Chapter 77 - Meeting The Chief

The next morning, seras resumes her trip to the north while the Palace was in a state of unrest. Not from panic, but from the massive invasion they're planning to the North Pole.

At the tower for message birds, one of the men inside notices a bird heading their way and gets ready to retrieve it. When it lands inside, he immediately notices the highest priority symbol and leaves to find is superior.

As this was happening in another part of the palace, the fire lord was talking to his generals about the invasion. He was in the middle of speaking when the doors open with a bang.

"Who dares to enter without announcing themselves!?"

"I'm sorry, your majesty! We have word about the assassin!" The man bows while yelling.

"Oh? What is it?"

"A-well....."

"Out with it!"

"Yes!" The man opens the scroll and begins reading.

"Commander Toh got word about a group of soldiers who encountered the woman at the Port in the north. He immediately head out and surrounded it."

"When surrounding the city, he found out that the group of soldiers were slaughtered except for their leader. As he was debriefing him, his scouts found the woman inside the city." The soldier pauses here.

"And?"

"Then twenty minutes later, a giant fire ball that could only be described as a second sun appeared in the sky and destroyed the Docks."

"What!?" A general slams the table as more cries of astonishment sound around him.

"What of survivors?" The Fire lord asks seemingly undisturbed of the news.

"Uh..yes. We lost 148 soldiers and two others were seriously injured. The fifty which were outside the city are unharmed. Also to note is that the city itself was left relatively unscathed.

"....I see...." Ozai nods before waving he soldier away.

"Your majesty-" a General goes to yell when he raises his hand.

"I know, General. It's a devastating loss, but we did learn one thing from this."

"And what's that, sire?"

"The woman is headed north. That means she'll be there when we invade. In one place there will be the avatar, the North Pole, And The mystery woman. All three high priority targets."

"...so you're saying that this is a great opportunity?"

"Yes it is. However we'll have to change the strategy we've been making."

"Why is that your majesty?"

"Because, She is possibly the greatest fire bender in history. We need to take precautions." His words make the others realize how strong this woman truly is.

Another day passes and seras finally reaches the area where ice is floating on the water. She stops firebending and decides to sail the old fashioned way to not garner suspicion.

"Glad I read some books on sailing. But not everything is in books so I should be careful. Not even a vampire would be ok in waters this cold." She unfurls the sail while speaking to herself.

While seras in the north searching for the Northern Water Tribe, the gang was traveling on appa when Sokka spotted a beached ship.

"Hey, doesn't that ship look familiar?" He asks while pointing to the beach.

"Hm? Yeah, it kind of looks like dad's ship."

As soon as she says that, the two water tribe members look at each other in shock and happiness.

"Aang! Can we land there?"

"Sure. Let's go down appa." He smiles before patting the bison's head.

Back at the north, seras traveled normally for a few hours when she hears a few whispers. She smiles a little knowing she finally reached her destination.

'Finally. Now I just have to convince them to let me in and learn some water bending. Then wait for the gang to show up.' She gets done thinking when the water around her turns to ice making her ship stop.

Seras observes as four small boats appear from behind icebergs filled with men who have hardened looks. She merely puts her arms up as they get closer.

"I come in peace." She yells to them.

One of the men stands up and begins moving his arms.

'Well shit.' She thinks as the ice forms around her and begins to turn into a cage like structure.

Then he stops moving his arms which ends the ice's movement.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Seras Victoria. Pleasure to meet you."

"What are you doing here?"

"I have information I wish to deliver to your chief."

"And you thought that we would just let you in?" He laughs in derision making her a little annoyed.

"It's information about a massive fire nation attack." The mention of it made the warriors gasp.

"Why should we believe you?"

"Why shouldn't you? I just escaped from the fire nation and I heard about their invasion. If you'd like, you can restrain me." Seras offers her hands making them murmur.

"....fine. However, if this information is believed to be false or useless, we will most likely execute you." The leader speaks after a minute.

"That's fine by me. I only wish to help."

After seras said that, the cage of ice turned back into water as two ships surround her. Three men come aboard her ship and then put handcuff like things on her wrists behind her back. They also put some on her ankles which slightly surprise her.

"Then with this, we will head to the city. Remember, no funny business or we will kill you immediately."

"Of course."

After saying that, seras was led to the leader's ship and she sits down without a care in the world.

'How can anyone be so relaxed in a situation like this?' The leader asks himself.

'It's like she's our chief or something.' Another thinks.

"So....where are you from?" A younger looking boy asks.

"Hmm? You can say I'm from the South Pole."

"What's that mean?"

"Well, I don't exactly remember anything from before I arrived at the South Pole. A family there took care of me until I got better, so I consider myself right now from the South."

"I see....sorry to pry." He chuckles awkwardly.

"It's perfectly alright. You couldn't know." She waves it away.

"....then it's true about the Fire Nation?" He asks in worry.

"Unfortunately yes."

"Oh...." He no longer talks to her as cold sweat forms on his back.

About ten minutes of silence later, they finally arrive at the gate and seras marvels at watching the entrance being opened in real life. Multiple water benders begin doing movements in sync as water starts to fill the ocean.

"Amazing." Seras speaks out.

"It is, isn't it? The northern water tribe is a fortress. So no matter what the fire nation does, it won't penetrate our walls." The leader speaks up.

"You Really think so? That's precisely why it's imperative I speak with your chief."

"What?"

"Your preconceived notion that the wall is impenetrable is ridiculous. When people really want to do something, they find a way. Whether it's by ingenuity or sheer brute force."

"That's enough. When you're done speaking to our chief, then we will send you on your way." After he says that, the entrance was fully opened and they begin sailing inside.

While seras finally entered the North Pole, the princess of the water tribe, Yue, was having a dream. She was tossing and turning as sweat flows from her forehead.

