20 Years Ago...
After the fall of Kuvira and her army, peace had returned to the world. The now destroyed Republic City was not rebuilt, but was expanded outside the ruins and the new spirit portal created from the massive spirit super weapon.
As the years rolled on, technology continued its vast advancements due to Future Industries. These technological advancements gave nonbenders much needed strength to hold their own.
Small conflicts began appearing from time to time, but with Avatar Korra, the conflicts never lasted long to gain any plight. But over the course of the years, tensions rose between benders and nonbenders.
But everything went to hell towards the end of Korra's life. A massive and devastating solar flare from the Sun wreaked havoc all over the world. Benders used their ability to shield themselves from the flare while leaving nonbenders vulnerable to the devastation. Korra and the other air benders did what they could to shield Republic City. Korra, above everyone else, gave it her all to save the city. Ultimately, Korra's life force was completely depleted, ending her life. Casualties in the city were minor, but other nonbender cities and towns around the world suffered major casualties.
This is when the protagonist of story was born. Ronan Takara.
18 Years Ago...
Tensions between benders and nonbenders rose to an all time high. Without the Avatar to help keep the peace, small skirmishes broke out. With technological advancements on the nonbenders side, it gave them a much needed advantage. Most fights were evenly matched, or ended in stale mates. But the conflict gained plight, and armies began forming.
Ronan's village was under an imminant attack from a nonbender army armed with small munition tanks, trebuchets, and single-fire guns. It was a known fact that Ronan Takara was the new Avatar. In order to protect him, Ronan's parents fled with him, but a small team gave chase. The only option available was to take Ronan to the Spirit Realm for protection.
Just as the approached the southern portal, the small force of nonbenders attacked. Ronan's parents were dead before they hit the ground. Ronan fell into the Spirit portal and was transported into the Spirit World. The nonbenders quickly entered in themselves to capture Ronan. As they moved in, the spirits in the vicinity repelled the enemies in protection for the Avatar.
After the remaining soldiers fled back to their world, the spirits cared for Ronan. It was after many days that Iroh stumbled upon Ronan, and took him into his care.
Chapter One: Back Home
Ronan sat alone high on a mountain top, overlooking the tundra during the sunset. It has been three days since he exited back to the human world through the south pole spirit portal. He was only equipped with a small pack, and two spirit infused scimitars. During the eighteen years Ronan was in the Spirit world, the conflict between the benders and nonbenders escalated even farther without the mediation from the Avatar.
It was weird to be back home for him. His home world that is. The town he was born in was completely ravaged. The air around him was cold. He used his chi energy to keep himself warm. He scanned the horizon, enjoying the scenery. But something caught his attention in the distance. Thick black smoke, and echoes from explosions. He simply sighed as he stood up.
"I best get going. Something's going on."
And with that, he took off running at a high speed towards the scene.
When he was halfway there, the booming in the distance ceased. Whatever happened had to have ended. He ran harder.
As he neared, Ronan saw a small village on fire. The wooden homes engulfed in flames, surrounded by many men and metal vehicles. All the men were armed with single fire weapons, perfect for long ranged encounters. They spotted Ronan and ordered him to stop where he was. He complied. Three men equipped with platinum body armor approached him. The letters "NBSF" were labeled on their chest plates.
They examined Ronan, not knowing who he is, and took notice of his scimitars.
"Good, you're not a bender." The one soldier said.
"Thought we were going to have a problem here, heh." The second soldier said.
"Where did you come from?" The third asked. "Are you from here?"
Ronan analyzed the situation. "No, I come from a village, er, about five miles that way." He said, pointing back where he came from. "I heard the commotion and ran here to see what was going on."
"Well, what do you think boy? This is a water bending village. We came to eliminate and capture the remaining survivors."
Ronan was taken aback. "But why?"
"Why?! Haha! Your village must be cut off from the rest of the world."
The one soldier started staring intently on Ronan. "Our map says this is the only village here for at least 30 miles. And with you being a nonbender, it should be of no surprise for you that we have been eliminating benders from all over the world." He paused. "I'm not sure if I caught your name. What was your name again?"
"... My name is-"
Before Ronan finished his sentence, he heard a scream come from inside the village.
