The long, ornate hall led to several lesser-used meditation areas. It was never particularly crowded, and many days was entirely empty. Today it was not. Today, the sounds of footsteps and labored breathing pierced its serene silence. A woman, orange and yellow robes singed and spattered with blood, was running through it. Her hand was wrapped tightly around the wrist of a small, wide-eyed child, who struggled to keep up.

"Sister Daiyu, where are we going?! What is happening?! I'm so confu-" A hand clutched over the boy's mouth and cut him off mid-sentence. With her other arm, Daiyu pulled the boy tightly against herself and ducked behind a column. No sooner had she done so than had three Fire Nation soldiers entered the hall.

"Private, are you sure that you saw movement in this direction?" A weary woman's voice demanded.

"I-I thought I did..." Came the stammered reply.

"There's no one here. This is a waste of time; we should go back to the stables." A third voice.

"No! Just now, I was sure I heard voices. Let's stay here, look around..." The second voice again.

For several long, agonizing minutes, the only sound in the hall was that of metal on metal, the Fire Nation soldiers' armor clinking together as they peeked their heads into a few rooms. Finally, the woman who seemed to be in charge spoke up again.

"Private, you must have been mistaken. We need to go back."

"No! I mean, I-"

"I'm not exactly enjoying this either," the third voice interrupted. "But it doesn't matter. We have our orders. Captain, can we please return?"

"Yes." And, like that, they were gone.

Daiyu let out the deep breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She released the boy and turned to continue in the direction they'd originally been travelling, but he did not follow. "Rinzen. Come." Anger and fear had made her snappish. I was never good with children to begin with. Revered Mother, why, of all people, did you ask me?

Rinzen shook his head. "I wanna go back. Anil, and Tashi, and the others; they're in danger, right? We need to help." His voice cracked on that last statement, and he seemed about to cry. Daiyu's expression softened. The boy didn't even know that he was the Avatar; there was no time to explain the situation, or how important he was.

"They'll be right behind us," she lied, "But there isn't time to wait up. We need to get moving." She offered her hand out to him, and he took it gingerly. Once again, they were running, and, after a few turns, they came out onto a covered walkway. What greeted them was a stark contrast from the serene interior of the temple. The air around them was thick with smoke, and the sky was black with it. Though they were in a relatively remote location on the far side of the Eastern-most of the three mountains, they could still hear the screams in the distance. Even from this far away, the smell of burning flesh was still distinguishable in the air.

They continued running down the covered pathway, heading towards a wooded area used for meditation. Only when they reached it did she finally allow them a rest, leaning against a tall stone that would hide them from the view of anyone in the temple itself. She reached into her robe, pulled out a bison-shaped whistle, and blew. It didn't make a noise that she could hear but she knew that, if Uppi were alive, the sky bison would come. If she didn't? Well, Daiyu wasn't sure. She had her glider on her back, but she was tired and in pain from a gash on her arm. It would be a long way down, and she didn't believe that she'd be able to make it down with the Avatar. No, waiting for Uppi seemed to be the only way.

Daiyu took a deep breath and went about tearing a strip of cloth from her robe. She wrapped it around the gash and tied it off, hoping that would help with the bleeding. While she did this, Rinzen took out a whistle of his own. The young bison he'd bonded with the day before, named Stumpy for a missing horn, he'd been left behind as well. They'd played together with the whistle that morning; maybe he'd recognize it and come to them. He took a deep breath and blew the whistle, again and again. Daiyu pretended not to notice his efforts; such a young sky bison's chances of survival in this massacre were slim.

"Sister Daiyu," Rinzen said. It was only now that she noticed he was peeking around the rock, staring at an approaching man. "Who is that?"

Progressing slowly through the neatly shaved grass towards the circle of meditation stones, Captain Jin Zoulu had assumed an offensive posture, his dominant leg and arm forward, feet shoulder width apart, crouched down in preparation. "I am sorry," he murmured, just loud enough for Daiyu to hear, "but I cannot allow you to leave." Jin inhaled slowly and, at the peak of his breath, thrust his forward arm and leg outward, a great fireball hurtling towards the two Air Nomads.

