Author's note: Finally, sorry this took so long and I really have no excuse. I just lost my will to write for a bit because this has a lot of things going on and it's hard to maintain focus for so long. Not only that but things I plan for the story tends to change as I write so because of that, I need to take breaks to rethink the scenarios and how it would go. But I've finally done it! Hurray!
VHS vs Betamax: Thank you! :D I'm so glad that it's received that way because I tried really hard to make their reactions realistic. Thank you for reviewing and I'm so glad you're liking it so far :) Wan is a girl but I'm sure you would have noticed that by now.
True Thinker: Yeah, Wan is the name of the first Avatar. It's actually funny because I actually gave Wan her name like around 2 weeks before Avatar Wan is revealed! Imagine my delight and horror when Avatar Wan appeared! Haha! I actually wanted to change Wan's name after that but I was so set on it and it fits so well that I end up not being able to think of a new name for her. So in the end, I kept her as Wan.
bucketbot: Thank you very much! I'm glad you pointed it out to me and I do try to fix them but sometimes they fly over my head either because I missed it or because my grammar isn't good enough. And I'm also glad you like the details! That's want I really want to do! Built relationships between them and for that, I need to slowly go through the canon materials. But I'll also be adding tiny arcs of my own so it's going to make this story very, very, very long. I also don't want to go too slow or else everyone would get bored.
This chapter is actually an example of going too slow. This arc has gone long enough so I'm kind of squeezing a lot of things in here so the story can get a move on.
Kyoshi warriors leap from the roof top to start the battle with a sneak attack, kicking the Fire Nation soldiers off their komodo rhinos to even the playing field. Zuko is caught off guard but quickly pushes the surprise aside. He focus purely on the Avatar before sending a series of fire punches.
Being just behind Aang, I can only raise my hands in front of me instinctively while Aang does some actual defence by deflecting the attack to the side.
"Wan, run!" Aang whispers to me while keeping his eyes on Zuko, refusing to give the enemy an opening.
I hesitate at first but my common sense reminds me that I'm useless on the battle field. If I stay, I'll just get in the way.
And Aang knows it too.
I turn to run away from the heating battle, growing hotter as fire starts to fly and setting houses on fire. Kyoshi warriors passes by as they run towards battle with a hard face and fans brandished. I pay them as much attention as they do for me, which is none at all. I'm so focus on not getting in anyone's way that I didn't notice Sokka passing by until he turns and grab my arm.
"Where's Katara?" Sokka asks, still in full Kyoshi uniform.
"I don't know! The last time I saw her was when she was practising her waterbending back in our room. I don't know where she is now." I rush the words as quickly as I can out of my mouth. There is a smell of smoke becoming stronger as the colour of fire peaks at the corner of my eye.
"Here, take Momo. He'll guide you to Katara. Then get Appa and stay close to him." He says and emphasize his next few words,"Make sure my sister is safe."
"Okay."I say eventually after I numbly nod my head.
Once Sokka receives my reassurance, he dashes off into battle. Momo turns and wait for me to tell him what to do. Even just by looking into Momo's big eyes, I can feel that he knows that we're in danger and it's not the time to fool around.
"Find Katara." I order and Momo obeys audibly before flying off my shoulder.
I quickly run after the flying lemur, trying to keep up with him. The longer I run, the less I feel like my back is burning form the intense heat from the battle behind.
Since Kyoshi's village is small, it isn't long before I can see furs of white and blue. Before I can even call out her name, she has already turn her eyes to me as if she sense me.
"We need to find Appa." I pass the message once I stand in front of her. At the corner of my eye, I see a movement so I turn. I see the same group of girls huddling together inside the hut but some of them are not here. All trying their hardest not to tremble but failing while looking at us like we're the only people they can trust to protect them right now.
"I can't. I need to get people from the burning houses." Katara says as she gestures to the fire that is slowly growing more visible. Just when I think I have ran away from the heat, the heat gives chase.
Adults and children running from the fire, holding each other tightly while others try to hide from the Fire Nation soldiers. Kyoshi warriors fighting 2 to 3 soldiers for each warriors, barely holding them back and protecting the villagers. No one is bleeding a shed of blood. If this goes on, the village will burn to the ground before their energies will.
"Fine. We'll do a quick run to check then we'll get Appa. With a Flying Bison that can airbend, we should be able to contain the fire. Be quick." I suggest and Katara agrees with no complaints.
