Chapter 2: City of Omashu

When Soren spoke about his dream, as well as the want to leave home to train, both Lee and Kiko looked at each other before looking back towards Soren with a look of pain and heartache in their eyes as they both knew that one day they would watch Soren leave off on his own journey.

[Soren… If you say you've had a dream of joining the Avatar on his journey, then I can't stop you… But the thing is… The Avatar has been missing for almost 100 years now, so why would he reappear now of all times?]: lee

Soren thought about this same question as he had the knowledge of the future, but he had no idea why the Avatar had chosen to disappear in the first place, all he knew was he would reappear in the Southern Water Tribe in around 3 years.

[I don't know dad, but I do know that I need to leave home and go train for the future]: soren

When both Lee and Kiko saw the determination in Soren's eyes they felt that it was indeed time to let their son leave the nest and fly on his own.

[We understand Soren… Just promise me that you will come back to visit us in the future]: kiko

[Thanks mom, dad… I will definitely come back in a few years]: soren

Soren had given both his parents a long hug before leaving the house with a bag full of clothes tied to a stick, and as both Lee and Kiko watched their son continue down the road tears began to flow down their cheeks, and they continued to look at Soren's figure even after it completely disappeared from their sight.

[Be safe my boy…]: lee

Soren was walking down the dirt road while conversing with Nina his System while trying to figure out more information about how he was given the System, but no other information was given aside from Nina saying that a higher being had gifted the System to him.

[So, Nina. Where will we go now? How do I find this Earth Lion Turtle?]: soren

{Ding!... The Lion Turtles have long since deserted Humanity to let them be on their own. For a little backstory, the Lion Turtles are the closest beings to Gods in this world and had the ability to give the power to bend the elements to the human's, but after realizing that humans were greedy beings who seeked power for their own gain, the Lion Turtles left humanity to be on their own while refusing to give the power to bend the elements to anyone else, and you had to be born with the power if you wanted to be able to bend any of the elements… Over time, humans thought that the Lion Turtles had died off, but Lion Turtles will never die from natural causes, so you just need to find the Earth Lion Turtle}

[So I need to find something that refuses to let humanity find it in the first place… Seems like a long journey ahead of me, and I guess for now I can practice Firebending]: soren

Soren continued walking until the sun began to set and he set up camp in the nearby forest while using what little bit of sun light he had left to read the 3 scrolls that Nina had given him for his birthday, and after trying the moves in the picture a few times while trying to make his Chi flow like the scroll directed, Soren was finally able to get a small flame to shoot out of his fist.

[Haha!... Nina! I did it!... I was able to Firebend!]: soren

{Congrats Soren!... Now it is recommended you start a fire to have some warmth for tonight}

[Oh yeah!... Thank you Nina, your such a big help]: soren

Soren then used the same move he saw in the scroll and after a few tries a flame came from Soren's fist and ignited the campfire. Soren then unrolled his sleeping bag and placed it just a few feet away from the fire and crawled into the bag and tried to go to sleep, but no matter how much he tried, it proved to be futile.

[I can't sleep… I miss mom and dad already… I guess I can sing the song mom always sings to me… *starts singing Leaves from the vine*... It's still not the same]: soren

Soren just decided to sit there with his eyes closed and after 15 minutes Soren finally fell asleep as the campfire crackled and popped creating a nice ambiance for anyone camping. Soren had woken up next morning to the sun rising past the mountains in the distance and after cleaning up his campsite Soren began practicing his Chi control as to get fire every time he used a Firebending move and after a few hours, Soren was able to understand how to move his Chi throughout his entire body letting any move he would practice in the future be easier.

[I guess it's time to move on]: soren

Soren put away his scrolls as well as any clothes that he originally had on his person into his Inventory and went out to find food now that his food rations were going to get low. Soren then found a river and took off his clothes so he could bathe, and as he stepped into the water he quickly got out due to it being freezing cold.

