"I still don't understand why you had to ask for rewards for freeing the prisoners," said Aang as he held Appa's reins.
Sokka let out a tired sigh. The monk had been asking the same question for three days now, and he no longer knew if it was simple genuine curiosity or a veiled complaint about having made Haru's mother sign the contract.
"Listen, Aang," Sokka finally said, his voice firm. "I made the contract to keep them safe and prevent future problems. If I hadn't managed to get them to leave the village, more Fire Nation ships would have come. And then what?"
"They could have fought, they could have defended themselves," Aang shot back.
"Yes… but after that?"
Aang looked at him, confused.
"Others would have come," Katara intervened, understanding the logic. "They wouldn't have stopped coming."
"Exactly," Sokka nodded, his gaze serious. "Even if they defeated them again and again, nothing guarantees they would always win without casualties. Sending them to the South Pole was the safest option for them."
"Then why keep the ship and the supplies?" Aang asked, his voice seemingly innocent—the same tone that irritated Sokka every time he questioned him.
"Are you calling me a thief?" Sokka snapped, the vein in his neck almost throbbing.
"Sokka!" Katara intervened sharply. "Aang didn't mean that."
"It's true, I just wanted to understand," the Avatar hurried to explain, raising his hands.
Sokka took a deep breath, trying to contain the annoyance boiling under his skin.
"Aang, we can't always do everything selflessly," he replied, choosing each word carefully. "We need money. We need resources. How do you think we're going to win this war? Sure, the soldiers will fight for their freedom… but then what?"
"What do you mean?" Aang asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"They'll be furious!" Sokka exclaimed, striking the saddle with his palm. "They'll say their friends and families died for a freedom that left them with nothing. If I asked for forty percent of the money and supplies, it wasn't for my benefit, Aang. It was to help my people. To pay those same soldiers. So that when they reach my tribe, they can have, even for a while, a bit of peace."
Sokka lowered his voice a little, looking at them both again.
"They'll train, work in the tribe… and they'll be paid for that work. Then, they'll be paid for fighting in the war. All the money I took, sure, it's for me," he said with a touch of irony, shrugging, "but an even greater part will fund this war. So next time… we don't have to beg for freedom."
Katara watched him in silence, proud of her brother. Aang, meanwhile, lowered his gaze, understanding, though not entirely comfortable. War had a price, and Sokka was one of the few willing to pay it without flinching.
"Listen, Aang, I know you don't understand politics, and I know maybe I was a bit harsh with you a moment ago. I know you do all this for the good of the world, and I support you. But I do everything for the good of my people—and helping the world is part of that. So every thing you think I do without thinking, every thing you think I do out of self-interest… maybe it is. But it's all for my people—and for the world."
Aang looked at Sokka, this time calmly, almost ashamed. "I'm sorry too. I don't know much about politics… that's why I wanted to understand more about the contract. And I'm sorry if I was hostile. I'd like you to teach me these things," he said, lowering his gaze for a second before smiling, as if putting his trust in his friend's hands.
Sokka let out a small, amused laugh as he accepted.
That same night, by a freshly made campfire, Sokka began teaching the bald monk about politics and the benefits of contracts.
He explained how contracts served to distribute profits and responsibilities without leaving room for disputes, and that they weren't limited to business alone: a treaty or a peace agreement was, in essence, also a contract.
"'In exchange for not invading my lands, I won't invade yours,'" he summarized, staring at the crackling fire.
He pulled out a copy of the contract he had made with Haru's mother and handed it to Aang. He explained the how and why of each clause: he had kept the ship for several reasons. First, because freeing the prisoners had been a huge risk; if he had failed, they could have tortured or killed him without hesitation. He also detailed why he gave them sixty percent of the supplies: it was to compensate them, so they could rebuild their lives when the war ended. With tools and materials, they could work their lands better and wouldn't be defenseless again.
Aang listened in silence, the scroll open in his hands, following every word.
Sokka let out a sigh, almost as if thinking out loud:
"And everything we take from each victory—supplies, weapons, money—can't just stay here. That would be a waste. It will be sent to the South Pole. My people need to be ready when winter comes… and when the next war comes."
Aang looked up, surprised.
"Why keep the enemy's things? They're weapons," he questioned, eating a salad Sokka had prepared.
Katara looked at him first, then at her brother. "I wonder that too. They're weapons of war… the same weapons that almost destroyed us." Her voice carried a trace of contained anger.
"If you only see the bad side of things, you'll never move forward," Sokka replied calmly, stirring some embers with a stick. "War is cruel and horrible—I know that firsthand. But it also brings things we can use for something good."
"Good things?" Katara snapped, frowning.
"Yes." Sokka looked her straight in the eyes. "Do you think that without the seeds I found by pure luck on that destroyed ship years ago, we would've improved our tribe's crops?"
Katara opened her mouth but said nothing. She knew he was right.
"The progress the Fire Nation has made with its ships and machines is real," Sokka continued. "They use it for evil, yes. But if we only see the evil, we'll never see its true potential."
He settled more comfortably on the rock where he sat, letting his words sink in.
"Just last year," he went on, "thanks to several attacks by the southern invaders, I was able to find more people from the South Pole, hidden in caves, in small scattered tribes. Thanks to enemy ships, I was able to modify them and make fishing boats. Boats that even women now use to gather plenty of fish, without depending on hunters coming back."
