Fire
Air
Water
Earth

It has been fifteen hundred years since Wan, the first person to control all four elements, became the Avatar. After his death some years later, the Avatar spirit was reborn, and has continued throughout the years as humanity began shaping the physical world for themselves, without the interference of spirits. The world is large however, and though the avatar continued to travel the world to speak with each culture over the years, few people knew of the other nations as little more than rumors or legends.

Though still far from the peace that Avatar wan had hoped to accomplish, the world is much closer than ever before. The Earth Kingdom is finally united and has been for a full generation. The current Avatar, Ro Pan, himself was from this prosperous nation. Born to a well off family in the great city of Di Yi Se, He and his twin sister Xiaofan lead a lavish life amongst the upper class. Although looking upon them you wouldn't think it, as they happily played with all the children in the city. Among those children rose a close friend, Yu Shang. The three of them lead their little pack of friends and cause many hair pulling scandals for their older guardians.

It was when Ro Pan was 13 that he had first noticed his dormant abilities. Already very skilled with earth like his sister, Ro Pan began having effects on the other elements as well. Most notably fire bursting from his fingertips during a family dinner, much to his sisters chagrin. The elder's of the city knew then what Ro Pan truly was. They trained him in earnest, and with him his sister for they could not separate the two. They of course in turn, taught these skills to Yu Shang and their bond grew with it. However, as they aged further, Ro Pan knew that his destiny was not to remain in this city. The world needed him, and as the avatar he could not selfishly remain to aid one group. His sister, of course, stayed by his side with little hassle. In fact she seemed to relish the thought of travel. However, their friend Yu Shang knew his own destiny was to remain in Di Yi Se. His family remained on the council under the King and he had a responsibility. They all did now. So after saying heartfelt goodbyes, he, his sister Xiaofan, his badger-mole Pip and her Saber-tooth Moose Lion set off on their journey.

The Fire lands were their first destination. The hardships of these people were obvious, and the various tribes were in a constant state of either turmoil, or tense ceasefire. His and his sister's arrival to the land was both welcome, and needed. With the focus on fighting, little could be done for food and many of the lands people were beginning to starve. From village to village, Ro Pan and Xiaofan either solved the problems or forced the fighting to stop. It took many years, but they were mostly successful without bloodshed and Ro Pan mastered the art of fire. Of the people in the villages, Ro Pan aided a child caught in a rock-slide. His life saved, the boy's sister Hi You joined them on their travels out of gratitude. She was only twelve when she left her family, but her curious nature outweighed her desire to stay, and her family trusted the Avatar to keep her safe in their future travels. Whether or not Hi You saw the avatar and Xiaofan as parental figures is hard to say, but it is clear they grew close threw the years of traveling together.

Their travels next took them, to Hi You's discomfort, into the Water tribe of the North pole. Bundled up from what furs they could acquire from the villages on the coast, They continued into the heart of the tribe and were greeted warmly. None in the Northern tribe had heard of outsiders since the previous avatar had visited, and all were eager to hear more stories. Ro Pan quickly mastered the art of water whilst Xiaofan explored with Hi You. Their stay complete, the group graciously accepted a ship to journey towards their sister tribe in the south.

Friendly spirits guiding them through the waters, they arrived quicker than expected and found the Southern tribe vastly different from their sister to the North. It had seemed there was quite a lot of hostility as a search party was being made to look for a traitor. Interested, Ro Pan and his two companions stepped in and offered their assistance. Not knowing the face, but recognizing the authority of an avatar, the man who turned out to be the chief's son-in-law accepted their help. With their animal friends, it did not take them long to find the man, Pakak, heading away from the tribe looking lost and broken. Instead of bringing him back to the tribe, the mentioned nothing of their original intent and brought the man with them on the next part of their journey.

With the tribes of water out of the way, The group of now four made their way into the mountain ranges of the air nomads. Thanks to Pip, their journey was made much easier through the mountainous region and they spent much time amongst the friendly air bending monks of the various temples, meeting quite a few people as well. Talya of the Eastern air temple, fifteen at the time, was one of those people and was quite instrumental in her teaching the avatar how to bend the element of air. It took little convincing for her to join them and their group grew to five.

Next at the Northern air temple they met a young boy by the name of An Ming. Barely an adult, he was quite shy, but more knowledgeable than any Ro Pan had met yet. It seemed as if the texts of the various scrolls he and his companions perused over at the temple, the boy knew by heart and his aid was most welcome in their studies of the past. His father wished for him to join the party, and Ro Pan was more than happy to include him in their travels. They still had two more temples to go at the very least, and his knowledge would be very valuable.

At the Western Air Temple The group stayed with the monks for a full month. The life amongst these monks were the epitome of peace, and Ro Pan knew he could learn much from their ways. It was here however, that there time was cut short. You see the monks of the Western Temple made it their duty to include themselves in the happenings of the outside world, and being the closest temple to the earth kingdom, they had direct contact. Ill tidings came from the avatar's homeland, as the reigning king lie on his deathbed, threat of civil war rings throughout the kingdom. It seems in the king's comatose state, the council has divided thrice amongst the most powerful families, and they threaten war upon each other for the seat of the kingdom. He brought his companions together fully, and spoke to them privately. They had all been through much through the past years. Ro Pan thanked them all for their help, and asked them for one final favor. They did not even hesitate in their answer.

The group all traveled back to the Earth Kingdom, passing through city after city announcing his return through them. On their way however a curious site stopped their small caravan. A small group from the fire nation made their way down the very same road they took. Ro Pan reached out to them and saw that his work in their nation inspired them to reach out and make contact with his own. Among the travelers was a young woman, Kai Than. Her spiritual energy was immense, and he felt in her a sort of kinship of the mind. They spoke shortly, Ro Pan leaving an impression on the girl as much as she had him, but both groups had places to be. They left the next morning in separate directions.

