Post by Liamane on Sept 17, 2008 19:00:16 GMT -5
The first A:TLA story I've written in years. Eat up! :3
Plot: Twenty years have passed since the arrival of Sozin's Comet and the defeat of the tyrant Ozai by the hands of Avatar Aang. Now, the world is engulfed in an epic war yet again, and this time, Aang's nowhere to be found. The fate of the world is uncertain, but the events in Raiden's life are becoming increasingly bizarre with each passing day. With numerous questions lingering in his mind, the sixteen year old waterbender is determined to seek the truth and confront his destiny.
He had survived once again, barely. Grasping the open hemorrhage on his forearm, he growled in discomfort, his eyes wincing from the throbbing sting. He had to impede the flow of blood trickling from the wound. Escaping into the dark of night, he managed to flee with nothing more than his life.
In the distance, the explosions of war ceased; the fires raining from the heavens halted. The battle was over, the notorious enemy left victorious. He drowned himself in remorse, no doubt he was the sole survivor; his men, a handful of hopeful renegades, were cut down with ease.
The lone soldier trudged the forest floor, his source of light came from a dim flame in his palm. He was certain to remain silent. Spies were everywhere. And to make matters worse, he was the prime target against the Fire Nation. To them, he was a renegade traitor, an enemy of the people.
Slinking deeper into shadow, he pressed onward, the flickering flame lightly accentuated his form. His grim face was set in stone since the beginning of the grand war; a constant severity loomed about him. A smile was rare, and his days of glory were long over.
He was once a hero, loved by many, and his actions had determined the fate of his country - no, the world. He was revered until the day he was driven away, marked as a conspirator by all. His own kind had banished him, and now, he was forced to fight the nation he had once held dear.
At last, he managed to arrive at his destination, a desolate cave carved into the cliffs overlooking the captured Ba Sing Se. He collapsed onto the ground, resting his numb body as he pressed his back to the cold, stone wall. Faintly lit, the dwelling offered a damp yet comforting coolness against the persistent summer heat outside.
Sweat dripped from his brow as he crept to a convenient pail of water upon the floor. Splashing the liquid over his head, he emitted a deep sigh of satisfaction; the water trickling down his back felt blissfully divine.
Faint footsteps echoed throughout the cave, and the aching man fixing his eyes to the eternal darkness of the cave’s rear. He attempted to scramble to his feet, but stumbling, the ground welcomed him with soreness.
“Who’s there?” a voice boomed, a soft light appeared in the sea of shadow. “Show yourself.”
The man rose to his knees, and as his fists illuminated with a scorching blaze, he finally eased his defense as the figure came into full view.
“Jung-Su,” the warrior announced, his calm voice easing the tense moment.
His comrade nodded, sporting a contented smirk. At twenty one, Jung-Su was considered young amongst the ranks, but what he lacked in age he made up in sheer skill. He was the right hand man of the rebel army, and along with his leader, he had been shunned from the motherland, a mere child at the time. While his raven hair was always unkempt and his amber eyes presented foes with a wild visage, his demeanor was that of great discipline.
“Commander!” he exclaimed, a grin bursting onto his face. The flame in his palm subsided, and settling down at the opposite side of the cave wall, he sat before his leader, offering the traditional sign of admiration. “You scared me, you did. I thought you were a spy for a second there. Aito said that the siege failed, he did. I thought something had happened to you, sir.”
“I’m tired, Jung-Su,” the firebender retorted, averting his eyes to the floor.
The young man nodded as he switched his gaze to the cave’s entrance. Remnants of the siege lingered as flames enveloped the area of the former battle; the lives of his companions were forever lost, and the will to fight seemed terribly bleak.
Shooting a glance to his master, Jung-Su frowned, pity gnawed away at his heart. It had seemed so long ago that he had offered his allegiance to the mighty man before him. His brilliant golden eyes had offering such a surge of hope those distant ten years ago. And now, the relic before him was drained of all life. All had truly seemed lost.
Slicing through the eerie silence, the young man’s voice pierced the wordless agony, offering, “They say wounds that are bound with strong emotions do not fade until the emotion fades.” His teacher raised his eyes to meet with his pupil.
“Your scar is as prominent as the day I met you, Master,” Jung-Su whispered, his eyes flickering in the cave’s weak light. “One man should not have to single handedly bear the world’s burdens upon himself. It is for all of us to equally share, it is.”
Rising to his feet, the master firebender’s eyes cut through the younger man like sharp daggers. He shuffled in the direction of the back of the cave, uttering in a hiss, “No more.”
Jung-Su crossed his arms in dismay as his eyes shut tightly, sweat on the back of his neck trickled down his shirt. “You’ll be the one to end this, you will,” he muttered, his voice barely audible. His lids opened, and turning to the cave’s rear, the image of his master faded into darkness. He sighed, hanging his head, and murmuring softly, he continued, “I know you will, Master Zuko.”
CnC!
