The air in Dalu was thick with the scent of stone dust and spice. Fang Yuan stood at the edge of a narrow market street, his arms folded beneath the draping sleeves of his coarse, borrowed robe. Lanterns swayed lazily in the warm breeze overhead, their soft glow casting uneven light across vendor stalls and tired faces. He didn't belong here, but then again, he belonged nowhere.
His appearance seem more proper that before.
He'd been in the city for only three days. A local stonemason named Baiko had offered him a spot hauling slate tiles in exchange for food and a cramped corner in the back of his workshop. It wasn't glamorous—dust got into his eyes, into his teeth, under his nails—but it was quiet. People didn't ask questions if you worked hard and kept to yourself.
That suited Fang Yuan just fine.
But even stillness had a rhythm. And today, something felt off. He watched the crowd drift past—a cart full of coal clattered down the stone path, children darted between legs, and two Fire Nation officers stood at the corner, heads together in hushed discussion.
He narrowed his eyes.
The Fire Nation had a presence in Dalu now, post-war. Officially, they were here for "reconstruction cooperation," but the locals mostly avoided them. The soldiers didn't enforce much—they simply watched. With clipped movements and polished boots. And today, they were watching the market.
Fang Yuan turned and slipped into the alley behind the tea vendor, his feet silent against packed earth. His back brushed the rough brick as he moved deeper into the shadows, instinct screaming something was about to go wrong. He didn't know how—he never knew how—but the threads of the world whispered to him when trouble approached. As though the air itself held its breath.
A scream shattered the hum of the market.
He didn't run toward it. He never did. But he moved, swiftly and without hesitation, circling the block until the source came into view.
A young Earth Kingdom girl—maybe fifteen—was on her knees, arms shielding her head. Around her, four uniformed soldiers in mismatched armor, clearly not local, formed a semicircle. They weren't Fire Nation regulars. These were mercenaries, or perhaps deserters, wearing fragments of old wartime gear. One of them raised a hand again, but it was the girl's words that froze Fang Yuan in place.
"You're not supposed to be here! You're not real soldiers!"
The leader grinned, revealing gold-capped teeth. "Smart little rat. Too smart for your own good."
Fang Yuan exhaled slowly, silently. He didn't want this. He didn't care. Not really.
But something ugly coiled in his stomach.
He stepped into the open. "That's enough."
The men turned. The gold-toothed one eyed Fang Yuan's loose robes and calloused hands. "Move along, stone monkey. This ain't your fight."
"I know." His voice was calm. Flat. "But it is now."
The mercenaries spread out, slow and loose. Not professionals, but skilled enough.
The leader stepped forward. "Think you can play hero, boy?"
Boy?
Fang Yuan's lips twitched at the corners, but it wasn't quite a smile. "No," he said, tilting his head ever so slightly. "I don't play."
The man lunged, swinging a metal baton. Fang Yuan's body moved before thought—a quiet shift, a small twist and the strike missed by inches. His hand lashed out and caught the attacker's wrist. A jolt of focused heat surged into the man's arm. Steam hissed. The gold-toothed thug screamed and dropped his weapon, clutching his seared forearm.
"haaaah"
The others hesitated.
Fang Yuan let the moment linger.
They ran.
He looked down at the girl. She stared up at him, wide-eyed. "You… you're a bender" she whispered.
His expression didn't change. "You must be mistaken."
She blinked rapidly. "No, I saw—"
"You saw a man get lucky," he said firmly, helping her to her feet. "Nothing more."
"But—"
"I suggest you go home. Now."
She hesitated, then nodded and ran off into the crowd.
Fang Yuan turned and walked away, slipping back into the alleyways. He didn't look back.
That night, sleep did not come easily. He lay on his cot in the corner of Baiko's workshop, staring at the ceiling through the darkness. Dalu was a city built on order. Rich families lived in stone compounds on the cliffs. Earthbenders patrolled the main streets at night. People here noticed things.
He'd made a mistake.
It wasn't just that girl. It was the guards. The ones watching. They hadn't intervened—but one of them had seen him. He was certain of it.
The memory of the soldier's narrow gaze lingered.
So when morning came, he told Baiko he was moving on. No reason. Just time to go. The old mason didn't ask why.
Fang Yuan gathered his meager belongings—a worn satchel, a knife he'd bought off a traveling merchant, and a waterskin—and left Dalu through the southern gate before midday. No one stopped him.
He traveled light and fast, following the road until it curved into farmland, then cutting through the hills until only trees surrounded him. He didn't have a destination in mind—he rarely did. He simply moved, like a river carving its path without map or memory.
The forest here was dense, old, and largely untamed. The path he followed wound between roots and mossy rocks, lit only by the filtered light above. Somewhere ahead, a creek babbled faintly.
Fang Yuan paused beside a tree and sat down, drawing in a slow breath. He stretched out his senses—not in the way a bender would, but something deeper. Something beneath bending. A sensation he couldn't name. Like feeling the temperature of silence.
There.
Something was following him.
Not close, not visible. But present.
He waited.
An hour passed. Then two.
Finally, just as the sun touched the western horizon, the watcher revealed herself.
A girl—perhaps sixteen—stepped out from between two trees. She wore dark green robes, unmarked, with her long black hair tied back in a simple knot. Her posture was casual, but her eyes were sharp.
"You're hard to follow," she said.
Fang Yuan didn't respond.
She tilted her head. "You don't want to know why I was following you?"
"No," he said evenly. "But I know that you'll tell me anyway."
She smiled faintly. "Smart. You saved that girl in Dalu"
"You're mistaken."
She chuckled. "You're not very good at lying."
"Or maybe I'm just very consistent."
The girl stepped closer. Not threatening, but deliberate. "My name is Mei Lin. I'm part of the Hidden Jade Circle. We keep an eye on people like you."
Fang Yuan's brow furrowed. "People like me?"
"Talented ones. Dangerous ones."
"Then you're wasting your time."
"Am I?" Her gaze sharpened. "You don't wear the colors of any nation. Your accent's strange. Not to mention know how to fight . Who are you?"
Fang Yuan stood. "No one important."
"That's not true."
He turned to leave.
"You should join us " Mei Lin said
Fang Yuan stopped.
Ah. Do I look someone who want join your cult?
He didn't turn around. "just leave me alone, I got ton of shit in my head right now ."
Mei Lin's voice was quieter now. "it's a waste ignoring my offer when you have that talent"
"No," he said. "it would be a waste if I used to things that are not important "
With that, he vanished into the trees.
And far above, beyond the canopy, a bird with silver eyes circled once… and flew north.
***********End of chapter *****
Guys please comment and give me some power stones please