1 Chapter 1 - Empty Your Mind

High in the sky, white clouds obscured the suns glow, the wind blowing as it passed along the land. The sky could deceive you with its beauty while the ground below it was grey and full of massive jagged rocks like a Canyon. Through each deep scars in the earth that made this place what it was, wind howled as dust from the grey stone fell covered in ice.

The day was like any other, without movement or one would think if they didnt look closely. Along the walls in this deep ravine, something was out of place, it was a pale white or almost pink in color. It sat unmoving for a moment only to slowly make its way down the wall. Its eight arms dug in to what little ice there was as it made its way down. Its body no bigger then a hand, besides it's color, no one would give it a second look.

The creature moved like it had been here many times, moving through the canyon and to a small crack in the ground. Its body slipping into the scar as it made its way into the earth. Down and down it went as ice turned to heat. Moving above man made tunnels as it avoided any human it came across.

Until it made it to what it was looking for, a massive metal box, its size didn't take away the absurdity of where it was placed. On each side of the box, large metal loops could be seen and along with it large chains. Each chain was anchored to walls in various places.

Around this box was vapor that seemed to constantly come off, water dripped from different places on the chains as if it was sweating. The source of all this came from the massive lake below the box, vents from deep in the earth would release heat and make the water boil. While above was a miracle, a ceiling made of ice that glowed a pretty hypnotic blue. It created a beautiful contrast of heat and cold making this place hard to stand. The heat and cold effecting the Quality of air as it only came from one source which was the tunnels that lead to this place.

Our eight legged friend did not seem to mind, looking at the men that sat on walkways. They were carved into the walls going all the way up to the ice ceiling. Helping to keep an eye on anything suspicious that was out of place with the box. Each walkway had four guards, two that would patrol the walkways and two that sat at the entrance to each stair way that led up.

The creature watched as the guards moved, watching their body move between the pillars that held the walkways up. Once thinking it was safe, it dropped down on to the massive chains and made its way to the box, in the creatures mouth was something like a scroll, once it reached the box it stood and looked around as the vent that let air into the box was in front of it. It's eyes opening as water enveloped it and froze its body.

"Lin'po what was that about?" On the walk way, a man spoke as the guard next to him got into a stance. Pulling water from the boiling lake below and freezing it above the box.

"It was one of those spiders again, I can't tell why their so attached to this thing." Lin'po said as he shook his head, he couldn't understand why these spiders were showing up randomly.

The guard next to him could only smack his friends back, "you are always so cautious, all kinds of small creatures used to call this there home." the man patted his shoulder and tried to explain. "It's not that big of a deal, we're just here to guard the box, so just relax." The guard continues and pushed his friend along.

"Yeah your right, I still don't get it.. did we really need all this for a non-bender?" Lin'po a new guard asked.

"If you knew all the stories, I'm sure you would understand why it's needed. Your young so you probably don't remember but that's good as well. Just know that this is more than enough for the person inside." The guard who was clearly older then Lin'po, commented on what he knew but didn't go in to detail.

"It can't be that serious, a bender I could understand but all this?" Lin'po just brushed it off, looking at the many guards and then the metal box.

"Whatever helps you do your job, just be careful with that thinking when it comes to non-benders.. the man in that box and his companions, once brought the earth kingdom to their knees." The old guard just smiled, walking away as he left Lin'po standing there dumbfounded.

When the guards finally moved away, the scroll that had been in the spiders mouth, teetered back and forth on the vent above. Eventually it fell into the box below, as it fell a silhouette of the person inside, moved its head up and caught the scroll in its mouth. Leaning its body forward as he used his tongue to open the scroll, he let it fall from his mouth as he looked at it and a smile came to his face.

"So it's time.. it's been years but finally it's time.. I guess I should start now shouldn't I?" The mans deep voice came out, vapor leaving his mouth as he blew the scroll. It floated out of the metal barred door and down into the boiling water below.

The mans voice which was full of amusement rang and his laughter could be heard. While he looked at the earth platforms that came from the boiling water below. The guards used this walkway to reach the box, hearing the laughter the 5 men looked at each other and smiled at this turn of events.

"You finally lost your mind? Or are you just happy it's feeding time?" One of the guards said, throwing a bowl of rice into the cell. It fell out on the floor and they knew with the restraints he had on, he could only lean forward like a dog to eat.

"No, not at all.. I just heard some wonderful news." The man in the cell said with amusement and yet a serious undertone as he looked at the bowl of rice.

"You really have gone crazy.. what news could you hear in this place. Just shut up and eat your food." The guard blew it off as crazy talk, nodding his head as him and his fellow guards were going to leave.

"They say a mans element.. is a embodiment of his worth and values. Is this true? What do you think? In the words of a mans Philosophy, That I got to read while in the northern water tribe, one's limits is only illusionary barriers of the mind, holding the body back from fear of the unknown.. if that is true, what is the worth of you men? You only force the element to bend to your will and not guide it..".

"Hey! What the hell are you talking about?! Stop with the Philosophy lesson.. eh?" The guard who heard the mans words, hit his hand on the metal side. While a bluish light came from the water below and shined on the guards faces.

"Becoming one with your element, is the only true way to break free of these barriers..".

"I said empty your mind..".

"Be formless..".

"Shapeless..".

"Like water.."