| By King Bumis Heir | Genre | Rating | Reviews | Updates |
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Overview[]
Rong Yan learns that General Senlin and his forces have planned an invasion on the Southern Air Temple.
Chapter 19: Invasion at the Southern Air Temple Part 1: The Courier[]
Book 1: Air
Chapter 19: Invasion at the Southern Air Temple Part 1: The Courier
The sun shines brightly burning a little hotter than normal, it was dead center in the sky the sundial that rested in the southern courtyard indicated that it was past noon. Little breezes had picked up and the trees that were once surrounded by piles of leaves were barren and picked clean. The dried leaves had been gathered up and disposed of properly, flying bison with nomads on their backs had been departing and arriving as per usual.
There had been a class of younger novices being taught literature by a tutor nearby that sat nomad style with paper umbrellas over their heads covering them from the sun. The children were giggling while the teacher used funny voices to retell them a story in Air Nomad literature. One of the children raised their hands his teacher points at him and he's seen answering the question the teacher nods and the boy is happy.
Yong Ten raising his hand signaling Rong Yan to jump off from the wall of the southern tower. Rong Yan then conjures a cushion of air to break his fall Yong Ten applauds his smooth landing. It had been a day after he spoke to Kwan Chun, Kwan Chun taught him that it's okay to have fear as the Avatar. After all the Avatar is still human, love and fear are the two emotions humans have. He was still afraid of the maniacal man who's chasing him around the world but now he can sleep better at night. He's been more peaceful as of late he feels like Senlin doesn't know where he's at and it's probably better that way.
The Jongmu Air Temple, in its best look.
"You seem to be getting the hang of that air cushion Rong Yan," commented Yong Ten, Rong Yan chuckles then responds, "Well after bruising my butt a few times these past few weeks I made it habit to break my fall at the right timing."
"No need to worry we all went through it, how was last night for you though? Did you learn anything?" Yong Ten inquired.
"I learned that fearing my foe didn't make me a weak Avatar, even Kwan Chun feared his enemy. It's what makes the Avatar human just like you or Senge and sometimes you have to do everything to keep balance in this world even if it means sacrificing yourself," explained Rong Yan.
"You must always remember Rong Yan doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will," Yong Ten responded, "If you don't believe in yourself to be a great Avatar how do you expect others to believe in you?" questioned Yong Ten.
"That's what puts me at ease as long as I believe in myself I know I can take him down," Rong Yan agrees.
"Did you learn his greatest fear?" wondered Yong Ten.
"Kwan Chun's greatest fear was genocide," Rong Yan replied.
"I want you to know that whenever you're in danger or you need help you will always have your past lives at your disposal. I urge you to meditate and communicate with them their life experiences may have answers for you," Yong Ten reminded Rong Yan placing his hand on Rong Yan's shoulder.
"Practice is over for today I'll see you at dinner," Yong Ten mentioned as he wandered away.
Aloi approached Rong Yan standing next to him she munched on an apple asking him, "Whatcha doing?", taking another small bite of her apple enjoying the juicy flavors of the fruit making a joyous face he answered, "I just finished practice for today."
"Are you ready?" she questions him excitedly.
"Ready for what?" he wondered confused.
"For soundbending, silly!" she giggled, clearing her throat she had switched into her teaching mode she stood idly by his side.
"Soundbending has different uses like disorienting someone's hearing, inducing them into slumber or paralyzation, produce sonic booms, muffle your footsteps, signaling allies, demoralizing screams that put terror into the hearts of your enemies and even hypnotizing other's by mimicking someone's voice," Aloi began.
"When you soundbend you're essentially bending the air currents around the sound and not the sound itself directly. Sound waves are everywhere and the currents of air carry them all over, a soundbender's job is to manipulate those sounds like a weapon," Aloi explained.
She scans the area around them looking for something to demonstrate her skill in soundbending with. Senge is carrying a book walking toward the center of the air temple she glances back at Rong Yan smiling, "Watch this!" She cups her hands whispering greeting into her hands and bending a little breeze of air to Senge. Suddenly Senge looks around him and then turns around in a full circle to realize no one was there he faces the direction that Aloi and Rong Yan were standing and then shouts, "Hey Aloi!"
Aloi chuckles and Rong Yan beams, "Woah you gotta teach me that!"
"You'll be learning that after you learn the most important move of soundbending without it we're blind to the soundwaves and we cannot 'see' them," Aloi responds.
"Sonic sense is very important to soundbending it's just like listening all you have to do is wait and listen. Try to 'see' the mental image of soundwaves in your mind if you can see the sound you can bend the sound," Aloi continued.
Rong Yan closed his eyes and attempted to concentrate on the sounds around him Aloi began to march in place. He could see the plat of her padded boots in his mind the ripples of sound expanding from underneath each stomp. He could see the soundwaves the other monks around them produced from their mouths as they continued to conversate with each other. He opened his eyes then bent a small blast of air in a random direction the tree that sat behind them snapped in half. The top half of the tree collapses hitting the ground causing another sound, with his eyes, shut he was able to listen to the sound and see the crash in his mind.
"That was amazing! For an amazing beginner!" marveled Aloi the airbenders nearby were so confused and frightened when they had seen the tree had snapped in half out of nowhere.
"Are you sure you haven't soundbended before?" Aloi questioned Rong Yan who shook his head.
"No this is my first time using soundbending," he answered.
"How exactly did you learn about soundbending, if you don't mind me asking?" he curiously inquired to Aloi.
