Chapter 1: The Myth
Legend
Italics shows character thoughts
Word shows Date, time, and location
-Word- Shows Noises, or actions such as sighing
N/A: Alright, we get some explanation behind everything! This chapter will shape the story into something that everyone can follow. Enjoy!
Enjoy, and Please Review!
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Location: Earth Kingdom
"Is he going to be okay?"
"I'm not sure, Azula attacked him when he was most vulnerable."
Sokka was poking the dinner he had caught earlier, a rabbit, and was checking to see if it was ready to be made into a soup. Katara sat with him as they waited on Aang to wake from his slumber. He had been sleeping for two days without any interruption and with no where to go the group settled into some mountains on the eastern edge of the Earth Kingdom, or what used to be the Earth Kingdom.
The Earth King had left the group a short while back, saying that he would attempt to find some Earth Kingdom loyalists to support him when the time came to take back the Earth Kingdom. In the mean while all Katara and Sokka could do was wait and hope for the best.
"Hey, Sokka, where's Toph?" The female water bender stood, hands on her hips.
Sokka shrugged, mouth watering over the rabbit soup to soon be eaten. Katara asked again, with more force, and Sokka finally snapped out of his daydreams. The water tribe boy shrugged, " I don't know, she said she was going to practice her earth bending."
Katara fumed, "How can she think about that at a time like this!? What if Aang never wakes up, what if.." Katara's head bowed, refusing to finish her sentence.
Seeing his sister seriously concerned pushed the elder brother to stand, "Hey, Aang's a tough kid. He'll be alright." Sokka patted his sisters shoulder.
"Thanks, Sokka."
"No, problem." Sokka looked at the food, "Now let's eat!"
Katara laughed, "Sure."
Not too far away from Katara and Sokka Toph was flexing her earth bending powers. She stepped forward with a palm thrust and felt the earth move at her command, the rock in front of her slid forward. She waved her right hand to the left slightly and felt the rock instantly change direction, she could even stop the rocks without touching them now, when their distance was far from her. Toph stood up straight, eyes closed, and felt the earth around her. Everything was so…real. She could feel the rock she had just pushed as if her hand was on it at this very minute. She had never felt this in control of her abilities before, it was if there was another person right next to her who as assisting in her bending.
Weird thing was, it wasn't someone, it was something.
You see it now, don't you? This is the true power of Earth, and you've only just begun to scratch the surface.
Toph didn't like the prospect of a voice in her head, but the voice was right, everything was easier now. If she had this power when the library was collapsing then maybe Appa wouldn't have been kidnapped. She would have been able to escape those fools who captured her, and might have been able to stop the events that lead up to the Earth Kingdom's fall.
Worry not, the Earth Kingdom is strong and when they rise up we will join them, unite them, and lead them to victory. For now, we must bide our time.
I'm not doing anything until I find out that Aang is okay and until his Earth Bending training is over
Humph, do not hope for him to wake again, Toph. I see that his fate, whether he wakes or not, is grim indeed. Very grim.
Toph told it to shut its mouth tight.
On Toph's return she found Sokka and Katara crowded around Aang, who appeared to have just woken from his long sleep. The earth bender ran over. The Avatar looked up at Toph and smiled.
"Well well, if it isn't twinkle toes, done beauty sleeping?" Toph mocked in her normal fashion.
"Ha,ha, hi Toph." Aang coughed out.
"Aang says we need to go to the Eastern Air temple and see that guru who was teaching him to control the Avatar State." Sokka told Toph as he helped Aang to his feet and unto Appa. Toph, Katara, and Sokka packed up, saddled up, and with Sokka at the reigns the group made their way to the Eastern Air Temple.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Location: Earth Kingdom, Ba Sing Se
How did I end up in this?
Sheng sighed inwardly, things had not gone as he hoped the would. He came out the winner of the Agni Kai and his family was given everything that they needed, a doctor and some money to get them on their feet. But Sheng was not to return to them, oh no, he was instead sent to Ba Sing Se as a full graduate, at fourteen years of age no less.
The trip had been horrible, the men, in their late-teens or early-twenties, completely distanced themselves from the young fire bender who, the assistant-warden said, could bend the flames like no other student before him. He had been put on a fast ship, one of the new models, and in a day he was in the Earth Kingdom, two more days later he was in Ba Sing Se.
Now he was at attention as Princess Azula herself, the daughter of Lord Ozai, and heir apparent to the fire nation, was inspecting them. She was his age, slightly taller, and was much more severe looking.
Sheng was a bit short for his age but work on the farm before his academy days had made him a bit stronger then the richer kids. His eyes were the same golden shade as most fire citizens. He was wearing the fire nation uniform, minus the helmet, and his hair was black and kept short. He wore a tight bandana around his head, as a mark of distinction and punishment for graduating from the academy so early. It was more or less there to separate him, the 'genius', from the other fire benders around him.
He heard a boot stomp the ground and Sheng snapped back to reality. Princess Azula had caught him with his pants down. The look in her eyes were hard, cold, and piercing. She stepped forward, putting her faces inches from his.