"Momo, stay with Katara and keep her safe." I tell Momo as I point to Katara for Momo to fly to.
"What? Why should Momo protect me? What can he do?" Katara questions as Momo lands on her shoulders. She flinches away as she tries to reject him but Momo lands without a problem.
"Don't know. Your brother told me to make sure you're safe. Since I can't do it, Momo will do it for me." I yell out to her over my shoulder as I already make my dash to do my check.
I just hope I'll get lucky and encounter no one.
After just a few minutes, I'm just a little past halfway done. I've been checking every corner, every alley, every hiding spot to make sure no one is near the fire. And thank the stars that there are none. I think I've seen Aang gliding above but I pay to mind to it, thinking he's just avoiding fire benders. I'm silently grateful though since him being in the air makes it easier for me to sneak around the soldiers. The enemy are more than halfway into the village and the houses behind them are more than halfway burnt to the ground.
I almost didn't bother searching those houses since it's impossible for anyone to be inside a house at that state. There's also that unfamiliar stench in the air. I would really like to get away from here as soon as possible.
But I still search the houses anyway. If I don't, I would feel like I'm slacking and could potentially put someone's life in danger. I will just do a quick scan. Being out here all alone is making me very uneasy and paranoid that an enemy would just pop up from a corner.
"Eh...?" I breathe out as my eyes barely catches a colour that strays from the usual colour range of fire.
I quickly stomp my feet onto the ground and swerve my body towards the burning house where part of it has already collapsed.
"Hey!"I hiss from the house's entrance. "Don't just stand there! Move!"
I check my surrounding to see if any of the enemy heard me. Hearing nothing but silence gives me relief and discomfort.
The person inside the house isn't moving. He or she, wearing thick green clothes, is just sitting there. The front half of the body is behind a wall so I can only see a slouched back and feet. The inside heat causes everything I see to waver, making me wonder if the wavering heat is just making me believe that there's a person inside instead of something else.
But can I really just leave a person in there? It's strange that the stranger is just sitting there but it's not like I can just turn around after seeing this.
Seeing as calling out doesn't work and I don't want to risk the enemy hearing me if I am to try louder, I grimace at the only possibility willing to reveal itself to me. I press one of my sleeves against the bottom half of my face to filter off the smoke and that horrid stench that smells even stronger before entering the house. I stumble deeper inside as the heat makes it difficult to breath. I fall into temptation and remove my sleeve from my face, thinking that I would be able breath better but I am wrong. I end up in a coughing fit so I quickly return my sleeve onto my mouth and nose.
I have reach within arm's distance to the stranger. I can identify him as a boy from getting a closer look of his features from the back half of his body. The front half is still being blocked by that dumb wall.
"Come on! The house is burning! We need to go!" I growl irritably as sweat starts to pour out of my skin. I prefer the cold so heat is something I do not like to be near with.
Yet, the boy still remains in place. He's sweating so much that it's making is skin shimmer, making his breathing motion obvious. It frustrates me greatly that he is just sitting there despite being alive! For goodness sake, we're in a burning house!
Finally losing my patience, I stomp closer and lean forward to grab the back of his clothes to drag him out by force but I end up seeing something I wish I hadn't. The arm that I have reached out to grab him have fallen limp from my shock. So did the arm holding my sleeve to my face, allowing the stench to hit me with its full strength but I barely pay any attention to it. He and I just remain frozen as we stare at the process of a burning man.
The debris from the fallen part of the house have fallen onto the dead man. Burying his body and burning his clothes and flesh. The only part that is not buried in wood is the head and the right arm but the head is impaled by a broken beam. I can see part of the wooden beam through his mouth that is frozen in mid-scream. The spiked beam must have broken first, most likely when the debris fell, to create a sharp edge but only fell down later by being burned off the ceiling.
I think this is what happened because the fingernails of his right hand have been ripped off. I can count all five of them embedded into the wooden floor with the accompaniment of scratches and lines of blood. He had been trying to claw his way out so desperately that his fingernails tore off but still continued to claw his way out in futile with bloody fingers. The flesh of his arm is melting off as it burns, making me feel like I have seen this before.
Blood is still flowing out of his head. It's been pooling and soaking into the clothes of the petrified boy. The bottom of his clothes are so bloody that he must have been frozen here in shock for a long time because the blood is starting to pool at my shoes. His clothes that are touching the floor have absorbed to it's fullest capacity so the blood is flowing past him. Towards me.
