Chapter Four: Refugees

Ronan and Jade slowed down from a run to a walk. Ronan was fine, but Jade was exhausted. They ran a total of ten miles from the wreckage of the bandit attack. They have not spoken a single word since. Both Ronan and Aki could tell she was frustrated at the loss of her caravan. Ronan was curious as to how much farther they needed to travel to reach Republic City, but he figures that it's better to not talk to her until she cools down.

"I can walk now." Aki said, breaking the silence. Ronan nodded and knelt down to let her jump down. They walked beside each other while Jade led the way. Ronan reached into his pack and pulled out two apples. He handed one of Aki who happily accepted it.

The sun beat down, sunlight shining through the trees. It surely beat the cold brisk air from the south. The peacefulness of the atmosphere made it seem impossible to think that the world is practically fighting each other over power. It just seemed trivial to him.

After a few more minutes of walking, Ronan sensed something through the ground. "Stop." He said.

Jade stopped and turned around. "What?"

"We're not alone."

Aki looked at him panickly. He could sense that there were six people hiding on both sides of the road. But, they seemed too small to be attackers. The attackers jumped out of their hiding spots and surrounded the trio. It was revealed to them that they were just kids. No older than fourteen.

"Give us all your stuff," the one kid said, wielding a rusty iron sword, "Now!"

Ronan covered Aki. "I think it would be wise if you were the ones to back down." he said calmly.

The kids didn't care to moved forward to attack. Before they managed to get three steps, Ronan formed a vortex of air, and sent the kids flying backwards. They immediately got back on their feet and lunged forward again. Ronan proceeded to do the same thing again to them. They still got back up to attack. Ronan now quickly formed a giant earth cubicle around themselves, keeping the kids stuck on the outside.

Before Ronan could say anything, he heard the kids whispering back to each other on the other side.

"Wait... Did that guy just air bend and earth bend?"

"I think so, yeah"

"Me too."

"Could he be the Avatar that our parents told us about?"

"No way... Could he?"

"I think so!"

"Maybe he can help us?"

Ronan and Jade looked at each other. He smirked.

"We just attacked him! There's no way he'd help us now..."

"Maybe he'll understand."

Ronan bended the earth wall back down. "So, I heard you guys need some help. But with what exactly?"

"It's our camp," the eldest of the kids said, "We have sick and injured."

"Not only that," another kid jumped in, "Bandits have been out in force."

Ronan and Jade looked back at each other again. She shrugged.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to check it out, and to see if this isn't some sort of trap." Ronan said, looking at the kids with a sly smile.

"It's not a trap! We promise! We need help!"

"Alright, alright. Which way is it?"

The kids led the way through a dense forest path about half a mile. They entered an open area surrounded by the forest. The open area was full of canvas tents and small earth buildings. Rough looking people roam around, helping each other out with their troubles. One of the younger kids tugged Ronan towards one of the earth structures. Inside were a few people who seemed to be better off than the others outside.

"Who is this?" the elderly man asked.

"This is the Avatar!" the child said with energy.

"Ha, that's preposterous!" the man laughed.

Ronan sighed and dropped his head. He looked back up. On one hand, he held a flame, the other, he had a rock spinning in circles. The man damn near had a heart attack.

"It really is you," one of the other gentlemen said.

"These kids asked if I could help out. Here I am."

"Hmm," the elderly man said, "What can you do? Not to sound rude, but you have been on a hiatus for two decades."

"I can fight, I have some healing experience with water bending, and so on," Ronan listed, sounding modest.

"Alright then, follow me, if you will," the last man said.

Everyone walked out except the other two men. They followed the man, who introduced himself as Ruko, towards a long earth structure.

"This building up ahead is where we keep our sick and injured. Hopefully you can help," the Ruko stated.

"So, has the world always been this messed up since I've been gone?" Ronan asked.

"Not until about six months ago. Things were quiet, then the Non-Bender Army started to increase their attacks again." Ronan glanced towards Aki with a grimace. The Ruko continued. "Everyone here came from a few villages in the surrounding area. The army attacked us, then the bandits pretty much finished off what we had left. We recently got attacked by them, but we managed to fight them back." As he finished that statement, they entered the building.

