Avatar: The Legend of Anzen Hyriu, Book 1: The Legend of Beifen

Chater 2

Chapter 2

Swirling Waves of Ice

I finished eating and was cleaning up after Hiko's mess when I heard another knock at the door. I walked over and pulled back the curtain to reveal Master Wei. He was a middle aged man with dark grey hair, a few wrinkles and pale blue eyes that could be just as warm and caring as fierce.

"Good morning, Hyriu," he said.

"Good morning Wei," I answered.

"Has your brother-" he started.

"Yes," I said before he could finish, "Yes, he has already left for warrior practice."

"Good," he said.

"So, I'm guessing to you came to get me?" I asked

"No. I came to tell you that you are going to school today and you are to meet me at the Plaza Square directly after water bending practice," he said.

"Um, why am I going to school?" I asked confused because I never went to school on the day of the test. We usually spent most of the day getting to the secret location of the test. It was different every year. The first time it was on an ice shelf, the second time it was in a blizzard in the mountains. I had no idea what to expect this time.

"Because the place we are going is not far way," he answered.

"Oh ok," I said very confused.

"See you at practice,"

"Bye," I said.

Since school didn't start for awhile I decided to take a walk. It was a clear day and there was a strong wind blowing from the south. That told me a storm was coming from the south, if it is a clear day and there is a strong wind then a storm was coming from which ever direction the wind was blowing from. This storm I could tell was going to be big. It would be here in a day at tops, but most likely only a few hours.

I looked to the south where the Bei Shui Mountains were and where the wind was coming from. I saw the entrance to the Shui Air Temple. It was disguised so unless you didn't know it was there then you couldn't see it. It still had the same style of the Western Air Temple, only not upside down. There were a few small temples on the side of the mountain that were also well hidden. When Sozin's Comet came 100 years ago, Sozin attacked each temple at once. Some male air benders went to the Western Air Temple to see if there was news of the missing Avatar, who had disappeared only a month prior. That was when Sozin attacked. The air benders fought back and a small group managed to escape including the male air benders who had come and the female air benders who lived at the Temple, along with some sky bison and lemurs. They came here, to Hydronia, seeking shelter and safety. When they told the Court what had happened, the Court was furious and filled with grief, for Hydronia and the Western Air Temple had been great friends since Avatar Yangchen's time. Any attack that the Fire Nation sent came even near the Northern Water Tribe was destroyed. The air benders built a Temple in the Bei Shui Mountains and named it the Shui Air Temple. When they realized that the Sky Bison and Lemurs couldn't live in this environment, they begged the Spirits to help them. So the Spirits blessed the valley behind the temple and turned it into a sacred tropical area. Like a very large Spirit Oasis. Only it was not as spiritual as the oasis. It was filled with a large forest with many streams and rivers. That is where the bison lemurs and many monks live now. The air benders, the temple and the valley were more secrets kept in Hydronia. My air bending master, Sonam lives in the valley as well as my friend Lamara who learns air bending with me.

I walked to the Plaza Square just to make sure I knew the way. The Square was very beautiful. There was a very large fountain in the center of the open area. It had several waterfalls, little ponds and towers of water spraying in the air only to fall back down. The ice that formed the solid part of the fountain was made in a way to look like rushing waves. Some of the most talented water benders and carvers in history made it a long time ago when Hydronia was the capital and there was only one Water Tribe.

The fountain as beautiful as it may be, it was nothing compared to the grand palace behind it. The Gambing Palace was a wonder to look at. It was made by the same talented water benders and carvers who made the fountain. From outside it was sparkling in the light like millions of diamonds. The walls and roofs were swirling waves frozen in time. There was a large wall blocking the front of the palace that looked like a large wave at the height of its crest and about to come crashing down on those outside the palace. Its rumored that on the other side of the wall was a courtyard full of fountains and pools much like the one in the Square. It was also said that there was a huge estate behind the palace, but only the Royal Court and their guards and family have been inside the wall. But even they haven't been to Hydronia since the early years of the war.

I would give just about anything to see the inside of the palace and explore it at will. It would be incredible to see the construction of it as well.

A loud bell rung out as I gazed upon the Gambing Palace, I realized that I didn't have much time to get to school so I ran to get there on time. I took one last glance back as I was running then I went to top speed running from the great palace of swirling waves of ice.