The smell of burning flesh and hair continues tug at my sanity as I can feel my own innocence spiralling into an abyss at such a disorienting pace.
His eyes are still open, fresh, and green. The lively fire around us, actively burning with so much spirit, makes his eyes look alive. If I focus purely on his eyes, I wouldn't be able to tell that he is dead.
So I stand there waiting in a trance.
Waiting for him to just move.
Move his red and black arm to continue to claw for freedom.
Wriggle his body out of the burning debris.
Stand up.
And walk towards us to create some sort of interaction.
I'm waiting.
The only thing in my mind is this scene right here. The man, the boy, and I. I have forgotten about the world outside the house's entrance that I had stepped through just a while ago.
The building continues to crumble and creaks out a warning of its weakening state. But neither the boy nor I give a reaction of acknowledgement.
"Hey!"
...
"Get out of there!"
Ah...
"You're going to die!"
"Ah!" I snap my eyes to the house's entrance to find a Kyoshi warrior outside the entrance.
The entrance look smaller than usual and it's because the entrance is crooked, threatening to collapse in a few seconds as it is slowly being engulfed with fire.
I snap my attention to the boy but he is still frozen. Instead of trying to get his attention, I grab his sleeves to start dragging him out but the moment I put some force onto my feet, I slip and fall with a loud thud.
The force of my fall resonates throughout the entire house, the ceiling creaks as it sinks.
"Eh?" The boy suddenly makes a surprised noise when he feels himself falling backwards, hitting the ground with a splash and soaking him further with blood.
He only needs a second for his brain to catch up onto the current time, to take in the burning ceiling that is ready to take another life.
"Oh, fuck me..."He quickly stand while trying to maintain balance on the slippery floor.
The Kyoshi warrior watches from the entrance, pulling her hair with great distress as she watch us waddle to the entrance at a painstakingly slow pace. She reaches her hands past the entrance but refuses to set foot inside the house. The boy, who is actually older and taller than me, is having more trouble than me because he's the reason he could accidentally slip himself with all the blood dripping off of him.
I'm just sliding my feet to the entrance and am holding the boy's hand to give him support.
On one hand I hold the boy's hand and the other I reach out to the Kyoshi warrior. Burning pieces of wood rains down as the house can no longer support itself. The moment I hear the beams snap, I shut my eyes and say my quick goodbyes.
But the Kyoshi warrior is not letting anyone die when they are right in front of her with their fingers barely brushing against each other.
At the last second, she takes a big, brave step forward into the house and grabs my waist with one arm and stretches out her other hand to grab the boy's sleeve.
And pulls with the cumulative strength from all her years of dedicated training.
We fall onto the ground just as the house fully collapse on itself. None of us even so much as twitch, hardly believing that we have just barely survived a horrible death of being burned alive just by the skin of our teeth.
"Are you okay?" The Kyoshi Warrior asks once she finally gathers herself. She stands straight and outstretch her hands for us.
"Yeah..." I answer and grab her hands, allowing her to pull me up.
Silence follow after my answer, making me turn curiously to whom I have been expecting to answer from. Unfortunately, his eyes remain glued to the remains of his home and the final resting place of his father. The Kyoshi warrior gives a gentle tap on his shoulders to draw his attention, hoping to distract him. He turns with glistening eyes, his face seems to be frozen in shock at the death of his father as he continues to look up at the warrior in silence. Her strong stance that looms a protective shadow over the boy give a comfort that he needs. I watch at how amazing it is that just by standing tall can it give a sense of being protected to those under than blanket of the comforting shadow.
Slowly, the boy's shoulder looses its tension and his face relaxes.
"Thank you very much, Uma." The boy answers as he gets up on his own. I am confused by his refusal of Uma's assistance but it becomes obvious why when he shows his hands to us. They're completely soaked red.
"Right, you," Uma looks to me. "Should head back. You're friends have been looking for you. You," She looks to the boy. "Need to go to the chief's house. Don't go into the refuge house because you are definitely gonna scare the children. Do it quick, Ayasa."
"Right." Ayasa complies before turning around to run off.
"Let's go." Uma signals and all of us begin our running pace.
"Hold it!" A stray voice roars aggressively.