Katara remembered those boats. She remembered seeing them on the shore, painted with the tribe's symbols. She knew it was true.
"With these ships, Aang," Sokka said, turning to him, "our people can travel farther, trade, explore… and return home faster and safer. And when this war is over, everything the enemy used to destroy, we'll have turned it into something to build with."
Aang and Katara understood, almost at the same time, the irony of it all. They had never imagined that something good could come from this war… not even from its weapons.
The young waterbender, who had seen with her own eyes the huge progress of her tribe thanks to those captured ships and supplies, finally opened her eyes with a new understanding.
Sokka stoked the fire with a gentle blow and spoke, watching the sparks fly into the night:
"War gives birth to monsters… and also to the future. It's up to us to decide what to feed."
With those words, the night came to its end and everyone settled down to sleep. Aang, lying beside the now extinguished fire, began to see everything differently thanks to Sokka; he imagined, amused, how his friend could one day become a wise man.
For his part, Sokka stayed awake, lit only by the faint moonlight. On a scroll he wrote calculations, routes, and names that seemed to belong to Fire Nation officers and outposts. Each line was a plan, a step forward for his people.
At dawn, Aang woke up startled by the sound of air being sliced by a spear. Sokka was training with incredible focus, his silhouette moving like a sea serpent: dodging, spinning, feinting with lethal precision. Not far away, Katara practiced her waterbending with patience and serenity, surrounded by crystal whirlpools.
Sokka stopped when he saw him wake up and, as if nothing had happened, served breakfast for the three of them with calm ease.
After eating, he announced that that day they would train without rest. But a column of smoke, rising in the distance, caught their attention immediately.
Aang, alarmed, didn't hesitate to climb onto Appa with Katara and Sokka. Within minutes, they soared through the sky toward the place. Sokka didn't wait for the huge flying bison to land: he leapt from the saddle and crashed down in the middle of the attacked village.
Without wasting a second, he launched himself at the Fire Nation soldiers. His spear traced deadly arcs: it broke bones, cut limbs, knocked down enemies with cold, efficient brutality. The villagers watched him with a spark of renewed hope, which only grew when Appa crashed down on several firebenders who were threatening a family.
Aang summoned gusts of wind that slammed soldiers into walls and trees, leaving them unconscious. His staff spun like an extension of his body, striking with controlled force.
Katara, meanwhile, defended herself from two firebenders by freezing water around their heads and slamming them to the ground. With fluid, precise movements, she struck and knocked down other enemies, recalling—whether she liked it or not—each technique Sokka had forced her to learn. She had once doubted that combat training would be useful, but now she was saving lives with every move.
The squad captain watched in terror as one of his soldiers smashed into a rock wall, leaving a crater. The person responsible for such an act was now approaching him with deadly seriousness.
His men had been neutralized in minutes by those three youths. He, paralyzed, could barely breathe.
In a single blink, Sokka was next to him and struck his knee with the butt of his spear, snapping it like dry wood.
The captain's scream was cut short when Sokka grabbed him by the neck, lifting him slightly off the ground.
"Where are the others?" he asked. His voice, dry and cold, made it clear that lying would be a fatal mistake.
"Sokka, stop, we've won!" Katara intervened, alarmed.
Her brother barely looked at her for a second, his gaze unwavering. His voice, when he answered, chilled the captain's blood:
"No. It's impossible for the Fire Nation to send just one squad to destroy only this village. There are more. There must be other attacks happening right now."
Aang, behind Katara, understood the gravity of his words. He swallowed hard. "Where are the others!" Sokka repeated, slamming the captain to the ground with a dull thud.
"Sokka, people are watching…" Katara insisted, afraid the villagers would see her brother as a monster.
"Put out the fires, Katara. Aang, calm the people and get them away from here."
Both nodded, obeying immediately.
Sokka bent over the soldier again, who was trembling, partly from pain, partly from fear.
"Tell me where they are," he repeated.
The captain opened his mouth, breathed, but his pride burned hotter than the fire. He glared at him furiously and shut his lips.
Sokka sighed calmly. "Fine. If you won't talk, I'll make you scream."
With an executioner's coldness, he placed his hand on the man's torso, roughly pushing aside the light armor until he felt his ribs. His fingers searched for a point. When he found it, he looked up.
"Are you going to tell me?"
"Never!" the captain spat.
Sokka nodded. "Fine."
Crack.
The sound of the rib breaking was dry, repulsive. The scream caught in the soldier's throat when Sokka covered his mouth with his free hand.
"Where?" he insisted, not raising his voice.
The captain shook his head, rage and terror battling in his eyes.
Crack.
Crack.
Crack.
Each refusal was answered by the snap of another rib breaking, like dry branches under a boot. By the sixth, the captain, drenched in sweat and tears, finally pulled out a crumpled map from inside his armor.
Between gasps, he confessed, defeated: there were more squads. Several points marked. Targets: small villages, easy to wipe out.
Sokka carefully took the map, unrolled it, and checked each mark. They were villages about five kilometers apart; the farthest was near the coast. He assumed the warship was there.
Katara approached, her expression a mix of relief and worry. Aang was behind her, still breathing hard after calming the villagers and tending to the wounded.
Sokka scanned the place: houses reduced to smoking rubble, crops turned to scorched earth. This place was no longer a home.
"Katara," he ordered bluntly, "treat the most seriously wounded first. Aang, tie up all the soldiers together."