"One of the sisters that teaches literature in our temple once told us a fictional story about an ancient airbending nun who developed the ability to bend sound. Not sure if it's the actual origins of soundbending though. She was kidnapped by Fire Nation men thousands of years ago and tossed in a cave. So the men can return in the morning and have a way with her. She spent months developing a skill where she no longer needed her eyes to 'see' she could sense the sounds around her. She lived like the flutterbats who were native to the cave copying their every way of life. One evening she broke free from her prison after many months of these men taking advantage of her. She was one with the flutterbats, she would scream in the darkness of the cave where no one would hear her. She used the sonic sense she developed to find her way out of the cave. It turns out the two men were roommates and they lived in a cabin not too far from the cave. There was a loud crash outside is what woke them up, they had gone out to investigate where the sound had been coming from. There in front of them stood the woman who they imprisoned her eyes remained shut she no longer needed to see," Aloi had retold the story to Rong Yan, he stood there silently then asks, "What happened next?"
"The men screamed and that was the last they ever had a mind of their own, the Flutterbat nun used the men's frightful screeches against them. She turned their eardrums into jelly, the flutterbat nun disappeared into the night never to be seen again. However the men sunk into insanity and were deaf their entire lives regretting the moment they kidnapped the nun from the temple," Aloi finished.
"That sounds more of a scary tale you share around a campfire than a story you share to children as part of a lesson," commented Rong Yan.
"It's not a scary tale it's a courageous tale about a nun who escapes her captors, it's quite inspirational actually, she lived her life without ever opening her eyes. Supposedly she's the one who began some ancient organization of soundbenders, it was mostly made of women. The author of the character wrote tons of inspirational quotes that I learned from for example, 'Patience is the antidote to anger'," continued Aloi.
"Now to teach you throw voice," she brought up cupping her hands and beginning the demonstration step by step in front of him.
"Cup your hands and whisper into them then push out of your hands let the wind carry your whisper in whatever way you decide to toss it in. I'm going to stand over here next to this tree, picture like you're whispering right in my ear and then let the currents of air carry it over here," she instructed jogging over to the tree that collapsed earlier. Rong Yan cupped both his hands over his mouth and whispered, "Run!" He closed his eyes quickly and had sensed a current nearby he tossed his voice in the current and the extended his arm out and pushed the whisper with a puff of air.
Once it had reached Aloi she heard a whisper, "Run!" she nodded at Rong Yan's first try soundbending. Cupping his hands around his mouth he shouted, "Did you hear that?" "Yes!" she nodded.
"You never quite told me how you learned soundbending?" Rong Yan inquired to Aloi, recalled a flashback from her younger years a novice.
She remembered, "Oh yeah about that I remember sneaking into the Sum Pa library the night that my tutor shared with me and the other girls about the ancient soundbender story. I found a book within the library that detailed a further story about the flutterbat nun she became a saint amongst the Sum Pa and Shang Qiao Air Nomads her name was Saint Kahala the matriarch of soundbending," Aloi explained.
Ba Sing Se university. Aloi traveled there when she was eight to find the scholar who wrote the book.
"I had taken my baby sky bison Phala and we traveled to the capital city of the Ba Sing Se province, people around the city-state wanted to help a little eight-year-old girl return home to the air temples. Each time I slipped out of the grasp an unnoticed I knew what my goal was there and with the map I had of the city-state I knew where I needed to go. I had padded from the pens to the university of Ba Sing Se in the Middle Ring, I was looking for the author of the book," Aloi recalled.
"I always imagined the author to be from the Earth Kingdom but the scholar was an Air Nomad monk, he shared his story with me. His name is Tenzin and he was exiled from the Baiyan Air Temple two years before he arrived there. He had rediscovered soundbending and taught himself all that time becoming a master of the school of subtlety, he traveled to the Sum Pa island to find the origins of the soundbender clan but never found anything," Aloi continued.
Students from around the school young men and women eyed the little girl that paced around like she was lost. She tightly held a book to her chest as she looked around a short, slender man with fair skin and gray eyes wrapped in dark green robes, green cloth shoes, and a green hood over his head knelt near the little girl hoping he could assist her.
"Where is your guardian nun, little one?" he questioned.
"I came here alone looking for Tenzin he's the author of this book," she answered grabbing the book by each side with each hand presenting the man the book. He pulled back his hood revealing his airbender tattoos recognizing one of the copies of his original book saying, "Hey that's my book!"
She looked in awe when the man removed his hood to reveal that he too was an Air Nomad he led the little girl to his study room where he showed her plenty of research scrolls about his studies and findings. He even had a few soundbender relics lying about, the soundbenders were few amongst the many Air Nomads, you'd have to consider yourself lucky if you ever countered a soundbender especially one that belonged to Kahala's secret organization.
"Here why don't you look at these findings I've found over the years about soundbenders, I'll be back in a jiffy," he added walking off and out of the study room to go find one the scribes.
Walking into his assistant's quarters who happens to be a scribe he asked him, "Hey do you mind sending a scroll out the nuns at the Sum Pa Air Temple? I got a little girl from there who's here all alone I just want to make sure she gets home safe."
The short young, chubby Earth Kingdom man nodded to his boss's request pulling out a piece of parchment and rubbing it down with a wooden block so that it wouldn't roll back up and stay flat on the desk where he prepared his scribing tools.
Ten minutes later, he had finished the scroll. The scribe poured melted orange candle wax on the rolled-up scroll then stamping it down with the seal of the Ba Sing Se university to seal the letter tight. The scribe ran over to the messenger birds and slipped it into the tube satchel of a messenger hawk opening the window allowing it to fly out to the eastern air temple. Someone would come retrieve the little girl within two to four days.
