The Storm Begins

The captured firebenders Kett, Sachin, and Sunia are hauled along by Fire Nation troopers of Colonel Hurayo's 19th Brigade, also known as the Shifty Brigade. The colonel watches as he stands beside the brutal war captain Husain who holds his polearm against the frigid and snow-filled ground.

Hurayo looks Kett in his eyes while two 19th Brigade troopers on tiger-hounds keep watch beside the other fire national captives. Hurayo: "What's your name trooper?"

Kett: "It's Kett, sir."

Hurayo rubs his goatee, "Hmm, which unit are you from?"

Kett: "The 31st Company."

Hurayo: "Commander Kenshin's unit..."

Kett: "Kenshin is dead."

Hurayo: "Really? Since when?"

Kett: "He's been deceased for a few months now. He died at the Earth Kingdom city Herrona, our forces annexed the city then a large counter force arrived. Macai is our grand officer now."

Hurayo: "Macai, I don't recall that name."

Kett: "He's young, in fact he's a year younger than me."

Hurayo gasps, "Goodness, it's a no wonder you've been captured then."

Kett: "He's better than he looks and his Eyre's son."

Hurayo: "General Eyre? I'm heard about him, he's an efficient and effective officer. I'll give him that. Though I never was for the fast tracking of noble sons. They typically don't last as long but sometimes it works."

Kett asks, "Can we please be released?"

Hurayo: "First, I want to introduce myself, make sure you understand our situation."

Kett: "How many Fire Nation forces are left? I was told by our enemies that everyone pulled out."

Hurayo: "You are right, they did. The Siege of the North was a failure, I heard Zhao was dead and the fleet took some heavy loses. My unit was lost after our initially assault, we went on a mission to open up routes for other forces to hit the Northern Water Tribe capital likely similar to what your force was up to. We got cut off from other Fire Nation units and lost. By the time we figured out what was happening and made it back to shore everyone else was gone."

Sanchin asks, "How long has it been since then?"

Hurayo: "It's been over a month. We are long forgotten, for the time being."

Kett: "So what is your goal? What do you expect to accomplish in the next few missions? If we lay low and secure a less populated area, we may last long enough for reinforcements."

Hurayo dismisses Kett's arguments, "Reinforcements aren't coming, we are stuck here in this WASTELAND. The Fire Nation will focus on what is best for our people, you should know that."

Hurayo gives the marine a crazed look, "So for us, it should be about legacy."

Sanchin questions, "What legacy?"

Hurayo smiles, "The only one that matters, OUR LEGACY. A legacy of POWER!! A legacy of drive and determination. We took much of this world, we industrialized more than the others because our leaders knew what they wanted and our citizens worked for it. My troops won't sit back and be captives and I will not allow any other fire troopers to do so."

Hurayo adds, "You all are living, breathing and have come across our path so now your destiny is intertwined with ours. Now you all are under MY COMMAND! And as your newly ordained leader, my command is to destroy whatever lay in our path. My scouts have detected a village is near here, WE WILL KILL ALL OF THEM."

Kett: "All the soldiers?"

Hurayo: "Everyone and every thing. Every man, woman, and CHILD. LEAVE NO SURVIVORS!! After their total annihilation, we will continue to fight and destroy several villages. We have slightly less than 5,000 troops, perhaps the other captives will be enough to replenish that if we liberate them. Then we will continue to wipe out villages until the Water Tribe forces swarm down on us from all sides."

Kett: "While the tribes have limited numbers, much larger forces have been stopped at the North. The Water Tribe according to their sources, though possibly biased were stopping Fire Nation units with three and even five times as many troops using their homefield advantage. They were even capable of slowing down teams with ten times as many troops. They know this land inside out, especially in these territories."

Kett continues, "But all-in-all, I'd estimate they could estimate a force at least seven or eight times larger if we destroy this village and alert the other smaller and similar sized areas of our actions. If word gets out to their capital, the best Water Tribe troops could intervene and if we keep fighting, we'd all undoubtedly be killed."