Both obeyed without wasting a second. Sokka, for his part, stopped bleeding and covered the enemies' amputated limbs. Everything was pragmatic: make sure they didn't die before getting more useful information.
While outlining his strategy, a young man with a bruised face and burned clothes approached with an unsteady step. Beside him, an older man, equally battered, leaned on him.
"Let us help," said the boy, his voice firm despite his exhaustion. "We're earthbenders. I know we're weak, but we can raise walls, attack… whatever it takes."
Sokka looked at him for a few seconds, measuring his resolve while adjusting his mental plan. Finally, he nodded.
"All right," he answered calmly, almost curtly. "I want all the earthbenders gathered in five minutes. Go to my sister so she can heal you at least a little."
He quickly approached the small pond where Katara was healing several wounded people submerged with difficulty. Without her noticing, Sokka dipped his hand in the water and, discreetly using waterbending, helped her heal faster.
In five minutes they had stabilized the villagers, without anyone suspecting Sokka had also intervened.
When he had gathered the ten men and youths—all earthbenders, he guessed—he made them form a circle next to Katara and Aang.
"We're going to attack the Fire Nation soldiers who are still destroying the other villages," he announced, his voice as firm as the ground they would soon use as a weapon. "Katara, Aang: you'll go on Appa. I want you to carry all the barrels of water you can, use them to put out fires and protect the villagers."
He turned to the earthbenders, one by one, as if measuring their resolve.
"You'll come with me," he continued. "We'll ride komodo rhinos. We'll go in head-on: as soon as we arrive, I want walls raised to protect the villagers and yourselves. Half will focus on defense, the other half will attack by throwing rocks. Don't fight hand-to-hand unless you know how to handle a weapon or have real fighting experience."
He paused for a second, making sure each one understood the gravity of what was coming.
"We don't have time to waste. Get your things ready now!" Sokka ordered firmly.
His gaze settled on several carts with ostrich horses tied near the village entrance. He looked at the villagers: they were emotionally shattered, their homes reduced to ashes and too many lives lost to count.
He approached them with a softer expression, aware of the burden on those exhausted faces.
"You'll come behind us," he told them, his tone now a promise rather than an order. "We'll protect you. The Avatar is here with us. Please trust that we won't leave you alone."
The villagers looked at him with dull eyes, some barely nodded. They knew they had no other choice: staying meant dying. With broken hearts, they loaded what little they could save onto the carts, while children and adults let out quiet sobs.
Sokka looked at his team and the earthbenders. There was no time for grief.
"It's time to go!" he shouted, pointing the way as he led the march, followed by the earthbenders on their komodo rhinos and the villagers behind, moving on the carts toward the next village.
The journey was fast and tense. The komodo rhinos moved in heavy strides, kicking up clouds of dust, while the carts with the villagers stayed behind, protected by Aang, who watched from Appa alongside Katara.
When they spotted the next village, a sepulchral silence fell over everyone. In the distance, columns of smoke twisted into the sky, and the muffled screams of villagers were interrupted by harsh, cruel orders from the Fire Nation soldiers.
Sokka raised a hand to halt the march. From the hill he could see the scene: houses already reduced to embers, several villagers cornered and trembling, while a squad of fire soldiers prepared to execute them or take them away.
"Everyone, stay alert!" Sokka ordered in a low voice, turning to the earthbenders who followed him, their faces smudged with soot and fatigue. "Like we practiced: half go straight to raise walls around the villagers, the other half throws rocks at the soldiers. Don't let them get close!"
The men nodded, tension pulsing in their open hands, ready to shape the earth.
"Katara," Sokka said, looking at the sky. "When the walls are up, put out as much fire as you can. Aang, stay above covering us, make wind barriers if they try to escape."
"Got it!" Aang responded, determined, while Appa roared beneath him.
Sokka dropped his hand and charged downhill without hesitation, the spear held firmly in his right arm. The earthbenders followed him like a torrent.
When they reached the village clearing, Sokka was the first to break through: with a single spin of his spear he knocked down two fire soldiers who didn't expect such a direct attack.
"Now!" he roared.
The earthbenders plunged their hands into the cracked soil, raising thick stone walls that rose around the frightened villagers, isolating them from the attackers. The fire soldiers were completely disorganized, unable to understand where the ambush had come from.
A chorus of rocks whistled through the air, hitting armor, toppling enemies. Some tried to launch fire blasts, but Katara, already on the ground, directed jets of water that extinguished flames and knocked down the most reckless.
Aang, from Appa, swept away anyone trying to flee toward the forest with gusts of wind.
Sokka, meanwhile, moved like a predator: his spear whistled, deflected attacks, pierced armor. Every strike was quick and clean. When one soldier tried to conjure a wall of fire, a rock struck his stomach and bent him like a dry branch.
Inside the improvised walls, the villagers protected each other, many crying with relief upon seeing their rescuers.
In less than five minutes, the scene had completely changed: the fire soldiers lay unconscious or immobilized beneath rocks. The walls folded back to free the villagers, who looked at Sokka and his team as if they were spirits sent by the moon itself.
Sokka wiped the sweat from his forehead and took a deep breath. He raised his voice to everyone:
"Gather the wounded! Put out the last fires! This isn't over," he said, eyes fixed on the smoke still rising from the ruins. "We will defend every village, one by one, until not a single invader remains."
When the last fire soldiers fell unconscious on the blackened earth, Sokka barely allowed himself a breath. He stepped back, breathed deeply, and raised his voice, drawing the attention of villagers and earthbenders alike.
