37 The Light from the South Pole
Pov Katara:
Water, Earth, Fire and Air. My grandmother used to tell me about the old days when the elemental nations lived in perfect balance, but all that changed when the nation of fire attacked, plunging the whole world into war for over a century. Only the Avatar, master of the four elements, can save the world and restore balance, but when the world needs him most, he disappears.
- Katara! - Sokka shouted angrily.
I let my thoughts slip because of my older brother's shout.
- You don't have to shout! - I complained.
- I've been calling you for two minutes, I can't catch these fish if you keep getting distracted.
- Sorry, I remembered our grandmother's story.
- About the Avatar? - Sokka asked, looking annoyed.
- Yes... - I was interrupted.
- Don't think about fairy tales, Avatar is nothing more than a story for children.
- It's not a fairy tale! - I complained angrily, not noticing that the water around me was affected by my emotions. - I believe he can return to save us from the Fire Nation.
- Katara, if the Avatar really exists, he's just a coward. - Sokka scolded sternly. - If he really was the most powerful warrior in the world, he would never have run away from a battle against the Fire Nation.
I sat in silence, watching Sokka row our small boat, dodging the ice under the water.
In recent years, Sokka had become a frustrated person, often not even wanting to talk to people from our own tribe. The responsibility of being chief had changed him over time, sometimes to the point of paranoia, but I knew he suffered greatly from the lack of news from our father.
As for me, well, the last few years had been the same, the fear of another attack always looming large in the minds of everyone in the tribe. Unfortunately, even though I was the only water bender in the south, my skills were still far from what I wanted.
I knew instinctively that I was a good bender, my grandmother had kept a water scroll for me to practice on and, fortunately, Sokka agreed to let me practice only if I bent within the tribe.
At first, Sokka hated the idea of me using my powers, but over the years, he came to tolerate waterbending, although I knew how scared he would be if the nation discovered my powers, so I only bent water to hunt or help the tribe.
I wanted more, I wanted to leave the South Pole and see the world, but I was afraid of losing what I had left in the war. Sokka felt the same way, the fear of not being able to protect the tribe cost him sleepless nights.
- Let's get this over with as quickly as possible. - Sokka picked up a spear from beside him. - Use your magic or something to help me.
- It's waterbending! It's an important art in our culture.
- I don't care, if it's useful for hunting, then let's use it. - Sokka said it as if it were logical in his mind.
Sometimes I hated Sokka's ignorance, I wished he would at least be reasonable, instead of criticizing me like he was our father.
A school of fish swam close to the surface and quickly caught Sokka's attention, who quickly threw his spear into the dinghy and grabbed a fishing net.
- You know what to do, don't make too big a wave like last time! - ordered Sokka as he threw the net into the water.
- It wasn't on purpose, you have a bad habit of holding grudges! - I complained, starting to create a wave of water behind the fish.
The shoal was surprised by the change in current, forcing them to follow a path they couldn't avoid, ambushed by the perfectly positioned net.
- Perfect! - said Sokka, pulling the net onto the boat. - Can you give me a hand?
- Aren't you the greatest hunter in the South? - I scoffed, helping to pull in the net.
- You know very well that catching that many fish is almost impossible for one person! - Sokka grunted with the effort.
The two brothers pulled the large quantity of fish into the boat, unaware that they were being carried by a mysterious current.
- Katara, you can stop bending over now. - commented Sokka, concentrating on finishing his catch.
- I'm not doing anything.
- What?
The boat was suddenly caught in a strong current that accelerated and carried them towards a large iceberg with a huge entrance.
- Do something Katara! - shouted Sokka, worried that he couldn't keep the boat under control.
- For some reason, I can't bend the water! - I stretched out my arms and tried to command the water, but it didn't seem to obey me, as if something was affecting it.
The small boat full of fish hit the ice, knocking Sokka and Katara under.
- What the hell! Are you all right? - Sokka got up and went to help her sister.
- I'm fine...
- That's good... - Sokka looked relieved, but at the same time angry at having crashed the boat.
- Sokka... what's that? - I pointed to a large ball of ice.