Stand, do not back down. She's testing you.
Sheng obeyed and stood his ground as if he were rooted to it. The princess muttered something before stepping back, "Tell me, why are you so much younger then the rest?" She looked at the group, before regarding Sheng again.
A test. This one is deceptive, do not give her control over you.
Easy for you to say, Fire.
Sheng blinked and in that second he saw his current situation: he was far from home, with no friends, and none of the other soldiers were going to help him. He had to help himself.
"Because…." Sheng , straightened himself, "because I'm better than them."
Azula's right eyebrow twitched, "Is that so? Care to demonstrate? How about you against…" Azula looked around, found what she was looking for, and looked back at Sheng with a smile, "Four of the Dai Li."
Sheng groaned on the inside, another fight. Azula stepped back and Sheng stepped forward and took his stance as the four Dai Li landed surrounded him in a square. Sheng could feel his heart start to speed up, every movement of the Dai Li had to be watched, he had no knowledge of Earth benders…no telling what they were capable of.
"Begin." Azula commanded.
Two of the Dai Li stepped forward, fist thrusting up, and two pillars of earth rose from the ground. The two took another step and sent the rock towers towards Sheng. The young fire bender rolled to the side but was immediately cut off by the other two who shot out some sort of rock hand. The hands latched unto his feet and held him to the ground.
What are you doing, Sheng Strike, strike now!
Sheng raised both hands in the air, flames engulfing them, and then he slammed them into the ground causing an explosion that sent him into the air, forcefully breaking him from the Dai Li's grasp. The four earth benders came back together and were preparing to move again.
No you don't!
Sheng used another small explosion to send himself hurtling back towards his enemies. The Dai Li raised a wall of earth in their defense while Sheng pulled his knees to his chest and began to flip forward, covering his entire person in flame. Sheng , now a raging fireball, crashed through the wall of earth, caught himself on all fours, and charged forward and struck the nearest Dai Li in the chest with an open palm and then in the face with his other hand. The blows, with the added flames, blew the earth bender aside.
Sheng turned to meet the remaining three and each stomped the earth, causing a ball of rock to jump into the air before it was launched towards Sheng . The fire bender spun once, twice, and three times to gain momentum, fire appearing in a circle around him, before he leapt into the air with a spin kick. A small cyclone of fire rose up and melted down the rocks into pebbles.
Flipping out of the tornado, Sheng began to launch a series of fireballs at the earth benders. Slowly Sheng began to push the three back under his barrage of red flames. The three earth benders reached the wall and stumbled, surprised by the sudden contact. Sheng brought his hands to his right side, the back of his left hand pressed into the palm of his right, he leapt straight forward and thrust forward with his combined hands and with a roar he unleashed a massive stream of fire. The Dai Li threw themselves aside as the raging flame charred the rocky surface. A blast like that would have killed them.
"Enough." Azula commanded again.
Humph, you have no control. All that power but all you can do is lash out.
Tsk, I won didn't I?
"You surprise me. I haven't seen a lot of fire benders with that kind of ruthless etiquette." Azula complemented, or so Sheng assumed was a complement. He couldn't tell with his girl.
"I think you'll do just find here." Azula turned to the group, "Report to your squad leaders and await further orders. Dismissed."
Sheng ran back to his place in line and marched out with the rest of the troop, talking to the voice in his head.
She's not impressed at all, hehehe.
Think so?
All that time she was testing you, she never asked for your name.
Hmm, you're right.
She's a fool for it, one day, you'll be the strongest fire bender in the world and she'll have no choice but to bow to you.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Location: Earth Kingdom, Eastern Air Temple
A day of travel brought Avatar Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph to the Eastern Air Temple where the Guru had taught Aang the secret to the avatar state. The mighty Air Bison, Appa, landed gracefully and the unsteady avatar slid down the beasts tail and without so much as any warning towards the others he began to wobble to the Temple's inner chambers.
He entered the central courtyard and found, in a meditation stance, Guru Pathik. Aang walked forward silently, not really wanting to disturb the guru from his silent trance. But he needed him aware.
"Guru Pathik…" Aang whispered.
The guru flinched and suddenly turned on his bottom, "Aang? Aang!?" The guru rose in a flurry and grabbed the Avatar by the shoulders, "Aang, you're alive! But, but how?!"
"Wait, what do you mean alive?" Aang asked, skeptical.
"Never mind, tell me what has happened, tell me everything!"
And so Aang sat down, after Guru Pathik calmed himself, and the story was told. Katara, Toph, and Sokka entered the chamber half way through the story and were able to add their point of views to the tale to make it wholly complete. Though Toph failed to mention the voice in her head and the amazing increase in her earth bending.
After the story was told the group fell into silence. Each were waiting for the Guru to absorb the information taken and then give them some advice, that was why they had come; for guidance. But he didn't speak and soon Aang had to ask once more.
"Guru Pathik, why did you think I had died?" The avatar asked.
