Chapter 6: The True Meaning of Pure Power
Legend
Italics shows character thoughts
Word shows Date, time, and location
-Word- Shows Noises, or actions such as sighing
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Location: Earth Kingdom - To Omashu - Day 7
"This is so cool, you get to fly around like this all the time, Aang? You're so lucky!" Hye proclaimed as she looked over Appa's right side, staring at the ground below her.
They had just passed over a lake and were now flying over a small fishing village. The tiny buildings dotted the shores of the lake as they passed by and even the trees looked small from where Aang, Hye, and Appa flew. When you looked down from way on up you realized just how small the world actually was, though from this view it also seemed far more precious, far more worthy of defending.
Hye turned around and crawled over to Aang as he steered Appa onward. The Avatar had been silent for every since he and Hye left Katara and Sokka. The child of Wind poked Aang in the head, "Hey, what's wrong?"
Aang collected his thoughts before replying, "I was just thinking about how I thought I had everything figured out."
"What do you mean? What don't you understand?" The Wind child asked, seating herself securely on Appa's back.
"I thought that I had everything figured out. I had learned almost all of the bending styles and I thought that it would just be a matter of time before I would defeat the Fire Lord…and then I could live however I wanted." Aang put down Appa's reins and leaned back, propping his left ankle on his right knee and throwing his hands behind his head.
"But now I've learned that the Avatar has another duty, one that had never been a worry until me…because I failed and didn't accept what the Guru said." Pulling out his beads, spinning them in the air above his right palm, "And now I have to find three people who could be anyone and convince them to make a new pact while somehow managing to save the world from Fire Lord Ozai."
"Mmmm, what if you don't need a new pact? What if you could just make the rune bearers your friends?" Wiggling her toes, since she had removed her footwear, Hye looked back at Aang, "What if they could help you? Wouldn't that be better?"
Aang just sighed, "I don't know. Guru Pathik said that the reason the runes were sealed away was to keep them from ever fighting each other…he said if they did fight it would tear this world apart. If the runes had been around and things were like they were right now then all of the runes would be fighting the rune of Fire and things could be a lot worse then they are now."
Not knowing how to respond Hye kept her quiet. It was something she was good at, she had always been a withdrawn child and only talked with those she felt comfortable with, a trait she had learned when her home came under the control of the Fire Nation…you never knew who was a spy in those days. But the Avatar could be trusted so she felt more at ease talking to him.
"The thing is, do the Runes want to work with me?" Aang looked to Hye, "What does Wind think?"
"Wind hasn't spoke to me in a while…I think it's because of you." Hye nodded, "Wind hates you I believe, or rather, Wind hates the Avatar. She believes that the Air Nomads would have survived if it had been around."
The statement, while not having any negative venom behind it, killed the conversation.
Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 7
"Do you even have any idea where the Avatar is? I feel like we are walking aimlessly."
"Be quiet, I'm following the rumors of a flying bison. If we find it we will find the Avatar."
Sheng grumbled a silent withdrawal of his complaint. They had been walked until mid-day, at which time they came across a small village. There Zuko went about asking if anyone had spotted a flying bison, to which he got many obscure, and worried, looks. But a few people had remembered seeing some kind of large flying animals heading towards Omashu, or so was its old name, it had been renamed since the Fire Nation had taken it over but Sheng couldn't remember what the new name been.
So now they were turning towards what was former Omashu, chasing the Avatar on the few bits of information or, rather, the testimony of only a handful of villagers who were so disposed from the world around them that news of the Earth Kingdom's fall hadn't reached their ears. It was a scary, yet sad, thought when Sheng ran the past few ours through his head.
"Fine, but we camp at night, we'll just slow ourselves down if we march without sleep." Sheng commanded.
"And I thought you never got tired." Zuko shot back.
Sheng mumbled something under his breath. Though they were partners they were still, at the core, unsure of the other and hardly trusting. Their trust extended only to the areas of their ability, a trust in that each of them was capable of defending themselves and that the one would not slow the other down without strong reason.
