Accidental Avatar 3: Totally Lit

Put on a good show

Village destruction had begun when a thick mist rolled over the town, flames going out as a strong breeze swallowed them.

Torches, normally lit during the night, suddenly lit up. However, the usual red-orange glow was taken over with a blue flame, flickering eerily and swallowing heat rather than producing it.

Lilting, eerie, flute music floated through the air, muted slightly by the mist.

"What's going on?" One of the soldiers questioned, looking around anxiously.

"I don't know," another said, falling in beside his comrade with a fearful expression. "Something strange is going on."

Ominous growling could be heard, echoing over the river.

"It's the Painted Lady," a little boy said smugly. "She's coming."

"There is no Painted Lady!" the General scoffed.

"What is that sound?" a female soldier questioned, shaking in her boots.

Distant thudding could be heard, though the direction it was coming from was impossible to judge with the mist dampening the sound.

"Maybe it is her?" a male soldier whimpered.

Strange, flickering shapes appeared in the fog, like little fish made of living flame but more colourful than any fish any of them had seen. They swirled in the fog as if it was simply water. A soldier reached out to touch one of these strange fish before yelping in surprise as it nipped him and darted away.

"It bit me!"

"Don't touch them!" the general snapped, now beginning to show some small amount of fear.

The fog parted slowly, a figure barely visible in the distance, the shape and figure similar to the statue in the centre of the village. Suddenly, the figure shot forward, murky water parting behind her in great waves, until she alighted gently on the dock, approaching slowly.

"Do something!" the general shoved two guards forward.

They moved forward slowly, timidly holding up their fists in a weak firebending stance. A burst of air rattled them, causing them to scurry off in terror.

"Stand your ground!" the general ordered desperately.

The figure lifted a hand, the water responding by immediately lifting two nearby jet skis and launching them into the cliff-face.

The water behaved like living things, the rainbow fish darting erratically between the twisting tendrils of water that hissed and smoked. The figure moved their hand towards the group, and the fish shot forward, nipping at the feet of the now fleeing soldiers, buzzing like angry bees.

The water twisted almost protectively around the figure, the hissing only intensifying.

The general turned towards the lone figure, angrily swatting away the buzzing fish.

"I'll deal with you myself," he growled, bending an arc of fire towards the figure.

The water twisted protectively before it shot out to deal with the flame, even as the figure shot into the air, and an explosion of steam occurred beneath her.

A strong burst of wind shot the general over the foul water. He surfaced, gasping for air and turned to find the Painted Lady looming over him, her arms outstretched menacingly.

"Leave this village and never come back!"

He turned and desperately swam away. A stray jet ski passed by, and he clambered on before it buzzed off, chased a small distance by buzzing rainbow firefish.