Finally, after two decades of travel Ro Pan and Xiaofan were finally coming home. Their city had changed much since their departure, expanding twice it's original size outward. A large wall protected the innermost sanctum as buildings continued outward in a sea of stone. To all but the Earth children, the site was breathtaking. Ro Pan and his sister, the slight shock of seeing such a large change vanishing quickly, made their way to the site of their home. As their transportation was his sister's own sabre-tooth moose lion, they all followed without much protest.

Sadly they arrived to find their parents had both perished in the last couple of years to old age, but it was not something they weren't prepared for. Twenty years was a long time. What shocked them was to find Yu Shang, their old friend, living in their home. With both siblings gone, their family name was for the taking, and Yu graciously saved it for them, opening up the doors and his arms to his two oldest friends. Many introductions were in order and all given, and a great feast in the avatar's honor was held in their old dining hall. It was their they learned the Yu Shang was one of the three leading councilmen heading this possible civil war, and he had quite a lot of support. This of course troubled Ro Pan. Such a shift in power threw off balance in the land, and worse yet, this side of Yu Shang was something neither Ro Pan or Xiaofan expected. It was as if he lusted for the power like he would a wealthy bride. It troubled the avatar greatly, and his fears were set in stone upon the man's next request.

"Ro Pan my friend, your sudden return is most welcomed. I was beginning to fear this war might come true, but with you at my side, who would dare to oppose us?"

"What? Yu I am sorry, but I cannot choose sides. I came here to stop such a war, not frighten your opponents to step down. We need to find an alternate path."

"And let those senile oafs continue to create a greater rift in the casts? Have you seen the city old friend? That wall sets apart the wealthy and the poor greater than anything. The rich stay protected in the walls whilst the poor remain outdoors in danger of the bandits and dust storms. You would let them continue to have a say?"

Ro Pan scowled, not liking the way this discussion was going one bit. "And what would you do in turn? Force your way into power and demand for equality? People don't work that way Yu Shang."

A fist slammed on the table and the cutlery clattered loudly. "That is exactly what I will do if it means our people have freedom! Politics do nothing Ro Pan. The council is mired in tradition. With you at our side we can change all that and make our city, no our country a better place! Why do you question that?" His words were honeyed with hopes they all shared.

"Yu, I want that more than you can imagine, but threats and war is not how you will accomplish that. Temporary maybe, but an iron grip will only strangle. We cannot live in peace if we force that peace onto them."

"That is your wish then?" Yu asked, looking downtrodden.

"It is."

With a great sigh, Yu rose from his seat, food half finished. "Then I will respect the avatar's wishes. I will call a council meeting and bring the other two factions into a peace meet. I hope you will be there by my side for at least that, old friend?" A small smile tinged back into his lips.

He and Xiaofan exchanged relieved looks and Ro Pan smiled back. "Of course. If that is the action to be taken I will be pleased to support you.” Yu bowed gently, and took his leave of their home. with dinner over, the group turned in for the night, enjoying a rest before the meet.

Late that night, in a distant village a young woman beheld a terrible dream. Spirits raged around her as a man tried to calm them, but to no avail. Dark spirits lunged for her and she ran, but the man stepped in to save her. A great light flashed and shot into the clouds suddenly, and all was quiet. Her eyes opened and the girl rushed to get ready to depart, grabbing the nearest cat-dear in stable. Anyone who saw only heard her mutter one thing. “I need to tell him.”

Morning came, and a messenger with it. It seems the meet would be just outside the city to neutral ground at noon. Eating quickly they all donned their gear and left to aid Yu at the peace meet. Once there Both Ro Pan and Xiaofan recognized the other two men. Friends of their parents, and still alive and well despite their age. They were greeted with a bow and small smiles from the two. It seems word got out of the intentions of Yu Shang.

“Thank you for joining me here councilmen. I have come heeding the avatar’s wisdom in seeking a peaceful resolution to our differences.” The words were polite enough, but it wasn’t hard to tell they were forced. The elders paid no mind however.

“We are glad to hear you have come to your senses Yu. I see old friendships are good for something after all.” They chuckled amongst themselves.

“Yes, I suppose they are…” Ro Pan raised an eyebrow but thought nothing of it as they all gathered together to speak of their terms. Staying at Yu’s side, he listened intently to the proceedings to make sure everything would remain fair.

The proceedings were going as planned when a noise perked everyones attention away from the papers that previously held their eyes. A loud galloping and a girl atop an animal crying out towards them. Though she was too far away to hear clearly, they looked onward waiting for her intent to be known. All except one.

Their gazes on the girl, Yu Shang’s eyes darted from the council-members to Ro Pan. He knew what he had to do, had prepared for it since last night before he had even sent word to the council members. His hand dug into his pocket and once removed, stone covered it, sharpened to a needle point. “Forgive me Ro, but I will not let them dictate our future.”

Silence permeated the air suddenly, eyes were wide everywhere as crimson liquid rained to the ground from the deep puncture wound protruding from the stomach. Yu stomped his foot as hard as he could onto the ground and Pakak, Hi You, Talya, and An Ming were flung back into the ground ten feet away. Xiaofan stood her ground for a moment as she screamed, but the force was too much and she too fell back with her companions, and the council-members remained frozen in shock.

Ro Pan fell to his knees, blood pouring from the wound as he stared into Yu’s eyes, unblinking. “Why?”

“I will not sit back as these fools continue their leisurely rule over our people. And I will not let you stand in my way old friend. You, your friends, or your next life.” Ro Pan’s eyes widened further at the threat. Yu then looked at the councilmen and glared coldly through them. “Prepare yourselves. My armies and allies will be upon you in full force come weeks end. I hope you have come to your senses and surrendered by then.” Without waiting for any answer he quickly shifted the earth beneath his feet and ‘skated’ away. Xiaofan finally regained her footing and attempted to chase, but a desperate hand reached out and grabbed her ankle, halting her.

