Avatar: The Legend Reborn - Book 1: Hope

Chapter 1: A Changed World

Book 1: Hope
Chapter 1: A Changed World

Jiansu

It was a cold winter day in Republic City. The ruins of a once great metropolis had almost been completely consumed by invasive vines from the Spirit World. Jiansu, a homeless sixteen year old boy, lived in a small community with his twin sister, their mother, and a few other homeless outcasts. Republic City was ground zero, but it was the only safe place in the world for them, or at least that's what Jiansu had been told. He had never quite figured out the reason why. The Earth Empire controlled all of the land around the city, but no one ever came to the oldest part of town; no one except for a group of criminals called the Rhino Tigers that had recently moved in. They were trying to avoid the Empire too.

Jiansu crouched in the tall brown grass, gripping his makeshift iron spear tightly. The cold morning breeze found every hole in his tattered green army jacket. Jiansu's bare feet shivered with every step. He was trying to find something to bring home for the others so they wouldn't have to go hungry. Since he was the only able bodied hunter, that responsibility fell to him. He spotted his prey in a burned out restaurant, and raised his spear over his head. The deer looked up, sniffing the air, but it never looked in his direction. It flicked its tail, a tell-tell sign that it was getting nervous, and was most likely about to flee. Jiansu threw his spear, using a rare ability his father had taught him called Metalbending, to guide the shaft to its target. Shink. His aim was true. The animal dropped where it stood. Jiansu got up from his position and trekked down the hill to the burned out restaurant. The sign was faded, but Jiansu could make out the words Kuang's Cuisine, no doubt a good place to eat in its glory days. It must've been destroyed during the invasion of Republic City. This place hadn't served anyone a meal in a long time, but today it was serving dinner to Jiansu's family. He knelt and examined the deer. It died the way he wanted it to; quick, without suffering. He threw the beast over his shoulder and began the hike home.

Jiansu's camp was located in the old subway station underneath the downtown district, away from the prying eyes of the Earth Empire. As Jiansu walked into camp with his kill, all the other outcasts looked around at him. There were about a dozen people in his community of homeless folks; it was both safer and easier to work together, instead of everyone fighting each other for survival. Jiansu laid the deer on a table.

"Breakfast is served." He announced. He looked around for his skinning knife, but could not find it.

Jiansu's mother Kareena was sitting by the fire, shivering in her gray trench coat. She had long brown hair with some streaks of gray, and sunken amber eyes that looked like they had seen everything. Considering that she could remember a time before the Earth Empire existed, they probably had.

Kareena was patching a plaid coat for an old man named Toghus. He was a deserter of the Imperial Army, and was the one who had trained Jiansu in Earthbending and Metalbending after his father had passed away. The boy sat down next to him.

"Hey Toghus, have you seen my knife?" Jiansu asked.

Toghus had shaggy gray hair and misty green eyes. He was only about sixty years old, but his mind was failing him. The old man nodded. "Akira borrowed it."

"Borrowed it for what?" Jiansu wondered.

"To cut something of course. She lost hers, remember?"

Jiansu didn't recall, but he shrugged. "Okay, but where is she?"

"She went to that old department store on the east side of town."

"What? But that's the Rhino Tigers' main camp!" Jiansu exclaimed. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Akira had gone to a very, very dangerous place. That department store was the main residence of the outlaws that had moved in. Jiansu had spied on them a couple of times, and they were not to be trifled with.