"The wounded first!" he shouted with the authority everyone now recognized without hesitation. "Those who can walk, help move those who can't. Take them near the water well—Katara will tend to them there."
Katara, covered in soot and sweat, looked up and nodded immediately. She ran with several villagers, guiding them as they fashioned makeshift stretchers from blankets and charred planks. Aang dismounted Appa to gently help lift the most seriously injured, using gusts of air to support them when they were too heavy for just two arms.
"Aang, you know the theory of healing—start practicing, I want you to help Katara!"
The earthbenders, following Sokka, scattered to move debris and free trapped people. Within minutes, a small line of wounded stretched beside a muddy pond. Katara knelt tirelessly, immersing her hands in fresh water as her eyes lit with determination: each touch closed a wound, calmed a fever, returned hope to a pale face.
Sokka wasted no time. While helping bandage an old man with a broken leg, he called to one of the young earthbenders, a boy barely over fifteen but with fire in his eyes.
"Gather all the men and women who can fight. I want to know who has training, who can raise walls, who can throw rocks, who can use weapons." His voice was firm, leaving no room for objection. "I want you lined up in ten minutes."
"Yes, sir!" the boy answered, with a pride Sokka hadn't seen in a long time.
In less than twenty minutes, the village that had moments before been nothing but smoke and ash was transformed into a small improvised stronghold. The most seriously wounded were now stable, children cried with relief next to their parents. The earthbenders, now almost twenty men and boys, gathered around Sokka, some still with bandaged arms and fresh cuts, but all determined.
Sokka turned to Katara, who had just finished healing a child with burns on his legs.
"Can you keep going?" he asked, his voice low, almost a whisper only she could hear.
"I always can," Katara replied, exhaling an exhausted but firm sigh.
"Good," said Sokka, looking back at his new group of fighters. "Aang, I want you to watch from the air again. If you see columns of smoke, mark their position and come down immediately. Katara, stay close to the villagers, ready to heal whatever is necessary and help with water."
Aang, listening attentively while checking his bandages, gave a thumbs-up with a tired but determined smile.
"Understood, Sokka. Nothing escapes us."
Sokka looked around. Ruins, ashes, open wounds, and a handful of farmers with iron will. And yet, amid that scene, he saw something that just days ago seemed impossible: hope.
"All right, everyone," he said, his voice no longer tired but firm as rock. "The next village awaits us. This time we'll arrive before they set fire to a single house."
A murmur of approval rose. The improvised defenders formed behind him, ready to follow wherever he led. The villagers gathered children and the few belongings they could still carry, ready to flee to a safe place or join the defense if necessary.
With a short whistle, Sokka called the komodo rhinos waiting nearby, scratching the ground impatiently. Aang climbed onto Appa, and Katara grabbed one last bag of water for her control.
The sun filtered through the ash, illuminating a trail of footprints leading to the next village in danger. And at the front, like a shadow of determination and strategy, marched Sokka—the chief who was turning villagers with nothing into an impenetrable wall.
---
Daichi had always had fire burning inside him since he was a child.
His father had raised him to revere it: "Fire is life, Daichi. It's the spark that makes our Nation strong."
But now, at eighteen, he was burning a forest that had done nothing to him. And that spark burned inside him.
Daichi took a deep breath. The smoke stung his throat and filled his eyes with tears he pretended were from the heat.
Around him, dozens of soldiers like him stretched out their arms, releasing jets of fire that crawled over the bark of the trees, consuming them from the roots up.
The screams of animals and the crackling of branches made him swallow bile.
He thought of his mother and father, both already dead, one in the mine, the other from hunger. The army was all he had left. A barracks, a uniform, a ration of hot rice each night.
But not all the rice in the world could quell the nausea he felt now.
"Hurry up!" thundered the commander's voice. "Zhao wants this forest reduced to ashes before sunset."
Zhao. The great Commander Zhao. Even Daichi knew the rumors.
They whispered in every barracks, slipped through poorly hidden letters. They said Zhao had dishonored Zuko in an Agni Kai. That he attacked the Prince when he was already turned away, wounded and defenseless.
No one knew who leaked it. Some said a spy from the Earth Kingdom. Others, pirates from the North Pole.
Daichi, without proof, was sure someone inside the Nation had let it slip…
But still, here they were, burning the Hei Bai Forest because Zhao ordered it.
He clenched his fists and unleashed another blaze.
The roots burned.
The smell of burnt resin made him dizzy.
What am I doing? Was this protecting the Nation? Was this bringing glory to the Fire Nation among the others?
A roar interrupted his thoughts. A sound that was neither fire nor breaking branch.
It was… a buzzing, like the wind. Daichi looked up.
Through the smoke, a white bison descended from the skies like an avenging spirit.
On its back, a bald boy with blue arrows.
The Avatar.
He had seen him on posters, in the commander's reports.
The other soldiers shouted and formed a line. Some lit fires in their palms.
But Daichi didn't move.
He saw how, behind the bison, figures appeared: villagers, tough men, earthbenders.
They were all running.
And among them, one caught his attention: a young man in blue clothes with a spear. He recognized him from the posters, just like the Avatar.
The boy who looked younger shouted orders naturally, his gaze serious and cold as he attacked and brutally immobilized his comrades. His spear sliced through the air and extinguished flames with deadly precision.