With teary eyes she knelt down to her brother as he spoke. “Sister, please. You alone cannot catch him, he was always the fastest. Nor can you fight an army alone.” His breath grew weaker with each word, but he pushed himself on. “You must find the next incarnation. I will be reborn. Air, Water, Earth and Fire. You must go to the fire nation and seek him out and protect him.” A coughing fit halts him for a moment. “Please, protect him and gather strength, defend our home. I love you Xiaofan. Never forget what I stood for, what we stood for. Never… forget.” And his last breath was taken, his life covering the hands of his own twin sister, and she wept and cursed.

Kai had arrived too late. Her given warning unable to reach Ro Pan in time. The avatar was dead, destined to be reborn. Yu Shang would be looking for them, but would the late avatar’s companions have the will to go through with his final wish?

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Kai remained seated upon her Catdeer, barely. She had waved her arms, and even raised her voice in an attempt to warn them of something happening. Something that needed to be said. It was seat atop the beast, watching in abject horror she saw the Avatar fall.

Her face fell, and she screamed out, not affected by the push away from the avatar as she had still been too far away. She felt the running of hot liquid down her powered cheeks and onto her now clasped together hands, and looked at each of them. Surely he would not be gone. Surely it was just a horrible nightmare!

But as she drew ever nearer to the site, she could see how the red of his life spread out around him as a carpet. A small golden light glowed from his mouth and shot towards the heavens, rising upon that last soft sigh of life, before veering sharply in the direction of the Fire Nation. It was then his eyes glazed over, and his breath stilled. She had come too late. "No. No, I came. I came as fast as I could. This... this should not be." She whispered out weakly, the tracks of her dismay clearly evident and still flowing down her cheeks.

Her eyes looking into each of their own if she could, turmoil and heartbreak evident within her. She slowly bowed her head, and with some difficulty, dismounted her catdeer. Then she moved close as she was allowed, kneeled and bowed her head so low her forehead touched the ground at Ro Pan's feet. She had not known him long, but he had been a kindred spirit, and already a friend. Her loss was nothing compared to the others, but still she wept onto the ground where he lay, having watered the earth with his life.

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Home.

It had been so long since they had been home that Xiao had been home that she felt a strange emotion well up inside. Was it happiness? Joy? Comfort? She could not quite figure it out, though she knew from the sight of the great nation before her that this was not the home of their birth. It had changed so much, that even the hum of the earth was different. Felt different and almost sad, as if the pain of the people had sank into the very earth beneath their feet.

Ever at her brother’s side she was there to confront their childhood friend, now a man of great power and skill to try and put a stop to a war before all paid for the petty squabbles of those with power. It had appeared to work, Ro was relieved though something just felt wrong to her. The whole thing had been too easy and she just was not sure about it all. When they were children their friend had often had dreams of grandeur and plans for a future; while they were away it would appear that he had indeed gotten most of those plans underway.

Would he just so simply stop his own life’s work in face of that of Ro’s? Simply because he was the Avatar?

She did not think so…

Pain. As fresh as if it were her own shot through her heart as she stared with disbelieving eyes at a man she once cared for so deeply murdered the other half of her soul.

“No…no…no….NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”

The scream tore from her throat as she stood against the first attack, though as the second wave within the Earth happened she was knocked back into the rest of their friends. It felt unreal and like a nightmare from something bad they had eaten. How often had Ro teased her about having a stomach of stone? That one day it would bite her in the ass? Perhaps, this was that time? When she was forced to live through this nightmare and wake up exhausted and possibly tossing the rest of what remained in her stomach, but at least Ro Pan would still be alive. At least she would still have her brother.

And yet, as the clay earth became mudded and crimson from his blood she knew this was no dream, but a horrible reality. With that realization sparked an anger that would have made any from the fire nation proud, so that when she regained her footing the ground beneath their feet trembled something fierce and she made as if to take off after the coward only for a hand to stall her. A familiar hand, whose grasp even in these dying moments was strong enough to keep her in place.

“Ro…” the tears came easily and unnoticed as she knelt down at her brother’s side, hands that were often steady as the element she was born to bend now shook with barely contained emotions as she pulled her brother’s head into her lap that she might cradle him. There was the thought to hush him, to plead with him to save his strength, because she knew he would make he just had to wait for help to arrive. Yet, she knew those were the desperate thoughts of a heartbroken sister who had never thought for a second that she would lose her brother.

He was the Avatar. The Master of all the elements, there was no one more powerful than he in this world, and yet he had fallen…

Without a true mental comprehension she nodded her head at his words, “I promise brother…” she softly sobbed down to him as she held him to her. When his last breath left his body she found herself unable to let him go, instead she rocked gently to and fro while she repeated over and over. “I promise brother…I won’t forget brother……”

“I love you…”

The world felt…empty to her now and though there was the danger of Yu’s men returning to slay them all, she could not yet bring herself to leaving him. Could not bring herself to let him go…not just yet…

“I promise…I won’t forget…”

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The city Ro Pan and his sister hailed from was an interesting sight for Pakak, even after the strangeness of the magnificent Air Temples he'd encountered after joining the Avatar's group. The large wall isolating the place's innermost section from the rest of it had seemed somewhat off-putting to him, but Ro Pan and Xiaofan insisted that it wasn't there when they left all those years before. In any case, he was overwhelmed by the stone architecture as it sprawled out around him; the vastness of it all was only second in his mind to its relative dryness. "A bit arid", he had called it, although he was the only one of their group that felt such an observation needed to take any kind of precedence given the heated tensions hanging over the populace city.

Pakak came from a simpler variation of hierarchy; in the Southern Tribe there were Elders and Chieftains, very easy to keep track of (although he did manage to get himself into a great deal of trouble in spite of this simplicity) and as such he had difficulty grasping the nuances of the Avatar's exchange with his old friend over dinner. At one point things grew heated, but in the end it seemed to settle down with little trouble, to the Water Bender's immense relief. He had come to the city as a favor to a good friend (they never spoke of it, but Pakak had his suspicions regarding the circumstances of their first meeting), and while he was willing to stand at Ro Pan's side regardless of the situation, he had little desire to get caught up in a civil war. Especially not in such a dry, dry place, surrounded by walls and stone. And it was dry, too.


