The sea was calmer that morning unusually still compared to the previous years when the year was nearing the Winter Solstice. He tried drying out the inside of his otter-penguin fur gloves but it was no use. From his left side he felt a hand lightly slap him upside the head. He groaned quickly, slipping the gloves back on.
"Are you going to make me do all the fishing Talik" His brother said annoyed. Talren, his brother was close in age to him about a year and a half but boy did he lord that year and a half over him.
"You know your not the boss of me Talren" Talik spat playfully. He knew better than to get his brother actually angry. So instead of saying the quip in his head he just threw the net over the docks.
His home was quite a simple and boring place, full of igloo homes, with some nicer water bending ice homes for some of the elders and master water benders. The adults never seemed to enjoy their lives here. The younger kids, however, who were around his age were fun, they loved penguin sledding, water bending snowball fights, there was always some mischief his group of friends got into. That is until he turned 15 a few weeks ago, now he was a man and a man had chores and responsibilities. He was starting to see why the adult looked so miserable all the time because this chore stuff sucked.
"Talik! The net you slush-head" Talren cried, almost letting go of his net in the process. Talik has always had a knack of drifting off, he often found it relaxing. He came too and hurriedly took hold of the net currently slipping out of his fingers and began to tug.
"Talren, how much more bait do we need to catch?" Talik asked rapidly growing bored of this chore. Talren sighed annoyed at his brother "Until we can fill 4 of those buckets" He pointed behind him with only a half a bucket full of fish. Talren slowly let the net lower into the water. Their chore for the day was to catch bait fish for the fishermen about to go out and get the towns haul for the week. With the progress they were making the fishermen might be stuck on shore for another week.
Talik leaned back his head and let out the biggest fakest groan but stopped and dropped grinning with an idea. He turned walking off the dock a bit dropping his net into the snow after another catch resulting in no fish.
"Fine. Ill finish it myself" Talik said, tugging his gloves off and placing them in his pocket to get better mobility in his fingers.
Now it was Talren turn to groan "Talik please dont, last time you tried this you got me all wet and you knocked the other buckets over in the flood loosing all the fish I caught already" Talren didn't particularly like his skill of water bending, Talik weirdly enough was the only water bender in his family, his 2 other younger siblings and Talren weren't benders either.
He never lorded the ability over his siblings, well maybe a little bit to Talren just to mess with him. He had begun water bending early on in his life, his mother told him he started lifting snow balls with bending.
Oddly enough in such a small town of close to 150 people there were close too 15 master waterbenders that offered to train him. His mother said they even fought for a chance to train him and offered his her money as well.
She ended up choosing the one of the elders of the town who was also a master. He was a very patient man, and very early on his mother said he tested his masters patience to the limits. Talik did not enjoy training at first, he saw all his friends and siblings getting to play while he had to train. Although when he began to win their snowball fights with his superior bending he started to see the benefits.
Although he was a decent bender the smaller side of bending was never his forte. For example the other day he accidentally sheared the side off of a glacier during training when he got frustrated, but when he offered to strain the soup mom had made with one wrong move of the hand he flung the soup everywhere. Talik didn't know why he just didn't have the finesse and it frustrated him every time he thought about it.
Talik huffed getting into a stand "I got it this time I promise." He felt off balance so he stomped and shifted his feet finally finding his balance. He reached down his hands almost touching the edge of the dock. Wanting to get more water he decided to change up the motions, so when he heaved his arms up he did it faster but as the water splashed up something emerged from the water. A giant spire of earth jutted out of the water towering teen feet or so above them completely shattering the dock making the brothers scramble to shore.
"Thats…Thats not ice" Talren said astonished "How…thats earth from 30 feet below us…Talik how did you…" Talrens' voice stopped dead seeing the look of horror on his brother. Talik did not know how he did that, thoughts came racing through his head, but the main one prevailed, How is he the Avatar if the Avatar was found 12 years ago in Northern Water Tribe.
It was known by everyone that the Avatar was discovered when he was 3 by High Chief Turek the leader of the Northern Water Tribe. Avatar Valek was a master water bender by the time he was 7 while training with the High Chief. He was announced to the world as the Avatar, the whole world knows of his power…so what did that make him.
"I…We need to tell mom" Talik said, seeing the agreement on his brother's face. They made their way passed the docks, and up the stairs to the cluster of igloos where there mother was most likely cooking dinner. They wanted to get as far as they could from the towering rock spire before the ship that was off in the distance docked at the now crumbling docks.
The brothers made it to their home, the second Talik moved aside the curtains in the doorway he could smell the stewed sea prunes his mother was making. Talik loved his mothers cooking, the smell making his mind drift for a second before coming back to the reason they rushed here.