Daichi swallowed hard. He forced himself into a battle stance.
If I stay still, they'll kill me as a traitor.
He raised a wall of fire just as a gust of wind scattered it like dust.
The Avatar landed a few meters away. A whirlwind of wind threw three soldiers far off.
Daichi barely had time to see the boy in blue jump off a Komodo rhinoceros and carve a path like a wolf among chickens.
His spear cut fire, broke spears, disarmed with sharp blows.
To one side, the earthbenders raised walls. They blocked the fire he and his comrades launched.
A stone wall emerged under his feet and threw him to the ground. He coughed, looked up at the sky filled with embers.
What am I doing here?
Burning a sacred forest. Killing animals. Crushing poor villages that could give nothing to Zhao.
His father never taught him to be like this.
He struggled to stand, saw the boy in blue in front of him. The spear gleamed stained with embers. He didn't wield it against him. He only looked at him, evaluating.
The Avatar stood beside him, breathing deeply, with a severe but sad expression.
A girl with pale eyes froze the flames that still rose.
Daichi swallowed hard. He felt something warm running down his throat: anger, shame, fear.
He released the fire he had gathered in his hands. Let it die out. Took off his helmet. Threw it. Raised both trembling hands.
"I don't want to fight," he said. His voice was hoarse, burned from too much smoke. "I don't want to burn more things. I have no family… nowhere to go. But I don't want to keep being part of this."
The boy in blue — Sokka, although he didn't know his name — nodded.
He gestured for him to come closer.
Daichi looked at his red and black uniform, felt it weigh like a hundred chains. He let it drop.
He felt light, for the first time since stepping into the barracks.
Behind him, the trees still smoked, and he knew that night, among the ashes, a new spark had ignited: his.
And this time, it wouldn't serve to destroy.
POV Sokka
Seeing this young firebender surrender to us filled me with genuine peace. With this, the relocation of these villagers and warriors to the Southern Water Tribe was resolved.
"Victory is ours!" I shouted, raising my spear.
The warriors and villagers cheered. Tears filled their faces as those who had been running embraced their families and friends.
"We did it!" they shouted excitedly.
I took a deep breath. It had been quick, brutal, but necessary.
"Alright. Katara, Aang, please put out the fires before they spread further into the forest."
Both nodded without hesitation.
I turned to the earthbenders and villagers still holding their makeshift weapons.
"The rest of you, let's tie up the firebenders. If you can, seal their hands with rocks so they can't control fire."
I took the firebender, Daichi, aside. I wanted to see him face to face, away from the noise of celebration and the tied-up soldiers.
"Why did you surrender?" I asked, holding his gaze.
He looked at me; I saw his pale face, lips cracked from smoke, scared eyes… but he didn't look down. Finally, he spoke, his voice broken.
"I… I don't want to do this. I have no home or family… This isn't bringing glory to the Fire Nation, I'm just destroying things… burning everything I touch."
I observed him. His shoulders trembled, his voice shook… but he wasn't lying.
He wasn't a spy or a disguised traitor: he was a broken boy who had nothing left to lose.
I nodded. I put my hand on his shoulder.
"Good. Introduce yourself to the others before they accidentally kill you."
He swallowed and nodded, walking slowly toward the group. Aang was with them; hopefully, he'd be the voice of reason against the blind rage of those people.
As I walked among the tied-up soldiers, I struck various chi points in their arms and shoulders, blocking their elemental control until I reached the one who seemed to be the captain.
"Why are you here?"
"Commander Zhao sent us, he's been tracking you for weeks. He thought burning this forest would draw the Avatar's attention."
"Why attack the villages?" I asked coldly.
"He… he's upset, rumors almost cost him his position, so he took it out on them."
What he said perfectly matched the personality of that useless bastard, and apparently the rumors I spread about the agni kai did their job lowering his reputation.
"Zhao is on the coast, waiting for us on his personal ship."
A smile drew across my face; it was my chance to take him out.
While walking among the tied soldiers, I took time to precisely strike several points on their arms and shoulders. Their faces tensed as they felt their chi blocked. None would light a spark of fire without my permission again.
I stopped in front of the one who seemed the captain. He had a split lip, his gaze fixed on the ground, trying to keep some dignity.
"Why are you here?" I said curtly.
The man raised his head, swallowed hard.
"Commander Zhao sent us… He's been tracking you for weeks. Thought burning this forest would get the Avatar's attention."
I inhaled through my nose. I knew it… Exactly something a coward like Zhao would do.
"Why attack the villages?" I repeated, quieter this time, colder.
The man hesitated but didn't have the guts to lie.
"He… he's upset. Rumors almost cost him his job. That's why he took it out on the villagers… said if he couldn't catch the Avatar, at least he'd make those who helped pay."
Perfect. The pieces fit.
My rumors about that dishonorable Agni Kai had done their job: dirty the reputation of that pig, force him to move like a rabid dog.
"Zhao is on the coast," the soldier spat in a faint voice. "Waiting on his personal ship. Said he'd return to the capital once we finished."
A smile appeared on my face. I felt adrenaline rush down my spine.
Perfect. It was my chance to finish him once and for all.
I straightened up, spun the spear between my hands, and swept my gaze over my men, Katara, Aang, the earthbenders… and Daichi, who stood aside, looking at me with something like hope.
I smiled calmly before disappearing in a blink, running at full speed toward the coast. It was a kilometer away, close enough to arrive in three minutes.