There was well over a couple dozen of people lying in their own sections on slabs of earth. A few people were using the healing ability of water to tend to the sick. One of them waved towards the Ruko to come over. Every followed over. They walked up to each other.

"I don't think he's going to make it," the healer whispered. The Ruko grimaced.

"What's wrong?" Ronan asked.

"In the last attack, he got shot in the gut. The bullet is still in him, and we can't reach it."

Ronan looked towards the man who was in obvious pain. He walked up to him, and placed his hand on his stomach. He focused, looking, feeling for the bullet.

"I sense where it is at, but it is deep." He heard them sigh in grief. "But, I think I can get it."

Both men ran over. "What?"

"I seriously think I can get it out, but it's not going to be pretty."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that I have to carefully pull it out, and that it is going to hurt."

"Do you need us to do anything?"

"Yes, restrain him." He turned to Jade. "Please take Aki outside, will you?" She nodded, and took Aki by the hand and walked outside. Ronan grabbed a rag and held it to the patient's mouth. "Here, bite on this." The man complied, and bit hard on it from the pain alone.

The other people in the room held the man's limbs down onto the slab as Ronan prepped. He pulled out his flask of spirit water, and bended a small amount out. He breathed deeply, then exhaled. He placed the water onto the man wound, and worked it in. The man was already wincing in pain. The water worked its way down through the bullet's path. Ronan placed the water around the bullet.

"Alright, I have it. Sir... This is going to hurt, okay?" The man nodded as he closed his eyes, waiting.

Ronan's free hand found the metal bullet in the man's gut, and grabbed a hold of it. Slowly, he pulled both the spirit water and bullet back through the projectile path. The man spasmed harshly. Everyone used their full weight to restrain him. Little by little, Ronan pulled the bullet surrounded by the water. After an antagonizing minute, the bullet exited the man's body. By this point, the man passed out from the pain.

"There," Ronan exhaled, "It's out."

"What was the water for?" Ruko asked.

"It was to help make the retrieval of the bullet less painful. Plus, as I worked it out, I managed to heal most of the wound. So, after he wakes up, he should be feeling a helluva lot better."

"That's impressive. Can you help us heal the others?"

"Yeah, in a second." Ronan walked outside to see Jade standing just outside the door while Aki played with the other children.

"What the hell did you do in there?" Jade asked. "It sounded as if you killed the guy."

"Heh. I did get it out though. He honestly should make a full recovery." He put his hands in his pockets and breathed heavily. "I've only been back here for less than a week, and it seems like this world is a wreck."

"You kinda get used to it after awhile. Although it's starting to get worrisome again if the enemies are back out attacking."

"Well, hopefully once we get to Republic City we can get something in motion to put an end to it."

"Yeah, I hope so too."

"I'm going to be in there for awhile helping out. You okay out here?"

She shrugged. "I got nothing else better to do."

"I'd like to get back on the road after I help get these people back on their feet."

She nodded as he headed back in. Aki noticed him go back inside. She broke off from the group of kids and slowly walked in. She saw Ronan standing over a sick man, moving his arms back and forth in a smooth motion, water absorbing into the man's body. The water began to give off a faint glow. She walked up to him.

"Is this the healing ability of water?" she asked.

"Yeah. Same as when I healed your black eye a few days ago. You never saw this ability before?"

She shook her head. "No, not that I can remember. I guess we just never needed it really."

Aki continued to watch Ronan heal the people. Little by little, everyone was regaining their strength. She was amazed that she never knew that such an ability existed. She only knew that people could control it.

"I think I've done just about as much as I can." he said wiping the sweat from his forehead. "You all should be up on feet hopefully tomorrow morning."

"Ronan," Aki said, "Can you teach me how to heal?"

"Yeah, of course. Should've asked me earlier while I was doing it. But at least you see what the process is I guess."

Suddenly, there was a yell outside. "Bandits!"

"Shit. Aki, stay in here and watch over these people okay?"

She nodded her head while Ronan ran out. There were three of those land vehicles he encountered earlier circling the encampment. Bandits were walking out of the forest, weapons drawn. There had to be at least twenty of them. Jade was no where to be found.

"Alright you scum," the one bandit yelled out, "Drop your weapons, hands behind your heads, and group up in the center!"

