I blinked once. And saw that I was above everything. On a pillar of earth. I took a step back, and almost fell off. Windmilling my arms, I regained my balance, and sat down in the center of the pillar, digging my hands into the stone. I hated heights, always have. Then I looked around me.
It was total mayhem, bodies were everywhere and a fire crackled, eating up the remains of buildings. Even the metal ones.
Oh, my gosh. I held down bile and shut my eyes, breathing deeply for a minute.
I crawled to the edge, looking down. There were four bodies at the bottom, next to a ripped-apart shrub. Then I remembered what had happened.
I struggled as they pulled me closer to the bush, and they were all laughing. I closed my eyes, and everything went black for a second. Then I was floating high up, so, so high. But, this one time, I wasn't scared. I saw a ring of red and yellow and orange grow bigger and bigger and bigger and as it expanded it left everything it touched, little, dollhouse sized buildings and tiny toothpick people, ablaze in a glow that surrounded them. And-
Was I dead? No, no. I wasn't. I could feel the heat from the fire, and feel pain from the scratches on me. But how did I get up here? What had happened? I crawled back to the center of the pillar, and hugged my knees to my chest. What was going on? What happened to my town? I looked down at the ground. And how did I get up here?
That's when I saw some other benders begin to arrive. Waterbenders began to bend water onto the fire, and Earthbenders were creating a hole in the ground that the excess water was running into. The Airbenders were lifting buildings and beams, trying to get people from underneath. I watched for several minutes, and they were slowly increasing in number and easing their way toward my pillar.
"Help!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Up here! Help me, please!" I shouted, and waved my hands around. An Earthbender dressed in green looked up at me and nudged another Earthbender. Jumping up and crashing down, they brought their hands to the earth. The pillar came down at an alarming rate, and I was left in the air for a full second before following it.
All air left my lungs as I smashed back down, and I lay there gasping for several minutes while the two Earthbenders, an Airbender (dressed in yellow, white and red,) and a Waterbender (in a blue dress,) gathered around me. As soon as I got my breath back and struggled into a sitting position, I asked them the question.
"What happened?" I coughed as some smoke entered my lungs, and the Waterbender offered me some water that was in a pouch on her side.
"We were hoping you could tell us," she said. Her voice was soft and quiet, like she was scared. But her eyes were strong looking. "We got word that the Avatar had risen. The Avatar," her eyes narrowed a bit at me, "Destroyed this town. What element are you? Earth?" I shook my head.
"Fire," I said.
"Then how'd you get up there? Do you have an Earthbender friend?" The Airbender asked.
"No," I said, and took a deep breath. "I was walking to the school, and I was attacked. The next thing I know, I am up there," I pointed to the sky where the pillar had been. "And the town was in ruins." The Earthbender who had seen me knelt down.
"What's your name?" he asked, extending his hand.
"Rea," I shook his hand and he nodded. Then he looked toward the Waterbender. "I'm Ghan." She said. The Airbender spoke up, "Ther." And then the two Earthbenders, first the one who had seen me.
"Yaw."
"Hannakt."
"So, Rea, are you really a Firebender?" Ghan asked. "Because the Avatar is supposed to be an Earthbender." She glared at me. "Are you lying?"
I shook my head furiously, and started to stand. As I put my first leg up, her hand shot out, and water left the hole in the ground, splashing against my leg. And then it turned to ice.
"Hey!" I shouted, falling back, (as much as I could with my lower half attached to the ground,) "Why'd you do that?" She smiled at me, and raised her hands again.
"Because I don't like liars." Her muscles twitched, but the Airbender- Ther- grabbed her hands.
"Wait!" he said. "How about she proves she's a Firebender?" Ghan glared daggers at him, but lowered her hands. "And so what if she firebends? She could just be saying that; she could really be a Waterbender who mastered the elements and is playing us!" Ther looked at her.
"She's a child! It takes years to master the elements!" I really liked Ther. Ghan? Not so much. Ghan ripped herself free of Ther's grasp. "Besides," Ther went on, "What if she firebends for us? Then we'll see." I nodded, and Ghan sighed. "Fine." She growled, and the ice that trapped me melted. I stood up, and prayed that my firebending would work.
Taking a deep breath, I pressed my heel together and rotated my arms. A flame trailed my fingers, and I was able to control it. I smiled.
Until the flames went wayward.
I stopped, trying to make the fire disappear, but it continued in a circular motion, growing bigger for several seconds before disappearing. Ther turned to Ghan.
"See?" he said, gesturing to me. I smiled. Then Ghan's mouth turned upward, into an ugly smile. Before I- or anyone else- could react, she threw an icicle at me. My reflexes kicked in and I raised my hands to protect my face, my palms clenched. The icicle dropped out of the air, and crashed to the ground. Ghan's smile grew even bigger.
"Well, well, well. Looks like we do have a liar in front of us." She took a step forward, and Hannakt fell into a fighting stance. So did Ther- although he looked doubtful- and Yaw.
And, without thinking, I turned and began to run.