"I stayed with Tenzin for about four days he fed and taught me the basics of soundbending while also giving me history lessons on soundbenders. The nuns were not happy that I ran away but Tenzin rewarded with me basic scrolls to learn and practice from. I hid them from the council and practiced in secret," Aloi recalled.
"After a year at the age of nine, I was trying to teach myself how to perform the sonic boom. I was punished and hit with a paddle several times for being a curious child. One day the Council of Elders called me in and told me they were very suspicious with me because every time they had to awaken to a thundering boom my sisters would see me bolt into my tower. They wanted no more games and requested a trustworthy explanation," she stated.
"Tenzin had told them about my intentions when I had gone to Ba Sing Se, they searched my room and found the scrolls hidden under my bed. They were going to burn my scrolls but I couldn't let them take this away from me. I convinced them to allow me to keep my scrolls. I had given them a demonstration with a quiet blast of sound that knocked over ten books. They were soon fascinated and shocked about my hidden talent they had never seen or heard of a living soundbender only the fictional stories about them. They asked if I could teach a class but I refused and I offered to teach them the basics of soundbending, within months they became adepts at it eventually seeking more scrolls themselves they often brought me along," she finished.
The soundbending scroll given to Aloi by the Air Nomad.
"You're the only person I've shared to outside of the council back at the temple," mentioned Aloi.
"Not going to lie that's a good story I can see you're a curious one," commented Rong Yan. Aloi looks up to view the sky, hues of indigo began to saturate the blue and transition from late afternoon to evening.
"It's getting dark we should head off to the mess hall," she suggested padding to the northern tower Rong Yan nodded and followed right behind her. As they stood in line to gather their meals Aloi asked Rong Yan, "So exactly what level of airbending are you in now?"
"Tomorrow's the thirty-first level of airbending," he replied, "Hmm" she nodded they grabbed their food at sat down at the table where Jampo, Senge and Yong Ten were usually eating together at.
"How was everyone's day?" Yong Ten inquired the group chomping on a tomato, Senge spoke up first, "It's gotten easier what's you reach the twentieth level, today Chuandan was teaching us the air shield. I hope it stays this easy."
"It doesn't believe me," stated Rong Yan.
"What about you, Jampo?" asked Yong Ten.
"I feel like my arms are too short and stubby to successfully conjure and maintain an air dome," complained Jampo.
"No I don't think it's your arms Jampo you really need to work on your breath control and cardio, after all, they're both needed to help you maintain prolonged control over certain moves," Yong Ten advised, Jampo sank his head into the collar of his undershirt he realized that Yong Ten finally acknowledged that he was too fat and it was holding him back.
"I advanced further in my novel that Subprior Shang Xi had been overseeing, his critique is very important to my progress as a successful writer. Maybe someday, I can have a published original shelved here for the monks to read," she smiled imagining how someday generations of people will get to read her work even long after she's gone.
"What's your book about anyway?" asked Senge.
"Well as far as advancing on my novel I mean I have the basic outline and have put together notes on the plot and characters. But it's a romance novel, the main character is an educated Air Nomad nun named Vahati who falls in love with a Ba Sing Se soldier from the province of Chaopin named Pantu. It's set in during the rule of Earth King Yao, and it also involves politics and the resistance who overthrow Yao," she summarized.
"That sounds interesting I like the idea, it's a fictional tale in a historical setting," commented Senge.
Aloi smiled, "Thanks for the input, Senge." They finished their meals after half an hour and sit for another half hour to talk about what's on their mind before they split and return to their chambers for the night.
The next morning came and Rong Yan had gotten dressed and washing his face with the bucket of water that's near the support pillar in the middle of their room. He left while Senge and Jampo were just barely waking up. Yong Ten waited in the southern courtyard where they meet each morning for Rong Yan's extensive training.
Yong Ten greeted Rong Yan, "Good morning Rong Yan I hope you're ready for your lesson today."
"Good morning, Yong Ten ready as ever," he returned.
"Today is the day we continue with the last six levels of airbending that you have yet to learn. I had the courtyard cleared for this exercise first is the air bomb. The air bomb is a technique that creates a powerful, outward-moving air current in all directions around the bender. Usually performed after landing on the ground from above, this airbending form has great concussive force, and the capacity to completely blow away anything within its radius. To do this correctly you're going to need to use your enhanced speed to run up the southern tower once you judge the right height you will air-jet yourself off the tower and air bomb," Yong Ten instructed.
"I'm going to demonstrate so watch closely," Yong Ten advised.
Yong Ten paced to the end of the courtyard near the path that led down to the sky bison caves. He inhaled a deep breath and exhaled and repeated a second time he darted toward the tower gaining the momentum to sprint up the wall of the tower. Once he reached a level he felt comfortable with for the demonstration he quickly faced both his palms at the wall and shot air out of them propelling himself out a few feet from the tower wall and breaking his fall with a huge blast of air conjured from his hands and impacting the ground causing a ring of air to expand in all directions. The dead branches of trees in the vicinity rustled moving side to side until they again became still.
Now it was Rong Yan's turn he lumbered over to the railings near the path and bolted across the courtyard and up the tower wall. Palms face down he blasted air out of his hands and feet backflipping and now in a cannonball position he used air to break his fall, he crashed down releasing a ring of strong wind rustling the trees and causing Yong Ten to put his hands in front of his face to block the air.
"Next lesson, the move I created years ago when I was a young boy. The Air Vortex. This technique is used to disorient enemies and make them dizzy. You spin your arms closer to you. And the mini-tornadoes will form, then you send them off to the target with a blast of air. I'll demonstrate," Yong Ten said.
