop living the way you used to? Why throw yourself into the middle of such a conflict?"

"I made a new friend," Miyani said. "And I made him a promise."

"They must be a very good friend for you to put yourself in such danger."

"Who's in danger?" Miyani said with a laugh. "I'm the only danger here."

Ariak failed to laugh yet again. Miyani shook her head. Sen would have seen how funny that was.

"So why do you fight?" Miyani asked. "What made you join the Shorewatchers."

"I was born into it," Ariak said. "Huntmaster Tinaaki is my father."

"Really?"

"Yes," Ariak said, and he said nothing else about that. "I joined the Shorewatchers because of my family, and I remain because the Shorewatchers are the world's best hope for stability and security."

"Not everyone agrees," Miyani said.

"I'm aware of the objections to our methods," Ariak said. "I believe my father is the root of the problem. I can change his course. I know it. I can fix what he has broken."

"It sounds like your problems are with your father more than the Shorewatchers."

The ice beneath Ariak's feet cracked just a bit, and he redoubled his efforts to stabilize the ice sheet below. They still had a ways to go to cross the ice stream, and sinking into the frozen waters would be a long delay on their journey.

Miyani frowned slightly, but she kept it hidden beneath her hood. She was hoping to learn a little more about the Shorewatchers from Ariak. They were, to be fair, one of the more effective peacekeeping forces in recent history, but they were also violent, with little respect for any law but their own. Depending on how Miyani approached the situation, they could become powerful allies- or deadly enemies.

"I think I might like to visit your headquarters soon," Miyani said. "We might have a lot to talk about."

"No!"

Ariak lost focus completely, and the ice broke into pieces beneath them. He quickly regained his composure and solidified the shards beneath them into a solid mass once again. Miyani breathed a sigh of relief. She was not eager to take a dunk in arctic waters.

"You shouldn't come north," Ariak said quickly. "You're not needed. Better to focus your efforts elsewhere, where your power is needed."

Miyani eyed the Shorewatcher suspiciously. There was a lot more going on here than Ariak was letting on. She lacked Sen's perceptiveness, though, so she had no real way of knowing what was going through Ariak's head. She relented and decided to focus on the matter at hand. She gave Ariak some time to fully regain his focus before trying to make conversation again.

"So, do you know anything about this base, other than where it is?"

"I know there's about three dozen men stationed there on a permanent basis," Ariak said. "There may be more, depending on how many of their field agents are stopping in."

"Any kind of security measures?"

"Nothing worth mentioning," Ariak said. "They have little more than a radio."

The Energybender had previously only held permanent bases in the Earth Kingdom. After Miyani had started hunting the outposts down, though, they had started to construct scattered bases throughout the other nations. While intelligence was sparse on their hastily constructed outposts, it was known that they had a significant presence in the United Republic and the South Pole. The militant attitudes of Fire Lord Goto and the Shorewatchers had kept them from establishing any notable bases in the Fire Nation or North Pole, however, and President Dahaka was already beginning a crackdown within the United Republic. Only the South remained a safe haven for the Energybender, and that was about to change.

Ariak led them off of the ice sheet, and back onto solid ground. The ground here was thick with snow. There had been storms recently, probably within the past few hours. Ariak and Miyani stomped their way through the thick snow towards a glacial valley, a great rift in the ice plunging deep into the wastes. The massive walls of ice were sheltering the hidden Energybender base.

As they approached the edge of the ice valley, Ariak bid Miyani to proceed slowly and cautiously. It was unknown if they had any hidden scouts or watchmen to warn them of incoming attacks. They crept quietly to the edge. Ariak had his eyes on a peculiarly shaped outcropping of ice. He used his bending to manipulate the snow around them, keeping a wall between themselves and the suspicious formation. Hopefully they would blend in with the surroundings enough to escape notice. Quietly, they crept up behind the ice wall.

Ariak quickly jumped out of the cover of snow, ready to fight, but it quickly became clear that that would not be necessary. His suspicions were correct; the strange ice formation as meant to be a hidden watch post, but the watchman posted inside was not exactly in shape to watch anything. Miyani covered her mouth while Ariak approached the corpse suspiciously.

"No snow covering," Ariak grunted. The watch post was not sheltered against the elements: the snowstorm that had come through a few hours ago had filled it with snow, but the body was clean. Whatever had happened to him, it had happened within the past few hours.

"It appears we're not the first to strike," Ariak said. Somebody had attacked this base recently.

