Burning Soul (Avatar Fanfic)

Chapter 2

I could not stop shaking. My body was overwhelmed with fear. This situation I've been dreading for years was about to come true, everyone would know my secret. In a desperate move to calm myself I start messing with the hilt of my sword, No of the sword I inherited. My mind tries to remember the time it first saw it. It was 4 years ago back when I was 12 and it was held to my throat. The man holding it was Master swordsman Miyabi. I failed the fire army entrance for the 5th time. You could enter the fire nation army as young as 12 years of age, the army was desperate for soldiers so they took what they could. I tried the exam as soon as my birthday hit and I tried over as soon as my injuries from the last attempt healed. Even though I was Pre-teen that didn't stop Miyabi from giving me a beating. This 4th attempt was different from the rest however. Instead of kicking me out immediately he asked me a question "Why do you hold back?" I stammered " What do you mean? You just swept the floor with me. "You didn't use your bending at all" " No i'm not a bender it even says on my application" " Do you take me for a fool, the ink and paper mean nothing I know you're holding back and I will stand for it no longer!" Miyabi resumes the sword fight, but he's more intense than before. I can barely deflect his blows with the practice sword they gave me. All of sudden my arm erupts in a sharp sensation. I look and see my right arm oozing blood, If I don't do something I'm going to be killed. He follows up with a slash aimed directly for my mid section, on instant I threw my hands up to block my hand instantly combust sending me backwards. Miyabi looks up at me with a grin "There we go that's more like it" He remains in his fighting stance as he eyes me down. Im exhausted at this point and I know I can't win the fight up close, I need to keep him back. I held my arm in front of me desperately. I tried to create a projectile to keep back my attacker. But like always I could release the shot, my hand burned more and more until it crept up my entire arm, no matter how desperately I wanted to I couldn't send it forward. My body gave out completely, I collapsed to the ground and blacked out.

When I awoke I was on an infirmary cot, my arm still hurt but it was bandaged. I love around, despite my injuries and the cot I was clearly not in a medical ward but instead an average home, The swordsman was in the room with me "I see you finally can join me Mithius" When it all came back to me I blurted out "When can I try again?" He gazed right at me " I see you properly assumed you failed once again, before we discuss your follow up we need to talk about your bending. Not only did you choose to keep it a secret on the military forms you seem to have no control." Not wanting the master to lose faith in me I tried to blurt out "Sir ....I" But he continues "But that's not the case in, you can use your flames in powerful and precise ways, however it seems like unlike other benders you can't send you flames over a distance is that correct?" I was paralyzed for a moment, the secret I tried to bury was out in the open, my freakish limitations, my curse. "Yes sir that is correct I can use my flames but I'm unable to send them more than a meter without it connecting to me in some way." He took a moment to think " I think you may have a condition known as Swarms, it's rare and is mostly see in earth benders, but those born with swarms have extremely heightened bending abilities, in the case of earth benders they can create massive cracks and tremors in seconds but they don't range that far. I believe in your case your flame are burn hotter than most and carry incredible explosive power, In most cases your stronger than most fire benders but you range is extremely limited." I couldn't stop staring at the floor. I could barely manage the word "so you're saying I'll never be able to be a proper fire soldier?" I tried to hold back my tears, my hopes and dreams to help those at the orphanage starting crumbling before me. "Well I wouldn't quite say that in fact I believe you have the makings of one of the best fire soldiers the nation ever seen but you'll have to work harder that everyone else, this will not be easy." "PLEASE I'll do whatever it takes!" "Very well I'll take you on, from now on you'll be in my fleet of swordsmen and everyday I will have you mastering your sword skills and your bending. I'll discuss your schedule with my old buddies Iroh and Piandao, we'll make you the strongest soldier we possibly can, but you can not give up on me." "Of course sir I won't let you down" Little did I know I would break that promise.

The training was grueling every day I pushed myself to the brink of exhaustion, I would wake before the crows I would do all my chores before the sun rose, than I would run straight to the masters, He would have me start every day doing 500 sword swings both overhead and both sides, than when my arms were about to fall of he would make me run through the entire town and scale an old guard tour on the other side. After my run back he would make me spare with the other cadets of his unit. They were experienced and several years my senior, they didn't hold back either. After most sessions I would be on my back gasping for air only getting up when my next opponent arrived. This would last till nightfall but my training didn't end there, after my meal cooked by the master I started my firebend practice. We started simple, focusing on the breathing, throwing punches while keeping my hands on fire, seeing how long I can maintain a constant burn, but then it got progressively harder to trying to combust on will, using jets of fire to guide my movements, and even enveloping my sword in fire and practice my stance, this carried on for four years. Every day I felt like quitting and never returning but I kept going. I wanted to make the orphanage proud, I wanted to prove my master right and the people who look down on me wrong. Eventually it came time for us cadets to prove ourselves worthy to become swordsman of the fire nation.Our final test was simple a spare against one other cadet, I was incredibly nervous as I never did well in the past sure I was drastically better now than I was years ago but my opponent was also someone who work hard and was even good at the beginning of training, when we met in the middle I was surprised how close in size we were not just in height but also in muscle mass. Mind you he was at least 23 and I'm only 16 I guess the training did pay off. I will never forget the moment the judge said go, me and my opponent rushed right towards each other. At that moment I could see the results of my training. I was able to deflect every blow like my sword knew precisely where he would strike and be able to intercept. Eventually I started setting the pace of the fighting it was him trying to keep up with me, eventually I was able to get and opening since we were using real swords for the exam stabbing was out of the question, instead I was able to pivot and send him back with a kick to the stomach, he flew backwards and out of the ring. The other cadets roared with cheer at my victory, I place my sword back on the inspection table and turned to face the ground, I took in the applause I had never felt like this before, quickly my attention was taken away from the crowd and turned to my back, the opponent a defeat arose with a scowl on his face and charged at we with his blade point out with the intent to stab. Time seem to slow, I quickly realized that my blade was no longer on my person and I noticed too late to dodge as I was still spinning to face him, the only option I had was to use my bending to deflect the sword, I instantly enveloped my fist in flame and spawned a just thrust from my elbow luckily I made just in time to push the sword, unfortunately I left myself open with no chance of recovery again and the sword was coming for my head again, but it was suddenly blocked by another sword I recognized the blade. It was the Master and he was upset. You could feel his violent intent coming off him in waves. It was so strong that not only did it paralyze me mere feet away but made the attacker drop his sword and fall to his knees. I don't remember much after that. We were quickly rushed to the ceremony and given our armor. Like the others I wore it right away I wanted to rush back to house and show the kids right away, but I knew I need to thank the man who made this possible, I ran straight to the masters home where he was waiting for me he was holding a bottle of booze which was old because I've never seen him drink before. Seeming to notice my confusion he answered " An old fart like me needs celebrate once and a while, and today is worth celebrating" I couldn't contain my joy, the master reach over and embraced me "Don't get used to this I'm still gonna push you but I'm so proud of how far you come. I'm glad to announce you'll officially be my apprentice where you'll join me on my specialized mission. I'll get to countie watch you become a great soldier"

That will be a night I will always treasure, unfortunately it will be followed by the worst event to ever happen to me.