Avatar: Macai's Journey

Chapter 22: The Valley of Death

The trooper Gammal is walking with his friend Ronin through a hallway. Ronin: "Come on, follow me. I've got something to show you."

Gammal: "Alright, but slow down Ronin. I can barely keep up with you man."

Ronin rushes into the room and Gammal follows him. Gammal notices that the room is dark. The marine comments, "I think the lantern went out in this room." Four lanterns are suddenly lit, and Ronin notices several soldiers around him.

Macai emerges, "Private Gammal, for your noble actions in this unit and marvelous demonstrations of leadership; the leadership board of the Prompt Adjudicator has decided to promote you to the rank of second-class lieutenant." Cosal steps beside Macai with a uniform in his hand that has a bronze collar, to symbolize the rank.

Gammal gets teary-eyed, "Sir, I am honored. I don't know what else to say."

Macai smiles, "Then don't say anything else. Take your uniform and wear it proudly. If you lead your troops with the same courage that you have exhibited in the past and continue to obey orders, then I have no doubt that you will be one of the finest Lieutenants in this nation."

Two days later...

Macai is sitting in Hazo's office. They are sipping on vanilla-flavored green tea that was extracted from the local Jiggoni Islands. Macai leans over in his seat as Hazo tells him a story about his adventure in the Germu Mountains.

Captain Hazo, "When we scouted the land, in that blistering cold, the local grey-monkeys harassed us. They were eating Gordo nuts and chucked several of them at us. Do you know what Gordo nuts look like?"

Macai replies, "I do not."

Hazo: "They are about the size of a rock. It's not pleasant getting hit by them, in the flesh."

Macai: "But you had armor and helmets."

Hazo: "That's why I said in the flesh. It was only a minor disturbance to us. But a few of us got pelted in the face, including me."

Macai: "How did your unit react?"

Hazo: "We had a little fire show to scare them away." Aiya enters the office. Hazo: "Aiya, have you completed your ship diagnosis?"

Aiya nods her head, "The ship is in excellent condition. I also received a new letter that was mismanaged by someone. It was meant to be sent to Hazo."

Hazo: "What is it?"

Aiya: "It's a letter about a mission. At the Wyju valley."

Macai: "Tell us the details."

Aiya pulls out the document, "It is about a group of terrorists called the Mirrored Shadows."

Hazo shakes his head, "Oh not them."

Macai raises an eyebrow, "What's so bad about the Mirrored Shadows?"

Hazo: "The Mirrored Shadows are a group of combustion benders. Combustion bending is a mysterious ability, used by benders who can control and produce fire with their minds. They can fire rapid beams of energy out of their foreheads, that create explosions."

Macai's jaw drops. Aiya: "The letter says you can recognize them by their facial tattoos. All of them are part of a fanatical religion. It is an all male group who believe they are a part of some super race of firebenders."

Macai asks, "Why are they at odds with the Fire Nation?"

Aiya: "The group has recently allied themselves with Earth Kingdom forces."

Macai: "Why would they do that?"

Aiya: "They were already enemies of the Fire Nation, just as the Earth Kingdom was. They are working together in a shaky alliance to defeat local Fire Nation forces. Then the Earth Kingdom agreed to give their region autonomy."