Alright guys back again. I don't know how many of you are still here from before but I'm glad you are. Over these few months I'm glad to have improved my writing to such extents. Hopefully it shows.
On with the show!
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A few hours ago, erupting out of a fire-nation palace a priest watched like a moth to a flame, a white stream of light flourish into the sky. Out on the balcony where he stood he watched the spectacle happen from afar
The Avatar has returned, he thought. Tiredly, the priest turned his back to the beam as it rolled over the sky, looking like a wave of white silk in echo. Off in the distance he was sure to find the other temple's lighting like a bonfire. Instead, he turned and walked away. The poor old man didn't want to see it. Unlike the other priests of the fire nation, he wanted the Avatar to return, and the very thought of the Fire Lord chasing the Avatar left him sick and disgusted to his core.
As he traversed the dark halls of his temple he thought of old texts that weren't destroyed by Sozin. Each had a kind story to tell of the Avatar, one that was not propaganda made by the Fire Nation. Kind, warm, none so full of hurt like what they were trying to say.
Out in the distance his eye hooked to the bright light like a light licking at a new horizon. A grim expression crossed his face before he shut his eyes and continued on his way.
Please, Avatar, be safe.
"Did you see that light?" a guard asked.
He sighed and nodded—it was going to be a long day.
Roan looked off into the distance before he strained to jump off one foot, back flipping easily away from Azula, who by the looks of things was having an all too good time trying to enslave his will to hers. Raising her sword against his sparks shot off and their blades clattered while he used his overpowering strength to push her back and using his other hand to grip the dull edge of his blade, he shot her off.
Settling back in his stance, Roan sunk his foot well within the soft dirt.
It had been a long time since they left the Fire Nation.
Narrowing a lone eye towards Azula he brandished his blade against her in wait.
From the time they left to the time they arrived to their new home Azula and Zuko had been nothing but kind to him. Showing him and teaching him about the new land with him sharing titbits about his own, though only as much as he knew.
Azula stared levelly at him, her precise movements seeming surgical, action's never fodder to waste.
She smirked. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to teach me to defend?"
Roan didn't answer, choosing to save his breath and see how far she came to anger. He checked her facial features behind her eye mask to see...
Calm. Collected. He was impressed. But he wouldn't show it.
"Wouldn't you like that?" He answered finally. Prodding worked best in this situation and she had yet to fail at his thorns, something he elected to change. He watched as his ministrations caused her to narrow her eyes before she smirked.
"Nice try."
She dashed forward and jumped. Readying her blade high she flourished the length of it down glinting against the sun, she used that to shine in his eyes as he firmly stood his ground. However before she could make contact he lunged beneath her, risking impalement as he dodged her attack while her sword stuck into the ground. Swinging his back after catching and steadying himself with one hand to the ground he saw her use her sword as a stand, lifting herself and jumping over as his blade clashed against hers causing it to rattle.
They had settled in a quaint little place deep in Earth Kingdom lines and no one believed even the Fire Lord was able to retrieve them. And with them being so far in Roan agreed with Ursa to build in the country away from normal villages and in a valley teeming with wild-life. At first, it had been hard trying to convert what fortune they had into Earth Kingdom money but after Roan himself volunteered to take in the money one of the servants by the name of Aya volunteered to go with him.
They claimed that she was his wife in the Fire-Nation and they had been trying to escape once they were married but he had been brutally burned. To her credit Aya managed a fears tears as she hid in the crook of his neck, his arms wrapped around her. When the man behind the counter asked to see the burns it wasn't out of suspect but curiosity which actually earned him a small smile from Aya as she looked at Roan who removed his hood and braved the outright gasps from others around him.
The banker gave them their money along with an unusual farewell as Aya, the poor thing, gave him a sad smile and brave face before they left—to his and others astonishment she kissed Roan on the lips with no hint of disgust.
It was safe to say when he was in town he usually had to keep the villagers posted on "Aya and the kids". Which, safe to say, wasn't altogether false. Aya usually stuck around him since she seemed to be infatuated with him and with his apprentices and the way they were, he had some good stories to tell.
After that everything came together and what they had now was a beautifully large compound and a training ground akin to the arena where a chimera tried to kill him was.
Albeit, filled with water up to the ankle, Azula and Zuko managed to talk him into placing a few dry patches in for mercy.
