A/N: Wow! I'm surprised by how many people have already read this already! I'm even more surprised at where some of the people that have been reading it are reading it from! In honor of my readers all over the world, I present the true beginning of Avatar: The New Age. Enjoy!

Book One: Empire

Part One: The Path

"Mist Agent Jetali to Minder Hawk. Mission successful. Requesting exfil."

-Agent of the Mist communication, intercepted by Regia Communications Division

"Allow me to repeat what you just said," The head administrator of the Republic City Harmony Camp tells me. "To make sure that I understand perfectly."

The man raps his fingers on his hard wooden desk. An electric fan blows air around the room from it's place in the corner. It does nothing to stop the man from sweating.

"You got into a fight with the biggest boy in the entire Camp, and his father just happens to be the Deputy Secretary to the Minister of War to the Water Tribe. And, you did this in a fight over a girl who just happens to be the daughter and heir princess of Fire Lord Ursan." The administrator uses his non-tapping hand to massage the bridge of his nose. He leans back in his office chair.

I remain standing, hands clasped behind my back, as the administrator mutters under his breath something about every toilet flush causing an international incident. I don't understand his problem. I didn't kill Jeta. I only knocked him unconscious. No permanent harm done. Well, unless he had a heart attack, or a stroke. Or brain damage, but he probably had that anyways.

I shift the weight distributed between my legs, and take a breath of cool air. "Sir, Jeta would have killed Cathra. No one else tried to stop him." I say, coolly. My father taught me from a young age how to deal with people who think they have power. His main advice was to give them the illusion of respect. I take a second and think of how to use his advice, and then I say "Sir, I know that Jeta could have gotten seriously hurt, but he was choking a defenseless girl. You would have had the entire Fire Nation to deal with if he had killed her."

The administrator brings his hands in front of his chest, and steeples his fingers. My father taught me that that was a motion that people did when they were trying to think of how to best use something, or someone, to their advantage. "Yes, yes, that's right…" the large man says under his breath, almost to himself. Then he looks back up at me. His eyes are brown, and I think he's an Earthbender. "You know what the Camp policy is. You have to go," the man begins. He leans towards me as though he's telling me a secret. "But the policy doesn't say when. You could stay the rest of the week."

I think about it, briefly. The Camp only lasts for another two weeks. I haven't learned much (anything, for that matter) since I got here. All I've really done was meet the Fire Nation's heir Princess Cathra and beat up a Waterbender named Jeta. No really great stories to write to my father about. "I'll leave today, sir. Thank you for your offer."

The administrator leans back, and rubs the bridge of his nose again. "I'll never understand you Energybenders. You have opportunities just thrown in your face, and you just close your eyes and keep selling yourselves out like a bunch of whores to the highest bidder." The man laughs, obviously entertained by his offensive joke. "A bunch of light-waving whores."

This light waving whore, I say inside my head, could put so much energy inside of you that your eyes would pop and your heart would beat so fast it would rip a hole though your chest. I don't say anything, and instead keep my impassive expression on my face. Energybenders are trained to not give into emotions. Even though I only had a year of training, I did learn that much.

I bring my right fist to my chest and bow, exactly like my father taught me to do. "I'll pack my bags, sir. Thank you for your time." Dismissing myself, I turn and walk out of the administrator's door. I enter the main room of the Camp's administrative building, and walk to the exit. I feel the eyes of everyone present on my back, but I don't mind. I'm used to people staring.

I open the door and take one of my last looks at the Republic City Harmony Camp. It's a stereotypical summer camp. A pool, cabins, dirt roads, and a dining hall. Nothing too elaborate to maintain, and probably a very low upkeep. It's surrounded on every side by a forest broken only in one place by a long dirt road. The road leads to Republic City, and it is the road I will have to walk to go back.

I walk back to my cabin. It's on the other side of the camp, almost directly across from the administrative building. Luckily, everyone right now is eating lunch. It's been a few hours since the Jeta incident. I was more or less confined in a room in the administrative building before I was questioned. The questioning took an hour before I could leave, and then I had to talk to the head administrator. Pointless bureaucracy.

I reach my cabin, and open the door. No one comes to see who I am, so I assume I'm alone. I close the door behind me and turn to my left. I climb up a ladder to the next floor, which is where my bunk is. I share the floor with some Earth and Waterbenders who always argue and keep me up all night.

When I finally step off the ladder, I realize that I'm not alone. Sitting on my bunk cross-legged, with a bandage around her neck, is Princess Cathra. She's wearing the same dark crimson tunic and black shorts that she wore at breakfast. Her hair is a little disheveled, but that's to be expected of someone who almost died.

Not knowing what to say, I walk towards my bunk. I bend over to grab my dark duffel bag, and Cathra doesn't say a word. When I stand up again, I realize that her eyes are practically glazed over. She doesn't move.