"no...no....please..." She mumbles over and over in her sleep as a tear falls.

In her dream, the Northern Water Tribe was on fire. The entire city covered in flames and smoke as she could do nothing but watch. This vision was the worst by far making her feel sick. Just when she is about to give up a figure appears on top of the tallest structure.

Yue notices that it is a blonde woman with crimson eyes which send a shiver down her spine when she looks at them. She observes silently as the blonde woman extends both of her hands and she notices that the flames seem to have stopped in time.

The woman mutters something but she couldn't hear it well enough when the flames begin to congregate into the sky. Before she even notices, the city was no longer on fire and the sky was bright like the sun was out.

When she was marveling at the 'sun' the woman does a throwing motion which sends it across the city wall. A few seconds later, the largest explosion the princess has ever seen and heard occurs which makes her scream.

"Aaaaahhh!" She does so in real life which alerts the people outside of her room.

Ever since she had the first dream, Yue's father had increased the number of servants around her so the doors opened immediately and they got to work waking her up.

As she was being woken, Yue turned to the woman who then looked at her and smirked before opening her mouth.

'I'm here.' She heard this before everything fades to black.

"Princess. Please wake up, Princess Yue." A servant girl lightly shakes her.

The last time they woke her up harshly she went into a catatonic state so they decided a gentle awakening was better. As soon as she opened up her eyes, her father, mother, and the best healer hurriedly walk in.

"Yue! Did you have another nightmare?" Her father immediately asks as her mother gently takes her hand.

"...yes...and this one was by far the worst. The entire city was up in flames when that same woman saved it once again. I don't know who she is but....I feel like we need her here..." she mumbles the last part.

"Yagoda, please. Have you found out why my daughter is having these dreams?" Arnook asks the healer worriedly.

"Unfortunately not, Chief. I've searched the ancient texts and found nothing similar. However it doesn't seem like anything is wrong with Princess Yue."

"Nothing wrong? She's being plagued by these nightmares every night." The mother states.

"There has never been a case where someone has the same dream every day. It seems more like she is having visions, but only the spirits would have such powers." She mentions it in passing but the words made the chief and his wife flinch.

The healer notices this and when she remembers how Princess Yue was a weak baby who didn't seem like she could live only to be better the next day, she immediately thinks of something impossible. The chief observed her shock and knew it was time to come clean, so he sighs before ordering everyone out except the healer.

"Yagoda, you've probably guessed already, but it's true." He sighs sadly to which his wife cries and Yue is confused.

"So, that's why she got better....I've always felt I've examined her wrong..."

"...." Arnook was ready for his old friend to yell at him but all he received was tears.

"I'm so glad...Arnook. I'm happy you found a way when we couldn't. I thought I let you down when I couldn't heal her." Yagoda covers her mouth as more tears fall.

"Never! You stood by me when I was alone and you stood by me every step since. I never wanted you to feel at fault." He hugs her in reassurance.

"...um father?.." Yue asks awkwardly because she has no idea what's going on.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Yue. I...uh..." he doesn't know how to explain anything because he promised himself he would never tell his daughter about the past.

"I think Yue, deserves to know dear. She is old enough and I think she'll understand." His wife assured him as the healer nods too.

"....Very well, then I believe we should start at the beginning." He sits on her bed.

Arnook tells his daughter about the Moon and Water spirits which live in the Spirit Oasis. Then he tells her about her birth and how she was a sickly baby that wouldn't be able to survive for long. So her parents went to the spirit Oasis and begged them to save her.

Their pleading was heard as the Moon Spirit gave some of its life force to heal her. At that point her hair turned white and she became healthy. Arnook was paused at the next part when his wife nudged him so he continues.

"When the Moon Spirit healed you, I was shown a vision. In this future you would one day have to give back the life force and become one with the spirit."

".....So I'll die?" She asks with a trembling voice.

"No! Not if I have anything to say about it!" he hugs her tightly.

Yue was still in some shock when a knock is heard at the door. He frowns in displeasure when his wife sends him a look of reproach. He sighs in defeat before allowing the person to come in.

"I'm sorry Chief, but I have a report from the scouting party." A solider domes in and bows.

"What's the report?"

"A woman was found sailing around the ice caps and when they questioned of why she was here, she answered that she wishes to speak to you about....about...."

"Out with it soldier!"

"She wishes to speak to you about an invasion by the fire nation." He breathes in deeply before continuing.

As soon as he finishes, the family of three flinch before looking at one another in shock. Yagoda also covers her mouth in the same emotion which confuses the soldier.

"....I see. So that's why you've been having these visions..." he looks down at Yue when she has a look of astonishment.

"Is this woman Blonde and have red eyes?" She asks out of nowhere when the soldier nods back in even more confusion.

At the reply she begins trembling which is noticed by her parents.

"Yue?" Her mother asks.

"It's the woman from my dreams... or visions I guess."

"are you sure?" Arnook questions.

"Yes. Almost completely but I'll need to see her in person before I can confirm."

"Can you handle it?"

"....I can." She nods resolutely.

The chief nods in pride as he tells the soldier to bring the woman to the throne room. The soldier replies in understanding before carrying out his orders.

Ten minutes after the soldier went to report to the chief, seras was escorted to a large room which has a built in waterfall. She recognizes it as the place where the chief orders Pakku to teach Aang water bending.

Seras begins looking around and marvels at how waterbending can build such a structure with people that could be considered primitives. It's like looking at the pyramids when hey were in their golden days.

'The intricacies of the sculptures is way better than modern times. They look alive.' She stares a two giant statues of the moon and ocean spirits.

Her marveling was interrupted as a double door opens and three men walk in with determined faces. She recognizes Pakku and Arnook immediately.