Storm

Prologue

            The small Fire Nation town of Hira’a was quiet. It was early in the morning, and the shopkeepers were in the process of opening up, but weren’t quite there yet. Soon enough, the sun would finish rising and the market square would be full of people, but for now, it was nearly empty.

            Through this world of quiet and dawn shadows, a girl walked. The few shopkeepers and stall owners who were up this early stared as she drifted by them. Her long black hair was in a tangle down her back, and she wore a long, sleeveless white dress. Across her back was a strange sort of sheathe, in which rested a long black staff. Her bare feet barely scuffed against the ground, rising only small puffs of dust in response to her passing. Her deep gray eyes surveyed the world around her with something close to wonder, and a strange, excited smile graced her lips.

            Perhaps the oddest thing of all was the direction from which the girl came: behind her lay the outskirts of town, and then… a place the villagers of Hira’a both knew and feared.

            Forgetful Valley.

            It was impossible for this girl to have stepped out of the dark forest filled with faces, but there was nowhere else for to have come from. Maybe it was that fact, or maybe it was the way she walked, with so much confidence despite her slim frame and narrow shoulders.

            Whatever it was, the denizens of Hira’a watched the girl’s passing with trepidation, and wondered what kind of sign her arrival would prove to be.

            They stared in silence, ceasing all movement as she slipped through the early morning. Then, once she was out of sight around the corner, they breathed again, and resumed their activities.

            Slowly, they forgot about the strange girl, and soon enough they were opening the market to the day with bright smiles and fresh wares.