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

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

A Solstice Birthday

　

I woke up on my birthday with excitement. Today was a very special day; I was now fourteen, my coming of age. Today was also the Winter Solstice and Koluk's fourteenth birthday; there would be a festival in the city. I got dressed quickly and went downstairs.

Hiko was sitting at the table, eating breakfast with Wei. "Ah, there he is," Wei said. "Happy fourteenth birthday, Hyriu."

"Thank you, Wei," I said gladly.

"Happy birthday, Hyriu," Hiko said with a mouthful of noodles.

I laughed, "Thanks, Hiko."

"Here are your presents," Wei said and motioned to the table where there was a stack of items. I sat down and picked up a scroll with a ribbon tied around it.

"That one's from me," Hiko said happily.

I untied the ribbon and opened the scroll. It was a detailed map of the world. It had locations of all the major cities in all four nations, names of all the mountain ranges, and lakes and rivers. I saw that other places were freshly inked in on the map, like the Shui Temple and the village where Shan and Master Lee lived. The way the map was colored showed forests and deserts, not the usual map that showed the four nations.

"Hiko, this is amazing. How did you get this?" I asked.

"I told dad about it when we were at the Gambing Palace, and after the banquet, he went and found a map. Then, he inked in all the places I told him," Hiko explained. Hiko called Wei dad because he never new our real parents. For him it has always just been Wei.

"Wow, that is cool. Now, I'll have to get you something good for you birthday next year. Was that your plan all along?" I asked with a smile.

He laughed. I moved on to the other presents. There was a long package that I opened next. It was a bow made of dark pinewood, and it was strong and light. It had a quiver and arrows, which were also made of the dark pinewood.

"Wei, this is incredible!" I said as I pulled back the bow, testing it out.

"Well, you have also expressed an interest in archery," he said simply.

I put the bow in the quiver and saw it could fit reasonably well, even with all the arrows. The chest was the last thing on the table.

"Hyriu, when I found you and your brother in your ruined house in the Lok Wa Isles, you and Hiko were tucked in a corner along with a chest made of drift wood. This is that chest. Your mother and father had family possessions stowed in here the day of the attack; I added a few items my self. Open it," Wei said, his voice full of emotion.

With shaking hands, I pulled the chest to me. I remembered it. I remember my mom putting things in the chest just before...before she... No, it was too painful to think about what happened after that. I opened the chest. There were several items inside. I pulled out a painting that had a small scorch mark in one corner. I felt a lump form in my throat. It was a painting of our family. My mom was holding a baby Hiko in her arms. My dad had his right arm around her and his left on my shoulder. I was only four years old in the painting, but I was almost five since Hiko was born a month and a half before my birthday. I set the picture down with watery eyes. I pulled out a knife made from a dolphin-shark's tooth.

"That was your father's knife. It was his secondary weapon," Wei told me.

The knife had a sheath to go with it. I saw a wooden toy of a koi fish. It had been mine, then Hiko's. I then saw something shining from the bottom of the chest. I picked it up. It was a golden jar with large emeralds on it. There were other smaller gems on it as well such as rubies and sapphires.