Kya Maiden of the Sea Book 1 ATLA

Chapter 1

Water, Earth, Fire, Air

There was a time where my grandmother told us stories of older days, a time of peace. Where the Avatar kept balance between Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads but - that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked.

Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, can stop the ruthless fire benders but when the world needed him most. He vanished. It's been 100 years since then and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war.

As of  two years ago my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to aid in the fight against the Fire Nation, leaving my brother, sister and I to look after what remains of our tribe.

Some believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the cycle has been broken but there are still those that have yet to lose hope.

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A loud groan could be heard escaping her throat as she walked out of one of the larger tents, her eyes weary. Squinting against the afternoon sun, she felt the familiar dry, brisk air wash over her. Taking a deep breath, a chill ran down his spine, prompting her to quickly place the hood of her parka over her head.

The girl waved to the children as they dashed around, giggling among themselves, largely ignoring her presence. That was fine; their happiness was enough for her, it had always proven to be enough. It was better this way, had they been hungry, tired or ill is where she would feel concerned. However, one of the younger boys smiled at her, prompting a nod in response. The two then turned away from each other, continuing to do their own things.

The girl then made her way to the village entrance, heading towards the ridge where the ice cap met the open ocean. It was a stunning view of the crystalline dark blue. This place, filled with solitude allowed her to think and, of course, practice her bending.

Removing her gloves, she braced her warm hands against the cold winds of the Southern Pole, shaking them loose before bending a stream of water around her. Taking a deep breath to control her movements, she brought the water up into the air and back down in a graceful arc. Hours slipped away as she very well had lost self in the practice. In these moments, she couldn't bring herself to think a single thought. Only being able to focus on this sacred ability that had been lucky enough to inherit. Perhaps it was the fatigue of the same routine that had grown monotonous over the past two years. Spending most days ensuring rations she hunted lasted as long as possible, cooking and documenting the tribe's needs as her father once did. With what little spare time she had left, she'd practice her bending. If one would ask her how she felt having these tasks on her plate every day, she would tell you that it was nothing to complain about, however, she was never satisfied with the responsibility placed onto her. Yet it was still a burden on her shoulders. Such was the task that her and her siblings bore as the children of a Chieftain

With a long sigh, she shook her head and focused on the water, the only thing that brought him peace. In that moment, it felt as if nothing else existed—just him and the ocean. The push and pull of the waves created a beautiful, fluid art. Reminding her that her brother often mocked her for practicing alone, while also ridiculing Katara for her own bending attempts.

Saying stupidities like "What's the point if you don't have a master to teach you?" Or "Being strong is a man's job anyways," yet she knew that he simply hated the idea of the emotional frustration that we faced knowing that there was only so much a person could do in the village. We all were trying our best, regardless of the challenges.

This sudden loss of focus caused the girl to let the water drop onto the snow. Growing irritated she transformed the fallen water into ice shards, hurling them far into the ocean. Pausing to calm down, her jaw unclenched and her eyes softened once more. Holding a rather serene expression on her face.

Realizing how much time had passed, she grabbed her gloves and sprinted back to the village, running into Gran-Gran. Immediately picking up the basket she was carrying and walking toward her hut. Abruptly stopping causing her grandmother to look at her in a confused manner. But no words could explain the brilliant light that shone from the open water, not far from the village.

"Gran-Gran, did you just see that?" She gasped softly.

She squinted at her, indifferent as ever to her grandchildren's whims,"See what?"

Her brusqueness helped the girl relax a bit; perhaps it was just her imagination,"Maybe ... maybe it's just the midnight sun making me see things,"

The girl could almost sense her judgment as she said those words, thinking she had finally lost her mind.

"Okay, I get it, just don't look at me like that. We have dinner to make, don't we?" She said, changing the topic of conversation and walked toward Gran-Gran's hut.

The sudden reminder that her siblings were still fishing out on the water, creeped an uneasy feeling into her mind.

I wonder if they're coming back soon.

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Revised on Nov 3, 2024