Yong Ten twirled his hands in front of him positioned close to his chest spinning his hands faster and faster forming a small twister of air before shoving it from his hand and allowing it to travel in a zig-zag line before dispersing after it had gone over the railing. Rong Yan followed the exact movements that Yong Ten had recently performed spinning his hands quickly and rapidly shoving the twister allowing it to go over the railing before disappearing.
"Great, now let's try the air blades. The air blades are a more offensive move than its typical of airbending principle, this involves focus; slicing air currents that can cut through stone or timber with relative ease. This is frequently conjured with a staff rather than the body, using the narrow profile of the object to create a more focused and precise air movement. This move could prove fatal if used on an individual. I will demonstrate but first I want you to observe the stance I'm going to use for it, it is called the pythonaconda stance," Yong Ten explained.
He pivoted his legs to face another direction from his upper body, slightly separating both feet apart he had his other arm facing down across his stomach and his dominant arm bent at the elbow raised and positioned above his brow with his palm facing up. Yong Ten rotated his arms in large counterclockwise, the air currents had now been more visible as the wind began to pick up faster his arms gained momentum he turned to face the open courtyard swinging his arms stronger creating thin sharp slices of air concurrently releasing three from each arm.
Rong Yan attempted the move and spun around in a full circle with both arms he spun them on a larger wheel of motion counterclockwise he aims his blades toward a tree. Instead of the three slices released from each arm, he instead conjured only two slices diagonally hitting the tree the wood shifted and slid off slowly toppling over.
"That wasn't the exact method I was trying to teach you but you continue to impress me further, you airbend like a true master Rong Yan," Yong Ten complimented him.
They continued with the next lesson and Yong Ten instructs Rong Yan further, "Now, the air wake, by running in a circle and instantly building massive momentum a master airbender can shoot a blast of highly compressed air shaped like the user's body at a target. This move seems to have an extremely high concussive force. These monks have made a dummy, you will use the air wake, on this dummy stuffed with hay."
Yong Ten ordered signaling the novices to carry in the dummy dressed in peasant Oma clothing, the dummy was made of linen cloth, stuffed with hay and wearing a tattered, unkempt and stained sage green tunic and patched up pistachio green slacks. The dummy was held up by two sticks formed in a cross and tied together by rope. The dummy was fastened to the horizontal stick, the boys walked to the side and away from the area where the demonstration was to take place.
Yong Ten ran around the dummy in a circle picking up speed he held in the force and targeted the open courtyard area. Releasing the compressed air shaped in his figure it swiftly flew from his body before dispersing several yards off the mountain. Rong Yan watched the demonstration in amazement he repeated the steps taken to perform the move. He released the force on his first attempt he successfully formed himself but the air wake disseminated before it reached the dummy, the breeze released after the spread gently touched the dummy.
Yong Ten bending the air in the shape of his body, to create the air wake.
In his second attempt he had ran longer than the first time around holding in the energy he blew it out the compressed force of air shaped like his body exploded out as he shouted with great emphasis it tore through the courtyard bursting the dummy and soaring through the air off the mountain before strewing several yards away from the mountain. The children applauded the Avatar's attempt at the exercise, Yong Ten with his arms inside of his sleeves sheltering them from the cold smiled and slightly nodded in approval.
The children roamed away from the southern courtyard after Yong Ten bowed to them and then gestured them to depart. Yong Ten continued, "The tornado can be made into various sizes, the bigger tornadoes will require you to run in a circle for a while to create one. We're not going to create one here today though, they can prove to be dangerous if not controlled. This move shall only be performed if you're in a dire situation."
"A tip is to think of the air wake but instead of concentrating and forming the air into the shape of your body you will gather the air currents around you and allow them to flow in a full circle. It helps to blast it with air to send the tornado in the route you wish for it to run in," advised Yong Ten.
"We should be done for the day, why don't you head on down to the mess hall for dinner and then you can go rest for the evening," finished Yong Ten, Rong Yan sighed floundering to the northern tower exhausted from his training.
On the way, he thought about the tests of tomorrow soon after learning how to do the last level of airbending. He had no idea what it even was but he was glad his airbending training was almost over. He didn't know what was next after that, maybe he'd have to spend time learning more about the culture and history of the Air Nomads. Senge said they just continue practicing even after completing their airbending training. The practice never stops because eventually, you lose your touch if you don't use it.
The village where they dropped off the baby.
A hundred miles north of Baoding in the province of Anlu, two weeks ago,
Senlin, Palartok, and two platoons of northern tribesman passed along a small remote village about what they guessed was ten miles west of Arluq's camp. They lingered close to the abandoned routes that no one ever used to remain hidden from the Omashu military. Surely this many men would have anyone suspicious the village they passed through consisted of miniature market square and about five wooden shacks. It was a windy day blowing through the bald trees, branches hitting against each other, the clouds were dark, cold and gloomy it was apparent that it would rain today. While the men and Senlin carried on past the village Palartok carried a small wicker woven basket in his hands. There had been a shack on the southern end that they were marching beside. The small wooden shack had two apertures and one opening on the small handmade porch knelt to gently place the basket carrying the baby they took from the village they destroyed.
Inside was the unharmed baby wrapped in fur hide of a slain polar bear dog with a note that rested on top of the hide. Inside was a woman unaware of Palartok's presence, when she heard the wailing of an infant out in front she ran over to the archway to find a crying baby in a basket wrapped in furs. She stepped out to look to her left and right but saw not a single soul in sight. She grabbed the basket with the child inside her home placing it on her cot.
