Hello fanfic readers! To keep is short and sweet thanks for the adds and favorites much appreciated

To Warlock2552- Glad you notice my sinister inner author

Winterdevils- There is more that is in store and you will see how these past stories play a role in the present. Things aren't as they seem just remember that.

Now let's see what my OC Judel and Master Piandao are up to.

I do not own ATLA but I do own my vivid dreams

Book 4: Air: Water and Fire is Air

Chapter 3: Sword and Stone

ASC 103- Three years earlier

He looked at the sunset peacefully, picturing with his sharp mind all of the work he has done from now to present. He sat at his desk wanting to paint the grand sight before him, but there were other matters of greater import than his daydreams. Master Piandao, was the man who surpassed all odds; became the master of steel; had managed to train young men from all walks of life, the way of the sword; he left the military on good terms; he traveled the world to broaden his horizons; and secretly had a relationship with the love of his life Yakone. The task facing him caused the Sword Master's hands to tremble; which was a first time in a long time; he had felt this way. He steadied his palm, as the beads of sweat formed on his temple; but the ink smeared. It was a menial activity really; all Piandao had to do was write a letter; like he had done so in the past; however this was much harder; more painful than any letter that he wrote and carried a heavier penalty and once he sent it off things would change forever. He hung his head in disgrace; no one was to blame; over the years he hid behind so many excuses; delayed and gave I to selfish reasoning; but no matter what would happen he knew the boy—his son was going to need him. He sought an opportunity Piandao almost too perfect to pass by; it was then that he saw fit to write the letter:

To Judel:

My dear boy I am so sorry to hear that your mother has passed away. I cannot imagine the pain and hurt you must feel right now. You spoke very highly of Sedna, your mother and I had only written to her in great detail about your accomplishments and leadership qualities; I was only sad that I couldn't meet her in person to tell her fully how wonderful of a young man you are. I can say though with absolute certainty; that you were loved very much, and your mother, who only spoke about you in the highest regard. I know right now you must feel alone and confused; not knowing where to turn to. I know this may sound odd; but I only wished I knew of what you ha; by that I mean having had a family; you should count your blessings because you had something that all of us hoped for. When I was a small newborn my parents abandoned me for the reason that I was not a firebender. I, like yourself, was adopted only to be discarded once more and put in an orphanage. Because of this disadvantage; I was a man with a lot of pride, as a soldier I was an angry man and hated those who didn't follow me and I was often cruel to my own soldiers who followed me. I was a sword master and they were firebending scum who thought themselves privilege because they had special abilities. That all changed one day when I met a woman named Yakone—

Master Piandao stopped the letter and crumpled the paper; this was foolish and useless; why couldn't he just say those words; there had to be a way. Suddenly, he formulated an idea. This time as he looked at the parchment he wrote two sentences rolled it up and that was that. Now all that was left to do was wait.

Judel stared at the ocean the calmness an opposite to what he felt. His mother ripped from his life and the woman he loved Azula completely shut down on him, his life at this point was more restless than he would have liked. His best friend Hiro had given him a letter from Master Piandao: it was a comforting thought. He undid the cord from the parchment paper; read it solemnly and was instantly puzzled by the words written.

To Judel my dear boy:

Fear not for your loss; for you have family and I am just that.

Master Piandao, your Father

The master was never a man of such few words; especially ones so short and blunt. What did it mean? At first he thought the man was being figurative; he had always referred to his master as his surrogate father throughout this process. Like a strike to the head it hit him. Piandao was being literal. But how could he be—wait the day they first met he showed the master a finely crafted necklace with blue rich fabric, and an emulate on the bands middle, with the water and fire insignia's engraved almost perfectly. Piandao made his own swords, making a small trinket would be nothing for the man; meaning—Judel was boiling inside; he held the paper in front of him and burnt it to ash. For a moment it felt like he had gone blind, his anger seethed at the betrayal. He just wanted to escape but there was nowhere to go but his cabin. His mind focused on escaping just getting away from this nonsense. His friend Hiro had followed him but he didn't want to see anyone; he pushed his friend out of the cabin and locked the door. In a fit he overturned his bed. His hands lit up wanting to set things aflame; instead he crumbled to the floor in dead silence, shutting off all emotions. He declared to himself, "No more giving you, Judel, no more fighting for the ones you love: it's you and you alone."