It was something of a relief when they exited the city the next day for the meeting; Pakak was happy to be back in the open air, though he still felt somewhat uneasy as the peace talks began. Things started off well enough, until they were all distracted by the sound of galloping hooves; a girl sat atop an animal, moving furiously towards them, shouting something that was incoherent to Pakak's ears given the distance remaining between the newcomer and the rest of them.

And then, the unthinkable occurred.

Yu Shang, old friend to the Avatar, uttered a cold apology as he stabbed Ro Pan deeply and viciously, before sending them all flying back, among them Xiaofan last to succumb to the treacherous man's powerful Earth Bending. By the time Pakak regained his footing ten feet away, the Avatar lay on the ground, dying before his very eyes even as his assailant disappeared into the distance.

Pakak moved to approach Ro's form but stopped after taking several steps, witnessing the grief of a sister losing her other half, the last family she had. The loss tore at him as well, creating the kind of sorrow inside him he had never experienced before.

Avatar Ro Pan saved him when he had nothing- he gave Pakak's life new purpose when the disgraced tribesman was uncertain of whether or not he would even live to see a new day. Ro Pan was his savior, a master of all the elements who could unite the world, a person capable of seeing the good no matter where he looked.

And he was gone.

Pakak's jaw clenched so tightly he was surprised his teeth did not shatter; his eyes grew moist and his breathing was suddenly labored as within him grief and sorrow battled rage and disbelief. He didn't know what to do- for the first time since meeting the Avatar, Pakak was lost.

Silently, he turned and looked away, casting his hood over his face.

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Pure shock and horror.

When she recovered from being thrown back, Talya jumped to her feet. But the attacker had already fled and aftermath was devastating.

Nothing could have mentally prepared Talya for what had just happened. The Avatar’s death, no, his murder, replayed in her mind over and over again, refusing to believe it. All she could do was stand there motionless, speechless. She didn’t even want to move from her spot. Everything around her was faded, her vision focused only on Ro Pan, the man who had showed her so much, and in so little time, and nothing more.

Perhaps something like this should have been expected with everything that has happened in the p few years. But that did not change what was running through her mind at this time. Her fists were clenched tightly. There was nothing she could say, and she hated herself for not being able to step in and do something. She felt weak, useless. She felt as if everything Ro Pan had taught her had gone in vain.

“No…” Talya managed to speak in a weak tone and finally felt her knees buckle and she fell to the ground. Hot tears stung her face as she held back a sob, feeling the anger within her starting to rise.

Had she been the same person she was before she met Ro Pan, she would have run away. She didn’t have the strength she had now back then. The Avatar had changed her life, and it was because of him that she had been able to change a few lives herself. However, she could feel herself starting to take a few steps backwards. What was she going to tell the others, she thought. What was going to happen now?

Never Forget…

Those were Ro Pan’s last words to everyone. Did… did she have the strength to carry out his will?

No, Talya, she thought. Enough. Slowly, she stood, resolve taking over her sorrow. She was the Avatar’s ally, his friend, and it was for that reason she must not mourn. This was the start of a new beginning. As his friend, she must carry out his will.

“Neither will I…” Talya said under her breath, her tone weak and shaky, as she joined the others. “I won’t forget either.”

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An Ming had been as surprised by the Avatar Ro Pan as his father had been when he had first come to their temple home. An Ming's family was very nomadic and so it really didn't take much for the young man barely into adulthood to up and leave his family to accompany the Avatar. In face it was just the adventure An Ming wanted. There was much he could learn from the older man and his friends. His shy quiet nature didn't seem to be a problem either which was more then An Ming could say about others his own age. After only a few weeks he felt quite comfortable with the group. Thus the decision to follow the Avatar back to the Earth Kingdom wasn't a hard one for An. He would follow him literally anywhere. The things he learned along the way, the sights he saw expanded his horizons and fortified his desire and will to follow the Avatar and learn even more. For An dearly loved to learn, knowledge and understanding where the balance that he sought. It had been this way all his life. The more he knew the hungrier he was for more knowledge and understanding. Thus his travels with the Avatars group fed his mind with new knowledge and deeper understanding.

The earth city was a sight to behold. One he was unused to, having only seen the temples of the Air kingdom. Having been raised there. To now see the Earth Kingdom was amazing. The stories he had heard had not them justice and he took the sights in with hungry eyes. They amazed and fascinated him.

All the talk of war was something that scared An deeply. He wasn't interested in war. He didn't like war and hated the concept even more. An was a man of peace. He sought peace above all else. Wanting nothing more then the balance to be upheld. It is why he wishes to remain with the Avatar so deeply as it is him who restores and fortifies the balance of peace amongst the nations. It was thus that he was relieved when a peace talk was agreed upon. Though he had remained silent observing the exchange between the Avatar and his childhood friend, An had hoped and prayed for peace. It was his deepest hope and strongest desire. He was uneasy, for a man of war did not often come to peace so easily, however, he chalked it up to the Avatars presence and therefore put no further thoughts into his unease. Trusting in what he had come to know.

As they retired nothing remained to trouble An's dreams that night and still nothing troubled his thoughts the next morning. He rose and followed the others still intently taking in the sights and sounds of the earth kingdom city around him. Something he found interesting on a deep level. As the meeting began nothing seemed wrong, it seemed as though peace was really going to follow on the heels of Ro Pan's arrival.

An was reading intently the papers when the girl was heard making her way towards them. He looked away to watch her interested in what was going on and equally confused by her incoherent words. Therefore, he missed what else transpired, until he heard a cry that turned his blood to ice in his veins. He looked over just in time to see the blood a moment before he was thrown backwards with a cry of alarm and landed hard, the breath knocked from him. So that all he could do was lie in shock and watch what transpired, trying to catch his breath.

