Chương 1: Coward
My father is a firebender; however, he holds a dissenting stance regarding the actions of the Fire Nation.
The primary reason stems from my grandfather, his father, formerly serving as a Fire Sage. Tragically, he met his death for refusing allegiance to the Fire Lord, opting instead to align with the Avatar—a decision that ultimately cost him his life.
Following his father's path, he elected to spread the teachings of the Avatar among those who shared dissenting sentiments toward the Fire Nation's actions.
And here I was standing at one of those meetings. I found myself amidst the assembly of ten individuals who regularly attended my father's sessions each week.
These gatherings took place within the confines of my residence, with parents accompanied by their children who would occupy the rear section of the room.
Approaching, I joined them and took a seat alongside the other two children, all of us exhibiting apparent signs of boredom.
Expressing our shared sentiments, one of the children remarked, "Our parents are crazy! Rather than supporting our nation, they obsess over the Avatar who's been gone for generations!"
This outspoken perspective belonged to Senzo, one of my closest friend. He consistently vocalized the feelings shared by both Tenzin, my other friend, and me but often remained unspoken.
"They're our parents, and despite our disagreement with their choices, we must remain supportive," I said to my friends.
"Yeah, Lee is correct," Tenzin affirmed.
Senzo responded with an audible sigh, indicating a mixture of agreement and disagreement.
With a somber tone, Senzo expressed his concern, "Although we should be there for them, what they're involved in is a crime. Those who do these meetings often die, and I don't want that for none of our families."
Little did I realize, Senzo's words would become reality the following day—the most agonizing day of my life.
Sensing the shift in mood, Senzo opted to redirect the conversation, asking, "Lee, how's your firebending?"
I inherited firebending, and owing to my father's loyalty for the Avatar, he delved into the intricacies of each bending discipline, comprehending the Avatar's abilities at a extreme level.
In his quest to comprehend the Avatar, my father discovered his own capability to master all four elements.
Not mirroring the Avatar's approach of being able to bend all four elements, but rather leveraging their techniques to enhance his mastery of firebending.
Now, my skill of firebending extends beyond destruction, being defensive and versatile uses. It's as though I've become proficient in the elements of water, earth, fire, and air bending.
"It's going great! I'm going into the training of cold blooded fire. I think I've got the hang of it, though my father insists on more training, saying it's better to have more knowledge than the required amount," I shared, excitement evident on my face.
Observing their perplexed expressions upon mentioning cold blooded fire, I understood why. After all, it's uncommon knowledge among ordinary individuals.
"According to my father, cold blooded fire results from manipulating Yin and Yang, positive and negative energies. Only a few firebenders can isolate these energies, creating an imbalance. The forces naturally seek to restore balance, and they will come crashing back together, you need to release it with guidance, creating lightning." I explained.
"Wow, lightning! It must be so powerful!" Tenzin exclaimed, his eyes filled with curiosity and fascination.
Senzo chimed in, "Of course, it's powerful, Tenzin. It's lightning," accompanied by a sigh.
The three of us shared a silent laughter, cautious not to disrupt the ongoing meeting.
As the meeting concluded after another hour, I bid farewell to both Tenzin and Senzo.
"Bye you guys! Until next time!" I waved, bidding farewell to both of them.
As they reciprocated the gesture with waves and departed, leaving just my father and me, he playfully tugged at my ear.
"I noticed you fooling around in the back. This is the fifth time," he remarked with a discerning tone.
Releasing my ear as I winced in discomfort, he sighed. I retorted, "You know I don't like your meetings. We're of the Fire Nation, the most powerful nation. Holding meetings about an Avatar who deserted his people is pointless. He's nothing more than a coward."
A chilling gaze from my father sent shivers down my spine. Without uttering a word, he turned and walked toward his room, pausing briefly at the doorway.
He spoke, "I understand your perspective. As a young boy, you have yet to explore the world fully. A time will come when you venture out and witness the pain inflicted by the Fire Nation. You might have been told of their strength, but you'll come to realize the extent of their cowardice." With those words, he entered his room, leaving me to think in solitude within the dark.
Lying on my bed, I gazed at the ceiling, contemplating, 'Fire Nation, cowards? Impossible! We are the strongest, there's no reason for us to be cowards.'
Reflecting on these thoughts, I drifted into a deep sleep, only to be abruptly awakened later, feeling as if my sleep had lasted mere seconds.
Registering my father's anxious expression, beads of sweat on his face, he urgently stated, "No time to explain. Soldiers are here. Head to the secret bunker in the meeting room."
Shocked by his words, my fatigued body sprung into action. Rushing to the meeting room, I uncovered a hidden wooden tile beneath a rug and pressed it three times, revealing the entrance to the secret bunker.
Entering the bunker, just as I was about to call my father, the sound of the front door violently bursting open reached my ears.
Carefully, I closed the wooden tile to a narrow opening, allowing me to observe the other room through a slender crack.
Initially thinking my father had found another escape route, my eyes widened in shock as I witnessed him surrounded by soldiers in the other room.
A soldier questioned, "We've heard rumors of secret meetings regarding the Avatar. Are these allegations true?"
"Yes, it's true." My father's honesty left my heart sinking. I wondered why he hadn't denied the allegations, considering they only had rumors and no concrete evidence.
Without hesitation, the soldier assumed a stance, and a burst of fire erupted from his fist, engulfing my father in flames.
In that poignant moment, our eyes met, and I deciphered his words from the movement of his lips, "I love you, son."
Tears streamed down my face as the word "coward" echoed relentlessly in my mind. Despite the intense pain in my heart, the desire to confront the soldiers gripped me. Yet, as my hands neared the wooden tile, my strength dissipated, rendering me unable to lift it.
Internally scolding myself with a barrage of names and words, my attempts to lift the wooden tile proved futile. Desperation set in, and I bit down on my lips until blood seeped out. Upon witnessing my father's lifeless form on the ground ignited an abrupt surge of anger and power within me.
Fueled by a surge of newfound strength and rage, I pushed open the wooden tile, shouting defiantly at the guards, "I'll kill you!"
All the guards turned their emotionless gaze towards me, assuming the same deadly stance witnessed during my father's death. In unison, they created a powerful fireball, hurtling it towards me, obliterating everything in its destructive path.
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