ATLA: Kyia the Brave

Chapter 15: The Siege of the North Part 1

 Katara stood across from Sangok, another one of the guys in her class. None of them ever stood a chance against her. Their sparring session was quick and within seconds Katara had taken him down. "Nice try, Pupil Sangok. Maybe with a few more years you will be able to fight a sea sponge." Pakku turned his attention to the rest of his class. "Would anyone else care for a rematch with Katara?" Everyone looked almost afraid of her, but I stood up.

"How about me? I could give her some practice fighting a firebender?" Pakku glared at me but then he shrugged.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt. So be it." Everyone's attention was caught. I went and stood across from Katara. She had a mide smile across her face. "Whenever you're ready." I took a deep breath before punching flames towards Katara. She threw up a wall of ice, but my fire shattered right through it. She gasped slightly before using some of the water around her to slide away and behind me. I crouched and kicked fire beneath her, melting the ice she stood on. She slammed her hands down and cracked the ice beneath my feet. I jumped up and blew fire from my feet to push myself into the air and backflip onto a pot behind me.

"You are definitely lasting longer than everyone else, I'll give you that." Pakku gave me a look of disgust as Katara pushed water up around me and swirled it around me in a glass ball. "I stand corrected." I couldn't help it. My anger pulsed through me as fire blasted through my fingertips, so hot that it was white. "What in the-" My fire blasted past Katara and directly at Pakku. He threw up a water barrier that burst into steam. "That's enough." Katara stared at me in awe.

"Kyia, your eyes." I immediately calmed myself down. I glanced over at Aang who was holding his head in pain. "Aang, are you alright?" He nodded back at me as ice surrounded my body.

"I knew I should have had them lock you up from the start!" Pakku was walking over to me with hate in his eyes. He reeled his hand back as if to swing on me, but his hand was frozen in ice. He turned to face one of his students in fury, but they all just pointed at me. I didn't even realize I did it, but I waterbent his hand. "How did you. . . ?" Before I could respond, ashes began to rain from the sky. All of us ran to the palace where everyone was waiting for Chief Arnook to speak. Pakku went and sat alongside Yue and Arnook.

It wasn't long before everyone was inside and seated. Then Arnook spoke. "The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness that I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe, but they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits. Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us! I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission." At this, Sokka was on his feet. I reached out and took his hand, but he glanced down at me sadly and turned back towards the front. "Be warned. Many of you might not return. Come forward and receive my mark if you are up for the task."

Many of the men from the tribe went forward to receive marks. Sokka went towards Chief Arnook and knelt for his mark. But there was no way I was going to let him do this on his own. I stood up and walked forward, the only woman to do so. Katara shook her head slightly, but I ignored her and proceeded toward the front. Arnook hesitated. "I don't think this is a good idea, Kyia." Pakku reached out and put a hand on Arnook's shoulder.

"Let her join. She is a valuable asset." The Chief hesitated before nodding. I knelt in front of him and received the warriors mark before following Sokka off to the side. After the meeting, we all congregated at the far wall. Aang, Katara, Sokka, and I all stood alongside many of the warriors who received the Chief's mark as well. Aang jumped onto Appa, ready for take-off.

"Yip-Yip!" He flew off towards the fleet as fireballs began soaring at the wall. One slammed into the side, throwing many of the warriors as well as Katara, Sokka, and I backwards. Sokka slid out from under some snow while I managed to stay above it all. But Katara was nowhere to be found.