She picked up the note to read its contents, "Consider taking in this orphan child that was found unharmed in a raided village, there were no survivors besides the baby."
Covering her mouth at the atrocity that the strangers who left the child on her doorstep have discovered she let out a tear for those who were ripped from existence. She had recently lost her child to sickness two winters ago she had felt it was a blessing from Tiandi himself, she took the baby out of the basket wrapped in furs and caressed the child until it calmed down.
A fortnight ago in the province of Anlu,
Senlin, Palartok and the men finally arrive at Arluq's camp which is a small remote village, the skies were dark blue colors and the clouds were receding to reveal a crescent-shaped moon. Half the stars in the sky were blocked by the clouds while the others were visible. The village consisted of about eight buildings each housing a total of four to five men inside, the big shack on the western end of the village belong to Arluq. A large fire was burning in the middle of the village there were a total of five men including Arluq huddled around the bonfire cooking their meals while others either waited their turns or had been eating their meals inside their assigned shacks.
The leader of the hostile takeover of the village, Arluq popped his head up from the huddled men around the fire to peep at the incoming strangers. Recognizing them as Palartok, Senlin and the other northerners who marched to Anlu. Palartok and the northerners were joyous about finding the camp and exhausted after the hike, Senlin was tired but always carried his face in a scowl no one that knows him has ever remembered a day where his face was ever in a smile or a simper. The only people who might have known are all long dead either by his hands or by time itself. The northerners have settled down and have begun setting up camp while Palartok and Senlin lumber forward to meet with Arluq who minces over to them. Senlin switches the position of his belongings over his shoulder and puts his arm down along his side, then dropping his bag.
Senlin and Palartok salute the stocky and stout Northern Tribesman with a coffee brown skin color, he had indigo-colored irises, medium-long black hair with a bald crown, he had no beard but he did have a thin handlebar mustache that was medium length with a curl on each end. Typically, the western Earth Kingdom in the autumn season was warmer than the North Pole, so everyone had been wearing light clothing. Arluq wore material that is extremely light, tough and waterproof. It was made from the gut of a giant moon ray and it was dyed dark blue colors. It covered the entirety of his torso, it had no sleeves because it had been modified and it had flaps that reached down to the upper knee, his trousers were made of gemsbok bull skin and he wore sealskin boots. The men huddled around him had an assortment of clothing made from various animals from the north pole.
"Any reports?" asked Palartok crossing his arms and looking down at Arluq.
"As of recently, my scouts have reported an increasing number of troops ten to thirty miles north of Baoding. The villages we've destroyed before coming here have been checked thoroughly according to my scouts. There hasn't been a soul out in this area in a long time we're practically in a very remote area," reported Arluq, he looked up to his left to see the towering older Earth Kingdom man with a cold-blooded look on his face.
"No time, no see Senlin what have you been up to all these years?" questioned Arluq.
"Prison," uttered Senlin.
"Your successful attempt on assassinating Earth King Ta Po has echoed to the Kingdom of Omashu. You truly are a living legend to all of the extremists of Omashu," complimented Arluq.
"Any news from the others?" Palartok asked Arluq, he thinks about it while placing his left hand on his chin then shakes his head responding, "No I haven't heard anything about the others but I hope they're causing enough problems out in the Kingdom of Ba Sing Se."
"Remember why we're here Lieutenant if our mission to be successful we must disrupt and remain hidden. In enough amount of time we'll just become rumors," Palartok reminded Arluq of the objective.
"The men killed in Taku were successful in the start of the rumors except the threat was quelled," added Arluq.
"They were uncoordinated and deserved to die," Senlin interrupted, Arluq turns to look at Senlin.
"What exactly is the next mission?" he inquired.
"We're going to the Southern Air Temple," answered Senlin.
"What's so important about those celibate pacifist nomads?" asked Arluq.
"The Avatar is mastering airbending if he's dead and out of the way this war can continue," replied Senlin.
"Where is that again?" wondered Arluq.
"Province of Tong," guessed Palartok, Senlin shook his head and corrected him, "No it's off the coast of the province of Tong. Patolla Island nestled on the peaks of the Patolla mountains."
"We should be moving on," added Senlin, Arluq swallowed a bite of his food before gesturing an open palm to Senlin to signal him to stop. He then says, "Or you could rest for the night, big guy. We can break camp at dawn." Senlin nodded before heading off to find a crevice between two shacks where he could rest for the night to keep in some heat.
Present Day, Jongmu Air Temple,
Statue of Tiandi.
The winds continued to blow through the halls of the air temple, doors were opening monks of every size and age walked out of their towers to begin their days. Some headed off straight to the mess hall mostly the children while most of the adults headed off to the farm fields sticking to a fasting routine for work. Yong Ten had already been up since he wakes up an hour after dawn to begin his daily routine.
He had been on one of the floors of the northern tower where the Southerners had their prayer room. It was largely a floor dedicated to their deities, and inside were carved stone statues of their gods, one of them was a tall, lean, bald old man with a beard with a sash and trousers, a woman with her hair styled like the nuns from the eastern and western air temples long hair on the sides and back with a shaved frontal lobe and airbender tattoos she wore a dress, there was also a sky bison, a lion turtle, and a middle-aged Air Nomad with tattoos, he was mostly naked but had a large leaf covering his genitalia. He sat nomad style in his hands he held his wooden prayer beads which he used daily to help him pray to the gods, on the center of the beads it held a medallion with a carving of the airbender insignia.