[Whoa!... That's cold!]: soren

Soren then decided to heat up the river with a bit of fire, but because his fire was still weak, and the water was flowing downstream none of the warm water stayed, and Soren had to take his first cold bath. After the bath, Soren got out and put on a new set of clothes while starting a fire as to dry off faster before continuing his hunt for food, and after drying off Soren went back to the river to fish with a fishing line and some bait, and while fishing Soren began to reminisce back on the time his dad taught him how to fish.

... Flashback ...

[Okay son, tug on the line lightly before letting it drift, and when you feel you have a bite, pull with all your might and start pulling in the fish]: lee

[Okay dad!... I'll catch a fish for sure with this method you taught me]: soren

Soren threw in the bait and let it trail down the stream before slightly tugging on it to make it seem still alive and injured, and just as Soren felt a bite he pulled with all his might, but the fish slipped away with the bait as well.

[Aww man!... He got away!]: soren

[Hahaha!... Don't worry about it son, you'll get him next time… Come, let's go home with what we already have]: lee

[Aww… Okay!... I'll get the fish next time then]: soren

... Flashback End ...

Soren had felt a tug and quickly yanked back on the line while catching the fish, and started pulling it in, and with that, Soren got himself dinner. Soren finished eating before cleaning up and walking a bit further through the woods before dark took over making Soren set up camp again, and the next morning Soren woke up and continued the same routine as yesterday, being wake up, bathe, fish, eat breakfast, continue walking, rest, practice Firebending, fish for lunch, travel, bathe, fish for dinner, sleep, repeat. Soren didn't like to hunt the animals of the forest mainly due to not knowing the species too well, and he didn't want to anger a beast that can kill him instantly, so Soren stuck with fish for food, but he started to feel sick of it, and if he continued to eat anymore, Soren felt he would become a fish himself.

[I need to find a village soon, I've been walking for 6 days now]: soren

When Soren couldn't find a village on his own he resorted to asking Nina, and after asking he was surprised to find out that there was indeed a village nearby and immediately went in the direction given by Nina, and after half a days travel, Soren came across a gigantic cave.

[Wait… this looks familiar… This is the Cave of the Two Lovers, it was a labyrinth that two lovers used to meet each other in secret. My mom used to also tell me about this story, one day the man didn't come because he had perished in the war between the 2 villages, and when the woman found out she used her power to bend the Earth and ended the war and brought peace between the 2 villages and together they made the great city of Omashu named after the woman Oma, and her deceased beloved Shu… Mom always told it as a forbidden love story, but unlike most of her stories, this one didn't have a happy ending for both lovers]: soren

Soren continued into the cave and held his hand out as a torch with a small flame dancing in his palm as he began walking through the dark path, and after thinking about the memories he had, Soren put out the light and watched as the tunnels lit up with glowing crystals on the roof of the cave, and following those lights Soren made it through the tunnel and was able to see the great city of Omashu.

[Good thing mom gave me some money before I left, with this I should be able to get by in the city for a while]:soren

Soren then made his way up to the city gate and was met with a man wearing what appeared to be the guardsman uniform for the guards of Omashu, and when the guard saw Soren he stopped him in question.

[Halt!... Where are your parents little fella, and what brings you here to Omashu?]: guard

[My name's Soren, I have left home to journey on my own, and I have come here to see what the great city of Omashu looks like in person, as well as eat something other than fish]: soren

When Soren stated his reason for being there, the guards saw nothing wrong nor did he find any lies in Soren's words and let him pass.

[Okay, enjoy Omashu]: guard

The guard made a hand signal and along with 5 other guards used Earthbending to open up the gates of Omashu letting Soren enter before the gates closed behind him. When Soren saw the insides of the city he was awestruck as there were children happily playing in the streets as well as men and women strolling around with smiles on their faces, this made Soren feel that Omashu was a great city full of life compared to the small village of elderly he and his parents lived in.

[Wow!... This place is so huge! I could spend weeks just visiting this city and all its sites… Now, where can I find some good food?]: soren