Weird, but I've seen weirder. My father told me about someone once who could lay so still and not move so well that even his heart stopped after awhile. People thought he was dead until he popped up laughing at them as they crowded around. I don't think Cathra is pretending to be dead, but maybe she's just lost in thought. I shrug.

I begin packing up my scant belongings. I remove my wallet from my bedside locker, making sure that all of the money that I brought is still there. It is, so I shove my wallet in one of my pockets. I take out my grey windbreaker and check the pockets. Inside of the left one is a small spool of wire I keep in case of emergencies. I then unceremoniously throw my jacket on top of my bed.

Cathra still hasn't moved. I consider pinching her to see if she's alive, but I can see that she's breathing. She blinks every thirty seconds, so she's obviously alive. I look down at my duffel bag. I wanted to change into clothes that were more suitable for the long walk, but I obviously can't do that now. My shorts will work for the walk, even though I wanted to change into my pair of slacks. My shirt, however, will not work. It's too hot outside, and the shirt holds too much heat in. My Energybender clothes are totally out of the question, as I'd rather not get them dirty. I can never know when I need to officially and publically be a member of the Energybending elite.

I finally grab a synthetic fabric t-shirt. It's black, and will be very helpful in case I possibly need to stay in the shadows. It's made of a material that absorbs sweat, so it will keep me cool. My father taught me to always plan for everything.

One thing I couldn't have planned for, though, is Cathra sitting on my bed when I got here. I briefly consider the idea of changing in front of her, but decide not to. It wouldn't be proper. I maneuver behind her field of view, and take off my shirt. I throw the discarded shirt on my bunk behind Cathra, and pull the black t-shirt over my head.

"You saved my life."

The voice breaks the silence and startles me. It's a bit raspy, as if the girl is having trouble breathing. She doesn't say anything else. I wonder if she has a damaged larynx now, or some other throat damage. Jeta had some impressive muscles on him, and I honestly would not be surprised if he could dent a steel wall with a punch.

I finish pulling my shirt down over my head. "Ya. And now I have to leave because of it." I reply calmly as I put my discarded shirt into my duffel bag. I've always been a horrible packer. I just threw some clothes into my bag before I came to the camp, and hoped that I had enough to last the duration. Luckily, it turned out I was right.

A few moments of silence go by while I try to finish packing. "I'm sorry." Cathra says. "They shouldn't be punishing you."

I grin sourly. Actually, the punishment doesn't bother me at all. I was taught from a young age that rules are rules for a reason, and no one has permission not to follow them. "I didn't mean that I was sorry for saving you. I'm choosing to leave."

"Where will you go?" Cathra's voice is soft. She still hasn't turned around to look at me. I look past her dark hair at her neck bandage. It's wrapped a bit loose, and looks like she tried taking it off and then gave up. I don't see anything under the bandage and I realize that it's only a precautionary wrapping.

"I have a V.I.P pass to an all-inclusive hotel near City Hall." I think about the white metal coin in my wallet. "I get all my expenses covered for free." I'm probably not supposed to flaunt that knowledge around, but I don't really care. She seems trust worthy enough.

"Can you…" Cathra's voice stumbles over itself. Her back straightens.

I wait for about two minutes for her to finish the sentence. The entire time, every possible scenario goes through my head. I imagine every possibility from her asking me to brush her hair, which is in disarray, to her asking me to give her a few hundred Yuan so she can get a ticket on an airship home. I even contemplate the fact that she has some weird fantasy of her and I riding away into the sunset on a white komodo rhino.

A few more moment of silence pass between us, and then she continues speaking. "After this morning, I have reasons to believe that I have assassins trying to kill me." Her voice has a hard tone to it now, and it's almost like she's speaking to a servant. "You will be compensated greatly for my protection."

I pause in the middle of folding some shirts. Assassins? Compensation? That seems even more absurd of an idea that the komodo rhino concept. I sincerely doubt that Jeta was a paid assassin. I doubt Jeta can even spell the word "assassin", let alone his own name. Yet I wouldn't be surprised if some Water or Air general has put out a few hits on Cathra.

A memory of my father pops into my head. He's sitting cross-legged on a ivory disk, his hands on his knees. Your first job, as an Energybender, will always be your hardest. But it will also be your most rewarding, because you'll learn so much about yourself and the world while you're doing it. Oh, and it'll get you your first real paycheck, too.

I think about what Cathra said again. Assassins? She's the royal heir of the Fire Nation, next in line to be Fire Lord. Assassins are a constant possibility. I'm surprised she's even at the summer camp without protection, but perhaps she can protect herself well enough. Even more likely, she has guards hidden among the camp staff.