Focusing back on the situation at hand, Azula actually twisted in air removing her sword from the ground and releasing his blade in the process within a second of his blade hitting hers. Jumping back, Roan put space between them again, switching his blade for his Pyromancy Flame.
"Fireflakes, Tylee?"
Above them sat his other pupils watching on as if in a coliseum and as about as interested as if the situation at hand was a performance.
"Sure!"
Two of whom were Mai and Tylee. Both were runaways from the Fire Nation and both had somehow managed to smuggle themselves on his ship somehow. They later explained that it was one of the guards who watched over them while they trained with the royal family that tipped them off into sneaking on board.
"He's going to use that again, isn't he?" A servant asked.
The other shrugged and drifted to the crowd that'd already gathered. "I don't think so with this crowd. He's not a show-off and he doesn't want to hurt her when she's not prepared for it."
"Ah, but that's the beauty of learning."
Yes, a crowd usually gathered to watch their training, yet it wasn't that exactly. For the people who served under the Fire Nation as either soldiers or servants one thing that always brought bright entertainment was the scene between Roan and his students as it was usually more entertaining than other games as it brought the excitement of an Agni Kai but the calm of a gathering though it was more weekly as every week Roan would have each of his students spar with him to gauge their skills.
Ducking under Azula's blade he took out her feet from underneath her for the umpteenth time as she fell into and against the water. Her black eye mask just narrowly avoiding getting wet by a centimetre as its flame pointed edges just missed the splash.
This week's show—er, spar was between Azula and Roan and it was a fierce one. The conditions of the match were that Azula was not allowed to use Quelaag's Furysword.
So far she held up her part of the deal with that particular sword propping up against the arena's wall near the entrance. To compensate for her usual sword of interest she used a Tachi; a blade of considerable length, longer than a katana and just as curvaceous. Proving she was skilled with not only the Furysword but with a more elegant weapon such as the Tachi she struck against Roan's right forearm, sparking his guard and causing him to tense his muscles to hold his ground. Pushing her off he used her unbalance to charge her.
Seeing this she raised her Tachi, edge facing him as she attempted to block his incoming fire-covered fist. As he closed in she coerced one foot under her to catch herself with her foot extended to dig into the water and earth beneath as a slow crimson liquid dripped down her blade and the kinetic energy passed. A hand grabbed her sword. Shocked eyes all saw blood but only Azula could see. Closer, and still not enough Azula took the brief moment of pause to examine Roan's outstretched hand—her eyes widened and she felt the need to groan.
He grabbed her sword and melted it... again.
"Clever, using your foot to regain your balance. Was a neat little trick but remember," he leaned in closer while his arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her up, "if I can do this, so can others. It should only be a simple matter to do this if the situation calls for it and is desperate enough."
Patting her shoulder his eyes met hers and she could tell he was smiling despite the helmet shadowing his face. Nodding, Azula paced back to her seat electing to leave the Tachi with Roan before placing her Furysword in its sheathe across her back and taking her seat along with the other students.
Pride showed in Roan as his students congratulated Azula for her fight. Most students usually lasted less than five minutes but then most fights should. It was only when Zuko, Azula, Mai or Tylee fought him did it ever span to ten to fifteen minutes if only because he had a tougher time gauging them.
"Class is dismissed. Be up and ready at 8:00 sharp in the arena otherwise I'll add more laps to tomorrow's training!"
Nodding, his students practically radiated fear as he glowered at them before they scurried off. As the last one disappeared from his sight he chuckled. Yes, his life was doing well and since he felt he had something akin to a family he felt... what was the word?
Ah, fulfilled.
Exiting the arena, Roan latched his Uchigatana on his back before strolling down a stretch of dirt road to his students' compound to see a miniaturized village settling around the path. Since it's conception, and since they were settling in the valley another village beyond the mountain's surrounding them helped construct their home, which at the moment was just being completed with the large fortune they erected and resources available to them.
A family waved at him as a man was setting up an easel to paint them in front their new home. It was one of the many families who had chosen to go with them and leave the Fire Nation. So he did what he always did as thanks for their support. He stopped and bowed before continuing, leaving a blushing family to the painter.
They never did get used to that.
After a long walk to his home he removed his shoes before slipping quietly through the halls and into his room to remove his armor, settling them on a stand next to his door. Sighing to himself he stared at the map across his room. Multiple pins stuck in it across the many countries as he took one more and added it to the Fire-Nation.
He sighed.
