Chapter Thirteen:

We flew through the sky on Kaze's Sky Bison over a medium Island covered with grass, the only remarkable feature being a large valley. We all looked at each other with faces of boredom and confusion. "I don't see a temple." Sela complained.

Kaze looked back at us with a grin of anticipation. "Just be patient" she urged us.

We swooped down into the valley. There we saw a bunch of massive spires hanging down from the ground. "What do you know." remarked Genji. "There is a temple here."

Kaze's Sky Bison landed on a platform and she lead us into the temple. When he walked in we were meet with reactions of surprise. "Your back Kaze?" one person remarked.

"Is that really the Avatar?" said another person.

"Who are their people?"

"Woh woh, back off people." Kaze said lifting up her hands. "My friends here need some space. "

"But to answer your questions." she added. "Yes this is the Avatar." she then introduced the rest of us. "I need to show him to my father, he has something important to say to him."

Kaze lead us down some hallways until we reached Kaze's father's chamber. Their he was sitting at his desk, until he saw us and stood up. He was wearing traditional Air Nomad clothing and looked like Tetsu, only less muscular. "Guys this is my dad Naoki." said. Kaze. "Dad, these are my friends, Avatar Arata, Tetsu, Sela, and Genji."

Naoki shook our hands. "It nice to meet you Avatar Arata." he greeted my friends then turned back to me. "So have you meet with the Order of the White Lotus."

"Thats what I needed to talk to you about." I said. "The Order of the White Lotus is corrupt."

"Arashi has the whole city taken over." Sela added. "He's got ties with the bending gangs and with the Iron Assassins."

"Republic City has became a place where benders push everyone around." said Genji. "He even killed the President for trying to stop him."

"My sister Kuma, and Takumi, the New Equalist leader are trying to fight him." Tetsu said. "But they can't do it on their own. They need your help."

Naoki looked at us in shock. "So this is all true." he remarked. "Fire Lord Yuzin told me about this."

"Really?" Kaze asked.

"Yes. He is trying to convince me to go to war with Arashi. I don't want to do that, but it might be needed. Especially when you bring me evidence that this is true. Speaking of that Fire Lord Yuzin is coming to speak to me face to face. He might want to meet you."

Fire Lord Yuzin hurled a small knife that flew through the air and sank itself into the target near the bullseye. Beside him two of his bodyguard had thrown their knives and they landed in the two other targets. He and his other two bodyguard quickly followed up with bursts of fire, setting the targets ablaze. "Good work." Yuzin congratulated.

Knife throwing had been quite popular in the Fire Nation thanks to Yuzin's ancestor, Fire Lady Mai. Yuzin tried to supplement his Firebending with throwing knives, and also had a mix of firebending and knife throwing bodyguards. "This is your captain speaking." came a voice from the P.A system. "We are approaching the Eastern Air Temple."

Fire Lord Yuzin and his bodyguards walked out of the room, and to the bridge. He looked out the window but could not see anything. "Captain, where is the temple." he asked.

"It's hidden in a valley, hanging down from the ground."

I stood on one of the platforms as I watched a large airship float down into the valley. When it leveled out with the platform, and man in ornate Fire Nation robes flanked by four bodyguards, two male and two female, stepped off the ship. "Greetings, my name is Fire Lord Yuzin." he announced. He looked around the temple. "It is a pleasure to see that my ancestor Sozin's vile handiwork is being undone."

I stepped forward and introduced myself and my friends, and we walked over to show him to Naoki. "So you saw you come from Republic City, and have proof Arashi is abusing his power?" Yuzin asked.

"Yes" I replied.

"Good, this should convince him that we need to go to war with Arashi."

We walked into Naoki's chamber. "Dad this is Fire Lord Yuzin." said Kaze. "Yuzin, this is Naoki, the Head Elder of the Eastern Air Tribe."

"It's a pleasure to meet finally meet you in person." said Yuzin. "You have heard the evidence that these people have seen."

"I have." replied Naoki. "But I'm still not sure if I'm ready to go the war. I need to think of this more."

"You must think quickly." said Yuzin. "People in Republic City are being oppressed.

Astuko sat down on a chair to relax. She was exhausted, with her busy day, and being expecting for months. Her husband knelt down beside her and put his hand on her belly.

He stroked her stomach lovingly and a smile cracked on his face. "Aww you're going to be such a pretty baby just like your pretty mommy."

"Thats so sweet of you." Astuko replied.

He leaned in and she gave him a big hug. "I love you." he said.

There was a loud crash and her husband jumped up. "What was that!?" Astuko cried."

Astuko's husband ran down the stairs. She heard sign of a struggle and then silence. Then came the sound of footsteps, coming up the stairs. Astuko hoped for the best, but when the person got to the top she was shocked. The man had nails from his eyes. It was Tsume, the Iron Assassin leader.

Tsume grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her to the stairs. "Where is my husband?" Astuko asked.

Tsume ignored her question and pulled her down the stairs. She tried to resist, but every time she went down a stair it bashed her knee. At the bottom of the stairs she saw her husband face down and still with blood around his head.

She looked away, not wanting to imagine him like that. "Where are you taking me?" Astuko asked.

Tsume turned around a glared silently at her. He turned back a continued to drag her out of the house and through the streets. Soon she saw more women pregnant women being dragged by Iron Assassins. Astuko wondered what could Tsume want.