Tears stung his eyes as he watched his friend and mentor Ro Pan falling to his knees. As he watched the man he admired so dying. It was more then he could bear, but there was naught he could do, except watch and feel the pain inside him building with each shaky breath he took. An heard the Avatars last words as he slowly attempted to rise. Unsteadily and aching he made his way to kneel by Xiaofan's side. Watching in silent pain the two woman grieve for their brother. His own grief spilling over into the tears that streamed down his face.

From where he knelt An looked up to Kai and met her gaze, the grief mirrored in his eyes shone brightly, but as did the determination to find the reincarnation of the Avatar. An remained silent even as those around him spoke. He had no words to share, he felt the loss of his friend and mentor deeply, though he knew no where near as much as Xiaofan would be feeling the loss of her twin.

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Anger. Rage. Hate and guilt coursed through her form like a violent storm that Xiao could not even begin to comprehend. The promise was there and the knowledge of knowing what she had to do, but she just could not bring herself to move. At least not until she was touched by one of the others, then the focus snapped to those without rather than the hurt and loss she had dwelled on within.

“NO!” she snapped at You when she touched her. “Don’t you even dare speak of what he deserves!”

The ground seemed to mirror her emotions as it trembled and quaked in response to the hurt that Xiao felt. “NONE OF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY A THING ABOUT HIM! NONE OF YOU!” she stood now, for the first time since she knelt at his side and face those that she called her family. “WHERE WERE ANY OF YOU WHEN THIS HAPPENED?! WHERE WERE ANY OF YOU WHEN HE WAS STRUCK DOWN?! WHERE?!”

Xiao stomped her foot as if to emphasize her words and a crack appeared. Jagged and angry it sped toward those before her as if she meant to have the earth swallow them whole, only for it to stop just short. Angry hot tears streamed down her face and she continued to glare at those around them, blaming them for the death of her beloved brother, even if she felt that she herself was truly the one at fault.


Another group of people reached, another lost soul wrangled up and the twins now sat before a fire after a long days travel. The fire popped and cracked as the wood burned hot and bright, casting an odd illumination on the faces before it. Those who made up the rest of their family, slept off in their blankets as the older pair enjoyed the evening together. Above the sky was clear, so Xiao enjoyed the chance to gaze up at the stars. This life was more adventurous than she had previously thought they would do, sure she had expected them to travel and see the world, but never to this degree. At least not when it came to the wayward adoptions that her brother appeared fond of, something she had never pegged him for to be honest.

Even if it was nice to have company and even more so to be able to form connections beyond one another, she still worried that it was not the safest thing for them to do.

For him to do.

The stars above seemed to hold no answers to the worry that gnawed at her. Soon she began to fidget like she had an itch she could not scratch, even going so far as to rub her back against the log she rested against in an effort to get comfortable.

“What troubles you sister?” Ro said from where he sat across from her.

“Life?” she said with a huff as she sat up.

“Life? Come now sister you and life are nearly as close as you and I,” he teased. “But do tell me what is on your mind. I can feel it gnawing at you, as if it were my own troubles.”

This time she sighed as she met his gaze, “I worry about you.”

“Why?”

“Because you are just so trusting with people,” she looked to those sleeping about the camp and lowered her voice. “I know you are the Avatar and all, but there is such a thing as being too trusting, even for me,” the last part mainly an addition due to her being the more talkative and social of the pair. If she felt uncomfortable about this, then surely he should as well. Right?

A kind and amused smile danced on his lips as he just shook his head, “I never worry and do you know why?”

Ro and his word games, wanting her to wait for his “wisdom” it was not something she enjoyed though it was something she felt she could not do without either.

“Why?” she finally asked for she knew he would wait until she asked to get more amusement out of it.

“You,” he said simply.

“Me?”

“Yes you. I have no reason to worry or fear for my safety because I always have you there to protect me. I may be the avatar, but I know there are somethings that I won’t see and that is where you come in. My sister who has always had my back ever since we were kids,” he relaxed back into a posture for meditation. “You should have more faith in yourself. I know I have all of my faith in you…”

As that memory flashed through her mind the anger at those before her left and she just stood there unsure of what to think or even how to feel. It was her fault and now she would have to fix this somehow…

“I...I’m sorry…” she whispered to her friends as she looked at them with regret. “You is right, we have to get away from here and…regroup,” the words were hallow almost as if she was still trying to gather herself.

Turning back to her brother’s form she found Pip there instead, the Badgermole had snuggled up to his former Master and held him close to his large form as gently as possible with his exceptionally sharp claws.

“Pip,” she spoke softly to the beast and step toward him. “We have to go,” she went to grab the body of her brother but was met with what could have been a growl from Pip. “I know that you’re sad and hurting,” she spoke softly to the mole to try and ease its own suffering. “We have to go.”

Again she reached for her brother and again the mole rebuked her efforts, this time with a bat of its paw.

“Pip…please,” though even before her hand could reach for her brother, the earth beneath their feet quaked and then a hole began to open about the mole and the body of Ro. “No…No….NO! PIP! STOP IT!”

Try as she might, she could not stop the earth, could not command it to halt even as she watched the dark envelope the badger and her brother. In a last ditch effort, she scrambled forth once more, as she ignored the Badger she grabbed for her brother but to no avail. His body had slipped from her grasp though she did not come away completely empty-handed. A final sigh and grunt of annoyance, before she just…gave up.

“Let’s go,” is all she said to the others before she mounted up and turned Falcor back the way they had come. Toward the fire nation, toward where her brother was to be reborn.

“Do what you must while we are gone, we will return with the next Avatar,” she said to the two remaining council members as she moved past them and took off at a gallop of sorts. The future was uncertain, but she had a promise to keep with her brother and whether or not the others choose to help did not matter to her. If she had to, it would be done on her own. She promised him she would and he said he had his faith in her, so she would try to earn that faith back.