Before they could talk his mother spoke up first "Did you boys finish bait catching?" She asked. "Almost but something…" Talren began but quickly was interrupted "Almost! For spirits sakes boys this community desperately needs everyone's involvement to function…"
Talik groaned inside at another one of her lectures "Mom please this thing happened that…" He tried getting out before his mother kept going without stopping"...and I can't keep having these excuses, Mom we tried but he knocked the bucket over, mom it was Taliks fault, Mom this and mom that. Im frankly getting sick of it boys" She continued with the stirring.
Talik and Talren glanced at each other waiting to see if their mother was truly done. Then Talren bluntly said "Mom Talik earth bent" The stirring of the pot stopped and their mother stared "Well that's a new excuse" She mumbled as she grabbed the prunes and added it to the pot.
"It's true I tried bending the bait ball again and well instead of water I bent earth…a lot of Earth" Talik said nervously. His mother laughed amused "Are you boys pranking me again, I will admit this was a good one" She walked away from the pot of stewed sea prunes to get some serving bowls. "Boys go set the table" She said done with the prank.
Talren grunted in frustration but instead of continuing the argument he grabbed her hand and pulled her to the door and out in the snow. "Talren let go of me!" She said. Talik was surprised seeing how strong his brother was compared to his mother.
"Talren let me go this instant" She continued to argue "I have dinner about to burn and I will…" She stopped mid way at the threat, finally at a place to see the docks in between the igloos. "Are…Are you sure it's not ice?" she asked. The boys just nodded. "And you did that…right?" She pointed at Talik without looking at him still transfixed on the docks. Talik responded with a nod
"Ohhhhhh no, Like my life wasn't already complicated enough" She muttered to herself, but her head shot up in reaction to a soft horn blowing in the distance. "The town alarm?" She said in alarm. Looking out past the docks a couple of ships became visible heading toward the village. "Oh not now please not now".
"What is it mom? Is it the northerners?" Talik asked. About every other year some northerners came to inspect the town and most often gathered everyone for a census. It was no concern to him or his siblings but the adults seemed so worried every time they came.
Their mother turned looking gravely serious "Boy's listen to me right now this is very important. You are to go get your brother and sister and get to the house. You will stay there until I get home" She said very seriously "But mom" Talren complained wanting to join in now close to being of age. Whenever the northerns visited the adults would stand to greet them. Talren was technically an adult but he was about half a year from turning 17.
"Talren, listen to me you are the head of the family with your father gone you will stay with your siblings, am I clear?" She said with a fitness that made Talren nod. As their mother left to gather by the docks Talren grabbed Talik's wrist and they ran back to the house
They found their younger brother and sister playing out back and had to force them back into the house. Talik had a numbing feeling that this was about him, it wasn't a coincidence that he bent earth for the first time and now the Northerners showed up. He turned to look at his brother and younger siblings before sneaking out, when Talren was busy appeasing his younger siblings. He quietly pushed the curtain aside and snuck around a snow bank or two before getting a good vantage point where he could watch and listen.
A line of soldiers wearing a blue coat with tiger seal chest plate armor on the front. Their faces adorned with the traditional water tribe warriors paint. An older man, maybe in his late 60s, stepped in front of the lined up soldiers. "Would you take a look at this lot men. Such a group of sad sacks" His men all laughed along with their commander.
"Would you believe it's been almost 16 years since your banishment. 4 years less than what I had to deal with living in this frozen wasteland. You should see the Northern watertribe, we have really brought the glory back to our people" He said addressing the adults of his village. Talik immediately detested this man as he spoke such smug words to his family.
Talik jumped feeling someone shuffled next to him but he sighed quietly in relief seeing it was his brother. His brother glowered at him for leaving the house but Talik just rolled his eyes and the two of them continued to listen in.
Before the pompous man could keep talking one of their elders spoke "Theruk what are you doing here, we are under due on a census, so just get on with it and tell us what you need" The man named Theruk glowered at him and motioned to one of the soldiers. A soldier suddenly sent a fast moving stream of water at the elder knocking him to the ground. "I thought you would learn to respect the North more than that you dirty southerner." He spat the word out like it was vile.
The elder rose with help but grinned back definitely "You're more of a southerner than I am Theruk or did you forget" At that Theruk raged rapidly forming an ice spike around his closed fist and racing straight towards the elder. Thankfully he stopped just before piercing the elders neck. "I demand respect…do I have your respect now" The elder nodded quickly which made the commander melt the ice spike.
"Finally now that this defiant nonsense is over, on to why I'm in this wasteland in the first place." Commander Theruk took his place back in line and cleared his throat "The High Chief requests each family bring forth any children aged 14 to 15 years old" The families gawked and began to argue which made the soldiers bend some water ready to attack. "If you deny this request just remember we have the census from last year and we know where you live and more importantly how many children you have. I'm giving you one chance to comply willingly. None of your family members will be harmed, unless you comply" He said coldly. "You have 15 minutes" He thrusted his arms up then bending a stool made of ice in front of the line of soldiers, he sat there waiting.