"We found another one!" Someone shouted. Out of the smoke came two guards dragging a small girl out. She couldn't have been more than seven years old. "What do you want us to do with her? She bended water at us."
A man wearing ceremonial armor stepped out of one of the vehicles. He walked up to her, still in the two soldiers grip. He grabbed her by the chin and lifted her face to look her in the eyes. He pushed her long black to hair to the side, revealing a black eye.
After a brief moment of silence, "Kill her."
"With pleasure." The soldier at her right side said with glee. He held out his knife, ready to attack.
Ronan had fire in eyes. Without hesitation, he bended a strong blast of air, launching the solider through the wall of a burning building.
"Kill them! Quickly!" The officer shouted. "Kill them!"
The second solider at the girls' side readied to attack her, but he met the same resistance from Ronan as the other guard and went flying into the village. The three soldiers near Ronan slashed their swords at him. He quickly wielded his scimitars and deflected the blows. He took a deep breath and sent energy into the swords, engulfing the sword in flames.
"It's the Avatar!" Many men yelled.
Ronan slashed back, sending a wave of fire into the group of soldiers, knocking them down into the snow. He wasted no time to rush to the girls' side to defend her. Dozens of soldiers rush at them. Ronan quickly formed a giant wall of ice and shot it at the score of men, sending them all flying. The officer had his gun readied and aimed at Ronan. He shot and before the bullet reached its mark, Ronan sent a giant block of ice in its path then sent it flying at the officer. He quickly dove out of the way and the block of ice smashed the vehicle to pieces.
Ronan turned and picked the girl up in his arms. "Hold on tight, were are getting out of here and fast." The girl looked at him teary eyed and nodded her head. He ran back into the village in the cover of the smoke. He ran past the soldiers he attacked as they recovered from the blows. Then he saw the bodies of the inhabitants of the village and its attackers, lying dead in the snow. The girl screamed out, pointing. Ronan looked over and saw a woman leaning up again a wall, still alive. He ran to her side and the girl jumped down.
"Mother! Please, we have to go!' She cried out. "Please!"
The woman clutched at her abdomen, blood running down, tainting the snow. "I'm sorry... Aki..." She said in a weakened manor. She extended an arm and brushed the girls' cheek. "Please, run away, far away from here." She winced at the pain. She turned her head to Ronan. "Please... Please, I beg of you, take care of her." A tear ran down her face. The girl continued to cry out, hugging her mother. The shouts from the soldiers began to flood the village though the smoke.
"I'll take care of her. You have my word, ma'am." Ronan said.
"..T-Thank.. Y-you..." She said softly. Her eyes closed and her head slumped down. Aki cried out, louder, realizing her mother is now gone.
"I hear them! Over here!"
Ronan turned and could see the soldiers through the smoke. He quickly picked the girl up and ran. She still cried out for her mother.
Ronan was only back in the human world for a few days, and he's already seen more than what he wanted to.
Ronan gained much distance from the nonbender army. He had a fire going to keep Aki warm. She sat on the opposite side, silent, snuggled in a blanket. He tried talking to her, asking questions, but she would not answer. She's still in shock from the loss of her mother.
"Y'know, I kinda know what you are feeling." Ronan sighed. "I lost my parents when I was young. I never got to know them though." She slowly shifted her eyes at him. "I only ever got to live because they manage to get me to the spirit world before they got murdered. I've been their since up until three days ago."
The only sound in the air was the crackling from the fire. Ronan took out a map from his pack. It was outdated by eighteen years since it was his parents' map.
"There should be another town about an hour from here to the North. Are you okay to go, or do you want to wait?"
Aki looked back towards where her village is at, now probably burnt to ashes. She turned back to Ronan and nodded.
Ronan stood up and walked over to her, and he held out his hand. She slowly grabbed his hand, and he picked her up. He looked at her black eye.
"Before we go," he said, "Let's take care of that." He took out a flask from his pack. "I got some water from the spirit world. It has great healing powers." He placed some of the spirit water around her eyes with his fingers and it began to glow. Her bruise around her right eye was gone. "There we go. Good as new." He knelt down. "Come on, I'll piggy back you there." She complied and slowly climbed onto his back. He stood back up and began running towards the town.