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Kai slowly raised her head from where it had lain in reverence to the fallen Avatar. She heard the angry words, but her eyes were set only upon where she had seen a trail of light go. The spirit of the Avatar, she felt certain of it. And where it had gone, she could see, and that meant she would be able to see it again. And that, more than any hurt feeling was most important.

Then the Badgermole took his master with him into the quiet of the earth that had borne him. Ro Pan's sister crying out in frustration and loss as her brother disappeared before her. Kai's heart breaking once more at the sight. She slowly rose to her feet, for once, not bothering to dust herself off. Ro Pan's twin sister turned from them telling them to follow, and mounted up to leave.

"Many pardons honorable ones..." She began in her soft voice, but two of the party did not seem to hear her. Her face scrunched up for a moment, wondering how to garner their attention, and then relaxing into a soft calm demeanor. She clucked for the catdeer, and looked to the remaining party that was being left behind. "If you will forgive my rudeness and timing, I believe we all must depart to the Fire Nation. I know which way the spirit has flown."

She did not speak again, simply climbed atop her catdeer, clumsily, and rode out after the retreating backs of the other two. Her hand patted the catdeer's neck and she clucked her tongue a few times to increase his pace, in an attempt to catch those that had left. A sense of duty, and urgency lingering over her shoulder.

More than a small part of her wondered why the spirits had seen fit to end Ro Pan's story here, and why they had warned her at all. But another part suspected that she was needed here to see the trail that had been left behind, and to follow it quickly. Perhaps the events had been completely unavoidable.

But even that cold comfort did not stop her tears from falling once more at the thought of Ro Pan's kindness to her not so long ago.

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“NONE OF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY A THING ABOUT HIM! NONE OF YOU!”

The words made Pakak flinch as if he'd been struck; more than their volume and the anger with which they were uttered, what stung most of all was the truth behind them. Xiao was right, and though he hadn't said a word, he knew he did not carry the right to do so if he wished to. He should have been better prepared for the attack. He should have been quicker to recover- he was the healer, darnit! If he could've gotten back to his feet faster, there might have been hope. The Avatar might have lived.

“WHERE WERE ANY OF YOU WHEN THIS HAPPENED?! WHERE WERE ANY OF YOU WHEN HE WAS STRUCK DOWN?! WHERE?!”

On the ground. On the ground, like a damned fool, while the greatest man I have ever known bled out in the dirt, he thought bitterly. He was furious with himself and numb from the loss, and the guilt weighed heavily on his mind. After all the Avatar had done for him, he could have- no, he should have done something. Anything.

Pakak's bag was already slung over his shoulder by the time Xiao had ridden by; something about the scene had changed with the disappearance of Ro Pan's body, as if the painful sight of the badger mole taking it beneath the earth had left behind a kind of echo. He felt a desperate need to be gone, yet there was also a strong reluctance to leave the place where he had last seen his friend alive.

As You passed him, the girl fixed him with an angry, accusing glare; Pakak returned the look with a stoney one of his own, remaining silent as he had since the moment the Avatar had been given his mortal wound. In happier times he thought of the Fire Bender as something of a bratty niece, a person he cared for deeply in spite of the fact that he carried a natural distrust for Fire Benders in general. At the moment, however, he could feel nothing but self-loathing. Her look mirrored his own feelings. He should have done something, and he was a long way from forgetting it. As she followed in her surrogate sister's wake, Pakak let out a weary sigh, reluctant to start moving.

He cast a final look back at where Pip had vanished with Ro Pan's body, only snapping out of it upon hearing the words of the woman who had ridden up on her catdeer, ironically to warn the Avatar of impending doom. He snorted with a joyless smile at being called "honorable", but he started off after her and the other two, towards the lands of the Fire Nation after finally tearing his eyes away from the Avatar's final resting place.

Honorable. I am a long way from that.

It occurred to him that Ro Pan might have disagreed, but the man's reassuring voice, like the rest of him, was gone forever. With a sigh, Pakak checked his water skins and trudged forward.

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Talya felt as if something hard had formed in her throat when Xiao began yelling at them. She clenched her fist, tears continuing to sting her eyes and cheeks. It got worse when Ro’s body was taken away.

How could Xiao be angry? No… how dare she be angry, how dare she yell! Everyone was feeling guilty here. Nobody was even given a chance to do anything. And… and where was she when this was happening? Where? Every part of her deep down wanted so badly to present that argument. But it would do nothing, and it wasn’t like Talya to just stand up and start yelling back. Not to mention, y Ro would not want them all to be at each other’s throats at a time like this.

They had to move on. That was the best thing they could do for now.

She attempted to wipe her tears away on her sleeve though this did nothing to help stop her crying. Maybe she should have done something. If she had done something, would things have ended differently, would Ro still be with them? No. She should not allow her mind to linger upon such thoughts. The moment for grieving has passed. All she can do now, like everyone else, was keep the memory of their beloved Avatar with her at all times.

Talya nodded at Kai’s words, though she didn’t speak. The simply followed alongside the group, trying her best to keep her head held high and her mind focused on the road ahead. So, they were to head to the Fire Nation? She saw no reason to doubt Kai. If anything, at least they had a destination in mind and weren’t wandering aimlessly wondering where the new Avatar would be.

Admittedly, there was a part of her that was looking forward to this journey. If anything, it was as good a time as any to put everything Ro had taught them to good use and not let his teachings go in vain.

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Silently An Ming rose and stepped back, watching the emotional display of Xiao. He could easily understand how she would feel, for his own emotions were much the same. The only difference was that he was not a blood relation to the Avatar. He had only been his companion, his friend. He had felt much from a part of his family, to An Ming, like a brother or another father. With silent pain in his eyes he regarded the scene before him. Watched as the mole took the body of his friend. He felt the silent tears gathering, but he pushed them away. Now wasn't the time to cry.