"Then we'll be the last," Miyani said. She grabbed the collar of her cloak and pulled it away, shedding the thick layer of fur. Combat readiness took priority over warmth. Her clothing was much the same as it had been since her time on the island; black trousers and a white sleeveless shirt, but as she had gotten into the habit of fighting, she had begun to wear armored gauntlets. She had little need for armor, since she felt almost no pain, but the splinted gauntlets helped her block blades and other weapons. They also added a little extra weight to her punches, which was never a bad thing.

Ariak likewise shed his heavy coat, although that did little to make him feel more combat ready. In order to appear less threatening to Kesuk, Ariak had left his spear at the North Pole. His hands felt empty without his weapon. The spear was the trademark weapon of the Shorewatchers, an integral part of their identity and fighting style. Ariak's bending was potent, but he would always be half a warrior without his spear in his hands.

Despite his lack of weaponry, Ariak marched forward with confidence. The red mark of the combustion bender was worth a thousand spears. With Miyani on his side, he would not lose a battle easily.

Descending into the canyon, the sounds of battle became obvious. Clashing metal and shouts of anger bounced off the icy walls of the canyon. Miyani and Ariak quickened their steps, descending into the glacial valley and towards the base. They paused briefly in front of the structure to consider their options.

"How do we go in," Ariak asked.

"I don't go in," Miyani said. "I go through."

Miyani took a deep breath, and Ariak took a few cautious steps back. The intense cold of the South Pole weakened her explosive power considerably, but Miyani was still more than powerful enough to shatter the walls of the icy structure. The front wall crumbled under the explosive force and melted under the sudden heat. Ariak could hear the battle within come to a grinding halt as all combatants paused in fear of the sudden explosion.

Miyani never wasted the first moment of shellshock that followed her opening strike. She lunged through the hole her explosion had created and took a very quick look over the room. A few dozen combatants had gathered in a central hall of the base. Some of them were wearing the familiar uniforms of the Energybender, but others were wearing strange white uniforms, and their faces were disguised by grey war paint. Miyani took all this in with lightning speed, quickly examining the situation and analyzing how best to interrupt it. She saw an empty space in the center of the conflict and loosed a bolt of power. The explosion rapidly expanded, but not quite as far as she had hoped. The cold was restraining her power. She'd need to get closer.

Miyani journeyed into the center of the fray, and Ariak walked into the base behind her. He had promised Kesuk to stay uninvolved, but the situation had changed rapidly. The base already being under attack was an unforeseen circumstance.

Miyani shot a blast into a side hallway, cutting off the approach of a few Energybender troops and collapsing the hallway, keeping them out of the battle entirely. One of the few troopers who remained in the center of the battle tried to run, and the mysterious white assailants followed him, striking him in the back with a spear of ice. Miyani flinched as the white soldiers brought a violent end to the enemy trooper.

Miyani was not all too eager to save anyone allied with the Energybender, but striking a fleeing enemy in the back was hardly appropriate. Whoever these white soldiers were, they were far too violent. Miyani was willing to accept them as temporary allies, at least. They both seemed interested in wiping out the Energybender's minions.

One of the nearest white soldiers quickly disavowed her of that notion by striking at her with a spear. Miyani deflected the bladed metal with her armguard and backed away. This was a revolting development. Now she had to fight two groups at once. The soldiers in white seemed to be fewer in number, but that only made them seem more threatening. They had managed a successful attack on this base despite being vastly outnumbered.

The three way battle proceeded, with Ariak on the sidelines. It was not his promise to Chief Kesuk that stayed his hand, but confusion. He knew what was happening, but now why or how. Nothing made sense.

Miyani deflected another spear strike and moved away. She was not here to fight these white soldiers, whoever they were. She kept a careful eye on them, but focused most of her attention on the soldiers of the Energybender. They were in disarray, and they offered little resistance to Miyani's bolts of explosive power. The white soldiers also seemed to refocus on Sarin's forces. There was at least a temporary truce between the two.

As the battle proceeded, Miyani's combustion blasts and the white soldiers spears whittled the Energybender's forces down to nothing, and the two groups then turned their attention exclusively to one another. Ariak had been willing to accept a few errant strikes, but he would not allow this to become a full battle.

"Enough," Ariak shouted. Miyani hesitated, but the white warriors did not. One thrust his spear forward at Miyani. She took hold of the spears wooden shaft and gripped it tight. Ariak called for a halt again, and this brought pause to most of the white soldiers, but neither Miyani or her opponent relinquished their grip on the spear. They stared each other down with the wooden shaft between them. Perhaps the grey makeup merely masked his expression, but Miyani saw no fear in her opponents eyes, even with the blood-red tattoo staring him down.

"Enough! I am a Hunstman, and I order you all to stand down!"

The white soldiers lowered their spears. Ariak approached the standoff between Miyani and the lone spear-wielder.

