Prologue

Chop.

Chop.

The same monotonous routine,day in and day out. The young girl wondered if it would ever be over. Waking up at the same time,eating at the same time,doing the same few chores, practicing her fighting

Azira looked out the window at the field full of fire lilies. A vibrant red coated the normally green landscape. It was finally spring and her favourite flower had just bloomed. But just as things bloomed, They also died

"Azira" she was shaken out of her thoughts by a harsh voice

She glanced up, quick to respond "Yes, grandmother?"

"Are Almost ready foe your lesson? You know you have to have your chores finished first"

If she didn't have her chores done, she wouldn't be able to leave the house. She always had her chores done before her grandmother asked.

Azira finished peeling off the skin of one of the fruits and and placed the skin in a pile "Finished " She said quickly.

She looked at her grandmother. Hana was getting old,her eyes having to squint to see things clearly. Her face were covered in wrinkles and lines from years of stress. Hana gave her a tight lipped smile "Good girl"

Azira obediently followed Hana out of the field. She was always obedient. It had been raining the past few days and Azira had bruises from her last lesson. But this time,it was sunny and warm. Azira swallowed,her dry throat. She that it meant that she would able to learn something less direct than last time.

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Azira was still nursing an ugly green bruise on her hip when the full moon came. Hana left no room for mistakes, no room for imperfection, not when it came to art of bending. It was something she had pioneered. Azira had enough common sense within her to understand that it was a monstrosity. Something that was evil.

At 12,Azira was finally considered old enough to be part of the process. Before, she had just been a helper, luring people in. The time, Hana had chosen a young mother that was traveling through the village.

So here they were in the cave and Azira felt sick to her stomach. It was dark. The only light contrasting against the thick darkness was the light of the full moon.

Azira hands were twisted upwards,veins bulging against her delicate hands. She could feel every muscle in her body straining against what Hana was commanding her to do. She hated this. She heard their screams every night in her dreams and sometimes, she felt as if she was suffocating.

"Now dear,it would be much easier if you stopped fighting." Hana sneered

Sweat was pouring down Azira's face and she wanted the pain that was shooting up from her chest to stop. She wanted it all to just stop. The violence. The hurt. The pain.

She looked at the woman who was begging and pleading for this to stop. She was young mother, a Fire Nation civilian. Neither one of them wanted to be caught up in Hana's personal war. They both just wanted everything to stop.

"I--I don't want to--"

Azira never got to finish her sentence. There was an explosion of fiery pain in her chest and her hands were forced down. The pure force of shoving her hands down,the feeling of having someone else's heartbeat in her hands,it was too much. Azira let out a scream of pain, feeling hot searing flashes shoot up her wrists.

The woman dropped to the ground, neck broken and honey-brown eyes blankly staring back at Hana and Azira.

Azira didn't even have to let out a breath before her knees was giving in and her arms were being twisted unnaturally above her head. She screamed as she strained against the will of her grandmother, sweat pouring down her face. There was this unnatural tugging sensation and it hurt and she could feel that something was wrong inside of her.

"Foolish child! How dare you talk back to me" Hana screeched at her.

"Please stop!" Azira screamed, feeling joints pop out of the place and tears spill from her eyes.

"Don't you understand the power we have? The responsibility we have? We can end this war together!" Hana said, finally releasing Azira from her hold.

Azira hit the ground, exhaustion taking her body. She was too weak to even lift her head and she found herself staring at the body of the dead woman. She almost wished she was like her.

Dead,just like her mother. In the exact same way.

Azira felt bile rise in her throat and threw up on the ground.

"Weak.just like your mother. You'll her tonight. Maybe a night with the dead will do you well." Hana said, then strolled away, leaving Azira in the dark.