At Xiao’s words, let’s go, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed out with the rest of the group. Those who were still alive, where Ro wasn't. This fact alone ate at him. Why couldn't it have been him, after all he wasn't even a bender. Hopelessness gathered inside of him, a darkness that tried to claim his thoughts. Silently he attempted to analyze what had just happened. Allowing the memories to flow through his mind, as he traveled. He hung back from the main group. Not by much, maybe a step or two, but enough. The distance and the silence in which he cloaked himself, allowed his mind calm. It allowed his thoughts to clear.

An Ming attempted to think of this in a way that put it all into perspective. The truth was he didn't know how. The grief was just too fresh, he could see it in all of those around him. Everyone felt it. The loss, the pain. This day had ended in tragedy. No one knew what the future held, but one thing was certain. The Avatar would be reborn. And they had to find the new Avatar. An Ming might be silent, but he was determined. He would see this through. No matter what the future held.

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Camp was made and the group turned in for the night. Still within the territory of the Earth Kingdom, but they were closer to their goal by a day at least. The journey thus far was different than it had been before. It felt like the very heart and soul of their party had been sucked from them, and that was a close representation for what happened.

Ro was gone. Their leader, their friend, family in some cases was gone and there was no bringing him back. Already, his soul had moved on to the next vessel to house it in this life time. Though the soul was the same, the body and personality would not be. It was not going to be Ro, it would never be Ro. Ro was gone forever and there was nothing anyone could do about it now. Not now…


They were in their house, the one they shared as children. Pebbles lay on the ground before them, within a circle waiting for the game to begin. It was a simple game that they played often as children. All they had to do was shove the pebbles out of the circle to earn a point. The trick was that the other person would be trying to do same. A test of wills and skill, they played this for hours when they were children and now, it seemed they were children once again as they sat across from one another to play this game.

“You never win,” Xiao said with a grin at her brother. “Why do you insist we play this game?”

“I never win, because I let you,” Ro replied with complete confidence.

The look that came to Xiao’s face was one of anger, hurt and determination as the game began between the two of them. At first each of them moved a couple of pebbles unmolested to the other side to score points, but then they both locked onto one stone and the struggle began. The stone shivered, shook and trembled between them though neither gave up much space to the other.

Until…

Suddenly, the pebble flew past Ro and smacked the wall with a resounding sound of triumph. “I DID IT!” she shouted. “Let me win, huh?” she boasted to her brother who had not moved much since the last few moments of the game. “I know for a fact that you fought back!” Another laugh filled cheer, she reached over to pat him on the shoulder and he instead fell over.

“Ro?”

Blood now stained her hand and from his chest stood what looked like a stone stake. “Ro….” His name repeated again as she watched his blood continue to pump from his body and cover the floor. “No...no…no…no…no…” she continued over and over again, until the scene changed and though they were in the same house they were older now.

“Ready to leave?” Ro asked from the doorway.

The room had changed once again and Xiao looked down at herself to see a young woman, rather than the child she had just been.

“Wh…What?” she asked confused with the sting of tears still fresh in her eyes.

“I said are you ready to go,” he asked with a look of confusion. “Mother needs us to head to the market for some things for dinner. I figure we can then meet Yu and have some fun before dinner…”

“NO!” her words cut off the end of his sentence as she rushed to him, hands desperately snatched at the material of his clothing. “We can’t go to see him! He’s going to betray you! Kill you!”

“Xiao…what has gotten into you?” Ro asked while he tried to remove himself from her grasp. “Yu is one of our dearest and oldest friends he would nev…” the sentence was never finished as blood began to pour from his still agape mouth.

“No….not again…” Xiao gasped as she caught the full weight of her brother as he slumped forward into her arms, behind him stood Yu Shang with Ro’s blood still fresh on his hands, a sick grin of satisfaction plastered on his face.

“Looks like you failed him…again…” Yu Shang laughed turned and walked away.

“No!” she shouted but her words appeared to be swallowed by the ground around them, which had become more akin to mud then anything solid. Like her words, soon she too began to get sucked into the ground while she still clutched the cooling body of her beloved brother.

“Xiao…” his voice a whisper at her ear, “how could you let this happen?”


With a start she awoke, just as the final glimpses of light had disappeared once the ground had taken her completely. Now, she laid on her bedroll, little more than a thin layer of material to keep the cold out rather than shield her from the hard ground beneath. Into the fire she gazed, eyes intense as she watched the flames dance to and fro. Flickers of the dream just past reflected in the surface of the flames. Each one a fresh reminder of the brother that she lost and the pain she felt, the guilt, hate and rage.

A sound drew her attention. One of those within her group had stirred within their slumber, or perhaps she imagined it all. Regardless, now that rage she felt for herself was directed outwards at them once again. The ones who had failed to protect her brother when he needed them most. The pathetic freeloading, worthless miscreants that were nothing but a burden to her now. With a snarl of rage she slammed her fist down onto the ground and the earth trembled with what should be enough force to rouse those who slept.

If she would not get any rest tonight than neither would they.

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The sky was dark, so dark that no matter how hard Pakak squinted towards the horizon he still found himself unable to see very far ahead. Regardless, he stood like a statue at the edge of the camp, staring out in the ocean's general direction for so long that he lost track of the time. Eventually a strong gust of arid wind reached him from the south, whipping his hair into his eyes and returning him to the present as he pushed the tangled locks aside with a grumble.

Pakak knew little of the geography beyond the lands of his birthplace; in fact he'd never been to the Fire Nation at all, since he only joined Ro Pan's company after the Avatar had already traversed that realm. Still, to him it felt like the closer they drew to their destination the more dry the air was growing. He knew it was possibly just his own mind playing tricks on him, especially given the fact that they were heading towards the coast, but he'd been unable to shake his growing sense of discomfort as their journey stretched on.