"What are you doing?" Ariak demanded.

"Our duty, Huntsman," the white soldier grunted. Miyani's eyes narrowed.

"You're Shorewatchers," She said.

"Tinaaki could not have approved of this," Ariak shouted. "What are you doing here? Why? This could cause a war if Kesuk found out!"

"Kesuk wouldn't have found out," The Shorewatcher grunted. He nodded towards Miyani. "Not without this one getting involved. We both know the 'chief' was never going to take action."

Miyani let out a low growl of frustration. The hunter on the other side of the spear never backed down. Miyani applauded his courage, but condemned his stupidity. Fear was the only intelligent response when staring down a combustion bender.

"We have a duty to eliminate evil wherever it lurks," One of the Shorewatchers declared. "No matter what imbeciles try to get in our way. The only thing keeping your father from storming the South is politics. We cut out the middle man."

The Shorewatcher across from Miyani tried to wrest his spear out of her grip. She held firm, continuing the stalemate between the two. Ariak tried to step between them, but could not find a way. He stood to their side.

"Enough, both of you," Ariak said. "This is enough of a mess without you two fighting."

"You're the only one causing trouble," The Shorewatcher said. "You led this monster right to our hunt."

"I had my reasons, Inok," Ariak said defensively. "I was following orders. Unlike you."

The stalemate continued. Inok had not been expecting any other intervention. He and a few Shorewatchers had come here, in spite of Huntmaster Tinaaki's orders to stay out of the South, to put an end to Sarin's agenda in the Southern Water Tribe. He had been prepared to face the consequences, but the combustion bender was unforeseen.

"You were not following orders," Inok objected. "You should have put this monster down the moment you laid eyes on it."

"I prefer to think of myself as a gifted young woman," Miyani began. Her eyes took on a very low burn, like glowing coals in the ashes of a fire. Inok's knees started to shake ever so slightly.

Miyani pressed against Inok, pushing the spear forward. Inok tried to resist, but Miyani's height and strength pushed him downwards. Soon he was forced backwards, and then to his knees, and then the spear was pressed against his chest and began to warp.

"But when I need to, I am more than capable of being a monster."

With a forceful push, Miyani snapped Inok's spear in half, filling the air with a cloud of sharp splinters. The other Shorewatchers raised their spears in caution. Ariak took a step away as the spear broke. Inok had a look of shock on his face. A broken spear was a massive disgrace to a Shorewatcher. Miyani didn't realize it, but she had just given Inok a grievous wound.

"Now, Ariak, what is going on here?"

Miyani tossed aside the broken halves of Inok's spear. Ariak looked around the room to make sure no one was going to attack before he began speaking.

"I don't know why these people are here," Ariak said. "This is not what the Huntmaster ordered."

"I figured that," Miyani said. "I meant what they said about me."

Ariak looked away. Miyani knew what to expect at this point.

"The Shorewatchers have a standing order," Ariak said, his voice filled with shame. "To kill you on sight."

Miyani crossed her arms and sighed. Even after all she'd done, all her good deeds, people still assumed she was a threat. She was no longer bothered by those assumptions; she had moved past that thanks to the Avatar. While the Shorewatcher's dangerous intent didn't bother her all too much emotionally, their spears might do more damage.

"I swear Miyani, I had no intention of-"

"Relax," Miyani said. "I know."

Ariak had shot her down earlier when she had discussed travelling North. Had Ariak intended to betray her, that would have been the perfect opportunity to lead her into a trap. Miyani could easily assume that Ariak had good intentions based on that alone.

"I knew you were in the South," Ariak explained. "I wanted to give you a chance to prove yourself to the Huntmaster."

Tinaaki had passed a quick judgment on Miyani based on the actions of previous combustion benders, but Ariak had always had his doubts. As more and more reports of Miyani's actions in Ba Sing Se and beyond had come to the Shorewatchers attention, Ariak had become fully convinced that his father had made a mistake. He had taken action into his own hands once he had heard Miyani would be travelling South. By watching her fight, he'd be able to testify directly on her behalf, and change his father's mind.

"Ariak, after everything I've done, if your father doesn't already know I'm on your side, he never will," Miyani said accusingly.

"I can make him understand," Ariak objected. Tinaaki was not an idiot. Ariak could make him see the truth. Ariak could make him see that he had been wrong about so many things.

"Not by going behind his back and trying to manipulate what he sees and hears," Miyani said. "At some point you have to stand up to him and tell him he's wrong!"

