After an uneasy night, the group was gathered up on top of one of many pyramids.
"If you're going to see the masters, you must bring them a piece of the eternal flame," the chief said, an arm held out towards a flame that burned fiercely. "This fire is the very first one. It was given to Man by the dragons. We have kept it going for thousands of years."
"I don't believe it," Zuko murmured, bewildered.
"Well, you see, it's a fire that dragons made, and then they just kept adding fuel, so it never died..."
"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Mangetsu rolled his eyes.
"You're welcome Major Sarcasm."
"You will each bring a piece of it to the masters," the chief said as warriors gathered around it, "to show your commitment to the sacred art of firebending."
"Um, Mister Sun Chief, sir?" Aang said. "Yeah... I'm not a firebender yet. Couldn't my friend here carry my fire for me?"
He pointed at Zuko while Mangetsu snatched his katana back from one of the warriors with a glare.
"No," the chief said sternly, turning back to the fire.
Aang watched uneasily as the chief "pulled" the fire towards himself.
"This ritual illustrates the essence of Sun Warrior philosophy," he turned a full circle, splitting the fire in two. "You must maintain constant heat. The flame will go out if you make it too small."
Aang cringed as the chief presented the fire to them. Zuko took the fire from him, and the chief split it again.
"Make it too big, and you might lose control."
Aang hesitated, and Mangetsu stared at the chief like he was insane.
"Dude... I'm a waterbender... I can't do anything with that..." he said. "I'm not here to learn firebending; I'm here because it was better than waiting around..."
"Hey, they're bringing you a stick!" Amaya said cheerfully.
"I'm sorry, I'm just a little nervous," Aang said, anxiously taking the fire from him. "It's like a little heartbeat..."
Mangetsu grudgingly took the torch from the warrior.
"Fire is life, not just destruction," the chief said. "You will take your flames up there. The cave of the masters is beneath that rock."
"That's a lot of walking..."
"Once again, thank you for your statement of the obvious, Captain," he mockingly saluted her.
YOU ARE READING
Accidental Avatar 3.5: The Burn Book
FanfictionWe return to our group, from where we left off, as they prepare to take on the Fire Lord. What's next for our little marshmallows? Disclaimer: we own only the OCs and none of the Avatar. But how cool would it be if we did, right?