I look at Cathra's back. Her hair falls straight to the center of her spine. Her entire body is rigid, but whether it's with fear or being uncomfortable sitting still for so long I honestly cannot tell. "I'm seventeen. You could hire your own personal army to protect you." I resume folding my clothes, but a bit slower this time. The compensation doesn't really matter to me. It's an absurd concept. I'm too young to be a bodyguard.

"I wouldn't trust them." Cathra says, coolly. Her voice is emotionless, I think intentionally so. "I've fought you before and you saved my life from a raging Waterbender. And you're the only Energybender I know."

Ah, so that's it. I roll my eyes inside my head. To her, I'm just another Energybender mercenary. Well, maybe it's time I got in touch with my culture. Besides, the two days that Cathra has been a part of have been exciting. Plus she's relatively nice, she's a princess, and she's pretty. And she offered to pay me. I put the rest of my clothes in my duffel bag. I put my windbreaker on, and zip it up to my breastbone.

I slide my arm through a strap of my duffel bag, and throw the bag behind my shoulder. I stand and look around my home for the past two weeks, and decide that it's about time I moved on with my life.

"What are we waiting for, Princess Cathra? Let's go." I say.

Cathra turns around and looks at me, and I see a small glimmer of fire in her eyes. I see an even larger flame in her smile.

Twenty-two thousand fifty seven. Twenty-two thousand fifty eight. Twenty-two thousand fifty nine. Twenty-two thousand sixty.

I keep track in my head of how many steps we've walked so far. I only started keeping track once I lost sight of the summer camp entrance, and that was about twenty minutes after Cathra and I began our hike. I look up and calculate how long we've been walking: about three hours. It feels like we've walked about seven miles so far, which is easier for me than it is for Cathra. I hear gravel crunching behind me, which is my reminder that I am escorting the Fire Nation princess to Republic City.

Cathra, once we left the borders of the summer camp, became extremely talkative. Words now fly out of her mouth like wolfbats from a cave. Perhaps it's the allure of adventure that's now inspiring her. Or maybe she's just delirious from the heat.

"What was it like, growing up an Energybender?" She asks, bringing the total number of questions she has asked to three hundred and seventy four. I've tried to answer every question politely, but I think I've missed a few. She doesn't notice when I politely ask her to stop.

"I learned from an early age how to control myself." I begin, smiling as I remember my early days training under my father. Finally, a question that I enjoy answering! "I learned not to lose track of my thoughts, because a lot of Energybending is based on intentions."

Cathra is silent for a few minutes. The only noise I hear her making is her light footsteps and her breathing. I can tell from the frequency of her breaths that she's starting to get tired. In the Fire Nation royal palace, she probably never got the chance to go hiking. Or anything, really. I've heard stories about how strict some noble Fire Nation families are. The children live in a living hell, beaten into perfection by their parents.

I shudder in recollection. My father only laid a hand on me in punishment once. Then again, being an Energybender, he had never even needed to touch me to punish me.

I look up at the sun, and immediately remember to shade my eyes. It's starting to set, which means we need to get off the road. If a bus driver catches us resting or doing anything, we're in trouble. I consider how long I should wait before I propose the idea to Cathra, then I decide I might as well get it out of the way now.

"We need to stop for awhile and rest." I say. I take a few steps to my left and turn towards Cathra. Her black hair is falling around her face, her eyes are glazed over, and her body is covered with sweat. She thought it would be a good idea to wear a sports bra and shorts for the walk. Unfortunately for her, the sun still gives Firebender's sunburn. I can already see that she will have some major burns to deal with by tomorrow.

"O-" Cathra pants. "Okay." She looks into the shaded forest behind me with hunger in her eyes. I turn around and start making my way through the sticks and green shrubs. Every few feet, I see purple berries growing from vines that are almost draped around the bushes, and I resist the urge to eat them. They're poisonous Crystal berries, and they cause serious hallucinations and mess with other brain functions when they're consumed. I ate one, once back home. One was all it took before I was trying to find where the Avatar was hiding in my kitchen cupboard.

After about twenty minutes of walking, I decide we've found the nicest spot we could find. We're right by a freshwater stream, and the trees have low branches that we can climb if we need to. It's in the middle of a dirt clearing, so there will be no need to worry about small animals or insects sneaking up on us to give us grief.

I unceremoniously declare our resting spot by throwing my duffle bag on the ground and sitting on top of it. I look at Cathra, whose eyes are still glazed over. She is carrying a duffle bag a lot like mine, except hers is red and has a gold lock on the zipper. I wonder what she could possibly have in there that requires a lock. Jewelry, perhaps. Maybe top-secret Fire Nation war documents that she reads before she goes to bed with a cup of tea. I honestly don't care what she has in her bag, as long as it doesn't explode.