There was a silent but noticeable shift in the mood of the room. Miyani looked around at the Shorewatchers. They had all grown tense, like coiled springs. There was no way that was going to end well. Ariak lowered his eyes. The Shorewatchers were overzealously loyal to the Huntmaster. Insulting his judgment would only ever end in disaster. Spears began to rise slowly.

"Inok! Enough! I am a Huntsman of the Shorewatchers, and I order all of you stand down!"

Inok and the other rogue Shorewatchers cast a wary eye towards Ariak. Miyani tightened the straps on her wrist guards, making sure the fit was right. She'd be using them fairly soon.

"What happened to you, Ariak," Inok asked. "There was a time you would have been hunting with us, not against us."

"We are not infallible, Inok," Ariak shouted back. "Think about what you've done! If anyone finds out about this, it could mean civil war. We are meant to prevent conflict, not cause it!"

Inok turned around and looked at his broken spear. There was no regret written on his face.

"Then no one will find out," Inok said. He raised his hands quickly. Miyani was faster. It was too close for combustion bending, so she swung her arm in a heavy arc, striking Inok across the forehead with her metal armguard. The blow knocked the rogue Shorewatcher to the ground.

The rest of the Shorewatchers were a decent distance away, so Miyani loosed a single explosive blast to cover her retreat. She had to put more space between herself and her enemies. She wasn't very maneuverable in a fight. She was neither fast nor flexible, so close quarters combat favored her very poorly. With the proper distance between herself and her targets, though, she was nearly unstoppable.

A bolt of ice bounced off the metal plates of Miyani's wrist guard. The attacks of the Shorewatchers were surprisingly precise. They were definitely among the more powerful enemies Miyani had yet faced. Their talent, and their coordinates strikes, showed why the Shorewatchers were such a feared force. Miyani was not concerned: she was feared for good reason as well.

With the air clear of icy projectiles, Miyani took aim and unleashed. What parts of the building were not melted by the flames were shattered into snowflakes and splinters by the thundering shockwaves. Some Shorewatchers were sent flying, others were buried under collapsing masses of snow.

"It won't be enough," Ariak said.

The piles of snow began to shift as Shorewatchers crawled their way out from beneath. Those knocked to the ground began to stand up. Even Inok rose, his forehead still bleeding from Miyani's strike. The red blood froze on his forehead and cracked as his eyebrows angled downwards in rage.

"This isn't a fight you can win," Miyani threatened. "There's still time to surrender."

"Stop saying things that make them angry!"

Ariak found it hard to believe she wasn't trying to make them angry on purpose. First she'd broken Inok's spear, then she'd insulted the Huntsmaster, and now she suggested they surrender. Shorewatchers never surrendered. They found the very suggestion insulting. Ariak rubbed his hands over his face in exasperation as Inok's Shorewatchers became even more furious.

Inok's rogue Shorewatchers stepped back, gathering ice and water for the next round of attacks. They unleashed a glacial wave to crush Miyani under frozen water. Miyani looked for a way out, something to shield herself from the blow, but it ended up being unnecessary. The wave never reached her. Jumping between the combustion bender and the Shorewatchers, Ariak swept his hands and reduced the crashing wave into a harmless pool of water.

"Stop this now or I'll have you all charged with treason!"

"Take us in and you'll get the same," Inok growled back. "You've been helping this monster."

"Can't you see she's on our side?"

"She was born a monster, and it's all she'll ever be!"

Something in Inok's words finally broke Ariak's composure. The ice beneath his feet shattered into broken shards as anger took over.

There were some hunters in the Shorewatchers who believed that Ariak had only earned his position as a Huntsman because his father was the Huntsmaster. They were decidedly wrong. Ariak had earned his position because his waterbending talent made him a one man army.

The icy walls of the building shattered into thousands of shards, filling the air with a bladed hailstorm of ice. Inok and his rogues attempted to shelter themselves with walls of ice, and their own structures were turned against them by Ariak. Shields became claws that pinned them to the ground and forced them to bear the storm of razors, burying them beneath the icy blades.

Ariak raised his hands and slammed his foot down, and the icy ground rose up in great spikes, pushing the renegade Shorewatchers into the air and pinning them in midair. Inok and all of his followers trapped in the frigid grip of the ice now. The frozen soldiers groaned, straining against their icy prisons, but they would not be free until Ariak chose to release them.

Miyani brushed a few ice shards off her shoulders and stepped forward. Clouds of mist hovered in front of Ariak's face. He was breathing heavily, partially from exertion, but mostly from anger. Something Inok had said had crossed a line for Ariak.

"It's a fine mess, isn't it," Miyani said. The battlefield was an absolute wreck. Sarin's soldiers and the Shorewatchers alike were strewn about the wreckage. Only Ariak and Miyani remained standing.

