Beneath the Boulders

The main town plaza was bathed in the harsh morning light, casting long shadows across the ground. Kaiya stood tall on the wooden platform, her presence a beacon of authority and intimidation. Below her, the Earth Nation citizens were forced to sit on the ground, their faces a mixture of anxiety and defiance. Soldiers, clad in the red and black of the Fire Nation, stood in disciplined rows, ensuring no one could escape.

Elderly Earth Nation citizens were tied to a wooden pole at the center of the platform, their frail bodies trembling. Above them, a large net filled with boulders hovered ominously, suspended by ropes and pulleys, casting a grim shadow over the entire assembly.

Kaiya's voice cut through the tense silence. "Many of you witnessed the earth barrier that appeared in the middle of the street," she began, her tone measured. "That was no work of a firebender." Her eyes scanned the crowd, seeking out any flicker of defiance.

"An attempt on my life was made last night," she continued, her voice growing colder. "By an earthbender."

"By not turning in the earthbenders, you are all collectively guilty," she proclaimed, her gaze unwavering. "I now understand that you do not desire peace, despite the protection and stability the Fire Lord has granted you from this war."

The crowd murmured uneasily, the soldiers shifting slightly as they maintained their vigilant watch. 

The net filled with boulders swayed slightly in the breeze, a constant, silent reminder of the peril that hung over the elderly captives. The atmosphere was charged with the fear of impending doom and the weight of collective guilt.

Kaiya's gaze swept over the silent crowd, her expression hardening. "You are forcing my hand to take extreme measures," she proclaimed. 

"I give you one final chance," Kaiya continued, her tone commanding yet laced with a sinister edge. "Earthbenders, stand up and reveal yourselves, so we do not continue in a direction I do not want to take." Her eyes scanned the crowd, waiting, watching.

The seconds ticked by, each one stretched thin with anticipation. Finally, a young man rose to his feet, his face pale but resolute. "I was the assassin," he declared, his voice steady. "I'm the only earthbender in the town."

A smirk played at the corners of Kaiya's lips as she gave the sergeant a knowing nod. The sergeant picked up a rock and hurled it at the young man. The rock struck him square in the face, and he crumpled to the ground, blood trickling from the wound.

The sergeant sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Some earthbender. Can't even stop a small rock!" Laughter rippled through the ranks of the soldiers, their derision a sharp contrast to the stunned silence of the Earth Nation citizens.

Kaiya's smirk vanished, replaced by a mask of feigned anger. "I will not be made a fool of!" she declared, her voice ringing out with fierce intensity. The crowd recoiled, the weight of her authority pressing down on them even harder.

Kaiya looked at Rina, giving her a knowing nod. Rina moved forward to light the rope on fire, but as she approached, she hesitated, her gaze falling on the terrified faces of the elderly citizens. Their fear was palpable, and for a moment, Rina's resolve wavered.

Kaiya's patience wore thin. With a swift motion, she ignited the rope herself, flames quickly licking up the length of it. Gasps rose from the crowd, and even Rina and Lina took a step back, their faces paling at the sight.

The flames crept closer to the net, and the atmosphere grew tense with the anticipation of what was to come. The boulders hung precariously, their weight a looming threat over the elderly captives.

As the boulders finally began to drop, they were halted in mid-air, suspended by the unseen force of earthbending. Four individuals stood up from the sitting crowd, revealing themselves as earthbenders: Two teenagers, a girl and a boy, an elderly man, and a middle-aged woman. Their faces were a mix of defiance and resignation, knowing that their revelation was inevitable in the face of such cruelty.

Kaiya then extended her finger, conjuring a flame dagger that glowed fiercely in the morning light. She held it perilously close to the neck of an elderly citizen, the heat causing the man to flinch. The Fire Nation soldiers, sensing the gravity of the moment, assumed battle stances, their expressions steely and unyielding.

"Earthbenders," Kaiya's voice was a low, menacing drawl. "Slowly set the boulders to the side. There are many innocents here, and just as many firebenders ready to act. Make your choice wisely."

The four earthbenders, their faces marked by a mixture of defiance and resignation, exchanged tense glances. A brief but charged standoff ensued before they complied. With controlled, deliberate movements, they maneuvered the boulders to the side, ensuring they were set down gently, without causing any further chaos.

The firebenders quickly moved to restrain the earthbenders. Chains were brought out, clinking ominously as they secured the wrists and ankles of the four captives. Kaiya, however, had her sights set on the teenage boy.

Stepping down from the platform with a deliberate, measured pace, she approached him. Her eyes like molten gold, gleaming with a menacing intensity. The boy, though defiant, couldn't hide the flicker of fear in his gaze as she neared.

"This one here is the assassin," Kaiya declared, her voice cold and authoritative. She locked eyes with the boy, her stare unrelenting. "Ensure his family is taken away as well. They may have been complicit in his little failed quest."

The soldiers took the boy away, his resistance a fleeting gesture as they bound his hands and marched him off. The crowd's focus shifted to a woman, her frantic cries piercing the tense atmosphere. She struggled against the formation of soldiers, desperation lending her strength, but they held firm, eventually restraining her.

"Please, my daughter is the only one I have left!" the mother cried, her voice raw with anguish.

Kaiya's mind flashed to her own mother, to the last words spoken before her departure to the colonies. The echo of this woman's plea stirred something within her, a connection that was both painful and profound. Kaiya felt an urge to soothe the mother's fears, but she knew she had to maintain her image as a steadfast follower of the Fire Lord's vision.

Stepping forward with a calculated yet gentle demeanor, Kaiya approached the scene. She met the mother's eyes with a composed expression, a facade of genuine concern that was partly true. "Can't you see she's distraught? Release her at once," Kaiya commanded, her tone soft but authoritative.

The soldiers hesitated, caught between their duty and the unexpected mercy in Kaiya's words. They released the mother, who fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

Kaiya stepped closer to the kneeling woman, her imposing presence softening as she knelt to the mother's level and grasped her trembling hands. The warmth of her touch was unexpected, given the chilling authority she had displayed moments before.

"I understand your pain," Kaiya began, her voice gentle yet firm. "I am a daughter myself, away from a mother who loves me dearly. But I am also a humble servant of the Fire Lord." She held the mother's gaze, her eyes reflecting a mix of genuine empathy and calculated resolve. "I promise you, if your daughter behaves in captivity, you will be able to reunite once the situation in the town has calmed down."

The mother nodded, tears streaming down her face. "May I hug her before she is taken away?" she asked, her voice breaking.

Kaiya hesitated for a moment, then nodded, her facade of authority giving way to a brief moment of compassion. "Yes, you may."

The mother and daughter embraced tightly, their tears mingling as they held on to each other. Kaiya watched, her face an unreadable mask of controlled emotions. As the soldiers moved to separate them, Kaiya leaned in close to the girl, her voice barely above a whisper.

"For your mother's sake, it would be in your best interest to behave," she murmured.

The girl's eyes widened with fear and defiance, but she did not respond. Instead, she scowled at Kaiya as she was led away, the bitterness of her gaze lingering in the air.