Outcast

Chapter 2: The Avatar Returns

I ran as fast as I could, hoping to make it to the village in time to help defend our home. As I approached the village, I saw Aang and his bison start walking away from the village. I decided to ignore him and go straight inside the village to find my siblings. I saw Katara and called her name as I stopped to catch my breath.

"Katara!" She turned her head sharply and ran over to me.

"Kai! Where have you been? Did you see-"

"Yes, I saw the flare. Look, Katara, We don't have much time, a fire nation navy ship is headed to the village. We need to get ready to defend ourselves. Where's Sokka?"

"He's in his tent getting prepared." Without saying another word, I rushed inside Sokka's tent and saw him putting on his face paint. Right when I entered, he turned his head.

"Kai! The fire nation-"

"They are almost here." I say as I walked over and grabbed some of his spare black leather gloves and a tie to tie my hair into a high ponytail. "I'm going to get my weapons. Listen, Dad entrusted you and I to protect this village at whatever means necessary. I know that I am not allowed-"

"Do it, Kai." The look on his face was serious. I knew that in this moment, Sokka trusted me with his own life. "Your abilities are not the issue. It is how you use them. Our people, including me, made it clear the firebenders are the reason so many loved ones have died, but you are not them. Prove to everyone that you are not them." I stared at him in silence. My eyes started to water a little but I simply gave him a nod and walked out of his tent. I then start jogging to my tent, as I look around, the village doesn't seem so chaotic. Is Sokka and I the only ones taking this seriously? I decided to ignore everyone and walked into my tent. I put on my black leather pants over my leggings and before I walked out the tent, I suddenly remembered Sokka's words about how I wasn't them and that I need to prove everyone wrong. Without even a second thought, I grabbed my book and pulled out my necklace with the mystery fire nation key attached. I quickly put it on and then I heard a rumbling sound coming from outside. I quickly grabbed my daggers and rushed outside. I ran to Katara and she was looking in the direction of Sokka, who was standing on top of our walls. The village started running away from the wall and started screaming. I looked to Sokka and saw a huge ship coming closer and closer. I grabbed onto Katara and started pulling her away from the ship. Katara then brakes free of my grip.

"Kai, stop! We need to help everyone take cover!" I simply nodded my head and started helping everyone else as she did the same. Then the ship started breaking the ice on the ground causing cracks in our surface. I then looked at Sokka and noticed that he wasn't moving out of the way.

"Sokka! Get out of the way you idiot!" Sokka doesn't move but the ship stopped once it reached our walls and the wall that sokka was standing on collapsed, causing him to slide down with it. At this point, the village started coming out of their tents to see what was going to happen next. I found my way back to Katara and stepped in front of her in a ready stance. The ship then opened its latch, almost landing on Sokka, but thankfully he moved out of the way fast enough. Seven men then started climbing down the ramp. The six in the back wore masks with a skull face and the other one was in front, leading the others. His helmet was bigger and he had a burnt scar over his left eye.

Sokka then raised his hatchet and started screaming as he ran towards the fire nation man in the front but the man simply kicked his hatchet out of his hands and kicked his face sending Sokka flying off the ramp and landing face first into the snow. The man continued down the ramp like nothing happened. The six skull-faced men stood in the back and the leader of the group walked up to all of the villagers and scanned each of their faces. I took a step forward and held out my arms and stared at the scared faced man.