"I can fix this," Ariak said. "The other Shorewatchers, nobody has to know. I can cover this up."

"No you can't," Miyani said, disgusted. "Kesuk has to know. Inok and the rest of them have to face the consequences of their actions."

Ariak seemed to be very easily convinced by Miyani's firm stance on the matter.

"No, I can't," He said. "I can't let them get away with this. I'll take them to Kesuk, and let him know what's happened."

Miyani noticed a quiet sadness behind his words.

"My father will condemn what they've done, of course, but if he finds out about them, then he'll also find out about you –about me helping you…I'll probably be stripped of my title, if not banned from the Shorewatchers outright. I'll never be able to convince him to change his course."

"You really think he'd do that to his own son?"

"Yes, I do," he growled lowly. Ariak's face suddenly took on a very bitter expression.

Miyani paused and looked over the ruined structure, and the landscape beyond. Days were short here in the South Pole; it was getting dark already. The winds were blowing even colder than before.

"I don't know what to do," Ariak said suddenly. He tried so hard to trust in his father, but the more he tried, the worse things became. He'd been so blind to all of these problems before. A part of him, deep down, missed the blissful ignorance, but his rational mind told him that things had to change. Tinaaki's good intentions were going to drag the world into chaos.

"Sometimes you can't know," Miyani said. "Sometimes you just have to trust yourself. Trust that you're doing the right thing."

Ariak's shoulders drooped. It was hard, so incredibly hard, to keep going sometimes. Ariak had been exhausted in mind and body before, but recent events had begun to weigh on his soul. Miyani recognized that look. He needed something to keep him moving forward, something to give him hope for the future.

Miyani dug a hand into her pocket. All the thick clothing she hard to wear in the south made it hard to reach. As she searched, she thought about getting a bracelet or locket, something to attach this to.

Finally successful, Miyani walked up to Ariak, her palm outstretched. Ariak was briefly distracted, and thoroughly confused, by the small rectangular brick in her hand.

"What is that," he said blankly.

"A gift. An earthbender I knew made it for me. A little parting present, once I was done teaching him firebending."

His head was not completely on straight, but Ariak was still clever enough to see the discrepancy there. Miyani kept her smile to herself. He'd figure it out eventually.

"If he was an earthbender, why were you-"

Ariak nearly jumped out of his snowboots. Miyani stopped containing her smile.

"You've met the Avatar? You trained him?"

"I probably wasn't the best master, but, yeah, I did," Miyani said. She turned the brick over in her fingers, examining it fondly. She turned her eyes back towards Ariak eventually. "His name is Sen."

"Avatar Sen," Ariak repeated. There was a sense of wonder in his voice. "What's he like?"

"He's very…perceptive, I guess the word is," Miyani said. "When I described this brick to him, I didn't tell him about the shape, or how these little pegs would be arranged, but when he created it, it was exactly what I had imagined. He knew what I meant, even when I didn't tell him. He's very thoughtful, very understanding. Eventually."

There had been a good deal of delays along the way, but eventually, Sen had been the first person to ever really open up to Miyani, and in turn, she had opened up to him. That trust and friendship had given them both the drive to save the world.

Yet Ariak seemed somehow disappointed. The excitement faded from his eyes. A hint of the weight on his shoulders sunk back into his posture. Miyani didn't understand why.

"So where is he now?"

So that was it, Miyani thought to herself. Ariak was one more person who resented the absence of the Avatar. She supposed she understood. Not everyone knew why Sen remained in hiding. She knew his reasons for remaining in hiding, but a part of her still wished that it wasn't so. She wanted to be fighting with him, not just for him.

"I don't know where he is," Miyani admitted. "But I do know that wherever he is, he's working to become the hero that we all need. He still has a lot to learn."

"But you believe that he can save the world?"

Miyani nodded. Ariak sighed deeply. Maybe the Avatar still had lessons to learn, but the world wasn't exactly waiting. Chaos was still in motion every day. The Energybender still lurked in the dark corners of the world, among other threats.

"I know it can be hard to wait," Miyani said, and she honestly meant it. Not a day went by when she didn't miss Sen. "But Sen cares about the world, and he wants to become the best hero he can be. And, in the meantime, he's got people like me and you helping to keep the peace."

"So he's counting on us," Ariak said to himself.

"Well, me," Miyani said. "He's never met you."

Ariak gave her a look. Miyani shrugged awkwardly.

"Right, hypothetical. Sorry. I'm sure if Sen knew you, he'd trust you too."

"I hope I get to meet him some day," Ariak said.

Night began to fall, and for the first time in a long time, Ariak had the feeling that he would rest easy.