Avatar: The Legend Reborn - Book 2: Family

Chapter 4: The Rise And The Fall

Book 2: Family
Chapter 4: The Rise And The Fall

Jiansu

It was a beautiful day in the northern Earth Kingdom. Jiansu stood in a green meadow surrounded by wildflowers. Birds, insects, and spirits flew around aimlessly. A glacial spring fed a sparkling river that poured into a lake so calm it looked like glass. It was... peaceful.

'Peace.'

The word sounded strange even in Jiansu's mind. He hadn't known what peace was like for thirteen years, since before his father died. Ever since then it was always a fight to survive, even before he knew he was the Avatar. He'd thought after he and Akira had defeated Vaatu that he could finally live his life in peace, but he should've known better. He was the Avatar, and his job was to keep the peace, even if he couldn't have it for himself. He hated it, but he understood the role the Avatar served, and he accepted it without regret.

Speaking of peace, Jiansu was on a mission to negotiate the peaceful surrender of Imperial troops in the area. This land used to belong to the Air Nomads, but was abandoned forty-three years ago when the Northern Air Temple collapsed. Afterwards, the Empire had claimed the land for its own, but Jiansu hoped he could find a way to get them to hand it over without bloodshed. He was dressed as an Air Nomad, staff in hand, in order to conceal his identity as the Avatar. An Earth Empire airship sat down at the edge of the meadow. A man with large sideburns walked down the ramp and across the meadow with two bodyguards at his sides.

"Who are you?" The man asked.

"I'm... Yuan. I'm here on behalf of the Air Nation." Jiansu replied.

"I'm Governor Chong. This is my land. What do you Airbenders want?"

"To appeal to you on a matter of international concern. You see, for thousands of years this land belonged to the Northern Air Nomads, but it was abandoned after the temple collapsed. There were plans to rebuild it, but the Earth Kingdom assimilated the land. The Empire now occupies the area, but the Air Nomads never relinquished it. I'm here to ask for it back, peacefully." Jiansu explained.

For thirty long seconds the governor said nothing. Then he laughed. "You expect me to just give away my land? This place has been part of the Earth Empire for two generations. Most of these people have lived their whole lives here. You think for a second I'm going to give it up?"

"The citizens will be allowed to stay." Jiansu promised.

"As will everyone else. My answer is no."

"But this is sacred land..." Jiansu started.

"Sacred? Do you see any Air Temple here boy? No temple, no claim. There is nothing left from your people's past."

"But if there was..."

"But there isn't."

"... would you leave peacefully?"

"If there was still an Air Temple here?"

"Yes." Jiansu replied.

"That's a rhetorical question."

"Maybe not. What if the Airbenders and myself could rebuild the Northern Air Temple? Give us a week."

The governor eyeballed Jiansu. "What if? I'd honor your request. But that's impossible to do."

"Nothing is impossible."

"Okay, you really think you can do this?"

"In a week."

"You have twenty-four hours."