Hurayo leans toward Kett, "I did not witness your training, but I know the standard war introduction. You were told to be FEARLESS. You were told to be willing to DIE for your nation."

Sanchin responds, "But doesn't this sound a bit pointless? Shouldn't our nation value troopers enough to not let us needlessly die? Why can't we tactically retreat?"

The Colonel's face turns red, "Weren't you LISTENING?!! There is no escape! We have to fight or surrender, and I SAID SURRENDERING IS NOT AN OPTION! Have shame boy!"

Sanchin: "I understand but to be honest, a lot of innocent people will needlessly die. They actually treated their prisoners well, they treated us well. Perhaps we could spare some and use them as leverage. The Water Tribe captives would give other Water Tribe forces a reason to stand down and allow us to live perhaps long enough to think of a way to have a cease fire until we find a way out of here."

Colonel Hurayo: "Why would I want that, to delay the inevitable?! The would eventually come crashing down on our necks. Those prisoners you speak of could escape and later raise arms against our allies killing more of our own."

Kett: "Killing their civilians could also inspire more to fight us."

Hurayo retorts, "Then we'll kill them one at a time."

Sanchin: "All that killing will not solve anything, it will create an endless cycle of violence. This is pointless."

Hurayo snaps and draws his sword. Kett's eyes widen as Hurayo thrusts his blade through Sanchin's stomach. Sanchin: "Ack!!" Hurayo sinks his weapon deeper into Sanchin's body and his stomach rumbles.

Kett pleas, "What are you doing?!"

Hurayo obnoxiously laughs as he kicks down Sanchin and rips his sword out of his gut. Blood pours out of Sanchin's stomach as he lay lifeless. Hurayo: "We are WARRIORS, we fight against all odds!! You want me to lay down, that isn't happening. You want me to cry and beg for mercy, it's not going down like that. We will kill as many scum as possible as well as any traitors or feint hearted punks who aren't willing to get their hands dirty. If you don't understand your fate will be the same as his."

Kett looks at Sanchin's body speechless. Hurayo leaps on a brown weapon crate and lifts a Fire Nation war flag as he speaks to his soldiers, "Men and women prepare for battle!! Our enemies are near, and our moment of glory will soon be upon us. We will kill and butcher so many of them that the Water Tribes will crumble with fear when Ozai finally returns to take the remaining Water Tribe holdout lands. Children will tell stories of our bravery for generations to come!"

Kett breathes heavily in and out not knowing how to process everything. Sunia replies, "Good, I'm glad you killed that fool, he was weak." Hurayo smiles and slowly steps down toward her.

Hurayo: "Goooooooood. Hehehe heh! You knooooow your mission! We will slash them to ribbons, one by one and they will remember our power." The colonel slashes Sunia's chains apart. Hurayo looks at Kett, "And you will carry out your mission or you will die with them."

Hurayo cuts Kett's chains apart. Kett looks in surprise and Hurayo stares at him. Kett reluctantly says, "Alright, I'll do it."

Hurayo: "Excellent, I'll send you on the next scout team. You were under their watch so you should know where their positions are located."

Kett: "Well I don't totally remember."

Hurayo: "Why is that?"

Sunia: "I don't know why he doesn't, but I recall how to get back to their main village. But we shouldn't strike there just yet."

Hurayo: "And why is that?" Kett raises his eyebrows.

Sunia: "Because they have a pair of hamlets near this position, but we don't know exactly where they are. That might have been what the lieutenant was referring to. And if we don't hit them right away, they could evacuate and hit the main city."

Hurayo: "Fair, do you have an idea where they might be?"

Sunia questions him, "Where have your scouts searched?"

Hurayo: "They have traveled a bit East of where they discovered your patrol."

Sunia: "Well, then I'd imagine one is West of that position. Maybe Southwest. The main pathway and the outskirts of Sogo can be found traveling south for just a few more minutes, you literally are just outside of the village."

Hurayo: "Our forces noticed some homes with their telescopes, but we couldn't make out all the details. We have an idea of where their village is, but you could give us some information about their formations."