Avatar : The Sullen Silence
Prologue : Only Flames
Written by Liamane
Prologue : Only Flames
Written by Liamane
Plot: Twenty years have passed since the arrival of Sozin's Comet and the defeat of the tyrant Ozai by the hands of Avatar Aang. Now, the world is engulfed in an epic war yet again, and this time, Aang's nowhere to be found. The fate of the world is uncertain, but the events in Raiden's life are becoming increasingly bizarre with each passing day. With numerous questions lingering in his mind, the sixteen year old waterbender is determined to seek the truth and confront his destiny.
He had survived once again, barely. Grasping the open hemorrhage on his forearm, he growled in discomfort, his eyes wincing from the throbbing sting. He had to impede the flow of blood trickling from the wound. Escaping into the dark of night, he managed to flee with nothing more than his life.
In the distance, the explosions of war ceased; the fires raining from the heavens halted. The battle was over, the notorious enemy left victorious. He drowned himself in remorse, no doubt he was the sole survivor; his men, a handful of hopeful renegades, were cut down with ease.
The lone soldier trudged the forest floor, his source of light came from a dim flame in his palm. He was certain to remain silent. Spies were everywhere. And to make matters worse, he was the prime target against the Fire Nation. To them, he was a renegade traitor, an enemy of the people.
Slinking deeper into shadow, he pressed onward, the flickering flame lightly accentuated his form. His grim face was set in stone since the beginning of the grand war; a constant severity loomed about him. A smile was rare, and his days of glory were long over.
He was once a hero, loved by many, and his actions had determined the fate of his country - no, the world. He was revered until the day he was driven away, marked as a conspirator by all. His own kind had banished him, and now, he was forced to fight the nation he had once held dear.
At last, he managed to arrive at his destination, a desolate cave carved into the cliffs overlooking the captured Ba Sing Se. He collapsed onto the ground, resting his numb body as he pressed his back to the cold, stone wall. Faintly lit, the dwelling offered a damp yet comforting coolness against the persistent summer heat outside.
Sweat dripped from his brow as he crept to a convenient pail of water upon the floor. Splashing the liquid over his head, he emitted a deep sigh of satisfaction; the water trickling down his back felt blissfully divine.
Faint footsteps echoed throughout the cave, and the aching man fixing his eyes to the eternal darkness of the cave’s rear. He attempted to scramble to his feet, but stumbling, the ground welcomed him with soreness.
“Who’s there?” a voice boomed, a soft light appeared in the sea of shadow. “Show yourself.”
The man rose to his knees, and as his fists illuminated with a scorching blaze, he finally eased his defense as the figure came into full view.
“Jung-Su,” the warrior announced, his calm voice easing the tense moment.
His comrade nodded, sporting a contented smirk. At twenty one, Jung-Su was considered young amongst the ranks, but what he lacked in age he made up in sheer skill. He was the right hand man of the rebel army, and along with his leader, he had been shunned from the motherland, a mere child at the time. While his raven hair was always unkempt and his amber eyes presented foes with a wild visage, his demeanor was that of great discipline.
“Commander!” he exclaimed, a grin bursting onto his face. The flame in his palm subsided, and settling down at the opposite side of the cave wall, he sat before his leader, offering the traditional sign of admiration. “You scared me, you did. I thought you were a spy for a second there. Aito said that the siege failed, he did. I thought something had happened to you, sir.”
“I’m tired, Jung-Su,” the firebender retorted, averting his eyes to the floor.
The young man nodded as he switched his gaze to the cave’s entrance. Remnants of the siege lingered as flames enveloped the area of the former battle; the lives of his companions were forever lost, and the will to fight seemed terribly bleak.
Shooting a glance to his master, Jung-Su frowned, pity gnawed away at his heart. It had seemed so long ago that he had offered his allegiance to the mighty man before him. His brilliant golden eyes had offering such a surge of hope those distant ten years ago. And now, the relic before him was drained of all life. All had truly seemed lost.
Slicing through the eerie silence, the young man’s voice pierced the wordless agony, offering, “They say wounds that are bound with strong emotions do not fade until the emotion fades.” His teacher raised his eyes to meet with his pupil.
“Your scar is as prominent as the day I met you, Master,” Jung-Su whispered, his eyes flickering in the cave’s weak light. “One man should not have to single handedly bear the world’s burdens upon himself. It is for all of us to equally share, it is.”
Rising to his feet, the master firebender’s eyes cut through the younger man like sharp daggers. He shuffled in the direction of the back of the cave, uttering in a hiss, “No more.”
Jung-Su crossed his arms in dismay as his eyes shut tightly, sweat on the back of his neck trickled down his shirt. “You’ll be the one to end this, you will,” he muttered, his voice barely audible. His lids opened, and turning to the cave’s rear, the image of his master faded into darkness. He sighed, hanging his head, and murmuring softly, he continued, “I know you will, Master Zuko.”
End of Chapter
CnC!