As he circled the perimeter of the stones, harnessing the awesome power of the bright red comet overhead to spray gouts of fire forward, singeing the stones black with soot, it became apparent that Jin was doing his best to direct his attacks at Daiyu, and not the young boy with her. Unlike many of the Fire Nation troops at the Eastern Air Temple, his fire was under control; it was evident that he had a great deal of respect for the element under his control, refusing to set fire to the forest behind them - always in control, always careful.

"If you surrender yourselves, the Fire Lord may grant you mercy," he cried, a bitterness ringing in his voice that spoke of a hard-told lie.

Each of Jin's attacks were met by a gust of air only just big enough to knock the flames aside. Daiyu winced with every swing of her staff; the wound on her arm had been deep, and just parrying him was sapping her energy quickly. A voice in the back of her head screamed for her to fight, rather than to dodge and defend, but something even deeper than her survival instinct prevented her. She had taken a vow of nonviolence. To herself, and to the old woman.

Daiyu clenched her jaw, glancing around for Uppi before fixing the lying man -the monster, for surely no person could commit these atrocities- with a glare. "If you stop now, maybe the universe will grant you mercy."
After a particularly nasty blast of fire, Jin halted, standing at the ready to deliver another fiery blow. "The universe? Woman, you may be more at one with the cosmic forces than I, but I assure you, the universe has no interest in your safety: if I was not meant to carry out my orders, why would Fire Lord Sozin's army be here, on this day, that comet overhead bolstering our powers tenfold?"

Daiyu knew that she wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. That last blast had partially landed, and now the fabric on her left shoulder singed away, a harsh burn in its place. The pain was like nothing she’d ever felt. She ground her teeth to keep herself from crying out. Seeing her hurt, Rinzen ran over before she could voice protest. Daiyu grabbed him by the collar and jerked him behind her.

Jin drew his breath in once more, narrowing his eyes and staring directly at Daiyu. "Quickly, then. Tell me why I should disobey my orders - why I should risk my own family's lives and safety over two shaved monks whose names I do not even know. I implore you."

"He is not a monk. He is a child," she snapped, voice trembling from rage as much as from pain. Getting angry won’t help anything, she reminded herself, trying to real in her emotions. She stared back at him, considering his question carefully. Finally, she decided. These next words could very well doom them both, but their chances seemed poor to begin with. "And... He is also the Avatar. Even if you don't care for us as individuals, even if you do decide to kill me," She winced from a flash of pain, took a moment to recover, and continued, "the world needs him. And that includes the Fire Nation. It includes you, and everything you hold dear."

Flinching, Jin's mouth hung open for a fraction of a second before snapping shut. Many things had just slid into place, and the Fire Nation Captain now understood the purpose of the battle he had fought today. This was not a mission of defense against aggressive benders, as he had been lead to believe; this was a genocide... and he was a murderer - of the cold-blooded variety. There was no time for a pity-party, however; Jin abandoned his combative pose, bowing his head.

"I have made a grave mistake, and misplaced my trust. I expect you incapable of forgiving me - but I hope that, one day, you might understand how I have been deceived." Turning his attention towards the temple behind him, where he could pick up the faint noises of troops approaching, Jin turned back towards Daiyu and her charge, his face the picture of urgency. "Find your bison and fly south-east. The perimeter guard, from that angle, are advanced scouts; they have been awake for far too long. The comet will still bolster their strength and their energy, but they are your best bet for escaping unscathed."

Jin clasped his left hand in front of his chest, his right palm open above it as he inclined his upper half just slightly. After a moment, he turned and quickly strode towards the temple; in the distance, his voice, commanding and authoritative, rang out: "A pair of them fled from the stones; they're headed towards the eastern side of the temple! Go, now, and find them!"

Daiyu watched him leave, wide-eyed. What had just happened? What did he think they were doing here, if not- no, she shook her head quickly, It doesn’t matter. There are more pressing things to think of right now.

“Come, Rinzen,” She said, starting towards the woods and using her staff for support. She pulled out her whistle and blew once more, and then realized that the boy was not following.

“Why did you tell him that I was the Avatar? I’m not… Right?” He asked quietly, eyes glued to the ground.

Daiyu’s brows furrowed. “There will be time to discuss this later. We must go. Now.” She turned and continued. After a few long seconds, she heard his soft footsteps treading behind her.