Sunia: "I could only describe basic information, while they were kind to us, they didn't allow many chances to see the exterior of their holding facility. That was beginning to change, so some other captives may be able to help if we free them."

Hurayo: "Why they allowed any of you to see anything beyond the complex is unbelievable."

Sunia: "Because they wanted to give people on good behavior a chance to sympathize with them."

Hurayo: "I guess it worked with that one poor fool before I gutted him. So when we liberate them, we will have to question each captive. I have no doubt most will rejoin us, but some may need to be cut down. And if I'm wrong, my men will be prepared to kill all of them."

Sunia responds, "There is no way they all will need that, I know plenty who are just as loyal as I. No rewarding programs from those vermin would change our minds."

Hurayo grins, "I like your mentality. Good, then we will search for a hamlet next time. I'll send a scouting team to make short work of them. Kett can go on that patrol, with Kusain."

Kett turns and notices the tall, armored warrior step a few feet behind him. Kett: "Oh hey there, how ya doing big man." Kusain doesn't respond. Kett: "Ok, just stand there and be creepy."

A Maniac's Hunger

A mist blows across the air. It is about -12 Celsius (11 degrees Fahrenheit). Several light grey straw houses stand outside with a large public fire between the hamlet. The hamlet is built like a square with most properties circling around each other. The four largest building in the district are a public infirmary, a school, a court and a local military station. The inhabitants here are a bit over 80 and the court only includes three judges who preside over every case.

Two warriors stand in their cornflower blue and mustard yellow robes with spears. Warrior one: "Ah, I think the spring will finally come in another two months."

Warrior two: "That will be a nice change in scenery. I love the snow, but it really gets old." An arrow flies in the left warrior's chest and the other warrior is blasted aside by an orange flame. Six white tiger-hounds rush into battle along with their mounters.

Villagers run in terror as they hear a battle ensuing and a few warriors escort them out of building as they hope to take them to safety. Within seconds, their lines are breached and Fire Nation troopers rush into the complex. A pair of Water Tribe warriors enter their defensive positions as they look to protect citizens.

The one on the left extends his spear and slams his weapon through a Fire Nation swordsman's stomach. A firebender extends his arms and pumps a blaze of orange-yellow flames into the spear warrior on the right then kicks a fireball into the other spear guard's chest. A waterbender leaps into action and shoots a volley of ice projectiles into the firebender's chest, "Guh!"

Kusain steps forward and rotates his weapon which turns orange as fire is generated around it. The war captain hurls a flame through his blade into the warrior, "Huh!" About eight Fire Nation troopers rush past him (three swordsmen, three spear warriors, two firebenders) as they secure the hamlet and take the citizens prisoner.

Children, elders, non-warrior men, and women are pushed and gathered outside of the village by troopers. Around fourteen captured soldiers are taken and assembled in a separate smaller line. Husain sits and watches quietly as Fire Nation major Yaiken steps forward.

Yaiken has curly brown hair, yellow skin, thick eyebrows, and light orange eyes. Yaiken has long battle robes rather than traditional armor. Yaiken: "Water Tribe citizens, look at your warriors, how they have been beaten by us and surrender like clowns."

The children, relatives, and wives of these warriors watch as they stand helplessly. Kett watches as he stands in position with a team of five army swordsmen, four firebenders, five spear soldiers, and Kusain. Yaiken: "Any soldier who is willing to surrender without first being knocked out or beaten into submission does not deserve to live!"

The crowd screams. Several children start crying. Yaiken coldly responds, "I would offer time for you to say your goodbyes, but I won't. Mercy is for the weak and beggars certainly can't be choosers. Slay them!"

Kett gasps at the absurdly of Yaiken's command. The other firebenders immediately punch flames into the Water Tribe soldiers, the spearmen lunge their weapons into defenseless troopers, and the swordsman swing down on their prey.

The men scream as they are dispatched in front of their own small tribe. Blood pours across the snow and the crowd is in agony. Yaiken: "And the family of such cowards does not deserve to live. Let us put you all our of your misery, you need suffer no longer."