When I arrived, I saw it: a huge warship and a smaller boat, similar to Zuko's. His annoyed expression deepened as he saw the smoke from the sky fade.
"Why did you stop?!" he shouted at a soldier.
"You should talk better to your men, Zhao. Maybe that's why they say you're dishonorable," I said with amusement.
"Who dares?!"
His gaze swept the area until it stopped at the forest entrance. He didn't even wait a second before streams of fire shot toward me.
With my spear, I deflected half the attacks while approaching the soldiers.
Aang wasn't here, and there was no reason for me to pretend.
With a swift slash, I cut a soldier's chest and with the spear's other tip broke a second man's skull. Zhao's expression turned to pure terror seeing his soldier's head explode in blood.
I had him in front of me, a simple cut away from separating his head from his body. But my danger sense vibrated; the buzzing in my head made me stop, my vision blurred as roots wrapped around my waist and dragged me into the forest.
"Retreat!" I heard Zhao shout.
When my body was slammed against the ground, I heard a roar from the burned forest.
"Looks like Hei Bai is angry with your master friends."
"Go to hell," I managed to say while getting up.
That blow could have killed anyone, but something caught my attention.
"Hoo, I like strong non-masters, and I see you're one of them."
Looking up, I saw a beautiful naked woman with pink hair. She was a spirit with a human form and cherry tree-like hair.
"Come to mommy, darling. I'll make you feel good," her sensual voice was captivating.
I approached her calmly. She took my wrist gently, her tongue licking her lips sensually.
My breathing calmed as my danger sense vibrated.
"Tch…"
My spear fell like lightning to the neck of that spirit, a superhuman speed to anyone, but she dodged.
However, her skin fell like paper: she wasn't a woman, not even beautiful.
Her perfect figure writhed with a shriek, revealing an old, hollow, disgusting trunk.
My face twisted in disgust; my stomach fought to keep its contents inside.
"Shit, I can't believe I almost fell in love with an ancient tree."
"Bastard, I'll kill you for that!" the spirit screamed furiously while lunging at me.
I stretched out my hands trying to draw water from her body, but it didn't work. Being a tree spirit didn't mean she had water inside, stupid.
Quickly I dodged her branches, which looked like claws. My spear clashed with them, sparking. She quickly moved away.
With a leap, I went toward her, cutting the roots she threw at me from her hair.
Her mouth twisted into a disgusting smile as a burning pain pierced my abdomen.
I looked down in disbelief: a root secreting purple sap came out of the wound she had inflicted.
"Hahaha, stupid, I'll tear your limbs off before sending you to her."
"Her?"… My mind spun. This old spirit didn't work alone: she wanted to capture me for someone else…
"Once Hei Bai is done with your friends, I'll take you and eat your lifeless body," her shrill voice drew closer with every step.
This poison was dangerous: it weakened me, and I could see it travel through my veins.
I couldn't remove it with water control or with my chi. This spirit seemed to have no weaknesses, but…
A crazed laugh filled the forest and made the spirit stop abruptly.
"Have you gone mad?"
"Hahaha, I could say yes, but no. I was wondering why you hadn't attacked the firebenders burning this forest you live in," I said while leaning against a tree. "Then I saw you desperately dodge the sparks a moment ago," a blood-filled smile spread across my face.
"Shut up!" she shouted, charging at me.
With difficulty, I pulled out a bottle of alcohol and a flint from the small spirit tied to my waist, then threw it a meter away from me.
"If you weren't afraid of fire, you would have captured me before killing Zhao's men, who, by the way, you let escape."
My voice was hoarse as I broke the alcohol bottle over my chest. I let the liquid soak my clothes and skin. The veins on my arms almost completely turned purple. With difficulty, I managed to ignite a flame with the flint.
Fwhosh.
The forest glowed with the light of fire, and my screams formed a demonic symphony.
I felt my skin burning with pain, but I barely watched as the poison inside me was being purged.
When I felt my body freed from weakness, I drew water from the tree behind me and soaked myself with it. I let it cover me completely while making it shine, channeling healing through the water.
"You crazy bastard, you're a water master!" he screamed in horror as he pointed at me.
Grabbing the spirit, I pulled out another bottle of alcohol and drank a quarter of it. I concentrated chi in my throat and, holding a burning branch in front of my mouth, the alcohol transformed into fire.
The attacks hit him full force. His agonizing screams echoed like a beautiful symphony in my ears.
When the fire died out, only his head and torso remained.
"I... I'm sorry... please forgive me, and I'll tell you... who sent me."
I wanted to accept his plea, but this bastard tried to kill me—or at least capture me. I wouldn't let him get away with it.
"If I see you again..." I stopped my words. I simply thought about destroying his body so it would take decades to reincarnate, but an idea crossed my mind.
With fluid movements, I drew water from the trees and plants, withering them in an instant.
With thin lines of water, I began to surround the evil spirit.
"W-what are you doing?" he asked fearfully as he saw the water start to glow.
I had charged the water with my chi: positive energy that would destroy dark spirits.
"No!" he screamed in horror as his body glowed golden, just like the water.
"If you come to kill, you must be ready to die, bastard," my furious voice rang out as I poured more chi into the water.
His body shone completely as cracks formed in him.
"Please..." his voice released a heart-wrenching scream of pain as he exploded.
A spirit couldn't be annihilated conventionally nor with elemental controls. But overloading positive chi was another story. And judging by his desperate scream, my hypothesis worked.
