Avatar: Rebirth

Chapter 1: 9999 Years in the Dark

Long, long ago, when spirits and humans still lived in two separate worlds, there were these beings known as Avatars who could bend all four elements. They protected the land from darkness and evil and acted as the bridge between our world and the spirits'.

But, during the time of Avatar Korra, everything changed. She was killed, and a new Avatar rose to power.

A Dark Avatar.

For years, this Avatar spread darkness across the land. The world of spirits and mankind were once again mixed. Wars broke out as people tried to bring back the world of light.

But they all failed to do so.

Humanity eventually accepted their fate, and people began to live in the darkness. There was no more talk of the old world. Eventually, people even forgot about Avatar Korra and those before her. All record of the Avatars were destroyed, and their stories soon faded to legend.

But I still believe that one day the Avatar will return.

My name is Tsao Maylin. I am nineteen years old, and the world I live in has suffered 9,999 years in the darkness. It is here, in this journal, that I retell you my story.

I was born exactly 9,980 years after the fall of Avatar Korra, at a small, rural town in the once great Republic City, now in ruins. Most technology had been lost, and people now live by the ways of the old. I was born to Tsao Minsheng, my father, and Tsao Xiaolian, my mother.

The village we lived in were the last people who knew about the history of the Avatars, both dark and light. They kept a record of each Dark Avatar and tried to revive the Light Avatar's history. Unfortunately, they couldn't get very far. They only have information up to Avatar Aang.

My parents taught me all they could about the Avatars, spirits, and the four elements. They were both powerful benders; my mother, along with the rest of her family, was a strong airbender, one of the best. My father was a great waterbender, the healer of the village.

Unfortunately, I didn't inherit either element. I was born a nonbender, one of the few in my village. I was constantly picked on because of this, but that never stopped me from becoming strong. Everyday I trained with benders and developed my own martial art fighting style. I became strong enough to stand up to the punks who bullied me. Because of this newfound strength, I was able to find a few friends. I became fast friends with a fire bender girl named Pao Mu Lan, an earth bender boy named Sui Yang, and another nonbender girl named Han Ai Mi, whom I nicknamed Ai.

We lived together happily in that village. But it was the day of my twelfth birthday that everything changed.

The life that I known was taken away from me forever.

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Standing on the cliff's edge, I gazed at the at the miles of water before me. The wind blew past me, leaves tangling themselves in my long hair. The seasons were changing again, and the world was becoming a kingdom of gold. My favorite part about this time of year.

But I wasn't here to admire the scenery. I turned around and began walking into the forest surrounding me. To my left, I heard a rustle of branches. An animal? I ignored it and continued walking. Once I had put enough distance between myself and the cliff, I stuck two fingers into my mouth and blew. A shrill, piercing whistle echoed throughout the forest, startling many of the animals around the proximity. Including whatever was behind that bush.

The thing behind the bush let out a cry. A human cry. I was confused. No one has ever found me here before. I pushed aside the leaves to see a friend of mine. He was still covering his ears from the whistle. When he saw me, he stood up quickly, brushing off leaves from his hair and straightening his clothes. "Oh, hey Maylin," he greeted my awkwardly. "I didn't, uh, see you there."