None of Sheng's gripes bothered Zuko though, he was focused and it would take a lot more then one complaining soldier to deter him from his path. Zuko was going to end this feud this time, he was going to settle the score, and regain his honor.
I'm coming for you, Avatar, we are going to settle this!
Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 7
A mistake, this plan. We cannot trust one such as him.
"Argh! Will you just shut up already! I didn't ask you for your opinion!" Toph roared, stomping her right foot into the ground, which shook the earth.
Earth remained silent, apparently unwilling to argue with Toph. That was just fine by her though, she was more than happy to let him keep his silence. He was always quiet when around others but when Toph was alone he would speak to her, telling her things, ranting about the deplorable position of the Earth Kingdom and how the Avatar failed so miserably. He'd go on for hours like that.
Still, his rants hadn't been completely wasted. Toph was able to find out a lot of information about the Runes from Earth. Evidently the Runes, even though they were sealed, still existed in this world and had a host. The only real difference was the extent they could influence our world. The runes could, and did, still inhabit people's body but they could only give them smaller blessings. Earth had stated that many individuals throughout the years had taken his small gift had become renown Earth Benders, geniuses even. It shocked Toph to learn that King Bumi was the last person to have the Rune before Toph did.
It explained a lot of things though, about Toph. It explained why she was born with the ability to see through the earth, to bend like she could. Her genius, her prowess, was partly a result of the Rune of Earth, one of the four Runes of Power.
Why worry, Toph?
Hey, stop reading my thoughts!
I cannot, your thoughts are clear to me as if you were speaking aloud. Do not fear the blessings I give and doubt yourself. You have only been given a mold to shape.
What are you talking about?
Humph, if you listened and paid attention I'd explain! I am simply a blessing from the Great Earth spirit, as such I can, and did, only give you a blessing. This blessing opened many doors for you but, in the end, it was you who stepped through and took those blessings and shaped the mold. You took my power and shaped it, crafted it, and refined it. The power may be my own, but the skill, the mastery, that is yours and yours alone. I am simply power, but you are the crafter.
Toph stopped her march and mused to herself the validity of Earth's words. It was true that Toph had been the one to teach herself, to train herself. She was the one that believed that she could do anything a normal person could do, no, better then a normal person. Even when her family believed she was fragile, weak, and helpless, she knew it was not so and pushed herself to be more. She had crafted herself, her power, and made someone she was proud of. Toph, the world's best Earth Bender!
With a nod and a new beat added to her walk Toph started on the trail once more, towards Ba Sing Se. She slowed her footsteps though when she felt the presence of two individuals approaching from afar, walking straight towards her. Not feeling threatened, but simply being cautious, Toph continued her walk but kept her senses open.
She was in a clear opening now. A place of rock and dirt, with little trees and grass. An excellent place should a fight break out. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that, but with the Fire Nation taking over the Earth Kingdom…
…I sense…a familiar…
What?
"You! You're with the Avatar!"
Toph knew that voice, it was the voice of Prince Zuko. Knowing full well the events that had transpired under the palace of Ba Sing Se Toph took a defensive position, noticing the other pair of footsteps moving to her backside.
I feel him…
Who?
….FIRE!!!
Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 7
Caution, Sheng! I sense the Earth Rune is within that girl, beware her, she shall be no easy adversary.
Great…
This is ill fated. I did not think you would have to face another of the Elements of Power so soon…and I feel this one is a trained warrior of the Earth. Be on your guard.
"Where is the Avatar?!" Zuko demanded of the girl.
"Like I'd tell you! Hurgh!" Toph slid her foot forward coupled with a forward punch, ripping the ground in a straight path towards Zuko.
The Fire Prince side-stepped and launched a barrage of fireballs as he slowly began to close the gap between the two fighters. But the earth bender did not make it easy, for every step was fraught with peril as Toph raised earth and launched it forward, cracked the ground where he walked, and easily dodged the balls of flames that approaching.
I don't understand, her eyes tell me she's blind, yet she dodges everything!