Rumors stated the light shine from many temples across the Elemental World and right now he didn't know what to do. What needed to be done? He was a stranger to the world. Even after so much time and so far he didn't understand things enough beyond the Fire Nation and he could only ask so much of the villagers without rousing suspicion as across the mountain the villagers all thought the people who were settling around the compound were true to kami Earth kingdom refugee's running from the colonies—except him and Aya.
He shook his head as his frustration skyrocketed. What was he supposed to do?
"May I come in?"
His eyes closed and he tipped his head at the soft voice. "You may."
Turning around he gave a light smile as the beauty came in, uncovered his face by tipping his chin before giving him a firm kiss.
"Don't try hiding from me. It's what's in here that matters," she pointed to his heart, "and not what's on the surface. Remember that, unless you want me to punish you like you do your students? I thought so."
Roan chuckled as he slipped his hands around her waist. "What did you need, Aya? I don't mind you intruding but I have some things to look at."
Her eyes narrowed coyly and he knew all chances of escape were a low chance in hell. "Surely I can't be a distraction, now can I?"
"Maybe, but I need to figure out how to deal with this."
He looked to the ceiling in thought. "You've been living here all your life, right?"
Aya gave him a look and Roan squeezed her closer in a mollifying manner. "You know what I mean."
"Why yes I have lived here all my days and not once have I been able to distract myself from that fact, so! What do you need? Oh dear husband of mine?"
Much to his chagrin she took to calling him husband or sweetheart whenever they were either beyond the mountains in public or when they were in private exactly like now. Rolling his eyes, he shut her up with a kiss.
When he finished she was blinking and blushing with a few hairs out of place. "I need your advice on what I should do about the Avatar. He's been revived and I'm finding myself at a cross-road. Should I go help him or should I just stay here and live my life?"
"That's up to you, love," Roan's eyes widened," you've already gone through so much with your curse and Lordran. What you want to do is up to you but promise me that if you do go you take me with you. I may not be your wife in reality but I do love you."
Her eyes travelled to his chest as she buried her face against him as she tried to make herself small. "I love you so much. From the moment I met you when you first appeared in the gardens at the Fire Nation palace to now I always felt special with you."
She smiled. "Trust me, alright? Anything that happens I'll be there right alongside you."
"Heh, alright."
Perhaps it was his judgement that blinded him or his need to feel Aya next to him but he went to bed early with her by his side for the first time. They didn't make love, nor did they have sex but she rested in his arms. The one thing resting in his head though was what she said. I love you. Something he'd never heard.
Closing his eyes he made a mental note to find a way to reverse his Hollowing whether through kindling a bonfire or stealing it he would get his back.
"Are you ready?" He called.
"Just give me a moment! Are you sure it's supposed to look like this?"
It was the next day and Roan planned to try and rekindle his humanity manually for his ambitions but in order to do so he realized he needed to recreate the bonfire from his home. He didn't have a skeleton to let rot and scorch in the flames nor did he have the proper blade to put in it but maybe he could use his souls to ignite the flame like the bonfire.
"Yeah. Perfect. I just hope it doesn't hurt," he mentioned, offhandedly.
Shoving a long sword straight into the wood, Roan stepped around it gingerly as he observed. He had only invited Aya to do this and with so little room he needed to be careful. His students would stop him. That wasn't speculation, that was fact because meanwhile they looked hardened in some aspects they were completely caring in others and proving his point he need only remember Azula's reaction on the ship.
"Like the LordVessel it requires souls," he stated cryptically.
Aya watched with interest as he held out his hand before he signaled her to light it. Suddenly, the wood just beginning to catch turned to ash and fell revealing bones and a human skull pierced by the blade. Aya's brow arched and her pale skin turned amber against the flame's rising stature. Climbing high the fire began to lick his hand but never to hurt as he kept it just above the hilt of the sword.
"I don't have any humanity to kindle it with and I won't ask you to sacrifice yours but I will need to ask... who in this town would be willing to stay here and tend the fire. Because whoever takes this responsibility will become this bonfire's Fire Keeper and I refuse to have someone who destines themselves things beyond this small world I am thrusting upon them."
"I believe Ursa would be a wise choice. I doubt she wants to travel but..." she sighed and shrugged. "I would be the Fire Keeper but I want to go with you."
"I know."
Lids closed, Roan shuttered as he felt his Dark sign pull to the bonfire slightly as his head started to soften. Close but no cigar. His room was fairly spartan with no more than a desk, a map, his closet and now the bonfire sitting off to the side but even still Aya and he had to watch in case anything caught. Though the fire pit Aya had found was above ground and on three pegs to which they balanced on.