Guru Pathik looked at Aang for several moments before standing and moving over to a large map of the world, as it was before the Fire Nation attacked, when the Air Nomads had existed. The Guru put his hands behind his back and thought for several moments.
"Aang, what do you know about that creation of the Avatar?" The Guru finally asked.
"Uh…not much. The Avatar is the protector of the world."
"No quite, the Avatar protects not only the people from each other but the people from the elements."
"Huh? I don't understand."
The Guru took a deep breath, "To understand the Avatar you must know the origin of the world." And he began to tell a story that had been long forgotten.
Long ago the world was barren, devoid of life. The world was a cold, lifeless, mass where no life could survive. The great Spirits, who lived in the bountiful land of the Spirit Realm, pitied this world, the material realm. One day the four great Spirits, Fire, Earth, Water, and Wind, came together and decided to give life to this world, to allow it to prosper.
Fire, in his great and fiery glory, gave birth to the Sun Spirit and heated the core of the earth so that the surface and inside of the world would be warmed. It brought the mighty dragon to the world and within it gave it the power of fire, to rule during the day.
Water, with its infinite love and caring, soaked the world with its tears and covered the world with water that would sustain the new life that would soon emerge. To watch her gift and she left the Moon and Ocean spirits to control the oceans, the tide, and the night.
Earth, strong and wise, raised the continents so that those who could not live in the water had a place to survive, and gave rise to plant life. To guard all of his domain he gave the Badger mole the strength of Earth.
And Wind, playful and gentle, spun the world on its axis and sent it on its path around the sun. To the Air Bison the power of Wind was granted, to forever rule the skies and watch from above.
Time passed and the world, as the Great Elements predicted, flourished and soon the world was populated with many forms of life. But no other form was more loved than the human race, who's small frame, weak bodies, and short life spans were serious troubles. But for every trouble the humans would overcome them through perseverance.
To these people the Spirits gave a gift, the gift of the elements. From each Spirit a Rune was given, a Rune of Power, that would allow one to command the elements. The Spirits gave hid these gifts to guard until worth humans claimed them. The Mightiest Dragon guarded the Rune of Fire, the Ocean forever hid the Rune of Water, the oldest Badger Mole took the Rune of Earth into the mountains, and the Rune of Wind was kept in the skies with the youngest Air Bison.
It took twenty years for the humans to gain these artifacts, but eventually four Heroes would overcome every challenge and take the rune unto themselves. These people became the fist Benders. One Rune for one person and he who held the Rune held mastery over the element and could bless others with the gift as well, to a lesser extent.
A time passed and eventually the people split into four civilizations, the people divided between the four heroes. The Heroes became the first leaders: the Hero of Fire became the first Fire Lord, the Hero of Earth established the Earth Kingdom, the Hero of Water claimed the North and South poles and began constructing a land of ice, and the Hero of Wind began the construction of the first Air Temple where the newly formed Air Nomads could live in peace.
More time passed and the people began to live peacefully, the number of benders increased to a healthy population, but was never allowed to grow beyond a third of the average population. But during this time the Heroes began to grow old and the same power they wielded they began to fear, they feared their successors, and the possibility of their power being abused.
And so the Heroes met, at a secret place, and called on the Spirits through their runes. They called them to make a pact; to have a mediator, to keep harmony in this world and with the spirit world. The Spirits answered this call, but at a price; they would give the world a savior, one of all the elements, if the powers of the Runes would be sealed away.
The Heroes agreed and gave a piece of their rune to the Spirits, the four pieces were melded together and cast into the center of the world, at the place where the Living and Spirit realms came together. The Heroes then sealed their runes, they could still roam the earth and choose hosts, but their power was restricted and could not be unleashed. When the Heroes died no one knew where the runes had gone too.
In time, their legend was lost and new myths were created to explain how humans first learned to bend the elements. But the fragments of the Runes, melded together, then found its first host, an Air bender, and thus the first Avatar was created.
And from that time on, the Avatar had acted in place of the Heroes, forever keeping the world in Harmony until the time when the cycle is broken, and the Runes once more Awakened.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
A/N: Okay, so chapter one. I figured that I should do another chapter so that people can see a little more about the story before deciding to read or not. This is pretty much something I thought up myself, obviously, since we don't know what happened after the Earth Kingdom's fall, this probably won't be what really happens. But it's a fan fiction, right?
I decided to stop at the end of the Myth since it made a better ending then anything else, so this chapter might come out short. It's called 'The Myth' but I decided to add Sheng's POV(Point of View) in there to 1) Make the chapter a bit longer, and 2) To show how a Rune (Hopefully you've got that by now) and its host interact, in Sheng's and Fire's place.
So, hopefully you enjoyed this and will review, I was pretty sad last time, lol. But maybe this time things will turn around. Thanks for reading!
-Arc
PS: The next chapter, should it come, will be longer coming. I have to update my Digimon fic 'Prelude to Destiny', which is by far my most successful story, 100 reviews in 16 chapters, woot!