Kett briefly puts his head down then looks back up furious. Kett's face turns red, "WAIT!! You don't have to do this." Kusain glares at Kett.

Yaiken: "Of course we do, we will toss their tattered remains back to the center of Sogo, then they will remember the 19th Brigade! Then they will remember our nation's wraith. Do not talk out of turn again or I will personally see to it that..."

As the officer continues mouthing off, Kett completely ignores every word. The 31st lieutenant extends his arms and pumps a light orange and yellow blast of fire into the man's chest. The major flies twelve feet back and through a plank house before he glides in the snow. Smoke flows from Yaiken's corpse.

A firebender thunderously screams, "TRRRRRRRRRRAIIIIIIITOOORRR!!!!!"

A Fire Nation spear warrior asserts, "Take him down!!" A firebender (left), spear soldier (mid-left), swordsman (mid-right), and spear trooper (right) circle around the marine.

Kett warns, "There is no honor in this, I don't want to hurt any of you." The troopers still step toward him and within less than a second the teen turns his body and pumps two light orange fireball into the spear trooper and swordsman behind him. The firebender bends and pumps an orange-yellow flame at Kett.

The young soldier raises his right arm and hurls his own flame into the shot. The spear warrior runs at Kett from behind, "Geeeerrrrrraaaaahhhhhhhaaa!!" Kett performs a rear kick as he pops a fireball into the man's forehead, "Ouuuuuuuuhhh!"

Kett pulls right hand back as he forms a massive swirl of fire around his right hand then pulls it forward and pumps a missile of flames into the firebender across him. The man's body is blown into scraps. The other soldiers gather around as Kusain raises his blade, the warrior finally reveals his chilling voice, "Stay back, he's mine."

Kett comments, "You look the part, but let's see if you fight the part!"

Kusain groans, "Huuuuuruh!" The heavy trooper spins his polearm around before he slams it into the ground and hurls a cascade of orange and yellow fire at Kett. The lieutenant rolls left then steps back to his feet as he repositions himself.

Kusain pumps his weapon forward and shoots a brick of fire at Kett. Kett leaps right and punches two light orange-yellow fireballs at Kusain. The war captain slams the butt of his weapon against the ground and a wild firewall absorbs the fireballs. Kett widens his eyes in frustration.

Kusain points his weapon forward and a large storm of fire glides in Kett's direction. Kett sprints and dives out of the way as a loud explosion cracks ice near him. The lieutenant slightly hits ice from the jump but quickly gets back up as he is ready to fight more. Kusain slowly steps closer toward him as the other Fire Nation troopers watch him.

Kusain: "It's only a matter of time before you fall, then the people you wish to save will be killed regardless." Two swordsmen keep an eye on the citizens and two firebenders charge their arms up as they prepare to attack the crowd. A female waterbender surprises one of them as she extends her left hand and smacks down a swordsman with an elastic water fist.

In the nick of time, a surge of cold water hits a firebender in his chest and he flies into the firebender behind him. The other swordman who stands near the citizens is shot in his neck by an arrow. The United Way hero Sada steps forward with a Water Tribe archer, waterbender, spear warrior, and dual swordsman beside her.

The archer is from the Northern Water Tribe but not Sogo. He has light blue robes with cream stripes. The waterbender has an indigo uniform with black markings and is also from the Western Water Tribe but is of a different clan than Sada. The spear warrior has royal blue robes and light red stripes but also is from a Northern Water Tribe clan. The swordsman has turquoise robes with grey makings and represents an Eastern Water Tribe clan.

Each member is from a different Water Tribe group because they all are United Way members who have been looking to gather support from the different Water Tribes to join their cause. Fire Nation swordsman: "Stop the Waterbenders!!"

Sada and her forces spring into action as Kett looks a second time at Kusain. Kusain: "You swine, had you aided us the villagers would have been dead by now, and you could have helped us kill these pests with little difficulty. I'm going to make you pay."