Fool. Earth has given her sight, she can feel the heat touching the ground and can dodge accordingly. She is advanced indeed, to have gained such ability. You are not ready…you are not fit to wield my greater powers…you cannot win.
"I have to try!" Sheng charged forward, hoping that her battle with Zuko would divert her gaze from him long enough to attack. Pulling his hands back to his right side, the back of his left hand pressing against the palm of his right, Sheng launched the same finishing attack he had used on the Dai Li.
The jet of fire streamed forward but ultimately failed as the earth bender noticed the attack at the last minute and raised herself up high into the air on a pillar of earth. At the top she took a horse stance and began cutting the bottom sections of the stone pillar and launching them at Zuko and Sheng. The sliding circular disks skid across the ground with devastating speed, and in increasing numbers as the earth bender didn't just shoot them, she would stop them, turn them, and re use them again. By the time the pillar was gone a total of ten stone rings were sliding about on collisions courses with the fire benders.
Truly amazing, to think that Earth would find such a young prodigy…truly, the Great Spirits have blessed him.
Shut up and help me do something about this attack, darn it!
"Arrgh!"
Sheng turned to watch as Zuko unleashed a powerful downward kick that severed one of the stone disks, the flames burning through the hardened earth. But the attack cost him, several seconds that he lost in his attack kept him from dodging the next and the blow knocked the wind out of him and, eventually, made him unconscious.
Sheng braced himself for the attack to come. It didn't. Instead the stone rings began to circle around him and slowly close in on his position. He was trapped, each of the rings were too long for him to jump over them and with all of them close together he couldn't avoid them all if he could. And he lacked the power to destroy them all with one attack. Fire had been right, he had lost.
No…no! I still haven't returned to my family, my father, my mother, sister…I can't lose here…
"I can't lose here…" Sheng's hands balled into fists, balled so tight that his finger nails pierced his skin. "I WON'T LOST HERE!"
Sheng began to glow.
Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 7
It happened all at once. The terrible surge, a horrible heat, and then the utter annihilation of her stone discs. That wasn't possible though, she was easily over a dozen yards away and this was a clearing without grass or trees, there shouldn't be anything to burn but dirt!
But she felt it, she felt it on her skin even. A flame so hot that the ground where her discs had been screamed out as the top layers turned to ash, destroyed but turned to something that could give life once more.
Earth…
He has entered the trance…he is now many times more powerful then before. A King of Flames, so to speak. No training, no forms, just utter and complete control, just a total domination of fire bending. In this trance he is a walking Rune…Pure Power.
Toph opened her mind to speak but reflexes slugged her to the ground as a tiny line of heat passed over her. She heard the crack and the snap of lightning pass over her back, she felt it impact a large boulder…and clearly felt the tiny hole in the rock. The lightning had not destroyed the rock, it had passed through it so completely that only a tiny hole was left as evidence. She would die if struck by such a weapon. Fear took her, and that fear drowned her.
She began to glow.
Location: Earth Kingdom - Near Omashu - Day 8
"Ah…oww."
Hye, who had been practicing a few exercises that Aang had assigned her suddenly collapsed to the ground, the two had settled down for the night. The Avatar looked to his fallen companion and jumped over the fire and bounded to the girl.
"Hye, what's wrong?"
Gripping her head she kept hearing this scream, a terrible moan from the wind. As if it were being harmed, or forced to witness something horrible. She could feel Wind trying to comfort her, to block out the feeling, to no avail.
"I feel…like something horrible has happened. The wind is carrying a burden, and its moaning."
Aang sat down next to his 'student' and gave a perplexed look, "The wind is carrying? What do you mean?"
Struggling to concentrate due to the strain she took several moments to gather herself, "It's like…something happened somewhere and the wind has been carrying it around, the memory of it. I think its because I have the Rune that I feel this. Aang…something terrible has happened."
Not sure at all what to do Aang did what he was best at; put on a smile and attempt to cheer up a friend in need. "Hey, don't worry Hye. I'm sure whatever it is will get better with time. How about we stop for today and you just focus on clearing your head?"