Looking to Aya's bittersweet smile towards the bonfire the grim reality seemed to strike him as he hugged her from behind. A real show of affection he usually never used. But Aya didn't seem to mind as she just lifted a hand to stroke his cheek.
As he spoke, Aya stayed quiet, eyes closed. "The bonfires was believed to have been created by Gwyn, for when he saw the forthcoming dark approach he needed the curse bearers to be near after locking them away failed. He saw the oncoming dark and he tried to find a way for them to be chained. Don't ask me why but we were chained by our signs whenever we were slain."
Aya cringed causing him to smile knowing she cared.
"I think this would work better than dying and I don't think the sign would have me transported back to Lordran since the bonfires are no longer needed nor in use after I reset the cycle." The bonfire crackled and he gazed deep within the flames as they danced sensually in his eyes. "If I die I will be here again. If the bonfire goes out... I don't know. Since the Curse is still on me I will most likely go Hollow but if you kill me and don't reset the fire afterwards I will remain dead."
"But why would you want us to not reset it? Wouldn't it restore you?"
"Not if I've lost hope."
Minutes passed and the silence easily embraced them as if a tranquil song was playing while the crackles and pops of the fire strummed the beat.
Aya's voice sliced the silence and drummed his thoughts awake, "If you die out there I know I will too." She looked down. "If you do die I will cry but I want to give you a reason to come back so no matter what you always have hope." She let her comment hang, "I want you to take a part of my Humanity."
"No!"
"Yes! Take it," she interrupted.
"You've been with us for years and you've made the hard choices no else has been able to make. It isn't fair to you that you're not happy! I know you Roan! You're anything but happy!"
With great effort she grabbed his shoulders and made him look her straight in the eye.
"Yes, you've brought us out of the dark. Yes, you've provided us a home. Yes, you've trained the kids, but where do the others come into play? When will they start doing things for you? It's not fair to you and because of the Avatar coming back I know you're going to go and help them. I just... Damn it Roan! I want you to be happy!"
"I'm happy with you." He nuzzled his face her into neck as she let out her emotions.
He wasn't kidding when he said she stuck by him for years. Hell, she wouldn't leave him until he confronted her directly and asked what she was doing. All he got in return was another kiss and a blushing girl but now that same girl who was barely an adult was now a full grown woman who in that time still found him and wanted to be with him. It wasn't for his past nor his present but for his future.
"Besides, if this works right the only thing I will need to do is steal a few humanity from someone else."
"You sure?" she sniffed.
He nodded. Settling his hand over the hilt of the blade again he had her rest her hand on his as she smiled. Feeling the effects take place and his skin start to return he stopped after a moment when he saw her own start to fade and crumple like his own before.
Eying her calmly he lifted her chin and kissed her. If she could kiss him when he felt like a monster he sure as hell would do the same.
"Wear the cloak over there and don't come out of this room until I'm back. This shouldn't take too long."
She nodded and in an instant with a Crack Red Eye Orb he disappeared.
Later, he returned with four Humanity in hand—blood splashed over him and his sword. He spotted Aya asleep on his mat before he smiled and crushed a humanity against her seeing the effects. Whole human.
Tears dripped from his face again. Here was his chance. Crushing one of three left he felt his breathing become easier and his skin knit together with his vision becoming that much better. He dropped to his knees clutching his hands together feeling for the first time in years his humanity make him feel whole again. Licking his lips he tested for that old chapped flavor of grotesque flesh but found just a smooth supple taste in return.
Two soft, pale hands gently lifted his face before a soft gasp echoed in his room.
Aya's voice started as a whisper but eventually rose as her excitement climbed with every instance, "You did it... You did it, you did it, and you did it!"
Roan chuckled as she kissed him as if for the first time.
"It transported me back to the First Kiln," he explained excitedly, "so it knows where I was last and maybe the Orb helped to anchor me down... I don't know... but it worked!"
Pulling her on top of him he showed her another thing he got on his trip. A little something that would be very helpful. A Homeward Bone.
"This beauty here is a bone fragment reduced to white ash. It's used to travel back to the bonfire and is garnered from the Undead."
Aya grinned clearly impressed as she analysed the object, before her feline face showed her nature as she hopped off pulling him with her.
"C'mon! Let's do this!"
"Sure."