Uma turns around with lightning reflexes and opens her fan. She swipes it to slap a fireball aimed at her back away to the side. I stare in awe as she shifts into battle position.
"Ayasa!" Uma gives out a silent order just by calling out Ayasa's name.
"Right." Ayasa grabs my arm and makes a run for it.
"Hey, what about her!?" I exclaim as I stubbornly root myself to the earth, my hand trying to push off Ayasa's grip by using the blood to slip him off.
Ayasa scowls at the fact that he is indeed having trouble in moving a girl smaller and younger than him. Uma dashes off to the lone Fire Nation Soldier, closing the distance between them while defending herself from the fire attacks with confidence in every move she makes.
"Don't be stubborn! She's a Kyoshi Warrior! She can handle herself just fine so don't get in her way!" Ayasa scolds as he starts to use both his hands, smudging blood all over the top of part of my sleeve.
I turn around to watch the two experience fighter play a game of dodge and misses. A dance with the purpose to end the life of the other partner with only one to take the victorious bow. I continue to stare at the two of them, wondering why do they look so young and yet fight like they have lived a long life to fight like it's second nature.
Ayasa tugs my arm and I allow him to pull me away.
I turn away and run, putting all of my faith that Uma will survive.
But my prayers did not sit well with me because that means the Fire Nation Soldier would probably have to die.
Is it okay to pray like this?
"I'm going that way." I notify as I point to the direction of the hut the last time I saw Katara.
"Okay. Thanks...for helping me." Ayasa mumbles as his eyes subconsciously twitch to the direction of where his house would be.
I didn't know what to say. I have no words for comfort.
We give each other nods of goodbye and run in different direction.
But I freeze after I take a first step of my run.
Because I see something at the corner of my eye.
So I turn my eyes to the back of Ayasa.
And I see the same body of the burnt man latching himself onto Ayasa's back. Burnt fingers digging itself into the bloody fabric and yet there's no evidence of wrinkles that follows the grip.
I blink my eyes in fearful disbelief.
The burnt man has disappeared.
And Ayasa disappears from my line of sight.
My knees are shaking from the possibility that the burnt man had moved and was following us the whole time. I shake my head furiously, whipping the idea out of my head for it is too ridiculous to be true. He's dead. And I'm just seeing things.
I take in deep, calming breaths before I move to make a run.
Until I hear a wail of pain following the horrifyingly familiar sound of a building's failure to stay standing.
"Uma?" I wonder out loud as I turn my body to the direction of the noise. I remain silent, indecisive in what I should do next? Putting blind faith in Uma and run away, praying that she would be fine or do I risk my life by checking?
I turn away and run.
"I'm just a little girl. I can't even save a person from a burning house. Can't fight at all. It's not like I can do anything!" I seethe the words to myself, disappointed at my uselessness. "Maybe this whole journey thing is a mistake."
Each step I take that grows the distance, grows the guilt inside of me to be stronger and heavier. Eventually, it grows too heavy for me to run away anymore. I slow my pace into a halt. I clench my fist and grit my teeth to prevent fear from breaking me down. I still have my morals. And I refuse to let another one die in a fire.
I turn and run back, in the fastest speed that I can muster to cover the distance I have mistakenly made.
And there he is, the Fire nation soldier with his spear raised in the air, glowing menacingly with the help of cruel luminous fire. Uma lies on the floor, face down accepting defeat.
"Raagh!" I belt out as I run my shoulder deep into the side of the soldier, fully using the use of my running momentum to knock him off his feet. To push him further, I shoot my arms out and unexpectedly push him flying into the dirt a few feet away.
I didn't have the luxury to be shock, since I need to check on Uma.
I turn and what I see makes me vomit in my mouth.
Uma is buried under the debris of wood. The only body part that isn't buried are her head and right arm. She isn't seriously injured though. Just buried. Uma looks up at me, watching my body tremble as my throat gulps my vomit back down to where it belongs. I look into her green eyes and it sends me back into the past of a few minutes ago.
The shock, the burning, the shell-shocking numbness comes flashing back to me along with the scarring image of the burning man starring back at me with the same, lively green eyes.
But the trance is broken when Uma's eyes snap to the side fiercely.
"Watch out!" Uma screams but I am to slow to react as I'm still recovering from the flashback.
By the time I begin to turn my head, I start to feel the burning sensation on my back. I cry in agony at the first burn of my life shocking pain all over my body.