ASC 106

It would be a short stretch of time before the father and son spoke to one another; but there was one fateful night where neither was given a choice it was a last minute mission he had barely got to enjoy time with his wife and newborn child but he felt that no matter what their differences were he was honor bound to still act as the leader of the Jaw-long. They had to search for an ancient map, one that was crucial to the discovery of the temple called Qigong. Judel traveled with his companions and team members, Ping, Hiro and Xing. The discovery was swift and everything went as planned; all was easy, perhaps too easy. Unexpectedly, Judel's ribs were pierced with an arrow; it was nothing serious; he was used to being wounded. Days later, when he arrived home he developed a nagging cough and thought nothing of it. Azula she sensed the moment she saw him that something was wrong he knew she was angry for being so secretive an irony he had grown accustomed to. Then he felt it; a burning awful sensation, that felt like his lungs were about to burst; he coughed so harshly it brought him to his knees. He looked into his clammy hand and saw green mucus. All he could to his beloved was, Im…s…sorry I..l.."

With his last bit of breath, his vision blacked out and all he could do was lie on the ground paralyzed.

He was currently laying in the bed that exhausted and reproaching himself for not being with Azula. He knew she was plenty capable to travel alone with their child; but facing her past alone was what worrie him the most. Master Piandao had come as soon as possible to see him. it was a moment that would have been happy; had there not been so much tension between the pair; this thought brought to mind his wife's words, "I don't want you to be like me, I want you to be the man I married open minded and believing in family togetherness. You may not like the politics; the fact of the matter is Piandao is the only family you have just, hear him out."

He found himself laughing and immediately coughing and recalled he had to take it easy. Azula was so resolute on keeping others together; but when it came to her own family; she was dead set on not cooperating with them; it was a debate they had gotten into often; for now he would let that go. The Sword master was by his bedside looking at him with such worry and fear even though the doctor's had told him he was alright. Judel didn't glance at him; however he would allow him to be there, just for now.

Evening had rolled by and Judel, tiring of being inside, he decided to sit on the porch, getting some much needed fresh air. He sat in his chair and rubbed his lips thinking of the last kiss he and Azula shared; in his hand, was a cloth square from his daughter Xiourong's blanket. He was missing them with each passing day; it had been weeks since he had heard anything from her and he wondered just briefly if all was well.

The Sword Master had watched his son Judel on the porch buried in his thoughts, wondering if his son was fairing well. What a nonsensical man he has been to not share his life with the only person that ties him to his beloved Yakone; his love would be so ashamed; nevertheless, now was a good as time as any to make amends. He approached the scene ever so gently. He sat in the chair next to Judel, who didn't quite notice him. "You're thinking about them aren't you?"

Judel looked over to Piandao surprised and then furrowed his brow turning away from his glance, "Yes as a matter of fact I am."

Piandao sighed fumbling with the right words to say, "Judel I—I wanted to tell you something and I'm not sure where to start."

"How about for once in your life, be honest with me: start from the beginning," he gritted through his teeth.

"I don't blame you for feeling how you do I've been—well I don't have to tell you. Judel you must understand when I fell in love with your mother; it was a forbidden time and when we separated; I thought for sure she was dead and I would never see her again. Over the years, I time spent healing from her absence. I would paint her picture often just so I could remember how she looked. When you showed up at my house; I didn't know what to do. You reminded me of everything I lost," he closed his eyes shaking his head in indignation, "but I neglected to pay attention to what I gained. Judel, you already had a family and they raised you and I just saw myself as being in the way. So I did the next best thing; I protected you."

A smile formed on Judel's face, Piandao instantly knew he wasn't being taken seriously, "Do you know," Judel began, "the man who raised me, Aukunek; he didn't favor me at all when he found out I was of fire nation blood. He would stare at me and when I asked him for anything as simple as, 'how are you'; He would leave the room immediately. I didn't understand why he hated me so much or what I had done. That had all changed the day I drank the poisonous water. My mother told me in my delirium I called out to him. Do you know those waters were poisoned by fire nation factories and that's when my father realized; it doesn't matter the origin of your birth or your bloodline; it's how you choose to live. I am proof that you can defy all odds and yet you have thrust me in the position of leader, instead of treating me like the others and letting me earn my keep. Do you honestly think that makes up for your wrongdoing?"

"No it does not, but I—I don't know what I expected."