It was a warm night (for him anyway, given how accustomed he was to the cold), and his fur-lined robes were in a sloppy bundle on top of his untouched bedroll. He had placed them there so as to act as a makeshift pillow, though that usage never came to pass given the unrelenting wakefulness that afflicted him from the moment the others had looked to be turning in for the night. Instead of slowing down, a necessity for sleep, his mind continued to work at a frantic pace. It was consumed with thoughts of the road ahead, and of the uncertainty of their mission. The general atmosphere hovering over their group also played a role in his inability to sleep; the tension was impossible to ignore.

He checked his water skins, before taking a small sip from the third, the only one he never concealed. He was only just removing it from his lips when the ground beneath him shook, not violently enough to knock him off balance, but still hard enough to make him lose some water as his hand jerked. With some instinctive bending he managed to stop some of it from colliding with the ground, though most of it splashed onto the dusty earth, turning instantly to mud.

He directed what he'd managed to salvage back into the skin and closed it, before turning around for the first time since moving to the outskirts of the camp. As he did so, he impulsively touched the scar that ran over his left eye, a habit of his that was usually triggered by agitation. The first thing he saw was You, looking at him over her shoulder; there was something strange in her expression, but before he could identify it she had turned back around to face Xiao. He followed her example and looked to the Earth Bender, whose furious face was illuminated by the flickering light of the campfire.

Different people dealt with grief in different ways, he understood that, and it was clear that the woman's particular method of mourning involved rage that she couldn't help but project onto those around her. But his patience was wearing thin. The Avatar was their friend and leader and he was gone, but though Xiao had lost the closest person in the world to her, Pakak would not stand for much more of her behavior. She had been a friend to him, like all the others, and his loyalty to them and to the memory of Ro Pan kept him where he was, but that wouldn't be the case for much longer if things continued the way they were going.

While the woman was Ro's twin, she seemed to have forgotten the principles the man lived by. There was little of who the Avatar was visible in her now, enveloped in the shadow of his passing as she was. If she couldn't learn to focus her anger on the man that had betrayed her brother, and not on the people standing at her side, people who had loved the Avatar with every fibre of their beings, he would leave her to her tantrums and walk away.

Alone, if need be.

He stowed the water skin away and turned back around, eyes once again seeking out the distant water he could not see. His thoughts, however, remained focused on Ro's sister.

"Child."

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The winds were silent as the soft cackle of surf brushed against the shore. Above stars twinkled and their light danced amongst the heavens in blissful ease, their performance unseen to those below. One of the largest islands in what would be the Fire Nation stood quiet on this pale moonlit night. Quiet except the pained screams of new life in a fire-lit hut further down shore. The lights did dance and shine brighter than ever at this new sound, and the moon beamed brighter than ever with the clouds casting down a single moonbeam onto the tiny hut.

The new avatar was born with only the stars as witness, as if generations of those passed gazed on and blessed the event.

Far away on the outskirts of the Earth Empire rested the group that once traveled with Ro Pan. His death fresh on their minds, they continued pushing forward with what was left of their spirits. Three days had passed since the terrible day, and without the force that binded the group together, could they forge new bonds from the remains of the old and continue on the spirit of their lost friend? An answer that only time will tell. Time that a group of ambitious bandits were not willing to give them. Skidding across the sands were nine makeshift rafts each with three men, blowing countless grains of sand in their wake as they raced towards the group. Thoughts of spoils written clearly in their dark smiles.

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Time heals wounds.

Talya was back to her usual self, but not completely. Many things continued to weigh heavily on her mind. The past three days were spent reflecting on a lot of those things. She dared not share with the group yet, however. She feared, if she did, she might reopen wounds that were healing. Starting any arguments was the last thing that anybody needed right now.

Optimism was something that she always practiced. She was bubbly by nature, and fierce as the very wind itself.

The slightest changes in the wind never went unnoticed to Talya. She was always paying attention to her surroundings as if the wind were speaking directly to her in silent conversation. Now that she was unclouded by the events of a few nights ago, her senses were sharp as ever. There was something out there. It could have been an animal or something. Whatever it was, it was closing in fast.

She stopped and looked around at the others, “Hear that?” Surely she was not the only one who noticed they weren’t alone. Or maybe it was something not worth their attention? That made sense, they had more important things to worry about now. She was not one to be jumpy over a small thing… But something was definitely off.

Trusting her gut, she took in a deep breath and prepared herself.

She was right to trust her gut. The bandits had come in hungry for blood, ready to take them down. She could see the glint of their weapons; not all of them were benders.

Just as one was coming toward her, she summoned a mighty gust of wind to knock the bandit off his raft. Then, as a second made for her, she quickly launched herself into the air. Just as she did, she had to narrowly avoid a large spike jutting up from the earth. There was an Earthbender amongst them. Talya smirked, looking forward to the challenge.

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The word was heard and she turned to face the upstart water bender. Hand clenched into a fist the ground trembled slightly. A silent answer to the call she did not even know she had made, but it was there waiting for her to give the next order.

Ro had always warned her about something like this. Warned her about the emotions that threatened to overcome her when they were younger. Now, without him there the feelings hurt all the more and she was primed to rage and destroy anything that thought to make light of her and this moment. These poor children could claim to hurt over his lost all they want, but their pain paled in comparison to her own. He was more than just her brother, he was her twin. They shared the start of life together and were supposed to share the last of their days together as well. Now, that would never happen and these insolent little brats had the nerve to call her pain childish. As the thought to teach him a lesson he would never forget formulated in her mind, the air bender spoke up. Attention drawn there now she felt the tremble in the earth before the bandits broke into the clearing and lashed out at them.

One already taken care of by the air bender, she grinned and settled into a stance that was like second nature to her. Center of gravity lowered she gestured with a downward strike with her fist which caused the spiked piece of earth to retract back into the ground. Powerful leg stomp forward and a ball of stone exploded into the air so that in her next movement a punch sent the rock sailing through the air and square into the chest of one of the bandits. Another stomp another rock resulted in yet the end of yet another bandit. Feet stomped together fists down at her sides she slowly raised them up, her chi focused on the ground the split and cracked until it turned into a crevice, ready to swallow and crush the bandits.

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