By overcharging him so fast, he exploded with no chance to reincarnate.
My clothes were burned, but my worry returned as I remembered Hei Bai—the spirit said he was dealing with my friends.
Concentrating chi in my legs, the ground exploded as I ran at full speed toward the battlefield against the fire army.
When I arrived, I saw everyone unconscious, giant footprints lying on the ground forming a path toward some intact bamboo.
I took the small spirit from my waist and watched it change from a pouch into a strange figure. "Take care of my sister and the Avatar."
The spirit made a cute noise as it leapt toward the unconscious bodies of the two. Its form changed a second time, this time bigger—like a yellow hippopotamus that laid Katara and Aang on its big belly.
I never thought it could take such a large form; that would be useful.
As I followed the huge footprints and entered the bamboo, a fog covered the entire area. Immediately, I felt a change within me.
The spiritual chi that allowed me to control water was gone, but I still held my spear. And the landscape had completely changed.
This was the Spirit World—chaotic and beautiful.
"Brave warrior," suddenly a female voice echoed through the forest. Looking around, I saw nothing. Suddenly, I felt as if someone had breathed in my ear.
"I like strong people, uncontrolled. They're my type of man."
Immediately, I swung back, my spear cutting the air at incredible speeds. But it was in vain—there was no one there. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself and closed my eyes.
"If you want to talk, how about at least showing yourself?"
"I'm afraid if I did, that spear of yours would quickly find its way to my heart. Brave warrior."
She sounded almost excited to be talking to me. But at this moment, I didn't care if she kept talking.
The chances this was the spirit the tree mentioned were almost 100%. That was good. Now I could deal with this problem before it became too troublesome.
I clenched my fist and gritted my teeth. This was exactly the kind of situation I hate, and I knew running away was the best option.
No matter how lucky I am; if I act like an idiot, I'll end up dead. Luck only helps so much.
I understood how useless it was to stay angry, let out a low laugh, and shook my head while staring at the empty space in front of me.
"I don't know who or what you are," I murmured, lying to see if she'd lower her guard. "But someday, I'll kill you."
"Oh~, that's scary. What did I do to earn so much hate?"
"A strong spirit appears, attacks me, my sister disappears, and then you come back," I spat, feeling fury ignite behind my eyes.
I knew it was unlikely this woman was behind Katara's kidnapping, but I preferred to confuse her, keep her talking, and hide my real intentions.
"Come on, don't blame me for everything," the female voice said, dragging each word with a hypnotic tone, almost like a mocking song. I could imagine her pouting, amused. "Besides, I wasn't involved in your sister's kidnapping. It was Hei Bai. I only want you. Why don't we make a deal that benefits us both?"
I stifled a laugh. Sure, a deal. To tie me to you like a dog.
Instead of answering, I crouched, kneeled on the ground, and dug my fingers into the closest roots. I guided my chi through them, looking for any useful clues.
"It seems the evil lady has fixed her attention on another young non-master," said a wolf spirit.
"Yes, one day he'll be in danger because of his actions."
Elsewhere in the Spirit World, I saw Aang finishing his talk with Koh; I watched with fascination an incredible spear stuck in the ground.
I saw a huge golden lion sleeping peacefully.
Finally, my sight through the roots focused on a woman from the Earth Kingdom I didn't know, hugging a man tenderly.
"I'm serious, Rak won't realize she's cheating on him with you."
Huh, it seems Rak was being cheated on. I guess he got what he deserved.
My consciousness snapped back to my body and my vision spun for a second. Using that trick outside the Spirit World would wreck my mind, but here it worked.
I breathed deeply.
"You do strange things, young warrior," the voice laughed, amused.
"Did you take my sister?" I snapped, still kneeling.
"No, of course not. That was Hei Bai's doing... Please, don't hate me for what he caused. I only want you."
Her tone, so gallant and sweet, almost made me gag. I didn't respond. I felt my belt, untied a small vial of alcohol, and threw it into the air. At the same time, I pulled two flints from my bag and struck them together.
Boom.
The vial shattered, spraying alcohol that ignited the dry underbrush. Flames climbed the trunks as I slipped into the shadows, moving away from the clearing without looking back.
"What was that?" I heard her voice, amused and annoyed at the same time. "Tch, I like strong men, but not the ones smart enough to see through me. Too bad. Seems you fall into the second category, dear~."
Emerging in the burned forest after leaving the Spirit World, I made the yellow hippopotamus return to its small pouch form and tied it to my waist.
A second later, I saw the same blue dragon—ridden by Roku and Aang—pass through the small Avatar's body, while Hei Bai, in his panda form, returned the spirits to the bodies of the warriors, villagers, and prisoners.
"Sokka!" Katara hugged me tightly, tears streaming down her face. "I thought that spirit had captured you too."
"It's okay, it's okay," I replied, returning the hug. "I tried to go after Commander Zhao, but he escaped. When I came back, you were gone."
"Sokka," Aang said, approaching. "We must go to an island in the Fire Nation. Roku told me he has to tell me something there, and we have to arrive before the summer solstice."
"All right," I nodded. "Once I take care of these people, we'll go."
Aang nodded calmly as he began preparing Appa.
"Everyone, follow me!" I shouted, raising my voice so everyone could hear. "Bring the prisoners too. Daichi, come with me."
The young fire master ran by my side, visibly worried.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice somewhat tense.