Then, the most glorious sound in the world: Uppi’s familiar growl. The creature had been flying low, just above the trees, and upon seeing them she landed. The creature had some singed fur and a few minor burns on her flanks, but other than that she seemed alive and well. Daiyu could have cried at the sight of her. The bison was okay, and they would be, too. Rinzen jumped on the creature’s back with ease. Injured as she was, Daiyu had a little more trouble. The moment they were both aboard, Uppi took to the skies.

A violent, overwhelming heat - the intensity of the comet soaring high overhead coupled with the awesome might of the benders it had empowered; the sickening odor of singed cloth, scorched stone and burnt flesh; agonized yelps and unrelenting screams, a people dying senselessly under the unrelenting power of fire.

He started awake without a sound, bathed in sweat. Eyes wide, mouth dry and sticky, breath shallow; his panicked eyes cast about the dark, quiet bedroom, covered in Fire Nation dressing and regalia. It perturbed him - and yet the comfort of home quieted his taxed heart, slowed his breathing. Captain Zoulu shuffled out of his marital bed, doing his utmost not to disturb his beloved.

The side-door of his home slid aside and Jin made his egress, shrugging into a deep red robe as he seated himself at the lip of the wooden deck, bare feet dangling in the neatly manicured yard below. His gaze wandered upwards, towards the night sky, magnanimous in its magesty. For the first time in his life, Jin felt unworthy to look upon such grace and beauty.

His home in Yu Dao was wonderful - and occupied by the most wonderful people; his daughter, Li, now of age, and his son, Hai, soon to become a man. His beloved wife Jia slept soundly beside him every night. What more could he want? The brief interlude between the genocide at the Eastern Air Temple and now had left him empty and mournful. Word had filtered back, as it always did, that the Fire Nation had perpetuated the death of an entire way of life. The Air Nomads, peaceful as they were, were no more. Jin feared reprisal from the Earth Kingdom natives in Yu Dao - or any of the other legion Fire Nation colonies - yet, though tension was high, nobody had been harmed... yet.

Further news of raids on the Southern Water Tribes and talk of an incursion into the heart of the Earth Kingdom itself had shocked Jin, but he was not surprised - not after encountering the young woman and her charge, whom she had insisted was the Avatar. Had she been lying to him? He suspected that she had not - and, after the death of Avatar Roku when Jin was a young man, it was rumored that the next Avatar in the cycle was to be an Air Nomad. This war, fed to the citizens of the Fire Nation under the guise of sharing their bountiful way of life, was no more than sheer conquest: an attempt to bring the rest of the four nations under the thumb of the Fire Lord. He saw that, now, and it had caused a deep sickness to settle into his stomach.

"Darling - why are you out of bed?"

Jin turned to see Jia silhouetted by the moonlight, gorgeous, despite having just awoken. "It's nothing, my love," he replied, smiling wanly, "please, go back to sleep."

"Something troubles you, my dear," Jia said, moving to sit beside her husband. "Is it the mission you left for? You haven't spoken about it since you returned... people have been saying such awful things, insisting that the army slaughtered the Air Nomads... is that true?"

Bowing his head in shame, Jin paused for a moment before nodding ever so slightly. "Yes," he admitted. "I was a part of the forward assault party. I... I..."

She placed her fingertip to his lips, shushing him gently before snaking her arms about his shoulders and laying her forehead against his shoulder. "I know you, Jin Zoulu," she whispered, smiling. "You are a good man, of that I have no doubt... and if you've done terrible things, it is only in service to your people. To your family." She hesitated, only for a moment, and then went on: "You must leave, darling."

"What?" he breathed in surprise.

"You heard me, Jin." Jia took his chin in her palm, turning his head and meeting his gaze. "You've amends to make, and you cannot make them here. You know I'm right... and I don't know where you need to go - where you need to be - but you and I know that it isn't here." She cupped his cheek, a fondness in her eyes. "I love you. You know that... and you know that I will be here, waiting for you, when you've set things right."

They kissed, and embraced, Jin taking Jia's hand in his own, stray tears rolling gently down his cheeks. "I will always love you as I love you now, Jia."



"You're well within your right to take your leave, Zoulu," his General admitted, placing the requisition forms atop the desk in front of him. "And your replacement is a good lad, likely to do well until your return. I'd just like to know why - particularly at the outset of war, Captain."

"I understand that it isn't the best timing, General," Jin replied, sitting stock upright across from his commanding officer. "There are simply things I must attend to abroad. All due respect, sir, I would rather they remain private."