"Yeah…" Hye nodded and smiled, "Yeah, Aang, you're right. Time heals all wounds, right?"
"Right!"
Location: Earth Kingdom - Day 8
Having helped the village Toran and Suki left very early the next morning, before the sun had even risen. The outposts had reported smoke in the distance, further south then Toran wanted to head but he feared that the Fire Nation had attacked again, so he headed on nonetheless. They had been traveling for a few hours when they came across an odd sight.
"What is this…" Suki stepped forward and knelt down, picking up what appeared to be --
"Ash…" Toran ran ahead, expecting to see a raging fire or at least the remnants of it. What he did see sent him skidding to a stop. "…By the Moon Spirit…"
Suki came up behind him and stood in the same stupefied awe that Toran himself stood in. Before them the ground lay completely blanketed in ash, dark and fresh. It covered the ground as if the entire area had been razed. But that was not all. Ridged spikes of earth dotted the ashy field, jutting up from the ground in several place. Shattered pillars, melted rock, broken earth, and even the trees so far from the center of this clearing were blackened, dead.
"Did an army pass through here? Was there a battle?" Suki stated more then asked.
"No…if there was a battle than where are the bodies? We would have known if there were armies on the move.."
Suki stepped forward and knelt again to inspect a large rock, that rose from the ground as if it were bended. It was melted and made lop-sided by whatever flame melted it. But what flame could do that? Who could produce a flame strong enough to melt rock? She thought that the Fire Princess might…but could she do all this? Alone?
Toran shuddered at the thought of a single bender being capable of doing this. He turned to his senses, to speak to Water, but found that the Rune was silent and also searching. Though he noticed that it searched with more aim, as if looking for an end to a lead.
Water?
I sense them… a battle took place here, between two Runes.
…Two people? TWO people did THIS?
Yes. I sense them, Fire and Earth. Be on your guard.
"Oh no…"
Toran turned to Suki who had moved further into the area. "What is it?"
"…To.." Suki stepped forward and, just as suddenly, broke into a run. "Toph!"
Toph? Toran began to chase after her but noticed another person from the corner of his eye. No, two. One was sleeping, apparently, while the other was trying to wake him. The awake one was yelling, obviously making commands that became easier to discern as Toran approached.
"Wake up! What happened here? Wake up and tell me!" He shook the sleeping boy, not much younger then himself.
"Hey, hey! You there, what happened here!"
Toran wasn't sure what it was that put the man on edge. Perhaps it was his clothing, the outfit of a water tribesman. But it soon became apparent why had become so defensive, he was Fire Nation. Toran realized it as soon as the man created a wall of fire in front of himself. Expecting an attack the Water bearer took a defensive posture.
No attack came.
Toran looked over his shoulder to Suki, she had reached the girl named Toph and was apparently quickly working to mend her wounds. His gaze stayed with Suki but strayed towards the sky when he felt the familiar prick of water droplets on his head.
"Rain?" Holding out his hands he felt the rain become heavy, it doused the wall of fire and revealed that the two fire benders were gone, vanished. Toran moved his wet hair out of his face and looked back at Suki, then again to the rain.
"…What happened here…?"
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A/N: So, I'm sorry for the drop off the world bit. My family had a vacation and I forgot to mention it in my last Author's Note. Hopefully this chapter will make up for it!
So, got some pretty cool stuff in this chapter. I've been itching to show a little of the Runes for a while now and I get to show a little of what Runes of Power means, though I can't give it all away or that wouldn't be any fun, now would it? Haha.
Anyway, this is still a slightly rough draft, I wanted to get this up so you guys could read it and know I'm not dropping this story. Expect most of the typos that I may have missed to be fixed up soon. The next update should be along in a week or two, I have to update another story so this gets put on hold for a bit. Hopefully you'll bear with me.
So read and review please! I'd like to know what everyone thinks and besides, reviews make me a lot more motivated to continue the story!
-Arc