"Do you know how to operate the warship?" I asked him, glancing sideways.
He held my gaze for a few seconds, as if expecting me to say something else.
"Uh… yes. I was the backup navigator."
"Good."
As we all walked toward the warship, I explained the situation:
"You can stay here and try to rebuild your villages… and risk more soldiers coming to attack," I said, my voice firm and clear. "Or you can go to the South Pole, to my tribe. There you'll be safe. You'll have food, work; the earthbenders and everyone who wants to fight will be trained for when I need them. But I won't force anyone."
When we arrived at the ship, I saw their tired faces. They were thinking about their future: staying and continuing to survive day by day, or leaving to live in safety, with work, food, and peace. I saw in their eyes that their decision was already made.
"We'll go to the South Pole," they said almost in unison.
"Perfect," I replied, crossing my arms. "Daichi will be the navigator. He's a deserter from the Fire Nation."
The villagers looked at him cautiously, with fear and distrust.
"I know it's hard to trust," I continued. "But I believe in him. I've seen many Fire Nation soldiers, and none showed remorse for their actions. Only Daichi has the will to redeem himself."
"Good," I said, looking at Daichi as we climbed the warship ramp. "Come here."
I pulled several scrolls, a folded paper, and a carefully wrapped handkerchief from my small storage spirit.
"These scrolls," I said, putting them in his hands, "One you will give to a woman named Gran-Gran and the other to Tiga. They are detailed instructions to settle in my tribe and coordinate everything when they arrive."
Daichi nodded, receiving everything carefully.
"This paper," I continued, showing him the coordinates written in my own handwriting, "contains the exact location of my tribe. Under no circumstances give it to anyone else. Not even your shadow, understood?"
"Yes, I swear," he answered seriously.
I placed the small handkerchief on top of the scrolls.
"This handkerchief has my scent. When you reach the pole, I want you to take it out. My beasts will recognize the smell, and the women will know you come from me."
Daichi took a deep breath and nodded, carefully storing everything inside his tunic.
Also, as I boarded the ship, I pulled out a large amount of red clothes from the storage spirit and went back down.
I turned to all the villagers and warriors who were already boarding the ship, forming makeshift lines.
"Listen to me carefully, everyone," I said, raising my voice so no one got distracted. "This ship, its weapons, and machines belong to me."
I made sure my words were etched in their minds.
"Use the money to buy supplies and wood when you stop," I explained. "I don't want to see anyone hungry or without shelter. And one more thing: the earthbenders"—I pointed to several robust and weathered men—"will wear Fire Nation uniforms while traveling. That way, they'll avoid suspicion and won't attract attention at ports."
I saw several nod immediately. They knew what was at stake.
"Daichi," I said, crossing my arms, "This responsibility is yours. Take them safe and sound, deliver the scrolls, keep the route, and don't tell anyone the coordinates. If you do this well, no one in my tribe will doubt you."
He swallowed, then lowered his head and bowed slightly. "I will, I swear on my life."
"Good," I sighed, looking at the ship one last time. The cold wind of the burned forest brushed my face, bringing the smell of smoke and salt. "Depart before nightfall. The open sea will be your shield."
I looked again at my makeshift people. Warriors, farmers, children, elders… One ship and one shared destiny. My tribe was going to become stronger.
"We will see each other again soon."
I saw Daichi climb the command bridge, shouting orders as villagers and warriors spread out over the deck. Everyone seemed to move with a mix of fear and hope. Good. Fear keeps you alert; hope keeps you moving forward.
I turned without looking back, went down the ramp, and returned to the clearing where Appa was grazing among the smoldering ashes. Katara waited for me, sitting on a rock, hugging her knees, while Aang stood by her side, staring at the devastated forest.
"All good?" Katara asked as soon as she saw me.
I nodded, letting out a long sigh that burned my throat. "They're leaving. The ship is loaded, Daichi knows what to do. If all goes well, they'll reach the tribe before next month."
Aang turned to me, his gaze calm, but behind it I saw the shadow of responsibility he also carried. "You trust that fire master a lot…" he murmured.
I shrugged, crossing my arms. "I don't trust him; I trust what I saw in his eyes. The rest… I'll handle later."
Katara stood up, walked over to me, and grabbed my arm as if she feared I'd also board that ship. "They'll come back safely, right?" she asked quietly.
I glanced sideways at her, then looked back toward the coast. In the distance, above the charred treetops, I saw the black silhouette of the ship breaking the ice of the river to head toward the open sea. The Fire Nation flag fluttered, deceiving anyone who saw it from afar. Perfect.
"Of course, they'll come back safely," I replied, placing a hand on her shoulder. "They're from the South now. Nobody will lay a finger on them."
The deep sound of the engine slowly faded, swallowed by the salty wind coming from the coast. There was no turning back.
I gripped the handle of my spear, feeling the warm wood under my fingers. "Let's go," I said, looking at Aang. "We have to reach that island before summer starts, remember?"
Aang nodded, with that determined expression he always had whenever he remembered he was the Avatar.
Katara released me, took a deep breath, and climbed onto Appa. I followed her, resting a hand on the flying bison's furry back.
The ship disappeared behind the gray smoke still lingering over the river. They were leaving with my promise… and I was leaving with a new one.
"Let's go, Appa," Aang gave the order.
With a deep roar, Appa rose, beating his enormous tails. The burned forest was left behind as the cold wind pushed us forward, toward the next battle.