She puts her bag down a few feet away from me. I hear a faint clink come from inside it. Instead of devoting energy asking what the noise was, I point at the stream. "That water is freshwater, if you're thirsty."

Cathra's eyes go wide, and she swiftly stumbles in the direction of the stream. "I'd never thought I'd be so happy to see water in my life." She says. I roll my eyes. Perhaps if she had listened to me and not drank her entire water bottle within the first thirty minutes of our walk, she wouldn't be having as many problems as she's having now.

As Cathra begins to fill her water bottle, I find a flat patch of grass and sit on it. I take off my shoes and socks and enter a meditation pose. I bring my bare feet up onto my thighs and try to ignore the smell of my sweat. After a few moments of slow and deep breaths, I close my eyes. It takes me a few seconds more than normal to slow my heartbeat and settle my thoughts, but I eventually find my center.

Inside my center, I can feel the energy of my chi spread through my body with every heartbeat. I feel the energy spread through my veins, giving my entire body a comforting sense of warmth. I take inhale deeply. I hold the breath while I visualize the air being changed inside me from gas to pure energy. Eventually my lungs begin to grow warm, and I quickly release the energy in a single exhalation.

A far-away voice snaps me out of my meditation. "How did you do that?"

I slowly open my eyes and see Cathra kneeling across from me. Her eyes are wide and scanning my entire face.

"Do what?" I ask. I feel my heartbeat resuming it's normal pace.

"You took a breath and a white mist came out of your mouth." Cathra looks in awe of me. I notice that sometime in the past ten or so minutes she put a bundle of hair up on her head in a traditional Fire Nation topknot. A golden Fire Nation symbol holds it in place with rigid gold bands.

"Oh," I say. "That. I can Energybend other Elements into energy. Like," I begin. "If you shot a fireball at me right now, I could turn it into pure energy before it even hit me."

Cathra's eyes grow wide. I can see the gears turning inside her head in the typical Fire Nation way; she is trying to think of ways to use my talent. "Why don't you do that all the time?"

I take a deep breath. "Because it takes a lot out of me, and it really requires my mind to be empty." I recall the difficulty I just had turning the air inside me into energy. "I have to emerge myself into my chi, and that can be difficult." I lie. It's not difficult for me at all. I've been a natural at it since I was first Energybending.

But it scares me. It's like throwing myself into an abyss with only a fraying rope keeping me from falling. I don't know when the rope will snap, but I know it won't be able to hold me forever. I don't even know what will happen if the rope were to snap. I had nightmares when I was younger about exploding in a ball of green light, and my skin totally disintegrating, and everything around me dying and burning to ashes.

"Can all Energybenders do it?" Cathra asks.

I shrug with only my shoulders. "I've never met anyone else that can do it." Not even my father, who's one of the greatest masters of Energybending, doesn't know how I can do it. When I was younger and first realized I could change elements into energy, he tried for months to replicate my talent. He brought the other three Energybending masters from the other three Nations, and they couldn't figure it out either.

Once, he brought a young looking man who had pure white eyes. I thought the bald man was blind at first, but he seemed to look inside me. He handed me a piece of rock and instructed me to shift it's element into energy. It took me awhile to do it, because back then I was absolutely terrified of my powers, but I did it. The man told me, in a deep voice that resonated through my mind, not to be afraid of my power.

Then I heard him tell my father later that night that what I was doing was impossible, and I've never forgotten it. I've been scared of myself ever since.

Cathra smiles, totally oblivious to my inner conflict. "That's really cool, Aelius." A warm shiver of energy runs down my spine. The Energybending masters say that since the center of Energybending chi is in the brain, we're much more susceptible to feeling subconscious cues and thoughts. Some people say that we have a "danger-sense" and a "future-sight." It's not uncommon for Energybenders to have visions of the future. No one believes us when we try to explain it to non-Energybenders, but the visions are always correct.

I look up at the sky through a gap in the trees. The sun is starting to fall from the sky, but it's not getting too dark to see yet. "We have a few more miles to go before we reach Republic City." I tell Cathra. I look at her, and see that she's still staring at me. We make eye contact for a few seconds, and then Cathra looks away, her cheeks red.

I feel another small pulse of energy shimmer down my spine. I figured that Cathra had feelings for me from the get-go and that that was a very influential aspect of her offer of employment to me. I just hope that she didn't expect me to fall head over heels for her because she's the princess of the Fire Nation.

I break the awkward silence. "It's up to you whether or not we keep moving or if we stay here for the night." A few of my jackets could be turned into makeshift blankets, and Cathra can make us a fire. Berries can provide food, and if she wants meat I can go hunting. We could survive forever out in this forest, hypothetically.

Cathra looks at the ground for a few moments while messing with her topknot. "We should keep moving."

I smile visibly, but I'm sighing mentally. Walking means more questions.