The chief of the Southern Tribe turned in confusion at his sister's signal, immediately realizing that the large spherical structure was not a natural formation, so his instincts warned him not to approach it.
- I don't know, but it doesn't matter, we'll try to find another way home.
I nodded, but strangely I couldn't stop staring at the ice ball, for some reason I felt drawn to it.
- Great, the fish are safe... - Sokka turned to see her sister approaching the ice ball as if in a trance. - No, Katara!
The moment Katara touched the ice with her fingers, the sphere suddenly began to crack and an earthquake started. Sokka quickly embraced Katara in a trance and covered her with his body, fearing that the earthquake would cause the iceberg to collapse on their heads.
A giant pillar of light shot into the sky, causing the clouds to be repelled by the enormous power released.
***
Fire Nation ship / South Sea
A Fire Nation military ship, from an ancient generation of warships, was sailing on the great ocean, with huge black smoke billowing from its smokestack, its fire-powered engine virtually undisturbed by the fragments of ice floating on the water.
The entire crew suffered a fate that gnawed at their souls, as they were forced to accompany the exiled prince of the Fire Nation.
This same prince, with many negative emotions in his mind, was in his room studying every fragment of the Avatar's history ever recorded.
He wore a royal robe, although worn out, he wore it proudly and with a certain sick fascination, as if it were a reflection of what he had once been and would inevitably never be again.
Prince Zuko was recording everything he knew about Avatar Roku, the last Avatar to be seen properly in the last 100 years.
His concentration was disturbed when he felt a tremor in his desk and quickly realized that something strange was happening. Following his intuition, he ran out onto the deck and had the same vision as many of his subordinates.
- Finally... - whispered Zuko, staring at the pillar of light with his one functioning eye. - CHANGE OUR COURSE TO THE SOUTHERN TRIBE!
***
Fire Nation / Royal Palace / Princess's Room
Azula is a woman who was brought up to be extremely perfectionist in every respect, and one of the most dominant was her appearance.
As a perfectionist when it came to her appearance, the princess even had a list of physical exercises to keep her body healthy and her feminine features accentuated.
Long years of training had turned her body into a deadly weapon and as delicate as a flower, a perfect blend of both poles.
Although she sometimes had a very strict routine when she woke up, she eventually discovered a new hobby that she had perfected over the years.
At that very moment, he got up and played with Kai's hair, creating various unusual shapes and hairstyles. The albino, for his part, didn't even bother, as he was reading a marine biology book, not to learn, but to find out what kind of marine animal he hadn't yet tried as food.
- It's almost ready... - whispered Azula, concentrating on finishing a fringe in Kai's hair.
- Have you tried tiger prawns? - Kai asked, looking at an illustration of the animal.
- The only way to see one is to dive straight into the sea. - joked Azula, picking up a small mirror for Kai. - What do you think?
The albino saw his hair change completely, almost too feminine even for him. Of course, Kai always left his hair completely tousled, giving him his classic wild look that could seduce women and even men.
- Admit it, you're jealous of my hair. - teased Kai, seeing Azula's slightly irritated reaction.
- You're lucky your hair is too beautiful to be cut.
Kai got up from his chair, easily exceeding Azula's height, grabbed her waist and pulled her into a passionate kiss.
- How about today? - said Kai seductively.
- No way, I could barely stand for a week because of our last time...
Azula remained silent, noticing how serious her fiancé suddenly became as he unconsciously tightened the embrace around her waist.
- Kai, is there a problem? - Azula asked, placing a hand on Kai's cheek.
- Suddenly, a powerful energy appeared, heading south. - Kai commented seriously, not noticing that his voice had taken on a draconian tone.
Azula stood on tiptoe and kissed Kai on the lips, making him turn his attention to her.
- I'm sorry... I felt very angry for some reason. - Kai softened his expression.
- You don't have to apologize. - Azula kissed Kai again, one of her hands moving down to her fiancé's private parts. - Maybe we can have a quick round before lunch.
- You know it won't be quick. - joked Kai, grabbing Azula's ass.
- Then we'll have to hurry.
Next chapter: The Master of the Four Elements