"You expected me to lean on you and treat you as my father. That would have worked if I were five but I am a man of twenty now, married and with a child— you're grandchild. I'm not a cruel man Master; you can see Xiourong as you like; but as for you and I— I respect as my master…as my father—well I just can't—I'm sorry."

Piandao should've expected the heartbreak; somehow it still seemed to surprise him; it was an ache that he had caused there was nothing he could do; but let time heal and seal the rift between he and Judel. Suddenly, the young man coughed harshly. The sword master acted on instinct and rushed to his side only causing the young man to be aggravated and glare at him. How quickly he had forgotten; Judel wants his space and to be left alone. He patted the young man on the wrist, "I will get the doctor for you." He left the scene in silence.

Judel knew he was being resistant to change to the future and he knew Azula would give him a difficult time because of it. Trust isn't an easy thing to mend; it was a day by day process. Judel sat back and sighed staring at the night sky. His mother always said to him, "Whenever you are troubled and whenever you need me; just look at the moon, my darling and know I'm with you."

Judel looked at the moon; it was bright and luminescent; it made him happy and at ease. Suddenly, something in the sky was blocking it; it was too oddly shaped to be a cloud and it moved like…well he wasn't sure what. He rubbed his eyes squinting seeing three shadows atop the figure, perhaps he needed to rest. His curiosity made him rise from his seat and walk closer to this mysterious figure. The shadows sped up and became clearer in the light of the moon. In the distance, he could make out a man with an airbender symbol atop his head, although he couldn't see the others, he surmised that it must be the Avatar. With a small gust of wind he back away as the Sky bison landed on the ground in front of him. The trio dismounted with ease and Judel was immediately in awe and approached them swiftly, "Avatar Aang it is an honor to meet you," he bowed

He shook the hands of his companions, "Katara and Sokka it is my pleasure to meet fellow water tribesman."

"I apologize but I must skip the pleasantries," Aang butted, "Firelord Zuko needs you to personally come to the palace."

Judel instantly became anxious at hearing the news, "Is something wrong… Azula and Xiourong are they hurt?"

"Everything is alright for the most part. Firelord Zuko and I agree that Azula needs you; she's just resistant and angry and won't listen to reason."

Judel knitted his brows, "I…can't…leave here I'm still recovering from this illness."

Katara stepped forward, "That's where I come in. I've been studying some medicines and have consulted with other healers; I believe I can help you."

"I see, well, you're going to have a hard time convincing the doctor he's resolute on keeping me here."

Abruptly the doctor stomped on the scene, with Piandao behind him, the man tried to usher him inside, "What is the meaning of this Judel! Get back in bed this instant!"

"Avatar Aang what brings you here?" Piandao greeted inquiringly.

Sokka's mouth hung open offeneded, which led the water tribe soldier to begin his own dialogue, "Oh hello master Piandao thanks for completely ignoring me and the fact that I have my sword back."

Piandao looked at his sword and looked back to Aang, "Sokka this really isn't the time and I believe I was talking to Avatar Aang."

"Sure fine I see how it is. Sokka muttered, "Stupid Avatar always stealing my thunder."

Katara patted her brother on the back sympathetically, "Sokka this kind of takes precedence right now. I'm sure when things calm down ;he will speak with you."

"Maybe I won't be interested then; I could be too busy with ambassador stuff," he huffed folding his arms.

Aang rolled his eyes and focused on Master Piandao, "We have royal orders to bring Judel to the Fire Nation."

"Absolutely not!" butted the doctor, "What part of he's too ill to travel do you not understand?"

Judel was in the middle of the bickering and pleading. In his mind, he didn't care how bad he felt; he was going to take a chance; his family needed him and that's all that mattered and everyone would just have to follow suit. He lit a flame and tossed in front of the groups as it exploded into fireworks, "I'm leaving"

"What—this is—", the doctor stuttered

Judel ignore the man looked to the Avatar, "Aang I hope these creatures like me because we're in for a long ride."

"His name is Appa and—"

The large sky bison sniffed Judel and licked him and Momo chittered in protest. "Well one out of two isn't terrible. I'll get my things."

Master Piandao grabbed the Jaw-Long leader by the arm, concerned, "Judel is this wise?"

Judel snatched his arm away, "Don't you dare lecture me; it's too late for you to be a parent. Now if you'll excuse me; I'm going to do what you haven't done and take care of what's precious to me."