"Ah," the General said, tapping his nose thoughtfully. "I suppose that's understandable. Very well - we will see you in one month, Captain Zoulu, and we hope you have a safe journey."

Droplets of water fell upon the ocean, little disturbances in the calm adding up to a massive number of dimples over the otherwise clear seas' surface. Below the water, no fish, no animals of any kind could be seen- all had taken refuge in the deeper areas of the ocean, finding safety far away from the chaos happening above. Despite the rain, the temperature was incredibly high; not due to the humidity of the falling rain, but due to a contradictory dryness in the air. Half of the raindrops evaporated before reaching the ocean's surface, and the other half scalded with boiling heat. Perhaps that was why, like the fish beneath her boat, Kala Hishen cowered behind a makeshift cover, a roof of sorts of armor and cloth.

A single boat, a scow which clearly had no business being so far out into the ocean, thrashed about over the bubbling waters, was managed timidly by the woman hiding under the roof she had hastily thrown together. Her eyes were squeezed shut, but even then, she could see the comet through her eyelids- a burning red dot in the sky, no doubt the cause of the chaos. Holding tight to the oars in her hands, Kala waited. Her heart pounding, her stomach churning, Kala regretted her decision to take this shortcut, rather than opting for a safer land-based route. It was no matter, now. All that could be done was for her to try to survive.

Knowing that the rain would burn should it touch her skin, Kala decided to get out of it. She wrapped herself in her cloak, tying her scarf over the lower half of her face, and lowering a hood over the top of her head. Letting the makeshift roof of her light armor collapse into the bottom of the boat, she began to row. Now that she had cleared her head, Kala realized she must change directions. Unable to see any stars in the sky, save for the comet, she blindly chose to follow the current of the water, to move out of the storm as quickly as possible. Mustering her strength, she adjusted the sails of the boat, and began to steer as steadily as her shaking hands could.

Shrouded in the darkness of night, and the plummeting curtain of rain, the captain of the lonely boat could only see a few meters before her. Far off, she knew there must be land eventually, yet she could barely see the front and back ends of her boat, let alone any such safety. Her ears were no help, either. All she could hear was the splashing of the rain against the waters, and against her boat, as well as the roaring of the wind rushing by her ears. Grimacing at her relative blindness, Kala closed her eyes, succumbing to the senses she knew might help her the most.

Through the thin cloth cover over her nose and mouth, Kala could still taste the bitter, salty air. As she was no sailor, and had little experience, it took her several minutes before she could make any sense of the information conveyed via nose and tongue. The disturbance of the ocean caused the thick layer of salt in the air, but it was the rain which caused the disturbance to which she paid heed. Honing in her focus, Kala realized the source of the rain.

Having come from a village west of Omashu, Kala knew the area well. Between that city, and Ba Sing Se, she knew the most direct route crossed through the two lakes, through the Serpent's Pass. The western half was a freshwater lake, the eastern half, as it was directly connected to the ocean, saltwater. The biodiversity of the area was incredible, but now, the divide was true. Several tastes were apparent in the rain. Rust. Ash. The softness which was so apparent in freshwater areas. Copper. Combined, these could only mean one thing.

The rust, from the bilges and keels of their ships, the ash, from the burning of whatever was in the water at the time, and the copper from the mist of blood, from creatures and people alike. Kala's eyes teared up, not just due to the brine in the air. The fire nation has taken the Western Lake.

Her parents had been on their way to Ba Sing Se. The most direct path was through the Serpent's Pass. Given the timing of this event, it was highly unlikely that the couple was still alive, unless her uncle had accompanied them. Remembering that the soldier had been sent to Omashu, Kala realized there was no hope. Stone faced, and filled with a new rage, Kala cleared her mind of all thought, and sat down on the small deck of her little boat, eyes still shut.

Though it did not seem like the time or the place to do so, Kala began to meditate. First, she tuned out the tastes and smells coming from all around her. Next, the sounds of the torrential downpour. Finally, the sensations of touch, from the occasional dot of pressure of a raindrop, to the feel of the cotton clothing on her skin. After several moments, she was empty, save for a repeated mantra, the one thing resonating loudly in her mind. The words echoed within her as they might if shouted in a wide cavern.

"Find the Avatar. Find the Avatar. Find the Avatar."