I desperately pat my back but it stings every time at every pat, pushing my burning shirt deeper to me scalding skin. As patting isn't working, I start to swipe at the fire, trying to wipe the fires off my back and in one swift motion from both of my hands, the fire flies off my back and disappears on the ground.
I pant shallow breaths but I could not recover before I'm forced to be vigilant.
"Run! You can't fight!" Uma's voice reminds me that I'm in a middle of a fight now. She struggles to remove the burning debris off of her but isn't strong enough. She's stuck and she's going to be burned to death in time if she can't get out.
I can't bring myself to speak. To tell her that if I run, she dies. That I don't want to just let somebody die without trying. My body feels numb as my mind is overdosed with rushing adrenaline. My eyes focus purely on the Fire Nation soldier charging at me with his spear.
It's strange how my mind is so numb that I can't panic.
The enemy thrusts his spear and I dodge, letting the spear pierce the air under my left arm. I then grab hold the spear with both of my hands and refuse to budge. He tries to pull back his weapon but finds himself struggling. It takes him a while to accept the fact that the reason he can't move his spear is not because he isn't strong enough but because the little girl in front of him wont let him.
No matter how much he pulls, push or try to swing, I rebel in allowing him to do what he wants. He grows tired of this and shoots fire at me from a kick.
I dodge by moving the spear above me to I can go under and dodge the fire while keeping my grip. The enemy takes this chance to try and pull him weapon back I keep my hold, starting this mini tug-o-war game. The enemy shoots fire once again from his feet. I try to dodge but my ungraceful dodging causes me to let go of the spear to dodge the final fire.
He successfully reclaims him weapon and takes a few steps back, forming a new battle plan in his head. All I can do is just stand here and be ready for anything.
Then he makes his move.
He does a spin to build momentum, swinging his spear with all his might. I dodge by ducking but he sends a stream of fire from his hand that have release its hold of the spear while the other hand keeps the spear spinning.
I jump back to narrowly dodge the fire and quickly land on all fours to dodge the swinging spear.
He continues this attack of switching between fire and spear while spinning quicker and quicker as the momentum builds, making each attack more and more fierce and aggressive. He efficiently switches hand back on forth to keep the spear spinning while sending fires and eventually I run out of time to react as the intervals in-between the attacks grow ever shorter.
My eyes follows the spear's clean blade as it goes for my neck.
In a desperate attempt to survive, I take a step forward and raise my arms in between the spear's neck and my head.
I brace myself.
And let it hit me hard.
CRACK!
The impact manages to whack my senses out me, I stumble sideways blindly as my eyes blink furiously. My arms sting and falls limp to my side. That hit must have knocked out all the energy out of me. I feel tired. I just want to lie down and sleep.
But my heart is still pumping as the adrenaline has managed to hold on. It reminds me that I'm still in danger.
I force my tired eyes to scan the situation.
The enemy is staring at his weapon. A portion of it has been broken off and it nowhere to be found. Uma has her eyes shut and is only beginning to open them. She too has braced herself for me and is surprised to see me still standing although in somewhat of a daze.
The enemy has to process that his weapon is broken but his enemy still stands. Angry and frustrated, he throws the broken weapon blindly aside and face me with his fists raised.
Strangely, only now do I feel the impending sense of doom as I finally accept that I'm just a normal girl fighting an experienced Fire bending soldier.
What on earth am I doing?
At first I wanted to panic but I'm currently to tired to do even that. I could run but I'm also too tired for that. And eventually, I'm grow tired of feeling doomed.
Now? I'm just going to fight. Because I really don't have any other choice.
I raise my fists as well and pray that another rock incident would happen. If I'm really am earth bender, this would be a great time to discover it.
I stomp onto the ground and punch the air, expected the earth to follow me lead.
But nothing happens.
The earth remains frighteningly still.
The Fire Nation soldier laughs at my foolishness before successfully sending just one fire in my way.
I raise my hands weakly to defend myself and I close my eyes, expecting another painful burn.
I'm really too tired to move my legs so all I can do is just pray that it wouldn't hurt too much.
Or better yet, stop completely.
I hear chocked gasps before silence follows. This time, I don't hesitate to open my eyes because I feel like this is happening too many times for me to not get used to it.
And once again, another feeling of de ja vu.