Meanwhile, Rong Yan had gotten up heavy-eyed he sighed he knew this was it after this is was just constant training and sparring. Training was only technically half over and it would go faster for him since he's a natural at bending being the Avatar and all. He had stepped over to Jampo and Senge's beds waking them up, Jampo passing gas every five minutes for the past hour apparently because the room despite there being an aperture stunk like a skunk bear had been living in their chambers.
At the same time, back with Yong Ten, he had almost finished his daily prayers the statues were surrounded with lit white wax candles some had melted to the point that you'd be surprised that they're still lit while others are either halfway or are new candles placed by Geetsan and his sextons.
"...I close this daily prayer by thanking Tiandi, Rati, Gavala, Nam and Sasya for the continued blessings that I and my people continue to have," finished Yong Ten taking in a deep breath before using his palms against a wall to support him while he stands on his feet. Once he leaned on the wall a bit he grabbed his staff which rested on the wall and used it to help him walk around.
Rong Yan had been drilling while waiting for Yong Ten at their usual meeting place on the southern courtyard which Yong Ten had requested to be empty today knowing the difficulty that is mastering the air spout. Yong Ten lumbered over to meet Rong Yan who had been training some moves and drills that he did every morning before beginning to train. Stretching had been tossed out since he did that every morning as soon as he wakes up.
"Today, you'll be learning the most difficult move that an airbender can learn. This one is called the air spout. Master airbenders can rotate and control the direction of the air spout enough to levitate themselves off the ground and remain in the air for as long as they wish to or can maintain it," Yong Ten explained.
"It's going to require all of your concentration if you fail to focus on the maintenance of the air spout you will fall but remember to cushion your fall so that you aren't seriously injured. Eventually, enough practice will teach you to multi-task with this move and is essential when in combat. I've heard that the waterbenders can do this exact move but with water, I haven't heard of earthbenders or firebenders being able to do the same," advised Yong Ten.
"You have to twirl your body up while you air jet to propel yourself off the ground and then use your hands to control the air spout. Once the air spout is strong enough you focus on breath control to maintain the spout's toughness," instructed Yong Ten.
Yong Ten twirled his body jumping and using his hands to jet himself into the air, he used his hands to control the air currents below his waist he spun a bit inside the spout before being able to maintain it and levitating inside while remaining still. The proper breath control he had allowed him to move around in any direction he wished. To end the spout he bent it over in an arc and safely dropped himself onto his feet, the spout vanished soon after.
This is what an air spout looks like.
Rong Yan did the same thing by jumping into the air and spinning, although his air spout was rather short he lost control of the spout and fell out of the air on the way down he bent the wind around himself and created an air cushion. The cushion broke his fall and he safely landed on the ground. He attempted another try doing a jump spin into the air with the use of airbending to boost himself into the air, as he jumped and spun at the same time he used his arms to bend the air around himself, reaching to a certain length he stopped spinning and stood still in the air spout. The air spout continued to spin even though Rong Yan did not, stopping the spout it dispersed and Rong Yan used an air cushion to break his fall.
While Rong Yan had given the air spout a third go after succeeding the second time a bison flew overhead that distracted him because of how low it flew knocking him off of the air spout with a gale force of wind that blew in. He fell back flailing his arms around him to cushion his fall with air. Normally, the bison would have to land near the caves but urgent things usually had the bisons land on the southern courtyard.
An Air Nomad hopped off the head of his sky bison and helped a lanky Oma courier off the large creature. He had been a young man with a black queue, he wore an official Omashu courier uniform, dark green with light green accents. He jogging over to Rong Yan and Yong Ten kneels before the Avatar with the scroll resting upon both hands he lifted his hands over his head offering the Avatar to take the scroll. Rong Yan looked at him confused and a little strange, Yong Ten was now concerned. Rong Yan grabbed the scroll as the young man stood up bowing to the Avatar and patiently waited before leaving.
The letter delivered to Rong Yan by Senlin.
Rong Yan glanced back at Yong Ten and handed him the scroll, there appeared to be no wax stamp with a seal on it, it was just tied by a string. The scroll itself wasn't even parchment paper like the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation use, it was dried animal skin to which Yong Ten had been disgusted by. Untying the string of the scroll he read the contents of the scroll which were written in the language of the Earth Kingdom. Each nation had its language and the monks taught each generation to understand, read and write the other three languages of the world. Though there had several dialects the majority of people spoke the central Earth people language.
He read the scroll aloud to Rong Yan, "I know where you're hiding Avatar while myself and my allies travel to the Patollan island prepare yourself for your death and the hundreds living in the temple. These next few days will be your last and don't think about running away like a coward you can run but you can't escape me. You can't hide behind those pacifistic monks forever sooner or later after blood has been spilled you'll have to come out."
He realized it wasn't just him he had to gather more just like him who hated the Avatar and it was only a matter of time before they figured out how to get to the air temple. Something had to be done, he covered his mouth as an indication that he was horrified of the letter. This is exactly what Rong Yan was afraid of nonsensical violence over his life, he was willing to give up as long as no blood was spilled.
He was afraid of General Senlin and he sometimes cursed his past life for not killing him. But they all have their moral compass, Yong Ten interrupted Rong Yan's thoughts, "We have to take this to the Council of Elders now!" They sprinted off to the northern tower while the courier was offered a hot meal by the Air Nomad who brought escorted him to the temple. Nodding and then following the monk he was led to the northern tower at a pace behind Yong Ten and Rong Yan.
Rong Yan and Yong Ten were hearing in on a conversation between the council and someone inside. There was no time to waste that barged in through the curtain leading to the terrace. The council leaned to peek at the person who's disturbing their meeting with a fellow southerner.
Subprior Shaohao complained, "What is the meaning of this disturbance, novice-master?"