Kett: "Still breathing big man!"

Kusain: "Not for long!!"

Kett: "We'll see about that."

Kusain charges swings his weapon side to side diagonally as he begins to close the distance. The war captain maneuvers his weapon forward as he shoots a ray of insidious fire at Kett. The firebender launches himself five feet in the air and four feet left from the blast. The hot fire knocks a large hole through a rock several meters back.

Kusain aims at Kett and pumps a fire brick at him. The marine spins right but another fire brick is launched at his chest. Kett rotates his body and launches himself three feet over the shot as he directs a stream of bright orange-yellow fire at the officer.

The war captain raises his polearm as he blocks the shot, but the impact of the parry causes Kusain to spin backward. The 19th brigade vanguard is a bit dizzy from the commotion and shakes his head to regain his senses. Kett sprints ahead and pumps two fireballs into Kusain's sides.

Kusain steps a couple of feet back as he takes the blasts. The officer gets angrier as he storms closer to Kett, pulls his weapon forward, and fires a surge of riveting heat at the rogue firebender. Kett jumps above the shot and pumps a brick of flames into Kusain's helmet.

The blast blows the man's helmet off, revealing his face. Kusain has pale skin, a large scar on his long nose, ruby brown eyes, thick black hair, and a full black beard. Kusain howls, "Uggggggghhhhhh!!!!" Kett lands just a few inches across Kusain's position.

Kusain charges and lunges horizontally at Kett's shoulders. Kett flips behind Kusain but gasps from the energy exerted in the move as he heavily lands. Kusain sprints again races again toward Kett as he vertically swings down at him. The rebel pivots right but Kusain creates a small explosion as he hits the ground.

The blast of fire knocks Kett down but he rolls back to his knees. While this happens Sada blocks a fire blast with a wall of ice, but her wall is blown into mist from the shot. Sada sways her hands horizontally and a block of ice levels the firebender across her. Two Fire Nation spear soldiers charge at her but Sada extends her hands and mounds of snow sweep them away.

A Fire Nation swordsman swings diagonally at the Water Tribe dual swordsman but he diagonally blocks the strike with his right blade before kicking the firebender's left shin with his right leg. As the man is stunned, the Water Tribe duelist horizontally cuts down his opponent with a slightly lower slash.

The Water Tribe spear warrior repels a strike from a Fire Nation spear trooper and lunges forward before he kicks his enemy in his face. The final Fire Nation swordsman is knocked back by a water tentacle from the other waterbender in the team.

Meanwhile Kett is on his knees as Kusain rotates his weapon and slashes a horizontal line of fire at Kett. Kett leans forward and pushes himself in the air over the shot before he kicks a blast of light orange flames from his feet into Kusain's chest. A loud and burdensome explosion commences as Kusain's armor is punctured.

The big man shakes the ground as he gasps and coughs up blood. Kett looks across at Kusain, "It didn't have to be like this."

Kusain coughs more violently, "Ye-ye-YES, it did! You made your choice, traitor, now live with it. Hurayo is coming for you and he won't have any mercy. And Ozai, will find out what you've done. The press will discover this. Somehow, some way, this will be known. And when it is, when Ozai knows, he will never forget this. Your legacy is ruined, you will suffer."

Kusain dies. Kett shakes his head, "No, my legacy isn't ruined, it's just beginning."

Sada: "Come, let us escort the villagers to Sogo. It is not safe here."

Kett turns, "Wait a minute, what about the Tiger-hounds!"

Sada: "Don't worry we took care of their riders."

Kett: "And the creatures?"

Waterbender: "Our people know how to dissuade animals, when their riders aren't meddling with them. We set them free."

Kett: "Well that's a good quality, do you think you could teach me that?"

Water archer: "Don't press your luck firebender?"

Kett: "What??? Is that how you thank me for help saving a village."

Water tribe spearman: "Well give you one opportunity at a time, keep proving yourself and maybe you'll get there one day. A wise man once said, that a thousand-foot journey begins with a single step."

Kett: "Then today my true journey begins."