Ronan knew he couldn't fight them now without the refugees taking casualties. He complied. He went over to the forming group of refugees in the center. In the corner of his eyes he saw Jade at the tree line grab a bandit, and dragged him in the forest. She wasn't going to give in. And she definitely wasn't going to run. Either she wants payback for her caravan, or she just wants to help. Either way was fine. By the time he got on his knees, Jade nabbed another bandit standing at the tree line, unnoticed by the other bandits. Two were already down, increasing the odds. Before she could grab another, they walked more towards the center.

Ronan leaned towards Ruko and whispered, "How many experienced benders or fighters do you have that is able to fight?"

"Not many. Most are in the medical building."

"Jade is out there, ready to fight. She already silenced two of their men. We can't just submit to these assholes."

"Well, whatever course of action you take, I'll follow."

"Okay then. On my mark, attack. Spread the word, and don't be conspicuous."

Slowly, the word got around without the bandits taking notice. There were too preoccupied with the refugees personal belongings.

"On my mark..."

Before Ronan could say to start to attack, the refugees from the medical building came running out, mid attack, catching all the bandits off guard.

"Attack!"

The refugees and bandits began to entangle. A fraction of the bandits were already off their feet before they could make a move. Ronan formed a spire of earth under one of the vehicles, launching it high into the sky, far away from the encampment. Another refugee who could earthbend followed suit, and launched the second one away. A bandit came to slash Ronan from behind. He quickly turned and bent back and missed the attack. He grabbed the man's arm, and fought for the weapon. Ronan headbutted the bandit onto the ground, then proceeded to curb stomp his head into the ground.

The last vehicle turned and face Ronan, going full speed. Ronan turned to it too, standing his ground. He began to focus, and to him, it seemed as if time had slowed down. He extended his arms outward, hands together. As the vehicle neared, Ronan split his hands from each other. The whole metal frame of the vehicle split into two. As both halves of the vehicle went past Ronan, the bandit operating it was flying at Ronan. Ronan wound up his fist, and as the man neared, he punched the guy straight in the face. He went spinning far back into the forest.

Ronan exhaled as he began to feel the pain in his fist. "Jeez, that hurts. Maybe I'll pull my punch next time. Shit!"

He looked around himself. All the bandits seemed to be either injured, or dead, with no casualties for the refugees. Just as the celebrated, there was a scream. It was Aki!

Ronan turned turned towards the scream. A bandit had Aki with a knife against her throat.

"Stay back!" he yelled, backing up towards the forest. "Stay back, or I'll kill her!"

"You are making a huge mistake here pal," Ronan said morbidly, "Just let her go, and I'll allow you to leave. There is no more struggle here."

The man stayed silent. When Ronan took a small step forward, the man yelled. "Stop! I'll fucking kill her! I swear!"

Quickly and unheard, Jade came from behind. She hit the man's arm wielding the knife away from Aki, and pushed him away. As he stumbled, Ronan shot forward, and grabbed the man by the neck. He kicked his legs out from under him, and choke slammed him onto the ground. Ronan couldn't even speak because he was so mad. He took his free fist, and plowed it into the man's temple, either knocking him out cold, or killing him.

Ronan let out a breath, and look up to the sky as he stood back up. He turned back to Aki, who was shaken up. He walked up to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"...Y-Yes. I told the people that bandits were outside, and had everyone piled up. T-They all got up, and they agreed that now they are better, they need to go out and fight. Before I knew it, a man got hit inside a grabbed me."

"I'm just glad you are safe." He looked her in the eyes. "Okay?"

She nodded. Ronan stood back up, and put his hand on Jade's shoulder. He nodded to her. Even though he didn't say anything, she knew that he was extremely grateful that she stepped in. She nodded back.

Ruko walked up to them. "I'm glad you were here. You've helped out tremendously."

"Well, you know," Ronan said, "I would hope that there are others who would do the same thing if there were in our shoes."

"Is there anything that we can do for you?"

"Yeah. We should probably stay here for the night, rest up, maybe get a meal, then leave in the morning."

"Absolutely." he said with a smile, shaking Ronan's hands.

And that night, they got to rest up, and eat. They converse with everyone, get to know each other. All the refugees that were injured or ill thanked Ronan for the healing.

In the early hours of the morning, the trio set off again to Republic City.