"You know the rules here!" he growled.
"I apologize, subprior but this is of utmost importance," Yong Ten apologized, Rong Yan running in after him. The monk who knelt on both knees quietly saw himself out and waited outside.
"A courier just arrived ten minutes ago on a sky bison with an urgent message for the Avatar," Yong Ten said.
"General Senlin he's not far but he's coming for me that's what he wrote on the scroll, he said he's not alone. I shouldn't hide behind the nomads because then the blood of hundreds will be spilled. Hiding is not an option because he'll chase me until I'm dead," summarized Rong Yan.
Hegumen Geetsan concerned about what he heard stood up from his seat and requested the scroll to which Yong Ten hands him. Offering it to Shaohao who opened it and began to read the scroll itself. Concerned he asked, "Say if the general and his allies are nearby how long do you think it'd take them to get here, Ji?"
Ji responded, "Depends what province they're currently in, anything from Anlu to Shiwei or the western and eastern Jurong states will take them about two weeks to reach the coast of Zhuhai or Wushan to take a boat here. If they're in Tong, Zhuhai or Wushan it'll be only a matter of a few days."
Geetsan sighed, "I've been feeling a disturbance when I do my daily prayers and meditation maybe it was this tugging at my soul. Now that I know I can project my spirit to try and find them."
"Have you been to Zhuhai or Wushan, Rong Yan?" inquired Prior Ji.
Rong Yan shook his head, "No. But if we send a call to arms to Governor Tong he might be willing to send a detachment of troops here."
Prior Ji nodded, "Done I'll have Shang Xi's scribes send call to arms to Xi Tong village."
"All in favor?" Geetsan questioning raising his hand as an agreement, the other four raised their hands in acceptance to the request. It was granted Ji stood from his platform and padded out of the terrace to the library floor of the tower.
"Is there any concern that Senlin could reach the air temple?" asked Rong Yan.
"He doesn't have a flying bison but we shouldn't ignore the abilities of a master earthbender," Geetsan replied.
Shang Xi adds in, "For your final trial you must save us from he who bends alloy, communicating with your lives of the past could serve you great wisdom, Avatar Rong Yan."
"The sanctuary is always open to you," said Prior Li Shen.
"Thank you," thanked Rong Yan bowing to the council, Yong Ten bowed to them as well and followed behind Rong Yan. Splitting as they reach the end of the stairs Yong Ten takes a right while Rong Yan continues toward the southern bridge leading to the southern tower.
Half an hour later, a scribe runs out of the northern tower in his hand he's clutching a paper scroll jogging toward the mess hall where the Earth Kingdom courier had been eating some steamed vegetables and rice. The scroll was sealed by orange wax that had the Air Nomad insignia on it with an orange ribbon tied around one of the ends of it. He placed it on the courier's table before walking away, to which the courier stuffed it into his satchel before swallowing one more bite of his rice that he left unfinished and scurried to the Air Nomad who brought him to the temple.
Meanwhile, Rong Yan had arrived at the sanctuary door blowing air out of both palms into the bronze tubes that locked the door in place. The doors opened wide and he lit all the candles in under three minutes returning to the open doors again to shut them so that he could be alone. Plopping down in front of the statues of Ku Tei, Anana, Kwan Chun, and Ilah he took in a deep inhale and focused on meditation.
Rong Yan, and Ku Tei sitting on opposite sides facing each other, discussing the problems that are about to occur.
Blue mist had emanated from Rong Yan's body producing the shaped of Avatar Ku Tei who sat in front of Rong Yan. The stocky short old man with a large fluffy beard and long hair held in a top knot and sangtuwan looked around to recognize the environment as an air temple sanctuary. The colors of his skin, eyes, hair, and clothing weren't distinguishable as the spirit had been translucent with a blue aura surrounding the spirit.
"Avatar Ku Tei I am need of your advice," Rong Yan cried, his past life concerned with the sudden emotion from the current Avatar questioned the young firebender, "What is going on, Avatar Rong Yan?"
"It's Senlin he's coming for me, the past two months I've had dreams of Senlin. Dreams where I'd wake up to him looking out the window as he speaks to me as if he waited for me to wake up. Dreams where I wake up and everything's fine only to set foot outside and scan the western courtyard and discover the bodies of my friends and other innocent airbenders lying around lifeless," explained Rong Yan with a quavering tone.
"Him alone?" asked Senlin.
"No he's bringing others with him," answered Rong Yan, sitting on that thought for a moment Ku Tei had tried to remember who were Senlin's accomplices.
"I know who might be coming along with Senlin, deserters. These deserters left the Northern Water Tribe military or were expelled from the northern navy by the chief at the time. Palartok is one of them, he was once the admiral but he was only in service during the last two years of the war. His followers were mostly the loyalists who were under his command," recalled Ku Tei.
"Admiral Palartok?" inquired Rong Yan on the name of the person that Ku Tei remembered.
"Yes, but it's not just him there are others. Lieutenant Arluq is another, there's also Commander Inuksuk and there was a woman involved...Captain Kireama I believe her name was. She might have retired or she could be dead but she was a huge Palartok loyalist," responded Ku Tei.
"I don't know what they're planning but knowing Senlin wants to be as discreet as possible he's not invading in full force. It might just be Senlin and a few others he might have picked up along the way. I advise you that you don't underestimate Senlin or any of the men who go with him. These are skilled benders and trained veterans allow the airbenders to defend you but help where you can," advised Ku Tei.
