A Guide to Shadow Bending

Chapter 2

Shadow Benders have terrible eyesight, since they prefer the dark. 

Toph Beifong is blind, blind as a bat she can't see her own hand in front of her nose. But she can see with Earth Bending, she can see through her feet thanks to her Earth Bending. With Shadow Benders it's the same. Now they're not blind like Toph, but they don't see well, they can see well enough but they use they're feet to see just as Toph does, which in turn, makes them so much greater at fighting because they can feel you when you're close, they can anticipate your next move. 

With Light Benders it's the opposite, they have excellent eyesight. They've got eyes like a hawk, they could spot you (with their eyes) a hundred yards away. This makes them excellent fighters because they catch every move you make, but unlike the Shadow Benders, they can't feel your physical reaction to things, they can't anticipate your next move, but they are still excellent fighters, the Shadow and Light Benders balance each other out in seemingly everything. 

              Place of Residence:

There was an old legend that the Shadow and Light Benders lived on an island off to the south west of the Fire Nation. Hardly anyone believed it but alas the legend is true. 

The island is shaped like the Yin and Yang symbol, one side being dark, and the other side light, with just a dot of dark on the light side and a spot of light on the dark side. 

I think you can guess which benders live where. 

Back when they were still at war the Shadowside leader and the Lightside leader met and discussed a way to end the war, so both leaders sent 20 men from their sides of the island to the opposite side to stay there and keep each other in check. 

         More on the Shadow State:

With the Shadow State, last chapter I got mixed up when I said their tattoos actually float above them, we've changed that, the Shadow Benders fists are met together like when Aang goes into the Avatar State, the Shadow Benders tattoos seem to crawl down the benders arms and merge into the fists creating a powerful shadow all on their own, this makes the bender ten times as powerful. But if the tattoos merge too quickly the bender could die. 

               More History:

Just as the first Air Benders learned Air Bending from Skybison and Earth Benders learned from Badger-Moles, And Fire Benders from Dragons, the Shadow Benders learned their bending from Shadow Dragons, thought to be only mythical creatures nobody believed the Shadow Dragons actually existed. 

In the myths the Shadow Dragon moved swiftly and silently, as a phantom. It actually only looked like a giant black lizard with red eyes, their pupils split like a cat. It seemed to have no wings. But alas, the Shadow Dragons wings were disguised as shadows cast on the ground. But when it spread them out to fly one could easily spot the ghost-like shadowy figures flapping up and down. 

The Shadow Dragons are indeed not a myth, they're as real as the Shadow Benders that once existed but secretly exist. 

                 Light Bending:

Light Benders, as well as Shadow Benders are thought to be extinct. But truthfully they live secretly on an island in the ocean somewhere unknown to anyone. 

Just as the first Water Benders learned their bending from the moon the Light Benders learned from the sun. 

An interesting fact about Light Benders; they can look directly into the sun and not be blinded by it like everyone else. 

        The Art of Light Bending:

The moves of a Light Bender are a mixture of Air Bender moves and Earth Bending moves. 

The Light Benders use the swift dodging movements of an Air Bender, they also use the solid, forceful moves and stance of an Earth Bender. 

    Extras: 

Light benders are most powerful during the daytime when the sun is out, but they can bend without the aid of the sunlight. They can bend moonlight as well and even the soft glow of a fire can have enough light for the benders to grab and use. 

                 Light Weapons:

Like the Shadow Benders, Light Benders also use certain movements to create their weapons if war. 

             The Light Sword:

Bending the light in front of you and then swiftly jutting your hand strait out in front of you hardens the light and creates the Light Sword, a weapon commonly used by Light Benders. 

             The Light Shield:

To create the Light Shield, you simply reach up and bend down the light overhead and hold a fist, this creates the Light Shield, a strong force just as strong as the Shadow Shield. 

                Light Spear:

The Light Spear is the most commonly used weapon of the Light Benders, it's sometimes even used solely for decoration!

To create this weapon, the bender has to press his/her hand firmly on the ground, first being sure the person has bended light into their palm, then gently lift your hand off the ground strait up and there you have hardened light that is in the form of a spear. 

 Facts About Both Light and Shadow Benders: 

The Shadow Benders are merciless. They typically have no compassion whatsoever. It is very easy for Shadow Benders to say no to any request from anyone, regardless of how important that person is. And when in a hostage situation the Shadow Bender will think only of himself/herself, and not the safety of all the others. They will sacrifice thousands if it means saving themselves. 

Light Benders, opposite, they are typically very compassionate and caring, it's difficult for them to say no to anyone who asks anything of them. The value of human life means more to them than anything ever could. When in a hostage situation the Light Bender(s) will try and figure out how to get everyone out alive, even if it means sacrificing their own lives. 

Not all Shadow Benders are like that though, the same being with Light Benders, but it's just a natural thing for Light Benders to be compassionate and Shadow Benders not. 

                        Wings:

The Shadow Benders as well as the Light Benders can create their own wings, used for flying or blowing giant puffs of air to knock their opponents off their feet. 

Shadow Wings:

The Shadow Wings, created by lifting your shadow behind you and placing it on your back, the wings design varies with each bender, their wings could be bird-like, or they could look like a bats wings. It all depends on the person. 

Light Wings:

The Light Wings, created by stomping up light reflected from the ground and placing it on ones back, the wings usually look like a hawks wings but very rarely they look like butterfly wings and are just as fragile.