Blood and Fire

Prologue

When we arrived on the island it was night time. The moon was full, supposedly feeding her energy and power to the Waterbenders, making them unimaginably strong. At least that's what Sakari always told me. My big sister would always sneak out to practice waterbending when the moon was full. She put a finger on her mouth as she left the house and she'd whisper "Don't tell Mom and Dad. If you keep this between us, I'll teach you everything I learn". I'd look at her with all the admiration I felt for her, smiling from ear to ear as my biggest hero snuck out under the night sky, her parka's hood covering her ears from the harsh cold of the Southern Water Tribe. But that night, I felt nothing from the moon. Her soft light on my skin did nothing but light up the crowded room in which I sat on the floor, and make me feel smaller than ever in the swarm of lost children.

There were cries and screams of scared children filling the room as a group of tall men in green robes and cone hats surrounded us, long braids almost trailing behind them like snakes hiding on their heads in the safety of their hats. There were still kids coming in from the boats that had just docked, being stuffed into what little space remained in the room. Well, it was less of a room and more of a shelter from the rain. There were no walls or doors, it was a large dome that was covered in waterproof cloth with two gaps in the guise of entrance and exit. The kids coming in couldn't have been much older than me, five or six years old, eight at most. I watched as the new arrivals settled, holding my arms close as if I could hug myself and make it all go away the way Sakari often did.

Suddenly, a boy stumbled and fell next to me, banging his head on the hard concrete ground. I gasped at the sound, my heart momentarily pounding aggressively against my chest. I hurried to him to help him sit up, holding under his shoulder to help him as he pushed himself onto his hands and shifted his weight to sit hugging his legs. "Are you okay?" I managed to squeak at him, nervously looking for a puddle I could use to try to bend the water. Though I could barely move water properly with my bending, and much less use it for healing, I thought the cold sensation would help with the pain at least a little. In any case, there were no visible puddles to bend from. The room was hot and humid. I had never felt so hot in my life.

"I'm alright," replied the boy, rubbing his head where he'd bumped it. "Thanks".

He had golden eyes. I had never seen golden eyes before then. I looked around to see if anyone else had golden eyes and sure enough, some kids did, there were also browns and ambers here and there. I looked back at the boy facing me, my curiosity taking the better of me, distracting me from the scowls of the men in matching green robes. "I'm Yuka," I said to him once he had stopped rubbing his wound. My voice was in between a murmur and a whisper, fearing reprimand. "I'm from Wolf Cove in the Southern Water Tribe".

"My name's Taiyo," he whispered, his eyes darting between me and his hands. "I'm from Ma'inka in the Fire Nation ''.

We stayed silent for a few minutes as if speaking any more than that would set off some kind of alarm and everything would collapse onto us. As the room filled with more children, we suffocated in each other's fear, as if the thick humid air wasn't enough. But we had no choice but to let the hot, smokey air fill our lungs and intoxicate us with the mixed scent of fire and gas from the boats.

Then I felt a tug on my sleeve. I turned to see Taiyo nervously avoiding eye contact with me. "Yuka? Do you know what's going to happen to us? Do you know where we are?" he asked, his voice trembling. With fear? With fatigue? Who was to tell?

"I don't know, Taiyo".

We fell silent again after he let go of my arm. After a few more minutes, my arm felt empty. I felt alone. I was alone. I didn't know where I was, and I didn't know if I'd see my family again but I needed them so, so bad. I turned to Taiyo. Would he help comfort me a little if I asked? I nervously swallowed my saliva and tugged on Taiyo's sleeve. He jolted, turning his head towards me, I could feel his heartbeat racing until he realized it was only me. "Taiyo?" I said.

"Yes, Yuka?"

"Can I...Can I hold your hand?"

"Yeah".

He let go of his legs and reached for my hand as I reached for his.

No more new kids were coming in at this point. The room was full. Everyone was waiting. We didn't know what for but we waited. Hour after hour, we waited. The fatigue of the trip catching up to us, Taiyo fell asleep on my shoulder. Slowly, I gave in too, resting my head on his, closing my eyes, and letting the dark room disappear into murmurs and whispers in the back of my mind.

We were woken up mere moments later to the sound of a sharp, high-pitched alarm. We immediately pushed ourselves off of each other to cover our ears. The sound continued for the next few seconds but it felt like it lasted at least a whole ten minutes. When it stopped, Taiyo and I exchanged worried looks before reaching out for each other's hand again and looking forward at a bulky man in a green uniform with golden designs on his collar and a small golden insignia on his chest. His posture was impeccable, irreproachable. His gaze was sharp and piercing. I saw Taiyo avoiding his gaze at all costs and thought it wise to follow suit.

"Welcome, boys and girls!" the man suddenly boomed. We jumped at the sound of his voice, Taiyo squeezing my hand ever so slightly. "Welcome to Laghima Island! I know you're scared and you want your families, but rest assured, they don't want you".

At that, multiple other children broke down in tears, mourning the lives they'd never get to go back to. The families they could never see again. My heart dropped. A lump in my throat grew, threatening to burst releasing a dam full of tears. I couldn't believe it. Didn't want to believe it. No. Mom and Dad loved me, right? Sakari wouldn't let them take me, right? No, they loved me! Taiyo, on the other hand, wasn't doing as great. As he let himself crumble in my arms, I could hear his silent and suffocated sniffles.

"Now, now, kids!" called the man at the sudden wave of emotional kids in front of him in a vain attempt to keep his charming facade. He quickly gave it up. His face dropped into a scowl and he yelled. "SILENCE".

We all obliged.

"You are all here to learn how to further master your birth-given abilities. The Waterbenders will be made into masters, and the Firebenders as well. You will be our tools and you will listen to us without thought. The smallest amount of resistance will be met with... reprimand. I expect you will try to fight back at first, but I will personally see to it that that combattant spirit is snuffed out at all costs". His face remained cold and inexpressive.

Taiyo and I looked at each other, squeezing each other's hands as if it would make the world around us disappear and everything would be alright.

"But, fire and water being opposites, Waterbenders and Firebenders will be kept on opposite sides of the island. You will be kept only with your kin outside of eating hours".

My heart sank. I had just found Taiyo, and we were going to be torn apart, and I would be left all alone again. I pulled Taiyo into my arms, holding onto him as if it would make him stay. As if it would be enough for the men in robes not to separate us. But soon enough, the stoic men on the side dropped into Horse Stance and shot gloves of rock at the children, locking their hands into earthen cuffs and pulling them on opposite sides of the room, Waterbenders on one, Firebenders on the other. I squeezed my eyes shut hoping it would make them leave Taiyo and I be but surely enough, I felt an arm pick me up and pry me out of Taiyo's grip. No! My mind begged as I screamed and thrashed and hit the arm that held me with my fists as hard as I could as I was carried away with Taiyo behind my back. I was tossed to the side and cuffed with the rest of the Waterbenders.

I turned around, desperate to see if Taiyo was still there but he was gone, lost in the throng of Firebenders.