It had taken time and a little patience but Roan stood down the hall for his experiment. Raising the Homeward Bone he kneeled and crushed it in his hand. The typical miracle matrix circled around him before he felt the rush just like in Lordran before he heard Aya's excited voice.
"It worked!"
Turning around, Roan was surprised to see tears searing Aya's cheeks leaving red marks as she hugged him. Maybe this was as important to Aya as it was him. Checking on her again, she refused to let him see her and snuggled in his chest as the sun beamed in his window.
Azula stalked in the arena with Zuko, Mai, and Tylee watching her. Most, if not all the students were thinking the same thing but none more so than Azula as she dreamed of burning their sensei to a crisp. And only one thing got her riled up more than her brother and that was her sensei being late. She would accept a minute late at best but a half hour late?
No way in hell!
Although when said man strolled in with Aya leaning against the wall soon after Azula quickly joined the line of ten students, including the original four. The atmosphere was absolutely pensive.
But something was strange about Roan. Maybe it was the way he walked or how... she narrowed her eyes as she examined Aya closer and observed tear marks behind her. Dispatching Roan a small glare she wondered if he made her cry because if he did she would kill him but then she saw the content look on her face. What was that about?
"Forgive me for being late but I have a surprise for you all and then a fun field trip I will need all of you to get permission from your parents or guardians. If neither of those just ask me," he shrugged.
"Roan!" Azula barked.
Roan laid a hand out and continued, eyes searching the souls of his students, "If you are all wondering why I was late it's because I was able to gain something I'd lost."
Deft hands shot to his cloak's hood revealing not armor nor a disaster of carved meat and singed skin but tanned skin and black hair reaching no more than a few inches off his head. Blue eyes gleamed brightness and ethereal life in them as Roan smiled.
All his student's collectively gasped with Zuko charging first to his surprise followed by an equally shocked Mai and Tylee. Each congratulated him with a hug, some harder than others—Mai's was indefinitely the hardest—however what surprised him was Azula's face as she strode forward last out of all his students she kept the look of bewilderment steadily present.
Delicate hands feathered his cheeks as chestnut colored eyes gingerly explored every contour of his face.
"How?" she asked softly, her usual tone of commanding but an echo.
"It's a long story. I'll tell each of you later after you come back with your yes's or no's," he told them.
Azula frowned at his answer but receded anyways. Her time would come.
"On to the next order of business. Back in line everyone! Good. Now the rumor around town is the Avatar is back."
Against their better judgement some whispered receiving a glare from Roan and Azula.
"What I'm proposing is we use this as a chance to help the Avatar. The world needs him or her and we're going to need to make him as prepared as we can."
Zuko rose his hand. "Yes?"
Settling himself comfortably, Zuko yielded his fears away before he spoke, "Would it even be wise to confront the Avatar? We're Fire Nation refugees and since he's been gone for one-hundred years there's no guarantee he would even want our help."
"Good thinking but not quite. We don't need to use our Fire Bending in this situation and who said we even need to tell him of our affiliation? As for how we could be useful to him?" he shrugged nonchalantly, "bodyguards."
His student's leveled a heavy glare at him.
"What? I think it's a good idea," he pouted, hands on hips. That alone got some reactions out of them as most had never seen him act so light-hearted.
"Sure, sensei, sure," one student said before walking off. "I'm going to ask my parents now."
One by one his students walked out of the arena with one thing in their heads. How to persuade their parents to become bodyguards of the Avatar. One of the guys in particular by the name of Lee smacked his head and groaned.
Roan assigned the most impossible assignments.
Guys, please, leave a review for it is a high to get a review for writers. For those of you who don't write have no idea but for those who do know that wonderful breath-taking moment please just leave something. This site runs off reviews.
Now, here are some stories that are either being written or have already been completed - which isn't many, mind you.
Left in Silence-Naruto/Kurotsuchi-Romance/Adventure (Will only be a few chapters)
Breaking the Cycle-OC/Azula-Romance/Adventure (This one... I don't know how long this will be. We'll see.)
Saving Venom-Naruto/Anko-Romance/Adventure (I don't want to exceed 20-25 chapters, but I will if I have to.)
Dying in Love-Naruto/Tenten-Romance/Tragedy (Completed)
Eve-OC/Little Sister-Romance/Tragedy (Will only be a few chapters long.)
All these stories will be completed at some point, but it's up to you to leave reviews to let me know just how well I am doing as a writer.
See ya.