The fire that was sent my way is now floating right in front of my arms, flickering harmlessly. I stare at it curiously before I start to get concious of a small tingling sensation in my arms but when I try to turn my attention to it, it vanishes along with the flame in front of me.
There's no point in being confused. I'm experienced enough to know what just happened. I stopped the fire from hitting me.
The enemy didn't believe either so he sends another fire to test it out. One that is stronger and faster.
I stand my ground and hold out my arms. This time, I'm going to figure out what I am. I'm tired of being confused all the time!
I focus purely on the fire, reaching out my hands like I'm calling for it. Expecting the fire to just stop in mid-air, I accidentally let out a noise of fear when the fire suddenly starts flying to my hands at a faster speed. I instinctively retract my hands to me side and the fire changes its course to follow to motion, sending it flying to the side and hitting a burning house.
I stare at the direction where the fire had flew in momentary shock before quickly shifting my attention back to the enemy. He is enraged and sends a fury of wild punches, finally sick of having a child getting the best of him.
I take a battle stance and face the fire. I nervously force strained confidence into my moves as I move my arms, swatting the fire away to the side while taking a step back after each fire. The soldier keeps taking a step forward after sending each blasts and since he is bigger, he can close more distance than I can make.
I realize that If don't do anything now and let this continue on, I will be cornered.
After swatting a fire to the side, I send out a punch in the air, expecting to send fire of my own.
But nothing happens.
I scowl in frustration. The more I learn about myself the more confuse I am getting! I continue to try and bend an element to the enemy while swatting his fires away but I continue to fail.
It's like I can't bend my own elements! It's always when someone else bends at me!
I wave a fire out of my way but that has also fail to work. The fire strikes me in the chest and sends me falling backwards to the ground.
I slowly force myself to roll on the ground to face it so I can begin to get up. I struggle to push myself up but only now do I realize how drained I am. My eyes widen as I watch my arms tremble violently as they struggle to keep even just my torso up. My legs feel like jelly and trying to move them actually hurts. My back stings, reminding me of my first injury.
The adrenaline must be wearing off because I have forgotten it before. Only now am I feeling the full force of my injuries and my exhaustion.
I can't move anymore.
"No..."I breath as I struggle crawl away from the footsteps taking its time to come closer to me. "Get away from me."
He ignores my pathetic plea. He kicks me in my side, forcing me to cry as I roll onto my back. I flail to roll myself to face the ground so I can try to push myself off the ground again but I'm too weak. I'm stuck lying on my back like a turtleduck.
All I can do now is watch the proud Fire Nation soldier raise his fist into the air, brightly lit with red flames and it's all for me. There's even no point in closing my eyes to brace myself. I can feel my conciousness slipping away. My sight starts to grow dark as tiny little stars cloud my vision.
I can barely concentrate let alone give a surprise reaction with the Fire Nation soldier is suddenly knocked off his feet.
I lull my head to it's side, trying to get some idea of what's going on before I can sleep in peace.
I can see a blur of white. A real big one.
"Wan!" I hear a muddled voice call out to me. I didn't even try to give a response.
I see a blur of the sunrise, a blue and white, and a green.
Despite my lack of energy, I still manage to smile at them. Aang, Katara and Sokka has come to my rescue.
But they are stopped by another green figure. I didn't know who it is until she spoke, "Don't go near her! She's Fire Nation!"
It's Uma. How did she get out?
I force my eyes to search for the pile of debris and see what I think is the broken part of the spear lodged inside the pile. Did she use that to move the debris and get out?
"What!? No! Of course not!" Sokka, of all people, comes to my defence.
"I saw her! She bent fire!" Uma accuses as she points to me, watching them with half-closed, slightly unfocused, eyes.
"Even if she did, it's not like we can just leave her here." Katara says after a moment of stunned silence.
"Why not? We can deal with her." Uma limps towards my body.
I start to grow fearful until I see Aang reaches out an arm to stop her.
"No. We will. We brought her here so we should be the one to take care of her." The words sound oddly cold. I don't know if it's because I can't see his face to fully read his expression or not. "And even if she bends fire, she's our friend. I trust her."
Gratefully, those are the last words I hear before finally losing my conciousness.
I'll straighten them out once I rest. I know for sure I'm not a Firebender. Nor am I an Earthbender. After all, what kind of bender can't bend their own elements but other's instead?