Talik and Talren stared at each other before running back home and got there just in time before their mom arrived. "I'm sorry Talik but they need you" She said solemnly. "Mom, I'm going with" Talren said, stepping forward looking scared but confident all at once.
Talik looked even more frightened not knowing what will happen to him. When Talren offered to go with he was thankful for the support even though he wasn't in the ages they needed.
"Talren they need anyone whos 14 to 15 years of age your 16, almost 17" She said so desperately wanting to hide both children. "I know, but you always said I never could act my age" Talren grinned, which prompted his mother to smile too. She gave them both a hug and kissed her boys on the cheek. "Fine go, I love you both" The two brothers hugged her back "We love you too Mom" They both replied.
As they made their way back to the soldiers they began checking their names off of a list and told them to get in line. So far there was a line with 5 other kids his age some Talik knew.
"Name and birth day and year, Now" The soldier impatiently yelled at the two. Talik stated his birth year and season and was sent into the line. He nervously looked back at Talren and heard him fake his birth year to be sent in line with Talik.
"Boy you are not on this list" He turned back to the commander who waved Talren forward to get into line. Talik heard them talking and picked out the phrase "Just to be safe".
The commander stood in front of the line of kids and in that moment Talrik noticed his mother had not rejoined the crowd, his focus turned as the commander began to speak. "I'm sure you are wondering why you are here, well we are too. We weren't told much by High Chief Turek but his command was to kill every boy and girl aged 14 to 15" The commander grinned seeming to enjoy the fear of the children and villagers. He gestured to his soldiers "Kill them"
The soldiers moved in quickly to stab each one of them with an ice spike. The villagers gasped in horror frozen in fear not daring to move against the commander for fear of their own families being killed. Talik turned to his cousin looking at him one more time before the eventual end and shut his eyes, darkening out the world.
A few seconds passed and Talik was wondering why he wasn't dead yet, he dared a peak and saw the soldiers staring up in the sky, as well as the commander. His gaze moved up at a very loud bleating noise, a massive animal dropped from the air and landed with a thud "Its a sky bison" Talik gasped.
Three figures leaped off the bison, the brothers ran around the massive tail to get a better view as an older man with a scruffy beard landed, sending rocks up into the air. In an amazing earth bending move he took down three soldiers with one kick flinging the three stones at the soldiers.
While the man showcased his power a girl around Talik's age began to fling small earth spikes at another group of soldiers taking many down at once. Finally the third figure on the bison jumped higher than any man Talik had ever seen jump. The young man bent a column of air which swept up the remaining men, tossing them out to sea leaving Commander Turek who was encased in stone leaving only his head visible.
The village stared in shock as the older earth bender began to question the commander "You thought you could get rid of these children so easily commander. The world will hear of this and you and your fake chief will pay". The commander laughed, spitting to the side, his spit mixed with a little blood after taking a rock to the chest.
"We do whatever the High Chief commands, but this, this part is my doing" The commander let out a loud whistle and grinned evilly. "Just in case we stationed a soldier at each potential child's family home with their family, if the village or children protested. Congrats you just got them killed. If we cant have the Avatar we will have their families."
Talik realized then why his mother never returned, he heard a shrill scream knowing then it was his mother and two younger siblings. He took off for his home "I need to save them, I need to save them, they're all right I know they'll be ok…" His mind raced but right when his eyes laid on his home he saw three soldiers kill them right in front of him. His younger brother Tanre, his younger sister Kalliya, and his mother dropped dead, their blood mixing with the snow below them.
At that moment the world stopped for Talik, he let out a horrible scream, a guttural primal scream. The soldier's grin died as their eyes met his, but his eyes weren't his normal eyes no, they were blazing white like the sun.
Suddenly he began to rise up on a column of air beneath him, he was airbending without even trying but at this point none of his actions were truly his, he wasn't sure whose they were. The soldiers began to run desperately away, this made Talik grin, it was time for them to feel fear his family felt. His arms did the motion by themselves causing a hole of ice to open up beneath the soldiers. Talik's fists closed causing the soldier's screaming to stop, then Talik remembered the commander.
The commander found a chance to escape as everyone's gaze was fixated on him. He got into a small boat and began rowing for his life.
"You killed my family! Never return here again!" Talik's voice didn't sound exactly like his. It sounded like a dozen other voices rolled into his. The commander stared horrified as a wave began building higher and higher until it reached 30 feet high. Turek scrambled to row faster but it was too late. Talik let the wave go which picked up his boat and flung him miles out into sea.
Once the rage passed exhaustion hit him like a brick, he fell 20 feet down into a bank of snow, the only thing that injured was his heart. Talik began weeping there in the snow, the entire world around him didn't exist only him and his despair.
That was until Talren found him, he grabbed onto his brother's arms wrapping around him. "It's ok, Talik, it's ok" His brother held onto him tightly. Talik found a bit of solace in the arms of the only remaining family member left, there sleep found him and he accepted falling quick and fast in its embrace.