Rong Yan nodded to the advice given to him by Ku Tei, "There will be bloodshed but you have to always keep yourself together. War is ugly, war brings death, war brings suffering, you won't be able to save everyone that's something that took me a while to understand and accept," Ku Tei admitted.
"What if they fail? What if.." he said pausing while he pondered on the option of him failing, "What if I fail?"
"Don't think that you must remain positive and clear of mind. If your mind is not in a clear state you will make mistakes remember this. A mind full of worry, doubt or vengeance gets soldiers killed, you shouldn't doubt the abilities of master airbenders," Ku Tei assured Rong Yan.
"How is your airbending training?" asked Ku Tei, "I have yet to master it I have been trained in all the thirty-seven levels of airbending but Yong Ten has told me there are training sessions before I am considered an actual master," answered Rong Yan.
"I have this feeling that Senlin will arrive before the reinforcements from Governor Tong," said Rong Yan.
"I know the improvising mind that Senlin has been gifted he will find a way to get to the top of the air temple. Even if he has to kill an Air Nomad to steal their bison," claimed Ku Tei.
"Why me? Why didn't you kill him when you had the opportunity?" he argued with Ku Tei.
"Listen to me, Avatar Rong Yan. What I did wasn't a mistake, Senlin wasn't going to get away easily with all those he betrayed and killed. Who are we to take the judgment from the All-High? I discussed this with Ta Po and the Council of Five it was best to throw him in prison for life so that he may suffer twenty-four hours a day for the rest of his days. If he was executed he would get away with all his crimes," Ku Tei had reasoned with Rong Yan.
"But he metalbended out of his cell that didn't stop him," Rong Yan retorted.
"I doubt Senlin can bend metal the only person that I know who could bend metal was Mun Jin but he's been dead for centuries. Even if he could it wouldn't make sense to wait this long just to break out, and if he was then he sure has a good way of hiding it," doubted Ku Tei.
"You still haven't answered my question, why me?" he asked his past life.
"I guess that when he discovered that I had been dead for years now, he knew the next Avatar would be born in the Fire Nation. Piecing the parts together he realized that you would still be training, what a better way to strike than now while you're still just barely mastering your second element. He would be sending a message to the world and me, everything that you feel and have dealt with we share those emotions," he guessed.
"I know I can outsmart him and I've learned enough airbending to be able to take him out," proposed thinking positively about his nearing encounter with the man who's been chasing him across the Omashu territory for the past few months now.
"No Rong Yan heed my warning and take my wisdom, you are still too infirm. Do not face Senlin head-on if you see an opening try to at slightly injure him allow those who are responsible for your well-being to lay down their lives for you. Avoid him and when you're a fully-realized Avatar then you may do as you so please," counseled Ku Tei giving him his best piece of advice for now.
The figure of Ku Tei disappeared into the air within the sanctuary Rong Yan sat there sighing knowing that his past life was right he was mentally and physically weak there was no chance he could confront Senlin. Geetsan and Yong Ten were right he needs to avoid Senlin and allow the Air Nomads to defend him. He finally hatched his master plan in his head he will listen to his past life, master the four elements and kill Senlin. Another deep breath before returning his concentration on calling forth another past life. The aura that emitted from his body to separate shaped itself into Kwan Chun the Air Nomad Avatar before him to which he spoke to about a week or two ago.
"Avatar Kwan Chun I need your help," he said with a tone of doubt hanging his head low. "Avatar Rong Yan here is my advice to you, you are not yet powerful enough to take on this general. Assist my descendants as best as you can and defend my home, remember we are always with you," Kwan Chan reminded Rong Yan before dispersing into the air.
He sat there thinking about what he had been told by both of his past lives he wouldn't dare to seek more help he felt those were the only ones relevant to his current situation. Sighing again he thought to himself, "Both Ku Tei and Kwan Chun have given me similar advice, I'll do my best to help the airbenders and the resistance fight off the invaders. I could attempt to flee if the situation goes south but I can't leave them all to die it's unlike me to do so."
He rose to his feet dusting himself off and left the sanctuary sealing the doors shut. The Air Nomad and the courier finally land in the Tong province, the courier had been dropped off in a town built on the coast named, Qufu. The town of Qufu had a dock with boats for the fishermen who would row off to the ocean to catch fish. From Qufu he ran southwest toward Xi Tong village where he would be delivering the scroll for reinforcements to the governor.
The archer who killed Xinshi the Courier.
After about two hours, of continuous marching to the town of Qufu where Senlin and his crew could steal boats to sail to the air temple, the sky had been began to darken. A courier had darted by Senlin jerks his head to see the courier sprinting with a satchel pointing in the direction of Qufu and then in the direction of Xi Tong he realized that the courier had been running from Qufu going toward Xi Tong. Xi Tong is where the governor lives he grinned and knew to remain hidden that courier might have important documents.
"He's coming from Qufu if anything that might be the response from the airbenders, kill him he's heading to Xi Tong," he ordered.
The courier continued without paying much attention to them Senlin orders one of the archers with him in Water Tribesman language so that even if the courier had been within earshot he could not understand.
"My pleasure General," the archer grinned wickedly, gripping his bow he pulls out an arrow from the back of his quiver aiming his bow at the courier he releases the string a silent twang and the arrow pierces through the air with quiet whistle. The young courier raced toward Xi Tong all of a sudden everything goes black and he thumps on the dirt.
His final resting place is a lonely road in the southwest tip of the Earth Kingdom. The satchel he carries fell alongside the already dead courier the documents he carried along with scrolls for a call to arms to the governor spilled out of the bag, winds picking up had slightly dragged some of the letters and scrolls before another stronger wind blows them away while flowing crimson poured out of his mortal wound.
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